09 Aug, 2014

Shraban 25, 1421 Shawal 12, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 2, No 127

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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AVENUE-T

8 | PRESCRIPTION

9 | HERITAGE

15 | SPORT

ON THAT CHINNY CHIN-CHIN

SAFE ANTIBIOTICS DURING PREGNANCY

FREEDOM FIGHTER

SANGAKKARA TON LEADS SRI LANKA’S REPLY

Jarip 10 also fails to trace Pinak 6

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY

Realisation of rights still far cry n Julfikar Ali Manik

Minister says search to continue until all missing passengers found Islam Shaon from Mawa n Ashif and Mohammad Jamil Khan in Dhaka The modern technology-based rescue vessel Jarip 10 failed to trace the launch Pinak 6, which went under water of the river Padma near Mawa Ferry Terminal five days ago, even after a daylong frantic effort yesterday.

The death toll from the launch capsize has risen to 40 until yesterday. The number of missing people was still 126 on the government list.

The government, however, said the search for the sunken launch would continue until it was traced.

Seven more bodies of the launch capsize victims were recovered yesterday The Jarip 10 that joined the search team yesterday morning rummaged about a 10-kilometre area from the accident spot by using echo-sound system.

Another rescue vessel, Kandari 2, used sub-bottom profiling device on Thursday to locate the position of the sunken launch but in vain.

These two modern vessels are capable of operating in 70-foot-deep water.

Along with these two modern vessels, rescue vessel Shandhani of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), two ships of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Agnibinash and Agnishashok also conducted search operations by using ordinary method.

Bangladesh Navy Captain Nazrul Islam who is coordinating the rescue operation told the Dhaka Tribune that the Jarip 10 search was coming to an end and they would be able to give a decision on it.

When asked what he meant by the

word “decision” he said: “If the search operation is successful, we will let you know and, if not, the launch [Pinak 6] might meet the fate of the Malaysian plane disappearance.

“We have already used the best technology we have and we have no more equipment left that we can use to locate the launch.”

When the officials of the search team failed to give any good news Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, however, expressed hope about the salvage of the launch.

He said the search would continue until and unless the launch and all missing people were found.

“We are using all modern technologies to find the missing launch and there is no stone left unturned,” the minister said.

After a meeting between high officials and the shipping minister, BIWTA Chairman Shamsuddoha Khandker told the Dhaka Tribune: “We searched for the launch in a 10-kilometre area from the accident spot yesterday and we will carry out an intensive search on Saturday in another 15-kilometre area.”

Meanwhile, seven more dead bodies of the launch capsize victims were recovered yesterday. Of them, five were recovered from Barisal and two others from Sureswar area of Shariatpur.

Only one of the victims could be identified. The bodies were kept at the primary school of Pachor area of Shibchar.

Of the total 40 dead bodies, only 23 were identified as of yesterday while 17 others were still unknown. Eleven of them were buried at the municipality graveyard of Shibchar of Madaripur.

Fariduddin, superintendent of police of Madaripur, told the Dhaka Tribune that they collected DNA samples of the dead bodies to match them with their relatives’ DNA if anyone comes to them.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Bangladesh Garo Student Union lighted a thousand candles at the Central Shahid Minar yesterday Mehedi Hasan

Siblings’ Dhaka dream shattered with the capsized launch n Abid Azad back from Madaripur For Ema Akter and her brother Minzal Hossain, going off to attend college in the capital city was a dream come true.

It was to be the first step on the path to higher education and all of the opportunity and promise that it offered.

Having obtained top marks in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam from their schools in Madaripur district, the pair of brother and sister took leave of family and friends, and made arrangements to settle into their new life.

“They had already rented a house near Moghbazar and bought new books, school supplies and college uniforms.

Before leaving Madaripur, they took blessings of their grandparents, family members, relatives and neighbours,” Ema’s brother-in-law Md Rasel said.

On Monday, the siblings left their

home in Khalshikandi village in Madaripur district together with their mother, a younger brother and cousin aboard the launch, Pinak 6, a few days ahead of the beginning of their first Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) classes.

But the journey was cut short mid-river and their dreams plunged

P16 STORY OF A SURVIVOR into the kind of tragedy made possible by the greed of men and the capriciousness of nature.

Pinak 6, massively overloaded beyond capacity, ran into rough weather on the Padma and went down with hundreds of passengers. The pitching ship flung all five of the family into the water.

Ema’s mother Rashida Akter and brothers Minzal and Afzal were rescued by a passenger speedboat after fighting to stay alive for 30 minutes in the fierce

US air strike on Islamic State militants in Iraq n BBC

The US has launched an air strike against militants from the Islamic State (IS) group in northern Iraq.

The Pentagon said its aircraft attacked artillery being used against Kurdish forces defending the city of Irbil.

The Sunni Muslim group IS, formerly known as Isis, now has control of large swathes of Iraq and Syria.

Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes due to the militants’ advance. The US has also confirmed that IS has seized Iraq’s largest dam.

According to US officials, the dam is a vital part of Iraq’s infrastructure as it controls water levels on the Tigris River and is a key source of water and electricity generation for the Iraqi people.

According to the Pentagon statement, two F/A-18 aircraft from an aircraft carrier in the Gulf dropped 500-pound laser-guided bombs on mobile artillery near Irbil, where US personnel are based.

The air strike is the first time the US has been directly involved in a military operation in Iraq since American troops withdrew in late 2011.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said the world needed to wake up to the

extremely precarious situation because of the “very aggressive and brutal” IS militants.

He said there were many “logistical and strategic difficulties”, but added that a humanitarian corridor needed to be established.

Meanwhile all US airlines and a growing list of other carriers are not flying over Iraq due to the situation.

’Carefully and responsibly’

Speaking from the White House on Thursday, President Obama said “America is coming to help” the people of Iraq.

He accused IS fighters of attempting the systematic destruction of entire populations.

At the same time, he announced that US military planes had already carried out air drops of food and water, at the request of the Iraqi government, to the many displaced Yazidis who are in need of supplies.

The United Nations says it is working on opening a humanitarian corridor in northern Iraq to allow stranded people to flee.

Marzio Babille, Unicef’s representative in Iraq, said the Yazidis were in an

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Dawn-to-dusk strike at garment factories today n Manik Miazee and Mohammad Jamil Khan

Tuba Group Sramik Sangram Parishad will enforce today a dawn-to-dusk strike at all garment factories across the country, protesting against the police attacks on the workers of Tuba Group.

Sangram Parishad, a combine of 15 garment workers’ rights bodies, announced the strike on Thursday and also demanded immediate payment of Eid bonus, overdue wages of Tuba Group workers and cancellation of the bail the High Court granted to Delowar Hossain, owner of the group. To press home their demands, they staged demonstrations in the garment belt yesterday.

Garment Sramik Oikya Forum formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club for an hour from 11:00am, protesting against the police attacks on the Tuba workers.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

Bangladeshi migrants face food crisis in Libya n Rabiul Islam

Back in June, when Isis took over Mosul, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki requested US air strikes to halt the militants’ advance - but Washington did not intervene.

Analysts say the relentless advance of IS fighters, together with the continuing failure of Iraqi politicians to agree on a new government, after an inconclusive election in April, may have swayed Obama into deciding to act now. Mr Maliki has faced calls from Sunni Arab, Kurdish and some Shia Arab leaders to step down because of his handling of the crisis.

But as leader of the bloc that won the most seats in April’s parliamentary elections, Mr Maliki has demanded the right to attempt to form a governing coalition. l

Bangladeshi migrant workers who have moved to safer places in the wake of the intense fighting at Tripoli and Benghazi in Libya are now facing severe food and water crisis.

Libya, an oil-rich country in Africa, has been slipping deeper into chaos since intense fighting erupted nearly three weeks ago at Tripoli and Benghazi. At least five Bangladeshis were killed there over the last few days.

Most of the Bangladeshis had left Tripoli and Benghazi and taken refuge in the houses of their relatives.

Sanwar Hossain went to Libya eleven months back and was working at a construction company in Tripoli but he moved to a safer place due to the fighting between Islamist militants and coalition forces there.

Sanwar, who is from Shibpur in Natore, phoned his wife Shilpi Akter yesterday and said, “I am facing food and water crisis. I am also unemployed. What should I do? The airport is closed.”

7 | World

11 | Op-Ed

Political pressure

threat posed by the IS group.

Its “campaign of terror against the innocent, including the Yazidi and Christian minorities, and its grotesque targeted acts of violence show all the warning signs of genocide,” he said.

IS fighters seized Qaraqosh, Iraq’s biggest Christian town, earlier this week, causing many thousands to flee.

current, while Ema and her cousin Afruza went missing.

The family identified Ema’s dead body on Wednesday at Pachchar Government Primary School in Shibchar using her clothes and ornaments because she could not be recognised after three days in the water. She was 18 years old.

Afruza is still missing.

“Ema never even made it to Dhaka but returned home dead. We cannot remember when this family has ever had such a terrible tragedy,” Rasel said.

Another of Ema’s cousins, Badal Mia, said Ema was buried in her village on the night her body was identified.

Her father, Haidar Chaukidar, who works in Italy, could not manage a leave to attend his daughter’s funeral.

When Rasel identified Ema’s remains, he informed the girl’s mother Rashida.

Be it sunshine or rain, Anamika Chakma leaves her home every day in the remote Kamala Bagan Para village in Bandarban’s Thanchi upazila and has to walk 6km to reach the Bolibazar School, where she is a student of class four.

The daily journey of 12km to and from the school fails to daunt the child; instead it seems to be strengthening her resolution of succeeding in life.

Despite living in an underprivileged, vulnerable and uncertain state of life, Anamika and her parents dream that she would become a doctor someday.

Anamika is not alone in dreaming of a better future.

Although children in remote localities in the hilly districts have limited access to education, they are not afraid to dream big.

Talking to children who were around Anamika’s age and lived in different remote villages of Bandarban and

Shilpi said, “My husband is in a desert. The company is not supplying food. My husband has no money and does not know what to do.”

Ahsan Kibria, first secretary of the Bangladesh mission in Libya, said Bangladeshis in Tripoli and Benghazi had moved to safer places. They may have taken shelter in the houses of their relatives and friends.

Around 50,00060,000 Bangladeshis currently work in Libya “We have asked our migrants to stay safe and avoid the conflict-prone zone,” he told the Dhaka Tribune over the phone on Thursday.

He said that 3,500 Bangladeshis were in Tripoli and around 2,500 in Benghazi. Most of them had moved to safer places on their own.

“Some of the migrants may suffer hardships as the situation gets worse  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

INSIDE 4 | News

All-out preparations have already been taken to tackle any possible outbreak of the Ebola virus in the country, said a senior healthcare official.

5 | News

The 120-year-old Puthia palace, which mesmerises the tourists with its beauty, has been left in a careless condition because of not having any maintenance measures by the authorities concerned to preserve the archaeological site.

6 | Nation

Betel leaf farmers from Mohonpur, Durgapur and Bagmara of Rajshahi are puzzled as they have yet to find any remedy for the disease causing the betel leaf plant’s stump to rot.

Ban Ki-moon and the UN Security Council on Thursday called for the international community to help Iraq’s government against the advance of Islamist militants.

The 53-second video clip of the sinking Pinak 6 that went viral on social media evoked fear in our minds. Once again, it reminded us that life is cheap in our country.

14 | Sport

Arsenal face Turkish side Besiktas and reprieved Celtic meet Slovenian title-holders Maribor in the Champions League play-offs later this month.

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, August 9, 2014

180 Bangladeshi workers living in inhuman conditions in Iraq They are allegedly under constant gun-threat by employers n Rabiul Islam According to an email sent by one expatriate engineer, a total of 180 Bangladeshi migrant workers are passing their days in inhuman conditions at a construction site in Najaf, Iraq.

Engineer Mohammad Siddique, onbehalf of 180 workers, sent the email to Rights Jessore, a local human rights organisation dealing with migrants’ issues, on Wednesday.

Binoy Krishna Mallick, executive director of Rights Jessore, informed the

Dhaka Tribune about this matter over the phone yesterday.

Referring to the email, he said the Bangladeshi workers had been passing their days without sufficient food or water. Moreover, their employer had not paid them their salaries for the last three months.

Every time the workers tried to escape, the company staff would threaten them at gunpoint.

Mallick said: “We received an email last month as well. We informed the matter to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and

the Foreign Ministry but there was no response.”

Three months ago, the workers, including two engineers, went to Najaf, a city in Iraq, roughly 100 miles south of Baghdad, through Career Overseas Consultant, a Dhaka-based recruiting agency, by paying Tk3-5 lakh.

They were employed by a company named Halim Turkey and were working for a project called “Abuturab” on Alasraf Road 8, Najaf, Iraq.

Binoy Krishna Mallick said the workers were not getting any help from the Bangladeshi embassy in Iraq either. l

Suranjit feels authority 'failure' in Pinak 6 recovery n

Tribune Report

Senior Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta said in this era of technology it was a massive failure on the part of the authority for not being able to trace the Pinak 6, the launch which sank in the Padma River, even after five days of operations.

The Awami League Advisory Coun-

cil member made the statement while addressing a meeting at the Engineers’ Institute in the capital.

“In this era of science and technology, it is a huge failure to not be able to identify the position of a sunken launch,” he said.

He sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s interference to put a stop to

the capsizing of launches.

“We do not want to see such accidents or the dead bodies of innocent people and the mourning of their relatives,” he said.

Incidents, like launch capsizes, would continue until Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina personally looked into the issue, said Suranjit. l

Rescue vessel Jarip 10 yesterday joined the task to identify the exact spot of the capsized Pinak 6 in the Padma River near the Mawa ferry terminal in Munshiganj. It, however, failed to detect the sunken launch. The photo was taken yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

2 Bangladeshis killed in accident in Bahrain n Rabiul Islam Two Bangladeshi migrant workers were killed in an accident while working at a construction site in northern Bahrain on Thursday.

The Interior Ministry of Bahrain identified the victims as Younus Sikder, 37, the son of Kamaluddin, and Billal Hossain, 32, the son of Hossain Mia. Mohsin Chowdhury, director of the Expatriates’ Welfare Board, said the

Realisation of rights still far cry

migrants were killed when a crane hit a cement wall and it collapsed on them.

He also said further details about the victims’ identities could not be found.

According to a report by the Daily Tribune, a local newspaper, the accident took place at Hidd’s industrial area.

The Bangladeshi workers were killed on the spot, the report said.

Quoting sources, the report also said Billal and Younus were working illegally in Bahrain.

Siblings’ Dhaka dream shattered  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Just before the dawn, Rashida was brought by some relatives to identify the body. Bereft by the loss of her little girl, Rashida fell to the ground choking on a silent scream of grief and pain.

The pall of tragedy and loss fell over the school grounds, observers said.

Minzal, who was to experience college life in the big city together with his sister, said he did not know how he would be able to get on with life in Dhaka.

Badal said: “Ema told me if she and Minzal could, with a great effort, gain admission to university, they would be able to change the family’s fortunes.”

“Ema obtained a GPA of 4.19 in her SSC from the business studies group of Donavan Madaripur Government High School while Minzal obtained a GPA of 5 from United Islamia Government High School in Madaripur,” Badal told the Dhaka Tribune.

Ema had been admitted to Motijheel Ideal College and Minzal was admitted to Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College in Dhaka for their HSCs. Theirs is not the only tale of tragedy

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Rangamati, the Dhaka Tribune found that all had high hopes of becoming doctors, nurses, engineers or teachers.

All of them, however, shared a common goal: serving their own indigenous communities that were deprived of the basic needs and more than often experienced their rights being threatened.

“We want to educate them [the children] properly and also hope they will do good jobs in future, but we are not sure whether our wishes will be fulfilled,” said Anamika’s mother Punnomukhi Chakma, who also has a son studying in Bolibazar School.

However, 44-year-old jhum farmer Sangkha Sur, who has a son studying at a school in Bandarban and a daughter at a local school, said he doubted how long he would be able to provide for his children’s education.

“Our life is gradually becoming full of increasing hardship. Our jhum farming is decreasing, we are losing our land and heavily suffering from financial crisis... We do not have government school or college nearby; education is very expensive for poor people like us.

“We consume less food ourselves to ensure our children’s education, but we cannot continue if we gradually lose our sources of earning,” Sangkha added.

Any student living in a remote village such as Kamala Bagan Para faces an uphill battle. For example, once a child completes their primary education at Bolibazar School, the nearest school that would offer secondary education is located at Thanchi upazila town, which is 17km from the village.

Education is not the only sector that is lagging behind in such remote areas.

Indigenous communities in the hilly districts also have limited access to basic health and utility services that are essential to their development.

To make matters worse, indigenous people are regularly falling victims to unannounced forced evictions and attacks by both local authorities and muscle-flexing settlers from plain land; while also as a part of landgrabbing technique, restrictions are being introduced against the traditional jhum cultivation on particular pieces of land. The people who are tasked with protecting the local communities often become the biggest threat to the rights of the indigenous communities, giving rise to a sense of mistrust and insecurity among the locals.

Twenty-nine-year-old Chin Pak, an indigenous student set to graduate from the National University in sociology, shared a story with the Dhaka Tribune about his family’s struggles.

“In December 2007, I was a student of Dhaka’s Notre Dame College. I was returning to my village home [at Sualok union in Bandarban sadar upazila] with a happy mood. But when I reached our village at Kramadi Para, I saw there was no villager in our village, only a few pigs were moving around. Only when some villagers came to feed those pigs, I came to know that our whole village had been evicted overnight by the army, who said they would set up a firing centre in the area.”

The news of the sudden eviction did

Indigenous women weave cloth with a traditional loom at a Thanchi village in Bandarban not reach Chin as the area did not have mobile network coverage at the time.

“After finding out the location of all villagers, I went to my family and saw that each and everyone was leaving in makeshift tents made with banana leaves,” said Chin.

Many of the evicted Kramadi Para villagers – who currently live in Purapara village – told the Dhaka Tribune that the eviction was done in a rushed state and nobody was given any time to bring their belongings with them. However, the firing centre by the army was yet to be set up in the last seven years.

The evicted people – who belong to the Mro community – claimed that the land in Kramadi Para had been inhabited and cultivated by their ancestors, adding that they had lost all land overnight. If they wanted to carry out jhum cultivation on the lands around their new village in Purapara, “Khajna” or tax needed to be paid to the army, the locals claimed.

Echoing other villagers, Chin said: “We are struggling to survive only on cultivating some land in exchange of Khajna. We pay Khajna to a local army camp at Amtoli. A subedar receives our Khajna.”

Such struggles were making it difficult to protect the Mro community’s culture, language and heritage.

Different local small groups, with the support of national-level NGOs, have been trying to preserve the heritage of different indigenous communities of the hilly districts.

Janalal Chakma, director of a local NGO called the Center for Integrated program and Development, said: “Many universities abroad conduct research based on indigenous knowledge; but in Bangladesh this knowledge is vanishing gradually.

“Once we were called ‘Upojati’ (tribal), then we were called Adibashi (indigenous), and now we have been given a new identity named ‘Khudro Nree

Md Mohidul Islam, labour counsellor at Bangladesh mission in Bahrain, was working to send the dead bodies back home, Mohsin added.

“Although the migrants had overstayed in Bahrain, we hope the company will provide compensation as they died while working,” he said.

The Bahraini Labour Ministry immediately suspended the work at the site until an investigation was completed, according to the Daily Tribune report. l

Goshthhi’ (small ethnic group)... Our new identity as ‘small ethnic group’ is not appropriate. We want to be identified as indigenous people,” Janalal told the Dhaka Tribune.

However, on Thursday the government issued a circular, asking the media and civil society members not to use the term “Adibashi.”

Janalal added that the indigenous communities themselves would observe the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, even though the government had stopped observing the day.

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous People will be observed today across the globe with the theme “Bridging the gap: implementing the rights of indigenous peoples.”

Meanwhile, talking to the Dhaka Tribune, parents and students at the Bange Bhushon Chhara Community Primary School in Rangamati’s Barkal upazila also claimed that they wanted to be identified as “indigenous people.”

Eshika Chakma, a college student, said: “We were Adibashi, still we are Adibashi and we want to be identified as Adibashi.”

Eshika’s father Kamol Krishno Chakma said: “You [anyone in general] have a name. If I call you by a different name, will you accept it? It is not possible.”

Sanjeeb Drong, secretary of Bangladesh Adibashi Forum, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “There is no universally accepted definition of indigenous people. The Garo, the Santals and all other nationalities have a right to identify themselves as indigenous peoples.”

He claimed that in accordance with the United Nation’s declaration “we have the right to self identification as indigenous people.

“The state has to recognize our self identity; does a state have the right to change any ethnic identity?” Sanjeeb added.

