08 February 2014

Magh 26, 1420 Rabius Saani 7, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 315

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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Polls local, but agenda national BNP-backed candidates wooing voters with war crimes trial, Jan 5 poll issues n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The upazilas might be key administrative units of the country’s local government, but when it comes down to their elections, contenders hardly seem interested in local issues.

With the first phase of the polls in 98 upazilas due in just about a few days time, for the aspirants in the upazila parishads electioneering is in full swing in their respective localities.

The residents of many of these upazilas have said that instead of addressing the local issues, especially development and agriculture, the contenders, particularly those backed by or inclined to the BNP, are trying to woo voters with national issues like the war crimes trials, the January 5 parliamentary election, government’s oppression etc.

Dhaka city BNP to see new faces soon n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The BNP is likely to form a 21-member Dhaka city unit convening committee dissolving the existing one as it has failed to play any vital role in the anti-government campaign, said party insiders.

The committee is likely to come into being in seven to 10 days. A number of senior leaders, however, requested the BNP chief to wait until Dhaka city unit BNP Convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka is released from jail.

“BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia called a meeting of the Dhaka city BNP leaders on Monday,” Abdus Salam, member secretary of Dhaka city unit BNP, told the Dhaka Tribune on Friday.

Rafiqul Islam Miah said: “Dhaka city unit will be reshuffled soon to intensify the movement. The party is working on it and devoted and tested leaders will be evaluated when the committee is reshuffled.

The chairperson is looking after the whole process.”

Rafiqul also said a proposal to split the Dhaka city unit – Dhaka city (North)  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

On the other hand, the Awami League-backed candidates are trying to convince people that they must be voted in so that they can continue with the development work without any hindrance. Moreover, the ruling party backed candidates are also talking about the difference between pro-liberation versus anti-liberation forces.

Voters say these issues do not have much direct impact on the economy and society of rural areas. With contenders spending all their energy on these national issues, voters fear that the upazila parishads will remain weak even if the best candidates are elected everywhere in free, fair and credible elections.

The upazila parishad elections, much like the city corporation polls, are non-partisan contests, meaning that  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Sanaul Islam Tipu and n Md Ashif Islam Shaon Nearly 19 years have passed and the family members of slain teacher Nuban Ahmmed of Dhaka University’s economics department are yet to get justice as the court has kept changing the verdict date.

At least ten judges of the First Additional Metropolitan Sessions’ Judge Court have heard the case so far since the trial process began 12 years back. The next date of the verdict delivery has been set on February 9 for the 11th time.

The latest date has been fixed by two judges – the immediate past judge of the court Anisur Rahman and the current Judge Zakia Pervin.

All of the three accused in the case – a colleague AKM Morshed, Nuban’s wife Kazi Sohana Naznin Lipi and her

News

3 Holding “political unrest” and “confusion regarding holding the fair” as responsible, a number of participants in the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) this year have expressed disappointment over decline in sales.

4 Environmental activists yesterday expressed concern at the rising trend in air pollution across the country, which is a threat to public health. They also urged the government to take the necessary measures to contain the air pollution.

5 Most doctors at Sirajganj Sadar Hospital have allegedly been skipping their duties regularly, despite recent directives from the health minister to be diligent in serving the patients. Many doctors of the hospital reportedly take unauthorised leave, while others flout the rules and fail to follow the office hours.

International

9 Former Gujarat Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Rajinder Kumar has been charged with the murder of a young college student and three serving officers accused of conspiracy in staging the police encounter in which she was killed.

11 According to ASK, from January to September 2013, 868 women were raped in Bangladesh. Of these, 482 cases were filed, 102 were minors, and there were a total of 207 incidents of gang rape. Another report highlighted that almost 3,000 women were raped in Bangladesh in the last four years. Among them, over 500 were killed after rape, and about 300 women committed suicide after being raped.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Number of students decreasing in public universities

60 politicians on ACC radar

n Mushfique Wadud

decrease in the number of students at public universities in 2012 than the previous year.

In 2011, the 34 public universities had 2,170,472 students, while the number decreased to 1,890,543 in 2012.

On the other hand, there was a 12% increase of students at the then 60 private universities, with figures climbing

The Anti-Corruption Commission is scrutinising the wealth of around 60 lawmakers from the ninth parliament, whose accumulations of unusual amounts of wealth were inconsistent with their known sources of income, an ACC official has told the Dhaka Tribune.

He said the commission had already

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

The number of students in public universities decreased in 2012 compared to figures from 2011, while the number in private universities increased during the time, the University Grants Commission annual report for 2012 has revealed.

The report said a drop in student numbers at the National University

No justice in DU teacher Nuban murder case after 19 years

INSIDE

Op-Ed

The light and sound show begins at Lahbagh Fort after being inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the capital yesterday

alleged boyfriend Mahaiminur Rahman Milton – are hiding abroad.

Tejgaon police rescued Nuban Ahmmed on December 17, 1995 from a road on the eastern side of the parliament building after he had been stabbed by unknown assailants around 7pm.

He died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on December 26. After the incident Nuban’s father-in-law Kazi Shamsul Huda filed a case with the police station.

In the case statement he said that Nuban went out of his Mohammadpur house to the Colour Museum at Asad Gate to clean up his camera’s lenses.

Later, unknown assailants hacked him and dumped the body on a field to the eastern side of the South Plaza of the parliament building.

Nuban’swifeandfather-in-lawrushed  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

(NU) mainly contributed to the overall decrease in students at public universities. The report for 2012 was submitted to President Abdul Hamid last month.

Educationists said prolonged session jams at the NU might have contributed to the slide, whilst violent student politics in NU-affliated colleges might have been another reason for the shift.

The UGC report said there was a 13%

n Syed Samiul Basher Anik

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, February 8, 2014

TWOKI MURDER New Boeing 777 arrives to join Biman fleet Immediate arrest of

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

A brand new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, named “Akash Pradip,” arrived in Dhaka yesterday, as part of Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ plans of increasing its punctuality, which currently stands at around 65% timely flights.

The new Boeing aircraft, the third of its kind to be included in the Biman fleet, arrived at the Hazrat Shahjalal Airport at around 1pm; while the fourth Boeing 777-300ER, named “Ranga Provath,” is expected to be delivered on March 21.

Earlier, Biman Bangladesh Airlines made a contract with Boeing for 11 aircrafts and the rest of the crafts will come by 2019, sources said.

“The new craft ‘Akash Pradip’ will make our task easier and also help to increase the punctuality rate of Biman certainly,” Mohammad Sha Newaz, di-

rector (marketing and sales) of Biman, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

He also said another craft due for next month would help Biman to be established as a standard carrier.

When contacted, Biman’s Chief Executive Officer Kevin Steele said the fourth Boeing 777-300ER would be delivered on March 21, while two more Boeing 777-200ERs are being dry leased from EgyptAir in the next two months.

Steele added that he expected Biman to achieve 75-80% punctuality, the same level as most major European airlines, by next year.

Along with the Biman CEO, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Khurshed Alam also welcomed the new aircraft at the airport.

Earlier on Thursday, Boeing, one of the world’s leading aerospace company, handed over its fourth generation aircraft to Biman in Seattle.

Debabrata Banik, chief engineer of the national flag carrier who was on “Akash Pradip” during the trip from Seattle to Dhaka, said: “It is a smooth and the most modern craft so far in Biman’s history.

“We had arranged test flights on January 30 and 31 in the sky of Seattle.

Our pilots are so happy with this type of craft,” he added.

Sources said “Akash Pradip” is expected to fly for Jeddah in Saudi Arabia within the next 10 to 12 days.

“We have a plan to continue our service with Akash Pradip in London and Rome, also with Jeddah and Riyadh,” Mohammad Sha Newaz told the Dhaka Tribune over phone yesterday.

Biman sources said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to join next week’s induction programme of the new aircraft, which will also bid farewell to the old DC-10.

Earlier in 2012, Biman was delivered two Boeing 777-300ERs named “Palki” and “Arun Alo,” both powered by twin engines and housing 419 seats.

Biman also has plans to procure four Boeing 737-800s and two Boeing 7878s by 2019.

According to Biman, the Boeing 777300ER is 19% lighter than its closest competitor, greatly reducing fuel requirement.

Biman starts for Frankfurt

Biman Bangladesh Airlines is set to begin two weekly flights from Dhaka to Frankfurt from March 31.

The new service will be operated with brand new Boeing 777-300 aircraft in a two-class configuration of 384 seats in Economy and 35 in Business Class, departing on Monday and Friday, with a brief stop at Rome-Fumicino, according to the Biman website. l

killers demanded n Our Correspondent, Narayanganj

The “Santras Nirmul Twoki Mancha” (Twoki platform to eliminate terrorism) observed a token hunger strike in Narayanganj town yesterday, demanding immediate arrest and capital punishment to the killers of Tanvir Muhammad Twoki.

People from all strata of life under the platform took part in the hunger strike held on the premise of Central Shaheed Minar at Chashara of Narayanganj, marking 11-month into the killing of Twoki.

During the hunger strike, Convener of the platform Rofiur Rabbi, also father of Twoki, said everyone, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, knew who had killed Twoki.

“The arrestee has already confessed that Twoki was killed under leadership

of Nasim Osman’s son Azmeri Osman.

Nasim Osman and Shamim Osman hold Narayanganj residents to hostage through disappearance, killing and criminal activities.

“If the law enforcers were able to recover the money looted from a bank in Kishoreganj within two days, why they cannot complete the investigation into the killing almost one year after the murder?” he asked. He also demanded justice for all the killings taken place in Narayanganj.

Narayanganj Press Club President and Mancha Member Secretary Halim Azad, former press club president Mahabubur Rahman Masum, district Nagorik Committee General Secretary Abdur Rahman and district Sanskritik Jote President Pradip Ghosh Babu, among others, addressed the programme. l

BNP postpones grass roots level tour 10 officials suspended over power cut n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

The BNP has postponed its country-wide tours to revamp the grass roots in the wake of unwillingness of some grass roots and central leaders, said party insiders.

The party formed 56 teams headed by its standing committee members, advisers and vice-chairmen to rejuvenate the grass roots, but the party put off the plan, fearing that this sort of programme might create anarchy in the ranks and files of the party, they added.

“Tours of 56 committees have been postponed,” Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, joint secretary general of the party, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

He, however, denied saying the reason for postponing the tours.

Shamimur Rahman Shamim, assistant office secretary to BNP, said the programme was postponed as the local leaders were busy with the upazila elections while many leaders were in jail and many still on the run and trying to secure bails. “The programme will

start soon,” he added.

On February 4, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at a press conference said it would take sometime to reorganise the party as many leaders and activists were either in jail or on the run while many were killed.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said tours of 56 committees had been postponed, but he declined to reveal the reason However, on Thursday’s standing committee meeting, the party has decided to focus on upazila polls rather than waging any movement right now.

The party insiders said some senior leaders conveyed BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia that this was not the time of reshuffling the grass roots and rejuvenating them as they already proved their worth during the movement.

Seeking anonymity, a standing com-

mittee member told the Dhaka Tribune the grass roots had done their best during the movement, and so there was no reason to revamp the grass roots, rather it was necessary to reshuffle the central leadership.

“If the central leaders go on tour across the country, it will adversely affect the organisation, because in the name of tours, central leaders and their associates get involved with misdeeds,” he said.

The party member added that the party’s ranks and files were rarely heard by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia as the central leaders barred her from listening to them, fearing that their musk would be unveiled if Khaleda listened to them.

The BNP leader, who was entrusted with three districts, also said it was the Dhaka city where they failed to wage any movement.

“The grass roots kept the capital isolated from the rest of the country for about two months, but what the city unit did…nothing. So, the city unit should be reshuffled first.” l

PM inaugurates Lalbagh Fort light and sound show

n Aminur Rahman Rasel Ten officials of the Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) were suspended yesterday for negligence of duty leading to interruption in power supply during the light and sound show at the Lalbagh Fort yesterday evening.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the show yesterday.

Nazrul Hasan, managing director of DPDC, confirmed the news of suspension of the 10 DPDC officials to the Dhaka Tribune. The DPDC also formed a three-member committee to investigate the incident.

The suspended officials are complaint supervisors Abdul Hakim for Narinda and Lutfor Rahman for Swamibagh; sub-assistant engineers Amir Hossain, Sayeed Ahmed and Morshedul Hoque for Narinda, and Md Rokibul Hasan for Swamibagh; Executive Engineer Md Rokibul Islam for Narinda; Md Fazlul Karim, executive engineer

Number of students decreasing in public universities  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

to 314,640 in 2012 from 280,822 students in 2011.

The number may have increased further as the country currently has 78 private universities.

The NU-affiliated colleges faced the biggest drop in number, with 381,638 students decreasing in 2012 compared to the previous year.

In 2011, the NU had 1,650,088 students, which decreased to 1,268,450 in 2012.

However, excluding the NU and the Open University, the number of students in 32 public universities remained the same or increased slightly.

However, 197,278 students at 32 public universities in 2012, was far smaller in number than 314,640 students at the 60 private universities.

“Mainly a prolonged scheduling jam in colleges under the National University is contributing to the decrease in the number of students at the National University and the increase at private universities,” said UGC member Atful Hye Shibly.

“When parents think that the expense of seven or eight years in colleges affiliated with National University is almost the same as four years in private universities, they prefer private universities, as they consider that their children’s time can be saved,” he added.

When contacted, NU Pro Vice-Chancellor Munaz Ahmed Noor told the Dhaka Tribune that he did not think NU had a sharp decrease in students, adding that he had to check the facts.

He also said: “We do not have more session jams than other public univer-

collected newspaper reports and prepared an initial list of people who will be investigated.

“At this stage, the commission is formally inquiring into the illegal wealth of nine influential people, including seven ruling party lawmakers and two former lawmakers from the BNP. We will gradually inquire into the other dozens of candidates and their relatives, who are suspected of accumulating riches illegally,” said the official, seeking anonymity.

On January 22, the ACC assigned its officials to probe into the phenomenal rise in wealth and assets of seven politicians, including former health minister AFM Ruhal Haq, former state minister for housing and public works Abdul Mannan Khan, former state minister for water resources Mahbubur Rahman, and lawmakers Abdur Rahman Badi of Cox’s Bazar 4, Aslamul Haque of Dhaka 14, Enamul Haque of Rajshahi 4 and Abdul Jabbar of Satkhira 2.

The commission is also inquiring

into the alleged illegal wealth of BNP Student Affairs Secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee and Khulna City Jamaat-e-Islami chief Mia Golam Parwar.

“We will investigate their income generated from personal businesses, their wealth, and the wealth and assets of their family members,” the ACC official said.

The list of 60 politicians includes the names of ruling party lawmakers Dr Hasan Mahmud, Shahjahan Khan, Afsarul Amin, Abul Kalam Azad, Dipongkor Talukder, Shamsul Haque Tuku, and Abdus Shahid, the official added.

“A three-member panel is now analysing and scrutinising their documents. Along with the lawmakers, some businessmen and government officials will also be brought under the investigation. If the initial inquiry finds evidence of the amassing illegal wealth by these people, the commission will initiate formal inquiries against them,” he said.

ACC sources said the commission was now conducting a probe against

another after Esha prayers – between mid-November and mid-March.

Tickets for the show cost Tk20 in addition to Tk10 entry fee for Bangladeshis, Tk100 for visitors from the Saarc countries and Tk200 for others, he said.

He added that such shows would be introduced in many of Bangladesh’s 448 archaeological sites, including Paharpur Bouddha Vihara, Bagerhat Shaatgombuj Masjid, Kantajee temple and Mahasthangarh.

Eminent writer-poet Syed Shamsul Haq has penned the Lalbagh Fort show script recited by cultural personalities Shimul Yousuff and Asaduzzaman Noor.

The construction of Lalbagh Fort began in 1678 by Mughal Subedar Prince Muhammad Azam Shah, son of Emperor Aurangzeb. Azam Shah later became the emperor himself, but his successor Shaista Khan did not continue the work. l

Justice in DU teacher Nuban murder

sities, but we have taken measures to reduce the problem.”

The UGC data also showed that there has been a 153% increase in the number of students at private universities since 2006.

The number of students at private universities was 124,267 in 2006, climbing to 314,640 in 2012.

Dhaka University Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam, said violent politics on the campus might be a reason why some guardians preferred private universities.

“Many guardians who send their children to private universities told me that, despite the fact that the expenses in private universities are beyond their capacity, they choose the private universities because of violent politics at public universities,” Manzoorul, who

also teaches at a private university, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Former UGC chairman Nazrul Islam said the session jams at the NU-affiliated colleges was the main reason for the trend.

“I have found that many low-income families are also sending their children to private universities only to avoid session jams,” he said.

He, however, said another reason might be that certificates were easy to obtain in some private universities.

Some students, however, said they preferred the private universities because of the subjects being offered.

“I had a dream to study Pharmacy, but I did not get the chance at Dhaka University, and so I chose a private university,” said Nazir Hossain, a private university student. l

at least 12 BNP leaders including its Vice-Chairmen M Morshed Khan and Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed, and former state minister of education ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon.

“We never said the inquiry will be stopped after the completion of probe against seven ruling party lawmakers, against whom we are now conducting inquiry. We made an attempt to trace their wealth, and will decide on further actions after observing the success of the inquiry,” ACC Chairman M Bodiuzzaman said.

He added that the inquiry was mostly initiated based on media reports, but the ACC would also try to collect information from external sources. “If we find allegations against any other lawmaker, we will also scrutinise those,” he said.

Asked why the commission had picked the seven lawmakers instead of the many others who had amassed unusual amounts of wealth, the ACC chairman termed the move a

“beginning.”

“Our commission meeting has initially selected the seven people for inquiry, and assigned inquiry officers to collect information and conduct probes into it. If they attain success in tracing unusual wealth of lawmakers, we will gradually probe others,” he said.

After the Election Commission published the candidates’ wealth statements ahead of the 10th parliamentary polls, media reports highlighted large discrepancies with the information they had provided for the ninth general election in 2008.

According to an analysis by Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik, the wealth statements of poll candidates in the parliamentary elections show an increase of up to 32,985% in their income.

According to the affidavits submitted to the Election Commission, the incomes of ministers increased by 243% and their wealth by 247%, while the income of state ministers increased by 464% and their wealth by 459%. l

Danisur Rahman Limon of Bakerganj upazila said: “Preferring national issues over local issues will only weaken the local government.”

Khalilur Rahman, Bakerganj upazila unit secretary of BNP and a chairman candidate in the upcoming elections, said: “Although the local government elections are supposedly non-political and non-partisan, they are, in effect, not.

The Politicisation of local government elections has meant that national issues will be preferred over local issues, because [the political] parties [in

Bangladesh] are national in nature, not local or regional.”

Shah Alam Khan, the incumbent chairman of Gournadi upazila and the Awami League-backed candidate, said: “The local governments still heavily depend on the national government, and are yet to be empowered and made fully autonomous.

Therefore, local issues remain neglected and national issues preferred.”

“The Awami League government is now in power. So, if the Awami Leaguebacked candidates win the elections, development will be bolstered. Voters will

60 politicians on ACC's radar  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

in charge of grid 2 in Narinda; and executive engineers Md Ziaul Hasan for Lalbagh and Md Mohib-ul-Alam for Swamibagh.

BSS reports: Inaugurating the show, Hasina expressed hope that it would be a new attraction for the visitors of the historic Lalbagh Fort. She said visitors would be able to know about the centuries-old history of Dhaka through the technology-aided attractive presentation.

The preparations of the show cost Tk2.83 crore.

Later, the premier along with the audience enjoyed the spectacular light and sound show that featured special lighting effects onto the building’s facade synchronised with a recorded script and music to dramatise the fort’s history.

At a press conference, Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor said there would be two 30-minute shows every day, except Sundays – one between Maghrib and Esha prayers and

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

to the hospital on hearing the news.

Three police officers investigated the case and the last one, Mohammad Aminul Islam, assistant police superintendent of the CID, submitted the charge sheet on July 1, 2002 against Nuban’s wife, Milton and Morshed.

According to the case dockets, the accused never appeared before the court.

As a suspect KM Alamgir, a residence of Jajira of Shariyatpur, was arrested but was dropped from the charge sheet.

After the killing, Nuban’s wife Lipi married Milton and without her family’s consent went to the USA and never came back. Morshed managed a scholarship at a US university and left the country.

Nuban’s father Dr Sirajul Islam was a Dhaka University teacher. His fatherin-law Shamsul Huda, mother-in-law Meherunnesa and seven others gave deposition as prosecution witnesses.

Shamsul and his wife did not men-

tion their daughter or the two others in their deposition.

In reply to a defence’s question, Shamsul said Nuban had regained sense at hospital a few hours before he died and “told me that Morshed knew why and who was behind the attack.”

During cross-examination Meherunnesa said her daughter had been in love with Milton which she had continued even after marrying Nuban.

Nuban’s sister Asfia Sabina told the court that Nuban had been killed because of Lipi.

In his deposition, investigator Nurul Islam said: “Lipi’s boyfriend Milton masterminded the killing to marry Lipi who helped him in the murder. Nuban’s colleague Morshed knew all about the plot.”

Asked about the frequent change of the verdict date, Chief Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu said: “I actually do not know why this is happening. It is not fair.” l

Dhaka city BNP to see new faces soon  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

and Dhaka city (south) – into two organisational units has also been discussed but nothing has been finalised.

Rafiqul, who was behind bars during the January 5 poll, held responsible the Dhaka city unit for its failure to build up any strong resistance in the capital.

Party sources said Khaleda might discuss the formation of the new committee on that day and Standing Committee member ASM Hannan Shah was likely to get charge of the city unit BNP but he was unwilling to take it on grounds of illness.

A senior leader said if Hannan refused to take the charge, Rafiqul Islam Miah or Mirza Abbas might be given the job while Abu Sayeed Khan Khokon might become the member secretary.

The tenure of the convening committee will be one month during which all thana and ward committees will be restructured.

Standing Committee member Goyesh-

war Chnadra Roy, joint secretaries general Amanullah Aman, Mohammad Shahjahan, Barkatullah Bulu, Jubo Dal Chief Moazzem Hossain Alal, central leaders Abul Khayer Bhuyan, Asaduzzaman Ripon, Habib-un-Nabi Sohel, Abdus Salam, city leaders Salahuddin Ahmed, Abul Bashar and MA Kayum might be in the 21-member committee, sources added.

The committee was formed on May 14, 2011 with Sadeque Hossain Khoka as its convener and Abdus Salam as member secretary. That committee was asked to form the ward and thana committees within six months but they failed.

Khaleda repeatedly asked the city unit leaders to take to the street to wage movement but they did not pay any heed, rather they went into hiding to avert arrest.

On Thursday night, Khaleda Zia held a meeting of the party’s Standing Committee at her office and decided to reshuffle the city BNP, said party insiders. l

also have to decide whether they will vote for the pro-liberation force or the anti-liberation one,” Pankaj Kundu, the Awami League-backed candidate in Magura Sadar upazila, told the Dhaka Tribune.

