20 sep, 2014

Ashwin 5, 1421 Zilqad 24, 1435 Regd No DA 6238 Vol 2, No 169

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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7 | WORLD PAKISTANI EMBRACED

BY ISIS SEEKS TO DROP US LEGAL APPEAL

A TALE OF THREADING MEMORIES

JMB targets PM, president to draw IS attention

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11 | OP-ED

15 | SPORT

IS SHEIKH HASINA HELPLESS?

LONDON TO HOST EURO 2020 FINAL

B R I D G E FA L L S A PA R T

Acting JMB chief among 7 arrested; plans included snatching jailed Ansarullah chief The arrestees are JMB acting chief n Mohammad Jamil Khan Abdullah Al Tasnim alias Nahid, 29, Banned militant outfit JMB was reportedly planning to attack the president and the prime minister along with other VIPs in a bid to draw the attention of the international militant organisation Islamic State (IS) and jump-start its activities in Bangladesh.

To implement their plan, the Jama’atul Mujahedin Bangladesh militants had already gathered large amounts of explosives and were reportedly waiting for an opportune moment to carry out the attacks.

The plans came to light after detectives of Dhaka Metropolitan Police held seven JMB members, including the outfit’s acting chief, from Ashulia

The militants planned to provide training on attacking techniques to the recruits at a camp in Bandarban Landing Station area in the early hours of yesterday. Ten kilograms of explosive gel, four brass idols, books and leaflets preaching militancy were also recovered from their possession.

Without giving details on the type of the explosives gel, police sources said the material would create powerful explosives once added with powdered brass.

Primary interrogation of the arrestees also revealed that the JMB had plans to snatch Ansarullah Bangla Team chief Jashim Uddin Rahmani from police custody, in a manner similar to the previous snatching of three top JMB members in Mymensingh’s Trishal earlier this year.

members Md Nayem Ali, 28, Md Sikandar Ali alias Noki, 25, Mahmud Ibne Bashar, 23, Md Masum Billah, 26, Fuad Hasan, 18, and Ali Ahmed, 24.

The JMB acting chief – who faces at least 20 cases – had arrest warrants issued against him as he had been evading court appearances since securing bail from a court in January.

In a press conference at the Media and Community Centre of the DMP yesterday, Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the Detective Branch of police, said the arrested JMB activists were planning on carrying out destructive activities on different major targets including the state’s VVIP and VIP persons.

Monirul did not mention the names of the targeted VVIP persons, but Bangladesh has only two persons with the status: President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The joint commissioner added that the arrestees had also admitted to targeting high-profile personalities in the hopes of drawing the attention of the IS through potential media coverage of the attacks. The plan was also a part of an attempt to revitalise the activities of the JMB members who were silently hiding in different areas of the country.

With the help of telecom specialists Bashar and Noki – who were both arrested yesterday – acting JMB chief Tasnim had also allegedly tried to contact the IS through emails; however, his attempt was futile.

Detectives said Tasnim regularly received advice on how to run the JMB from the daughter and son-in-law of jailed JMB chief Saidur Rahman. Communicating from Pakistan’s Karachi, Javed Akhter – Saidur’s son-in-law –  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Toll authorities of the Buriganga Bridge in the capital’s Postagola area spend all their energy collecting toll money, but they hardly spare any attention to the maintenance work that is much required at the moment, as a wide crack has appeared on the bridge. The photo was taken yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

FM in ‘fruitful’ talks on Teesta with Uma n Tribune Desk Both Bangladesh and India expressed hope for an early signing of a long-pending water sharing deal, Bangladesh’s foreign minister told reporters after a meeting with the Indian water resources minister during his visit to New Delhi.

Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali met Indian Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati at Shram Shakti Bhavan and discussed the long-pending Teesta water sharing deal and other matters, UNB reported yesterday.

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday laid emphasis on the speedy

implementation of decisions taken by Bangladesh and India to strengthen bilateral relations.

Bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh have grown and expanded in recent years and there is a need for

P3 MODI ON BD, INDIA speedy implementation of decisions, he said when the Bangladesh foreign minister, AH Mahmood Ali, met him at Rashtrapati Bhavan, according to an Indian official release.

The two countries have made concrete progress in almost all areas, and there is a necessity now to work on in-

creasing connectivity, said Mukherjee.

The foreign minister was accompanied by secretaries of different ministries who are in the Indian capital to attend the third meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) to be held today, according to UNB. Speaking on the occasion, the Mukherjee welcomed the Bangladesh foreign minister who was visiting India for the first time since assuming office and said the Joint Consultative Commission was a good mechanism.

Mahmood Ali said Bangladesh is moving forward on all fronts and the Sheikh Hasina government stands

poised to lead the country into the modern age.

He said sky is the limit for cooperation with India and both sides need to jointly give a big push. “The large delegation accompanying me shows the commitment of the Bangladesh government to improving relations,” he said.

He described his meeting with Uma Bharati as fruitful and positive in which they discussed issues relating to resources of common rivers and river basin management.

The foreign minister also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed various bilateral issues.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

France launches first air strikes in Iraq n Reuters, Paris

Scots spurn independence but demand new powers

France said on Friday its jets had launched strikes inside Iraq for the first time since the country promised to join military action against Islamic State insurgents who have taken over parts of the country.

“This morning at 9:40 (0740 GMT) our Rafale jets launched a first strike against a logistics depot of the terrorists,” President Francois Hollande’s office said a statement issued shortly after the raids.

The target in northeast Iraq was totally destroyed, said the statement, adding that there would be further operations “in the coming days”.

Hollande told a news conference on Thursday that French air strikes were imminent and would take place once reconnaissance flights had identified targets. He said the military action would be limited to Iraq, and no ground troops would be sent.

France has expressed its willingness to be part of the military, political and financial coalition being created by the

Two French Rafale fighter jets fly in formation during a mission from al-Dhafra airbase yesterday in this handout image provided by ECPAD. France said its jets had launched strikes inside Iraq for the first time since the country promised to join military action against Islamic State insurgents REUTERS

Scotland spurned independence in a historic referendum that threatened to rip the United Kingdom apart, sow financial turmoil and diminish Britain’s remaining global clout.

A vote for the 307-year union is a relief for millions of Britons including Prime Minister David Cameron, whose job was on the line, as well as allies across the world who were horrified at the prospect of the UK’s separation.

Opponents of independence won 55 percent of the vote while separatists won 45 percent with all 3.6 million votes - a record 85 percent turnout counted. But leaders from across the United Kingdom said the union must change if it is to endure.

Unionists cheered, kissed and drank wine and beer in Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city where secessionists won, while nationalist leader Alex Salmond conceded defeat in Edinburgh, which supported the United Kingdom.

Cameron said the question of Scottish independence had been settled for a generation.

5 | News

12 | Entertainment

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

n Reuters

INSIDE 3 | News

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has claimed that work on the much-awaited Padma Bridge would be completed by 2018, adding that work on the bridge and river training had already begun.

4 | News

More than 300 Hajj agencies representatives, also known as Monazzems, are yet to receive visas from Saudi Arabia for guiding their pilgrims during this year’s Hajj.

Resident students of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology evacuated dormitories yesterday morning complying with an order of the university authorities.

8 | Prescription

Diabetic eye disease refers to problems diabetic people may face. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common and a leading cause of blindness

9 | Heritage

The lands that are now Bangladesh are an amalgam of historic territories: Gangaridai, Arakan, Tripura, Assam, Bengal, and the names of the kingdoms that preceded Bengal.

To have a clear idea about global film industries we need to be aware of the misconceptions about filmmaking, and only then can we carve out a distinctive niche for us in the market.

“There can be no disputes, no reruns, we have heard the settled will of the Scottish people,” he said outside his official London residence in Downing Street.

The Queen II, who is at her Scottish castle in Balmoral, is expected to make a rare comment on Friday.

Salmond warned British politicians that they must respect last minute promises to Scotland The campaign for independence had electrified this country of 5.3 million but also divided the passions of friends and families from the remote Scottish islands of the Atlantic to the tough city estates of Glasgow.

Sterling strengthened sharply against the dollar and the euro on the result. British bonds and shares rose while major British companies with  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, September 20, 2014

No Bangladeshi varsities in top 500 n Mushfique Wadud In the two widely recognized international university rankings published in the recent times, no university from Bangladesh managed to secure a place in the top 500.

The QS World University Rankings for 2014-15 released on September 16 listed the top 200 international universities based on research quality, graduate employment, staff-to-student ratios, teaching standards and the number of international students.

No Bangladeshi university made it to the list.

Earlier in August, Academic Ranking of World Universities, also known as the Shanghai Rankings, released its 2014 top 500 university list, where no university from Bangladesh could be found as well.

According to the QS figures, University of Dhaka’s (DU) position did not improve in the world ranking. It stood at the same position of 701 like the previous year. It also shows a trend of DU continuously slipping down in the last few years. In 2007 it was 527 from where it fell to 601 in 2012.

On the contrary, neighbouring India’s Delhi University has moved up by 20 steps compared to previous year’s rank.

Even in the QS ranking of Asian universities, Bangladeshi universities failed to secure a place among the top 150. Dhaka University is at 171-180 in this list. However, in terms of Asian universities, DU’s position has improved than the previous year when it was between 201-250.

Among the Asian universities, National University of Singapore took the

lead while Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and University of Hong Kong secured second and third positions respectively.

According to the 2014 global ranking of QS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States topped the list. Imperial College London and University of Cambridge jointly secured the second position.

Harvard of the US secured fourth while University of Oxford and University College London jointly managed the fifth position.

In the Academic Ranking of World Universities aka Shanghai Ranking, Harvard University secured the first position, Stanford University came second and MIT stood third.

University Grants Commission chairman A K Azad Chowdhury told the Dhaka Tribune that Bangladeshi universities were doing well but could not make it to the list as they had failed to project the achievements.

Sharing his experience as a vicechancellor of DU from 1997 to 2001, when it was in Asiaweek’s top 100 universities and were in a better position than many Malaysian and Australian universities, AK Azad said, improving the database and website of the university was a crucial requirement for securing a place in the ranking.

He also pointed out that low budget allocation to higher education sector was an impediment to the progress of public universities in the country.

“The budgetary allocation is significant in our neighbouring countries.

Without adequate fund, advancement in higher education is not possible.” he said. l

20 JCD leaders and activists arrested in Sylhet n

Our Correspondent, Sylhet

Sylhet Metropolitan Police yesterday arrested around 20 activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, including its recently announced district unit President Saeed Ahmad.

The other arrestees are Chhatra Dal leaders Farooq Ahmad, Suhin Ahmed Chowdhury, Ziaur Rahman Romen, Ahmed Zaki, Mizan Ahmed and Masum Ahmed.

Sylhet airport station Officer-inCharge Shah Zaman confirmed the news.

Meanwhile, Kotwali police arrested around 12 including Ali Akbar Rajan, Raisul Islam Sony, Faiz, Sagor, Ripon, Afzal and Akhter from Meerbox Tula area.

SI Mubasher, second officer of Kotwali police station, said: “An announcement signed by the organisation’s

central office secretary Nazmul Hasan declared the 16-member committee of Sylhet district and metropolitan Chhatra Dal on Thursday.”

“Saeed Ahmed was announced President while Rahat Chowdhury Munna declared general secretary of the Sylhet district committee. Nurul Alam Siddiqui Khaled was declared metropolitan committee president and Abu Saleh Mohammad Lokman appointed as general secretary,” the official added.

Mubasher said this committee was given one-month period to form an 81 members full committee.

After the announcement of the new committee, many activists demonstrated for and against the decision.

Crude bombs were exploded and several clashes took place in the city. l

The Detective Branch of police bring the seven arrested members of banned Islamist militant outfit Jama’at ul Mujahideen Bangladesh in front of the media yesterday, after they were held from the capital’s Turag area. The photo was taken at the DB office DHAKA TRIBUNE

MALAYSIAN ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY

28% Bangladeshi migrants fall victim to forced labour n Rabiul Islam

A recent study shows that 28% of Bangladeshi migrant workers have fallen victim to forced labour, a form of modern-day slavery in the electronics industry in Malaysia.

“Many workers said they were being threatened with further exploitation and abuse if they refused or failed to excel at their current arrangement,” the study said, adding that some of the common threats were to be sent to a different factory or region, or to be assigned difficult or dangerous tasks as punishment.

Verite, an international NGO, carried out the study titled “Forced Labour in the Production of Electronic Goods in Malaysia”, and launched the report conducted with financial assistance from US Department of Labour on Wednesday.

A total of 36 Bangladeshi migrants in electronic industry were interviewed.

JMB targets PM, president to draw IS attention  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

reportedly advised Tasnim to use the internet to gather JMB members and to contact the IS. Establishing communication with the IS would have only been possible by causing large-scale destructive activities, said Monirul. Some of the JMB members had also collected passports as part of their plan to go to Syria and Iraq for joining the destructive activities by the IS, he added.

Tasnim was also working to recruit meritorious students of public and private universities, the DB official said, adding that Bashar and Noki were working at field level to recruit from

universities for the outfit. Bashar is a student of Dhaka University’s tourism and hospitality management department and Noki is a student of North South University, Monirul added.

The militants reportedly planned to provide training on attacking techniques to the recruits at a camp in Bandarban. During initial interrogation, the arrested JMB members also confessed to recruiting female members who would be able to easily enter secret places and collect information for them.

JMB’s plans also included kidnapping jailed Ansarullah Bangla Team chief Jashim in a coordinated attack

similar to the Trishal incident in February, in hopes that Jashim’s rescue would bring around 200 active Ansarullah members to support the JMB cause.

Two of the JMB leaders who were snatched from police custody in Trishal – Salehin and Mizan – as well as JMB’s West Bengal unit chief Sohel Mahfuz were now advising Tasnim from their hideouts in India, the DB official said.

Without giving details Joint Commissioner Monirul claimed that the arrestees had already admitted to having information on the recent murder of Channel i presenter Nurul Islam Faruki.

Further details could be extracted during remand when the police would

Scots spurn independence but demand new powers  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Scottish exposure welcomed the decision.

Royal Bank of Scotland said it had scrapped plans to move its registered office to England.

Speaking in front of an image of a giant white on blue Scottish flag, Salmond laced his admission of defeat with a warning to British politicians in London that they must respect their last minute promise of more powers for Scotland.

“Scotland has by a majority decided not, at this stage, to become an independent country. I accept that verdict of the people and I call on all of Scotland to follow suit in accepting the democratic verdict of the people of Scotland,” Salmond said.

“Scotland will expect these to be honoured in rapid course,” said Scotland’s first minister before walking off the stage, his head bowed.

Federal kingdom?

Opinion polls showing a surge in Scottish separatist support in the two

weeks leading up to the Sept. 18 vote prompted a rushed British pledge to grant more powers to Scotland, a step that has angered some English MPs in Westminster.

In an effort to deflate that anger, Cameron vowed to forge a new constitutional settlement that would grant Scotland the promised powers but also give greater control to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

“Just as Scotland will vote separately in the Scottish parliament on their issues of tax, spending and welfare, so too England, as well as Wales and Northern Ireland should be able to vote on these issues,” Cameron said.

“All this must take place, in tandem with and at the same pace as the settlement for Scotland.”

Cast as a constitutional revolution, commentators said Cameron’s pledge of more powers to the constituent parts of the United Kingdom was aimed at sedating ‘the slumbering beast of English nationalism’.

Cameron’s Conservatives have seen members seep towards the United

Kingdom Independence Party, an anti-European Union party, ahead of a referendum on EU membership that Cameron has promised by the end of 2017 if he wins the 2015 election.

“I’m not convinced by what I’ve heard this morning from Mr Cameron this morning that he seriously wants to address that,” UKIP leader Nigel Farage said.

Any British vote to leave the EU would be likely to prompt calls from Scottish nationalists for another independence vote.

UK PLC Seeking to tap into a cocktail of historical rivalry, opposing political tastes and a perception that London has mismanaged Scotland, nationalists said Scots, not London, should rule Scotland to build a wealthier and fairer country.

Though the nationalists won Glasgow, they failed to live up to opinion polls before the vote which forecast that the United Kingdom’s fate was balanced on a knife edge.

“We have chosen unity over divi-

Ten of the respondents said they were forced to work. Two Indian migrants who were interviewed also said they were trapped in forced labour.

Further, 67% of Nepalese migrants, 40% of Vietnam and 28% of Myanmar were also victims of forced labour, the study showed.

“My passport is held by the outsourcing company. I possess a photocopy only. It is scary to walk around,” said a male Bangladeshi worker in Johor of Malaysia. Every month, I pay off my debts, leaving me with no savings at the end of month,” another Bangladeshi in Klang Valley said.

A worker in Johor said, “My visa status is at the will of the agent, so if I want to do anything, I have to first discuss it with my agent.”

According to the study, 56% of Bangladeshi workers had to pay heavy recruitment and placement fees to get their first electronic industry job in Malaysia.

also try to extract information on the details and hideouts of other JMB members, Monirul said, adding that the police had information that the JMB still had members hiding in different areas of the capital.

Soon after the arrest of the JMB members, they were shown arrested in two cases filed with the Turag police station and were later placed before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

DB Inspector Mozammel Haque sought a 10-day remand in each of the two cases. After hearing the plea, Metropolitan Magistrate Rashed Talukder granted a two-day remand for each arrestee. l

sion, and positive change rather than needless separation,” Alistair Darling, head of the “Better Together” campaign.

The vote prevents 59-year-old Salmond from winning his dream of an independent Scotland, a goal for which he has worked with a mix of shrewd calculation and nationalist passion for his entire adult life.

Unionists had warned independence would diminish the United Kingdom’s standing in the world and sow financial, economic and political uncertainty during months of negotiations over a messy divorce.

U.S. President Barack Obama and European Union leaders had made clear they wanted the United Kingdom to stay together.

In Brussels, the European Commission said the Scottish vote was good for a “united, open and stronger Europe” while NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen welcomed the news that the United Kingdom would stay together.

Belgian EU Trade Commissioner Ka-

It said 70% of Bangladeshi workers took loans in order to pay the required fees to get their first electronic industry jobs in Malaysia. The number of Bangladeshi workers was 58,800, but it increased to 315,154 in 2008, the study said.

Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit Chairman Tasneem Siddique said, “I think there should be a transparent system which protects the interest of both employer and worker .”

She hopes that the findings will help the addressing of workers’ issues at national and international forums on migration.

“We have no report that Bangladeshi migrants in Malaysia are victims of forced labour,” Nurul Islam, joint secretary (employment) of the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment ministry, told this correspondent yesterday, adding that: “We have no idea of the number of Bangladeshis working in the electronics industry there.” l

France launches first air strikes  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

United States to defeat the Islamic State militants controlling parts of northern Iraq and Syria.

On Monday, Paris hosted an international conference attended by the five UN Security Council permanent members, European and Arab states, and representatives of the EU, Arab League and United Nations. The meeting was intended to coordinate a global strategy against Islamic State group.

France began its first reconnaissance flights over Iraq on Monday. l

rel De Gucht, whose native Flanders region is in thrall to a growing nationalist movement, said a Scottish split would have been “cataclysmic” for Europe, triggering a domino effect across the continent.

While Scottish leaders promised to work together, Scots remained divided in joy and disappointment over the fate of their country.

“Absolutely amazing,” said unionist campaigner Stephen Stanners. “They shouted the loudest, so it made it seem like a majority. But we’re obviously the silent dignified majority. And we pushed it through. And it just shows that Scotland loves the UK and the UK loves Scotland.”

But Calum Martin, a 21 year-old history student at Edinburgh University who voted for independence said the question of secession would return.

“It’s a disappointing result but it sets the stage for going forward,” Martin said. “As long as there are flaws, there will be calls for independence. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle once it’s out.” l

BNP: Amendment jolts judiciary n UNB Maintaining their attack on the government for restoring parliament’s power to remove judges, BNP senior leader Rafiqul Islam Miah yesterday said it has jolted the judiciary like atremor.

Addressing a discussion, the BNP leader also claimed that dispensation of justice will be very tough as the judges will remain under psychological pressure.

Swadhinata Forum, a pro-BNP platform, arranged the discussion at the Jatiya Press Club on the 16th amendment to the constitution.

“The judges will remain under psychological pressure as the power to remove judges has been bestowed upon an unrepresentative parliament. Now it will be tough for them to do justice,” the BNP leader said.

Rafiqul, a BNP standing committee member, lamented that the nation will not be able to recover the loss it suffered with the jerk of the 16th amendment.”

