19 July, 2014

Shraban 4, 1421 Ramadan 20, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 2, No 109

SATURDAY, JULY 19, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com

| SECOND EDITION

8 | DEALING WITH FLASHES AND FLOATERS IN THE EYES

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11 | WHAT IS HAMAS TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

9 | GANGARIDAI, THE WELLSPRING OF BANGLADESH

RAB helicopters fail to take off in combating crime Politicians, law enforcers, government officials using the choppers to travel n Mohammad Jamil Khan Since the introduction of the RAB air wing almost a year and a half ago, the only time the use of a RAB helicopter was visible to the public eye was when Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana was flown to Dhaka from Jessore after his arrest.

Apart from that incident, the elite force has hardly been able to utilise two of its helicopters – that cost around Tk56 crore when it was bought in February last year – to combat crime, with the exception of some operational activities outside Dhaka.

The RAB air wing has spent around Tk65 crore since it started its journey Describing the operational support of the RAB choppers, acting director of RAB air wing Major Syed Nazrul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that they had used the helicopters to supply ammunition and provide logistical support to crime-busting operations surrounding the January 5 elections in different districts such as Lakshmipur, Bagerhat, Habiganj and Bogra.

“Moreover, we used the two choppers for patrolling the air on every big national occasion such as Independence Day, Language Martyrs Day, Bangla New Year celebration, and during Eid, Puja and Bishwa Ijtema to keep an eye on activities for ensuring peaceful observance of the occasions,” he added.

Senior Rapid Action Battalion officials – ranked director general, additional director general and wing directors – also used the helicopters to fly to different districts to coordinate special “sensa-

14-party alliance to send delegation to Gaza n Emran Hossain Shaikh The 14-party alliance has decided to send a delegation to Gaza in order to express its sympathy at the deaths of innocent civilians, Mohammad Nasim, the spokesperson for the alliance, has said.

“The 14-party [alliance] has proposed to send a team to Gaza for expressing our profound sympathy at the deaths of innocent civilians, especially the children. We have also requested the Foreign Ministry and Law Ministry to take necessary steps in this regard.”

Nasim, the health minister and also a member of the Awami League Presidium, made the statement while talking to journalists after a meeting at the party’s Dhanmondi office yesterday.

Strongly condemning the killing of civilians in Gaza, he said: “No civilised state can conduct such type of killing mission. These attacks are the worst  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

SEHRI & IFTAR TIME Day Ramadan 20/July 19 Ramadan 21/July 20

Sehri – 3.52am

Iftar 6.52pm 6.51pm

tional” operations, Major Nazrul said.

However, according to the air wing register and operation details, the two helicopters were used for the rest of the year to carry the state minister for home, lawmakers, government officials, foreign delegates and top law enforcers including the inspector general of police to different destinations.

Asked about this, Major Nazrul admitted the issue, saying the services of the RAB choppers were availed by top politicians, officials, foreign delegates and other top officials of law enforcement agencies as per the directive of the authorities concerned.

Asked who the authority was in this regard, the RAB air wing chief said the directives were processed through the Home Ministry.

Wing Commander ATM Habibur Rahman, director of RAB’s legal and media wing, told the Dhaka Tribune that the force was working as a modern and technology-based force that tracked down criminals in the fastest way. The helicopters were a part of the technological support that helped the force provide any kind of emergency support and operations across the country to prevent criminals from escaping.

However, RAB and other law enforcement agencies recently drew flak for their failure to prevent Nur Hossain, the prime accused in the Narayanganj seven-murder case, from fleeing to India.

Earlier, RAB was also criticised for using one of its helicopters to fly Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana, whose alleged negligence claimed the lives of at least 1,134 people in Savar last year. Allegations were raised that it was a misuse of RAB resources to fly Rana to Dhaka, when most top criminals were transported using roadways.

RAB officials had replied that Rana  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

A day after the crash of a Malaysia Airlines jet in Ukraine, the body of a victim lies among the wreckages of the aircraft near the town of Shaktarsk yesterday

AFP

BNP announces Dhaka city unit convening committee

World leaders demand answers

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

n Reuters, Ukraine

The BNP finally announced its Dhaka city unit convening committee last night, inducting all leaders of the previous committee who failed to form a fully fledged committee in the last three years.

Senior leaders blamed the rivalry between Sadeque Hossain Khoka and Mirza Abbas for the poor performance of the city unit on the street.

Abbas, a Standing Committee member, was made the convener of the new committee while Khoka was made one of the advisers.

The committee was announced when Khoka has been in the USA for treatment.

The previous city unit committee was formed on May 14, 2011 with Khoka and Abdus Salam as convener and member secretary. In the new committee, both were made advisers.

Swechchhasebak Dal President Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel was made the member secretary of the new committee, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, joint secretary general of the party, announced at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters in the capital.

The 53-member convening committee will have to form the ward and thana committees within a month through a council and the full committee of the Dhaka city unit has to be formed within one month of the formation of these committees.

BNP Standing Committee members ASM Hannan Shah and Rafiqul Islam Miah, former Dhaka city unit convener Khoka and member secretary Abdus Salam were made the advisers of the convening committee.

The joint conveners are Abdul Awal Mintoo, Salahuddin Ahmed, Kazi Abul Bashar, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, Abul Bashar, MA Kayum and Abu Sayeed Khokon.

Members of the convening committee are Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Amanullah Aman, Barkatullah Bulu, SA Khalek, Abul Khayer Bhuiya, Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Nasiruddin Osim, Sahabuddin Ahmed, Abdul Latif, Abdul Majid, Anwaruzzaman Anwar,  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

MALAYSIAN PLANE CRASH

World leaders demanded an international investigation into the alleged shooting down of Malaysian Airlines flight MH 17 with 298 people on board over eastern Ukraine.

US President Obama yesterday said the US believed that Flight MH17 was shot down by surface to air missiles from pro-Russian rebel held areas of Ukraine, the New York Times reported.

“We are going to make sure the truth is out,” the New York Times quoted Obama as saying.

His statement came hours after the US envoy to the United Nations, Samantha Power, pointed fingers  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Palestinian civilian casualties grow as Israel ups Gaza ground offensive

Bernicat: Jan 5 election was undeniably flawed

n Reuters, Gaza/Jerusalem

n Tribune Report

Israel stepped up its land offensive in Gaza with artillery, tanks and gunboats yesterday and declared it could “significantly widen” an operation Palestinian officials said was killing ever greater numbers of civilians.

Israeli gunboats lit up the sky with their fire before dawn while helicopters fired into the coastal enclave. Hamas fired mortar rounds at the invading troops and rockets across the border at the southern Israeli towns of Ashdod and Ashkelon.

“We chose to start this operation after we exhausted other options and reached the conclusion that without it we could pay a much higher price,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters before a special cabinet session at Tel Aviv military headquarters.

“My instructions...to the Israeli army, with the approval of the security cabinet, is to prepare for the possibility of a widening, a significant widening of

the ground operation.”

He did not say what form a widened operation might take.

Palestinian health officials said 27 Palestinians, including a baby, two children and a 70-year-old woman, had been killed since Israel poured ground

In all, 258 Palestinians, most of them civilians, had been killed since the fighting began forces into the densely-populated strip of 1.8 million Palestinians on Thursday.

The action followed 10 days of barrages against Gaza from air and sea and hundreds of rockets fired by Hamas into Israel.

Israel says its forces have focused on seeking out tunnels Palestinian militants might use for cross-border raids.

One such infiltration was narrowly thwarted on Thursday, with the

army saying it had repelled 13 Hamas gunmen after they emerged from a tunnel close to an Israeli farming community.

To back up regular forces, Israel is calling up 18,000 military reservists, adding to the 30,000 already mobilised.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri responded with defiance to the Israeli escalation, saying: “Netanyahu is killing our children and will pay the price.

The ground invasion doesn’t frighten us and the occupation army will sink in Gaza’s mud.”

Hamas wants Israel and Egypt, whose military-backed government is at odds with the Palestinian Islamists, to lift border restrictions that have deepened Gaza’s economic hardship and unemployment.

Smokescreens, Refugees

Israel said one of its soldiers was killed and several others wounded in Gaza clashes yesterday.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

US Ambassador-designate to Bangladesh Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat stressed on the need for a constructive dialogue among the political parties in the country for a more representative government.

“The parliamentary elections of January 5 were undeniably flawed, and Bangladesh’s main political parties urgently need to engage in constructive dialogue that leads to a more representative government,” Bernicat told before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The US Embassy in Dhaka released the text of her statement given before the committee yesterday.

Bernicat said as the world’s eighth-largest country by population and third-largest Muslim-majority nation, Bangladesh is known for its moderate, secular, pluralistic traditions.

“With an annual economic growth rate of roughly 6% each year, Bangladesh aspires to become a middle-in-

INSIDE 4 | News

A government plan is in the making to cope with climate change and population increases over the next hundred years. Armed with Tk87 crore provided by the government of the Netherlands to cover the cost of the plan, the Planning Commission began work on Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 in March.

5 | News

Acute gas shortage hits residents of Dhaka metropolitan over the past few weeks due to a rise in new and illegal gas connections.

6 | Nation

The approach roads leading to the Garabari Bridge in Kamarkhanda upazila of Sirajganj have become unfit for use within a month of inauguration.

7 | World

The ongoing violence in Iraq has killed more than 5,500 civilians over the first six months of the year, the UN said yesterday in a new report.

14 | Sport

Belgium 2-1 USA (second round). It was an absolute pleasure to witness US goalkeeper Tim Howard repeatedly saving one shot after another as the Belgians did everything right .

come country and is an increasingly important trading partner and destination for US investment. It is strategically situated between a growing India and a newly opening Burma, and therefore is well-positioned to play a key role in linking South and Southeast Asia.”

Bernicat said labour rights and workplace safety in Bangladesh remained a top priority for the US. She also said: “We remain gravely concerned about attacks on religious and ethnic minorities, political violence and extrajudicial killings allegedly committed by security forces. If confirmed, I will work hard to support efforts to promote accountability and strengthen human rights and democracy in Bangladesh.”

The diplomat said she would work with the government, civil society and the Bangladeshis people to ensure an environment that encourages the broadest and fairest participation.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Khaleda, Tarique to discuss political strategy in KSA Senior leaders believe plans for post-Eid movement will feature in the meeting role of some leaders. A senior leader, n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla seeking anonymity, said the fate of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will meet her elder son Tarique Rahman in Saudi Arabia and might discuss political strategy to mount pressure on the government to accept the party’s demand for an election under a non-partisan government.

Senior party leaders believe that a strategy for the party’s declared movement after this Eid will be finalised at the meeting.

Khaleda will fly to Saudi Arabia tonight at the invitation of the Saudi King to perform Umrah. BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman will also go to Saudi Arabia along with his family members as a royal guest to perform Umrah and join his mother, said Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel, press secretary to the BNP chairperson.

“Madam will leave Dhaka for Saudi Arabia at 9:05pm on Saturday by an Emirates Airlines flight and Tarique Rahman and his family members will join her there,” he told the Dhaka Tribune. Khaleda is scheduled to return home on July 27.

The Khaleda-Tarique meeting is now being discussed within the party as many believe that the party’s future strategy, its reshuffling process and some other important issues could be discussed in the meeting.

Tarique had called upon the party leaders and activists to take to the streets to resist the January 5 election, but it did not work properly. Tarique has since expressed disappointment over the performance of the party’s senior leaders and vented grievances on several occasions. Khaleda also expressed disappointment over the

many leaders might change as Tarique might give specific directives and instructions for some changes in party committees.

The leaser said the party was planning to hold a grand rally in the capital after Eid. “If the government does not give us permission, the rally can be held somewhere adjacent to the capital. The next course of action will be announced from the rally.”

Before the rally, Khaleda will hold a meeting with her party’s Standing Committee members and alliance leaders.

The BNP leader also said hartal-like programmes would not be announced now and tougher movements would be waged after Eid-ul-Azha.

Another senior leader said the reshuffling of the committee would take pace after the meeting between Khaleda and Tarique.

“In many cases, there were differences of opinion between them. In the face-to-face meeting, the differences will be resolved and the reshuffling process will start,” he said.

Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and committees of other associate and front organisations will be reshuffled to strengthen the party.

Although the party leaders said Tarique would return home only when he was fit, it was seen that Tarique had been speaking on different occasions about the country’s politics. He even visited Malaysia last month and held a meeting there.

Tarique has been staying in the United Kingdom since 2008. He is facing several graft charges. l

News

Protests against Israeli aggression n Tribune Report

People from all over Bangladesh held marches, rallies and processions, protesting Israel’s aggression of Palestine.

In the capital, some activists of a Facebook page named “March for Gaza” organised a march from the National Museum. Armed with banners with slogans, they paraded towards the National Press Club to hold a rally.

However, police intercepted them at the TSC of Dhaka University for the sake of security at the Press Club where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was about to attend a function.

The BNP yesterday once again called upon the international community to act immediately and raise voice against the Israeli aggression and ensure withdrawal of the Israeli forces from Gaza without delay.

“We strongly condemn this immoral and unlawful military aggression and demand that this be stopped forthwith,” the party said in a press release.

A faction of Gonojagoron Moncho, led by Imran H Sarker, paraded from Shahbagh to Dhaka University campus.

Imran urged the government to extend its hand to Palestinian people.

Hundreds of Islami Andolan Bangladesh activists brought out a procession from Baitul Mukarram after Jum’a prayers and burnt an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyaho and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

In Chittagong, Hefazt-e-Islam, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal organised rallies and processions at different strategic points of the city. l

n Emran Hossain Shaikh Pointing her finger at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said they were telling falsehood against the government during iftar party.

“She [Khaleda Zia] is telling lies every day in the name of joining iftar party. I do not know whether she is fasting or not,” the prime minister said while addressing an iftar party hosted by Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and Dhaka Union of Journalists at the National Press Club in the capital.

Referring to iftar party hosted by her, she said: “Basically, I do not speak at iftar mahfil. I am speaking here today as journalists have given me a chance to speak.”

Criticising the BNP-Jamaat alliance for resisting the January 5 polls, the premier said they do not believe in democracy.

“They killed people to foil the Janu-

World leaders demand answers  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

directly at Ukrainian separatists and their Russian associates for the downing of Flight 17 at an emergency Security Council meeting on the Ukraine conflict, the New York Times reported.

“We assess Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 carrying these 298 people from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was likely downed by a surface-to-air missile, an SA-11, operated from a separatist-held location in eastern Ukraine,” Power said. She said the United States could not “rule out technical assistance by Russian personnel” in operating the system.

There were no survivors from Thursday’s crash, which left wreckage and bodies scattered across miles of rebel-held territory near the border with Russia.

Makeshift white flags marked where bodies lay in corn fields and among the debris. Others, stripped bare by the force of the crash, had been covered by polythene sheeting weighed down by stones, one marked with a flower in remembrance.

This is the latest tragedy in the crisis in Ukraine, which has killed hundreds since pro-Western protests toppled the Moscow-backed president in Kiev in February and Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula a month later.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel,

in an initial response, said it was too early to decide on further sanctions.

Crash Site

The plane crashed about 40 km (25 miles) from the border with Russia near the regional capital of Donetsk, a stronghold of rebels who have been fighting Ukrainian government forces.

Leaders of the rebels’ self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic denied involvement and said a Ukrainian air force jet had brought down the intercontinental flight.

Russia’s Defence Ministry later pointed the finger at Ukrainian ground forces, saying it picked up radar activity from a Ukrainian missile system south of Donetsk when the airliner was brought down, Russian media reported.

The Ukrainian security council said no missiles had been fired from the armouries of its armed forces.

The Ukrainian government released recordings it said were of Russian intelligence officers discussing the shooting down of a civilian airliner by rebels who may have mistaken it for a Ukrainian military plane.

The United States called for a ceasefire to allow access to the crash site, as did Merkel.

“There are many indications that the plane was shot down, so we have to take things very seriously,” the German leader said.

Different Islamic organisations bring out processions from in front of the Baitul Mukarram Masjid in the city after the Jumma prayer protesting Israeli air strike on the people of Gaza MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Informers involved in trader's death in custody n Kailash Sarkar Detectives yesterday collected CCTV footage from Mirpur police station which showed four informers’ involvement in the torturing of businessman Mahbubur Rahman Sujon to death in custody.

On July 12, a team of Mirpur police picked up Sujon, his wife Mamataj Sultana Luchi and their five-year-old son from their Shankar residence and tortured Sujon to death.

PM: Khaleda spreading lies against govt ary 5 elections, burnt several hundred copies of the Quran, set fire to mosques and cut several thousand trees in the name of movement. They do not believe in democracy and election as well,” she said.

The prime minister also sought cooperation from the media for the establishment of democracy and continuation of the ongoing development activities.

“The media cannot enjoy freedom without democratic environment,” she said.

Assuring the journalists of resolving their housing problems, Sheikh Hasina said the country had made much progress even during the global recession.

“The government has been able to keep the GDP over 6% and it has implemented 96% of the ADP.” “No other governments in the past could do it,” she said, adding that the country’s foreign exchange reserves crossed $11 billion.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

The premier also alleged that the BNP-Jamaat while staying in power established a reign of terror by patronising the militancy and they were involved in looting, corruption and indiscriminate killings.

“People were passing days in fear during the BNP-Jamaat regime while they are now in peace,” she said.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, BFUJ General Secretary Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan, DUJ President Altaf Mahmud and General Secretary Kuddus Afrad also spoke at the programme with BFUJ President Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul in the chair.

Ministers, lawmakers, Awami League central leaders, editors of different dailies and senior journalists attended the iftar party.

Before the iftar party, a special munajat was offered, seeking the country’s peace and progress. Khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Maulana M Salauddin Ahmed conducted the munajat. l

The two black boxes – the voice and data-recording devices – from the felled aircraft were said to be missing from the crash site, the New York Times reported.

An adviser to the Donetsk regional governor, Kostyantyn Batozsky, said the aircraft voice and data recording devices had been recovered by Ukrainian Emergency Services personnel who had been granted access to the site by separatist forces.

But he said he did not know the current location of the devices or who had possession of them, according to the New York Times.

The pro-Russian rebel leader of the self-proclaimed People’s Republic of Donetsk, Aleksandr Borodai, told reporters that his group had the so-called black boxes and would hand them over to officials of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the New York Times reported yesterday. l

14-party alliance  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

examples in human history. Despite the killings of women and children, some countries are still supporting Israel, which is shameful.”

He urged the global community to take immediate steps to stop the “genocide.” l

A murder case was filed against four policemen and the four informers and the accused policemen were suspended.

Of them, Sub-Inspector Zahidur Rahman and informer Nasim Sheikh were arrested, but policemen ASI Raj Kumer and constables Anwar Hossain and Rashedul Islam and three informers – Khokan, Faisal and Palash – went into hiding.

In the case statement, SI Rakibul Islam mentioned that the footage showed the eight accused torturing Sujon.

The victim’s wife Mamataj also said her husband had been tortured by the policemen and their informers at their house and in detention.

Mirpur Division Deputy Commissioner Imtiyaz Ahmed yesterday acknowledged having found proof of the informers’ participation in the torturing.

He, however, declined to make any statement, saying: “Since the case is now being investigated by the Detective Branch, I should not say anything.” l

Humayun's second death anniversary today n Mohammad Abu Bakar Siddique The second death anniversary of noted litterateur, filmmaker, TV play wright-director Humayun Ahmed will be observed across the country today.

Humayun Ahmed authored around 200 books of fiction and non-fiction and directed 15 films. His writing included novels, short stories, an autobiography and columns in different newspapers.

Ahmed created characters like Himu and Misir Ali, characterised by eccentric, comic and compassionate features, who achieved unparallelled popularity, particularly among the readers of post-liberation Bangladesh.

Besides books, he wrote many songs which he used in his films and TV plays.

His creations earned him a number of awards including the Bangla Academy Award and the Ekushey Padak.

Humayun’s first television drama was Prothom Prohor which was aired in 1983. His first film Aguner Parashmani, based on the 1971 Liberation War, won the National Film Award in eight categories.

He died on July 19, 2012, at Bellevue Hospital in New York in the US after an eleven-month struggle against colorectal cancer.

Different cultural organisations and millions of his readers and fans have chalked out elaborate programmes today.

The fans will observe the day by walking barefoot, the way many of Ahmed’s fictional characters do in his novels. The day-long Himu Paribahan programme is scheduled to end around 3pm, according to a press release.

Humayun Ahmed was born on November 13, 1948 at Kutubpur village of Netrokona district. He studied chemistry at the Dhaka University and later became a professor of chemistry there. l

Palestinian civilian casualties

Jan 5 election

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

In all, 258 Palestinians, most of them civilians, had been killed since the fighting began on July 8, Gaza officials said.

Dozens of Palestinian families, forewarned by evacuation notices made by Israel fled toward the interior, leaving empty streets.

Among yesterday’s fatalities were three teenage brothers, who medics said were shelled by an Israeli tank inside their house, at a residential building in Beit Lahiya, a northern town.

Though they are die-hard foes, Israel says it does not intend to topple Hamas, the dominant Islamist force in Gaza.

Live television showed rockets shot down by Israel’s Iron Dome interceptor.

Israeli media said the army appeared to be probing northern and southern frontier zones for cross-border tunnels, Palestinian command bunkers and buried rocket silos.

A soldier was Israel’s second fatality in eleven days of fighting. A rocket attack killed a civilian two days ago.

Hostilities Surge

Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said Israel had killed 14 Palestinian gunmen in “exchanges of fire throughout Gaza.”

Hamas said its fighters had repelled Israeli forces in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, wounding seven soldiers.

Israel calls the Gaza offensive a response to mounting rocket salvoes fired by the Palestinians.

Hostilities were stoked by the killing of three Israeli teens in the occupied West Bank last month and the death on July 2 of a Palestinian youth in a suspected revenge murder.