However, Sazzad Hossain, the BNPbacked candidate from the same upazila, confidently said: “People have to vote for [us to] restore democracy in the country. People will say ‘no’ to the [Awami League] government by making the BNP-backed candidates victorious in the upazila elections.”

Abul Kasem, an Awami League con-

tender from Sujanagar upazila in Pabna, said: “The planning minister and junior home minister of the previous cabinet were from Pabna. They carried out massive development in the district. We are trying to focus on those development activities to woo the voters.”

Zakir Hossain, the BNP contender from the same upazila, said: “People have witnessed the Awami League’s misrule and misdeeds over the last five years. They are eagerly waiting to cast their votes and give a bitter reply to the Awami League.” l

Polls local, but agenda national  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

political parties cannot directly take part in them by nominating candidates. But the support that the political parties extend to certain candidates always plays key roles in the outcomes of the polls.

With both Awami League and BNP taking the upazila polls very seriously, many voters say it was quite natural that the local issues have been eclipsed by the national issues.

After having boycotted last month’s national election, BNP is looking to re-

juvenate its grassroots by getting good results in the upazila polls.

The ruling Awami League, on the other hand, is taking these local elections as an opportunity to prove that free polls are possible under non-caretaker arrangements, and do not want to let their arch-rival BNP get any political points by winning these polls.

Jahiruddin, a voter of Gournadi upazila, expressed discontent with the politicisation of local government bodies. He said: “It will only deprive the people of development in their areas.”

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Traders disappointed with low sale at DITF n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Holding “political unrest” and “confusion regarding holding the fair” responsible, a number of participants of the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) this year, have expressed disappointment over a decline in sales.

This year, there was uncertainty over the holding of the fair, and eventually it was postponed by 10 days because of political instability in the country.

The participants said they could not achieve their estimated sales target as the presence of visitors remained less than expectated.

The revenue collection from VAT (value added tax) also declined by 12.79% compared to last year. The government collected Tk86.71lakh from VAT in the first 27 days last year, however, this year it came down to Tk75.68lakh, said a customs officer seeking anonymity.

“We have been able to reach 60% of our sales target. People were not able to purchase because the country’s economy is down, having been badly hit by political unrest,” said MD Yasin Majumdar, Sales Manager of Electro Mart Limited.

Rafiqul Islam, an executive of Ifad Multi Products Limited said: “We did not get the desired response from visitors, and have achieved only 70% of the sales target.”

The visitor turnout could have been be better if there had been no political instability, he said.

Talking to different participants at the fair, it was learnt that a good number of stall and pavilion owners were facing difficulties in recouping their trade expenses.

“Compared to last year, sales have declined by 50% this year. I have to pay my staff, incurring losses,” said Abdul Mannan, a sales executive at Opi Fashion.

Moreover, the visitors’ turnout de-

BNP: PM provokes extrajudicial killings n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

clined further yesterday in the wake of the inauguration of the Ekushey Book Fair, opined a number of traders.

“Before the inauguration of the Ekushey Book Fair, a good number of visitors, particularly students, attended the fair, but now we see fewer visitors as the book fair has attracted most of them,” said MD Ashraful, a sales executive at the Polar Ice-cream pavilion.

Although most of the stall owners failed to reach their targets, some stalls including those selling crockery, home appliances, and plastic products, had good sales results.

“Our sales have increased by around 20% compared to previous year,” Rony, an executive of Bengal Plastic said.

However, he said the sale could have been better if there had been no political unrest and doubt about holding the fair.

The 19th DITF started on January 11 and will end on February 10. l

7 Bangladeshis Migrants to pay more to held in UAE for killing compatriots fly Malaysian airlines ditional Director General Jabed Ahmed n Rabiul Islam n Rabiul Islam said.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities have arrested seven Bangladeshi migrant workers for their involvement in killing two compatriots in a scuffle over a pair of shoes.

“The UAE authorities have detained seven Bangladeshis in a week following the killing of two Bangladeshis by their fellow workers,” AKM Mizanur Rahman, first secretary of the Bangladesh labour wing in the UAE told the Dhaka Tribune over the phone yesterday.

He said more were to be arrested in this regard, as the investigating agencies were trying to trace all those involved in the incident.

On January 31, two Bangladeshi migrant workers were stabbed to death and three were seriously injured as they engaged in an argument with fellow workers over the ownership of a pair of shoes at a labour camp in the Sharjah industrial area. All of them were construction workers hailing from Comilla.

The conditions of the three injured – Abdus Salam, Mohammad Saddam Hossain and Nazmul Haque – are now stable. They are receiving treatment at the Kuwaiti Hospital in Sarjhah.

The UAE, which used to be one of the largest labour recruiting countries for Bangladesh, put restrictions on hiring manpower from Bangladesh in August, 2012, alleging that Bangladeshi migrant workers’ were involved in criminal activities. l

Each Malaysia-bound migrant has to pay Tk5,000 extra to travel by Malaysian airlines, as Biman Bangladesh Airlines fails to maintain its flight schedule.

A migrant needs Tk18,000 to travel to Malaysia by Biman while they require Tk23,000 to fly to Malaysia by Malaysian Airlines.

In the wake of Biman’s flight disruption, the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) has started sending the Malaysia-bound migrant workers by Malaysian air.

Officials at BMET said a batch of over 100 migrant labourers had to wait for four days to travel to Malaysia, as Biman failed to operate its flight in time.

The employers in Malaysia felt irritated as they could not receive the migrant workers at a specific time at their airports in Malaysia.

“We were embarrassed as the Malaysian employers were annoyed because of flight disruption to Bangladesh Biman,” a senior official at BMET told the Dhaka Tribune over the phone yesterday, preferring not to be named.

The official also said if the migrants had flown by Biman Bangladesh airlines, the national flag carrier would have earned revenues and the workers would have to paid less.

“We wanted to send our workers by our airline, but Biman Bangladesh failed to operate its flights in time,” BMET ad-

He also said the Malaysian employers were reluctant to receive workers after 8pm, but the aircraft of Biman lands at airports in Malaysia around 1am.

The workers could not stay at the airport for a long time, and it was a great problem for them, he added.

A senior official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism said two aircraft remained grounded, creating problems in maintaining flight schedules.

“We are trying to improve the situation as one aircraft (Boeing 777) will be added to the fleet,” the official said, seeking anonymity.

The government is sending workers to Malaysia under a government-to-government arrangement, with a low migration cost.

A migrant worker needs only around Tk33,000 to go to Malaysia while earlier, the worker had to pay around Tk2,00,000 to Tk3,00,000.

A migrant gets wages of around Tk20,000 a month.

An assistant director of BMET said a total of 715 visas had recently been received from Malaysia.

Aspiring workers had beensent messages telling them to come to BMET with passports, added the official.

A total of 2,390 workers have gone to Malaysia under the government-to-government system after an agreement between the two governments in November 2012. l

3

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Employees of Brac Bank Ltd take part in a marathon race in the capital’s Hatirjheel area yesterday morning MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

The BNP alleged that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s statement had instigated extrajudicial killing across the country.

A few days back in parliament Sheikh Hasina said “everyone had the right to self-defence.”

She made the comment after a number of activists of the ruling party’s student wing launched an armed attack on other students at Rajshahi University on Sunday.

“Opposition leaders and activists are being killed without any trial everyday. Such a statement by the premier will instigate violence and provoke extrajudicial killings,” Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, acting secretary general of the party, said.

He said one day the premier and her government would be held responsible for such killings. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, in her address to the nation, also demanded the United Nations take effective steps to stop such killings.

Addressing a discussion at Nayapaltan, Fakhrul, on Thursday, alleged that a BNP activist’s body was found in Sirajganj, after he was picked up by law enforcers from the High Court area of the capital.

“A few days earlier, RAB picked up a BNP leader of Lakshmipur. He was killed without any trial. Those who were arrested on charges of attacking Asaduzzaman Noor’s motorcade in Nilphamari were also killed without any trial,” Fakhrul added.

The spokesperson of the party said they never believed in terrorism and vengeance. Rather it was the Awami League that was involved in criminal activities across the country, he added. l

CHHATRA LEAGUE-SHIBIR CLASH IN CU

No headway in student killing probe n FM Mizanur Rahaman Police are yet to make any significant progress in the investigation into the killing of a Chittagong University student at the university’s Shah Amanat Hall, even after 26 days since the killing.

Mamun Hossain, a fourth year student of the Soil Science Department, was killed on January 12 during a fierce clash between Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling party, and Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Islamist outfit Jamaat-e-Islami. The clash also left 25 others injured.

Campus sources said though activists of the both groups involved in the clash, were roaming free on the campus, police had yet to trace them.

Following the incident, Shah

Amanat Hall Provost Prof Mohammed Abul Mansur filed a case with Hathazari police station accusing unidentified people.

On the other hand, slain Mamun’s father, Mowlana Muhammad Rafi Uddin, filed another case with the CMM court, accusing 34 named and more than 150 unnamed Chhatra League leaders and activists, as police allegedly refused to lodge the case.

While talking to the Dhaka Tribune, CU unit Chhatra Shibir President Mostafizur Rahman alleged: “Police refused to file the case as Mamun’s father mentioned the names of Alamgir Tipu and Diaz Irfan Chowdhury, organising secretary and joint secretary of the CU unit Chhatra League respectively, as the prime accused.”

Sub-Inspector Sentu Mia of Hathazari police station brushed aside the

allegation, saying that one case was already filed and police had attached a copy of the deceased’s father’s allegation with it.

Nurul Hakim, investigating officer in the case, said police had already started the investigation, adding that, as the accused were unnamed, it was troublesome to find the real culprits.

Following the clash, CU authorities, in an emergency meeting, formed a probe committee consisting of three members, and headed by Prof Mohiuddin of the Forestry and Environmental Science Institute.

“The probe committee has already taken statements from eyewitnesses, injured students and hall staff who witnessed the clash,” said Mohammed Ohidul Alam, a member of the probe committee. l

Innovative robots rock National Robotics Festival ‘14 n Ashif Islam Shaon

Finance Minister AMA Muhith speaks to the organisers in front of a painting displayed in the three-day Dhaka Art Summit exhibition at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Young engineering students showcased their creativity in robotics yesterday, hoping to introduce new technologies to improve people’s daily lives.

The young innovators displayed their creations at the one-day National Robotics Festival 2014, organised by the Engineering Students’ Association of Bangladesh, at the National Sports Council auditorium in the capital.

Around 15 prototype robots, each with a distinct use for domestic, industrial or military applications, were presented at the fair by students from different public and private universities across the country.

“Our Agrobot is for technology-based farming. We have designed a grip to hold harvested crop and there is also a blade to reap the crops. Solar energy can be used to power it,” said Nazifa Rumman, a student of the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST).

BNP-Jamaat splits over Sylhet upazila poll n Our Correspondent, Sylhet An apparent split has surfaced between the BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami over the choosing of a single candidate to participate in the upcoming upazila poll in the district.

The Sylhet BNP is also clearly divided into two camps reagrding the formation of its Sadar upazila convener committee.

The leaders said such confrontation

and division within the party might affect the upazila election.

The first phase of the upazila elections will be held on February 19 in 12 upazilas in Sylhet division.

In Jaintapur upazila under Sylhet district, Jamaat leader Jainal Abedin has got the support of the 19-party alliance led by the BNP. The former main opposition BNP has picked nine candidates of its own

in nine of a total of 19 upazilas.

It has also chosen its own candidates in two other upazilas – Chhatok and Doara.

At Biswanat upazilla in Sylhet, Jamaat chose one of its leaders Nizam Uddin Chowdhury as the candidate, while BNP mulled over picking its own candidate, thus ultimately leading to chaos between the BNP-Jamaat alliance.

The central BNP administration se-

lected former Pourasava mayor Iqbal Ahmed as its sole candidate in Jokiganj upazila, while the party’s local unit opposed the decision.

The local BNP activists are working for another leader Saifuddin Ahmed.

The same scenario occurred in Companyganj upazila, where the BNP nominated Ali Ahmad as its candidate while its activists chose upazila BNP Organising Secretary Sahab Uddin. l

Several hundred visitors, especially youngsters, crammed in the venue to see the robots in action.

The MIST group also displayed a spy robot which can target and shoot.

The robot has a laser targeting system, and can be used for sounding an alarm, firing bullets or launching missiles.

“In future we will add arms on it.

There will be cameras added for surveillance work,” said a MIST student.

There was also surrogate robot, which can be controlled by voice.

“Imagine, you need to clean an area contaminated with hazardous materials. You just send the robot and act like you are picking up the waste.

The robot, following your body movement, will act the same,” explained one of the inventors Abdullah Hil Kafi.

The group from Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology showcased a robot controlled by two smart phones.

Students of Bangladesh University

of Engineering and Technology (Buet), showed an industrial robot. The robot can keep an eye on the machines in a factory.

“It happens now and then that machines get heated up and catch fire.

These robots can detect if any machine in a room is getting overheated. It will rush to it and spray water or chemicals to avert a fire,” said the BUET team leader.

Most of the participants said their projects were actually prototypes and cost from Tk 3000 to Tk 15000.

“Yes, if they get funding, the projects can be implemented on a larger scale, and be used for daily tasks,” said M Kaykobad, a BUET teacher and one of the initiators of the fest.

There was also a poster-making competition for young school and college students.

The National Robotics Festival is a continuation of the “Robi-Prothom Alo Global Robotics Challenge,” which was held in February last year in association with IIT Kanpur. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Environmentalists concerned about rise in air pollution n Abu Bakar Siddique Environmental activists yesterday expressed concern at the rising trend in air pollution across the country, which is a threat to public health.

They also urged the government to take the necessary measures to contain the air pollution.

The environmentalists advocated measures including putting a stop to conventional brick fields, and imposition of ban on importing low quality coal, and banning reconditioned vehicles more than 16-year-old – all major contributors to the country’s air pollution.

The environmentalists made their views known at a rally, jointly organised by 13 environmental groups, in front of the National Press Club led by the Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa).

In his address, Bapa General Secretary Dr Abdul Matin said: “The situation has got worse due to the government’s poor initiatives and poor implementation the existing mechanism related to the control of air pollution.”

A study conducted by the Department for International Development (DFID) in 2000 on the causes of illness and deaths in Bangladesh, says the airborne diseases are one of the major causes of death for Bangladeshi people.

Of the deaths, most are related to chronic cough, respiratory problem, bronchitis, pneumonia and cancer.

Dr Matin added that the air pollution would adversely affect human health if the government failed to stop the current trend in air pollution, The Bapa general secretary called upon the government to rein in the import of reconditioned old cars into the country as they were one of the major contributors to the country’s air pollution especially in the capital.

Zakir Hossain, executive director of Nagorik Uddyog, said the government should formulate a national policy to check the ongoing trend in air pollution, for the sake of people’s lives.

He said setting up new brick fields using conventional methods had led to the rise in air pollution.

The rights activist advocated the removal of old vehicles from the capital to reduce the level of air pollution.

Bangladesh is the ninth most-polluted country in the world according to the statistics of the global Environmental Performance Index for 2014, published last month.

It has also been listed as the country with the most polluted air quality in the world; the survey was conducted using data from 178 countries. l

A tailback issues on the Bangabandhu Bridge after an army truck collided with a bridge pillar on its way to Bogra cantonment

Ganajagaran Mancha vows to free country from Razakars

Family wants trace of BNP leader Omar Faruk

n Arif Ahmed

Half-day hartal in Lakshmipur today denied of arresting him.” n Our Correspondent, Lakshmipur theyAtalso the press briefing, tearful Faruk’s

Educationist, Journalists, cultural activists and prominent personalities of the country on Friday hoped the Ganajagaran Mancha would continue its movement to uphold the interest of common people.

They were speaking at a rally titled Jagaran Rally organised by the Ganajagaran Mancha at Shahabag on the occasion of its first anniversary.

Convener of the Mancha Imran H Sarkar read out a report on activities and movement of the platform in one year.

Imran said: “Since the beginning the platform has been driven by the will of people of the country. We have never planned anything at our will.”

Criticising those who have tried to resist the movement of the platform Imran said: “A quarter has always tried to destroy our movement; they launched attack on us and killed many of our men but they failed. None can

WEATHER

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

Moderate to thick fog might occur over the river basins and light to moderate fog elsewhere over the country during midnight till morning, Met Office said.

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

The sun sets in the capital at 5:49pm today and rises at 6:35am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 31.0 degrees Celsius was recorded in Cox’s Bazar and lowest 09.4 degrees in Srimangal yesterday.

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

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

29.0 28.8 28.7 27.0 30.2 29.4 28.4 31.0

15.2 17.0 11.2 13.0 15.2 14.0 13.5 17.0

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:21am 6:37am 12:12am 4:11pm 5:47pm 7:04pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

stop us, we will continue to do what we are doing until Bangladesh turns into a non-communal, Razakar and JamatShibir free country.”

Youths have proved that our country is not a property of any political party and groups, it’s a country of every liberation fighter and citizen inspired by the liberation war Prominent Journalist and writer Abed khan termed the Ganagajaran movement a movement of youths not any political party or any group.

“Youths have proved through the Ganajagaran Mancha that our country is not a property of any political party and groups, it’s a country of every lib-

eration fighter and citizen inspired by the liberation war”.

Barrister Turin Afroz, prosecutor of the International Crime Tribunal, said the year 2013 was a successful year for the ICT as it declared nine verdicts on war criminals the same year”.

Air Vice Marshal A K khandar said: “The youths have risen and they will be able to make Bangladesh what they wished through the Ganagajaran Mancha”.

Cultural activists Nasiruddin Yousuf Bacchu said: “The Ganajagaran started its journey demanding punishment to war criminals but now it has spread its wings to various issues including protesting communal attack and banning Jamat-Shibir.”

Meanwhile, the Ganajagaran Mancha on Friday morning organised a drawing competition where disabled and distressed children took part.

A documentary on Spartacus was also screened at night. l

Family members of the BNP leader Omar Faruk yesterday urged the authority concerned to trace him immediately.

Omar Faruk, chairman of Hazirpara union under Lakshmipur Sadar upazila and Organising Secretary of the BNP Sadar upazila (east) unit, has remained missing since RAB members picked him up in Katgar area under Patenga police station in Chittagong city early onWednesday.

Family members of Omar made the appeal at a press conference held at Lakshmipur Press Club.

Parvin Akter, wife of Faruk, read a written statement at the press conference.

“Patenga police told me that that they did not arrest him,” she said adding that they also did not allow her to file a general diary in this regard.

“Later, we contacted RAB-7, but

daughter Farhana Akter Pomi said, “Please let us talk with our father at least once over phone.”

Faruk’s son, Imam Hossain Imon, said he would not sit for SSC examination if he did not get back his father.

They also expressed their hope that the government would return their father.

When contacted, Rab-7 denied the allegation, saying they had not conduct any drive in Katgar recently.

Meanwhile, the local BNP unit has called an eight-hour hartal in the district for Saturday, protesting the detention of Omar Faruk by members of the elite forces. The shutdown call came in a press release signed-off on by the district BNP Vice-President Saidul Islam Bhuiyan at noon.

The shutdown will remain in force from 6am till 2pm. l

10th Rajpunna Schoolgirl dies of suspected Nipah virus begins today When contacted, Civil Surgeon of she suffered from a high fever and Our Correspondent, Rajbari n Rajbari Amin said they had breathing problems.

On Wednesday, n Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari A schoolgirl died Thursday night sup- when her condition was deteriorating, collectedDrtheNurul girl’s medical history and The 10th Rajpunna, a traditional land revenue collection ceremony of the Khagrachhari Mong circle in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, will be observed today.

On this day the Mong king collects revenues from local leaders such as Headmen and Karbaris (village chief) in line with the age-old tradition.

Former Principal of Khagrachhari Government College Dr Sudin Kumar Chakma said: “The traditional Mong King, known locally as the Mong Raja, organises the Rajpunna every year to collect land revenue.”

“The programme is set to start in the afternoon, in the district’s Modhupur, with prayers. The palace of the Mong king has been decorated with flowers, leaves, colorful clothes, papers and lighting on this occassion,” he said.

People of all ages within the Mong community wake up early in the morning, clad themselves in colorful garb and join in on the programme, Dr Sudin added.

Educationist and former professor of Khagrachhari Government College Modhu Mongal Chakma said the indigenous people attend the function carrying leaves and flowers in hands.

Some play the drums while some perform traditional songs and dances to welcome the Raja and other respected guests at the function.

Mong Raja of Khagrachhari Mong Kingdom Saching Prue Chowdhury would enter being escorted by his personal security guards and then hoist the national flag.

A number of people, including tourists, government officials, politicians and civil society leaders are expected to attend the function. l

posedly of Nipah virus in Kumrakandi village of Rajbari’s Goalondo upazila.

The dead, Bithi Akter, 9, was a class II student at Goalondo Model Government Primary School and was the daughter of Akkas Ali Sheikh, a rickshaw-puller.

According to Bithi’s father, she ate an unclean plum from the roadside when she was returning home from school on Tuesday. The same night,

her family admitted her to Goalondo Upazila Health Complex at night.

Describing the night, her father said Bithi had started to lose consciousness every now and then and seemed confused. On Thursday morning, seeing Bithi’s condition the emergency doctor at the health complex referred her to Faridpur Medical College Hospital, he added.

She was admitted to FMCH in the evening but at night she died.

blood and cough samples to analyse.

The samples were sent to Dhaka’s Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) for a lab-test to identify the disease, he added.

“We suspect the girl was attacked by the Nipah Virus since she ate a plum which might have been infected after a bat had bitten it.”

Another Nipa Virus attack took place in the same upazila in 2005. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Army personnel killed in road accident

n Our correspondent, Sirajganj A sergeant of Bangladesh Army died in a road accident yesterday on the Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge.

The deceased is Probhat Kumer, 35, a staff sergeant of the engineering battalion 6 at the Bogra cantonment.

Mujahid Uddin, a maintenance officer and traffic manager of the Bangabandhu Bridge confirmed the incident.

He said while returning from ijtema, a truck of Bangladesh Army collided with 14 no pillar of the Bangabandhu Bridge on its way to the Bogra cantonment.

The accident left Sergeant Probhat critically injured who was driving the truck. He was admitted to the Brigadier Medical camp nearby. Later he died while being transferred to Dhaka by a helicopter of the army, said Mujahid.

Vehicle movement remained suspended for three hours on the lane because of the accident, creating a gridlock on both ends of the bridge. l

3 policemen hurt while intercepting fake law enforcers n Our Correspondent, Gazipur Three policemen were injured when a group of robbers, in the guise of law enforcers, were intercepted in the early hours of yesterday in Zirani Bazar under the district’s sadar upazila.

The policemen were injured when the disguised robbers hurled crude bombs at them, trying to escape the house of Shahjahan Dealer.

Two of the robbers were also injured along with the policemen.

According to Shahjahan, a group of 10-12 people had entered forcibly and wanted to search the house. Later, without saying anything, they opened the wardrobe and attempted to loot money and ornaments. Shahjahan said he had warned the local Chakrabarty police outpost by that time.

