22 Feb, 2015

Falgun 10, 1421 Jamadiul Awal 2, 1436 Regd No DA 6238 Vol 2, No 318

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

12 pages | Price: Tk12

5 | WORLD

7 | SPOTLIGHT

9 | OP-ED

10 | SPORT

PRO-KREMLIN DEMO VOWS ‘NO MAIDAN’ FOR RUSSIA

THE WORLD BOWS TO LANGUAGE MARTYRS

ABAK HUSSAIN: NO OFFENSE, REALLY

RAIN - A BLESSING IN DISGUISE

No clear hopes for Teesta water share

Nation mourns Language Once against a proposed treaty, Mamata now asks Bangladesh to keep confidence in her Martyrs n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

n Tribune Report West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was apparently more enthusiastic about the implementation of Indo-Bangla Land Boundary Agreement than the Teesta water sharing issue during her talks with the Bangladesh prime minister in Dhaka yesterday.

She addressed the Teesta issue only by asking Bangladesh to keep confidence in her, although she had earlier strongly opposed a proposed treaty between the neighbours.

‘We’ll play a positive role in solving the Teesta issue soon keeping interests of both West Bengal and Bangladesh’ Mamata’s first Dhaka tour in 17 years comes at a time when water flow in the Bangladesh part of the shared river Teesta has been hitting all time lows.

During the 2011 Dhaka tour of the then Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh, the bilateral Teesta water sharing treaty could have been signed had Mamata not strongly opposed.

At that time, she also went against the long-pending ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) in Indian parliament.

Yesterday, the West Bengal chief

minister (CM) assured the Bangladesh prime minister (PM) that the LBA, which Bangladesh ratified long ago, has already been placed in the Indian Lok Sabha and the agreement is likely to be okayed in the upcoming session.

Mamata said she had done everything she could to remove the hurdles in ratifying the LBA, and that was why she told Sheikh Hasina that Bangladesh should have faith on her for solving the water sharing issue as well.

On February 17, water flow in Teesta was measured at 313 cubic feet per second (cusec) – an all time low. Two days later, the flow was measured at 325 cusec – much lower compared to the 500-cusec average last year.

According to sources, the dying flow in the river has forced the authorities to curtail Boro paddy irrigation target to 20,000-25,000 hectares from last year’s 35,000 hectares.

“We all love Bangladesh and try to give importance to its interest … We will play a positive role in solving the Teesta water sharing issue soon by keeping the interests of both West Bengal and Bangladesh in tact,” Mamata yesterday told Sheikh Hasina.

PM Sheikh Hasina gave a warm welcome to the West Bengal CM at Gonobhohon around 12 noon yesterday – the final day of the latter’s three-day tour to Dhaka. At first they had a 15-minute meeting in front of everyone and then talked one-to-one for about half an hour.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

The nation yesterday paid rich tribute to the language martyrs who laid down their lives for their mother tongue Bangla in 1952 amid countrywide blockade and intermittent shutdowns.

President Abdul Hamid led the nation in mourning as he placed wreath at the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar with the clock striking one minute past zero hour on Saturday followed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

After placing the wreaths, they stood there in solemn silence for a moment as a mark of respect to the martyred language movement heroes.

People from all walks of life gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar to pay respect to the Language Martyrs who had sacrificed their lives for establishing Bangla as the state language of erstwhile Pakistan in 1952.

Sheikh Hasina, also president of Awami League, along with her cabinet members, advisers, lawmakers and party leaders placed another wreath on behalf of her party.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Speaker of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom Baroness D’ Souza and Paschimbanga Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar to pay their tributes to the language martyrs.

Walking barefoot to the Central Shaheed Minar with wreaths and flowers singing “Amar bhaiyer rokte rangano Ekushey February,” people one by one

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina embraces West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the Ganabhaban yesterday

BSS

Mashrafe and Co moves on with a point Police: Shibir again plans n mayhem in the country Mazhar Uddin from Gabba, Brisbane

Mashrafe bin Mortaza was a happy skipper when Bangladesh received a share of the pie from their washed out World Cup encounter against the mighty hosts at the great Gabba, Brisbane yesterday.

The veteran was honest in admitting their chances with the four-time world champions Australia and welcomed the point that now puts them third in Pool A, behind New Zealand and Australia (on net run-rate), ahead of nations like England and Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh aimed to play a better brand of cricket in the match where they knew they have a slim chance of coming out as winners.

“I don’t know what would have happened if the game took place. What we thought was that we have nothing to lose and we looked forward to play better cricket. As far as the point is concern its very important for us and we have to be happy with this,” said Mashrafe who also regretted the chance of playing at the great ground.

