27 sep, 2014

Ashwin 12, 1421 Zilhajj 1, 1435 Regd No DA 6238 Vol 2, No 176

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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AVENUE T

6 | PRESCRIPTION

9 | OP-ED

10 | SPORT

COLOURS OF JOY

10 TIPS A HEALTHY FESTIVE EID

THE MEASURE OF INTANGIBLES

BANGLADESH WOMEN MISS OUT ON GOLD

Defectors not worth a fig to BNP Of the ten parties in the new alliance none but one has party office n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The BNP believes that it lost nothing excepting five to 10 individuals after a number of name-only parties forged a new political platform – the Nationalist Democratic Front – on Thursday.

BNP leaders and political watchers say those political parties have contributed nothing to the BNP’s movement and which is why it does not matter at all if they belong to the BNP-led alliance or not.

These so-called parties do not have any followers and activists to steer street campaigns; rather their activities are confined only to roundtable discussions and human chains, they say.

In most cases the leaders of those parties do not have any particular constituency where they have strong supporter base and that is the reason why the BNP-led alliance is not worried about their leaving the alliance, they observe.

Abdullah Al-Noman, vice-chairman of the BNP, said: “These parties do not have more than five to 10 people. Even all the members of these parties did not leave the alliance. So, the BNP did not lose its voters except for a few individuals. In Bangladesh politics, there has been no successful instance of any third political coalition.”

“Zero plus zero is equal to zero,” summed up Pyas Karim while talking about the future of the new political platform NDF.

“The new alliance in no way has the ability to harm BNP’s politics. The BNP and the Awami League are like a sea in the country’s politics and such smaller political parties can never take a single drop from it,” he said.

About the parties and leaders who formed a new alliance Mohammad Shahjahan, joint secretary general of

the BNP, said: “They are gone with their fates as they themselves even do not know what is going to befall them.

Their dreams will never be materialised.”

Who are they?

Of the 10 parties five have never participated in any election while one of

their leaders lost his deposit even in an upazila election.

Talking to the alliance leaders it was learnt that none but one has its party office. Even two political parties are based outside the capital. Some of them are using their houses and business organisations as their party offices.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Bag of political garbage n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The country yesterday was blessed (!) with a brand new political alliance, some of whose 10 members once belonged to the BNP-Jamaat-led 20-party combine. But interestingly the latter is still a 20-party unit.

The explanation is very simple: those members of the new alliance are only factions of some of BNP’s allies.

The other factions of these parties are still very much with the BNP keeping the 20-party status intact!

However, the fact that parties with same names now exist in both the alliances actually goes to show the futile presence of some molecular political parties in Bangladesh which exist only on papers and are mere numbers in the major alliances.

Since nearly none of them have the required registration with the Election Commission (EC), their leaders can form as many factions as they want with the same names and it does not make an ounce of a difference to the alliance they once belonged to or the country’s politics for that matter.

Before the 9th general election, the Awami League formed the 14-party alliance with some like-minded progressive organisations. At that time, the BNP-led alliance had four partners. It is often said the Awami League formed the so-called grand alliance to put psychological pressure on the BNP by playing the numbers game.

In 2012, the BNP accommodated 14 more parties to first become an 18-party unit and eventually added two more to get the apparently “impressive”

Internal feud blamed for High Court directives violated in Keraniganj four murders demarcating Turag and Balu n Ashif Islam Shaon A criminal gang’s internal feud led to the cold-blooded murder of four people, including two minors, at Keraniganj on the outskirts of the capital, police said after they arrested seven people in this connection yesterday.

Police claimed that the father of two minors had link with a gang of robbers.

After killing him, the gang members also did not spare his wife, son and daughter to wipe out witnesses. Of the arrestees, two directly took part in the murder, one provided yaba to the killers and four others helped them escape from the spot.

Around 11am, a team of Keraniganj

police led by Habibur Rahman, superintendent of police of Dhaka district, brought the arrestees to media centre of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

The SP briefed reporters on the gruesome killing, but the alleged killers were not produced before the press conference.

Following a photo session, they were taken back to South Keraniganj police station.

On Wednesday, Saju Ahmed, 35, his wife Ronji Begum, 28, their son Imran, 7, and daughter Sanjeeda, 2, were found dead on the first floor of a six-storey building at Kolakandi village of Kadampur in South Keraniganj area.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

n Abu Bakar Siddique The government has violated the High Court’s directives while setting up river boundary pillars along the Turag and Balu rivers, enabling land grabbers to encroach upon the rivers within the legal framework.

The finding was made by a government-led committee on river management, which also said a High Court directive on demarcating river boundary was not followed by the district administrations concerned in most cases.

The committee, led by Md Rofiul Alam, joint secretary of the Land Ministry, submitted its field visit report to

the River Taskforce under the Shipping Ministry on August 12.

“We have already submitted the report to the Shipping Ministry, stating the inconsistency in setting up river boundary pillars in the Turag and Balu rivers,” he told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The committee also mentioned some names of encroachers who managed to grab land beside the rivers because of faulty erection of the pillars, he added.

Citing different spots on the riverbank, the committee said in most cases the district administrations concerned had considered the lean season’s river flow as the river area, which was incor-

rect as per the High Court directive.

In 2009, the Hight Court directed the government to demarcate the four rivers surrounding the capital – Buriganga, Turag, Shitalakkhya and Balu – and erect boundary pillars to protect the rivers from encroachment.

According to the directive, the water’s reach during rainy season was to be considered as the river area, while riverbed meant the area where water remained during winter. In addition to the water’s reach during rainy season, 50 metres more are supposed to be counted as the total area of the river.

However, when the committee made field visits to the Turag and Balu  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

Taliban kill 100 in Afghanistan n Reuters, Ghazni Afghanistan Hundreds of Taliban fighters stormed a strategic district in an Afghan province not far from the capital, killing dozens of people in five days of fighting, and the insurgents could capture the area, officials said yesterday.

The Ghazni provincial government has lost contact with police in the province’s western district of Ajrestan, said Asadullah Safi, deputy police chief of the area.

Ghazni is located southwest of the capital Kabul and is a key link to the south and southeast, where the Taliban have been making advances in recent months.

“If there is no urgent help from the central government, the district will collapse,” Safi said.

The battle for Ajrestan illustrates the grave challenges facing Afghanistan’s

new president and the security forces in holding territory as foreign combat troops prepare to leave at the end of the year.

Control of Ajrestan, about 200km from Kabul, will provide the Taliban with a launching point for attacks into adjacent Uruzgan and Daikundi provinces.

Safi said heavy fighting took place in Ajrestan yesterday, and a suicide car bomber attacked a police checkpoint early in the day before provincial authorities completely lost contact with the district.

The attack by an estimated 700 Taliban fighters began about five days ago and early reports were that more than 100 people had been killed, including 15 who were beheaded by the militants, said provincial deputy governor Ahmadullah Ahmadi.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

River boundary pillars have been erected on much inside Turag’s water boundary in violation of a High Court directive, allowing land grabbers to set up establishments on the river bed. The photo was taken yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

INSIDE 3 | News

The sorry state of the highways made worse by the incessant rain of last few days is the prime cause of fear for home-bound passengers during the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha to be be celebrated on October 6.

3 | News

Police is likely to get back the authority to investigate cases of fraud and cheating which was given to the Anti-Corruption Commission only last year by amending an existing law.

4 | Nation

NOTICE

Townspeople are constructing residential and commercial buildings bypassing laws and thus putting at risk the lives, taking advantage of the lax monitoring at all seven municipalities in Chandpur.

5 | World

Prime Minister David Cameron urged lawmakers on Friday to vote in favour of Britain joining US-led air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq, hours ahead of a crunch parliamentary vote he is expected to win.

Due to technical glitches we had to bring out a 12-page issue of the Dhaka Tribune today. We regret any inconvenience to our valued readers, advertisers, agents, hawkers and well-wishers.

7 | Entertainment

The sequel of ‘Purno Doirgho Prem Kahini,’ one of the most anticipated upcoming films, runs its shooting while screen diva Joya Ahsan gets back in the job with Shakib Khan and Emon.

10 | Sport

Dhaka Tribune, The Daily Star, Somoy TV and My TV swept into the semifinals of the KoolBSJA Media Cup Football after winning their respective quarterfinal matches yesterday.

11 | Sport

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has added his weight to predictions that the battle for Serie A supremacy will be a two-horse race betweeen the Turin giants and AS Roma.

20-party stature, in an attempt to form a “grander” alliance and reciprocate the pressure on the Awami League.

However, out of the 16 inclusions, eight did not even have EC registrations. They were mainly one- or twoman parties that did not have any organisational structures at all.

It is often said that even the rank and file of the BNP including Chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, cannot say the name of all the partners at one go.

The BNP is now paying for the mistake it had made by tying up with these paper-based parties who neither have

NEWS ANALYSIS the organisational structure nor the supporter base nor consistent ideological standpoints to be of any use in politics.

And now, factions of some of these paper-based parties have come up with a new alliance, much to the embarrassment of the BNP. This has also proved that the imprudent decision to form a combine that was only big in number, has backfired.

Leaders of the 20-party alliance have accused the government of luring some of these parties to cut ties with the BNP in exchange of money. Even if that is true, the government has only taken advantage of the nature of the alliance.

The breakaway parties have alleged that the BNP had taken most of the decisions unilaterally without consulting them. But these parties have  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

US court summons Modi for 2002 Gujarat riot n Tribune Desk A US federal court in New York summoned Indian Prime Minister Naredra Singh Modi on Thursday in connection with a lawsuit accusing him of human rights abuses during religious riots in 2002 that tore through Gujarat, the state he then led.

The summons came a day before Modi’s much-touted five-day US visit and requires him to respond within 21 days.

However, the case will not distract from his visit to the US, a senior administration official said yesterday, adding that sitting heads of government enjoy immunity from US legal suits.

“I do not think there is any fear of the two governments being distracted,” the official said during a conference call with journalists on Modi’s visit to the US, which started yesterday, reports Reuters.

“While we cannot comment specifically on this lawsuit, I can tell you that as a general legal principle, sitting heads of government enjoy immunity from suits in American courts,” the official said.

The summons is not likely to have any concrete effect on his visit, which includes high-profile events with President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph R Biden, Jr and numerous other political and corporate leaders.

An attorney acting on behalf of Modi and the Indian government could seek to have the case dismissed, leaving a judge to decide the matter in several months.

But it is a reminder that the US government at the time believed that Modi had acted too slowly to stop the riots and that, in 2005, it took the rare step of putting him under a visa ban, which remains in place.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Home-bound passengers fear bumpy ride on damaged roads n Rabiul Islam The sorry state of the highways made worse by the incessant rain of last few days is the prime cause of fear for home-bound passengers during the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha to be be celebrated on October 6.

Movements of passengers is likely to increase this year as Durga Puja and Eid will be celebrated around the same time.

More than 50 lakh people are expected to leave the capital for Eid and Puja.

The recent heavy downpours have wreaked extensive damages on many parts of some major highways including Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Chittagong, Khulna-Jessore, Kurigram and Naogaon.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Road

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

UNB

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government on CHOGM Reform has placed some proposals for Commonwealth’s reform to bring dynamism into its activities.

Her proposals include renaming the CHOGM summit as Commonwealth Summit, reducing the duration of retreat from three days to two days and making the joint communiqué more focused, businesslike and time-bound one.

The meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government on CHOGM Reform was held at the UN Headquarters here with its Chairperson Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the chair yesterday.

Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque briefed reporters about Hasina’s proposals. He said some of the proposals were accepted at the meeting.

Meanwhile, the commonwealth leaders at the open-ended working group of Commonwealth Heads of Government discussed the issue of adopting the Commonwealth Statement on the Post 2015 Development Agenda.

They also discussed the Commonwealth Position in Post 2015 Development Agenda and resource mobilisation for capacity building and implementation of the agenda. l

Taliban kill 100 in Afghanistan  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

Provincial authorities have appealed for help from the central government in Kabul, where President-elect Ashraf Ghani is in the process of taking over from Hamid Karzai.

“We have asked repeatedly for helicopters to evacuate the wounded, but so far nothing has been done,” Ahmadi said.

However, a regional spokesman for the Afghan army, Nazif Sultani, yesterday said reinforcements had been sent to the district the previous day. l

WEATHER

PARTLY CLOUDY

never raised this allegation until after the January 5 election.

Another reason for them to form a separate group is that the BNP looks nowhere near coming to power again in the foreseeable future after having utterly failed to resist the January 5 election that it had boycotted.

When these paper-based parties tied up with the BNP, they were mainly thinking about getting some benefits if BNP came to power.

They knew very well that they would not get any portfolio if BNP formed gov-

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 5:50PM SUN RISES 5:49AM FORECAST FOR TODAY 33 31 34 32 33 32 30 31

25 24 23 23 22 22 22 24

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

34.8ºC Jessore

23.5ºC Chuadanga

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:32am 5:46am 11:51am 4:13pm 5:54pm 7:10pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

ernment. So they were basically thinking about making fortunes by using the influence that they would have acquired as leaders of the ruling alliance.

The presence of these parties are so insignificant in the political scenario that even their presidents and general secretaries are not known faces, let alone having any meaningful supporter base.

Since joining the alliance, their activities were largely limited to organising discussions and human chains, and attending meetings with alliance chief and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia as silent members.

Detectives present seven people, including three females (not in picture), arrested in connection with the recent four murders at south Keraniganj on the out skirts of the capital, in front of the media yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

They did not even have the means to organise the discussions and the human chains on their own; every time they would resort to the BNP for financial support.

None of the leaders of these parties are career politicians. Most of them are political parasites, who are basically creation of military regimes.

By the look of things it can be said the new alliance is nothing but a bag of political garbage and it is highly unlikely that they will be able to have the slightest of impacts on the country’s politics. l

Internal feud blamed for Keraniganj four murders  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

Police, however, could not identify the victims on the day as they were newcomers in the area. Later, Saju’s brother identified the bodies the following day.

“All the arrestees are the members of a robbers’ gang. Victim Saju was also a gang member. The gang members were involved in illegal business, including trade of contraband yaba,” Habibur Rahman said.

They committed a robbery at a house in Nawabganj of Dhaka some days back. Feud between them was fuelled over the distribution of looted valuables,” the SP added.

He said they arrested seven people— Rani Begum, Mukta Begum, Shahida Begum, Rafique, Abdul Majid, Sumon and Johny-- after they conducted separate drives in Gazipur, Munshiganj, Keraniganj, Abdullahpur and Hasnabad.

Johny and Sumon directly took part in the killing, Majid provided them with yaba while the rest helped them flee and go into hiding. The three women also kept eye on police and informed the killers of policemen’s movement.

“Even when police took the bodies to Sir Salimullah Medical College morgue, we noticed two women roaming around,” he said.

“A total of five people, including a woman, took part in the killing. Sumon alias Dakat Sumon who led the gang, his wife Afsana and Nasir were present there. They are absconding,” he said.

“Saju had an illicit relationship with Dakat Sumon and Johny’s wife. The killers went to the house to settle the issue,” he said, adding that the killing took place following an altercation.

“We will place them on remand. The

incident will be clear to us after interrogation,” the SP told reporters.

Johny narrated the incident

Johny told the Dhaka Tribune that Dakat Sumon’s motorbike was stolen a few days back. All of the gang members were suspecting Saju for theft, but Saju had put the blame on another Sumon, who is known as CNG Sumon, also a relative of Dakat Sumon.

Besides, Saju had an illicit relationship with Dakat Sumon and Johny’s wife. So, Johny, CNG Sumon, Dakat Sumon, Afsana and Nasir planned to kill him.

On Wednesday evening, all went to the house of Saju to execute the killing.

“Dakat Sumon called me around 8pm. When I went there, I saw that they were locked into an altercation over the looted valuables and motorcycle. We then separated Saju from his family members. Saju’s wife and children did not make hue and cry to stay in other room as they knew us for years,” Johny said.

“At one stage, I went outside to buy yaba. After returning to that flat, I found that Dakat Sumon and CNG Sumon were beating up Saju hanging him with the ceiling. Then I gagged him,” he said, adding that the killing took place around 11pm.

Following the killing, they got confused whether they would spare Saju’s wife and children.

“We reached a decision not to leave any witness. So, we killed his wife.

Then, we took yaba,” he said.

He said some of the killers, including Afsana, were arguing not to kill the minors. But, yaba made them almost out of sense. “I felt that the minors had

Defectors not worth a fig to BNP  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

Bangladesh Road Transport Association (BRTA) General Secretary Khondaker Enayetullah blamed the recent rain for the condition of highways.