“I apprehend that it would be easy to

JULFIKAR ALI MANIK

grab our land if the state does not recognise our identity as indigenous people... The state should take special care of indigenous people. We want special measures for Adibashis in Bangladesh to ensure their rights on their land, economic and social development and human rights,” he said. l

Crisis in Libya  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

in Libya,” Expat Secretary Khandaker Showkat Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune over the phone.

“As the situation has worsened around the two airports – one in Tripoli and the other in Benghazi – we have shifted our migrants,” he informed, adding, “We are seriously concerned about the situation but we have no plan to evacuate our migrants right now.”

According to the Bangladesh mission in Libya, 50,000-60,000 Bangladeshis are now working in Libya.

In 2011, the government, with the help of International Organisation for Migration, evacuated around 36,000 Bangladeshi migrants from war-torn Libya. l

Jarip 10 also fails to trace Pinak 6  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

About the latest recovered six bodies, GMM Jaforullah, deputy commissioner of Madaripur, said the bodies would be kept at the school until Saturday evening and if their identities cannot be determined by then, they will be buried following proper religious rituals.

Police have arrested none in connection with the launch capsize so far.

Tofazzel Hossain, officer-in-charge of Lauhoganj police station, told the Dhaka Tribune that they were trying their best to arrest people responsible for the accident. l

and grief that has surfaced in the wake of the Pinak 6 disaster.

Md Momin was among the many anxiously waiting at the school to get news of his sister and her two children who were still missing from the capsized launch.

His sister Maksuda, 30, along with her two children, 5 year-old Mary and two and a half year-old Hanif, were on their way to settle down in Dhaka after her husband, Ajimuddin, found work in the capital a few months ago.

Ajimuddin arrived in Dhaka first and then asked his family to join him there after Eid-ul-Fitr, the Muslim festival marking the end of Ramadan.

Ajimuddin also managed to find a job for his wife at a garment factory.

The family was hoping for the kind of life prospects that could only be had in Dhaka.

But the Pinak 6 tragedy, it is almost certain, has destroyed this young family and all of their hopes.

For Momin, the future holds the anxiety of waiting for news of his sister and her little children, the near certainty of bereavement, and, perhaps, the chance to perform last rites for them. l

Dawn-to-dusk strike  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Chaired by central leader of the organisation Shahidul Islam Sabuj, the programme was addressed, among others, by its central leader Mominur Rahman Mobin.

Samajtantrik Mahila Forum and Women Cell of the Communist Party of Bangladesh also formed a one-hour human chain at the same venue at 3:00 pm.

The leaders of the organisations condemned the police attacks on the workers of Tuba Group.

Chaired by Mahila Forum President Rawshan Ara Russo, the programme was addressed, among others, by Women Cell Convener Lakkhi Chakrabarty, Mahila Forum General Secretary Shampa Basu and Shamsun Nahar.

Meanwhile, leaders of Garment Sramik Oikya Forum, Garment Sramik Front, Garment Sramik Sanghati, Bangladesh Sramik Karmachari Federation, Samannita Garment Sramik Federation, Garment Sramik Andolan, Sramajibi Sangha, Garment Sramik Trade Union Centre, Bangladesh Garment Sramik Mukti Andolan, Bipalabi Garment Sramik Sanghati, Garment Mojdur Union, Bangladesh Textile Garment Workers Federation, Jatiya Sweater Garment Sramik Federation and Garment Sramik Shabha in a joint statement urged the garment workers to make the strike successful.

The leaders and activists of Sangram Parishad yesterday held rallies in different garment industrial belts, including Narayanganj, Kanchpur, Siddhirganj, Chittagong, Ashulia, Savar, Tongi, Tejgaon and Mirpur in support of today’s strike.

However, the people of Badda and Hossain Market areas yesterday got tensed up as a huge number of police were patrolling the area along with riot cars and water cannons.

The Dhaka Tribune correspondent found that most of the shops at Hos-

sain Market were closed on Friday, a day after police foiled Tuba workers’ hunger strike, using tear gas and rubber bullets and forcing them to leave the area.

Although the police surrounded the area of Tuba garments, presence of workers was zero on the day.

Asked about the deployment of huge police, Mahbub Hasan, additional deputy commissioner of police of Gulshan division, told the Dhaka Tribune that law enforcers kept patrolling the area to avert any unwanted situation.

When asked about any clash, he said he had no information about it. “We do not want to take any risk and that’s why law enforcers are guarding the area.”

The workers of a factory yesterday demonstrated at Kaliakoir in Gazipur, saying that they had been cheated in the name of meeting their eight-point demand, including overtime bills and production bonus.

They staged demonstrations, blocking Kaliakoir-Nabinagar highway, halting traffic for around two hours.

Police rushed in and the agitators hurled stones at them, resulting in a clash that left at least 14 people, including policemen and passengers, injured.

They baton-charged, shot a few rounds of gunshots and teargas canisters while the workers hurled stones and vandalised a few vehicles stuck on the highway.

Gazipur Industrial Police Inspector Zakir Hossain confirmed the incident and said they were able to bring the situation under control around 11:30am.

Moreover, the authorities had declared closure of the factory for the day in view of the workers’ unrest. Additional police were deployed to protect the factory, he said.

More than 40 lakh garment workers are working in 5,000 garment factories in the country. l

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3

Saturday, August 9, 2014

PM criticises global community over Gaza attack n UNB

Strongly condemning the killings in Gaza by Israelis, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday again came down heavily on the developed nations and the human rights organisations at home and abroad for their silence over the offensive.

“I am stunned seeing the world conscience remain silent. When one incident of death occurs here we receive letters from so many congressmen with protest and criticisms. Today, hundreds of children and women, including expecting mothers, are being killed…Why is your conscience silent now?” she said.

She was speaking at a function organised by Women and Children Affairs Ministry at Osmani Memorial Auditorium marking the 84th birth anniversary of Fazilatunnesa Mujib, the wife of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was killed along with most of her family members, including Bangabandhu, on August 15, 1975.

Deeply condemning the killing of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel, the prime minister took a further dig at the “civilised world,” saying: “Why are the people who are claiming themselves as civilised ones silent now?”

Pointing finger at the country’s human rights organisations, Hasina said these organisations often run to the hill tracts, islands and here and there in case of any trivial incident. “Where are they now, why are their voices missing?” she said.

She requested the Mahila Awami League and other women’s organisations of the country to strongly raise their voice against this kind of people, where women and children are being killed.

In this connection, the prime minister mentioned the killings of 1971, 1975 and after 2001 when the BNP-Jamaat coalition was in power.

Hasina said when she sees the killings in Palestine her memory of 1975 revisits. “When I see the faces of women and children my memory recalls the pictures of 1971 and 1975.”

Briefly describing the role of Fazilatunnesa Mujib behind the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and also Awami League, the prime minister said the killers of August 15, 1975 knew her courage and organisational capacity. “That is why they did not spare my mother,” she said.

Earlier, a documentary on Fazilatunnesa Mujib was shown in the programme sketching the life of the wife of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. l

Citizens Solidarity organise a human chain at the capital’s Shahbagh intersection demanding a stop to the genocide in Gaza and immediate trial of Israeli leaders for war crimes MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Roundtable: Eviction a process to eliminate Speakers: Indigenous indigenous people from country people’s rights should n Abid Azad

The eviction of indigenous people from their ancestral land is the process to eliminate them forever from the country, speakers told a roundtable yesterday.

The speakers condemned the government for removing the term “indigenous” or “Adivasi” from all the laws, policies, documents and publications.

They also refused to use the term “Khudro Nritattik Jonogosthi” (small ethnic groups) according to the 15th amendment of the constitution of Bangladesh.

“When a state starts denying recognition of anything, it means it does not want to see it anymore. We are observing that this is happening with indigenous people of the country,” said advocate Sultana Kamal, executive director of Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), who presided over the programme.

“The state holds the position of a coloniser in this case. If the sense of justice will not be worked as a main factor, then no law will be worked properly rather it creates the opportunities for repressing minority people” she said.

Imtiaz Ahmed, professor of de-

partment of International Relations in Dhaka University, in his speech said misgovernment to grab votes and to continue corruption, problem of knowledge and lack of justice are the main reasons for the repression of minority people.

‘Although it was said in the peace accord that all military camp will be withdrawn, but we do not see any of its implementation’ Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum (BAF), and Robayet Ferdaus, associate professor at the department of Mass Communication and Journalism at DU, presented keynote papers at the event.

“Land is the life and also the existence of the indigenous people. There is not only economic and cultural connection between the indigenous people and their land but also there is a spiritual relationship, said Sanjeeb Drong.

“We talk about democracy, but one kind of military rule is continued in one part of the country, then how the interests of the indigenous communities will be fulfilled?” said Robayet.

Although it was said in the peace accord that all military camp will be withdrawn, but we do not see any of its implementation, he said.

“The way the indigenous people are being evicted from their own historical land by the state, this community people are becoming more defenseless and vulnerable day by day. We observed the ruling party denied the recognition of indigenous people after being elected although they had termed indigenous people ‘Adivasi’ in their election manifesto” said Dr Ainoon Nahar, professor at Anthropology department in Jahangirnagar University.

Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, the chairman of Parbattya Chattagram Anchalik Parishad, Fozle Hossain Badsha, the member of parliament, also the president of parliamentary committee of indigenous people and advocate Shamsul Alam Dudu, MP, also the member of parliamentary committee of land ministry were expected to be present at the programme, but they remained absent for unknown reason. l

Demanding various rights for the indigenous people, Bangladesh Garo Student Union stage a demonstration in front of the National Press Club in the capital yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Nahid for Saarc education collaboration n UNB Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid yesterday asked the governments of South Asian countries to work together in formulating policy objectives and strategies on education for the advancement of their respective nations.

“There is an opportunity for the sub-region of South Asia within the Asia-Pacific Region to articulate policy

objectives, goals and strategies for the Post-2015 education agenda,” he said.

The minister made the observations while addressing the concluding session of the three-day Asia-Pacific Regional Education Conference (APREC) held in Bangkok from August 6-8.

Unesco, Unicef Bangkok, and Ministry of Education Thailand jointly organised the conference, said a press release of the Education Ministry.

In his address, Nahid said the countries of South Asia may share common historical development and socio-economic context as well as similar educational development challenges.

“The government themselves and Unesco and Unicef can support such exchange. Sub-regional bodies such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) can be a useful platform for the purpose.” l

be ensured n DU Correspondent

Speakers at a programme in the capital yesterday urged the authorities concerned to secure the indigenous people’s rights, their constitutional recognition and individual identities and stopping the repression and torture that they are forced to face.

They also urged to the international human rights organisations and the communities to come forward to help implement basic rights and opportunities.

The demands came from a candle lighting programme organised by Garo Students Union on the Central Shaheed Minar premises in the evening.

Speaking at the event, Shantipodo Tripura, organising secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, said the incumbent government promised to meet our rights and demands in their electoral manifesto, but the promise has yet to see light.

He alleged that the government was playing a silent role whenever the indigenous people became victims of repression. “We need equal political,

social, economic and land rights,” he demanded.

In the discussion, National Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman said a nation cannot prosper by segregating its people according to class and caste. “If we cannot eliminate every form of discrimination, we will never be able to achieve development,” he explained.

Mesbah Kamal, professor of the history department of Dhaka University, said no one could eradicate their identity and custom, stating, “Everyone has to show due respect and dignity to other communities [indigenous people].”

“While the whole world has become more conscious about indigenous people’s rights and basic needs, but our state is lagging behind,” the professor also stated.

“In 1971, the Pakistani occupational forces wanted to impose their identity on the Bangali and snatched their [Bangali] rights, but they failed. If the same incident is repeated by the Bengali toward the indigenous people, the efforts must be caused to fail,” Mesbah continued. l

Leaders urge UN action against Israeli atrocities n DU Correspondent Leaders of the different political parties yesterday urged the United Nations to take immediate and effective measures to stop the atrocities in Gaza.

They made the call from a rally at the Central Shaheed Minar, organised by the Palestine-Iraq Solidarity Council Bangladesh to protest the Israeli attack on Gaza.

President of the platform, KAM Saad Uddin announced an eight-point demand which included calls for a more vocal role by the Bangladesh government and other organisations against the Israeli aggression, steps to declare Palestine an independent country, and calls for Israel to be forced by the UN to compensate the victims in Gaza Leaders and activists from the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, Nagarik Oikya, Nagarik Chhatra Oikya, Workers Party, Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Bangladesh Khet Mojur Samity and Samajtantrik Chhatra Front joined the programme.

Among others, Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon and former Ducsu VP Mahmudur Rahman Manna were present. A protest procession was also brought out after the rally, which ended at Dhaka University’s TSC intersection. l

Brother of Jamaat-e-Islami leader in SSF

Govt’s ‘inaction’ over Twoki murder lamented

n Our Correspondent, Chandpur

Dhaka Speakers at a roundtable discussion yesterday lamented the government’s ‘inaction’ to ensure justice for the killing of Narayanganj schoolboy Tanvir Mahmud Twoki.

They made the remarks while addressing the discussion titled, ‘Twoki Murder: State’s role in trial process is the main obstacle to good governance and democracy“, at the Jatiya Press Club. Santras Nirmul Twoki Manch organised the programme.

Speaking on the occasion, economist MM Akash described the murder of Twoki as a well-planned one, and deplored that despite all the evidence are there, the government is doing nothing for ensuring justice.

Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Gosthi president Kamal Lohani said even though the prime minister promised the trial for Twoki murder, nothing has so far been done in this regard even af-

In an investigation by the Chandpur Model police station a brother of a Jamaat-e-Islami leader was found to be working in the Special Security Force (SSF).

Police sources said Nur Mohammad, the SSF employee, is the younger brother of Abu Abdullah Mohammad Hasan, a local Jamaat activist in Chandpur.

A letter, requesting information about the political orientation of Nur’s family members, was sent from the Prime Minister’s Office to Chandpur Model police station on April 27. Police, after finishing investigation, sent a report to the PMO on July 31.

According to the report, Abu Abdullah is a rukon (full member) of Jamaat’s district unit. He was arrested and sent to jail several times for attacking the members of police. The report also said Abu Abdullah participated in the last antigovernment movement.

Mahbub Mollah, the investigating officer, told the Dhaka Tribune that they found Nur’s brother to be an active member of Jamaat.

When contacted, Abu Abdulla, however, denied the allegation, saying he was not a rukon of Jamaat, but he supported the party strongly.

Jamaat’s Chandpur district unit Ameer AHM Ahmad Ullah said Abu Abdullah was a member of the unit. l

n UNB

ter one and a half years of the incident.

“So, it’s now proved that her words have no value.”

Eminent historian Prof Syed Anwar Hossain observed that the prime minister should work for all of the country’s 16 crore people, not for just a single family.

“If the state leaders can’t ensure justice for the murder of Sagar-Runi or Twoki, the history will never forgive them,” Anwar Hossain added.

Presiding over the roundtable meeting, Twoki’s father Rafiur Rabbi, also Twoki Manch convener, said their movement is not only for ensuring justice for Twoki murder, but for all the killings.

Twoki went missing on March 6, 2013, and his body was recovered from the Shitalakhya River on March 8, 2013.

Economist Anu Muhammad, Prof Serajul Islam, politician Ajoy Roy and Prof Shafi Uddin Ahmed also spoke on the occasion. l

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Saturday, August 9, 2014

Comprehensive preparations taken to combat Ebola n Moniruzzaman Uzzal All-out preparations have already been taken to tackle any possible outbreak of the Ebola virus in the country, said a senior healthcare official.

He said there was no reason to be worried about the virus.

“We are providing doctors with extensive training on outbreaks of different diseases, including the Ebola virus. We are on alert. If any patient is found with the symptoms of the disease, including respiratory illness and fever, we will isolate him and will collect samples to confirm the disease.

He will then be given the necessary treatment,” Professor Dr Mahmudur

Rahman, director of the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Prevention (IEDCR), told the Dhaka Tribune.

His comments came after the WHO’s declaration of Ebola as an international health emergency.

“We have already asked the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta to supply us with the equipment necessary to detect the disease within the shortest possible time,” said Mahmudur.

He said medical colleges and upazila health complexes were well-equipped to detect any outbreak of disease.

“The WHO has asked New Guinea,

Sierra Leone and Nigeria to announce the outbreak of Ebola as a national emergency. Other countries including Bangladesh were asked to remain alert and increase surveillance,” said the IEDCR director.

“We will not examine passengers arriving from the affected countries because the WHO has advised the immigration authorities of those countries to do the check-up at their airports,” he added.

Professor Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed, director of Communicable Disease Control (CDC) under the Health Directorate, told the Dhaka Tribune that WHO’s Deputy Regional Director for Southeast Asia Poonam Khetra Pal Singh

officially wrote to Health Minister Mohammed Nasim on August 6, and gave a few pieces of advice on how to be prepared to combat a possible outbreak of the virus in Bangladesh.

“We are observing the situation seriously. We have already taken the necessary precautions and will take every possible measure to control the spread of Ebola,” he said.

Meanwhile, IEDCR Chief Scientific Officer Mostaq Hossain said early detection, isolation and proper care is the best way to control outbreaks of Ebola and similar viral diseases.

“If any Ebola patient is detected, he will be treated at the chest disease hospital in Dhaka,” added Mostaq. l

UGC chair: Some private universities doing well n Tribune Report

University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman A K Azad Chowdhury said yesterday that some private universities were doing well in the country. “...We have some private universities which are competing with public universities,” Azad said at an international seminar held in the capital.

The University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), a private university, arranged the seminar titled “21th Century Classroom: Directions, Issues and Changes.”

Educationists from home and abroad participated in the seminar.

Saying that he had observed various projects prepared by public and private university students, Azad said that private university students had managed to secure a mentionable place in the competition.

He said there were some countries

in the world where private universities were leading the higher education arena and doing challenging innovations and hoped that the same thing would happen in Bangladesh in the future.

The UGC chief, however, said some private universities were also involved in the certificate trade, and he urged the relevant universities to sell ideas instead of certificates.

He stressed that the students should master the English language to succeed in the competitive job market, pointing out that even the French were now learning this language even though they had refused to do so for a long time, considering it a rival to their own language.

Andy Curtis, president of International TESOL, presented the key note speech. Among others, ULAB’s English and Humanities Department Professor Kaiser Hamidul Haq spoke at the seminar. l

10 killed in road accidents in Chittagong, Sylhet n Tribune Report At least ten people were killed in separate road accidents yesterday in Chittagong and Sylhet.

Our CU Correspondent reports: At least five persons were killed in separate road accidents yesterday in Chittagong’s Sitakunda upazila and in the city.

In Sitakunda, 4 people were killed in an accident on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway.

The deceased were Abul Kashem, 28, a bus driver from Noakhali, Obaidul Haque Pramanik, 30, a truck driver from Bogra, Nazmul Hossain, 24, from Pirojpur and Jarina Begum, 52, said police sources.

Sergeant Zillur Rahim, in-charge of Kumira Highway Police Outpost, said a Chittagong-bound Ananda Paribahan bus collided head-on with a tin laden truck on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway around 6:30am, leaving the two drivers and the woman dead on the spot and 11 others injured.

One of the injured, Nazmul, succumbed to his injuries at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital, a few minutes after being admitted, said

Pankaj barua, assistant sub-inspector at CMCH Police Outpost.

Upon receiving information, police and fire fighters from Sitakunda Fire Station rushed to the spot and sent the injured to the CMCH and upazila heath complex, Sergeant Zillur added.

In another accident in Chittagong city’s Khulshi area, Md Nasir, 25, the son of Md Kabir from Comilla, was killed when a bus hit a pick-up van from behind at Nasirabad Government Women’s College intersection around 12am.

Nasir was taken to CMCH where the on duty doctors declared him dead, said CMCH Police Outpost sources.

Our Habiganj correspondent reports that at least five people were killed and five others were injured yesterday afternoon when a microbus collided head-on with a passenger bus around 4:10pm on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Bahubal upzila, Habiganj.

The deceased could not be identified till the filing of this report.

Shayestaganj Highway police station Officer-in-Charge Azazur Rahman said they were trying to recover the bodies. l

The monument of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi is being revamped as the death anniversary of the Father of the Nation approaches. The day is observed as the National Mourning Day under the current government SYED LATIF HOSSAIN

BNP acknowledges loopholes in pre-election movement n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla Acknowledging that BNP made some errors during its movement to resist the January 5 elections, party standing committee member Rafiqul Islam Miah has asked BNP leaders and activists to prepare themselves for an upcoming movement to topple the government from office.

“The government has been successful in holding the January 5 elections due to failures on the part of some of our leaders. The election did not take place in 154 constituencies,” he said, while addressing a programme at the National Press Club in the capital yesterday.

The BNP leader also asked the party leaders and activists to get ready to

make the utmost sacrifice to make the government-toppling movement a success.

“You (leaders and activists) cannot leave the field fearing repression and jail.

