23 Aug, 2014

Vadro 8, 1421 Shawal 26, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 2, No 141

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

AVENUE-T

8 | PRESCRIPTION

LET’S STAY TOGETHER

WHAT TO DO DURING HEART ATTACK

16 pages plus 24-page supplement Avenue-T | Price: Tk12

9 | HERITAGE GENGHIS KHAN’S RAIDS, AND BANGLADESH

14 | SPORT SPURS COME FROM BEHIND TO WIN IN CYPRUS, HULL BEATEN

Launch owners profit as victims denied damages No insurance for passengers, minimal compensation from welfare fund Jamil Khan and n Mohammad Ashif Islam Shaon Although launch capsize has become a regular, albeit unwanted, occurrence in the country, such incidents do not ensure any compensation for the victims’ families – regardless of whether a launch capsizes because of the owner’s negligence, a faulty vessel or a natural disaster.

The launch owners, however, are not so unlucky. When the vessels capsize, it means extra money in their pockets.

There are provisions for passenger insurance for road, rail and airways but not for waterways If the owner is a member of the launch owners’ association, their primary source of compensation would be the River Welfare Fund, a fund formed by the Shipping Department in 2006. If the vessel is insured, additional money might also come from the insurance company concerned.

Even though the welfare fund also has a provision to compensate the victims’ families, the amount of compensation is nominal and the process allegedly favours the owners more than the victims.

Several launch owners, seeking anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune that

they focused more on making monthly payments to the River Welfare Fund instead of insuring their vessels, as it was harder to collect money from the insurance companies once an accident took place.

However, some owners have no choice but to get an insurance policy when they buy a launch with bank loans, which only come with an insurance coverage.

When a launch bought with a bank loan sinks, the owner gets the insurance money if the loan is repaid, or else the bank collects the compensation from the insurance company. The passengers do not see a dime.

There is also no government rule or law that makes it mandatory for owners to take out insurance policies covering passengers as well as the vessels.

There are allegations that the authorities concerned have repeatedly failed to take any strict action in the river transport sector as influential political leaders are involved in the business.

During the tenure of the BNP-led government, the party chief’s sons Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman were active in the launch business; while during the Awami League-led government, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan also became involved in the trade. Other influential leaders from different political parties also allegedly have stakes in the business.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

People and traffic wade through ankle to knee-deep water in Pallbai under Mirpur yesterday. Like Pallabi the city has many other areas like Sukrabad, Indira Road, Shantinagar, Purana Paltan, Hajaribagh, Jigatala and Azimpur that also go under water even after a little rainfall MEHEDI HASAN

Gamblers hide behind PM, Bangabandhu’s portraits n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi The portraits of Bangabandhu and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina put up at the entrance of Alokito Sporting Club in Rajshahi are easily noticeable.

What goes on inside the club, however, is highly inappropriate and police on Thursday night caught 14 gamblers red-handed there. Assistant Commissioner of Boalia zone Saifur Rahman led

the drive. Of the 14, a local Awami League leader allegedly arranged the release of eight, claiming them to be innocent.

The remaining six – Shamsul Haque Babu, 50, Manjur Ali, 20, Jahangir Ali, 30, Barik Ali, 23, Royal Islam, 23, and Bishal Ali, 25 – were sent to jail yesterday.

Police and locals said the club, located at Kajla under ward 24 of Rajshahi city, earned notoriety for hosting regular gambling sessions.

Describing Thursday’s incident, witnesses said people could listen patriotic songs played by club’s loudspeaker around 10pm, and Bangabandhu’s historic March 7 address was also being played at intervals.

The club’s entrance is decorated with lights and sitting on a chair outside was Shamsul Haque Babu, who was conducting the gambling session, smoking a cigarette.

ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Bangladesh will still send domestic helps to Malaysia n Rabiul Islam

Hamas militants grab Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel, before executing them in Gaza City yesterday. Seven people were shot dead in front of a crowd outside a mosque, while 11 more were killed at an abandoned police station REUTERS

Gaza gunmen execute 18 ‘collaborators’ n Reuters Hamas-led gunmen in Gaza yesterday executed 18 Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel, a day after Israel tracked down and killed three top Hamas commanders, the highest-ranking militants to be killed in the six-week war.

Seven people were shot dead in front of worshippers outside a mosque in one of Gaza’s main squares, witnesses said, the first public executions in the Palestinian enclave since the 1990s. A further 11 were killed at an abandoned police station near Gaza City, Hamas security officials said.

In the public execution, militants

wearing masks and dressed in black gunned down the suspects, whose faces were covered and hands bound, as worshippers emerged from the Omari mosque on Palestine Square, one of Gaza’s busiest districts.

“The resistance has begun an operation called ‘strangling the necks,”

5 | News

7 | World

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

The government has agreed to send female household staff to Malaysia at a time when Indonesia and Cambodia have already stopped doing so in the wake of reports of physical torture and sexual harassment.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, several officials of non-governmental organisations who work for the welfare of female migrants said domestic helps in Malaysia were regularly beaten and sometimes became victims of sexual harassment.

As a result of inhuman torture, many housemaids ran away and police detained them and kept them in jail. They also added that in the jails, the female migrants were sometimes assaulted.

After several incidents of torture and sexual harassment in Malaysia, many countries, including Indonesia and Cambodia, stopped sending domestic help there.

“It is true that many countries stopped sending housemaids to Malaysia and we have to be cautious before sending housemaids,” Bangladesh Obhibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA) Director Sumaiya Islam told the Dhaka Tribune over the phone yesterday.

Sumaiya, who visited Malaysia earlier this month, also said: “During my visit, I met two Bangladeshi female

workers who were working as road cleaners and they were in good shape.”

She further suggested that if the government sends female workers as housemaids to Malaysia, there should be a mechanism to monitor whether any form of torture takes place or not.

“There must be some clauses in the agreement which would protect the female workers from being tortured,” she added.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

In an attempt to prevent a potential ban on export of potato from Bangladesh, the government is planning to force exporters to supervise the production process and ensure the quality of the potatoes meant for export.

The Roads and Highways Department is planning to revamp the Sylhet-Companiganj-Bholaganj road and upgrade it to a highway, said the department officials.

The revelation that militants of the IS sought a ransom in exchange for the release of the American journalist is putting a new spotlight on the US government’s strict no-ransom policy.

11 | Op-Ed

We don’t need any national or international index to conclude on the fact that Dhaka city is unliveable, although a teeming population, day in and day out, is making their living out of it.

Indian home minister happy about Indo-Bangla border situation n Tribune Report

A senior official at the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry told the Dhaka Tribune: “As most of the countries have stopped sending housemaids, Malaysia is now facing a serious domestic help crisis. Thus, finding no other alternative, Malaysia is now considering Bangladesh to meet its needs.”

“It would have been better if we could send female workers to the manufacturing sector,” Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Units (RMMRU) founding chair Tasneem Siddique told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Indonesia and Cambodia have already decided to stop sending household staff to Malaysia

3 | News

Cars that follow regular routes to and from school or work in Dhaka have now become targets for carjackers. But this new breed of car thieves are doubling their returns on their free capital.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed his satisfaction over the current scenario along the Indo-Bangla border and added that Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Border Guards (BGB) have been taking the measures necessary to build confidence in this regard.

He made the statement when a BGB delegation met him in New Delhi on Thursday, reported the Hindustan Times.

On Thursday, a BGB delegation held a bilateral meeting with its Indian counterpart in New Delhi and discussed issues regarding the northeastern insurgents and the destruction of their hideouts in each others’ territories.

The BGB delegation was led by its Director General Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed while DG DK Pathak led the BSF team.

“He [Rajnath Singh] mentioned that the two countries enjoy cordial relations and should continue dialogues to strengthen bilateral relations,” said a post meeting statement from the Indian home ministry.

Issues like violence on the border, trans-border crime, smuggling of narcotics and fake Indian currency notes were also discussed during the meeting.

INSIDE

4 | News

He scolded the policemen who arrived there, saying: “Did I not give you money?” Hearing him say this, police began beating him at once.

As news of Babu’s arrest spread, hundreds of people gathered at the embankment near the club at night.

They said Babu takes Tk3,000-5,000 every day from the gambling sessions at the club.

12 | Entertainment

India has blocked the release of a film on the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, after complaints that it glorified her killers.

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, August 23, 2014

ATROCITIES AT DHAKA UNIVERSITY

Almost all recommendations still remain unimplemented n Ahmed Zayeef The government is yet to implement almost all 13 recommendations that a four-member committee submitted two years ago after investigating the August 20-22, 2007 violence at Dhaka University.

“So far as I know, the government only withdrew the cases against the teachers and students and gave financial support to those who were tortured at that time,” Rashed Khan Menon, the then chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the Education Ministry, told the Dhaka Tribune.

“The rest of the recommendations have not been implemented yet,” he said.

The committee recommended bringing to justice the then army-backed caretaker government’s chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, then army chief Moeen U Ahmed, ex-DGFI officers ATM Amin, Fazlul Bari, Shamsul Alam Khan and former IGP Nur Mohammad for their role in the atrocity.

It also recommended amending the “warrant of precedence” to stop the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) from interfering in political affairs, modernising the Ordinance of the University 1973, forming a strong proctorial team and holding student union elections in all universities.

Four DU teachers and eight students were arrested following the violence, which had erupted in the playground of Dhaka University over watching a football match.

Thousands of students took to the streets to protest the torture on three of their fellow students on August 20, 2007. A pitched battle between the students and the police continued for the next two days, leaving several hundred people, mostly students, wounded.

The caretaker government released the students and teachers in January

2008 in the face of strong protests.

On August 19, 2010, a subcommittee was formed to probe the campus violence and its aftermath following an application made by Prof Dr Anwar Hossain, Prof Muntassir Mamun, Prof Moloy Kumar Bhoumik, Prof Shamsul Alam and journalist Muniruzzaman.

The parliamentary standing committee also made some observations in its probe report on the atrocities on Dhaka University students and teachers. It placed the report in the parliament in 2012.

The report said the attack on Dhaka University teachers and students was planned. The then chief adviser of the caretaker government, chief of army and DGFI officers were directly involved with the incident, it said, adding that the role of police and Rapid Action Battalion was also disgraceful.

The committee said: “By observing the incident from top to bottom, we found some clues which indicated that it was planned to achieve a specific goal.”

In its first observation, the committee said: “As the teachers and students of Dhaka University played a leading role in the Language Movement, Liberation War and all anti-autocratic movement, including that in 1990, the institution always stood against autocracy.

“In 2007, the army camp was set up at Dhaka University without taking permission from the university authority to suppress the student movement.

As a result, the incident happened centring the football match.”

Quoting the then education adviser Dr Abdul Qadri, the report said: “After the tragic incident, the advisers’ body summoned an emergency meeting. It took some decisions such as to say sorry for the incident, pull out the army camp, form a judiciary probe committee and punish those involved in the in-

cident. But all of a sudden some DGFI officers reached the meeting venue and opposed the decisions. They also put pressure not to include the decisions in the meeting minutes.

“When the government tried to resolve the problem by saying sorry for the incident, at that time teachers and students of Dhaka University and Rajshahi University were arrested at DGFI’s directives.”

Quoting the then chief of general staff Maj Gen (retd) Sinha Ibne Jamali, the committee observed: “To set up an army camp on the Dhaka University campus, all other things happened at the directive of then chief adviser of the caretaker government Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and chief of army Gen Moin U Ahmed.”

The committee also blamed the then university administration. “The submissive attitude of the then Rajshahi University administration, including the vice-chancellor, was disappointing. The role of then assistant proctor of Dhaka University Dr Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah and the proctorial body was also questionable.”

It said: “A long-term plan was behind the incident. Just before the incident, the teachers of National Defence College and Dhaka university held a meeting where they discussed the relation between military and civilians. Another meeting was held at Rajshahi University on the same day. A few teachers and students who spoke against the emergency and the military government were arrested and tortured the next day.”

Menon, now the civil aviation minister told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “We standing committee members can only make recommendations. Implementing these recommendations is in the hands of the government...Ask the government why it has not implemented the other recommendations.” l

Shahjalal International Airport authorities yesterday detain one person with 7kg of gold. Story on Page 3

Joy: BNP a party of terrorists n Emran Hossain Shaikh

Terming BNP a terrorist party, the prime minister's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy said yesterday that the party need to be brought to justice.

“I have repeatedly said BNP is a party of terrorists. They should be brought to justice,” wrote Joy, who is also the prime minister's advisor for information technology, in a post on his facebook page.

Joy, now living in the US with his family, made the comment at 1:30pm Bangladesh Standard Time.

He also said the month of August had been a dark month for his family as well as in the history of the nation.

“On August 15, they murdered the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. On August 17, they attacked the entire nation with

Guidebooks sale goes unabated

Three killed in bus-tempo collision n Mushfique Wadud n Our Correspondent, Tangail Five years have passed since the SuThree people, including a woman, were killed and as many others were critically injured yesterday in a head-on collision between a bus and a tempo, a locally assembled vehicle, at Deulabari point of Tangail-Mymensingh highway under Ghatail upazila in Tangail.

The deceased could not be identified immediately. The injured were rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

Earlier in the day, two other people, including a woman, were killed and seven others injured in another accident at Salla in Tangail’s Kalihati upazila. l

preme Court ruling against the sale of guidebooks and notebooks. But the sale continues due to a lax enforcement of the law and monitoring by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB).

Parents, students and teachers opined that sale of guidebooks and notebooks has increased in many ways recently.

Some of the guidebook companies often circulate advertisements in newspapers and television channels completely defying the ban.

On 9 December, 2009, Supreme Court upheld the High Court verdict

that allowed the government to take action in case of the violation of the 1980 law that bans printing, publishing, import, distribution and sale of notebooks as well as guidebooks for primary and secondary school students.

The NCTB conducts drives on an irregular basis but no tangible action has been taken against the perpetrators. Many believe that the drive is only for show.

A recent visit to book stalls in Bangla Bazar and Nilkhet found the sale of guidebooks and notebooks continuing in full swing.

When asked why he was selling the banned items, Tofail Ahmed, a book stall owner in Bangla Bazar, said: “It does not seem that there is a ban as

every book stall is selling guidebooks.”

When asked whether they faced any problem in selling the books, he replied in the negative. “The authority conducts drive but it does not affect our sale.” he added.

It was also found that publishers changed the name of the guidebooks as a common strategy. The same guidebooks are sold by labeling them as “creative way” of learning.

Mofazzal Hossain, a parent who was buying a guidebook said, the coaching centre his son was attending insisted on buying the book. “I know most of them are full of mistakes but I have to buy them as per the recommendation of the coaching centre.” l

Gamblers hide behind PM, Bangabandhu’s portraits  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

He often told people that he could not keep the whole amount to himself, and that he had to pay Tk1,000 to ward Awami League General Secretary Arman Ali and the same amount to police.

According to locals, Babu used to make a living by varnishing furniture.

After the Awami League assumed power, he left that job and began operating gambling boards at his house. He shifted the venue from his house to the club a year ago.

Before that, unofficial classes of a Brac-operated primary school would be held at the club. During the term of the previous caretaker government, the only reason the club was not evict-

ed was because of the classes that were held there.

After the city corporation polls in June last year, Babu shut down the school and began using it as a gambling venue. He promised that he would bear the rent of the place where the school would be shifted from the money he would make by operating gambling sessions.

The school authorities, however, refused the proposal and operations of the school are now closed.

Locals alleged that Babu supplies attendees at different party programmes.

They said he put flowers on portraits of Bangabandhu and the prime minister on the National Mourning Day and inside, a gambling session was going on.

Following Thursday’s arrest, Arman, also the councillor of ward no 24, went to the police station and lobbied for the release of the detainees. He managed to secure the release of eight by midnight.

“I only arranged the release of those who were innocent. They were just watching TV there. Their mothers work as housemaids. The eight lead an impoverished life. How can they manage money to gamble?” said Arman.

He also strenuously denied the allegation of taking Tk1,000 from Babu every day, terming it false.

“I drew up a list of drug peddlers and gamblers in the area and submitted copies of it to seven offices, including those of police and RAB. Babu ended

Gaza gunmen execute 18 ‘collaborators’  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

targeting collaborators who aid the [Israeli] occupation, kill our people and destroy houses,” a pro-Hamas website said.

A so-called conviction letter signed by the “Palestinian Resistance” was posted on a wall near to where the bodies of alleged collaborators lay. The notice read: “They provided the enemy with information about the whereabouts of fighters, tunnels of resistance, bombs, houses of fighters and places of rockets, and the occupation bombarded these areas killing a number of fighters...

Therefore, the ruling of revolutionary justice was handed upon them.”

Early yesterday, 11 suspected collaborators were shot dead at an abandoned police station, a Hamas security official said. At the site, Reuters, before being told to leave the area, saw two bodies being loaded onto an ambulance.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza denounced the killings.

“We demand the Palestinian National Authority and the resistance (Pales-

tinian armed factions) to intervene to stop these extra-judicial executions, no matter what the reasons and motives are,” Raji al-Surani, the chairman of the organisation, said in a statement.

Israel launched an offensive on July 8 with the stated aim of putting an end to cross-border rocket fire from Gaza.

Health officials in the small, densely populated enclave said the Palestinian death toll rose to 2,070 yesterday, mostly civilians, after a father and his son were killed in an Israeli air strike near Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

Sixty-four Israeli soldiers and three civilians in Israel have also been killed in the conflict.

While the intensity of rocket fire has diminished somewhat this week, Netanyahu remains under heavy pressure domestically to go further to combat the threat. As well as areas close to Gaza, the rockets have targeted Israel’s business centre Tel Aviv and near Ben Gurion airport, its international hub.

On Thursday, Netanyahu granted preliminary approval for the call-up of 10,000

army reservists, signalling the possibility of heightened military action in Gaza.

Targeted attacks

The executions followed the killing by Israel of three of Hamas’s most senior military commanders, who were hit in an air strike on a house in the southern city of Rafah on Thursday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised cooperation between Israel’s military and its internal security service, Shin Bet, for the attack, which demonstrated a high level of knowledge about the whereabouts of Hamas’s leaders.

Hamas, which has dominated Gaza since seizing power there in 2007, fired more than 25 rockets into Israel yesterday, injuring two people, Israel’s emergency services said. The Israel air force carried out more than 25 air strikes across the Gaza Strip, killing three men, Gaza medics said.

Since a 10-day ceasefire collapsed on Tuesday, Israel has focused its attacks on the military leadership of Hamas.

MEHEDI HASAN

up on the list and I did not recommended that he be released,” Arman said.

He alleged that police did not act on the list.

Arman also defended the release of the eight from the police station instead of following legal proceedings to secure bail from court.

“I made them hold their ears in front of everyone in the police station as a punishment. It humiliated them,” he said.

Officer-in-Charge of Boalia police station Abdus Sobhan said those who were released were innocent.

“They were allowed to walk out of the police station because they were not involved in the gambling at the club,” he added. l

Hamas identified those killed on Thursday as Mohammed Abu Shammala, Raed al-Attar and Mohammed Barhoum, saying they had been at the forefront of the fight against Israel for two decades.

Israel said two of them had been instrumental in the 2006 kidnapping of an Israeli soldier, who was held in Gaza for five years before being freed in a prisoner exchange, as well as other deadly attacks.

On Tuesday, as the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire fell apart, an Israeli air strike hit a building in northern Gaza killing the wife and two children of Mohammed Deif, Hamas’s top military commander.

Deif, mastermind of a tunnel network under Gaza used to attack Israel and long a target, appears to have survived, although his whereabouts are unknown.

Attacks by Israeli artillery and air strikes have devastated many areas of Gaza, a densely populated enclave that is home to 1.8 million people. The United Nations says at least 425,000 people have been displaced by the fighting. l

500 simultaneous bomb explosions and on August 21, they tried to kill my mother, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, with a grenade attack that killed 23 of our supporters and injured over 400 people,” he wrote.

Joy also claimed that in all these attacks, BNP had always protected the perpetrators.

“They (BNP) rewarded the killers of August 15th with indemnity and foreign postings... During their last term (2001-2006) they protected the fundamentalists after they carried out a bomb attack on August 17,” he said.

He claimed: “The planning for the August 21 attack was held at the office of Khaleda Zia's son Tarique in the presence of her political secretary.”

Earlier on Thursday, while addressing a rally, Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman and her cabinet members of being involved with the August 21, 2004 grenade attack.

On August 21, 2004, during BNP's regime, the grenade attack was carried out on an Awami League rally, where the then leader of opposition Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped with her life.

However, 24 activists of her party were killed and scores were injured.

BNP Senior Vice Chairman and party chief Khaleda’s son Tarique Rahman, the then state minister for home Lutfuzzaman Babar, and Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Md Mujahid are among the accused in this case.

“Let us take a moment today to remember all the innocent victims who lost their lives in this month throughout our history. Many of them were my family,” Joy urged the countrymen. l

Bangladesh will still send  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

During the Malaysian human resource minister’s three day visit (August 18-20) to Bangladesh, the government agreed to send housemaids to Malaysia.