After the police came and started to question the robbers, some members of the group, who were standing at a distance from the house, hurled crude bombs at the police, he added. l

One held for raping RMG worker n Our Correspondent, Narayanganj

A young girl finishes her art work and helps another during an art competition, marking the Sign-Language Day on the Social Welfare Department premises in the capital’s Agargaon yesterday NASHIRUL ISLAM

Police arrested a young man in Pilkuni Bazar area of Narayanganj yesterday on charges of raping a garment worker.

The arrestee Sujon, 26, son of Mojibur Mollah of Pilkuni Bazar of Fatullah of Sadar Upazila was arrested after victim's uncle filed a case with Fatullah Model police station.

According to the case, the victim and Sujon had love affair and taking the he raped her several times after promising her that he would marry her later.

But later he refused to marry her. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sirajganj doctors skip work, ignore office hours n

Forteen held for car lifting, cheating

Emergency wards hardly have attending doctors, increasing suffering of patients Residential Medical Officer Faridul hospital are between 8am and n Our Correspondent, Sirajganj ernment 2:30pm, some of the unscrupulous Islam, who came in at the hospital afMost doctors at Sirajganj Sadar Hospital have allegedly been skipping their duties regularly, despite recent directives from the health minister to be diligent in serving the patients.

Many doctors of the hospital reportedly take unauthorised leave, while others flout the rules and fail to follow the office hours.

On Saturday, Health Minister Mohammed Nasim made a visit to the hospital, urging the doctors to concentrate on providing healthcare services instead of focusing on party-politics. He made the call while placing the foundation stone for expanding the hospital’s beds from 150 to 250.

However, the minister’s request was ignored as most doctors returned to their ill practices within days.

Although the office hours for a gov-

doctors allegedly visit the hospital only to sign the attendance sheets.

During a visit to the hospital at 10am yesterday, the Dhaka Tribune found only Senior Consultant of surgery department Abdul Kuddus, Assistant Registrar of gynecology department Dr Zinnat Farzana Keka, and medical officers Dr Zarin Taslim Noshin and Dr Shariful Islam present among a total of 31 doctors.

No doctors were present in the emergency, ENT, medicine, pathology, dental and outdoor departments.

Some patients were forced to return home, after finding no doctor in the departments.

Several more doctors came in as the day progressed, although the attendance register showed names of absent doctors who had signed the book on previous occasions.

ter 11am, said: “On the one hand it is winter morning and on the other hand many doctors are on leave.”

He added that some doctors were taking part in ongoing trainings at the civil surgeon’s office.

When asked about the trend of absence, Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad Sirajganj unit President Dr Abdur Razzak said it was more important to publish news reports on the hospital’s poor drainage system and lack of safety tanks, instead of investigating the number of absent doctors.

Dr Jahurul Haque Raza, president of Bangladesh Medical Association’s Sirajganj unit, expressed hopes that all the doctors would stay present at the hospital, adding that the BMA would not take responsibility for the doctors who ignored their duties. l

5

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Kailash Sarkar

The Detective Branch of police has arrested 14 members of three different gangs for their alleged involvement with car theft Members of the intelligence team also recovered six stolen vehicles from the gang-members.

Krishnapado Roy, deputy commissioner of the DB’s South Division, at a press conference said that one of their teams had arrested five members of a gang of car thieves in Chittagong and Barisal, recovering two stolen microbuses.

DB officials said one of the recovered microbuses had been stolen from the capital’s Paltan area on December 12, while another had been taken from Demra on December 28.

The detained car thieves were identified as Shameem Ahmed, Mizanur Rahman, Saiful Islam, Khalil Miah and Alamgir Hossain.

The DC said another DB team arrested seven members of another gang at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in the capital’s Sher-e-Banglanagar, seizing four CNG-run auto-rickshaws, 110 pieces of sedative tablets

and one flask. Of those vehicles, two were recovered from Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and two others from Kamrangirchar in the capital, he said.

The detained seven car thieves were identified as Md Sumon, Al-Amin, Abdus Salam, Mizanur Rahman, Jasim Uddin, Ameer Hossain and Shahadat Hossain.

According to DB personnel, the detainees were doping their drivers with sedatives before snatching their vehicles.

The managing director of a fake company and its manager, used to cheat people and embezzle money, were arrested in the capital’s Jatrabari area.

The arrested were identified as Abdullah Al Helal, 38, and Azizul Huq alias Sona Miah alias Siraj, 35.

DB sources said they had been cheating people by introducing themselves as the MD and manager of organisations including Talukder Group, SB Group, Saqura Foods and Sheraton Group.

They had been misappropriating money from people by pretending to give those people jobs as the sales managers, sales representatives, area managers and various other jobs. l

Highway robbers loot 14 trucks, 10 injured n Our Correspondent, Natore A least 10 people were injured when a gang of robbers looted 14 trucks on the Natore-Pabna Highway at Koyenbazar in Baraigram upazila in the early hours of yesterday.

Baraigram police said a gang of 20-25 robbers barricaded the Natore-Pabna highway at Koyenbazar, by felling trees at around 4:00am. Soon, 14 trucks got stuck on the highway and the drivers, helpers and passengers of the trucks were dragged to a nearby field and robbed.

The robbers also assaulted some of the victims when they refused to give in to their demands, leaving 10 people injured. Later, locals rushed to the scene after the victims cried for help.

However, the robbers managed to flee.

Victims said the robbers stole their cash, mobile phones and other valuables. A government owned covered van was also reportedly looted during the heist.

Ibrahim Hossein, officer in charge of Baraigram police, said: “We are trying to arrest the robbers and the barricade was removed from the road,” he added. l

Three of a family among four killed in Gazipur road accident n Our Correspondent, Gazipur Four people, including three people of a family, were killed and three others injured as a CNG-run auto rickshaw collided head on with a human haulier at Jamirarchar in Kapasia upazila.

Three of the deceased were identified as Parvin Akther, 35, wife of Rafiqul Islam of Hazi Kha village in Narsingdi, her son auto rickshaw driver Faruq, 25, and one of their relatives Jasimuddin, 30, while identity of a mentally retarded person could not be known immediately.

Quoting witnesses, police said the Gazipur-bound human haulier from Kapasia crashed into the auto rickshaw while trying to give side to a mentally retarded person at about 10pm on Thursday, leaving seven people critically injured.

The injured were taken to upazila health complex where doctors declared Jashim and the mentally retarded person dead on the spot, said Sub-Inspector of Kapasia police station Nazmul Huda.

Two other injured people succumbed to their injuries at Narsingdi Hospital yesterday afternoon.

The other injured – Khokon Mia, his wife Farida Parveen, 35, and their daughter Merry, 2, were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. l

Secoend death anniversary of MR Khan today

n Tribune Report

The second death anniversary of the country’s first ENT-micro surgeon Dr M Masudur Rahman Khan will be observed today.

To mark the anniversary, the MARKS Group and his family members will organise milad mahfil, Khatme Quran and distribution of food among the poor.

The milad mahfil will be held after Johr prayers at the MARKS Group’s prayer room in the capital as well as his ancestral home in Magura.

All his friends and well-wishers have been requested to attend the programme for seeking salvation of his departed soul.

Prof Dr MR Khan was founder chairman of MARKS Group, MARKS Hospital, MARKS Dental College, MARKS Medical College, MARKS Institute of Medical Technology and Sarc Cancer Hospital in Dhaka, and founder of GK Ideal School and College at Kamlapur in Sreepur upazila of Magura. l

A human chain was formed on Jahangirnagar University campus yesterday with a call to protect birds

Bird Fair 2014 held at JU n JU Correspondent Jahangirnagar University (JU) yesterday hosted its one-day Bird Fair 2014 with a view to raising awareness of bird conservation.

Organised by the university’s Zoology department, the fair was attended by hundreds of bird lovers from across the country, who thronged on the campus during the morning, watching migratory birds.

JU acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. MA Matin, inaugurated the programme in front of the Zahir Raihan auditorium, while additional secretary of the Environment and Forest ministry Dr Arup Chowdhury presided over the programme.

“About 11 percent of the different species of birds are now on the verge of extinction, due to rampant deforestation and environmental pollution. We can raise awareness through such fairs so that people will be encouraged to protect birds,” said Prof MA Matin during the inauguration.

Additional Secretary Dr Arup Chowdhury said that government had passed the ‘Wildlife Conservation Act-2012’ to conserve wildlife, forests and the ecosystem.

Dr Arup also thanked the Zoology Department for arranging the fair, adding that people have started loving birds through because of the combined

efforts of the government, media and Jahangirnagar University.

Chief Forest Conservator Dr Topon Kumar De, read a keynote paper at the programme.

Meanwhile, a drawing competition, a quiz competition, a bird literature exhibition, displays of different preserved species, and a debating competition were also held during the fair.

Bangladesh Bird Club President Enam-ul Haque, Aranyak Foundation Executive Director Farid Uddin Ahmed, Convener of the fair Prof. Dr Mustafa Firoz, and Zoology Department Chairperson Prof. Dr Sazeda Begum were present at the inauguration programme. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Impersonator fails to save real accused n Our Correspondent, Gaibandha A drug trader could not escape police arrest despite sending a hired one to police custody making him a fake accused in his place in exchange of money.

According to sources, the police held drug trader one Ashraful Islam with 109 bottles of phensidyl in 2008.

Later, Ashraful got bail from the court. He was supposed to attend the senior judicial magistrate court on January 27.

But, Ashraful Islam produced a Sazu Miah as the accused in the court in place of him in exchange of Tk 17,000

in collusion with lawyer and his men.

Ashraful also assured Sazu saying that no jail term would be given to him and the court would give him bail as all arrangement had been completed for it.

But, the judicial magistrate of the court sentenced him to five years’ jail on charge of drug trading.

Police Super Mofazzel Hossain confirmed the incident and said Ashraful was sent to jail following the previous phensidyl case. HE said initiatives were taken to file another criminal case against Ashraful, Sazu and the lawyer with the court for their alleged involvement in the forgery. l

Dramatic increase of Tobacco cultivation in Lalmonirhat n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat Lalmonirhat has been swamped with tobacco cultivation this year, after farmers of the district were encouraged by attractive offers from tobacco companies.

At least nine tobacco companies have been working to encourage farmers to cultivate tobacco on their lands. Tobacco companies have been offering interest free loans to encourage local farmers to cultivate tobacco instead of paddy.

Sazzadur Rahman, a farmer at Baninagar village of Kaliganj upazila, said he had cultivated tobacco on six bighas of land for the first time, after getting an interest free loan from a tobacco company. “I also got tobacco seed and fertiliser from the company,” he said, adding that the company also guaranteed to buy tobacco from him at a set price.

Mofazul Islam, another farmer from the same village, said: “I got a shirt, a lungi from a tobacco company’s representatives, and my son got money to buy books for class.”

Naser Ali, a farmer in Awliarhat village of Patgram upazila, said: “Repre-

sentatives of the tobacco companies have provided cash advances to farmers preparing to cultivate tobacco on their lands.”

Seeking anonymity, many representatives of different tobacco companies said they helped provide seeds and fertiliser to tobacco growers so as to motivate them to continue to grow tobacco.

This year around 23,000 registered farmers grew tobacco in their lands, whereas the number was 13,000 in 2013 and only 8,000 in 2012. Sources said many unregistered farmers also grow tobacco on their lands.

The Department of Agriculture Extension officials in Lalmonirhat said tobacco was cultivated on around 25,000 hectares land in 2013, a figure expected to double this year.

Hamidur Rahman, agriculture officer at Aditmari upazila, expressed concerns that tobacco cultivation was increasing at an alarming rate, threatening paddy cultivation in the region. He added adding tobacco cultivation would decrease if companies stoped providing attractive offers to the farmers. l

A farmer looks at her tobacco plants as she has cultivated tobacco instead of paddy for the first time

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Feature

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Digital farmer’s market Amar Desh Amar Gram connects food producers with urban buyers online

F

n Ahsan Sajid

ishermen all the way in Mongla are selling their catch thousands of miles away in Dhaka.

Farmers from around the country are supplying directly to city markets.

Women in villages are earning a stable income selling home-grown vegetables and handmade nakshi kathas across the country and abroad.

And all this has been made possible

by Amar Desh Amar Gram (ADAG), a project that has revolutionised the rural market system in Bangladesh.

The concept, uniquely Bangladeshi, directly connects rural producers with the consumers around the world – unlike popular e-commerce sites Amazon and eBay, which act as warehouses.

income groups in rural areas in the farthest corners of the country, creating opportunities previously not available to them.

Izlal Moin Husain, one of the directors at ADAG, describes the function of the e-centres as being more than online marketplaces.

“Primarily, each centre offers the same services to the rural community – specifically the rural youth.

“The role of each centre is to provide basic computer training and form a community, along with familiarising people outside the ‘privileged’ periphery with the concept of e-commerce and the role technology can play in empowering citizens in the areas of trade, culture, health, information, education and news.”

In short, they are acclimatising Bangladesh to the concept of a Digital Bangladesh.

The project is dedicated to minimising the digital gap between rural and city life by creating this online market place, providing practical and demandbased technical education to the rural youth, and creating a number of income opportunities.

The rural farmers and producers use amardesheshop.com through e-centres set up by ADAG. Nine such centres have been set up since the pilot project in Mithekhali, Mongla was implemented in 2010, but ADAG’s aim is to operate 64 e-centres – one for each district, and eventually 480 centres covering 480 upazillas.

Employment, empowerment, ecommerce AMAR DESH AMAR GRAM.COM

Breaking the technological divide

Today with their website amardesheshop.com, more than 5,500 rural producers are earning a higher income through the virtual marketplace than they did through more traditional value chains, thus facilitating better economic opportunities for rural Bangladesh – which makes up 80% of Bangladesh’s population – by cutting out the middle man.

The project makes computers and the internet accessible to the lowest

The project, however, is much more ambitious than that. It seeks to empower, and create a new generation of entrepreneurs from the rural youth who will endeavour towards self-employment. It also seeks to reduce the rate of rural-urban migration by creating self-sustainability for the rural communities.

Users of the e-centres, particularly rural women who face additional roadblocks, are using them for trading and the ability to work from home and generate income through direct sales empowerment.

AMAR DESH AMAR GRAM.COM

Izlal explains: “The rural entrepreneurs, after a week of training, take matter into their own hands and run the show from each centre. Our role is to provide a platform and inspire the people into self-empowerment.

How they use the technology for their own well-being is solely dependent on them.

“This is the only way we found for a project of such magnitude to be sustainable in the long run. Power to the people – that is our sole responsibility.”

A holistic system

The lack of proper communication and proper distribution, due to a system with entrenched problems such as corruption, exclusion of women, lack of market information and infrastructure, the poor law and order situation, collection of illegal tolls among other factors, causes huge losses for the rural community. For instance, 40% of the vegetables grown in Bangladesh every year rot, and are thrown out. ADAG’s system hopes to comb through some of these knots.

Izlal describes ADAG’s network: “One of the main problems with not only the agriculture industry but even the handicrafts industry is that of syndication. The producers are cheated with very low pay, while the middleman hikes up the price leaving the consumers to burden the cost. Our system links the producers straight to the consumers and vice versa. Hence both parties are satisfied.”

Every e-centre employee goes through a rigorous training process.

They are trained only once they believe in the motivation and vision of ADAG. Izlal adds: “One noteworthy thing to mention here is that we have a preconceived notion that rural people will not be privy to ICT based innovation. This The project received a number of national and international awards, including: l ICT Summit Eurasia Awards 2012

in Jury’s Special Prize

can be regarded as a completely a parochial view. Bangladesh has been blessed with intelligent people who can pick up things with stupendous prowess in a very short amount of time.”

Recognition

In 2012, ADAG was the merit winner of the WITSA Global ICT Awards, the same award was won in 2010 by the Obama administration for their Open Government Initiative.

This, Izlal says, is just the tip of the iceberg for ADAG. The torchbearers are gearing up to solve bigger social challenges through this project: gender discrimination, unemployment, poverty, and to create direct access to the market for rural economies for fair trading. l l Manthan Award South Asia 2011

for Digital Inclusion for Development Digital Innovation l National Award 2011 for e-commerce, Business and Finance.

The art of cooperation n Rubaiya Murshed

I

COURTESY

Amra: Carrying the light of hope n Ishrat Jahan

O

n Tuesday, Oporajeo, one of Amra’s beneficiares, inaugurated a primary school to for the children of its garment factory, which is run and co-owned by victims of the Rana Plaza disaster.

Amra took the responsibility for 37 children of the affected families, supporting their academic activities. Amra has provided them with everything needed for their studies – admission and exam fees and uniforms.

Amidst the chaos that submerged Bangladesh in a state of conflict and wreckage last April, a number of journalists decided that spreading the news about Rana Plaza was not enough.

Amra – a voluntary organization of journalists, businessmen and individuals, has been working tirelessly since March 2013 to support the poor and distressed, who are victimized by natural calamities, accidents and the relentless political violence.

So when the Rana Plaza disaster happened, Amra, by then already es-

tablished, was quick to respond to the tragedy and played an instrumental role in the rescue operations there.

“We were one of the first few groups to send out a call for help through social media. We received a huge response and our volunteers engaged themselves in the rescue work and at hospitals to support the injured and their families,” says Shayantanee Twisha, currently a news presenter at Independent TV and one of the key members of Amra.

Yet Amra was one step ahead of the massive crowd who had gathered to take part in the rescue operations. Shayantanee shares Amra’s unique part in making a better life for the victims.

“We predicted that three to five months from this disaster, people will no longer stand beside these victims or contribute towards anything that would ensure a better future for them in the long run. Hence, we began to help the victims in a different manner. Amra selected the 15 most affected families from a list prepared after

scrutiny, bought them milking cows, rickshaws and set up small shops that could become a sustaining livelihood.”

Amra was the only organisation that extended a helping hand to salvage the broken and brunt houses of the Hindu community, ugly remnants of the communal attacks of Jamaat-Shibir, after Sayedee’s verdict had been passed last March 2013.

“One cannot imagine the amount of devastation the communal attacks had left behind after Sayedee’s verdict. We decided to come together and help these people. Our research team is extremely efficient which helped us chalk out areas where help was most required . Bashkhali (Chittagong), Koira (Khulna) and Sundarganj are few of the most affected areas,” Shayantanee says, recalling the first operation by Amra after the communal attacks.

Amra has distributed money and aid worth over Tk10 lakh among the victims confronted by the violent communal attacks in March and the devastating tornado in Brahmanbaria simultaneously in the same month. l

t was December 23, just the first day of our conference in Pakistan.

The South Asian Economic Students Meet (SAESM) is an economic competition, held in a different South Asian country every year.

But that day, the World Bank had suddenly decided to hold their policy competition. We were exasperated. With no idea about our teammates and literally no time, what did they expect us to do?

At breakfast, we were given a list of team members. We’d have to give a 5 minute presentation based on the topic ‘Economic competitiveness through regional co-operation,’ having only one 30 minutes meeting to prepare.

Evening arrived and the team met. We hailed from different countries and didn’t know each other at all. I was in group one. Thankfully, Abir, my fellow Bangladeshi and only friend there, was on my team.

We had no idea what the situation would be at the end of the evening. Would it end with making new friends? Or would it end in acrimony and a poor presentation?

Our Indian, Pakistani, Nepali, Afghan, Sri Lankan and Bhutanese teammates turned out to be great. It took no time at all for us to become

friends and work as a team. It was magical how we all just ‘clicked,’ and how were all excitedly sharing ideas, contemplating creative methods while having such fun.

There was laughter, but we were united by a passion for what we were doing: exploring how coordination between our countries could make development programmes more efficient.

We were immersed in our ideas, and our racket caught the attention of a World Bank organiser who came tby o ask us how we were doing.

We ended up blurting out to him that with our fourteen heads sprouting so many innovative ideas in just half an hour, we were sure we would have come up with something worthy of a Nobel Prize if we had enough time!

We decided to try an innovative approach in presenting our ideas.

We started by imagining a hypothetical situation where students at a conference were staying in two rooms: the dark room and the happy room.

The students in the dark room were un-cooperative, egoistical and there was a negative, dampening atmosphere. On the other hand, the happy room students were helpful, cooperative. A harmonious atmosphere thrived there.

We portrayed a situation where

COURTESY

the students of each room had, like us, suddenly been told to present a five minute idea on a given topic.

In our thought experiment, we imagined that the dark-room students were so competitive and selfish that they ended up not performing as a team. The students of the happy room pooled their talents, uniting to put up a sensational performance.

We related the room scenarios to the possible relations between our countries, and ended our five minutes by joining hands and asking: “Which room do you want to be in?”

That evening, we won the World Bank Policy Competition. Our teamwork and the sight of us having fun, like long lost friends, helped everyone get the message of unity we were trying to convey.

That evening, besides leaving me with great memories, got me thinking about how uniting for the greater good is really what our countries need right now. And how this is something that has been left to our generation to pursue.

My stay in Pakistan was remarkable. In trying times when the past compels us to hoist up emotions that our nation was founded on, it’s natural that a trip to the land once known to be our enemy would be a journey dreaded and feared.

I continued on in Pakistan as part of a Bangladesh team competing in Pakistan for the 2013 South Asian Economic Students Meet, where our hosts had arranged an amazing retreat; we travelled around Islamabad, Harappa and visited the old parts of Lahore.

The breath-taking scenery on the way to Islamabad, feeling on top of the world in Monal and visiting Turab Sir’s home and being fed Pakistani delicacies prepared by his mother were unparalleled experiences.

It left us wishing we had more days to explore Pakistan and left us knowing that we would probably never taste better kebabs for the rest of our lives. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Prescription

7

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Body clock for better health

Your body clock makes you predictably alert in the daytime, sleepy at night and hungry when you habitually eat. It controls cell division, bone growth, and other basic body maintenance. Scientists have managed to pinpoint the best times for working up a sweat, enjoying a drink, using your brainpower or even making love

n Dr Mohammad Sayem It is surprising that your body follows a clock, whether or not you wear a watch on your wrist. Your ability to get a good night’s HEALTH sleep, your blood presFLASH sure, and your stamina during exercise – just about every biological process sticks to some kind of daily or seasonal rhythm. Our body clock is the best daily planner. Research shows being healthier means keeping in sync with your body’s natural 24hour clock. Here we offer our guide to help you control your internal rhythm.

The reason to eat soon after waking is that a full night’s sleep also means eight hours without food for your body, so, in a bid to conserve energy, your levels of leptin and insulin drop dramatically.

These two blood-sugar hormones affect how fast your body turns food into fuel and low levels make you feel sluggish. Eating triggers a rise in leptin and insulin, which tells your body that the overnight fast isn’t a famine and boosts your energy levels.

Exercise in the evening

For those trying to lose weight, experts have long suggested stepping on the scales at least once a week – that’s the habit of most members of the National Weight Control Registry in the US, every one of whom has taken off at least 13 kilos and kept it off for a year or more.