Israel briefly held fire on Tuesday after Egypt, which also borders Gaza, announced a truce plan; but Hamas and other militants balked saying their conditions had not been addressed.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon, speaking after the announcement of the ground assault, implored Israel to do more to stop Palestinian civilian deaths. l

BNP announces Dhaka city unit  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Shamsul Huda, Sazzad Jahir, Ekramul Hossain, Yunus Mridha, Bazlul Basit Anju, Sadek Ahmed, Ali Asgar Matobbor, Nitai Chandra Gosh, Ahsanullah Hasan, Borhanuzzaman Omar, Harun-ur-Rashid, Sirajul Islam, Golam Hossain, Tanvir Adel Babu, Abul Hasan Talukdar, Abu Motalib, Ali Imam Asad, Abdul Matin, Abdus Samad, Altaf Hossain, Farid Ahmed, Anwar Parvej Badal, Aktar Hossain, Nabiullah Nabi, Mir Hossain Miru, Fakhrul Islam, Ferdous Ahmed, Tanvir Ahmed, Sheikh Rabiul Alam, Kafil, Arifur Rahman Nadim, Jafrul and SM Jilani.

Party Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday night decided to announce the convening committee in consultation with senior leaders at her Gulshan office.

At a press conference on March 12, Khoka said he did not want to be included in the committee and requested the BNP chairperson to reconstitute the city committee.

Khaleda in a Standing Committee meeting on March 9 decided to reorganise the city unit. About one month back, she slammed the city unit leaders for failing to give momentum to the party’s street movement ahead of the January 5 national elections and

“I will, if confirmed, passionately advocate policies that enshrine peaceful democratic values, including respect for human rights and diversity, room for civil society to flourish, space for the free and peaceful discussion of political differences unmarred by violence, and adherence to the rule of law by an independent judiciary.”

Regarding the trial of war criminals, Bernicat siad: “The United States supports bringing to justice those who committed atrocities in the 1971 war, but those trials should be fair and transparent, and in accordance with international standards. We will also continue to support the right of impressive Bangladeshi civil society organisations to operate independently and to express their views openly, recognising that such institutions play an important role in any flourishing democracy.”

About the Grameen Bank, Bernicat said: “We also encourage the government to ensure the continued effectiveness of Grameen Bank and protect its unique governance structure.” l

threatened to disslove the committee and form a new one.

Admitting their failure, the city leaders said they did not dare to face the law enforcers who “opened fire” on them. Abdus Salam urged Khaleda to form a new committee, inducting the existing leaders into it.

This made Khaleda furious. She said: “[How dare] you dictate me! Do I have to ask you who I will keep in the committee?”

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

RAB helicopters fail to take off in combating crime  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

was flown to Dhaka under orders from authorities concerned as it was a national issue at the time.

According to RAB, Singapore-based Bell Helicopter Middle East (PTE) Ltd supplied the two helicopters from the USA to the elite force in February 2013.

An 18-month service agreement was also reached with local company Rahimafrooz at the time.

The RAB helicopters were reportedly bought to combat crime, maintain coordination with roads and river-based forces, conduct operations in remote areas, distribute relief, rescue injured victims, supply arms and am-

munition, provide logistical support and carry out patrolling during national programmes.

During their first year of operation, the two choppers required maintenances worth Tk5 crore, including over 40,000 litres of fuel that was needed for different operations.

Explaining the high maintenance cost, Wing Commander Habibur said sometimes a single screw – irrespective of whether it was used or not – needed to be changed after just one month. The helicopters also required maintenance check-ups before and after every operation as well as a major maintenance after every 175 hours of flying.

Currently, the RAB air wing has 39 officials including seven pilots, two maintenance officers and one medical officer. According to sources at the air wing, the total monthly salaries for the air wing officers stand around Tk15 lakh.

According to the expenditure figures of the choppers’ cost and officials’ salaries, the RAB air wing has spent around Tk65 crore since it started its journey.

The Bangladesh Army is currently providing the space, office and officials for the RAB air wing; while a source told the Dhaka Tribune that a draft agreement is waiting to be signed that would ensure that the Army would provide such services for three to four more years. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Unrest may erupt in RMG sector over payment before Eid Islam and Mohammad n Rabiul Jamil Khan A tense situation prevails in the readymade garment sector as an intelligence agency report hints that violence may erupt in garment factories, especially those in Dhaka, centring the nonpayment of wages and festival bonuses.

The Home Ministry is observing the ongoing situation. It has already issued a letter and asked the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association to immediately take initiatives in this regard.

P5 30 INJURED IN CLASH RMG workers have already started staging protests in the capital’s Badda, Rampura and Mirpur areas, demanding the payment of their arrears.

Unrest in the RMG sector takes place almost every year just before Eid over the payment of workers’ arrears and bonuses. The workers take to the streets to press home their demands, causing long tailbacks on highways.

Law enforcers baton-charge the workers to bring the situation under control, resulting in clashes. Such a situation might arise in many garment factories in the capital this year, according to special reports of special branch and industrial police.

Abdus Salam, deputy inspector general of Industrial Police, said they were trying their best to ensure that the workers got their wages in due time.

“Garment factory owners have also assured us they would pay the workers their salaries and bonuses,” he said.

Despite all-out efforts, unrest might occur in some garment factories centring salary and bonus. “We are trying to figure out the reasons after identifying the factories,” he explained.

As part of the move, they held talks with a number of factory owners and discussed the issue. “The factory owners have yet to show reluctance over the payment of wages,” he added.

Preferring anonymity, a high official of the Home Ministry said intelligence officials and police had identified 133 garment factories in the capital and Dhaka district where unrest might take place, apart from seven factories in Narayanganj.

BKMEA Vice-President Mohammad Hatem said a number of factories face trouble every month over the non-payment of wages due to various problems, including delays in shipment.

But the situation turns worse during the festival. “We hope the problems will be solved,” he said.

BGMEA President Atiqul Islam said the owners face problems as they have to pay the workers’ salary for the month of July. “We usually pay the workers their salaries for July in August, but we have to pay them in the current month.”

Besides, the owners have to pay festival allowances and as a result, it is very difficult for a number of factories to pay their workers’ salaries.

“We sought support from the banks and we are closely monitoring the situation,” Atiqul told the Dhaka Tribune over the phone yesterday.

According to the intelligence report, violence might erupt in 124 factories which failed to pay the workers salaries for the last month.

The workers of Toba Group’s garments factory in Badda took to the streets since they had not paid for the last three months.

Sources claimed that uncertainty looms over the payment of salaries and bonuses in some factories among the 1,200 factories which are not the members of BGMEA. Of the total 4,300 factories listed with BGMEA, 3,300 are now operative.

There are also 1,000 more listed factories under BKMEA. All these factories would have to pay Eid bonuses as per the new wage structure that was announced in December last year. l

International call termination rate cut proposal on PM’s table n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

A tree on the central reservation leans over the Link Road of Bangla Motor in the city yesterday, posing a threat to running vehicles which might bump into it anytime resulting in a serious accident MEHEDI HASAN

Muggers in private cars belong to high society n Mohammad Jamil Khan

Gangs of muggers who ride around in Premio and Allion cars without number plates, robbing people in upscale areas of the capital, belong to high society and are well educated.

The number of such gangs is not too high. There are five or six active in the capital’s posh areas.

The Dhaka Tribune made an educated guess after this correspondent had talks with a number of intelligence officials and with people who had fallen victim to such muggers.

Earlier, on July 16, the Dhaka Tribune ran a report on such muggings.

Police claimed yesterday that they were able to track down one of the muggers named Apon (28). Apon was killed in an encounter with Detective Branch of police on Friday.

The deputy commissioner of police of Uttara told the Dhaka Tribune that Apon and four of his four used to mug people, by using Premio cars, in different areas of the capital. From the descriptions

Fakhrul: Govt authorising JS to control judiciary n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The BNP yesterday alleged that the government was authorising parliament to impeach Supreme Court judges with a view to curtailing the independence of the judiciary.

At an iftar in the capital yesterday, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged that the plan to take “absolute control” of the judiciary was “an attempt to restore Baksal.”

Fakhrul claimed that parliament did not represent even 5% of the people of the country but it was planning to bring the judiciary under its control.

The law minister recently hinted that the government had been working on a probable restoration of the legislature’s authority over the Supreme Court.

On June 26, the Law Commission submitted a report on the ways to reduce backlog of cases and suggested restoring article 96 of the 1972 constitution. Later, a parliamentary committee discussed the matter, but the government finally rejected the suggestion. l

provided by Tanvir Bashar, the assistant personal secretary of the finance minister, one can make a good guess about the social position of these muggers.

Tanvir Bashar was mugged in front of his house on June 30. It was around 11:45pm. Tanvir had just reached his house (no 73, Dhanmondi 8/A) after meeting some of his friends.

Since the main gate of his house was padlocked, Tanvir yelled at the security guard to open the gate. He suddenly spotted a white car parked in front of his house. A young man, about five feet eight inches tall, got out of the car.

In a soft voice the man said: “Brother, I have something to say to you.” As the man approached him, Tanvir grew suspicious. He asked the man why he was there at so late night and at the same time he yelled at his security guard to open the gate.

As soon as he turned, three other masked young men leaped out of the car. Tanvir asked the security guard to open the gate quickly but the four, aged between 25 and 30, had encir-

cled him by then and warned that if the guard opened the gate, they would open fire.

Helpless and realising that there was no help in sight, Tanvir handed his all valuables over to them.

Tanvir moved in front of the car and found the driver chuckling. Angry, Tanvir asked: “Are you happy now?”

The driver bobbed his head up and down and said, “Yes.” The driver then turned the ignition key and drove away. “As the car shot past me I saw its number plate daubed with white colour,” he said.

Tanvir thinks that these muggers are not from outside his area, since police are always on patrol and it is also impossible for muggers to keep their number plate painted for any length of time.

Abu Bakkar Siddique, officer-in-charge of Dhanmondi police station, told the Dhaka Tribune that these muggers were few in number. He added that they were split into five or six groups in the upscale areas of the capital.

“The description of speaking style,

gait and movement of the muggers which we received from the victims are similar. We have studied all the details of the complaints,” he said.

“In primary investigation, we are pretty sure that these muggers belong to high society. We hope that we will be able to bust their hideouts before Eid.” Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan police (DMP), told the Dhaka Tribune that criminals mostly use fake number plates and registrations for their vehicles.

“Police have set up checkpoints at strategic points and are conducting drives and raids to catch them,” he said.

Besides, the DMP is setting up cameras to turn the posh areas, one by one, into digital safe zones. As part of the drive it has already set up cameras in Gulshan and Uttara divisions, he said.

Lutful Kabir, deputy commissioner of police of Gulshan Division, said: “We are trying our best to nab the criminals.” l

Dhaka for security dialogue with Myanmar n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Bangladesh will try to strike a deal with Myanmar in signing a memorandum of understanding on security dialogue during the foreign secretary-level talks in August.

“The draft of the security dialogue has been sent to Myanmar and we hope to conclude the deal in the foreign secretary-level talks,” Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune.

Myanmar Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Thant Kyaw will arrive in Dhaka on August 28 and will have the 8th of such official talks on August 31.

The objective of holding security dialogue is to build confidence and remove mistrust, he said.

The secretary at a programme on Bangladesh-Myanmar relationship recently said the main problem between the two countries was mistrust and lack of confidence. The issues in the security dialogue will include border security and management, irregular flow of population, human trafficking, arms and drugs smuggling, armed robbery at the sea, epidemic and pest attack, and cooperation in defense and border forces.

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Dhaka has security dialogue arrangement with Washington and New Delhi.

The government plans to have at least one meeting in a year where an additional secretary of the foreign ministry will lead the Bangladesh delegation.

Bangladesh will raise the issue of Rohingya repatriation as soon as possible as the citizens of Myanmar residing in Bangladesh are creating social, environment and other problems for the country.

Dhaka is well aware about the human rights situation in Rakhine state but Bangladesh is a small country and it cannot allow Myanmar nationals to be pushed into its territory, said another senior foreign ministry official.

About 30,000 Rohingya refugees are stationed in Bangladesh while about 0.3 to 0.5 million undocumented Myanmar nationals are residing in the country.

Dhaka will discuss the issue of gas import from the Shwe gas field in Rakhine state during the official talks.

“There are four stakeholders in that gas field and we will reach all of them,” said the senior official.

Bangladesh had already discussed the issue with China and they were positive about it, he said.

A consortium of China, India, Myanmar and Daewoo of South Korea has developed the gas field and about 800km long pipeline was installed to supply gas from Rakhine state to Kunming in China in 2013. Dhaka is now preparing to negotiate with other stakeholders like Myanmar, India and Daewoo for importing gas, the official said.

Bangladesh and Myanmar are the members of BCIM initiative and the issue will be discussed in the official level talks.

“In addition to that Bangladesh is ready to construct 25 kilometres long road to smooth connectivity between the two countries,” the official said.

The proposal had been included in the 2007-08 Annual Development Programme but Myanmar is yet to respond to the project. Bangladesh would also like to finance and develop 125 kilometres long roads inside Myanmar to connect Taungbro to Bawalibazar so that it would be easier for Bangladesh to connect to Kunming, China, the official said.

Dhaka will also seek Nay Pyi Taw’s support for Bangladesh’s candidature for UN Human Rights Commission election to be held in October. l

A BTRC proposal for slashing international incoming call termination rates – which had previously been rejected by the Finance Ministry for alleged irregularities – has now been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) after massive lobbying from different influential quarters including several senior cabinet members.

Post and Telecommunication Division sources said the latest of the two BTRC proposals in this regard was sent to the PMO last week, as there was confusion on whether the approval of the proposal might cost the government around Tk1,000 crore.

“We have sent the proposal to the head of the government for her views, as it has twice been rejected by the Finance Ministry,” Md Abubakar Siddique, outgoing secretary of Post and Telecommunication Division, told the Dhaka Tribune.

He added that earlier, the ministry had rejected two BTRC proposals as the telecom regulatory body acknowledged that the government might end up losing around Tk1,073 crore for slashing call termination rates.

Earlier the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) recommended lowering international call termination charges to 1.5 US cents ($0.015) per minute from the existing 3 US cents ($0.03) for IGW operators and also reducing the share of government from 51.75% to 40% only.

The BTRC – in its first proposal in July last year – said the government earned around Tk1,800 crore from international call termination, while the earnings might be reduced to only around Tk777 crore if the proposal was accepted. However, when the initial proposal was rejected in March this year, the BTRC amended its estimations and submitted a second proposal to the Finance Ministry in May claiming that slashing the call termination rates would allow the government to earn an additional Tk162 crore.

The second proposal, however, was also rejected. l

UTTARA COLLEGE GIRL ABDUCTION

Alleged suspect killed in shoot-out n Kailash Sarkar A man, who was allegedly involved in mugging, using a white Premio, and also in the abduction of a college girl from Uttara, was killed in a “gunfight” with the police early yesterday in the capital’s Hatirjheel.

The alleged criminal, Md Giasuddin alias Shafiqul Islam, 27, was from East Chandpur village under Senbagh upazila in Noakhali. He was also known as Apon.

Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said acting on a tip-off about a mugging attempt in Hatirjheel, around 3:30am, two teams of the detective branch of police chased a Premio car carrying the suspected criminals.

“The people inside the car fired at police, forcing the latter to shoot back,” he said, adding: “At one stage, the passengers fled, except one who had been injured.”

Masudur said a sub-inspector and a constable also sustained injuries in the gunfight. The car was seized, and a gun, two bullets and three mobile phones were recovered from the scene.

Apon was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead, said the policeman.

“Apon had at least 15 cases filed against him, including three murder cases, four arms cases and seven mugging cases, with different police stations. He was arrested several times in the past and in 2010, escaped from

the dock after being taken to a Dhaka court,” he said.

Masudur said on July 3, Apon had kidnapped a college girl from Uttara, after killing a security guard, and had raped her.

The girl was abducted from Sector 4 in Uttara on the night of July 3 in the presence of her groom and mother.

The abductors had killed security guard Liakat Hossain alias Liton before taking her away.

The girl, however, was dropped off a few hours later in Uttara and police arrested a youth named Rummon, his brother, father and one of his friends from Kafrul, for their alleged involvement in the abduction of the girl and the murder of the security guard.

Nisarul Arif, deputy commissioner of Uttara division, said Apon had kidnapped the girl and raped her.

“Apart from mugging, he would abduct and rape girls,” he said.

“Using a white Premio car, he was involved in several recent mugging incidents in different places such as Dhanmondi, Gulshan, Banani, Rampura and Uttara,” he added.

Nisarul said they were certain about Apon’s involvement in the abduction of the college girl from Uttara but the girl and her mother suspected that two teachers of the college and Rummon, her former sweetheart, were behind it.

“Rummon and others arrested with him had no links to the incident,” he added. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Govt prepares to tackle next century of climate threats Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 to be formulated at Tk87 crore provided by the Netherlands n Abu Bakar Siddique A government plan is in the making to cope with climate change and population increases over the next hundred years.

Armed with Tk87 crore provided by the government of the Netherlands to cover the cost of the plan, the Planning Commission began work on Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 in March.

Prof Shamsul Alam, member of the planning commission, said the government was devising a coordinated approach to address issues like climate

change, water resources management, river dredging and the construction of embankments.

Mitigating the negative impacts of climate change is the major focus of the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, he added.

Sources said the plan could be finalized by 2016.

Twenty research projects on various issues, which will be incorporated into the Delta Plan, were conducted by eleven expert organizations.

Locally produced expert input will be provided by the Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information

Services (CEGIS) and the Institute of Water Modelling (IWM). Nine expert organizations based in the Netherlands will also contribute to the effort.

Prof Dr M Monowar Hossain, executive director of the Institute of Water Modelling, said the plan would be framed based on the criteria and demands of eight different geo-ecological zones in Bangladesh.

Earlier, government initiatives to preserve the country’s ecology have included the national water management plan, the integrated coastal management plan, the haor master plan and

the national water resources management plan.

A memorandum of understanding was signed in Dhaka on March 22 between Planning Minister AK Khandker and the Dutch Minister for Development Dr Ben Knapen to foster a strategic partnership on sustainable delta management, based on the experience of the Netherlands. Both countries are located in deltaic plains.

Countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia have had positive results from taking a coordinated approach to sustainable development. l

31 migrants return from Iraq, Expat Ministry in the dark n Rabiul Islam Some 31 more Bangladeshi migrants returned home yesterday from Iraq on grounds of lack of security.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune over the phone, Shajahan Miah, one of the returnees, said they were flown home on a Qatar Airlines flight which landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 5:45am.

Shajahan was working at Hanwha Engineering and Construction Corporation, a South Korean Company. Around 6,000 Bangladeshis are employed there.

Shiite army men beat up about 20 of the Bangladeshis who work at the company, he said, adding that three were badly injured and had been admitted to a hospital in Iraq.

Mahabub and Abdul Mannan were among those hospitalised, he said.

“Who could tell me for sure that I would not be beaten up?” Shajahan Miah

Trawler with 35 passengers capsizes in Shitalakkhya; no missing n Our Correspondent, Narayanganj A trawler carrying about 35 passengers sank yesterday in the Sitalakhya River in Bandar Kheyiaghat area of the district.

Witness sources said the incident took place around 2pm and no missing persons or casualties were reported from the accident at the time of the filing this report in the evening.

ABM Mamtaza Uddin Ahmed, deputy director of Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the engine-run trawler moving towards Narayanganj central ferry ghat capsized because a cargo ship crashed into it.

There were about 35 passengers onboard. However, all of them managed to swim ashore with the help of nearby fishermen.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority’s Joint Director Joynal Abedin said upon being informed, they started search drives as early as possible and by 5:30pm, they had not found any casualties.

One of the divers, Masum, said they spotted the sunken trawler and pulled it to shore with rope, and no bodies were found inside. l

Fakhrul: Govt using law enforcers as party ‘cadres’ n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

With Eid shopping going on at full throttle, a boy - exhausted and drained from his shopping experience - takes a break on the floor of a market yesterday

MEHEDI HASAN

Health directorate bulletin: Neonatal 2 women commit suicide at Chittagong University deaths on the rise n Tribune Report More than 86,000 babies were born in the public medical college hospitals and a health institute in the country last year, according to this year’s local health bulletin published by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Of them, 5,055 babies were stillborn, and among the live births, 7,746 babies died within the first 28 days and 8,142 died within a year.

The statistics were collected from the 13 public medical college hospitals across the country, and the Institute of Child and Mother Health, Rajshahi (ICMHR).

Dr Abu Zafar Md Musa, director of primary health care at the DGHS, told the Dhaka Tribune that the data for the bulletin was collected, via the management information system department, from the district and upazila health

questioned. He said he had been unable to go out for about seven months.

“When I was interviewed, I was told that I would be allowed to go outside every week,” added Shajahan.

The Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry knows nothing about the return of 31 migrant workers.

Sources said a committee had been formed, headed by the ministry’s Joint Secretary Nurul Islam, to look after the situation in Iraq. When asked about the latest returnees, Islam said: “I have to verify the report.”

Besides security reasons, migrants could also return home normally, the official claimed. Earlier, over 100 migrants returned home from Iraq feeling insecure in the war-torn country.

According to the Foreign Ministry, 15 Bangladeshis who were stranded in northern Iraq are scheduled to return home this morning. l

complexes as well.

Health experts will verify the data, he said.

About the number of neonatal death – death of babies within 28 days of birth – Dr Musa said: “We have taken certain steps to reduce the neonatal death rate.”

According to the bulletin, the highest number of live birth was 12,576 at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH), while the lowest was 1,901 at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital.

Dhaka Medical College Hospital had the highest number of stillbirths, while ICMHR had the lowest.

The highest number of neonatal death was 1,689, out of 9,329 live births, at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Shahid Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital had the lowest number of neonatal death 32, out of 2,214 live births.

The highest number of infant deaths was 1,546 out of 12,576 live birth at the CMCH, and the lowest was 31 out of 4,313 live births at the DMCH. The highest number child deaths under five years of age was 2,401 at the CMCH. And the lowest was 48 at Shahid Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital.

The bulletin also provides information on Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI).

IMCI is an integrated approach to child health focusing on a child’s whole well-being, aiming to reduce death, illness and disability, and to promote improved growth and development among children under five years of age.