“We are considering the offer and a committee headed by the expatriates’ welfare secretary will finalise the decision in this regard,” said Joint Secretary Nurul Islam.

“It is too early to comment,” he added.

When contacted, Expatriates Wel-

fare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain told this correspondent: “I can’t talk now as I am about to deliver a speech at a seminar.”

A senior official at the ministry said a separate Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would be signed to send housemaids.

Bangladesh is now sending domestic helpers to a number of countries, including Jordan. l

Launch owners profit  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

Efforts to ensure insurance for launches was first initiated when HM Ershad was in power, but the initiative could not move forward allegedly because of strong opposition from influential launch owners.

A draft was also prepared to formulate a law to make insurance compulsory for launches, ships and cargo vessels; but the process to have it enacted is going on at a sluggish pace. In 2001, an initiative was made for ensuring launch passengers’ insurance, but the proposal became stalled after it had been sent back from the ministry concerned.

Shahabuddin Milon, former vice-president of Bangladesh Inland Waterways Association, said the launch owners did not go for insurance as there was no law about it. If there was a law, the owners would abide by it.

Sheikh Kabir Hossain, chairman of Bangladesh Insurance Association, said if a policy was formed for launch passengers’ insurance, the number of accidents would reduce as the insurance companies would verify the launch capacity and faults of the vessels before issuing any insurance.

There are provisions for passenger insurance for journeys on road, rail and airways; but not for the country’s waterways. The rail and airways are now collecting insurance fees with tickets.

Speaking on this, State Minister for Finance MA Mannan said steps had been taken to form a policy for insuring river vessels and a draft in this regard had been made.

On the other hand, Juber Ahmed Khan, a member of the Insurance Development and Regularity Authority (IDRA), said the Shipping Ministry needed to take the responsibility about insuring launch passengers. The ministry could make it possible by demanding a mandatory insurance policy whenever an owner asked for a launch fitness certificate from the ministry, he added.

If any accident took place even after following all the regulations, the IDRA must provide help to ensure compensation, Juber said.

Although the Shipping Department’s River Welfare Fund is the only

hope for victims to get compensations, the amount of money is minimal. From the fund, the authority has to pay a maximum of Tk1.05 lakh to the family of a deceased and Tk50,000 for the family of an injured person.

But even in this case, the launch owners are still the true beneficiaries of the fund as they get compensation in massive amounts, which is decided by a meeting of the fund committee that consists mostly of officials from the BIWTA, Shipping Department, representatives of launch owners association; but no representatives from the victims’ families.

Every certified launch owner has to pay Tk50 annually to the welfare fund against every passenger a launch is capable of carrying. Despite regularly picking up passengers well over the carrying capacity, most launch owners skip depositing the extra profit in the fund.

Siddiqur Rahman Patowari, secretary of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation, said compensation has to be paid from the welfare fund as there is no provision of insurance for launch passengers. Launch owners would be forced to apply for insurance policies for their passengers if an act was formed in this regard, he added.

According to BIWTA sources, around 580 launches were currently operating on different river routes in the country.

Minister Shajahan Khan could not be reached over phone for comments despite repeated try. l

Indian home minister  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

“The two border forces also discussed action against the Indian insurgent groups and the destruction of their hideouts, joint efforts to prevent illegal migration and human trafficking of Bangladeshi nationals, as well as effective implementation of coordinated border management plans to prevent transborder crimes,” the statement said.

The BGB delegation is on a five-day visit to India for the bi-annual “Border Co-ordination Conference.” The BSF guards the 4,096 km long Indo-Bangla frontier. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, August 23, 2014

3

New rules mulled to prevent Russia’s Two held with 64 gold bars at Dhaka airport, ban on potato from Bangladesh Kamalapur railway station Exporters will be asked to supervise crop production to ensure quality n Abu Bakar Siddique In an attempt to prevent a potential ban on export of potato from Bangladesh, the government is planning to force exporters to supervise the production process and ensure the quality of the potatoes meant for export.

The decision came after Russia – one of the biggest buyers of potato from Bangladesh – identified the presence of Brown Rot in the Bangladeshi exported items in the last fiscal year.

“The government has been trying to bring the potato exporters under a common rule which will direct them to use their own contract growers for growing potatoes and maintaining product quality, in order to ensure continuous export,” said Anwar Faruq, director general of the Agriculture Ministry’s seed wing.

The ministry’s plans include using

selective land for potato production by the exporters, which will be implemented from the upcoming season to avoid the probable threat of an export ban, he added.

The government has decided to stop the common practice of procuring the export-bound potatoes from local farmers as the crops might be defective, Faruq said, adding that the ministry wants to create professionalism regarding the export of potatoes and other vegetable items.

However, Sayedul Islam Mithu, owner of Swarup Agriculture, which is also involved in the potato export trade, told the Dhaka Tribune that producing potato by contract growers was not the final solution; rather the government should establish an Export Processing Plant where the export items would be sorted, washed and bagged to avoid exporting defective items.

Among other measures to prevent a potential export ban, the government has also recommended that exporters examine soil quality of the potato-cultivating land to check the presence of the Ralstonia Solanacearum bacteria which causes the Brown Rot disease.

The government also suggested that farmers cultivate potato only on land which has naturally been washed by monsoon rainwater.

Citing the example of Munshiganj, Md Jalal Uddin, director (Tuber Crops Research Centre) of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, said the region was suitable for potato production as rainwater always washed out the bacteria there.

The government also directed the Department of Agriculture Extension to monitor the whole process of potato export, starting from land selection to the final export.

In the 2013-14 fiscal, Bangladesh exported around $34m worth of potato to different countries, including $9m of export to Russia alone. Malaysia is the largest importer of potato from Bangladesh, buying around $13m of potato from Bangladesh during the last fiscal.

Surplus production during the last two seasons meant that Bangladesh exported the highest volume of potato in the last fiscal; only $9m worth of potatoes were exported in the 2012-13 fiscal.

Following last year’s agitation among potato farmers for not getting fair prices, the government has been encouraging exporters to sell the necessary food items to other countries to save the farmers.

According to the DAE, the average annual production of potato in the country is around 80 lakh tonnes against local demands of around 50 lakh tonnes. l

n Tribune Report Customs intelligence officials and law enforcers arrested two persons with 64 gold bars, in separate drives yesterday morning at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and Kamalapur railway station in the capital.

The customs officials arrested an incoming passenger named Al-Amin at the airport and seized around 7.3kg of gold worth about Tk3.65 crore from his possession.

Al-Amin was on-board Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG 087 from Malaysia which landed at the airport around 6:00 am, said Moinul Khan, the director general of customs intelligence.

The officials challenged him for his suspicious movements while he was passing through the green channel.

After searching his body, they recovered five gold bars weighing 1kg each, one bar weighing half a kilogramme and

18 gold bars weighing 100 grammes.

They also seized 26 passports with Malaysian visas from his possession.

Moinul claimed that Al-Amin, an active member of an international human trafficking gang, was carrying the passports with the intention of trafficking people from Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested a youth from Kamalapur railway station and seized 40 gold bars weighing around 5kg from his possession.

Shahin, 35, came from Chittagong

by Turna Nishitha, said Abdul Majid, officer-in-charge of Kamalapur GRP police station.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of GRP raided the station and caught him soon after he disembarked from the train around 7:30am.

They searched his body and recovered the gold bars, the OC said, adding that the market value of the gold bars would be around Tk2.40 crore. l

PINAK 6 CAPSIZE

No progress in DNA identification of 21 bodies n Moniruzzaman Uzzal Uncertainty remains on whether DNA identification would be possible for the 21 unidentified bodies that were recovered from the Padma River following the capsizing of the Pinak 6 launch near the Mawa Ferry Terminal earlier this month.

The local police have yet to send the necessary DNA samples to either the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) DNA laboratory or the National DNA Profiling Laboratory at the DMCH. Sources said senior officials of Madaripur district police have been planning to the send the DNA samples to the CID, but the CID authorities told them that the backlog of other DNA tests at the lab meant that it would take at least 45 days before any new test from the launch capsize victims was possible.

When asked about the issue, Fariduddin Ahmed, superintendent of police at Madaripur, admitted that the process had to be put on hold because of the busy schedule at CID’s DNA lab. All the DNA samples of the 21 unidentified bodies were now being kept “safely” at the Shibchar police station in the district, he added.

Earlier, during the search operation for the capsized launch, Fariduddin said the police would send the collected DNA samples to the lab once the search came

Mahbub: PM trying to influence judiciary

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla BNP Chairperson’s Adviser Khandaker Mahbub Hossain yesterday alleged that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been trying to influence the court by making various comments regarding the August 21 grenade attack in order to hide the real masterminds of the grisly incident.

Earlier on Thursday, Sheikh Hasina accused then premier and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman and her cabinet of being involved with the August 21 grenade attack.

“As a prime minister of the country, she is influencing the court by making such comments on a sub judice issue. I think the prime minister is trying to hide the real masterminds of the attack. We believe that such statements from her will hamper the fair trial process in the case,” he said while addressing a programme at National Press Club in the capital.

On August 21, 2004 during BNP’s tenure, the grenade attack was carried out on an Awami League rally where then opposition leader, Sheikh Hasina, narrowly escaped but 24 activists of her party were killed and scores were injured.

Mahbub also noted that the then incumbent government had indicted Tarique Rahman and former state minister for home Lutfuzzaman Babar in the case, following investigation.

“It implies that the government is using the case to push their political agenda.”

On the empowerment of lawmakers with impeachment power, Mahbub, who is also the president of Supreme Court Ainjibi Samity, said: “When a proposal on impeachment against any judge will be placed in parliament the ruling party has to abide by the proposal. It is mandatory. That’s why we are against this. We believe that if the judiciary cannot perform independently, then there would be no democracy in the country.” l

to an end.

“We had collected DNA samples of the bodies that may be used in the future if any relative approaches us. Teeth, nails and tissues of the unidentified bodies were collected,” he had told the Dhaka Tribune, adding that each grave of the unidentified people had been marked with separate numbers in order to easily match and identify the bodies following DNA tests.

On August 11, authorities called off the eight-day operation in search of Pinak 6, which sank in the Padma with 300 passengers, after having failed to even locate the position of the launch.

The number of missing people stood at 62 on final count; of the rescued bodies, all but 21 unidentified victims were handed over to their families. The bodies of the unidentified were buried at Madaripur in marked graves.

Sources in Madaripur police said no relative of the missing victims had approached authorities over the past two weeks to inquire about the DNA identification process. The DNA samples of the victims’ relatives would also be required to cross-match the unidentified bodies, they added.

The DNA samples would reportedly not be sent to the National DNA Profiling Lab, which is better equipped than the CID lab. l

Major political parties erect arches on the main thoroughfares in the capital on different occasions but the structure remain there for a long time contributing to traffic congestion and sometimes they cause accidents too NASHIRUL ISLAM

BNP to announce fresh programme Gas exploration moves n at glacial pace Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

The BNP yesterday said they would announce fresh programmes protesting the government move to restore parliament’s authority to impeach Supreme Court judges.

“We saw a large number of people participating in the last two programmes. Now the party’s high command is thinking of announcing a new programme in protest of the government move to authorise the lawmakers to impeach the judges,” said Mirza Abbas, the convener of Dhaka city unit BNP. Abbas, also a standing committee member of the party, made the statement while briefing reporters on the formation of the Dhaka city committee

and their strategy for the movement, at his residence.

The BNP-led 20-party alliance’s 10day long mass contact programme was ongoing, attempting to drum up public support for their demand for the election under a non-partisan government.

Responding to a query, the BNP leader said, “There has been good progress in the formation of the Dhaka city committee. Some sub-teams were formed and the committees were working to sort out the problems and making suggestions from time to time.”

Abbas said, “Our aim is to strengthen the city committee and we are working on it. We want to strengthen the committee in such a way so that we do not retreat from the movement in any situation.”

Regarding the Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam’s statement that nothing would happen if Mirza Abbas, along with 100 people, took up positions on the street, he said, “Let me take to the streets with 100 people. I want to see what will happen then.”

Regarding the ruling party leaders’ statements that the BNP was announcing soft programmes, he said, “I do not know the definition of soft programme. By making such comments, the government is trying to instigate the party men and file some new cases against them.”

But the BNP would not announce any violent programme as the Awami League did on 1/11. “We do not have any intention to go to power by killing people,” he added. l

Sadharan Chhatra Parishad yesterday form a human chain at Shahbagh demanding an extension of age limit for entry to government job to 35 MEHEDI HASAN

n Aminur Rahman Rasel After a seven-year delay, state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (Bapex) yesterday began exploratory drilling at a gas structure in Mobarakpur, Pabna, that it hopes will increase supply by 14%.

It is expected to add 15 million cubic feet of gas a day (mmcfd) to the national grid.

A Bapex official said the company had never experienced such a long delay in initiating a project in its history.

The project was approved to start in January 2006 but actual work on the site began yesterday.

Petrobangla Chairman Hossain Monsur inaugurated the well drilling work. Bapex Managing Director MA Baki, Project Director Ataur Rahman and other officials were present at the programme.

“We have started an exploration well at Mobarakpur. A funding and rig crisis caused delays to begin work on the well,” the Bapex managing director told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“Mobarakpur has a lot of potential. We began digging work with the Bijoy 12 rig which has a vertical drilling capacity of over 4,000 metres. We plan to go as deep as 4,700 metres below the surface,” he said.

“We hope that we will be

able to complete drilling within three months,” he added.

Baki said the work at the well location, situated at Mobarakpur under Santhia upazila of Pabna, began in 2010 after Bapex acquired 8.8 acres of land for the project.

The Mubarakpur Oil/Gas Exploration Well Drilling project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on February 22, 2006, with a budget of Tk56.04cr.

Later, a revised development project proposal was approved by Ecnec on March 30, 2010 increasing the budget to Tk89.26cr.

The project implementation period was initially extended to June 2014.

But was further extended for another year. Mubarakpur was identified as a prospective site after a five-year joint seismic survey conducted by Petrobangla and German company Prakla Seismos was completed in 1984.

Bapex currently supplies 105 million cubic feet of gas to the national grid every day from six gas fields in Saldanadi, Fenchuganj, Shahbazpur, Semutung, Sundalpur and Srikail. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Car thieves might be stalking you n Tazlina Zamila Khan Cars that follow regular routes to and from school or work in Dhaka have now become targets for carjackers.

But this new breed of car thieves are doubling their returns on their free capital. They are stealing cars, extorting ransom for the cars from the owners, and then selling the cars to rent-a-car companies elsewhere in the country instead of returning them to the owner.

Gang members first chart out a car’s route. Then they do some homework, making lists of where and for how long the car pauses on its journeys. After stalking the car for a few days, the thieves steal the car using a master key, say law enforcement sources. It takes around 30 minutes to unlock and rob a car.

Carjacking gangs also target cars parked for many hours at shopping malls, banks and markets. In these instances, a gang member will follow the owner and driver of the vehicle in order to signal the member breaking into the car that the coast is clear. The gang member breaking in to the vehicle then makes off with the stolen vehicle.

The car thieves then seek ransom money for the car. The robbers give assurances to the owner that they will return the car in exchange for money.

Eventually, they take the money but do not give the car back.

On July 8, Abdullah Al Mamun went to Chhinnomul Market in Mirpur 1, leaving his car in the parking lot. When he returned after 20 minutes, he found that his car had been stolen. The criminals later demanded Tk2 lakh over telephone and told him they would return the car for cash. But, they did not keep their part of the bargain.

The criminals took the money via bKash but did not return the car. Mamun lodged a complaint with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) 2 on July 12.

Officials of the crime-busting agency arrested gang leader Abdul Alim, son of Abul Barek, from Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area of the capital on July 18 and seized a motorcycle.

Officials later recovered Mamun’s car and two others from Agargaon. But they have not been able to retrieve the money.

RAB arrested six more car thieves from different parts of the capital and recovered five cars and one motorcycle on July 18, RAB officials said at a press briefing at RAB headquarters.

Alim, the arrested car thief, confessed that his group had been stealing cars for a long time, targeting cars from Mohammadpur, Uttara, Dhanmondi, Mirpur Mazar Road and Pallabi neighbourhoods of Dhaka. He also admitted to stealing two cars in Sylhet.

RAB officials later arrested other members of the gang, including Al Amin Islam Rubel, Md Jasim Uddin, Md Imam Hossain Shamim, Md Bachchu Mia, Azam Khan and Shohag Mia, from Mohammadpur area and recovered the five cars.

The gang had been working in Dhaka for the past five to seven years and selling the stolen cars to rent-a-car shops in Sylhet, sources said.

Law enforcement sources said another gang leader, known as bKash Khokon alias Khokon Mia, had come to light. They said he was the chief of three car-robbing gangs and lives in Shyamoli.

An officer of RAB 2, Md Raihan, said: “Legal action will be taken against the car theft gangs.” l

A truck heavily laden with logs lies on its side after crashing into the central reservation in the capital’s Bangla Motor yesterday. The accident happened when one of the truck’s tyres punctured TOWHIDUL ISLAM KHAN

Recruitment of 962 office aides for UPs approved n Mohosinul Karim Temporary recruitment of 962 office assistants for 481 upazila parishads, out of a total of 487 upazilas, received the final approval from the local government division.

The local government division sent letters describing the terms and conditions of recruiting the new staff to

all the upazilas across the country last week.

The letter, signed by division’s Deputy Secretary Sabur Hossain, also said six newly formed upazilas would not be allowed to recruit the new staff. The new upazilas are – Bijoynagar of Brahminbaria, Kalukhali of Rajbari, Rangabali of Patuakhali, Taltoli of Barguna, Tarakanda of Mymensingh, and Nal-

Shishu Park cries out for renovation n Afrose Jahan Chaity

Seven-year-old Ahin went to Dhaka’s Shishu Park along with his parents last Friday, excited about trying out all of the rides. But bad weather caused authorities to shut down 10 of the 12 rides for several hours.

Ahin and his parents went to the park’s information office and waited for the rides to re-open.

A park official told them there was a risk in operating some of the rides during the bad weather. So hundreds of children, including Ahin, waited gloomily as their weekend fun was dampened by the rain.

Shishu Park, established in 1979, is the only public sector children’s amusement park in Dhaka city. Occupying 15 acres of land, it is the first amusement park in Bangladesh.

A park insider said the government

earns more than Tk2 crore a year from the park.

The oldest rides at the park are the chair tower, merry-go-round, flower cup ride, wonder wheel, trampoline, train, battery car, and roller skating rink which were installed by Japanese technicians back in 1979 with a warranty period of ten years.

Since the warranty of eight rides at the park expired some 25 years ago, replacing parts may no longer be possible. A proposed renovation and extension project has not been approved yet, but it will start soon, said an official of the park.

He said there had never been any deadly accidents and the rides have run without any major disturbance so far. But that did not mean that the equipment was not risky, he said.

Zakir Hossain, assistant engineer of the park, said: “There is nothing to

worry about. We do weekly machinery maintenance.”

A ride operator said no renovation work, apart from routine checks, had been carried out in the 35 years since it was established. He said: “In the rainy season, most of the rides remain closed.”

During festival holidays, more than sixty thousand people visit the park.

But with competition from private amusement parks, Shishu Park officials feel the necessity to introduce new rides and to renovate the park to attract visitors.

The park is home to two historical monuments. The site of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic speech given on March 7, 1971, and the site where the Pakistan Eastern Command signed the Instrument of Surrender marking the end of Indo-Pakistani hostilities during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 are both on its grounds.

A park official said: “Because of a High Court rule protecting the historic sites, we cannot renovate the park area without government permission.”

Shishu Park was handed over to the Dhaka City Corporation for maintenance in 1983. The DCC proposed expanding the area of the park from 15 to 19 acres by removing the police control room adjacent to it. The proposal to remove the police control room was accepted and the room removed, but further proposals to extend the park’s grounds have not yet been accepted.

Ahin’s parents told the Dhaka Tribune: “We came here to make our children happy and for their recreation. If the rides are risky or are shut down for long periods, then the weekend is wasted. Shishu Park is a cost-effective and fun park with a good safety record so far. I hope, for the sake of the children, that the authorities take care of it.” l

Father, his 2 children missing in canal

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Three members of a family, two children and their father, went missing in a canal in Pandong area of Chittagong’s Fatikchhari upazila yesterday when they were crossing it on a boat.

Searches were being conducted by police and fire brigade officials till the filing of this report.

The missing were Jahangir, 45, resident of Berajali village of the upazila, his son Shamsul Alam, 5, and daughter Fatema Jinnat, 8, said Officer-in-Charge Mofiz Uddin of Fatikchhari police station.

The OC, quoting locals, said the three were crossing the canal around 1pm on a boat which might have capsized. He said: “We are suspecting that the trio might have drowned.”