We have to keep in mind that the future of democracy will fall into darkness if we fail to oust the government through this movement,” he said.

Issuing a note of warning, Miah said the government would be forced to step down if it does not hold a new election under a non-partisan government.

“The government has been holding state power without any vote. Now they are planning to stay in power till 2041.

So, there is no alternative but to hold elections under a non-partisan government. Otherwise, a movement would

be waged to oust the government,” he added.

Meanwhile, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has called the party’s standing committee meeting on August 10 to finalise the next course of action.

Rafiqul alleged that the government had assumed state power without the people’s mandate and formulated a broadcast policy to control the mass media, including the private television channels.

“I think, this policy is against Article 41 of the constitution. The Awami League will snatch the freedom of the media through this policy. We have to protect it and journalists need to set aside all differences and come together,” he added. l

PINAK 6 LAUNCH CAPSIZE

BNP sees mismanagement in rescue operation n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The BNP yesterday alleged that a lack of coordination was causing the delay in the rescue operations of the Pinak 6 launch which sank in the Padma River on Monday.

“There was some mismanagement in the rescue operations. If the previous accidents had been investigated properly and steps had been taken as per the investigation reports, this [Pinak 6 launch] accident could have been averted,” the party’s Vice-Chairman Shah Moazzem Hossain said yesterday.

Following the direction of the party chairperson, Moazzem led a

delegation of some 10 to 15 other party leaders to Mawa Ghat to express their condolences to the victims’ families.

The BNP leader alleged that mismanagement was everywhere in the government because it had assumed office without the people’s mandate.

He said around 500 accidents had taken place across the country, leaving more than 10,000 people dead, only after this government had assumed power.

The delegation team offered a prayer for the deceased at Mawa Ghat area, seeking the eternal peace of those who had died in Monday’s launch accident. l

Python released in Lawachhara forest with radio transmitter n Our Correspondent, Moulvibazar

Campaigning to protect the Sundarbans, the Moulik Bangla Shanskritik Janapad organises a human chain at the National Press Club in the capital yesterday before starting their long march on foot to the mangrove forest MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Another python, containing a radio transmitter inside its body, was released in the Lawachhara reserve forest at Moulvibazar.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests released the python on August 4 for a python research project.

Shahrier Sizar Rahman, who is one of the project’s researchers and a specialist on reptiles in the country, told the journalists that they had no basic information about the local pythons until now. They would now be able to trace the snake’s movement and get an idea of its style of movement, the places they roam etc.

This would further help them protect and preserve the endangered species, he added.

The newly released python named “Din” is 7ft in length and weighs 4kgs.

They also released Din’s baby who weighs 350g.

Earlier, three pythons – Asha, Boney and Chaiti – were released in the Lawachhara forest with radio transmitters installed inside them. Shahrier said the project was to become a success in Bangladesh. The weight and length of the three pythons released earlier had increased.

“They are now moving freely and collecting their food in their own way and style. The researchers are collecting various information from the radio transmitters installed inside them,” he said.

The first of its kind, the Python research project started in the country on July 18 this year with the installing of a radio transmitter inside Asha.

The radio transmitter looks like a pencil battery which is installed inside the python’s skin through a minor operation which takes about 30 minutes.

The transmitter weighs 20g and can provide signals from a distance of 500 metres to one and half kilometres. l

Over one kilo of gold seized at Dhaka airport n Tribune Report

Customs Intelligence seized eight gold bars and gold ornaments worth Tk70 lakhs yesterday at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Deputy Director of Customs Intelligence Md Mostafizur Rahman said: “Eight gold bars and some ornaments, wrapped in polythene, were found inside a toilet near the boarding bridge around 11pm.” The gold bars and ornaments together weigh around 1.2kg, he said.

No one was arrested in this connection, said the customs official. l

Strength, courage required for movement, Nasim quips at Khaleda n Tribune Report Movement cannot be started by only announcing its time and date. Rather, it requires strength and courage, Health Minister Mohammad Nasim quipped yesterday, referring to BNP chief Khaleda Zia. Khaleda Zia had announced that her party would start movement after Eid that took place on April 29.

“The Eid after which Khaleda Zia had announced to go to movement will never come up in Bangladesh,” said Nasim also an Awami League presidium member, told a discussion as the chief guest in the capital.

Juba League, an associate body of the Awami League, organised the discussion at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital, marking the 84th birth anniversary of Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, wife of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The senior Awami League leader said BNP had missed the train of election and so you must wait until the next train arrives in 2019.

With Juba League Chairman Omar Faruque Chowdhury in the chair, its General Secretary Harun-ar-Rashid, among others, spoke at the discussion. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Saturday, August 9, 2014

Lack of maintenance leaves Puthia royal palace at stake

n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi The 120-year-old Puthia palace, which mesmerises tourists with its beauty, has been left in a poor condition because of a lack of maintenance measures being taken by the authorities concerned to preserve the archaeological site.

According to the law, the Archaeological Department is supposedly in charge of preservation.

Many tourists visit the site daily, because of which the local people have long been demanding to have the site declared as a tourist spot. This request, however, has gone unheeded by the authorities concerned for no specific reason.

In 1895 Queen Hemanta Kumari Debi established the two-storied palace, situated 30km to the east of the district town, under which there are 15

structures and a trench encircling it.

Afterwards, many temples, guest houses and a lake have been developed centring the palace.

At the entrance of the palace lies the Bhubaneshwar Shiva Temple, the largest Shiva temple in Bangladesh, which was established by Queen Bhubanmoyee in 1823.

All structures have been built in terracotta in a variety of styles combining the typical history of Bengal with other influences.

Locals opined that marking it as a tourist spot will help to the commercial spots in the area to flourish and will make them solvent.

They alleged that many architectural structures in the complex started decaying because no measures were taken to preserve them.

In this regard, Puthia socal worker

From left: People visit the Puthia Palace on Thursday. Bricks and teracotta plaques have fallen off a structure at Puthia Palace for lack of maintenance and renovation work DHAKA TRIBUNE

GM Hira Bachhu echoed the locals.

A local cultural activist named Kazi Said Hossain Dulal said: “The Archaeology Department removed the old plasterwork from the Shiva Temple’s domes three years ago in the name of

renovation and the rain water is now badly damaging the domes, leaving them on the verge of collapse.”

Theatre activist Nasir Uddin said many terracotta tiles have already been stolen from the structures due to the

DU student dies in boat capsize in Sylhet n Our Correspondent, Sylhet

No justice yet in Himadri murder case, two years after schoolboy’s death

A graduate from Dhaka University drowned yesterday in the river near the Bichhnakandi stone quarry.

The deceased Sajidul Haque, 26, was the son of Md Fazlul Haque from Saidpur upazila of Nilphamari, BGB sources said.

Kazi Nizam Uddin, BGB’s company commander at Bichhnakandi, said Sajidul was a tourist.

Sajidul and five others were crossing the river on a boat, which capsized in the river.

He drowned but the others managed to swim ashore, the commander added.

Later, after searching the river for three hours, the locals recovered the body.

The deceased’s body was taken to the BGB camp and kept there till the filing of this report. l

With two of the accused in the murder trial of an 18-year old boy out on bail and three others on the run, the father of the allegedly murdered boy seemed crestfallen after the case that took two years to bring to trial was halted for six months.

“Two accused are on bail, three others are on the run. Charges were framed against the five accused after four deferrals. Eventually, the trial was shifted to the Speedy Trial Tribunal but now the proceedings have been stopped by the High Court (HC).

A lot of influential people want to delay this case. What can I say?” asked Prabir Kumar Majumdar, father of A-level student Himadri Majumdar Himu who was brutally killed in Chittagong city’s Panchlaish area in 2012.

The Himadri murder has been halted for six months by an order of the HC. The HC issued the order following the plea of an accused in the case, court sources said.

The HC order arrived at the Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court in Chittagong on Monday and the court sent it to Speedy Trial Tribunal where the trial will be held.

Advocate Mohammad Fakhruddin Chowdhury, Chittagong Metropolitan

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

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PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:09am 5:30am 12:05am 4:44pm 6:39pm 8:00pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

public prosecutor, told Dhaka Tribune that one of the accused in the case, Shahadat Hossain Shaju, pleaded before the HC to stop the trial while an HC Bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Jafor Ahmed gave the stay order on July 21.

“The stay order, signed by an Assistant Registrar of the HC on August 3, arrived at Chittagong on Monday so the trial of the case will be halted for six months,” the public prosecutor said.

The cross-examination of the sixth Prosecution Witness Jawad Ali Chowdhury, general secretary of anti-drug organisation “Shikor”, was under way but has been halted due to the HC stay order.

Himadri’s father told the Dhaka Tribune that the trial had stumbled at every step since it was started nearly two years after the incident and it now it was being delayed again, he said expressing confusion at the situation.

“After shifting the trial to the Speedy Trial Tribunal, the trial has been stopped.

This is no way for common people to live,” he said, adding that they would go to the HC over the stay order.

The victim, affectionately called Himu by those who knew him was18years old. The A-level student of Summerfield School and College, was allegedly pushed off the roof of

CU reopens amid fear of BCL clashes n CU Correspondent The academic activities of Chittagong University (CU) will resume today after observing a 42-day vacation for Eid-ulFitr and other occasions.

However, students have expressed concerns about further infighting between two groups of Bangladesh Chhatra League after the classes resume.

Residential students have already started returning to the dormitories after celebrating Eid with their families.

Earlier, the university authorities suspended academic activities on the campus from June 24 to August 7, four days before the scheduled vacation period, fearing clashes between the two Chhatra League factions.

The decision came after a chase and counter-chase took place between the two factions on June 23 in a bid to establish their supremacy.

Earlier on June 10, the central committee of the student wing of the Awami League dissolved its CU unit after a clash took place between two other factions,

one led by former Chhatra League joint secretary Sumon Mamun, and the other led by former vice-president Sabbir Ahmed Chowdhury on the campus. The clash left at least three activists injured.

Campus sources said a tense situation prevails between the groups where most fear that a clash might be triggered anytime.

“Our final examination will begin from August 13, but we fear that another such clash might create a tension on the campus, prompting further disruption in the examinations,” said Isita Esmot, a master’s student of communication and journalism, while talking to the Dhaka Tribune.

Meanwhile, the CU authorities have taken necessary measures to keep a congenial atmosphere on the campus after reopening.

“No anarchy will be tolerated on the campus, and law enforcement agencies have been instructed by the authorities on what to do in such situations,” CU Proctor Professor Siraj Ud Dowla told the Dhaka Tribune. l

a four-storied building in Panchlaish Residential Area on April 27, 2012, by his friends after being tortured by ferocious Doberman dogs.

He died in Dhaka after fighting for his life for 26 days. He was allegedly killed for his anti-drug activities involving the anti-drug organisation “Shikor.”

Asit Das, maternal uncle of the deceased, lodged a case with Panchlaish Police Station against the five accused in connection with Himu’s death.

Police submitted the charge-sheet of the case on September 30, 2012, accusing Himu’s friends Junaid Ahmed Riad, his father Shah Selim Tipu, Riad’s friends Shahadat Hossain Shaju, Mahbub Ali Khan Danny and Zahidul Islam Shaon who were indicted in the case on February 3 this year.

Tipu and Shaju are on bail while the others are on run, sources said.

The case was shifted from the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court to Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court at the beginning of November last year while the trial of the case was run before the court of the Fourth Additional Metropolitan Session Judge Shahidul Islam.

On July 16, the case was shifted to the Speedy Trial Tribunal but has been stayed by an order of the High Court. l

lack of security.

Badrul Alam, director of the Archaeology Directorate for Rajshahi division, said: “A museum will be established at Puthia after getting budget. Only the Tourism Corporation can declare it a

tourist spot, not us.”

The director continued that they were compelled to stop the re-plastering of the Shiva Temple due to budget crunches, although security at the royal place has been beefed up recently. l

Rampant extortion on Gazipur’s highway n Our Correspondent, Gazipur A 20km stretch of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Gazipur has been turned into a haven for extortion, allegedly by the local highway police who continue to harass drivers on the roads unless they agree to pay bribes to be allowed to use the highway.

The road between sadar upazila’s Bhabanipur to Nayanpur-Jainabazar in Sreepur upazila is reportedly the focal point of the extortion, with the police stating different reasons – such as lack of vehicle fitness and faulty registration documents – to extort money from truck drivers on the road, instead of filing cases against them.

Local residents alleged that personnel from the Mawna Highway police station stopped trucks on the highway and took money from the drivers throughout the day, instead of making efforts to prevent road accidents or to stop the plying of illegal goods on the road. The officer-in-charge of the station, Sanwar Hossain, was behind such activities, locals claimed; adding that lax traffic supervision caused regular traffic jams on the highway.

Sources said the highway police carried out their extortion using five points on the highway: in front of the

police station, near the National Feed Mill in Bhabanipur, the number two C&B speed breaker, Nayanpur Bazar and Jaina Bazar.

The ill-practice has gained pace in recent months after the government decided to stop the operation of vehicles that were overloaded, the sources added. Instead of stopping the overweight trucks, the police are now allowing the vehicles to pass through if the drivers agree to pay between Tk500 and Tk2000.

In an attempt to squeeze out extra money, the police were also reportedly falsely charging trucks of violating the weight limit. The truckers who refused to pay were being harassed regularly as police detained them using different excuses.

In order to avoid harassment by the police, the drivers had to pay around Tk250-Tk2,000 to be allowed passage.

The Mawna police station OC Sanwar, however, termed the extortion allegations as baseless. Claiming that the police stopped vehicles on the road as part of their routine task, he added that the vehicles are allowed to pass if their documents are in order but face cases if they violate regulations.

Kabir Ahmed, additional police superintendent of the Highway Police, said he had no information about such practices being carried out on the highway. l

Political situation in Chittagong likely to be unstable n Tushar Hayat, Chittagong The political situation in Chittagong city is likely to be unstable in the coming days as the BNP is set to launch a tougher movement in the port city, while the ruling Awami League has vowed to resist them.

However, a number BNP leaders stressed on the formation of a fullfledged committee for the party’s unit in the port city.

They claimed the recent agitation programmes announced by the party’s central committee had not succeeded because the port city BNP had had a committee of only four members for the past four years.

Dr Shahadat Hossain, general secretary BNP in Chittagong city, told the Dhaka Tribune that they had formed a special squad of Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal and Shechchhashebok Dal in each of the city’s 41 wards to make the programmes to be announced by the central committee soon.

“We organised iftar parties for leaders and activists of different units during throughout Ramadan, and Eid reunion in the past week,” he said.

Amir Khashru Mahmud Chowdhury, president of the BNP in the port city and a former minister, said Chittagong had played a vital role in every national movement, adding that this time would be no different.

“We should proceed our movement in association with the mass people in a systematic way. But if the government tries to take away our democratic right, the movement will take a different course,” Khashru said.

However, AJM Nasir Uddin, general secretary of Awami League’s Chittagong city unit, said the BNP was not in a position to launch a tougher movement in Chittagong.

He said the Awami League would respond in kind if the BNP tried to create anarchy in the name of movement.

Meanwhile, a section of BNP leaders expressed confusion over the success

of the movement and agreed that the party needed a full-fledged committee.

“It is necessary to form a proper committee before launching a tougher movement,” said Abdus Sattar, former joint secretary of the BNP in Chittagong city, adding that the previous programmes announced by the central committee had failed due to the lack of one.

Shahadat Hossain said they had sent a proposal of a full-fledged committee to the party chairperson and the secretary general two years ago, which was not approved due to reasons unknown.

He said they were optimistic of forming a full-fledged committee for the city unit immediately.

Abdullah Al Noman, vice-chairman of the BNP, said the process to form the unit committees was already underway.

He also said he was hoping the fullfledged committee of the party’s Chittagong city unit would also be formed immediately. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Bandit leader killed in Sundarban gunfight n Our Correspondent, Khulna A bandit leader has been killed in a gunfight early yesterday between the law enforcers and his gang members at the Sundarban's Khulna range.

The deceased Moktarul Dhali, 32,

A farmer takes care of his betel leaf garden in Moumasi village of Mohonpur upazila, Rajshahi

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Stump rotting disease leaves farmers confused n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi Hundreds of betel leaf farmers from Mohonpur, Durgapur and Bagmara upazilas in Rajshahi are puzzled as they have yet to find any remedy for the disease which is causing the betel leaf plant's stump to rot.

They fear they will lose their all the capital they invested in the betel leaf farming this year.

This correspondent visited several betel leaf farms, which were affected with the disease, in the upazilas of the district yesterday. He found most of the betel leaf plants were dying from this disease.

Riaz Uddin, a farmer from Mohonpur's Moumasi village said they had not found any medicine that could save their betel leaf plants from this disease and they are not getting any suggestions from the agriculture office regarding this emergency.

Anwar Hossain, another farmer from the same village, said he expect-

ed that he would get Tk4 lakh in profits from each bigha, but it does not seem likely he would be able to earn back even his investment money this year.

Mokhlesur Rahman and Nurul Islam, two farmers from Durgapur's Sukhandighi village, said all of their betel leaf plants were dying from this disease. As soon as a plant touches land, it gets affected with it and begins withering away.

They said they are facing huge losses because almost 80% of the betel leaf plant farms in the upazila are affected with this disease.

Mansur Rahman, a farmer from Bagmara's Sripur village, said they had one and a half bighas of land from betel leaf plant cultivation, of which one bigha has recently been completely ruined by the disease.

The remaining 10 kathas of betel leaf plants are also on the verge of ruins, he said.

Ramzan Ali, another farmer from the

same village, said agricultural officials recently took away the soil from here for testing. However, they have not yet come up with any update about it.

“The disease has become an epidemic. Betel leaf farmers here are becoming destitute.”

Deputy Director at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Rajshahi, Abul Kalam Azad said this disease spread during the rainy season.

Though it cannot be prevented fully, it can be controlled.

“The disease has not taken that great a toll on the farming, however,” he said, adding that it has affected only 58 hectares of betel leaf plants. He also said that they had been creating awareness on how to control such diseases.

Despite the stump rotting disease affecting the betel leaf farming, said Rajshahi DAE Deputy Director Abul Kalam, it would fetch an income of roughly Tk106 crore for farmers in the three upazilas this year. l

Khagrachhari residents suffer from low voltage electricity supply Correspondent, n Our Khagrachhari Low voltage electricity is a vexation for the people living in the hilly Khagrachhari district as many electronic appliances have either gone out of order or are not working properly.

Md Shahaz Uddin, a resident of Masterpara, said he and his family have been suffering for the last one month as the water supply motor stopped working due to the fluctuation in power supply.

He said: “A few days ago my refrigerator went out of order because of the low voltage of electricity.”

Repairing electronic appliances has become an extra burden for him. He

Housewife killed in Tetulia n Our Correspondent, Panchagarh

Police recovered the slaughtered body of a housewife yesterday from her house in Sahebjoth village in Tetulia upazila of Panchagarh.

The victim Samsunnahar, 35, was the wife of Asir Uddin, the headmaster of Sipaipara Government Primary School in Sahebjoth.

Quoting the family members, police said after supper, Samsunnahar went to sleep with her husband around 11pm.

Samsunnahar’s mother-in-law Asia Bewa discovered the body around 4:30am.

Hearing her screams, other family members and neighbours came to the spot and informed police.

Police also detained the victim’s husband Asir Uddin for interrogation.

Office-in-Charge of Tetulia police station Julfikar Mohammad Asaduzzaman said that Samsunnahar had been slaughtered with sharp weapon. l

blames his troubles on the negligence of the Power Development Board (PDB) authority for supplying low voltage power.

Swapan Chandra Devnath, a businessman at Khagrachhari Bazar, alleged that they could not operate most of their electronic equipment because of the low supply of electricity.

“The PDB authority sells power to other districts,” he said.

Managing Director of Limo Electronics Md Sirajul Islam said customers had returned many of their products which had stopped working due to the poor electricity supply.

“Even we cannot test many electronic parts or machines because of this situation,” he added.

Khagrachhari Panel Mayor ATM

Rashed Uddin said they could not provide services to citizens as per their expectations.

“We cannot properly provide water to the townspeople as we often cannot run the pump because of the poor supply of electricity,” he explained.

When asked about providing illegal connections to neighbouring districts, the executive engineer of the Power Development Board denied their involvement with any such trade.

He said: “You people [reporters] should know that Khagrachhari gets electricity from Hathazari in Chittagong.”

“We need around 17-18 megawatts of electricity daily, but we get only 6-7 megawatts of power daily.” l

was the chief the Masud Bahini group of bandits. District Detective Police Inspector Rokonuzzaman said: “The police arrested Moktarul from Mostafa Mor area of Khulna city on Thursday morning.

