Weekend Tribune Vol.2 Issue 5

| vo l 2 I ssu e 5 | F R I D AY, J UN E 6, 2014

System failure 4

Teaching autistic kids

6

RMG unemployment

13

Uncivil disobedience

”

”

NAVARON “ “

01730-701-608

CONTENTS

1

A Weekly Pro ducti on of

DhakaTribune

Volume 2 | Issue 5 | June 6, 2014

Editor Zafar Sobhan

News

Features Editor Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

2 This Week

Assistant Magazine Editor Rumana Habib Weekend Tribune Team Tasnuva Amin Nova Promiti Prova Chowdhury Farhana Urmee Rifat Islam Esha Faisal Mahmud Shah Nahian Syeda Samira Sadeque Tausif Sanzum James Saville Art Direction/Photography Syed Latif Hossain Cartoons Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy Rio Shuvo

3 Say What?

Features 4 Society Teaching autistic children 5 Education Memorising creativity

9

6 Feature RMG unemployment

Photo story

travails of traffic

12 Health Maternal care

15 Post Riposte Big oil and green energy 17 Business The mindful entrepreneur 20 Interview Dr Nina Ahmad

Graphics Sabiha Mahmud Sumi Mohammad Mahbub Alam

Regulars

Colour Specialist Alamgir Hossain Production Masum Billah

14 Legalese Room for two?

16 Tough Love Facebook shy and cutie-pie

Advertising Shahidan Khurshed

Website dhakatribune.com/weekend facebook.com/WeekendTrib

9 Photostory Travails of traffic

13 Health Uncivil disobedience

Contributors Jennifer Ashraf Kashmi Alfredo Casas Syed Zakir Hossain Chanchal Kamal Sohara Mehroze Shachi DIna Sobhan

Circulation Wahid Murad

8 Listology Power play

18 Stay In Maya Angelou

12 health

Email your letters to: weekend@dhakatribune.com

the cover The traffic is crazy. The reception is terrible. The TV is woefully outdated and that room is a disaster.

It’s a system failure.

Traffic photo: Syed Zakir Hossain Graphic design: Sabiha Mahmud Sumi

19 Go Out Biking for a greener world

maternal care This week’s issue is a rather heavy one.

WT loves to celebrate success, and we do have two fabulous interviews with Bangladeshi-Americans doing great work abroad: Obama’s new advisor Dr Nina Ahmed (pg 20), and entrepreneur and author Faisal Hoque (pg 17).

But on the home front, we’re taking a hard look at the failings of our critical institutions.

RMG regulations have some unintended consequences: “For workers, a bitter road to reform” (pg 6-7) as factory shutdowns leave thousands unemployed. Elsewhere in the private sector, we ask: “Should oil companies be allowed to invest in research for alternative energy sources? (pg 15).

In education, we address “Special

Editor’s note

needs for special students” with autism (pg 4), and question the efficacy of the Srijonshil system by “Putting the exam to the test” (pg 5).

Healthcare is in dire straits. We are “In search of respectful maternity care” (p 12) and fret over the impact on society “When doctors strike” (pg 13).

On a lighter note, we take a playful poke at the controversial leaders who play “Dirty politics” (pg 8), and then look traffic square in the face in our photostory “The Dhaka daily grind” (pg 9-11).

If we’ve depressed you, find some inspiration from “Maya Angelou: the Phenomenal Woman” (pg 18) or grab a cycle and go “Biking for a greener world” (pg 19).

WE E K E N D TR I B U N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6, 2 0 1 4

2 News | This week

Hamas hails unity government ‘of all Palestinians’ Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas hailed the “end” of Palestinian division as a new government took its oath on Monday under a unity deal between leaders in the West Bank and Gaza. “Today, with the formation of a national consensus government, we announce the end of a

Palestinian division that has greatly damaged our national case,” Abbas said at his Ramallah headquarters after the new cabinet was sworn in.

“We hail the national consensus government, which represents all the Palestinian people,” said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri. News: AFP

Highly Tiananmen ghosts – 25 years on disturbing child abuse in india News of sexual abuse in India has been common over the last year, following the brutal gangrape and eventual death of a 23-year-old medical student in December 2012.

However, the past week saw a new low as the owner and the manager of a children's boarding school in Maharashtra were arrested following allegations by at least five minors who claimed they were raped, forced to watch pornographic films and act them out with one another.

The school accommodated 28 underprivileged children, aged between 4 and 14, for 10 months of the year. The children have been punished by being

forced to eat dog excrement, and when they vomited they were made to eat the vomit, according to a report by NDTV released over last weekend.

The news comes at the same time as two Dalit girls, who were cousins, were gang-raped and found hanging dead from a tree last week. In this photo, the grandmother of the victims mourns her girls.

Five men had been arrested over the incident as of Sunday.

The discovery of the two cousins, aged 14 and 12, in the Budaun district of Uttar Pradesh on May 28 is the latest sexual violence case to have stirred national outrage.

Photo: AFP; News: Desk

Ukraine re-erupts Last week, pro-Russian rebels downed a Ukrainian helicopter, killing 12 soldiers including a general and undermining president-elect Petro Poroshenko's fervent vow to crush the bloody seven-week insurgency roiling the industrial east. In this photo, the widow of

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6 , 201 4

Mark Zverev, a taxi driver who was shot dead during clashes between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian rebels for control of Donetsk airport, leans over the coffin bearing the body of Zverev during the funeral ceremony in Donetsk.

News and photo: AFP

Wednesday marked the 25th anniversary of the suppression of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Back then, after several weeks of demonstrations, Chinese troops entered Tiananmen Square on June 4 and fired on civilians. The death toll estimates vary from several hundred to thousands. Close to 10,000 people are said to have been arrested during and after the protests, while many have since been executed for their parts in the demonstrations.

The protests were triggered following the death of Hu Yaobang, a former Communist

Party leader, in April 1989. Hu had worked to move China toward a more open political system and had become a symbol of democratic reform.

His death sparked a march of students who demanded a more democratic government.

In the weeks that followed, thousands of people joined the students in the square to protest against China's communist rulers, culminating in the massacre on June 4.

In this photo from 1989, a captured tank driver is helped to safety by students as the crowd beats him in Beijing.

Photo: Reuters; News: Desk

Say what? | News

3

Remains of five WWI

soldiers found in France

T

he remains of five French soldiers who fought in World War I have been found along with their weapons in the woods in the country’s east, the man behind the discovery said on Sunday.

The skeletons were discovered along with Lebel rifles, the basic weapon of the French infantry during the Great War, in a forest near the town of Luneville, Philippe Sugg told AFP. One of them had his identity tag and was a 27-year-old from an area near the southern city of Perpignan, he said.

Other items found included

a pocket watch, a hip flask, two wallets and a little figurine of the Virgin Mary, he said.

Sugg, who is behind a two-man initiative to track down the remains of soldiers who died in the war which broke out a century ago, said they appeared to “have been killed in the exact spot they were found.”

There was fighting in the area in September 1914.

The remains are likely to be interred in a nearby military cemetery apart from those of the identified soldier which may be laid to rest at a cemetery in his home town.

News: AFP; Photo: Reuters

Blogger crowdsources $55,700 to fight Singapore PM A

Singaporean blogger sued for damages by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Monday he had successfully raised fees for his legal defence in just four days through crowdfunding.

Roy Ngerng Yi Ling, a government health worker who posts comments on social issues, said 1,104 people had so far contributed more than SGD72,000 ($55,700), which amounts to Tk44,35,588, exceeding his target of SGD70,000 when he launched the campaign Friday.