“It would have been a new experience playing at the Gabba as we never had a chance before. Facing the Australian fast bowlers and bowling at their batsmen would have certainly

helped us in future.”

The washout after a comprehensive win over Afghanistan means Bangladesh remain unbeaten after two matches and hold advantage over the teams they face next.

The Narail Express said, “It will motivate us very much as we have some points now. The boys are very relaxed and confident to play in any condition which is a very good sign. If we can continue like this it will be a good tournament for us insha-allah.”

However, the 31-year old informed of not looking further ahead and said, “Its still a tough ask as we have to win against England or Sri Lanka and Scotland.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Leaders and activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir have been regrouping to conduct massive destruction across the country, Chittagong police claimed yesterday following the arrest of a central leader of the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami along with two other local leaders.

To topple the government, Shibir has planned to carry out subversive activities like 2013, when Jamaat-Shibir men conducted attacks on police, pro-government activists and ordinary people killing dozens centring the delivery of war crimes case verdict against Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee, police say.

The Shibir high-command has allegedly instructed its leaders to visit different district and other units with a view to bridging the gap with root-level activists and fortify the ongoing anti-government movement.

“Shibir’s Central Executive Committee Member Enamul Kabir came to Chittagong on February 12 with a

written message from its President Abdul Jabbar for handing it over to city (north) unit President Nurul Amin,” Kotwali circle Assistant Commissioner Shah Muhammad Abdur Rouf told reporters yesterday.

Acting on a tip-off, police conducted a drive in Bogar Beel area under Bakalia police station around 10pm on Friday

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

2 Barisal BNP men killed in gunfight n Our Correspondent, Barisal

and nabbed Enamul and city unit leaders Mushfique Abrar and Golam Mostafa while holding a secret meeting, he said.

The letter says coordination among the leaders and activists during the movement is so poor that the government cannot be removed with this strength.

Therefore, Chittagong’s root-level leaders and activists have been

A Jubo Dal activist and a Chhatra Dal activist were claimed to have died in a gun battle with police in Barisal yesterday.

Kabir Mollah, 32, son of Hossain Mollah, and Tipu Hawladar, 30, son of Matiur Rahman Hawladar of Nagarbari village, died in the gunfight in Bitharnagar of Agailjhara upazila around 2:15am, said Md Monirul Islam, officerin-charge of Agailjhara police station.

Kabir was a Jubo Dal activist in Agailjhara upazila while Tipu was sports secretary of the upazila’s Chhatra Dal unit.

Tipu was also a student of Shaheed Abdur Rob Serniabat Degree College.

The two were arrested from Ashulia and Keraniganj before being taken to Agailjhara on Friday afternoon. Police then took them along to an operation aimed at arresting their associates at night.

But the cohorts of Kabir and Tipu attacked police at Bitharnagar in a bid

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

‘Since Enamul arrived in the port city, subversive activities have increased'

Bangladeshi-British schoolgirls feared to be on the way to join IS n Tribune Desk Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza looks skywards from the players’ entrance to the ground as rain from Cyclone Marcia delays the start of the 2015 Cricket World Cup match between Australia and Bangladesh at the Gabba cricket stadium in Brisbane yesterday AFP

Three London schoolgirls who have flown to Turkey are feared to be on their way to Syria to join the Islamic State terrorist group, Scotland Yard said Friday.

Two of the girls have been described as speakers of English and Bangla. The third speaks English and Amharic, a language spoken in Ethiopia, police said.

The US State Department estimates that 20,000 people from 100 countries

have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join Islamic State. British authorities say 600 of these jihadi volunteers are from the UK. Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and a third girl, 15, who is not being named at the request of her family, are believed to have secretly fled London Tuesday afternoon on a flight bound for Turkey.

Shamima is possibly travelling under the name of her 17-year-old sister Aklima Begum, police said.

Described as “straight-A students,”

9 | Op-Ed

11 | Sport

INSIDE 2 | News

4 | News

3 | News

5 | World

War criminal Muhammad Kamaruzzaman will file a review petition against the Appellate Division verdict which upheld the tribunal’s death penalty awarded to the Jamaat-e-Islami leader.

Authorities have confirmed the death of three Bangladeshi workers, two of whom were to fly home next month, in a fire in the UAE emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The “Amar Ekushey” was observed with solemn regard and due fervour across the country yesterday. People from all walks of life poured into Shaheed Minars in various districts to pay homage to the language martyrs.

Hundreds of panicked residents fled one of the tallest towers in Dubai early yesterday as a huge fire engulfed the skyscraper, causing extensive damage to its luxury flats.