“Ditches have popped up in some places on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway due to the rain.” Enayetullah told this correspondent. He also hoped that the dilapidated highways would be repaired before the Eid. Our local correspondent from Comilla informed that some places of Gauripur of Daudkandi on Dhaka-Chittagong highway had also been severely damaged.

“Vehicles are taking a great risk plying on this route,.” he said.

Small potholes have widened on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Iliotganj under Chandina upazila in Comilla. l

Bag of political garbage

PM moots Commonwealth reform proposals

n

Transport and Bridges has decided to send monitoring teams across the country to assess the scale of damages caused by recent rain, ministry officials said.

While talking to the Dhaka Tribune yesterday, some home-bound passengers expressed concern over the journey during the upcoming holidays.

“Of course I am anxious as I have heard that the roads have turned bad due to recent rain.” Ismail Hossain, a private company employee told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. Ismail would go to his ancestral home in Rangpur to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha.

Giasuddin Shipu, a businessman in Dhaka said: “I have decided to take the train to Mymensingh as the condition of the road is very bad and it would take a long time to reach home.”

None but the Nationalist People’s Party (NPP) has secured Election Commission registration.

More interestingly these paper-based party leaders do not even know the exact number of their party members and followers. A few of them boastfully said they had more than hundreds of followers right now.

One of them said his party was run by a convening committee and a fullfledged committee would be formed within three months.

As for the party funding, most of them said they ran the organisations with their own money and donations from well-wishers.

Nationalist People’s Party

NPP Chairman Sheikh Shawkat Hossain Nilu started his political career as a Chhatra Union leader. Then he joined the BNP and became its student affairs secretary. Later, he became general secretary of the Krishak Dal and agriculture affairs secretary of the BNP. After the assassination of Ziaur Rahman, Nilu formed the Progitishil Nationalist Party (PNP) and participated in the 1986 election. He then formed an alliance with despotic ruler HM Ershad and contested in 2001 election from Mirpur where he lost his deposit.

In 2007, when the army-backed caretaker government assumed the of-

fice, he formed the Nationalist People’s Party and registered with the Election Commission. Then he joined the BNPled alliance in 2012.

Asked about funding, he said he owns a six-storey building in Ibrahimpur of the capital. “I have some donors who contribute to the party fund.”

He could not specifically mention the number of members in his party.

National Democratic Party

Alamgir Mojumdar, chairman of the National Democratic Party, claimed some seven leaders left the alliance with him. He contested the national election once in 1979 from Feni 1 constituency under the banner of United People’s Party and lost his deposit.

Asked if they have an office for the party, he said they had already rented an office in Paltan area but denied giving its address.

He is the secretary general of the newly formed NDF. Asked about how many party leaders and followers he has, he said he had never counted.

Bhasani Front

Momtaz Chowdhury, chairman of the Bhasani Front, said he does not have any party office but the party office is located in Sontosh of Tangail.

Eighty-year-old Momtaz said he was a full-time politician and his political

bad spirit within them. They could be harmful. So, I broke their necks.”

Johny, who seemed imbalanced while talking about the killing with this correspondent, admitted that he is a yaba addict and his behaviour often goes out of control. “After killing, I went mad. I came out undressed from that flat and took bath in a pond there. Later, my mother-in-law who also lives in that area took me to her home from where police arrested me,” he admitted.

How did police capture the killers

Police said the rented flat was a hideout. They started using it two months back. They were supposed to leave that within this month.

“The flat raised confusion. There was no furniture, no lights, fans or even cooking materials in the flat. The inhabitants had no relation with neighbours,” said Habibur Rahman.

Additional Superintendent of Dhaka district police Monalisa Begum said they started looking into victims’ personal lives. They found that Saju was once a rickshaw-puller. Then he became a truck driver three years back after working as truck helper. He got involved with drug business and robbery to earn extra money.

Police found a membership card of truck drivers’ association in the flat.

Besides, they found some torn visiting cards. Police glued the cards together and started calling on some phone numbers. Some cardholders said they knew Saju and also Sumon, who used to drive CNG-run auto-rickshaw to hide his real profession. Later, police used mobile tracking technology to hunt down other killers, she said. l

expenditures were covered by his personal earnings. He also said his party did not have any district committee but has a 31-member national committee.

Momtaz said he competed in the national election three times – on February 15, 1996 from Companyganj of Noakhali, in 1988 from Siddhirganj of Narayanganj and in 1996 from Ramna-Tejgaon area.

Asked about the election results, he said those were symbolic participation and he did not even know if he had lost the deposits in those elections. He said he had never inquired about that.

Bangladesh Muslim League

The name-only Bangladesh Mulsim League has three factions. Secretary General Atikul Islam is leading one faction.

He said he had an office in Gopibagh but it was not worth-mentionable. “We will have an office soon in Paltan area.”

Of the 41 members of the party committee 10 are now with the BNP-led 20-party alliance and the rest of them are with him, he claimed.

He contested in the national election twice – in 1979 from Brhamanbaria-3 and in 1991 from Brhamanbaria-5 – and in both cases he lost his security deposits.

Bangladesh Islamic Party

In the absence of Bangladesh Islamic

High Court directives violated in demarcating Turag  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

rivers on July 10 and 17 this year it found that most of the river boundary pillars – set up on the both sides of the Turag in 2011 – had been uprooted.

The committee said 39 pillars near Ichhakabad mouza in Dhaka had also been found around 20-24m inside the Turag’s high water mark (rainy season water flow), which was incorrect according to the High Court directive.

Also, in the same river, six pillars located at Borobazar mouza of Dhaka were set up around 50m inside the high water mark, while all the pillars under Kaundia mouza were set up around 5055m inside.

According to the report, the committee also found that similar inconsistencies existed for the boundary pillars and encroachment scenario of the Balu River.

The committee recommended that the government erect the pillars for both the rivers again through a joint collaboration of all related agencies, including Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Agency (BIWTA), Water Resources Ministry, Department of Environment and the district administrations concerned.

The 10-member committee was formed by the River Taskforce on July

1 to assess the physical scenario of the river boundary pillars.

According to the High Court directive, the deputy commissioners of Dhaka, Narayanganj and Gazipur are responsible for directly supervising the work on the pillars.

Syed Monowar Hossain, joint secretary of Poribesh Banchao Andolon (Poba) and also a member of the committee, said the government should seriously consider the report made by its own people for protecting the river from being grabbed.

If the government failed to following the committee’s recommendations, the green groups would be forced to seek legal measures on the issue, he added.

The 10-member committee also includes BIWTA Director (port) Md Abul Bashar, Deputy Secretary of Shipping Ministry Md Delowar Haider, Deputy Secretary of Water Resources Ministry Kazi Sakhawat Hossain, Deputy Secretary of Environment Ministry Ranjit Chandra Sarker, three additional deputy commissioners of Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj respectively Md Abul Fazal Mir, Sebastin Rema and Md Siddiqur Rahman, and Sharif Jamil of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa). l

US court summons Modi  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

As it became clear that Modi was likely to become prime minister, the US has sought to set that history aside, build a relationship with him and use the change of governments to deepen both trade and defence cooperation with India.

Latest on Modi’s tour

After an overnight transit halt in Frankfurt, The Indian prime minister left yesterday for his maiden visit to the US, during which he will address the UN General Assembly, have a summit-level meeting with President Obama and meet top American corporate honchos besides a series of other engagements.

Observers are keenly watching the visit.

He will also address a rally at the famous Madison Square Garden, which is likely to be attended by around 20,000 people from the Indian-

Party Chief Abdul Mobin, MA Rashid Prodhan declared him as the acting chairman and decided to join the NDF alliance. After he joined the NDF the Islamic party leaders issued a press release saying that Prodhan was expelled from the party.

MA Rashid Prodhan, however, said there are thousands of party leaders and activists who are loyal to him. But, he failed to give the number of his loyalists. He too does not have any party office right now.

He said he contested in the February 15 controversial election in 1996 and his security money was lost.

Bangladesh Insaf Party

Sahid Chowdhury, chairman of the Bangladesh Insaf Party, too has never contested in any national election. His party is a new one having 350 members. He is basically a businessman and his business house is used as party office. He claimed he contributed to the party fund for its day-to-day activities.

NAP-Bhasani

Sheikh Anwarul Haque, chairman of the NAP-Bhasani, told the Dhaka Tribune his party has 51-member committee and he depends on his sons, daughters and daughter-in-law to run the party.

Anwarul’s elder daughter’s husband gave him a room on the 10th floor of a

American community.

Describing America as India’s “natural global partner,” Modi yesterday said the complementary strengths of the two democracies can be used for inclusive and broad-based development to transform lives across the globe.

“The US is our natural global partner. India and the US embody the enduring and universal relevance of their shared values,” Modi wrote in an op-ed in the The Wall Street Journal.

Modi, who in a recent TV interview expressed hope about better India-US ties, also said the thriving Indian-American community in the US was a metaphor for the potential of India-US partnership, and for the possibilities of an environment that nurtures enterprise and rewards hard work.

He added that the two countries had a fundamental stake and many shared interests in each other’s success. l

building. The central office of the Islami Chhatra Shibir was housed in the same building.

He said the office will be inaugurated soon after the installation of the elevator. Like others he has also not taken part in any national election.

Jagodol

Abdul Malek Chowdhury, chairman of the Jagodol, was the general secretary of Bangladesh Kallayan Party. He was expelled from the party late February this year.

Malek then joined the Jagodol.

His party has 31-member convening committee which will turn into a full-fledged committee within three months, he said.

He has never competed in any national election but contested in upazila election in 2008 in which he lost his security deposit.

His party also does not have any office in the capital as it is a Savar-based party.

There are two more parties – Trinamul NAP-Bhasani and Bangladesh Labour Party – in the newly formed NDF. Neither the alliance Chief Sheikh Shawkat Hossain Nilu nor other leaders of the component organisations could provide the contact numbers and office details of the two parties. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Police likely to get back a part of the ACC’s authority Islam and Syed Samiul n Rabiul Basher Anik Police is likely to get back the authority to investigate cases of fraud and cheating which was given to the AntiCorruption Commission only last year by amending an existing law.

On Tuesday, senior officials of the Law and Home Ministries, Cabinet Division, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and police discussed the matter in a high-level meeting at the Secretariat, where the participants placed their respective proposals for further amending the law.

Citing manpower crisis, the ACC has proposed that it now wants to investigate only those cases that are related to government employees, including public representatives, and employees of banks and financial institutions.

The remaining cases of various kinds of cheating and fraud should be handled by the police.

Police first got the authority to probe into cases of cheating and fraud in 2004, when the Bureau of AntiCorruption was turned into a fullfledged commission.

However last year, police was stripped off the authority through the Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Act 2013.

Since that amendment came into effect, police have been allegedly showing reluctance in accepting cases of cheating and fraud, ACC officials have said.

According to the existing law, police can accept cases filed in connection with cheating and fraud, but eventually have to refer them to the ACC. On Tuesday, the ACC said if they remained busy with small fraud cases, the investigation of major corruption cases might get hampered.

ACC attorney Mosharrof Hossain Kajol told the Dhaka Tribune that

35 Jamaat-Shibir men held in Chittagong n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Police arrested 35 activists of Jamaat-Shibir from Chittagong district’s Satkania and Lohagara upazilas yesterday on charge of involvement in violence during the last national election.

Police also busted a training centre of Jamaat-Shibir in Boalia area under Satkania uapzila while 10 to 12 Jamaat-Shibir trainees, who were in a secret meeting, managed to flee the scene sensing the presence of the law enforcers, police said.

However, police nabbed one trainee Kutub Uddin, 19, and seized rods, stamps, hockey sticks, machetes and many Zihadi books which were kept in Jamaat’s Chittagong District South unit President Zafor Sadik’s residence, said Officer-in-Charge Khaled Mahmud of Satkania police station. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) AKM Imran Bhuiyan of Satkania circle said the Jamaat-Shibir men used to take training on arms operation at the centre.

He said separate teams from Satkania and Lohagora police stations conducted different drives from 5pm Thursday to 6am yesterday following a tip off and arrested 19 from Satkania and 16 from Lohagara. The police super also said: “The arrestees were wanted in a number of cases lodged with the police stations in connection with different incidents of violence and sabotage in the areas.”

Many people were killed and hundreds were injured in separate incidents in Chittagong during the hartals and blockades organised by BNP-led 18-party alliance in the district. l

people had been facing problems since the law had been amended last year that empowered the graft buster as the sole authority to file and investigate all kinds cases involving irregularity.

“The ACC should not be the sole authority for such cases. People are used to filing cases with their nearest police stations or with courts. But now, for filing cases even in connection with petty frauds, they are having to take the trouble of coming to ACC offices.

Cases of frauds filed under section 420 of the penal code should be handed over to police again,” he said.

‘There will be a conflict of interest if police was given power to investigate money laundering cases’ “The commission does not have enough manpower. As a sophisticated organisation, ACC should investigate into graft cases only,” he said.

At present, ACC gets many cheating and fraud complaints every day. First they scrutinise those complaints to filter out the fake ones. Before filing a case, they first conduct a primary inquiry to be sure about the credentials.

Then they file a case with a relevant police station.

ACC Chairman Md Badiuzzaman is currently out of the country and no other commissioner could be reached for comment over phone as of 10pm yesterday.

The Dhaka Tribune has obtained a copy of the proposals discussed in that meeting. It says the Police have also sought the authority to investigate cases filed under the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012. The

ACC however said it did not have any prosposal in this regard.

Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, told the Dhaka Tribune that the ACC’s power would be curbed if the amendment was passed.

“There will be a conflict of interest if police was given power to investigate money laundering cases,” he said.

On April 6, ACC Commissioner M Shahabuddin told reporters that there was no conflict of interest before 2004 when the Bureau of Anti-Corruption was the sole authority for such cases.

“Police used to lodge first information reports [FIRs] and send them to us. That was how things worked for a long time. There was no bar for police for filing cases then.

There is no such bar now either,” he said.

Defending the amendment of the law that made ACC the sole authority, the commissioner said at that time: “The government did not make any sudden decision to empower the ACC with the power. It was first placed as a bill in parliament, later scrutinised by the standing committee and the change was made and the bill was passed as per their recommendations.”

During Tuesday’s meeting, the antigraft body proposed that its officials should have similar authority, status and benefits as the officer-in-charge of police stations for conducting inquiry or investigation. Just like the police officers, they should also have the power to search, seize and arrest.

At present, if ACC investigation officers need to arrest someone in connection with a case, they have to take help from police as they lack the necessary logistics and resources.

Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told the Dhaka Tribune on Wednesday that there was a little a problem in the law which was hampering implementation. l

With 30 activists in Khulna, militant outfit Allahr Dal operating extensively in Fultala and Khalishpur, five of its members told police during interrogation.

Leader of the outfit Matin Mehedi, who is now in a Tangail jail, is issuing instructions from there. He is also a JMB leader who was sentenced to death in connection with the simultaneous blasts in 63 districts in 2005.

Based on information of the five detained Allahr Dal members, police have already carried out drives in six places in Fultala but could not make any arrest.

A five-member team of police,

MEHEDI HASAN

ACC enquires into 25 SIBL officials’ appointment anomalies n Adil Sakhawat The Anti-Corruption Commission has initiated inquiry into the alleged irregularities in recruiting 25 officials at Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited.

The commission on Thursday appointed Deputy Director Morshed Alam to initiate the inquiry into allegations that 25 people had used forged certificates at the time of the appointment, said an ACC official seeking anonymity.

They also allegedly took loans from different banks and financial institutions by mortgaging their SIBL shares, he added.

The anti-graft body received the allegations in a letter from the Financial Integrity and Customer Services Department of Bangladesh Bank. The letter, signed by General Manager Saiful

Mohiuddin: Bangladesh to become a middle-income country by 2021 n Tribune Report

Bangladesh will achieve the status of a middle income country under its sixth five-year plan by 2021, said former home minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir said at a seminar in the capital yesterday.

Except first, fifth and sixth five-year plans, the rest were waste of time, he told the seminar organised by Muntasir Mamun Fatima on the philosophy of Bangladesh’s state planning.

The BNP had taken up the fourth five-year plan but that was not imple-

mented properly because their politics is not public-oriented and they do not believ in the long-term plan, he said.

And the second and third five-year plans were produced by the military government and those plans had also gone futile in terms of the long-term socio-economic growth, said the former minister.

Mohiuddin said Bangladesh has already reduced the poverty rate and now only 16.5 percent of the total population is living below the poverty level.