According to the bulletin, the highest number of children given IMCI treatment was 48,130 at Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, and the lowest was 2,538 at the DMCH. l

n CU Correspondent A former female student and a mother with an eight year old daughter allegedly committed suicide yesterday by hanging themselves from the ceilings of their houses in Chittagong University campus.

The deceased Farjana Binte Karim, 32, was the daughter of ANM Nurul Karim, a retired teacher of Finance and Banking Department of Chittagong University, and Rozina Akter, 28, was the wife of Md Hasan who had recently returned from Saudi Arabia, said police.

Sub-Inspector Kamol Krishna Dhar of Hathazari police station said Rozina had committed suicide by hanging herself from a pillar of the tin-shed house she and her husband lived in at CU’s Islamia Colony area.

Police recovered the body and sent it to Chittagong Medical College Hospital morgue.

There were no injuries on the body and the reason behind the suicide could not be known immediately, said the police official.

Earlier, police had also recovered the body of Farjana Binte Karim from her residence in Uttara Residential Colony on the campus.

Sub-Inspector Atikur Rahman of Hathazari police station said Farjana had hanged herself from a ceiling fan in her bedroom at Borhan Ullah Bhaban in the area around 4pm on Wednesday.

Police recovered the body around 8:30pm, Atik said, adding that the woman had been suffering from depression.

Two unnatural death cases were lodged with Hathazari police station. l

BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday alleged that the government was resorting to killing the people by using the law enforcement agencies as its party “cadres” and “goons.”

“The illegal government which grabbed power by force through the January 5 farcical election has now become desperate since the whole nation has been vocal against it. They are now committing genocide by using law enforcers as their party cadres,” he said in a statement.

The spokesperson of the party said BNP leader SM Biplob was tortured to death by police and ruling party men in Tala upazila of Satkhira.

He said police picked Biplob up and shot him in the name of a “gunfight” before killing him with the help of local ruling party “cadres.”

Protesting the killing, the BNP leader said Awami League can brutally kill people as the party is in the habit of killing people and spreading lies. He demanded the immediate arrest of the killers and exemplary punishment for them.

Earlier in the day, at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters, BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the government had now engaged the police to kill the opposition leaders and activists.

“The police were tasked with the killings and abductions since RAB has tarnished its image by doing so for a long time,” he said.

Condemning Biplob’s murder, he also alleged that the police were now killing innocent people by staging “dramas of gunfights.” l

Architect Habib Ahmed dies n Tribune Report Noted architect Habib Ahmed died at age 63 on Wednesday at 10pm.

His namaz-e-janaza was held on Thursday at Dhanmondi Jame Masjid after Zuhr prayers. He was buried at the Banani graveyard. Habib has left behind his wife, one son and a host of friends, relatives and loved ones.

The family of the deceased requests all relatives and well-wishers to join the qul-khani to be held at his ShaSha Bari residence in Dhanmondi after Asr prayer today. l

Bangladeshi housemaid burnt by employer in Hong Kong n Tribune Report

Locals in Mogbazar’s Aambazar demonstrate yesterday, protesting a proposed move that would see the closing of the only road that connects their area to the Hatirjheel MEHEDI HASAN

A former Hong Kong civil servant allegedly poured hot water on a Bangladeshi housemaid, causing burns to her chest, a district court in Hong Kong heard on Thursday.

Au Wai-chun, 61, pleaded not guilty to one count of intentionally causing grievous bodily harm to Begum Roksana, reported South China Morning Post, a Hong Kong-based English daily.

The court heard that the alleged assault took place on September 30 in Au’s home at Bauhinia Garden in Tseung Kwan O. The assault came after an argument between Au and Roksana over a cup of hot water, which Au later allegedly splashed on Roksana.

Roksana told the court that she had worked long hours that day when Au asked for a cup of hot water. However,

when she gave Au the water, Au said the water was not hot enough.

“She kept staring at me,” Roksana said, speaking through two interpreters who translated her statements from Bangla to English, then to Cantonese.

Roksana did not understand Cantonese and knew only limited English, the court heard.

Au then asked Roksana at least twice to test the water’s temperature by taking a sip from the cup, but Roksana refused to drink from it as Au had already drunk from the cup, as she told the court.

Au then allegedly pulled down Roksana’s t-shirt and poured the water on her chest, the maid said.

Au appeared in court in a wheelchair, wearing a neck brace and bandages wrapped around her wrists.

Medical reports cited by prosecutor Matthew Chong Chun-sang showed

that when Roksana was admitted to the hospital, the reddened area on her chest accounted for about 2% of her body. She was diagnosed with first-tosecond-degree burns on her chest.

The court also saw CCTV footage of Roksana in the lift, appearing to be in pain, as she left the scene after the incident. Judge Pang Chung-ping heard that Roksana had worked at three places, although her contract allowed her to work in only one place.

During cross-examination, defence counsel Judy Ma put to Roksana that she did not know her contract details well.

When probed, she had difficulty recalling her employer’s name and the size of the flat she was supposed to work in.

She also said Au, whom she referred to as “Madam,” was not her employer according to the contract. She was employed by a person named Leung. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Townspeople suffer as gas shortage turns acute in capital

Three held in Chittagong for yaba smuggling n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Government Railway Police (GRP) detained three persons, including a woman, from Chittagong Railway Station area yesterday for possession of yaba pills.

The detainees Asma Akhter, 18, Mohammad Yusuf, 22, and Belal Mia, 38,were taken into custody in two separate drives, together with 3,160 pieces of yaba, while they were attempting to travel into Dhaka.

They were being held at the GRP outpost at Chittagong Railway Station at the time of the filing of this report.

Two cases have been lodged with the outpost, GRP police sources said.

Chittagong Station GRP duty officer Constable Runa Laila told the Dhaka Tribune that Belal was taken into custody from the station platform while waiting to catch the Mahanagar Provati to Dhaka around 8:30am. Law enforcers found 2,160 yaba pills in his possession. The GRP were acting on a tip-off.

Another GRP team nabbed Asma and Yusuf earlier from Puraton Railway Station. They were taken into custody around 12:30am while in possession of 1,000 pieces of yaba. l

Titas officials blame spike in illegal connections, suggest repairing of old pipelines

n Aminur Rahman Rasel Acute gas shortage has hit the residents of Dhaka metropolitan and adjacent areas over the past few weeks due to a rise in new and illegal gas connections.

Since the first day of Ramadan, consumers in many areas of Dhaka and Narayanganj have been suffering through this crisis.

The government resumed approving new gas connections in May last year, following a moratorium.

According to Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company officials, the authorities have awarded around 60,000 new connections in the urban areas since May without any significant rise in production.

Besides, the number of illegal connections crossed two lakh and those provided were using around 250-km of illegal pipeline, mostly in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Narsingdi and Gazipur, they said.

These illegal connections have been

said to be consuming 200 million cubic feet of gas a day, causing several hundred crores of taka worth of losses for the government, daily.

Petrobangla has increased the gas supply from 850 mmcfd to 1,000 mmcfd for power generation.

The move came after the government asked its officials to ensure smooth power supply “We receive around 1,400 million cubic feet of gas (mmcfd) a day against the demand of nearly 1,800 mmcfd,” Director (Operations) of Titas Mir Moshiur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

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Saturday, July 19, 2014

He admitted that illegal gas connections had increased.

“Gas pipelines in most of the city areas are very old. If those are repaired and replaced, gas pressure would increase under the existing supply system,” he added.

According to Titas officials, Petrobangla, the state-owned oil company, has failed to increase gas supply in line with the ever-growing demand.

Besides, Petrobangla has increased the gas supply from 850 mmcfd to 1,000 mmcfd for power generation.

The move came after the government asked its officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply during iftar, Tarabi prayers and sehri.

“I failed to prepare the supper today because of a gas crisis. It has been like this for a couple of weeks. Now if gas is not supplied adequately, it will led to a problematic situation,” Rahima Begum of Azimpur told the Dhaka Tribune.

“The low supply has hit CNG stations across the capital. The pres-

sure of gas has fallen alarmingly.

Refuelling now takes more time than usual,” Abul Hossain, an operator at a CNG filling station in Shantinagar, said.

Many refuelling stations in the capital now have long queues of vehicles because of the gas crisis.

In many areas in the capital, kitchen stoves also do not get supplied gas till late afternoon.

Petrobangla supplied 2,350mmcfd of gas from all the fields across the country yesterday, against the demand of more than 3,000mmcfd, officials said.

“Over the last few days, we have been unable to prepare iftar items at home because of the low gas pressure,” said Nusrat Jahan, a resident of Mirpur.

Mahmuda Nargis, who lives in Mohammadpur, also said she failed to prepare iftar and dinner due to severe gas crisis. People living in Tejturi Bazar, Rajabazar, Rampura, Moghbazar Shewrapara, Rayer Bazar and Banasri areas also alleged poor supply of gas. l

UPDF member dies in gunfight with PCJSS n Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari A member of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) was killed in a gunfight with Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) yesterday at Laxmichhari upazila in the district.

Two PCJSS members were also injured during the gunfight at Tintohari jungle around 8:30am, said Assistant Superintendent of Police (Ramgorh circle) Mohammad Shahjahan.

He said the fight continued until around 9:00am, when UPDF member Paresh Tanchangya, 28, of the upazila’s Bajjapara died on the spot.

PCJSS members Shanto Chakma, 19, and Ananda Chakma, 26, of Rainnachhara received critical injuries and were sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

ASP Shahjahan said no case had been filed with them, nor had they arrested anybody in this connection until the filing of this report.

PCJSS Laxmichhari upazila unit president Jyotish Dewan blamed UPDF men for the attack and the injuries inflicted on two members of his party.

UPDF Press Secretary Niron Chakma refused to make any comments in this regard. l

Lack of maintenance risks medical services at Barisal General Hospital n Our Correspondent, Barisal Medical services and valuable and expensive medical machines at Barisal General Hospital have been put to risk as repairs of the hospital building remain suspended due to an alleged feud.

This correspondent found that the old building of the hospital, which was established in 1912 using public donations, had been in a depleted condition where the ceiling plaster had fallen off in many places and rain water regularly percolated into the rooms, posing great risks to medical equipments.

While talking to the staff of the hospital, it was learnt that the repairs of the building had remained suspended due to a feud between the health engineering department and the public works department (PWD).

Sources at the hospital said administrative building, outdoor building, operation theaters, toilets, diarrhea section and the X-ray department building was in poor shape and rain water regularly pours into the rooms during the monsoon.

Due to this severe condition of the building, female medicine ward has already been transferred to another portion of the building.

Altaf Hossain, a patient admitted at the male surgery ward of the hospital, alleged the toilet and bathroom of the ward became unusable due to the broken water connections.

WEATHER

LIGHT RAIN SATURDAY, JULY 19 DHAKA

TODAY SUN SETS 6:48PM

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:22AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY Dhaka

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34

27

Khulna

32

26

Barisal

32

26

Sylhet

35

27

Cox’s Bazar

30

27

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

34.7ºC Satkhira

24.4ºC Hatiya

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

3:56am 5:20am 12:05am 4:45pm 6:48pm 8:13pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

Dr Delwar Hossain, resident medical officer of the hospital, acknowledging the facts said: “We appealed many times to the public works department for repairing the hospital building on emergency basis. A letter was also sent to PWD on May 2014, but they have not yet started the repair works.”

Nur Hossain, ward master of the hospital, said the drainage, sewerage and sanitation systems of the hospital were in dire states as the building was more than 100-years old.

Another source at the hospital said Barisal General Hospital was recently upgraded to a 250-bed hospital, but the upgrade was yet to be implemented.

Acknowledging the problem, PWD Barisal Office Executive Engineer Zakir Hossain said the responsibility of repairing the hospitals up to 250-bed belonged to health engineering department and therefore, PWD cannot take any step in this regard.

Barisal Health Engineering Department Executive Engineer FM Murshid said Barisal General Hospital was part of the Barisal Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital and PWD was responsible for its maintenance.

SBMCH Director Dr Qamrul Islam said the hospital authority was well aware of the current situation at Barisal General Hospital and the PWD had earlier conducted some repair works at Barisal General Hospital as part of SBMCH. l

People collect water from roadside taps at Rajarbagh in the city as water crisis turns acute in the area. The photo was taken yesterday

Hawkers occupy footpaths causing pedestrians to suffer n Tribune Desk Hawkers in the port city’s New Market and Riazuddin Bazaar areas have again occupied the footpaths ahead of Ed-ulFitr, causing the pedestrians to suffer immensely.

People alleged that the law enforcement agencies do not pay heed to the tailbacks caused by the hawkers for unknown reasons.

Mohammad Ali, a pedestrian, alleged that hawkers and shop owners have occupied two kilometres of the footpaths on both sides of Station road, New Market intersection, Jubilee road, City College and Alkaran areas as well as the adjoining roads.

Another pedestrian Azizur Rahman said people, mostly from middle income groups, go to these markets to shop and fall victim to different types of fraudulent, criminal activities such as mugging.

Business activities of nearly 115 big and small markets at Reazuddin Bazaar, Tamakumandi Lane and Station Road are affected directly as hundreds of hawkers set up makeshift shops and stretch tarpaulins over the footpaths, narrowing down the walkways in front of these markets, alleged Mohammad Sohel, a shop owner at Reazuddin Bazar.

The wholesale and retail business hubs of Reazuddin Bazaar were the first choice of middle income families but the customers now prefer other shopping spots like Terribazar because they get to avoid the unpleasant hassle and congestion at Reazuddin Bazar, Sohel added.

Most of the traders of this market alleged that their businessed had recently fallen by 35%, compared to the previous years, due to the hawkers on the footpaths.

Wholesale traders alleged that they faced huge losses in the last six months due to low numbers of customers.

Akter Hossain, a wholesaler at Riazuddin bazaar, alleged that law- enforcement agencies had launched drives from time to time to clear the footpaths but all those were in vain because the hawkers enjoy the patronage of political parties.

Leaders of different hawkers unions who control these makeshift shops have good relations with the political leaders, he added.

The customers, mostly female, and those who come from villages easily fall victim to a section of con men who sell fake goods such as watches at high prices.

Besides, female customers are often physically harassed by the hawkers. l

MEHEDI HASAN

Korean company gives 10 fogger machines to DSCC, DNCC n Tribune Report

30 injured in RMG worker-police clash in Gazipur

A Korean sterilisation machine manufacturer has donated ten advanced fog machines to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) as part of its corporate social responsibility.

Earlier this week, the Korean company, IZ Fog, in collaboration with the commercial arm of Embassy of the Republic of Korea (KOTRA) held a programme to formally hand over the fog machines to the two city corporations.

At the ceremony, IZ Fog Chief Executive Officer Bae Sun-Yong handed over ten fog machines (five for each city corporation) to the city corporations’ authorities.

Bae said: “Hoping that this machine can be a small help in eradicating those harmful insects and improve national health of Bangladesh in which IZ Fog are present.”

KOTRA Resident Trade Representative Hur Jin-hak said the contribution displayed the commitment of Korean companies in Bangladesh, rather than just doing business.

DSCC Chief Health Officer Brigadier General M Abdullah-Al-Harun told the Dhaka Tribune: “The Korean company has given a total of 10 fogger machines to both of the city corporations, and each of the cities has got 5 machines.” l

n Tribune Report At least 30 people were injured in a clash yesterday between garment workers and police at Tongi industrial belt of Gazipur.

The clash took place when police tried to control the workers who had gone berserk while staging demonstrations in front of Jaber and Jubair Fabrics Ltd, demanding festival allowances and due salaries ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Witnesses and police said around 15,000 workers took to the streets around 7am, vandalising and torching the factory storehouses.

Police rushed there and tried to bring the situation under control but the workers attacked them, resulting in a series of chases and counter chases between them.

During the clash, the workers used brick chips and police used at least 20 rounds of tear gas canisters and charged with batons.

Movement of transportation on Tongi-Pagar road came to a halt for around three and a half hours.

Agitating workers said authorities had assured them that all the due wages and festival allowances would be paid, and it was almost mid July but they had yet to keep their word.

Assistant Superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police Abdul Khaleque said at least 15,000 workers had gone berserk while gathering in front of the factory because they had not been paid their due wages and festival allowances.

He said the agitating workers had hurled brick chips at the factory, breaking glass windows, had vandalised furniture on the ground floor and had torched a chemical warehouse of the factory.

Regarding the injuries, he said some workers might have received minor injuries when they were chased in retaliation for attacking the police. However, workers said their fellows were mostly injured because police had charged at them with batons.

Senior Officer at Tongi Fire Service and Civil Defence Selim Mia said the go-down was set on fire around 9am and could not be doused immediately since the agitated workers were blocking the way.

He said the firefighters managed to douse the blaze at 11am. The extent of the damage could not be estimated immediately.

ASP (Industrial) Khalque said the situation was now under control and additional police had been deployed in the area. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Pre-Eid rise in extortion in Kurigram raises misery n Our Correspondent, Kurigram A rise in extortion on four key roads in Kurigram ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr has added to the woes of both traders and people.

Rampant street extortion prevails at 38 points, including the four roads, as police have also been said to be involved in the practice.

Extortionists are charging more because of Eid which has forced traders to raise goods’ prices. Consequently, the consumers are bearing the brunt of the uncontrolled extortion, which the local administration allegedly overlooks.

Five organisations, including the police, have been said to be involved in extortion in nine upazilas.

According to transport owners, they

pay around Tk60 lakh a month in extortion and the amount would cross the crore mark in Ramadan.

Of the local transports operating in the district, nearly 100 minibuses pay Tk200-500 each, 150 long-route buses Tk1,000, 300 trucks Tk500-700, 300 microbuses Tk300, 200 pickup vans Tk100, 150 tractors Tk150, 400 trolleys Tk100, and 150 rented motorcycles pay Tk100 each to traffic police in extortion. Any truck, covered van or pickup van from outside the district has to pay Tk100.

Besides, there are more than 1,500 autobikes, tempos and human haulers, locally known as bhotbhoti, running in the district that also pay extortion.

The key extortion points are located on Kurigram-Rangpur

road, Kurigram-Chilmari road, Kurigram-Bhurungamari road, Kurigram-Razarhat road, Razarhat-Ulipur road, Nageshwari-Fulbari road, and Raumari-Rajibpur road. All the vehicles are forced to pay money to different organisations while they cross the points.

“To cross each point, we have to pay.

Otherwise, the vehicles are vandalised, and we are often subjected to mental and physical harassment. We need to pay to illegal organisations in order to make money to feed our families,” said Nurunnabi, a driver in Ulipur.

Hakim, another driver in Nageshwari, said the money is charged in the name of welfare of owners and drivers but they have no idea how the money is spent.

“I have been a driver for two years.

I have never seen any office of the organisations that collect money. I do not know if they do anything other than collecting the money,” he said.

Mojibur Rahman, who collects toll in the name of local municipality, said he collects Tk250-300 from vehicles every day but does not know how the money is spent.

“We have to pay toll at eight points to drive mango-laden pickup vans from Rangpur to Kurigram. Of those, four are in Kurigram city alone. Amid such a situation, we have no way but to raise the prices,” said Aminur, a fruit trader.

There are many traders like Aminur who bring fish, vegetables and a range of other goods to the district from outside, and they have to pay a lot in extortion. This compels them to increase

Road in a shambles within a month of inauguration

Satkhira BNP leader killed in 'shootout' n Our Correspondent, Satkhira

n Our Correspondent, Sirajganj

A local leader of BNP was killed in police firing in Islamkati-Sujanshah area under Tala upazila of Satkhira early yesterday.

The deceased, SM Biplab Kabir, was the general secretary of Jalalpur union unit BNP and son of late Seher Ali, of Doha village in the upazila.

Tala police station Sub-Inspector Kamrul said: “Acting on a tip-off, a team of police raided the Islamkati-Sujanshah area around 3am, while a gang of criminals were gathering in the area for conducting subversive activities.”

“Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the criminals hurled some crude bombs targeting the police. In retaliation, the police also opened fire, leaving Biplob critically injured.”

Later, the police admitted him to Sadar Hospital, where is succumbed to his injuries.

Family members and locals claimed that Biplob was not planning to carry out any sabotage.

“A team of police picked him up from his house at night and later killed him.”

Denying the allegations, police said Biplob was a terrorist and wanted in 10 criminal cases. The police they have recovered some local sharp weapons from the spot.

However, they could not arrest other “criminals,” as they managed to flee the scene after Biplob's injury. l

The approach roads leading to the Garabari Bridge in Kamarkhanda upazila of Sirajganj have become unfit for use within a month of being formally inaugurated by the Communications Minister Obaidul Quader.

The Tk5 crore project was assigned to a company called Mir Habibul and Mir Shariful JB based in Natore but was implemented by local government backed contractor Palestine Dulal.

Fretting over the dilapidated condition of the newly inaugurated bridge, locals and Sirajganj-2 MP Habibe Millat Munna blamed the sub-standard construction work by the contractor.

MP Habibe Millat Munna visited the damaged bridge yesterday.

Despite visible cracks on the protection embankments under the bridge, it was inaugurated by the communications minister on June 14, claimed locals.

After inauguration, reporters informed the matter to the minister, they said.

Officials at the Roads and Highways Department said the cracks that have appeared on the protection embankments along the joint expansions under the bridge were not alarming and would be repaired soon.

RHD Sub-Divisional Engineer Ashraful Islam said the heavy rain in the last few days was responsible for the cracks and for the time being it had been repaired with sand.

Echoing Ashraful Islam, Executive

An engineer of Sarupkathi Upazila Engineer’s Office has been alleged to have constructed a building on a vested property land in the city.

There are allegations that Abul Hossain, a deputy assistant engineer, has constructed a three-storey building on the land right across the entrance to Sarupkathi Upazila Parishad Office.

Enayet Hossain, assistant land officer of Sarupkathi Municipal Land Office, said Abul occupied 6.5 decimals of a vested property land during the previous term of the Awami League government and gradually built the building.

“While occupying the land, Abul said he was a close relative of a top influential official. He also maintained close ties with Shahalam, former lawmaker of Pirojpur 2 constituency, during the construction,” he added.

Md Habibullah, a local man, said complaints were lodged with different authorities several times but no action was taken against the engineer.