Later, acting on Moktarul's information, the police took him to Bhutmarir

Char under Kaira upazila in Sundarbans in order to recover arms and ammunition.” “At one stage of the drive, Moktarul’s cohorts opened fire on the law enforcers. In retaliation, the police fired back, triggering a gunfight. Later police recovered his body.l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

7

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Israel strikes Gaza after militants resume rocket fire n Reuters, Gaza/Jerusalem

Shiite Iraqi Kurds, known as ‘Shabak,’ displaced by fierce fighting between Kurdish peshmerga forces and jihadist militants from the Islamic State (IS) wait on the road between Kirkuk and Arbil after fleeing the area of Bartala near Mosul yesterday AFP

UN chief, Security Council urge international help for Iraq n Reuters, United Nations UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Security Council on Thursday called for the international community to help Iraq’s government and people as the country struggles against a sweeping advance

by Islamist militants.

The Security Council held an emergency meeting after Islamic State fighters surged toward the capital of the Kurdish region, sending tens of thousands of Christians fleeing for their lives, in an offensive that prompted talk of Western military action.

Britain’s UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said he would circulate a draft resolution to the 15-member council later on Thursday that seeks to address the threat of the Islamic State – formerly known as the Islamic State in Iraq

and the Levant (ISIL).

Lyall Grant said the text, which he hoped could be negotiated in the coming days, outlines practical steps for “tackling the funding and recruitment for ISIL” and also proposes listing key Islamic State leaders under the Security Council’s al Qaeda sanctions regime.

In a statement, Ban called “on the international community, especially those with the influence and resources to positively impact the situation, to support the Government and people of Iraq and to do all it can to help alleviate the suffering of the population affected by the current conflict in Iraq.”

The Security Council echoed Ban’s call and condemned “the systematic persecution of individuals from minority populations and those who refuse the extremist ideology of ISIL and associated armed groups.”

“The members of the Security Council reiterate that widespread or systematic attacks directed against any civilian populations because of their ethnic background, political grounds, religion or belief may constitute a crime against humanity, for which those responsible must be held accountable,” it said in a statement.

This was the third Security Council statement related to the Islamic State, which is considered more extreme than al Qaeda, in the past two weeks.

Ban said he was “deeply appalled” by reports of recent attacks by Islamic State militants in Kirkuk and Qaraqosh.

Sunni militants captured Qaraqosh, Iraq’s biggest Christian town, prompting many residents to flee, while in Kirkuk two car bombs exploded and killed 11 people near a Shi’ite mosque holding displaced people, said security and medical sources. l

Israel launched air strikes across the Gaza Strip on Friday in response to Palestinian rockets fired after Egyptian-mediated talks failed to extend a 72-hour truce in the month-long war.

As rocket-warning sirens sounded in southern Israel, the military said Hamas had fired at least 18 rockets from Gaza and Israel’s “Iron Dome” interceptor system brought down two.

Gaza militants said they had fired 10 rockets on Friday.

In the first casualties since hostilities resumed on Friday, Palestinian medical officials said a 10-year-old boy was killed in an Israeli strike near a mosque in Gaza City. In Israel, police said two people were injured by mortar fire from Gaza.

After a huge explosion in Gaza City, apparently from an air raid, a military spokesman said Israel had responded to Hamas rocket fire by launching air strikes at “terror sites” across the Gaza Strip.

“We will continue to strike Hamas, its infrastructure, its operatives, and restore security for the State of Israel,” Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Lerner said in a statement.

An Israeli government official said Israel would not negotiate with Palestinians about renewing the truce in Gaza as long as militants continued to launch rockets.

Heavy civilian casualties and destruction during Israel’s campaign against militants in packed residential areas of the Gaza Strip have raised international alarm over the past month, but efforts to extend a ceasefire at talks in Cairo failed.

Israel had earlier said it was ready to agree to an extension as Egyptian go-betweens pursued negotiations with Israeli and Palestinian delegates.

Hamas said Palestinian factions had not agreed to extend the truce, but would continue negotiations in Cairo.

Smoke billows following an Israeli air strike in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday AFP An Islamic Jihad official added: “Discussions in Cairo have not finished and we will pursue our efforts to stop the aggression and achieve the just demands of our people.”

The Palestinians had wanted Israel to agree in principle to demands which include a lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip, the release of prisoners and the opening of a sea port. The armed wing of Hamas released a statement late on Thursday warning Palestinian negotiators not to agree to an extension unless Israel offered concessions.

Naval blockade

Israel has shown little interest in easing its naval blockade of Gaza and controls on overland traffic and airspace, suspecting Hamas could restock with weapons from abroad.

Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz, speaking on Army Radio, raised the prospect of Israel relaunching a ground operation it halted on Tuesday and “taking control of the

Malaysia plans overhaul of national airline n AP, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Malaysia’s state investment company said Friday it plans to make Malaysia Airlines fully government owned, removing it from the country’s stock exchange before carrying out an overhaul of the carrier that is reeling from double disasters.

Khazanah Nasional, which owns 69 percent of Malaysia Airlines, said it has proposed to the carrier’s board that it buy out minority shareholders at 27 sen (8 cents) a share, which is 29 percent higher than the airline’s average share price over the previous three months.

The takeover would cost 1.38 billion ringgit ($429m).

Malaysia Airlines has been hit by two major disasters this year, which added to its longstanding financial woes.

In March, Flight 370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared with 239 people on board after flying far of course. The plane has still not been found, with a search in the southern Indian Ocean underway. In July, 298 people were killed when Flight 17 was

shot down over Ukraine. It was heading to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam and was shot out of the sky over an area of eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

Khazanah said the state takeover will represent the first stage of a “complete overhaul” of the loss-making airline, and that detailed plans will be announced by the end of this month.

“The proposed restructuring will critically require all parties to work closely together,” it said in a statement.

“Nothing less will be required in order to revive our national airline to be profitable as a commercial entity and to serve its function as a critical national development entity.”

Before the disasters, the carrier’s financial performance was among the worst in the industry, putting a question mark over its future even before its brand was tied to two almost unfathomable tragedies. It has lost money for the past three years and been through several episodes of restructuring, instigated by Khazanah, over the past decade. l

Iselle batters Hawaii, weakens to tropical storm n Reuters, Honolulu

On August 6 at 10:30pm GMT NASA’s Aqua satellite passed over Hurricanes Iselle (L) and Julio (R) approaching Hawaii. This image was created using three satellite passes. Both hurricanes are on course to strike Hawaii, Iselle as early as Thursday night, August 7. Julio is expected to stay on the same heading for the next few days before turning more northward AFP

Afghan poll rivals sign unity government deal n Agencies

Afghanistan’s feuding presidential candidates have signed a deal to work on the formation of a national unity government, as an audit attempts to decide the winner of the country’s fraud-tainted election.

Abdullah Abdullah, a former foreign minister, and ex-finance minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, agreed to resolve their dispute on Friday in a deal brokered by

US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Abdullah said the agreement was a “step forward in the interests of strengthening national unity...and bringing hope to the people for the future of Afghanistan.”

The two rivals have been locked in a bitter dispute over who will succeed Afghan President Hamid Karzai following June’s run-off election.

The breakthrough came as US Secretary of State John Kerry opened a sec-

ond day of talks aimed at preventing the fragile country from collapsing into political chaos.

The joint-declaration stated the candidates would agree to a timeline for the electoral process and inauguration date for the next president by the end of August.

Afghanistan’s Western backers hope an audit of votes will produce a legitimate president before a Nato summit in early September.

The UN is supervising a full recount of all eight million votes cast in a June run-off vote, as agreed during Kerry’s last visit to Afghanistan a month ago.

“This audit is not about winning and losing, it is about achieving a credible result that people of Afghanistan deserve,” Kerry added.

The election was to mark Afghanistan’s first democratic transfer of power before most foreign troops pull out at the end of 2014. l

Former PM Hariri back in Lebanon for first time in three years, meets current prime minister n Reuters, Beirut Former Lebanese prime minister Saad al-Hariri returned home on Friday for the first time in three years, on a visit seen as reasserting his leadership over the Sunni community following a deadly incursion by Islamist militants in northeast Lebanon.

Hariri, Lebanon’s most influential Sunni politician, has been in self-imposed exile since 2011, sharing his time

between France and Saudi Arabia. He left Lebanon after his government was toppled by a coalition including the Iranian-backed Shi’ite group Hezbollah.

With no prior announcement, Hariri arrived at the Lebanese government’s headquarters in Beirut, where he met Prime Minister Tammam Salam.

The Saudi-backed politician arrived in a Mercedes with blacked-out windows at the central courtyard of the Grand Serail and grinned widely as he

Gaza Strip in order to topple the Hamas regime.” But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has shown little inclination to do so.

In Gaza, some families who had returned to their homes in the northern town of Beit Hanoun during the ceasefire gathered their belongings and headed back to the United Nations shelters where they had sought refuge over the past few weeks.

Beit Hanoun resident Yamen Mahmoud, a 35-year-old father of four, said: “Today I am fleeing again, back to displacement. I am not against resistance but we need to know what to do.

Is it war or peace?”

Gaza officials say the war has killed 1,876 Palestinians, most of them civilians. Hamas said on Thursday it had executed an unspecified number of Palestinians as Israeli spies.

Israel says 64 of its soldiers and three civilians have died in the fighting that began on July 8, after a surge in Palestinian rocket salvoes into Israel. l

walked into the building. Hariri earlier this week announced that Saudi Arabia would donate $1 billion in military aid to Lebanese security forces to help them in the fight against extremists.

“My return comes after the Saudi donation which requires seeing how it can be implemented and translated into support for the army,” Hariri said on his Twitter account.

The Twitter account also said Hariri’s first stop would be at the grave of

his father, Rafik al-Hariri, another former Lebanese prime minister whose assassination in 2005 forced Saad to enter political life.

Hariri blames Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the bomb attack in Beirut that killed his father. A special tribunal in the Netherlands has been trying four members of Hezbollah in absentia for the killing.

The group, an ally of Assad, denies any involvement. l

Tropical Storm Iselle battered Hawaii with driving winds and rising surf on Friday, knocking down trees and causing power outages, the first of two major storms due to hit the archipelago as the more powerful Hurricane Julio gathered steam behind it.

More than 1,200 people flocked to evacuation shelters across the Big Island, according to County of Hawaii Civil Defense, as heavy rains and strong winds pummeled areas of East Hawaii from the Puna area to the town of Hilo.

Hawaii Electric Light Company had about 5,000 customers without power, mostly in East Hawaii, a Hawaii County official said.

With its eye still about 50 miles (80 km) south of Hilo, on the Big island, Iselle had weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm, packing maximum sustained winds near 70 miles per hour (110 kph), with higher gusts, the US Central Pacific Hurricane Center said in a statement about an hour before midnight on Thursday. l

NEWS BITES

Erdogan poised to win Turkey’s first popular presidential vote

Ex-BJP leader Jaswant Singh in coma, in ‘very critical’ condition

Tayyip Erdogan is set to secure his place in history as Turkey’s first popularly-elected president on Sunday, but his tightening grip on power has polarized the nation, worried Western allies and raised fears of creeping authoritarianism.

Erdogan’s core supporters, religious conservatives, see his likely rise to the presidency as the crowning achievement of his drive to reshape Turkey. In a decade as prime minister, he has broken the hold of a secular elite that had dominated since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk founded the modern republic on the ruins of an Ottoman theocracy in 1923. Opponents see him as a modern-day sultan whose roots in Islamist politics and intolerance of dissent are taking Turkey, a member of the Nato military alliance and European Union candidate, ever further from Ataturk’s secular ideals.

Erdogan could, aides have said, serve two presidential terms and rule to 2023, the 100th anniversary of the secular republic. Such symbolism is not lost on a leader whose passionate speeches are frequently laced with references to Ottoman history. l

Former Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh is in a “very critical” condition and has slipped into a coma at New Delhi’s Army Research and Referral Hospital where he was admitted early on Friday after a fall at his residence, the Union defence ministry said.

The 76-year-old former defence minister was rushed to the hospital by his family members after they found him lying on the floor of the house in an unconscious state at around 1am on Friday with an injury to his head, the ministry said in a release.

“At present the condition is very critical. He is on life support systems and under constant monitoring by a team of neurosurgeons and critical care providers,” it said.

“Examination at the hospital showed him to be in coma, with signs of ‘raised intracranial tension and a haematoma scalp’. Urgent CT scan of the head showed ‘an acute subdural haematoma with mass effect, a midline shift and contusion of the brain substance’. A lifesaving ‘decompressive hemicraniectomy’ was done.” l

n Reuters, Ankara

n Agencies

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Prescription

Saturday, August 9, 2014

About hearing loss and hearing aids

Hearing aid with iPhone

Types and causes of hearing loss

There are many kinds of hearing loss, but most fall into two categories: sensorineural and conductive.

Sensorineural hearing loss

This is the most common type of hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear that help transmit sound to your brain. These can bend or break due to:  Exposure to very loud noises  Genetic predisposition  Virus infections in the inner ear  Certain drugs  Head injury  Age

prevents sound reaching the inner ear.

This might include:  A build–up of earwax  Fluid in the middle ear  Middle ear infections  Small holes in the eardrum Conductive hearing loss is not necessarily permanent and can often be corrected medically or surgically.

Sensorineural hearing loss is permanent and can’t be corrected medically, but a hearing aid can almost always help.

Mixed hearing loss

It is possible that you may suffer from both types of hearing loss. This condition is called mixed hearing loss .

Mixed hearing loss can be helped with surgery and a hearing aid.

Conductive hearing loss

This is caused by any blockage that

Canola oil-enriched diet may benefit diabetics

Modern hearing aids are discreet

Today’s hearing aids are as small, comfortable and attractive as they are powerful and they have limited impact on

BIGSTOCK

are considered to be high glycaemic index foods because they can cause blood sugar levels to spike. Low glycaemic index foods, such as lentils, soybeans, yogurt and many high-fibre grains, create a more gradual increase in blood sugar. l

phate-containing additives, said Alicja Wolk, who worked on the study at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.

Moreover, smoked processed meat products and grilled meat are sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Each one of these chemicals has been shown to have some adverse health effects. Heart failure is the condition when the heart cannot pump enough blood to all areas of the body but does not stop beating altogether. People with heart failure often experience shortness of breath and general tiredness. Heart failure is usually progressive and long term, but can be managed with medications, exercise and a reduced-sodium diet. l

40s

Every year: Dental check-up, skin cancer check.

Every two years: BMI test, blood pressure, cholesterol, colorectal and prostate screening (if high risk).

Every three years: Type 2 diabetes test.

Other: Eye check, osteoporosis, stroke risk.

50s + 60s

Every year: Dental check-up, skin cancer check.

Every two years: BMI test, blood pressure, cholesterol, colorectal and prostate screening.

Every three years: Type 2 diabetes test.

BIGSTOCK

| Compiled by Dr Kazi Mahbuba Akhtar

BIGSTOCK

Other: Eye check, hearing test, osteoporosis, stroke risk, kidney disease, full health check including blood tests.

Women’s Essentials 30s

Every year: Dental check-up, skin cancer check.

Every two years: Pap smear, BMI test, blood pressure, cholesterol.

Other: Eye check, STD, fertility check, colorectal cancer screening (if high risk), regular self-checks on breasts.

40s

Every year: Dental check-up, skin cancer check.

Every two years: Pap smear, BMI test, blood pressure, cholesterol,

mammogram/ultrasound, colorectal cancer screening (if high risk).

Every three years: Type 2 diabetes test.

Other: Eye check, osteoporosis, stroke risk.

50s + 60s

Every year: Dental check-up, skin cancer check.

Every two years: Pap smear, BMI test, blood pressure, cholesterol, mammogram/ultrasound, colorectal cancer screening.

Every three years: Type 2 diabetes test.

Other: Eye check, hearing test, osteoporosis, stroke risk, kidney disease, full health check including blood tests. l

Glaucoma (the sneak thief of sight) refers to a group of eye diseases that affects the optic nerve and may cause vision loss. Optic nerve damage in glaucoma is primarily due to elevated intra-ocular pressure (IOP) within the eye. Glaucoma is classified either as open-angle (the more common chronic condition which is usually painless) or angle-closure glaucoma (the more unusual type which often occurs suddenly [acutely] and is associated with pain and redness of the eye). The elderly people with family histories of the disease are at greatest risk. There are no symptoms in the early stages, and by the time the patient notices vision changes, visual loss due to glaucoma can only be halted, not reversed. Glaucoma is usually treated with eye drops, although lasers and surgery can also be used. Most cases can be controlled well with these treatments, thereby preventing further loss of vision. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to preserving sight in people with glaucoma. l

| Compiled by: Shirsho Saaeadat

Safe antibiotics during pregnancy n Prescription Desk

signed to prove that the increased salt intake actually caused heart disease. l

Folic acid helps make DNA and helps your cells divide. It’s very important during pregnancy for a healthy baby.

Find folic acid in green, leafy vegetables, fruit juices, nuts, and beans. Women should get 400 micrograms daily.

You can often get that from a serving of fortified cereal or bread. Women should get 600 mcg during pregnancy, or 500 mcg while breastfeeding. If you’re pregnant or plan to be, you should also take a folic acid pill. l

BIGSTOCK

Men Essentials 30s

Every year: Dental check-up, skin cancer check.

Every two years: BMI test, blood pressure, cholesterol.

Other: Eye check, STD, fertility check, colorectal cancer screening (if high risk).

Ensure folic acid during pregnancy

Check your eyes for glaucoma

Health check-up is important for everyone, specially after 30s every one should go for a few medical check-ups DID YOU every year. Getting regKNOW? ular check-ups could reduce hospital time down the track.

Here are the must-do health checks for men and women of all ages.

High-salt diets can cause heart disease in diabetics A diet loaded with salt is associated with double the risk of heart attack or stroke in people with type 2 diabetes.

The risk skyrockets even higher among those whose diabetes is not well-managed, a new Japanese study reports.

A study found that people with diabetes who consumed an average of 5.9 grams of sodium daily had double the risk of developing heart disease than those who consumed, on average, 2.8 grams of sodium daily. In addition, heart disease risk jumped nearly 10fold for people with poorly managed type 2 diabetes and a diet with excess salt. However, it is important to note that this study only found an association between salt intake and increased heart disease; the study was not de-

Wearing a hearing aid means rediscovering the pleasure of gathering with friends and family, feeling more confident at work, and enjoying movies, music and TV programs. A hearing aid means living with all of your five senses

Those who are trying for weight control, start your day with oatmeal. Oatmeal is very helpful in reducing weight.

Oatmeal has three things going for it: fiber-rich whole-grain oats, lots of water, and it’s hot. This is a very filling combination. Hot food takes longer to eat, and all that liquid and fiber will help you feel full longer. Don’t buy the one that’s already sweetened. You can choose how to flavor it. Stirring in cinnamon or nutmeg will give you a sweet taste with less sugar. l

Antibiotics are commonly prescribed during pregnancy.

The specific medication must be chosen carefully, however.

WOMEN’S Some antibiotics HEALTH are OK to take during pregnancy, while others are not.

Safety depends on various factors, including the type of antibiotic, when in your pregnancy you take the antibiotic, how much you take and for how long.

Here’s a sampling of antibiotics generally considered safe during pregnancy:

Amoxicillin Ampicillin  Clindamycin  Erythromycin  Penicillin  

Certain other antibiotics should be avoided during pregnancy. For example, tetracyclines — such as doxycycline and minocycline — can damage a pregnant woman’s liver and discolour a developing baby’s teeth.

In addition, it is important to note that two classes of antibiotics commonly used to treat urinary tract infections — nitrofuran derivatives and sulfonamides — have been associated with rare birth defects. Although there’s no direct proof that

BIGSTOCK

Men who report eating lots of sausages and cold cuts are more likely to wind up in the hospital for heart failure, according to a large study from Sweden. Eating large amounts of red meat has been linked to a greater risk of heart disease and stroke. Processed meat besides having quite a lot of salt may include also nitrites and phos-

Treating hearing loss

again. It is better to use hearing aid if you need it. The longer you leave it, the harder it is for your brain to comprehend certain sounds because it no longer hears them every day. A hearing aid prevents this deterioration of your ability to relearn to interpret sounds.

Your hearing professional can tell you whether your hearing loss can be treated with hearing aids, and if so, choose, which type of hearing aids that suit you best.

n Prescription Desk

Processed red meat bad for heart

BIGSTOCK

Your hearing is measured in a scale of decibels (dB) compared to normal hearing. This scale is used to evaluate whether you have hearing loss, and if so, to what degree. During your hearing examination, your hearing care professional will test your hearing and present the results in an audiogram.

Health check-up for life

HEALTH NEWS

Switching to a diet low in simple sugars and high in healthy fats, like the types found in canola oil, could help people with type 2 diabetes to control their blood sugar, according to a new study.