The senior lawyer feared that the judiciary will lose its neutrality, independence and accountability as the unelected and unrepresentative people were given power to remove judges. l

FM in ‘fruitful’ talks on Teesta with Uma  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

He was scheduled to meet Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley yesterday.

Mahmood Ali will have a one-to-one meeting with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj at Jawahar Bhavan at 10:35am today before the two sides sit for the third Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting at the same venue.

The JCC meeting, in which Bangladesh will push for early settlement of all pending issues including the Land Boundary Agreement and Teesta Water sharing deal, will begin at 11:15am today, UNB reports.

Secretaries representing various ministries, including of Commerce, Home, Water Resources, Energy and Power, are likely to have separate meetings with their Indian counterparts to provide inputs to the JCC meeting.

After the JCC meeting, Swaraj will host lunch for her Bangladesh counterpart and delegation members.

Mahmood Ali is likely to meet Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is also the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament today.

The high-powered delegation, led by the foreign minister, reached New Delhi on Thursday.

The foreign minister will leave for New York from New Delhi to attend the 69th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, September 20, 2014

3

PM: Padma Bridge will be finished by 2018 n Our Correspondent, Gopalganj Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has claimed that work on the much-awaited Padma Bridge would be completed by 2018, adding that work on the bridge and river training had already begun.

Addressing a ceremony at Tungipara in Gopalganj marking the inauguration of seven local development projects, the premier further said the construction of the bridge would allow development to reach the neglected areas of the region. Her government had ensured self-financing of the Padma Bridge in the face of conspiracies against the project, Hasina said, adding that the conspirators’ claims of corruption were not proved.

Without mentioning names, the prime minister said a group of people who “did not have the qualification to contest in polls” were constantly criticising the government. Terming them “the ghosts of General Yahya,” Hasina slammed the particular section of people for always trying to find faults or imperfections in government works while enjoying the benefits introduced

by the Awami League.

Criticising the BNP-Jamaat alliance, she claimed that the two parties had developed militancy during their tenure and had worked to destroy all sectors of the country including food production, education, power and healthcare. The BNP-Jamaat’s attempt to use anarchy to foil the January 5 poll had been unsuccessful, the premier said.

She also mentioned the government’s plans on a project named “Palli Janapad” that would start on a pilot basis in Gopalganj and Madaripur for providing flats to the rural populace. Under the project, four-storeyed buildings would house people on the top two floors, while the lower floors would contain dairy farms and poultry farms. The project would gradually be spread across the country, the prime minister expressed hopes.

Earlier in the day, Hasina also placed wreaths at the mausoleum of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman after arriving at Tungipara. Beefed up security measures were taken ahead of her arrival in the area. l

Street lamps remain on in the middle of a bright, sunny day in the capital’s Shaymoli area, and the authorities concerned remain blind to the waster of electricity. The photo was taken around 12pm yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Narendra Modi: Past, present, future Taxmen get huge response from taxpayers of Bangladesh-India interlinked n Tribune Report Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the past, the present and the future of India and Bangladesh were interlinked.

He made the remark when Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali called on him in New Delhi yesterday.

Modi said: “Bangabandhu founded Bangladesh and his daughter, Sheikh Hasina, saved Bangladesh.”

Modi reiterated that India would do everything for the growth, peace and prosperity of Bangladesh The foreign minister is leading the Bangladesh delegation for the third meeting of the Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) between Bangladesh and India, scheduled to be held today.

The Indian prime minister reiterated that India would do everything for the growth, peace and prosperity of Bangladesh.

He emphasised on regional cooperation for the collective development of

this region and expressed his satisfaction over the significant progress made in power sector cooperation between the two countries.

Noting the business opportunities in Bangladesh, he suggested that the Indian business communities should explore the possibilities of greater investment in Bangladesh.

In this connection, the Indian premier pointed out the potential of enhanced people-to-people contact including through tourism between the two friendly neighbours.

Modi stressed on the opportunities that existed for trade and commerce through sea and river routes.

On the importance of regional cooperation, Modi also said his government’s “Look East” policy and the goals of Bimstec complemented each other.

The foreign minister of Bangladesh also paid a courtesy call on Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan yesterday. The Indian president appreciated the remarkable socio-economic progress that Bangladesh has made over the past five years.

He fondly recalled his visit to Bangladesh in March last year and said he was looking forward to receive the president of Bangladesh in India.

Mahmood in a separate meeting with

Indian Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti discussed the issue of interim agreement for sharing waters of Teesta.

The two ministers agreed to hold the meeting of the 38th Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) in Bangladesh, as well as the third meeting of the sub-group of the JRC on Tipaimukh hydro-electric project, at a mutually convenient time.

The Indian water resources minister reiterated that India would not implement any project that may have adverse impact on Bangladesh.

Mahmood Ali met Indian Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal and expressed satisfaction that significant progress had been made in power sector cooperation between the two countries in last five years.

The Indian power minister assured that India would extend all out support to Bangladesh to further enhance and accelerate the pace of cooperation in this sector.

The Bangladeshi foreign minister also met Arun Jaitley, Indian union minister for finance, defence and corporate affairs, and Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

The foreign minister also attended the Lalit Arpan Festival last evening along with the former Speaker of Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar. l

n Tribune Report Taxmen yesterday received an overwhelming response from taxpayers at all the fair venues in 61 places, including Dhaka, tax officials said.

The tax fair drew large crowds yesterday being the weekly holiday, they said, adding that the tax officials struggled to provide taxpayers with proper services.

Many taxpayers, however, claimed that taxmen were taking much time to fill the returns or register with Electronic Taxpayers Identification Number (eTIN) for them.

On a visit to the tax fair at the Officers’ Club, it could be seen that taxpayers were waiting in long queues to get services and all booths were crammed with new and old taxpayers.

Farzana Islam, who was waiting in a booth to submit her tax return, said the National Board of Revenue (NBR) should set up more booths to ensure proper services.

“As the tax officials know that there will be rush on the weekly holiday, they should have made additional arrangements,” she said, adding that she was waiting for 30 minutes, but was yet to meet the tax officials as all of them were busy handling the crowd and pro-

viding services.

NBR officials said they were doing their best to serve the taxpayers, but are facing difficulties in doing so due to the overwhelming numbers.

On the fourth day, a total of 104,970 people received services at the fairs across the country, according to NBR data. The board has mobilised around Tk157.63 crore from 24,342 income tax returns.

A total of 1,658 people were registered with eTIN while 1,531 people had re-registered their old 10-digit TINs replacing them with eTIN. In the last four days, the board served 346,839 taxpayers, with a total of 16,000 taxpayers obtaining eTIN registration. The board has collected Tk931.5 crore from 69,700 returns from the fairs across the country.

The various services provided by NBR included online facility, for submitting income tax returns and registering for e-TIN certificates.

Separate booths for women, people with disabilities and senior citizens have been set up at the fair. State-run Sonali Bank and Janata Bank have also set up booths at the venue to help people pay their taxes.

The fair will remain open to visitors from 10am to 5pm. l

One arrested with 8,000 yaba pills n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Police arrested a man with with 8,000 pieces of yaba yesterday at a residential hotel in Chunoti area, under Lohagora upazila in Chittagong.

The arrested, Abdur Rahim, 25, was on his way to Chittagong city to trade the drugs with another yaba dealer and had made a pit stop at Midway Residential Hotel in Chunoti, when police raided the hotel and arrested him, said Mohammad Shahjahan, officer-in-charge of Lohagora police station.

“We raided the hotel around 6pm on a tip-off. We found Rahim with the yaba pills, worth around Tk16 lakh,” he said.

Rahim, who has been involved with yaba dealing for a while, collected the pills from Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar and struck the deal with the dealer in the city, whose name he could not tell, over phone, the OC added.

A case was filed with Lohagara police station in this regard, he said.

Lohagara, located close to the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway, is a popular route among yaba smugglers.

There are 37 yaba factories in Mongdu city of Myanmar, close to the border in Teknaf, from where yaba is smuggled into the country, said Chowdhury Imrul Hasan, superintendent of Chittagong Metro region at the Department of Narcotics Control. l

Alliance independent review: Bangladesh Worker Safety Indicate Major Progress n Tribune Report

Rejecting the Supreme Court’s verdict sentencing Delawar Hossain Sayedee for war crimes, the Gonojagoron Moncho gather in the capital’s Shahbagh area to demand maximum punishment for the convicted war criminal MEHEDI HASAN

Moncho factions engage in scuffle n Abid Azad and Arif Ahmed Two factions of Gonojagoron Moncho got embroiled in a scuffle in the capital’s Shahbagh yesterday.

Witnesses said activists of Gonojagoron Moncho factions and Chhatra Sangathan organised separate rallies in Shahbagh protesting the Appellate Division’s verdict that commuted the death penalty of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee to imprisonment unto death.

The rallies ended around 6pm and soon after that, the Gonojagoron Moncho led by Imran H Sarker attempted to organise a protest march but faced police obstruction.

At one stage, the faction got into an

altercation with the one led by Kamal Pasha, triggering a scuffle.

The Kamal Pasha faction claimed Muktijoddha Sangsad Command President Mehedi Hasan and several others were hurt during the scuffle but the other faction said Imran was injured along with 12 others.

Both groups blamed each other for instigating the scuffle but several witnesses claimed none had received injuries.

Bangladesh Chhatra Moitri President Bappaditya Basu told Dhaka Tribune: “We took an initiative to continue the movement altogether as division in the moncho will never produce any solution. Although the Kamal Pasha faction agreed to this, the one led by Imran did not. Imran did not talk to us either.”

On the other hand, Kamal told the Dhaka Tribune: “We want to demonstrate together. Although all the factions agreed to do so, Imran continued the demonstration unilaterally. This is why the initiative was not successful.”

“Now the Imran faction is protesting against the government but they did so against Jamaat and Shibir in the past. It now seems they now want that the government is overthrown which will make space for BNP and Jamaat,” he added.

Imran in his speech during the demonstration said: “When we are supporting or praising the government’s actions, we are appreciated. But when we are protesting against any of its actions, it tries to suppress us and stop our voice in every possible way.” l

Two former US Senators have expresses their satisfaction over the significant progress made by the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, a platform of 26 North American brands and retailers, in enhancing worker safety after completing a year of their operations.

Bipartisan Policy Centre (BPC) Co-founder George Mitchell and Senior Fellow Olympia Snowe expressed their observations while addressing a forum organised to review progress of the body over the past one year, said a statement released Wednesday.

They also added that the findings indicated that the Alliance has made “significant and laudable progress” in the effort to improve safety in Bangladesh garment factories.

“My review, including interviews with stakeholders from all perspectives, has confirmed that the Alliance has made laudable progress in enhancing worker safety in year one of operations,” said Mitchell.

“I commend this effort and challenge the Alliance to continue this hard work in the years to come,” he added.

According to the annual report, the Alliance has completed 100% inspection of its 587 RMG units from where its signatories brand source products while it has found that 50% RMG units completed remediation.

Mitchell further added that the Alliance also plans to continue to establish a culture of safety in Bangladeshi factories, which include training factory security guards and supervisors to pri-

oritize human lives over property, to ensure that owners truly understand the proper way to make factories safe for their workers.

The platform has already submitted a list of 16 factories to the Expert Review Panel, of which 5 are fully closed, 9 are partially closed while the rest are not suggested for closure as yet.

“The process yielded an unprecedented, five-year agreement among the overwhelming majority of US importers of ready-made garments from Bangladesh which established an ambitious blueprint for change, legally binding upon its members, and built upon the principles of cooperation, transparency, and accountability,” said Olympia Snowe in the statement.

Over the past year, the Alliance also trained 1.1 million workers on basic fire safety of which 97.8% can correctly identify what to do in case of fire, the statement said.

“We are pleased with the progress at our one-year mark and believe the right plan and partners are in place to continue this momentum and create lasting change in Bangladesh. But we also seek to constantly strengthen our approach—so that we leave behind the process and capacity that is

needed to ensure long-term and sustainable changes to factory safety,” said Ellen Tauscher, independent chair to the Alliance board.

Apart from that, the body also conducted a comprehensive baseline survey and findings that showed workers, who could correctly identify what to do in case of a fire, increased from 39% to 98%, and those who could correctly identify the five most common fire hazards increased from 2% to 51% following the basic fire safety training.

The retailers platform also compensated more than 1,000 workers displaced as a result of factory remediation or closure and pledged to provide 50% of lost wages for up to 4 months.

The Alliance committed itself to improve safety standard, including fire, electrical and structural safety following the collapse of Rana Plaza, which killed 1,135 workers and injured over 2,500 last year. l

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News

Saturday, September 20, 2014

325 Hajj agencies representatives yet to receive Saudi visa n Moniruzzaman Uzzal More than 300 Hajj agencies representatives, also known as Monazzems, are yet to receive visas from Saudi Arabia for guiding their pilgrims during this year’s Hajj.

Already, several thousands of Hajj pilgrims from Bangladesh have been facing hardship as representatives from their respective Hajj agencies have not yet arrived in Saudi Arabia to look after their well-beings and administrative works.

High officials of the ministry had awarded bar code visas to statemanaged Hajj pilgrims and to public official and employees

In previous years, Monazzems received multiple visas from the Saudi government and could frequently travel to and from Bangladesh and Saudi Arab for carrying out their administrative works. This year, however, the Saudi embassy did not award multiple visas to Monazzems.

Earlier on Thursday, Monazzems of different hajj agencies held an agitation in front of the capital’s Ashkona Hajj office protesting the refusal of their vi-

sas on time. During the protests, they chanted slogan against top officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and at one stage tried to break into the office premises.

Mizanur Rahman, director (hajj office) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA), told the Dhaka Tribune that all the 325 hajj agencies Monazzem will get ordinary hajj visa by Sunday.

“We have already submitted their applications with passport and other documents at the Saudi embassy.

They were supposed to get their visas on Thursday but unfortunately they did not get permission from the Saudi government. The visas will be given for short period up to end of Zilkad month,” he added.

Ibrahim Bahar, president of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), told the Dhaka Tribune that it was very unfortunate that the Monazzems were yet to receive their visas.

He also alleged that MoRA and Saudi government had issued 1,270 bar code visas this year, however, not all of the 835 hajj agencies in the country were given bar code visas.

“High officials of the ministry had awarded bar code visas to state-managed Hajj pilgrims and to public official and employees, which was not at all essential,” he added.

Denying the allegations, Mizanur Rahman said it was the Saudi government who had taken the decision not to provide barcode visa to Monazzems.

He also informed that this year, Monazzems received visas valid for only 90 days. l

Famous musician Sudhin Das is awarded Geetanjali Shommanona Padak 2014 yesterday at Geetanjali Lalitkala Academy in the capital

Geetanjali Lalitkala Academy honours three n Tribune Report Geetanjali Lalitkala Academy awarded three personalities for their contribution in the cultural arena of the country on its 10th founding anniversary yesterday.

The awarded are renowned exponent of Nazrul songs Sudhin Das, eminent journalist and President of Udichi Central Committee Kamal Lohani, and veteran painter Hashem Khan.

Hashem Khan said: “If we can work for developing our own culture then

Non-government college teachers demand job nationalisation n

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Non-government college teachers held a regional meeting yesterday in Barisal, where they demanded nationalisation of their jobs immediately.

The meeting was organised by Bangladesh College Teachers Association (BKSIS) regional committee at Islamia College auditorium in the city.

Principal, vice principal, president and secretaries of teachers associations of different colleges in the region par-

ticipated in the meeting placing the one point demand of ‘job nationalisation’. Principal Harun Rashid Khan, regional president of the organisation, presided over the programme.

Speakers at the meeting said education would never be standardised till the discriminations between government and non-government educational institutions were removed.

They also demanded immediate upgrading of allowances for house rent, medical and festivals, and an annual

increment for the teachers and employees of non-government institutions.

The speakers also cautioned that if their legitimate demands were ignored, they would organise tougher movements.

In addition to their demand of nationalisation of their job, the teachers demanded that the National Education Policy 2010 be implemented soon and the retirement age of teachers to be fixed at 65. l

this country will be known to others countries around the world for its culture only.”

He appreciated Geetanjali, Chhayanaut, Udichi, and Kochi Kachar Ashor for working continuously to bring up and patronise emerging talents in the country.

He urged the people of the country to raise voice against any evil force trying to mar the Bangla culture.

Sudhin Das said: “Still now I am working for preventing distortion in Nazrul and Lalon songs.”

Presided over by Prof Emeritus Rafiqul Islam, who is also the director of Geetanjali Lalitkala Academy, the award giving ceremony was arranged at Khudro O Kutir Shilpa Prosikkhon Institute auditorium in capital’s Uttara.

Prof Rafiqul Islam said: “Geetanjali has been honouring eminent personalities every year since 2004 so that the new generation can follow their roles.”

The ceremony featured cultural programme with play, music and dance performed by students of the academy. l

Ten injured in Awami League factional clash n Our Correspondent, Jhenaidah Ten people were injured during a clash between two groups of Awami League (AL) over the dominance at Kumiradah village under Shailokupa upazila of Jhenaidah at 9am yesterday.

The injured were admitted to Shailokupa, Jhenaidah and Magura hospitals.

Officer in charge (OC) of Shailokupa police station Sagir Mia said the cause of the clash is a long-standing feud over dominance of the area between Abai-

pur UP chairman and upazila AL member Amjad Hossain and ex-Abaipur UP chairman and upazila AL member Moktar Mridha.

Members of the two groups were equipped with spear, shield and billhook.

Police fired 13 round blank shots to stop the clash.

Police arrested four AL activists involved in clash.

Additional police men were deployed on the location and by noon the village returned to its normal activities. l

DU ‘Ka’ unit result published Over a decade gone, bridge still not complete n DU Correspondent The admission test result for the Dhaka University “Ka” unit under the academic year of 2014-15 was published yesterday.

Pro Vice Chancellor (Education) Nasrin Ahmed made the announcement around 12pm.

A total of 78,293 students sat for the admission test held on September 12.

Out of them 16,840 students passed in the test, taking the pass rate to 21.5%.

The results are available at the university’s website. It can also be collected via SMS service from any operator.

Candidates will have to type “DU” <space> “ka” <space> “roll number” and send it to 16321.

Meanwhile, a candidate was detained for allegedly espousing unfair means in the university’s admission test of ‘Kha’ unit. The detainee was Ayon Hasan, roll number 820633.

DU acting proctor Amzad Ali told the Dhaka Tribune that the detainee was trying to get answers to questions over phone using a headphone device during the examination at Wills Little Flower School centre at Kakrail.

The authorities handed over Ayon to Ramna police station. l

n Our correspondent, Khulna Construction of a Shogatia bridge in Dumuriya of Khulna began in 2003 and after 11 years it is still under construction in slow pace.

Main bridge is already being complete but the construction of one culvert is yet to be done. The underpass of the connecting road can not open because of the incomplete culvert.

In 2003, Tk 7 crore was sanctioned to build the bridge over Hari river in Dumuriya upazilla of Khulna.

Under the Khulna Roads and Highways Department (RHD) Eva Construc-

tion Ltd took contract to construct the bridge but they left the site building only two pillars.

After that, construction work was in full halt 6 years and rendered the pillars weak. RHD tried to hand over the construction work of the bridge to Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) who refused to take over of the incomplete bridge. Later, RHD decided to add an extra amount of Tk 5m into the project and Azad Engineers of Khulna took over the project.

The new contractors resumed construction in 2010 yet not signs of completion of the bridge.

Rudaraghat UP Chairman Prof G M Amanullah said: “In 11 years only the main bridge structure has been completed yet the delay in constructing the culvert is making the bridge fully operational”.

The Azad Engineers proprietor Touhidul Islam said he is facing financial loss due to increasing price raw materials.

Member of Parliament of Khulna 5 and State Minister, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Narayan Chandra Chanda said various complexities are delaying the completion of Sholgatia bridge over Hari river. l

Child rights bodies urge govt to keep girls marriage age at 18 n Tribune Report

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena inaugurates Golden Harvest Cold Chain Network in the capital yesterday. Story on Back page MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Plan International Bangladesh and Save the Children on behalf of the Child Rights Advocacy Coalition in Bangladesh urged the government to retain the minimum age of marriage for girls at 18 years in a press statement issued Thursday.

The statement said the minimum age for marriage of 18 years for girls fell under the government’s commitments to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to relevant national legislation including the National Child Policy 2011 and the Children Act 2014.