Ngerng published the transaction history of his bank account on his crowdfunding platform. Many of the donors registered comments criticising Lee and opposing the use of libel suits to silence government critics.

Singapore officials have long used defamation suits against printed publications to defend their

reputations.

Ngerng was the first online critic brought to court by a Singaporean leader.

“Donations were mostly of small denominations, and ranged from one cent to two thousand dollars,” Ngerng, 33, told AFP. Lee filed the defamation suit on Thursday in the High Court, where the typical minimum value of claims for damages is SGD250,000.

The prime minister alleged that a May 15 post by Ngerng contained statements accusing him of “criminal misappropriation” of public funds.

Lee had earlier rejected an apology and dismissed as “derisory” a compensation offer of SGD5,000 from Ngerng. The court will have the final say on the amount to be awarded. A pre-trial conference has been set for July 4.

News and photo: AFP

An archive picture shows soldiers at a train for injured soldiers in Calais, Northern France in 1915. A Viscount in the Armoured Cavalry Branch of the French Army left behind a collection of hundreds of glass plates taken during World

War One (WWI) that have never before been published.

The images, by an unknown photographer, show the daily life of soldiers in the trenches of towns and military leaders.

The year 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI.

Japan nurse’s body arrives as ‘doll’

T

his undated picture received from Jiji Press shows 29-year-old nurse Rika Okada from Osaka, whose body was found in a storage lock-up in Tokyo on May 22. The body had reportedly been delivered there in a package - marked with the Japanese word for “doll” - paid for in Okada’s own name from Osaka, 400kms to the southwest.

A woman was detained in China

on May 27, after leaving Japan using the passport of her friend Rika Okada who had been missing since leaving work on March 21.

The detained Japanese-Brazilian woman, also 29, turned herself in to the Japanese consulate-general in Shanghai and was held by local police for a suspected immigration offence.

News: AFP; Photo: The Sun

WE E K E N D TR I B U N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6, 2 0 1 4

4 Education | Teaching autistic children

Special needs for

special students The state of special needs schooling Farhana Urmee

T

he walls are covered with paintings: flowers, rivers and a myriad of other elements jump out at the visitor. The creators of these paintings belong to a special school, Positive Thinking, situated in capital’s Mohammadpur. One of the teachers proudly informs me that an exhibition of these paintings was held recently at Drik Gallery in Dhanmondi.

The children who attend this school are special, not because of their artistic skills, but because of the challenges they deal with everyday – when it comes to writing, reading or simply socialising. They are all autistic.

These paintings are the fruits of hard work and dedication.

These children, who poured their imaginations onto paper, would once hardly hold a pencil, concentrate on a single task.

They were restless and without direction, and had not the slightest regard for instructions.

Nurunnahar Nupur, managing director of Positive Thinking, who is also an occupational therapist, stresses the importance of admitting autistic children to special schools at an early stage.

“Autism is a neurodevelopment disorder, a mental state that obstructs a child’s capability to communicate and build relationships with other people in society. Thus they need to go through specialised training throughout their socialisation process,” she says.

“Parents of autistic children often take them to doctors who merely prescribe some medicine, and do not even evaluate their development with follow-up visits,” says Nurunnahar. “Often our policy makers make decisions concerning the fate of autistic children without understanding the pattern of special education needed for them.”

She also draws attention to the social stigma, saying parents of an autistic child sometimes feel ashamed about admitting their children to special schools.

They fear this might make their children outcasts. In an effort to mainstream them, special children are often admitted to

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6 , 201 4

regular schools.

“If you intend to admit an autistic child to a regular school, make sure he or she has the capabilities to meet the requirements of that school, and also find out if that school is willing to mould its teaching method to the special needs of your child. Otherwise, even if you get your child admitted to the school, he or she will not learn anything and eventually drop out,” says Nurunnahar.

Socialising autistic children

Unlike a regular school, a special school for autistic children diagnoses and addresses syndromes of autism in a child.

Children are admitted as early as age three, when they do regular pre-schooling, aimed at helping the children realise their own strengths and deficiencies.

One of the most crucial features of a special school is the training of social skills, including verbal and nonverbal communication – something which is absent in regular schools.

Since autism is a lifelong problem, regular therapy tailored to an individual’s specific requirements helps the child to get over the deficiencies and gradually acquire certain skills.

Behavioural therapy, sensory integration therapy and living activity therapy are provided daily in most special schools.

The problem should be identified at the earliest stage possible. Otherwise, if the child is admitted to a regular school and not helped to gain the required social skills, efforts to help him may be futile.

The problems of autistic children vary from one child to the next, and that is why special schools must attend to them individually, according to their particular set of requirements. It is recommended that programmes designed for autistic children must include the Individual Educational Plan (IEP) which provides “one-on-one service” when teaching special students.

Identifying the problem

Any slow development in a child can be diagnosed within the ages of one to three. The earlier the child is given a therapist, the higher the chances of his recovery. However, it takes a number of sessions with the therapist to identify the problem, after which the schooling can begin.

Problems associated with autism include: an inability

Photo: Courtesy

to make eye contact, a lack of communication skills, restlessness, an inability to adopt and accept appropriate social behaviour, ill-temper, attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder (known as ADHD). The intensity of these problems also differ from one child to another.

Until regular educational institutes adapt to an inclusive teaching system, the autistic children will continue to be unable to cope with regular teaching methods and drop out. Making a regular school appropriate for autistic children is not an easy task, as the schools need logistical support to teach the special children alongside the mainstream ones. Moreover, teachers need to have the skills to assess the specific level of autism in each student. A team of professional therapists, trainers, and psychologists are needed to do this.

“Under different government policies, the rights of persons with disabilities and autism are reserved. Thus, regular schools are obliged to admit children with special needs. Of course the regular schools are there, but we cannot ignore the necessity of special schools for special children,” says Nurunnahar.

.

Memorising creativity | education

5

Putting the exam to the test Does the new exam system Srijonshil Proshno Poddhoti ad to the problems it was designed to address? Promiti Prova Chowdhury

S

rijonshil Proshno Poddhoti (the creative question system) was introduced in 2009 to deter students from relying on the widely available answer-books, which encourage slackers to memorise sample exam answers to stock questions. The results of the initiative have been disappointing.

The changes were meant to encourage students to think for themselves, but a number of publications like Panjeri, Onupom, and Computer are now releasing sample answer-books for the creative question system – undermining the whole point of the changes.

A new way

This year, students faced the creative question system in 21 subjects.

The first page of the sample answer-book offers an explanation of the creative question system.

There is a prompt, which is an excerpt from the official course textbook (eg in the form of text, map, chart or diagram). Based on that prompt, the student is asked to answer four questions which are designed to test his or her: knowledge, comprehension, problem solving and analytical skills, and ability to draw inferences and provide a logical conclusion.

Prof Mohammad Zafar Iqbal, noted writer and educationalist, is a vocal advocate for the new system. "I have been told that students' dependence on guidebooks drastically decreased

after introduction of the system.

If we can convince students that looking up a guidebook is a waste of time, as it would not help in the public exams, then I think they will give it up eventually."

Sumaiya Doha, a student of Holy Cross College, finds the books a useful study tool. “Sometimes I look answers up in the guidebook to help understand verses of Bangla poetry, particularly those written in ‘shadhu bhasha.’”

However, other students do not believe the reality of the testing process reflects the philosophy of the system.

“The purpose of creativity is not being served,” said Fariha Jahan, a class IX student at Viqarunnisa Noon School. “We get higher marks when we write answers as they appear in the sample answerbooks. In class tests, we are given questions that have been taken from the same answer-books.”