The ground floor of the building houses several shops while a Jatiya Party office and the regional office of a newspaper are on the first floor. On

the second floor, there is a Chhatra League office.

Journalists allegedly stopped coming to office when the building spawned controversy.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Mizanur Rahman, who was recently transferred from Sarupkathi, said

The approach road leading to Garabari Bridge in Kamarkhanda upazila of Sirajganj have been damaged within a month of inauguration DHAKA TRIBUNE

Engineer of the department Md Moniruzzaman said the repair work would start today with the assigned contrac-

tor and that it might take eight to 10 days to repair.

The construction work for the bridge

he wrote to the Sarupkathi upazila engineer and the mayor of the local municipality in view of a complaint, which was filed by a local, that the building was erected without any plan or approval on an occupied land.

“I wrote to them, urging a probe into the allegation. As far as I am

An engineer of Sarupkathi Upazila Engineer's Office has allegedly constructed the building on a vested property land in Pirojpur district town DHAKA TRIBUNE

concerned, a probe committee was formed by the municipality. According to rules of public employment, no government official or worker is permitted to buy a land or construct a building in the place where he is posted. Abul not only violated the rule but also built a building on an illegally occupied land,” he said.

Md Shafiqul Islam Farid, mayor of Sarupkathi municipality, told the Dhaka Tribune, action would be taken in light of the report to be submitted by the investigation committee.

“I did everything in accordance with the rule,” said Abul, refuting the allegations.

He, however, refused to comment when reminded the limitation applied to public servants with regard to purchasing a land or constructing a building.

“Nearly 30 years back, a man named Joynal Abedin held this land, along with several others, on a lease.

After his death, his sons maintained the lease till 2008. As they did not renew it, this became a government land. Abul erected a building there after occupying it. I will urge the upazila nirbahi officer to take action against him,” said Enayet.

Sarupkathi Upazila Engineer Md Kabir Mia said there are debates over the land and the building. l

EVICTION OF SEX WORKERS FROM BROTHEL

Islamist group threatens human rights organisations n Our Correspondent, Tangail An Islamist organisation warned human right organisations of dire consequences if they tried to re-establish the Kandapara brothel in Tangail district town.

The Asamajik Karjokolap Protirodh Committee made the statement at a rally held on the premises of the Shaheed Minar.

The rally was presided over by Shamsujjaman Khan, imam of Tangail central Jam-e-mosque.

Speakers at the rally said there would not be any positive consequences for the human right organisations who were supporting prostitution.

They said nobody in Tangail would be allowed to visit the abandoned brothel to reestablish it.

Maulana Shamsujjaman said, “If anyone tries to enter the empty brothel, our people will beat them up.”

After Juma prayers, people started gathering on the premises of the Shaheed Minar.

Two persons, including an adolescent, were killed in separate road mishaps yesterday in Chittagong city’s BRTC bus stand and Chandgaon areas.

The deceased were Md Abdullah, 12, and Simul Barua, 35, said police sources.

Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Pankaj Barua of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) police outpost said a speeding truck carrying mangoes had knocked Abdullah down near Folmondi in BRTC bus stand area around 9:30am.

He was taken to CMCH where the boy succumbed to his injuries around 12pm, said ASI Pankaj.

In another accident, Simul Barua was critically injured when a Rider (human haulier) collided with a CNG-run auto-rickshaw, after the haulier driver lost control over the steering, near the Bus Signal area under Chandgaon police station around 2:30pm.

He was taken to CMCH where the on duty doctors declared him dead, said the ASI. l

Minor girl killed allegedly by step-mother n Our Correspondent, Gazipur

Engineer constructs building on vested property land in Pirojpur n Our Correspondent, Pirojpur

the prices to make up for the additional money they pay to extortionists.

Preferring anonymity, a motor vehicle owner said it is not a secret that the local administration works in collusion with extortionists.

“If you have a transport, you have to pay toll. We the owners seem to be the hostages of police, goons and extortionists,” he said.

Superintendent of Police in Kurigram Sanjay Kumar Kundu denied allegations of unchecked extortion throughout the district, saying he knew nothing.

“I have no information on involvement of traffic police in extortion. As for extortion in the name of organisations, we will take stern action if we get concrete proof,” he added. l

Road mishaps kill two in Chittagong n CU Correspondent

They also put up barricades on a road in the area for two hours, stopping traffic movement on both sides of the road.

Imam of Berabuchna mosque Ahmed Hasan Abed, imam of Graveyard mosque Maulana Mufti Asrafujjaman Kasemi, Organising Secretary of Tangail district Awami League unit Subhash Chandra Saha and Secretary of Baby Stand mosque committee Badsha Miah addressed the rally, among others.

Members of the organisation

made the threat following a rumour that was spread in the district town stating that the chairman of Bangladesh Manabadhiker Commission Dr Mizanur Rahman and four ambassadors would visit Kandapara brothel.

Additional police have been deployed in different points of the town as a tense situation prevails there.

Many sex workers have rented houses at different residential areas of the town, causing people in those areas to be much concerned. l

started in December last year. Local people urges authorities concerened to repair the road as early as possible. l

A two-year-old girl was murdered, allegedly by her step-mother, at Chandpur Panchimpara village in Kapasia upazila here on Thursday.

The victim of the fateful incident is Moslema Akter, the daughter of Tazul Islam.

Local sources said Tazul has two wives and Moslema is his daughter from his first marriage with Afroza Begum.

On the day of Moslema's death, a brawl took place between Afroza and the other wife, Jannatul Ferdouse, around 4pm.

Afroza alleged that Jannatul had strangled her daughter to death because of the fight they had earlier, and added that she had hidden the body beneath of the child's cot.

Upon being informed, police recovered the body and sent it to Gazipur Sadar Hospital for an autopsy.

Kapasia police station SI Abul Kalam Azad said they had arrested Jannatul and Tazul for interrogation. The filing of a case regarding the incident was under process, the SI added. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

7

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Malaysian plane downing: Will it change course of Ukraine conflict? n Agencies

Clockwise from top left: People lay flowers and light candles in front of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Kiev. Akmar Binti Mohd Noor, 67, whose sister was onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 from Amsterdam, cries outside the family holding area at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang. A piece of wreckage of the downed plane is pictured in Shaktarsk. The picture shows the wreckages of the Malaysia Airlines jet that crashed in rebel-held east Ukraine AFP

Inside Malaysia Airlines, tears and shock as tragedy strikes again n Reuters, Kuala Lumpur It started with another late-night phone call, another rush to the airport, where familiar faces in a familiar setting tried to make sense of nearly 300 more lives lost in the second disaster to strike Malaysia Airlines in the space of just a few months.

For a company and a nation still struggling to come to terms with the unsolved disappearance of Flight MH370 on March 8, Thursday’s apparent shooting down of another Boeing 777 over eastern Ukraine was a devastating blow.

“For something like this to happen, just four months after MH370, just when we were beginning to get on with

life, it is just very difficult to take,” one airline executive told Reuters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, sobbing as he spoke.

“You can’t imagine how draining it is, how emotional it is. Everyone can’t believe this is happening again, we are going through all of the emotions once again.”

After the earlier tragedy, politicians and airline officials were slow to acknowledge the plane had gone missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and then gave confusing, sometimes contradictory statements.

On Thursday, the news began to filter in just after 11 p.m. local time that something had gone wrong with Flight

Arundhati Roy: Mahatma Gandhi was a casteist

n Tribune Desk Booker prize-winning author Arundhati Roy, who criticized Mahatma Gandhi for his “casteist tendencies” in the past, has gone a step further saying it was time institutions named after the India’s Father of the Nation were renamed.

Roy said the process could begin with renaming universities, a reference perhaps to Mahatma Gandhi University, one of Kerala’s leading institutions, while delivering the Mahatma Ayyankali address

— in memory of the state’s renowned dalit leader — at the Kerala University.

Roy cited an essay by Gandhi in 1936 titled “The Ideal Bhangi,” in which he advises manual scavengers to convert urine and night soil into manure as proof of his patronising attitude towards Harijans and how it helped reinforce caste hierarchies.

Refuting Roy, JM Rahim, coordinator for Centre for Gandhian Studies, drew attention to Gandhi’s autobiography “My Experiments with Truth” in which he narrates how he fought bitterly with his wife Kasturba as he wanted her to clean the latrine, refusing to allow a bhangi to do it. “When his wife protested, he did the job himself,” Rahim said.

“To quote Gandhi out of context and say he was casteist is not only superficial but also shows Roy hasn’t understood his philosophy. In South Africa, for instance, a Tamil Dalit family afflicted with leprosy stayed in his ashram despite the objections of the inmates,” Rahim said.

Making a connection with BJP’s “casteist” politics, Roy recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi too had said that balmikis (bhangis) have scavenged for centuries for society and are therefore now spiritually cleansed.

In her lecture, Roy also claimed that while in South Africa Gandhi had branded black prisoners “kafirs” who were uncivilized, liars and had no scruples. Dr MS John, professor and director of School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies at Mahatma Gandhi University, said it was a mistake to view Gandhi as someone who emerged fully formed. l

MH17 scheduled from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. Soon after, Malaysian Airline System Bhd executives were awakened and dispatched to the airport to help set up emergency operations, according to interviews with company officials.

“When we entered the room, we looked around and saw the same colleagues, the same familiar faces, that we saw during MH370,” said one government official. “And almost everyone was sighing. Gosh, we could not believe that something like this was happening once again.”

By 11:30 p.m., Malaysia Airlines (MAS) officials knew from television footage and then confirmation from

Ukraine authorities that the plane had gone down. The airline announced on its official Twitter feed that it had lost contact with the aircraft - a change from the March disaster when it was roundly criticised for waiting six hours before acknowledging MH370 was missing.

Before midnight, the officials realised that the 298 passengers and crew were most likely dead.

“People knew the drill this time around - everyone was focused on what they had to do,” the government official said. “MAS, the government, the different agencies, the politicians.

Everyone had a role and they knew what it was.” l

The downing by missile fire of a Malaysian Airlines passenger plane over disputed eastern Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of all 295 people aboard, might seem at first blush to be a clear game-changer in the Ukrainian conflict that has raised Western-Russian tensions in recent months. Yet as horrific and unacceptable as the tragedy is, the downing of the commercial airliner may not prove to be a watershed moment, doing little to change the course of the Ukrainian conflict, regional security experts say.

“Russia’s interests in keeping the pot boiling in eastern Ukraine aren’t going to change because of this,” says Michael Desch, an expert in international security and US foreign policy at University of Notre Dame in Indiana.

“And on our [US] side, we will initially deplore this as we should, but I don’t think it changes our interests or our resolve to do anything more decisive.”

An early determination that separatist Ukrainian rebels downed the plane by using a Russia-provided weapons system could prompt a new round of economic sanctions on Russia or perhaps a European initiative to settle the conflict diplomatically, others say.

Time will be a critical factor, they add.

“From the get-go, you’re going to have different narratives concerning what really happened. It’s going to be the ‘he said, she said’ scenario,” says Nikolas Gvosdev, a professor of national security studies at the US Naval War College in Newport, R.I. “This could be the wake-up call where everyone

Transcripts of rebels admitting responsibility n Agencies Transcripts of audio intercepted by Ukranian security services in which pro-Russian separatists discuss how they had shot down an airliner paint a chilling picture of what happened on the ground after Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 crashed near the Russian border, killing all 298 people on board, including 27 Australians.

The audio points to the involvement of the rebels, who are believed to have Russian backing, in the crash.

US intelligence has confirmed a surface-to-air missile was fired at the plane.

The rebels have shot down two Ukranian military aircraft in the past week.

One section of the audio includes

5,500 civilians killed in Iraq this year n AP, Baghdad

Violence in Iraq has killed more than 5,500 civilians over the first six months of the year, the UN said yesterday in a new report that documents the massive humanitarian toll of an ongoing Sunni militant offensive in the country.

The Islamic State extremist group and other Sunni insurgents seized control of the city of Fallujah, as well as part of the nearby city of Ramadi in Anbar province in early January. The militants then launched a massive blitz in June that has brought a huge swath of northern and western Iraq under their control.

In its report, the UN mission to Iraq said at least 5,576 civilians were killed and another 11,665 wounded in Iraq

from Jan. 1 through the end of June.

Another 1.2 million people have been driven from their homes by the violence, it said.

The pace of civilian deaths over the first six months marked a sharp increase over the previous year. In all of 2013, the UN reported just over 7,800 civilians killed, which was the highest annual death toll in years.

The fighting “has inflicted untold hardship and suffering on the civilian population with large-scaled killings, injuries, and destruction and damage of livelihoods and property,” the UN said.

The report also documents human rights abuses by both sides of the conflict that may constitute crimes against humanity or war crimes.

says, ‘Whoa, this is really getting out of hand,’ and decides there needs to be a renewed push to get this [conflict in Ukraine] settled.”

One problem is that until it becomes clear who fired the missile that Pentagon officials have concluded downed the civilian plane, laying blame and imposing consequences for the action will have to wait. Even when responsibility is determined, it’s unlikely it will turn out to have been anything other than a tragic mistake in a high-tension zone, Mr. Desch says. And that is likely to calm any impetus for action, he adds.

Desch says previous airliner shootdown “mistakes” ultimately produced little in the way of consequences – including a Soviet jet fighter shooting down a South Korean airliner (with a member of the US Congress aboard) in 1983, and a US F-14 fighter shooting down an Iranian airliner in 1988.

“Clearly, this will be a black eye for Russia if it turns out it shot down the airliner, or if a weapons system transferred to pro-Russian rebels caused this,” he says. “But I don’t think it changes the basic dynamics of what Russia is up to in eastern Ukraine.”

But a quick and forceful response from German Chancellor Angela Merkel could have an impact where other action wouldn’t, Gvosdev says. The airliner tragedy – especially if caused by a missile fired or provided by a meddling Russia – could prompt Ms. Merkel to finally opt for tough sanctions on Russia, he says, or to conclude “enough is enough” and get out front on demanding a settlement of the Ukrainian conflict. l

The UN said the Islamic State group and its allies have committed “systematic and egregious violations” against civilians, including killings, sexual violence, kidnappings, destruction of property and attacks on places of religious worship. It also documented violations by government forces, including summary executions of prisoners and detainees. The UN urged all sides in the conflict to ensure the protection of civilians, and to respect international law and humanitarian law.

Also Friday, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani’s office said the ailing leader would return Saturday from Germany, where he has been receiving medical treatment since 2012. Few details have been released about his condition. l

People who fled from the violence in Mosul walk inside the Khazer refugee camp on the outskirts of the Kurdish city of Arbil

REUTERS

a conversation between two militants nicknamed “Major” and “Grek,” as rebels inspected the crash site. They discuss the evidence that it was a civilian plane.

“It’s 100% a passenger aircraft,” Major is recorded as saying, noting that he saw no weapons on-site. “Absolutely nothing. Civilian items, medicinal stuff, towels, toilet paper.”

In another segment, a militant reports in to Mykola Kozitsyn, believed to be one of the Cossack leaders of the rebel movement. “As to this plane shot down nearby Snezhnoe-Torez,” the militant says. “This turned out to be a passenger one. It fell down outside Grabovo, there is a whole lot of bodies of women and children.” l

Typhoon slams into southern China, one dead n Reuters, Beijing A super typhoon slammed into China yesterday killing one person, as the government ordered an all-out effort to prevent loss of life from a storm that has already killed at least 64 people in the Philippines.

Typhoon Rammasun, with winds of up to 180 kph (112 mph), made landfall at Wenchang city on south China’s island province of Hainan on Friday afternoon, the National Meteorological Center said on its website.

The typhoon, which is shaping up to be the strongest to hit Hainan in more than 40 years, will bring heavy rain throughout the weekend before moving southwest and weakening on Monday, the Xinhua state news agency said.

By mid-evening on Friday, the storm had made landfall in Guangdong province on the mainland. It is likely to hit the southwestern Guangxi region late on Friday.

Waves could reach up to 13 m. (43 feet) high in northern parts of the South China Sea and residents are being warned away from coastal areas, Xinhua said. The Hainan government said it had ordered fishermen back to port while all airports, train stations and ports had been closed.

State media said access to all scenic spots on the island, which styles itself as China’s answer to Hawaii, had been closed, and more than 70,000 people evacuated.

Premier Li Keqiang said people’s lives must come first in the severe situation, the Hainan government said.

“Prevent any accidents that may be caused (by the typhoon) and reduce disaster losses as much as possible,” it cited Li as saying. l

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Prescription

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Dealing with flashes and floaters in the eyes The eyes are very sensitive and react to small irritations. These irritations are often taken very lightly.

Flashes and floaters are harmless, but may warn of more serious issues

QUICK TIPS

n Prescription Desk

Sit up straight!

Nahar (not the real name), 60, had nothing wrong with her vision except that she was slightly shortsighted. But when she started seeing spots that persisted after HEALTH three weeks, she got a ALERT little worried and made an appointment to see an eye specialist in Singapore.

Surprisingly at Singapore doctors found that the vitreous humour – a jelly-like liquid in her eye-had degenerated.

According to eye specialist, the condition, known as vitreous degeneration, is fairly common, and causes flashes and floaters – moving spots and light streaks in one’s field of vision.

They are not usually cause for worry, but can sometimes be indicative of a more serious condition.

Follow-up consultations confirmed that Nahar was well and she was discharged, but the Doctor advised her to watch out for any signs of retinal detachment. This is because flashes and floaters can indicate a more serious eye condition if the jelly-like liquid pulls more against the inside of the wall of the eye ball, where the retina (the eye’s light-sensing inner layer) is located.

This can cause breaks or holes in the retina and detach it.

This happened to Selina (not the real name), 40. Also short-sighted to begin with, she had blurred visions in her left eye for a week before consulting an eye specialist.

Examinations revealed that she had suffered a retinal detachment, which could lead to a partial or complete loss of vision. She had to undergo scleral buckling surgery, where the doctor puts a synthetic plastic beltlike device around the outside of the eyeball to push the eyewall against the detached retina. The operation was succesful and Selina’s retina was re-attached.

About this matter, doctors said flashes and floaters are part of ageing, so it is common for people aged 60 and above to have them – but younger people can get them too.

Generally, the effects of flashes and floatters are the same in the initial phase for those in their 20s and 60s. It

Maintaining the right posture while using your mobile or tablet can prevent more serious injuries in the long run.

Ms Ruby Poh, Physiotherapist, Singapore General Hospital, shows what correct posture is when using smart devices:  To identify the right standing posture, stand against a wall, The head, buttocks and heel should be in contact with the wall.  When standing or seated, position the head and neck so that the ears are aligned with the shoulders.  Hold up the device without hunching.  Take a 15-minute break every 45 minutes to avoid being in the same position for too long.

Stretch and pull the head back during the break.  Avoid flexing the hand toward the palm for too long. Change the way the device is held every 30 minutes.

BIGSTOCK

HEALTH NEWS

BIGSTOCK

Compound in cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli may protect against radiation

A recent study led by Georgetown researchers revealed that a compound derived from vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli protected rats and mice from lethal doses of radiation and may play a similar role for humans. The study, published Oct 2013 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), suggests that DIM (DiIndolylMethane) formed after a compound found in cruciferous vegetables is metabolised in the stomach, may protect normal tissues during radiation therapy for cancer treatment. The compound already has been shown to be safe for humans

when delivered orally. In addition to DIM’s could also protect individuals from the lethal consequences of a nuclear disaster. DIM has been studied as a cancer prevention agent for years, but this is the first indication that DIM can also act as a radiation protector.

The compound has been studied as a cancer prevention agent for years, but this is the first indication that DIM can also act as a radiation protector. The compound also can be found in other cruciferous vegetables (vegetables of the family Cruciferae) such as Brussel sprouts, kale, collard greens and bok choy. l

Girl born with HIV still in remission after treatment ceased

BIGSTOCK

The child known as the “Mississippi baby,” an infant girl who was believed to be cured of HIV, has no detectable levels of the virus up to 27 months of not taking antiretroviral therapy. The infant was detected as HIV positive

after birth and treatment started at 30 hours of age with combination anti viral therapy. But after 27 months the virus had rebounded and “felt like a punch to the gut,” said Dr. Hanna Gay, MD, a pediatric HIV specialist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, who has been involved in the child’s care since birth.

“It’s extremely disappointing. We had been hopeful that her remission would lead to bigger and better things. Now the child again started on antiretroviral therapy of zidovudine, lamivudine, and nevirapine. l

| Compiled by Dr Kazi Mahbuba Akhtar

months, and many patients get used to it. But they know they are not cured of the flashes or floaters.

Risk of retinal tears

Serious conditions such as retinal tears or renal detachment can arise, if there is a sudden increase in flashes and floaters, and risk factors are present.

These risk factors include ageing, short- sightedness of over 600 degrees, previous internal eye surgery, and a family history of retinal detachment, which may make structures in a person’s eyes more prone to retinal tearing.

Diabetics are also at risk of retinal detachment and diabetic retinopathy, where blood vessels in the retina weaken and bleed. When blood seeps into the jelly of the eye, it causes floaters.

Global studies show that one in 10,000 people suffer from retinal detachment. Also, one out of 10 patients with an acute increase in flashes and floaters, seen in the emergency setting, runs the risk of having a retinal tear or detachment.



Arcs of light Flashes of light  Lightning streaks

An acute onset of flashes and/ or floaters, which develops suddenly within a few days or weeks.  Floaters appearing in the hundreds and thousands.  Blurred vision or a curtain effect where the person sees shadows within his visual field. 

 

Floaters

Flying specks of varying shapes and sizes  Small clouds moving while you look at a blank wall  Squiggly lines 

Cobwebs

Warning signs of a retinal tear or detachment include:

You have flashes or floaters if you see the following in your field of vision: Flashes

There is currently no cure for flashes and floaters, and those who experience a sudden increase in them, or those most at risk of a torn retina, should seek medication early. l

About low blood pressure Low blood pressure (hypotension) refers to a blood pressure that’s lower than normal or lower than would be expected in a particular DID YOU person. Blood pressure KNOW? is a measurement of the force that your blood puts on the walls of your arteries as it’s pumped around the body. There is no set threshold for what’s considered too low as a low blood pressure reading for one person might be perfectly okay for that individual, but doctors may consider a reading below about 100/60 mmHg cause for concern if it’s having a negative impact on the body.