The organisations said any attempt to lower the age of marriage for girls would be untenable in the context of international conventions and national laws related to children’s rights and protection.

However, the organisations, through the statement, applauded the government for approving the draft Child Mar-

riage Prevention Bill 2014 in principle.

It said the provisions in the draft act for raising punishment for those who perform or facilitate child marriage up to two years of jail and a penalty of Tk50,000 was commendable.

They believed that stringent punishment would act as a deterrent and reinforce the efforts to prevent child marriage in Bangladesh.

Plan International, Save the Children and the Child Rights Advocacy Coalition believed that strengthening penalties for conducting and facilitating marriage involving children was only part of the solution.

It was also critical to increase public knowledge about the health, education and social impacts of child marriage. to eliminate the practice of requiring the family of the bride to pay highly expensive dowries, especially where the dowry increases with the age of the bride. l

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Train put back on tracks after 11hrs n Our Correspondent, Tangail A train was put back on tracks on Friday 11 hours after it went off tracks near Bangabandhu Bridge East Railway Station in Tangail.

Additional Chief Engineer of Bangladesh Railway Md Afzal Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that the train had started for its destination 10 minutes after being put back on tracks at around 9:30am.

Afzal was asked why the train had gone out of tracks, he said he did not know the exact reason behind the derailment but it might have taken place after the trap machine had gone out of order.

Earlier at around 9:55pm on Wednesday, the engine and a compartment of Sirajganj Express Train went out of rail tracks at about 9:55pm on Thursday.

Nobody was injured in the incident.

Even communications between Dhaka and northern part of the country were uninterrupted as there was an alternative track. l

Forty fishermen abducted in Bay of Bengal n Our Correspondent, Bagerhat Robbers have kidnapped 40 fishermen along with four trawlers from the Bay of Bengal.

Members of robber gang “Raju Bahini” committed the robberies in phases during the hours from Thursday night to yesterday morning near Shonarchar area of Borguna district while the fishermen were fishing in the Bay. The abducted fishermen hailed from Patharghata upazila of Barguna and Chittagong.

President of Fishermen’s Association in Sarankhola upazila of Bagerhat district Abul Hossain said the robbers had attacked the fishing trawlers in two phases and picked up the fishermen for ransom.

They beat the fishermen and looted fishing nets and huge amount of Hilsha fish from the trawlers, he said.

On Thursday evening Coast Guard members arrested two members of Raju Bahini while they were preparing to conduct a robbery. l

New library opens at British Council today n Tribune Report The new library of British Council Bangladesh will be inaugurated today.

Speaker of the parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury will formally inaugurate the library in the evening today.

Officials said the new library will have more books and resources and more accommodation facilities.

Among others, British High Commissioner Robert W Gibson, British Council Country Director Brendan McSharry OBE and Deputy Chair of British Council Baroness Prashar are expected to be present at the inauguration programme. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Saturday, September 20, 2014

Over 5,000 slum dwellers to get housing facilities n Tribune Desk More than 5,000 slum dwellers in Rajshahi city are going to get housing facilities, valued at around Tk5 crore, for the first time in the metropolis.

Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) is providing the facilities under its Community Housing Development Fund, with financial support from Urban Partnership for Poverty Reduction Project (UPPRP).

The Local Government Engineering Department has been implementing the project in the city in association with the UNDP and financial and technical supports from UKAid and UN Habitat, reports BSS. As part of his continuous launching programme, City Mayor Mosaddique Hossain Bulbul inaugurated the construction work of a house at Assam Colony slum yesterday as chief guest.

RCC Ward Councillors Munir Hossain, Momtaj Mohal Laily, Executive Engineer Nur Islam Tusser and UPPRP Town Manager Mahbubul Alam were present on the occasion.

According to the officials concerned, the project’s aim is to improve the living and livelihood condition of more than 250,000 impoverished – especially the females – in Rajshahi city by March 2015.

Under the project, more than 71,000 slum households and other underprivileged families across the city have come together in an anti-poverty savings scheme.

Through the savings and credit programmes, the communities now can operate their own savings schemes, and create a revolving fund from which they can manage their own credit operation.

Besides, under the socio-economic fund, education grants are being disbursed among drop-out school children, which also encourage them to continue with their education.

The programme promotes household- and community-level urban food production technology demonstrations, providing small input to support especially high-yielding varieties of vegetable and fruits seeds, saplings and poultry vaccination. l

Chittagong Income Tax Ruet students evacuate halls, 31 Shibir men sued Fair in full swing

Madrasa teacher assaulted for harassing students n Our Correspondent, Natore n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong A madrasa teacher in Buridah village under Sadar upazila, Natore was beaten by guardians for sexually abusing two of his students in Dighapatia Fazlul Ulum Qawmi Madrasa early yesterday.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Zahid Hossain, father of one of the victims, a second-grader in the madrasa, said the teacher, Maulana Mamum, called for his students living in the madrasa dormitory at his room every night “to serve him.”

“I admitted my son at that madrasa two years ago and he lived in the Lillah Boarding, the madrasa dormitory.

Maulana Mamun, his teacher, asked for my son at his room on Thursday night, as usual, where he sexually abused my son.

“My son rushed home on Friday morning and told us all about it. We immediately went to Dighapatia and got a hold of the culprit at Dighapatia Bazar. When we confronted him, he confessed,” Zahid said.

Word spread quickly and the agitated guardians along with the locals beat Mamun at Dighapatia Bazar.

Zahid claimed Mamun had abused his son more than once and threatened him with death if he divulged the information to anyone.

When contacted, Sub-Inspector Rafiq of Sadar police station said he went to the scene on information and learned that the teacher had harassed two students. When this report was filed, members of the madrasa’s management committee were working to resolve the matter. l

Students of Ruet wait for bus in front of the BRTC bus counter yesterday as the university authority ordered all the students to leave hall premises by 8am after a clash took place between the Bangladesh Chhatra League and Shibir activists on Thursday AZAHAR UDDIN

Fair organisers said around 79,000 stakeholders were provided services during the first three days of the weeklong Chittagong Income Tax Fair which started on September 16.

Hoping to reach a tax collection target of Tk 7,800 crore in the current fiscal year from the Chittagong Tax Region, the fair has already collected about Tk105.12 crore in the first three days, said organisers.

With 50 booths representing different banks, other services and the 88 tax circles under the four tax zones of Chittagong Tax Department, the 17,000 square feet fully air-conditioned fair venue at the Sarak Bhaban premises of Chittagong’s Agrabad area is open from 10am to 5pm.

In addition to paying their taxes, people were getting information about

ways to obtain TIN and income tax certificates while tax officials also helped taxpayers fill out income tax returns.

Information about e-payment and laws relating to income tax was being provided at the fair, the organisers said.

According to Chittagong Tax Department, the fair was started at all divisional cities in the country in 2010.

The first Chittagong Income Tax Fair collected Tk40 crore and the collection of taxes was Tk276 crore at last year’s fair.

Chittagong Tax Zone 1 Commissioner Md Dabir Uddin, who is the convener of the Chittagong Income Tax Fair 2014, said he expected tax collection to be more this year than last because the number of visitors was remarkable.

“The target of the fair is not only to collect taxes but also to raise awareness among taxpayers and to provide services to them,” he said. l

n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi Resident students of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology evacuated dormitories yesterday morning complying with an order of the university authorities.

The authorities on Thursday night closed the institution sine die to avoid any untoward situation in the wake of a clash between the police and Chhatra Shibir activists.

Students were ordered to evacuate the halls of residence by 10am yesterday.

In compliance with the order, resident students packed their bags, left the campus and set off for home by boarding buses. Many guardians also came to the campus to take their children back home.

Students said they faced difficulties to evacuate halls on such a short no-

Guests attend the third national congress of Sammilita Samajik Andolan at the capital’s Engineers Institute auditorium yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

FORECAST FOR TODAY 30 30 30 29 29 29 28 29

26 26 26 25 26 26 25 26

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

33.2ºC Jessore

23.0ºC Mymensingh

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:31am 5:45am 11:52am 4:16pm 5:58pm 7:14pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

OC Alamgir said Sub-Inspector of Motihar police station Masud filed a case on Thursday against 31 Shibir activists on charges of assaulting police and obstructing public activities.

Ten of the accused in the case had already been arrested, he said.

’Eid vacation just got longer’

Around 9pm on Thursday, Professor Dr Md Rafiqul Alam Beg, vice-chancellor of RUET, announced that the universi-

n Our Correspondent, Khulna

HEAVY RAIN

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

Thirty-one Shibir activists sued

ty would remain closed till October 13.

“Although the decision to shut the university was taken to avert any untoward situation, I will not say we are closing. We just added a few more days to the Eid vacations,” he said, adding that classes will begin after the Eid. On Thursday noon, Shibir activists obstructed a seminar arranged by the Department of Civil Engineering. Police arrested two Shibir men from there and detained six more from dorm.

Chhatra League activists beat some Shibir men up, leaving them injured.

Shibir activists, on the other hand, retaliated by exploding crude bombs at Shaheed Lt Selim Hall. 10 of them were also injured when police fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control.

Chhatra League activists carrying locally-made weapons also marched on the campus after the incident. l

Hindus demand steps to recover temples from illegal occupation

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DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 5:58PM SUN RISES 5:47AM

tice, with students from distant places bearing the brunt of the decision taken by the university authorities.

Officer-in-Charge of Motihar police station Alamgir Hossain said the situation on the campus was normal since Thursday night, and additional police were deployed at the main entrance as well as outside Shaheed Lt Selim Hall.

Members of Hindu community and social workers in Khulna demanded the land and properties of local temples that are currently under the illegal occupation of local influential groups be freed.

The demand came at a press conference arranged by Jono Udyog, a social welfare organisation yesterday.

They mentioned that lands of some local temples including Rupshar Mohashoshan, Dolakhola Shitolabari Temple and Umanondo Shib Mondir were illegally grabbed by local influential.

Sylhet Chhatra Dal split over inclusion of Shibir men to new committees n Our Correspondent, Sylhet The Sylhet district and city units of Chhatra Dal have divided over the inclusion of four Chhatra Shibir leaders into the new committees.

Several Chhatra Dal leaders clashed with activists of the new committees in the Electric Supply area yesterday afternoon, leaving five of both groups injured.

Chhatra Dal activists announced that the new committees should be boycotted, saying the dedicated leaders had been excluded. On Thursday, a statement signed by Chhatra Dal Central Office Secretary Nazmul Hasan announced the names of the committees, consisting of eight members each.

Sayeed Ahmed and Rahat Chowdhury Munna were made president and general secretary respectively of the district committee, while Nurul Alam Siddiqui Khaled and Abu Saleh Md

Lokman were appointed president and general secretary respectively of the city committee.

The new city committees were asked to produce a list of all 81 members and form sub-committees within a month after conducting conventions.

Chhatra Dal sources said at least four leaders appointed to the new committees were Shibir activists – city Chhatra Dal General Secretary Abu Saleh Lokman, district Vice-president Chowdhury Md Sohel, city Organising Secretary Abdur Rakib Chowdhury and city Assistant Secretary Emdadur Rahman Sopon.

Sylhet MC College Chhatra Dal President and the newly formed district committee’s Senior Vice-president Ahmed Chowdhury Foyez said neither the president nor the secretary of the committees is a current student.

“Only Sayeed Ahmed has an LLB degree but the other three have not com-

pleted their college studies. We have rejected the new committees in the wake of such abnormalities,” he said.

“We are also keeping the activists of the new committees under constant watch. We will restrict them anywhere we find them,” he added.

Sources said those without participation in street agitations and those who were not students anymore were included in the new committees, which enraged the founders of Chhatra Dal. Chhatra Dal activists marched in the city on Thursday night, hours after the new committees were announced.

They chanted slogans against the new committees, blasting a number of crude bombs.

Newly elected Chhatra Dal President of the city unit Nurul Alam Siddiqui said there could be discontentment among the activists as the fresh committee was announced after long wait.

“Many could raise allegations about

who were included in the new committee. Abu Saleh Lokman, general secretary of the new city unit, was the social welfare secretary of the district unit for 12 years. The other three have also been involved with Chhatra Dal for a long time. Some now allege that they were Shibir activists. I would say it is a relatively good committee,” he added.

Sayeed, the new district Chhatra Dal unit president, yesterday noon went to meet BNP central member Dr Shahriar Hossain Chowdhury at his house at Housing Estate. The left-out Chhatra Dal leaders confined Sayeed Ahmed, president of the new district committee, to the house but Officer-in-Charge of Sylhet airport police station Shahjaman arrived shortly and escorted Sayeed to his residence. Meanwhile, a Chhatra Dal group attempted to organise a march in the Electric Supply area to welcome the new committee but were driven away by the rival group. l

They demanded that authorities of these temples be handed over to the temple management committees.

The members also demanded threeday holidays instead of one for celebrating the upcoming Durga Puja.

They pressed demands for tighter security and uncut supply of electricity at the temples to avoid any untoward situation during the celebrations.

In the press conference, speakers urged the government to increase grants and facilities in the temples.

They demanded additional forces of Rab and police be deployed in the temples during the celebrations. l

Police-villagers clash injures 20 in Ashulia n Our Correspondent, Savar Some 20 people, including five police men, were injured in a clash between villagers and law enforcers at Ashulia in Savar.

The injured police officials are Savar Assistant Police Superintendent Rasel Sheikh, Duty Officer of Dhaka (south) Detective Branch of Police (DB) Shahin Shah Parvez, Sub-Inspectors – Nazrul Islam Shahin, Touhidur Rahman and Ashraful Rahman.

Local sources said a team of DB police raided the office of one Jahangir Alam in Adarsha village yesterday morning.

Later, the villagers locked into a clash with police when the law enforcers tried to arrest Anisur Rahman Ratan, Nazrul Islam Nuru, and Jahangir Alam, leaving 20 people injured.

Police recovered six rounds of bullets, six magazines and three foreign-made pistols during the raid. l

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Nation

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Matamuhuri river, a safe route for timber smugglers

Local forest officials allegedly has a hand in the illegal activity

n Our Correspondent, Bandarban Timber smugglers have been using the Matamuhuri river route for their illegal activity in the dark of night in collusion with forest division and administration at Ali Kadam upazila in Badarban.

The forest division guard the 103000-acre reserved forest stretching from Babu para point of the river to Myanmar border. Besides this, local administration also plays an auxiliary role in preventing the illegal activity.

However, neither the role of the forest division nor that of the administration is seen in preventing the illegal activity.

Ethnic witnesses said timber thieves have been felling the trees, denuding the forest on a large scale. The timber trees are cut into such sizes so that they can be smuggled out with bamboos easily.

The illegal activity has been being continued under the very nose of the forest division and that of the administration, but neither of them is forthcoming in stopping the illegal activity, they said.

They claimed that the forest and administration officials’ palms might be greased by the smugglers, which is why no steps are taken against smuggling out the timber even after being aware of the illegal activity.

Former general secretary of Janasanghati Samity’s Ali Kadam upazila unit Chahamong Marma questioned

how timber logs could be smuggled out by cutting down the trees from the forest even when there was “so much” guard around it.

“The administration plays its role like the fence is eating the paddy.

Otherwise, the smuggling of forest resources would have been stopped,” he said.

Former Ali kadam upazila unit Juba Dal president Ahmed Hossain Saodagar is also allegedly involved in the illegal trade. But even after informing the administration of it, they never take any step against him.

Even journalists alleged that they faced threat from the smugglers whenever they ran a story against the illegal activity in the media.

The upazila Janasanghati Samity threatened that they will go for action against the illegal activity in case no step is taken against it in the upazila.

Ali kadam Upazila Parishad Vice Chairman and JSS President Kainthop Mro said: “It is mysterious that the administration is playing a silent role in preventing the smuggling.

However, the JSS leaders would soon go for tougher movement against the cutting down of precious trees from the forests and the smuggling out of the precious timber.”

The Dhaka Tribune repeatedly tried to reach Lama Forest Divisional Officer Rafiqul Islam for comments on the issue, but his phone was found switched off. l

Questions of recruitment test leaked in Bhola n Our Correspondent, Bhola Question papers of a recruitment test were leaked in Bhola, prompting the authorities to halt the test within 10 minutes of its start yesterday.

The test was meant for filling up the vacancies of 18 posts at the district chief judicial magistrate’s court.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Nahidur Rahman however declined to talk to the media how the question papers were leaked even before the test began and when the test would be taken again.

Several job aspirants protested against the leak of question papers.

They also held a sit-in in front of the District Judges’ Court Building.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Osman Gani then tried to calm the angry job aspirants.

Preferring anonymity, a job seeker said their exam papers were taken back within 10 minutes they sat for the test.

Superintendent of Police Md Moniruzzaman told the Dhaka Tribune that the situation was now calm and normal. l

An artist is seen sculpting an idol of the Durga at a temple in Bogra yesterday. Preparations of Durga puja, the biggest religious festival of Hindus, are going on in full swing in the district FOCUS BANGLA

282 Chandpur primary schools without headmaster for long n Our Correspondent, Chandpur At least 282 posts of primary school headmasters have been vacant for long owing to legal issues.

Although there is immense pressure with the increase in the number of students, 270 posts of assistant teachers have long been vacant as well.

The situation has hampered the quality of education opined guardians.

Sources at the district primary education office said there are a total of 552 vacant posts in schools of the eight

Robbery in Magura n Our Correspondent, Magura Daring robbery was committed in Khajura village under Mohammadpur upazila in Magura early yesterday.

They looted cash money of Tk2 lakh, 12 tolas of jewellery, one motorbike and five mobile sets holding the two family members at gun point.

The loss of the two families was estimated to be Tk10 lakh. l

Mobile court jails madrasah principal Correspondent, n Our Kurigram

A mobile court in Kurigram yesterday jailed a madrasah principal for 10 months for mistreatment of mental patients.

Maolana Abdul Kader, principal of Islampur Fazil Madrasah in Bhogdanga union under Kurigram Sadar upazila, had been treating psychological patients by chaining them up and then practising incantation upon them for a long time.

Acting on a tip-off, Executive Magistrate Md. Mijanur Rahman arrested him red handed with the help of police.

The magistrate formed a mobile court there and sentenced him to 10 month imprisonment with Tk500 fine. l

Three idols vandalised

Correspondent, n Our Natore Unknown miscreants vandalised three clay idols at a temple at Baraigram upazila in the district yesterday.

Among them, head of deity Durga was misplaced, right hand of Ganesh and left hand of Kartik were damaged.

Madhushudan Dutt, general secretary of Jowari Sharbojonin Durga temple said, he returned home from the temple at around 1am on Thursday night. l

upazilas. Of them, 44 posts are in Sadar, 99 in Kachua, 56 in Hajiganj, 36 in Haimchar, 74 in Shahrasti, 105 in Faridganj, 24 in Matalab Dakkhin and 113 in Matalab Uttar.

Where student and teacher ratio is supposed to be 50:1, there is only one teacher for more than a hundred students.

Chandpur Primary School Teachers’ Samity President Hafez Ahmed said the existing teachers of the schools are struggling to deal with so many students.

Student and teacher ratio is supposed to be 50:1, there is only one teacher for more than a hundred students Hafez also stated that a writ petition was filed with the High Court in 2009 on the promotion to the headmaster positions, settlement of which has come recently and the stagnant situa-

tion would disappear soon.

Chandpur Primary Education Officer Md Khurshed Alam said he could do nothing till the court came up with a solution to the problem of filling the headmaster positions.

The appointing of assistant teachers was in the pipeline while the appointment of the teachers who are under the Monthly Payment Order (MPO) has stalled temporarily. The schools are functioning with the deputation of teachers, the education officer further said. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Proshenko asks for lethal aid n

Reuters, Kiev

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in a tweet on Friday that the United States had promised $1bn in financial guarantees for Kiev to raise funds on the capital markets.

“Agreed with @BarackObama that Ukraine will receive $1 billion in financial guarantees,” he said after visiting Washington where he secured $53 million in assistance but failed to win the argument for the United States to provide Ukraine weapons to fight pro-Russian separatists in its east.

In the first half of this year, Ukraine borrowed $1bn on capital markets under a similar US guarantee.

Petro Poroshenko has also appealed to the US Congress to give his soldiers lethal military equipment for their fight against pro-Russian separatists, saying that one cannot win the war or keep the peace with blankets and night vision goggles.

During a visit to Washington DC on Thursday, the president told a joint meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives that his forces needed more political support throughout the world.