“I would urge the government to sternly ban the sale of guidebooks,” Manju Ara Begum, principal of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College said.

Passing the buck

A Bangla teacher at Lalmatia Girl’s School, seeking anonymity, admitted that many teachers rely on these answer-books to do their work for them. “Sometimes teachers set questions from the sample answer-books in school exams – often using the original phrasing.” She showed this correspondent two exam question papers, one from a sample book and another supposedly prepared

Critics say this year’s unprecedented number of high marks may be a measure not of success, but of a cheated system.

Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

by the school. They were identical.

Publishers of the answer-books go to schools at the beginning of each term to encourage teachers to use them. She said: “If you come to our teachers' room, you will find piles of complimentary sample answer-books.”

“Even the headmaster instructs us to prepare for classes using sample answer-books. In school meetings, we are instructed to provide the handouts in classes.”

These sample answer-books are often full of errors and spelling mistakes that are being replicated by the students. Increased reliance on them means many students do not bother to take notes properly in class.

Teach the teacher

Around 500,000 teachers were trained on the new system.

But many people expressed dissatisfaction with the level of training given.

“To grasp this new creative question system, a teacher’s training of two or three days is not enough, particularly for those based outside Dhaka,” said Khadija Yasmin, vice-principal of Mirzapur Bisshobidyaloy College in Tangail.

“We do not have good teachers at the local level. So orientating them to the creative question system is an ambitious project.”

As a result, she believes hardly any schools have benefited from the introduction of the creative question system: “We are lagging behind. For these teachers, it is not possible to come up with creative questions in class. They need

rigorous training to understand the system.”

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said the good results in this year's SSCs were achieved because of the introduction of creative question system, and properly training the teachers on the new system.

The way forward

Anjuman Ara, teacher of civics at Viqarunnisa Noon College, is a believer of the system. “Whenever something new is introduced, it takes time for the desired results to appear,” she said. “Before this system, students used to memorise a few questions that appeared the previous year in the board exams.

So they could read only half the book and still get a good grade in the exam.”

Now, says Anjuman, they are obliged to not only read each and every line of the textbook, but also understand the underlying concepts.

Anjum suggested that teachers need to go through more training and the teaching methods in class should be upgraded as well: “A lot of investment from the government is needed to make this system a success.

Textbooks should be customised accordingly, and visual teaching methods can be introduced in classrooms.”

She also suggested teachers had to convince parents: “A lot of parents think that without coaching classes their children would not be able to get good marks in exam.

This mindset needs to change.”

.

Photo: Chanchal Kamal

WE E K E N D TR I B U N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6, 2 0 1 4

6 feature | RMG unemployment

For workers, a bitter road To reform

International bodies aim to protect RMG workers, but the factory closures they enforce have dire consequences too Tasnuva Amin Nova

T

he Rana Plaza building collapse last year was the cry heard around the world. In one of the worst industrial disasters in history 1136 people lost their lives, drawing attention from international media in proportion to the injustices suffered by workers.

But are the actions taken to address the problems actually improving the lives of workers in the ready-made garments (RMG) sector?

Because it had already caught the attention of the world, international brands went on to set up regulatory bodies, which would ensure that all of the 5700 plus factories in the country complied with fire and building safety regulations to protect the workers.

The workers, especially the women, have to deal with abusive managers, rock-bottom wages, and a harrowing list of human rights breaches.

According to a Transparency International Bangladesh report published in April, around 20-25 factories have been shut down since last year due to order cancellations by buyers, and occasionally because of incorrect factory inspection reports, resulting in 50,000 workers losing their jobs.

Although Disney was the only brand that officially walked out following the series of disasters last year, it has been reported that orders worth $110m have been cancelled with about 57 factories by various brands.

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6 , 201 4

Selina Akhter comes in to the factory regularly to work on sample orders even though the factory does not have orders from its big buyers Photos: Chanchal Kamal

7

Selina Akhter: Back to square one

A

Not hiring

t the age of 46, Selina Akhter says she does not have the strength to start over.

“We came back from our Eid holidays expecting that two new production lines would be opened, as our Managing Director had said.

We had no idea that the factory would close down.” Selina is talking about last October, when Liberty Fashion Wears, where she worked for 27 years, shut down following a factory inspection report that triggered a dispute between garment owners and the Accord.

Selina has been in the RMG sector since 1983, when the industry was still emerging. Since joining Liberty, she has felt at home with the other employees.

Over the years she has grown with the company, getting promoted to the senior position of general production manager.

“Hard work has brought me here,” she says proudly.

The current silence on the production floors haunts her, she says. Ever since operations have been halted, the vast space where she managed hundreds of workers is now mostly deserted. Her nimble hands continue to sew a shirt for a sample order. Making sample pieces is her only task these days.

She is still employed by Liberty, but she says the pay she gets now is barely enough to make ends meet. With no money coming in, the factory owner, “MD sir,” pays her out of his own pocket. Her son is doing his BBA in Titumir College, and her daughter is preparing for SSC exams next year. The garment industry had brought them many opportunities, but now the family is fighting a never-beforeseen financial crisis. After much reluctance she had to let go of one of her daughter’s private teachers.

Her husband being employed at

the same company, as the factory manager, has made things doubly difficult for them.

At an age where she should be looking forward to retiring from work, with a handsome golden handshake, fate is playing cruel joke on her at the expense of her children's future.

“All I have is hope,” she says, “and the rest depends on our MD sir. We can get out of it all if only he can reopen the factory. There are hundreds of women who are waiting to come back to work.

Many haven’t found new jobs, and those with children do not even want to go elsewhere because other places do not have a day-care centre like Liberty.”

“This company has given me a lot. Seeing it getting torn apart, at such a time when, after years of steady improvements, things were finally getting better across the industry, is really heartbreaking.”

A tale of both sexes

Unintended consequences

About 80% of RMG workers are women. For the remaining 20%, it has not been easy either. Mushfikur Rahman, a 26-year-old helper in the finishing department of Liberty Fashion Wears said: “I do not think about it. I come to the office every morning, hoping we get re-started and things get better.”

Things are more serious for 45-year-old Nantu Datta, father of two children. Being an accounting official at the same company for more than nine years, he is not sure whether to look elsewhere for a job now that the factory has been closed for almost a year. He says: “I am getting financial help from my brother until the factory starts operation again.”

M

ore and more factories in the garments sector are downsizing, and the first ones to feel the effects are the low-skilled operators and helpers, with little training and educational qualifications; it is extremely difficult for this group of people, mostly rural migrants, to land a new job in the sector.

A common sight while travelling through the Savar EPZ are giant message boards outside factory entrances that carry the unwelcome words: “Kormo Khali Nei” (No jobs).

A manager at one of these factories explained that the hiring season is long gone, with falling orders and factories closing down at such a rate, it is not possible for the remaining firms to hire more people.

During the heyday of the garments industry, housemaids quit their jobs to pursue more

Rubina: Back to square one

R

The compliance bodies’ factory design requirements are intended to save lives of workers, but they may in fact be making their lives harder.

Buet engineers and local industry watchdogs argue the regulations are excessively strict. Inspector General of Factories Syed Ahmed says: “Applying their standards [the compliance bodies] would spell disaster for the industry.”

Even when Rana Plaza victim Selina Begum reminisces about the harrowing moment the roof crashed down on her, she knows that working in a garments factory was her salvation. Making the factories safe will change the lives of the workers only if they have a factory where they can go to work.

.

lucrative work in garments factories. Even today, many still come to the city hoping to get employed at these factories, and why not: The pay is better, and they get a formal title, as opposed to “bua” and “kajer meye” (servant girl).