If blood pressure becomes lower than normal for you, blood flow to vital organs may cause fainting, blurred vision or fatigue.

Symptoms of low blood pressure

Low blood pressure is normally a good thing but it may need medical attention if not enough blood reaches the organs and causes symptoms such as dizziness and fainting.

Low blood pressure can affect anyone in certain situations, such as standing for long periods in a hot place or following a period of intense stress or emotion. However, it’s when low blood pressure regularly causes symptoms that there may be other factors like dehydration, pregnancy, internal bleeding etc. may be involved.

BIGSTOCK

just means that the onset of vitreous degeneration can occur at different ages – the progression is about the same.

Over time, as the jelly-like liquid in the eye degenerates, the vitreous humour becomes smaller and forms tiny clumps of gel, casting shadows on the retina which appear as floaters. They are seen as small spots even when the eyes are closed and more obvious in bright sunlight or when looking at a white background.

Flashes – an illusion of flashing lights or lighting streaks – occur when vitreous humour or the jelly-like liquid pulls on the retina, sending a signal to the brain, and making the person perceive a light flash. Flashes may appear on and off for several weeks or months.

The symptoms decrease after a few

Bad posture: The neck is fully flexed, the upper back bent and lower back is slumped while using the device.

Good posture: While this posture is fine when using a tablet for a short time, it is better to raise the tablet to eye level when using it for a longer period. l

Coping with morning illness during pregnancy

How to prevent and treat low blood pressure

The symptoms associated with low blood pressure usually develop over time. These include:  Dizziness or light-headedness  Shortness of breath  Fainting  Cold hands and feet  Feeling tired  Feeling weak and shaky Often these symptoms become apparent when a person stands suddenly – “postural” (or orthostatic) hypotension. Symptoms that arise after eating a big meal indicate “postprandial” hypotension.

 For those prone to low blood

pressure these tips may help:

 Stand up slowly from a lying or

seated position, especially when you wake up  Drink enough fluids  Wear compression tights The treatment for low blood pressure is determined by its cause. If, for example, low blood pressure is found to be caused by a type of medication, a doctor may alter the dosage. If a specific cause isn’t identified, drugs may be used to raise blood pressure. l Complied by: Dr Israt Shormy

Ensure adequate hydration by taking small sips of water (about 30mal hourly) or small amounts of fluids containing electrolytes between meals.Avoid lying down flat after food, and use extra pillows to prop yourself up when sleeping. Minimise situations that can cause nausea, such as removing sources of unpleasant odours. Have small frequent meals of dry or easily digested foods such porridge or boiled eggs, or fluids such fruit juices and milk. l

| Compiled by: Shirsho Saaeadat

‘Portable pancreas’ for better diabetes control n Prescription Desk A palm-sized pump which administers insulin to diabetics via an infusion set can help reduce episodes of low blood glucose level.

Wong Leng Hoe, a diabetes patient and user, dubbed it the “portable Research pancreas.”

Worn discreetly on the body, the palm-sized, pager-like insulin pump delivers the hormone round the clock. It mimics closely the normal discharge of insulin by the pancreas to regulate the body’s glucose or sugar level. Insulin is needed to convert carbohydrates into energy, and without it, sugar builds up in the blood, which can lead to serious health problems.

Wong, who switched from injections to using the insulin pump in July 2013, carries the device with him 24/7. “I used to forget to inject the insulin – or not do it altogether – when it was inconvenient to do so, like when I was having lunch with clients.

According to Dr Bee Yong Mong (left), patient Wong Leng Hoe’s diabetes was better controlled after a month on the pump.

“With the pump, I don’t have to excuse myself to go to a quiet place to prepare the insulin and inject myself. I merely press a button to deliver the (higher) dose of insulin needed before a meal. And I don’t have embarrassing blue-black

marks on my body because of the injections,” he said.

Diabetics need to adjust the amount of insulin they use before meals or sports, as their blood sugar levels can go up (after a meal) or down (when exercising).

Wong, who is in his 50s, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes more than 15 years ago. This form of the disease, also known as adult-onset diabetes, is associated with obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle, unlike Type 1 diabetes where the pancreas isn’t able to produce insulin.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and is often diagnosed in childhood. Type 1 diabetics require insulin treatment from the onset of the disease, while treatment for Type 2 involves medication, or insulin injections when the disease progresses and medication is not enough to control the disease. Type 2 diabetes develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin or when the pancreas stops producing enough insulin to control the amount of sugar in the blood. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Heritage

9

Saturday, July 19, 2013

Gangaridai, the wellspring of Bangladesh

T

n Tim Steel he verdant and fertile lands that are now Bangladesh, owe a great deal to nature, and to mankind’s harnessing of its natural forces and phenomena for their own benefit.

Rich in heritage and diversity of cultures, the natural result of human activity, those natural forces and phenomena owe everything to three of the greatest of Asian rivers, the Meghna, the Ganges, and the Brahmaputra.

Along these great rivers developed, no one is yet sure how early in human history, but certainly many millennia ago, some of the world’s earliest trading; and to the great delta where the rivers met the sea, came traders, more than, at the latest, two millennia ago, from Sumatra, Java, China, Tibet, North India, Arabia, Egypt, Greece and Rome, all in their great days of historic development. From the thriving centre of trade, and even earlier, peoples travelled across the world.

For all that, it is not hard to find the documentary, circumstantial and empirical evidence, and, increasingly, but slowly, the archaeological evidence, as well.

The archaeological evidence is emerging, above all perhaps, at the site at Wari Bateshwar in Narshingdi where, “tens of thousands” of beads of semi precious stones have been harvested, together with some of the world’s earliest known coinage, dating back beyond the middle of the last millennium BCE; including silver, punch marked coins, at least two thousand five hundred years old.

Bronze Age dwellings, mysterious brick constructed sites, paved roads, mud, 5.3km ramparts still higher than a man, wide moat, tools of manufacture and trade mark this as a large, and important early site of international trade lying on the banks of the Old Brahmaputra, probably the earliest of the ancient trade routes to China, known as, “Silk Roads.”

This may well be the site of the city, called by Roman and Greek writers, the city of Ganges. If it is not, then other sites lie, as yet unexplored, within the five main branches of the great delta.

The Greco–Roman cartographer of the second century BCE, Ptolemy, marks on his mid second century map of the lands of the Ganges, the five main branches of the delta, so called, of course, like that at the mouth of Nile and Amazon, amongst many others around the world, because the triangular shape resembles the Greek letter D, Delta.

Kambyson, Mega, Kamberikhon, Pseudostomon, and Antibole were the given names, as identified by inhabitants to the mariners who were Ptolemy’s informants, which may, of course, mean that those names never actually existed; but the map also clearly marks the Kingdom of Gangaridai as lying within the delta.

But it is the Greek and Roman writers who offer us the greatest insight into this enigmatic kingdom that was certainly the focus of international trade from early times, and laid the foundation for the rich heritage that, today, is Bangladesh’s alone.

India of course, feeling neglected by its lack of possession of this wellspring of the geopolitical structure of today’s sub continent, is making strenuous efforts to claim a signifi-

Kirtoon Khola River Barisal cant presence within their territory, a little like their manipulation of Wikipedia’s entry about Sundarban, in which the reader would be hard pressed to find that over 80% of that great, natural phenomenon lies in Bangladesh! Its management of the entry on Gangaridai attempts to make

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

traveller and historian, Megasthenes, who appears, for some years, to have lived in Patna towards the end of the fourth century BCE. In his work, Indica, he wrote, “Now this river (Ganges) which at its source is 30 stadia broad, flows from north to south, and empties its waters into

The least breadth of the Ganges is eight miles, and its greatest 20

Gangaridai synonymous with Bengal, and argues that the kingdom reached down to Orissa.

However, historic references make it fairly clear that the kingdom of Gangaridai lay to the east of the Ganges, although it would appear that, in resisting the advance of the army of Alexander the Great, it may well have allied with the Prasii, based on Patna, presumably the Maghada kingdom, or its successor, the Mauryan empire.

Indeed, until the archaeology of the region progresses, of which so comparatively little has so far been undertaken, especially in Bangladesh, we may expect that the true history of the historic kingdom will be subjected to at least as much “smoke and mirrors”

by India, as in so many other areas of neighbourly lack of mutual interest and cooperation.

The first literary reference is, in fact, almost contemporary with the advance of Alexander, by the Greek

the ocean that forms the boundary of the Gangaridai, a nation that possesses a vast force of the largest sized elephants. Owing to this, their country has never been conquered by any foreign king: for all other nations dread the overwhelming strength and number of these animals (thus Alexander the Macedonian, after conquering all Asia, did not make war on the Gangaridai, as he did all others; for when he arrived with all his troops at the river Ganges, he abandoned as hopeless an invasion of the Gangaridai and India when he learned that they possessed four thousand elephants well trained and equipped for war).”

This, nearly contemporary commentary, almost certainly based on information culled from those who had faced the prospect of Alexander’s army, in noting the size of the force that opposed that army, underlines that, even in Alexander’s fourth century BCE times, about two and a half

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

thousand years ago, Gangaridai was already a formidable, and unconquered territory. And well might one wonder, why would anyone have been tempted to invade these lands that, as far as they knew, lay at the edge of the world? The wealth of trade, already well established, seems a very reasonable explanation.

Megasthenes goes on to note, “The least breadth of the Ganges is eight miles, and its greatest 20. Its depth where it is shallowest is fully a hundred feet.”

Interestingly, the next literary reference to Gangaridai is legendary. In the third century BCE, the Greek writer, Apollonius of Rhodes, in his rewriting the eighth century BCE Homeric legend of Jason and the Argonauts, the story of the Golden Fleece, included a character called Datis, “a chieftain, leader of the Gangaridai, who was in the army of Perses the third, who fought against Aeetes in the Colchian Civil War. Colchis was situated in modern Georgia on the east coast of the Black Sea. Aeetes was the King of Colchia, against whom Jason and the Argonauts undertook their legendary expedition to find the Golden Fleece.”

Two hundred years or so after Magesthenes, there was still an enormous interest, in both Greece and Rome, in the exploits of Alexander, and of those who finally overcame his apparently irresistible advance across the known world, in Gangaridai.

Writing in the first century BCE, the historian, Diodorus Siculus, no doubt borrowing from Magesthenes, but probably also relying on information gleaned from merchants and traders, wrote that, in addition to the 4,000 elephants, the king of the Gangaridai, who he names as Xandrammes, “had an army of 20,000 horse, 200,000 infantry, and 2,000 chariots.”

Siculus wrote, further, of Gangaridai. “Among the southern countries the first under the Kaukasos (Caucasian mountain range) is India, a kingdom remarkable for its vast extent and the largeness of its population, for it is inhabited by very many nations, among which the greatest of all is that of the Gangaridai, against whom Alexander did not undertake an expedition, being deterred by the multitudes of their elephants. This region is separated from other India by the greatest river in those parts.”

Siculus, it seems, was sure of that separation of Gangaridai from the rest of India by the Ganges; and equally certain that, in those ancient times, Gangaridai was the largest, and the most powerful, among the nations of India. As one of the earliest historians and geographers in the Roman age, when we already know that trade was flowing freely from those parts, to Rome, his impression must be allowed to account for something.

It is interesting too, to compare the

Map of Bihar and Bengal circumstantial evidence of the report, in the late second century BCE, of the Han Dynasty emissary of China, reporting on trade into Bactria, “the inhabitants ride elephants when they go into battle. The kingdom is situated by a great river.” Elephants, it appears, were a Gangaridai trademark!

At about the same time as Siculus was writing, Virgil, the great Roman poet, wrote in his famed Georgics, “On

WIKIMEDIA

Strabo, it seems, was certain that trade of his time involved the Ganges.

But so too was the anonymous writer of the mid first century CE work, “The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea,” a merchant’s guide to trade in the Southern Oceans.

Subsequent Roman writers, such as Plutarch, Pliny, Quintus Curius Rufus, and Dionysius Periegetes, all write of Gangaridai. And Ptolemy’s map,

Elephants, it appears, were a Gangaridai trademark! The inhabitants ride elephants when they go into battle

the doors I will represent in gold and ivory the battle of the Gangaridai and the arms of our victorious Quirinius.”

(Georgics lll, 27). It appears that the armies of Gangaridai were, at that time, employed as mercenaries in the Roman Army, since the piece celebrates a victory by Quirinius in Galatia in Asia Minor.

By the beginning of what now by international accord, with respect especially to Muslims, we call the Common Era, known in the past as Anno Domini, the “Years of our Lord,” a reference to Jesus Christ, Strabo, the famous Roman geographer and historian, made his own reference to the trading centre at the delta of the Ganges. In his seminal work, Geographia, published about year one of the Common Era, in what may well be the first documented piece of the academic snobbery that, even today, bedevils relations with “people of commerce,” writes, “concerning those merchants who sail from Egypt, even to the Ganges, they are but private citizens, and know nothing of the history of the places they visit.”

marking so clearly the location of this, to them, famous kingdom and people, leave no doubt that, thus far, this wellspring of the nation of Bangladesh requires, yet considerable investigation, deep into the archaeology of the deltaic lands, and those around.

Thus, the Kingdom of Gangaridai was the wellspring from which flowed international trade and connections.

Eventually the wealth, and stability it engendered, attracted, beyond mere trading partners, invaders.

The Khilji, fleeing the Mongol depredations in their Afghan homeland; the Mughals, seeking the wealth to build their own empire; the Europeans, amongst whom it was the British who scooped the pool; and finally Pakistan, reliant on Bangladesh for the wealth to develop its weaponry, military establishment, and its architectural aspirations.

Gangaridai, the wellspring of Bangladesh; the wellspring, in fact, of much of modern South Asia! l Tim Steel is a communications, marketing and tourism consultant.

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Saturday, July 19, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

A case of land grabbing

T

he eviction drive at the 200-year-old Tangail brothel, allegedly led by local municipality mayor Shahidur Rahman Khan Mukti, was nothing but another incident of land grabbing using muscle and influence. Conducted with the intention of grabbing 350 decimals of land, the drive affects the lives of 950 sex workers and 129 of their children who call the 806-room brothel home.

When the residents were first ordered to leave, they were reportedly told to leave within three hours, and were threatened of being burned to death if they refused to comply. Two days later their electricity supply was cut off. No solution has been offered as to the plight of the displaced sex workers, and no move has been undertaken to help with their rehabilitation.

With no place to go, and non-compliance becoming not only difficult but life-threatening, many sex workers are now out on the streets. It is extremely difficult to rehabilitate sex workers once they are homeless. Furthermore, a police ordinance from 1976 protects sex workers who work out of brothels, but not floating sex workers.

A High Court judgment in 2000 termed this kind of eviction as unconstitutional and illegal, although the verdict did not get implemented. Nevertheless, acts of land grabbing are clearly unethical, not to mention hypocritical because of being carried out in the holy month of Ramadan by a committee calling itself “Antisocial Activities Resistance Committee.” It is indeed shameful that such immoral acts have taken place under the banner of piousness.

No solution has been offered as to the plight of the displaced sex workers

No excuse for being clueless

T

he recent spree of muggings in the capital by a group of youths in private cars has triggered a great deal of alarm in the community, and needs to be addressed without delay. That our law enforcement agencies have claimed to be oblivious to such incidents paints a dismal picture of the competence and integrity of our police.

The descriptions of these private cars and the areas these muggers most prominently hit are known. Considering the information that is out there, it is inexcusable that nothing has yet been done to bring these culprits to book. Police performance has been so pitiful in tackling this situation that the culprits have even gone as far as kidnapping victims for ransom.

Evidence of our law enforcement’s incompetence keeps piling on, but little has been done to address its flaws. If the entitled attitude of the police force is to change, it must be ensured that law enforcers are held accountable for their failures.

Police vans must be able to keep up with and track down these private cars, and more check posts need to be set up all over the city. In a city of slow-moving traffic, there is no excuse for cars being able to make speedy getaways.

Time and again, the dedication and expertise of our police force has been brought under question. It is now imperative that they tackle their ingrained problems, and sincerely work towards providing a secure environment for the people of this community.

Considering the information that is out there, it is inexcusable that nothing has yet been done to bring these culprits to book

Be heard Write to Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Email letters.dt@dhakatribune.com Send us your Op-Ed articles: opinion.dt@dhakatribune.com www.dhakatribune.com Join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune

The deadline was yesterday July 15

TJ The entrepreneurs of our country definitely have the potential produce world-class products and to compete in the international market. It is sad that our country fails to provide them with the support and opportunities that they require.

and there should be people who could give these innovators that special boost when necessary.

And we lack a good numbers of philanthropists here who could start something like the “Giving Pledge” here. That would surely help us a lot, don’t you think?

Raihan Hadi TJ: Sad indeed. And yet I am optimistic, and I believe we are a generation of people who can slowly start providing innovators and entrepreneurs with at least some guidance that will help them seek their opportunities better. The main problem, however, will always be the finance part. If only financial and corporate organisations would start CSR programs, under which they would finance our young entrepreneurs, I believe the equation could become a lot easier. What do you think about that? :)

Tanzil Raihan Hadi: Of course! What we lack is endowments from rich people/companies – not eye-washing corporate social responsibility. For example, why not have Walton donate Tk10 crore to a university to set up an electronics lab (in their name of course), rather than shooting commercials? I think we need some trendsetters, who will show what “borolok” people do other than buying Mercedes. :)

Tanzil Wise words Raihan! I don’t think the lack of ideas is the problem. To breed a successful class of entrepreneurs, what we need is a wave of venture capitalists. There are a few in BD, but imagine the odds of a self-taught engineer from Magura who has been working on a new pump to turn into a proper business plan, and comes to Dhaka and goes to the Gulshan office to negotiate the terms and conditions of the investment. What we need are middlemen who will connect those to-be entrepreneurs with the funds. Sort of an entrepreneurship that generates/connects/funds other entrepreneurships. A bit like kick-starters, but much more evolved.

Raihan Hadi Tanzil: Thanks for reading! I do agree with you,

Raihan Hadi Tanzil: I believe people like the businessman-turned-actor (you-know-who) can definitely be one of those trendsetters, because he is known to help people a lot. I do personally know some other people who are willing to, but are caught in the system. They need to be around more people like themselves. Then maybe a foundation or trust could be built?

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 9 represents T so fill T every time the figure 9 appears.

You have one letter in the control grid to start you off. Enter it in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters go in the missing squares.

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

As you get the letters, fill in the other squares with the same number in the main grid, and the control grid. Check off the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

SUDOKU How to solve: 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.

Tanzil Raihan Hadi: I am working on this idea with a friend for quite some time now. We need a trustworthy institution which will show these certain classes of people how to be philanthropists, and how best to utilise the funds. Let’s see how things go. It seems the list of things I need to discuss with you in detail is growing !!

Raihan Hadi Tanzil: That feeling is likewise!

CROSSWORD Indian dominance in our bay?

July 12 Amused citizen A report on this matter was published by Vice-Chairman Hafiz, an authority on the laws of the seas. He was very keen on the sunken Talpatti Island. In his opinion, the foreign minister is talking rubbish and is ignorant of sea-matters, whereas Hafiz is the only authority on this matter.

I would like to ask him to elucidate upon the “inconsistencies on the verdict,” given that he is THE lawyer on such matters. Will he now plan to take on the matter by himself and sort it out in the UN? I would venture not, as he probably feels that no one in the UN has the wisdom and depth of undersea legal matters, as he does. Given the realities (as assumed), it appears he should be our underwater (whether lakes, rivers, or any other water body) expert, and all such matters should come under his “expert” capabilities.

Joy pledges speedy and cheap internet July 15 vihan Does Joy know that, in the first place, we need electricity to use a computer and the internet?!

Maradona: Messi doesn’t deserve Golden Ball July 14

ACROSS 1 Country (5) 4 High mountain (3) 6 Ship’s lock-up (4) 8 American state (5) 9 Tide attaining least height (4) 11 Snakes (4) 12 Happening (5) 15 Dogma (5) 18 Fruit (4) 20 Flower (4) 21 Sheeplike (5) 22 Bring up (4) 23 Acceptance (3) 24 Requires (5)

DOWN 1 Felony (5) 2 Likeness (5) 3 Concerning (5) 4 Matures (4) 5 Explodes mildly (4) 7 Silly (5) 10 Church recess (4) 13 Turn away (4) 14 Norwegian (5) 15 Prickle (5) 16 Clamour (5) 17 Long lock (5) 18 Sympathetic sorrow (4) 19 Melodies (4)

Ronnie I wouldn’t go as far as Maradona, but he’s not totally wrong, in a sense. Messi was superb in the group stage, but started to fade away in the four knockout games. In the final, he did pick up the pace again, but was excellently thwarted by the German defence. Argentina, from the second half in the final, onwards, were blatantly playing for penalties.

Thank god, Goetze’s swell goal ensured Germany deservedly won before the looming shoot-out.

On the way to sustainability

CALVIN AND HOBBES

July 14

Pias Hasan Awesome sir. Carry on. :) Silvia Very informative. And this article has definitely portrayed a good link with population and sustainable development.

Nazim Uddin This article has lots of information about sustainable development. The author has done a good job.

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

Panuel Prince Our population can be the fuel of development, if we can manage to utilise it properly.

PEANUTS

Alyson An insightful article!!

Nahid Newaz It is an awesome article.

Mehruba Sharmi Yes, very informative as well as thoughtful!

Sayma Both population and sustainability are burning issues and correlated to each other. Thanks for writing an informative article on these.

Sattyajit Paul Very enlightening article.

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Boycott IT companies which invest in Israel

I

n Zeeshan Hasan

n the past few days, horrific images of dozens of Palestinian infants and children killed by Israel’s bombing of the densely populated areas of Gaza have been burned into the brains of Facebook users. Horror at such images is usually accompanied by a feeling of powerlessness – what can we in Bangladesh do about this? In fact, there is a course of action open to us. The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel (www.bdsmovement.net) gives people everywhere in the world an opportunity to make their disapproval of Israeli policies of illegal occupation and violence felt with their wallets.