“They need more military equipment, both lethal and non-lethal, urgently,” he said, asking for aid going be-

yond equipment such as night-vision goggles that Washington has already sent.

“Blankets, night-vision goggles are also important, but one cannot win the war with blankets,” he said.

Poronshenko also called for more sanctions against Russia, whom Ukraine and Nato accuses of backing the rebels in the five-month conflict in eastern Ukraine that the UN says has killed more than 2,700 people.

He called Russia’s annexation of Crimea one of the most “cynical acts of treachery in modern history.”

The people of the United States stand with the people of Ukraine.

His emotional speech was interrupted frequently by applause and standing ovations.

“I also asked that the United States be forceful and reflect its principles with the respect of further sanctions against the aggressor,” Poroshenko said.

The White House did announce a new $46m security package for Ukraine’s military that includes counter-mortar radar to detect incoming artillery fire, but stopped short of the request for lethal aid.

The US will also provide vehicles and patrol boats, body armour and heavy engineering equipment. l

World

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Saturday, September 20, 2014

Pakistani embraced by Islamic State seeks to drop United States legal appeal n Reuters, New York A Pakistan-born neuroscientist has become a rallying cry for militant groups demanding her release from a US prison. But in a little-noticed move she is trying to abandon her legal fight for freedom, saying the US court system is unjust.

Islamic militants in Syria, Algeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan have made Aafia Siddiqui’s release a condition for freeing certain foreign hostages. Islamic State, for example, proposed swapping American journalist James Foley for her, but he was executed after their demands, which also included an end to US airstrikes in Iraq, were not met.

A 42-year-old mother of three with degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brandeis University, Siddiqui is serving an 86-year sentence in a prison medical center in Texas. A jury in 2010 convicted her of attempting to shoot and kill a group of FBI agents, US soldiers and interpreters who were about to interrogate her for alleged links to al Qaeda.

Siddiqui, who during her trial interrupted proceedings repeatedly and at times was removed from the courtroom, wrote US District Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan on July 2 seeking to end her most recent appeal.

“I refuse to participate in this system

Siddiqui already lost one appeal. In 2012, an appeals court rejected arguments that her trial was unfair and upheld her conviction.

Her latest appeal, filed in May, argues that Siddiqui received an unfair trial because she was not allowed to fire defense lawyers who were paid by the Pakistan government, and that US prosecutors failed to turn over important evidence.

Widespread kidnappings

Aafia Siddiqui is shown in this FBI combo photo released in Washington on May 26, 2004.

Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistan-born neuroscientist, has become a rallying cry for militant groups demanding her release from a US prison REUTERS of total injustice that has punished and tortured me repeatedly, and continues to do so, without my having committed a crime,” she wrote.

Siddiqui said she wanted to be sent home to Pakistan through diplomacy, not through the legal system. But her lawyer Robert Boyle told the judge he was concerned she did not fully understand that as a consequence of her request she might not have another opportunity to challenge her conviction.

Prosecutors told the judge in a letter late on Wednesday that Siddiqui should be allowed to end her appeal.

“It is clear that Siddiqui’s July 2 letter was not an impulsive one, nor one conveying a fleeting desire,” they wrote.

Siddiqui was likely unaware of the attempt by Islamic State to free her in a prisoner swap for Foley, Boyle told Reuters. Federal Medical Center Carswell severely restricts her contact with the outside world, he said.

In 2003, Siddiqui was wanted by the FBI for questioning for possible ties to al Qaeda and was detained by Pakistani authorities, according to US media reports at the time.

US officials alleged that when the Afghan police captured Siddiqui in July 2008, she was carrying two pounds (900 grams) of sodium cyanide, which releases a highly toxic gas, notes that referred to a mass casualty attack, and a list of US landmarks.

Siddiqui was never charged with links to terrorism. The FBI agents, US soldiers and interpreters said that as they were about to interrogate her at an Afghan police compound in Ghazni, Afghanistan, she grabbed a rifle and began shooting at them. None of them were wounded, but Siddiqui was shot in the abdomen when they returned fire. l

Deadly attack in Guinea on Ebola team n Reuters, Conakry, Guinea Eight bodies, including those of three journalists, were found after an attack on a team trying to educate locals on the risks of the Ebola virus in a remote area of southeastern Guinea, a government spokesman has said.

“The eight bodies were found in the village latrine. Three of them had their throats slit,” Damantang Albert Camara told Reuters on Thursday.

The gruesome discovery came as the World Health Organisation (WHO said more than 700 more Ebola cases had emerged in West Africa in the past week.

The UN health agency said on Thursday that more than 5,300 people have now contracted the virus, and that the latest statistics showed that just under half of these cases were recorded in the last three weeks.

Just three weeks ago the number of new cases was around 500 for a oneweek period.

The death toll also passed 2,600 people, an increase of roughly 200 from the last estimate, WHO said.

Later on Thursday, the UN Security Council declared the outbreak a “threat to international peace and security” and called on all states to provide urgent resources and assistance to help tackle the An empty street is seen at the start of a three-day national lockdown in Freetown yesterday. Sierra Leone began a three-day lockdown on Friday in an effort to halt the spread of the crisis.

The alarm came as Sierra Leone readEbola virus, as President Ernest Bai Koroma urged residents to comply with the emergency measures REUTERS

Pope approves Sri Lanka’s first saint n Agencies

Pope Francis has approved Sri Lanka’s first saint, an Indian missionary credited with reviving the Catholic Church on the island during persecution by Dutch colonial rulers, according to church officials.

Francis is scheduled to canonise Joseph Vaz next year during his visit to the Buddhist-majority island, the Catholic Church in Colombo said in a statement on Thursday.

Vaz, who was beatified in 1995, was born in India’s former Portuguese colony of Goa but chose to spend most of his life working in neighbouring Sri Lanka in the 17th century.

“Most probably the canonisation will take place at the papal mass” at a sea-front promenade in Colombo on January 14, the statement said.

Francis is due to spend three days in Sri Lanka from January 13 before heading to the Philippines - Asia’s largest Catholic country. The canonisation of Vaz comes without attributing a second miracle to the missionary known as the “Apostle of Sri Lanka.”

The Vatican usually approves one miracle for beatification and another for canonisation. Sri Lanka is mainly a Buddhist country, but it has a 7.5% Christian population.

The late Pope John Paul II beatified Vaz in January 1995 at a mass at the same sea-front venue in Colombo.

Vaz, who is credited with working for the church in Sri Lanka for some 23 years in the 1600s, also spent several years in jail after the Dutch made Catholicism illegal. l

West tells Iran it must address nuclear bomb fears n Reuters, Vienna

Western powers told Iran on Thursday it must step up cooperation with a UN watchdog’s investigation into suspected atomic bomb research by the country if it wants to get a broader nuclear deal that would ease sanctions.

The warning was issued at a board meeting of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, as chief negotiators from Iran and six world powers prepared to resume talks in New York after a two-month hiatus.

Iran’s envoy, Reza Najafi, dismissed accusations about his country’s atomic activities as “mere allegations ... without any substantiation” but also said a new meeting with the IAEA to discuss the matter was expected to be held soon.

A stalled IAEA inquiry could further complicate the powers’ parallel efforts to reach a settlement with Iran on curbing its nuclear programme in exchange for a gradual phasing out of financial and other punitive measures hurting its economy.

The United States and the European Union said they were concerned about the slow headway so far in the IAEA’s long-running probe into suspicions that Iran has worked on designing a nuclear weapon. Iran denies the charge and says it is Israel’s assumed atomic arsenal that threatens Middle East peace.

An IAEA report in early September showed Iran had failed to answer questions about what the UN agency calls the possible military dimensions of the country’s nuclear programme by an

Aug. 25 deadline.

In a statement to the IAEA meeting, the EU said it was disappointed with the “very limited progress” in that inquiry.

“The EU underlines that resolving all outstanding issues (between Iran and the IAEA) will be essential to achieve a comprehensive, negotiated long-term settlement,” it said.

That was a reference to the push by the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany to negotiate a resolution to the wider, decade-old dispute with the Islamic Republic over its nuclear programme.

Iran has been promising to cooperate with the IAEA since Hassan Rouhani, seen as a pragmatist, was elected president last year on a platform of ending Tehran’s international isolation. It says its nuclear work is for non-military purposes only.

Nuclear deadlines

But Iran did not address two key issues by late August as agreed with the IAEA: alleged experiments on explosives that could be used for an atomic device, and studies related to calculating nuclear explosive yields.

They were part of a landmark report published by the IAEA in 2011 with intelligence indicating Iran had a nuclear weapons research programme but halted it in 2003 when it came under increased international pressure. The intelligence suggested some activities may have resumed later. The report identified about 12 specific areas that it said needed clarification.

Iran says the allegations are baseless, while pledging to address the concerns.

Najafi said the two issues had not yet been completed because of “their complexity and the invalidity” of the IAEA’s information. “The so-called ‘missing the deadline’ is totally inaccurate,” Najafi told reporters.

US envoy Laura Kennedy urged Iran to “intensify its engagement” with the IAEA. “Concerns about the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear programme must be addressed as part of any comprehensive solution,” she said.

Rouhani’s election raised hopes of a solution to the stand-off with the West after years of tension and fears of a new Middle East war. An interim accord was reached between Iran and the six powers in Geneva last November.

But they did not meet a self-imposed July target date for a long-term accord and now face a new deadline of Nov. 24.

While the powers seek to limit the size of Iran’s future nuclear programme -- and thereby extend the time it would need for any bid to amass fissile material for a weapon -- the IAEA is investigating alleged research and experiments in the past that could be used to make the bomb itself.

Western officials say that although there is no chance of the IAEA inquiry being completed before the scheduled end of the six-power talks, some of the sanctions relief Iran is seeking would probably depend on its cooperation with the UN agency. l

ied for an unprecedented three-day nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the Ebola in a controversial move which experts claimed could worsen the epidemic.

The population of six million will be confined to their homes from midnight on Thursday as almost 30,000 volunteers go door-to-door uncovering patients and bodies hidden in people’s homes.

“Rain or shine, the shutdown exercise is going to go ahead. During the three days ... the job is going to get done,” said Steven Gaojia, head of the government’s emergency operation centre.

The worst-ever outbreak of Ebola has claimed more than 500 lives in Sierra Leone, one of three countries at the epicentre of the epidemic.

“Ose to Ose Ebola Tok” - “house-tohouse Ebola talk” in the widely-spoken Krio language - will see more than 7,000 volunteer teams of four visiting the country’s 1.5 million homes.

They will hand out bars of soap and information on how to prevent infection, as well as setting up “neighbourhood watch”-style community Ebola surveillance teams.

The government has said the teams will not enter people’s homes and are not tasked with collecting patients or bodies, but will call emergency services or burial teams “if by chance the teams happen to bump into such situations.”

NEWS BITES Australia ‘thwarts’ IS plot Canberra, Australia – The Islamic State plot to carry out random beheadings in Sydney alleged by police is a simple and barbaric scheme that has shaken Australians. But terrorism experts question whether the ruthless movement had the capacity or inclination to sustain a terror campaign so far from the Middle East. Police said they thwarted such a plot by detaining suspects and raiding more than a dozen properties across Sydney on Thursday.

Kabul bomb-blast kills six Kabul, Afghanistan – A police spokesman in Afghanistan says a bomb blast killed six people and wounded 12 shortly after they left a mosque following Friday prayers. The blast occurred in Afghanistan’s north, which is generally less violent than the south and east.

New Zealand election-gag order Wellington, New Zealand – A heated campaign has been running for weeks in New Zealand, but when people go to the polls Saturday, there will be no discussion of the election in the newspapers, on Twitter or even in song. At least until the polls close.

Many developed nations try to protect voters from undue influence when they cast their ballots, but New Zealand’s gag rules go much further than most. By Nick Perry. SENT: 760 words, photos.

China: Ai Weiwei blasts government BEIJING – China’s best-known artist dissident Ai Weiwei blasts his country’s Communist government for losing its principles and using underhanded ploys to try to silence critics. The artist, whose supporters say he was hit with a $2.4 million tax bill in retribution for his outspokenness

and activism, also criticized fellow Chinese artists for failing to speak up while he was singled out.

Malaysia: Sedition verdict Kuala lumpur, Malaysia – a Malaysian court sentences a student democracy activist to a year in jail after finding him guilty of sedition, drawing immediate condemnation from human rights groups who accuse the government of using the colonial-era law to stifle freedom of expression. Adam Adli was charged last year after making several statements at a political meeting following national elections, including one in which he urged people “go down to the streets to seize back our power.”

Indian anchor sacked for ‘XI’ gaffe New Delhi – A news anchor for India’s state TV channel has been fired after she referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as “Eleven” Jingping – apparently mistaking his name for a Roman numeral, a top official at the station says. Xi left for China on Friday after a three-day visit to India, where he signed more than a dozen agreements to push trade and investment between the two Asian giants.

Asian games: DPRKs fashion statement Incheon, South Korea – North Korea is making a statement on the international sports stage – a fashion statement. Standing tall in the land of K-pop and Gangnam style, the North’s top athletes have been looking decidedly sharper than usual at the Asian Games hosted by rival South Korea, with pink candy-striped ties, azure slacks and, of course, the accessory that pulls every good North Korean ensemble together, those bright red Kim lapel pins.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Prescription

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness n Prescription Desk

Ways to avoid migraine

of the eye. Severe vision loss and even blindness can result.

D

iabetic retinopathy is an eye problem that occurs as a result of diabetes and is caused by changes to the blood cells of the retina.

The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy retina is necessary for good vision – it needs to be healthy to ensure good vision.

Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes and left untreated may cause loss of vision or even blindness. People with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at risk of developing the condition, and should get regular eye tests in order to catch and treat it early.

Diabetic retinopathy occurs because of prolonged periods of high blood sugar caused by diabetes and can damage the small blood vessels in the retina.

The blood vessels may become leaky or blocked off.

Leaky vessels can lead to haemorrhage or cause fluid to leak in to the retina. If the retina is starved of oxygen it may be damaged or may lead to the growth of new abnormal vessels.

In some people with diabetic retinopathy, blood vessels may swell and leak fluid. In other people, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina.

If you have diabetic retinopathy, at first you may not notice changes to your vision. But over time, diabetic retinopathy can get worse and cause vision loss.

Symptoms diabetic retinopathy

During the early stages of the condition there may be no symptoms but as the disease progresses, the following symptoms may present: n Blurred vision n Seeing floaters or flashers n Eye strain n Headaches

How to treat diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is diagnosed by examining the back of the retina using special instruments. With mild diabetic retinopathy there may not be any specific treatment but blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels need to be controlled.

Macular oedema and proliferative retinopathy are treated with laser surgery. Proliferative retinopathy requires scatter laser treatment to shrink abnormal blood cells; macular oedema is treated with focal laser treatment to target the areas of retinal leakage surrounding the macula. The burns caused by the laser help slow the leakage and reduce the fluid in the retina.

Surgery may be necessary in very advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy.

How to prevent diabetic retinopathy BIGSTOCK

Types of diabetic retinopathy

There are three main types of diabetic retinopathy.

These three types are differentiated according to the stage that the condition has reached1. Non-proliferative retinopathy: The

QUICK TIPS

2.

early stage of the condition characterised by small areas of balloonlike swelling in the retina’s tiny blood vessels.

Maculopathy oedema: As the condition progresses, the macula (which provides our central vision

3.

the retina’s need for nourishment triggers the growth of new blood vessels. These new abnormal vessels are fragile, bleed easily and may stimulate abnormal supporting tissues which can result in the retina peeling away from the back

and is vital for clear, detailed vision) swells, caused by leakage of fluid from the blood vessels of the retina.

Proliferative retinopathy: At this advanced stage, when blood vessels in the retina have disappeared,

Diabetic retinopathy can be prevented and treated by controlling blood pressure and blood glucose levels. n Control blood glucose levels by eating a healthy diet, lose weight if you are overweight and exercising regularly. n Monitor and control blood pressure and cholesterol levels. n Quit smoking if you are a smoker. n Get eye tests on a regular basis. l

Five ways to manage cholesterol level

HEALTH NEWS Few antibiotics may raise risk of heart diseases

n Dr Fuad Shaheed

Taking the antibiotic clarithromycin may boost some patients’ risk of dying from heart-related causes, a new study suggests. Because millions of people receive this antibiotic each year, the findings require urgent confirmation, said the researchers behind the study. However, they emphasised that the actual risk is small and that guidelines for the use of the drug should not be changed until more information is available.

Clarithromycin and another antibiotic called roxithromycin belong to a group of antibiotics called macrolides. It’s believed that macrolides increase the risk of potentially deadly heart rhythm problems. In the study, they analysed more than five million courses of antibiotic treatment with clarithromycin, roxithromycin, or penicillin V given to Danish adults, aged 40 to 74, between 1997 and 2011.

During this period, 285 cardiac deaths occurred — 18 during the use of clarithromycin and 32 during the use of roxithromycin. After adjusting for other factors, the researchers concluded that ongoing use of clarithromycin was associated with a 76 percent higher risk of cardiac death, compared with the use of penicillin V. Although the risk is very small, it should still be considered by physicians before prescribing this antibiotic.

Fat is an essential part of a healthy diet - but there are good fats and bad fats. High levels of blood cholesterol greatDID YOU ly increase one’s risk of KNOW? heart disease. One of the most important determinants of blood cholesterol levels is fat in the diet - specifically the types of fat consumed. Some types of fat are good and others are bad for health. Saturated fat and trans-fats are the main dietary factors that raise blood cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol plays an essential role in the formation of cell membranes, some hormones and vitamin D. However, if cholesterol levels in the blood are too high, this can lead to the arteryclogging process known as atherosclerosis, which can eventually lead to a heart attack.

There are two main types of blood cholesterol that basically work in opposite directions: low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) or “good” cholesterol. In general, the higher your LDL and the lower your HDL, the greater your risk for atherosclerosis and heart disease.

Insomnia pills may be linked to alzheimer’s A new study suggested that older adults who habitually use sedatives for anxiety or insomnia may have a heightened risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The drugs in question are benzodiazepines, a widely prescribed group of sedatives that include lorazepam , diazepam and alprazolam. Older adults commonly take the drugs for anxiety or insomnia, often long-term, according to background information in the study. That’s despite the fact that guidelines call for only short-term use of the drugs, at most. In 2012, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) put benzodiazepines on its list of drugs considered “potentially inappropriate” for seniors, because of risks like confusion, dizziness and falls. But the study was only able to find an association between the drugs and Alzheimer’s risk. The researchers said that there was absolutely no doubt that these drugs have many side effects and increase the risk of confusion and falls. The study was published online on September 9, 2014 in BMJ.

HPV vaccine also protects against STD A new long-term study shows that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine appears to protect against the sexually transmitted virus for at least eight years. HPV is thought to the cause of majority of cervical cancer. Certain strains, such as HPV 16 and 18, are most strongly tied to this cancer. The HPV vaccine is now being used for prevention of cervical cancer linked to certain strains HPV. The virus is also believed to cause genital warts in both men and women and certain head and neck cancers.

“The body’s response against HPV by making antibodies looks very good at eight years, and it seems like no booster doses will be necessary,” said lead researcher of this study. The report was published online on August. 18 in the journal Pediatrics.

| Compiled by Dr Kazi Mahbuba Akhtar

Migraine is a type of painful headache that may occur with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light. In many people, a throbbing pain is felt only on one side of the head.

Some people who get migraines have warning symptoms, called an aura, before the actual headache begins. It can be triggered by many factors like stress, strong odors, hormones, dietary changes and smoking.

Here are some ways to tackle migraine

Don’t skip meals: Lack of nutrients can lead to a dreadful headache. Even if you have a busy schedule, find a way to have healthy snacks throughout the day, even if you cannot manage to have three full meals. Do not wait too far into the day to consume your first full meal as this can also trigger migraine headaches.

Work Out Engaging in physical activity on a daily basis can minimise the number of migraine attacks.

Exercising too much can cause them too although it is a good way to prevent headaches. Adjust your workout routines according to what works best for you.

Watch the Caffeine Migraine headaches can be caused by drinking too many products that are high in caffeine.

Instead of caffeine drinks substitute it with water, juices or caffeine free drinks.

Here are five ways to reduce your cholesterol levels: 1.

2.

Reduce saturated and trans fats: Trans fats have a double-whammy effect of increasing LDL and lowering HDLs. Examples of saturated and trans fats are butter, margarine, full-fat dairy, fats on meat, greasy takeaway foods and vegetable oils.