A new study from the Washington University School of Medicine said, during the end of the week like Wednesday, dieters will find their weight at their lowest and after holidays on Saturday, they will find their weight much higher because of the overeating on holidays and then

BIGSTOCK

Intake of citrus fruits prevents kidney stones

Have dinner earlier

Recent research supports the folk wisdom that eating at night is more tending to add the kilograms. In one study, researchers found eating more at night time can gain much weight. If you think you’re doing everything right with your diet but you’re not losing weight, try having dinner an hour earlier. It won’t hurt, and it might help.

BIGSTOCK

The more salt you consume, the higher your blood pressure rises. One in three American adults has high blood pressure, a major risk factor for stroke, kidney failure, and heart attack. Read the labels of sodium content of such packed food. Choose the unsalted fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Most of us should keep sodium intake below 2,300 milligrams a day. If you have high blood pressure or are over 50, cut back to 1,500 milligrams. l

Laser vision

Go to sleep before 12

A study found going to bed with in 12 am will help to sleep well and feel refreshed on the following morning when the 24-hour cycle starts all over again.

Make love at early morning

There’s a biological reason that men are so revved up for sex after a night’s sleep. At early morning, testosterone level rises in a peak level. Testosterone is a leading contributor to sexual feelings in men. When a man has higher testosterone and is well-rested, he has more energy during sex. That energy will help him last longer in love making. l

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have near perfect vision without the use of corrective lenses? Have you ever been jealous of a friend with 20/20 vision? If you answered yes, you might want to consider laser vision correction. Perfect vision may be in your future. l

n Prescription Desk

The best way to treat your dry mouth depends on what’s causing it. There are some things you can do that will relieve dry mouth SELF CARE temporarily, but the best long-term remedy for dry mouth is to address its cause.

Breast Implant

To relieve your dry mouth

Liposuction for body shaping

Breast implants may be able to give you the breasts that you have always wanted. Ask your doctor about the advantages and disadvantages of the new saline breast implants. Explore all of your options with a qualified plastic surgeon. l

 Chew sugar-free gum or suck on

sugar-free hard candies.

 Limit your caffeine intake. Caf-

fruit juice increased the risks of stone formation in kidney as much as 44%. l

 Don’t use mouthwashes that con-

  

BIGSTOCK



 

the mushroom can pass through your gut intact. And some types, such as portobello and crimini, contain hydrazines - potential carcinogens - which are only destroyed by cooking or drying. l

What does the ‘Lite’ mean?

Seeing the word “lite” on a product may automatically trigger a response to purchase that product. More often than not people are buying these products because they believe that “lite” products are low in fat. This word can be quite deceiving considering it can have other meanings. For example, ‘lite’ oil means light in colour and ‘lite’ dry biscuits can mean light in salt. The fat and kilo joule content of these products is usually the same as the regular product. l

BIGSTOCK

feine can make your mouth drier.

Cancer suppressing power of mushrooms

tain alcohol because they can be drying.

Stop all tobacco use if you smoke or chew tobacco.

Sip water regularly.

Try over-the-counter saliva substitutes. Look for ones containing carboxymethylcellulose or hydroxyethyl cellulose, such as Biotene Oral Balance.

Avoid using over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants because they can make your symptoms worse.

Breathe through your nose, not your mouth.

Add moisture to the air at night with a room humidifier.

Saliva is important to maintaining the health of your teeth and mouth.

If you frequently have a dry mouth, steps to protect your oral health may also help your condition. If these steps don’t improve your dry mouth, talk to your doctor or dentist. It could be that medications or another condition is the cause.

BIGSTOCK

| Dr Sajol Ashfaq

Medications are one of the most common causes of dry mouth.

Long-term relief from your dry mouth may mean stopping or changing your medication or its dosage, or addressing underlying health issues. l

Do you have excess skin around your stomach area from having children, weight gain or weight loss, surgery, or from aging and gravity? Liposuction or abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) may be able to help you tighten and firm this area. Whether you have been living with this problem for months or for years, it is possible to achieve great results with these procedures. Your doctor will decide which technique is correct for your particular case. l

| Compiled by: Shirsho Saaeadat

Drinking water during meals hamper digestion n Prescription Desk

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Why Olive oil is better than other oil?

Olive oil contains the same amount of fat as other oils. The type of fat found in oils varies — olive oil contains predominantly monounsaturated fat.

These healthy fats can help control cholesterol levels if they replace saturated fats in the diet. Olive oil also supplies beneficial anti-oxidants. But if you are watching your weight, the amount of all fat in your diet should be controlled, including the use of oils. l

If you want to get fit faster, a late-day workout is the most efficient way to go.

Researchers show that strength and endurance increase by about 5 percent between 4 pm and 8 pm, compared with morning hours, so you can push yourself harder. Your muscles are warmer too, which will help you avoid injury.

Avoid salty junk food

Tips for controlling dry mouth

FOOD THERAPY

Studies show that some of the exotic mushroom varieties - shiitake, maitake, reishi, oyster, and enoki - do much more than just taste good. They boost immune activity, lower blood fats, and slow or even stop the growth of cancer cells. It is the beta glucans (a type of sugar molecule) found in these fungi that are responsible for these healing effects. In one study of cancer patients, beta glucans were found to suppress tumour growth and ease the effects of radiation and chemotherapy. In the kitchen, choose cooked over raw.

Heat breaks down the mushroom’s cell structures, releasing nutrients. Raw,

Check your blood pressure at morning and night

Weigh yourself on Wednesday and Saturday

Get your dental treatment in the afternoon

More than a million Americans get kidney stones which causes a lot of pain.

It can be reduced with the intake of citrate juice like lemonade or oranges that prevents the development of the calcium oxalates stones and also lowers urine acidity. But not all juices include the same outcome. Diluted lemon juice or lemonade is preferred for patient with calcium stone. A study said three cups of orange juice a day did the job better. According to that study consumption of apples and cranberry are good for some stones but bad for others and opposite effects observed in grapefruit. A cup of grape-

again try to get back in line for the rest of the week.

As a general rule, blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day – it hits its lowest point around bedtime and its highest when you wake up in the morning. If you’re keeping an eye on your blood pressure to help your doctor decide whether you need medication, you could get an inaccurate picture by taking your reading just once a day. If you’re measuring it yourself, it’s best to do it in the morning and evening.

Be sure to do it at the same times each day – don’t bounce around. Taking the two readings could make the difference between your doctor prescribing blood pressure drugs and advising you to stick with diet and exercise.

Eat breakfast within an hour of rising

The pain-killing effect of dental anaesthesia lasts longer in the afternoon than it does in the morning. In one study, lignocaine kept nerves numb up to five times longer when it was

injected in the early afternoon compared to the early morning.

QUICK TIPS

Drinking water with meals can also lead to acid reflux and heart burn

Whether you are thirsty or not, downing glasses of water along with your meals may not DID YOU be the best time KNOW? to quench your thirst. Researchers warn, drinking water during meals severely hampers your stomach’s digestive powers and causes insulin levels to fluctuate significantly.

They have a good explanation for why you should not drink water during your meal. Most people have water along with their meals. The usual theory is washing down the food while eating.

People have no idea how wrong

this practice is and how difficult this can be for their digestion.

Our stomachs have a knack of knowing when you will eat and starts releasing digestive juices immediately.

If you start drinking water at the same time, actually you are diluting the digestive juices being released to digest your food, thereby hindering them from breaking down food.

Research shows that sipping a little water during meals isn’t a cause for concern but drinking a glass or two may interfere with digestion. It is best to drink fluids before and two hours after meals as this helps in absorption of nutrients. Drinking water with meals can also lead to acid reflux and heart burn. l

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Angela Merkel: EU US apologises to EU for leaked barb expletive ‘absolutely n unacceptable’ Agencies

n AFP, Berlin German Chancellor Angela Merkel sees as “absolutely unacceptable” a top US diplomat’s use of the f-word in commenting on the EU’s handling of the Ukraine crisis, her spokeswoman said Friday.

“The chancellor considers this statement absolutely unacceptable ... and wants to emphasise again that (EU foreign policy chief Catherine) Ashton is doing an outstanding job,” Merkel’s spokeswoman said.

“The European Union will continue with its intensive efforts to calm the situation in Ukraine.”

Washington’s new top diplomat for Europe, Victoria Nuland, apologised Thursday for her comments.

In the recording Nuland and US ambassador to Kiev, Geoff Pyatt, discuss frankly which opposition figures should go into the new Ukrainian government.

“That would be great I think to help glue this thing and have the UN glue it and you know, fuck the EU,” Nuland says, in apparent frustration at policy differences.

The clip went viral after somehow being intercepted and uploaded onto YouTube accompanied by Russian captions.

The US State Department was left fuming after the leak, pointing the finger at Russia for allegedly bugging the diplomats’ phones.

Merkel’s spokeswoman Christiane Wirtz, asked whether a US apology had been received, told the Berlin press conference that “contact was made with the chancellery”, without providing further details.

A German foreign ministry spokesman touched on the suspicion that Russia was behind the leak to take a swipe at the United States for its own sweeping surveillance, including allegedly of Merkel’s mobile phone.

“This shows you that eavesdropping is stupid,” he said.

Washington and Brussels have engaged in a diplomatic standoff with Kiev and Moscow over mass protests that erupted in Ukraine in November when President Viktor Yanukovych rejected a pact with the EU in favour of closer ties with former Soviet master Russia. l

Washington’s new top diplomat for Europe, Victoria Nuland, has apologised to EU counterparts after she was caught cursing the European response to the crisis in Kiev.

US officials, while not denying such a conversation took place, didn’t go into details about the apology, and pointed the finger at Russia for allegedly bugging the diplomats’ phones.

A video, titled the “Marionettes of Maidan” referencing the centre of protests in Kiev, was published on YouTube on February 4th, and shows photos of Nuland and the US ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt.

In the audio, voices resembling those of Nuland and Pyatt discuss international efforts to resolve Ukraine’s ongoing political crisis.

At one point, the Nuland voice colourfully suggests that the EU’s position should be ignored.

“F--- the EU,” the female voice said.

A US State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to publicly discuss the matter, told the Associated Press news agency that it sounds like an authentic recording of a call that occurred last week.

Nuland refused to comment on the video during a press conference following talks with the opposition and

US State Department Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland (R) and US ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey R. Pyatt (L) arrive to hold a press conference at the US Embassy in Kiev AFP President Vikto Yanukovych.

“I will not comment on a private diplomatic conversation,” she said. “It was pretty impressive tradecraft. (The) audio quality was very good,” she added.

A spokeswoman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she sees Nu-

Mob lynches Muslim in convoy fleeing strifetorn C African capital

At least 30 Tuaregs killed in northern Mali: official n AFP, Bamako Armed men from the ethnic Peul community have massacred at least 30 Tuaregs in a revenge attack in northern Mali, an elected regional official said Friday.

Oumar Maiga told AFP the Peul had carried out the attack on Thursday in Tamkoutat, 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of the city of Gao, “to retaliate against the kidnapping” of one of their own people.

“Our relatives were killed in cold blood, at least 30 people are dead,” former regional lawmaker Assarid Ag Imbarcaouane said, while a source in the security forces said those slain included a woman and child.

“A few injured” people survived, added the source, reached from Bamako.

The Tuaregs had been on their way back from a market in two vehicles which were stopped and attacked by the Peul, the security source said. “One of the vehicles was burned.”

Apart from cattle rustling, the Peul and the Tuaregs accuse each other of carrying out hold-ups in the remote desert north of Mali.

A contingent of Malian troops arrived in the region on Friday to provide greater security for locals, the defence ministry announced. l

Vatican says ‘grave limits’ in UN sex abuse report

n AFP, Vatican City

The Vatican on Friday criticised a damning UN report on the Catholic Church’s handling of child sex abuse cases, saying it had “grave limits” and accusing UN committee members of following “prejudiced” views.

“The recommendations published by the committee appear to present... grave limits,” spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement on Vatican Radio’s website, defending the efforts made to stamp out abuse.

“More attention was devoted to wellknown non-governmental organisations that are prejudiced against the Catholic Church and the Holy See than to the positions of the Holy See,” Lombardi said.

“It makes one think the report was already written or already well advanced before the hearing” of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva in which delegates last month grilled a Vatican delegation.

The Church was denounced by the UN committee for failing to stamp out predatory priests, and urged to hand over known and suspected abusers for prosecution. Lombardi said that the position of the Holy See, which has repeatedly said it is not legally responsible for the actions of individual priests, was not understood.

“Do they not understand or not want to understand? In both cases, one has the right to be surprised,” he said.

He said the remarks in the committee’s report “appear to go beyond its competences and interfere in the doctrinal and moral positions of the Catholic Church.” l

land’s comments as “absolutely unacceptable”.

“The chancellor considers this statement absolutely unacceptable ... and wants to emphasise again that (EU foreign policy chief Catherine) Ashton is doing an outstanding job,” she said.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Thursday that Nuland “has been in contact with her EU counterparts and of course has apologised for these reported comments”.’ But Psaki did not reveal to whom Nuland apologised on Thursday.

The leaked phone call appears to reveal US frustration with the EU over handling Ukraine, which is torn between leaning to the European Union and its past master Russia.

US officials pointed out that an aide to Russian deputy prime minister, Dmitry Rogozin, was among the first to tweet about the video that contains audio subtitled in Russian of the alleged call.

In the tweet, posted some seven hours before existence of the video became widely known on Thursday, Loskutov, said: “Sort of controversial judgment from Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland speaking about the EU.” White House spokesman Jay Carney pointed to the tweet and Russia’s clear interest in what has become a struggle between pro-Moscow and pro-Western camps in the former Soviet Republic, but declined to comment on the source of the audio.

“I would say that since the video was first noted and tweeted out by the Russian government, I think it says something about Russia’s role,” Carney told a news conference. l

n AFP, Bangui

Members of the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) lynch a man suspected of being a former Seleka rebel

South African general election set for May 7 n AFP, Johannesburg President Jacob Zuma announced Friday that South Africa will hold its fifth democratic general election on May 7, a vote which promises to be the sternest test yet of the ruling ANC. The vote -- which will elect a new parliament, and in turn the president -- will see the favoured African National Congress face a phalanx of insurgent opposition parties who have fastened on to widespread popular unease.

The ANC is the strong favourite to win the polls but pervasive inequality, joblessness, corruption and government incompetence have all sullied the party’s image.

Some predict its electoral support will fall below 60 percent.

Zuma himself heads into the election as the ANC’s presidential candidate, with his own standing significantly reduced.

He has been beset by a litany of scandals, crowned by the revelation that $20 million of taxpayers’ money was used to refurbish his rural homestead.

This will also be the first election since the death of Nelson Mandela, the nation’s founding father, the country’s first democratically elected president and the ANC’s talismanic leader.

“These are historic elections as they take place during the 20th anniversary of our freedom from apartheid bondage,” Zuma said, foreshadowing a campaign that is expected to focus heavily on ANC’s past glories. l

AFP

A mob lynched a Muslim on Friday after he fell off a crowded lorry taking frightened civilians out of the strifetorn capital of the Central African Republic, witnesses said.

A large convoy of lorries and taxis packed with Muslims fleeing Christian vigilantes headed north from Bangui under a slew of insults from angry residents, locals said.

The mob set on the victim after he fell off one of the lorries and hacked to pieces his body, which still lay by the side of the road by late morning, an AFP photographer saw.

Christian “anti-balaka” vigilantes tried to attack a second vehicle in

the convoy, but they dispersed when troops from an African peacekeeping force, MISCA, fired warning shots, an AFP reporter saw.

Muslim Central Africans and foreigners have been fleeing Bangui for several months to escape killings, looting and harassment by armed militias drawn from the Christian majority in the city.

On Wednesday, uniformed troops of the Central African army (FACA) attacked a Muslim man just after a military ceremony in the capital, stabbing and stoning him in a murderous incident that led the United Nations and France to demand justice and exemplary punishment for the culprits. l

Spain denies firing rubber bullets at migrants n AFP, Madrid Officials in Spain on Friday denied security forces had fired rubber bullets at migrants trying to swim to Spanish soil, after nine Africans drowned in the attempt.

The nine, including one woman, drowned on Thursday while trying to reach the Spanish territory of Ceuta from a beach in neighbouring Morocco.

Other migrants tried to storm through a land checkpoint.

Spanish media cited migrants alleging that police fired into the sea where the Africans were swimming, as Moroccan and Spanish security forces tried to repel them from Ceuta.

Spanish authorities said police in Ceuta used rubber bullets to ward off the migrants but that they fired them in the air and did not target anyone directly.

“We did not use anti-riot equipment

when the immigrants were in the water,” said the head of the Spanish government’s delegation in Ceuta, Francisco Antonio Gonzalez, speaking on the radio on Friday.

Spain’s opposition Socialist Party called on Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz to appear in parliament to answer questions on the deaths of the nine migrants.

In Morocco the head of the Northern Human Rights Observatory, Mohamed Benaissa, told AFP on Thursday that several migrants were hurt as Spanish police tried to repel them. He said most of the migrants were from Cameroon.

The Spanish government delegation said late Thursday that “rubber bullets were fired in the air, over a six-metre fence, never against people”, by Spanish police to ward off the migrants trying to cross by land.

Morocco, under pressure from Spain, is trying to stem a stream of

sub-Saharan African migrants, who head to its northern shores in a desperate quest to reach mainland Europe.

Ceuta and Spain’s other north African enclave, Melilla, have the European Union’s only land borders with Africa.

Hundreds of migrants headed out from the Moroccan town of Fnideq in a mass attempt to cross or circumvent the six-metre (20-foot) fences that mark the land border with Ceuta on Thursday, officials on both sides said.

Gonzalez said the migrants were “very violent” and threw rocks at the Moroccan and Spanish security forces.

A spokeswoman in Spain for the United Nations refugee watchdog UNHCR, Maria Jesus Vega, expressed “dismay and great sadness” at the deaths.

“It worries us that people who need international protection and are risking their lives to get to safe countries, are losing their lives trying to enter the countries of the European Union.” l

UN poised to evacuate civilians from Homs

Top Russian novelist ‘targeted in gay propaganda probe’

n AFP, Homs

n AFP, Moscow

Scores of trapped civilians awaited evacuation Friday from besieged rebel-held areas of Syria’s third city Homs as Damascus finally confirmed it will join new peace talks next week.

The evacuation is part of a surprise deal struck by the United Nations with Damascus on Thursday after months of negotiations that will also see desperately needed aid delivered to the rebel enclave during a “humanitarian pause” in fighting.

The first consignment of food and medicine will reach the hundreds of civilians who have been under army blockade for more than 600 days before Saturday, Homs governor Talal Barazi told AFP. The relief supplies had been held up in a UN warehouse in a govern-

ment-held area of Homs just kilometres (miles) away from the rebel-held Old City while the negotiations for relief access dragged on.

At least 1,200 children, women and elderly people are among some 2,500 civilians who have been trapped under siege, surviving on little but olives, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.

Barazi told AFP that a joint team from the provincial government, the United Nations and the Red Crescent was already in the Old City to oversee the evacuation but that it was running late because of logistical hitches.

“According to our advice from the UN, the number of people expected to leave today (Friday) is nearly 200,” Barazi said.

“It will take us another two hours or more before the first civilians begin coming out,” he said. l

One of Russia’s most respected novelists, Lyudmila Ulitskaya, claimed Friday she is part of an investigation into alleged “gay propaganda” over a series of children’s books she compiled.

Russia’s controversial law banning promotion of LGBT relationships to minors has prompted criticism from international leaders and athletes ahead of the Sochi Winter Olympics that open Friday.

Ulitskaya, along with more than 200 writers including Salman Rushdie and Margaret Atwood, signed an open letter in Britain’s Guardian newspaper on Thursday, attacking the anti-gay legislation.

In a statement sent to AFP, she said the powerful Investigative Committee, which probes serious crimes, had summoned the author of a book about gay families which

was part of a series she had compiled.

The book, “The Family in Our Country and Others” by Vera Timenchik, received complaints from readers. It was released in 2006 as part of a series called “Lyudmila Ulitskaya’s Children’s Project”.

The author told Ulitskaya that the investigators would also like to speak with her, said the decorated novelist, who was nominated for the Booker prize in 2009.

“I’ve been abroad for the last monthand-a-half and I will go to see them as soon as I return to Moscow,” she said of the summons. “I am ready to take responsibility and defend my point of view wherever necessary, including at the Investigative Committee.” However, the Investigative Committee denied the existence of any probe or sending any summons to Ulitskaya.

“Ulitskaya was not summoned in any capacity to any branch of the Investigative

Committee and a check... is not and has not been carried out by the Investigative Committee,” its press service told the Interfax news agency.

Ulitskaya told AFP in an e-mailed response: “I hope that the grievances that were expressed to the author Vera Timenchik... who was summoned to the Investigative Committee in January have been lifted.” The book in question is already being examined by prosecutors in the provincial city of Ulyanovsk after a complaint from a member of staff at a children’s library, Gazeta.ru news site reported Thursday, citing prosecutors.

“Everything depends on an expert evaluation,” a senior aide to prosecutors said.

Ulitskaya has publicly supported the opposition movement against President Vladimir Putin along with detective novelist Boris Akunin. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Former Gujarat spy chief charged with murder

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Another gang rape reported in eastern India n Agencies Police have arrested seven people for allegedly raping a co-worker’s wife and aunt in India’s West Bengal state, reports say.

A rash of rapes in India has sparked widespread outrage over chronic sexual violence and government failures to protect women.

Police officer Sanjay Singh said the seven suspects were detained on Wednesday within hours of the crime on Tuesday night in Mukti Rachak, a village 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of the provincial capital, Kolkata.

The victims were also cut by blades and are currently being treated in a hospital. The suspects allegedly raped the women after a fight with their co-worker

over a road building project, Singh said.

The incident came weeks after a woman was allegedly gang raped in the state on the orders of village elders for having an affair.

The fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on a bus in New Delhi in December 2012 triggered nationwide protests.

The outrage spurred the government to adopt more stringent laws that doubled prison terms for rape to 20 years and criminalised voyeurism, stalking, acid attacks and the trafficking of women. Fast-track courts have been created for rape cases.

Four attackers in the New Delhi case were sentenced to death and a juvenile was sent to a reform centre for three years. l

Pakistan Taliban negotiator pulls out of talks Ishrat Jahan’s mother Shamima Kauser (L-front) and sister Nusrat (2-L) have always insisted she was innocent

n Agencies Former Gujarat Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Rajinder Kumar has been charged with the murder of a young college student and three serving officers accused of conspiracy in staging the police encounter in which she was killed.

Ishrat Jahan, 19, was killed by the police in an alleged fake encounter about 10 years ago.

Media reports said India’s premier investigating agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), had also accused Kumar and the three serving IB officers - P Mittal, MK Sinha and Rajiv Wankhede - of conspiracy and illegal confinement.

The CBI has alleged that Kumar provided the weapons used by the Gujarat cops to kill Ishrat and three

others and an AK-56 that, the agency alleges, was planted at the scene of the shooting to portray the victims as terrorists.