The country’s philosophy is to ensure the balance in trade in every sec-

tor, he said.

He added that the life expectancy of people in Bangladesh has gone up and so has the quality of lifestyle.

Mohiuddin said the present government believes that they can make the sixth five-year plan fruitful setting a milestone to the economic planning history in the South Asia.

Professor Muntasir Mamun and famous artist Hashem Khan, who were also present at the ceremony, appreciated the former minister’s speech on the philosophy of Bangladesh’s state planning. l

Security beefed up in Chittagong ahead of Durga Puja and Eid-ul-Azha n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Steps have been taken to bolster security measures in the port city of Chittagong ahead of Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja.

Police and other law enforcement agencies are on alert to maintain law and order situation during the religious occasions. Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) set up check points at various points of the city yesterday.

This year Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on October 6, just two days after the Bijoya Dashami (the end of Sharodiyo Durga Puja) on October 4.

The four zones under CMP - North, South, West and Bandar - have started search operations at the entry points of

the city as well as at 30 points throughout the city, said CMP Detective Branch Additional Deputy Commissioner Engineer Mohammad Hasan Chowdhury.

Besides, four striking and 15 mobile forces will stay vigilant during the festival season. CMP will also set up 12 temporary camps in 12 cattle markets within and outskirt of the city so that cattle traders and buyers do not face any harassment.

In a meeting with Puja Udjapon Parishad of the port city on Thursday, CMP Commissioner Abdul Jalil Mandal said additional police personnel would be deployed in 223 different Puja venues in the city.

“We hope there would be no untoward

Police: 30 Allahr Dal men active in Khulna n Our Correspondent, Khulna

Usually people get a respite from traffic jam at weekend in the capital but yesterday Uttara saw a long tailback unlike other Fridays

including Fultala police station Officer-in-Charge Md Ilias Fakir, has quizzed the detainees.

We obtained important information in the first phase of i nte r ro g at i o n , and are trying to arrest the other members of the outfit,” Fakir said.

Sub-Inspector of Fultala police station said police were scrutinising the 30 names re-

vealed by the detainees.

The five would be produced before court today, he added. l

incident during Durga Puja.” said CMP Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operation) Banaz Kumar Majumder, adding that police would be extremely alert to prevent any sort of unseemly situation.

RAB - 7 has also increased its patrolling throughout the city and upazilas of Chittagong. Sources said about 500 RAB personnel will be engaged to provide security in different Puja mandaps and cattle markets. Besides, a good number of plain clothed law enforcers have also been deployed in the city.

Superintendent of Police AKM Hafiz Akhter of Chittagong district said, they would keep 16 police stations of 14 upazilas of the district in alert to face any kind of untoward incident. l

Islam, recommended taking legal actions following inquiry.

The commission on August 19 took the decision to initiate inquiry.

According to the central bank letter, the 25 officials submitting fake certificates are Executive Vice President Emran Hossain, Vice President Saidur Rahman, Assistant Vice President Jalal Ahmed, First Assistant Vice President Syed Mohammad Mosiuzzaman, Junior Assistant Vice President Sonia Sultana, First Executive Officer Rezaul Hasan, Zinia Sultana, Management Trainee Officer Alauddin, Assistant Executive Officer Monirul Islam, Senior Officer Billal Rasel, Abdullah Al Amin, Ziaur Rahman, Riadul Islam, Rafiqul Islam, Masud Karim Khan, Delwar Hossain, Nasrul Biswas, Ziaur Rahman, Afsar Hossain, Farhana Sultana, Tapan Kumer Saha, Nurul Islam,

Trainee Officer Badrul Haque, Saleh Abu Nayeed and Shariful Islam.

“All of them have left their jobs at the bank. Although they were not eligible for the jobs, they were appointed under the director quota and they submitted phoney certificates and documents.

Moreover, the bank’s management used the wrongfully recruited officers for manipulating accounts and statements of the bank,” the ACC official said.

“Of the 25, 21 submitted fake certificates of public universities, including Dhaka University, Rajshahi University and Chittagong University, and the remaining four gave private university certificates,” he added.

Some of the fraudsters held top posts at the bank for long and withdrew large sums in salary and allowances, the Bangladesh Bank letter read. l

Hasina woos US investors n UNB Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon the US investors to invest Bangladesh in a greater way to tap the potentials the country has in various sectors and thus take the relations of the two countries to a newer height.

“As we aspire to become a middle-income country by 2021, I call upon US investors to do more, invest more, benefit more from Bangladesh, create new business partnerships to take Bangladesh-US relations to a newer height,” she said.

Hasina was addressing a luncheon hosted by American Chamber and American Business Council at Hotel Grand Hyatt. Distinguished members of Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) and Distinguished Members of Bangladesh Business Delegation were present.

Mentioning that the current US investment of $331m in Bangladesh is much below its potential, she said there are some investments slowly building up in financial sectors apart from energy and power sectors. “Yet, we need more diverse group of US investors to take advantage of Bangladesh’s liberal investment policy.”

She said her government has leapfrogged the liberal fiscal incentives for foreign investors, including a most generous tax holiday, concessionary duty on import of machinery, remittance of royalty, 100% foreign equity, unrestricted exit policy, a full repatriation facility of dividend and capital on exit and many more.

“We have created seven Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), whereby foreign private companies can take lease of industrial land and set up labour

intensive industry. We have an over 80-million young energetic workforce available for industrial recruitment as workers. *We also have 160 million consumers as your market,” she added.

Apart from power and energy sector, the premier said her government is keen on increasing FDI in its booming shipbuilding and recycling sectors, chemical fertilizers, automobile and light engineering, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, ceramic, plastic and jute goods, ICT, marine resource extraction, tourism, medical equipment and telecommunication. The government is also giving more thrust on establishment of knowledge-based hitech industries.

She went on saying: “We have facilitated US companies such as the AES to be the pioneer of foreign private investment in the power and energy sector in Bangladesh. They launched the Haripur and Meghnaghat power plants and boosted the investment numbers by manifolds.”

During the past five years, the prime minister said her government pursued every possible avenue to enhance US direct investment in Bangladesh. From a meager $36.34m in 2009, in two years’ time in 2011, Bangladesh secured $117.74m worth of US investment. Between 2009 and 2013, total US investments in Bangladesh increased to the tune of $331.35m.

In 2014, the Prime Minister noted that the US still stands to be the second largest Foreign Direct Investor in Bangladesh. And yet this is still low considering its global investment scales.

“I would personally want to see these numbers go past the billion-dollar mark within the next three years.” l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Construction on in defiance of building code Around 300 high-rise buildings built in the district in a few years n Our Correspondent, Chandpur Townspeople are constructing residential and commercial buildings bypassing laws and thus putting at risk the lives, taking advantage of the lax monitoring at all seven municipalities in Chandpur.

Around 90% buildings have been built without following the rules regarding it here. Almost half of at least 300 highrises, erected in a few years, are five to six storeys of buildings, say sources in Chandpur municipality, Our correspondent says he has seen a seven-storey building being built on the disputed land at Shopoth Chattar crossing, but could not know who has been building this.

He also found another building being built in the very front of the deputy commissioner’s office. It is as if it will collapse any moment.

According to the Fire Service and Civil Defense, there are 12 conditions which a person must follow in erecting a building. A clearance is issued only after a person builds a building by obeying all the conditions.

However, most people are getting away with not going by the conditions because of lax monitoring.

A person named Jabed Hossain, who is in charge of a eight-storey building at the town’s Shologhor area, said: “Should there be any problem in the construction of this building, someone must have come with an objection.

But nobody did. That is why, we are building this building after our own design.”

Chandpur Municipality’s City Planner Engineer Sazzat Hossain there

needs the creation of awareness among the townspeople against the violation of building code. Otherwise, it is not possible.

“The townspeople would get a beautiful living environment if they left a little space without showing any selfishness.”

Deputy Director at Chandpur Fire Service and Civil Defense Md Anwarul Haq told the Dhaka Tribune that almost nobody is taking any clearance from them for erecting a building.

He suggested that the municipality should make it a condition that any person must collect a clearance from the fire service before taking a clearance from them.

Deputy Director Anwar said it is a must to leave a 20-foot road beside a seven or above-storey building, but nobody is following it and so it would be tough for firemen to reach such a building and douse the fire in case it caught fire.

One must take permission from the director general of the fire service and civil defense for erecting more than six storeys of buildings, he said, but hardly does anybody bother to take such permission.

Deputy Commissioner Md Ismail Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune: “It is all up to the municipalities to oversee whether anybody is erecting any building by obeying the building code and other relevant laws or not.

The district administration will help take legal action if the municipality takes any initiative against any violation of building code. Moreover, we will take legal action against anybody erecting a building on a government land.” l

A human chain was formed on the bank of Kirtankhola river in Barisal city yesterday, marking the World Rivers Day

Two held with 2600 yaba pills n FM Mizanur Rahaman, Chittagong

Land grabbers target Khowai river

Detective Branch of Chittagong police arrested two with 2,600 pieces of yaba tablets from the Toll Plaza area of Shah Amanat Bridge in Chittagong yesterday.

The arrested are Nurul Hakim, 26, and Md Kafil, 18, both hailing from Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar.

Mohammed Hasan Chowdhury, additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of DB, said being tipped off, a DB team led

by Sub-Inspector Ripon Barua, raided a mini truck carrying the tablets in the area around 6am.

The yaba tablets were kept in a tool box inside the vehicle, said the ADC. He said the arrested – the driver and the helper of the truck – had confessed to carrying the yaba tablets.

A case was lodged with Karnaphuli police station in this connection. l

n Our Correspondent, Habiganj Land grabbers are building establishments on banks of the Khowai River in Habiganj, which is damaging the city’s drainage system. Different areas in the city gets waterlogged even after a small amount of rainfall.

During the regime of last caretaker government, the illegal establishments on the riverbanks were evicted, but recently the land grabbers started encroaching into the riverbanks again.

Recently a team from district administrator’s office visited the riverbanks and gave a deadline to remove the illegal establishments, but the land grabbers did not pay any heed to the warning.

A local from the city Tofazzal Sohel

Experimental gas extraction from Bakhrabad well begins n Our Correspondent, Comilla

Munshiganj waterways still plagued with robbery and extortion

Experimental gas extraction from the well number five of Bakhrabad Gas Field in Muradnagar upazila of Comilla was started yesterday.

Bakhrabad Gas Field In-charge Zakir Hossain Tarafdar told the Dhaka Tribune that a fire was lit at well number five around 10pm yesterday, and it will continue burning for 48 hours, after which the gas extraction from the well will be started officially.

The gas field official also informed that around six to seven million cubic feet gas could be extracted from the well daily, though he could not confirm when they could supply it to the national grid. l

Illegal sand lifting is going on unabated in six different points of Meghna River in Munshiganj. Robbery as well as extortion is also on the rise.

A visit to the site by this correspondent has found rampant illegal sand lifting at Charjapta, Char Abdullahpur and Kalirchar of the Sadar upazila and Vatibalaki, Kalipura, Sikirpur and launch terminal area of Gazaria upazila.

Alom Mia of Vatibalaki village said: “Due to illegal sand lifting, the villages on the river bank are under the threat of erosion. Villagers every now and then lock into clashes with the labourers, attack the dredgers or stage demonstrations. With the change of government, only the owners of the dredgers change but illegal sand lifting goes on.”

Locals allege that ruling party men dredge the river as they wish and lift sand illegally using hundreds of dredgers. Under the administration’s patronage, they defy all laws and restrictions. Sikirpur area of Meghna is leased to Mrs. Bashar Enterprise, Charramjanbeg-Kalipura area to Chandni Trad-

Jubo League leader found dead n Our Correspondent, Munshiganj The dead body of a Jubo League leader, who was allegedly abducted on Thursday, has been recovered from a roadside crop field in Kazir Pagla area of Louhajanj upazila under Munshiganj district yesterday.

The victim was identified as Rafiqul Islam Rafiq, 32, cultural secretary of Louhajanj upazila unit of Jubo League, the youth wing of ruling Awami League.

Louhajanj police station Officer-inCharge Tofazzal Hossain said: “Locals noticed the body in the morning. It was tied up with rope and his tendons were cut off.”

Earlier on Thursday afternoon, police recovered the blood-stained shirt and shoes of the victim along with three masks from the field.

The district Police Super Biplob Bijoy Talukdar said: “Unidentified miscreants wearing masks abducted the JL leader from Kazir Pagla village around 8am on Thursday.

They left the spot by a white microbus. But the police is yet to identify the criminals.”

Sources in police said Rafiq earlier had helped family members of a Kazir Pagla village based Awami League leader Mobarak Hossain who was murdered in 2012. The accused of the murder case could be behind the abduction, said police. l

Correspondent, n Our Munshiganj

ers and Madhyamchar and Char Abdullahpur area to Bijoy Enterprise.

Abul Bashar, owner of Bashar enterprise, said: “We secured the lease from the DC through a tender bidding process. We had to spend crores to get the lease. But we always lift sand from the bottom of the river within the territory instructed by the district administration.”

Chan Mia of Mrs Chadni enterprise said: “We do not lift sand from any place without the permission of the administration.”

However, Deputy Commissioner of Munshiganj Md. Saiful Hasan Badal said: “Mobile court operations are being conducted constantly to stop the illegal sand lifting. The operations will be further bolstered to deal with the illegal activities. Those who are involved will not be spared.”

Meanwhile, according to Emdad Hussein, Circle ASP of Munshiganj Sadar, oil tankers or small trawlers plying on the river fall victim to robbery and extortion. There are several points on the waterways where frequent robbery takes place.

To prevent robbery, naval Police in Muktarpur outpost has two separate teams to do their duty effectively. The marine police is on

patrol 24 hours from Muktarpur to Char Abdullahapur and Kalirachar.

Robbers were also arrested several times and valuables were recovered by the police.

Yet, robbery could not be stopped on the waterways, which are considered lifeline of the country.

Extortion is another concern for the vessels plying on the waterways. Vessel owners, on assurance of anonymity, alleged that a syndicate is blamed for extorting minimum Tk300 to maximum Tk1000.

Some administrative officers are also involved with the syndicate in extortion, they said. The water transport workers are tortured if they deny to give money.

Police and Coast Guard members are alleged to be oblivious to such extortion.

However, SI Mosharraf Hossain of Muktarpur naval outpost said: “I am in charge of the area from Muktarpur to Kishoreganj. After taking charge, I was able to uproot extortion completely and had arrested at least 10 people in this connection.”

“If there is any allegation of extortion, it is outside of my jurisdiction and I am not aware of it.” he added. l

Khulna labour court without judge for five months n Our Correspondent, Khulna Khulna Divisional Labour Court has not held any sessions for the last five months as no judge was appointed since the last one was transferred.

A total of 865 cases remain pending at the court, putting the plaintiffs in a quandary.

Judge of the court Md Mosharraf Hossain was transferred to Pirojpur District and Sessions Judge Court on April 18. At the time, the court was conducting trials in 750 cases.

Another 115 cases were filed in five months.

Of the 865 cases, 227 are criminal cases and 638 were filed in connection with labour issues. Besides,

more than 200 ban petitions await hearing and more than a hundred arrest warrants in criminals cases have been issued, with further proceedings stalled.

A total of 865 cases remain pending at the court, putting the plaintiffs in a quandary The accused in criminal cases are unable to secure bail because of absence of the judge. The arrestees also have no other courts to submit bail petitions and have found them in a predicament.

Lawyer Mofakkar Hossain Moni

said the labour court conducts trials of cases filed over a range of issues, including jobs of labours, trade union registration, manpower export and immigration.

Pallabesh Kumar Kundu, registrar of the court, said a total of 16 districts in Barisal and Khulna divisions are under the jurisdiction of the labour court but the plaintiffs coming from distant areas have been suffering because there is no judge to hear cases or conduct trials.

Another lawyer of the court Md Rafiqul Islam said a judge should be appointed in no time in order to mitigate suffering of the people.

Other lawyers of the court also called for rapid appointment of a judge. l

said areas beside the river from Machhulia area to Kamrapur bridge was possessed by the land grabbers. Houses in the city are inundated even light rain, he complained.

Joint General Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Bachao Andolan (Bapa) Sharif Jamil said the city will become waterlogged every rainy season if the illegal structures were not evicted from the riverbanks, as the city’s drainage system depends heavily on the river.

When contacted, District Commissioner Joynal Abedin told the Dhaka Tribune that they were preparing to take actions against the land grabbers and necessary measures will be taken to evict illegal esablishments on the banks of Khowai. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Ferry stuck in a hidden shoal with 14 vehicles on board

n Our Correspondent, Bhola

A ferry got stuck in a hidden shoal in the middle of the Meghna River while carrying 14 vehicles from Laxmipur’s Moju Chowdhury terminal to Bhola’s Ilisha.