Now they are called “garments er meye” (garments girls), but there is a certain sense of empowerment attached to the term. It refers to women who can buy their own cosmetics and salwar kameezes and saris, who can roam around the city independently and support their husbands and parents – and are sometimes the sole breadwinner of their family.

In short, a major feminist movement took place over the last three decades as 3.8 million women became part of this industry, without causing any revolution; it all happened because of the mass employment of women.

ubina came to Dhaka with her aunt in 2008 to work in a garments factory.

She was impressed by her Aunt's stories of how, by working in the RMG sector, she was able to pull her own family out of poverty and gain financial independence.

Soon Rubina was cutting threads at a garments factory in Dhaka’s Farmgate area, whose name she claims not to know, but refers to as merely “Fashions.”

Rubina has been living in Dhaka for 5 years. Her twin children live in Dinajpur with her mother and paralysed father.

She went back to visit them on an Eid vacation, and when she came back, she was fired from the factory for extending her stay by one day.

Given the current state of the industry, no one was hiring. From earning Tk8000 a month, she became jobless.

Her husband went missing, leaving her as the sole breadwinner for her family.

She stayed in Dhaka and took a job as a maid in a house, but the pay was nowhere close to what she got in her previous job.

For a 25-year-old, her responsibilities are huge.

She recently married off her sister. She has to take care of her two children. For her, going back to Dinajpur means taking a step back in life, returning to the rural

agricultural livelihood, which she left behind years ago.

For young girls with little or no education like Rubina, who are the main drivers of growth in the RMG sector, it is their only hope of professional employment. But when factories shut down, these low skilled women are usually the ones who are mostly affected, often having no option but to retreat to the old ways of life, either becoming housemaids or helpless dependants.

Photo: Tasnuva Amin Nova

WE E K E N D TR I B U N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6, 2 0 1 4

8 Listology | Power play

Dirty politics

The controversial leaders we love to hate Tausif Sanzum

Narendra Modi

Even though Narendra Modi won the 2014 Indian elections, becoming the 14th Prime Minister of the largest democracy in the world, he has been the subject of a long list of controversies. The following make it to the top three: his threat to expel Muslim Bangladeshis from India, his comparison of the 2002 Gujarat riot to the death of a puppy, and his comment in 2012 that girls in his state are malnourished because they are “more beauty conscious than health conscious.”

Russian President Putin is surrounded by controversy.

His staggering bank balance is often cited by the media.

His relationship with his wife, Lyudmila Putin was subjected to much speculation and tabloid gossip until they

Indira Gandhi

George W Bush One of the most controversial figures of recent political history, George W Bush was criticised for his part in the Iraq War and its subsequent breakdown. He is also credited with the recession in America, which had a domino effect throughout the entire world, and his tax policies favouring the wealthy received much criticism.

Vladmir Putin finally divorced earlier this year.

He has also been accused of “bullying” ex-Soviet countries, and of repressing journalists. During his presidency, a reporter was murdered in her own home.

Bill Clinton Being one of the most popular American presidents of all time didn't save him from getting impeached, though he was later aquitted. Clinton initially denied the charges, but eventually confessed to his illicit affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6 , 201 4

Decades after her assassination, she remains extremely popular. Still, the third prime minister of India and daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi left behind her fair share of controversies. She got a lot of flak for declaring “emergency rule” – whereby public freedoms were curtailed and the media became centrally controlled. Rumours suggest that she was behind the assassination of her own son, Sanjay Gandhi. Four months after Operation Blue Star, where she ordered the siege of the Golden Temple of Amritsar to take down “militants” who had taken shelter in the Gurdwara, she was shot by her own Sikh bodyguard, leading to a violent anti-Sikh riot.

Silvio Berlusconi Berlusconi's nine years as prime minister of Italy were marked by an equally long list of controversies. He is often criticised for monopolising the media; he continued to manage his company Mediaset, the largest media company in Italy, even after becoming the prime minister.

The legal battle between him and The Economist over its article “Why Silvio Berlusconi is unfit to lead Italy” garnered international attention. He is also criticised for legislative changes that favoured himself.

He often got bad publicity for his inappropriate remarks about Muslim nations, and various other “jokes and gestures.” And of course, there were numerous charges of sexual misconduct. He was found guilty in June 2013 of paying for sex with an underage prostitute.

Boris Yeltsin The first president of postsoviet Russia was known for his love of vodka. Bill Clinton said in an interview that Yeltsin, during a visit to Washington, was found standing outside the White House, drunk and in his underpants, trying to hail a taxi to go get pizza. Check out Youtube for video evidence of the late president drunkenly slurring during a speech delivered alongside Clinton.

.

travails of traffic | Photo story

9

The Dhaka daily grind

Traffic remains a major problem for everyone living in Dhaka Alfredo Casas

“W

e all want to avoid it,” says a bus passenger whose patience is waning.

“But as hard you try, you will always end up trapped in it; its like a labyrinth with no exit.”

Traffic jams and accidents

directly affect citizens on a daily basis, impacting their standard of living.

Many people endure long commutes within the city, or even from neighbouring towns, to get to their jobs.

On the streets of Dhaka, the law of the jungle prevails. The

traffic rules are disregarded, and the strongest and fastest impose their will.

The weather doesn’t help either; during the rainy season, streets get flooded and the heat makes the long traffic jams hard to bear.

.

Alfredo Casas is a SpanishColombian freelancer feature writer and photojournalist based in Barcelona, where he began his career working for el Periodico de Catalunya. www.alfredocasas.com

Turn Page for photographs

WE E K E N D TR I B U N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6, 2 0 1 4

10 PHoto story | travails of traffic The railway network is one of the biggest transport systems in Bangladesh, but very few new lines have been built over the past few years. It is very common for people to travel on the roofs of trains or buses to avoid paying for tickets, or paying less than they should.

This habit puts lives in danger.

Any moment somebody can fall from the train and suffer serious injury or death.

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6 , 201 4

11

More than 70% of traffic accident victims are pedestrians or rickshaw passengers. “We don't have many resources, and I usually see around eight deaths a night,� says a doctor at the head injury unit of one of Dhaka's hospitals.

Public buses are often old rattletraps brought from China and Japan. These old buses get partially refurbished, then go back on the streets. Many bus and truck drivers hold fake driver's licenses, or don't have one at all.

WE E K E N D TR I B U N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6, 2 0 1 4

12 health | MATERNAL CARE

In search of respectful

maternity care

Maternal healthcare is crucial, but it is a rare privilege for poor and marginalised women Dr Farhana Ahmad

T

oday I am an established doctor, but during the first phase of my career, I experienced horrendous incidents in the operating theatre, where patients were ill-treated or just blatantly neglected proper treatment.

During the first phase of my career, when I worked as a trainee on an obstetrics ward at a very large public hospital, I encountered the horrors some of these women go through.

These stories are a far cry from the personal treatment one expects from health workers entrusted to provide services to a woman giving birth.

We envision gentle communication, support, and respect. But a growing body of research, experience, and case reports, collected in maternity care systems worldwide, provides a different, and disturbing, picture.

The research includes data from the wealthiest and poorest nations worldwide. As per the standards covered by this research, childbearing women experience various kinds of abuse that include discrimination and abandonment or denial of care – seen in case studies discussed here.

Disrespect towards, and abuse

CUT AND RUN

In another scene from the labour ward: two deliveries were being carried out by two doctors.