The goal of boycotting Israel is to punish the Israeli government commercially for its actions, in much the same way such tactics were successfully applied to apartheid-era South Africa.

ing at the “success stories” highlighted on the Israeli government’s “Invest In Israel” website (www.InvestInIsrael. gov.il) is thus illuminating.

Microsoft is the world’s most ubiquitous software company. There are 600 Microsoft employees in Israel.

Windows NT, which formed the base of all modern Microsoft operating systems from 2000 onwards, was developed in Israel. New features of Windows such as the Microsoft anti-virus tool were also developed in Israel.

With regard to hardware, Intel has 8,000 employees in Israel, and HP has 5,700. They are significant in that they have both established manufacturing plants in Kiryat Gat, an Israeli town settled on the site of a Palestinian village which was depopulated of Arabs in 1948.

HP and Intel could potentially send chips manufactured in their Israeli operations all over the world, so Intel or HP hardware assembled in any country could contain components

The only way to avoid buying from software giants like Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP is to switch to free and open source software

It may seem that boycotting of Israel is easily done by checking country of origin of goods, and avoiding anything labeled as an Israeli product. However, this procedure does not work in the case of information technology (IT) products.

Although a particular IT product may be sold by a US or European brand, it is still possible for components of the hardware or software to have originated in Israel. Practically all US/European IT companies have invested in Israel, which established a huge IT industry long before Indian outsourcing became common. Look-

manufactured at these Israeli plants.

In the area of business software, Israel also plays a prominent role. SAP is the world’s biggest business software provider, and has 800 employees in Israel. Its main product for small and medium enterprises, SAP Business One, was originally developed by an Israeli company called Top Manage which SAP bought.

Oracle, the world’s biggest database company, has 400 employees in Israel.

Oracle invested in several Israeli companies to the tune of $41mn in 2006, purchased a business intelligence company called HyperRoll in 2009 for

Open source is the way to go an estimated $42mn, and continued to invest $85mn in 2010.

From the above, it is apparent that large US and European IT companies are so heavily invested in Israel that it is difficult to purchase anything from those big brands which does not benefit Israel indirectly. Asian hardware companies like Asus, Acer, Toshiba, and Lenovo seem less likely to invest in Israel; presumably as they have operations in Asia which are cheaper.

The simple way to avoid Intel chips is

BIGSTOCK

to purchase AMD hardware, which is comparable in price and performance.

The only way to avoid buying from software giants like Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP is to switch to free and open source software. The free and opensource Linux operating system is very similar to MS Windows, and includes LibreOffice software which is a near perfect clone of MS Office. Kazi Farms’ companies have migrated 650 PCs to Linux and LibreOffice. Since 2009, we have purchased only PCs and laptops

made by Asian hardware brands and containing AMD chips.

We also use an open-source ERP software running on an opensource database for all purchases, inventories, manufacturing, sales, and accounts across multiple locations and companies, rather than buying similar software from SAP or Oracle.

The use of free and open-source software across the company has the added benefit of saving Kazi Farms literally millions of dollars in software

licensing fees.

Other companies and organisations can adopt similar IT purchasing guidelines to effectively boycott Israel, support Palestinian human rights, and simultaneously achieve significant savings. l Zeeshan Hasan is a director of Kazi Farms Group (www.kazifarms.com), Dhaka Tribune, and Sysnova IT (www.sysnova.com), which provides technical support for open source software.

What is Hamas trying to achieve? Skills out of the classroom n Azeem Ibrahim

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o an ignorant observer, the recent escalation between Israel and Gaza might seem like just the latest episode in a human drama that we have become accustomed to in the Holy Land. And, though perhaps not for quite the expected reasons, that observer would probably be right.

Israelis would claim that this recent episode ostensibly arose out of the heinous murder of three Jewish teenage boys.

On the other hand, Palestinian sources would trace it back even further to similar murders of Palestinian teenage boys, earlier in the year. But ultimately, and without meaning to diminish the human tragedy in any of these singular events, they are not the root causes of what is happening now. Instead, they seem to be just a convenient pretext to deeper local politics. And that is the real tragedy of this latest Gaza story.

Allow me to explain. On my recent trip to Israel, I met both senior Israeli and Palestinian officials including current and former members of their respective cabinets. I learnt from my Palestinian sources that Hamas is essentially bankrupt. They have been unable to pay the salaries of tens of thousands of their staff for a while now, according to my sources.

They were heavily reliant on support from Syria, Iran along with the Rafah crossing and hundreds of smuggling tunnels from Egypt to sustain them all of which have diminished recently.

When the Hamas leadership reached their financial limit, the Palestinian Authority (PA) agreed to step in and pay all salaries of the civil administrators and social workers in Gaza, my sources said. In exchange, the PA asked Hamas to make many concessions, including modifying its charter towards a more moderate and functional position. For example, the PA asked Hamas to recognise the State of Israel, according to what I have been told, and also form a unity government with the PA .

The perverse reality seems to be that Hamas expects the typical Israeli overreaction, and is baiting for it The problem with this is that it presents an existential threat to Hamas.

Hamas arose as a radical, direct action alternative to the perceived weakness and failures of the Palestinian Authority. It is supposed to be, by definition, the active revolutionary cure to the sclerotic, corrupt, and “self-defeatingly” compliant PA. If it is tamed, if it is brought into the fold of conciliatory, moderate politics, then it loses its raison d’etre. In other words, Hamas’s real and somewhat justified fear is that if this course of

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events continues in this manner, it will simply be absorbed into Fatah and will have no further, independent purpose.

Why the rockets?

So where do the rockets fit in? Hamas is therefore playing a cynical game by firing completely useless and militarily insignificant rockets into Israel. The purpose of these wanton attacks, that cannot hope to penetrate Israel’s Iron Dome, cannot reasonably be other than to provoke Israeli retaliation.

As we know from history, this will be overwhelming and disproportionate.

And this could be just how Hamas wants it.

Their hope is likely to be that this will lead to significant sympathy around the Muslim world, particularly in the month of Ramadan. This will see money pouring into the various global charities of Hamas, from a wide variety of sources. The idea seems to be that this might rescue Hamas financially, and save them from their ideological extinction too. Many observers have now looked at this situation and the question must be asked: What is the purpose of Hamas firing so many rockets into Israel?

The perverse reality seems to be that Hamas expects the typical Israeli overreaction, and is baiting for it, with no further strategic aims. And at this very moment, when the very existence of Hamas hangs by a thread, the reality is that the more severe a reaction we see from Israel, the better the future looks for Hamas. Netanyahu, who is regarded as a “very weak” and “a do-nothing” prime minister by many officials I met, is more than happy to comply with the unnecessary violence Hamas expects.

And now we come back to our ignorant observer. This seems to be, once again, just another typical episode in the human drama in the Holy Lands.

One in which the power interests of some Palestinian leaders, and some Israeli leaders too, play off each other in a casual, monstrous way while a few more hundred Palestinians die. Will we hold these leaders to account this time, or will we divert our attention away, once again, from the morally intractable problems of our Middle East? l Azeem Ibrahim is a Research Professor at the Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College and Lecturer in International Security at the University of Chicago. He tweets @ AzeemIbrahim. This article was previously published in Al Arabia News.

n A Baten

S

tudents are graduating with the high hope that they will land their dream job right after completing their degree. But they don’t realise their dream, and reality is far from their reach. It is getting tougher and tougher to get a decent job which can pay them a decent salary. Most of them who look for a job have no experience or very little experience.

They expect a decent salary and they don’t think about what they can offer in return. They are not willing to work in the RMG sector or banks. They are very picky about jobs, but they don’t have the skills that the employers are looking for. There is a huge gap between employers’ needs and the skills fresh graduates can offer.

Students don’t pay much attention to gain experience during the university level. They are not very serious to get an internship. Their focus is to complete the degree and to get decent grades. They don’t realise that their future employer will require job experience besides decent grades. They are not willing to do an internship without remuneration, and they forget they will learn a lot from the organisation which will help them to get a job.

I still remember when I did my first internship in one of the top banks in the US. They didn’t pay me anything but at the end of my graduation they offered me a full-time job with a handsome salary. Even making photocopies and doing data entry can help students to learn about the corporate world.

This way they can get exposure to the real world, which will help them to go the extra mile. This internship and real corporate experience could be a solid foundation for their career. These fresh graduates should focus on longterm gains and not worry about the short-term benefits.

Graduate and post-graduate students should pay attention to acquiring skills, especially soft skills. They have to find out what employers are looking for these days from fresh graduates and which skills will make them marketable for the future job market.

Nowadays, good CGPA and extracurricular activities are not enough. Employers and experts in career planning in Bangladesh are recruiting fewer graduates than before. The average recruitment of graduates in the last one year dropped by about 25% compared to the past four years.

Also, last year’s political uncertain-

ty, frequent shutdowns, political agitation, and local and foreign investment decision delays have seriously affected the Bangladeshi job market. And it might not get better any time soon.

So keeping this in mind, the fresh graduates or soon-to-be graduates should get serious and pay attention to acquiring the skills which will attract the potential employers. In the current job market, employers are looking for fresh graduates with the following skills.

Communication and presentation skills: Employers want to see if an employee can communicate with others within and outside of the company, over phone, emails, or direct conversations. The language skills, especially English language skills are very important in this case.

Extracurricular activities: Any social and club activities by the candidate inside and outside of the institution matter during recruitment.

Leadership skills: Do they have basic leadership skills or do they always follow orders? A good numbers of students with very good CGPA lack leadership skills and struggle to get a job.

The above qualities can make any candidate marketable to any employer. Local and multinational companies will love to have employees with these skills and will be willing to pay a good salary in return. In reality, some college and universities create the environment to teach these skills, but most students don’t reach out and grab these opportunities.

They don’t realise that their future employer will require job experience besides decent grades

Passion: Hiring managers want to know how much the candidate knows about the organisation and the industry. How much effort are they going to give when hired? How much commitment will they show for the company?

How positive is their attitude?

Analytical and technical skills: How well are their critical thinking and analytical skills? How well can they solve problems on their own? Can they handle multi-tasking? What type of technical skills do they possess?

Work experience: This plays a major role in the hiring process. Employers like to know what kind of real work experience they have and for how long.

Ethics and values: It is important for an employer to find out if the potential employee’s values and ethics align with the company. Will his/her personality match well with the others who already work for the organisation?

Emotional intelligence: Are they aware of their own strengths and weaknesses? How motivated and confident are they about themselves?

Teamwork: Do they have experience working in a team and can they get along with the team? Do they have the sense of team belonging?

It is students’ responsibility to work hard to acquire these skills. They know what they are lacking and where they need to make the improvements. At present, the employers have the luxury to be picky because they can pick candidates from a bigger pool, and they are willing to pay good amount of money and benefits for a good candidate.

If we ask ourselves what type of employees we want in our organisation, we will answer that we want the best. On the other hand, because of globalisation, people are coming to Bangladesh from neighbouring countries to work here so our potential employees are competing with them too.

So I am going to urge all undergraduate and graduate students to improve their skills for the competitive job market. They should attend skills development workshops, follow the trend of the job market, learn about the employers’ requirements, and acquire the necessary skills. They should believe in themselves and believe that the sky is the limit. l A Baten is an Assistant Professor at ULAB.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Celebrity paying homage to a legend Riaz

n Shadma Malik Humayun Ahmed was one of the pioneers who broke the theatrical acting on the screen and introduced the flavour of real life in TV plays, which is still widely practised and appreciated in the small screen. As a filmmaker, he was also successful in popularising simplicity and casual way of acting on the big screen. With his magical touch, many actors’ career have been changed.

Dhaka Tribune caught up with celebrities who shared their feelings about the icon:

He is one of the few geniuses I have ever come across. He had a fabulous personality. I have enjoyed working with him more than working with anyone else. The way he use to write and explain the scripts, and above all during characterisation, he was the best.

I would say, Humayun Ahmed was a blessed personality. He always achieved what he wanted and he always got it right. Not having him among us is a loss for everyone concerned. A “talent box” with pro activeness and dynamism, he was indeed an enlightened person. He played a pivotal role in my career. I received National Film Awards as the Best Actor for “Dui Duari” directed

by Humayun Ahmed in 2000 and also received Best Actor in “Daruchini Diwp” in 2007, which was written by Humayun Ahmed. The way I got along with him, I can tell for sure that I was one of his favourites. I used to accompany him while he was writing scripts and he use to call me his “pet artist.” He inspired me and showed me how to work in different roles.

Mahfuz Ahmed

Tania Ahmed

Humayun Ahmed was a sky or an ocean for me. He is like a shadow and I see him everywhere. Humayun Ahmed is the centre of my life. What I am today, as an actor or a director, it is all because of him. He taught me everything from scratch and made me what I am today.

For many he might be a part, but for me he is everything. All my affections and emotions revolve around him. l

Whenever I talk about Humayun Sir, I get tears in my eyes. He is still with us and will always remain among us.

I still feel his presence everywhere. I have worked with him for eight to nine years. I performed in Humayun sir’s play “Ei Megh Ei Roddur.” Later, I performed in many plays of the late writer and director. He encouraged me and taught me to be a better actor each and everyday. I also performed in movies “Shyamal Chhaya” and “Noy Number Bipod Sangket” directed by the legend.

He was like a father to me, always warm and welcoming. I live away from my parents, but, sir never let me feel their absence. A kind person, he was there during my bad times. He always said: “I am here” which gave me mental support. The way he wrote scripts made an actor a better performer.

Special TV shows marking Humayun Ahmed’s death anniversary n Entertainment Desk

TODAY IN DHAKA Film

Noah 3D, Godzilla 3D, Tarkaata Time: 12:30pm – 9:30pm Blockbuster Cinemas Jamuna Future Park

Eid TVProgramme mme

Exhibition

Urban Experiences Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Art Lounge

Today is the second death anniversary of iconic entertainer Humayun Ahmed and Channel i will telecast a host of special TV programmes marking the day.

“Gaane Gaane Sokal Shuru,” a musical programme will be aired at 7:30am which is designed with the songs written by Humayun Ahmed and his favourite pieces. A special episode of “Grameenphone Tritio Matra” will be aired on 1:00am and 9:45am with the presence of Nasir Uddin Yusuf and Jayanta Chatyapaddhaya who will share many facets of Humayun Ahmed’s work and personality, while the special talk show will be anchored by Faridur Reza Sagor. A TV drama titled “Leelaboti,” written by Humayun Ahmed and directed by Meher Afroz Shaon, will be aired at 10:30am. Joya

Ahsan, Mahfuz Ahmed, Challenger, Dr Ezaz, Maznun Mizan, Jayanta Chatyapadhaya and others will be seen in the drama.

“Srabon Megher Din,” will be aired at 1:05pm starring Mahfuz Ahmed, Jahid Hasan and Meher Afroz Shaon in the lead roles. The film features a love triangle where Shaon falls in love with Zahid Hasan. Mahfuz Ahmed also shows his interest towards Shaon who was brought to their village by her father. The story proceeds on with a group of visitors from the town with special focus on the lady doctor and her younger sister, both of whom like Zahid a lot.

The movie gives a chance to share some events of the great Liberation War of 1971. A special programme titled “Dorjar Opashe Humayun” will be aired at 11:30pm, directed by Raju Aleem. l

Story of peripheral women through saris

Nesha Laga Swopno airs during Eid n Entertainment Desk A single episode drama “Nesha Laga Swopno” will be aired on the second day of Eid at 7:45pm. Written and directed

by Alvi Ahmed, the drama features Mishu Sabbir, Farhana Mili, Prova, Shomapti Masuk and Mostafiz Shahin.

The plot revolves around the controversial relationships in the showbiz world. Successful actor Sumon plans a tour with newbie Joty. Sumon is married to Dipa and lies to her about his Nepal trip and informs her that he is going for an outdoor shoot. He ignores getting in touch with his wife after reaching Nepal and a worried Dipa contacts the director of the movie for his whereabouts. Asif, the director, is a family friend who tells her that he has no clue as to which outdoor shoot she is talking about. After returning from Nepal, when his enraged wife confronts him, Sumon convinces her that he went there for a seminar and other work. On the other hand, Joty falls in love with Sumon. l

n Entertainment Desk Monica Jahan Bose, a Bangladeshi -American artist is all set to hold an installation art exhibition titled “Her Words: Storytelling with Saris” using saris and video installation at the EMK Centre at Dhanmondi in the capital from today.

Monica will demonstrate the site-specific installation in collaboration with women from her ancestral village Katakhali under Patuakhali district. She is assisted by Nandita Ahmed, a New York-based Bangladeshi filmmaker, who pays her contribution in the exhibition by helping to document the project using photography and video, which will be included in the exhibition.

Monica has been working in this project for the last two years. Her introduction to art happened through painting and as an activist of environmental and women rights, she was interested

in this art project when she learned that the women of Katakhali are capable of woodblock printing and she decided to work with them directly.

In “Her Words: Storytelling with Saris,” Monica collaborates with 12 women who have survived successive natural calamities, learned to read in spite of dire living conditions, adapted to climate change, and rebuilt their lives as they continue to improve their community. Through this project, Bose expanded her interest in printmaking

Once Upon a Time airs today Jaatishmar: Music by Kabir Suman n Entertainment Desk

Watch out for popular TV series “Once Upon a Time” on Star World today at 5:30pm. The third season is being aired at present. It was announced on May 10, 2013 and was split into two volumes.

The first volume’s plot revolved around the main characters travelling to Neverland from Storybrooke to retrieve a kidnapped Henry Mills from the possession of Peter Pan. After successfully retrieving Henry, the characters returned to Storybrooke, only to be returned to their original worlds following Pan’s new curse, leaving Emma Swan and Henry to escape to New York City.

The second plot will follow the charac-

ters’ past journey in the Enchanted Forest and how they were brought back to Storybrooke by the Wicked Witch of the West, while also documenting Emma’s mission to break the new curse and save her family. New characters introduced in the season include the main antagonists of the two volumes: Peter Pan and the Wicked Witch of the West, in addition to Tinker Bell, Ariel, Prince Eric, Ursula, Rapunzel, Lumiere, the Wizard of Oz, Glinda the Good Witch, the Good Witch of the North, the Witch of the East, Dorothy Gale, Blackbeard, and Elsa, the Snow Queen.

On May 8, 2014 the series was renewed for a fourth season, which will premiere in Fall 2014. l

n Mosabber Rahman At the 1956 Cannes Film Festival some people walked out from the screening of “Pather Panchali,” they were shocked, they could not watch people eating with their bare hands. Such is the gap between the East and the West. We are fascinated by them, we want to be like them, but do they have any interest in us? There was one European who abandoned all western ties to become one of us, to become a Bangalee. He is known to us as Anthony Firingee, our epithet for the Portuguese-Bengali Anthony Hensman, the beloved poet of Bangla folk songs. In “Jaatishmar” Prosenjit Chatterjee reprises the role made famous by Uttam Kumar in the 1967 film “Anthony Firingee.” Unfortunately, this one is not a biopic like the brilliant Lalon Shah film “Moner Manush,” and it devotes little screen time to the story of the poet, all we get are snippets of flashbacks.

The title of the film “Jaatishmar” - someone who can remember about their previous birth - comes from a famous love song by Suman Chattopadhyay. All the songs of the film are composed by Kabir Suman. Who is Kabir Suman? Just as Yusuf Islam is Cat Stevens, Kabir Sumon is Suman Chattopadhyay. The film is produced by Reliance Entertainment, part of the $30bn corporation, so this is not going to be a piece of personal filmmaking, unless you are Steven Spielberg (both “War Horse” and “Lincoln” were coproduced by Reliance) they are going to put a pretty tight grip around your neck. But surprisingly, Kabir Suman emerges unscathed, with a lot of integrity, and we get an uncompromising music album. This film will be remembered for his music.

“Jaatishmar” sandwiches Anthony Firingee’s story in a light hearted romantic comedy where silly titles are used to introduce characters most of whom talk in bad one-liners. This is the main story line: An innocent guy (played wonderfully by Jishu Sengupta) gets rejected by a rude sarcastic girl (Swastika Mukherjee) just because he is not from Bengal and does not speak fluent Bangla. She is a purist. Moreover, she gives him the task to write, com-

terjee) who claims to be the reincarnation of Anthony Firingee. The scenes that follow are quite interesting- Jishu Sengupta and Prosenjit Chatterjee have pretty good chemistry and in a strange way they are quite similar in the film.

“Jaatishmar” set out to be a steak but ended up becoming a club-sandwich. It is over two-and-a-half hours long and it still felt two-third of the film was missing- as if the meat was missing. Every time the film changed track

pose and sing a Bangla song dedicated to her. We have to wait till the end to listen to that song: “E Tumi Kemon Tumi.” Of course there is a music competition at the climax; and guess who wins that competition? But the film is not as silly as it sounds because there is another more serious story line.

Next our hero starts to look up on Anthony Firinge, partly due to the if-hecan-do-it-so-can-I syndrome, and partly due to his M Phil dissertation (and here we need to suspend some disbelief) which just happens to be on Portuguese Studies. Enter Jaatishmar. He meets a librarian (also played by Prosenjit Chat-

from the rebirth story and returned to the romantic comedy, I felt disoriented. I wish Reliance Entertainment would release an extended director’s cut DVD with all the songs put back.

Even if you do not find the film entirely satisfactory, as I did not, you can still go watch it for the songs, then you can buy the album, like I did, and listen to it. My favorites are the kobigaan (a traditional performing arts featuring the battle of the poets) sung by Srikanto Acharya (as Anthony Firingee) and Kharaj Mukherjee (as the opponent). Strangely, we are always rooting for the “foreigner” instead of our Bengali poets. l

to learn woodblock printing from the women of Katakhali. In January 2013, she traveled to Katakhali to organise writing workshops, create 24 collaborative woodblock prints on saris, and interviewed the women of Katakhali.

Monica said to the Dhaka Tribune: “I am trying to focus on climate change through the art project with the story of these 12 women, their survival and success. I wanted to demonstrate a positive image of Bangladesh to the world while every now and then Bangladesh frequently appears to have a negative image.”