Include unsaturated fats: When eaten in moderation as part of a low-saturated-fat diet, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats lower total and LDL choles-

3.

4.

5.

terol and raise HDLs. Examples include fish, olive oil, flaxseed oil, avocado and nuts and seeds.

Increase fibre: Fibre is important for lowering cholesterol levels.

Examples include wholegrains, wheat and oat bran, psyllium husks, fruit, vegies and legumes.

Eat garlic: Garlic has a cholesterollowering effect.

Eat lecithin granules: Lecithin (derived from soy beans) helps dissolve fat and cholesterol. Sprinkle one tablespoon on breakfast cereal, salads or in smoothies. l

Avoid bright lights Avoid bright or flashing lights as migraine headaches can be triggered when a person is exposed to them. Do not to look directly at them as they can cause migraines. When you are outside; wear sunglasses as it decreases one’s chances of initiating a migraine episode.

Get a good sleep Try and maintain a regular sleep schedule as changes in sleep patterns can affect the quality of sleep cycles and trigger migraines. If possible go to bed at the same time everyday to avoid migraine. l

| Compiled by: Shirsho Saaeadat

Second-hand smoking affects children’s health for years n Prescription desk Research

Smoking while pregnant or around an infant has long been linked to development of asthma and allergies in young children.

Now, researchers have found that the risk may persist into the teen years.

The study, which followed nearly 4,000 children in Sweden for 16 years, underscores the dangers of parental smoking, experts say.

Exposure to second-hand smoke during pregnancy or infancy increases a child’s risk of developing allergic disease even up to adolescence, said study a researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

Fetal exposure to cigarette smoking was linked with an overall 45 percent higher risk of getting asthma up until age 16. For infants exposed to a parent’s smoking, the risks of developing asthma and allergic rhinitis (stuffy or runny nose) in childhood or adolescence were 23 and 18 percent greater, respectively. The risk for eczema (inflamed, irritated skin) was 26 percent greater.

Previously, it wasn’t clear whether the risks for asthma and allergies continued into the teen years, researchers said.

The study, published online Augugust 18, 2014 in Pediatrics, only found an association between second-hand smoke and children’s health problems, however. It wasn’t designed to show a cause-and-effect relationship.

In this course of study the researchers asked parents of children born from 1994 to 1996 about their smoking habits, other lifestyle information, and symptoms of allergic diseases in their children.

Allergies aren’t the only childhood concern related to second-hand smoking.

Second-hand smoke contains about 4,000 chemicals, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. More than 50 of those chemicals are known to cause cancer.

Smoking during pregnancy has also been linked with miscarriage, premature birth, lower birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and learning problems. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Heritage

9

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Denying Bangladesh

T

n Tim Steel he lands that are now Bangladesh are, as is still widely recognised, an amalgam of historic territories. Gangaridai, Arakan, Tripura, Assam, Bengal, and the names of the kingdoms that preceded Bengal, amongst them all; names that emerge from the mists of the true history of Bangladesh. And there are many more.

There is nothing unusual in this.

Britain, for example, can discern such as Wessex, Northumbria and Dalriada, to name but a few, in the conglomerate that is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland today. Indeed, there is scarcely a nation in the world that has not enjoyed the same pattern of development.

Why then, I often wonder, is Bangladesh so ready to deny its own history; a history rich enough to be the envy of, even, a Briton like myself.

It was an ancient centre of trade, renowned around the ancient world for its commerce and military strength. And it has an astonishing cultural history as, perhaps, the only nation in the world to have nurtured the birth of at least three great religions, and perhaps a fourth, as well as being a significant element in the propagation of a fifth.

The reflection regularly passes through my mind, especially when researching aspects of that unique heritage.

Looking for examples of famous Bengalis from the 18th century, I find that Google can offer me a very wide assortment of cultural icons, almost all of whom were both Hindu, and born in the land that is now West Bengal.

That unbelievable premise is not, of course, a reflection on either Muslims, or the lands of Bangladesh. It is, simply, a reflection on the academic deficit in Bangladesh. Clearly, it reflects, rather, little research, less publication, and poor use on online opportunities, in Bangladesh, compared to India.

The widespread neglect, even denial of its own rich past is, sad to say, often combined with a widespread sense of victimhood.

Generally, the finger of suspicion for the ills that have befallen the peoples who now occupy the lands of Bangladesh, by passes their own forty four years of opportunity to recover from the desolation left behind by Pakistan, over whom that finger of blame also passes with ease, coming to rest on the British period.

The earliest blame seems to have been earned by the East India Company, who apparently laid the foundations for

An artisan painting the eyes of the deity, Durga, in preparation for the Puja

These are examples of neglect and wilful denial, an ignorance that diminishes Bangladesh today. A tragedy for a nation with so much heritage to boast the destruction of the wonders of the Mughal period, and all that went before.

Even I have been enticed, in the past, to appreciating the likely hood that personal rapacity of East India Company employees was to blame for example, for the infamous famine of 1770/71, although most accusers remain blissfully unaware of the very existence of that horror that it is believed saw 10 million victims, and recall only that of 1943. After all, as I well know from my own experience as Head of Aquisitions and Development for a large British multinational in the 1970s, takeovers are delicate processes, with considerable risks attached.

Research , however, that I casually undertook recently, found me a fascinating piece online , published by University of Chicago, written by Rachel Fell McDermott. Her research was, in fact, into a sidelight; the development of the Durga Puja in late eighteenth century Bengal.

Examining the economics of the administrators of early eighteenth century Bengal, in which, of course, a great deal of Delhi influence had already

been superseded by a fairly autonomous Nawab in Bengal, she identified, perhaps, a considerable weakness in the agricultural superstructure of what were, after all, exceedingly fertile agricultural lands.

I have always wondered how administration of such fertility could have so rapidly collapsed following the 1765 grant of Diwani rights, that famine became the consequence.

Well, it appears the mal administration may have predated those grants.

The rapacity of the, largely Muslim Zamindari, it seems, in fact, had a lot to answer for.

Whilst, being British, and associated with the East India Company, one of her sources, with perhaps suspect objectivity, Robert Orme, the 18th century historian, notes in his well reputed work, “under the nawabs everyone in the property hierarchy, from ryots, village heads, zaminders, and faujdars up to the nawabs themselves, looked with fear upon the jealousy of their immediate superiors. The nawab (the Nawab of Bengal) fixes his eye on every portion of wealth that appears in his province.”

A contemporary print of the Madras famine of 1877. From the Illustrated London News, (1877). Similar to the infamous famine of 1770/71.

WIKIMEDIA

McDermott continues, reporting on her research, “Murshid Quli Khan (1704-1725) was a notoriously strict revenue collector, punishing those who failed to comply; even under the more tolerant Alivardi Khan (1740-1756), the Bengali economy began to be impoverished, with the rajas assets increasingly squeezed. The Burdwan raja, Tilakcand, even wrote to the East India Company in 1757, on the eve of Plassey, “By the rapaciousness of the Government nothing is left to me. These three years I have no power left to me in my country, and my own servants refused to obey me. But by the blessings of God by your coming the country shall flourish, and all men have their hearts

Shah ‘Alam conveying the grant of the Diwani to Lord Clive

had several prominent zaminders jailed, tortured and killed.”

The seeds, it seems, of that horrific famine, long blamed on the Company, may, in fact, have been home grown.

Which is not, of course, to exonerate the company from Mir Kasim’s reported behaviour amongst other errors.

I dwell on this alternative reading of the famine, and of the reported weakness of the Company’s behaviour, not to assert a correction, but to point out, what every historian knows, that there are usually two sides to every story, and scholarship demands detailed research and evaluation of the evidence.

As I have worked my way, albeit, to put it mildly, somewhat superficially,

It is, simply, a reflection on the academic deficit in Bangladesh. Clearly, it reflects, rather, little research, less publication, and poor use on online opportunities, in Bangladesh, compared to India

at ease. I hope in God your power will be as great as I could wish it, and that you may be good to everyone. On this depends my own welfare.”

However, her research moved her next to report, “Even after Plassey, the puppet nawab, Mir Kassim (1760-1763)

through over three thousand years of the complex and really quite breathtaking history of these remarkable lands that are now Bangladesh, the paucity of real scholarship has astonished, and depressed me. After all, this heritage is potentially worth both

WIKIMEDIA

millions of jobs and billions of dollars!

The Spanish writer and philosopher, George Santayana, is famous for his observations, including the depressing, “Only the dead have seen the end of war;” but his most famous is, perhaps appropriate now, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Few Bangladeshi’s, perhaps, can be faulted for forgetfulness. They have never investigated their past, so know little of it, but when, proud as the majority claim to be, of their nation, and their Islamic faith, their failure to appreciate the amazing grandure of the reality, of their own, unique history of both, is even more depressing.

The denial, even, of Islamic history is regrettable. For such a vistor as I to be told that Hindu, Jain and Buddhist histories are of no interest in modern Bangladesh, “because we are an Islamic nation” both belies the Constitution, and appears to deny the Prophet’s famous injunction to his followers to seek knowledge, even unto China.

What part of that injunction permits the denial that the Muslims arrived, in Bangladesh, almost without doubt, during the lifetime of the Prophet.

These are, of course, but two examples of neglect and wilful denial, an ignorance that diminishes Bangladesh today. A tragedy for a nation with so much heritage to boast.

Tim Steel is a communications, marketing and tourism consultant.

WIKIMEDIA

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Saturday, September 20, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Satellite costs do not add up

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he government should rethink its decision to push ahead with BTRC’s project to launch the country’s first satellite.

As the facts stand, there is no clear financial case for this project.

The National Economic Council has approved spending over $380m (Tk2,967 crore) on the Bangabandhu 1 satellite project, against a guaranteed usage of only around $11m a year, which is what Bangladesh spends on satellite rental right now.

Even if it is assumed that most of this usage would be profit, it would take around 40 years, which is more than twice this satellite’s projected lifetime, for the project to earn back its costs.

One mooted reason for going ahead now is the suggestion that Bangladesh could earn an additional $39 million annually by renting out spare capacity to neighbouring countries. This is a highly risky assumption. Satellite costs are becoming ever more competitive and it is probable that Indian and Chinese satellites will be able to provide cheaper alternatives to Bangladesh.

It would be far less risky to simply wait a few more years for Bangladesh’s satellite usage to increase to the point where most of the project’s capacity could be utilised within the country.

In the meantime, taxpayer money could be better spent on improving health and education and investing in the skills needed for Bangladesh to nurture more high technology industries.

That way, when the time comes when the project is financially viable, we will have the capacity to harness more of the finance, resources, and skills needed to develop this project ourselves.

There is no clear financial case for this project.

Taxpayer money could be better invested

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

Justice Sinha discloses his role in 1971 September 12

A K M Saiful Islam “‘I myself worked for the Pakistani Army, but at night I passed down information to the freedom fighters,’ the judge said.”

Justice SK Sinha is definitely a very honourable justice, but knowing his present position about his role in 1971, a question comes up: During the ‘71 occupation, the army was in power. That is why he joined the peace committee and used to help freedom fighters. The nature and character of this person cannot be trusted. Maybe he is playing the same role now.

In 1971, during liberation, my father defected from the then Pakistani government, in April 1971.

Thousands of innocent unarmed Bengalis joined the Mukti Bahini and sacrificed their lives without any pretension and playing the role of disguise.

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 12 represents R so fill R every time the figure 12 appears.

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

So, definitely his role is the role of an opportunist.

Once an opportunist, always an opportunist.

In Kamaruzzaman’s case, the honourable justices passed comments in a manner as if they were seated in a fish market and gossiping. They must not sideline, and must be professional. Maybe those judges do not like ex-Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed and that is why they are criticising him.

My point of view is, please look at the case with keen attention to detail, applying the jurisprudence of international criminal jurisprudence. If you need more time to dig through, please do so. These are not Cr PC cases. And you always need to keep in mind the contextual background as umbrella, regulatory jurisprudence of the specific type of evidence, exclusions, limitations, and exceptions used in this case.

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

Khaleda: BNP won’t wait forever

Off with his head September 12

September 13

BCIM’s role in attracting high-value investment

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t is encouraging that the Malaysian automobile company PROTON is expressing interest in setting up a joint venture car manufacturing plant in Bangladesh.

This is exactly the sort of higher-value industry which the country needs to develop in order to create new jobs and sustain growth.

Such a factory would bring many spin-off benefits by building skills and knowledge. More importantly, it would be a great fillip to local manufacturers of components and spare parts which could feed into its supply chain. Bangladeshi manufacturers have already been successful in such fields, for example in supplying batteries to the global car industry.

We must not forget however that the country faces a lot of competition for this type of investment.

Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and Suzuki are all reported to be considering major investments in our neighbour Myanmar.

Moreover, the Myanmar government has just revised its forecast for foreign direct investment to more than $5 billion for the fiscal year that began this April. This compares with FDI into Bangladesh last year of around $1.3 billion.

The government needs to make attracting FDI a top priority. Its support for the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridor is especially vital in helping this goal.

By boosting connectivity and developing economic integration, BCIM can bring great benefits to all the countries involved.

As the smallest but most centrally-located states, Bangladesh and Myanmar have the most to gain from developing this corridor which will boost trade and in turn make the region more attractive to investors.

Bangladesh needs BCIM’s boost for connectivity to attract highervalue industry

AB “Our country is lagging behind as there is no democracy.”

True, but Bangladesh wasn’t exactly a G8 country when there was democracy either.

Zahidul Islam Yes. True.

Risking lives to cross a road September 13

Ishtiaq “Does it really matter whether Sheikh Mujib said ‘Joy Pakistan’ at the conclusion of the March 7 speech?”

There you have it, “Even if he did, so what?”

I was there and he did utter those words: “Joy Pakistan.” It was a masterful statesman-like thing to say.

The declaration of independence came much later. The Sheikh genuinely thought he’d be the new leader of Pakistan. Absolutely the right understanding at that time. Nobody should fault him for that. So, even if he did say it, so what?

Omar Nothing wrong with him saying it. Something wrong with willful omission, if there was one.

Osmania No, it does not.

SIM cloning – the new cyber crime in town September 12

Chowdhury Aktaruzzaman No zebra crossing in place, but some people are trying to get across the road.

Mahmid Abdullah “People risk their lives when crossing the busy Bishwa Road in the capital’s Kuril area as there is no foot over-bridge in the area.”

Risking lives. Ha ha ha.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Gajraj singh This is nonsense. I am a cybercrime expert.

It is technically not possible to “clone a SIM over a miss call.” Just think, how can one copy stored information on the SIM card over a radio network?

Even mobile operators cannot do such a thing.

Text cannot be transferred over a DTMF tone but numbers can, that too without spaces. -_SIM can only be cloned with the help of a “ki” key which is present in the SIM card that is not transmitted over a call.

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Clemency (5) 4 Mild explosion (3) 6 Group of Bantu warriors (4) 8 Clamour (5) 9 Repose (4) 11 Part of the eye (4) 12 Meditated (5) 15 Postpone (5) 18 Bargains time (4) 20 Thunder god (4) 21 Of the kidneys (5) 22 Male deer (4) 23 Groove (3) 24 Composition (5)

DOWN 1 Musical note (5) 2 Checks (5) 3 Surrender (5) 4 Jetty (4) 5 Domestic animals (4) 7 Company of lions (5) 10 Weak glue (4) 13 American state (4) 14 Make effort (5) 15 Mournful song (5) 16 Discovers (5) 17 Transmit in stages (5) 18 Agitate (4) 19 Missing (4)

100 Boko Haram fighters killed in Nigeria September 13

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

PEANUTS

Arch Bishop Only 100? A few thousand more to go!

Case against CMP commissioner, 4 others fabricated September 13

Nazmul Khair I just read here accused, accused, and accused. No hard news to find who is guilty and who is not.

SUDOKU

Op-Ed

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Saturday, September 20, 2014

11

How do we change minds about violence? n Zeenat Khan

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Is Sheikh Hasina helpless?

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n Ekram Kabir here was a tinge of helplessness when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the other day, said: “All Awami League leaders can be bought except Sheikh Hasina, and that is the problem.” The statement revealed how vulnerable she was in terms of leading the biggest political party in Bangladesh.

Actually, the sentence says it all.

As the top executive of a country and the party in power, this is a dangerous aspect. The leader doesn’t fully trust her teammates in running the state of the affairs.

I’m of course a teammate of hers as a citizen of this country, but if I were a teammate in her party, I would surely lower my head in shame when she expressed openly that she didn’t trust me. Nothing could be more humiliating than not having the trust of the leader who I’m supposed to follow in nation-building.

If I found my leader suspicious about my integrity, I would have left the wagon that she was on. Or, I’d work on how to gain her trust so that she can depend on me, otherwise there’s no reason I should be doing what my leader expects me to do.

However, I must mention that I sensed a deep element of finality in Sheikh Hasina when she said this. If

the teammates aren’t truly in the right path, it’s the leader’s responsibility to bring about the desired change in them, and guide them to the expected path.

I recall my school days when I think of the possible state of mind of my prime minister. I was a naughty boy and a mediocre student. Most of my teachers including the principal didn’t realise how to handle such a student. So, they started calling me a “bad boy.” They started complaining against me every single day in their bid to correct me.

I intentionally remained a “bad boy” as long as I was a student of that school. No one could bring about any change in me.

Well, what if the same thing happens in the case of the leaders that our prime minister is talking about? In that case, there would be no means left to correct them. Now that their leader said it, they might decide to remain that way forever. This is a risk of saying it all; this is a risk of saying final words. I would love to see our prime minister making statements in such a

Nothing could be more humiliating than not having the trust of the leader who I’m supposed to follow

They weren’t even marking my exam papers properly. They started giving me poor grades even if I did extremely well in some subjects. So, I thought I should give up my pursuit to become a “good boy.” I told myself: “Well, now that my teachers think I’m a bad boy, and they aren’t helping me change, let me be bad in the true sense.”

way that she can turn the stones in a later time.

For us, the common people, life, surroundings, and the state of affairs teach many things. They teach us how become compatible with what our state delivers. They also teach us to have an insight to read the body languages of our leaders as well as

to assess their contributions to the nation.

Our assessment says that the Awami League should feel lucky to have many leaders who are very dedicated to the party, which other parties in this country don’t have. We also feel that there are many leaders in the AL who’d never be sold to any other interests.

I’d appeal to my prime minister to reassess her leaders and then come to a conclusion like this.

But then again, we may not know what she has seen; we may have the feedback that she has had from running the state of affairs of the party as well as the country. If her assessment is true, she must be in a really helpless situation, and nothing can be as mind-boggling as that.

At the same time, if this is true, she is also very lonely where she is performing from. I feel other leaders now have a responsibility to work in such a manner that her confidence level in them is again boosted.

The productivity of the whole team would not be at the expected level when the chief executive is confused about the intention of her teammates.

The teammates would do themselves as well as the country a favour in proving Sheikh Hasina wrong by gaining her trust. l Ekram Kabir, a journalist, is a DT columnist.

The moral justification of murder n Farhad Mahmud

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t is a shocking title and is meant to be. When is a human being entitled to take the life of another human being? It happens all the time, though we seldom ponder on it. The most obvious moral justification is in self-defence or in war. If the state takes a human life, it is more often legally endorsed, thus serving the cover for moral justification.

In extreme cases, it is ideologically defended when morals are suspended to commit genocide. But, by far the most common moral justification of taking another life is when the person to be killed has committed the most heinous crimes. Now, this could be carried out through a normal legal process if capital punishment is allowed, or ignoring or influencing the process on popular demand despite the law being there.

This may seem to be a piece on capital punishment, but it is not. The debate on capital punishment could be endless, but central to all arguments for and against is the fundamental question of whether any murder (I use this term broadly to cover every instance of a human being taking the life of another human, including executions) can be morally justified.

For the opponents of capital punishment, the answer is a simple no, except perhaps in the case of self-de-

fence or war. When this simple but resolute premise is challenged, moral justifications are the primary underpinnings of those arguments. And as with all moral justifications, it could run on and on.

This piece is about closure and how we are dealing with it. The most heinous crimes were committed in 1971 by a group of people driven by ideology, greed, or pure malice. For those who do not oppose capital punishment, perpetrators of those crimes deserve to die, and justice followed by closure can only come from their death. The problem of seeking justice was complicated by the fact that for decades after the country won its independence in 1971, the perpetrators never had a day of reckoning, some were even rewarded and a few were endorsed with electoral mandate. The first task therefore was to bring them to justice, and in a country where capital punishment is allowed, justice could mean death but need not necessarily guarantee it.