Deputy Assistant Director Md Jasim Uddin of Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters in Chittagong told the Dhaka Tribune that a special divers team were conducting searches to find the bodies. l

Police rescued a girl from Natore on Thursday night, a day after she was abducted on Wednesday morning.

The victim was Rubaiya Khatun, a Class IX student of Hatiyandah Girls’ School in Singra upazila.

Police also arrested four persons in connection with the abduction.

The arrested are Liton, the ringleader and the son of one Moza from Natore Sadar hospital area, and his three accomplices Swapan, the son of Osman

This appointment of the temporary office aides would be cancelled once the permanent recruitment of the new staff was completed.

The office help would be recruited following the salary structure of the national pay scale, 2009.

The upazila parishads were instructed to recruit the new staff within six months of the approval. l

Housewife allegedly killed by husband for dowry n Mohammad Jamil Khan An 18-year-old housewife was allegedly killed by her husband yesterday in the capital’s Gendaria because he did not receive the dowry he had demanded.

The victim, Tumpa Rani Pal, married medicine trader Rajon Das, who came from Kapasia of Gazipur, only three month ago. The couple lived in Shah Shaheb lane.

Tumpa’s father, Nitai Chandra Pal, said his daughter called him around 6am yesterday and asked for help, saying: “Please take me away from here or they will kill me.”

Nitai rushed to Tumpa’s place but found her lifeless body.

“She bore injury marks on her neck and was also bleeding from the mouth.

I also noticed scratch marks on Rajon’s back. Perhaps she was trying to save herself,” the father said.

He alleged that Rajon killed Tumpa because he had not received dowry. He had demanded the money from her 22 days ago.

“At the time of the wedding, I gave him Tk3.5 lakh and 7.5 tolas of gold. I could not give him the money he had demanded as I own a small grocery store,” he said.

Rajon, however, refuted the allegation and said he had a little misunderstanding with Tumpa that led to her death.

“In the morning when I woke up, I found her hanging from the ceiling fan.

I took her to a local hospital and later to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared her dead at 7am,” he said.

‘She bore injury marks on her neck and was also bleeding from the mouth. I also noticed scratch marks on Rajon’s back. Perhaps she was trying to save herself’ Champak Chakrabarti, sub-inspector of Gendaria police station, told the Dhaka Tribune that Tumpa might have been tortured to death.

“But we can only confirm that after getting the autopsy report. Nitai filed a case against Rajon and we have taken the accused into custody,” he added. l

BCL men assault railway station master in Chittagong A man drives his motorcycle with his wife and three children on a busy road in the capital yesterday though it was made mandatory by law to wear helmet during a drive MEHEDI HASAN

Kidnapped schoolgirl rescued in Natore n Our Correspondent, Natore

danga of Natore.

The ministry officials said further approval would be needed for the new upazilas to recruit office assistants.

According to the letter and ministry officials, the new staff would be recruited temporarily against 962 approved revenue posts in 481 upazilas. Each of the upazilas would get two office aides.

Ali, Milton, the son of Ansar Ali from Kanaikhali Moholla and Roni, the son of Sadek Ali from Kandivitua Moholla.

A senior judicial magistrate sent the foursome to jail after police placed them before the court on Friday at noon.

Singra police station Officer-in-Charge Shafiqul Islam said there had been a two-year love affair between Rubaiya and Rabbi, who is from Puthimari village of the upazila.

Liton was known to both Rubaiya and Rabbi and aware of their relationship.

He had collected Rubaiya’s phone

number and told her that Rabbi might trick her and that he [Liton] would do something which would force Rabbi to marry her.

Later, he also asked her to meet him but she refused.

Around 9am on Wednesday, Rubaiya was stopped by Swapan, Milton and Roni, Liton’s accomplices, while she was on her way to school.

Meanwhile, Liton called her up and advised her to go with them because he, along with them, would arrange for her to get married to Rabbi.

When Rubaiya refused, the trio forced her into a car and confined her at Liton’s house. They then phoned her aunt Romesa Begum, seeking a ransom of Tk2 lakh.

Singra police were informed of this and rescued Rubaiya and arrested her four kidnappers from Rajabari area in Natore town on Thursday night.

Superintendent of Police Basudev Banik confirmed the incident and said they were able to rescue the girl and arrest the kidnappers by tracking their phone number. l

n CU Correspondent A faction of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s Chittagong University unit assaulted and threatened the station master of Sholoshahar Railway Station in Chittagong city yesterday evening over attaching a shuttle train compartment to a train.

The station master, Md Shahabuddin, told the Dhaka Tribune that the altercation ensued around 6pm, when a group of 10-12 Chhatra League activists, members of the faction Varsity Expresses (VX) Group, demanded to attach the group’s shuttle train compartment to the train.

All the Chhatra League factions have their own compartments in the train, each labelled with the name of the group that uses it. The VX Group’s compartment is currently in the dock-

yard for repair work, said the station master.

“When I refused to do what they demanded, they assaulted me and threatened me with dire consequences,” he said.

The station master also said he would inform the higher authorities of Bangladesh Railway about the incident.

Professor Siraj ud Dowla, proctor of CU, said the university authorities would take action against the offending Chhatra League activists after receiving word from the railway authorities.

In a separate event, members of the VX Group attacked four police members on the CU campus regarding an old enmity on Wednesday.

Police filed a case with Hathazari police station against eight Chhatra League men in this regard on Thursday. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Sylhet-Companiganj-Bholaganj road lies in rundown state The Roads and Highways Department claims it has taken a project involving around Tk6.4 crore to fix the road Abdul Alim, a resident of n Mohammad Serajul Islam, Sylhet anj-Khagail-Lalbagh-Badaganj-Kumargaon National Highway Project, a Companiganj, said: “The distance The Roads and Highways Department is planning to revamp the Sylhet-Companiganj-Bholaganj road and upgrade it to a highway, said the department officials.

Shah Nizam Uddin, sub-divisional engineer at the RHD in Sylhet, said the proposal of a Tk6.4-crore project in this regard had been submitted to the chief engineer last week.

“The chief engineer is going to send the proposal to the Communication Ministry. Upon approval, the ministry will forward it to the Planning Commission,” he said.

“If the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council approves the project, we will hopefully be able to start it before December,” he said.

Under the project, titled Bholag-

45km long and 40-foot wide road will be built to upgrade the district road to a highway, the RHD official said.

The road in question has been in shambles for over a year, causing immense suffering for the commuters.

The road is frequently used by heavy vehicles, which carry stones from the Bholaganj stone quarry – the largest in Bangladesh – to the rest of the country.

Its condition is especially bad in Dupalgul, Borni, Companiganj, Tuker Bazar, Porua and Bholaganj areas.

Locals said the frequent plying of stone-laden trucks created large potholes in the road and made commuting in the area very difficult and time consuming, with frequent occurrences of road accidents.

between Sylhet and Companiganj is 27km. If the road is in good condition, it takes around 45 minutes to go to Sylhet from Companiganj. But with the current state of the road, we have to spend an hour and a half to two hours to get to Sylhet. This road is like a curse for us.”

The Sylhet Sadar-Companiganj Unnoyon Parishad and local residents have been pressing the local administration to repair the road for a long time.

The RHD started preparing the project proposal after Communication Minister Obaidul Quader instructed them to start the process to repair the dilapidated road after visiting the site on May 14.

“This road is affected with cancer.

We will take immediate actions to repair it,” the minister said. l

The Sylhet-Companiganj-Bholaganj road near Osmani Airport is in shambles and needs immediate repair work. The photo was taken recently DHAKA TRIBUNE

Three JMB bombing cases await disposal for nine years

Ferry service on Mawa-Kawrakandi route disrupted again

n Our Correspondent, Khulna

n Tribune Report

Three cases out of four filed in Khulna, regarding the simultaneous bombings in 63 districts back in 2005, have not yet been disposed of, though nine years have passed.

Bombs went off in 10 different places in Khulna on August 17 and four cases were lodged in this connection.

Militants were punished in one of the cases and the remaining three are still sub judice.

Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militants took credit for the explosions.

There were blasts beside Dakbungalow Jam-e Masjid, near Rupsha Government Primary School, near Latif

Filling Station, near Khulna Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, to the east of Daulatpur BL College and several other places.

Explosions near a Khulna University dormitory left a number of people, including two children, injured. Police recovered JMB leaflets from the spot.

On the day, police filed four cases with police stations in Khulna Sadar, Sonadanga, Daulatpur and Batiaghata against JMB chief Shayakh Abdur Rahman and a number of unnamed men.

The accused in all four cases were the same. The names of Abdur Rahman and Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai were dropped from the cases as the two were sent to the gallows.

The cases filed with Khulna Sadar,

Sonadanga and Daulatpur police stations are now under trial at Khulna Special Tribunal 9, though testimonies have yet to be recorded.

The verdict in the case filed with Batiaghata police station was pronounced on May 31, 2010. The convicts were sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment and were fined Tk25,000 each.

In default, the court said the criminals would be serving two more years in jail.

Khulna Public Prosecutor Advocate Kazi Abu Shahin said recording of testimonies in the three pending cases would be finished soon.

“In each of the cases, only two to three individuals are going to testify. The verdicts will then be pronounced following other proceedings,” he added. l

Strong current and on going erosion in the Padma River are disrupting the ferry services on Mawa-Kawrakandi waterway. On Friday, four ferries halted operation due to a strong current resulting in only 12 ferries, including Ro Ro, transporting a large number of vehicles.

The setting up of the third ferry terminal is also being hampered by the strong current and sudden erosion.

Shortage of ferries and terminals have resulted in transfer time stretching to as long as 5-7 hours.

The sluggish service has stranded more than 500 vehicles, carrying passengers and goods, on the Mawa side for the last 3-4 days creating a two kilo-

metre long tailback. Assistant Manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), Shekhor Chandra Roy said, construction of the third ferry terminal was underway but it could not be confirmed when the terminal would be operational.

In the meantime, the Ro Ro ferry terminal had started operating on Thursday after 45 hours of suspension. The ferry terminal-2 had been converted into the Ro Ro ferry terminal after the latter collapsed due to erosion on Tuesday.

The main ferry terminal at Mawa was destroyed by erosion in 2012. The new terminal is also now at risk of being inoperable. However, the authority seemed nonchalant about this.

Assistant General Manager of BI-

Mugger killed in mob beating in Khulna n Our Correspondent, Khulna

20 Kuet students injured in mass beating

n Our Correspondent, Khulna At least 20 students of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) received injuries in an altercation with Fulbari Gate residents of Khulna city on Thursday evening.

Critically injured students, Emon, Sihan, Al Amin, Dip and Ahad, were admitted to Khulna Medical College and Hospital.

Kuet official Monoj Kumar Dey said the students were spending time at the Fulbari Gate area as usual. At one point they got involved in an altercation with the local people, who reportedly beat the students up. After the matter was settled by local leaders, the students were again beaten by another group of people. Later the students, teachers and officials of the university had a meeting regarding the incident. l

WEATHER

DRIZZLE SATURDAY, AUGUST 23 DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 6:26PM SUN RISES 5:36AM FORECAST FOR TODAY Dhaka

32

26

Chittagong

30

26

Rajshahi

32

26

Rangpur

31

26

Khulna

31

25

Barisal

31

25

Sylhet

29

24

Cox’s Bazar

30

26

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

35.2ºC Rajshahi

24.8ºC Chittagong

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:18am 5:35am 12:01am 4:35pm 6:26pm 7:45pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

WTC, AKM Ashiquzzaman Chowdhury said: “The situation will not improve unless all the three terminals are operating. It can take another 10-15 days to set up the third terminal. Until then, the terminal-2 will have to do the job.”

More than 60 business establishments have gone under water since the erosion began last Tuesday. Another 20-25 shops and establishments are being relocated to escape the erosion.

The traffic situation is worse on the Kawrakandi point, where about thousand vehicles have been stranded for the last two days. The four kilometre long tailback has surpassed Haji Shariatullah Bridge area adding to the suffering of thousands of people in the 21 districts. l

Celebrities take part in a human chain protesting food adulteration in the capital yesterday

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Theatre artistes demand steps to ensure safe food n Abu Hayat Mahmud Theatre artistes, performers, playwrights, directors and producers demanded measures to ensure the supply of adulteration-free and safe food to protect people from serious health hazards.

The cultural activists under the banner of the Movement for Food Safety, presented their demand forming a human chain at Karwan Bazar in the capital yesterday.

“Adulterated food have flooded the country. A section of unscrupulous traders mix various chemicals, including formalin and carbide, in fruits, vegetables and fish to do quick business,” said Mamunur Rashid, a theatre artiste, playwright and director. Chemically enhanced food have adverse effects on the human body, said the popular actor.

“Businessmen can do anything they want just to earn huge profit as they

have a liaison with influential politicians,” he said.

He said some food companies were involved with food adulteration and even a few pharmaceutical companies were also adulterating medicine, but there were no exemplary punishment to stop this practice.

“We would like to congratulate the Dhaka Metropolitan Police as it has set up check posts at the several points of the capital to stop the entrance of chemically-mixed food into the city.”

But, it is not a permanent solution to check fruits adulteration. Authorities concerned should take initiatives to stop this at its roots, where growers put chemicals in fruits.

He said mango growers of Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi spray chemicals when flowers of the fruits started blooming.

Artiste Mohammad Bari said: “Access to safe food is a right of consum-

ers, but people are being deprived of their rights. Food adulteration and mixing chemicals in food is present in almost all food items.”

“Due to a widespread in adulterated food in market, we are fear feeding our children,” he added.

Artiste Momena Chowdhury said: “Unless the government takes proper and effective steps, hopeless people have no option, but to consume toxic chemically-treated food.”

About the Movement for Food Safety, she said: “It is a social not political platform. So we are urging everyone to join the platform to raise their voice against food adulteration.”

Khalilur Rahman, former general secretary of Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh, demanded the government move to ensure safe food, more stringent punishment against dishonest traders and to launch raids at food factories and warehouses by formulating anti-adulteration teams. l

A listed mugger was beaten to death by an angry mob early yesterday in Basupara area of Khulna city.

The dead Faizul Islam, 31, was the son of Akbor Ali and a resident of the same area.

Sources said the incident took place after Faizul mugged a person around 3:45am near the second gate of Basupara graveyard. Hearing the victim’s screams, locals went to the scene and caught Faizul escaping.

The mob started to beat him and at one point they hacked at Faizul with the sharp weapon he had been carrying, injuring him on the back of his head, the sources added.

SI Sawkat Hossain of Shonadanga police station said Faizul was a listed mugger. When police rescued him, he was in a critical condition, and so was taken to Khulna Medical College Hospital.

There he succumbed to his injuries around 8am, the SI added. On Thursday, a gang of muggers snatched Tk60 lakh from a bussinesmman in the industrial city. l

Dan Mozena satisfied with healthcare in Bangladesh n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong After visiting the Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) yesterday morning the US Ambassador to Dhaka Dan Mozena expressed his satisfaction in the quality of healthcare services in Bangladesh.

Answering the questions posed by journalists, he said, “Bangladesh achieved remarkable development in healthcare sector while the USA has a credit behind the development.”

“The rate of child death and maternal death reduced in Bangladesh to a great extent because of the bilateral relationship with US healthcare sector.”

The US ambassador arrived at CMCH around 9:45am where he inspected the Child Surgery Ward for an hour and talked to patients about the healthcare services which received at the hospital.

Expressing his satisfaction, he said physicians of the country’s second biggest hospital are giving treatment to the patients cordially while the CMCH also provides modern techno-based special treatment to its patients.

“The Bangladeshi physicians are acquiring more knowledge about technologies in the health sector by visiting hospitals in the USA and they can serve the patients with their newly acquired knowledge,” he said.

He said the USA would assist Bangladesh in health sector in future.

During the inspection, the CMCH Director Brigadier General Khondokar Shahidul Gani, Principal of Chittagong Medical College Selim Mohammad Jahangir, CMCH Child Surgery Ward Chairman Dr Tahmina accompanied Mozena.

Officials from the US embassy in Dhaka was also present during the visit. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Saturday, August 23, 2014

of another ‘Pinak 6 Patients deprived of healthcare Body victim’ recovered n Asaduzzaman Ripon, Narsingdi

The 51 union sub-centers and 194 community clinics in Narsingdi frustrate locals of the district with poor quality services.

The ill maintained clinics and healthcare centers remain closed most of the time and when they are open, most of the employees are found to be absent.

The locals complained that the Community Health Care Providers (CHCP) are not trained properly. Moreover, they do not come to the clinics regularly. The CHCP, when they are available, do not give the patients anything other than paracetamol and antacids, though the 31 types of medicines supplied by the government every three months

are shown distributed among the patients regularly, the locals also complained. They said many CHCPs have their own pharmacies and they sell the medicines supplied by the government through their pharmacies.

This reporter found the community clinics in Gojaria union and Chinishpur union closed last Saturday.

Mobarak Hossain, a local from the Noakanda village, said the Noakanda Community Clinic is open only for two hours, from 9am to 11am, on Saturdays and Sundays.

Buruj Mia, from Narshingharchar area, said the employees of the community clinics open and close the clinics as they wish.

On the other hand, patients can-

not find proper services from the 51 union sub-centers in the district. The physicians’ posts in 7 of the union sub-centers are vacant, and appointed doctors from the other sub-centers are working on deputation in different hospitals in the district. Besides, many of the doctors cannot visit their offices regularly because of the lack of facilities in their union offices.

Rafiqul Islam, the UP chairman of Char Ujilab under Belabo upazila, said no doctor occupies the office in that union sub-center, and he does not know why.

When contacted, Syed Md Sajjad Jalal, the doctor posted in that union, said he is currently performing his duties in the Belabo Upazila Health Com-

plex, because of the want of physicians there. Besides, the infrastructure in that union sub-center is not developed completely.

The District Civil Surgeon Dr Putul Roy told to the Dhaka Tribune that maybe some doctors and employees are negligent, but it is not true that the locals cannot find any services from those community clinics and union and sub-centers.

The civil surgeon also informed that recently she sent a show cause notice to eight of the CHCPs from the Belabo upazila, when she could not find any of them available in their offices, and assured this reporter that any other irregularities will be dealt with appropriate measures. l

n Our Correspondent, Barisal Police recovered a man’s dead body from the Sugandha River near Nalcity upazila in Jhalakathi yesterday. The man’s relatives claim that he was a passenger on the capsized Pinak-6.

Abul Khair, officer-in-charge of Nalcity police station, said people from Magor village saw a body floating on the river and informed police around 7:30am yesterday.

Police rushed to the spot and recovered the corpse, which was wearing a checked-shirt and white pants.

After searching the pants pockets, police recovered a mobile phone set from which they recovered the SIM and

Pneumonia outbreak in Shoronkhola n Our Correspondent, Bagerhat

Growers stockpile these gourds at Dhomhini kitchen market in Rajshahi yesterday. Farmers of the district have witnessed a bumper yield of the vegetable this year AZAHAR UDDIN

Transport workers observe strike n Our Correspondent, Bandarban

Vehicular movement in Bandarban was at a halt from yesterday morning as transport workers observed a strike protesting the attack on a bus driver.

However, the transport strike which had started from 8:30am was with-

drawn in the afternoon around 3:30pm after transport worker leaders assured the protesters that necessary steps would be taken against the assaulter.

According to locals, a bus driver named Gafur was assaulted by another driver, Helal, of a private vehicle on Thursday night near the city's

Hafezghona bus station. Protesting the incident, transport workers observed the strike and demanded the immediate punishment of the attacker.

Additional police were also deployed in different stations of the city to avoid any untoward situation during the strike, the locals added. l

More than 500 children have been affected with pneumonia at Shoronkhola upazila in Bagerhat since the first week of June, says an unofficial estimate.

Doctors have attributed the outbreak to the change of weather.

Of the affected children, over 200 were admitted to Shoronkhola Upazila Health Complex while the rest were treated locally.

According to the register book, 59 children with pneumonia symptoms were admitted there in June, 77 in July and 67 between August 1-20.

On Thursday, 11 children received treatment at the hospital. This number is increasing daily. Fortunately, no child has reportedly died from this disease yet.

Hafsa Begum from Pashchim Kodomtola, Sumi Begum from Rajoir vil-

Two drown at Dhapna Haor n Our Correspondent, Sylhet Two persons drowned while they were visiting a haor in Sylhet yesterday.

The deceased are Moinul Islam, 40, and his nephew Maruf, 10, of Fakirergaon village under Sylhet sadar upazila.

Locals said Moinul took his children and nephews on a boat trip to the Dhapna Haor. The boat capsized when the children on board tried to pluck some water lilies. The local fishermen managed to rescue all of the children except Maruf. Moinul died on the spot while frantically trying to save the children. l

lage, Dulia Akhter from Sonatola village, and Shimu Begum from Uttor Kodomtola, have admitted their children to the health complex.