Dan W Mozena, ambassador of the United States of America to Bangladesh, will be the chief guest at the inauguration session. Dr Saleemul Huq, director of International Centre for Climate Change and Development; noted art critique professor Moinuddin Khaled; Enayet Khan, chairman of Cosmos Group and Cosmos Gallery; will also attend the programme as special guests. l

New Captain America will be AfricanAmerican n Entertainment Desk On Wednesday night, Marvel announced that the new Captain America is going to be Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon. Wilson first appeared as winged superhero Falcon in 1969 and was one of comics’ first black superheroes.

Marvel Comics’ chief creative officer, Joe Quesada, says superhero Sam “The Falcon” Wilson will take over as the patriotic Avenger in an upcoming installment of the long-running comic book series.

The change of character is only set to affect the Captain America comic book series.

Chris Evans, who has played him in “The Avengers” film, will also play the role in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” which is set for release in 2015.

The change takes effect in November in “All-New Captain America” No 1. The news about Captain America comes a day after Marvel announced that Thor, the God of Thunder, would now be portrayed as a woman in that comic book series.

Marvel comic editor Tom Brevoort says “We’re not anywhere near finished.”

“Change is one of the watchwords of the Marvel Universe, so there are even more startling surprises to come.” l

Sport DHAKA TRIBUNE Saturday, July 19, 2014

13

Cook fails as Kumar sparks England slump n AFP, London England captain Alastair Cook suffered yet another failure with the bat as the top order collapsed against India on the second day of the second Test at Lord’s on Friday.

Cook was out for 10, caught behind by opposing skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Fast-medium bowler Kumar also dismissed Australia-born opener Sam Robson and Ian Bell, England’s senior batsman, on his way to figures of three for 34 in 17 overs. At tea, England were 125 for four in reply to India’s first innings 295 -- a deficit of 170 runs.

Earlier, India had been in dire straits at 145 for seven after being sent into bat

by Cook on a green, seaming pitch that was the opposite of the lifeless track at Trent Bridge. But England let India of the hook as the tourists doubled their total to be 290 for nine at stumps, with Rahane making a superb 103 in his maiden Test innings at Lord’s. l

DAY 2, AT TEA

England batsman Alastair Cook edges the ball before being caught by India wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (L) during their second Test match at Lord’s cricket ground in London yesterday

13 share lead in Metro Chess n Tribune Desk

ICC, BCB to appeal tribunal verdict n Mazhar Uddin

the BCB duly formed a tribunal.

After a lengthy process, the tribunal declared the verdicts that found Shihab Jishan Chowdhury, one of the owners of the Dhaka Gladiators franchise, guilty. Shihab was banned for ten years as he allegedly tried to fix a game during BPL 2013.

Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful, also the youngest Test centurion in the history of five-day cricket, already confessed his wrongdoing even before the investigation got underway and was subsequently banned for eight years by the tribunal while two foreign cricketers – Sri Lanka’s Kaushal Lokuarachchi and New Zealander Lou Vincent – were also found guilty.

Two national discards, paceman Mahbubul Alam Robin and left-arm

spinner Mosharraf Hossain Rubel along with four other cricketers were discharged by the tribunal.

However, the ICC and the BCB said they were not satisfied with the verdict and as a result, both are set to appeal.

In an ICC press release distributed to the media yesterday, cricket’s governing body detailed its concerns. “The ICC and the BCB can confirm that we have received the full written decision from the anti-corruption tribunal. As previously indicated, we are extremely disappointed at the outcome of the proceedings and seeing the reasons given by the Tribunal for its decision has done nothing to address our concerns.

“In the ICC’s view, clear and compelling evidence of corruption by a number of individuals have not been taken

Afnan, Sonia end in 74th, 75th n Tribune Desk

Flower recognises Pakistan batting ‘challenge’

Yaya Toure now wants to stay at City n AFP, Manchester

Junior Bangladesh golfers Afnan Mahmud and Sonia Akther made the cut and finished 74th and 75th respectively among 131 golfers around the world in the British Junior Open 2014 at West Lancashire Golf Club in England.

Irish junior Kevin Leblanc emerged as the champion of the meet while Italy’s Teodoro Sodati and Diane Baillieux from Belgium ended second and third respectively. A total of 131 participants from 80 countries took part in the meet. l

n AFP, Lahore

Ivory Coast international midfielder Yaya Toure on Friday moved to end speculation about his future stating he was committed to Premier League champions Manchester City.

Toure, who scored 20 goals in City’s run to the title, told Sky Sports News that he wanted to honour his contract at the Etihad Stadium which runs until 2017.

“The fans have always been good to me, they’ve always been good to my family,” Toure said.

“I want to stay. I will always honour my contract. I don’t think about all this speculation. It’s a big pleasure to stay and enjoy the next season.”

Toure’s agent Dimitry Seluk sparked speculation about his future by claiming the midfielder was hurt by the club’s failure to mark his 31st birthday - despite a video on the club’s website showing Toure being presented with a birthday cake.

But Toure, who moved to City from Barcelona in 2010, described the speculation as “disappointing”. l

A total of 13 players are sharing the lead at the top of the Metropolis Chess Tournament 2014 points table after winning their respective third round matches at the Bangladesh Chess Federation hallroom yesterday.

Sheraj, Mithu, Rashed, Sabyasachi, Ripon, Sanowar, Shahnaz, Badrul, Mamun, Tipu, Nasim, Ansary and Shiplu, all below 2100 rating, earned three points each. In the third round games, Sheraj beat Alamgir, Mamun beat Dipu, Mithu got walk-over against Shahid, Tipu beat Mahmood, Nasim beat Sagar, Rashed beat Rauf, Sabyasachi beat Habib, Ansary beat Sohel, Ripon beat Kashem, Shahnaz beat Jasim, Badrul beat Iman, Shiplu beat Basarul and Sanowar beat Zahid. l

Zia faces second loss

n Tribune Desk Bangladesh Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman fell to his second defeat in the 16th Obert International Sant Marti 2014. Ziaur lost to Spanish International Master Lorenzo de la Riva Lazaro in the fifth round in Barcelona on Thursday. The Bangladesh GM now has three points following the conclusion of the fifth round of Group A. l

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Both the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have expressed disappointment and announced yesterday that they will appeal against the verdict given out last month by the anti-corruption tribunal over allegations of match-fixing in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2013.

In order to probe any probable practice of match-fixing in the second edition of the BPL, the BCB roped in the services of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (Acsu). Following the conclusion of the Twenty20 tournament, Acsu reported that there were some wrongdoings in the competition and according to rules and regulations,

New Pakistan batting coach Grant Flower said improving the side’s faltering hitters would be a “challenge” as he assumed the role Friday.

The 43-year-old joined on a twoyear contract after a successful coaching stint with his native Zimbabwe, which ended in 2012.

His task is to improve Pakistan’s fortunes at the crease which have flopped recently, most notably last year’s 3-0 Test whitewash against South Africa when they were bowled out for just 49.

“We all know how talented the players are and I rate them high. But maybe sometime they don’t get most of their talent out and I am here to coach them,” Flower said.

The younger brother of accomplished Zimbabwean batsman Andy, who coached England until last year, said he would not have taken the job if he didn’t think he

could make a difference.

“The challenge of being in a different place brought me here,” Grant said at his introductory press conference.

His stint starts in earnest on next month’s tour of Sri Lanka when he teams up with new head coach Waqar Younis.

Flower played 67 Tests and 221 oneday internationals for Zimbabwe.

He said he was determined to get the most out of the batsmen at his disposal.

“I do know some of the players and know their constraints as well and some areas where I need to work on”.

“Another best thing about Pakistan batting is their flare, I would never want to take it out from any of them,” he added.

“So may be its just about fine-tuning with some of the batsman and getting them to play with more consistency.”

Pakistan will play two Tests and three one-day internationals against Sri Lanka. l

into account properly. Having now had the opportunity to review the detailed decision in its entirety and taken advice on it, we believe that we have very strong grounds on which we can base our appeal. We do not believe that the sport would be sending the right message if it does not challenge what, in our opinion, are incorrect findings.”

Meanwhile, the ICC cleared former Bangladesh bowling coach and the Gladiators’ head coach Ian Pont of any wrongdoing. “The actions of Ian Pont in reporting the corrupt approach and then helping Acsu to establish the extent of the corruption are to be highly commended. I wish to express my thanks to Mr Pont for all that he has done to uphold the integrity of the sport of cricket.” l

India First Innings 295 all out (A Rahane 103, B Kumar 36; J Anderson 4-60) England First Innings 157 for 4 (G Ballance 74*, M Ali 15*; B Kumar 3-43)

Anderson, Jadeja hearing to be held after second Test n Reuters, London An initial hearing into an incident involving England quick bowler James Anderson and India’s Ravindra Jadeja during last week’s drawn first test in Nottingham will be held on Tuesday, the International Cricket Council has announced.

Anderson is said to have “abused and pushed” the Indian spinner during the match at Trent Bridge and has been charged with a level three misconduct offence, which could see him banned for up to four test matches.

Jadeja has been charged with a level two offence after being accused of approaching Anderson in a threatening manner, which could see him lose his entire match fee or be banned for one Test.l

Afghan batsman Samiullah Shenwari gestures during their first match of a four match ODI series against hosts Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday AFP

Williams guides Zimbabwe Riquelme quits Boca Juniors, returns to first club to easy Afghan win n Reuters, Buenos Aires

Former Argentina playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme has failed to agree a new deal with Boca Juniors and is returning to his first club Argentinos Juniors in the Argentine second division.

“The welcome will be on Sunday,” Argentinos Juniors said on Friday of the 36-year-old’s official unveiling with coach Claudio Borghi thrilled to get the talented player for the fight to earn promotion straight back to the first division.

“Revolution has come to La Paternal,” they said on their website (www. argentinosjuniors.co.ar) referring to the Buenos Aires barrio, or neighbourhood, where the club that also launched Diego Maradona’s career is based.

“Roman is a box of surprises and there was always that hope for us (of his

return),” Borghi, a former Boca and Chile national team coach, told Fox Sports.

Riquelme’s former Boca team mate, central defender Matias Caruso, has

also returned to Argentinos, with whom he won the league title under Borghi in 2010, following a season at Universidad de Chile.

Former Barcelona and Villarreal midfielder Riquelme rose through the junior ranks at Argentinos, noted for a youth scheme that also produced the likes of Fernando Redondo and Esteban Cambiasso, but made his first division debut at 18 with Boca, who snapped him up in 1996.

Riquelme, one of Argentina’s greatest talents who played for his country at the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, helped Boca win five league titles, the South American Libertadores Cup twice and the Intercontinental Cup club crown in 2000.

Argentinos, nicknamed Bichos (bugs), were relegated in May at the end of the Final championship, second of two in the season won by Boca’s arch rivals River Plate. They will play in the Primera B Nacional second tier championship from next month. l

n Reuters, Bulawayo A quick-fire 70 at more than a run a ball from Sean Williams lifted Zimbabwe to a comfortable six-wicket win over Afghanistan in the first one day international at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Friday.

Williams, who blasted eight fours and a six off his 65 balls, fell just before the target of 224 was reached by the home side as they raced to victory with 28 balls to spare in the first ever meeting between the two nations.

Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field, restricting their tourists to 223 for nine in their 50 overs, with Samiullah Shenwari top-scoring for the visitors with a patient 65 from 85 balls.

BRIEF SCORE

Afghanistan 223 for 9 in 50 overs (S Shenwari 65, M Nabi 54; Chatara 2-47) Zimbabwe 227 for 4 in 45.2 overs (S Williams 70, B Taylor 43; S Zadran 1-32) Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets and lead the series 1-0 Zimbabwe were always up with the run rate and besides Williams, captain Brandon Taylor chipped in with 43 and opener Sikandar Raza 42 not out after he had left the field retired hurt, only to return later in the innings.

The second match is at the same venue on Sunday. l

14

Sport DHAKA TRIBUNE Saturday, July 19, 2014

5 FACTS ON LAHM

Lahm calls time on int’l career n AFP, Berlin Germany captain Philipp Lahm on Friday ended his international career just five days after leading his country to a World Cup triumph in Brazil.

Tributes immediately poured in for the 30-year-old Bayern Munich full back who has played 113 games for Germany.

His career, already packed with Champions League and Bundesliga titles, culminated in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Argentina that made Lahm only the 20th World Cup winning captain.

He showed off the World Cup to an estimated 500,000 people who gave the team a heroes’ welcome in Berlin on Tuesday.

The international retirement, confirmed by Lahm’s agent Roman Grill, to the SID sports news agency, a subsidiary of AFP, took Germany by surprise.

But the German Football Federation (DFB) confirmed that it would have to find a new captain.

“It’s the right time for me (after the title),” Grill quoted Lahm as saying.

Grill said Lahm had been considering all season ending his international playing days.

“I made the decision that the World Cup in Brazil would be my final tournament,” Lahm added.

Lahm, one of the best defenders of

PROFILE Name : Philipp Lahm Date of birth : November 11, 1983 (age 30) Place of birth : Munich, West Germany Height : 1.70m (5 feet 7 inches) Position : Full back/defensive midfielder Senior international debut: v Croatia (2-1), February 18, 2004 Last international appearance: v Argentina World Cup final, July 13, 2014 (Germany 1-0 aet) International caps: 113 International goals: 5 Clubs

Honours

Club

: Bayern Munich 1995-to date (on loan to VfB Stuttgart 2003-2005) : International: World Cup (2014), third place (2006, 2010).

European Championships: finalist (2008), semi-final (2012) : Champions League (2013), 2 finals (2010, 2012); Club World Cup (2013); European Supercup (2013); German Championships (2006, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014); German Cups (2006, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014); German League Cup (2007); German Supercups (2010, 2012)

Former United star Ferdinand joins QPR n AFP, London Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand signed for Premier League new-boys QPR on a free transfer Thursday and revealed he had turned down more lucrative offers in order to return to London.

Ferdinand agreed a one-year deal with the Hoops, ending his search for a new club following his release by United when his contract expired last month.

The 35-year-old was keen to move back to London, where he was born, and he has decided to rejoin QPR boss Harry Redknapp, who handed him his professional debut when the pair worked together at West Ham. Ferdinand revealed the prospect of turning out for a club he admired as a boy also persuaded him to move to Loftus Road, where his brother Anton and cousin Les both played with distinction.

“I used to sit in the stands, my dad used bring me here as a young boy.

There are great memories for me here and for my family,” Ferdinand told QPR’s website.

“Anton had nothing but good things to say about QPR and I watched Les (Ferdinand) here as a boy, with the likes of Ray Wilkins, Clive Wilson, David Bardsley and Alan McDonald.”

Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League during his 12-year spell with United, is Redknapp’s first close-season signing after guiding QPR back into the Premier League via the Championship play-offs. l

Lahm, one of the best defenders of his generation, has played 113 games for Germany in an international career that started in February, 2004 in a 2-1 win over Croatia. His last game was the 1-0 win over Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday.

his generation, has been Germany’s captain since 2010.

He has made himself the undisputed leader of the German team and was a close confidant of coach Joachim Loew during the World Cup campaign.

He said that he was leaving “in perfect harmony” with the DFB. Lahm informed Loew of his decision to retire over breakfast on the morning after their World Cup triumph.

DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach was informed of Lahm’s decision on Friday morning. “I thanked him for 10 years of superb work together,” said Lahm.

Niersbach said that he “quickly understood that there was no question of making him (Lahm) change his mind”.

He praised Lahm as “not only an extraordinary player but also an absolute role model”.

“I thanked him for all that he had contributed,” added Niersbach.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel also paid tribute to the retiring skipper.

“I would like to express (to Lahm) my greatest respect for all he has done for the national team,” Merkel told a press conference in Berlin.

Lahm is the fourth captain of the German team to lift the World Cup trophy after Fritz Walter (1954), Franz Beckenbauer (1974) and Lothar Matthaeus (1990). l

Although a defender, Lahm scored five times for Germany. He says his most important came in the 90th minute of the 2008 European Championship semi-final against Turkey. In the final it was a mistake between Lahm and goalkeeper Jens Lehmann that cost the goal that gave Spain victory.

Lahm, who has played as left and right back, joined Bayern Munich at 11. He made his debut for the senior side in 2002, but the side had so many top defenders that he was loaned out to Vfb Stuttgart from 2003 to 2005.

Lahm has had to battle back from serious injury several times. On his return from Stuttgart to Bayern, he had a torn cruciate ligament which kept him out for six months. At the same time he also had a stress fracture of his foot.

Bayern imposed its then biggest ever disciplinary fine against Lahm in November 2009, reported to be more than 25,000 euros, for giving a newspaper interview in which he criticised the club transfer policy and its tactics. He was made club captain in 2011 and led the team to their 2013 Champions League, German title and German Cup triple triumph.

‘100%’ Lahm goes out at the top Uefa keeps Russian and n AFP, Berlin

Germany captain Philipp Lahm, who announced his retirement from international football on Friday, is one of the greatest players of his generation.

He is also standing down at the top of his game, only 30 and just five days after joining an elite club of 20 World Cup winning captains, which puts him up with Diego Maradona, Franz Beckenbauer and Bobby Moore.

Lahm has not always had an easy career, battling with injury and the hierarchy at his lifelong club Bayern Munich.

But Bayern coach Pepe Guardiola has described Lahm as “the most intelligent footballer I have ever managed.”

Lahm, who played 113 games in a decade of international duty for Germany, joined Bayern as an 11-year-old. Then he saw himself as an attacking midfielder in the mould of Mehmet Scholl a pillar of the Bayern team of the 1990 and 2000s.

But when the club decided his best place was as a defender, Italian tough guy Paolo Maldini became his hero.

Lahm has since made his name as a fearless but quiet leader, dependable and adaptable on the field.

Nowhere can that be better seen than in the “Mr 100%” tributes paid by the German press after an inspiration-

al display against Hertha Berlin in a 3-1 win in March.

The victory secured the German title at record speed for Bayern but Lahm carried out a record 134 passes in a league game with 100% accuracy.

At the World Cup, Lahm started the group games in midfield but coach Joachim Loew quickly moved him back to his habitual place at right or left back.

Even then his adaptability shone through. At one stage in the stunning 7-1 semi-final win over Brazil, Lahm forced his way into the penalty area feinted as though about to shoot and passed to Andre Schuerrle for him to score. It was a brilliant playmaker’s move.

Lahm has scored five goals for Germany himself. The most important, he says, was a 90th minute strike in the 2008 European Championship semi-final that secured victory over Turkey.

In the final it was a mistake between Lahm and goalkeeper Jens Lehmann that gave away the Fernando Torres goal that gave Spain victory.

With Bayern he has won five Bundesliga titles, five German Cups, the German Super Cup twice and the Champions League, the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup. He has been captain for eight of those trophies.

He has been loyal to his team through thick and thin however.

Dhaka Tribune’s writers share their best and worst memories of the World Cup 2014 FAZLEY RABBI MOON Match of the tournament Belgium 2-1 USA (second round). It was an absolute pleasure to witness US goalkeeper Tim Howard repeatedly saving one shot after another as the Belgians did everything right apart from scoring in the stipulated 90 minutes. Romelu Lukaku was then introduced from the bench with devastating effect as he scored one and set up another for his teammate Kevin De Bruyne in extra-time. The Americans reduced the margin and came agonisingly close to equalising two-three times in the nervy, dying minutes as Howard on the other end heroically kept his side alive before conceding a close defeat.

Apart from that, the round of 16 clash between Germany and Algeria, the lopsided semifinal between Brazil and Germany and the grand finale featuring Argentina and Germany were nevertheless some of the best matches not only in this edition but throughout the history of the World Cup.

Lahm made his debut for the senior side in 2002, but there were so many top defenders and midfielders that he was loaned out to Vfb Stuttgart from 2003 to 2005.

He tore a cruciate ligament in one of his last games for Stuttgart and also suffered a stress fracture of the foot.

But back at Bayern he quickly established himself as first choice back, turned down a big money move to Barcelona in 2008 and then quickly became frustrated.

Bayern imposed its then biggest ever disciplinary fine against Lahm in November 2009, reported to be more than 25,000 euros, for giving a newspaper interview in which he criticised the club transfer policy and its tactics.

“It could be that my personality had been underrated,” he was quoted as saying in a later interview.

“For me it was important to know how Bayern see me. And there were times when I had the impression that my opinion wasn’t 100% appreciated all the time. Now, after several good discussions, I have the feeling of being an important part of the Bayern puzzle.

And that was very important to me.”

And again, Lahm bounced back and was made Germany captain in 2010 -to the anger of holder Michael Ballack -- and club captain in 2011.l

n Reuters, Moscow

UEFA’s Emergency Panel has decided Russian and Ukrainian clubs cannot be drawn against each other in a UEFA competition in the upcoming season, European soccer’s governing body announced on Thursday.

The decision was taken after months of tension between the two countries following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and civil unrest in the Russian-speaking east of Ukraine.

“In light of the current political situation, the Russian Football Union and the Football Federation of Ukraine have expressed concerns about safety and security in the case of Russian and Ukrainian teams being drawn against each other in UEFA competition,” UEFA said in an official statement.

“After evaluating the request and taking into account the safety and security situation in the region, the UEFA Emergency Panel has decided that Ukrainian and Russian teams cannot be drawn against each other until further notice”.

As a result, Zenit Saint Petersburg and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk will be prevented from being pitted togeth-

er when the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round draw is made on 18 July.

“I wrote a letter to UEFA myself, asking that Russian and Ukrainian clubs should be kept apart,” said Anatoly Vorobyov, the Russian Football Union`s Secretary General, speaking to the Russian journalists.

“I think we need to get rid of any potential risks. I don’t think we need to give groups of people another reason to show their negative feelings that have built up.

“Football is not politics and there is no need to use football as a political tool. As far as I am aware, those from the Ukrainian side are also in favour of teams from the two countries being kept apart.”

The UEFA Emergency Panel has decided to allow UEFA club competition matches to be played in Dnipropetrovsk and Odessa, in addition to Kiev and Lviv, following an assessment of the security concerns in the country.