People with type 2 diabetes who were advised to follow a diet with a low glycaemic index supplemented with extra canola oil had lower blood glucose levels and greater reductions in heart risk than those who ate a diet high in whole grains, researchers found. Olive oil has a good pedigree among clinicians but canola oil has a good pedigree too, said lead author Dr David Jenkins, from the University of Toronto.

Canola oil is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid also found in walnuts, as well as monounsaturated fatty acids, which are also in avocados and olives. A food’s glycaemic index refers to how quickly it causes blood sugar to rise. Starchy foods like white bread and potatoes

What does hearing loss mean?

ReSound LiNX is a mini receiver–in– the–ear hearing aid. It’s worn behind the ear with a thin tube that wraps discreetly along the front and ends with a tiny bud inside your ear. ReSound LiNX™ offers a superior sound experience – setting new performance standards. It is a Made for iPhone® hearing aid with direct sound streaming, and it can be personalized to your every need. you can enjoy high quality sound from iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch through Resound LiNX hearing aids that are also wireless stereo headphones.

The small, slim design lets you hide ReSound LiNX if you want to – or show it off if you’d rather, even if you have a severe hearing loss. Regardless, you’ll experience the fastest chip platform, allows you to hear – and understand – so well and so easily. It is very much easy to use FaceTime video calling to bring far–away loved ones into your living room to listen to the music that moves you on your iPod touch.

Now you can have a child’s voice from across the garden, your favorite TV–show at just the right volume in your hearing aid. l

Add oatmeal in breakfast for weight control BIGSTOCK

one.

There are two different categories of hearing aids. One type of hearing aid is the kind that is placed behind the ear with a tube going into the ear. Another is In–the–ear hearing aids are made to fit the contours of your ear canal. Both the varieties have different types of designs.

Hearing loss is not uncommon. More than 500 million people worldwide suffer from some degree of hearing loss. You might be one of them. If you are, a hearing aid can help you regain your hearing so that you can live the life you’re used to. Hearing loss usually develops gradually – so gradually that you don’t notice the loss of these subtle everyday sounds. Before you know it, you could start missing the important sounds in your everyday life, such as the voices of loved ones.

QUICK TIPS

BIGSTOCK

Hearing loss is popularly associated with advanced age. Chances of hearing loss increase with age. However, a surprisingly high percentage of people with hearing loss is much younger than thought. Traffic, machinery, music, and TV all contribute to noisy environments that can cause hearing loss – at any age your appearance. In fact, most people n Dr Md Ashfaquzzaman Sikder won’t even notice that you’re wearing

these antibiotics cause birth defects, additional research is needed. In the meantime, use of these medications is still warranted in some cases.

If an antibiotic is the best way to treat your condition, your health care provider will prescribe the safest antibiotic at the safest dosage. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Heritage

Saturday, August 9, 2013

9

Freedom fighter

Isa Khan allied himself with the interloper Karrani rulers, henchmen of the defeated Islam Shah Suri, who his father had so vehemently opposed, but who, for twelve years, ruled Bengal from Sonagoan, from 1564 to 1576

W n Tim Steel

hen the Normans conquered Britain, following their famous victory, in 1066, at the battle of Hastings, like most invaders, they didn’t find the subsequent consolidation easy.

The greatest thorn in Norman sides was an Anglo Saxon chieftain known as Hereward the Wake.

Tales of his daring do echo through popular histories of the British people.

Fascinating then, to find a not dissimilar character in the history of these lands that are now Bangladesh.

Writing of the struggles of the Mughal invaders in the 16th century,

to take full control of, especially, the enormously wealthy lands of Bangladesh, the late 16th century visitor to the lands, the English merchant, Ralph Fitch, writes of the resistance, “They be all hereabouts rebels against their king Echebar (Akbar, the third Mughal Emperor): for here are so many rivers and islands, that they flee from one to another, whereby Akbar’s horsemen

Isa Khan’s Tomb

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Isa Khan’s mosque, across his tomb

The Mughal Emperor Akbar shoots the Rajput warrior Jaimal during the Siege of WIKIMEDIA Chittorgarh in 1567

Map of Bengal Bihar And Orissa

cannot prevail against them.”

Hereward the Wake led his resistance to William the Conqueror in the fens of East Anglia, the eastern part of Britain that lies partly below sea level, and, like Fitch’s description of the resistance of the Pashtun Bhuiyans, he also was able to keep the invader’s forces at bay by crossing dykes and rivers, and skipping from island to islet.

In Sonargoan, the traditional stronghold of the Pashtun rulers, under whom the Bhuyans administered their Sultanate, Fitch reports, “The chiefe king of all these countries is called Isacan, and he is chiefe of all the other kings, and is a great friend to all Christians.”

Fitch seems to have been completely unaware that, by the time of his visit, around 1584, the whole area was not only nominally under the rule of the Mughals, but also, was governed on their behalf by a succession of Subahdars, and had been since 1538, when the last, and arguably the greatest of the sultanate dynasties ended; the succession of these Mughal provincial governors, perhaps, owing much to their lack of success in subduing opposition!

Isa Khan, without doubt, merits a place in the history of Bangladesh as great as that of Hereward the Wake in Britain’s rich history. A valiant freedom fighter until his death at the ripe old age of about 70, ultimately unsuccessful, but, unlike Hereward, able to leave behind a dyasty of zaminders under Mughal overlordship.

The lands that are now those of Bangladesh have been subjected, over the centuries, to at least one major attempted invasion, by Alexander the

WIKIMEDIA

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Great, three direct conquests, one political usurpation, and a few invasions in parts, such as those of the Tripuran, Arakanese and Burmese kings, in the east, largely non Bengali territories.

Like the first of the conquering Afghans, the Khilji, who secured a foot hold in 1204 CE, the Mughals, can also only be described as foreign invaders.

The Khilji, of course, brought with them the first significant Islamic rule to these lands, fleeing, as they were, the great Mongol hordes of Genghis Khan, that flooded, at that time, out of Mongolia, and engulfed Central and West Asia. They brought with them Sufi missionaries, and it seems no coincidence that they not only overthrew the century old Sena Dynasty of Hindu rulers, but also circumscribed the brief rule of the Devas.

The Mughals, on the other hand, were also Muslims, of Mongol descent.

More in the tradition of the Caliphs, with their sophistication and their cultural interests, they were, none the less, unquestionably in search of lands with wealth to support them, and found them in north India.

There is little doubt that they were, like the Khilji before them, aware of the great riches generated in the lands around the Ganges delta.

Their military strength and talent was unquestionable. It was, however, an extraordinary combination of that, and administrative skills, which enabled them to dominate the entire subcontinent for at least a century and a half. Their nominal rule, of course, continued until 1857, but after Aurangzeb, the sixth Emperor, they were a weakened dynasty, soon to be overwhelmed by the skill of the British interlopers and adventurers.

Akbar, the third, and arguably the greatest of the Mughals inherited the throne in 1556, at the age of fourteen.

He succeeded his father, Humayun, who had temporarily lost the throne to the last Afghan ruler, Sher Shah Suri, and his son Islam Shah Suri, for a gap of fifteen years from 1540 to 1554.

Akbar’s unquestionable genius lay, not only in the skills of military tactics, but also in uniting so many diverse factions behind him.

Eschewing traditional Islamic practice, he succeeded in winning the loyalty of that diversity across most of northern India, and there is no doubt that the commercial, as well as the cultural heritage brought just about the entire subcontinent under his influence. Whether, however, it was his disagreement with the development of Akbar’s unique version of religious philosophy, distinct from Islam, as opposed to some kind of nationalism, that inspired the freedom fighter in Isa Khan, perhaps we shall never know.

Born in 1529, into one of the ruling Pashtun Bhuiyan families who ruled under the Pashtun Sultanate, chieftains of Bhati region, along the banks of the great Brahmaputra river east of Mymensingh. His father, apparently either a Mughal supporter, or still hankering for the Pashtun past, had twice rebelled against Islam Shah Suri, the second of the Afghan usurpers, albeit temporary, of the Mughal throne, and died in battle during his second insurrection in 1548.

In the tangled network of loyalties and alliances that characterised this restless era of Bangladesh, we should probably not be surprised that the youthful Isa Khan allied himself with the interloper Karrani rulers, henchmen of the defeated Islam Shah Suri,

WIKIMEDIA

who his father had so vehemently opposed, but who, for twelve years, ruled Bengal from Sonagoan, from 1564 to 1576, and with their support, was granted lands in Sonargoan,as well as in Bhati.

In the early 1570s he joined the Karrani expeditions to fight both Mughals and the Tripuran king, who had seized Chittagong.

In 1576, he was in the Karrani forces that were finally defeated at the Battle of Rajmahal, that saw the end of resistance of the last of the Afghan rulers to the Mughals.

Recognising that allies were needed to withstand the power of the Mughal armies, and navy, he sought them amongst his fellow Bhuiyan, and commenced what we might describe as guerrilla tactics in his mission.

In 1578 came the first of the concerted Mughal attempts to subdue Bhuiyan resistance. Although abandoned by two of his allies, Khan fought on, and at Kastul, in his home, Kishoreganj, territory, the Mughal army was defeated. We may have no record of the engagement, but the flood plains of the vast Brahmaputra river doubtless aided the victory.

In 1584, the Mughal forces made another attempt to subdue Khan and his allies, but, once again, were defeated on land and water, being forced to retreat. It is interesting to note that, although this was, almost certainly, the period of Fitch’s journey, he makes no mention of the evident scale of the continuing conflict, and appears unconcerned of the risks, in his own travels, of being caught up in it.

Returning to the fray, in 1586, we may well suppose that the Mughals were more than ready to accept gifts and peace overtures from Khan.

Certainly, they withdrew, leaving the recalcitrant and unreconciled Isa Khan in relative peace, for over ten years.

However, in 1597, Mughal forces were sent, by land and water, to make another attempt to take control of the vital territories that bestrode the waters of the mighty Brahmaputra river, a silk road of major trade into the foothills of the Himalayas, and beyond, an evident source of much of the trade, so important to the Mughal economy. And, perhaps not the least consideration, the continuing resistance to them that, doubtless, would be likely to encourage others.

Following defeat, on both land, and, perhaps more importantly, on water, perhaps somewhere around Vikrampur, the Mughal forces once again withdrew.

Isa Khan died, two years later, and left behind a family with whom, eventually, the Mughals came to terms, and who survived as zaminders of Egarasindhur, near Kishoreganj, possibly one of the most lucrative landholdings in Bengal until 1947.

His descendants continue to inhabit the ancient fortified family residence, right up until present times.

Isa Khan, about whom, romances and legends proliferate, perhaps the first of the great tradition of Freedom Fighters of Bangladesh!

Tim Steel is a communications, marketing and tourism consultant.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Saturday, August 9, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Build leadership on climate change

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he planning minster has noted that the adverse impacts of climate change are estimated to be costing over 1% of the country’s GDP. With the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicting that average global temperatures could rise between 4 to 6 degrees celsius within the next 50 years, adapting to climate change is the biggest challenge facing our country.

Rising temperatures increase the likelihood of severe weather fluctuations and sea level rise which could inundate large areas of the country, destroying vital farmland and ecosystems. The potential consequences in terms of lost habitat and food security are devastating.

The Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan and its associated funds, contain 40 actions and goals for the government to be pursuing. It is vital that these targets are integrated into all aspects of planning and development.

At the national level, raising more people out of poverty remains key to empowering more people to be able to protect themselves and adapt to the consequences of climate change. We cannot afford to neglect programmes to develop clean energy and improve coastal and river embankments.

It is important also to build upon the resilience the country’s people show in adapting to the regular flooding inherent within our deltaic region. As a country on the front line of adapting to climate change, we have no alternative but to show more leadership on dealing with this global challenge.

We must build further on positive achievements such as increasing the number of rural households fitted with solar power units in order to help more of our people both fight poverty and build resilience.

Climate change is the biggest challenge facing our country. We need to both fight poverty and build resilience

Improve the impact of foreign aid

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he finance minister has welcomed the World Bank’s a record-high $950 million disbursement of aid inflows during the last fiscal year.

In the wake of the Padma Bridge scandal, it is encouraging to see growing disbursements by bilateral and multilateral development partners.

Foreign aid totaled nearly $3bn last year, with around two thirds coming in the form of loans and the remainder in grants.

Growth in the actual disbursement of aid, as opposed to pledges of future aid and matching funds, means there is growing confidence that the funds received will be spent effectively.

It is vital the government continues to improve public accountability of how aid funds are spent.

The fact is that although aid is a declining part of the economy, now representing less than 2% of GDP, or less than a fifth of the 11% of GDP accounted for by remittances, such sums remain absolutely vital to underpinning development and infrastructure projects.

Support from the Asian Development Bank and JICA has been crucial to getting important projects such as Metro Rail off the ground. The country needs all the support it can get for programmes to improve infrastructure.

While the goal of weaning the country off foreign aid by developing trade and tapping remittances, is a worthy one, the paradox is that unless aid disbursements are seen increasing, it may not be possible to achieve this aim.

Increasing disbursements of aid remains an important indicator to show that confidence is improving in our future.

It is vital to improve public accountability of how aid funds are spent

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

What a shame!

August 4

Bipul K Debnath English Department, Dhaka College A few days back, near Motijheel Shapla Chattar, I saw a few people crying, and appearing to seek compassion, and others trying to console them.

Being inquisitive, many other pedestrians had gathered around the groups. The ones distraught, being young and stout, sought for help and pleaded that they had lost their bags and luggage.

It puzzled me. What a shame! Begging is very

common in our country, and there are some who, though able-bodied and capable, use begging to make a living without doing any effectual job. Of course, begging is necessary for the physically challenged, but these other types of people abuse it again and again. However, many effective programs are in the works to rehabilitate the beggars in the city. It is obviously important to open one’s eyes to these types of situations. The sincerity of officials concerned is urgently needed.

Rapp goes against Jamaat trial

Probe bodies no more than a joke

August 6

August 6

Ahsan Habib In any other country, including India, this negligence is many times more than what is needed to resign.

I hope Shahjahan Khan would do so because our PM loves to compare us with Western traditions. In reality Khan will not resign. To him power is much more precious than principle. And this is true for every member of the AL and BNP.

PB Pro-Israeli #US loves #Jamaat, nothing new!

Shamuna Mizan Such nonsense. Why does he have to poke his nose into our internal matters? Does he have any idea of the atrocities committed? If Quader Mollah doesn’t deserve capital punishment, then who does?! And America is really someone to talk about trials, after hanging Saddam and killing Osama without a trial. When they do it, it is all fair and dandy, but for anyone else, out of the question!

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.

August 6

Ruhel Rahman I think Shafi is describing his own urges when he describes women as tamarind and himself as the depraved person. Wouldn’t be surprised if most mullahs and teachers are the same.

Obaidul terms BNP a roar-based political party August 6

August 5

CALVIN AND HOBBES

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

‘They need to read the Qur’an again’

Well done Mir Mehdi Faruk!

SAM Watch out for this name in the world of science, for this young man will one day make Bangladesh proud with future achievements in theoretical physics. Thank you for the worthy information in your article. As reported, he is the recipient of a prestigious award to work on the HiggsBoson theory. This wonderful news, just after Eid, was the icing on the cake for all of us in this holiday season. Indeed it is an achievement for this Bangladeshi scholar and scientist. I am sure everyone will join me in wishing him Godspeed and further success and honor in the days ahead.

I extend my congratulations to this worthy son of Bangladesh, whose grand achievement makes us all proud!

The government should officially recognise his marvelous achievement, as being one among 20, out of 200 short-listed meritorious scholars, out of thousands more worldwide. Out of everyone working on the same research, he was selected!

Faruk deserves all our support and prayers, as one who can bring name and fame to all Bangladeshi scientists.

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 5 represents L so fill L every time the figure 5 appears.

You have two letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them 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.

Mainul Islam Mony Once again, he oversteps lines of decency and natters on. I didn’t like him in the previous term nor even in this term. Ironically, people love him.

I’m still wondering why.

When the world stopped for us August 6

Raiyan Zafar “It is not possible to coin words or phrases for that lady who was my mother, and who left me, crushed.

The lady, from a patrician family of West Bengal, with her beauty, glamour and intelligence, illuminated our lives with lights and fragrance of elegance, education, and humanity.”

May Allah grant this humble lady a place in Jannat-ul-Ferdous.

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Ineffectual (4) 3 Allude (5) 8 Mature (4) 9 Blemish (4) 11 Auctions (5) 12 Part of a church (4) 14 Permit (3) 15 Clemency (5) 18 Combine (5) 19 Meadow (3) 21 Girdle (4) 24 Zodiac sign (5) 26 Tibetan priest (4) 27 Liquid measure (4) 28 Slink (5) 29 Hurried (4)

DOWN 1 Very extensive (4) 2 Metal (4) 4 Period of time (3) 5 Young mare (5) 6 Fencing sword (4) 7 Reposes (5) 10 Docile (4) 11 Durable cloth (5) 13 Parts of speech (5) 16 Prison room (4) 17 Moves wings (5) 18 American state (5) 20 Poet’s Ireland (4) 22 Stop up (4) 23 S African monetary unit (4) 25 Greek letter (3)

Overloaded launch sinks in rough Padma August 5

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

Hardeek Ramindeep How many more lives will it take before Bangladesh finally gets its act together? This happens all the time. Why is loss of life so undervalued?

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

11 fishermen still missing in Barguna August 5

Ashraful Islam Siam After getting a red signal from weather authorities, why did these fishermen, still go fishing!?! Who will teach illiterate people so that situation changes? And why is the government always accused for this?? Don’t we the people have any responsibility?!

My own private Palestine August 5

Raihan Hadi Fantastic writing!

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Why is Israel behaving irrationally? n Azeem Ibrahim

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The president isn’t the only player in US foreign policy

AFP

It isn’t all about Obama

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n Esam Sohail bout a fortnight ago, one of the more vocal and formerly communist ministers of the current regime went on a finger wagging episode at a ruling party conclave, where she proceeded to lecture the US ambassador-designate to Bangladesh about diplomatic proprieties. The ire of the former communist was raised because Ambassador-designate Bernicat gave her testimony to the United States Senate about the State Department’s perception of the January 5 electoral exercise in Bangladesh.

Notwithstanding what one thinks of the prudence of the manner in which the January 5 elections were conducted, the minister’s outburst is sadly reflective of the utter lack of understanding in the highest circles about how American government in general, and foreign policy in particular, works.

Unlike in regimes where there really isn’t much of a difference between the executive and the legislative branches outside of the lofty words of constitutional documents, the United States takes those lines of demarcations very seriously. Ambassador Bernicat’s responses were neither voluntary nor egotistical: Under the penalty of law, she was required to provide her honest assessment, backed up by evidence, to the United States Senate as part of the process to be confirmed as ambassador to Bangladesh.

Ministers and other opinion makers – as is evident from multiple statements across the pages of newspapers regularly – rarely fathom how different Washington DC is from Dhaka or Yangon or Riyadh when it comes to making foreign policy. President Obama is powerful, but he shares that power with a co-equal Congress, which can be a major power-broker when controlled partly, as it is now, by the other party.

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I bring this up to portray a major drawback in Bangladesh’s engagement with the United States: Whether due to a lack of knowledge or sheer intellectual laziness, opinion makers in Dhaka simply assume that it is a one-person show in every other capital as well. This myopia results in all the overtures, diplomatic and otherwise, being directed to the presidential administration which has a rather limited ability to respond.

ton is not limited to the ruling party; not too many weeks go by without some member of an opposition party or Dhaka talk show host bemoaning how “Obama” has done this or that good or bad in foreign policy.

The compelling fact remains that when it comes to the shaping of American foreign policy, the president and his administration form the most important driver of the same but hardly the only important driver.

Whether due to a lack of knowledge or intellectual laziness, opinion makers in Dhaka assume that it is a one-person show in every other capital as well

Oversight of foreign policy, funding of foreign aid and operations, visa regimes, and ratification of trade agreements are largely in the purview of several Congressional committees in Washington, and generally independent of the president. These committees themselves are often influenced by interest groups, trade associations, and media perceptions.

It is no surprise, therefore, that countries with a well-developed sense of the American government spend tremendous amount of material and human resources cultivating members of Congress, key media outlets, and civic society organisations in the United States rather than put all their eggs in the singular basket of a president’s administration.

Hiring a one-off lobbyist is often not a substitute for widespread and organic engagement with all the levers of the Washington DC foreign policy establishment. In fairness, this lack of understanding of the ways of Washing-

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There is a reason that even countries and political organisations far smaller than Bangladesh actively and regularly reach out to policy shapers like members and staff of Congress, trade bodies, think tanks, and media outlets to create favorable opinion.