6 | Entertainment

The London Bangali Film Festival is expected to take place in late September in the UK capital. The programme will be held for five to six days showcasing films and premiers.

The government of Bangladesh recently rejected Saudi Arabia’s attempt to specify that the 120,000 workers it would recruit this year would be “housemaids.”

India appear relaxed and South Africa unsettled, ahead of their World Cup clash today, but the facade could be short-lived when the two Pool B heavyweights take the field.

the three pupils at Bethnal Green Academy are friends of a fourth girl from the same school who travelled to Syria in December, police said.

They travelled from their homes in east London on Tuesday, February 17, and boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul.

At risk for recruitment

Commander Richard Walton, of Scotland Yard’s counter terrorism unit,  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Kamaruzzaman to file review petition n Tribune Report War criminal Muhammad Kamaruzzaman will file a review petition against the Appellate Division verdict which upheld the tribunal’s death penalty

If it dismisses the review petition, Kamaruzzaman can seek presidential mercy to save his neck awarded to the Jamaat-e-Islami leader.

Kamaruzzaman’s lawyer Tajul Islam made the statement while talking to reporters after meeting the Jamaat leader at the Dhaka Central Jail yesterday morning.

The International Crimes Tribunal 2 issued a death warrant for Kamaruzzaman on Thursday, a day after the apex court released full text of its verdict given on November 3 last year.

“Kamaruzzaman believes he will be

acquitted if justice is ensured. He is innocent,” Tajul said.

About the execution of the death warrant, Tajul said: “Kamaruzzaman cannot be executed even an hour before the disposal of the review petition.

“If anyone tries to contradict this statement then they are just showing their incapabilities regarding the knowledge of law or is committing the mistake purposely.”

A team of five lawyers visited Kamaruzzaman at the jail in the morning.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam after the release of the full verdict said the Appellate Division might take maximum a week to hear and dispose of the petition. “If it dismisses the review petition, Kamaruzzaman can seek presidential mercy to save his neck.”

The tribunal sentenced Kamaruzzaman to death on May 9, 2013 for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. Five out of seven charges were proved by the prosecution in the case.

He appealed against the judgement after a month. l

A delegation of BNP place floral wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar premises yesterday on behalf of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia

No clear hopes for Teesta water share  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

Prime Minister’s adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury later briefed journalists about the outcomes of the talks.

“This tour of the West Bengal CM has laid the foundation for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bangladesh tour in future,” the adviser told journalists.

In reply to a query, Iqbal said Mamata was the first to raise the Teesta issue and assured Sheikh Hasina, who she said was like her elder sister, that there should not be any tension.

The adviser said when the PM reminded her about the sufferings of the people living in the enclaves, Mamata said she was aware of the matter.

“That is why we have reached a consensus and I hope that it [LBA] would be passed in the coming session of the Lok Sabha starting February 23,” Iqbal quoted Mamata as saying.

The LBA was signed in 1974 between Indira Gandhi and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, providing for the exchange of enclaves, which are portions of a state entirely surrounded by the territory of another state.

If the LBA is implemented, 51 Bangladesh enclaves within the Indian territory will go to India. Similarly, the

111 Indian enclaves on this side of the boundary will be added to Bangladesh’s territory. The residents of all those 162 enclaves, who have been living without any kind of basic facilities for decades, will be free to choose either of the nationalities.

At the outset of the meeting, Mamata said she was overwhelmed when Bangladesh invited her to join the Amar Ekushey programmes; for this, she thanked the Bangladesh PM. The West Bengal CM said she was a little girl during Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971 and loved listening to the inspirational programmes broadcast by the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, the wartime radio station.

She said the immortal song “Shono Ekti Mujiborer Theke” that pays tribute to Bangladesh’s founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was her favourite.

Other exchanges

Iqbal Sobhan yesterday told journalists that the West Bengal CM had emphasised on enhancing cultural and trade ties between Bangladesh and the West Bengal.

She placed a proposal for forming a committee to arrange joint cultural fes-

tivals with participation of artistes and cultural activists from Bangladesh and West Bengal.

Bangladesh’s Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor will lead the Bangladesh side at the committee, while Mamata Banerjee will nominate a minister from her cabinet.

She also proposed introducing direct bus services from Kolkata to Agartala via Dhaka.

During the meeting, Mamata invited Sheikh Hasina to visit her state to lay the foundation stone of the Bangladesh Bhaban in Kolkata and inaugurate the Bangabandhu Chair at the Biswa Bharati University.