Ishrat Jahan was killed along with three men on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on 15 June, 2004, by Gujarat crime branch officers who claimed they had been told by the IB that the four were terrorists who planned to assassinate Narendra Modi, the state’s chief minister who is now running for prime minister.

But nowhere does the 200-odd page charge-sheet mention a motive for the alleged involvement of these officers, a fact that is expected to exacerbate friction between the IB and the CBI. The Intelligence Bureau has said that though its officers had alerted the Gujarat police to the possibility that

Top China filmmaker pays $1.2 million fine over children n AFP, Beijing China’s best-known film director Zhang Yimou has paid 7.5 million yuan ($1.2 million) for violating the one-child policy, officials said Friday, closing a case that had attracted widespread attention.

Following months of rumours that he had fathered up to seven children with different women, Zhang admitted in December he has two sons and a daughter with his current wife, Chen Ting, all from before they were married. He also has a daughter with a previous wife.

The family-planning law, implemented in the late 1970s in a bid to prevent over-population, restricts most parents to one child.

Critics say the law is enforced unevenly and sometimes aggressively,

with wealthy and well-connected families better able to pay fines levied for extra children.

“The Binhu district family planning bureau received through bank transfer Chen Ting and Zhang Yimou’s payment of 7,487,854 yuan,” the district government said through its verified social media account.

The district is part of Chen’s hometown of eastern Wuxi city.

The case took nine teams more than six months to investigate and the couple’s unwillingness to cooperate was said to have hampered the probes, Binhu authorities said earlier.

They added that the penalty was based largely on the couple’s income in the years before each child was born.

The director has said his income varies, and in one year only totalled $450 - under 3,000 yuan. l

AFP

Ishrat and the others could be affiliated to the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, its officers did not authorise or participate in the killing.

The IB had vehemently objected to Kumar’s interrogation by the CBI in the case last year, arguing that it would affect the morale down the ranks of the IB and also that it would set a dangerous precedent because its members often work undercover and have sources that would dry up if its officers were entangled in police cases. The home ministry had backed the IB. In its first charge-sheet in July last year, the CBI accused seven senior policemen of murdering Ishrat and the others “in cold blood”. Amid the tension with the IB, it did not name Kumar, who was then serving. He retired about a month later. l

n AFP, Islamabad Pakistan’s fledgling peace talks with the Taliban suffered a fresh blow Friday as a negotiator for the militants said he would take no further part until the agenda included the imposition of Islamic sharia law.

The intervention from firebrand cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz comes a day after teams representing the government and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) held a preliminary round of talks in Islamabad.

There has been widespread scepticism about the chances of the peace initiative achieving a lasting solution to the TTP’s bloody seven-year insurgency.

Aziz, the chief cleric at Islamabad’s radical Red Mosque, said Pakistan’s constitution should be replaced by the Koran and the hadith, or sayings of the Prophet Mohammad.

“That should be the law in Pakistan

and until the committee brings this point on the agenda I won’t be part of negotiations,” he told reporters on Friday.

He said he would remain part of the TTP’s three-man delegation led by fellow cleric Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, unless told otherwise, but would not come to the negotiating table.

“I won’t participate in talks until they include a clause about the imposition of Islamic law,” he said.

On Thursday, the government and TTP negotiators, including Aziz, issued a joint statement agreeing to work within the framework of Pakistan’s constitution. Aziz’s move threatens to further undermine the talks -- the government side has already voiced doubts about the composition and authority of the TTP’s representatives.

The government delegation skipped an initial meeting on Tuesday citing confusion over the militants’ team after two members pulled out. l

Myanmar politicians dodge ‘assassination’ in Malaysia n AFP, Kuala Lumpur Two Myanmar politicians from a western state riven by deadly communal violence narrowly escaped a suspected assassination bid during a visit to Malaysia this week, a report said Friday.

Malaysia’s state-run Bernama news agency quoted police as saying the pair, Aye Maung and Aye Thar Aung, were fired upon by a shooter aboard a motorcycle in a busy shopping area of the capital Kuala Lumpur late Wednesday night.

Several shots were fired at a car carrying them and several companions, but no one was injured, said the report.

The two politicians are from the Arakan National Party, which represents the mostly Buddhist Rakhine, the largest ethnic group in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state.

The state has been torn by several episodes of violence since 2012 between Buddhists and Muslims that left scores dead and displaced 140,000

people -- many from the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority. The situation remains tense.

Thousands of Rohingya have fled to Muslim-majority Malaysia and other countries over the years to escape what they call persecution by Myanmar’s

‘There was no attack from the Rohingya.

We’re still trying to live in peace and harmony’ Buddhist-dominated government.

The shooter and an accomplice driving the bike escaped, said the report, adding the incident was “suspected to have been an assassination attempt”.

Police have launched an investigation, it said. Exiled Rohingya in Malaysia have staged a number of angry protests in recent years alleging Buddhist

aggression in their homeland, particularly since the 2012 violence.

Aye Maung, a member of parliament, is former chairman of an earlier Rakhine party that has been accused

by Human Rights Watch of encouraging violence against Rohingya.

He is also a member of a commission set up by Myanmar’s government to investigate the Rakhine sectarian violence. Its findings have been criticised

by Rohingya activists as biased.

Malaysian police confirmed to AFP that the visitors were shot at, but declined to give details. Zaw Htay, director of Myanmar President Thein Sein’s office, said in a posting on his Facebook page that the politicians were among a group of six people who arrived in Malaysia on January 30 on a private visit.

They returned to Yangon today.

Mohammad Sadek, a leader of Rohingya living in Malaysia, said he did not think Rohingya exiles were behind the attack. l

‘Sex strike’ against leading Tokyo governor candidate n AFP, Tokyo

Women in Tokyo are threatening a sex boycott against any man who votes for the front-runner in this weekend’s gubernatorial election, in protest at his claim that menstruation makes women unfit for government.

A Twitter campaign group based in the capital which bills itself as “The association of women who will not have sex with men who vote for (Yoichi) Masuzoe,” has garnered almost 3,000 followers since it launched last week.

Although the founders have not identified themselves, in their profile they said: “We have stood up to prevent Mr. Masuzoe, who makes such insulting remarks against women...We won’t have sex with men who will vote for Mr. Masuzoe.”

Masuzoe, 65, a former political scientist who became a celebrity through TV talk shows before getting involved in politics in 2001, is widely seen as an establishment figure in a country where gender roles remain very distinct.

In 1989, he told a men’s magazine that it would not be proper to have women at the highest level of government because their menstrual cycle makes them irrational.

“Women are not normal when they are having a period... You can’t possibly

let them make critical decisions about the country (during their period) such as whether or not to go to war,” he said.

Masuzoe has the backing of the con-

servative ruling party of hawkish Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and is seen as likely to pip his nearest rival, former prime minister Moriyoshi Hosokawa who is

standing on an anti-nuclear platform.

All 16 candidates in the poll are men, with many of them aged in their 60s or older.

A woman walks in front of a board displaying candidates for the Tokyo gubernatorial election in Tokyo

AFP

But Masuzoe’s comments about women, as well as other controversial remarks on taxing the elderly, have triggered a backlash.

Another website was launched on Wednesday by a group of women also seeking to prevent Masuzoe from becoming Tokyo governor -- that site has drawn 75,000 hits per day and 2,800 people have signed its petition.

“Masuzoe is an enemy of women...

He doesn’t love Japan. He loves only himself,” said one comment on the site, by a woman who identified herself as Etsuko Sato.

On the Twitter campaign feed, a post by manatowar3 said: “I’m an old man. But I cannot tolerate him (Masuzoe) from a man’s point of view.”

Despite high levels of education, many women in Japan leave career jobs when they have children, and social pressures to play the homemaker remain strong.

There are very few women in senior political positions -- Abe’s 19-member cabinet has only two -- and company boards are overwhelmingly male.

Speaking in Davos last month, Abe pledged that by 2020, 30 percent of leading positions would be occupied by women. However, most independent observers suggest this target is unlikely to be met. l

9 Pakistan treason court summons Musharraf on February 18 n AFP, Islamabad A court trying Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for treason Friday ordered him to appear on February 18, the latest postponement in the long-delayed case.

The 70-year-old is facing treason charges, which can carry the death penalty, over his imposition of a state of emergency in 2007 while he was president.

He was first ordered before the tribunal on December 24 but has yet to put in an appearance, with bomb scares and health problems keeping him away.

The former general has been in a military hospital since falling ill with heart trouble while travelling to court on January 2.

On January 31 the court refused to grant him permission to go abroad for medical treatment and ordered him to appear on Friday.

But at Friday’s hearing Judge Faisal Arab accepted a request from Musharraf’s lawyers that he be excused until February 18.

The next hearing in the case will be on February 10, but Musharraf is not required to attend.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was the man Musharraf ousted from power in his 1999 coup, and his lawyers have said the treason case is an attempt to settle old scores through the courts They have also challenged the civilian court’s right to try a former army chief, saying he is entitled to be dealt with by a military tribunal.

In addition to treason, Musharraf faces an array of other criminal charges dating back to his 1999-2008 rule, including for the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in December 2007.

So far, nothing has come of rumours that a backroom deal would be struck to get Musharraf out of the country before trial, to avoid a destabilising clash between the government and the powerful armed forces. l

Indonesia grants parole to Australian drug convict Corby n AFP, Kerobokan Australian drug trafficker Schapelle Corby was granted parole by Indonesian authorities Friday as mobs of journalists camped outside her Bali prison and a bidding war heated up for her first post-jail interview.

Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin announced that Corby, whose case has attracted huge public sympathy and media attention in Australia, was among a batch of prisoners whose parole applications had been finalised.

The justice ministry added in a statement that “Corby has been approved to receive parole” as she had fulfilled the requirements as set out in the law.

Syamsuddin refused to comment when asked when Corby, who was arrested at the airport on the resort island of Bali with marijuana stashed in her surfing gear in 2004, might walk out of prison.

However, it is expected to be in the coming days once she has completed some final administrative steps. l

Hong Kong police dismantle ‘biggest’ WWII bomb n AFP, Hong Kong Hong Kong police on Friday successfully dismantled the largest World War II bomb yet found in the city after its discovery on a construction site prompted the evacuation of 2,260 people.

The nearly one-tonne US Navy ANM66 bomb was discovered by building workers late Thursday in the Happy Valley district, near the city’s famous downtown racing track.

“It was the biggest bomb ever found in Hong Kong,” a police spokeswoman told AFP. Bomb disposal experts took 15 hours to remove the live explosives from the bomb, which was unearthed close to a Sikh temple, hotels and residential housing.

“It has taken a longer time because of... technical problems when drilling holes into the bomb and because of the large amount of explosives inside it,” senior bomb disposal officer Yuen Honwing told reporters.

Nearby buildings would have collapsed if the bomb had gone off, police said.

“Because the explosive inside was very sensitive, we had to cut the shell in a low-temperature environment, so the process took longer than expected,” Yeun said. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

Stopping begging helps everyone

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Love the art /hate the artist

W

February 5

e commend the policy move to more strictly enforce the country’s laws against begging.

In Dhaka, the practice is cynically encouraged by criminal syndicates who are notorious for ruthlessly controlling and exploiting beggars across the city. Coordinated action is needed to shut down their activities. The Social Welfare Minister is right to promise tough action to arrest people who exploit beggars and drive people into begging.

Stopping begging can also bring other positive benefits and aid moves to provide dignity to the lives of people in need. It will make it easier for authorities and NGOs to deliver welfare programmes which can help people find useful work and training.

City residents can also benefit far beyond just the immediate difference of a reduction in the nuisance of being approached for money.

For a start less money will end up in the pockets of syndicates.

Moreover experience in cities such as New York suggests that localised initiatives to curb minor forms of anti-social behaviour which may have previously been ignored, such as begging, broken windows and graffiti within a neighbourhood, can have a huge positive impact. This extends to reducing far more serious forms of crimes within an area and improving the city’s overall economic viability.

By the same token, it is still necessary to fund initiatives that assist and rehabilitate former beggars. As neighborhoods and taxpayers can benefit economically by reducing begging, there is a case for targeted local levies on businesses and residents in areas where begging is reduced. Such funds should be earmarked to help fund rehabilitation programmes and necessary social welfare.

If we were to only like art by people who’d never done anything wrong, we’d have no art to like. Out would go Wagner the anti-Semite, Picasso the misogynist, Caravaggio the murderer, Flaubert the pederast, Polanski the rapist. So, to answer the question of the moment – can we love the art and hate the artist?

Yes, we can.

But, would doing so legitimise the cycle of abuse? If we want to be a society that doesn’t stand for the suffering of the weak, then do we also have an obligation to not stand for the art of the abusive?

Not necessarily. The test of a first-rate intelligence, said a great artist, is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time. We’re a wonderfully rationalising species, so we can both celebrate Woody Allen’s movies and punish Woody Allen’s actions.

It goes without saying that abuse is wrong. That being unsaid, there’s a subtle question that arises when we begin punishing artists who do bad things, punishing creative people who can’t deal with the strictures of society. And that is – will we lose the gift of their creativity?

Yes, probably.

But we will make different art, better art. The kind of art a first-rate civilisation can be proud of.

Mohammad N Miraly

It will make it easier for authorities and NGOs to deliver welfare programmes which can help people find useful work and training

Time to ban student politics?

February 3

Nazmul Khair Indeed. It should have been banned at least 10 years ago.

Arch Bishop It can never be banned: The parties depend on it for muscle power and the “civil society,” and journalists are still writing about the “glorious heritage of student politics.”

Urban planners see no hope of jam-free city February 3

Why you should read ‘Time has come,’ threat to Satkhira Hindus January 30

Vijay Tulshibagwale A shocking news.

Breadbitten Vijay Tulshibagwale: It’s not really, which makes this matter all the more sad.

Babar-Nizami, 12 to die for arms smuggling

January 30 They deserve a tough sentence for what they did. I doubt anyone would feel sorry for them.

Odvoot Ek Aguntuk

Police must apply law uniformly

F

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Be Heard

our cases have been filed, and a BCL activist arrested, for the Chhatra League’s role in the violence at Rajshahi University on Sunday which led to the closure of its campus. Nearly all the attackers, however, still remain at large.

This is despite the fact that photographs have been widely published of many BCL cadres openly wielding weapons and attacking unarmed students.

No Chhatra League men were included in the initial list of 224 students whose names are mentioned in six different cases, which have been filed with the Motihar police station in relation to the RU campus violence. These six cases included two cases filed by the Chhatra League itself.

The implication has been drawn by some observers that BCL members at RU are immune from investigation and prosecution. We hope there is no truth to this perception.

No one photographed with arms should still be walking around at large.

The police must investigate the highly public evidence and circumstances, which includes readily identifiable individuals breaking the law in newspaper photographs. They should make clear that they will apply the law without favoritism or fear and pursue the individuals concerned.

There should not be any selective application on their part, where some are caught but more influential ones are allowed to escape.

This is especially important given that police elsewhere are arresting students with links to illegal weapons. At Bangla College dormitory in Mirpur, 42 people were arrested, and 10 remain in custody when a gun and several machetes and iron rods were found in a dormitory.

Law enforcers must take action against anyone who breaks the law. They must apply the law uniformly everywhere.

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

January 29

As a lifelong lover of books and reading, I readily endorse the writer’s attitudes to daily reading. His feelings are totally in sync with mine. Fortunately, I became hooked on reading very early, at around the age of six, or seven. School textbooks and the unpleasantness of other “assigned” reading throughout my school years never managed to dim or squash the powerful appeal to me of voluntary, regular reading of diverse formats and content.

I reckon a lot of young people have actually been discouraged and lapsed from a reading habit owing to the onerous routines associated with studying textbooks, and teacher-assigned reading in school, and later in college/university.

It’s well-known how young adults who have somehow managed to seek out independent reading experiences that were outside of academic requirements and completely according to their own choices have clearly discovered the profound power and joys of reading. And it can be anything at all, from a quality newspaper, to varied magazines (even ones on specialist interests), to of course books of different genres.

Libraries have clearly been a godsend for book-lovers everywhere. As have quality bookstores. For very many years now, I actually buy, rather than borrow, an overwhelming majority of the books and other reading material I read.

Owning the books I love means I get to keep them forever. :) Ronnie

Babul Sarwar Make two more capital cities, one in the north and the other in the south – decentralise asap!

Parveen Get rid of the capital from Dhaka.

Abdul Moonim Biswas Parveen: That’s the best plan to reduce traffic in our city.

LETTER OF THE WEEK

Driving school in each district February 4

The AL-led government has a special responsibility to improve their economic conditions.

Different measures can be taken to raise their income level.

This includes properly setting up and running driving schools in the 64 district towns and cities across the nation.

Once properly trained, skilled drivers will ensure safer transport, and help reduce fatal accidents that take place every day. A large number of such trained drivers can also get the opportunity to work abroad and earn valuable foreign exchange for our economy, and thus raise their standards of living.

Md Ashraf Hossain

CALVIN AND HOBBES

They should make clear that they will apply the law without favoritism or fear

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Storehouse (5) 5 Satellite (4) 8 Incarnation of a god (6) 9 Essential (5) 10 Utter gratingly (4) 11 Smallest amount (5) 12 Little devil (3) 15 Fireplace shelves (4) 18 Exploits (5) 21 Corded fabric (3) 22 Building division (4) 24 Avoid (4) 25 Lubricated (5) 28 Comfort in sorrow (6) 29 Jetty (4) 30 Swarms (5)

DOWN 1 Free from (6) 2 Light blow (3) 3 Egg-shaped (4) 4 Story (4) 5 Swamp (5) 6 Public speaker (6) 7 Pinch (3) 13 Myself (2) 14 Read attentively (6) 16 Have existence (2) 17 Playing cards suit (6) 19 Giver (5) 20 Accordingly (2) 23 Water-filled trench around castle (4) 24 Plant juice (3) 26 Frozen treat (3) 27 Sheltered side (3)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

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

Sudoku

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

Saturday, February 8, 2014

11

Working with vision n Parvin Sultana

I

The victim may be wounded, but her honour is intact

Too often, too brutal

A

n Tahmina Shafique ccording to ASK, from January to September 2013, 868 women were raped in Bangladesh. Of these, 482 cases were filed, 102 were minors, and there were a total of 207 incidents of gang rape.

Another report highlighted that almost 3,000 women were raped in Bangladesh in the last four years.

Among them, over 500 were killed after rape, and about 300 women committed suicide after being raped.

In many cases, victims were not able to file a case for fear of further harassment by the rapists, or they were forced to withdraw cases because of threats by influential figures in society and even by some political leaders.

There are heinous stories, jarring statistics, and the ones that we never even hear of. Violence against women in Bangladesh is nothing new. Women’s rights and human rights groups have been pushing for an end to this epidemic. Numerous discussions are ongoing in legal, policy and social levels.

So despite all of this and national outrage, you cannot help but question, what is wrong? When does rape ever end? Some may say that these stories are perhaps coming out in the open more often now, as opposed to the time when rape was strictly a private matter and was not talked about as much as it is now.

Whatever the case may be, the reality is right before our eyes, and there is no more room for denial. Violence against women is happening. In broad daylight. All around us. In massive numbers. In light speed. At unbelievable levels of brutality.

Of course the paradigm of this violence, which has been existent since time unknown, will not change

overnight. But, one does wonder how, following the recent national and global outrage, these atrocities still continue unhindered. While there are and will be a plethora of legal and technical arguments with regards to rape that needs to be put forward and looked into, this is also the time to look closer at the society we live in. A society which is really “rape-enabling.”

is intact and it is not the end of her life. When the female victim no longer loses her honour as a result of rape, we can speak out louder about gender violence which has been considered a shameful and private matter for centuries in “public” and demand for more changes.

In some sense, the overall outrage shown by India, Bangladesh and

There are heinous stories, jarring statistics, and the ones that we never even hear of. Violence against women in Bangladesh is nothing new

This “rape-enabling” society is one where women and men accept sexual violence as normal and interminable.

In their acceptance, they endorse the notion that violence against women is common and it is “ought to happen.”

As a result, the unjust institution of patriarchy that condones and upholds a rape culture, which dehumanises women, lives on strong, and tends to go unexamined and greatly unchallenged.

The truth remains that this rape-enabling society and rape culture will persist until societal values and attitudes change. No amount of legal and technical tweaks will be able to solve this issue. It is time for us to accept that it is the massive, colossal force in our mindsets, within our communities which needs to turn over a new leaf.

As a society, we also need to stop victim-blaming games. When rape takes place, it is not the honour of a woman that is lost. A woman is wounded and she does not emerge unscathed, never that. But her honour

across South Asia, has shown us one thing this time. In the case of recent rape cases, and specifically the Delhi case that led to global outrage, the woman was not “dishonoured” by her family or the society. Contrary to similar situations she was in fact held in respect both privately and publicly.

Unlike past events, justifications of these acts were not entertained by society and the victim blame game, in this rare instance, took a back seat. We can already see that this “blame, shame game” is leaving, and we must stand on this shift and ensure it properly permeates our understanding. Never again, must we allow justifications for rape, justifications for violence that we have allowed in the past, time and again, as a collective society.

There is thus a need to take a closer look at the changing patterns and how our attitudes can change with that. Over the past several decades, women’s rights have expanded.

Women are claiming their subjectivity,

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asserting their own identity as opposed to being someone’s wife, daughter or sister. And with the opening up of the market, massive expansion of certain sectors and the economy, women are more visible in the factories and workplaces. That women are entering traditionally male bastions of power has challenged the sense of superiority and entitlement of the traditional Bangladeshi men. While, we have progressed immensely in terms of being within the workforce, unfortunately, the mindset of accepting women within this workforce and learning to respect women within this context is yet to come about.

As a society, as the free and united nation that we claim ourselves to be, we must have the courage to look within ourselves, and strive to stand against these value systems that has brought us where we are today.

It is also important to recognise that none of this will automatically disappear, and in fact violence will only keep increasing – history has given us that clear indication of what’s in store.

But, history has also taught us one more lesson. That we must struggle and the fight must go on. Justice does prevail and societies do transform, even if it is a long way.

In toiling for this change, it is important to remember, striking the foundation of patriarchy, the foundation of an unjust system requires that inner metamorphosis and strength. There are no more excuses to continue nourishing this diseased foundation. The time is now, to begin that fight, to strike at the core of this foundation. l Tahmina Shafique works for an international management consultancy company. She is one of the core organising members of One Billion Rising Bangladesh, and a part of VDAY Dhaka.

We need new ideas n MH Bari

A

bout 31% of our population lives below the poverty line.

The low literacy rate, extensive nepotism, corruption, unscrupulous trade unionism, poor governance, inefficient bureaucracy, unemployment, loan defaults, and black market are all problems that need to be overcome.

But who is supposed to take the initiative for this? It is the political leaders of the country. But it is an irony of fate that we lack such dedicated, patriotic, and benevolent leaders who could steer the country.

The performance of the two major political parties of the country is far behind people’s expectations. Due to their failure, the problems are increasing day by day. Politicians as well as political parties, particularly in advanced democratic countries, generally try to outdo their opponents through argument. But the political culture in Bangladesh is totally different. Here we see political vendetta.