One of them was a trainee (me), and the other a medical officer from that ward. Both the patients were primaes, that is, it was a first time for both mothers. We had both given our patients episiotomies to make the passage bigger to facilitate easy delivery. Both the women delivered healthy babies.

At this stage, we heard that there was going to be a caesariansection taking place in the operation theatre. Junior doctors in the obstetrics ward wait for these opportunities so as to build their capacity in this area.

I had just started repairing the

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6 , 201 4

Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

of, women seeking maternity care is becoming an urgent problem in Bangladesh. The world must wake up to the reality that disrespect and abuse during maternity care are a violation of women’s basic human rights.

Human rights are fundamental entitlements that everyone must have access to, and should be recognised by societies and governments as they have been adopted in international

episiotomy wound of my patient when my colleague asked me to complete the procedure for her patient as well, as she prepared to leave the labour ward to assist in the caesarian-section.

Despite repeatedly telling her this would be difficult, as I had just started and would take some time to complete with my patient, during which time her patient would be bleeding from the wounds, she left anyway. She simply said it “didn’t matter” and just put a sanitary napkin on the wound. I soon noticed it had started to soil given there was active bleeding. I rushed through the stitching of my own patient so that I could cater to hers.

declarations and conventions.

However, there is still lack of clarity on what counts as human rights abuse for mothers or those seeking maternal care. So far, there is no information that specifically delineates how human rights are implicated in the childbearing process, or that affirms their application to childbearing women as basic, inalienable rights.

It is important to acknowledge that safe motherhood is more

than the prevention of death and disability. It is important for doctors, patients, activists – all of us – to take part in this conversation and break the silence surrounding the disrespect and abuse women face at this vulnerable time of their lives. When we speak out and demand respectful care for maternal health, we can make it safe for women elsewhere too.

.

Bare hand delivery

A woman who was about to deliver came into the labour ward.

Unfortunately, her family was not able to pay the Tk300 asked for as a bribe by the ayah of that ward.

As a result, not only was she denied access to a bed, I, as the attending doctor, was not provided with gloves or instruments to conduct the delivery.

Everything miraculously disappeared from the labour room.

I found an old pair of forceps and a blunt pair of surgical scissors lying in the instrument box, and used that to eventually deliver the baby – on the floor and with my bare hands.

I was petrified that the baby would slip. It was difficult to clamp the cord with the forceps, since the lock was not working properly. I actually said a little prayer while I cut the cord with the blunt scissors using all the force I could muster.

When I handed over the baby to the mother, she smiled at me with gratitude. That smile may have momentarily eased the harrowing experience, but the question remains: Why was she subjected to this humiliation, for want of a measly Tk300 to pay a bribe – and that too at a hospital that is supposedly free?

Uncivil disobedience | Health

13

When doctors strike

The recent doctors’ strikes raise national alarm Faisal Mahmud

C

an doctors go on strike?

The question has come up following a series of incidents in the past few months.

Doctors have gone on strike at BIRDEM, Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH), Sir Salimullah Medical College (SSMCH), and finally at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) after they clashed with journalists, relatives of patients, and student groups at Dhaka University (DU).

Meanwhile, most people, according to our interviews, are of the opinion that abstention by doctors cannot be an instrument of protest, as such an action divests people of their fundamental rights to healthcare, and even puts people’s lives at risk.

“What will we do if the doctors go on strike?” asked Fakhrul Amin, a patient at DMCH. “We come to the government hospital because we can’t afford the high costs of private hospitals. If the doctors here go on strike, we have nowhere to go.”

People have also been very vocal about it on social media.

Habibullah Mizan, a journalist working for a national daily, commented on Facebook: “Both journalists and doctors have responsibilities to society. If they clash with each other and stop being responsible towards people, then that reflects the degradation of society as a whole.”

Dr FM Nuruzzaman, former director of the Directorate of Health, says every doctor is bound by a code of ethics, which he or she swears to abide by before taking up the post.

“I will maintain the utmost respect for human life from its beginning, even under threat, and I will not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity,” reads one of the lines in the international code of ethics for doctors.

Doctors are legally required to attend to patients and offer them medical attention, says Mursalin Ahmed, a lawyer who specialises in handling medical cases.

“That legality however exists between the doctor and the government. A patient’s relative cannot take legal action against a doctor if a patient dies under his care. However, they can take action against the hospital, as per the rules and regulations of the

Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC),” Ahmed says.

The health ministry has already formed two five-member committees to look into the clashes between doctors and journalists.

Joint Secretary Md Anwar Hossain is leading both teams. Each panel has representatives of both doctors and journalists. They have yet to submit the probe report.

However, Ahmed also says it depends entirely on the circumstances that compel doctors to go on strike – particularly when it involves assault and battery by relatives and friends of patients who are allowing their emotions to override the law of the country.

“One must remember that the doctors are human too, and deserve consideration. Take into account the pathetic conditions under which they are required to perform their duties, especially in government hospitals.”

Tasmia Amin, a housewife and a diabeties patient getting treatment from Birdem, agrees, “I know doctors are humans, not machines. And they have emotions like regular people,” she said. “If someone hurts them, they have every right to protest against that.”

However, she says going on a strike does not resolve the issue.

“Because human lives depend on the professional duty of doctors, if they refrain from that, it endangers human lives.”

Ahmed added that assaulting doctors, even in case of their negligence, is not something permissible in a civilised society.

“We understand the emotions of a patient’s relatives, but under no circumstances do they have the

Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

right to attack the doctors. This sort of attack is ethically and legally wrong.”

Ahmed opines that the constitution must make it clear under what conditions those in delicate professions, such as medicine and law enforcement, can embark on strikes, since their work is a matter of life and death for those they serve.

.

Troubling cases April 13

Sirajul Islam, a resident of Old Dhaka, died at Birdem hospital.

He had long been suffering from diabetes. Aggrieved at his death, Sirajul’s relatives allegedly physically assaulted some on-duty doctors and vandalised furniture and windowpanes on the 14th floor of the hospital, claiming doctors had neglected the 57-year-old man. Protesting the incident, Birdem doctors went on an indefinite strike and claimed that Additional Superintendent ABM Masud Hossain had instigated the patient’s relatives to assault their colleagues.

Sirajul’s relatives have since filed a case against five Birdem doctors for their alleged negligence while treating him.

April 19

Intern doctors at SMCH in old Dhaka beat up three reporters

and camerapersons of ETV on the hospital premises and smashed two of their cameras when they went to report on allegations of poor health services at the hospital. ETV filed a case against four interns and the director, following the attack on journalists. Doctors of the hospital went on strike as soon as news of the lawsuit came in.

April 20

At least 10 journalists were injured when doctors of RMCH attacked them with iron rods and sticks. They also damaged their laptops and cameras. The incident began around 9pm when relatives of a patient slapped an intern, following a brawl over a doctor’s alleged negligence in treating patients. As the news of the assault spread, interns kept the relatives locked up inside the doctors’ chamber and

started to drive attendants of all patients away. On hearing the news, journalists rushed to the hospital, but the interns chased them out of the compound.

Around 10pm, a police team led by Saidur Rahman, OC of Boalia Police Station, escorted the journalists to the hospital.

Interns then snatched a shotgun and several sticks from the law enforcers and started to beat up journalists.

May 11

More than 1,000 honorary and other doctors at DMCH halted work in order to protest against the attack on honorary physician Mominul Islam, who was beaten up in the capital’s Chankharpul area. DMCH authorities have since filed a case with Shahbagh police station in this connection without mentioning any specific names.

.

WE E K E N D TR I B U N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6, 2 0 1 4

14 Legalese | With Jennifer Ashraf Kashmi Jennifer Ashraf Kashmi is a barrister and solicitor of England and Wales. She is currently Senior Partner at Legacy Legal Corporate.