They told the Dhaka Tribune that many more children were affected with pneumonia in their villages, but they had not come here, preferring to treat their children locally. Normally, a guardian does not take their child to hospital unless the condition worsens.

The health complex has run out of pneumonia injections and so doctors are suggesting that the relatives of the patients buy the injections from outside.

However, most patients are poor and are struggling to buy these.

When Shoronkhola Upazila Health Officer Subrata Kumar Saha was asked about this all, he admitted the outbreak as well as the fact that the health complex had run out of pneumonia shots. l

called a number saved on it.

The person who received the call said the phone belonged to Mintu Molla, 24, the son of Salam Molla from Krishnadia village under Moksudpur upazila of Gopalganj district, said the OC. Mintu was a cloth merchant at Sylhet and he was returning to his workplace after spending the Eid vacation at his native village. He was thought to be one of the missing passengers from Pinak-6, said Mintu's uncle Abdur Rahman.

On hearing about the recovery of the body, Mintu’s relatives rushed to Nalcity police station and after going through certain formalities, they collected the body from police, said the OC of Nalcity police station. l

Housewife murdered in Nawabganj n Tribune Desk A housewife was killed by unknown miscreants in Nawabganj upazila of Dhaka district early yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Nurjahan, 30, of Garibpur village in the upazila.

Police detained victim’s father-inlaw M Manik, brother-in-law Swapan and her co-wife Lucky Begum for interrogation in this connection. Sagar, 13, son of the deceased, said four miscreants stormed into their house in the early hours by breaking open a window.

Later, they tied his mother and sister Nodi, 9, with ropes and beat them brutally before leaving the place, reports UNB. Locals rushed to the house hearing the screams of its inmates and rescued the victims. Nurjahan was whisked off to Nawabganj Upazila Health Complex on Friday morning where doctors declared her dead. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

7

Saturday, August 23, 2014

30 Sunnis killed in Iraqi mosque n Reuters, Baghdad Iraqi Shi’ite militiamen opened fire on minority Sunni Muslims in a mosque yesterday, killing dozens just as Baghdad is trying to build a cross-community government to fight Sunni Islamists whose rise has alarmed Western powers.

One Iraqi security source said 30 people had been killed when the militias attacked the mosque in Baquba, capital of Diyala province northeast of Baghdad, on the Muslim day of prayer. Some witnesses put the death toll higher.

The bloodbath marks a setback for Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi, from the majority Shi’ite community, who is seeking support from Sunnis and ethnic Kurds to take on the Islamic State insurgency that is threatening to tear Iraq apart.

In the northern city of Mosul, Islamic State stoned a man to death, witnesses said, as the United States raised the prospect of tackling jihadist safe havens across the border in Syria.

The bloodbath marks a setback for Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi who is seeking support from Sunnis and ethnic Kurds to take on the Islamic State insurgency In a regional conflict which is throwing up dilemmas for governments from Washington to London to Baghdad and Tehran, any US action against Islamic State in Syria would risk making common cause with President Bashar al-Assad - the man it has wanted overthrown in a three-year uprising.

Islamic State, which this week released a video showing the beheading of American journalist James Foley, stoned the man to death in Mosul after one of its self-appointed courts sentenced him for adultery, the witnesses said.

The stoning, which happened on Thursday, was the first known instance of the punishment by Islamic State militants in Iraq since it seized large areas of the country in a June offensive. Having poured in from Syria across a desert border that it does not recognised, the movement has declared its own caliphate.

Similar stonings by the radical Sunni group have been previously reported in Syria, where it split from al Qaeda. Islamic State is the most powerful rebel group fighting Assad’s forces in a civil war which the United Nations said has claimed almost 200,000 lives at the very least.

Iraqi government forces - which at first put up little serious resistance - are starting to fight back.

Along with fighters from the Iraq’s Kurdish autonomous region, they tried on Friday to recapture two towns near the Iranian border, security sources said, backed by US airpower and Iraqi fighter planes.

Non-existent border

President Barack Obama’s decision to authorise air strikes in Iraq for the first time since US troops pulled out in 2011 has helped to slow the militants’ offensive. However, America’s top soldier acknowledged that the internationally recognised frontier between Iraq and Syria, over which the militants have free passage, no longer meant much in the wider conflict.

General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, suggested Islamic State would remain a danger until it could no longer count on safe havens in Syria.

“This is an organization that has an apocalyptic, end-of- days strategic vision and which will eventually have to be defeated,” he told reporters in Washington on Thursday.

“To your question, can they be defeated without addressing that part of their organisation which resides in Syria?

The answer is no. That will have to be addressed on both sides of what is essentially at this point a non-existent border.”

Obama came close to ordering air strikes on Syria last year, but they would have been against Assad’s forces which are fighting Islamic State in the complex civil war involving a range of factions battling each other.

At least 191,369 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict up to April, more than double the figure documented a year ago and probably still an under-estimate, the United Nations human rights office said on Friday.

Obama had intended to punish Assad for using chemical weapons in the three-year civil war - charges Damascus denied - but the air strikes were cancelled after a Russian-brokered deal under which Syria surrendered its chemical arsenal. l

A Palestinian boy, along with supporters of Hamas, holds a representation of a rocket as others shout slogans to protest against Israel and to support people in Gaza, during a demonstration in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Friday. Hamas-led gunmen in Gaza executed 18 Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel yesterday, a day after Israel tracked down and killed three top Hamas commanders, the highest-ranking militants to be killed in the six-week war. Story on page 1 AP

British Muslims blame jihadi subculture after beheading video n Reuters, London/Baghdad A British Muslim leader has called for action to tackle a jihadi sub-culture after an Islamic State video showed a suspected Briton beheading US journalist James Foley, held hostage in Syria.

In Washington, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the threat from Islamic State was “beyond anything we’ve seen” and the US Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into the death of Foley on the video, which featured a masked man speaking English with a British accent.

As Western officials tried to identify the man, the Muslim Council of Britain denounced Foley’s “abhorrent murder” and one of its advisers urged anyone who knows the killer’s identity to contact the police.

Horror at the video spanned from the West to Baghdad, where Iraqis asked why the United States and its allies had not cracked down on Islamic State fighters long before they captured large areas of Syria and Iraq.

Foley, 40, was beheaded by an Islamic State militant in the video that surfaced on the Internet on Tuesday, and officials in Washington revealed that US special forces had tried unsuccessfully to rescue him along with other American hostages earlier this summer.

A firefight between the US forces and Islamic State militants during the rescue attempt appeared to be the first direct ground engagement between the two sides.

The video caused particular shock in Britain, which is home to about 2.7 million Muslims, although the hundreds

of British men fighting alongside the militants in Iraq and Syria have created concern for some time.

Iqbal Sacranie, an adviser to the Muslim Council of Britain, said Britons from across the country’s communities had to stop young men being seduced by radical ideologies.

“This sub culture of this ‘jihadi-cool’ - as they call it in the media - within the margins of society ... that is the real challenge,” he told BBC Radio. “This is a problem that affects all of us and it will only be dealt with more effectively if all of us are working together on this.”

Sacranie said the Muslim community was pushing the message that “this is totally alien to Islam” and families were reporting to the authorities when they discovered their sons had headed to the Middle East to fight. l

Why did US refuse Islamic State’s ransom demand for Foley?

Indonesian presidentelect sets to-do list

n Tribune Desk

n Reuters, Jakarta

The revelation that militants of the Islamic State terrorist organization sought a ransom in exchange for the release of American journalist James Foley is putting a new spotlight on the US government’s strict no-ransom policy.

The US, according a report by The Christian Science Monitor, has a longtime policy spanning administrations of both major political parties that categorically rules out paying ransom to terrorists for American citizens based on the conviction that paying for one hostage now leads to more hostage taking later.

“It’s a terribly difficult decision of course, but the idea behind not paying the kidnappers is that when you do, you encourage the activity for someone else,” says Mathew Levitt, an expert on Islamist terrorism and US counterterrorism policy at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP). “You end up with more groups adopting the practice, and more of your citizens being kidnapped.”

In addition, the US rejects the practice as a pernicious perpetuation of terrorism – to the extent that, unlike any other country, the US will actually prosecute a private company or organization that pays a ransom for an employee on a charge of funding terrorism.

The US also believes that its policy is working. Senior officials are on record in recent years stating publicly that the relatively low number of abductions of Americans by Al Qaeda and its affiliates over the last decade – especially compared with abductions of citizens of European countries that do pay ransoms – is evidence of terrorists’ recognition that kidnapped Americans are not a valuable commodity.

“We know that hostage-takers looking for ransoms distinguish between those governments that pay ransoms and those that do not,” said David Cohen, the Treasury Department’s undersecretary

President-elect Joko Widodo will sit down with Indonesia’s outgoing leader next week in the hope of reaching an agreement to raise fuel prices before the handover in October, a move that would help ease budget-sapping subsidy costs.

The Constitutional Court on Thursday gave Widodo the green light to lead Southeast Asia’s largest economy from its worst slowdown since the global financial crisis. The court, as expected, unanimously upheld last month’s presidential election result, rejecting a last-ditch attempt by losing candidate Prabowo Subianto to force a re-vote. Widodo will begin his five-year term on Oct. 20.

Indonesia markets responded positively to the ruling on Friday. The rupiah and Indonesian government

This 2011 file photo shows US journalist James Foley speaking at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications in Evanston, Illinois, after being released from imprisonment in Libya REUTERS for terrorism and financial intelligence, in a London speech in 2012. “Recent kidnapping-for-ransom trends appear to indicate that hostage-takers prefer not to take US and UK hostages,” he added, “almost certainly because they understand that they will not receive ransoms.”

Like the US, the United Kingdom stands out from other Western nations by its refusal to pay ransoms (Although unlike the US, it apparently does not seek to prosecute companies or organizations that do pay ransoms for employees). Other European countries, including France, Spain, and Switzerland, are known to pay ransoms – and some experts would say that the relatively high number of their citizens abducted by Al Qaeda proves that paying ransoms only abets more kidnapping.

Indeed the US and UK are so confident of their no-ransom policies that they have spearheaded international efforts to end the practice – through a United Nations Security Council resolution adopted earlier this year, and an agreement signed by G8 counties at

their 2013 summit.

Still, the no-ransom policy is leading to difficult questions, such as could a sum of dollars – reports are that IS, also known as ISIS, was seeking up to $132m for Foley – have saved an American citizen from an appalling and grisly fate at the hands of his captors? Does the policy doom other Americans in IS hands, including journalist Steven Sotloff ?

WINEP’s Levitt says the answers to such questions become murkier when dealing with a group as demonstrably brutal (and with different objectives from those of Al Qaeda) as IS. An organization like Al Qaeda in the Maghreb has proven to be largely focused on amassing funds for Al Qaeda activities, and that has made Western hostages a particularly valuable commodity to that group, Levitt says. But other groups, including IS, “see the US as their primary enemy – and sometimes as a result it’s not always or even primarily about a ransom for them” when they are handling their American hostages. l

bonds rallied, while stocks hit a near 15-month high before turning negative.

With the legal hurdles out of the way, the 53-year-old Widodo is expected to step down soon as Jakarta governor to focus more on the transition.

Atop Widodo’s agenda is to address a ballooning fuel subsidy bill that is eating up on an already tight budget and threatening investor confidence by widening the current account deficit.

“I need spending space,” Widodo told reporters on Friday. “If we can do (the price hike) now, it will be a lighter burden.” A presidential spokesman said outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would meet with his successor next week.

Widodo and Yudhoyono have already held private talks about an increase in fuel prices. l

Russian aid convoy ‘invades Ukraine’ n Tribune Desk A senior official in Kiev has accused Russia of “invading” Ukraine after Russian humanitarian aid lorries crossed the border without permission, calling it “a flagrant violation” of international law.

Security chief Valentyn Nalyvaychenko said it was a “direct invasion” but no force would be used against the convoy, BBC reported.

Russia began sending in its lorries, stranded at the border for more than a week, after formally accusing Ukraine of unreasonable obstruction. The aid is destined for civilians in the east Ukraine war zone. Reports suggest the lorries are being escorted by rebel fighters.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was not part of

the convoy “in any way.” Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign ministry has warned Ukraine not to take any action against the convoy, without specifying the consequences.

Ukraine fears that the aid convoy of at least 260 lorries, which arrived at the border more than a week ago, is part of a broader Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine. Russia denies accusations that it arms and trains the rebels in Luhansk and the neighbouring region of Donetsk, where four months of fighting have left more than 2,000 people dead and caused more than 330,000 people to flee their homes.

The rebel-held city of Luhansk has been without running water, power and phone communications for 20 days as government forces hold it under siege. l

NEWS BITES

Death toll from Syrian civil war tops 191,000

n AP, Geneva The death toll from three years of Syria’s civil war has risen to more than 191,000 people, the United Nations reported yesterday. The figure, covering the period from March 2011 to April 2014, is the first issued by the UN’s human rights office since July 2013, when it documented more than 100,000 killed.

The high death toll is a reflection of the brutality of Syria’s conflict, which has transformed into a complex, multi-layered war where various factions fight against each other. It also reflects the recent surge in deadly attacks by the al-Qaida-breakaway Islamic State group targeting rival militant groups, mainstream Western-backed Syrian rebels and Kurdish militiamen in northern Syria as it seeks to eliminate opponents and consolidate its hold on territory and resources. l

Americans among 12,000 foreign fighters in Syria

n AFP, Washington

Some 12,000 foreign jihadists from 50 countries, including Americans, have gone to fight in Syria since the conflict began, the US State Department said late on Thursday. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, estimated that more than 100 US citizens have traveled or tried to travel to Syria to join the conflict. They have traveled to join radical groups including the Islamic State (IS), militants fighting the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria who have expanded into neighboring Iraq.

“We think that there are approximately 12,000 fighters from at least 50 countries in Syria – foreign fighters, including a small number of Americans – that may have traveled to Syria since the beginning of the conflict” more than three years ago, said deputy State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf.

“They may all not still be there,” she said, without revealing an estimated number of Americans. l

‘Monkey doesn’t own his selfie’

n Tribune Desk The US Copyright Office has confirmed that a monkey — or any other animal — that takes a selfie does not own the copyright of the photo. A selfie taken by a black macaque on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi three years back has become a tug of war between Wikipedia and the photographer who claims he is the owner of the selfie. Wikipedia has refused to remove the famous selfie, saying the monkey — not the photographer — owns the copyright because the animal took it.

In an update to copyright regulations and practices published last week, the US regulator spelled out examples of works that are not eligible for protection. These include “a photograph taken by a monkey” and “a mural painted by an elephant,” says a report in National Journal. l

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Prescription

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Don’t be lazy about ‘lazy eye’ of children Amblyopia, commonly called lazy eye is decreased vision that results from abnormal visual development during infancy and early childhood. Lazy eye, usually affecting only one eye, is the leading cause of decreased vision among children. Left untreated, vision will never develop correctly in that eye

n Prescription Desk

screening). Occasionally, parents will notice a squint (strabismus) when one eye appears to be misaligned. Under certain conditions (eg where there is strabismus, droopy eye lid, or obstruction to the visual axis), your doctor may need to screen your child regularly for amblyopia.

Amblyopia, commonly known as lazy eye, is the eye condition noted by reduced vision not correctable by glasses or contact lensHEALTH es, and is not the result FLASH of any eye disease. The brain, for some reason, does not fully acknowledge the images seen by the amblyopic eye. This almost always affects only one eye, but may manifest with reduction of vision in both eyes.

It is estimated that three percent of children under six have some form of amblyopia. According to researchers at New York University’s Center for Neural Science, amblyopia results from developmental problems in the brain.

What kind of treatments are available?

BIGSTOCK

To combat this, the child’s brain generally chooses to ignore the image from the deviated eye, causing the vision in that eye to deteriorate. It’s this misalignment of the eyes that leads some people to call amblyopia “lazy eye.”

In other cases, a child cannot see well in one eye because something blocks light from getting through, such as a cataract or a small amount of blood

or other material in the back of the eye.

Lazy eye (amblyopia) is the poor vision due to incomplete visual development within the brain. The human brain requires visual stimulation to develop fully. Anything that interferes with clear vision in either eye between birth to 8 years of age, can cause amblyopia.

Early diagnosis increases the chance of successful treatment, as after the age of

Dietary fibres prevent heart attack and diabetes Soluble fibre may help lower total cholesterol levels, mainly by lowering the LDL-cholesterol or “bad” cholesterol. Fibre appears to help bile acids which are made of cholesterol to pass through the intestine as waste. Thus, the body absorbs less dietary cholesterol.

8 years, visual impairment may become permanent. Conversely, if your child does not have amblyopia by age 8 years, then he/she is unlikely to develop it.

How do I know if my child has lazy eye?

Children with amblyopia often do not complain of poor vision, and a problem is sometimes first noted when vision in both eyes is tested (eg in school visual

Truth about LDL and HDL n Prescription Desk

A heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), is permanent damage to the heart muscle.

“Myo” means muscle, “cardial” refers to the heart, and “infarction” means death of tissue due to lack of blood supply. In a heart attack, heart muscles have lack of blood supply, and for this the affected heart muscle dies out. Thus, the heart becomes weak and is unable to pump properly.

Someone having a heart attack may experience any or all of the following: l Uncomfortable pressure, fullness or squeezing pain in the center of the chest l Prolonged pain in the upper abdomen l Discomfort or pain spreading beyond the chest to the shoulders, neck, jaw, teeth, or one or both arms l Shortness of breath l Lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting l Sweating l Nausea A heart attack generally causes chest pain for more than 15 minutes, but it can also have no symptoms at all. Many people who experience a heart attack have warning signs hours, days or weeks in advance.

If you’ve been told that you have high blood cholesterol, DID YOU don’t worry.

KNOW? Making some changes to your diet can go a long way towards lowering your cholesterol levels.

By cutting back on unhealthy fats, replacing them with “healthier options,” and eating more fibre-rich foods, many people see a drop in their cholesterol levels and are often able to avoid taking cholesterol-lowering medication.

What to do if you or someone else may be having a heart attack

Foods high in soluble fibre: l Oats, barley, oat bran, psyllium husk l Legumes – peas, beans, lentils l Fruits such as apple, orange and pear l Carrots l Foods high in insoluble fibre: l Brown rice, whole wheat, wheat bran l Seeds and nuts l Many kinds of vegetables including green leafy vegetables, cabbage and tomato

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that your body naturally produces. It is needed for a variety of functions, including the formation of cell membranes and production of certain hormones, vitamin D and bile acids.

You can have an excess of cholesterol if your body makes more than it needs, or if there is too much cholesterol in your diet (as your body does not adjust its own production accordingly).

Lipids (fat) such as cholesterol are insoluble in water and therefore carried throughout the body by special proteins called lipoproteins. There are two types of lipoproteins, commonly known as low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

BIGSTOCK

LDL

LDL brings the cholesterol to where it is needed in the body. However, if

Adequate dietary fibre intake has many health benefits

BIGSTOCK

BIGSTOCK

What is cholesterol?

Best dietary sources of fibre

Here is what an adequate fibre diet could do for you: l Promotes a healthier bowel function: Dietary fibre increases the weight of stool and softens it. The stooI passes through the intestinal tract easily, thus it reduces the need for strained bowel movements. This helps maintain bowel health and to avoid constipation. In addition, insoluble fibre decreases the transit time of food waste through the intestinal tract. This reduces the period of time when potentially harmful substances in food waste can come in contact with the intestinal wall. l Helps to control blood sugar level: Soluble fibre slows down the release of sugars from digested food into the bloodstream, thus preventing a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. This can help people with type 2 diabetes improve their blood sugar levels. l Helps in weight management. l Lowers cholesterol levels:

Firstly, if there is abnormal vision, the child needs to be given appropriate spectacles which needs to be worn all the time. Next, the child needs to be encouraged to use the lazy eye. This is usually done by patching or covering the good eye, often for several hours per day.

Treatment may take months, and even years, and is often more effective when started earlier. When amblyopia is detected too late (eg after the age of 8 years) it may not be possible to reverse the visual damage. It is therefore important that you have your child checked if you or the school health services suspects or picks up a potential problem. l

BIGSTOCK

Your child is at a higher risk if he or she has: l High amounts of astigmatism, long-sightedness (hyperopia) or short-sightedness (myopia) l Large differences in spectacle power between the two eyes l Obstruction of vision by congenital defects such as droopy eyelid (ptosis), cataracts or other lesions in the eye l Strabismus or squints where the eye that is misaligned is not used

FOOD THERAPY

Adequate amounts of dietary fibre intake can promote good health. Researchers recommend a daily dietary fibre intake of 20g for women and 26g for men. Dietary fibres are parts of plant foods that your body can’t digest. There are two types of fibre: soluble and insoluble fibre. “Both types of fibre are important for optimal health,” says Chong Ai Heong, a dietitian from the Department of Dietetics at Singapore General Hospital.