The government of Sheikh Hasina came to power in 2009 with an election manifesto that promised trial of the war criminals of 1971, thus promising justice, but could not and did not guarantee their death. This promise was kept, when in 2013 the first sentences were handed down to the war criminals. Shahbagh erupted because justice was equated with death, with

the false pretext that only a movement for death sentence could bring justice to the people. Thus, the movement took on a larger than life proportion stretching beyond its scope. The fact that it imploded from within is no surprise.

Shahbagh perhaps prevented bringing closure to the ones who needed it most

But where does it leave us with closure? Opponents of capital punishment would argue there is no “fairness” in taking a life, thus no justice, and without justice there cannot be closure. Who deserves to die and who doesn’t, when both are guilty of similar crimes is a tricky area and not simply academic, because a death sentence, if implemented, is a judgment that is irreversible. Human mistakes will happen, and when it involves a human life, that is one grim prospect.

On Thursday September 18, the Supreme Court commuted the death

sentence of Sayedee to life imprisonment. Was justice served? Photographs of Shahbagh today in social media sites show a deserted venue. Shall we then assume most people are happy with this judgement? It doesn’t take much to realise that people who had equated justice with death will not be, and they made up for the bulk of the people in the first Shahbagh movement.

But what about the small minority of those who seek justice and closure, but oppose capital punishment? Could they be happy because justice has been served, when hardly a year ago the same court overturned the life imprisonment sentence to death penalty for a lesser person guilty of similar crimes? And finally, would we have at all asked these questions today if justice was not equated with death, and Shahbagh did not happen, and we had left such matters to the judiciary to carry on with its task to deliver justice as the government has promised?

Ironic though it may sound, with its singular and persistent demand of “fashi chai,” Shahbagh perhaps prevented bringing closure to the ones who needed it most, despite the AL government’s best efforts to deliver justice as promised. If this was not so, we would have seen another Shahbagh today. l Farhad Mahmud is an entrepreneur working in the carbon consulting industry.

few days ago a BBC online report from Kolkota made national headlines. The piece, filed by Amitabha Bhattasali, revealed that a 15-year-old pre-teen girl’s dead body was discovered near a railway track in Jalpaiguri, in eastern India. The report further said the nameless Jane Doe’s body was “semi-naked.”

The police report described how she was allegedly humiliated by the village elders, for she protested against her father’s incessant harassment over a tractor. She went to the village court, and lodged a complaint against him.

The next day, she was found dead.

After further investigation by the police, the case may not be open and shut; there is more to this story than the village elders’ inflated egos getting hurt. There have been insinuations that Jane Doe’s murder could have been politically motivated: The elderly village men and the girl’s family supported opposing political parties. The village elders “threatened the girl with dire consequences.” Shortly after that, she disappeared as the court was in session.

From the initial examination of the girl’s dead body, it appeared that the girl was most probably raped before her murder (a post-mortem examination has to be conducted for confirmation). According to family members, the girl was “made to spit on the ground and lick it up,” which is an extreme form of insult and humiliation. Her death, though it has caused an uproar, is by now yesterday’s story – sadly, she is just a statistic who has joined the long list of thousands of young murder victims in India.

In remote villages in India, sexual assaults are used as a form of punishment and control, but are called serving justice. Young girls from “lower castes” are often victims of sexual attacks and murder. Outrageously, the authoritarian murderers decide whether a girl has a right to live or die.

Such trends are not exclusive to India. Across the subcontinent, young girls are subjected to torrents of obscenities, teasing, alongside rape and murder – and these are common practices.

Each victim’s story seems more gruesome than the one before. This past May, law enforcement gang-raped and later murdered two adolescent cousins of the Dalit caste in Uttar Pradesh in the wee hours of the morning. Their dead bodies were left hanging from a mango tree for the entire village to see.

Daily, somewhere on the subcontinent, a girl is being sacrificed by patriarchs in the name of justice. What boggles my mind is that after such horrific acts, the perpetrators always come up with some sort of justification for their violence. The rationale used is: Girls who defy tradition, and try to show their individualities by being assertive, by remaining vigilant against the injustices that are thrown at them, are a threat to society. Those “sacred” codes must not be violated. Therefore, such girls need to be kept in line, at any cost, according to tradition and local customs.

The reasoning behind such ghastly acts is dreadful, plucked right out from the pages of a crime or horror novel.

However, it must be consistently and firmly challenged in the name of human rights.

How much is a girl’s life worth in our outdated, male-controlled society?

In the official story of the Good Girl, the Right Girl, quite a lot – of course, if she is lucky enough to be born with fair skin. Her value is immediately

established as soon as the village mid-wife or city clinic gynaecologist delivers her. She is doted on right after her umbilical cord is cut – then cleaned, and wrapped and given back to the proud and happy mother and father.

We need stronger laws with real consequences for criminals

From day one she becomes her mother’s joy, her father’s “noyon er moni,” and a sweetheart of the extended family. Depending on the economic situation of the family, and if she is well-behaved, the fair-skinned girl is pampered like a princess. At school, she is loved by all her teachers – even if she has the intelligence of an Afghan hound.

By the time she becomes 16, boys start to take notice, and she gets plenty of playful support from others in the family. When she comes of age, prospective future in-laws are a constant at her house. The parents find a match for her from the long list of suitors.

Sometimes, if she’s lucky, her preference is taken into consideration, and she is allowed to marry her prince.

Here, I am by no means relaying a story from Bengali or Hindi serials. I am talking about real girls in the subcontinent, and how one can become an object to control, and a subject of subtle discrimination, in one’s own family. These issues are nowhere near as serious as systemic violence or murder of our girls and women, of course – but they represent a quieter, more unseen type of violence.

How do we change minds about violence against women? We need stronger laws with real consequences for criminals, surely, along with constant denouncement of these crimes from our leaders. But, individually, we can also start at home with our own daughters. In this complex, modern world, parents need to emphasise moral values and self-worth and dignity over a girl’s looks, skin tone, and marriageability. We should teach our young girls how they can become their best selves as they grow up.

We should become more aware of our words, and their impact, remembering that there will be always vicious tongues to torment any girl less than “perfect” or “correctly behaved” – verbal abuse from those who are ignorant, chauvinist, and on the worst end of the spectrum, real abuse from those so fanatically devoted to ideas of “correct” femininity that they resort to violence to protect them.

We, as parents, need to break the cycle and become cheerleaders to our daughters, encouraging them to be strong and outspoken. I personally wave pom poms at parents who now are raising their daughters as equal to their sons, as those girls can grow to be independent adults, warriors who can battle discrimination and prejudice elsewhere in the world. This is the only way. l Zeenat Khan is a freelance writer and a newspaper columnist. She previously was a special education teacher for middle school children with learning disabilities at Our Lady of Victory, in Washington, DC, USA.

BIGSTOCK

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Witherspoon finds lessons in The Good Lie Folk Rock with Band Lalon ATN Bangla, 8:30pm

Band Lalon will be seen performing eight songs in the show. Anchored by Nusrat Faria, the show features a conversation with the band.

Enchanted

WARNING to hit cinemas this Eid n Entertainment desk Arefin Shuvo and Mahiya Mahi recently wrapped the big budget production “Warning” which is all set to release on the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. After Shafiuddin Shafi’s blockbuster “Agnee,” the duo is back on the silver screen once again with spectacular action scenes and candy-coated romance.

Though the official release date of the film is not confirmed yet, the producers and director set their sights on releasing the film on the upcoming Eid while the film is currently placed before the Film Censor Board for certification.

In the film “Warning” both the actors, Arefin Shuvo and Mahiya Mahi,

will be seen as young aspiring journalists, though Arefin Shuvo's role of a journalist will be seen as a form of disguise as he pursues the slayers of his parents.

This time around, Shuvo is playing the enraged victim whose parents were killed by a mafia leader and he is out for revenge, whereas in “Agnee,” Mahi was seen as the lethal killer who avenges her parents’ murder.

The shooting of the film commenced on August 3. Misha Sawdagor, Rubel and Kazi Hayat will also be seen in the film in supporting roles. Sawkat Ali Emon is working as the music director and Maple Films is the production house. l

HBO Defined, 12:00pm

n Entertainment Desk Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon chose a subdued role in her latest film "The Good Lie," a drama about Sudanese refugee children who end up in America, but there is nothing small in what she hopes to convey.

"There is a beautiful message throughout: We are all the same," said Witherspoon, who plays employment counsellor Carrie Davis in the movie that made its Washington premiere on Wednesday.

"We all deal with conflict and seemingly bear the unbearable in our lives, but we have to do it together," she said of the story of children who flee Sudan's unrelenting ethnic violence. "We have to be

SONALI BENDRE enters small screen n Entertainment Desk After hosting reality shows, gorgeous actress Sonali Bendre makes her debut in fiction space on the small screen with forthcoming show “Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh.” “It is likely to go on air September end or sometime in October,” said a source. The shows promo has hit the small screen and it shows Sonali and Apoorva Agnihotri sitting in a coffee shop.

“Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh” is coming soon on Life OK. The show is Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Films’ first serial for the channel. Sonali and Ekta Kapoor share a great rapport. The latter was also the reason why the actress agreed to do “Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara.”

Known for her big screen successes like “Sarfarosh,” “Zakhm” and “Anahat,” the big screen diva judged reality shows like “Indian Idol,” “India’s Got Talent” and “India’s Best Dramebaaz”for TV. l

there together. We have to be there for each other."

The film, by "Boardwalk Empire" writer Margaret Nagle and Canadian director Philippe Falardeau, stars Sudanese actors Arnold Oceng, Emmanuel Jal, Ger Duany and Kuoth Wiel— each of whom has a personal story about Sudan and its civil war.

Based on experiences of actual Sudanese refugees in the sprawling Kakuma camp in Kenya, the film begins with the journey of siblings who survive an attack on their village and walk hundreds of miles to a United Nations camp, gaining and losing companions along the way.

There they make it onto a humanitarian flight to the United States where the three men are resettled in a strange new land.

Film

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes How to Train Your Dragon 2 Guardians of the Galaxy Alpo Alpo Premer Golpo Star Cineplex, Level 8, Bashundhara City 13/3 Ka, Panthopath

Exhibition

Nilabho Joler Rodey

By Shammin Sultana Munni Time: 3pm – 8pm Dhaka Art Centre, Rd No 7, Dhanmondi Solo Art exhibition by Murtaja Basheer Time: 11am – 8pm Galleri Kaya, House 20, Road 16, Sector 4, Uttara Essence of Nature’

By N S Chowdhury Dancy Time: 11am – 6pm La Galerie, Alliance Francaise

Theatre

The Trial of Mallam Ilya Time: 7:00pm – 8:30pm BUET Central Auditorium

For different reasons, Witherspoon's character is as lost as the refugees.

“When I met with the director, he said 'I want you to understand that this isn't a movie about you. This is about the Sudanese,'" said Witherspoon, who doesn't appear until more than 30 minutes into the film.

"We didn't try to turn it into an American actor vehicle. I wanted my character to be just as lost but in a different way."

Rather than "a character who is this great white hope who is saving African people, she is actually just as emotionally distraught," said Witherspoon. "She is without her family."

The film is scheduled to be released on October 3, 2014. l

A fairytale princess is thrust into the world of modern-day New York where she’s forced to deal with the world’s harsh realities.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Movies Now, 4:10pm

John and Jane Smith have been married for more than five years and lead very ordinary lives.

Film business: Debunking common misconceptions n Mosabber Rahman To have a clear idea about global film industries we need to be aware of the misconceptions about filmmaking, and only then can we carve out a distinctive niche for us in the market. Below I tried to debunk some common misconceptions with simple facts, plain argument and common sense.

Film business is dirty!

Generally speaking, films are not the last resort of the illiterate, immoral people who could not do anything better in life. It is as good and as bad as any other business. Satyajit Ray made the same point in “Nayak,” where everyone points their fingers at the movie star for a scandal, but the true villain is the elite corporate man trying to seduce the advertiser’s wife.

available for over half a century. The fact that a new camera is brought out every month is not ‘technology’ - it is ‘consumerism’. Companies always release ‘technology’ in small increments, so the public keeps sticking its tongue out. True technology is stable and the rest are all illusion. Films do not look bad because of lack of technology, they look bad for lack of ‘craft’. Just watch “Sunrise” (made nearly 90 years ago) and “Beauty and the Beast” (made nearly 70 years ago) – two of the most beautiful films ever made.

Films are the modern art form!

Films are not the modern art form made by the modern man. There is no such thing as ‘modern man,’ we are all as primitive as the first humans who walked the earth. The human body itself is primitive. As a matter of fact, all of science is ancient knowledge.

Keira Knightley opens up about her struggle with neuroses n Entertainment Desk

Dhaka Theatre staged their 37th production, ‘Ponchonari Akhyan’ yesterday at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Written by Harun Rashid, directed by Shahiduzzaman Selim, the play is a monodrama in which Rosy Siddique plays five different roles

Throughout the years, Knightley has faced criticism about her looks, about being too thin and about her acting talent (or lack thereof), and these negative comments left a lasting effect on the “The Imitation Game” actress — so lasting that she has admitted to becoming neurotic.

“Have I not got parts because of the way I look? Yes. I have got parts because of the way I look? Yes. What can you do about it? I look the way I look, I am not willing to cut my face up,” she revealed to the Mirror.

“Everything up to 25 I was pretty neurotic and taking everything far too seriously. I found it difficult to step back from it and I was taking it very personally. Partly because as an actor you don’t want necessarily that thicker skin, and I couldn’t figure how to be open emotionally and yet get a thick enough skin so that things didn’t hurt.”

However, over the years, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actress has learned to control her feelings and one way she does that is to avoid Google.

“I don’t Google myself — that was the problem before 25,” she added.

“Not that I did it all the time, but I certainly saw enough to say, ‘Oh you shouldn’t look’. I mean, you don’t need to look, it is not helpful.” l

Big films are bad, small films good!

It is possible for a lot of people with a lot of money to put their heads together and make films. It is also important to note that a significant portion of the budget is spent on marketing. There is nothing wrong in making a film solely to earn money. As a matter of fact, some of the greatest films ever made were made for the sake of ‘commerce,’ rather than for the sake of ‘art.’

“Gone with the Wind” and “Casablanca” are classic examples. ‘Commerce’ tends to absorb ‘art,’ not the other way round.

Films are made by directors!

It is wrong to assume that all the decisions in all films are always taken by the directors. It takes a lot of money to make even the cheapest of films, and the person with the bag of cash makes the movie. Directors cannot make films without the backing of producers. The common idea is that producers are moral dwarves (the enemies) and directors are true artists (the saviors). Well, from Chaplin to Fellini, many great directors have confessed their primary desire to make films – to impress beautiful women.

Films require the latest technology!

The basic technology for films have been

Just think about it, our universe and everything in it is over 13 billion years old. So the best ‘art’ should focus on understanding that very old phenomenon – the human condition. So Shakespeare would make the better filmmaker, not Edison!

To sum it up, films are primarily commodities, and consumers have the right to seek out better products. No emotional blackmailing will work otherwise. We need to come up with good films or perish.

It is high time to explore new territories and create our own place in the world film map.

But we cannot expect the film producers to initiate a revolution, they would rather sink with the ship than risk their own money. We need to bank on creative individuals to fight for us and show us the way and everyone else will follow in due time.

Automatically, people will think of young filmmakers. But that's another misconception.

‘Youth’ is an abstract idea and it does not guarantee success. After all, Kurosawa made “Ran” at the age of 75.

The truth is, anyone alive - be it man or woman, young or old - is capable of making good films. So where are you? Speed it up please. l

Did you know?

Tim Howard has made 10 saves in the Everton v Wolfsburg Europa League match. Diego Benaglio made two

Sport

Saturday, September 20, 2014

14 Everton back in

style as Spurs, Celtic held

15 London

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Kerber,

to host Euro 2020 final

Wozniacki reach last four

Sk Russel face Erchim FC today in opener n Shishir Hoque

The Bangladesh athletes, led by flagbearer Abdullah Hel Baki, march into the stadium during the opening ceremony of the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea yesterday

Pakistan wants to visit Bangladesh before next year’s World Cup New PCB boss likely to visit Bangladesh in October to meet officials n Mazhar Uddin The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to enhance its relations with the three Asian counterparts, especially the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), after Shahryar Khan was elected the new chairman of cricket’s governing body in Pakistan. It was learned that in a bid to improve ties with its Asian neighbours, the new PCB chief is likely to visit Bangladesh next month for a meeting with the BCB of-

ficials as the incumbent is trying to organise a short one-day international series here.

According to sources, the newly-elected PCB supremo, who has cordial diplomatic ties with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, is looking to rebuild the relationship with the three countries which previously became fractious under the tenure of the last president, Zaka Ashraf.

The 80-year old diplomat, who was previously the Foreign Secretary of Pa-

kistan, took over the responsibilities from Ashraf after the latter resigned from his post earlier this year.

If the meeting does take place next month, it was learned that Shahryar will bring up the topic of the nonparticipation of the Pakistani players in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League. The Pakistani cricketers were earlier barred from taking part in Bangladesh’s premier 50-over competition after the newest Testplaying nation refused to tour Pakistan

Asiad kicks off ‘Gangnam Style’ n

South Korean basketball player Park Chansook (L) carries a flaming torch during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Asian Games at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium in Incheon yesterday AFP

AFP, Incheon

Pop star Psy kicked off the Asian Games “Gangnam Style” in an energetic, K-Pop-fuelled ceremony Friday as North Korean athletes received loud cheers from South Korean fans.

Spectators and athletes alike joined in Psy’s signature horse-riding dance as the singer belted out an electrifying rendition of his hit at Incheon’s 61,000seat stadium.

Wearing a glittering black suit and backed by a team of glamorous dancers, the star brought the three-hour spectacle to a thumping finale, heralding the start of 15 days of competition with 9,500 athletes.

South Korean President Park GeunHye officially opened the 17th edition of the Olympics-style event, after athletes from 45 countries had filed into the purpose-built stadium.

Actress Lee Young-Ae, the star of hit Korean drama “Dae Jang Geum”, lit the Games’ ceremonial flame, helped by two children. But the ceremony’s most touching moment came when the crowd bellowed their approval for

the team from North Korea, with which South Korea technically remains at war.

The North’s athletes and officials, in pristine white blazers and blue trousers, gave only the slightest of grins as they paraded -- in contrast to their enthusiastic welcome.

There were also big cheers for Japan and China, allaying fears they could get a frosty reception because of tensions over Beijing’s long-standing support for Pyongyang and Tokyo’s colonial rule.

Organisers will hope the ceremony will inject some much-needed buzz into the Games after slow ticket sales, just 18 percent early this week, generated an air of apathy.

Fans have shunned many of the matches so far in football, the only competition to start before the official opening, with barely 100 showing up for Jordan’s win over United Arab Emirates on Thursday night. Even the showcase opening, where top-price tickets cost $1,000, failed to draw a capacity crowd, with hundreds of seats still empty at the start of the spectacle.

The hosts will be desperate for a good early showing by their athletes to fire up the local fans, and the pressure will be on Jung Jee-Hae, who is favourite for the Games’ first gold in the women’s 10m air pistol on Saturday. l

due to security reasons.

However, the details of this issue could not be ascertained as BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury did not receive his phone despite repeated calls from Dhaka Tribune.

It was also learned that Shahryar is trying to arrange a meeting with Sri Lanka Cricket and the Board of Control for Cricket in India next month in order to develop relations with the PCB which has not been good in recent times. l

AP

Bangladesh topflight club Sheikh Russel KC will take on seven-time Mongolian league champions Erchim FC today in their opening match of the AFC President’s Cup at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Nothing but a victory will suffice for the Bangladesh Premier League side as they have to win both the Group B matches to progress to the final. Russel will play their last group game against Rimyongsu Club of North Korea on September 24. Russel, who became the first Bangladeshi outfit to qualify for the final round of the AFC President’s Cup, underwent an hour-long training session yesterday.

Zahid Hasan Emily believed it is very much possible to beat the Mongolian club and said they are not looking beyond the opening game. “Our main target is the first match then we will think about the second game. We want to win tomorrow’s (today’s) match and it is quite possible for us to beat them.

“They are a good team and are the domestic champions in the last seven years. They also have two quality Serbian players (Zoran Pesic and Milan Sredojevic),” said the national striker yesterday.