As for Bangladesh, well the first “Bangladesh Caucus” in Congress wasn’t launched till about 10 years ago, and has largely remained dormant for the lack of much engagement from the Bangladeshi side. There is no qualified individual(s) who is tasked by the government or the opposition or even major trade bodies to liaise exclusively with interested members of Congress, and the Bangladeshi presence on the American media circuit – in stark contrast to Indian, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan counterparts – is nonexistent.

The only serious and recent think tank material concerning Bangladesh came out three years ago, and that too was crafted by the daughter of a former minister in a previous Awami

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League government. The young author’s placement at the said right-wing think tank was fuelled by an earlier monograph which was largely a rather exaggerated recollection of her father’s supposed struggle for a secular democracy, a claim that failed the proverbial smell test considering the author’s father served once in the cabinet of a military dictator who enshrined a state religion in the Constitution.

Like the United States or hate it, it is the predominant superpower in terms of military might, the largest market for most products, the preferred destination for scholars and researchers in almost every field, and the primary purveyor of global popular culture.

If you don’t believe me, look at the current who is who in Bangladesh: From the prime minister to half the cabinet to the editors of the top circulation Bengali and English dailies, where did their children go to school and reside now? Sophisticated engagement with America is not an option, but a necessity for countries, organisations, businesses, and individuals.

Governments, political parties, academic institutions, journalists, and civic and trade bodies serve their constituents poorly when such engagement is based upon a warped misunderstanding of how policymaking in America works.

That a barely-reformed communist would reflexively bash an incoming American ambassador is understandable; that a supposedly “digital” government and an information savvy civil society will have no clue how Washington DC works is pitiful. Such cluelessness ill serves the millions whose livelihoods and careers depend, directly or indirectly, upon successful engagement with the world’s biggest economic and cultural entity. l Esam Sohail is an educational research analyst and college lecturer of social sciences. He writes from Kansas, USA.

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have argued in a previous piece that Hamas rockets serve no strategic and military purpose. But the Israeli leadership, in my view, has just as much of an interest in promoting conflict by responding violently to such provocations. In my most recent trip to Israel, I observed just how dysfunctional the current Israeli government is, and this goes a long way in explaining why picking fights with Hamas is such a tempting proposition.

There is, at least in the West, a serious misapprehension about where power lies in the Israeli state. Most would assume that the buck stops with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. That is how executive power is normally concentrated in the West, for example in the office of president in the United States or France.

But Netanyahu is currently at the head of a very wide and fragile coalition that is pulling in opposite directions at every turn. This has reduced the PM to the role of team manager, trying to keep his cabinet together, rather than a political executive. This has absolutely crippled his capacity to take just about any decisive political action.

He has been dubbed the “do nothing PM,” and his strategy seems to simply be to stay in office and not make any decisions on any issue. For example, I have learnt how Netanyahu was completely out of the loop on the settlement building announcements on Kerry’s trip which torpedoed any remnants of the peace process. He seems to be hanging on to power by a thread, and is almost completely at the mercy of events as they unfold around him.

I also learnt that by far the majority of people even at the highest level wanted a peace settlement with the Palestinians. But because of Netanyahu’s hawkish beliefs, political weakness, and the inability of the cabinet to take positive political action, the entire political process seems to have been successfully hijacked by the European immigrant settlers who are organised, driven, and can push for their demands with impunity and with little push back from the government.

The settlers outmaneuvered the government politically at every turn, with the end result being that escalation in Gaza is just about the only thing that can keep the government together and allow Netanyahu to claim some sort of authority. Belligerence against “terrorists” is the only way for him to look powerful, and seem as though he is in control.

And Netanyahu, who never wanted a viable peace plan on the table, seems keen to make the most of this opportunity. He has systematically used any pretext to avoid coming to the negotiation table with the Palestinians. Earlier this year, he was complaining that he could not negotiate with the PLO and Abbas because they did not speak for all Palestinians. Later, when the PLO and Hamas joined in a unity government, bringing unified leadership to the Palestinian territories, Netanyahu complained that he could not nego-

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tiate with a government aligned with those he views as terrorists – ie Hamas.

This is despite the fact that Hamas was forced to change its charter, and accept the existence of the state of Israel.

So, the dynamics of domestic politics in Israel are tragically such that only an escalation against Hamas in Gaza can give the leadership of the country a common purpose. This conflict serves them as much as it does the leadership of Hamas. But the good news is that when it comes to the Israeli leadership, we in the international community do actually have means to realign their incentives and discourage further conflict.

Netanyahu is at the head of a very wide and fragile coalition that is pulling in opposite directions at every turn Global protests and bad press have very little effect on Israeli politics. It seems that some Israelis have a siege mentality and feel that any criticism of Israel is at least partly driven by masked anti-Semitism. But I have found that most Israelis that I have spoken to were very concerned about the inroads made recently by the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Particularly divestment, which is the biggest concern. Israel is partly dependent on inward Foreign Direct Investment, and much of its economic success owes to high-tech industries that require both large inbound capital and direct communication with global markets and foreign partners.

The reason this is taken so seriously now is because the EU, one of Israel’s main trading partners, last year published guidelines that none of the funds it directs in bilateral projects towards Israel can go beyond the green line.

And the EU has already banned imports of poultry and eggs from the settlements. In the wake of all this, private companies are starting to make similar moves. A Dutch pension fund, PGGM, has said it will divest from Israel’s biggest banks. Other funds are considering doing the same. These concrete steps, as small as they are so far, sent a very strong signal, and Israelis are taking notice.

The settlers may not be moved by such threats, but everyone else will be. This is the one screw that Western leaders can tighten to force the Israeli leadership to face down the demands of their own extremist elements, and push for peace in the interest of civilians all around the region. 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 has served as an International Security Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and a World Fellow at Yale. This article was previously published in Al Arabiya News.

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The audacity to die n Ekram Kabir

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he 53-second video clip of the sinking Pinak 6 that went viral on social media evoked fear in our minds. Once again, it reminded us that life is cheap in our country, cheaper than the bugs that die in a hybrid-era imposition of insecticides.

We die in several ways. About 15,000 of us die in traffic accidents every year and approximately 7,000 of us die of snakebites a year. A 2010 study by International Drowning Research Centre estimated that at least 50 children drown every day in the country – more than 18,000 a year. We are yet to figure out how many die due to political instability.

The reasons of death are pretty obvious to us. We all know how people die across the country, and we all know the risks. Yes, it’s the government’s responsibility to minimise those risks, in which it has failed miserably. It cannot control the launch, but it can control the owners, so that they abide by the law.

Having said that, we must ask ourselves: What have we, the people, done in order to avoid those risks. Is our own sense of security any better?

Do the people have enough understanding of the risk factors that have been killing so many people in the past years?

I doubt it. Our behaviour on the roads, on the railroads, and on the waterways doesn’t lead us to believe that we are a matured lot when it comes to reducing risks in our day-to-day lives. We don’t think before boarding an overcrowded ferry, even when we know there’s a possibility that it will sink. But when we lose our husbands, children, and dear ones, we break down and cry. It doesn’t come to our minds that we ourselves could avoid the impending mishaps.

We’ve seen these kinds of accidents become a seasonal phenomenon. They usually happen once year, and when the rules are broken. Accidents don’t happen every day. They happen for a reason, and the reason is perhaps when someone makes a mistake. We don’t even protest against those who are breaking the law. Rather, we – with our children and near ones – jump into the traps that the law-breakers have created for us.

When it comes to travelling on trains, thousands of us behave in a very dumb manner. It’s understanda-

ble that we have fewer trains for a high population, but that doesn’t justify the fact that we have to travel sitting on the roof.

A train usually travels at 50 to 60 kilometres per hour. Have we ever thought about what would happen if we fell from the shooting train?

Nope, that doesn’t occur to us, ever.

Protecting oneself, one’s children, and near ones is the remotest thoughts on our minds.

The incidents of trains banging into buses crossing the rail-crossings are galore in this country. But the passengers who sit in the bus never utter any word against the bus drivers’ actions.

The bus drivers may be dumb and callous, but what do we, the passengers, do when we see the divers break the rules or become reckless? It seems that the passengers are dumber than the bus drivers!

Yes, we are dumb. If you don’t believe me, you should one day stand on one of the foot over-bridges near the Farmgate area. You will see how mothers, holding the hands of their children, try to cross the road through the giant-sized vehicles. There’s a barbed wire fence on the island so that no one can cross the road like that – so

Why do they still get on? that they all use the foot over-bridge.

Many people have also died while trying to cross the road like that, but we keep on doing that all the time.

It looks like a deep-seated sense of impatience is behind our psychology.

I’ve seen the phrase “Shomoyer cheye jiboner mullo beshi” (life is more precious than time) inscribed inside

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

vehicles since I was a child, but I’ve never seen anyone believing in this.

More so, I’ve never seen any bus driver following the spirit of this phrase.

So, this is us – the impatient lot.

When something disastrous happens, we blame the administration all the time. But we never do the soulsearching on what we the people are

doing. Are we, the people helping the administration at all to make things right for us?

We are an audacious race in a foolhardy way. Sometimes, to my mind, it seems that we are dying for our own faults. l Ekram Kabir, a journalist, is a DT columnist.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

In conversation with band Lalon

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Classical music by Marina at IGCC today

the Minister of Cultural Affairs.

n Entertainment Desk

Tell us about Lalon’s upcoming album?

We will be soon releasing our fourth studio album “Shada Kalo.” The concept behind the album is that, everything we see around us is black and white, we are the ones who add colours through our deeds and actions.

The silence, sadness and the madness around us, everything has a colour of its own. It is our duty to paint the world in a beautiful way. We have a plan to make two video songs “Boka Shomaj” and “Footpath.” We have two more albums in the pipe line: “A tribute to Fakir Lalon Shah, Project

by Lalon and Friends” and another is “Hippie Revolution.”

I

ndira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) in association with Asian Paints, IRCON and Marico Bangladesh is organising “An Evening of Classical Music” by Marina Ahmad Alam at 6:30pm today at the IGCC’s Gulshan premises.

Born in Dhaka, Marina Ahmad Alam started training in the North Indian Classical vocal style at the age of four. In Bangladesh she trained under the tutelage of respected musicians such as Ustad Phul Mohammed Khan, Shri Barin Majumdar, Ila Majumdar and many others.

However, her pursuit of North Indian classical music ultimately took her to its birthplace and after a brief stint at the Gandharva Maha Vidyalaya in New Delhi, she was taken on by the internationally renowned Sangeet Martand Padma Bhibhushan Pandit Jasraj-ji, a luminary within the sphere of North Indian Classical Music and a master of the genre.

She went on to receive training in his Mewati Gharana for over two decades and remains one of his senior disciples, performing alongside him worldwide. For the last fourteen years she has also been studying under Manik Bhide of the Jaipur Gharana.

Marina is an accomplished performer in thumris, ghazals, bhajans as well as the Sufi musical tradition. Her performing career has taken her to over a dozen countries across four continents. In 2009, she shared a stage with Grammy-award winning artist Youssou N’Dur when she sang at the “Voices of Islam” concert at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. l

Most of the musicians of the country are frustrated about the dilapidated situation of the audio industry. What is your comment?

Solaiman and n Limana Shadma Malik

E

ight years ago, a group of talented musicians who are inspired by Fakir Lalon’s songs and philosophy founded a band after the name of the Baul icon. Although they grew up in the modern milieu, their drive to relate with the spirituality of Lalon in the new era made them blend modern instrument with Baul songs.

Dhaka Tribune caught up with the members of band Lalon at their studio where they talked about upcoming projects and revealed some harsh truth of the music industry and their own stories.

Lalon successfully among the youth.

That is why we used folk-rock-fusion and that is how we stand apart from others.

Tell us about band Lalon’s rise to prominence.

To spread Lalon’s philosophy and his spirituality, it was our attempt to express honour to the legend in the tru-

Sumi, the lead vocalist of band Lalon performing at the ‘Setting the Stage 2015 and beyond’

Was it a challenge to fuse metal music with Lalon songs?

Fakir Lalon Shah used ektara (local instrument) only with his songs. Within few years, the instrument got evolved and the Bauls started using dotara.

With the span of time, Lalon music was incorporated with guitar, musical pad and other modern instruments by some progressive bands like Bangla and others. So, we just took it to the next level.

How does your representation of Lalon’s music differ from others?

Like we said, representation of the legend’s music evolved with time. We tried to speak the language of this generation and to spread the message of

New York.

It was a part of the campaign “My World 2015,” which aims to capture people’s voices, priorities and views, so that global leaders can be informed as they begin the process of defining the new development agenda for the world.

Since, Fakir Lalon’s songs deal with social awareness/humanity and our representation is unique, we were nominated

est manner. It is the listeners who gave us the position. We make songs for the young generation and we feel privileged that they have accepted us as their favourite.

Tell us about your experience of performing at the UN Headquarters in

by the Minister of Cultural Affairs, Asaduzzaman Noor. Hence, we got the opportunity to perform at the “Setting the Stage 2015 and beyond” concert. The audience were awesome and our performance was cheered by everyone. Later, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sent an email praising our performance to

Defining animal moments caught on camera n Entertainment Desk From the next generation of Animal Planet explorers, enthusiastic naturalist Vanessa Garnick and young wildlife filmmaker Tristan Bayer bring to the viewers - “Caught in the Moment” which will be aired today on Animal Planet at 9:30pm. This 10-part series catches rare and wild animal behaviours at critical moments in time. Using wilderness savvy and inventive camera

techniques, Tristan and Vanessa seek out defining animal moments across the globe - from a rare white spirit bear feasting on spawning salmon in British Columbia to endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles in the midst of their annual “arribada” - when thousands of eggs are laid. You will get caught up in their fascination for these amazing creatures and feel their passion to help them survive. The show is co-directed by Rebecca Cecil-Wright and Duncan Chard. l

The truth is that the audio industry is dying. The telecommunication companies are not standing by any rules and are responsible for the demolition of this industry. They are not giving any royalty to the artistes, but they are making money out of their talent.

By using songs as welcome tunes and jingles in commercials, the telecoms are the only ones benefiting from the entire process. They are taking these songs from the CP (content provider) instead of buying directly from the musicians and disseminating them in the cell phones through their network. The Telecom industry is getting 90percent profit from the sale of a song and five percent goes to the CP and whatever is left, the artiste receives it. This is sheer exploitation.

The big picture is that if an artiste is not being sponsored by a Telecom company, their situation is like that of a beggar. Now, musicians are knocking the doors of Telecoms to support them, which should not be the case. It is a pity, once talent was acknowledged by producers and listeners, the Telecom industry have seized their recognition and are doing a monopoly business by creating a chain which is destroying the audio industry.

What about the digital labels, are they supporting the artistes?

TODAY IN DHAKA Music

Swadipan and Rukhsana Mumtaz

By Amra Shurjomukhi Time: 6pm – 8pm Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium, National Museum, Shahbag

Sea-morog

By Bangladesh Theatre Time: 7pm – 8:30pm National Theatre, Shilpakala Academy, Shegun Bagicha

They are like a retail store who are sitting in a room and uploading songs in a server, hence people are purchasing but the digital labels are not promoting or marketing any musicians. l

Apurbo and Jenny after a year

Lady Gaga hits hospital for altitude sickness

n Shadma Malik

A

ttractive and charming duo Apurbo and Jenny will be seen in a drama titled “Is It Equal” after a year. Both of them have attempted to give a fresh appeal to their pairing. Apurbo and Jenny dressed up in casual attires for the shooting of the drama which has been completed recently.

Directed and written by Rashed Raha, the story caters a tale of love portraying the various stages of a relationship.

In a conversation with the Dhaka Tribune, Apurbo said: “Besides acting, I have always given my input in scripts. I usually

n Entertainment Desk

L

ady Gaga has just been hospitalised because of altitude sickness. A picture Lady Gaga posted on her Instagram account quickly became viral, as it featured the “Poker Face” singer with an oxygen mask strapped to her face. According to her post, she suffered from altitude sickness after she completed her concert in Denver.

The 28-year-old Lady Gaga posted on her Instagram: “Altitude Sickness is no joke! #hitThatHospitalS-t #artRaveDenver many true ravers crowd tonight.”

This sickness is actually pretty common in Colorado.

In fact, the official website of Denver has an entire section dedicated to teaching people on how to deal with the altitude. This means that Lady Gaga might not have fully understood tip No 4, which said: “Watch your physical activity.” Perhaps Lady Gaga still opted to go all out in her “artRAVE: The ARTPOP Ball” show, despite the warning. l

Theatre

THE DANCER IN MIM

confer with the directors and we develop the script together. I enjoy because I am not confined to acting only and when we work together in making an interesting drama, it shows team spirit.

“Jenny is a good friend of mine and working with a friend is always fun.”

“With Apurbo by my side, time flies during shooting,” said Jenny.

The drama is scheduled to be on air during Eid al-Adha.

The duo first appeared together in the drama series “Romizer Ayna,” and after that, their last drama was discontinued due to a weak screenplay. l

Model turned actor Bidya Sinha Mim participates in various dancing programmes on TV channels. Soon, Mim will be seen in a solo dancing programme on RTV. It is a mixture of numerous styles including classical. Although the starlet has not received any institutional training, she practices numerous dance styles by herself with the help of choreographers. Mim has performed a classical piece in Tonmoy Tansen’s film ‘Padma Patar Jol’ which is in the pipeline for release

Did you know?

Sangakkara & Jayawardene have, in their 100th stand, passed Tendulkar & Dravid as the most productive 3rd wicket Test partnership

Sport

Saturday, August 9, 2014

14 US veteran

Donovan to retire at end of season

De Kruif denies wanting to abandon Under-23 camp n Shishir Hoque Just two days after airing complaints over the living standards at BKSP, the national team’s Dutch head coach Lodewijk de Kruif seems to be content and will continue the training camp as per schedule.

A local newspaper reported yesterday quoting De Kruif that he had threatened to leave BKSP if the situation did not improve. De Kruif, who is currently conducting a residential camp with assistant coach Rene Koster for the national under-23 side ahead of the forthcoming 17th Asian Games, denied making such comments saying, “It’s not true”.

Earlier Wednesday, De Kruif told the media that the living standards of the BKSP International Hostel is horrible and it is impossible for them to reside in it. Bangladesh Football Federation vice president Tabith Awal, also a member of the national teams committee, visited BKSP yesterday and talked with the coaches following which the situation changed drastically. Both the parties said there are no prevailing problems adding that the conversation was friendly.

“What we discussed today is a positive discussion for now. I don’t want to go into any details,” said De Kruif after the meeting.

“Most of the topics of the conversation was friendly. What has been published in media was wrong. There were few problems [that] have been solved

before I came here,” said Tabith adding, “They are happy here. The camp is at BKSP, it will stay there. Our main focus is on the national side.”

Tabith went on to say the team will play two or three friendly matches before the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea with one of those clashes set to be against Thailand. The opponents and the final schedule will be finalised after the men’s football competition’s draw on August 19.

“The team are likely to play two or

three friendly matches before leaving for South Korea. The plan to continue the camp at BKSP is the same and nobody complained about anything,” Tabith added.

The team have been training at BKSP for the last six days and De Kruif is satisfied with the players but complained about the pitches.

“They are working very hard. There is a little problem with the pitches because of the rainy season. The pitch has water and this is difficult for the boys to

train on it. The ball is not running, the ball is not gliding. But I’m happy with the players. They are doing their best,” said the 44-year old Dutch coach.

“I was not in the country for the last four months. I could see that some of the players took on some kilos. It has happened before. I don’t know if I can really blame them. It gives me an answer that the local teams are not working very professionally. They are not training to bring the boys to a higher level.” l

National head coach Lodewijk de Kruif (R), manager Amirul Islam Babu (C) and Bangladesh Football Federation vice-president Tabith Awal attend a media session at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan yesterday MUMIT M

14 United’s Class

of 92 outclassed by own team

DHAKA TRIBUNE

15 Djokovic crashes

out, great escape for Fedex

Tigers’ final practice game today ahead of Carribean tour n Mazhar Uddin

Ahead of the forthcoming tour of the West Indies, the Bangladesh cricket team will play the second and final practice game today at the Sher-eBangla National Stadium. The national cricketers will be divided into two teams in a day-night one-day game.

Members of the national side played a 60-over game amongst themselves at the same venue on Thursday. The first practice game was a longer-version one played in white clothing with a red ball.

Today’s day-night game will be a 50over game involving coloured apparel and a white ball.

Nearly all the batsmen had a good outing in the first practice game.

Opener Tamim Iqbal, who recently struggled with the bat, played a responsible knock which will surely help him to gain some semblance of confidence ahead of the Caribbean tour. The Tigers are scheduled to leave Dhaka on August 13.

The atmosphere and conditions in the first practice game largely assisted the faster bowlers but only during the first hour. Later on, the pitch started to aid the batsmen more than the seamers at the home of cricket.