This affects Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Chornomorets Odessa, who are entering the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League respectively.l

Germany in Kroos control created regular chances for strikers Thomas Mueller and Miroslav Klose as the Germans clinched their fourth World Cup title after a 24-year wait.

Rodriguez and Neymar were tremendous in their incomplete journeys while the only consolation for Messi was the Golden Ball as Argentina, supposedly labeled the ‘one-man-team’, rose the highest before getting their hearts broken by a late Mario Goetze goal.

Goal of the Tournament The 171st and final goal of the World Cup. Goetze’s winning strike is definitely one of the best goals in history. Not only how he scored it but the value of the goal in

that precise moment stands out from the rest. Coming from the bench later on in the final, Goetze got very few chances to break the deadlock in front of an ‘errorless’ Argentine defence. Then, another super-sub André Schuerrle somehow found Goetze free on the left of Sergio Romero but the angle was quite narrow and the ball was above chest height. In an instant reaction, the wonder-boy chested the ball down and beat Romero in the far post to give the Germans the fourth star over their team logo.

Rodriguez and Messi also scored some scintillating goals on more than one occasion. Rodriguez’s volley against Uruguay and Messi’s trademark run-and-goals

Player of the Tournament Toni Kroos, fairly ahead of Argentine maverick Lionel Messi and Colombian superstar James Rodriguez. Two goals and four sublime assists do not paint the whole picture of his overall impact, especially considering that all of his involvements came against giants like Portugal, France and Brazil. The 24-year old mastermind’s endless movements in midfield have

Ukrainian clubs apart

against Iran and Bosnia are high in the list.

Biggest disappointment Asian teams. Like several heavyweight European sides, the 2014 World Cup has been a forgettable affair for the Asian continent as well. Not a single team from Asia were able to register a single win and for the first time since 1998, there were no representatives from the largest continent in the World Cup knock-out stage.

Australia lost all the matches to end bottom while Japan lost 1-2 to Ivory Coast, drew 0-0 against Greece before receiving a 1-4 drubbing at the hands of Colombia in Group C. Iran also finished last in Group F after earning just a solitary draw in three matches. Even the most successful Asian side, South Korea, were mired at the bottom of Group H after losses against Algeria and a 10-man Belgium.

Most interesting off-field moment Luis Suarez biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini. People were not surprised though as it was not the first time Suarez did this. The then PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal and Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic will testify.

Team of the tournament (4-1-4-1)

Prediction for 2018

Keylor Navas, Philipp Lahm, Ron Vlaar, Mats Hummels, Daley Blind, Javier Mascherano, Toni Kroos, James Rodríguez, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Thomas Mueller.

Germany are once again tipped as the top contenders and will look to equal Brazil’s five world titles but they are expected to face some tough foes in Italy, France, Spain and Belgium in an all-European show.

It will be nigh to impossible for a South American team to take the trophy home in the cruel Russian weather. Only if superstars like Neymar and Messi shine can the South American teams hope to win the World Cup in a continent considered to be a graveyard for the Latin sides. l

Surprise package of the tournament

Germany wonder-boy Goetze thumps in the winner against Argentina in the final

called up. Demichelis came to the World Cup after winning the Premier League with Manchester City while custodian Romero was the first choice despite a mediocre season with Monaco. With top attackers like Angel di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero and Messi the defence was expected to be shaky but Argentina’s prospects changed unexpectedly with topclass performances from the desperadoes along with Pablo Zabaleta, Ezequiel Garay and Marcos Rojo – perhaps the find of the tournament for the Albiceleste.

Argentine defence. After conceding four against Germany in the quarterfinals of the previous World Cup, Argentina began this campaign with some fresh faces in their backline. Two of their so-called ‘villains’ - Martin Demichelis and Romero - were

Sport DHAKA TRIBUNE Saturday, July 19, 2014

15

QUICK BYTES

SCORECARD, DAY 3

Arsenal seal swoop for Debuchy

South Africa 1st innings: 455-9 decl D. Elgar 103, J. Duminy 100 no; Perera 4-162 Sri Lanka 1st innings: K. Silva c Philander b Steyn 8 U. Tharanga st de Kock b Duminy 83 K. Sangakkara b Morkel 24 M. Jayawardene lbw b Steyn 3 L. Thirimanne c de Kock b Steyn 38 A. Mathews b Tahir 89 D. Chandimal c Petersen b Steyn 6 D. Perera c de Kock b Steyn 0 R. Herath not out 12 S. Lakmal c de Kock b Morkel 6 Extras: (lb7, b4, w2, nb1) 14 Total: (for 9 wickets; 100 overs) 283

Arsenal completed their swoop for France defender Mathieu Debuchy from Newcastle United on Thursday in a deal reported to be worth around 15 million euros. Debuchy has been a long-term target for Arsene Wenger and the Gunners’ manager finally got his man as the right-back put pen to paper on a longterm contract. The 28-year-old, who was part of the French squad which reached the World Cup quarter-finals, is the ideal replacement for compatriot Bacary Sagna, who left Arsenal to join Premier League Manchester City on a free transfer last month. Debuchy, who is reported to have cost the Gunners around £12 million ($20.5 million, 15.1 million euros), becomes Arsenal’s second signing since the end of last season following the £30 million arrival of Chile winger Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona.

–AFP

Fall of wickets 1-39 (Silva), 2-98 (Sangakkara), 3-104 (Jayawardene), 4-136 (Tharanga), 5-190 (Thirimanne), 6-200 (Chandimal), 7-201 (Perera), 8-272 (Mathews) Bowling Steyn 21-6-50-5, Philander 15-6-31-0 (1nb), Morkel 17-9-45-2, Tahir 25-5-74-1, Duminy 15-4-47-1, Elgar 7-1-25-0 Match position Sri Lanka trail by 172 runs with one wicket in hand in the first innings

Bulgaria’s Petrov calls time on career Former Bulgaria winger Martin Petrov drew a near-20 year career to an end on Thursday when the 35-year-old announced his retirement from football.

As a youngster he joined his hometown club, Botev Vratsa, in 1995 then travelled all over Europe to play at CSKA Sofia, Servette, VfL Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers and Espanyol. He represented his country 90 times between 1999 and 2011 and scored 19 goals. “Everything has a beginning and an end,” Petrov, who returned to his homeland to re-join CSKA on one-year contract last summer, told reporters in Vratsa.

–Reuters

Zverev follows in Nadal footsteps Alexander Zverev on Thursday became the first 17-year-old to reach the quarter-finals of an ATP 500-level tournament since Rafael Nadal in 2004 when he made the Hamburg last-eight. The former top junior from Germany, who is ranked 285 in the world, defeated experienced 11th seed Santiago Giraldo 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) having already beaten Russian fifth seed Mikhail Youzhny in the previous round. “He’s a tough player and a really tough competitor,” said Zverev.

“He got the break when I was serving at 5-4 and I just had to focus and play my game. Luckily, I got through in two sets.”

–AFP

Chelsea’s Romeu signs contract extension Chelsea midfielder Oriol Romeu signed a three-year contract extension with the Premier League club on Thursday. Romeu, who joined the Blues from Barcelona in 2011, is now tied to Stamford Bridge until 2017. The former Spain Under-21 international spent last season on loan at Valencia, but remains in Blues boss Jose Mourinho’s plans and played in Wednesday’s 5-0 friendly win over Wycombe. That was Romeu’s first appearance for Chelsea since he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at Sunderland in December 2012.

–AFP

Manchester United’s Carrick injured, could miss 12 weeks Manchester United’s Michael Carrick will miss the start of season after undergoing surgery on a serious ankle injury, the club confirmed on Thursday.

The 32-year-old England midfielder sustained an ankle ligament injury in training earlier this week and underwent an operation on Thursday morning, ruling him out of action for between 10 to 12 weeks. “Michael Carrick was injured in the last day or the day before,” Louis van Gaal, speaking at his first press conference as United’s new manager, told reporters. “So that is, in my opinion, a big blow because he is an experienced player.” Asked how long it could take for Carrick to recover, the former Netherlands coach said: “Much too long for me.” The Premier League side travel to the United States for a pre-season tour on Friday with the midfielder staying behind to work on his recovery.

–Reuters

South Africa’s Dale Steyn (R) celebrates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Thirimanne during the third day of their first Test in Galle yesterday REUTERS

Five-wicket Steyn rips through Sri Lanka n AFP, Galle Speed bowler Dale Steyn took five wickets as South Africa seized control on the third day of the first Test against Sri Lanka on Friday.

Steyn, 31, unleashed some fiery bowling without much help from a dry and flat track to finish with figures of 5-50, his 23rd five-wicket haul in Tests.

At stumps, Sri Lanka were 283-9, still trailing the visitors by 172 runs with just one wicket in hand.

Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews fought back valiantly with an 89-run knock before being bowled by leg-spinner Imran Tahir.

Mathews, who missed scoring his third Test ton on the trot, also shared 71 runs with Rangana Herath for the eighth wicket, the highest partnership of the innings.

His effort was especially commendable since Sri Lanka’s two big hitters Mahela Jayawardene (three) and Kumar Sangakkara (24) - failed with the bat.

Steyn struck early in the final session, removing Lahiru Thirimanne (38) with an away-moving delivery which the batsman edged behind to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.

The lanky fast bowler struck again soon to dismiss Dinesh Chandimal and Dilruwan Perera off his consecutive

overs to cap a fiery three-wicket burst.

Chandimal (six) was caught at midwicket while Perera snicked to de Kock without opening his account.

Mathews tried to hit back, smacking Morne Morkel (2-45) for five fours in one over to race to his fifties but that was a rare show of dominance on an otherwise disappointing day for the home team.

Earlier, Tharanga, making a Test comeback after more than six years, stood out with his doughty 83-run innings that contained 14 fours and a six.

Tharanga defied the hostile fast bowling for some three hours but he was finally undone by part-time spinner JeanPaul Duminy who had him stumped by

de Kock. Steyn tasted the first success in the morning session when he got rid of opener Kaushal Silva (eight).

Silva tried to hook a bouncer from Steyn but edged it to long leg where Vernon Philander dived forward and plucked the ball inches off the ground to complete a spectacular catch. His dismissal brought in Sangakkara, coming into the match on the back of a record seven successive fifty-plus scores.

The left-hander looked his normal poised self, pulling and driving Steyn for two fours in an over, which included his trademark cover drive. Tharanga provided solid support to his more famous partner, reaching his fourth

half-century with a four off Duminy.

Tharanga dished out similar treatment to Tahir, the only specialist spinner in the South African squad, whacking him around for two boundaries is his consecutive overs.

Sudden rain close to the lunch break held up the game briefly. And just as the match resumed, Sangakkara paid the price for losing his concentration, inside edging Morkel on to his stumps.

Jayawardene was trapped leg before

by Steyn while trying to defend against a stinging yorker from the bowler.

The former skipper asked for a review but replays vindicated the onfield umpire’s call.l

Zenit open against Limassol in Champions League n AFP, Nyon Zenit Saint-Petersburg will open their Champions League campaign against AEL Limassol following the draw for the third qualifying round made in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday.

Andre Villas-Boas’s Zenit advanced to the round of 16 last season, while Cypriot side AEL last reached the group stage in 2012-2013 season.

FC Copenhagen were drawn against Ukrainian side FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, who are back in the competition after a 25-year absence.

There will also be a first meeting of Dutch side Feyenoord and Turkey’s Besiktas and Swiss outfit Grasshopper Zurich and Ligue 1 side Lille.

“Avoiding long journeys is always better,” said Lille coach Rene Girard, whose side finished third in Ligue 1 last season.

“But that doesn’t mean it will be easy, quite the contrary,” he added.

The only teams to have played be-

fore in the league route are Belgian club Standard Liege who host Panathinaikos of Greece for the first leg of their tie.

In the champions route, 2011/12 quarter-finalists APOEL FC open against FK Rabotnicki or Helsinki, and two-time group stage participants Aalborg BK were drawn with GNK Dinamo

LEAGUE ROUTE

Limassol (CHY) Dniepro (UKR) Feyenoord (NED) Grasshopper (SUI) St Liege (BEL)

v v v v v

Zenit (RUS) Copenhagen (DEN) Besiktas (TUR) Lille (FRA) Panathinaikos (GRE)

Zagreb or VMFD Zalgiris.

The third qualifying round takes place over two legs on July 29/30 and August 5/6.

The 15 qualifiers from this round advance to the play-offs where they will be up against Arsenal, FC Porto, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli and Athletic Bilbao. l

ND Gorica’s Alen Jogan (L) challenges Molde’s Martin Linnes during their second qualifying round of Uefa Europa League in Molde on Thursday. Molde won the match 4-1 REUTERS

Uefa bans Atletico coach Simeone, Real’s Alonso n AFP, Geneva European football’s governing body UEFA on Thursday banned Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone and Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso for one match for disciplinary offences during

the Champions League final in May. Simeone was hit with the penalty for having charged onto the pitch at the end of the match during a verbal clash with Real’s French defender Raphael Varane.

He will be banned from the bench

DAY’S WATCH Ten Cricket 10:30AM South Africa Tour of Sri Lanka 1st Test Day 4 Star Sports 1, 3, HD1 4:00PM India Tour of England Second Test, Day 3 Xabi Alonso

Diego Simeone

for Atletico’s next European match, which will come at the beginning of the 2014-15 Champions League group stage in September.

Real beat their arch-rivals 4-1 after extra time in the May 24 final in Lisbon, and UEFA opened a disciplinary probe in the wake of the game.

Xabi Alonso was sanctioned for misconduct, and will serve his suspension during the UEFA Super Cup final between Madrid and Europa League winners Sevilla on August 12 in Cardiff, UEFA said.

In addition, Atletico and Real were each fined for improper team conduct -- a penalty faced by teams who receive five or more cards during matches.

Real picked up five, thereby receiving a fine of 18,000 euros ($24,344, £14,235), while Atletico’s seven cards led to a penalty of 21,000 euros.

The fines also sanctioned the behaviour of both clubs’ fans, who set off fireworks in the stadium. l

James dethrones Jordan as most popular US athlete n Reuters LeBron James has overtaken Michael Jordan as the United States’ most popular athlete, according to a Harris poll.

Almost from the moment James exploded onto the NBA scene as the number one overall pick in the 2003 draft a debate has raged over who was the better of the two basketball superstars.

Jordan had held the top honor from 1993-2005 and again in 2013 before being supplanted this year by James, who was ranked number two in 2013.

The poll was conducted between June 11 and 16 before James, a 10-time All-Star, made his decision. New York Yankee Derek Jeter, who is retiring at the end of the Major League Baseball season, moves up three spots to third.

Rounding out the top five are Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning at four with the Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant and NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. tied for fifth.

Tiger Woods, who had been number

one for five straight years from 2006, dropped from third last year to eighth.

There was no change at the top among America’s most favorite female athletes with tennis player Serena Williams for a fifth straight year while NASCAR driver Danica Patrick remained number two.

Tennis players dominated the top with Venus Williams remaining third followed by Maria Sharapova and soccer player Mia Hamm at five. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE Saturday, July 19, 2014 DHAKA TRIBUNE Monday, June 16, 2014

13 Riquelme quits Boca Juniors

14 Lahm calls time on international career

Sport

15 Five-star Steyn rips through Lankans

BECKHAM SHOWERED WITH GOLDEN MUD

Former England footballer David Beckham poses with the Golden Award – the gold mohawked blimp trophy – alongside his sons, Cruz (L) and Romeo in the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Sports Awards 2014 at the UCLA Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California on Thursday. Just after receiving the award, the Beckhams were splashed with gold slime as a part of the celebrations.

The Kids’ Choice Sports Awards honoured the kids’ favorite athletes, teams and sports moments. Retired American football player Michael Strahan hosted the event which was graced by the presence of American basketball player Kevin Durant, Swedish ice hockey player Henrick Lundqvist, actress Megan Fox, boxer Floyd Mayweather and actor Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson among others AFP

set me up, says Kroos up for challenge after Maradona arrested ex-girlfriend completing Madrid move n AFP, Buenos Aires

n AFP, Madrid Toni Kroos on Thursday looked forward to a trophy-laden time with Real Madrid after signing from Bayern Munich on a six-year deal just days after winning the World Cup with Germany.

“I am here to win titles. That is how it has always been in my career,” said the 24-year-old playmaker as he was presented to thousands of fans and media at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

“When I started at Bayern Munich the only option was to win, and now it

is the same,” he added.

“I know that I am at a very successful club and I am going to do my bit to make sure that continues to be the case.”

Kroos had an outstanding World Cup, scoring two goals in two minutes in the 7-1 semi-final rout of Brazil before helping Germany overcome Argentina 1-0 after extra time in Sunday’s final.

Spanish media said Real and Bayern agreed a deal worth between 25 million and 30 million euros ($33-$40 million) for Kroos, who had a year left on his contract in Bavaria.

Kroos, who sported the number eight jersey at his unveiling, denied that a disagreement with Bayern coach Pep Guardiola was behind his decision to leave the Bundesliga champions.

He said: “I had already been at Bayern for a long time and have won everything there, so I thought a new step would do me good.”

“A magnificent player has arrived, as he showed at the World Cup, where he was one of the best in the competition,” said Madrid president Florentino Perez.

“His great performances in recent

Del Bosque to stay on as Spain coach n AFP, Madrid

New Real Madrid’s German midifielder Toni Kroos controls the ball during his presentation at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on Thursday AFP

Vicente del Bosque on Thursday confirmed his intention to stay on as coach of Spain, despite their disappointing performance at the World Cup in Brazil.

“I have been in contact with the Federation president (Angel Maria Villar) as well as the secretary general (Jorge Perez) and I think we are a stable Federation and the last six years as a whole have counted for more than the last two games that eliminated us from the World Cup,” del Bosque said at a football school in his home city of Salamanca.

Of the Federation (RFEF), he added: “They valued my work and we are going to carry on as always.”

Del Bosque’s contract runs through to the end of the European Championship in France in 2016 and his announcement will end speculation that had been mounting since Spain were knocked out of the World Cup following back-to-back defeats against the Netherlands and Chile.

After Spain bowed out of the tournament in Brazil by beating Australia 3-0, he said: “We will look for the best decision for our football, with sense and without drama.”

Del Bosque, 63, had previously led Spain to glory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and at Euro 2012. l

weeks do not come as a surprise, but as confirmation that we had chosen the right player.”

Kroos arrives at the Santiago Bernabeu with 11 trophies already on his CV, the World Cup the jewel in a collection including the 2013 Champions League, last season’s Bundesliga title and the Club World Cup. He joined Bayern as a teenager in 2007, making his first-team debut at the age of 17 and becoming a regular after an 18-month loan spell at Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen. l

Diego Maradona’s ex-girlfriend said Thursday the football legend had set a trap for her, denying she stole jewelry from his Dubai mansion as an Argentine court released her on bail.

“Maradona set me up. He knows I didn’t take anything from him,” 22-year-old Rocio Oliva said with a broken voice as she left the Buenos Aires courthouse where a judge granted her conditional release after formally charging her for theft.

Maradona, 53, says Oliva stole hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of watches, diamond earrings and other jewelry from him in Dubai, where he

works as a sports promoter and where they lived together on Palm Jumeirah, a palm tree-shaped artificial island.

Oliva denies the charges and accuses Maradona of hitting her.

She was arrested late Wednesday at Ezeiza airport in Buenos Aires after the United Arab Emirates issued a warrant for her. Oliva, who is herself a footballer in Buenos Aires, said Maradona had paid for her to travel to Rio and meet him “because he loves me.”

Maradona for his part said Oliva had cheated on him as well as stolen from him, and called on her to return his property.

“If she returns my things, the problem’s over,” he told TV program Intrusos.l

Louis Van Gaal gives kids chance to shine on US tour n AFP, London Louis van Gaal will take a close look at Manchester United’s next generation of talent after including several youngsters in his squad for the club’s pre-season tour to the United States.

Van Gaal is keen to see what United’s youth academy has to offer and, with a handful of first-team stars missing the tour as they recover from the World Cup, the Dutchman has opted to pack his 25-man group with raw rookies.

Joining United’s new manager on Friday’s flight to the States are goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, 21, left-back Tyler Blackett, 20, centre-back Michael Keane, 21, defender Reece James, 20, forward Jesse Lingard, 21, and striker Will Keane, 21.

Among the established players travelling are Wayne Rooney, David De Gea and Juan Mata, while van Gaal’s two new signings -- England left-back Luke Shaw and Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera -- are also included.

Robin van Persie, Javier Hernandez, Marouane Fellaini and Adnan Januzaj are on holiday after the World Cup, with Michael Carrick a notable absen-

tee after undergoing ankle surgery that will sideline the England midfielder for up to three months.

United will play the first match of their tour against Los Angeles Galaxy next Thursday before taking on Roma, Inter Milan and Real Madrid in the International Champions Cup.

The tour will be a big chance for the likes of Tom Cleverley, Darren Fletcher, Ashley Young, Shinji Kagawa and Nani to prove to Van Gaal that they deserve to remain Old Trafford If they make the final, they will play a fifth match in Miami on August 4.

The fate of Bebe already appears to be sealed, though, after the winger was left out along with French left-back Patrice Evra, who is expected to join Juventus.

Brazilian midfielder Anderson is absent with a calf injury, but Chris

Smalling, Phil Jones and Jonny Evans will hope to stake their claims to be first-choice centre-backs following the departures of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

The tour will be a big chance for the likes of Tom Cleverley, Darren Fletcher, Ashley Young, Shinji Kagawa and Nani to prove to van Gaal that they deserve to remain Old Trafford.

Herrera, who joined United from Athletic Bilbao last month, is looking forward to his first taste of United’s huge global appeal when they touch down in North America.

“It will be a new experience for me because it will be my first time outside Europe. All the people have told me there is a lot of United fans in America and I can’t wait to play in front of them,” he told MUTV. “I am very happy and really enjoying being at the club and in the city. The first couple of weeks here have been great.

“Training has been good, similar to at Bilbao in that we train a lot with the ball. The coaches want us to have the ball and keep possession, which is great for the players.” l

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