Room for two Q A

Cartoon: Rio Shuvo

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6 , 201 4

I just moved in with my partner to a new house that we have rented together. Although this is exciting for me, I do realise how risky my situation can be from a legal point of view. Moreover, in the context of Bangladesh, I guess there is still no protection under law for unmarried

couples like us, as there are for married couples. I would like to get some legal advice to make my position more secure. For example, in case the relationship breaks up, or either of us becomes unable to earn, how would we deal with the rent and other daily expenses?

Dear Reader: Let me begin by saying – don’t move in together as a “couple.” If you choose to live together, this is entirely your choice and you are entitled to do so, but the “couple” cohabitation is risky – at least from a legal point of view. If you must move in together, do so as flatmates.

Why am I advising against moving in together as a couple?

Well, you yourself said it in your question – in the context of Bangladesh, there is still no protection in the legal aspect for unmarried couples like you and your partner.

Land and tenancy law in Bangladesh is still very antiquated, though it is high time that this situation is remedied and the laws are amended. However, like everything else, it is highly likely that it’ll be a long time before this happens and the necessary legal provisions are incorporated into the legal system.

This is also why I suggest that the practical option right now is to move in together as flat-mates.

When two friends A and B (same sex or otherwise) usually rent a flat together, they are both considered to be parties to the rent agreement and they both sign it.

In most cases, the rent agreement is worded in such a manner that ensures that the landlord receives his requisite rent, irrespective of who pays it. The tenants A and B are both equally liable to discharge their rental obligations.

However, in (very) rare cases, the rent agreement is often worded in such a manner that the tenants’ liabilities are limited, that is, each person is solely responsible for their share of the rent. This is what you and your partner should be

aiming for – limited liabilities. Not only does this set down certain boundaries, but it also instills responsibility within each party and prevents them from slacking off.

If you are worried that there are foreseeable rent complications in the future, do ensure that your rent agreement is well-drafted and that you read it properly before signing.

A properly drafted agreement will not just limit liability with regard to rent, it can also address other issues such as bills, repairs, security deposits, etc. With such an agreement in place, you will both be treated as two separate tenants and have the flexibility and freedom to move out if the relationship does not sustain.

I should probably refrain from the next bit of advice as I am not a relationship expert, and what you choose to do depends entirely on you. However, having internally debated with myself, I have decided to include this as part of the lawyer’s duties also includes giving practical advice for maintaining the client’s best interests, regardless of whether the client is happy to hear it or not.

My advice in this instance is to take a step back and reassess the whole point of moving in together.

We often see couples being happy and bubbly during their first few months (the honeymoon period).

However, when real life sets in, love, for many, tends to jump out of the window and escape! I would advise you to not take the mature step of moving in together unless you have a secure job and a steady disposable income, with enough left over to enable it to be salted away. When you do finally move in, how to cover your rent payments should be the least of your worries!

.

Got a problem?

Write to Jennifer at weekend@ dhakatribune.com

Big oil and GREEN energy | Post-riposte

15

Should oil companies be allowed to invest in research for Alternative energy sources?

Yes

They are investing in their futures James Saville

A

nyone who has the ability to fund green energy sources should not only be allowed to do so but be actively encouraged.

Much of the research and technology that enables green energy production is hugely expensive and requires vast subsidies to make it economically viable.

Wealthy oil companies are in a good position to provide the capital for such projects.

There is no conflict of interest.

Why would oil companies want to hold back green energy? The unsustainability of fossil fuels is as bad news for them as it is for everyone else. What are they going to sell when they run out of oil?

Their survival as energyproviders depends on them promoting alternative energy sources. They may want to control or even monopolise those sources, but they don’t have an interest in scuppering them.

.

NO

It’s a conflict of interest Shah Nahian

O

il companies are profit seeking organisations, so their commitment to exploring alternate energy is virtually non-existent.

When they bankroll research, they make binding contracts with universities, allowing them to decide what research gets funded, and hence what the faculty studies.

This is the reason most of the research is geological, ie where to find new oil fields and how to exploit them.

Research universities that accept millions of dollars from oil companies have failed to shield themselves from corporate influence, according to the Center for American Progress, which faults UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Stanford and seven others.

Oil companies operate with a mindset of “profit now and consequences later.” Can we truly believe any good can come from their influence on research and academia?

.

Photo: Bigstock

WE E K E N D TR I B U N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6, 2 0 1 4

16 TOUGH LOVE | DINA SOBHAN

FACEBOOK SHY AND CUTIE PIE Q

I am dating my best friend. We have very good understanding between each other.

However, he refuses to acknowledge our relationship on Facebook. We've been best friends for six years, and our friends know about our relationship, but he has an issue posting our photos or acknowledging them if I put anything up. Given that he was not so shy with his past relationships, it makes me wonder if he is embarrassed of our relationship. This is a very trivial matter … but it’s really starting to bother me.

A

Any real relationship must be advertised on Facebook, so I can only conclude that his reluctance to do so means he is, in fact, embarrassed by you. Maybe you’re physically repellant or just a little rolly polly. Maybe you’re a 3.4 on the aesthetic-meter while your sig-O is a knockout 9.3.

You see, when you two were just friends, it was okay that you looked like the backside of a bus, but now that the relationship has become something more, he doesn’t know how to parlay it into the mainstream.

So, he’s a little vain. It could be worse. Your friends know your dirty little secret, so who really cares that you have to walk ten steps behind him in public, or dive into the nearest ditch if an acquaintance walks by? As you’ve already stated, you have had, and will probably continue to have, bigger challenges to deal with, so learn to let it go and prioritise. Either that, or make a stand and tell this ‘best friend’ of yours that he has two choices: to embrace you as is – warts and all (figurative, I hope), or to take a hike and lose his best friend with benefits forever.

Dina Sobhan is a freelance writer, and cautions readers not to take her ‘advice’ here too seriously!

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6 , 201 4

Q

I recently lost my best friend, who died in an accident.

We literally grew up together and were like sisters to each other. She left behind a 4-year-old daughter, who I’m worried about as her mother used to complain about her husband

A

Dear Ms Empathy, you are asking me for advice on how to take away the child of a man who just lost his wife.

Does this not strike you as somewhat odd and inappropriate? If not, I seriously question your ability to raise a cactus, much less a child.

First of all, who are you judge that the girl’s father is not capable of raising her on his own, or even that he will be doing it on his own? If he’s like most men in

being absent often. My friend's in-laws have passed away, and neither she nor her husband have any siblings who can adopt the baby.

I am married but have no children, and would like to take custody of the child. How can I prove that her husband is unfit to raise their daughter by himself?

Bangladesh, or in most countries of the world for that matter, he will leap upon a new woman with the alacrity of a cheetah.

And unlike most ‘serials’ on Zee TV that portray step-mothers as Cruella de Ville-type characters who exist for the sole purpose of tormenting little children and puppies, his future wife and mother of your friend’s daughter will probably be a fine substitute.

It seems to me your personal agenda would be better served at an orphanage, not at the expense of your friend’s widow.

.

Cartoon : Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy

Got a problem?

Write to Dina at weekend@ dhakatribune. com

THE MINDFUL ENTREPRENEUR| BUSINESS

17

Everything Connects:

philosophy & business Serial entrepreneur and author Faisal Hoque is a Bangladeshi success story Sohara Mehroze Shachi

A

t the age of 14, Faisal Hoque started selling stereo components in Dhaka to save money for his higher studies.