Iqbal said the prime minister has accepted the invitations.

The CM said her government would take initiatives so that Bangladeshi TV channels and movies could be broadcast in West Bengal.

Mamata presented a photograph of Bangabandhu to Sheikh Hasina while the prime minister presented Mamata a picture of a boat, the electoral symbol of Awami League.

While presenting the picture of a boat, the PM told the CM with a smile: “Water remains in the river.” In reply, Mamata said: “Rest assured that there

will be arrangement of water [in the rivers].”

An Indian journalist wanted to know whether any discussion took place on the export of Ilish.

Iqbal said Mamata Banerjee had raised the issue and said jokingly: “We are not getting much Ilish [in West Bangal].” In reply, Sheikh Hasina said Ilish “will go if water comes.”

Later in the afternoon, the Bangladesh prime minister hosted a luncheon in honour of the West Bengal chief minister where the guests were served a number of Ilish-based cuisines. l

Mashrafe and Co moves on with a point  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

We still have four matches left and we are planning match by match which was our target right from the start.”

Meanwhile, the support for the Bangladesh side in Australia so far has been one of a kind and Mashrafe did not forget to thank them and hoped for the same in the coming days. l

Two Barisal BNP men killed

Police: Shibir plans mayhem

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 PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

to snatch the two activists which triggered the gun battle, said OC Monirul.

“The two men died during the shootout,” he added.

The bodies were sent to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital yesterday morning.

Police also recovered five petrol bombs and four weapons from the scene, said Monirul.

He said Assistant Sub Inspector Mustafizur Rahman and Constable Razu of Agailjhara police station were injured during the gunfight and were treated at the upazila health complex.

Police claimed that both the men were accused in about eight cases and were on the run.

The cases were filed, among other incidents, in connection with the killing of three people in an arson attack in Gaurnadi on February 7, setting ablaze a fruit-laden pick-up van on February 9, and torching a BRTC bus on February 14 in Agailjhara.

The duo were also sued for stalking and torturing women.

But Gaurnadi police station Officerin-Charge Sazzad Hossain failed to confirm whether Kabir and Tipu were accused in the case lodged over the February 7 arson attack.

Akon Kuddusur Rahman, district (north) president of Barisal unit of the BNP, and Ebaidul Haque Chan, district (south) president of the unit, condemned the killings. l

instructed to stay united under the leadership of former Jamaat lawmaker Shahjahan Chowdhury.

The Shibir high-command has also instructed the Chittagong unit leaders to join hands with the 20-party alliance organisations especially Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the BNP’s student wing.

Enamul during preliminary interrogation said they planned to carry out massive sabotage acts which had been seen soon after Sayedee’s verdict.

“This time they planned to conduct subversive acts at major fuel stations and other key point installations of the port city to cause major loss to the state,” Rouf told reporters.

“If they succeed, Shibir believes the

government will be compelled to step down under the pressure of world media.”

Quoting Enamul, he said Shibir had plans to spread rumours amongst the common people to shift responsibilities for the acts.

Enamul said after his arrival in Chittagong, he had already met some top local Jamaat-Shibir leaders several times.

“Since he arrived in the port city, subversive activities have increased remarkably,” Rouf claimed.

Enamul and the two others were shown arrested in a case filed with Kotwali police over arson, blast and vandalism on February 16.

Producing him before a court, police yesterday sought 10-day remand for Enamul for questioning in the case. l

Bangladeshi-British schoolgirls feared to be on the way to join IS  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

described the girls as “straight-A students” and “normal girls.”

“If we are able to locate these girls while they are in Turkey, there is a possibility we can bring them home to their families,” he said.

Scotland Yard stressed the appeal was not about “criminalising people, it is about preventing tragedies by offering support to the young and vulnerable.”

Police believe the trio may still be in Turkey as heavy snows have limited travel capacity.

Police said Shamina is 5ft 7in tall, and wearing black thick rimmed glasses, a black hijab, light brown and black leopard print scarf, dark red jumper, black trousers and jacket, carrying a dark blue cylindrical shape holdall with white straps.

Kadiza is 5ft 6in tall, of slim build and wearing black-rimmed glasses, a long black jacket with a hood, grey striped scarf, grey jumper, dark red trousers, carrying a black holdall.

Both are British nationals, speak English with London accents and also speak Bengali.

The third girl is 5ft 6in, of slim build, wearing black thick rimmed glasses, black head scarf, long dark green jacket with fur lined hood, light yellow long sleeved top, black trousers, white trainers carrying a black Nike holdall.

She speaks English and Amharic.