Meanwhile, the Caribbean tour will be the first series abroad for new head coach, former Sri Lankan international cricketer Chandika Hathurusingha. His first assignment with the Tigers ended in a 2-0 ODI series defeat at home in June against

an under-strength Indian side.

Keeping the tour of the West Indies in mind, the Bangladesh team have been training for the last one-anda-half months. The Tigers will play three one-day internationals, a solitary Twenty20 international and two Test matches against the hosts. The series will get underway on August 20 through the first ODI.

The Caribbean tour will be the first series abroad for new head coach Chandika Hathurusingha. His first assignment with the Tigers ended in a 2-0 ODI series defeat at home in June against an understrength Indian side Bangladesh have been struggling with the bat in recent times and in the Caribbean conditions, it will be a big test for Mushfiqur Rahim and Co while facing the pace and bounce of the Windies bowlers. The task will be harder without their best cricketer Shakib al Hasan, who was recently banned from all cricket activities for six months.

However, the two practice matches will nevertheless provide some confidence to the national cricketers ahead of the tour and they will desperately be looking to make the most out of the 50over practice game today. l

Acting Indian HC stresses upon strong bilateral ties

Bangladesh concede defeat, series

n Raihan Mahmood

The power and thrust applied by the Indians proved to be too much for the young Bangladesh team as the hosts conceded a 5-1 defeat in the second of the three-match friendship hockey series at BKSP yesterday. Courtesy the convincing win the visitors also secured the series. The third and final game will be held today at the same venue.

The visiting side, who had claimed a 2-1 win in the first match on Wednesday, appeared the more comfortable of the two teams and adapted with the conditions admirably. The Indians were astute while exploiting the weaknesses of a youthful Bangladesh side.

Compared to the first game, the visitors inserted more power-packed plays alongside some impressive stickworks.

Superb stickworks in small spaces and some silly mistakes from the Bangla-

Acting Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sandeep Chakravarty emphasised upon strong bilateral relations in hockey between India and Bangladesh after watching the second match of the friendship hockey series at BKSP yesterday.

Sandeep welcomed the effort and hoped it would continue. “It’s a big initiative and I hope it would be continued. The tour exchange programme will help Bangladesh.

With the effort, the theme of Asian hockey’s solidarity was also groomed,” said Sandeep.

Sandeep readily admitted that Bangladesh can benefit from such programmes. “We will assist any such initiatives. The sports ministry and the government just have to send the pro-

posals. Sports can create new bridges among the two countries,” said the acting Indian High Commissioner.

Meanwhile, the Press Minister of Bangladesh to India, Enamul Haque Chowdhury, assured that he would take steps to revive the process of the Bangladesh hockey coaches’ training in Patiala. “The process has not seen light over the years as Bangladesh coaches failed to meet the educational criteria.

With the discussions in the government level, the process can be revived in an altered mode,” said Enam.

Bangladesh Hockey Federation general secretary Khaja Rahmatullah, vice president Abdus Sadeque and joint secretary Md. Yusuf Ali were also present on the occasion. The acting Commissioner received a crest and memorabilias from the hockey federation after the end of the game. l

n Raihan Mahmood

desh defence handed the visitors an easy victory and an unassailable lead in the series.

However, the game was the perfect learning stage for an exuberant Bangladesh team that had 11 newcomers. The defeat serves as a lesson for the upcoming challenges in the 17th Asian Games where Bangladesh will have to encounter more power and precision from different opponents. After taking a 5-1 lead, the Indians adopted a go-slow approach. Bangladesh then launched a series of counter-attacks that took them on the brink of the second goal but a lack of coordination among the attackers saw the scoreline remain unchanged.

Like the first game, it was Bangladesh again who took the lead in the seventh minute through Hasan Jubaer Niloy. It was a good build-up play as forward Krishna Kumar delivered a cross to Pushkor Khisa Mimo. Mimo

13

flicked the ball towards Niloy who generated good power to rock the board of the Indian goalpost.

But Bangladesh’s lead lasted just four minutes as Harjeeet Singh found the ball in the top of the arc and used the gap to send the ball past debutante Bangladesh goalkeeper Abu Sayeed Nippon with a precise angular hit. In the 12th minute Yubraj Walmiki put India ahead after tenacious midfielder Yusuf Affan produced a brilliant reverse stickwork to pave the way for Yuvraj who slotted the ball home.

In the 20th minute S.K. Uthappa produced another gem of a goal. Jasjit Singh sneaked though the defence and passed the ball to Uthappa who controlled the ball for a few seconds before unleashing a cracking hit. In the 25th minute man-of-the-match Devinder Sunil Walmiki scored the fourth with a fierce reverse hit while Yusuf completed the rout with another cracking

reverse hit in the 32nd minute.

In the last quarter of the game, the Bangladesh forwards upped the ante but could not change the scoreline and among them Niloy and Rocky’s chances were notable. One sour note was that Bangladesh earned just one penalty corner throughout the entire match.

Bangladesh coach Naveed Alam said the lapses in defence cost the team dearly. “We played badly in a period of six-seven minutes in the whole 60 minutes and three of the goals were the results of lapses. We had concentrated on fitness and defence. Overall we have found where we have to work,” said Naveed.

His counterpart Tushar Khandekar was happy to see the team perform better. “I think the team has improved by 60 percent but still it has not yet reached the level I expect. Bangladesh played well and I think will learn from their mistakes,” said Tushar.l

Ivory Coast’s Drogba quits internationals n Reuters, Cape Town Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba announced his international retirement on Friday after scoring 61 goals in 103 appearances for his country.

“It is with much sadness that I have decided to retire from international football,” the 36-year-old said on his website.

The Chelsea forward was a fixture in the national side for 12 years, playing in three World Cups and twice helping the team finish runners-up at the African Nations Cup.

“These past 12 years in the national team have been full of emotions. From my first call up to my last match I have always tried to give my best for my country,” Drogba added.

“I am very proud to have been captain of this team for eight years and to have contributed to placing my country on the world stage of football.”

Drogba, who was brought up in France, was an emerging striker at Guingamp when he won his first cap against South Africa in 2002.

He played in eight international tournaments but never as part of a winning team.

Drogba helped his country qualify for the 2006 African Nations Cup in Egypt, but had a penalty saved in the postmatch shootout as the Ivorians lost.

In the 2012 final against Zambia, he squandered a second- half penalty that would have probably given the Ivorians the continental title but they went on to lose on spot-kicks.

He was also in the Ivorian side which gave up a last minute goal to Greece at this year’s World Cup in Brazil to miss out on progressing past the group phase for the first time. l

Bangladesh forward Pushkor Khisa Mimo (R) tries to win the ball from the opposition during the second game of the friendship series against India at BKSP yesterday

MUMIT M

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Arsenal set for Turkish test n AFP, Nyon

Arsenal face Turkish side Besiktas and reprieved Celtic meet Slovenian title-holders Maribor in the Champions League play-offs later this month.

There was drama minutes before Friday’s draw in Nyon when Polish club Legia Warsaw, who had dished out a 6-1 third qualifying mauling to Celtic, were ruled out.

Legia were demoted to the Europa

FIXTURES Champions Route Maribor (SVN) Salzburg (AUT) Aalborg (DEN) Steaua (ROM) Bratislava (SVK) League Route

v v v v v

Celtic (SCO) Malmo (SWE) APOEL (CYP) Ludogorets (BUL) BATE (BLR)

Besiktas (TUR) S. Liege (BEL) FC C’hagen (DEN) Lille (FRA) Napoli (ITA)

v v v v v

Arsenal (ENG) Zenit (RUS) Bayer (GER) FC Porto(POR) Bilbao (ESP)

League play-offs for fielding an ineligible player - Bartosz Bereszynski.

Arsenal must over overcome Besiktas to seal their 17th consecutive appearance in the Champions League group stages. “what a draw! already looking forward to the matches against @Besiktas! #Turkey #Istanbul #Arsenal #AFC #UCLdraw” tweeted Arsenal’s Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil.

Other match-ups include Lille against 2004 European champions FC Porto, Napoli facing Athletic Bilbao, Bayer Leverkusen playing FC Copenhagen, and the Andre Villas-Boascoached Zenit St Petersburg meeting Standard Liege.

The first leg ties are scheduled for August 19/20, with the second leg matches on August 26/27.

The ten winners will join the 22 teams automatically qualified for the group stage, which gets underway in September.

In the Europea League play-off draw held later, Arsenal’s Premier League rivals Tottenham and Hull were drawn against Limassol of Cyprus and Beglium’s Lokeren respectively.

Ties are due to be held on August 21/28. l

Players of FC Zorya Luhansk celebrate after winning the Uefa Europa League third qualifying round football match between Molde FK of Norway and FC Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine in Molde, Norway, on Thursday AFP

Suarez bids to have Fifa biting ban halved n AFP, Lausanne

Celtic back in CL after Warsaw thrown out

Luis Suarez arrived in Lausanne on Friday morning to plead his case before the the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to halve his four-month FIFA ban for biting.

Barcelona’s Uruguyan striker, in a blue checked shirt and jeans, was tightlipped as he ran the gauntlet of press photographers on his way into the hearing shortly before 10 am local time.

His legal team said on Thursday they were confident of obtaining a reduction of the ban to two months, meaning the former Liverpool striker would be available to play from 25 August, and for him to be allowed to train with Barcelona for the duration of his suspension. The verdict was not expected for several days.l

Legia Warsaw were thrown out of the Champions League by UEFA on Friday after fielding an ineligible player during the second leg of their qualifying tie against Celtic on Wednesday.

Unregistered defender Bartosz Bereszynski came on as a substitute with three minutes remaining in Legia’s 2-0 win which sealed a 6-1 aggregate victory.

UEFA investigated the matter and awarded Celtic the match with a 3-0 victory, making the aggregate score 4-4 and sending the Scottish champions through on the away goals rule after they lost the first leg 4-1.

Dominik Ebebenge, sport department coordinator and head of devel-

n Reuters

opment for the Polish club, said Legia would appeal against the decision.

Bereszynski was sent off during last season’s Europa League and was banned for three matches.

The fullback missed both Legia’s second qualification round matches against Ireland’s St Patrick’s Athletic and the first leg against Celtic.

However, it was found that the club had not registered him for the games against St Patrick’s, meaning the suspension had technically not been served.

It is the second time Celtic have been reinstated to the competition after opponents were found to have used ineligible players. In the 2011-12 season, Swiss side Sion beat the Old Firm giants in the playoffs before falling foul of eligibility rules, having used five ineligible players.l

Class of 92 and Friends’ (L-R Back row) Coach Eric Harrison, Gary Neville, Robbie Savage, Raimond Van Der Gouw, John O’Kane, Tomasz Kuszczak, Mikael Silvestre, Quinton Fortune, David May, English former cricketer Steve Harmison, Phil Neville and English former cricketer Michael Vaughan, (L-R Front Row), Nicky Butt, Raphael Burke, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, English comedian Jack Whitehall and Ben Thornley line up before a pre-season football match against Salford City at the AJ Bell Stadium in Salford, north west England on Thursday AFP

Lahm rules out any Germany return n AFP, Berlin While admitting that he would “never say never”, Philipp Lahm on Thursday ruled out any return to the German national team.

“It’s like life,” Lahm told Sky Sport News. “You should never say never, something could always crop up.

“But truthfully, I’m ruling out any comeback from retirement.”

Lahm confirmed to Munich daily TZ that he was “100 percent convinced of his decision”, which he said was taken not on an emotional whim but after some “hard thinking”.

Lahm will now focus on the season ahead with Bayern, the Bundesliga champions with whom he is under contract until 2018.

Bayern play Borussia Dortmund in the German Supercup on August 13. l

Hull record maiden Euro win n AFP, Paris

English Premier League side Hull City recovered from the loss of an early away goal to beat Slovakian upstarts Trencin 2-1 and qualify for the Europa League play-offs on Thursday.

Hull, who qualified for European competition for the first time in their long history after losing to Arsenal in last season’s FA Cup final, only managed a 0-0 draw in last week’s first leg in western Slovakia and that left them vulnerable to the concession of an away goal in the return.

And Trencin, runners-up in the Slovakian top flight last season, stunned their hosts at the KC Stadium when giant forward Tomas Malec opened the scoring inside two minutes.

That left Steve Bruce’s side needing to score twice without reply to prog-

ress but Egyptian Ahmed Elmohamady equalised on the night just before the half-hour mark and substitute Sone Aluko netted the winner with 10 minutes remaining.

The Tigers will discover who awaits them in the play-off round when the draw is made on Friday, when fellow Premier League representatives Tottenham Hotspur enter the competition, with both teams hoping to join Everton in the group stage.

“You’re always worried when there’s 15 minutes to go and you’re thinking about all the hype and euphoria, but you’re about to fall at the first hurdle,” said Bruce.

“But we’ve stuck at it and, not for the first time, we’ve seen them do it. It’s been difficult but we’ve got through it and let’s enjoy the draw tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, Celtic are now Scotland’s only surviving representative in

European competition after Aberdeen and Scottish Cup holders St Johnstone were both knocked out on Thursday.

Aberdeen put up a brave fight against Real Sociedad at Pittodrie but went down 3-2 on the night to the Spanish side to lose 5-3 on aggregate.

Meanwhile, the prolific Stevie May scored as St Johnstone drew 1-1 away to Spartak Trnava in Slovakia, but a 2-1 defeat in last week’s first leg cost them dear.

Celtic parachute into the Europa League play-offs after comprehensively losing 6-1 on aggregate to the Polish champions Legia Warsaw in the Champions League third qualifying round.

Elsewhere, PSV Eindhoven, Torino and Lyon were among the teams to progress, although German Bundesliga outfit Mainz were surprisingly beaten

by Greek club Asteras, losing 3-1 on the night to go out 3-2 on aggregate. l

United’s Class of 92 outclassed by own team n AFP, Manchester

Donovan to retire at end of season

Former Manchester United stars Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville, playing in a “Class of 92 and Friends” team, suffered a 5-1 loss Thursday against a club they own.

Non-league Salford City, purchased by the former Premier League stars last year, put their famous visitors in their place although a series of pitch invasions put a dampener on the occasion.

The star-studded team also featured former United players from different eras such as Robbie Savage, John O’Kane, Raimond van der Gouw, Mikael Silvestre and Quinton Fortune.

Ex-England cricketers Michael Vaughan and Steve Harmison and other former United players in Tomasz Kuszczak, David May, Ben Thornley and Danny Webber all played in the second half. Giggs pulled a goal back just before the interval from the penalty spot, but Salford added further goals from Phil Marsh and substitutes. l

Landon Donovan, the USA’s all-time top scorer who was left out of the national squad for the World Cup in Brazil, announced on Thursday that he will retire at the end of the MLS season.

“After careful deliberation and many conversations with those closest to me, I have decided that this will be my last year as a professional soccer player,” Donovan said.

Donovan is one of America’s most-decorated footballers. He is the US national team’s all-time leading scorer with 57 goals and has also provided a record 58 assists.

He has also won 156 caps, putting him second in the country’s all-time list.

“It has been more than anything I could have dreamed of to represent the L.A. Galaxy, the San Jose Earthquakes, Everton, U.S. Soccer and Major League Soccer throughout my career,” Donovan added.

“There are so many people I want to

n AFP, Los Angeles

thank who have inspired me, guided me and helped me on this incredible journey.

“I simply could not have accomplished what I did during my playing career without an overwhelming amount of support from my family, my friends and many others.”

Donovan was awarded FIFA’s Best Young Player of the World Cup award in 2002 as well as CONCACAF Gold Cup MVP honors in 2013.l

Juve expecting tougher challenge in Serie A and Down Under n Reuters, Sydney

Juventus expect a much tougher challenge in Serie A this season as they chase a fourth straight Scudetto, new coach Massimiliano Allegri said on Friday after the Italian champions landed in Australia for a friendly as part of their world tour.

Allegri is overseeing his first pre-season at Juventus after replacing Antonio Conte, who led the Turin club to a hattrick of league titles but stood down in July because he felt winning silverware would become increasingly difficult.

Former AC Milan coach Allegri, looking fatigued after the flight from Indonesia where Juventus opened their world tour with an 8-1 victory over a local select XI on Wednesday, was clearly

in agreement with his predecessor.

“This year will probably be much harder compared to last year,” the 46-year-old told a news conference under Sydney’s landmark Opera House.

“There will be stiffer competition as the other teams in Serie A have strengthened their squads quite significantly.

“We are still the favourites but it’ll be much more challenging title race this year.”

Flanked by striker Carlos Tevez and goalkeeper Gigi Buffon, and with new signing Patrice Evra also on the podium, Allegri paid tribute to hundreds of local fans who had got up in the early hours of the morning to welcome the squad at the airport.

Allegri said influential Chilean mid-

fielder Arturo Vidal, who underwent a knee operation before the World Cup, had started training properly again on Thursday.

“Vidal started running yesterday,” Allegri added. “We will evaluate his condition day-by-day and decide when it’s best for him to start playing again.”

Vidal has been the subject of reports linking him to Manchester United but Allegri has expressed his determination to keep the 27-year-old if he wants to stay in Turin.

One player definitely not heading anywhere is Buffon, who is set to embark on his 14th season at the club and is looking forward to locking horns with his predecessor as club captain, Del Piero. l

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri (2R) is joined by players Carlos Tevez (L), Gianluigi Buffon (2L) and Patrice Evra (R) in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Sydney yesterday ahead of their match against an Australia All Stars team AFP

DHAKA TRIBUNE

QUICK BYTES

Broad to undergo surgery on knee England fast bowler Stuart Broad will have an operation on his troublesome right knee following the test series against India but expects to be fit for next year’s World Cup. “It has got to the stage where it needs to be done,” Broad, who took 6-25 on the opening day of the fourth test against India, was quoted as saying by the BBC on Thursday. “I should be fine for the World Cup.” Broad told the BBC it was undetermined when he would have the surgery though other British media reported the 28-year-old is expected to skip the one-dayers against India following the conclusion of the five-test series to address the long-standing patella tendonitis problem. The World Cup, which will be staged in Australia and New Zealand, begins on Feb. 14.

–Reuters

Martino in Argentina contention Former Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino was in talks to take over the Argentina national team hotseat, the new president of the country’s football federation, Luis Segura said Thursday.

Martino, 51, who was in charge at Barcelona last season, won the Argentine league title with Newell’s Old Boys in 2013 and is seen as the favourite to succeed Alejandro Sabella who stood down after the World Cup. “We haven’t decided anything. When we have a coach, be it Martino or another, we will announce it,” said Segura, who has just taken over from Julio Grondona who died last week.

–AFP

Liverpool’s Reina joins Bayern Liverpool’s Spanish international goalkeeper Pepe Reina has joined Bayern Munich on a three-year deal, the Bundesliga champions announced on Friday. The 31-year-old spent last season on loan from the English Premier League runners-up with Serie A side Napoli. Reina will be second choice behind German World Cup-winning goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. “I’m thrilled to come to one of the biggest clubs in the world, it’s a huge moment in my life,” said Reina after his reported three-million-euro move.

–AFP

Robinho agrees Santos loan deal Brazilian star Robinho left AC Milan for Santos on loan Thursday, rejoining the club where he started his career in 2002. “It’s my home, it’s a place where I feel good and where I was born to football,” said the 30-year-old. Robinho has been at AC Milan since 2010 having also featured for Real Madrid and Manchester City. Robinho had an injury-hampered season in Milan last year as the Rossoneri stumbled to an eighth-placed finish. The 92-cap Brazil international is under contract with the Italian giants until June 2016 but had expressed his wish to leave the San Siro outfit this summer after four years at the club.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH Ten Cricket 9:30AM Pakistan Tour of Sri Lanka 2014 1st Test Day 4 Star Sports 1, 3, HD1 3:00PM India tour of England 4th Test, Day 3 Star Sports 2 Pro Kabaddi League 8:00PM Vigaz v Jaipur 9:15PM Patna v Delhi 1:00AM Rogers Cup; Semifinal Sony Six 5:45PM World Kabaddi League 2014 London: Day 1 Caribbean Premier League 10:00PM Jamaica Tallawahs v St Lucia Zouks 2:00AM Antigua Hawksbills v T&T Red Steel Star Sports 4 10:30PM MotoGP: Indianapolis Qualifying Ten Sports 5:15PM Sky Bet Championship 2014/15 Sheffield United v Bristol City Ten Action 1:00AM French Ligue 1 2014/15 SC Bastiais v Olympique Marseille

Sport

15

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Sangakkara ton leads Sri Lanka’s strong reply n AFP, Galle Kumar Sangakkara rose to fourth place in the list of century-makers as he and the retiring Mahela Jayawardene plundered Pakistan’s bowlers on the rain-hit third day of the first Test in Galle on Friday.

The hosts, who began the day at 99-1 in reply to Pakistan’s 451, carried their first innings to 252-2 by tea before heavy rain wiped out the final session of play.