Soluble fibre dissolves in water to become gummy or viscous, promotes the excretion of fatty substances such as cholesterol and helps to regulate the body’s use of sugars.

Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water, but adds bulk and softness to stools. Thus, insoluble fibre promotes bowel regularity.

What to do during heart attack

What puts my child at risk?

What causes lazy eye (amblyopia)?

Amblyopia usually starts when one eye has much better focus than the other eye. For example, one eye might be very farsighted or have a lot of astigmatism, while the other does not. When a child’s brain is confronted with both a blurry image and a clear one, it begins to ignore the blurry image. If this goes on for months or years in a young child, the vision in the eye that sees the blurry image will deteriorate.

Another cause of amblyopia is squints (strabismus), which is an ocular misalignment, meaning that one eye turns inward or outward. This prevents the eyes from focusing together on an image and may cause double vision.

QUICK TIPS

BIGSTOCK

there is an excess of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream, it gets deposited on the walls of arteries. Over time, this build-up, called plaque, causes the arteries to narrow and can result in a heart attack or stroke if the blood flow to the heart or brain gets cut-off. That’s why LDL-cholesterol is called the “bad” cholesterol.

HDL

HDL is called the “good” cholesterol because it carries excess cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream back to the liver where it is broken down and eliminated. A high level of HDL-cholesterol lowers your risk of developing plaque in your arteries and protects you against heart

l

Call your local emergency.

Don’t tough out the symptoms of a heart attack for more than five minutes. If you don’t have access to emergency medical services, inform a neighbor or a friend.

l

Swallow 300gm aspirin, unless you’re allergic to aspirin or have been told by your doctor never to take aspirin.

l

Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed. If you think you are having a heart attack and your doctor has previously prescribed nitroglycerin for you, take it as directed. l

disease and stroke.

Cholesterol in a nutshell

High LDL-cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke, whereas high HDL-cholesterol counteracts this risk. Your total cholesterol includes both your LDL and HDL. “High cholesterol” typically refers to high LDL-cholesterol.

Cholesterol levels optimal for both men and women: Total cholesterol less than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or 5.2 mmol/L LDL cholesterol less than 130 mg/ dL or 3.3 mmol/L HDL cholesterol greater than 40 mg/dL or 1.0 mmol/L l

| Compiled by: Shirsho Saaeadat

Cautions about abdominal pain n Dr Rabi Biswas

BIGSTOCK

Fibre supplements Fibre supplements do not have the same health benefits as naturally occurring high-fibre foods.

We should be eating more natural fibre which is found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts rather than taking fibre supplements.

Include more vegetables and fruits in meals. Try to take fruitd after meals or have it as a snack, besides this, try to have fruits with its skin. l

| Compiled by Dr Kazi Mahbuba Akhtar

Approximately 20% of children will seek attention for abdominal pain at some time during their childhood. The pain could be acute or recurrent in nature and often may be associated HEALTH with other symptoms, such as ALERT vomiting and diarrhoea.

The abdominal pain may arise from gastrointestinal causes or non-gastrointestinal causes.

Common causes include constipation, infant colic and gastroenteritis. However, some of these children could be suffering from more serious conditions such as obstruction of the intestines, bleeding in the intestines and appendicitis, which need medical attention as soon as possible.

Consult your doctor when the following

problems arise: l

l l l l l l l l l l

Any of the symptoms, eg pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, becomes worse within 12 - 24 hours.

Pain becomes localised (e.g. in the right lower abdomen as in appendicitis) The pain is severe and lasts more than 1 hour The pain is constant and lasts more than 2 hours Abdomen becomes painful to touch Abdomen becomes distended There is fresh blood in the urine, stool, or vomit Stool becomes black, sticky, and foul smelling Your child is unable to retain any fluid Your child is lethargic Vomit is greenish in colour

The writer is child specialist, Dhaka Shishu Hospital BIGSTOCK

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Heritage

Saturday, August 23, 2014

9

Genghis Khan’s raids, and Bangladesh

T

n Tim Steel he geography, as well as the history, rejects any possibility that the infamous Genghis Khan, who it may well be argued, left a mark on the history of the world, and even Bangladesh, unmatched by many, or even arguably, any other man, ever visited the lands that are now Bangladesh.

But there is a thick, rich vein that runs through human history from the 12th century onward, even to this day, that marks the effects of the life story of him, his sons and grandsons. And that vein runs as richly, even through the lands that are now Bangladesh; arguably, more richly than most, as it does anywhere.

There is little doubt that the way he turned the late 12th and early 13th centuries in Asia and Europe upside down, has left an enduring inheritance. To his works, in Bangladesh, we owe the Khilji and Mughal history, the arrival of the Sufi missionaries, and, even the barbarism of the liberation war in 1971, and arguably, even the incipient danger of Islamic extremism today.

Within those contemporary strands of especially Islamic history we may see, not only conquests and barbarity, but also the nurturing of continuing trade, the flowering of great architecture and art, of music and of poetry.

Indeed, many of the most influential cultural developments of the last thousand years in these lands may be said to have originated, or been influenced by, this one man, and his immediate descendants.

History, around the world, whilst writing stories to terrify kids, seems to be unable to take any detached view of the man and his legacy.

Born in the seventh decade of the twelfth century, whilst in contemporary Bangladesh, the ancient Buddhist Pala dynasty fell, and the Sena Hindus rose, within 30 or 40 years of his birth, he had risen to being crowned sole ruler of the great Mongol plains of Central Asia.

marks on the culture of the nation.

But more were to follow. As the united peoples of Mongolia began to expand their areas of interest, they began to move both east, and west.

It was the western movement that probably precipitated the migration of the descendants of Alexander’s army, settled in Bactria, and the lands of the Indus, who had early on, converted to Islam, and felt the economic and social strain of the migration of the Mongols, moved south into India.

Intent, no doubt, on putting distance between themselves and the Mongols, they headed east across

What is certain is that their cultural, economic, even their genetic heritage made a lasting change in Bangladesh that is still visible today

north India, to where they already knew, after a century of raiding, there was considerable wealth in the lands of the Brahmaputra and the Ganges rivers, and their ancient routes and centres of trade. They finally came to rest, it seems, on the land between the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, probably close to Mograpara and Sonargaon. There, they established earliest of the Afghan realms.

Who is to say whether, had not the Mongols commenced their great migration of expansion, the Khilji would ever have moved to settle in the lands

We owe the Khilji and Mughal history, the arrival of the Sufi missionaries, and, even the barbarism of the liberation war in 1971, and, arguably, even the incipient danger of Islamic extremism today.

The establishment of his right to supremacy had already led to disturbance in the region, and it is reasonable to speculate that these early years of the 13th century were when many of the Tibetan Burmese tribes, such as the Marma, migrated out of the Himalayan lands, and the plains of Central Asia, towards the coastal lands to the south, no doubt drawn by the reputation and the experience of the wealth and trade enjoyed in those lands, especially those closest to the Ganges Delta.

These tribal people, of whom there are over 40 different tribes in Bangladesh, have left their own lasting

Taizu, better known as Genghis Khan

the great Sufis, Saif Ud-din Dervish, in the late 13th century, or early 14th.

It would probably be a great oversimplification to observe that, having effectively destroyed the most cultured civilisation, perhaps, the world had ever seen, in the Caliphates, the conversion of the Mongol chieftain laid the foundation for the less civilised, more warlike Islam the world has seen since. But there are those who believe there would be more than a grain of truth in the observation.

Assimilating some of the more sophisticated aspects of the destroyed Caliphates into their consideration,

of Bangladesh? What is certain is that their cultural, economic, and even their genetic heritage made a lasting change in Bangladesh that is still visible today.

Moving further west, the sons and grandsons of Genghis Khan effectively destroyed the great flowering of Islamic Culture of the Middle East, where fine traditions of science and literature were amongst the most conspicuous blooms.

The Caliphates, as they became known, Sunni and Shiite, were, indeed, internationally famed for their culture, and coexisted, it seems, peacefully.

It was Berke, a grandson of the Great Khan, who first converted to Islam. He was converted, it is believed, by one of

WIKIMEDIA

another family branch of the Great Khan, who became known as the Mughals, sought, beyond the mainstream of the Mongolian and Turkic influence, profitable ground to establish their own empire, with their own tradition of art and culture.

Like the Khilji before them, they headed south, into the Indian subcontinent, and finally, towards the latter part of the 16th century, established a firm grip on, at least, the northern part.

It seems not unreasonable, therefore, to attribute the lasting cultural influences of both Pathan and Mughal rulers, tangible, even today, in Bangladesh, to the Genghis Khan effect on Central Asia.

There is every reason to suppose that the foundations of the great cultural traditions of Bengal were laid centuries, even millennia earlier, as is visibly evident in such as the cultural, artistic, and especially sculptural and architectural treasures from the middle of the last millennium before the Common Era. There is no doubt, however, that, although it may have been brought into flower under the Mauryans and the Guptas ... we are still unable to value the cultural traditions of the Gangaridai and their contemporaries..those traditions were certainly maintained by the Pala, then the Khilji and the Pathan rulers, and finally brought into full bloom under the Mughals.

The cultural traditions found by the arriving Europeans clearly represented, to them, something of a challenge. In much the same way that the great Gateway to India in Mumbai far exceeds any such structure in scale and magnificence to be found in London, the Christian cemetery in Old Dhaka is overshadowed by the crumbling Mughal period monument to Colombo Sahib, but challenged in grandure and scale by the British period monuments around it. A striving to match the magnificence of the tangible evidence of the cultural traditions of their predecessors in these lands of Bangladeshis palpable.

In fact, it may be reasonable to argue that it was India and especially the lands of Bengal, that more greatly influenced British culture and tradition than vice versa.

Traditions in India, cultural especially, owe much to the earthquake caused by the rise of the Mongol empire, and its growth into the largest, contiguous empire the world has ever seen.

There are, indeed, few countries in Asia, Africa and Europe that were not directly, or indirectly, affected by the Mongols, and, by extension, few in the New World to which so many have migrated.

Genghis Khan has largely faded into history as, “the great barbarian”. In many ways, there seems little doubt that, by contemporary standards, his wholesale massacres may be considered barbaric. But even today, across the world, there seem to be many who model their political ambitions on those of the Great Khan. And across Bangladesh, it is not hard to see, still, many traces of his heritage. l Tim Steel is a communications, marketing and tourism consultant.

Conquest of Baghdad by the Mongols 1258. Water colours and gold on paper. Siege engines, and the refugee on the boat, maybe a high dignitary or even the calif himself WIKIMEDIA

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Saturday, August 23, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Develop bonds for remittance senders

T

he government is in discussion with Goldman Sachs over its proposals to raise $2bn to $3bn from the international bond market by issuing sovereign bonds for infrastructure projects.

Although the interest rates on such bonds are likely to be considerably costlier than terms often offered by the World Bank and multilateral agencies, there are nonetheless encouraging aspects to these proposals.

They are important both because they may bring new money and help diversify funding sources available, and also because they can help to attract more major international investors.

It is significant also that the sovereign bonds proposal mentions opportunities for investment in foods and beverages, technology, textiles, leather tanning and real estate.

This demonstrates confidence in the future growth and export potential of the country’s industries.

We hope that this expression of interest can encourage new proposals to generate investment.

One option which has considerable potential is to develop bonds for remittance senders. Bangladesh receives the 8th biggest amount of remittance income in the world. These amounts, totalling some $14bn last year, have grown through both good and bad economic climates.

Most remittances are used in private consumption and property investments. Developing new financial instruments to divert some of this flow and to stimulate additional funds, into infrastructure development, could be helpful for the economy and be attractive to overseas Bangladeshis alike.

Trust and confidence are key to attracting investors, whatever their nationality. If the sovereign bonds idea helps to build confidence, and encourages new investment opportunities to be developed, that is to be encouraged.

Develop new financial instruments to attract remittance funds into development

Stop manipulation of tenders

C

orruption and interference with the rule of law are two of the biggest factors holding back the economy.

Reports that syndicates, including groups associated with the ruling party have been pressuring city authorities to reissue tenders for setting up cattle markets ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, are another manifestation of these blights on our society.

The upcoming Eid-ul-Azha holiday brings a uniquely large volume of trade in cattle traded every year. This year is not the first time we have seen tender manipulation ahead of this festival. Syndicates in previous years have used various coercive tactics, including intimidation of free market bidders to force the city corporation to grant them the tenders.

The total bid received in the market this year was nearly Tk3 crore, which is much lower compared to last year’s total bids of Tk6 crore.

This is happening because the free market mechanism of tender bidding has become distorted through political manipulation.

It is disquieting that rampant tender manipulation in order to cash in on this opportunity is still allowed to take place. Its existence harms legitimate businesses and consumers alike.

Such illegal activities can only hurt our economy and undermine the spirit of the religious holiday as well as harming the rule of law.

The authorities should take a tougher stance against groups which seek to manipulate the market in this way. Offenders should be named and shamed and evidence gathered to help the police take action to clamp down on these unacceptable practices.

Clamp down on activity that harms legitimate businesses and consumers

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

Power conservation urgently needed August 16

SAM Your staff correspondent’s business report on this vital matter quoted the PM’s energy adviser as saying: “Now it is time to set a time frame ... to ensure efficient use of electricity and gas.” In my frank opinion, the time has long passed since electricity and gas should have been officially conserved. Yet, better late than never.

About gas, most important is to have gas meters for all consumers – domestic, commercial, and industrial. Next, for domestic and commercial customers, there should be “part-time” meters at which normal rates could be set. For times when gas is least used, the tariff could be doubled, at least.

For industries, we should have power factor

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

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

capacitors installed, so that both consumers as well as power suppliers can reduce power consumption. For this step, power factor capacitors should be allowed to be imported with minimum duty.

Also loans for opening LCs for their import should be allowed at a very nominal rate.

These steps are justified for a tremendous reduction of power consumption nationwide, and will cost the country nothing, as imports will be done by commercial enterprises. If we press ahead, then at the least we will save between 500 to 800MWs. Just comparing it for the capital and operating cost for even a 500MW power plant will open all eyes to the fantastic savings that Bangladesh can make, as soon as these measures are taken. So, why delay?!

SUDOKU

Messi, Maradona to play for peace in Gaza

Anti-Semitism or anti-Zionism

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 17

August 15

Ali Julian It will be a nine-day wonder game.

Murad H Kazi Hats off to # Messi and # Maradona.

Great men never die August 15

SS Nicely put, Nahiyan.

Nahiyan Bin Asadullah SS: Thanks!

ACC set to sue businessman for siphoning August 17

Ahsan Habib So the corrupt and incompetent ACC officers found another way to make a fortune!

Famous Forever He is the greatest of our leaders. Salute to you, “Father of The Nation.”

Iraq: UN sounds alarm on humanitarian crisis

Munirul Huq Ahsan Habib: My God, they are active! I thought they are a dead organisation, but no!

The late summer nightmare August 17

August 15

Abu Syeed But there was no such alarm for Gaza!! #Free_Palestine!!

1 held with foreign currencies at Dhaka airport August 17

Humayun Hyder This is really a bad precedent set by a customer to take that much money out of the country illegally, and hence he should be arrested and punished for his offence.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Employer (4) 5 Bird (5) 8 Tempt (6) 9 Equipment (4) 10 Fuss (3) 12 Instruction (6) 13 Naval hero (6) 15 Sharp struggle (6) 18 Much ornamented (6) 20 Vegetable (3) 21 Possess (4) 23 Attacker (6) 24 Unpleasant (5) 25 Biblical quotation (4)

DOWN 1 Commence (5) 2 United (3) 3 Play for time (5) 4 Knight’s title (3) 5 Earnings (7) 6 Prejudice (4) 7 Midday (4) 11 Puppet (4) 12 Game of chance (7) 14 Irish republic (4) 16 Garden tool (5) 17 Make effort (5) 18 Frank (4) 19 Inferior horses (4) 21 Success (3) 22 Annoy (3)

Refat Bin Salam Rupam Brilliant piece, especially the use of symbolic figures. The three witches are a perfect example of our witch-like leaders.

Syed Riad Hossain Akash A great piece!

The new Dhaka August 15

Asif M Amin “If we want to see a better Dhaka then we first need to improve ourselves. Dhaka will only give us what it gets in return.”

I will not agree with this sentence. I think people are trying to improve themselves (socially or financially, whichever way you look at it). What they are not doing is trying to improve the society as a whole.

Cell phone life insurance getting popular

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

August 15

PEANUTS

Ashraful Haque “Robi, the second-largest operator in-terms of revenue earning, is the pioneer for introducing this innovative idea in the country’s telecom sector in July 2012, and the company has already paid around 273 claims worth Tk86 lakh.”

I’m sorry to say, but this is not true. The true pioneer is Milvik Bangladesh Ltd BIMA who introduced this innovative idea in the country’s telecom sector in July 2012.

CHT and the Bengal Boundary Commission August 15

MMM Good report.

SUDOKU

Op-Ed

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Saturday, August 23, 2014

11

Up against cancer n Mehruba Sharmin

N

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

L

A

R

G

E

R

T

H

A

N

L

I

F

E

Requiem for Dhaka

W n Ekram Kabir

e don’t need any national or international index to conclude on the fact that Dhaka city is unliveable, although a teeming population, day in and day out, is making their living out of it. Despite its unliveable conditions, the city has an uncanny ability to draw its denizens from all corners of the country.

Perhaps that’s why some Dhaka-lovers celebrated 400 years of the city’s existence. At that time, I wondered what was there to celebrate. History?

Heritage? Ability to exist? What were they celebrating? I still wonder.

The foremost element through which you assess a city’s liveability is to appraise the dwellers moveability from one corner to another. In that respect, our city’s managerial skills are at their lowest levels. There’s no doubt about it.

50% of its people may not have picked up the habit of making room for others on the roads, but the long faces of other 50 are quite noticeable.

The latter 50 try very hard to follow what the law says, but the system doesn’t allow them. It becomes unbearable when the flag-carrying vehicles of the lawmakers break the law of the roads. We don’t have anything else to do but to curse our own stars.

What did we, in our previous life, do to deserve this?

Well, you put aside all irritation and

negativity; you hold your patience and want to move toward your destination.

You even pardon the unpardonable honkings from the other vehicles behind your one. To quell your negativity, you try breathing some fresh air.

The stinking waste will pound on your breath with a reminder that you need a perfumed roll-on constant over your breathing senses.

and their lifestyle.

The smell of our city is not at all something to be proud of. There’s nothing happening in this city that could secrete any good smell. We don’t know how long it will take to implement a proper waste management plan in our city. You wish for a downpour so that all this waste is washed away, and your vicinity becomes a bit clean.

It becomes unbearable when the flag-carrying vehicles of the lawmakers break the law of the roads

Well, you know how to divert your attention from what you are in. You turn up your FM, try reading a newspaper, or browse Facebook to keep these thoughts away from your mind.

But something will surely prevent you from being submerged in your own world. The roadside waste bins will surely remind you about the obnoxious aspects of our waste disposal and management. Each and every neighbourhood is infested with the smell of waste with the centuries-old techniques of handling waste. Every city in the world has its smell that characterises its people

Then again, the rain creates another grave trouble for the city. When it rains, the water stays on the roads as we can’t create an up-and-running sewage system that can help make ways for the water to roll on to the water-bodies.

Then again, we don’t have much of our water bodies left in the city.

Almost all water bodies have been utilised for human habitation. Even the seemingly nicest place in the city, Hatirjheel, also direly suffers due to water-logging after a rain.

Well, why do we need the water to roll on to only water-bodies? The soil could immerse it and take it under

ground. There you go! We also have a problem of taking the rainwater to the soil. The percentage of visible soil is also decreasing. When we get out of our houses, we hardly see any soil.

On the other hand, we’ve been using our underground water for drinking purposes so much that it has created an underground vacuum beneath our feet, beneath our skyscrapers, beneath our homes. The experts have been perennially alerting about the fact that Dhaka city is at risk of going down if the vacuum continues to increase.

Who knows what will happen in the future? What will the people do if the city goes down? What will the government do if anything like that happens? If anything like that really happens, it will be uninhabitable. The dwellers will abandon their city. Have we thought about where will they go? Where will we accommodate the survivors? In Gazipur? In Narayanganj?

Where?

Now, where do we get from here?

We all know the state of our city, its prospects, and problems. If our ambition is to remain what we are now, we don’t have anything much to say. But, if our objective is to improve, then we should be serious about it. Without trying to beat around the bush and unnecessarily trying to beautify Dhaka, we should fix the basics first.

Shouldn’t we? l Ekram Kabir, a journalist, is a DT columnist.

on-communicable diseases (NCD) have been established as a clear threat not only to human health, but also to development and economic growth. According to the report from 2010 (GBD 2010), NCDs are the leading causes of death in the world, accounting for 63% of global deaths. 80% of these deaths occur in low and middle income countries.

In addition, vulnerable and socially disadvantaged people in developing countries get sicker and die sooner as a result of NCDs, than people of higher socio-economic status.