The ferry Konokchapa had been stuck since 5am yesterday. Till 7pm, it could not be salvaged. However, Manager of Bhola-Laxmipur Ferry Services Abul Alam Hawlader said, they would try to rescue the ferry with the help of another ferry Kishani during high tides at night.

Meanwhile, a long tailback had been created on both sides of the river causing immense suffering to hundreds of passengers. The ferry got stuck at Bonger Char near Bhola due to low water level in the river. The ferry was carrying two buses, 10 goods laden truck and two pick up vans. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

5

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Britain set to approve air strikes on Iraq IS n Reuters, London Prime Minister David Cameron urged lawmakers on Friday to vote in favour of Britain joining US-led air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq, hours ahead of a crunch parliamentary vote he is expected to win.

Approval would mean Britain embarking on its first military campaign since it launched air strikes in 2011 against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in Libya, seeing it join a coalition that includes the United States, France and Middle Eastern allies.

Cameron recalled parliament from recess for a special session after the Iraqi government requested British intervention, and was careful to secure cross-party support for strikes against IS before putting forward a motion.

“Is there a threat to the British people?

The answer is yes,” Cameron told parliament, saying he thought action would need to last “years” to be effective.

“This is not a threat on the far side of the world. Left unchecked we will face a terrorist caliphate on the shores of the Mediterranean and bordering a Nato member, with a declared and

proven intention to attack our country and our people.”

Britain, a staunch US ally, was quick to join military action in Afghanistan and Iraq a decade ago. But a war-weary public and parliament’s rejection last year of strikes on the Syrian government prompted Cameron to tread carefully this time.

Cameron is expected to comfortably win the parliamentary vote, which is due at around 1600 GMT. Before Friday, Britain had confined itself to delivering aid, carrying out surveillance, arming Kurdish forces who are fighting IS militants, and promising training in Iraq.

But the beheading of a British aid worker by an Islamic State militant with a British accent has highlighted the danger the group poses to domestic security. The fate of another Briton being held, Alan Henning, has also stirred public opinion.

Cameron’s approach has dismayed some lawmakers in his Conservative Party who think striking IS in Iraq is insufficient and want him to extend action to tackle militants in Syria too, something he has said he is not ready to do for now. l

A young Syrian refugee who was rescued off the coast of Cyprus sits in a bus at the port in Limassol yesterday, as they are transported to a camp on the outskirts of the capital Nicosia.

Hundreds of mostly Syrian refugees rescued by a cruise liner in the Mediterranean disembarked in Cyprus today, after hours of refusing to budge and demanding to go to Italy AFP

Shells land in Turkey as Islamic State advances on Syrian border town n Reuters, Karaca Turkey

Major Mariam-al-Mansouri, the first female pillot to lead attacks agains the ISIS in Syria

Dreamliner makes emergency landing in Scotland n Reuters, London A Boeing Dreamliner flying from Chicago to Poland made an emergency landing at a Scottish airport on Friday at its pilot’s request, a spokesman for Glasgow airport said.

Emergency services met the 787 Dreamliner of the Polish state airline LOT, which had been heading for Warsaw, at 1035 GMT and it was deemed safe before it taxied to a stand, the spokesman said.

“The flight was diverted to Glasgow airport after the pilot requested an emergency landing,” the spokesman added.

“It was met by emergency services as a precautionary measure. They assessed the aircraft and deemed it safe.”

“Glasgow airport is open and operational,” he said. l

Maharashtra CM resigns n Tribune Desk Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has resigned after the Nationalist Congress Party withdrew support to his Congress-led government on Thursday.

Chavan submitted his resignation letter to the governor on Friday evening as the opposition BJP stepped up pressure that president’s rule be imposed in the state.

Governor C Vidyasagar Rao is reportedly seeking legal advice, after the BJP upped the pressure saying the Congress government in the state did not have a majority any longer after splitting with the NCP. The Assembly elections in the state are scheduled for October 15.

There is also further trouble for the Congress with a section of its leaders against any poll alliances with the Samajwadi Party saying this would help the BJP and the Shiv Sena in the state. l

AP

Islamic State fighters edged towards a strategic town on northern Syria’s border with Turkey on Friday, battling Kurdish forces and sending at least two shells into Turkish territory, witnesses said.

Islamic State launched an offensive to try to capture the border town of Kobani more than a week ago, besieging it from three sides. More than 140,000 Kurds have fled the town and surrounding villages since last Friday, crossing into Turkey.

The Sunni insurgents appeared to have taken control of a hill from where fighters of the YPG, the main Kurdish armed group in northern Syria, had been attacking them in recent days, 10 km (6 miles) west of Kobani, a Reuters correspondent said.

Booms of artillery and bursts of machinegun fire echoed across the border, and at least two shells hit a vineyard on the Turkish side. There were no immediate reports of casualties in Turkey and paramilitary police arrived to inspect the site.

“We’re afraid. We’re taking the car and leaving today,” said vineyard owner Huse-

yin Turkmen, 60, as small arms fire rang out in the Syrian hills just to the south.

Kurdish forces said on Thursday they had pushed back the advance on Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, by Islamic State fighters but appealed for US-led air strikes to target the insurgents’ tanks and heavy armaments.

“The clashes are moving between east, west and south of Kobani ... The three sides are active,” Idris Nassan, deputy foreign minister for the Kobani canton, said by phone from the center of the town.

“They are trying hard to reach Kobani. There is resistance here by YPG,

by Kobani and some volunteers from north Kurdistan – Turkish Kurds – who are coming to share in the efforts of Kobani. They have made a strong response,” he said.

Kobani’s strategic location has been blocking the Islamic State fighters from consolidating their gains in northern Syria. The group tried to take the town in July but was repulsed by local forces backed by Kurdish fighters from Turkey.

‘Everyone is armed’

“If they did come inside Kobani, every-

one here is armed, they are armed and resisting. Even me, I am the deputy foreign minister here in Kobani canton but I am an armed man too. I am ready to defend Kobani,” Nassan told Reuters.

“Every girl, every young man, every man who is able to fight, to carry a gun, they armed and they are ready to defend and fight.”

Turkey has been slow to respond to calls for a coalition to fight Islamic State in Syria, worried in part about links between Syrian Kurds and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a militant group which waged a three-decade campaign against the Turkish state for greater Kurdish rights.

The PKK has called on Turkey’s Kurds to join the fight to defend Kobani and accused Ankara of supporting Islamic State. Residents in the border area say hundreds of youths have done so, although Turkish security forces have been trying to keep them from crossing the frontier.

Turkey strongly denies it has given any form of support to the Islamist militants but Western countries say its open borders during Syria’s threeyear-old civil war allowed Islamic

US-led strikes pressure Big powers aim to tackle any Iran bomb ‘sneak-out’ risk in nuclear talks al Qaeda’s to join with n Syrian Islamic State Reuters, Vienna

Western strategists have long debated the specter of Iran “breaking out” - suddenly showing the ability to explode an atom bomb. But some see a “sneak-out” less visible to UN inspectors as a possibly bigger risk and world powers have calibrated their demands in negotiations with Iran to forestall any such outcome.

Under a “sneak-out” scenario, Western officials and experts say, Iran could build a uranium enrichment plant in secret to make bomb material unbeknownst to the UN nuclear watchdog, now empowered to visit only Tehran’s declared nuclear sites.

To counter this risk, they say, any breakthrough diplomatic settlement with Iran must grant the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) broader surveillance powers in this vast country crisscrossed by remote, often inaccessible mountains and desert.

“Under current circumstances, I believe that a ‘sneak-out’ from an undeclared enrichment facility is more a likely threat than a ‘break-out’ from a declared facility,” said Gary Samore, until last year the top nuclear proliferation expert on US President Barack Obama’s national security staff.

A US National Intelligence Estimate in 2007 offered a similar view, saying the Islamic Republic “probably would use covert facilities ... for the production of highly enriched uranium for a weapon,” if it were to pursue nuclear arms.

Iran, with which six big powers resumed talks on the fringes of the UN General Assembly last week, says it is refining uranium only to lower levels for a future network of nuclear power stations. It rejects Western suspicions that its ultimate, underlying goal is high-enriched uranium for nuclear bombs.

A nuclear “break-out” is usually defined as amassing sufficient weapons-grade uranium for one bomb.

Western nuclear analysts believe Iran can now make enough high-enriched uranium for one bomb in a few months’ time.

Any apparent Iranian dash for a nuclear bomb at a known site could well trigger military action by the United States and Israel - and risk a wider Middle East war - to try to prevent Tehran from irreversibly acquiring weapons of mass destruction.

But if Iran were to make fissile material for a weapon at a clandestine site, it could more easily escape detection before it was too late. Although Iran would need more time to compress high-enriched uranium into a missile cone for a workable weapon, this activity would be even harder to discover and prevent.

“If Iran successfully produced enough WGU (weapons-grade uranium) for a nuclear weapon, the ensuing weaponization process might not be detectable until Iran tested its nuclear device underground or otherwise revealed its acquisition of nuclear weapons,” the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a Washington think-tank that has long tracked the Iranian nuclear program, said in a report.

Extent of inspection powers at issue

India tested its first nuclear weapon in 1974, stunning the world and triggering punitive international sanctions, and arch-rival Pakistan followed suit in 1998. But unlike Iran, neither country is a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which bans such doomsday arms. North Korea had quit the NPT by the time it conducted its first nuclear test in 2006.

If Iran also were to opt for weapon-

izing the enrichment process, “I think it would test in order to demonstrate its nuclear capability to the world and therefore deter military attacks,” Samore said in an email.

He said Iran is not now believed to have any covert site for refining uranium. But the IAEA cannot rule out the possibility of undeclared nuclear activity, unnerving Iran’s US-backed regional Arab rivals and arch-foe Israel, widely believed to have the Middle East’s only nuclear arsenal.

The main stumbling block in the negotiations between Iran and the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany remains the permissible future capacity of Iran’s enrichment program, with Tehran continuing to resist demands for its scope to be scaled back sharply.

After a two-month hiatus following the failure to reach a diplomatic settlement by a self-imposed July 20 deadline, the talks resumed in New York in mid-September with the aim of reaching a comprehensive, permanent solution by late November.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a conciliation-minded pragmatist whose election last year revived diplomacy with the West after years of increasing sabre-rattling, said in a speech to the UN General Assembly on Thursday the negotiations had been marked by “seriousness and optimism on both sides” and he hoped for a deal in the “short amount of time left.”

But the Islamic Republic, he emphasised, remained committed to its current enrichment program.

World powers, however, will insist on “long-term significant constraints on Iran’s declared enrichment facilities and additional monitoring and inspection measures to help detect covert activities,” Samore said. l

n Reuters, Beirut Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, the Nusra Front, is facing mounting pressure from its own members to reconcile with its rival Islamic State and confront a common enemy after US-led air strikes hit both groups this week.

But that move would require pledging loyalty to Islamic State, which has declared a caliphate in territory it controls in Iraq andSyria, which would effectively put an end to the Nusra Front, fighters in the group say.

Nusra, long one of the most effective forces fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, was weakened this year by battles with Islamic State, an al Qaeda splinter group that routinely employs ruthless methods such as beheadings and mass executions.

The two share the same ideology and rigid Islamic beliefs, but fell out during a power struggle that pitted Islamic State head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi against al Qaeda chief Ayman Zawahri and Nusra Front leader Abu Mohammad al-Golani.

But US-led air and missile strikes, which have hit Nusra as well as Islamic State bases in Syria, have angered many Nusra members who say the West and its allies have joined forces in a “crusader” campaign against Islam.

Sources close to Islamic State said some Nusra fighters were joining them after the strikes and there was a growing sense among many that it was time to put their differences aside.

“There are hardline voices inside Nusra who are pushing for reconciliation with Islamic State,” a source close to Nusra’s leadership told Reuters, though he doubted it would happen.

“I know Golani. He would never reconcile with Islamic State. If he ever does it, it would be in a direct order from the leadership, and that is Zawahri himself.”

However, one Islamic State fighter said he believed there was an “80% chance that the brothers of Nusra will join the State.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said on Friday over 200 fighters had joined Islamic State in the northern Aleppo area, many from the Nusra Front, since US President Barack Obama said he was prepared to strike the group in Syria.

No trust

Even before the air strikes, Nusra was facing difficulties and was losing fighters to the Islamic State, which is seen as more organized and determined to impose Islamic rule.

“This goes without saying, this is a crusader war that includes all infidel nations against the Islamic State,” said Nusra commander Abu Mussab al-Makdessi in a voice message posted in jihadi forums online in response to a question from an Islamist about the group’s reaction to the strikes.

“Regardless of what happened between us, they remain our brothers, and the ideological bond between us is stronger than anything. We are ready to fight by their side ... our blood is their blood.”

One former Nusra fighter inside Syria said the air strikes had strengthened Islamic State’s position even further.

“Nusra is in a very difficult situation.

I think now it should just announce the end of itself. Zawahri has to be brave,” he told Reuters. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Prescription

Saturday, September 27, 2014

10 tips a healthy festive Eid bles even in the days of Eid-al-Azha.

These are the vital components of health especially in the days of Eid-al -Azha. Mix it up by tossing lots of different vegetables into a salad. You can include lettuce, tomato, cucumber, radish (noola), carrots, peppers and sweetcorn. Spice up a fruit salad by using chaat masala (a spice mix) with fruits like apples, pears, oranges, papaya and pomegranate seeds. Use fruit juice to add sweetness, rather than sugar or syrup.

Less use of carbonated beverages

Studies of health care tips have shown us that the impact of soft drinks is very temporary. One should avoid the use of cold drinks in the days of Eid-al-Azha due to a number of reasons. Health care tips discourage the use of any soft drink.

BIGSTOCK

Green tea

n Dr Sajol Ashfaq

T

raditional Eid-time cooking can be healthy, but when you’re celebrating, it’s easy to forget and indulge in too much food that has a lot of salt or saturated fat. But even during celebrations, it’s good to check it you’re still eating healthily.

Health care tips are important in this regard, and one must take care of this to ensure better health in the time when there an abundance of meat. Eidal-Azha health care tips have serious direction towards meat lovers. The list of given health care tips will enable you to ensure better health. Following, are the Eid-al-Azha health care tips.

FOOD THERAPY

Reasons to love bananas If you’re a fan of bananas, then your day is about to get better. You may already know that bananas are stocked with potassium. It also has a solid 3 grams of filling fiber and nearly 20% of your daily value for both vitamins C and B6. Here are five other ways bananas can make your life better:

They’re good for your gut bacteria

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in

You’ve probably heard of probiotics, the “good” bacteria that aid digestion and are found in certain foods like yogurt. Well, there’s also such a thing as prebiotics, and bananas happen to be a great source of them. Prebiotics are actually carbohydrates that can’t be digested by the human body, according to the Mayo Clinic. Bananas play a vital role maintaining a healthy gut. Prebiotics supply food for probiotics, so they help the “good” probiotic bacteria grow. Bananas aren’t the only food that will help you get your fill of prebiotics: You’ll also find them in raisins, asparagus, onions, and garlic.

They can ease stomach troubles

Bananas can help with several tummy issues. The 3.1 grams of fiber you’ll find in a medium banana is split into two different types: soluble and insoluble, which can help ease digestion and relieve constipation, respectively. Bananas could even aid recovery after a bout of BIGSTOCK diarrhea, when fluid loss depletes levels of key electrolytes like potassium. That’s not all. Bananas neutralise the acidity in the stomach and coat the lining to reduce irritation. So they are thought to help fight heartburn and stomach ulcers too.

Don’t take excessive meat

Meat is something difficult to digest in comparison to fruits and vegetables. It is better to avoid excessive meat. Look out for the leaner cuts and remove any visible fat before cooking. You can ask your butcher to make the mince from leaner cuts of meat.

Morning or evening walk

Health care tips cannot be complete without giving due importance to walking, specially in the days of Eid ul Azha. The walk will enable your stomach to work properly and will help to digest food. Health care tips for Eid-alAzha includes walking as the most important part.

Choose vegetable oil

Try using a vegetable oil like rapeseed or sunflower, instead of ghee or butter when you’re cooking. Start by measuring the amount you would normally add and gradually use a bit less.