The parliament is the symbol of our national pride and dignity. It is very sad that the citadel of our democracy is giving up its sacred responsibilities.

Regardless of what one says, the truth is, there is hardly any political leader in the country who has any real

contact with the people at large. The so-called connection to the people is mostly just coercion, intimidation, and muscle flexing.

Collectively, the parties have inflicted grievous injuries to this country, and to the millions belonging to the lower middle class, now a vanishing class, and the very poor.

A third force is necessary. People will definitely welcome any move in that direction

Even though we live in a so-called democratic society, political parties seldom practice democracy. Party chiefs take the ultimate decisions, and are never elected democratically.

This practice frustrates intellectuals who are actively involved in politics.

As a result, educated people are losing interest in party politics.

It is quite immature to expect that too many opinions of “senior leaders,” other than the prime minister’s, will be

taken into account, if they do not satisfy the ambitions of the party. We have seen over the last 42 years that the mainstream party lawmakers have remarkably failed to serve the goals of our nation.

The only way to rectify such a situation is to clean it up from the head of the governance, and in that, we need someone with a sufficiently good reputation and experience.

Eminent citizens of the country who have the credentials to command such respect from the people should come forward. It was about time someone like that stood up and gave the people some respite from “bad or worse” choices that many feel presently limited to.

During the election campaigns, they promise many things to the voters.

When they come to rule, they forget their promises. Now, the situation in Bangladesh is very frustrating. The much discussed 10th parliamentary election was held amidst unprecedented violence and one of the lowest voter turnouts in memory.

It is nothing but a mockery of democracy. We may call it constitutional, but the election is questionable where 153 MPs out of 300 were elected unopposed. The unethical general election will not bring any positive change to the country’s governance

and democracy.

A questionable government will lose its foreign friends, except India, for its oppression of the opposition, human rights violations, and divisive policies. Most of all, the spirit of our liberation war has been diluted by such one-sided polls.

The present political, economic, and social condition of our country of is quite grave. If we do not resolve it now, coming generations will suffer more than we are suffering now. There is no security in society. Much of it is the result of the conflict between the political parties and the unabated crime committed by party men.

It is my firm belief that a civil revolution, or as I call it, a Bengali Renaissance, has to happen now. People want different types of politics. They want prudent, sagacious, and honest persons in politics, but there seems to be no room for good people in our political arena. In the backdrop of our conventional politics, the emergence of a third force is necessary. The majority of the people will definitely welcome any move in that direction.

We should all be united in making a new political force. l MH Bari works in the global marketing of seafood from Bangladesh.

n Bangladesh, various obstacles and stigmas surrounding disability are prevailing, which hamper the rights of the blind and other disabled people. Stigmas are the main hindrance to establishing rights of disabled people.

People, including parents of disabled children, lack awareness about the disability. Hence, disabled children are being deprived of an education, proper treatment, rehabilitation, and other necessary support.

Childhood visual impairment is a major public health problem in Bangladesh. According to Child Sight Foundation (CSF), there are several factors that contribute to childhood blindness. These are: Lack of information, lack of knowledge, proximity, economic constraint, illiteracy, wrong beliefs, wrong treatment, and unscientific interventions.

Information on child eye health and service provisions is yet to be disseminated on a mass scale. Due to the lack of necessary information, most of the time people do not know how to go about any problem.

The economic constraint is one of the major hindrances to accessing services. The cost of treating cataracts in children, for example, is much higher than it is for adults.

Cultural constructs surrounding blindness regard it as a divine curse, and these beliefs have gone to the point of no return. This leads to a withdrawal in care, making the child being perceived as an even greater burden.

Sometimes people take refuge in faith-healing and traditional healers, which lead to infections, and often, absolute blindness.

We should bring specialised services closer to the children who need them. Steps should be taken to help blind children in Bangladesh move from a life of dependence and isolation to a life of confidence and self-reliance.

Identifying blind children who are not currently enrolled in a special education school or an existing rehabilitation program is challenging.

The stigma and prejudice surrounding them in Bangladesh often compels parents to keep their children at home, hidden from the public eye.

CSF partners with local community volunteers and trains them to become “key informants” to identify these children. Individuals, well-known within the community, including teachers, social workers, community leaders, and religious leaders are recruited to become key informants.

Since 2001, over 15,000 children have been identified using this method.

Identified children are then referred for screening, examination, and treatment by an ophthalmologist.

Key informants distribute information about upcoming eye examination camps during their community rounds, and encourage parents to bring their children to the camp for examination.

Due to the lack of information, however, parents are sometimes hesitant to commit the time and energy necessary to rehabilitate their children. Families are often unaware of the capabilities of their visually impaired children, and may feel that their child is unable to contribute to regular operations of the household or participate in normal activities.

Many parents are afraid that their child will be ostracised or stigmatised in the community, and therefore prefer to keep them at home rather than send them to school. Furthermore, most parents do not know that national policies in Bangladesh require school to admit all children into classrooms, regardless of disability.

When parents have a blind child, they do not know how to teach or support the child, or if the child is able to work around the house, or go to school. As a result, the child often stays at home with nothing to do, not learning how to bathe or do other basic things. In reality, blind children are quite able to do these things.

We should work with parents to increase their knowledge, reassure them of their child’s abilities, and reinforce the message that blind children are fully able to participate in everyday life at home, school, and the surrounding community.

People take refuge in faith-healing and traditional healers, which lead to infections, and often, absolute blindness Forming close relationships and being accepted by other children in the community is vital to a visually impaired child’s self-esteem, educational progress, and success. To foster a smooth transition between home-based rehabilitative care and enrolment in the school system, CSF designed the Inclusive Children’s Club (ICC), a social and educational outlet that allows visually impaired and blind children to interact with their sighted peers in a positive and supportive environment.

The ICC cultivates a sense of belonging, reduces stigma and fear, and helps mainstream the child back into the community of children. Community children that attend the club learn about blindness, as well as other subjects such as history, art, and music.

There is a national policy in Bangladesh stating that disabled children have a fundamental right to education, and must be granted access to schools. But this policy has not been publicised enough.

We should reach further into the social network of the family and community, contacting neighbours and relatives, and inviting them to partake in the rehabilitative process as well.

This creates a support circle around the child, increasing the probability of success.

Many teachers believe that blind children are incapable of learning in a classroom alongside their sighted peers. Teachers in Bangladesh are often not motivated to take the time to attend teachers’ training for children with disabilities.

We should work with teachers and school principals to change their attitudes and opinions about inclusive education by coordinating introductions to visually impaired students, teacher training, and information about national policies in Bangladesh on the rights of children.

Despite the fact that there is a national inclusive education policy in Bangladesh stating that the education system should admit all children regardless of ability, it is rarely enforced or communicated within the education system. Parents, district officials, and school administrators are often unaware that this policy exists.

We should work with all concerned to implement national disability laws within the education system. All rights bodies should emphasise on inclusive education as a basic right for all children regardless of their ability, and actively lobby the Department of Education to adopt this philosophy and move towards a more human rightsbased approach. l Parvin Sultana is a freelance journalist.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Saturday, February 8, 2014

DHAKA ART SUMMIT

Dhaka Art Summit 2014 takes off

Sound & silence by Rahul Anand,Bangladesh QUAMRUL ABEDIN

n Hasan Mansoor Chatak A three day long biennale, the Dhaka Art Summit 2014 unveiled its curtains at the National Art Museum of

Shilpakala Academy on February 7, 2014 with in the presence of art lovers, exhibitors, curators, collectors and critiques from the South Asia and beyond.

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Cultural Affairs Minster Asaduzzaman Noorand Dr Gowher Rizvi, International Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister, graced the affair as chief guests.

Farooq Sobhan, chairman of the organising committee of DAS, articulated the motive behind organising the biennale at Dhaka while Nadia Samdani, president of the Samdani Art Foundation, warmly welcomed the distinguished local and international delegates of the art festival.

An initiative of the Samdani Art Foundation and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the second Dhaka Art Summit 2014 will present a panoramic survey of artists from South Asian countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Dhaka Art Summit 2014 will include solo projects, curated exhibitions, an ambitious public art project, a series of discussions, performances, experimental film screenings and presentations by 33 local and international galleries. Representatives from Tate Modern, The British Museum, Centre Pompidou and Solomon R Guggenheim Museum, among many others, will participate in the talks programme. l

and theatre activist and has been included in international group shows in India and Japan.

Sunil Sigdel

My Blood, your Script & Bull Tongue

by Sunil Sigdel, Nepal QUAMRUL ABEDIN

Experimental performances grace the opening day of DAS Rahul Anand Rahul Ananad’s performance Sound in Silence is an experimental piece of work which combines music, acting and visual art. the piece was showcased in the second edition of Dhaka Art Summit yesterday. The forty minutes long performance explores the concept of co-existence of emptiness and fulfillment through sound and the absence of sound, the reciprocity of continuity and above all, the balance of these two.

National Film Award announced n AFrose Jahan Chaity Noted actor and film personality Khalil Ullah Khan has been selected for lifetime award while the government has announced the names of 24 artistes and others for the National Film Award-2012 in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the country’s film industry.

Eminent writer-director, the late Humayun Ahmed, was named as best director while best screen play went to his last film Ghetu Putro Komola. The film also bags the awards for best music director, best child artiste, best cinematographer, best editor, best art director, best makeup and best costume directior. With eight awards in total, Ghetu Putro Komola is the film that won the highest number of awards in the National Film Award 2012.

Following suit is Redwan Roni’s Chorabali, which scored five awards.

Protagonist of the film Joya Ahsan won best actress, while Shahiduzzaman Selim won best villain. Noted actor ATM Shamsuzzaman won the award for best supporting actor for his role in the film Chorabali. The film also won the award for best dialogue.

Celebrated actor Joya Ahsan told the Dhaka Tribune: “I feel honoured to have won the award for the second time. It just feels wonderful, I won it for my role in Chorabali which is a commercial film.”

“Dhallywood king,” Shakib Khan got the best actor award for his outstanding performance in the film Khodar Pore Maa. This is the second time that the actor has won the National Award, he said: “Winning a National award is always very special to me, no matter how many times I win, it never loses its charm.

This is the second time I have won this award and I feel very honoured. It is an example that it does not matter whether it is an art film or commercial, a good film is always appreciated. It is

Best Film: Uttorer Sur

Rahul spreads a lot of red roses and green betel leaf on the stage for the visual performance and then he started to play the violin from one end of a long white fabric, travels the length of the fabric playing music and then mutes it on the other end. The white fabric was used symbolically to represent the path of life and the music represented life. The rose petals and betel leaves were the elements that allures man into temptation.

Rahul Anand is a musician, performance artist

Photo exhibition by RPS on at Drik Gallery n Entertainment Desk A photo exhibition, titled Words in Silence, a tribute to Faisal Kabir Raktim, organised by the Rajshahi Photographic Society (RPS), is now on at the Drik Gallery, situated in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. The exhibit consists of 100 photographs of 90 photographers from all over Bangladesh and 10 by Faisal Kabir Raktim to whom the exhibition has been dedicated to.

The exhibition started on February 6, Thursday and will continue until 8pm today. It was formally opened by famous ornithologist and photographer Inam al Haque. Renowned photojournalist Pavel Rahman and other acclaimed photographers were also present at the event.

The event was coordinated by Advocate Rashedun Nabi and Majeda Akhter. RPS Chairperson Farid Akhter Porag, Advisor Advocate Mohsin Khan, Rajshahi Collegiate School Alumni Association General Secretary M Hannan, Barendra College Prinicipal AlamgirMalek, Raktim’s father Md Shamsul Kabir and Md Towsif Islam spoke on the occasion.

The exhibition was primarily organised by few of Raktim’s friends

ON TV Best Actress: Jaya Ahsan

Best Actor: Shakib Khan

also about an actor’s ability to deliver a good performance.”

Uttorer Sur, produced by Faridur Reza Sagor, is directed by Shahnewaz Kakoli, who won the award for best story writer. The film won three more awards including best film. Lucy Thripti Gomez was named best supporting actress. Uttorer Sur is the debut film of Shahnewaz Kakoli. The delighted winner told the Dhaka Tribune: “It was unexpected. This was my first film and I cannot imagine that I have won

the best film award. I was glad and left inspired after winning this honour. My responsibility towards society and my work has increased.”

The awards for best male and female playback singer went to celebrated singer Runa Laila for the film Tumi Asbe Bole and Palash for the film Khodar Pore Maa. Composer Milton Khandaker and lyricist Emon Saha have won awards for their works in Khodar Pore Maa and Pita. l

Nepalese artist Sunil Sigdel showcased his experimental performance titled My Blood, Your Script & Bull Tongue at the Dhaka Art Summit.

The piece was a combination of sound and visuals. In the twenty minutes long performance, Sunil explored how the Nepalese government and the British government are manipulating Gurkha soldiers as a “live product” and how illiteracy and unemployment are acting as the driving force for young people into risking their lives in foreign lands.

Sunil creates soothing explosive sound of matchsticks and then he coats blood on his face and body with the sticks. The performance reflects the hardest parts of the Gurkha soldiers’ lives before joining the British Army. The world knows only of the Gurkhas’ brave stories, but no one has looked into the reality behind this bravery. During the First & Second World War, more than 251,000 Nepalese Gurkhas fought and 60,000 lost their lives.

Sunil Sigdel’s work explores the socio-political crisis of Nepal, as well as the other parts of the globe. He has exhibited extensively in Nepal and abroad and has participated in several workshops and residencies in Nepal, Scotland, India, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Denmark and Pakistan. l

MOVIE 5:25pmFox Movies Premium Dredd

7:03pmWB

The Blind Side

DRAMA 8:00pm Sony Aadalat

8:30pm Star Plus Meri Bhabi

Jerónimos Monastery, Lisbon and classmates of Rajshahi Collegiate School, including Towsif Islam, Md Redwan Rakib Mugdho, Md Rakibul Islam, Md Mahmud Islam and Md Mamunur Rahman.

RPS Vice-chairperson Tanvirul Hosain, General Secretary M K Ferdous Ahmed Sumit, Assistant General Secretary Nasir Anwar Ovi, Organising Secretary Sheikh Md Atiqur Rahman

n Entertainment Desk A musical evening is arranged by Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre at their Gulshan premises today at 6:30pm. Promising singer Shemonty Monjari will entertain the audience with her melodious rendition of Tagore’s songs.

Shemonty started her musical journey at an early age. She trained in Rabindra sangeet at the prestigious Chhayanaut Sangeet Vidyayatan in Dhaka, where she completed her 8 years’ course in Rabindra Sangeet and achieved first class first position in the final certificate examination.

n Entertainment Desk

Watch out for Travelers Story tonight at 9:10pm on Channel 9. The host of the show is also a radio jockey for ABC radio, Maria. In this fun filled travel show, the audience will get an exclusive insight on “Virgo,” that is a five-star cruise ship of the Star Cruise Superstar line. Travelers Story will also feature a cruise from Singapore to Phuket and Langkawi. Another attractive aspect of the show is a detailed view into the world of movie magic, Resort World Sentosa’s Universal Studios

Russo and others were also present in the event.

The exhibition featured vibrant and colourful photographs from everyday lives, from both amateur and professional photographers. It was dedicated to Faisal Kabir Raktim, a young and promising photographer who died an untimely death last year when he was only 24 years old. l

Shemonty Monjari performs at IGCC

Lego movie gets positive reviews Critics all over are raving about new The Lego Movie. It is assumed that it will be the first big blockbuster of the year 2014 in the box office. In a box office market where Frozen has dominated the family slate for over 11 weeks (with an honorable mention for The Nut Job), The Lego Movie looks primed to walk away with 2014′s biggest opening to date.

Similar to the Lego Star Wars “brickfilm” shorts and Bionicle direct-to-video films, The Lego Movie employs CG animation to mimic the appearance of a world made entirely out of Lego bricks and populated by the traditional yellow mini-figures. This approach lacks the tactile pleasures of stop-motion, but nonetheless creates a slick, vivid aesthetic. In a city that operates like clockwork, cheerful but lonely construction worker Emmet (Chris Pratt) goes about his days unnoticed by those around him. Soon, however, he stumbles into a big adventure, accidentally fulfilling the prophecy of a wizard (Morgan Freeman) at odds with Lord Business (Will Ferrell, doing a mixture of Mugatu and Megamind), a dystopian overlord determined to maintain the rigid borders between Lego realms and quash creative building. Rescued

MAHDIN MAHBOOB

She also achieved first class first position in the national competition on Rabindra sangeet arranged by Jatiyo Rabindrasangeet Sammilon Parishad in 2011. l

TODAY IN DHAKA Film

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Thor: The Dark World, Pacific Rim in 3D, The Conjuring, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Escape Plan Time: 10am – 10pm Star Cineplex, Level 8 Bashundhara City Panthapath

Exhibition

2nd Dhaka Art Summit Time: 11am – 7pm Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Shegun Bagicha Ways of Seeing Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Art Lounge 60 Gulshan Avenue, Gulshan 1 Gravity-Free World Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts House 42 Road 16 (New) / 27 (old), Dhanmondi

Fair by the mysterious Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Emmet journeys between worlds that correspond to familiar Le-

go-set themes, while a class of remaining “Master Builders” unite to destroy the villain’s secret, relic weapon. l

Amar Ekushey Boi Mela - 2014 Time: 3pm – 9pm Bangla Academy Compound Dhaka University

Did you know?

Sangakkara’s matchtally of 424 runs against Bangladesh in Chittagong is the third highest in Tests after Graham Gooch’s 456 and Mark Taylor’s 426

Sport

Saturday, February 8, 2014

0 3 6

14 Vidic to leave MU

DAYS TO GO

at end of season

Total (all out, 119.5 overs)

15 Why was Mushfiq

fielding?

MUMIT M

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club will take on Mohun Bagan in a crucial group B match of the 118th IFA Shield at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata today and a draw will not be enough for the Bangladesh Premier League side to progress to the last four. Star Jolsha is likely to telecast the match live at 3.30pm.

It will be a do-or-die match for the Dhanmondi outfits as they must beat the Kolkata giants in their third and final group match today to move to the next round. With one win and one loss, Jamal now have three points while Mohun Bagan has four.

Jamal, the Federation Cup champions, is likely to field the same squad that beat Sikkim United 3-1 last Wednesday, with Haitian striker Wedson Anselme scoring a brace.

“The team is in good shape and everyone is fit. The spirit is high after the victory in the last game. We are prepared to face Mohun Bagan,” said Jamal manager Anwarul Karim Helal yesterday. l

was otherwise as masterful as he had been in the first innings.

Sangakkara brought up his hundred with a six over mid-wicket off Sohag Gazi to take his tally of tons to 35 – moving ahead of Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara’s mark of 34 to fifth most, behind Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41) and Rahul Dravid (36).

Sangakkara was out the ball after reaching three figures when he missed a paddle sweep and was bowled by Gazi. He scored 424 runs in the match – the third most after Gooch’s 456 and Mark Taylor’s 426. Meanwhile, Chan-

dimal, who had been out of sorts with the bat, found his touch and reached his third hundred – all of them coming against Bangladesh – before Angelo Matthews declared the innings at 305/4, leaving Bangladesh eight overs to face in the day and 467 runs to win. The highest successful run chase in Test history is 418 by West Indies against India in 2003.

The eight overs Bangladesh batted were not without incident. Tamim survived a close LBW shout off Dilruwan Perera, but the Tigers openers were able to survive the period to finish the day at 12 for no loss. l

30 9 11 30 426

Fall of wickets 1-0 (Iqbal), 2-232 (Rahman), 3-252 (Haque), 4-259 (Kayes), 5-319 (Rahim), 6-350 (Al Hasan), 7-396 (Nasir Hossain), 8-396 (Gazi), 9-409 (Mahmudullah), 10-426 (Al-Amin Hossain) Bowling Lakmal 25-6-70-1, Pradeep 15-2-96-0 (nb13), Mendis 29.5-3-99-6 (nb8), Perera 39-4-119-3, Mathews 11-1-33-0 Sri Lanka 2nd innings Karunaratne c Nasir b Mahmudullah 15 Silva lbw b Mahmudullah 29 Sangakkara b Gazi 105 Jayawardene lbw b Shakib 11 Chandimal not out 100 Mathews not out 43 Extras: (lb2) 2 Total (for 4 wickets declared, 75.5 overs) 305 Fall of wickets 1-36 (Karunaratne), 2-49 (Silva), 3-78 (Jayawardene), 4-223 (Sangakkara).

Bowling Al-Amin 7-1-31-0, Gazi 18.5-1-87-1, Shakib 22-2-80-1, Mahmudullah 18-4-46-2, Mominul 7-0-46-0, Nasir 3-0-13-0 Bangladesh 2nd innings Tamim Iqbal not out Shamsur Rahman not out Extras: (b1) Total (for no loss, eight overs)

13

Do-or-die for Sheikh Jamal

SCORECARD, DAY 4 Sri Lanka 1st innings: 587 Sangakkara 319, Jayawardene 72, A. Mendis 47, Shakib 5-148 Bangladesh 1st innings (overnight 409-8) Mahmudullah c Silva b Mendis Al-Amin Hossain b Mendis Abdur Razzak not out Extras: (b8, lb1, nb21)

DHAKA TRIBUNE

7 4 1 12

Bowling Lakmal 3-0-9-0, Perera 4-3-1-0, Mendis 1-0-1-0 Bangladesh need 455 more runs to win with 10 wickets in hand

Sri Lankan ace Kumar Sangakkara plays a scoop shot during his century against Bangladesh at ZACS yesterday

Sanga does it again, Tigers set 467 It was yet another feather in the cap for Lankan batting maestro Kumar Sangakkara as he followed up his first innings triple century with another ton in the second innings to take the visitors to 305/4 declared, after Ajantha Mendis bowled Bangladesh out with career best figures of 6/99 for 426 on the fourth day of the second Test match at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium yesterday.

Bangladesh were left with a target of 467 to win the match and level the

Swimming coaches face salary cuts The six coaches of Bangladesh Swimming Federation have not been paid their salaries from last year’s SwimSafe program where they taught 700 homeless and underprivileged children under Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB). The situation is likely to reach a conclusion at an executive meeting today.

The relationship between the coaches and federation has been getting worse since few members of the new committee decided to make a change in a continuous process of referees’ payment. If the new system gets approved, the referees will earn less money than before and most of them are likely to not teach homeless children swimming again.

Under the banner of SwimSafe, CIPRB in collaboration with Bangladesh Swimming Federation has been teaching poor street children at both the swimming complexes in Dhaka since 2005. The coaches used to get 50% of the money provided by CIPRB, a non-government organization and

the rest went to the federation. Now, the new committee proposed to pay the referees on a monthly basis, which is around Tk8,000-10,000 a month.

The SwimSafe program is one of very few earning sources for the swimming coaches of Bangladesh and it was learnt that if the new payment system is implemented, most of them could leave the job.