Approximately half of all deaths among women aged 15-59 in low and middle income countries are attributable to NCDs. NCDs account for 37% of total deaths and 18.5% of the overall DALY (disability adjusted life years) burden. Even in low income countries, the percentage of female deaths attributable to NCDs (32.6%) far exceeds those attributed to deaths related to maternal complications (3.6%) and HIV/AIDs (6.3%). Low and middle income countries, and the poorest and most vulnerable populations, are the most affected, but the global NCD epidemic can be significantly reduced if we take action now to address the main drivers such as: Tobacco use, alcohol consumption, poor diet, and physical inactivity.

Awareness, prevention, and treatment of non-communicable diseases are now a critical issue all over the world. Non-communicable disease management, especially that of the cancer form, is a central part of the sustainable development goals of Rio+20. The cost of cancer screenings, diagnosis, and treatment in high income countries is likely to remain stable, but about 70% of global cancer mortality occurs in low income countries. Current estimates predict that deaths from cancer in these countries will grow from 5.5 million at present, to 8.9 million by 2030.

It is estimated that Bangladesh currently has around 4 million cancer patients

The largest modifiable contributors to cancer are driven by unhealthy behaviour, like smoking, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption. An increase in these habits is also attributed to increasing urbanisation in developing countries. Preventive strategies are key in tackling such detrimental behaviour.

A global strategic plan is required to improve cancer services sustainably in low income countries, and should focus on preventive strategies and innovative service delivery models.

According to the Bangladesh National Cancer Control Strategy and Plan of Action 2009-2015, cancer is a high priority for Bangladesh because

of its economic impact. About 66% of cancer patients are of working age (3065 years) resulting in premature loss from the nation’s workforce (DGHS 2008). There is no national cancer registry, although information is reported from specialised institutions, public health hospitals, and outpatient facilities.

A global strategic plan is required to improve cancer services sustainably in low income countries

It is estimated that Bangladesh currently has around 4 million cancer patients, at least 200,000 to 800,000, new cancer cases are added to the total every year (Cancer Program 2010; MIS 2009). According to the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH), the main form of cancer in Bangladesh is in the respiratory system (22.2%), digestive organs (20.8%), breasts (12.7%), female genital organs (12.1%) and lip, oral cavity and pharynx (10.9%). Cumulatively, the burden of female-related cancers is greater than the single leading cause of cancer admissions – the respiratory system. So, emphasis must be given to female-related cancers.

In Bangladesh, less than 5% of women aged 50-69 were screened with mammography in the three years prior to the World Health Survey (20002003). The low percentage reported was typical for low income countries where no equity analysis to look at the distribution of mammography screening across the population was performed by the WHO. Of the total global burden of cervical cancer, one-third of all cases are in South Asian nations, yet no strategies for prevention, screening, or treatment of the disease, let alone efforts to target high-risk groups, are well developed. Despite not having specific preventive strategies, successful outcomes for breast and cervical cancer screening in developing countries have been reported.

Innovative service delivery models are very important for sustainable health development. A comprehensive health system in low-income countries involves cross-sectoral collaboration between many stakeholders, including academic institutions, local government bodies, non-governmental organisations, patients’ groups, and industries.

The aim of collaborative networks should be to build cancer expertise while taking account of the needs of the local population and the available short-term and long-term resources.

This is how we can get our dream country, where we can deliver better services to cancer patients and increase survival rates at an affordable cost. l Mehruba Sharmin is Senior Assistant Coordinator, Eminence Associates for Social Development.

For a better image n Naima Nuren Khan

I

n a world that is getting smaller every day, the need for effective diplomacy is substantial to create a good image of the country. Bangladesh largely lags behind in its diplomatic skills. While maintenance of diplomacy is mainly done by the government, citizens also have an imperative role to play in creating an identity for their country. While the growth and establishment of the citizen’s diplomacy is much more prominent in the Western world, the subject has not received adequate attention in Bangladesh.

Hence, the rise of globalisation has made citizen diplomacy an urgent issue for Bangladesh.

Citizen diplomacy is a valuable concept that recognises citizens as the representatives of a country. According to this kind of diplomacy, individuals of a country have the rights and the responsibility to construct foreign relations. Anyone with patriotic emotions, passion, and devotion towards the country can be a citizen diplomat.

A citizen diplomat can be a teacher, student, artist, business official, social activists, etc. The concept complements the official diplomacy in the

country, and even challenges it to be more effective.

People develop their impression of other people through personal encounters. The interaction that takes place when people come to visit our land, or when we travel beyond our borders, is crucial in shaping our country’s image. We need to radically increase our capability to reach out to the rest of the world to foster common

How we present ourselves is how we present our country to the world

interests and values. Bangladesh, with various adversities, is falling behind in promoting healthy diplomatic relations around the world. The citizens stepping in and understanding the need for their involvement, their value, and the importance of their role

is essential in shaping and advancing the country’s foreign relations.

The first step to promoting citizen diplomacy is familiarising the citizens with this concept. It can be done by creating awareness and disseminating information regarding the important diplomatic role the citizens can play.

The most effective start would be in academic institutions. Schools and universities can make students aware of the need for citizen diplomacy and the importance of acknowledging the role that each citizen plays. This awareness can be spread to various private and social organisations as well. Understanding that every citizen has a part to play regardless of their profession or age, and identifying the responsibility to represent one’s country will be the milestone in developing citizen diplomacy.

The general people must be aware of the current international and domestic affairs. This will enable them to get a clear picture of where their domestic country stands with respect to the foreign nations. In order to encourage citizen diplomacy, it is necessary that information regarding the country’s foreign affairs is properly, factually, and regularly revealed to the

citizens. Being informed about necessary matters regarding the country’s foreign affairs will generate opinions and even solutions.

While conveying the necessary information is vital, it is also necessary to create a platform for the citizens to put forward their opinions and judgments. It can be done through polls, or through social media. However, the most effective way by which an individual can play their part and make their opinions heard is through constructive writing.

Citizens can write about international issues or about matters regarding the domestic country. They can express their views on how a foreign affair was dealt with, and what can be done further to improvise. National newspapers already provide us with platforms to express our opinions.

Hence, such opinionated write-ups or suggestions will further enhance and encourage citizen diplomacy.

In addition, volunteer involvement in international causes will also enhance the country’s diplomatic state.

Citizens should be encouraged to take part in issues that has international significance or can create international benefit. Corporations, schools, social

organisations etc can encourage such participation through workshops or activities that will focus on issues that go beyond borders.

From formal government interactions with foreign countries to how we express our opinion about international significance, shape our foreign rela-

Individuals of a country have the rights and the responsibility to construct foreign relations

Leading universities in Bangladesh have introduced the students to Model United Nations Club in the recent years. This platform allows students to represent their country and express their opinions on international issues.

It provides them with a chance to represent their country in the foreign lands. Furthermore, it gives them an opportunity to connect with the world in a constructive and intellectual level that enhances the understanding, acceptance, and appreciation of the difference in culture and values.

tions. The way we conduct ourselves while travelling, represent our country for any cause, or host people from other countries in our homes, schools, workplace, or community, add up to create our foreign diplomatic relations.

It is essential to understand the important role of the citizens alongside the government to develop the country’s diplomatic relations. How we present ourselves is how we present our country to the world. l Naima Nuren Khan is a freelance contributor.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment Bangladesh Lion and Dragon Dance Sports Association (BDLDSA) hosted the concluding and prize distribution ceremony of the 15 days training camp that took place at the National Handball Stadium of the capital. The training camp conducted by two coaches, Yan Chiming and Li Nianzhong, of the Chinese Cultural and Sports Ministry was attended by 30 members of the BDLDSA. The participants adorned bright costumes for the performance and put on a lively and interesting show of the ancient Chinese performing art. The event was attended by Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Sree Biren Shikder and Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jun. BDLDSA was formed in 2006 and Md Shahjahan Mridha is the general secretary of the organisation. The association took part in the International Dragon and Lion dance competition in Shanghai, China in 2008 and came 8th among 30 teams PHOTOS: KHAN HASAN MUHAMMAD RAFI

A festival titled Dhaka Social Art Festival is going on at the Dhaka Art Centre and around its premises. The artworks displayed includes paintings, installations, drawings, photography, statues and stories based on a unique three month long project on social issues in Dhaka. This project has been initiated by Martijn Crowe, artist and creative director of The Faketory art studio, and artist Ronald Merkesteijn.

They are working with over 50 organisations, local artists, schools and students, an orphanage house and university professors to facili-

tate this project. The idea is to show the world the real and complex face of Dhaka. They aim for awareness and responsibility.

For the sake of telling the untold stories, Crowe worked together with a group of 25 Bangladeshi artists at the Dhaka Art Center. They were challenged to bring their art to another level, working with the question: “What do you contribute to the world?” In this process they picked a group of people in Dhaka to make a connection with.

They worked with bangle sellers, musicians, rickshaw drivers, homosexuals, elderly, cleaners and homeless. When they started this project, they had some kind of definition of the situation. After that they contacted these people, talked to them, met them, portrayed them. After that their ideas and definitions were changed. From that experience they created art works: paintings, installations, drawings, photography, statues and stories.

The festival opened yesterday with a procession of artists and musicians at 4pm and will continue until August 24, 8pm. l

Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s upcoming flick “Piprabidya” is all set to hit the cinemas on October 24. The cast and crew of the film are working hard in promoting the release. Like Farooki’s previous ventures, new methods will be utilised in the promotion campaign. As the film will see debutant Noor Imran Mithu, a short hilarious video titled “Hero Hoite Ki Laage” (what is necessary to be a hero) will be circulated followed by the video of the only song of the film “Leje Rakha Paa” by band Chirkut.

After the premier at the Mel-

n Entertainment Desk

India has blocked the release of a film on the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, after complaints that it glorified her killers.

Intelligence agencies had warned of potential violence if it is released.

The film, “Kaum De Heere,” or “Diamonds Of The Community,” had been scheduled for release on Friday.

It tells the story of Indira’s Sikh bodyguards who shot her dead apparently to avenge her decision to send troops in a deadly raid on the Golden Temple.

Sikhs say thousands were murdered when the army entered Sikhism’s holiest shrine in Amritsar to flush

n Entertainment Desk

Lady Gaga

Britney Spears

bourne International Film Festival, the film was nominated for the Golden Goblet Award in Shanghai International Film Festival, Muhor Asia-Africa Award and Dallas Asian Film Award till date.

The director along with the cast will visit prominent towns and selected universities to promote the film but the promotion online will be more intense.

The fifth directorial venture of Farooki features Indian actress Shina Chouhan, Mukit Jakaria, RJ Sabbir, Z Samdani Don, Noor Imran Mithu and others. l

Film on Indira Gandhi assassination blocked out militants.

Indira’s assassination triggered an outburst of communal violence targeted at Sikhs and more than 3,000 Sikhs were killed across India.

Late on Thursday, India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) decided to halt the release “because of the law and order situation that might result from the showing of the film,” the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported.

The film’s producer Ravinder Ravi has defended vociferously so far, but has not yet responded to the latest decision.

“I followed the court case and the inquiry report into the assassination and spent a lot of time with Satwant and Beant Singh’s families before making

Ice Bucket Challenge goes viral

Jennifer Lopez

Piprabidya to hit cinemas n Entertainment Desk

Real and complex faces of Dhaka showcased n Entertainment Desk

Saturday, August 23, 2014

The Ice Bucket challenge to raise awareness about ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) has created a lot of buzz around the world. Many celebrities have taken up the challenge and have posted their videos online and in turn nominated at least three of their friends or colleagues.

David Beckham joined the long list of celebrities taking part in the challenge and to the delight of many, he accepted the challenge topless. The hunky former soccer star was nominated by American Idol presenter Ryan Seacrest. David, 39, posted a video of the challenge on his Facebook page and wrote: “Thanks for the ALS Ice bucket challenge nomination Ryan Seacrest. I nominate Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Leonardo DiCaprio. Don’t forget to donate!”

David and Victoria aren’t the only celebrities to take part, with Britney Spears, 32, getting a shock as she was soaked on Monday. While the star was all smiles as she accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, Britney screamed as the freezing shower knocked off her sunglasses and she started to mutter something before the video she posted to Instagram ended.

Gwyneth Paltrow was keen to raise awareness and funds for ALS by taking part in the ice bucket challenge on Wednesday. But the actress also showed off her extremely toned body and naturally pretty make-up free face in the process. Gwyneth opted to do her challenge in a black bikini while in her garden, but appeared to have made things a little easier for herself by forgoing actually putting ice in her bucket.

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise, 52, and his “Mission Impossible 5” director Christopher McQuarrie both accepted a challenge put forth by Hugh Jackaman.

We thought we’d reached peak ice bucket earlier this week – but with former US presidents getting involved, it seems there’s no

end to this chilly challenge. George Bush took to the stunt and challenged Bill Clinton to take up the act.

Taking the lead in India are Bollywood celebrities who have come forward to do their bit and participate in the chain formed to take up the challenge. Starting with Bipasha Basu, who took up the challenge to storm herself with a bucket full of ice water to support the unique campaign, this challenge is being taken up by many Indian celebrities including tennis star Sania Mirza and singer Daler Mehndi.

The latest celebrities to take up the challenge include Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Sonakshi Sinha and Siddharth Malhotra among many others.

Sonakshi Sinha tried to be cheeky and environment friendly when as she overturned a bucket with only one ice cube, but she urged fans to donate liberally for the cause instead of wasting water.

After being challenged by Riteish Sonakshi Sinha Deshmukh, Akshay Kumar accepted challenge in Cape Town, where he is shooting for his upcoming dance show “Dare 2 Dance.” The actor chose sea water and ice to be poured on him before he challenged Salman Khan, Twinkle Khanna, Johny Lever and Ashwini Yardi.

Abhishek Bachchan also took up the challenge and doused himself. He later challenged his father Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and the rest of the cast of “Happy New Year” Sidhart to pick up the ice bucket. Meanh Malh otra while, a shivering Siddharth Malhotra challenged Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor and his “Ek Villain” director Mohit Suri. l

the film,” Ravi told BBC Hindi.

“Films have been made about political assassinations all over the world, so why can’t a film be made on this assassination?” he asked.

But in Punjab the Congress Party - which Indira Gandhi led - threatened to carry out protests if the film was released and the party’s youth wing also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking for the ban, saying it presented her assassins as heroes.

Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, her two bodyguards, are the main focus of the film, which is what has given rise to such anger.

Beant Singh was killed by police shortly after the murder while Satwant Singh was later hanged. l

Ritesh Deshmuk h

Intouchables

Star Movies 5:00pm A rich quadriplegic, living in a mansion in Paris, requires a livein carer. A young offender turns up for an interview, but he is not really looking to get the job.

However, to his surprise, he is hired. The two men then develop a close friendship.

Super Skyscrapers

Doscovery Channel 2:30pm A new generation of skyscrapers is rising above our cities - Superskyscrapers. With less space in urban areas we are building higher and faster than ever before. It is not just building big that counts- it’s thinking big.

These skyscrapers are pushing the limits of engineering, technology and design to become greener, stronger and smarter.

Did you know?

Mario Balotelli has only made one Premier League assist, but it was for Sergio Aguero’s title winning goal in 2011/12

Sport

Saturday, August 23, 2014

14 Spurs come

from behind to win in Cyprus

14 Hodgson urges

English talent to move abroad

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Pakistan regroup

for Sri Lanka one-dayers

Woeful batting as Bangladesh concede series SCORECARD

West Indies bowler Ravi Rampaul (C) celebrates with teammates Kieron Pollard (L) and Kemar Roach (R) as Bangladesh batsman Imrul Kayes is dismissed during the second one-day international at Grenada National Cricket Stadium in St. George’s, Grenada, yesterday AFP

Taijul flies for the Caribbean

COURTESY

Young left-arm spinner Taijul Islam left for the Caribbean yesterday night as the Bangladesh team management decided to call him up after the visitors badly missed the services of a leftarm spinner during the first ODI defeat against the West Indies on Wednesday.

It was mentioned earlier that Taijul, along with Shuvagata Hom and pace-

men Shafiul Islam and Robiul Islam will be joining the Tigers for the twomatch Test series. Taijul was supposed to come in as a replacement for veteran left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak following the conclusion of the ODI series and the lone Twenty20 international. However, it was learned that Taijul might now play some part in the solitary T20I on August 27.

The quartet who are scheduled to

return home after the limited-over leg of the tour are Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Taskin Ahmed, Razzak and Mithun Ali. Chief selector Faruk Ahmed explained the reasoning behind the decision to bring back the four cricketers after the three ODIs and T20I. “As I earlier informed, Mashrafe and Taskin will not be playing the Test series and they will be replaced by two other fast bowlers. Taijul has played recently in the West Indies with the Bangladesh A team where he took wickets. Shuvagata will add some strength in the middle order,” said Faruk.

Taijul picked up nine wickets in the two four-day matches for the second-string side in the West Indies.

Before leaving for the Caribbean, the 22-year old expressed his confidence about putting on a good show.

“I have variety in my bowling and my main strength is my line and length and if I can apply those properly I am confident of bowling well in the West Indies,” said Taijul.

He also added that he will not face extra pressure replacing the experienced Razzak and informed that he is desperately waiting to enter the field. l

Sunil Narine and Kemar Roach took three wickets each as Bangladesh were bowled out for 70 to give West Indies victory in the second one-day international by 177 runs on Friday.

The win, at the National Cricket Stadium in St.George’s Grenada, gave West Indies a 2-0 lead in the three-match series ahead of Monday’s final game.

Bangladesh’s last seven wickets fell for 13 runs and the only man to reach double figures for the tourists in a miserable batting display was Tamim Iqbal who made 37.

Although West Indies will be pleased with their bowling they were helped by some poor strokes from Bangladesh, particularly from their middle order.

Jason Holder had opener Anamul Haque caught behind by Ramdin for seven and Imrul Kayes holed out to Simmons at deep mid-wicket off Ravi Rampaul.

Shamsur Rahman played on to Roach, still working his way back to his full pace after shoulder surgery, but it was the clever spin of Narine that did the bulk of the damage.

Narine removed Mushfigur Rahim and Mahmudullah in successive balls to reduce Bangladesh to 57 for five and the tourists never looked like recovering as their tail surrendered.

Earlier, half-centuries by Chris Gayle and Darren Bravo anchored a

solid West Indies batting effort of 247 for seven after being put in to bat by Bangladesh.

Gayle’s 58 at the top of the order, which included five sixes and three fours, together with Bravo’s comparatively serene 53 ensured there was to be no repetition of the embarrassing collapse in the first ODI two days earlier.

Mashrafe Mortaza’s experience proved critical for the Bangladeshis in limiting the West Indies’ progress when they appeared on course for a much more imposing total.

The former captain bowled an immaculate line and length throughout his 10-over spell, finishing on a high when he delivered a maiden over and claimed two wickets off two balls in the 49th over to return the excellent figures of three for 39.

Al-Amin Hossain, who stole the spotlight with the ball for the visitors in the first match when he claimed four wickets, enjoyed early success again with the scalp of Kirk Edwards.

He returned later in the innings to add Ramdin (34) to his haul although he proved more expensive in this effort, conceding 60 runs, which included sixes by Sunil Narine and Jason Holder in the last over of the innings.

Notwithstanding the competitive total, West Indies were on course for a score closer to the 300-run mark but lost momentum after the dismissal of Bravo, who fell leg-before to off-spinner Sohag Gazi in the 32nd over.

Simmons got to 40 but occupied 61 deliveries in doing so. l

BHF mulling insurance, psychiatrist for players In a bid to encourage the country’s hockey players, the Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) is planning to set up insurance policies for the national players with the help of an European insurance company. The BHF is also thinking of recruiting a psychiatrist for the national team to motivate the players.

As the local insurance companies do not have the facilities to arrange insurance, especially for the athletes, the BHF has no option but to look abroad.

“The local insurance companies do not have ideal insurance papers for the players. Recently, we contacted the officials of Green Delta (Insurance company) and with their help we will take the service of an European insurance company who generally work for the athletes,” said Wing Commander Rafiul Haque, spokesperson of BHF president Air Marshal Enamul Bari.

“Primarily, 25 players will get the opportunity to have their insurance.

The list of players and the related documents are being prepared.

Hopefully we will finalise it very soon,” added Rafiul.

In the past, a number of players plying their trade in different sports were seen not wanting to give their best while playing for their country due to the fear of being injured. This prompted the hockey federation to take such an initiative.