Fruits and green vegetables

Never forget about fruits and vegeta-

n Prescription Desk In our country, farmers fatten up the cattle by using hormones. Injecting hormones into young cattle can make them gain weight faster. More weight means more meat, which means more profit for the producer. The hormones are injected directly to the muscle Research or through implantation under the skin of the ear, and delivered in measured amounts throughout the animal’s life. Synthetic estrogen and testosterone are the most common. Initial concerns about estrogen injected cows center on a compound called diethylstilbesterol (DES). However, It was discovered that DES has relation to vaginal cancer. By the 1970s, over the protest of ranchers, DES was phased out from use in medicine and agriculture.

It is also been known that breast cancer-risk increases with higher lifetime exposure to estrogen. These facts have led many to question whether the continued use of synthetic estrogen in cattle is safe.

Bovine somatotropin (bST) or recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is a synthetic (man-made) hormone that is marketed to dairy farmers to increase milk production and growth in cows. It has been used in United States since it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1993, but it’s use is not permitted in European Union, Canada, and some other countries. The hormone is administered through injection and stimulates (IGF-1) which the cow uses to convert nutrients into milk. Simply put, cows given bST produce more milk than non injected cows.

Consumer sentiment against the use of growth hormones in food animals has been gaining more attention in recent years. Parents fear that residual hormones in dairy and beef products are causing early puberty in children, specially girls.

Now the residual levels of hormones in meat and milk is the source of controversy. The researchers

Major cause of health problems is the excessive use of spices. It is clearly marked that the use of spices should be minimised for better health.

At least 6 hours break between the meals

Researchers have shown that the delay between two consecutive meals should not be less than 6 hours at least.

Cautions for Minor cuts On the occasion of Qurbani, there is risk receiving minor cuts during processing of meat. Minor cuts and scrapes usually don’t require a trip to the emergency room. Yet, proper care is essential to avoid infection or other complications.

Minor cuts and scrapes usually stop bleeding on their own. If they don’t, apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth or bandage.

Hold the pressure continuously for 20 to 30 minutes. if the bleeding does not stop, seek medical assistance. if bleeding stops then rinse out the wound with clear water or antiseptic solutions.

Don’t use soap; it can irritate the wound. If particles still remain, see your doctor. Thorough cleaning reduces the risk of infection and tetanus. There’s no need to use hydrogen peroxide, iodine or an iodine-containing cleanser.

After that, apply a thin layer of an antibiotic cream or ointment, which contains Neomycin. Then cover the wound with bandages can help keep the wound clean

Homemade food

In context of our country, it is clearly marked that the homemade food as an important ingredient to health. In the days of Eid-al-Azha, try to cook every possible food at home in the best possible hygienic way. So it is strongly suggested to avoid meals at restaurants. l

from producers side said, any residual hormones do not harm consumers. The residual hormones are found in meat and milk are at too low of levels to cause any response in the human body, or in the case of bST they are dead hormone cells that simply pass through the digestive system. But still, the arguments against growth hormones to are going on. Some studies said, it is unhealthy for cattle. And the cattle have to use some antibiotics to combat the side effects of the hormone. These antibiotics can build up a resistant strain of bacteria in the human body. Steroids and other growth hormones can cause early maturity in children and make them obese. Steroids are known immunosupressor - that means, it reduces natural defence of the body. Several studies showed, the residual hormones are linked to an increased risk of breast, colon, prostate and lung cancer in human.

Before choosing an animal for sacrificing on Eid-al-Azha, you also have to pay attention to the health of that animal.

To have an anthrax free cow, it is better to consult to a veterinary doctor. l

BIGSTOCK

and keep harmful bacteria out.

Don’t use tight bandage, it will hamper the blood circulation to the wound. When the wound is healed enough to make infection unlikely, exposure to the air will speed wound healing. Change the dressing at least daily, or whenever it becomes wet or dirty. If it is dry, no need to change it.

Get stitches for deep wounds. A wound that is more than 1/4-inch (6 millimeters) deep or is gaping or jagged edged and has fat or muscle protruding usually requires stitches. Adhesive strips or butterfly tape may hold a minor cut together, but if you can’t easily close the wound, see your doctor as soon as possible. Proper closure within six hours reduces the risk of infection. See your doctor if the wound isn’t healing or you notice any redness, increasing pain, drainage, warmth or swelling. If your wound is deep or dirty and your last shot for tetanus was more than five years ago, your doctor may recommend a tetanus shot booster.

Get the booster within 24 hours of injury. l

| Compiled by: Shirsho Saaeadat

How to avoid fat

Bananas are good sources of resistant starch, a starch found in carbohydraterich foods that may help you slim down. Your body digests resistant starch slowly (it literally “resists” the process), making it a natural appetite suppressant because you feel fuller longer.

n Dr Fuad Shaheed

They can sub in for sports drinks

Bananas could give sports drinks a run for their money. A study published in PLoS researchers found that bananas have a healthier blend of natural sugars, potassium with bonus antioxidants. So grabbing a banana to replace what you sweat out during an intense workout isn’t a bad idea.

They can help keep blood pressure in check

BIGSTOCK

| Compiled by Dr Kazi Mahbuba Akhtar

One of the abuses we find in our society is lack of routine in eating food, especially on the occasion of Eid. Try to keep your routine intact even in the days of Eid. If you feel hungry then you can take some vegetable snacks or sugar free drinks or coconut water.

Less spice and pepper

Controversies on hormone injections for cattle

They may boost your metabolism

Another upside to the high potassium content in bananas: it may help regulate blood pressure.

The more potassium you consume, the more sodium can exit your body, according to the American Heart Association. That’s because the mineral acts like a natural diuretic. “It triggers the kidneys to release excess sodium and fluid the body is holding onto,” researchers said. Lower blood pressure is great news for your heart: It means the muscle won’t have to work as hard to pump blood throughout your body. A diet with potassium-rich foods was found to cut your risk of stroke by 21% and may also lower your risk of heart diseases. l

Fix time of meal

Include green tea at least after one meal. It is established that green tea would make digestion as an easy process.

FIRST AID

BIGSTOCK

Eid-al-Azha, the festival of sacrifice marks the completion of the Hajj. It’s celebrated by sharing meatbased dishes with family and friends and giving to the poor. Eid marks a time of celebration for millions of Muslims across the world

BIGSTOCK

During the Eid celebrations, what we all need to specially take into account is our health. Here few tip to maintain health on Eid. Red meat, beef and lamb, conDID YOU tains high cholesterol. Do not inKNOW? dulge in excessive intake of these kinds of meat as they will harm your health in the long-term, and your heart can get adversely affected.

Try to distribute as much meat on this Eid as possible. Keep a proportion for yourself and eat healthy which means taking proportional amounts of meat along with vegetables. If you are conscious of your health, then you can even count the number of calories that your are acquiring. 2000 calories in a day are more than sufficient. This can then be divided into four various meals.

Even the leanest cuts of beef can become highfat diet-busters if you prepare them in unhealthy ways. Here are a few simple ways to control the fat. Cut off any visible, solid fat from meat before preparing, and then remove any remaining vis-

ible fat before eating. After cooking ground meat, put it into a strainer or colander and drain the fat.

Then rinse the meat with hot water. Blot the meat with a paper towel to remove the water. After cooking, chill beef juices so that you can skim off and discard the hardened fat. Then add the juice to stews, soups and gravy.

Avoid the fatty part of meat to maintain your health. The tip is to refrain from having brain, fat and stomach of a goat.

If planning to eat meat on this Eid, the healthy tip is to take it in the boiled, charcoaled form and avoid taking it in oily/fried form as these increases the calories intake in a day. For example, kebabs are an excellent choice of food on Eid. Include plenty of salads when having large meals of meat on Eid. Take small quantity instead of piling plates with unhealthy food. Limit the quantity of desserts too. Too much sweet does not let you remain healthy.

If you know pre-hand that you’ll be invited to places on Eid and thus cannot avoid meat, then allow yourself a better diet plan. Asking for a cup of lemon juice or green tea can help increasing the metabolism rate. Tea can also be taken but without sugar. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Joya to romance with Emon in Purno Doirgho Prem Kahini 2 The sequel of “Purno Doirgho Prem Kahini,” one of the most anticipated upcoming films, runs its shooting while screen diva Joya Ahsan gets back in the job with Shakib Khan and Emon. Joya is playing an acclaimed model of the country while Emon is playing the captain of Bangladesh National Cricket Team.

Shakib Khan will continue his legacy of acting from the first part of the series while his character will be changed a bit and seen as a cricketer.

On September 25, Dhaka Tribune caught up with the lead actors Joya and Emon along with the film's shooting team when they were working in a building in the capital's Kawranbazar area.

Joya Ahsan said: “Audience will not see me to portray the lifestyle of a model, rather my task is to portray a romantic person and for the sake of the character I am playing the role of a model. I feel fantastic returning in front of camera after a couple of months.” Though Emon, the fresh recruitment for the sequel, was reluctant to reveal the chemistry with Joya Ahsan in the film, he said: “I reckon such a story has never been portrayed our

the country's film industry. I think I am working in a timely production, when Bangladesh is doing quite well in the field of cricket.”

Emon is playing the role of Raiyan Khan, the captain of Bangladesh cricket team and a superstar cricketer. When distress arises for him and fellow teammates, Emon along with Shakib Khan take the charge to lead the team to the right direction.

Audience are not to spectacle a typical triangle love in the film. Emon is playing a central role in the gameplan and the actors kept the rest in secret as surprises for the audience.

The shooting commenced on September 16 and the director Safi Uddin Safi continues his legacy from the first part of the series which saw a big commercial success.

Other major casts include Omar Sunny, Moushumi Hamid and Shahidul Alam Sacchu.

Under the production of Friends Films International, screenplay and dialogue of the film has been written by Rumman Rashid Khan. The songs has been written by Kabir Bakul and composed by Shawkat Ali Emon. l

Tisha seeks for a good human being as her partner

n Entertainment Desk A single TV play “Golapbhromon” will be aired on NTV this Eid. Directed by Mahmud Didar, the TV play features Tisha, Intekhab Dinar, Raisul Islam Asad and Shompa Reza. The story opens with Rohel and Meghborti who just got married and went to their honeymoon.

At flashback, audience gets to see how there marriage had taken place. Meghborti's father did not give his consent to get married with his daughter as Rohel is a complete misfit for Meghborti.

But, in a cunning way, Rohel was

able to convince everybody that he will keep Meghborti happy and as a wedding gift he will give her a garden of roses. Again coming back to the scene in their journey at present in search of the rose garden, an accident occurs where a tea garden worker falls in front of Rohel's car.

Rohel escapes but Meghborti takes responsibility of the woman and looks after her at the hospital. After the woman's recovery, Rohel arrives feeling guilty and says sorry to Meghborti; in reply Meghborti says that she wants a good human being as her partner. l

Film

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes How to Train Your Dragon 2 Most Welcome 2 Guardians of the Galaxy Alpo Alpo Premer Golpo Time: 10am – 10pm Star Cineplex Level 8, Bashundhara City 13/3 Ka, Panthopath Into The Storm Hercules Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Most Welcome 2 Lucy Godzilla 3D Olpo Olpo Premer Golp Blockbuster Cinemas Jamuna Future Park

Exhibition

Only Connect. Edition One Time: 12pm – 8pm Daily Star-Bengal Arts Precinct Karwan Bazaar

7

Exhibition at Gallery 21 explores Womanhood n Mona Mehjabin Baishakhi

KHAN HASAN MD RAFI

n Hasan Mansoor Chatak

Saturday, September 27, 2014

The spirit, beauty of womanhood and also the strength in every woman have been depicted by 11 female artists at a group art exhibition at Galley 21 in Dhanmondi in the capital.

The exhibition titled 'Shreyoshi' showcases 50 paintings by noted and promising artists including Farida Zaman, Kanak Chapa Chakma, Fareha Zeba, Farzana Islam Milky, Kuhu, Naima Haque, Rebeka Sultana, Shulekha Choudhury, Mini Karim, Samina Nafies and Shameem Subarna.

Women are beautiful; they are beautiful in joviality, in grief, in leisure or in work; they are beautiful as mothers, as sisters, as friends or as the loved ones. The artists have tried to capture a glimpse of the magnificent facades of the beauty of womanhood through their artistic creativity and dexterity of paints and brushes on canvases. They have drawn images of female figures with an array of vivid colors that would dazzle your eyes. Besides, the artists have also used a range of mediums including acrylic and oil on canvas, textile paint on fabric, or even brass installations, demonstrating their comfort in coping with any means when it come to create art.

Kanak Chapa Chakma, in her acrylic painting titled Happiness in the Green, has portrayed back side two women figures intimately talking to each other while a basket generally used in tea gardens situated right beside one of the women confirm them as tea labors. However, it

is not their identity you would be interested in when you will come across the painting; rather you would be bound to be curious about what the women are discussing. Are they talking about their families? Or are they talking about how exhausted they are with their laborious work? Or are they just having light discussions about their loved ones? The painting will leave you to asking many such questions which are never to be answered.

Rebeka Sultana has portrayed a beautiful

young woman wearing a bright yellow dress in backdrop of numerous lotus flowers in her painting titled Unknown Love-60. The girl is also wearing a large blue coloured flower in her hair, a long necklace and a number of bangles in her wrist. Though not clarified by the artist, still, by looking at the painting, you would get an impression that the beautiful woman is deeply in love and waiting for her beloved’s homecoming.

Began on September 12, the exhibition will remain open from till October 4. l

DENZEL WASHINGTON brings OCD element to The Equalizer n Entertainment Desk In his latest film, Denzel Washington takes on the Russian mafia in a reboot of 1980s TV series “The Equalizer.” The double Oscar winner brings an OCD—or obsessive compulsive disorder—element to the role.

In “The Equalizer,” Washington's character Robert McCall is a former intelligence officer who uses his astonishing powers of observation to identify sharp everyday objects with which to despatch his enemies.

The original TV series, starring Edward Woodward as a retired intelligence of-

Essence of Nature’

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

ficer in New York, ran for four seasons between 1985 and 1989. That's where the similarity to the new Hollywood version ends.

“The producer wanted the name and basic premise and that was about it,” says Washington. “I helped develop the character a bit more.”

Washington's McCall is a widower living in Boston. He works in a DIY store by day and by night takes a tea bag—carefully folded in a napkin—to a diner where he reads classic novels and chats to teen prostitute Teri, played by Chloe Grace Moretz.

But McCall's past as a highly trained killer is reawakened when he takes on the Russian criminals who control her.

"I started reading about obsession and obsessive compulsive behaviour," says Washington. "I developed a back story for myself that whatever it was he used to do—and I'm glad we don't say—caused an amount of damage or post-traumatic stress.

"He's lost his wife—we don't quite know why—and it manifests itself in this obsessive compulsive behaviour.

He says to the girl 'you've got to be who you are in this world', but I don't think he's being who he is." The Equalizer reunites Washington with “Training Day” director Antoine Fuqua. The 2001 crime drama won Washington a best actor Oscar. He already had a best supporting actor statuette for 1989's Glory. l

Shruti Haasan would like to have a child out of wedlock!

Ice Age: Continental Drift Movies Now, 7:40pm

n Entertainment Desk The doe eyed beauty revealed in a talkshow recently that just like her parents, she would also like to give birth to a child out of wedlock.

Shruti’s parents, Kamal Haasan and Sarika got married after the birth of Shruti. The leggy lass admitted, “As a couple, my mom and dad were the most beautiful couple I have ever seen. There was a lot of love and warmth between them and it was wonderful to be around them at that time. I would also like to have a child out of wedlock first and then get married.”

Controversies and Shruti go hand in hand. Throughout her film career, the svelte beauty had to deal with various controversies like her infamous nose job to her latest scandalous leaked pictures from sets of “Yevadu.”

Known for her outspoken and jovial attitude, Shruti Haasan made the bold statement in a talk show recently.

While this shocking comment from “D-Day” actress may not go down well with the orthodox section of the society, it is very brave of Shruti to speak her heart out, without a care in the world. l

When Scrat accidentally provokes a continental disaster with a storm, Manny is separated from Ellie and Peaches on an iceberg with Diego, Sid and Granny but he promises that he will find a way to return home.

Outlander

HBO, 5:20pm

Charlie Sheen back on Two and a Half Men n Entertainment Desk Charlie Sheen has recently admitted that he wants to return to the “Two and a Half Men” show.

The 49-year-old actor said that he has approached the production team of the show for reprising his role and they have contacted him back.

His character Charlie Harper was killed off in the series.

Though not seen on screen, he was struck and killed by a moving train. He was replaced by actor Ashton Kutcher, who plays billionaire Walden Schmidt. In the show, Schmidt purchased Harper's house after his death.