Skipper Mithun Chowdhury is also targeting a win against the Mongolian champions. “Tomorrow (today) is our main match because they are a strong team. So we will go onto the pitch with only one target - to win the match.” l

Out-of-sorts Tigers return home today n Mazhar Uddin The Bangladesh cricket team will land home today at 8:30am following their horrible month-long tour of the West Indies. The Tigers’ dismal run in 2014 was prolonged further as Mushfiqur Rahim and his side lost both the ODI and Test series in miserable circumstances with the solitary T20I washed out.

The just-concluded tour pales in comparison with the two previous visits made by Bangladesh in the Caribbean. Under the leadership of Habibul Bashar in 2004, the Tigers claimed their first Test draw. While in 2009, Bangladesh, captained by Shakib al Hasan clinched both the Test and ODI series albeit against a severely

depleted West Indian side.

Bangladesh’s next assignment will be the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea where veteran paceman Mashrafe will lead a star-studded squad in pursuit of their title defence in the Twenty20 competition. Regular skipper Mushfiq will miss the event due to his wedding reception on September 27.

Ever since his reduced suspension came to an end recently, Shakib will be returning to competitive action for the first time replacing right- arm spinner Sohag Gazi whose bowling action was reported by match officials during the ODI series against the Windies. Pacer Al Amin Hossain, who suffered the same fate as Gazi, made way for fellow pace bowler Rubel Hossain in the squad. l

National ‘A’ Chess begins today n Shishir Hoque The 40th Berger Paints National ‘A’ Chess Championship 2014 will get underway at the Bangladesh Olympic Association’s (BOA) media centre today.

A total of 14 players including four Grandmasters and one International Master are taking part in the competition. The top 10 players from the recently concluded National B Championship will also feature.

The Bangladesh Chess Federation has invited five Grandmasters - Abdullah Al Rakib, Ziaur Rahman, Enamul Hossain, Niaz Murshed and Reefat Bin Sattar – to play in the event. Everyone but Reefat will participate in the tournament.

The average rating of the participants is 2368 which means IM Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagar will not achieve the GM norm from the tournament.

According to the international chess rules, the average rating of the opponent players should be 2381 or more if a player wants to achieve the GM norm from a national competition.

However, all the other participants with the exception of the four grandmasters and Sagar will have the opportunity to achieve the norm of IM. The reason behind the low average rating is the absence of GM Reefat and IM Abu Sufiyan Shakil. The lowest rating-holder in the tournament is Mahtabuddin Ahmed, whose rating is only 2127. l

Michael Francis Eala of Philippines return a shot against Ali Dewani of Bahrain during their Asian 14 Under Series Tennis at the Ramna National Tennis Complex yesterday MUMIT M

Eala wins Asian 14-U title n Shishir Hoque Second seed Michael Francis Eala of Philippines became the champion in the boys’ singles event of the Bengal Group Asian 14 Under Series Tennis 2014 yesterday. Eala also won the boys’ doubles title alongside Bahrain’s Ali Dewani.

It was a comfortable victory for Eala

in the boys’ singles final where the youngster defeated top seed Dewani 6-3, 6-1 at the Ramna National Tennis Complex.

Dewani and Eala paired up in the boys’ doubles where the duo outplayed Mohammed Hridoy Hasan and Saikat Shahriar of Bangladesh 6-1, 6-4.

The final of the girls’ section will be held today. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Everton back in style as Spurs, Celtic held n AFP, Paris

Everton defender Seamas Coleman (R) celebrates scoring with teammate Leighton Baines during their Uefa Europa League, group H match against Wolfsburg at Goodison Park, in Liverpool on Thursday AFP

Everton marked their first appearance in Europe since the 2009/2010 season with a 4-1 Europa League win over Wolfsburg on Thursday while Celtic and Tottenham were held to draws in tricky away assignments.

The Merseysiders were ahead after just 15 minutes at Goodison Park when Ricardo Rodriguez put through his own goal after deflecting a Steven Naismith shot before a close-range header from Seamus Coleman made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time.

Leighton Baines added the third from the penalty spot two minutes after the break with Kevin Mirallas firing home a smart fourth two minutes from time after a fine pass from substitute Samuel Eto’o.

Rodriguez grabbed a consolation for Wolfsburg with a curled free-kick past Tim Howard in the Everton goal in injury time.

The English side top H after rivals Lille and Krasnodar drew 1-1 in France.

Scottish champions Celtic came away from their trip to 1994 finalists Salzburg with an entertaining 2-2 Group D stalemate, twice being pegged back, while Spurs were goalless against Partizan in Belgrade.

Ghanaian winger Wakaso Mubarak put Celtic in the lead in the first quarter of an hour in Austria on his loan debut.

Brazilian striker Alan then levelled for the home side, his 35th minute shot deflected off defender Efe Ambrose.

Minutes before, only Celtic keeper Craig Gordon’s fingertips had kept out Andre Ramlho’s header.

After the restart, Gordon produced a superb double save to keep Salzburg at bay again.

Scott Brown put the Scots back in front on the hour, his 30-yard screamer helped on its way by Andre Ramalho’s leg.

With 12 minutes left, Salzburg captain Jonatan Soriano earned the Austrians a share of the points with a brilliant

freekick, which flew over the wall and into the top corner of Gordon’s net.

Celtic boss Ronny Deila said: “It was a good result against a very good team.

We worked better as a team today and stood the distance better.”

In the other game in Celtic’s group, on-loan Manchester United forward Angelo Henriquez was among the scorers as Dinamo Zagreb routed Astra Giurgiu of Romania 5-1.

Tottenham, in their fourth Europa League campaign, made no fewer than 10 changes from the side that drew with Sunderland in the Premier League at the weekend, keeper Hugo Lloris the only survivor.

Harry Kane almost gave the north Londoners a dream start to their bid to get out of Group C, his first minute attempt hitting the bar.

But despite looking dangerous on occasions Tottenham lacked the killer touch and were unable to find a way through Partizan’s defence.

Elsewhere, Inter Milan were held 1-1 at Dnipro, and goals from Aleksandr Kokorin and Aleksei Ionov lifted Dinamo Moscow to a 2-1 Group E win at Panathinaikos.

Defending champions Sevilla enjoyed a 2-0 win over Feyenoord thanks to first-half strikes from Grzegorz Krychowiak and Stephane Mbia.

Steaua Bucharest beat Aalborg 6-0 with Claudiu Keseru scoring an 11-minute second-half hat-trick.

There were also three impressive wins for Italian clubs with Inter Milan claiming a 1-0 victory at Dnipropetrovsk, Napoli cruising 3-1 past Sparta Prague and Fiorentina claiming a 3-1 home win against Guingamp.

For the first time this season’s Europa League winners get a Champions League spot.

This is the first match-day of the round-robin phase with the top two from each of the 12 groups of four qualifying for the knock-out phase, where they are joined by the third-placed teams from the group phase of the Champions League.l

RESULTS

1-1

Villarreal

3-2

FC Zürich

M’gladbach Herrmann 21

Apollon Limassol Papoulis 9, Gullón 40, Koch 87-og

FC Copenhagen Jørgensen 68, 81

Partizan Belgrade Besiktas Töre 33

Uche 68 Rikan 50, Yapi Yapo 53

2-0

HJK Helsinki

0-0 1-1

Tottenham Asteras Tripolis

Facundo Manuel Carlos Parra 88

Salzburg Alan 36, Jonathan S. 78

2-2

Celtic Wakaso 14, Brown 60

5-1

FC Astra

1-0

Estoril

Dinamo Zagreb

Soudani 17, 24, 45+1, Henriquez 70, Coric 90+2

PSV Eindhoven L. de Jong 26-P

1-2

Panathinaikos Dinas 63

Dnipropetrovsk Standard Liege

Chitu 82

Dinamo Moscow Kokorin 40, Ionov 49

0-1

Inter Milan D’Ambrosio 71

2-0

Rijeka

2-0

Feyenoord

1-1

FC Krasnodar

4-1

VfL Wolfsburg

Ciman 74, Vinicius Araujo 87

Sevilla

Krychowiak 8, Mbia 31

Lille Kjær 63

Everton

Laborde 35

Rodriguez 15-o.g., Coleman 45+1, Baines 47-P, Mirallas 89

Rodriguez 90+4

5-0

Slovan Bratislava

3-1

Sparta Prague

6-0

Aalborg

0-3

Dynamo Kiev

6-1

Dinamo Minsk

3-0

Guingamp

1-2

Trabzonspor

1-0

Lokeren

Young Boys Lecjaks 5, Steffen 29, Nuzzolo 63, Nikci 80, Hoarau 90+2

Napoli Higuain 23-P, Mertens 51, 81

Steaua Bucharest Sanmartean 51, Rusescu 59-P, 73, Keseru 61, 65, 72

Rio Ave

Husbauer 14

Yarmolenko 20, Belhanda 25, Kravets 70

PAOK

Nikolic 40og, Athanasiadis 11, 16, 28, Papadopoulos 50, Tzandaris 89

Fiorentina

Nikolic 80

Vargas 34, Cuadrado 67, Bernardeschi 88

Metalist Kharkiv Gomenyuk 61

Legia Warsaw Radovic 58

Constant 25, A. Papadopoulos 90+4

Wenger aims to get Arsenal back on track

‘Milan can’t wait for Juve’

n AFP, Birmingham

n AFP, Milan

Arsene Wenger will attempt to get Arsenal back on track against Aston Villa on Saturday after a frustrating week that raised questions about their chances of winning major silverware this season.

Wenger’s side travel to Villa Park to face a Villa side who lie second in the Premier League with three wins from four matches following last weekend’s surprise victory at Liverpool.

Real Madrid visit Deportivo with little room for error n AFP, Madrid Two consecutive defeats have left European champions Real Madrid with a mountain to climb just three games into the La Liga season if they are to catch leaders Barcelona.

Real are six points adrift of the Catalans, who have made a 100 percent start under new boss Luis Enrique, after a 4-2 defeat to Real Sociedad was followed by a 2-1 reverse at home to Atletico Madrid last weekend.

Ancelotti accepted the criticism dished out to his side less than four months after sealing the club’s 10th European Cup.

FIXTURES La Coruna At Bilbao At Madrid Espanyol

v v v v

Real Madrid Granada Celta Vigo Malaga

However, should they fail to win at Deportivo la Coruna on Saturday, his ability to turn around the situation in La Liga will come under close scrutiny.

Things didn’t go so smoothly for Atletico in midweek as they were beaten 3-2 by Olympiakos in Athens to put their chances to qualifying for the last 16 in jeopardy.

However, Diego Simeone’s men can bounce back in style by going to the top of the table on Saturday if they beat Celta Vigo at home.

Atletico will have to do without top scorer Mario Mandzukic for a couple of weeks, though, as the Croatian had surgery to repair a broken nose suffered against Olympiakos on Thursday. l

If they are to leave with three points, Arsenal will have to quickly shake off the disappointment of the 2-0 Champions League defeat at Borussia Dortmund that came three days after the Gunners had squandered a winning po-

FIXTURES Aston Villa Burnley Newcastle Queens Park Swansea City West Ham

v v v v v v

Arsenal Sunderland Hull City Stoke City Southampton Liverpool

sition in a 2-2 draw against Manchester City in the Premier League.

Arsenal’s defensive weaknesses were exposed on both occasions, once again throwing focus on Wenger’s failure to bring in a centre-back and defensive midfielder during the most recent transfer window.

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert is eager to sort new deals for Fabian Delph and Ron Vlaar, whose contracts both expire next year, after committing his own future to Aston Villa.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists he has no concerns over

Reactions to retirement of China’s Li Na STACEY ALLASTER (WTA Tour chief executive) “It’s hard to be a household name in a nation with 1.4 billion people, but that’s what Li is.”

KIM CLIJSTERS (Four-times grand slam winner) “What An honour/ pleasure it was competing against this great champion/person #linaretired”

VICTORIA AZARENKA (Two-time Australian Open winner) “Landing in China to the news of miss Li Na retiring :( what a great player,hilarious girl and an inspiration to many! U have done so much for our sport worldwide! I will always have a great memories of all our tough battles :) wishing you the best for a new chapter in your life xoxo”

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (Former world number one) “Li Na, one of the funniest and nicest players on tour! A great competitor and a role model both on and off the court!

You will be missed!! An exciting new chapter starts today!”

ANA IVANOVIC (Former French Open champion) “What an amazing person and champion!!! You will be missed on tour but amazing new chapter ahead of you!

Wishing you all the best”

RENNAE STUBBS (Australian Open commentator) “I am going to miss watching, interviewing & seeing Li Na around! #fun #friend above all she’s just cool #champ”

MARTINA HINGIS (Former world number one) “It’s a sad day for Chinese tennis and for the global sport in general. I have good memories playing her”

MARIA SHARAPOVA (Multiple grand slam winner) “A truly respected athlete and person, wishing Li Na much happiness and health in her next chapters of life”

PAM SHRIVER (Former US Open finalist) “Li Na another of the great long line of @WTA pioneers, what an amazing career. May you & Dennis enjoy family always.”

Philippe Coutinho’s ability to handle the physical side of the Premier League ahead of his team’s clash with West Ham on Saturday.

Liverpool are boosted by the return of centre-back Martin Skrtel after a knee injury, while right-back Glen Johnson is also poised to return to training after a hip problem, although Saturday’s game is likely to be too soon for him.

The Reds are still without striker Daniel Sturridge (thigh), midfielders Joe Allen (knee) and Emre Can (ankle) and defender Jon Flanagan (knee). l

AC Milan host Juventus in a top-of-the-table clash Saturday that could add impetus to their bid to erase two nightmare seasons - if the Rossoneri can plug the holes at the back.

Under new coach Filippo Inzaghi, Milan have enjoyed a flying start to the season following two horrendous campaigns under Allegri and, latterly, Seedorf.

Juventus, unbeaten at home all of last season on their way to a third con-

secutive title, have yet to concede a goal in their two wins over Chievo and Udinese and have scored three times.

Milan midfielder Jeremy Menez, however, said he expects plenty of fire-

FIXTURES Cesena v Empoli Milan v Juventus works at the San Siro on Saturday.

Allegri will still be without midfielder Andrea Pirlo and defender Andrea Barzagli, but could welcome Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal. l

Li Na blames retirement on chronic knee problems n Reuters, Beijing China’s Li Na, Asia’s only grand slam singles champion, announced her retirement from tennis on Friday, succumbing to the effect of long-term knee injuries.

A former French Open winner and the reigning Australian Open champion, Li said her troublesome knees, that have plagued her throughout her career, prevented her from ever regaining full fitness and forced her hand.

“The task of finally making a decision to hang up my racquet felt a lot more difficult than winning seven matches in a row in the Australian heat,” she said in a letter posted on her Facebook page.

“It took me several agonizing months to finally come to the decision that my chronic injuries will never again let me be the tennis player that I can be.

“Walking away from the sport, effective immediately, is the right decision for me and my family.”

The 32-year-old, known affectionately as “Big Sister Na” and “Golden Flower” in China, won the 2011 French Open then this year’s Australian Open.

She climbed to number two in the world rankings but her knees were steadily getting worse and she skipped this year’s U.S. Open, triggering speculation her dazzling career was drawing to a close.

“Most people in the tennis world know that my career has been marked by my troubled right knee. The black brace I wear over it when I step on the court has become my tennis birth mark.

And while the brace completes my tennis look, the knee problems have at times overtaken my life,” she said.

“After four knee surgeries and hundreds of shots injected into my knee weekly to alleviate swelling and pain, my body is begging me to stop the pounding.”

One of the most popular and marketable players on the tour, news of her retirement set off a flood of tributes.

The Chinese Tennis Association, in a statement released by the official Xinhua news agency, said it respected her decision and wished her the best.

“We also thank Li Na for the passionate and proud, shining moments she gave to Chinese tennis in her competitive career,” it said.

Top tennis players posted notes to her on their social media accounts. Caroline Wozniacki wrote: “Li Na, one of the funniest and nicest players on tour! A great competitor and a role model both on and off the court! You will be missed!!

An exciting new chapter starts today!”

Nowhere will her retirement be felt more than in her homeland, where she has inspired a generation of young Chinese tennis players and brought the professional game to her country.

For many young people in China, Li is a role model, with her steely determination, broad smile and English language skills emblematic of a confident and rising country.

Sport and politics remain tightly woven in China, where elite athletes are handpicked from a young age to be nurtured by the state. Only a handful are allowed to manage their own careers.

Li, who was identified as a potential badminton talent as a child, was steered into tennis before her teenage years, but had to be coaxed back into the game in 2004 after walking away to study media at university. l

A wax figure of Chinese tennis player Li Na on display at the Madame Tussauds Museum in Beijing, China yesterday. Li Na, a two-time Grand Slam champion from China who took tennis in Asia to a new level, has retired due to recurring knee injuries AP

Sport

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Fifa best in world for ethics: Blatter

QUICK BYTES

Durham’s Rushworth takes 15 wickets in a day against Northants

n Reuters, Zurich

Durham seam bowler Chris Rushworth took 15 wickets on Wednesday as Northants were bowled out twice in less than 3-1/2 hours on their way to an innings defeat. Rushworth, who has led the Durham attack this term with Graham Onions injured, took 9-52 either side of lunch as Northants were dismissed for 83 and, when following on, 90. Hosts Durham had scored 392 in their first innings in the match at Chester-le-Street. The 28-yearold Rushworth finished with match figures of 15-95, the best by a Durham bowler in a county championship fixture. Relegated Northants lost by an innings and 219 runs, their 12th defeat in 15 matches this season.

–Reuters

Don’t make Ozil a scapegoat: Wenger Record signing Mesut Ozil must not become a ‘scapegoat’ for Arsenal’s unconvincing early season performances and defeat in their opening Champions League group game, manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday. “Why should he be a scapegoat?” the Frenchman asked reporters ahead of the Gunners’ Premier League trip to Aston Villa on Saturday.

“For what? We’ve lost one game since April 1. Let’s be realistic.” The former Real Madrid player joined Arsenal last year for 42 million pounds ($68.78 million) but even in that first season came under fire for his frequent ‘vanishing acts’ during key games. He was largely anonymous again on Tuesday when Arsenal lost 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, with compatriot and former national captain Michael Ballack among the critics. “What’s happened with him? I don’t know,” the midfielder told Sky Sports television. “There must be something behind (the scenes) because his head is mostly down, the body language is not improving even with the world champion (medal) in his pocket. “I don’t really know what’s happened over the last year since he moved from Madrid to Arsenal.”

–Reuters

DAY’S WATCH Ten Sports 6:00AM Asian Games 2014 Star Sports 1 Champions League T20 4:30PM Dolphins v Perth 8:30PM Barbados v Punjab Star Sports 2 6:45PM FIA F1 World Championship Qualifying: Singapore

Uefa President Michel Platini stands in front of a screen showing London who will host the semi-finals and finals of the 2020 UEFA European championship in Geneva yesterday AFP

London to host Euro 2020 final n AFP, Geneva London’s Wembley Stadium will host the final and semi-finals of the 2020 European football championship, which will exceptionally be held in 13 different countries, UEFA boss Michel Platini announced Friday.

The quarter-finals will meanwhile be hosted by Munich (Germany), Baku (Azerbaijan), Saint Petersburg (Russia) and Rome (Italy), the president of European football’s governing body revealed at a ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland.

London beat its sole rival Munich for the top bid, as observers expected.

n AFP, Tokyo

Top two seeds Angelique Kerber of Germany and Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki roared to the semi-finals of the $1 million WTA Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo Friday.

10:00PM Athletic Bilbao v Granada 12:00AM Atletico Madrid v Celta de Vigo 2:00AM Espanyol v Malaga CF Star Sports HD1 8:00PM Spanish La Liga Deportivo La Coruna v Real Madrid

Sony Six 6:30PM World Kabaddi League 2014 Jallandhar- Day 15 05:45AM Major League Soccer 2014 NY Red Bulls v Seattle Sounders Ten Action 5:15PM Sky Bet Championship 2014/15 Watford v AFC Bournemouth French Ligue 1 2014/15 9:00PM Olympic Marseille v Stade Rennais 12:00AM Nantes v Nice Neo Prime 7:00PM German Bundesliga FC Schalke 04 v Eintracht Frankfurt Neo Sports German Bundesliga 7:30PM Hamburger v FC Bayern Munchen 10:30PM FSV Mainz 05 v Borussia Dortmund

Ahead of the vote, top German football officials had hinted they might leave the path free to England if in return London supports its bid to host the tournament in 2024, when it returns to the single-host format.