As the local insurance companies do not have the facilities to arrange insurance the BHF has no option but to look abroad Meanwhile, a psychiatrist is likely to be brought in to work with the hockey players before the start of the World Hockey League round one which is scheduled to run from September 5-7 in Dhaka. “The performance of the national players is inconsistent. They put up different displays in different matches. We talked to a specialist about that and he will work with the players to motivate them psychologically,” said Rafiul. l

West Indies C. Gayle c Gazi b Mahmudullah 58 K. Edwards b Al-Amin 0 Darren Bravo lbw b Gazi 53 D. Ramdin c Mushfiq b Al-Amin 34 L. Simmons c Mahmudullah b Mashrafe 40 K. Pollard b Mashrafe 26 Dwayne Bravo c Mushfiqur b Mashrafe 6 J. Holder not out 8 S. Narine not out 7 Extras (b1, lb2, w12) 15 Total (50 overs, 7 wickets) 247 Did not bat: K. Roach, R. Rampaul Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Edwards), 2-93 (Gayle), 3-144 (Darren Bravo), 4-171 (Ramdin), 5-222 (Pollard), 6-231 (Simmons), 7-231 (Dwayne Bravo) Bowling: Mashrafe 10-1-39-3 (1w), Al-Amin 10-1-60-2 (1w), Mahmudullah 10-0-47-1 (4w), Gazi 9-1-47-1 (1w), Nasir 1-0-8-0, Razzak 10-0-43-0 (1w) Bangladesh Tamim Iqbal c Gayle b Roach 37 Anamul Haque c Ramdin b Holder 7 Imrul Kayes c Simmons b Rampaul 1 Shamsur Rahman b Roach 4 Mushfiqur Rahim c Ramdin b Narine 6 Mahmudullah b Narine 0 Nasir Hossain c Pollard b Roach 6 Sohag Gazi c Edwards b Narine 2 Mashrafe Mortaza lbw b Rampaul 2 Abdur Razzak not out 0 Al-Amin Hossain run out 0 Extras (w5) 5 Total (24.4 overs, all out) 70 Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Anamul), 2-27 (Imrul), 3-42 (Shamsur), 4-57 (Mushfiq), 5-57 (Mahmudullah), 6-57 (Tamim), 7-60 (Sohag), 8-66 (Nasir), 9-70 (Mashrafe), 10-70 (Al-Amin) Bowling: Holder 6-0-17-1, Rampaul 5.4-1-212 (1w), Roach 6-2-19-3, Narine 7-0-13-3 (4w) West Indies won by 177 runs

Balotelli will not disrupt dressing room: Rodgers Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insisted Friday no player would be allowed to disturb the “fantastic environment” at Anfield as the Reds appeared to close in on signing controversial striker Mario Balotelli.

Reports in several British newspapers said the 24-year-old Italy international would have to agree to Liverpool’s code of conduct if his proposed £16 million ($27 million, 20 million euros) transfer from AC Milan is to be completed, with the clubs having already agreed the fee.

Rodgers, speaking at a scheduled press conference ahead of Monday’s trip to Manchester City - the team that just beat Liverpool to the Premier League title last season - was coy when asked about the supposedly imminent arrival of Balotelli “I can categorically tell you that I can’t speak about it until the player is signed,” he said amid fresh reports Balotelli was flying in from Italy for a medical at Liverpool on Friday.

“If we sign anyone, I will speak at length about them, but until then I can’t say anything,” he added. l

9th Ascent Corporate Cup gets underway amid a flurry of goals In a year which saw an airliner disappear from the sky, Brazil getting slaughtered 7-1 at the hands of Germany in the World Cup and Dhaka being voted the most unlivable city yet again, it comes as a great relief to know that the Ascent Cup is back on the road. The next seven days will see all the corporate hot-shots going head to head, all for one purpose - to bring the Ascent Cup to their boardrooms.

The day could not have been any better for Qubee as they defeated last year’s cup champions Dhaka Tribune 3-2 in an intense battle.

Dhaka Tribune star striker Reazur Rahman Rohan and goalkeeper-cumcaptain Zafar Sobhan were nursing injuries but Qubee were paying little attention to that as they beat the defending champions. The jubilant Qubee squad were seen dancing to

Pharell’s ‘Happy’ at the final whistle. A special shout out goes to Yasir of Qubee who scored a hattrick and the valiant efforts of Mesbaur, their captain-cumgoalkeeper. Miru and Fazley Rabbi Moon scored one apiece for Dhaka Tribune.

The second match came as no surprise as Ascent Cup heavyweights and 5-time champions, Beximco Pharma trounced Accenture 8-1. Adil of Beximco Pharma showed the crowds why is the Golden Boot winner of the previous edtion. He thumped four past the Accenture custodian. Tinku and Sunny added 2 each for Beximco Pharma. Shatil scored the consolation goal for Accenture.

The first cricket score was posted by the ever so brilliant Bando Design team who made small work of Trust Bank Ltd. in a 12-1 hammering. Bando Design’s charismatic captain Imran scored four fabulous goals while

teammate Shakil did the same. Mamun and Mobarak also got their names on the scoresheet.

IIDFC hit the ground running with a 3-0 win over Aarong Dairy. Md. Rashidul Hasan notched a brace while captain Biplob added one more to IIDFC’s scoreline.

HRC Group taught Metronet a lesson in footballing skills as they pulverised their opponents 10-nil. Rezwanur Rahman Sijon grabbed the highest number of goals today. A whopping 5!

Rion scored a hattrick, while Ferdous and Nazrul Haque scored one apiece.

Stalwarts Gemcon breezed past bKash in a 6-0 drubbing. Rikto and the fabulous Punnel Hombron scored two each while Monu and Sohel added a goal apiece. bKash on the other hand had very little to show for their efforts.

Finally, Securex routed Adcomm in a 6-1 thriller. l

Bando Design and Trust Bank Limited are in action during the 9th Ascent Corporate five-a-side Soccer Cup at the Scholastica school campus’ STM Hall yesterday COURTESY

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Spurs come from behind to win in Cyprus, Hull beaten

Chelsea eager for more success against newcomers Leicester

n AFP, Paris

n AFP, London

Tottenham Hotspur closed in on a place in the group stage of the Europa League on Thursday after coming from behind to win 2-1 away to AEL Limassol in Cyprus in their play-off first leg.

The north London side are looking to reach the group stage for the fourth season running, and late goals by Roberto Soldado and Harry Kane have them in the driving seat ahead of next week’s return at White Hart Lane.

However, their fellow Premier League side Hull City have work to do after losing 1-0 away to Belgian Cup holders Lokeren.

Tottenham’s quest did not get off to the best of starts at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium in Larnaca.

Spanish striker Adrian Sardinero opened the scoring in the 14th minute for AEL, who finished second in the Cypriot top flight last season and parachuted into the Europa League after losing to Zenit St Petersburg in the Champions League third qualifying round.

Slack play in midfield by Paulinho created the chance for Sardinero to run through and beat Hugo Lloris, sparking wild celebrations from the home fans.

Paulinho was one of those brought into the starting line-up by Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino as seven changes were made from Saturday’s 1-0 win at West Ham United.

QPR sign Napoli star Vargas on loan n AFP, London Premier League new-boys QPR signed Chile forward Eduardo Vargas on a season-long loan from Italian club Napoli on Thursday.

Vargas attracted interest from several top teams after helping Chile to the knockout stages of the World Cup, but QPR manager Harry Redknapp has persuaded him to move to Loftus Road.

“Eduardo is a quality player. He’s sharp, he’s bright, and he’s very lively on and off the ball,” Redknapp said.

The deal for Vargas comes 24 hours after Dutch midfielder Leroy Fer completed his move to QPR from Norwich for £8 million. Both signings will bolster a QPR side that suffered a disappointing 1-0 home defeat against Hull on the opening day of the Premier League season following their promotion via the Championship play-offs in May. l

TOP

Questions have been asked about how seriously the new Spurs coach will take the Europa League, and his team looked second best for long spells.

However, they were rescued in the final 20 minutes by another two players promoted to the starting line-up in the heat of the Mediterranean.

Kane saw a shot turned onto the woodwork by home goalkeeper Karim Fegrouch before Soldado got the equaliser in the 74th minute.

This time Kane fed substitute Erik Lamela, whose terrific pass was em-

phatically hammered home by the Spanish striker.

And Spurs completed the turnaround with 10 minutes to go thanks to another piece of inspiration from Lamela and a finish from the 21-yearold Kane.

“I’m happy with the performance.

In the end 2-1 for us is an important result,” added Pochettino, who was also delighted with the influence off the bench of his fellow Argentine Lamela.

Hull are appearing in Europe for the first time but their manager Steve

Roberto Soldado (C) with teammates of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates his goal against AEL during their Europa League playoffs first leg in Larnaca, Cyprus on Thursday AP

Bruce made it clear where his priorities lie as he made nine changes to the team that won at Queen’s Park Rangers on the opening day of the Premier League season.

Defender James Chester and goalkeeper Allan McGregor kept their places, but the latter was guilty of a mistake that gifted the only goal of the game at the Daknamstadion to Hans Vanaken just before the hour mark.

The Scottish international somehow managed to pass the ball straight to his opponent, and Vanaken rounded the Tigers’ stopper before rolling the ball into an empty net.

Yannick Sagbo and David Meyler both squandered openings for Hull, who face a tricky test in the second leg if they are to make it to the group phase.

Among the other winners on the night were Spanish sides Villarreal and Real Sociedad, Borussia Moenchengladbach and PSV Eindhoven, who all joined Inter Milan, 3-0 victors away to Stjarnan of Iceland on Wednesday.

However, French duo Lyon and Saint-Etienne face uphill struggles to progress after being beaten by Romanian and Turkish opposition respectively.

The individual performance of the evening came from Swedish international forward Marcus Berg, who scored all four goals for Panathinaikos as they beat Mdtjylland of Denmark 4-1 in the Greek capital. l

Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea side will attempt to apply early pressure on their main Premier League rivals when they face a newly-promoted side for the second time inside a week with the visit of Leicester City to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Mourinho’s team started their campaign with a comfortable 3-1 victory at Burnley that included a first competitive goal for recent signing Diego Costa following the striker’s £32 million ($53 million, 40 million euros) move from Atletico Madrid.

And it would constitute a major surprise if they failed to take maximum points against Nigel Pearson’s City side.

Chelsea recovered from the unexpected shock of falling behind to Burnley before moving impressively through the gears to effectively kill off the game before half-time.

The performances of Costa and Cesc Fabregas, another major close-season signing, offered promising signs that Mourinho’s efforts to strengthen his side’s attacking options have been successful.

But Andre Schurrle, fresh from his success with Germany at the World Cup in Brazil and the scorer of Chelsea’s second goal at Turf Moor, insists

there is more to come from himself and the rest of the team.

Thibaut Courtois will again start in goal having been selected ahead of long term number one Petr Cech at Burnley, a decision that has raised doubts about Cech’s long-term future at Chelsea.

Mourinho must decide whether to hand a debut to newly arrived left-back Filipe Luis after starting with Cesar Azpilicueta in the opening game.

Meanwhile Leicester manager Nigel Pearson has admitted he has

FIXTURES Aston Villa Chelsea Crystal Palace Everton Southampton Swansea

v v v v v v

Newcastle Leicester West Ham Arsenal West Brom Burnley

become frustrated by his attempts to land former Inter Milan and Argentina midfielder Esteban Cambiasso.

The Premier League newcomers have been trying to close a deal for the 33-year-old for a number of weeks but it has proved difficult to complete.

Pearson has problems for this weekend with regular midfielders Danny Drinkwater (hamstring) and Matty James (shin) ruled out but striker Jamie Vardy and winger Marc Albrighton should be available. l

Cazorla eyeing goals against Everton

Barca aiming for a flying start

n AFP, London

Barcelona will be looking to put a disastrous end to last season behind them when they open their new La Liga campaign at home to Elche on Sunday.

Former Barca captain Luis Enrique will take charge of his first competitive game after replacing Gerardo Martino in the dugout, but many of the new faces in the playing staff are unlikely to feature.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Thomas Vermaelen are both sidelined by injury, while Luis Suarez continues his fourmonth ban for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup. Claudio Bravo and Ivan Rakitic are expected to make their competitive debuts, however, while Lionel Messi and Neymar will feature after both scored

Santi Cazorla wants to return to his scoring consistency of two seasons ago and strengthen Arsenal’s challenge for honours this season.

The Spain midfielder struck seven goals last season and will hope to open his Premier League account this term when Arsene Wenger’s side face Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

“Kicking off a new season in that fashion is always nice: winning a title and also helping by scoring a goal,” Cazorla said. “That keeps your morale high. As I always say, my target is helping the team with goals.

“I hope to equal or beat my goalscoring tally from last season. That’s something every player wants to achieve.”

He added: “Hopefully, I’ll help the

team with many goals because that would be a signal that I can be useful.

“My first season here was very good.

I managed to beat my scoring record - which had been nine with Malaga with 12 goals.

“Last season I wasn’t so consistent because I struggled with ankle problems after an injury with Spain. For this reason I lacked consistency,” Cazorla explained.

Mikel Arteta will miss out on the chance to face his former club after injuring his ankle during the goalless draw at Besiktas in this week’s Champions League qualifier.

Everton will have Republic of Ireland duo Seamus Coleman and Darron Gibson available for the match.

However, Ross Barkley, Bryan Oviedo and Arouna Kone remain long-term absentees. l

6 LA LIGA SIGNINGS OF THE TRANSFER WINDOW

LUIS SUAREZ

JAMES RODRIGUEZ

TONI KROOS

(Liverpool to Barcelona) Suarez’s latest indiscretion at the World Cup earned him a four-month playing ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini, but that didn’t dissuade Barca from spending a reported 95 million euros (£75 million, $127 million) on the Premier League Player of the Year last season.

The Uruguayan won’t be able to make his competitive debut until October, but could prove a decisive figure in the title race alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar in a sensational looking front three.

(Monaco to Real Madrid) If Barca opted for the World Cup’s bad boy, Real splashed out on the golden boy from Brazil by sealing the signature of the tournament’s top scorer in Colombian James Rodriguez. Given Real’s abundance of creative talent, Rodriguez may struggle to hold down a place in the playmaking role where he excelled in Brazil. However, coach Carlo Ancelotti has already hailed his willingness to adapt to a role on the left side of midfield to help feed the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema.

(Bayern Munich to Real Madrid) Another star from the World Cup, Kroos patrolled the midfield as Germany were crowned world champions for a fourth time.

Supreme in possession, Kroos also offers a goal threat as he showed in scoring twice in the 7-1 World Cup semi-final thrashing of Brazil and is seen as the longterm successor to Xabi Alonso in the Real midfield.

n AFP, Madrid

on their return from World Cup duty in Barca’s 6-0 thrashing of Mexican side Club Leon on Monday.

Barca also lost the experience of goalkeeper Victor Valdes and Carles

FIXTURES Saturday Malaga Sevilla Granada Almeria Sunday

v v v v

Bilbao Valencia Deportivo Espanyol

Eibar Barcelona Celta Vigo Levante Monday

v v v v

Sociedad Elche Getafe Villarreal

Real Madrid v Cordoba Rayo Vallecano v Atletico Madrid

Puyol over the close season, but another veteran, right-back Dani Alves, believes he can see similarities in Luis Enrique’s early days in charge to those of Pep Guardiola which reaped such success.

Champions League finalists Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid don’t get their league campaigns underway until Monday night as they face off in the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Friday.

La Liga champions Atletico have a tricky start as they travel across Madrid to take on a Rayo Vallecano side that produced a stunning late run last season to secure their survival in the top flight for another year.

Real, meanwhile, will also be looking to make amends as they crumbled in the final weeks of the league season in May before going on to claim a tenth European Cup by beating Atletico in Lisbon. They begin their league campaign at home to newly-promoted Cordoba.l

Neymar suffers ankle sprain n AFP, Barcelona Brazilian superstar Neymar has suffered an ankle sprain in training, Barcelona announced Friday, adding to the club’s injury woes just two days before opening their new La Liga campaign.

Neymar complained of pain in his left ankle at the end of Thursday’s training session and tests confirmed he had suffered a mild sprain, Barcelona reported as they prepared to face Elche at home on Sunday.

Neymar’s new injury comes just four days after he had received the all-clear to play for the first time since suffering a broken vertebra in his back during the World Cup. However, the injury could have been much worse as Neymar revealed that had the impact of Zuniga’s knee on his back been slightly higher he could have been left paralysed. l

FC Barcelona captain Xavi Hernandez attends a news conference held after a training session near Barcelona yesterday. Barca kick off the season at home to Elche under new coach Luis Enrique having had an overhaul of the team following their first season without a major trophy in six years REUTERS

Hodgson urges English talent to consider moving abroad n AFP, London ANTOINE GRIEZMANN

IVAN RAKITIC

(Real Sociedad to Atletico Madrid)

(Sevilla to Barcelona)

Despite breaking the Barca and Real hegemony to win La Liga last season, keeping up with the Jameses is a bit tricky for Atletico given the financial gulf between them and Spain’s top two. Indeed they have lost many of their title-winning side to Chelsea as Thibaut Courtois, Filipe Luis and Diego Costa moved to London. However, they will be hopeful that Frenchman Griezmann can better the 16 La Liga goals he struck for Real Sociedad last season after sealing a 30 m euro move to the Spanish capital.

Rakitic was arguably the outstanding midfielder in La Liga last season and Barcelona beat off reported interest from Real and Atletico to seal his signature as a replacement for Cesc Fabregas.

The demands on the Croatian will be high as he is expected to oust Barca’s most decorated player of all time in Xavi Hernandez for a place Luis Enrique’s starting line-up and he should add some athleticism to a midfield that has been worn down by their success over the past six seasons.

RODRIGO (Benfica to Valencia) The pick of the business done by those outside the top three has been Valencia’s signing of prolific Spanish under-21 striker Rodrigo on loan from Benfica.

‘Los Che’ have endured a couple of years in the doldrums due to financial troubles, but backed by new owner Peter Lim could be back in the race for Champions League football come the end of the season.

England manager Roy Hodgson has urged the country’s rising stars to consider spending some of their career abroad in a bid to gain the experience that will make them successful at international level.

This week saw Chelsea’s Josh McEachran agree a season-long loan with Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem - a club with close links to the London outfit - and Hodgson believes a clutch of young players would be better off playing overseas rather than kicking their heels at Premier League clubs.

“We are going to have to accept that some young players -- who I think are

good enough and can win games for England - will not always be first choice for their teams in England,” Hodgson told the Football Association’s website on Thursday.

“It wouldn’t hurt them at all to go abroad. Most of our players, although they don’t all play regularly -- play at

very good clubs at a very high level.”

He added: “If you are asking me would it be better for some of our players to be playing in good teams abroad rather than warming the bench, then of course as a national team manager I would like to see that.”

Goalkeeper Fraser Forster, now with Southampton but then with Celtic, was the only member of England’s final 23man squad for the 2014 World Cup to be based outside the Premier League, with Hodgson’s men going out at the group stage in Brazil after failing to win a match.

“It is not my job to tell players what to do but I would think that, if the opening was there for players to go abroad, then a lot of them would take it. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Ajmal misses first Sri Lanka ODI for tests on action

QUICK BYTES YOUTH WOMEN’S HANDBALL

BJMC, Jamalpur, Naoga, Panchagarh reach semis

n Reuters, Karachi

Team BJMC, Jamalpur, Naoga and Panchagarh swept into the semifinals of the Walton Air Conditioner National (Under-19) Youth Women’s Handball Tournament 2014 after winning their respective matches at the M Mansur Ali Handball Stadium yesterday. Jamalpur defeated Jessore by 15-8 while Panchagarh beat Kustia 20-10 in the second round games. BJMC will take on Jamalpur in the first semifinal today while Naoga will face Panchagarh in the day’s second semifinal on the same day.

–Tribune Desk

Mourinho hails ousted Cech Mourinho has praised Petr Cech for the goalkeeper’s reaction to being left out of Chelsea’s opening Premier League game of the season. Cech, the club’s number one since arriving at Stamford Bridge in 2004, sat on the bench during the 3-1 opening day victory at Burnley, with Thibaut Courtois named in the starting line-up. The Czech international’s omission has raised doubts about the player’s future at the club and Mourinho admits Cech is unlikely to be happy with the situation. But the manager insists he wants Cech to stay, and insists the keeper will play a more prominent part in his plans when Chelsea’s Champions League and Capital One cup campaigns begin. “He is a top professional,” Mourinho said of Cech on Friday. “He is working as always, behaving as always, being a group man as always, being a Chelsea person as always.