Just 46 of the stipulated 90 overs were bowled during the day, leaving a draw as the likely result with just 12 wickets having fallen over the first three days.

Left-handed Sangakkara - who turns 37 in October - was unbeaten on 102, his seventh three-figure knock in the last 14 Tests, taking his overall tally to 37 centuries.

Only the retired trio of India’s Sachin Tendulkar, with 51 centuries, Jacques Kallis of South Africa who had 45, and Ricky Ponting of Australia on 41, have scored more hundreds.

Jayawardene, set to quit Test cricket at the end of this two-Test series, showed he was good enough to prolong his 17-year career as he survived an anxious start to hit an unbeaten 55.

The tried and trusted duo of Sangakkara and Jayawardene, whose partnership of 624 against South Africa in Colombo in 2006 remains a world record, have so far put on 108 for the third wicket.

Rain had reduced play to 20 overs in the post-lunch session in which Sri Lanka scored 78 runs.

Sangakkara reached his century just

before tea by cutting Rehman for his 13th boundary.

Jayawardene walked in to a guard of honour of raised bats by schoolchildren and was greeted in the middle by applauding Pakistani fielders, as firecrackers exploded outside the ground.

He immediately got into his stride, punching the third delivery he faced, from off-spinner Ajmal, to the cover boundary. When on 11, Jayawardene won a television review after English umpire Ian Gould declared him leg-before off Junaid. Replays showed the ball missing the off-stump.

Gould then negated Junaid’s appeal for leg-before against Sangakkara, then on 62, but the review system agreed with the umpire this time.l

SCORECARD, DAY 3 Pakistan 1st innings 451 (Younis Khan 177, Asad Shafiq 75, Sarfraz Ahmed 55, Abdur Rehman 50, Dilruwan Perera 5-137, Rangana Herath 3-116) Sri Lanka 1st innings (overnight 99-1) U Tharanga lbw b Junaid 19 K Silva c Sarfraz b Talha 64 K Sangakkara not out 102 M Jayawardene not out 55 Extras: (b1, lb3, w6, nb2) 12 Total (for two wickets, 80 overs) 252 Fall of wickets 1-24 (Tharanga), 2-144 (Silva).

Bowling Junaid 20-6-71-1 (w1), Talha 14-4-45-1 (nb2, w5), Ajmal 29-7-76-0, Rehman 17-2-56-0

Sri Lankan batsmen Mahela Jayawardene (L) and Kumar Sangakkara share a light moment during the third day of their opening Test against Pakistan at The Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle yesterday AFP

Root, Buttler check India before rain Kvitova, Sharapova n ousted at Montreal AFP, Manchester

Joe Root and Jos Buttler held firm for England before rain stopped play in the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford on Friday.

England were 237 for six in reply to India’s 152 all out, a lead of 85 runs, when what became heavy rain forced the players from the field at 2:15pm local time (1315GMT) on the second day.

No further play was possible in the 85 minutes before the scheduled tea interval.

Although by then the sun had started to break through the grey skies, there were large puddles in several places around the boundary edge.

Root was 48 not out and wicketkeeper Buttler, on his Lancashire home ground, 22 not out.

The pair had so far put on 67 runs for the seventh wicket.

England’s Ian Bell was 45 not out, with nightwatchman Chris Jordan yet to score at the start of Friday’s play.

India badly needed an early breakthrough and swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a thorn in England’s side with both bat and ball this series, duly obliged by taking two wickets for one run in eight balls to remove both Bell (58) and Jordan (13).

Bell, fresh from his hundred in England’s 266-run win at Southampton -- their first victory in 11 Tests -- that levelled the five-match series at 1-1, completed a 63-ball fifty including eight fours and a six.

With conditions as overcast as they had been on Thursday morning, there

DAY 2, AT TEA India 1st Innings 152 (MS Dhoni 71; S Broad 6-25, J Anderson 3-46) England 1st Innings (overnight: 113-3) A. Cook c Pankaj Singh b Aaron S. Robson b Kumar G. Ballance lbw b Aaron I. Bell c Dhoni b Kumar C. Jordan c Aaron b Kumar J. Root not out M. Ali b Aaron J. Buttler not out Extras (b5, lb9, w4, nb5) Total (6 wkts, 71 overs, 315 mins)

17 6 37 58 13 48 13 22 23 237

Bowling Kumar 18-6-47-3 (1w); Singh 17-2-79-0 (1w); Aaron 16-2-48-3 (5nb, 2w); Ashwin 13-1-28-0; Jadeja 7-0-21-0; England lead India by 85 runs with four wickets remaining

was plenty of swing movement on offer.

But it was Kumar’s looping bouncer that did for Jordan as he mistimed a pull and was well caught by Varun Aaron, moving low to his right at midwicket.

And 136 for four became 140 for five when Bell, beaten the ball before by Kumar’s superb outswinger, was undone by another good length delivery that this time took the edge on its way through to wicketkeeper Dhoni.

England had now lost half their first-innings wickets and had still to equal India’s score. Moeen Ali had proved vulnerable to the bouncer in his brief Test career to date.

But Ali’s response to two successive Kumar short balls was to get over the top of both deliveries and pull them down for well-struck fours.

However, Ali fell for 13 when recalled fast bowler Aaron, from around the wicket, hurried him with a short-pitcher before next ball bowling the all-rounder with a full-length delivery as the lefthander aimed towards midwicket.

Pankaj Singh had had the misfortune to record the worst wicketless Test debut by any bowler with a match return of none for 179 at Southampton, where he might have taken several wickets but for dropped catches and debatable umpiring decisions. l

n AFP, Montreal Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and French Open winner Maria Sharapova suffered third-round shock exits while top seed Serena Williams avoided the upset bug Thursday at the WTA Montreal hardcourt tournament.

Russian Ekaterina Makarova upended second-seeded left-hander Kvitova 6-4, 1-6, 6-2, while diminutive Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro stunned fourth-seeded Sharapova 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, following a third-set rain delay, at Uniprix Stadium.

Williams advanced by defeating Lucie Safarova 7-5, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals.

The former world No. 1 Sharapova, who’d won 11 of her previous 12 matches on tour, has now lost her last two threeset matches after winning 11 straight.

Sharapova’s wayward backhand on match point was her 49th unforced error of the contest. She converted just six of her 19 break point opportunities.

Sharapova said her inability to reliably put her first serve in play was a factor in the defeat, but not her only problem.

Sharapova said she wouldn’t blame

Djokovic crashes out, great escape for Fedex n Reuters, Toronto Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga handed world number one Novak Djokovic a 6-2 6-2 third round defeat on Thursday as the Rogers Cup was rocked by upsets.

A day of high-drama began under a bright morning sun with South African Kevin Anderson startling third seeded Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka 7-6 (8) 7-5 and ended in the late evening chill with 17-time grand slam winner Roger Federer out-lasting big hitting Croatian Marin Cilic 7-6 (5) 6-7 (3) 6-4.

Federer began the nearly three hour marathon on Thursday as a 32-year-old before leaving the Rexall Tennis Centre having turned 33 and the only one of the top seeds to survive a day of upsets that included Wimbledon champion Djokovic.

Fourth seeded Czech Tomas Berdych also had his Canadian visit come to an end with a 3-6 6-3 6-4 loss to veteran Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.

French 12th seed Richard Gasquet

was also a third round casualty, forced out of the tournament with abdominal pain, giving twice Canadian champion Andy Murray direct passage into the quarter-finals. Sixth seed Milos Raonic, the last Canadian standing, kept hopes of a home grown winner alive riding the support of a boisterous crowd to a 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory over Frenchman Julien Benneteau.

A three-time winner on the Canadian hard courts, the Serb had reached the semi-finals or better in all seven tournaments he had played since a quarter-final loss at the Australian Open, winning titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Rome and Wimbledon where he reclaimed the top ranking.

Anderson, who ended the Wawrinka’s 13-match win streak with a fourth round victory earlier this season at Indian Wells, will next meet Bulgarian seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov, who beat Spain’s Tommy Robredo 7-5 5-7 6-4.

Fifth seed David Ferrer also moved on with a 1-6 6-3 6-3 win over Croatia’s Ivan Dodig and will face Federer in the quarter-finals. l

two rain delays for her inability to find her rhythm.

Now Sharapova has just over two weeks to hone her hardcourt game before the start of the year’s last Grand Slam, the US Open at Flushing Meadows on August 25.

Kvitova’s first tournament since her Wimbledon triumph came to an abrupt end as she was bundled out of the tournament by Makarova.

The Czech star was the Montreal champion two years ago. It was a disappointing end to the week for Kvitova, who claimed her second Wimbledon title last month.

Williams fired 11 aces and won 76 percent of her first serve points against the Czech in the 90 minute match on centre court.

The American world number one next faces former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, who beat Shelby Rogers earlier Thursday 6-1, 6-0.

Wozniacki is currently riding an eight-match winning streak, which includes a title in Istanbul last month.

The Danish star will face the sweet-swinging Suarez Navarro in Friday’s quarter-finals.l

South Africa pledge no mercy on struggling Zimbabwe n AFP, Harare

Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates his win against Marin Cilic of Croatia during Rogers Cup at Rexall Centre at York University in Toronto, Canada on Thursday AFP

Freshly re-installed as the top-ranked Test team in the world, South Africa appear disinclined to take any mercy on their struggling neighbours Zimbabwe when the two teams engage in a rare Test starting on Saturday.

Given Zimbabwe’s lowly ranking and the myriad problems infecting its cricket, the Proteas could have been forgiven for resting key players in the one-off Test but have instead stuck with the 15-man squad that recently clinched a series victory in Sri Lanka.

That means that a Zimbabwe side who have not played a Test in almost a year are set to come up against the best and most feared bowler in the world in Dale Steyn, as well as top-ranked batsman AB de Villiers and top-ranked all-rounder Vernon Philander.

“Whether you’re playing Australia or Zimbabwe, the pressure is always there.

We are here to play our best brand of cricket,” South Africa captain Hashim Amla promised on arrival in Harare.l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sole survivor saves sister from anonymous burial

Back Page

Saturday, August 9, 2014

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

After burying sister, Akram now searches for missing parents n Ashif Islam Shaon Fresh sepulchres were prepared in Shibchar for those who were not supposed to be buried there.

Twelve new graves were added yesterday afternoon to the Shibchar municipality graveyard in the upazila, situated on the banks of the Padma River.

They were not residents of the region nor did they have any ancestral ties to it.

All that those who were laid to rest had in common was that they were travellers to Dhaka, and had all been aboard the Pinak 6.

‘When we were more than a kilometre from Mawa terminal, some water entered the launch from the back.

We started praying’ The Pinak 6 accident on Monday left tremendous tragedy in its wake. For eleven of the twelve victims and their relatives, closure may never come.

Only one person buried at Shibchar yesterday was identified.

Eight-year-old Irene was saved from an anonymous burial because her brother Akram, the sole survivor in his family from the Pinak 6 accident, identified her during the burial.

The others, who were found many kilometres from the accident site, remain unknown.

“Our family— me, our father Dulal, mother Taslima and my sister Irene – was going from our village in Kanchi, Barisal, to our home in Gazipur after celebrating Eid,” said Akram, who is a

private car driver by profession.

He said they took seats on the lower deck near the engine. They had piled their bags in front of the driver’s cabin on the upper deck.

“When we were more than a kilometre from Mawa terminal, some water entered the launch from the back.

We started praying,” he said.

But the launch kept moving.

“I was sure that nothing bad would happen as I could see the distant bank coming nearer. I went to the upper deck with my sister, Irene, to collect our bags as the launch was supposed to reach the destination within a few minutes.”

But the launch tilted to one side after being hit by two big waves.

“And then we jumped into the water to save our lives. I held her hand and we floated for two or three minutes.

But I grew weaker from fighting the strong current.”

Akram’s grip loosened and Irene was lost forever. Speedboat drivers rescued Akram. On the fifth day, Irene’s body was found in the Padma at Munshiganj.

“I identified her by a talisman on her arms and by her clothes. If our mother was alive she wouldn’t have been able to recognize her,” Akram said crying.

When asked why he did not try to take his sister’s body home for burial, he said, “It takes almost half a day to go to our home in Barisal. She is already decomposing.”

“Besides, I have to look for my parents’ bodies. No one is left in our family to search for them.”

After the burial, arranged by the Madaripur district administration and disaster ministry, Akram went to the Mawa side of the Padma River.

“I will come back here tomorrow to see my sister again,” he told the Dhaka Tribune as he left. l

On the fifth day after the Pinak 6 sank in the Padma River, a young man, in yellow shirt, going by the name Sarwar is taken into police custody yesterday after he posed as a rescued survivor of the accident. His real name is Rasel Sardar MEHEDI HASAN

Drugs trade rises unchecked 10% of drugs tested by CID were fake tory, but the number soared to 3,393, n Moniruzzaman Uzzal 6,382 and 6,825 in 2011, 2012 and 2013 The business of fake and adulterated narcotics, and other addictive drugs appears to be growing across the country.

Over the past few years, trade involving a variety of drugs, including yaba, phensydil, heroin, pethidine, foreign liquor and locally-brewed liquor, was said to have increased significantly.

The drugs are chiefly smuggled into the country through Chittagong division.

The Dhaka Tribune has obtained laboratory reports of the last few years, which clearly indicates a gradual rise in the use of drugs.

In 2010, samples from 296 drugs cases were sent to Chittagong labora-

respectively.

Most of the illegal drugs were seized in Chittagong and those primarily come from Myanmar and India through sea routes in Teknaf and Cox’s Bazar. The drugs also enter through Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari.

Along with actual drugs, counterfeit and adulterated narcotics are sold by a section of drug peddlers in the market, according to a chemical examination laboratory report of Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The report said 10% of the drugs are fake and adulterated while the remaining 90% are original. Among the sam-

NCTB-publishers nexus delaying HSC textbooks n Mushfique Wadud

It has been 38 days since the classes of the new Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) students started on July 1, but the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has yet to publish the textbooks.

The NCTB officials said the textbooks would be available by August 10, not doing much to assure the students and their guardians.

Many students have already acquired duplicate textbooks available in the market.

“I bought a textbook despite knowing it is a pirated one, as I had no other option,” said Fahim Ahmed, a newly

admitted HSC student.

Around 1.3 million students passed the Secondary School Certificate examinations this year who are eligible for admission in the HSC class.

Though primary- and secondary-level students get textbooks free of cost, HSC students have to buy theirs.

The NCTB only publishes Bangla, English and the supplementary books; the rest of the books are published by private publishers.

However, every year, the NCTB publishes HSC textbooks much later than the beginning of the new academic year.

Talking to the NCTB officials and publishers, the Dhaka Tribune

has learned that a section of NCTB officials and the publishers are causing the delay.

The unavailability of NCTB books forces students to buy pirated books and guidebooks as substitute, which in turn benefit the private publishers.

“The publishers need only one or two months’ delay in the printing of HSC textbooks, because in that time they can easily sell their books and guidebooks,” said a former high official of the NCTB. “As the textbooks are not distributed free of cost, guardians think it is better to buy the substitutes when they are available,” he added.

He said the NCTB incurred losses due to this as its textbooks remained shelved most of the time when they finally came out.

However, Abul Kashem Miah, chairman of the NCTB denied the allegation that a nexus of the NCTB officials and private publishers was delaying the printing of textbooks.

Talking about the delay, he said this year it was due to a case pending at court.

Asked why the NCTB is always late in printing HSC textbooks, he said the board always tried to deliver books on time but could not due to delay in receiving of manuscripts and other complications. l

ples tested, fake yaba and phensidyl were the most commonly found drugs in the market.

Law enforcers have been conducting drives against drug smuggling, and have also seized different drugs. Samples of the drugs were sent to CID’s chemical laboratory to verify whether they were original or fake.

Dr Dilip Kumar Saha, chief chemical examiner of the Central Chemical Examination Office in Mohakhali, told the Dhaka Tribune that 10% of the samples were found to be spurious.

“A large number of addicts have been taking the fake drugs with the delusion that they were the real thing.

This happens because their brains do

not function properly,” he added.

CID has two chemical laboratories – one in Dhaka and the other in Chittagong.

According to last year’s laboratory report, a total of 10,386 cases were filed and 17,429 samples from those were sent to the two laboratories for verification.

Of those, 7,175 samples from 3,561 cases were sent to Dhaka laboratory.

On the other hand, 10,264 samples from 6,825 cases were sent to Chittagong laboratory.

Md Kayser Rahman, CID deputy chief chemical examiner, told the Dhaka Tribune that the rampant spread of drugs was destroying the lives of youngsters. l

Agency to maintain govt’s social media presence n Muhammad Zahidul Islam For the first time, a wing of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is going to appoint an agency for social media maintenance.

The agency will be tasked with maintaining a Facebook fan page, Twitter account and YouTube channel, all to be used to publicise the government’s achievements. This is the first time that any government office is hiring a professional agency for online publicity, said sources.

The Access to Information (A2I) programme, an UNDP and USAID support-

ed project with its office at the PMO, recently published a circular to appoint an agency for a year under a project titled “E-service Delivery for Transparency and Responsiveness.”

Twenty-six tenders have already been submitted, and A2I will shortly scrutinise those to select an agency within two months, said Hasan Md Benaul Islam, a communication expert of the A2I Programme.

He said they wanted to appoint a professional organisation working in the area of digital media for promoting the government’s accomplishments. l

Khulna Zila School crippled by years of irregularities n Our Correspondent, Khulna Nine years of widespread irregularities by a section of teachers, including a former headmistress, have crippled the Khulna Zila School, one of the best educational institutions in Khulna Division.

According to a recent government probe report, former headmistress Maleka Begum has been leading a powerful syndicate that has embezzled a staggering Tk20 crore by admitting students almost double the school’s capacity, taking bribes from the unauthorised admissions, and misappropriating hundreds of thousands of taka from the school fund.

Munshie Salah Uddin Junnu, an assistant teacher of the school, said years of malpractice have nearly destroyed the school’s reputation; the students now find it hard to concentrate because of the excruciatingly high numbers in classrooms.

District schools are the biggest government schools and are traditionally known as the best educational institutions in the respective districts.

Documents show that the Khulna Zila School has 1,920 seats. However, the Finance and Procurement Wing of the Directorate General

of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) has found that at present, the number of students at the school is 3,478, meaning 1,558 students had been admitted illegally.

Moreover, former headmistress Maleka added two fresh sections to the sixth and seventh grades with-

At least 10 guardians have alleged that Maleka misappropriated crores of taka from the school’s fund out taking approval from the Ministry of Education. Every grade in the school has extra students whose names, however, had not been entered in the attendance sheets.

There are allegations that the Maleka-led syndicate had taken bribes in the range of Tk50,000-Tk1 lakh for admitting each of the students above capacity.

Maleka has also allegedly pocketed Tk2.91 lakh from the school’s MLSS fund, Tk1.33 lakh from the fund for the poor, Tk7 lakh from the students’ tiffin fund, Tk1.5 lakh from the magazine fund and Tk4.6 lakh from the miscellaneous fund.

She also never took approval or signatures from the teachers in-charge of these funds.

Eight teachers and employees of the school reportedly assisted the former headmistress in embezzling the money. At least nine local political leaders from various parties, including the ruling Awami League, some former students and local journalists were also involved in the syndicate.

On May 4, former state minister for labour Monnujan Sufiyan, who is a lawmaker from Khulna, wrote to the DSHE director general, recommending investigation against Maleka.

On June 7, AKM Zakir Hossain Bhuiyan, joint secretary of the Education Ministry, inspected the school and saw that there were additional students in all classes.

He filed a report in which he had hinted that there could be underhand transactions in admitting students.

Raising questions about the school’s financial and administrative discipline, he recommended departmental action against Maleka Begum.

Soon after the report was filed, Maleka was transferred to Khulna Government Girls’ High School. A few days ago, she retired from there.

In the meantime, the DSHE

formed a probe committee of its own. Nine teachers of the school gave statements in writing to the probe committee about everything they knew about Maleka’s malpractices. They held her responsible for the deteriorating standard of education at the school.

Assistant Teacher Md Akhteruzzaman told the probe committee that Maleka had spent money from the school fund for personal use and illegally admitted extra students.

Some teachers and employees of the school and some influential political leaders assisted her. If needed, Maleka also hired goons to threaten people, who refused to comply.

In separate letters to the DSHE head, at least 10 guardians have also alleged that Maleka misappropriated crores of taka from the school’s fund.

When contacted, Maleka said: “There has always been tremendous pressure from the guardians. Everyone wanted to admit their children to Khulna Zila School. I have never resorted to any irregularity or crime in admitting students.”

She claimed that after she had joined, the school produced the best results in the SSC, JSC and PSC examinations under the Jessore Education Board. l

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