For the 60th anniversary of the European Championship, first held in 1960, UEFA decided to organise the tournament across the whole continent.

In all 19 countries bid for a chance to host Euro 2020 games.

On top of one quarter-final, Rome, Munich, Baku and St Petersburg will each host three group stage games.

Only hosts that had stadia with a ca-

pacity of 60,000 were considered.

Copenhagen (Denmark), Bucharest (Romania), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Dublin (Ireland), Bilbao (Spain), Budapest (Hungary), Brussels (Belgium) and Glasgow (Scotland), meanwhile, will each host one last-16 game and three group stage ones.

London, Munich, Rome, Brussels or Glasgow are experienced hosts of major sporting events, having already hosted World Cup, Euro or Champion League games. But this is the first time cities like Baku, Budapest or Bucharest will host a big tournament.

The stadia in Budapest and Baku

Kerber, Wozniacki reach last four

Spanish La Liga

Star Sports 4 Barclays Premier League 2014/15 5:45PM Queens Park Rangers v Stoke City 8:00PM Aston Villa v Arsenal 10:30PM West Ham United v Liverpool 12:45AM Italian Serie A Milan v Juventus

15

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Kerber reacts after a point against Cibulkova during their quarter-final match AFP

Top-seeded Kerber outplayed sixth-seeded Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 6-3, 6-0 and Wozniacki, a former world number one, overcame Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 6-3 in the quarter-finals.

Kerber, 26, ranked eighth in the world, needed just 61 miniutes to stop the 13th-ranked Slovakian.

Wozniacki, seeded second and reeling from her loss to top-ranked American Serena Williams in the US Open final two weeks ago, outlasted the Spaniard in a bout of long rallies.

Kerber will meet third-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia or Czech Lucie Safarova in the round of four on Saturday.

Wozniacki’s semi-final opponent is another Spaniard Garbine Muguruza, who outlasted Australian Casey Dellacqua 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3.

“Dominika is a good player and I knew I needed to be 100 percent. Everything went good and I’m happy to be in the semis again,” said Kerber, who

finished runner-up to Czech Petra Kvitova in last year’s Pan Pacific Open.

“We had long rallies and at the end it was all about trying to play chess out there, really,” said the 24-year-old Wozniacki, the world number nine, who reigned at the top of women’s tennis in 2010 and 2011.

The two players broke each other’s serve seven times in the first set.

After 2-2 in the second set, the Dane broke the 26-year-old Suarez Navarro in the fifth and seventh games before the world number 19 spaniard pulled one back.

In the ninth game, Wozniacki yielded no point as Suarez Navarro smashed wide from the net, double-faulted and hit a forehand long to end the match in nearly 100 minutes.

In the doubles semi-finals, the top-seeded pair of Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Indian Sania Mirza defeated Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic and Arantxa Parra of Spain 6-3, 6-2.l

for the Euro 2020 are still waiting to be built.

For this jubilee tournament, Uefa said it wanted a “Euro for Europe.”

In the past, a single country -- or at the most two, like Austria and Switzerland in 2008, or Poland and Ukraine in 2012 -- hosted the finals.

The experiment, which was Platini’s brainchild, will be a one-off event however, with the 2024 tournament to be hosted again by a single country.

Minsk (Belarus), Sofia (Bulgaria), Cardiff (Wales), Skopje (Macedonia), Jerusalem (Israel) and Stockholm (Sweden) came away empty-handed. l

Soccer’s governing body FIFA has an exemplary ethics set-up unmatched by any other sports organisation, its president Sepp Blatter said on Friday.

“Since the reforms, we have had an exemplary organisation in ethics... we have two chambers... with independent chairmen,” Blatter told the World Summit for Ethics in Sports.

“We are the only sports organisation which has this independent body for ethics, nobody else, not even the IOC (International Olympic Committee).

“What is important is that they are totally independent, they have been elected by the congress.”

Blatter said that FIFA’s ethics committee was entirely independent and, since 2011, had consisted of two parts the investigatory chamber, responsible for investigating breaches of ethics, and the adjudicatory chamber, which determines sanctions. FIFA has been hit by a series of corruption scandals in the last few years resulting in the suspension of several members of its executive committee while some had to resign. Some members are still under investigation.

These included Mohamed Bin Hammam, a candidate in the 2011 presidential election who was banned for life over a cash-for-votes scandal.

The ethics committee is currently investigating the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively. l

Fifa calls time on luxury watches n AFP, Paris FIFA officials were on Thursday given until October 24 to hand back luxury watches offered as “gifts” by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). The order was handed down by the Investigatory Chamber of FIFA’s Ethics Committee.

A statement said that the CBF handed out “65 gift bags each containing a Parmigiani watch, to a group comprising the 28 officials on the FIFA Executive Committee, a representative from each of the 32 Member Associations competing in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, and a representative from each of the 10 Member Associations in Conmebol.”l

Bayern face new-look Hamburg test n AFP, Berlin Bayern Munich travel to a Hamburg side under new management this weekend still finding their way after changing tactics mid-way through their midweek Champions League win over Manchester City.

Munich boss Pep Guardiola switched from a 3-4-1-2 system to a 4-12-3 in the middle of their victory over City, and the moved paid off as Bayern played one of their strongest matches of the season, culminating in Jerome Boateng’s winner in the 90th minute.

Missing from the City game was Franck Ribery, who will sit out the Hamburg contest as well.

Last-placed Hamburg have their own issues, though the northern Ger-

mans hope to have resolved some of them with the sacking of Mirko Slomka after one point and zero goals scored through three matches.

The new man is former Hamburg Under-23 team boss Josef Zinnbauer.

In the other match of the day, FC Augsburg welcome Werder Bremen;

FIXTURES Schalke 04 FC Augsburg VfB Stuttgart Hamburg SC Paderborn Mainz 05

v v v v v v

Frankfurt Werder Bremen Hoffenheim Bayern Munich Hanover Dortmund

and Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp returns to his former stomping grounds Mainz 05 in Saturday’s evening match. l

Marseille bid to extend winning run

Rosberg sees bright side of radio ban n AFP, Singapore

n AFP, Paris

Nico Rosberg believes Formula One’s ban on ‘driver coaching’ radio communications may give him an advantage in his title battle with Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.

As the pair prepared for Friday’s free practice for this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, the championship leading German said that the clampdown modified overnight - might give him a chance to out-think the Briton, who is 22 points behind him in the title race.

“It is the right way for the sport to go because it makes the racing pure,” said Rosberg, in his column in the Daily Mail. “For example, earlier this season when I was trying to overtake Lewis.

“Whenever I went to increase my electronic boost power, which I can only do for a couple of corners, Lewis’s engineer did a great job, spotted it and told him to do the same.

“Every time I adjusted my settings, Lewis would replicate that, so there was not a difference in performance in our respective cars, which never gave me the opportunity to surprise him, but with the new rules that should be over now.” l

Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa may not enjoy an easy relationship with his president, but he has got his team performing on the field as they prepare to host Rennes in Ligue 1 on

Saturday.

OM beat bottom club Evian 3-1 away last weekend, their third consecutive victory leaving them just a point behind early leaders Lille.

That win eased the tension around the club after Bielsa criticised president Vincent Labrune for failing to sign any of the players he had targeted over the summer and for recruiting Brazilian defender Doria against his wishes.

However, Labrune insisted on Monday that the two had held talks and that the incident was now behind them.

“We had a frank, in-depth and respectful discussion,” he said. “I understood that Marcelo did not wish to cause controversy. The incident is now over.

The interest of the club must come first and everyone is working together to-

wards achieving success this season.”

Marseille are not distracted by European competition this season, and their prospects of challenging at the top of the Ligue 1 table may be helped as a result.

However, Rennes, who won in Marseille last season and are fresh from holding champions Paris Saint-Germain to a 1-1 draw, are unlikely to provide easy opposition.

FIXTURES Marseille Lorient Metz Nantes Toulouse

v v v v v

Rennes Reims SC Bastia Nice Caen

Rennes coach Philippe Montanier will get the chance to renew acquaintances with Bielsa after the two came up against each other when in charge of Basque rivals Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao respectively between 2011 and 2013.

“He is an introverted personality but I will be pleased to see him again,” said Montanier. “He did a good job in Bilbao.” l

USA football team World Cup captain Clint Dempsey arrives for the FIFA 15 launch party in New York on Thursday AFP

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

REAZ UDDIN BAZAR IN CHITTAGONG CITY

An illegal trade hub for drugs and smuggled goods n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Reaz Uddin Bazar, the biggest wholesale market in Chittagong city, has become an illegal trade hub of smuggled products, scalped train tickets and stolen mobile phones.

Sources at the port city’s law enforcement agencies said the market has turned into a new crime zone, with around 200 shops – out of a total of around 3,000 – engaged in the illegal trade.

Considered one of the oldest and biggest wholesale markets in the country, Reaz Uddin Bazar houses around 5,000 traders with around 8,000 employees, according to Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP).

Trade body leaders in the market said staff of different shops were involved with such business, dodging their respective shop owners’ watch.

There are at least 50 shops in the market that do the business of stolen valuables During a recent visit to the market, it was found that some shop owners were also running illegal business under their legal trading identities.

One such trader, Nowshadul Islam Nazrul, owner of a mobile phone shop, was nabbed by the Detective Branch (DB) of the CMP in August with stolen expensive mobile phones in his possession, said DB Sub-Inspector Shontosh Kumar Chakma.

His shop is blacklisted for trading stolen phones, he said.

There are at least 50 other shops in the market that do the business of stolen mobile phones and other valuables, like Azam Telecom and Modern Electronics, the sub-inspector said.

Shops like Style Collection, Rana Enterprise, Manasee Store, and ABS Garments are well-known for with train ticket scalping, according to a DB report.

As far as illegal drugs are concerned, Karim Super Market and Mohammadia Plaza in the market is known as Yaba Market, while Shyamoli Residential Hotel and Garden Hotel are the exhibition spots for drugs, and Al Salamat Hotel, Shah Amanat Market and Fruit Goli are infamous for open drug peddling, police sources said.

Acknowledging the police findings about drug peddling in the market, SM Yakub, general secretary Reaz Uddin

Back Page

Saturday, September 20, 2014

ASIAN GAMES: GANGNAM STYLE

Bazar Bonik Kolyan Shomiti, told the Dhaka Tribune that the organisation had already taken action against the shop owners involved in such illegal work.

“We have informed police to conduct drives in the areas to stop them,” he said.

A safe haven for yaba business

The Dhaka Tribune found that Nurunnabi, former joint secretary of Reaz Uddin Bazar Dokan Kormochari Shomiti, controls the yaba peddling in the market, while his brother-in-law Anwar assists him and his employee Jahid takes care of the supply.

Market sources said Nurunnabi had been expelled from the organisation due to his illegal activities, but that only made him more arrogant about his business.

Joynal Abedin, president of the organisation, said Nurunnabi’s misdeeds had defamed the organisation which is why they requested police to take action against him.

“Our organisation is not responsible for him,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

However, Nurunnabi’s dominance over the yaba scene is under threat as the syndicate of Monaiya, a local resident, and Jahed, son of listed drug smuggler Shutki Rafiq, is trying to take control of the yaba peddling, according to a police source.

They bring yaba pills and other drugs hidden in fruit-carrying trucks and pick-ups, in collaboration with fruit traders in the market’s adjoining fruit market, said a Kotwali police official, seeking anonymity.

The syndicate’s cohorts supply the drugs to Karim Super Market and Mohammadia Plaza, he said.

Known drug traders include Enam, Shahjahan, Kader, Dibba Babul, three siblings Kamal, Nesar and Armar, Lomba Mizan and his brother Masum, and Kala Zahid.

All of these drug dealers were arrested by law enforces more than once, but they managed to bail out of prison, said police sources.

Admitting that the entire market had indeed become a safe haven for drug dealing, Mahbubul Alam, president of Bonik Kolyan Shomiti, said they frequently advised the traders to refrain from illegal activities, but in vain.

Banaj Kumar Majumder, acting commissioner of the CMP, said they were conducting drives in the market with the help of the trade body leaders to prevent the illegal businesses in the market.

“These drives will continue until this matter is resolved,” he said. l

South Korean pop star Psy, left, performs with dancers during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Asian Games at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium in Incheon yesterday

Modi: al-Qaeda will fail in India n Reuters Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said al Qaeda will struggle to recruit members in the world’s second-most populous nation and he praised Indian Muslims for their commitment to fight for the country.

Al Qaeda announced the formation of its first wing dedicated to waging jihad in South Asia earlier this month. A few days later it claimed responsibility for hijacking a Pakistani naval ship.

Modi, a Hindu nationalist who was elected in May and faces criticism for remaining silent about several incidents deemed anti-Muslim, said Indian Muslims were patriotic and would not betray their nation, which has a long history of sectarian strife.

“Indian Muslims will live for India, they will die for India, they will not want anything bad for India,” Modi told CNN, which aired excerpts of the pre-recorded interview on Friday. “If anyone thinks Indian Muslims will dance to their tune, they are delusional.”

Al Qaeda said in a statement that it aimed to end the suffering of Muslims in places such as Kashmir, where a violent insurgency against New Delhi’s rule raged through the 1990s and resentment still runs high.

Modi has long been a hate figure for Islamist groups because of religious riots in 2002 when he was chief minister of Gujarat state. More than 1,000 people,

mainly Muslims, died in the violence.

Muslims make up some 15% of the Indian population, and number an estimated 175 million, giving India the third-largest Muslim population in the world.

When asked why so few of India’s Muslims have joined al Qaeda, Modi characterized the threat from Islamist militancy as not about country or one race, calling it a fight between “humanity and inhumanity”.

Modi’s comments come amid a debate within his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party about how to deal with religious minorities after an inflammatory by-election campaign drew the ire of rights activists and failed to win over voters.

Yogi Adityanath, a star campaigner in the recent by-elections in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, has been accused of delivering inflammatory speeches against Muslims. In one video he said religious riots happen wherever more than 10% of the population is Muslim.

A senior BJP leader in the neighbouring state of Bihar, Sushil Kumar Modi, in an interview with the Indian Express newspaper criticized those comments and said his party would give seats to Muslims in local elections.

Ahead of a visit to meet US President Barack Obama later this week, Modi said ties between the United States and India, a Cold War ally of the Soviet Union, will continue to improve.

CNN will air the full interview on Sunday. l

Shafiullah new SCF chief n Tribune Report

The Sector Commanders’ Forum (SCF) formally accepted the resignation of chairman AK Khandker yesterday nominating sector commander KM Shafiullah to take his place, and then expelled the liberation warrior over his controversial book.

The SCF cancelled Khandker’s primary membership at its executive committee meeting, said a press statement released yesterday signed by SCF acting secretary general Harun Habib.

Air Vice-Marshal (retd) AK Khandker, who was the deputy chief of the liberation forces in the Independence War, resigned as chairman of the SCF Wednesday evening apparently after coming under fire from both treasury and opposition bench lawmakers for claims made in his recent book, “1971: Ins and Outs”. The book was published

by Prothoma Prokashan.

The meeting said that Khandker, through his book, stood against the basic and well-established facts of the liberation war, the declaration of independence and the country’s constitution.

Khandker had ignored SCF leaders’ repeated urges to change the content deemed incorrect following the publication of the book, the meeting said.

The Sector Commanders’ Forum said the acts in question deemed Khandker punishable by the organisation.

SCF members have slammed parts of Khandker’s book and were to issue a formal position statement at yester-

day’s meeting. But two days before the meeting, Khandker resigned.

In the book, Khandker claims Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had uttered “Joy Pakistan” at the end of his historic March 7 speech in 1971.

Yesterday’s SCF meeting, chaired by forum vice-chairman Abu Osman Chowdhury, termed the book a planned provocation against the con-

The SCF cancelled Khandker’s primary membership at its executive committee meeting crete history of the liberation war. It said Khandker and his publisher were guilty of deliberately distorting history.

The statement said Khandker portrayed aspects of the liberation war negatively, accusing him of trying to mislead his readers about Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic March 7 speech, the declaration of independence and other well-established truths.

The meeting said Khandaker had lost the moral right to lead a national forum like SCF, which is based on the history and spirit of the liberation war, by publishing distorted information.

He had opposed the forum’s charter, image and ethics, and the book was an encouragement to anti-liberation and anti-Bangladesh groups at home and abroad, the meeting said. l

Golden Harvest launches cold chain network

Mystery remains over man rescued from floating sack n Mohammad Jamil Khan A day has passed after a youth was found alive in a sack floating in the Buriganga River but the police are yet to find out how he ended up there.

After his rescue on Thursday, the man identified himself as Md Sohel, 25, son of Jalaluddin Howladar of Bauphal in Patuakhali. He said he was a construction worker and lived in Aganagar of Keraniganj but could not say anything about what happened to him.

He is now at Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital.

Azizul Haque, officer-in-charge of Chawkbazar police station, said: The man was rescued in an injured state and police could not quiz him to have any details.

“However, we suspect that he was a victim of some sort of rivalry or enmity as his whole body bore marks of injury,” said the policeman.

On the other hand, Mujibur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Keraniganj Model police station, told the Dhaka Tribune they received no information on any such incident.

“We would take action if a complaint is lodged,” he said.

Officer-in-Charge of South Keraniganj police station Jamal Uddin Mir echoed Mujibur, saying there was no information on any such incident.

On Thursday, locals noticed a white plastic sack floating in the river near Beribadh area around 7am. They brought the sack to the riverbank and found Sohel’s unconscious body inside.l

AFP

n Tribune Report

Supporters from the ‘No’ Campaign celebrate as they hold up the Union flag, in Edinburgh, Scotland yesterday

REUTERS

1 held with gold worth Tk25 lakh at airport n UNB Customs Intelligence officials at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport arrested a man along with 520 grams of gold worth about Tk25 lakh yesterday.

The arrestee was identified as Md Faisal Ahmed, 38, a passenger of Malaysian Airlines who came from Kuala

Lumpur. He hailed from Munshiganj.

Sources at the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate said Faisal landed at the airport from an airlines flight at about 12:30 pm.

He was challenged while trying to pass through the green channel of the customs lunge.

Later, gold was found searching his

body, said an official of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate.

Faisal was the member of a gold smuggling syndicate as he travelled 24 times outside country in the last several months of the current year, customs sources said after scrutinising his passport. l

The Golden Harvest, a frozen food producer, yesterday launched a cold chain network, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, to facilitate the storage and mobility of temperature-controlled food products across the country.

“Preservative transportation and food storage network, the Cold Chain Network will revolutionise agriculture and nutrition in Bangladesh,” said US Ambassador in Dhaka Dan W Mozena while speaking at the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest.

“Growing up in a dairy farm, I have learnt that the farmers have two choices, either you sell products when harvested and receive the lowest price because the market is flooded with same things of many farmers. Do receive the lowest price or you build store and hold the best price from the market,” he said.

Now the farmers of Bangladesh can transport and store their products through the cold chain network and get better prices as the Golden Harvest introduced the cold storage facilities for the farmers and others, he added.

Mozena said this has been the missing piece in Bangladesh and through use of this opportunity in agriculture sector, farmers can maximise his profits and consumers can get hygienic and fresh foods.

“I am very pleased to introduce our first venture in the cold chain network in the Bangladesh market. We have developed it to facilitate our custom-

ers with process-friendly and easy to access network,” said Ahmed Rajeeb Samdani, managing director of Golden Harvest Group.

The aim of the initiative is to reduce post-harvest losses, deliver high-value products to market, ensure fresh and hygienic food for consumers and fair prices for the farmers and improve the availability of locally-produced nutritious foods, he said.

Currently, over 40% crops are being wasted in the country due to lack of post-harvest preservation facilities and technologies, he added.

The Cold Chain Network has the capacity of storing half a million litre products. It will be accessible for all segments of temperature-controlled products in Bangladesh and for producers willing to store and transport their products.

The Golden Harvest is implementing the project supported by the Cold Chain Bangladesh Alliance and funded

by USAID. The project is being implemented at a cost of $50 million which will be invested in phases. The Golden Harvest has already invested $15 million while its partner USAID $4.92 million in the first phase.

The storage facility will be initially offered from two centres – Dhaka and Gazipur and service will be provided from Chittagong, Comilla, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Khulna very soon.

Janina Jaruzelski, the mission director of the US Agency for International Development in Bangladesh, was also present at the inaugural ceremony. l

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