Sheen said that they are trying to figure out what makes the most sense also claimed that he is even come up with an idea on how his deceased character could return.

That episode, the 12th season finale, is scheduled to air in the US in the second quarter of 2015.

Since leaving “Two and a Half Men,” Sheen has become the star of another sitcom, “Anger Management.” l

The film is set in the year 709 DC and Herot is a Viking kingdom in Norway. A spacecraft crashes in the kingdom and Kainan, the pilot, survives.

Megamind

Zee Studio, 9:30pm

Megamind is a nefarious villain from another world who wants to eliminates his lifelong nemesis Metro Man.

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Saturday, September 27, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Let private sector take over SOEs

A

parliamentary watchdog recently heard evidence that corrupt officials of the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) caused the theft of over Tk3,115 crore during a period of five years.

While it is essential that legal inquiries take place to bring offenders before the law, the government still needs to address the root cause of this problem.

Embezzlement and waste are endemic across state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Corrupt procurement practices and outright fraud via such means as paying funds to “ghost employees” are commonplace.

Such gross mismanagement is draining the public purse of around Tk623 crore every year via BCIC alone. This is not an isolated example as can be seen by the latest losses of over Tk118 crore incurred by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, even after many millions of dollars being invested in new aircraft.

Despite the major scandals at BASIC Bank and Sonali Bank, the government is budgeting to spend another Tk5,000 crore ($625 million) to bail out state-owned banks in the coming year.

The government must stop allowing SOEs to loot taxpayer money.

State-owned enterprises have billions of dollars worth of assets, which can be far more productively managed by the private sector.

Industries with both state and privately-owned companies, such as banking and airlines, have repeatedly proved private sector organisations to be better-managed.

The government should privatise loss-making SOEs by leasing or selling their assets to the private sector. This will both free more taxpayer funds to be spent on education and infrastructure and allow the private sector to create more productive and sustainable jobs.

Stop drain on taxpayer funds.

Privatise SOEs to create more productive and sustainable jobs

Refrigeration network a step forward

W

e are pleased to see a leading food company, Golden Harvest, take steps toward implementing a cold chain network in Bangladesh.

Cold chain networks are a tried-and-tested approach to cutting down on post-harvest losses of food products. By reducing losses, they improve the supply chain and help ensure farmers receive a fairer return for their efforts.

Farms in Bangladesh are estimated to suffer a nearly 40% post-harvest loss of their food products. This causes major hardship, as when farmers are unable to preserve their produce, they are more likely to incur losses by selling it at a low price.

As well as causing an imbalance between production and consumption, the relative scarcity of refrigeration in the supply chain adds to pressures that see chemicals being sprayed to preserve foods, especially fruits and vegetables.

With a storage capacity of half a million litres, the new cold chain network will help ensure more high-value products reach the market, and that fresh, hygienic food, especially locally-produced, nutritious foods are made available to consumers.

At the same time, it will contribute to the frozen food market in Bangladesh, which is worth Tk600 crore at present, and growing at an annual rate of 10%-15%.

Ensuring food safety and preventing food wastage are vital goals in themselves. If the cold chain network can also help the fight against unnecessary and sometimes dangerous chemicals being out in the food chain, it is a highly welcome step forward which will benefit consumers and farmers alike.

The cold chain network will benefit consumers and farmers alike

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

Ways to avoid migraine September 20

Dr sandra smith Now get rid of your migraine the natural way and that too within minutes. Simply place the purple energy plate on the painful part of the head for 20 minutes. And, moreover, just carrying the purple energy plate in your pocket will increase your personal energy level, ease the pain and protect you against electromagnetic radiation in the environment and from EMR-producing equipment.

Simply place the purple plate beneath your monitor. After a few hours, a bubble of positive energy will form around the workstation, eliminating the affects of EMR from the equipment

Scots reject independence, vote to stay in UK September 19

MH Muhaha!

Mohammad Tanvir Khalid Stunned!!

Faruk Hossain Shadhin How funny!!

Nazmul Khair It’s not funny, because the USA has not pushed them yet.

Train-bus collision in Feni halts communication September 19 Said Al Hasan Shimul “Ten passengers of the bus were injured in this accident.”

Oh my God!

Beggars to be evicted for cosmetic reasons September 19

CALVIN AND HOBBES

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

and wrapping the operator in the life-force energy.

You will experience reduced stress and fatigue after using this amazing product known as the computer guard. These purple positive energy plates and disks can be placed in and around your home, office, and workplace to keep you and your family protected from all forms of harmful energy.

Osmania Dr sandra smith: I think playing Purple Rain by Prince is a more scientifically-proven way to get rid of migraines than buying purple plates. Both equally unnatural, mind.

Is Sheikh Hasina helpless?

September 20 Fareed Wakil Weird article!

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.

Curious reader Fareed Wakil: It is always easier saying so than writing one. Please, come on man, and write a piece. You may not like the angle of a writer but would you use harsh language to criticise it? This is the reason why our leaders afford to make reckless comments and there are sycophants.

What a pity!

Abelard the Greek-Lover Fareed Wakil: If you feel that there is something wrong with what the writer is saying in this article, back your argument up with example(s). kabdullah The word “trust” was assassinated at the very birth of this country by a person who promised so much and in turn himself became this country’s worst tyrant and despot. Trust does not exist anymore and will never exist in this country.

Barely legal alien The writer makes some good points about the current state of the country’s governance.

Sammy A pretty good author and one of the finest composers of the English language. I don’t particularly care for the point he is making but his skills are second to none in Bangladesh’s English language press. vhs Indeed, we cannot know what the view of her party-men looks like from Sheikh Hasina’s chair.

Thanks for this article.

Anon E Mous What?? The most powerful woman in Bangladesh is helpless??

This cannot be. It is beyond my comprehension. I simply cannot imagine her as helpless, in any way.

PB “The Ministry of Social Welfare to evict beggars from posh areas in the capital.”

Eyewash! #beggars #dhaka

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 10 represents S so fill S every time the figure 10 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.

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Tree (3) 3 Wise counselor (6) 8 Summit (4) 9 Female sheep (3) 10 Sea nymphs (6) 11 Call for aid (6) 14 Comforts (5) 17 Airman (5) 20 Steal livestock (6) 24 Plays (6) 26 Spirit (3) 27 Yield (4) 28 Makes into a decree (6) 29 Secret agent (3)

DOWN 1 Operatic air (4) 2 Stringed instrument (4) 3 Table-shaped hill (4) 4 Banishment (5) 5 Swarms (5) 6 Possess (3) 7 Reposes (5) 12 Hawaiian dish (3) 13 Self (3) 15 Donkey (3) 16 Old cloth measure (3) 17 Army chaplain (5) 18 Peruvian animal (5) 19 Region (5) 21 Employs (4) 22 English river (4) 23 Whirlpool (4) 25 Cricket score (3)

Maus Anon E Mous: I am sure she has her moments of helplessness. She is a human being, after all.

Coffee conundrums September 19

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

The Caffeine Fix Once, I ordered espresso at Gloria Jeans, and regretted it for weeks. Only hipsters can survive it, and broadcast their check-in on Facebook.

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

Muhith: Political hiring in govt bank boards backfired September 19 Dr Ahsan Habib How does Muhith then explain removing Dr Yunus, and hiring a political appointee for his position? It seems he is playing a double-face role. In public he cries foul about looting bank money, but secretly, while in office, he lets that happen.

He talks about resigning, but continues to enjoy power and supports corruption, talks about not arresting Hall-Mark criminals so that money can be salvaged, but secretly lets that money leave the country.

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

9

Saturday, September 27, 2014

It’s hot in here n Panuel Rozario Prince

T

he latest, fifth assessment report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that global warming may cut down world’s economic growth by 0.2% to 2% yearly, and will increase world’s mean temperature by 2 degrees Celsius ie 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

In addition, we are at risk of losing one third of our land for sea level rise

Looking for a better life

BIGSTOCK

The measure of intangibles

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n Esam Sohail urs is the sweetest language, the most sublime religion, the most sophisticated culture … and so the chimes go in article after article, decade after decade, generation after generation. A veritable source of legitimate pride, for sure, but hardly anything original in that cacophony of self-congratulation after the same notes are repeated ad nauseum.

As a research analyst, first in the business world and now in academia, I am what they colloquially call the “data kind of a guy”: Quantifiable evidence is what matters to me much more than loud assertions of greatness.

The problem is, however, that there is no inherent measurement of the superiority of a language, culture, or religion, notwithstanding the impassioned protestations of the savants of such finer things in life. The only measurement that can be attributed to such intangible elements of a society is the objective one based on actual results: What language, religion, culture, or combination thereof does the better job in the here and now for providing the most number of people the most opportunities for improving the material quality of their mortal lives.

No system or combination is perfect, and none can claim to give everything to everyone; thus common

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sense and basic reason would warrant that we look for the one where more people have a better shot, as evidenced by verifiable data, at having a life where there is enough to eat, shelter from the elements, literacy, safety on the streets, open green spaces, liberty from odious discrimination in front of the law, and the freedom to speak, write, read, and inquire as one pleases.

icans decamping for Pakistan in search of better lives for themselves and their progeny. It is 2014, and the trends I see and the data I analyse tell exactly the opposite story.

Some societies have succeeded much better than others, and the lines in front of Western consular offices and the boatloads across the Mediterranean and the South China Sea are crystal clear indications thereof. Even

Those who are able to, end up trying their best to move to shores where such needs are far more likely to be met

Those are fundamental needs of civilised people and, eventually, those who are able to, end up trying their best to move to shores where such needs are far more likely to be met.

You can look at the migration patterns of the last 60 years to determine where such is the case and where it is not; your conclusions may be different than mine.

I can only point out that in my years of research, I am yet to detect a regular pattern in the post-WWII era of a huge number of Frenchmen moving to sub-Saharan Africa or a mass of Amer-

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as they condemn Western “materialism” and pine for the imagined glories of ancient moral civilisations, Bangladesh’s intellectual elite know exactly what matters, and thus make sure to pack off their kids to colleges, universities, jobs, and eventually, residencies in the same Western countries that they condemn at every opportunity in their outpourings of cultural patriotism.

While the common man and woman is left to listening to these savants wax lyrical about our glorious cultural heritage, the offspring of the

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elite are safely off to greener pastures enjoying a better quality of life; while the plebians fight over the banning of offensive books on the streets of Dhaka, the patricians egg them on and smile that their own sons and daughters are ensconced in Boston’s safety and liberty.

The proof, as we have been taught in school proverbs, is in the pudding.

Just as individuals are often reckoned by their accomplishments, societies are measured by their quality of life.

A reasonably successful individual is likely to bring a good reflection on her family, educational institution, and professional background. In an analogous – if not entirely identical – fashion, a successful society at a point in time is likely to be considered a testament to its dominant culture, language, and religion. And such a testament, which depends on data-driven indicators rather than the intensity of vocal chords or angst of hearts, is much likely to sound convincing at the bar of history.

Through the mists of time, someone in the future will ask: “What is the proof that your language was the sweetest, or your religion the most sublime, or your culture the most sophisticated?” What, then, shall our answer be? Will we even have an answer? l Esam Sohail is an educational research analyst and college lecturer of social sciences. He writes from Kansas, USA.

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This prophecy warns us about the stern impact of climate change which will be felt everywhere through triggering the risk of food shortages, natural disasters, and wars. The world, in many cases, is not adequately prepared for risks from a changing climate. If all these predictions prove right, the world will experience a massive change in its geomorphology, and human civilisation will fall into the battle for survival in a changing world.

Half the world’s land is situated in tropical regions. The areas between 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south altitude are the most vulnerable to the impact of climate change. The tropical countries of South East Asia like Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan will be frequently affected by strong monsoons which will result in devastating floods.

In addition, we are at risk of losing one third of our land for sea level rise, riverbank erosion and flood; and unfortunately, most of these submerged lands are the main food producing areas for Bangladesh.

Ensuring adequate food supply and providing rehabilitation for a huge population will be the real challenge for Bangladesh. Our socioeconomic structure will have to go through a significant change for adopting the situation.

Distribution of assets and factors of production needs to be strengthened by strategic innovation. If we can ensure the proper utilisation of land, fuel, water, and other renewable resources, only then it will be possible to enhance the resilience of the communities to face the challenges of a changing world. Besides, resilience also demands fundamental change in economic and social structure of our country.

Agriculture is the heart of the rural economy in Bangladesh. Our foremost need is to come up with adaptive farming practices and create an affirmative change in prevailing structure for a sustainable agricultural economy.

In coming decades, as we will lose more agricultural lands, there will not be enough grazing lands for typical livestock rearing. Considering the reality, goat-rearing can be given priority since goats can survive on dry feed.

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However, in coastal areas, goat rearing is found unfeasible. There, duck rearing can be a good option.

In an increased temperature, oxygen in water breaks down and creates scarcity of consumable oxygen that leads to the death of waterbound species and results in the unavailability of fishes.

In that case, as an alternative, algae meat or synthetic meat can be a good source of protein for us. Moreover, vegetable cultivation should be increased through expanding the practices of floating, hanging, and roof-top vegetation. By improving the human waste recycling techniques, feces can be used as supplementary organic fertiliser which will help to reduce the dependency on chemical fertiliser.

Flood and drought tolerant crop species should be introduced for disaster prone areas. Change in food habit can lessen the dependency on rice, if potato and other foods can be used as the alternative of carbohydrate.

Special care should be given to protect the biodiversity in the changing environment. Every single element, living or non-living, is important for human survival in this planet earth.

Hence, for our own benefit, it is important to ensure the ecological balance along with proper distribution, mobilisation, and utilisation of natural resources. Extensive forestation and preservation of remaining forests are needed to absorb the additional temperature.

According to IPCC, the cheapest and best way to avoid catastrophic climate change is to abandon fossil fuels over the next 10 years. Solar, wind, and hydro power should be introduced as an alternative to fossil fuel.

Although, the developed countries are giving commitment to curb fossil fuel burning and invest more for climate adaptation, the geopolitical limitations may limit them to act in time and these commitments may turn into empty promises, as we are expecting.

The cheapest and best way to avoid catastrophic climate change is to abandon fossil fuels

The truth is, moving from fossil fuels to renewable fuels would reduce expected annual economic growth rates by 0.06%; and the question is whether the government and the citizens of these developed countries are really ready to sacrifice their luxury.

For that reason, we the least developed, small island, and developing countries have to take the challenges on our own shoulder to grow resilience to fight against the adverse effects of climate change. l Panuel Rozario Prince is Senior Assistant Coordinator at Eminence.

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Yes, please assess the cadets n Ekram Kabir

T

he members of the parliamentary standing committee on defence ministry led by Subid Ali Bhuiyan in a recent meeting wanted to know about the contribution of the students from cadet colleges in the defence forces of the country.

The committee thought that the number of students at cadet colleges should be doubled. The committee members also commented that the objective of supplying officers in the armed forces would not be fulfilled if the cadets didn’t join.

The committee members have also raised a few questions about the cadet colleges. They have given statistics of the government’s expenditure on each cadet. It has been said that the government spends about Tk20,000 to Tk22,000 for each cadet every month.

The committee also said the state spends about Tk100cr every year for these 12 cadet colleges.

It seemed that they were asking: What is the use for cadet colleges if the cadets don’t join the armed forces?

Why is the government spending so much on them? What are they doing for the country? Yes, the cadets, when

they join the cadet colleges, they go there knowing full well that at the end of their education in cadet colleges they would be joining the armed forces. However, in the course of time, many things change in their lives; many don’t join the forces and many don’t get the opportunity to serve in the forces even if they want to.

If one says cadet colleges have not lived up to their expectation, he or she is gravely mistaken

However, if their contribution to nation-building is questioned, the standing committee members, and for that matter, the government officials, are grossly in the dark about these cadet college graduates. Yes, the government indeed needs to assess

their contribution.

No one has actually ever done any survey on whether these students lived up to the expectations of the nation. Look at the history, these boys and girls weren’t destined to be military personnel only; they were trained in such a way that their moral becomes high, they have balanced mental capacity, vision, physical toughness or fitness, leadership quality, as well as the capacity to run the administrative machinery of the country.

If one says cadet colleges have not lived up to their expectation, he or she is gravely mistaken. For a long time, these schools have been supplying extremely bright officers to the armed forces, and they are still doing so.

They have become big industrialists who employ a huge number of other professionals. They have gone for foreign office, NGOs, government offices, as well as the media. The banking sector in Bangladesh is full of products from these colleges; they are even holding leading positions in foreign banks.