Today, the 4th executive committee meeting will take place at the national swimming complex where one of the issues is coaches’ salary process for SwimSafe.

“Earlier, the coaches used to get the half the money CIPRB provided for the teaching program. It was a continuous process since 2005. Tomorrow (Saturday) in the executive committee meeting we will discuss about it whether the coaches will get their money like previous system or in a monthly basis,” said Bangladesh Swimming Federation joint-secretary Amirul Islam yesterday.

In the last year, CIPRB and federation taught swimming to 700 children, 300 less than they expected. CIPRB provided Tk10,00 to federation for every child. l

series, or to bat out time and salvage a draw. They finished the day at 12/0.

Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka wrapped up the Bangladesh innings at 426 early in the morning by taking the last two wickets. Mahmudullah could not add to his overnight 30 as he was snapped up at short leg off Mendis and Al-Amin was bowled by the same bowler.

In the visitors’ second innings, it was Mahmudullah who removed both openers - Dimuth Karunaratne for 15 who was well caught by Nasir Hossain at slip and Kaushal Silva, who was trapped LBW for 29 – to leave Sri Lanka 49/2.

This brought together the danger

What’s at stake at the ICC meeting?

The sport arena of the country will go through several anxious hours today as the crucial meeting of International Cricket Council regarding the proposed revamp takes place in Singapore.

The reason behind the worries remains in the procedure as Bangladesh Cricket Board never openly talked about its stance and its president Nazmul Hasan, who flew to Singapore three days back, also never opened his mouth about Bangladesh’s stance.

The ICC had said it had reached unanimous agreement on the outline of a plan to give cricket’s three most financially powerful nations India, Australia and England a greater say in running the world game. However, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South Africa have continued to object ahead of a hastily convened ICC meeting that may go to a vote to implement the new proposals.

The restructuring of the ICC requires consent of eight of the 10 member Boards and it remains to be seen whether the dissenting Boards remain adamant or agree to the changes. During the ICC Board meeting last month

Kaushal anticipates win Bangladesh will be chasing 467 for victory on the last day of the second Test on a wicket that has started taking turn and Sri Lankan opener Kaushal Silva seemed confident that the visitors would be able to bowl the Tigers out and claim a 2-0 series win yesterday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

“I think maybe first hour tomorrow, if we can get two quick wickets, it will be good for us. The ball has started to spin a bit, if we can get two quick wickets, it will be good for us.

“Yes we can bowl them out as I said, it has started to spin a bit and not like the first innings. It has started to spin more I think it will definitely be difficult for the Bangladesh batsmen. We have to be more patient and consistent

in our line and length and set a field according to our bowlers, especially for our spinners,” said Silva.

Sri Lanka delayed their declaration and Silva explained that they wanted to be sure they had enough runs on the board, “We wanted to get at least 450 on the board and then we know that they are out of reach of our target and we can put pressure and attack more. It will be a good challenging score for us to defend.”

Asked if the recent defeat they sustained against Pakistan recently, in which the sub-continent side chased down 301 on the last day at breakneck speed played a part in the decision, Silva said, “Not actually I guess, what has happened has happened you can’t get it back. You have to think positively. Those two sessions went against us against Pakistan, but that won’t hap-

pair of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene but Shakib al Hasan was able to remove the latter with a welldisguised arm ball that trapped the right hander LBW to leave Sri Lanka a little shaky at 78/3. However, Sangakkara and Chandimal then went on to take the game away from the Tigers.

It was another master class from the elegant left-hander as he became just the second man to score a triple hundred and a hundred in the same Test, after Graham Gooch who achieved the feat against India at Lords in 1990. He had some luck along the way as he was dropped on 36

by Nasir Hossain of Shakib’s bowling but

pen all the time. Cricket is such a game, you never know what will happen. We don’t think about what has happened we just concentrate on the particular moment.”

Silva went on to heap praise on Kumar Sangakkara, who had a sensational match with a triple hundred and another hundred, and Mahela Jayawardene, who scored double hundred in the first Test.

“They are two legends of the game, they have been in the team for nearly two decades. It’s a great experience for all the youngsters in the team, sometimes it’s fun because out of the field. They just act like normal human beings. It’s really good to have them in the side, and their ideas on the field are really helping us and it’s a good thing that these two are in the team,” said Silva. l

in Dubai, a final decision on the proposal was deferred due to a lack of unanimity among the member boards.

The revamp plan focuses on the establishment of an Executive Committee (ExCo) and Financial and Commercial Affairs Committee (F&CA) to provide leadership at an operational level, with five members, including BCCI, Cricket Australia and England and Wales Cricket Board representatives.

The “ICC Surplus”, which is available for equal distribution amongst the Full Members has been greatly reduced by the inclusion of the new “Contribution Cost” Lord Woolf a former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales who provided report for the restructuring the ICC said, “It seems to be entirely motivated by money”.

With new additions such as a “Contribution Cost” being thrown into the mix, the Big 3 have ensured that they pocket the lion’s share of all revenue

generated – leaving Boards such as ours only scraps. The “ICC Surplus”, which is available for equal distribution amongst the Full Members has been greatly reduced by the inclusion of the new “Contribution Cost”. It is this “Contribution Cost” that has skewed the distribution of funds greatly in favour of the Cricket Boards of India, England and Australia. Taking the Gross Revenue at US$2,500,000,000, a full 32% of the Gross Revenue has been removed from the equal distribution model, and has instead been dealt with separately, in the manner as is set out above.

Assuming the Gross Revenue of the ICC is US$3.5 billion, according to the new proposed finance distribution model, the BCB would stand to gain only US$106 million as opposed to the sum of US$159 million through the current distribution model – a difference of a whopping US$ 53,000,000! While the BCCI, ECB and CA enjoy a surplus of US$691.5 million, 93 million and 26.5 million respectively, which coincidently makes them the only Full Members to benefit from the new distribution model.

Bangladesh would be hoping its position will be safeguarded and secure in the meeting. l

Mozena looks forward to help football The ambassador of United States to Bangladesh Dan W.Mozena hoped that the United States would come forward to assist the Bangladesh football development in the future.

The ambassador was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony of the Sports United program where two former US World Cup footballers, Tony Sanneh and Linda Hamilton, conducted a four-day program with budding male and woman footballers.

“Tony and Linda are the two US sports envoys with whom US feels proud, they arrived here to share the experience and also to know about Bangladesh. Football is a game that shows to win gracefully and also to lose in a graceful way, this program build bridges among two nations and we will try to assist Bangladesh in the process,” said Mozena.

BFF president Kazi Salahuddin urged the ambassador to chalk out a long term program that will assist the development of the game in the country. Tony Sanneh and Linda Hamilton also expressed happiness and hoped their advice would help Bangladeshi football. l

BFF president Kazi Salahuddin welcomes US ambassador Dan Mozena at the BFF artificial turf yesterday

COURTESY

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Sacked Laudrup seeking legal advice

Injured Hummels to miss two weeks

Ronaldo red card referee ‘suspended’

Michael Laudrup is seeking legal advice after being sacked by Premier League club Swansea City, the Dane said on Thursday. He released a statement via the League Managers’ Association which said he was told of his dismissal on Tuesday by a brief letter. “I am deeply disappointed to have been dismissed as manager of Swansea City,” Laudrup said. “I am, of course, taking legal advice and the LMA have already written to the club asking for a proper explanation as to why I was summarily dismissed.”

–Reuters

Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels will be sidelined for another two weeks after injuring his right foot in a friendly against Fortuna Duesseldorf, Borussia Dortmund said on their website on Thursday. Dortmund said that Hummels, 25, suffered a mid-foot sprain in Tuesday’s match and that he would be out of action for about two weeks. The Germany international had been out since November due to an ankle injury and only returned to Dortmund’s lineup for a 2-1 Bundesliga win over Braunschweig on Friday.

–Reuters

The referee who sent Cristiano Ronaldo off in Real Madrid’s draw at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday has been suspended and banned from taking charge of any other Real matches this season, according to reports in Spain. Ronaldo was shown a red card in the 75th minute of the match after raising his hand to Bilbao captain Carlos Gurpegi and confronting Ander Iturraspe. Spanish radio station Cadena Cope has reported that Spain’s refereeing technical committee has dropped referee Miguel Ángel Ayza Gámez for a month in the wake of his performance.

–Agencies

Bayern wait on Ribery for Arsenal after buttocks op n AFP, Berlin

SCORECARD, DAY 2 New Zealand 1st innings (overnight 329-4) P. Fulton lbw Khan 13 H. Rutherford c Rahane b I. Sharma 6 K. Williamson c Dhoni b Khan 113 R. Taylor c Jadeja b I. Sharma 3 B. McCullum c Jadeja b I. Sharma 224 C. Anderson lbw I. Sharma 77 B. Watling c Dhawan b I. Sharma 1 T. Southee b Shami 28 I. Sodhi c R. Sharma b I. Sharma 23 N. Wagner c Kohli b Jadeja 0 T. Boult not out 1 Extras: (b1, lb5, w5, nb3) 14 Total: (all out; 121.4 overs) 503 Bowling Shami 28-6-95-1 (2w), Khan 30-2-132-2 (1w), I. Sharma 33.4-4-134-6 (2w, 3nb), Jadeja 26-1-120-1, Kohli 1-0-4-0, R. Sharma 3-0-12-0

India 1st innings S. Dhawan c Williamson b Boult M. Vijay b Wagner C. Pujara c Watling b Boult V. Kohli c Fulton b Southee R. Sharma not out A. Rahane not out Extras: (b5, lb1, nb3) Total: (four wickets, 39 overs)

0 26 1 4 67 23 9 130

Bowling Boult 10-1-20-2 (2nb), Southee 12-3-271, Anderson 2-0-9-0, Wagner 7-0-46-1 (1nb), Sodhi 6-0-13-0, Williamson 2-0-9-0

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC

New Zealand's Brendon McCullum (C) is congratulated by some players of the Indian team after scoring 224 runs on day two of the first Test at Eden Park in Auckland yesterday REUTERS

India struggle in reply to New Zealand’s 503 n AFP, Auckland

India were struggling at 130-4 after day two of the first Test against New Zealand, who posted a daunting 503-run first innings built on a double century

by Brendon McCullum.

In a dramatic start to India’s reply, New Zealand claimed the prized scalps of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli in a withering burst from Tim Southee and Trent Boult that reduced the tourists to three down for only 10 runs.

When Rohit Sharma (not out 67) and Ajinkya Rahane (not out 23) began to rebuild the innings as spin was introduced in fading light, New Zealand orchestrated an early end to the day’s play by threating to bring the pace attack back.

Pujara, who averages 66.25, went for

one and Shikhar Dhawan a duck as both fell in the opening over when they edged good-length deliveries from Boult.

Kohli’s sole scoring shot was a four off Boult before a sharply rising bouncer from Southee nicked his glove and popped into the hands of Peter Fulton at second slip. Kohli was reluctant to leave and indicated the ball hit his helmet but replays showed it deflected from the helmet to the glove and then to Fulton.

By tea, India were limping at 45-3 but the situation become more dire after the resumption of play, when a swinging Neil Wagner delivery beat Murali Vijay (26) and broke the bails.

Ishant Sharma was the pick of the Indian bowlers with six for 134 while Zaheer Khan finished with two for 132.l

Gunners set for Liverpool test n Reuters, London League leaders Arsenal face the first major obstacle of their tough February assault course when they travel to Anfield on Saturday for the first of two meetings with Liverpool over successive weekends.

The chances of Arsene Wenger’s side ending their nine-year wait for a trophy will be clearer by the end of a gruelling month. With a home Premier League game against Manchester United, an FA Cup tie with Liverpool and a Champions League last-16 tie against Bayern Munich to follow Saturday’s clash, a poor run could see them fall by the wayside in three competitions.

They lead the league by just two points from Manchester City, who travel to Norwich City, and Chelsea, who are at home to Newcastle United, and defeat at Anfield could see them slip to third.

The Londoners, however, are a team in form, have not lost on their last six Premier League visits to Anfield and could be boosted as they seek a third successive win there by the return of Jack Wilshere after injury.

Manchester City, who missed the chance to knock Arsenal off the summit on Monday, when they lost 1-0 at home to Chelsea, travel to Norwich, who they beat 7-0 in November.

They will be eager to rebound immediately after losing their perfect home league record as well as their 20game unbeaten streak.

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho fooled no-one on Monday when he described his side, who could be top by the end of the weekend, as “a little horse that needed milk” in a race with the “two big horses” of Arsenal and City.

Eleven clubs are entwined in the battle to avoid the drop.

Swansea City, who are 12th, but without a manager after parting company with Michael Laudrup on Tuesday, are only two points clear of the drop zone which currently has West Ham United, Cardiff City and Fulham in its clutches.

Fulham have lost their last four league matches and were abject in their 1-0 extra-time defeat to League One (third tier) strugglers Sheffield United in an FA Cup fourth round replay at Craven Cottage on Tuesday.

Madrid lose Ronaldo ban appeal n AFP, Madrid Gareth Bale is set to return to the Real Madrid side for this weekend’s match against Villarreal, but Cristiano Ronaldo will not play after losing an appeal against a three-match ban.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed on Friday that they had upheld Ronaldo’s ban following his red card in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao in La Liga.

The sending-off came after a clash with Athletic midfielder Ander Iturraspe 15 minutes from the end of the game at San Mames.

In a statement, the RFEF said that the decision to show the red card was “in line with the application of the rules”.

Referee Ayza Gamez’s report after the match also accused Ronaldo of insulting the officials, stating that, “after being sent off and while he was leaving the field, (he) slapped his own face several times with the palm of his hand in

FIXTURES Valencia Vallecano Real Madrid Almeria

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Real Betis Malaga Villarreal Atletico Madrid

the direction of the fourth official”.

The suspension only applies to league games, meaning the Ballon d’Or winner was able to play against Atletico Madrid in the 3-0 Copa del Rey semifinal, first-leg win on Wednesday.

He will sit out Saturday’s meeting

Vidic to leave United at end of season n AFP, London

Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic is to leave the English Premier League champions at the end of the season, in a move the Serbia defender hopes will end speculation about his future.

“I have decided that I will move on at the end of this season,” he said in a statement on the club’s official website.

“It’s the last year of my contract and I have had eight wonderful years here.”

British press reports suggested the 32-year-old had not been offered an extension to his current Old Trafford contract and Vidic, who insisted he did not want to play for another club in England.

“I want to challenge myself again and try to make the best of myself in the

coming years,” Vidic explained. “I’m not considering staying in England as the only club I ever wanted to play for here is United and I was lucky enough to be part of this for so many years.” l

France’s Franck Ribery has undergone surgery for bruised buttocks with Bayern Munich hoping he will be fit for their Champions League clash at Arsenal in less than a fortnight.

“Hopefully, he can play in London,” said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola with defending champions Bayern travelling to Arsenal for the last 16, first-leg clash on February 19. Franck is important, I hope he can train as soon as possible and we are waiting on him.”

Bayern’s media director Markus Hoerwick said the 30-year-old had taken a “knock to the buttocks” and went under the knife on Thursday, ruling him out of Saturday’s league match at Nuremberg with Bayern 13 points clear.

Neither Hoerwick, nor Guardiola could answer how Ribery picked up the injury, but the winger will stay in a Munich clinic over the weekend and will be examined again on Monday.

“Then we will know then if he can return to the team or will be out for longer,” added Hoerwick.

There was some good news for Guardiola with Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger having returned to training this week after a knee injury. l

with Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu while also missing games against Getafe and Elche.

That means the return of Bale after three games on the sidelines with a leg knock is a timely boost for Madrid, who come into the weekend three points behind league leaders Atletico.

“He will start. He’s fine, he has no problem,” said coach Carlo Ancelotti at a press conference on Friday. “He is in good physical condition.”

The 24-year-old suffered the injury against Granada two weeks ago and missed the Copa del Rey quarter-final against Espanyol while also missing the matches against Athletic and Atletico.

The Italian also indicated that he might rotate his squad to keep legs fresh for the meeting with a Villarreal side who lie in fifth place in the table. l

FIXTURES Aston Villa Chelsea Crystal Palace Liverpool Norwich Southampton Sunderland Swansea

v v v v v v v v

West Ham Newcastle West Brom Arsenal Man City Stoke Hull Cardiff

West Ham will be without banned striker Andy Carroll for their visit to erratic Aston Villa, who are still not safe despite sitting in 10th spot.

Cardiff travel to Swansea for what is always a fiercely-fought South Wales derby, hoping to twist the knife even further into the Swans following Laudrup’s departure. l

Pele saddened by World Cup delays n AFP, Sao Paulo

Brazilian football legend Pele waves to fans during the inauguration of the first store in Brazil of Swiss watch maker Hublot in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday REUTERS

Brazilian legend Pele has revealed he is saddened by the delays in his homeland surrounding preparations for the World Cup. “It is sad as this was an opportunity for Brazil not just in terms of football,” said Pele.

“The Confederations Cup, the world Cup and the Olympics were an opportunity to attract tourists and bring in revenue.

“But unfortunately we are a bit behind the pump,” Pele said in an interview published Thursday in O Estado de Sao Paulo daily.

“It is difficult to say why this is happening because we had time,” said Pele, alluding to delays in stadium construction. l

Nuremberg out to topple Bayern

Neville, Giggs eye move for minnows n AFP, Berlin Salford City Strugglers Nuremberg n Reuters, London have hauled themselves While David Beckham has launched plans for a glamourous new club in Miami, his old Manchester United team mates Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs are preparing to invest in Salford City in the eighth tier of English soccer.

Neville is in talks with the humble Northern Premier League Division One North club with Giggs also likely to be involved in plans to transform the minor league outfit, according to the Manchester Evening News.

Salford City could become a hub for talented local youngsters, who would remain in the area with a view to being groomed for a seamless move into the professional game. l

out of the Bundesliga’s relegation places, but their new-found form faces the acid test on Saturday against runaway league leaders Bayern Munich.

The Franconians became the last team in a major European league to pick up their first win of the season only a fortnight ago with a 4-0 win at home to Hoffenheim.

Dutch coach Gertjan Verbeek then steered Nuremberg to a convincing 3-1 win at Hertha Berlin last Sunday and 15th in the table, but halting recordbreaking Bayern’s 44-match unbeaten league run is an altogether different

proposition.

Swiss striker Josip Drmic has scored four goals in the last two matches and said while Bayern have swept aside all comers, “we believe we can beat them”.

As league leaders, Bayern are 31 points ahead of Nuremberg and while the Franconians have won just two of their 19 games so far, Pep Guardiola’s Bayern have won all bar two of theirs, dropping just four points.

Bayern have an away quarter-final

FIXTURES VfL Wolfsburg Bremen Nuremberg Freiburg Frankfurt Hamburg

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Mainz 05 Dortmund Bayern Munich Hoffenheim Braunschweig Hertha Berlin

at Hamburg in the German Cup next Wednesday, then host Freiburg in the league before their Champions League last 16, first-leg away match at Arsenal on February 19.

In the pack chasing Bayern, Sami Hyypia’s second-placed Bayer Leverkusen are at fifth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach on Friday, with the hosts looking for their first home win over the Werkself in 25 years.

Successive defeats have seen Gladbach drop from third to fifth, but Leverkusen have also struggled with last Saturday’s 2-1 win over Stuttgart breaking a three-match losing streak against opponents in the bottom-half of the table.

Third-placed Borussia Dortmund travel to Werder Bremen looking to close the four-point gap behind Leverkusen. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

QUICK BYTES

School hockey Palong Tulsar Gurudas High School, Police Lines High School and SM Model High School posted victories in their respective matches of the First Security Islami Bank National School Hockey Tournament at Madaripur Stadium yesterday. Palong Tulsar Gurudas thrashed Faridpur High School 6-1, Police Lines High School outplayed Angkur School & College 5-1 while SM Model High School edged past Manikganj High School 1-0. Meanwhile in the day’s other match, Moyjuddin High School, Faridpur drew with Madaripur Public Institution.

–Tribune Desk

Pato quits Corinthians after fan attack Alexandre Pato has quit Brazil’s Corinthians for Sao Paulo following a weekend attack on players by dozens of disgruntled fans, a spokesman said late Wednesday. Former AC Milan striker Pato, a mooted target in recent months for Tottenham, was one of three players singled out for violent attacks by fans who invaded the club’s training centre last Saturday. “The clubs, Corinthians and Sao Paulo, have signed the contract and it just remains for the players to sign,” the Corinthians spokesman said.

The 24-year-old now heads across the city to join Sao Paulo with Jadson going the other way. Corinthians will continue to pay part of Pato’s salary and he will neither be eligible to play against his former side nor for the remainder of the Sao Paulo state league. That lack of action will likely end his lingering hopes of making the cut for the World Cup. Pato has barely featured for his country in recent months – though he did score in September’s friendly thrashing of Australia.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH BTV & Maasranga TV 9:30AM Bangladesh v Sri Lanka 2nd Test, Day 5 Sony Six 3:30AM (Sunday) India’s Tour of New Zealand 1st Test, Day 4 Rugby Six Nation 2014, ROUND 2 08:00 PM Ireland v Wales 10:30 PM Scotland v England Star Sports HD1 3:30PM & 8:40PM Hockey India League Star Sports HD2 2:40PM Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games Day 1 11:30PM English Premier League Swansea City v Cardiff City 1:45AM Italian Serie A Napoli v AC Milan Star Sports 4 English Premier League 6:45PM Liverpool v Arsenal 9:00PM Chelsea v Newcastle La Liga 1:00AM Real Madrid v Villarreal 3:00AM Almeria v Atletico Madrid Ten Action French Ligue 1 2013/14 10:00PM Olympique Marseille v SC Bastiais 1:00AM AC Ajaccio v Stade Rennais

15

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Jurgensen asks for discipline from batsmen Bangladesh’s coach Shane Jurgensen expressed disappointment at how centurions Imrul Kayes and Shamsur Rahman threw away their wickets, felt the Tigers’ batsmen could learn from the two great Sri Lankan batsmen Sangakkara and Jaywardene and was critical of the umpiring after the fourth day of the second Test yesterday.

“We need to be patient and bat the whole day. We have to learn from two greats, and we have to do it. We have a young team, and we don’t do it consistently enough. Be patient, rotate the strike and do the basics well,” said Jurgensen, adding, “The exact word is intent. On this wicket, you can’t block and survive and at the same time, look to hit balls that are on a length on middle-stump. If it gets difficult, we have to get through those. As a batting group, get down the other end.”

A notable feature of Bangladesh’s batsmen is a tendency to hit out in pressure situations, often leading to what looks like irresponsible shot selection leading to loss of wickets, as

opposed to working the ball around for singles and twos, and Jurgensen was looking to change the approach.

“It is something we are continuing to work on. We have couple of 500s in the last 12-18 months. It is happening a lot more, but we have to work on the critical moments of the game. We are not quite assessing those times.

We lose wickets in patches. We get out around breaks. We lack that polish, the experience,” he said.

Meanwhile, the home side were on the receiving end of some poor umpiring decisions, most noticeably, the caught behind decision that removed Nasir Hossain and Jurgensen was not slow to point it out.