Now he is a successful businessman, writer and thought leader, based in the US. He is the author of six books, the most recent being: Everything Connects – How to Transform and Lead in the Age of Creativity, Innovation and Sustainability.

Faisal’s humble beginnings are truly inspiring. Being on a minimal scholarship, to support studies in the US, where he migrated at the age of 17, he did janitorial work during the graveyard shift.

During the recession of 1991, Faisal noticed the beginnings of the technology boom in financial markets, and in his junior year of college he wrote a market analysis

software and sent the demo to various employers in New York, landing himself multiple job offers before finishing college.

After a short spell of employment, he launched EC Cubed, which invented and commercialised reusable software components. However, after raising millions of dollars in venture capital, on account of unsatisfactory growth, he was fired from his own company.

The temporary setback motivated Faisal to channel his business acumen through written words.

He felt a need to explain why the technology firms would evolve, and published his first book “e-Enterprise: Business Models, Architecture, and Components,” through Cambridge University Press.

Meanwhile he also incorporated

In a Skype interview with the Dhaka Tribune, he discussed his recently published book Everything Connects and shared some valuable insights regarding businesses and the economy of Bangladesh.

Steve Jobs, in his famous Stanford convocation speech, talked about “connecting the dots” by looking backwards. Is there a parallel between that and your philosophy?

Indeed. If you cannot connect with people, you cannot go forward. That is applicable for large corporations as well as small ones. Being able to connect with people is an utterly important process, so you have to find a way of doing so.

The globe has become your audience, and your ability to intellectually connect with an audience has increased.

What is the channel for establishing such a connection?

Essentially it’s an emotional connection, and it’s about creating a brand that tells a story.

For instance, Apple does this remarkably well by making you feel that you have to have their products. A company that fails to do so becomes mechanical, and a mechanical thing doesn’t last.

The future is about innovation, not labour

Photo: Courtesy

his new company BTM Corporation.

Over the last few years, he realised everything he had been doing so far has been helping large corporations rather than helping small entrepreneurs. Back in Bangladesh he was a voracious reader of eastern philosophy, and during this period he reconnected with those thoughts, such as how one creates an inner awareness,

and how that drives innovation and creativity to make a lasting impact. As a result, his writing also evolved from hardcore business guidelines to more philosophical commentary focusing on next generation leadership.

“Being able to express yourself through writing helps you connect with people in a way that business doesn’t,” Hoque said.

In the context of Bangladesh, how should our companies proceed?

Digital entrepreneurship ventures – which rely primarily on connecting people – are the future. Bangladesh can look at how neighbouring countries, such as, India have successfully moulded this sector. The first thing to do is to think of the world as a market and to start making products for a global audience.

That’s how India did it.

the lead on that. They could invest in making university students incubate projects. They are also not tapping into people in the global market place. They have to be open to working in a cross geographical setting.

What is holding the country back?

The mass mindset that the country is about cheap labour needs to change – we need to create a knowledge based economy instead. Currently the investor pool is not funding technology companies because they are not thinking long term; rather, they are focusing on the garments sector, for instance, as it yields immediate returns.

This mentality has to change.

Investors have to wake up to support the young generation who do not necessarily have the means but do have innovative ideas.

Who should take the lead on building a knowledge based economy in Bangladesh?

The private sector needs to take

.

The political turmoil has been a perpetual impediment to investment in Bangladesh. How do we change our global image?

The country’s brand needs to change. Bangladesh needs to be seen as a place of innovative idea generation. Take Ukraine – it is not that stable politically, nor is the infrastructure very robust, but the global perception is that there is a high degree of intellectual resources available in Ukraine, which keeps drawing investors. In the case of Bangladesh, the conversation is very much about cheap labour, which does not do a whole lot of good to our image. Bangladesh needs to have an authentic positioning that people can rally behind.

And the future is about innovation, not labour.

.

Faisal Hoque is the founder of Shadoka and author of six books. Currently, he is incubating multiple companies that focus on creating sustainable value.

WE E K E N D TR I B U N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6, 2 0 1 4

18 Stay in

Maya Angelou:

The phenomenal woman Rifat Esha Islam looks back at a life well lived

M

If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.

I never get tired of her wisdom. To me, no one could describe “love” the way she did in a few words. In an interview she once said: “I am grateful to have been loved and to be loved now and to be able

Photo: Reuters

to love, because that liberates.

Love liberates. It doesn’t just hold—that’s ego. Love liberates.

It doesn’t bind. Love says, ‘I love you. I love you if you’re in China.

I love you if you’re across town. I

aya Angelou took her last breath on Wednesday, May 28, at her house in WinstonSalem, North Carolina, USA. She once wrote: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style.” And so she lived, just as she intended.

She was an author, actress, civil rights activist, screenwriter, singer, dancer, lecturer, editor and poet who lived her life to the fullest.

She gave voice to those who faced injustice and motivated those who needed it the most. Her wisdom will live on to inspire the world. She was indeed the “global renaissance woman.”

Her journey into the outside world started when she left her mother's house as a seventeen-year -old teenage mother. In an interview, she once quoted her mother: “Remember this when you step over my door seal: You have been raised.

You know the difference between right and wrong. Do right. Don't let anybody raise you and make you change. And remember this: You can always come home.” Her experiences “raised” her and when she fell in life she went back home to her mother without hesitation. Before becoming

love you if you’re in Harlem. I love you. I would like to be near you.

I’d like to have your arms around me. I’d like to hear your voice in my ear. But that’s not possible now, so I love you. Go.’”

passionately involved with art and poetry, she used to work as a waitress and cook in order to provide for her son. Later in life, she travelled often, meeting and inspiring many iconic figures like Malcolm X. She once wrote: “My life has been long, and believing that life loves the liver, I have dared to try many things, sometimes trembling, but daring still.” She did dare; she dared to live through the struggles she faced in life, and she overcame them in such a way that the world could learn from her.

One can turn the pages of her memoir and reflect on his/her own life - that's how her words work on the reader's mind.

If you a first time reader, I would suggest you start with her poems: Still I Rise, Phenomenal Woman, A Conceit, A Brave and Startling Truth, and Alone. From her books, read her best-selling I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969) and Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Die (1971).

.

Sudoku

Use the numbers 1-9 to complete each of the 3x3 square grids such that each horizontal and vertical line also contains all of the digits from 1-9

Last week’s sudoku solutions

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6 , 201 4

Go out

19

Weekly Planner

June 6

biking For a greener world Farhana Urmee

When

June 6, 7am-12pm With rapid urbanisation and industrialisation taking place to keep up with the rising population, the health of our environment is at stake. And doing something to contribute towards saving the environment is the best way to observe it.

Volunteers in Bangladesh (VBD), the volunteers’ wing of the Jaago Foundation, has organised a programme to raise awareness of how citizens can help save the environment by contributing to the cause.

The United Nations’ motto for this year’s World Environment Day is: “Raise your voice, not the sea level.”

Taking inspiration from the motto, VBD is working in coastal areas and all across the country, Nody Rashid, the Vvice president of VBD Dhaka district committee told the Weekend Tribune.

The Jaago Foundation is also giving their school’s children an orientation talk on global warming and environmental pollution, which will be followed by a painting competition featuring the school children’s work tomorrow.

A total of 1200 volunteers are participating in the programme throughout ten districts of the country.

VBD’s programme has three components. It kicked off yesterday with March for Green, a tree planting drive carried out by VBD members yesterday in Rayerbazar. An upcoming graffiti programme called Green Message seeks to cover the walls of Dhanmondi, Kolabagan, Banani and the National Press Club area. All are invited to today’s a bicycle rally, called Riding Green.