The Bangladesh Bank governor, ex-CEO of Citibank NA, high-ranking officials in Standard Chartered and HSBC, leading garments businessmen,

and many former chiefs of army staff are all ex-cadets. There were at least two ex-cadets in last caretaker government’s cabinet.

No one has ever run any study to evaluate the performance of the students of these institutions in the games and sports. Our football federation, cricket board, and athletics authorities could have been benefitted by considering the cadet college students in the national teams. These small boys and girls learn game and sports, side by side their education, with passion. They develop an instinct to win matches. I’ve asked our sports officials several times for visiting these colleges in order to assess their skills.

They never bothered to do so.

The standing committee has suggested an increase of seats in cadet colleges. Well, firstly, this wouldn’t be a good idea as the architectures of these colleges wouldn’t allow that.

Sending all existing 600 graduating cadets to the armed forces academies won’t sound right as the academies would also fail to accommodate them.

So, you see, increasing the number of seats isn’t a solution.

Yes, a good number of cadets leave the country for higher studies and set-

tle abroad. Many ex-cadets are working in foreign universities, research organisations, and think-tanks across the world with global level efficiency.

The government should find out how to involve them in the development of Bangladesh.

Perhaps, it’s time to really assess the contribution of these students who studied in cadet colleges. For the

authorities, it wouldn’t be a difficult task. All these colleges have ex-cadets’ associations who have the whereabouts of their members.

As Mr Subid Ali Bhuiyan asked, we also think it’s really time for assessing what these students have done so far.

All the best. l Ekram Kabir, a journalist, is a DT columnist.

The army is one among many ways to be of service

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE Saturday, September 27, 2014

11 Liverpool and

Arsenal seek derby lift-off

11 When Federer

asks Indian fans to photoshop him

11 Buffon expects

two-horse race with Roma

Sport

Did you know?

Liverpool v Everton has seen more red cards (20) than any other fixture in Premier League history

Bangladesh women miss out on gold n Mazhar Uddin It was again a case of so close yet so far for Salma Khatun and her troop as the Bangladesh women narrowly missed the gold medal in the 17th Asian Games Twenty20 cricket tournament after losing by a mere four runs in a closely-fought final against defending champions Pakistan. At the Yeonhui cricket ground in Incheon, South Korea, the ladies in Red and Green had to be content with a silver, Bangladesh’s first medal in the 17th edition of the Asiad.

BRIEF SCORE Pakistan Women 97/6 in 20 overs Bismah Maroof 24, Nain Abidi 18 Rumana Ahmed 2/13 Bangladesh Women 38/9 in 7 overs (D/L method) (Revised target 43 runs from 7 overs) Rumana Ahmed 10, Farzana Haque 10 Sadia Yousuf 2/2, Nida Dar 2/2 Pakistan Women won by four runs (D/L method) Pakistan were the same side who denied Bangladesh a gold medal in the previous Asian Games in Guangzhou, China four years ago but that time the margin of defeat was a convincing 10-wicket loss. However, this time the Bangladesh women would be filled with agony as they came tantalisingly close before conceding a four-run defeat according to the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Requiring seven runs to win from the final over of their chase with four

wickets intact, Bangladesh could manage just two runs for the loss of three wickets in pursuit of their revised target of 43 runs from seven overs.

Bangladesh ended up on 38/9 in the rain-affected encounter.

Bangladesh, however, have only themselves to blame as they were well and truly on their way to the gold medal, coasting inside the fifth over on 30/2 before a horrible batting collapse saw them lose their next seven wickets for just eight runs.

With 10 runs each, Rumana Ahmed and Farzana Haque were the top run-getters for Bangladesh as no other batters were able to reach double figures.

Pakistan skipper Sana Mir had earlier won the toss and elected to bat but struggled right from the onset as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Seamer Jahanara Alam dismissed opener Javeria Khan (six) in the third over before removing the other opening batter Marina Iqbal (14) as the Bangladeshi bowlers kept things tight. Pakistan posted 97/6 in their allotted 20 overs before rain interrupted Bangladesh’s innings.

Bismah Maroof was the top-scorer with 24 runs while Nain Abidi chipped in with 18. Rumana picked up 2/13 from her four overs while Jahanara, Salma and Fahima Khatun took a wicket each for Bangladesh.

Following the end of the gold-medal clash, Bangladesh captain Salma blamed the batters. “If our batters had played sensibly then we would have won the match as it was not a difficult target. It was due to our mistakes that we missed the opportunity to clinch the gold medal.” l

Silver medalists from Bangladesh stand for a flag rising ceremony after the medal ceremony following the women’s cricket final at the Yeonhui Cricket Ground, Incheon in the 17th Asian Games yesterday AFP

DPL clubs might replace divisional teams in NCL n Mazhar Uddin With an aim towards developing the game, the Bangladesh Cricket Board is looking to bring back the competitiveness factor in the first-class tournament, the National Cricket League (NCL).

It was learned that some of the board directors have proposed the participation of the top six clubs of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League

n AFP, Kilimanjaro

n Tribune Desk

Cricketers play on the ice-covered crater of the Kilimanjaro mountain, Tanzania yesterday.

The game is an attempt to play the world’s highest game of cricket, breaking the previous record set in 2009 on Mount Everest AFP

CR7 not in need of rest n AFP, Madrid World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted he has no intentions of slowing down after firing 12 goals in his first eight appearances this season.

Ronaldo followed up his hat-trick in a 8-2 rout of Deportivo la Coruna last weekend by scoring four times in a match for the third time in his Madrid career as the European champions continued their return to form with a 5-1 thrashing of Elche in midweek.

Real also received a boost as Barcelona dropped points for the first time this season against Malaga to cut their lead over Madrid to just four points.

And with a tricky trip away to Villar-

national side in the longest format of the game. Bangladesh have a painful record in Test matches as they have won only four games so far in 85 attempts.

However, the major stumbling block is likely to be the increased finances required to realise such a move.

On the other hand it was not yet confirmed if the DPL clubs would agree to participate in the tournament as it would require them to spend ex-

tra money provided they were to take part in the first-class competition.

The board director who requested not to be named also added that the final outcome is likely to depend on the agreement of the divisional teams of the NCL. Meanwhile, it was also learned that in Tuesday’s meeting, a proposal of arranging Twenty20 and 50-over tournament featuring the divisional teams will be raised. l

New cricket match altitude record set on ‘roof of Africa’

MSC, BJMC seal semi spots in U18 football Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited reached the semifinals of the Airtel Under-18 Football Tournament 2014 after beating 10-man Abahani Limited 2-0 at the BNS yesterday.

The Sky Blues were reduced to 10 men in the 26th minute when Rana Hamid received his second yellow card.

Badrul Hossain Tutul put the Black and Whites ahead two minutes later from the penalty spot. Samriddha Lockred doubled the lead in the 68th minute.

Meanwhile, Team BJMC also confirmed their place in the last four courtesy by winning the toss of a coin against Muktijoddha Sangsad after their points were level.

Meanwhile in the day’s other game, Uttar Baridhara and Feni Soccer Club played out a 1-1 draw at the same venue. Mohammed Kamrul gave Soccer Club the lead in the 27th minute before Mohammed Tasin equalised in the 72nd minute. l

(DPL) in place of the divisional teams in the NCL to ensure the sincerity of the players in the five-day competition which is still known in many quarters as a ‘picnic tournament’. According to one of the directors requesting anonymity, the issue will be raised in the next board meeting this Tuesday.

Previously, six divisional sides took part in the NCL, however, the number of clubs was later increased to eight in order to improve the fortunes of the

real this weekend on the horizon, Ronaldo says he will not be resting as coach Carlo Ancelotti rotates his squad.

Ronaldo’s goalscoring record so far this season is all the more remarkable as he took a three-week break at the beginning of the campaign to ease knee and hamstring injuries.

Barcelona appear to have an easier task on paper as they return home to the Camp Nou to face Granada after back-to-back away fixtures. l

FIXTURES Villarreal v Barcelona v At Madrid v Athletic Bilbao v Levante v

Real Madrid Granada Sevilla Eibar Rayo

A group of international cricketers on Friday set a new record for the highest-ever match with a lung busting effort at the top of Kilimanjaro.

The teams, including English bowling legend Ashley Giles and South African icon Makhaya Ntini, the country’s first black Test player, trekked to the roof of Africa before dawn and played ten overs each of a Twenty20 game before cloud stopped play.

The game was played at 5,730 metres (18,910 feet), in the flat crater just below Kilimanjaro’s 5,895-metre summit, an AFP correspondent said.

The standing record for the world’s highest game has been 5,165 metres, played in the Himalayas at Everest base camp in Nepal in 2009.

“It was great fun, worth coming all this way even if I didn’t stay long in the crease,” said cricket fan and participant Steven Smith, 22, who was bowled out

for a duck.

“It was such hard work breathing and running at this altitude but something like this only happens once in a lifetime.”

The final score was a winning 82 for 5 for the ‘Gorillas’ team, led by England women’s vice-captain Heather Knight, against 64 for 9 for the ‘Rhinos’ team led by Ashley Giles.

“It was tough running between the wickets but it was easy bowling Ashley Giles out! Fully worth coming all this way, with such an amazing feeling getting to the top, and -- I hope -- breaking a world record!” Knight told AFP. Top scores were 20 each by Heather Knight and Phil Walker, editor of the All Out Cricket magazine.

The match -- played on a plastic mat for the wicket over the ash and in thin, freezing air surrounded by vast blocks of ice -- is expected to qualify as a new world record, as under Twenty20 rules a minimum of 5 overs per team constitutes a match.l

Dhaka Tribune reaches last four n Tribune Desk

Dhaka Tribune, The Daily Star, Somoy TV and My TV swept into the semifinals of the Kool-BSJA Media Cup Football after winning their respective quarterfinal matches at the BFF turf at Arambagh yesterday.

Dhaka Tribune earned a comfortable 2-0 victory over RTV in the day’s first quarterfinal with Reazur Rahman Rohan and Fazley Rabbi Moon netting one apiece. Both goals came in the first half.

In the other three last-eight matches, The Daily Star edged past bdnews24.com4-2 in the tiebreaker as the tie remained goalless following stipulated time, My TV crushed Bangla Vision 4-0 while Somoy TV registered a hard-fought 1-0 win over Jamuna TV to book their place in the last four.

Dhaka Tribune will take on Somoy TV in the day’s first semifinal while Daily Star will battle with My TV today in their respective semifinal matches.

The final will be held tomorrow.

Former national star footballer Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu, national coaches Maruful Haque and Shafiqul Islam Manik distributed the prizes among the winners as special guests. l

Dhaka Tribune (L) and RTV line up before their quarterfinal clash in the Kool-BSJA Media Cup Football Tournament at the BFF artificial turf yesterday MUMIT M

Mosharraf Hossain Rubel takes a selfie on a boat on the Padma River in Rajshahi, with players of Gazi Tank and Kalabagan Cricket Academy yesterday CRICINFO

Younis offers to step aside after ODI snub

n AFP, Karachi Disgruntled Pakistan batsman Younis Khan said Friday he was disappointed at being dropped from the one-day side and would step aside from all cricket for five months as the team is rebuilt.

Next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is due to be held in February, and the 36-year-old is unlikely to be picked given his poor form in limited overs in recent years.

But he remains Pakistan’s best middle-order batsman in Tests, where his absence could seriously hurt the team’s chances against Australia and New Zealand in upcoming series.

“Don’t select me, not even in Tests. I sacrifice my future,” Younis told reporters in Karachi. l

Sport

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Buffon expects two horse race with Roma n

AFP, Milan

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has added his weight to early season predictions that the battle for Serie A supremacy will be a two-horse race betweeen the Turin giants and AS Roma.

Ahead of this weekend’s visit to Atalanta, champions Juve remain unbeaten and Buffon has yet to concede a goal but the 36-year-old has taken note of Roma’s early season form.

Roma are also unbeaten after four games and a 5-1 Champions League rout of CSKA Moscow two weeks ago has only served to underline their credentials on the domestic front.

“Roma will be fighting for the title to the very end. They’ve now acquired a certain level of strength and confidence that comes with victories and strong performances,” Buffon told reporters.

Having missed Andrea Pirlo for the

QUICK BYTES Suarez included in Uruguay squad Luis Suarez has been included in a provisional Uruguay squad for next month’s friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Oman, the Uruguay Football Association (AUF) said on Thursday. The controversial Barcelona forward has been banned for four months, plus nine competitive internationals, for the infamous World Cup incident where he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini. He can play in friendlies, however, after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) removed a clause which banned him from “any football activity” during his four-month suspension. After being left out of this month’s friendlies against Japan and South Korea, Suarez has been included by coach Oscar Tabarez in a 29-man squad for the games away to Saudi Arabia on Oct 10 and Oman three days later.

–Reuters

start of the campaign due to a thigh injury, the Juventus midfield great is being tipped to return to Massimiliano Allegri’s squad in Bergamo.

In his absence, Juve have acquitted themselves admirably -- as seen by last week’s 1-0 win away to AC Milan and their 3-0 win over Cesena on Wednesday, when Manchester United target

FIXTURES Roma v Verona Atalanta v Juventus Arturo Vidal hit a brace for the hosts.

Roma, who beat Parma 2-1 away in midweek thanks to a sublime Miralem Pjanic freekick in the 88th minute, travel to Juventus next week for a topof-the-table clash.

Roma’s French coach Rudi Garcia says focus is firmly on hosting Verona on Saturday, before a much-anticipated Champions League trip to Manchester City days later. l

French football striker Nicolas Anelka (C), surrounded by fans and security guards, arrives at the international airport in Mumbai yesterday. The controversial Anelka sought to relaunch his career September 15 by signing up for the nascent Indian Super League (ISL), six months after being sacked from English football in an anti-semitism row AFP

Liverpool, Arsenal seek derby lift-off n AFP, London Age-old derby rivalries will take centre-stage in the Premier League on Saturday, with Liverpool hosting Merseyside neighbours Everton and Tottenham Hotspur visiting sworn north London enemies Arsenal.

The fixtures are among the most colourful in the English football calendar and they carry extra weight this weekend as all four teams are seeking to kick on after underwhelming starts to the season.

Liverpool narrowly lost out to Manchester City in last season’s title race and Everton finished fifth with a record points tally, but they are currently 11th and 14th respectively ahead of their showdown at Anfield.

Liverpool have lost three of their opening five games and needed penalties to see off second-tier Middlesbrough in the League Cup on Tuesday, edging a remarkable shootout 14-13 after a 2-2 draw. Everton, meanwhile, have won only once in the league and saw their League Cup hopes ended by a 3-0 defeat at Swansea City.

FIXTURES Arsenal Chelsea Crystal Palace Hull City Liverpool Man United Southampton Sunderland

v v v v v v v v

Tottenham Aston Villa Leicester City Man City Everton West Ham QPR Swansea City

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has described his team as a “work in progress”, but he believes that the visit of Everton can act as a springboard for

the season. Everton went down 3-2 at home to Crystal Palace last weekend, but although they have not won at Anfield for 15 years, manager Roberto Martinez says they will approach the game with a positive attitude.

Having won 3-0 at Aston Villa last weekend following three consecutive draws, Arsenal are starting to move in the right direction and go into the game with Tottenham in fourth place.

But they lost 2-0 at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and were dumped out of the League Cup in mid-week by Southampton.

Tottenham have now gone three league games without victory, but manager Mauricio Pochettino remains determined to see his side finish above Arsenal for the first time in 19 years.

Three points clear after a 1-1 draw at defending champions Manchester City last weekend, leaders Chelsea host third-place Villa. Second-place Southampton, level on points with Villa, tackle Queens Park Rangers.

City, meanwhile, visit Hull City, having demolished second-tier Sheffield Wednesday 7-0 in the League Cup in mid-week.l

Victory needed by both Hijab row prompts basketball pledge Schalke, Dortmund in derby n AFP, Incheon

n AFP, Berlin Bayern Munich are right where they want to be atop the Bundesliga after five rounds and ahead of a tough showdown against Cologne this weekend while Schalke and Borussia Dortmund both head into the 145th derby needing a victory.

Munich head to Cologne on Saturday to face a team which had not conceded a goal in their first four games this season until Hanover scored in the midweek round of games.

Bayern are happy about where they are, knowing that the weekend/ midweek rhythm is just starting with a match-up against CSKA Moscow coming in the Champions League next week. l

FIXTURES Schalke 04 Freiburg Stuttgart Cologne Paderborn Wolfsburg

v v v v v v

Dortmund Leverkusen Hanover Bayern Munich M’gladbach Werder Bremen

11

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Basketball’s world body said it was looking at its controversial headgear ban on Friday after Qatar’s women’s team quit the Asian Games in a row over their Muslim hijabs.