“I think there is no doubt that some decisions haven’t gone our way. It is a bit disappointing. We need to look forward, have some sort of a plan to come around it. I have seen it for over two years now.

Unfortunately, things don’t go our way.

“It really affects the players. When there is a 50-50 call, as a batter, you are worried about getting hit on the pads. It is trust. It gets missed when we have a Test series. It doesn’t help. When we have

a young team, we need to handle those situations better. We might have had some decisions that didn’t go our way, but sometimes we play shots, should Nasir have played that with four overs to go?

It was a questionable decision but why are we playing that type of shot at critical times of the day,” the Australian said.

However the 37-year old is still hopeful as he said that Bangladesh needs to bat the whole day and needs to come out strong, “It hasn’t quite gone to plan from the toss in the first Test. We need to come out strong and bat the whole day. We have done it in the first innings when we batted for a day and a bit. We have had a good start, Tamim and Shuvo have looked good.”

Looking back, Jurgensen pinpointed Bangladesh’s inability to hold the fort on the third day as a crucial point in the game. “A lot of the things haven’t quite gone for us. We lost wickets at crucial times, but we also got a bad one last night. If we were 5 or 6 wickets down, we could have pushed on today. Things would have been different, and we could have put a lot more pressure on Sri Lanka,” he said. l

Sri Lanka batsman Dinesh Chandimal celebrates his century against Bangladesh during the fourth day of their second Test at ZACS yesterday MUMIT M

Why was Mushfiq fielding?

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim will be out of action for a period after sustaining a fracture to the little finger of his left hand on the first day of the ongoing Test against Sri Lanka.

Mushfiq, who incurred the injury in taking a ball from paceman Al-Amin, was excluded from the T20 series against Sri Lanka and has also not been confirmed for the ODI series.

Mushfiq did not take his usual place behind the stumps on the second day, as part-time keeper Shamsur Rahman – who missed a number of chances – deputized. However, the captain did bat with Bangladesh in trouble and scored 20.

Woods confirms he’ll skip WGC Match Play Tiger Woods made it official on Thursday, confirming on his website that he’ll skip the WGC Match Play Championship this month. The world number one announced that his next tournament will be the US PGA Tour’s Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, February 27-March 2. After that he’ll play the World Golf Championships Cadillac Championship at Doral near Miami, and the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando – in both of which he is the defending champion. The WGCCadillac is March 6-9, and the Palmer Invitational is March 20-23. That will then give Woods some time off before he tackles the first major of the year, the Masters at Augusta National April 10-13. “The Honda Classic is close to my home, and I want to support it whenever I can,” Woods said.

–AFP

Sport

Sri Lanka question ‘illegal’ ICC revamp Sri Lanka have insisted plans for wholesale reform of the International Cricket Council are in conflict with the organisation’s “fundamental principles”.

Last month the ICC said it had reached “unanimous agreement” on the outline of a plan to give the sport’s most financially powerful nations -- India, England and Australia -- a greater say in running the world game.

Sri Lanka, together with Pakistan and South Africa, had already objected to the proposals when they were leaked ahead of an ICC board meeting in Dubai.

Soon after the talks, it became clear several countries still had concerns ahead of Saturday’s follow-up meeting in Singapore, which could see a vote on implementing the plans.

In a letter seen by AFP in London, Sri Lanka Cricket board president Jayantha Dharmadasa has written to the ICC’s head of legal affairs, Iain Higgins, warning the reforms are “not valid” in law.

The letter, sent to the ICC’s Dubai headquarters on February 5, states that one of the objects for which the ICC was established was to regulate and promote the game worldwide “in cooperation with its members”.

However, Dharmadasa argued the proposed changes take away power from the 10 full members and vest it “in an inordinately disproportionate manner in just three full members, namely the boards of India, England and Australia”.

“The purported resolutions also have the effect of taking a disproportionately large share of the funding available from the ICC and distributing it among these three full members,” Dharmadasa added.

“This is contrary to the equal revenue share model that is enshrined in the constitution.”

The other major proposed change is the end of the current Future Tours Programme, designed to give all 10 leading countries a regular diet of international cricket, and a return to ‘bilateral’ series. l

After the third day Vibhav Singh the physio of the Bangladesh team informed that Mushfiq is unlikely to keep wickets when the Tigers came out to field, “I will see how Razzak bats in the first innings tomorrow, see how he turns while running. I will assess Mushfiqur on a day-to-day basis, but he is unlikely to keep wickets tomorrow.” He said on Thursday.

Though Mushfiq did not keep, he did take the field as captain. At one point on the fourth day, the physio came onto the field to spray his finger, which was causing him pain whenever he grabbed the ball.

The question is why did Mushfiq field if there are concerns about his injury and he has been left out of the T20

series, keeping in mind big events like the Asia Cup and T20 World Championship are just around the corner. A possible reason is stand-in captain Tamim Iqbal’s defensive tactics on the second day, which allowed Sangakkara to add 182 runs with the last three wickets, were ineffective and Mushfiq was needed to run strategy.

With Tamim leading, at one point most of the fielders were on the boundary, allowing Sangakkara to ease his way to a triple hundred. Tamim’s decision to not pressure the Sri Lankan star raised eyebrows in many quarters.

Tamim had previously served as Shakib al Hasan’s vice-captain but his lack of experience at leading the side on the field showed. l

Defending champions Italy will field a weakened side against the United States in Cleveland in the first round of the 2014 Fed Cup this weekend.

Deprived of top singles players Sara Errani and Flavia Pennetta, the Italians, Fed Cup winners three times in the last five years, will instead look to 40th world ranked Karin Knapp and 84th ranked Camilia Giorgi.

The Americans too, however, are without their top players in world number one Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens, with youngsters Madison Keys, Alison Riske, Christina McHale and Lauren Davis being selected.

The dearth of top players in Cleveland is symptomatic of the problems facing the Fed Cup, held in close proximity to the Australian Open, with only one player ranked in the world top 10 Germany’s Angelique Kerber - in action for her country.

Opening the way timewise will be the tie between Australia and Russia in

World number one Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from next week’s ATP tournament in Buenos Aires because of a lingering back injury, the Spaniard announced on Thursday.

“I wanted to make an announcement that really fills me with sadness.

I will not be able to play in the tournament in Buenos Aires,” Nadal said.

“Since I came back from the Australian Open with my back injury I have not been able to train.

“It is impossible for me to prepare properly for a tournament as important as Buenos Aires, so very unfortunately I have to take this decision.” l

Kirsten rules himself out of England running South African Gary Kirsten has said he does not want to be considered for the job of England team director because of personal reasons.

The 46-year-old had been tipped by many as a potential replacement for Andy Flower, who resigned last week to allow the team to rebuild after their disastrous tour of Australia, where they lost the Test series 5-0.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are said to be looking for someone who can lead the team in all three formats of the game, but former batsman Kirsten said his personal situation meant he could not be the man for the job.

“It would have been a great challenge, it’s a high-profile sport. Whenever I’ve toured England I’ve always been amazed by the following,” he told Sky Sports.

“It’s a pressurised sport and I think Andy Flower over many years did an exceptional job. l

Perth Scorchers players celebrate winning the Big Bash League after the final against Hobart Hurricanes in Perth yesterday

Scorchers clinch Big Bash title The third time was a charm for the Perth Scorchers as they claimed their first BBL title with a dominant 39-run win over the Hobart Hurricanes at their home ground.

The Scorchers victory was set up by some extraordinary hitting from the Marsh brothers. Shaun, who was not deemed fit to fly to South Africa for Australia’s Test tour, produced an unbeaten 63 from just 43 balls whilst his younger brother Mitchell belted 37 off 12 to power the Scorchers to a match-

No-shows hit Fed Cup teams Hobart, Tasmania, but again the Russians, losing finalists last year, have been shorn of their big names.

Maria Sharapova, currently in Sochi for the Winter Olympics, has opted out and instead the Russians, who last won the Fed Cup in 2008, have gone with four almost unknown players, the

Nadal withdraws from Buenos Aires event

highest ranked of whom is 18-year-old Victoria Kan, the world number 158.

The Australians, at least are able to call on top player Samantha Stosur, backed

by Casey Dellacqua and Ashleigh Barty.

“We haven’t had a home tie for a while so it’s nice to be able to play in Australia,” said Dellacqua. “We have

got some experience of playing down in Hobart so looking forward to that tie.

“I really like the pace (of the court) there. Hobart is a great city. It’s really nice and the people are lovely so i think it’s a great spot for us to play Russia.

The strongest team lineup looks to be for Slovakia who have Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova and the veteran Daniela Hantuchova in harness for the tie against Germany in Bratislava.

The Slovakians will be out to go at least one better than last year when they held a 2-0 lead over Russia in the semi-finals before losing 3-2.

World number nine Kerber heads the German challenge and she has strong backing from Andrea Petkovic and Julia Goerges as they target a first Fed Cup title win since 1992. l

FIXTURES (L-R) Slovakia's team Matej Liptak, Jana Cepelova, Magdalena Rybarikova, Daniela Hantuchova, Dominika Cibulkova; Germany's team Angelique Kerber, Andrea Petkovic, Julia Georges, Anna-Lena Gronefeld, captain Barbara Rittner pose after official match draw in Bratislava yesterday AFP

US Spain Slovakia Australia

v v v v

Italy Czech Germany Russia

in Cleveland in Seville in Bratislava in Hobart

winning total.

Jason Behrendorff and Man of the Match Brad Hogg both bowled superbly, picking up two wickets each to ensure the Hurricanes fell well short of their target. l

BRIEF SCORE

Perth Scorchers 4 for 191 Shaun Marsh 63, Simmons 45 Hobart Hurricanes 7 for 152 Bailey 58, Hogg 2-17, Thomas 2-23, Behrendorff 2-24 Perth Scorchers won by 39 runs

Usha continue winning, Abahani squash Ajax Usha Krira Chakra continued their winning streak in the Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League by crushing Sadharon Bima 4-0 in the super league at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Penalty corner specialist Mamunur Rahman Chayan scored twice from penalty corners while Krishna Kumar added two more from the field.

Meanwhile, Pakistani midfielder Abdul Hashim Khan slammed a hattrick as Abahani Limited humbled Ajax Sporting Club 13-1 in the day’s first match at the same venue.

Along with Hashim’s hattrick, another Pakistani Kashif Ali netted three goals while Puskor Khiso Mimo and Romman Sarkar added two each for the Sky Blues. Ameer Shahzada, Musa Mia and Hasan Jubaer Niloy also scored one apiece. Md Rahat Sarowar netted the consolation for Ajax. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Saturday, February 8, 2014

Free treatment for FFs at public hospitals n Moniruzzaman Uzzal The health ministry has recently instructed all public and semi-public hospitals across the country to provide free medical services to freedom fighters and their family members.

In an emergency circular on January 28, the ministry issued directives for each hospital to keep a dedicated cabin reserved for freedom fighters and their relatives, as well as providing them all available medicines and examination facilities free-of-cost.

The instructions also called for hospital authorities to arrange ambulance transport for the freedom fighters who were unable to come to the hospital because of their illness.

The circular, signed by the ministry’s Senior Assistant Secretary Nurunnahar, said it was a moral obligation to ensure the medical services for the freedom fighters, as their devotion and sacrifice paved the way for Bangladesh’s independence.

Sources said Health Minister Mohammed Nasim also instructed ministry officials to monitor and supervise whether the instructions were being

followed or not.

Seeking anonymity, a senior health ministry official said no government could prepare a genuine list of freedom fighters since the country’s independence in 1971.

Different governments have so far referred to different figures of freedom fighters, with former state minister for liberation war affairs Tajul Islam telling the immediate past parliament that the country had 125,000 living freedom fighters.

Monthly honorariums and quotas in government services are among some of the government benefits enjoyed by the country’s freedom fighters and their children.

Several senior officials of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said freedom fighters are denied easy access to public and semi-public healthcare services, despite having played a significant role in earning the country its independence.

They said most freedom fighters were suffering from ageing complications and various non-communicable diseases like cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, diseases of the liver, heart etc.

Many freedom fighters do not have enough money to avail necessary high-level medical attention, and are forced to face disappointment when they seek free healthcare from public hospitals.

A separate circular was reportedly issued earlier to ensure healthcare for freedom fighters.

The Dhaka Tribune has learned that the Dhaka Medical College Hospital authorities keep one cabin (two single beds) reserved for freedom fighters; but a recommendation letter from the Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust is required to receive treatment at the cabin.

However, the hospital provides free medical examination if the freedom fighters can show papers to confirm their identity.

Dr Musfiqur Rahman, deputy director of the DMCH, told the Dhaka Tribune that cabins could not be provided for all freedom fighters, as there were only a limited number of beds compared to the number of freedom fighters.

Other hospitals also have similar facilities, but freedom fighters or their family members allegedly fail to avail them easily. l

Jute packaging law drive to be delayed n Mohosinul Karim

Despite finalising the rules and regulations to implement the Jute Packaging Act 2010, which came into effect last year, the authorities have no immediate plans to enforce the law meant to protect the environment, an official source said.

On the other hand, the jute and textile ministry plans to run a campaign to create public awareness about the law in the first phase of an implementation programme.

A drive to enforce the law and punish offenders would begin in a second phase.

“It would not be possible to implement the law hurriedly as most people are unaware of it. If we try to enforce the law in the first phase, we might fail,” Jute and Textile Secretary Phani Bhoushon Choudhury told the Dhaka Tribune recently.

The secretary said the ministry would begin a campaign soon through posters, leaflets and TV advertisements to inform the public about the law and

the penalties for violators.

But it might take some time to actually enforce the law, he added.

“Finally, an enforcement drive would be conducted under the mobile court act. The home and public administration ministries will help us do it,” Phani Bhoushon said. “Plastic bag manufacturers would be brought to book during the drive to remove illegal plastic bags from the market,” he added.

Three years after passing the law that made mandatory the use of jute packaging for six essential items, the government finally began implementing the law from January 1, 2013.

The secretary said, “It would be possible to eradicate illegal plastic bags, which are destroying the environment, after conducting the campaign and the drive. It will help the authorities to ensure the use of jute packaging for six essential products.”

The products include paddy, rice, wheat, maize, sugar and fertilisers.

Phoni Bhoushon said the consump-

tion of locally produced and environment-friendly jute packaging was likely to increase with the implementation of the law.

As a result, farmers would get encouraged to produce more jute for financial gains, he said. The demand for jute would also go up in the global market.

According to ministry data, around 400 million jute bags and sacks would be required annually for packaging the six essential products.

The state-owned Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) would be able to provide 50 percent of the total requirement, while private jute mills would supply the rest.

The mandatory jute packaging act was enacted in October 2010. The rules under the law were framed last June to promote the use of jute bags in place of synthetic or plastic ones.

According to the law, if the listed essential products are not packaged in jute bags or sacks, the people involved would be fined or jailed. l

A team of Canadians touches the finishing line in a token rickshaw race in front of the Canadian High Commission at Baridhara in the capital yesterday. The race was organised by the Acid Survivors Foundation MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Thousands of book lovers throng the Ekushey Book Fair yesterday, the first weekend since the book fair began

Visitors, buyers throng the fair 173 new books published n Ahmed Zayeef A popular destination on a public holiday, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair assumed a festive look AMAR EKUSHEY B O O K FA I R 2 0 1 4 yesterday as thousands of visitors from all over the country walked into the fair.

The area from Doel Chattar to TSC was abuzz with visitors queuing up in front of the Bangla Academy premises. The entrance of Suhrawardi Udyan, the other beholder of the fair this year, also remained crowded.

Shoriful Islam, a class 11 student of Junab Ali College in Comilla came to the fair with his friend Forhad Hossain.

With packets full of books in both hands, Shoriful said: “I along with six of my friends have opened a youth club together back in my village, called the Social Work House.

We have planned to build a library there for young people. So we have come here to

College girl set on fire by stalker n Our Correspondent, Dinajpur A college girl was set on fire, allegedly by a stalker, yesterday in Hakimpur under Dinajpur.

The girl, Joli Akter Tuli, had completed her HSC at Mangalbari Degree College in Joypurhat, and the stalker, Abu Sayem, was a married man. Both were residents of the Joypurhat sadar area.

Sayem used to tease the girl on the streets, and also threatened to kidnap her. According to family sources, she was at her maternal uncle’s house at Chandipur under Hakimpur, for safety.

Police sources said the alleged stalker poured petrol through the tin-shed roof of her uncle’s house yesterday at dawn, and then set it on fire.

The girl received major burn injuries on her body. She was sent to Joypurhat Adhunik Hospital, and later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Her maternal grandmother also received burn injuries in the attack. l

Two Android apps on Language Movement n Faisal Mahmud

Honouring our glorious Language Movement, two software companies have released two mobile apps for the Android platform.

The Ethics Advanced Technology Limited (EATL) has developed and released an app named 21 Amar based on February 21, the Language Movement Day that later became the International Mother Language Day. The Surjomukhi Limited, another software company, created an app called Hatekhori to teach kids Bangla alphabet through innovative animations and graphics.

Rumon Khan, assistant manager of EATL marketing, told the Dhaka Tribune that through their app users would be able to learn the glorious history of the 1952 Language Movement.

The app has a rich collection of text and rare photographs of our Language Movement, and histories about the context of the cultural and political re-

volt of the 50s, the beginning of movement. It also contains brief biographies of the language martyrs.

The app has embedded popular songs on the theme of Language Movement – Ora amar mukher bhasha kaira nite chay, Amar bhaiyer rokte rangano ekushey February, Moder gorob moder asha – with lyrics.

Users could also watch video documentaries on the Language Movement through Youtube links in the application, said Rumon.

App developer Subrata Kumar Mohanto told the Dhaka Tribune that he had also incorporated the facility to share wallpapers, pictures and other contents of the app by using the social network.

Fida Haq, CEO of the Surjomukhi Limited that has developed the app Hatekhori, said: “In our childhood, we used to learn Bangla alphabet with the help of slate and ‘khori’ [white chalk].

But those days are gone now.”

Little children of these days were more eager to play with gadgets such as

buy books for the library.”

Both of them came to the fair from Potnoi village of Chandina upazila under Comilla district.

“We have collected money from the villagers. We have bought novels, poetry and religious books. If we can collect more money then we will visit the fair again,” he added.

A total of 173 new books came in yesterday, the seventh day of the fair, including Mohit Kamals “Poth vroshto ghurnir krishno gohobor” from Bidya Prokash and Biswajit Ghos’s “Oshesh Rabindranath” from Nandonik publishers.

A total of 463 books have been published during the first week of the fair until yesterday.

According to the previous announcement of Bangla Academy, the fair opened at 11am. Although the number of visitors remained sparse during the first few hours, by evening the air inside the fair premises became heavy with presence of a large number people.

Helal Uddin who came to the fair with his family was finding it difficult to move amid the crowd. However, he said: “As it is

a public holyday, all of us came together.

This is a great opportunity to hang out.”

Syed Zakir Hossain, publisher of Ador Prokashoni said: “We became frustrated to see thin presence of visitors at the beginning of the fair. We thought as the area has been extended this year it might take a while for the fair to gain momentum.

However, seeing such huge presence of visitors today we feels relieved.”

Noted author Imdadul Haq Milon who came to the fair yesterday for the first time this year, said: “I am overwhelmed to seeing presence of thousands of readers.”

A discussion titled “Gonotontrer tin shotru: durniti, shamprodaikota, dhormio” was held at the central stage with Mejor General (retd) Abdur Rashid and Masuda Vatti as keynote speakers.

Presided over by Professor Borhan Uddin Khan Jahangir, the programme was attended by Professor Imtiaz Ahmed, and Mejor General (retd) Mohammod Ali Shikder among others.

Yesterday a painting competition for children was also held at the Bangla Academy premises, participated by 691 children in three sections. l

Mousumi to miss SSC exam n Our Correspondent, Kurigram Mousumi looks at her right hand and cries out loud saying that she would not be able to sit for the SSC examinations this year.

Rehana Akhter, elder sister to Mousumi Akhter, 15, made the comment to the Dhaka Tribune while describing the present condition of her sister.

Unidentified miscreants hacked Mousumi’s father Sultan Ali, 60, mother Hajera Begum, 45, her nieces Anika, 7, and Rumana Pervin, 15, to death on the midnight of January 14. Mousumi was also left gravely injured in the attack.

Mousumi, an SSC examinee from Dholdanga High School, who is undergoing treatment at Rangpur Medical College Hospital, cannot take part in the examination scheduled to begin from February 9 as she has yet to fully recover.

Doctors said Mousumi was not in a condition to take examinations.

Dr Shahnur Alam, who is overseeing Mousumi’s recovery, told the Dhaka Tribune that she received serious injuries to her head, shoulders and hands, adding that the fingers on her right hand were cut and the trauma on her head was rather serious.

Rehana Akhter said, considering Mousumi’s current physical and psychological condition, they had not yet informed her about the deaths of her other family members.

Rakib Ahmed, Mousumi’s brotherin-law, said the law enforcers were yet to identify the killers, and expressed concern: “We don’t feel secure.”

Headmaster of Dholdanga High School Riazul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that Mousumi is a talented student and that the teachers hoped she would perform well.

He also said: “All examinees except Mousumi have taken their admit cards. We look at her admit card and think that what a tragic life she’s had!” l

US military funds Mission Impossible ‘vanishing’ tech n BBC

mobile phones and tabs, he said. “Considering that fact, many western companies have developed educational apps. I wanted to do the same for our country by developing an app which will help children learn Bangla alphabet through fun.”

The app has options to teach children the basic alphabet, creating words using those alphabets and, finally, constructing sentences with those words. The whole process is accompanied by beautiful illustrations suitable for children.

“Four developers have relentlessly worked for a year to develop the app. It is our homage to the glorious Language Movement.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

The US military is funding a project to develop electronics that can self-destruct like the secret messages in the Mission Impossible TV show.

Darpa, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, has awarded computing giant IBM a $3.5m (£2.1m) contract to work on its Vanishing Programmable Resources (VAPR) project.

It is looking to develop a class of “transient” electronics that can be destroyed by remote control.

The kit could be used in combat zones.

IBM’s proposal involves the use of a radio frequency trigger that could shatter a glass coating on a silicon chip and turn it into powder.

“A trigger, such as a fuse or a reactive metal layer will be used to initiate shat-

tering, in at least one location, on the glass substrate,” the US government said in its grant award notice.

Darpa wants to develop large distributed networks of sensors that can collect and transmit data for a limited period and then be destroyed instantly to prevent them falling into enemy hands.

VAPR tech could also have applications in medical diagnosis and treatment, Darpa believes, if sensors can be developed that the body can reabsorb.

The Pentagon’s research arm also granted $2.1m to Xerox company, Palo Alto Research Center (Parc) – a specialist in bioinformatics and large-area electronics.

Its proposed solution is similar to IBM’s and relies on the materials being engineered under stress, so that when an electrical signal is received, the circuit crumbles into dust instantly as the stress is released. l

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