–AFP

Kvitova reaches New Haven semis Reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova advanced to the semi-finals of the WTA New Haven hardcourt tournament Thursday with a 6-4, 6-1 triumph over Czech compatriot Barbora Zahlavova Strycova. Fourth-ranked Kvitova next will face Australia’s Samantha Stosur, who ousted Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the final warmup event for the US Open, which begins Monday. Second seed Kvitova, the 2012 New Haven winner who lost to Simona Halep in last year’s final, will be the third seed at the year’s last Grand Slam event and will open her Flushing Meadows fortnight next week against France’s 73rd-ranked Kristina Mladenovic. Kvitova won their first meeting in 2008 at Paris but lost to Mladenovic, 21, last year in Paris. Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova defeated American Alison Riske 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 to book a semi-final berth against Italy’s Camila Giorgi, who defeated Spain’s Garbine Muguruza 6-4, 6-7 (4/7) 6-2.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six Rugby Championship 2014 01:30PM New Zealand v Australia 1:00AM Argentina v South Africa 7:30PM World Kabaddi League 2014 DELHI: DAY 5 5:00AM Major League Soccer 2014 NY Red Bulls v Montreal Impact Ten Cricket 10:30AM Sri Lanka v Pakistan 1st ODI Star Sports 1 Natwest T20 Blast 4:00PM Surrey v Birmingham 7:30PM Hampshire v Lancashire Star Sports 4 6:00PM F1: Belgian GP Qualifying Barclays Premier League 8:00PM Chelsea v Leicester City 10:30PM Everton v Arsenal Star Sports 2 Barclays Premier League 5:45PM Aston Villa v Newcastle Pro Kabaddi League 8:15PM Patna v Vizag 9:30PM Jaipur v Pune Spanish La Liga 1:00AM Sevilla v Valencia 3:00AM Almeria v Espanyol

15

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Sri Lanka’s cricketer Tillakaratne Dilshan (L) gestures while talking with coach Marvan Atapattu during a net practice session at the Suriyawewa Mahinda Rajapakse International Cricket Stadium in the southern district of Hambantota yesterday AFP

Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal will miss the first one-day international against Sri Lanka on Aug. 23 as he is flying to Brisbane to undergo tests on his bowling action.

A senior official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) told Reuters on Thursday that Ajmal might also miss the second of three one-dayers in Colombo on Aug. 27 if his tests take time in Brisbane.

Ajmal’s bowling action was reported by the umpires and match referee to the ICC after the first test against Sri Lanka in Galle earlier this month. He is still free to play.

“Right now he will be flying to Brisbane to an ICC accredited biomechanics lab on Aug. 23 when the first ODI is to be played and his test is scheduled for the 24th,” the official said.

“He will be accompanied by a doctor of our medical panel, Dr Sohail Saleem.”

The PCB official said that around 30 deliveries from Galle had been mentioned in the report received by the board.

Ajmal, 36, has been Pakistan’s leading bowler in recent years with 178 wickets in 35 tests and 182 one-day international and 85 Twenty20 wickets.

His action was also reported in 2009 but he was cleared after tests. l

Pakistan regroup for Sri Lanka ODIs n AFP, Hambantota Pakistan and Sri Lanka begin a threematch one-day series on Saturday hoping to gauge each other’s firepower and bench strength ahead of the World Cup just six months away.

The two former world champions have been drawn in different halves for one-day cricket’s showpiece that is to be played in Australia and New Zealand in February and March.

Pakistan, the 1992 champions, will look to bounce back after an embarrassing 2-0 whitewash for Misbah-ul Haq’s tourists in the short Test series that concluded on Monday.

Sri Lanka, who won the World Cup four years later in 1996, hope to build on a successful run by Angelo Mathews’

team in limited-overs cricket this year when they won the one-day Asia Cup and the World Twenty20.

“Our recent record has been good, but we have to make sure we remain consistent and do the basics right,” Mathews said ahead of the first match in Hambantota.

“The one-dayers will be different and Pakistan will come hard at us. They are a good side and we have to be at the top of our game.”

Mahela Jayawardene, who retired this week from Test cricket to concentrate on his World Cup preparations, and fellow veteran Kumar Sangakkara lead a strong batting line-up that also includes opener Tillakaratne Dlshan.

Sri Lanka will miss off-spinner Sachithra Senenayake, who is under-

going remedial work on his bowling action after being reported by umpires on the England tour in June.

But Pakistan will be without oneday cricket’s top bowler Saeed Ajmal for part of the series with the off-spinner, who was also reported for a suspect action, flying to Australia for testing.

“If he gets a flight on Friday then he will miss the first one-day (match) but we are trying to get him back by August 26 in time for the next game a day later in Colombo,” team manager Moin Khan told AFP. Pakistan captain Misbah was confident the tourists will recover from the Test whitewash to put on a better display in the one-dayers.

“This is a different format and we play it well,” said Misbah, whose team

beat Sri Lanka 3-2 in the one-day series in the United Arab Emirates in December.

“This is a good chance to assess ourselves since the World Cup is not too far away. Every one-dayer we play will tell us where we stand.”

Pakistan were reinforced by eight one-day specialists, including the talismanic Shahid Afridi and former captain Mohammad Hafeez, who joined the squad after the Tests.

Lanky paceman Mohammad Irfan, one of cricket’s tallest bowlers at seven feet, one inch (2.16 metres), is also back after recovering from a hip injury.

The second match will be played at the Premadasa stadium in Colombo on August 27 and the third in Dambulla on August 30. l

SQUADS Pakistan Misbah-ul Haq (capt) Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Anwar Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Talha, Wahab Riaz, Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Irfan.

Sri Lanka Angelo Mathews (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal, Ashan Priyanjan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dhammika Prasad, Rangana Herath, Seekuge Prasanna, Suraj Randiv.

Federer could win numbers game n Reuters, New York Roger Federer achieved tennis greatness with an intoxicating blend of athleticism, artistry and unflinching nerve. Yet for all his fluid genius, the measure of a career often boils down to cold numbers.

Seventeen grand slam singles titles, three more than any man who has played the game, have been won by the Swiss maestro.

But it is eight grand slam events and counting since the graceful sportsman, who ticked off major accomplishments like clockwork during his years of dominance, has won a grand slam.

At age 33, with the clock ticking down on an extraordinary career, the father of two sets of twins faces a golden opportunity to add to his majestic legacy at the U.S. Open starting on Monday at the U.S. National Tennis Center.

Federer is in form and his primary nemesis, 2013 U.S. Open winner Rafa Na-

dal, has withdrawn due to a wrist injury, elevating the Swiss to second seed and ensuring he can only meet top seed Novak Djokovic should they both reach the final.

World number two Nadal, the Spaniard with 14 major titles of his own, has beaten Federer 23 times in 33 career meetings, and taken nine of their 11 career collisions in grand slams.

The other member of the ‘Big Four’ who have dominated men’s tennis the past decade, 2012 U.S. Open winner and 2013 Wimbledon champion Andy Murray of Britain, is still struggling to regain top form after having back surgery, further suggesting a possible storybook run by Federer.

After a disappointing 2013 season in which Federer was affected by a bad back, skeptics wondered whether he might be heading down a slippery slope toward retirement.

Federer believed otherwise, proclaiming his continuing love for the game, even down to the long hours of practice, and insisted he would remain a grand slam threat. l

FACTS AND FIGURES 2013 women’s champion: Serena Williams (U.S.) 2013 men’s champion: Rafa Nadal (Spain), injured not defending The total prize money pool for this year’s U.S. Open has been increased 11.7 percent to a record $38.3 million The men’s and women’s singles champions will earn $3 million, a record payout at the year’s final grand slam Since the inclusion of professional tennis players in 1968, Jimmy Connors (1974, 1976, 1978, 1982-1983), Pete Sampras (1990, 1993, 19951996, 2002), and Roger Federer (2004-2008) have won the most men’s championships, with five titles.

Since the inclusion of the professional tennis players in 1968, Chris Evert (1975-1978) holds the record for most consecutive women’s singles titles at four and the record for most overall titles at six (1975-1978, 1980, 1982).

Team members pour ice cold water onto Mercedes-AMG’s British driver Lewis Hamilton as he takes the “Ice Bucket Challenge” to raise awareness about ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Spa yesterday AFP

Utseya latest to have action reported n Reuters, Mumbai Zimbabwe all-rounder Prosper Utseya has become the fourth off-spinner to be reported for an illegal bowling action by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in recent months as the governing body continued their crackdown on the issue.

The off-spinner’s action raised concerns during Zimbabwe’s seven-wicket loss in the third and final one-day international against South Africa in Bulawayo on Thursday, the ICC said in a statement on Friday.

“The match officials’ report... cited concerns regarding Utseya’s arm ball and fast delivery, and concluded that the bowler’s action needed to be tested,” the governing body said.

Utseya made his international debut in 2004 and has since taken 10 wickets in four tests and 123 wickets in 156 ODIs. The right-handed batsman also has 24 wickets in Twenty20 inter-

nationals.

The 29-year-old has to undergo testing within 21 days as per the ICC regulations but can continue bowling in the triangular one-day international series against Australia and South Africa, which starts on Monday, until the results are known.

The governing body allows a 15-degree limit for all bowlers to flex their elbows but the ICC cricket committee, at its meeting in Bangalore during the first week of June, noted that there were a number of current bowlers bending that rule.

While the ICC has not given any new directive to match officials to be more vigilant about chucking, the renewed vigour in identifying bowlers with illegal actions has been evident.

“It is something they are expected to do as part of their job,” Geoff Allardice, ICC general manager for cricket, told Reuters recently.

“Although the concern about suspect actions expressed after the recent ICC cricket committee and chief executives meetings may have given the umpires greater confidence to report.”

Just after the June meeting, Sri Lanka’s Sachithra Senanayake and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson were reported and then later banned from bowling by the ICC after the off-spinners were found to have illegal actions.

Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal was also reported earlier this month after the team’s defeat to Sri Lanka in the first test in Galle.

It was the second time Pakistan’s leading spinner, who has taken 178 wickets in 35 tests, has faced question marks about his bowling after being reported and later cleared for a suspect action in 2009.

Ajmal will fly to Brisbane to undergo tests on his bowling action at an ICC accredited biomechanics lab. l

Hamilton quickest in second practice n AFP, Spa Lewis Hamilton topped the times ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in Friday’s twice red-flagged second free practice session ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

The 29-year-old Briton, who was second behind Rosberg in the morning session, clocked a best lap of one minute and 49.189 to finish clear at the top of the times on a typically incident-filled day at the old Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the Belgian Ardennes.

Rosberg was six-tenths of a second slower than Hamilton to finish second ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Ferrari, Felipe Massa and Jenson Button of McLaren on a rare dry day at the track. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Too much water and too little government aid n Tribune report The flood situation in different parts of the country has remained unchanged as people continue to suffer from the scarcity of food, shelter, medicine and fuel. Government aid for the flood victims thus far has been nowhere near sufficient.

Our correspondent form Kurigram reports that the water level in many areas was still rising, though in a few areas the flood water has been drying up slowly.

More than 200,000 people are marooned in 42 unions of the district.

Many people are still living on rafts and scaffolds.

These families are miserable because of the acute scarcity of food and potable water. Lack of proper healthcare services and medicines in those areas are making the people’s lives more difficult. There is also a crisis of fodder in the flood affected areas.

The roads and highways in the district went underwater, and now boats and rafts are the only means for traveling from one place to another. More than 200 educational institutions in

the district have remained closed because of the flood.

The affected families received ten kilograms of rice yesterday. District Magistrate ABM Azad told to the Dhaka Tribune that thus far, 150 tonnes of rice and Tk200,000 in cash had been allotted by the government for the flood victims in that area. They had applied to the ministry for more 200 tonnes of rice and Tk15 lakhs, he added.

Our Gaibandha correspondent added: The heavy current in the Ghaghot River was threatening the embankment which was protecting the city. A stretch of 100m of the embankment in the Komornoi area was severely damaged. The Water Development Board was trying to repair the dam using bamboo and sandbags.

Seventeen educational institutions were closed down in the Sundarganj area. There is also an acute scarcity of food, potable water, fuel and fodder in the area.

The flood victims said the government’s effort to help them was not sufficient to alleviate their miseries.

According to our Sherpur correspondent, the onrush of water from

Housesholds go under flood water in Kulkandi union of Islampur under Jamalpur. The picture was taken yesterday upstream is steadily raising the water level in the Brahmaputra near the Sherpur Ferry Terminal. Many people lost their houses in the river erosion in Sherpur.

Nearly 50 houses in the Kulurchar Beparipara village under Char Pakkhimari union in Sherpur sadar upazila were demolished by the river erosion.

Meanwhile, the houses on the

shoals beside the river were inundated, which forced the inhabitants to move their valuables elsewhere.

The locals complained that neither the government nor the non govern-

New type of solar concentrator doesn’t block the view

JU suspends 16 students over BCL clash

n Agencies

n JU Correspondent

A team of researchers at Michigan State University has developed a new type of solar concentrator that when placed over a window creates solar energy while allowing people to actually see through the window.

It is called a transparent luminescent solar concentrator and can be used on buildings, cell phones and any other device that has a flat, clear surface.

And, according to Richard Lunt of MSU’s College of Engineering, the key word is “transparent.”

Research in the production of energy from solar cells placed around luminescent plastic-like materials is not new. These past efforts, however, have yielded poor results – the energy production was inefficient and the materials were highly colored.

“No one wants to sit behind colored glass,” said Lunt, an assistant professor of chemical engineering and materials science. “It makes for a very colorful environment, like working in a disco.

We take an approach where we actually make the luminescent active layer itself transparent.”

The solar harvesting system uses small organic molecules developed by Lunt and his team to absorb specific nonvisible wavelengths of sunlight.

“We can tune these materials to pick up just the ultraviolet and the near infrared wavelengths that then ‘glow’ at another wavelength in the infrared,” he said.

Jahangirnagar University (JU) suspended 16 students, who belong to the JU unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), yesterday over a factional clash that took place on Wednesday morning.

The decision to suspend was taken at an emergency syndicate meeting upon the recommendations of the university’s disciplinary committee, Prof Hanif, a syndicate member, told the Dhaka Tribune.

The “glowing” infrared light is guided to the edge of the plastic where it is converted to electricity by thin strips of photovoltaic solar cells.

“Because the materials do not absorb or emit light in the visible spectrum, they look exceptionally transparent to the human eye,” Lunt said.

One of the benefits of this new development is its flexibility. While the technology is at an early stage, it has the potential to be scaled to commercial or industrial applications with an affordable cost.

“It opens a lot of area to deploy solar energy in a non-intrusive way,” Lunt said. “It can be used on tall buildings with lots of windows or any

kind of mobile device that demands high aesthetic quality like a phone or e-reader.

“Ultimately we want to make solar harvesting surfaces that you do not even know are there.”

Lunt said more work is needed in order to improve its energy-producing efficiency. Currently it is able to produce a solar conversion efficiency close to 1 percent, but noted they aim to reach efficiencies beyond 5 percent when fully optimized. The best colored LSC has an efficiency of around 7 percent.

The research was featured on the cover of a recent issue of the journal Advanced Optical Materials. l

Aninda, along with his followers, launched an attack on Faisal and his followers in the hall, leaving at least 10 people critically injured Maulana Bhasani Hall BCL General Secretary Aninda Baroi, activists KM Nurunnabi, Rajon, Sujon, Bijoy, Sanjoy, Kishore and Nayeem were among the suspended students.

Prof Hanif said all 16 were also asked to leave campus immediately until a final decision was taken against them.

Led by JU Students’ Welfare And Advising Committee Chief Prof Rasheda Akhter, a committee has also been formed to probe the clash. The probe report is supposed to be submitted within next seven working days.

JU Assistant Proctor Mehedi Iqbal said they would like to implement a permanent punishment against the suspended students on the basis of the probe report while authorities would now file a case against them on charges of vandalising the university property.

JU Proctor Dr Tapan Kumar Saha went further and told the Dhaka Tribune: “Those suspended would not be allowed on campus, let alone attend any kind of academic activities, including classes and tutorials.”

Aninda Baroi is Maulana Bhashani Hall unit BCL General Secretary while Faisal Ahmed Shakil is the president.

There had been a dispute between them over establishing supremacy at the hall.

Earlier on Wednesday, Aninda, along with his followers, launched an attack on Faisal and his followers in the hall, leaving at least 10 people critically injured. They were immediately admitted to Enam Medical College and Hospital.

Maulana Bhashani Hall unit BCL President Faisal was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as his condition had worsened.

JU unit BCL General Secretary Rajib Ahmed Rasel told the Dhaka Tribune: “Wednesday’s attack was an outcome of the growing conspiracy against Chhatra League. However, stern actions would be taken by the organisation against the Chhatra League men responsible for the attack. l

FOCUS BANGLA

ment organisations had come to their aid so far. Nearly a thousand people would lose their houses unless something was done immediately to prevent the erosion, they added. l

Shahabuddin receives French Knighthood n Tribune Report

highest civilian title.

French Minister of Culture and Communication Aurelie Filippetti recognised Shahabuddin’s contribution and commitment to the culture of France in her congratulatory letter, said the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry in a statement released on Thursday.

The award is given to artists for their outstanding work in the literary or artistic fields or for their contribution to culture in France or globally.

A person becomes eligible for the title Chevalier (Knight) after rendering a minimum 20 years of public service or 25 years of professional activity.

Earlier, renowned educationalist and linguist Dr Muhammad Shahidullah and mime artist Partha Pratim Majumder received the French Knighthood in 1967 and 2011. l

Global warming slowdown ‘could last another decade’

The shackled life of a mentally challenged man in Bogra

n BBC

n Hasibur Rahman Bilu, Bogra

The hiatus in the rise in global temperatures could last for another 10 years, according to new research.

Scientists have struggled to explain the so-called pause that began in 1999, despite ever increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere.

The latest theory says that a naturally occurring 30-year cycle in the Atlantic Ocean is behind the slowdown.

The researchers say this slowmoving current could continue to divert heat into the deep seas for another decade.

However, they caution that global temperatures are likely to increase rapidly when the cycle flips to a warmer phase.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global average temperatures have increased by around 0.05C per decade in the period between 1998 and 2012.

This compares with a decadal average of 0.12 between 1951 and 2012.

More than a dozen theories have been put forward on the cause of this pause in temperature growth that occurred while emissions of carbon dioxide were at record highs.

These ideas include the impact of pollution such as soot particles that have reflected back some of the Sun’s heat into space.

Increased volcanic activity since 2000 has also been blamed, as have

variations in solar activity.

The most recent perspectives have looked to the oceans as the locations of the missing heat.

Last year a study suggested that a periodic upwelling of cooler waters in the Pacific was limiting the rise.

However this latest work, published in the journal Science, shifts the focus from the Pacific to the Atlantic and Southern oceans.

The team, lead by Prof Ka-Kit Tung from the University of Washington, US, says there is now evidence that a 30-year current alternately warms and cools the world by sinking large amounts of heat beneath these deep waters.

They’ve used observations from a network of devices called Argo floats that sample the oceans down to 2,000 metres.

Ice age fears

The researchers say that there was another hiatus between 1945 and 1975 due to this current taking down the heat, that led to fears of a new ice age.

From 1976 though, the cycle flipped and contributed to the warming of the world, as more heat stayed on the surface.

But since the year 2000, the heat has been going deeper, and the world’s overall temperatures haven’t risen beyond the record set in 1998.

“The floats have been very revealing to us,” said Prof Tung.

“I think the consensus at this point is that below 700 metres in the Atlantic and Southern oceans [they are] storing heat and not the Pacific.”

A key element in this new understanding is the saltiness of the water. The waters in the Atlantic current coming up from the tropics are saltier because of evaporation. This sinks more quickly and takes the heat down with it.

Eventually though, the salty water melts enough ice in Arctic waters to lower the saline level, slowing down the current and keeping the heat near the surface.

“Before 2006 the saltiness was increasing, this indicated that the current was speeding up,” said Prof Tung.

“After 2006, this saltiness is diminishing but it’s still above the long-term average. Now it is slowly slowing down.

“Once it gets below the long-term average, then it is the next period of rapid warming.”

As well as the data from the Argo floats, Prof Tung has also examined the Central England Temperature record, that dates back over 350 years. He believes that this confirms the regular 70year cycles of warm and cold spells.

This historic pattern, he says, could extend the current period of pause.

“We probably may have another 10 years, maybe shorter as global warming itself is melting more ice and ice could flood the North Atlantic, but historically we are in the middle of the cycle.” l

Bangladesh artist Shahabuddin Ahmed has been awarded the French title “Chevalier de I’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” (Knight in the Order of the Arts and Literature), the

In what can only be described as barbaric, a 35-year-old man, who is claimed to be mentally ill, has been chained in a hole by his family for around two months at Gojaria village in Bogra’s Sherpur upazila.

The family of Ainal Fakir, who has three sons, said he would often beat people and take away the neighbours’ valuables after he began to suffer from a mental illness around three months ago.

His family did not have any financial capacity to treat him and so he had been put in chains The annoyed neighbours advised his family to put him in chains in an effort to keep him at bay and so they put iron shackles on him and kept him in a hole beside the Bangali River.

A local union parishad member, Ajgar Ali, echoed the family, saying his family did not have any financial capacity to treat him and so he had been put in chains.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Sherpur police station Officer-inCharge (investigation) Mizanur Rahman said he had sent a subinspector to see to this. l

Ainal Fakir, an alleged mentally ill person, has been put in shackles in a hole for around two months at Gojaria village in Bogra’s Sherpur upazila DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com