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) insisted its ban has no “religious connotation” but said it had started a “revision process” after several complaints.

As the Qatari team arrived home, the row continued to reverberate in Incheon where Chinese swimmer Sun Yang again eclipsed South Korean home hero Park Tae-Hwan in the pool.

The outspoken Olympic champion’s big win in the 1,500 metres came after he called the anthem of arch-rivals Japan “ugly”.

Elsewhere, Chinese superheavyweight Zhou Lulu hoisted the largest single weight ever by a woman and Pakistan won their first gold medal by regaining their women’s cricket title.

FIBA came in for strong criticism after Qatar’s women were refused permission to play in hijabs, a decision one player described as an “insult” and failure to respect the Gulf state’s dominant Muslim religion.

The body said the ban on headgear more than 5 centimetres (2 inches) wide was not discriminatory but it could start “tests” on easing the restric-

tions in international competition next year. The rule has already been relaxed at national level after a number of complaints.

In July and August, Indian Sikh players were forced to remove their headwear at FIBA events.

“International tests may be initiated as of summer 2015,” said a FIBA statement which insisted that its regulations apply “without any religious connotation.”

“While certain groups have interpreted the provisions of the official basketball rules as a ban against the participation of players of certain faiths in basketball competitions, the uniform regulations are of a purely sporting nature,” it added.l

WHEN FEDERER ASKS HIS INDIAN FANS TO PHOTOSHOP HIM Roger Federer can usually be found commanding a baseline or zipping into the net for a bit of serve-and-volley. But now thanks to a combination of Photoshop and Twitter, he can also be found all over India. The former world number one is due in India early next month to take part in the inaugural International Premier Tennis League, a competition featuring current and former stars taking place across four cities: Manila, Dubai, Singapore and Delhi. Because Federer will only have a short amount of time to visit Delhi during his stay in India, on Tuesday he asked his 2.2 million follows to superimpose his image onto some of the country’s landmarks. ‘I need some help from my supporters in India. I’m only in Delhi for a few days, so can’t visit all amazing places that I’d like. Maybe you guys could help #PhotoshopRF? Show me where I should visit and I’ll retweet the best pics!,’ he tweeted. Unsurprisingly, the Swiss player got a great response. Photoshopped images of Roger Federer have been doing the rounds on the internet lately, after an unusual request from the tennis star. Here, we’ve pulled together some of the best.

Chris Cairns charged with perjury Former New Zealand captain Chris Cairns was charged in a north London police station on Thursday with perverting the course of justice. The charges stem from a 2012 libel action he brought against Lalit Modi, the former boss of the Indian Premier League. The court ruled in Cairns’s favour and ordered Modi to pay damages. “We can confirm that we have authorised police to charge Chris Cairns with one count of perjury, which arises from a libel trial held in the United Kingdom in March 2012,” the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement.

Perjury carries a maximum prison sentence of seven years in Britain.

–Reuters

Uefa opens financial probes against 7 clubs Uefa announced on Thursday that it had opened probes against Monaco, Roma, Besiktas, Inter Milan, Liverpool and Russian club Krasnodar for suspected breaches of financial fair play rules. In a statement, European football’s governing body said that the seven clubs’ accounts for 2012 and 2013 had shown a “breakeven deficit”. As a result, UEFA said that its Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) investigatory chamber had decided to launch formal investigations. The principle of financial “fair play” is to prevent clubs accruing losses in excess of a 45-million-euro limit over the course of two seasons.

–AFP

Lampard coy over talk of extended City stay Frank Lampard insists he is yet to hold any talks about extending his loan spell at Manchester City. Lampard signed for Major League Soccer side New York City following his release by Chelsea at the end of last season, but then made a surprise return to the Premier League on a short-term deal with champions City. His loan spell at Eastlands is due to expire at the start of January, but Lampard’s impressive form so far this season has led to reports that City manager Manuel Pellegrini might try to keep the former England midfielder for longer. The 36-year-old made it three goals in two games with a brace and a man-of-thematch in midweek.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH Ten Sports 7:00AM Asian Games 2014 Ten Action 12:00AM French Ligue 1 LOSC Lille v SC Bastiais Star Sports 1 Champions League T20 3:30PM Dolphins v Lahore 7:30PM Perth v Chennai Star Sports 2 8:00PM English Premier League Chelsea v Aston Villa Spanish La Liga 10:00PM Barcelona v Granada 12:00AM Atletico Madrid v Sevilla 2:00AM Athletic Bilbao v SD Eibar Star Sports 4 English Premier League 5:30PM Liverpool v Everton 8:00PM Man United v West Ham 10:30PM Arsenal v Tottenham 12:45AM Italian Serie A Atalanta v Juventus

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Over 1,000 doctors yet Upazila complexes to introduce to submit ACR biometrics attendance for doctors n Moniruzzaman Uzzal

n Moniruzzaman Uzzal In a bid to ensure the attendance of all doctors and staffs, the health directorate has instructed all upazila health complexes to start using biometrics authentication system.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has already completed installing the devices at 370 upazila health complexes, while the rest of the facilities are expected to get the machines by next month.

Sources said the DGHS issued a circular on September 10 directing all health officials to ensure doctors' attendance through the newly introduced system.

The circular also advised authorities concerned to inform it if any machine was to go out of order.

The move came as most doctors reportedly continued to ignore the prime minister’s calls for regular attendance at their offices.

Once the devices are installed, all

doctors and staffs would be required to place their thumbs on a slot in the machine for fingerprint matching while entering or exiting workplaces to register their attendance.

Biometrics machines had already been set up at the facilities nearly a year ago; but almost all the upazila complexes failed to introduce the system for their employees Dr Ehteshamul Hoque Chowdhury, director (administration) of the DGHS, told the Dhaka Tribune that even though there was no shortage of doctors at present, authorities concerned wanted to ensure the doctors' attendance at their workplaces.

The biometrics attendance machines were brought in to achieve that goal. All necessary machines would be set up by next month to meet the primary goal of ensuring doctors' attendance at all upazila health complexes, Ehtesham said.

Dr Abul Kalam Azad, additional director general (planning) and also director of MIS (Management Information System) of the health directorate, claimed that the DGHS was trying to make the system familiar to all health sector employees. He expressed hopes that all doctors would get used to the digital attendance system within the next few months.

On April 20, a letter was sent from the Prime Minister’s Office to the DGHS, asking authorities concerned to introduce the biometrics attendance machines. The letter, signed by PMO Director Dr Md Zulfiqur Ali, also asked the DGHS to send a report regarding the measures it took.

The Dhaka Tribune has learnt that

biometrics machines had already been set up at the facilities nearly a year ago; but almost all the upazila complexes failed to introduce the system for their employees. Many of the previously installed machines went out of order because they stayed idle for so long.

Asked about this, Dr Ehthesham, however, said there were only 18 machines currently out of order.

Sources said the country currently had over 100 committees, including 62 within the Health Ministry, to monitor and supervise the presence of doctors and take healthcare services to people’s doorsteps.

However several senior health sector officials told the Dhaka Tribune that only a handful of those committees were functional.

Currently, the public medical facilities are employing over 26,000 doctors including 6,000 new doctors, most of whom were posted at different upazila health complexes and union sub-centres. l

More than 1,000 BCS doctors have allegedly defied the public service rule of submitting the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) within the deadline.

The doctors, who are working in different organisations, have not submitted their ACR to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on time.

Some of them have not submitted the report since 2009.

DGHS Director (administration) Dr Md Ehteshamul Hoque Chowdhury told the Dhaka Tribune submission of the report was mandatory but a large number of doctors were reluctant to act accordingly.

This is leading to problems regarding promotion and regularisation of their jobs, and some other issues, he added.

DGHS on September 24 issued a circular urging doctors to submit their reports soon.

Doctors would be in trouble if they fail to submit their reports on time, the circular read.

DGHS sources said there are more than 8,000 BCS doctors in the country

now who are expected to submit their reports.

Seeking anonymity, some health officials told the Dhaka Tribune the majority of the doctors who are yet to submit their reports are very wellknown in their fields. As their private practice is thriving, they have become busy making money but are reluctant to comply with the public service rules.

Several doctors, however, blamed the health officials and questioned their honesty as well as how the reports are preserved. A doctor at Dhaka Medical College Hospital said he submitted the report on time with the hope of receiving a promotion but I was dejected as it did not happen.

“Health Ministry officials told me that I had not submitted the ACR. In fact, my report went missing from the DGHS. Such incidents are commonplace,” he added. Dr Ehteshamul did not disagree with the allegation and said they were planning to introduce computerised system for the doctors to send their reports.

“If we can implement the system, doctors would be compelled to send their reports on time,” he added. l

HK national to be jailed for scalding Bangladeshi maid n Rabiul Islam A former civil servant in Hong Kong convicted of scalding her Bangladeshi househelp last year has been given jail sentence of six months, said Bangladesh Consul General Mohammad Sarwar Mahmood.

“The victim, Begum Roksana, can also apply for compensation, and we are encouraging her to do so,” he told the Dhaka Tribune over phone yesterday.

He also said the jail sentence of the accused, Au Wai-chun, 61, would start after 18 months due to her illness.

At the hearing on September 22, District Court Judge Pang Chung-ping said Au Wai-chun had undermined the city’s reputation by pouring hot water on Roksana, as the South China Morning Post reported the next day.

“Not only did you destroy the trust foreign workers have in Hong Kong employers, but also their reputation,” the judge told the convicted.

He suspended the sentence for 18 months – on condition that Au will not reoffend within that time – due to her chronic medical conditions as well as overwhelming support for her previously good character.

Roksana, who suffered first- and second-degree burns on her chest in the incident, is now under the super-

vision of Technic Employment Service Centre Ltd in Hong Kong.

The court earlier heard that Au asked Raksona for a cup of hot water at her home at Bauhinia Garden in Tseung Kwan O in Hong Kong on September 30 last year. Au complained that it was not hot enough, and after a row she poured the water down Roksana’s shirt.

A number of Bangladeshi househelps have earlier returned from Hong Kong after losing their jobs and placed complaints of abuse at the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training.

Demanding compensation, the migrants also asked to be exempted from the repayment of their bank loans.

However, their loans have yet to be written off, though they are not being pressurised to pay off their debts, said a senior official at the bureau.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Nurul Islam, joint secretary at the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, said some of the allegations were true.

“We had a meeting with the recruiting agencies to determine how the female migrants’ difficulties could be minimised... We have yet to revise the agreement between the bureau and the Hong Kong recruiters to accommodate the specific concerns raised about employment conditions in Hong Kong.” l

Hundreds of ticket seekers crowd Kamlapur Railway Station yesterday in a bid to secure advance train tickets ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja holidays

Local militants use Facebook to recruit people in the name of IS Self-claimed local IS unit chief tells police after arrest users who liked the page as well deter- that a number of British citizens of n Mohammad Jamil Khan mining their country of origin, he added. Bangladeshi origin have been work-

Uttarakhand hunter outdoes the great Jim Corbett n Agencies A teacher in Uttarakhand, India has outscored British legendary hunter Jim Corbett in shooting down man-eaters.

Popular among the locals as the double-barrel saviour, Lakhpat Singh Rawat, 50, has gunned down 45 man-eaters in 13 years, while Corbett had killed 33 during 1907 and 1938.

Rawat had hunted one tiger too as his 35th kill in 2011, while “Corbett had shot down 19 man-eater tigers and 14 leopards,” said Saket Badola, deputy director of Corbett Tiger Reserve.

However, Rawat modestly says the number of more kills does not make him greater than Jim Corbett, “who is known all over the world as a great conservationist.”

The Uttarakhand government has requested Rawat to cock his gun again and relieve the hill state of a leopard which has killed 13 people in Pithoragarh district since

2012. Rawat says hunting runs in his blood – his grandfather, too, was a passionate hunter.

But he hunted his first man-eater in 2001.

Rawat cannot forget the moment when he was called to hunt a man-eater leopard which had devoured 12 children in Gairsain in 2000. Around the same time, he participated in a district shooting championship and stood first.

Rawat says his highest score has been 12 man-eaters in one year. “That was 2009.

I was granted a permit by forest officials. I had to finish the job in the shortest time to avoid revenge killing of innocent leopards by villagers.”

He reminisces that Uttarkashi man-eater leopard, which mauled five persons to death in 14 days during 2004, was his toughest kill.

“His area of operation spanned 40sqkm. I realised he identified the noise of our vehicle and swiftly changed positions to dodge us,” he said. l

Militants in Bangladesh are reportedly using social networking site Facebook to recruit members for the international militant outfit Islamic State (IS), as well as disseminating promotional posts about the organisation.

The Detective Branch of police came up with the information following the arrest of Md Hifzur Rahman, a 22-year-old student of Sylhet’s Government Tibriya College, who claimed to be the chief of the Bangladesh unit of the Islamic State.

“Although the arrestee claimed to be the chief of the IS in Bangladesh, we are yet to find any proof that he had been able to establish any direct link or communication to the central committee of the IS,” said Joint Commissioner of DB Monriul Islam, following the arrest of Hifzur early yesterday.

“Based on information, members of Counter Terrorism and Trans-national Crimes unit of the DB arrested him in front of Surma Tower at Comrade Moni Singh Road in Purana Paltan,” Monirul told a press conference at the DMP’s Media and Community Centre.

Detectives were able to make the arrest after tracing the Facebook activities of Hifzur for a long time, the joint commissioner said, adding that Hifzur administrated a fan page titled “ISIS Bangladesh.”

Asked about the fan page, DB Additional Deputy Commissioner Sanwar Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that the page already had over 3,000 likes. The police were checking the identities of the

Hifzur’s activities

Monirul said Hifzur had been an active Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) member only eight months ago, but was now carrying out propaganda and promotional activities for the IS through social media in order to persuade people to join the organisation’s cause.

The DB official added that during primary interrogation, Hifzur said he had been collecting members from across the country, especially in Sylhet and Habiganj, for expanding militant activities of his own group which would work to provide support to the IS. Hifzur was also trying to secure funds from different sympathisers for sending his group members to Syria and Iraq to join the ongoing fighting of the IS. The police were now trying to trace the sponsors, the joint commissioner said, but added that more time was needed to extract details from the arrestee through further interrogation.

The police have found out about a British citizen of Bangladeshi origin who arrived in the country six months ago and had been providing funds for militancy and recruiting militants for the past few months, Monirul said.

“We are already working to track down his location and once we are able to catch him, we hope that a big breakthrough would be made about the financial support of militant organisation,” he said.

The police have also found proof

ing for the Islamic State, Monirul said, but added that it remained uncertain whether any Bangladeshi national had actually joined the terrorist group.

The police were also trying to find out the locations of suspects who had been in contact with Hifzur; these suspects included people from both Bangladesh and abroad, said the joint commissioner, who is presently working on anti-militancy activities.

Asked about the recent activities by militants, Monirul said local militants were trying to rise up again after the snatching of JMB members in Trishal as well as the recent release of a video message from the al-Qaeda chief. Their efforts were strengthened through secret meetings inside the Kashimpur Jail, where militant organisation Ansarullah Bangla Team decided to share its resources with the JMB.

MEHEDI HASAN

United Airways resumes operations today n Tribune Report Local private airline company United Airways will resume its operations today, after two days of suspension following its announcement on Wednesday.

The decision came at a closed-door meeting between the new Board of Directors and past chairman Tasbirul Ahmed Chowdhury at his residence yesterday evening, UNB reports.

Quamrul Islam, deputy general manager (PR) of the airline, said: “The new board requested Tasbirul, who had recently resigned as the chairman, to retake the charge and he agreed to the request.” l

QULKHWANI

Remand

Following Hifzur’s arrest, a case was filed with the Paltan police station by DB Sub-Inspector Shaikh Md Moniruzzaman. Later, DB Inspector Mostafizur Rahman, also the investigation officer of the case, placed Hifzur at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court seeking a seven-day remand. After the hearing, Metropolitan Magistrate Ataul Haque granted a four-day remand plea for the arrestee.

With Hifzur’s arrest, at least 13 members of JMB, Ansarullah Bangla Team and Harkat-ul-Jihad have so far been arrested over the past week. l

Qulkhwani of Nadira Amin Khan, wife of former BPC director Nurul Amin Khan, who left this world on September 24, will be held today at her Baridhara residence. Well-wishers are requested to join the family in a prayer following Asr prayers. l

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