Today’s event

Wearing their yellow t-shirts, a group of young people will be “Riding Green” through the

Where

Manik Mia Avenue, Dhaka streets of Dhaka promoting the use of environmentally friendly vehicles like bicycles.

VBD committee member Protik Rahman, an enthusiastic bicyclist and active participant in the programme, invites anyone interested to come join the riding programme.

Bicycles are the least environmentally damaging of all vehicles, and they hope a band of young people riding bicycles will influence peoples’ perception of the sport.

What to bring

- Your bicycle - Water bottle - Helmet (a must for safety reasons; no helmet no riding) - Gloves - Polythene/Ziplock bags (to protect your mobile and cash) - One extra tube for your bike’s tires and a patch kit A total of 20-25 cycling groups, and many individuals, are joining the ride today. The route for the ride in Dhaka is: Manik Mia Avenue - Mirpur Raod - Sukrabad - Panthapath - Bashundhara City - Kawran Bazar - Hatirjheel - TejgaonGulshan link road - Gulshan 1 Gulshan 2 - Gulshan Tank Park.

Contact

Anyone interested in the Riding Green programme may call: Protik Haque in Dhaka (01674314359), Prince in Rajshahi (01675091827), Mohan in Sylhet (01842419252),Sunny in Dinajpur (01724508906), or Rony in Jhenaidah (01728127737).

Or register for the March for Green campaign here: http://tinyurl.com/kppw58f

Art | Can you Handle the Truth?

9:30pm-8pm EMK Center, House 5, Road 27 (old), Dhanmondi What A total of 25 political cartoons drawn by Syed Rashed Imam Tanmoy will be displayed at the exhibition.

When Where

June 6-7 School contest | Citycell-SGHS Knowledge Fiesta ‘14 When 9am-8pm Where St Gregory’s

High School, Dhaka What St Gregory’s High School arranges a summer talent contest for its students, covering topics like art, science, physics, English, Bangla. There will also be Criminal Case and Sudoku competitions. Come cheer on the kids.

June 7

Foundation has arranged the event which aims to educate street children. A summer fruits festival for the street children will provide the opportunity to treat these children, and an art competition for them will be a platform where they can express their imagination. All are welcome take part in this noble initiative to help these kids.

Protest | CNG fare hikes in Dhaka

When 5pm Where National Press Club What The public will be

June 11-12 Education | Two-day IELTS Workshop When 5pm-8pm Where EMK Center,

Dhanmondi, Dhaka What Lectures will be delivered on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) followed by a practise session. Seats are limited. To participate, contact: 9119752, 9119768, 9119776

June 11-13 Conference | Youth Leadership Summit (BYLC) 2014 When 9am-8pm Where Bangabandhu

International Convention Centre A training, networking and knowledge sharing programme participated in by a total of 500 delegates and 50 speakers looking to enhance the leadership skills of young people.

What

Festival | Art competition & fruit festivals

When 11am-4pm Where TSC, Dhaka University What The Human Safety

government’s attempt to launch a new taxi cab service with high fares, and their refusal to tackle the existing problem of CNG drivers who overcharge.

June 12 Music | EMK platform presents Pushpita When 7:30pm Where EMK Center

House 5, Road 27 (old Rd 15), Dhanmondi What Featured artist Pushpita has been learning music since her childhood, and it has earned her a number of awards. She has released two solo albums, Chooto Chhoto Asha and Ontorey Dola Dey.

protesting against the

JUNE

2014

Send your events to weekend@dhakatribune.com SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

1 8

2 9

3 10

4 11

5 12

6 13

7 14

15 22 29

16 23 30

17 24 1

18 25 2

19 26 3

20 27 4

21 28 5

WE E K E N D TR I B U N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6, 2 0 1 4

20 Interview| Dr Nina ahmad

Obama's deshi advisor

Dr N Nina Ahmad is the first Bangladeshi advisor to Barack Obama, she serves as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Promiti Prova Chowdhury

E

migrating from Bangladesh as a young adult, Nina is keenly aware of the tumultuous process of adopting a new home, the excitement as well as the trepidation at settling in. She

believes immigrants are critical to building the United States.

Nina also has a PhD in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania, and currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two daughters.

There are a myriad of other issues.

I will make sure that the needs of the Bangladeshi-American community are reflected as we address the challenges faced by the AAPI community as a whole.

This commission is focused on domestic issues, but since AAPIs have strong connections with their countries of origin, improving their lives strengthens our ties with those.

What strategies are you looking to employ to engage Asian Americans across the country?

We will be looking at four cross-cutting areas: language access, capacity building, data disaggregation and workforce diversity.

We will ensure linguistically and culturally competent access to federal programmes and services for the limited English proficient population. It is estimated that 49% of AAPIs require some English language assistance.

Obama has doubled the number of AAPI federal judges.

He has quadrupled the number of AAPI female federal judges in history, including the first women judges of South Asian, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese descent.

The seeds of my activism were planted as a young adolescent, during the 1971 Liberation War, when I witnessed the birth of a nation that resulted from the struggle to rid the yoke of oppression Photo: Courtesy

You are the first American of Bangladeshi origin to have joined the Obama administration.

I am honoured and humbled by the appointment, and really touched by the warm wishes of so many from the Bangladeshi and Bangladeshi-American community. I appreciate the significance of serving in this capacity for our community.

WEEKEN D TR I BU N E | F R I DAY, J U N E 6 , 201 4

The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is the fastest growing racial group in the country which grew by 46% from 2000 to 2010. The national average per-capita income of Bangladeshi Americans is $16,784 [compared to national average of $28,051], and the poverty rate among Bangladeshi-Americans is 20%.

What is the solution to improving their health and education situation?

AAPIs have historically suffered from high uninsurance rates.

Nearly two million AAPIs stand poised to gain health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

We must continue to focus on eliminating barriers to care.

AAPIs are more likely to report not going to the doctor than any other racial or ethnic group.

Cancer is the leading cause of death for AAPIs. Asian women are less likely than women of any other race to be screened for breast cancer or cervical cancer.

Previously you were appointed as the chair of the Commission on Asian American Affairs for Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter in January 2009.

Being the chair of the Mayor’s Commission on Asian American Affairs has been an invigorating and fruitful experience. As a

commission on a local city level we have faced some of the same challenges that the commission faces at a national level. We are engaged in promoting diversity in the workforce and creating opportunities in partnership with major employers in the area for members of our communities.

You are the co-owner of, and executive vice-president of government affairs at, JNA Capital – a real estate finance and development company. You are also a court-qualified expert witness in forensic DNA analysis.

How do you manage all these roles?

As you note I am busy juggling many responsibilities. However, I have phased out my expert witness work as well as board memberships in other organisations to accommodate my new role at the national level.

Do you visit Bangladesh often?

I love to visit Bangladesh and do so every few years. If travel time and expense were less prohibitive, I would visit more often.

Would you like to offer some advice for those Bangladeshis, particularly fellow women, who want to work in international relations and foreign affairs?

I am always encouraging women to “take a seat at the table.” We cannot formulate good policy that is beneficial to all unless we have representatives of both halves of the world’s population in decision making roles. We, as women, have to develop confidence in our abilities, market ourselves and acquire knowledge and training in our fields of interest even if there are few women in those areas. For young women interested in the field of international relations and foreign affairs, finding mentors and doing internships at various entities, and finding opportunities for international travel through scholarships or in volunteering capacities, will help prepare them for such careers – in addition to the educational requirements. All our worlds are very interconnected and what one does in one part of the world affects all of us regardless of our geographical locations.

.