The girls left their homes before 8am, giving their families reason to wonder why they would be out for the day, police said.

It is now apparent that they met and travelled to Gatwick airport, whose surveillance cameras have captured their images as they completed preflight formalities.

They boarded Turkish Airlines flight TK1966 which left for Istanbul, Turkey, at 12:40pm British local time.

Jihadi brides Many female international volunteers for the IS movement seek to become jihadi brides, counter terrorism experts said.

Dr Erin Saltman, from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, which offers independent expertise in counter-terrorism, said IS propaganda targets young women specifically with the promise of being part of a humanitarian movement.

She said: “They are the wives and mothers of the future jihadists so quite a lot of dedication and time has been put into trying to allure these younger women to come and join in these efforts.

“They are very much restricted to the house and home for the most part.

There is strict sharia law in the region.”

The Scotland Yard’s Walton said: “We are extremely concerned for the safety of these young girls and would urge anyone with information to come forward and speak to police.

“Our priority is the safe return of these girls to their families.

“We are reaching out to the girls using the Turkish media and social media in the hope that Shamima, Kadiza and their friend hear our messages, hear our

concerns for their safety and have the courage to return now, back to their families who are so worried about them.”

The girls’ families are reported to be devastated by their teenagers’ decisions, and a sense of sorrow and shock has swept through the girls’ community.

A fellow Bethnal Green Academy student, identified only as Sadek, said it was “really sad” and urged the girls to return home.

The spokesman for the East London Mosque, Salman Farsi, said the girls had been “misled.”

Walton said: “We are concerned about the numbers of girls and young women who have or are intending to travel to the part of Syria that is controlled by the terrorist group calling themselves Islamic State.”

“It is an extremely dangerous place and we have seen reports of what life is like for them and how restricted their lives become. It is not uncommon for girls or women to be prevented from being allowed out of their houses or if allowed out, only when accompanied

RAJIB DHAR

Khaleda skips visiting Shaheed Minar, organises doa in her office n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday organised a doa mahfil at her Gulshan office to pay respects to the martyrs of language movement after she skipped her customary visit to Central Shaheed Minar in the early hours.

“The doa mahfil was held at the Gulshan office after Asr prayers and BNP chairperson was present there,” Khaleda’s Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan told the Dhaka Tribune.

This is the first time after joining politics that Khaleda has skipped her customary visit to the Central Shaheed Minar on International Mother Language Day. She has been staying at her Gulshan office since January 3, demanding election under a non-partisan interim government.

To realise the demands, she enforced countrywide transport blockade programme from January 6 for an in-

definite period.

Meanwhile, Khaleda’s Advisor Enam Ahmed Chowdhury along with some BNP leaders and activists placed floral wreaths at the Shaheed Minar on

This is the first time after joining politics that Khaleda has skipped her customary visit to the Central Shaheed Minar behalf of the party yesterday morning.

Enam Ahmed said: “Begum Zia could not come to pay respect to the Language Martyrs because of the overall situation and security issues. We have placed a wreath on her behalf and another on behalf of the party.” l

Nation mourns Language  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

went to the altar to commemorate the heroes of the Language Movement to whom the whole nation is indebted.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia did not visit the Central Shaheed Minar this year. A delegation of BNP, led by Khaleda Zia’s adviser went to the Central Shaheed Minar with party activists in the morning to pay homage to the language martyrs on behalf of the party.

Political parties and their subsidiary organisations as well as socio-cultural organisations also paid homage to the language martyrs by placing wreaths.

On February 21, 1952, students and the common people in Dhaka had taken to the streets in protest against the then Pakistani government’s denial of Bangla

as the national language and imposition of Urdu as the sole official language of Pakistan. Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar and a few other brave sons of the soil were killed in police firings on this day in 1952 when students came out in processions from the Dhaka University campus defying section 144 to press home their demand for the recognition of Bangla as a state language of the then Pakistan.

The Pakistan government was ultimately compelled to incorporate an article in the constitution on February 29, 1956 that declared “the state language of Pakistan shall be Urdu and Bengali.”

The protest sparked on February 21 in 1952 progressed into the long-drawn struggle that eventually led to the birth of independent Bangladesh in 1971.l

by a guardian.

“The choice of returning home from Syria is often taken away from those under the control of Islamic State, leaving their families in the UK devastated and with very few options to secure their safe return.

“If we are able to locate these girls whilst they are still in Turkey, we have a good possibility of being able to bring them home to their families.”

In October, three Colorado teen girls were detained in Germany after federal authorities said they were on their way to Syria to join IS. A few months earlier, certified nurse’s aide Shannon Conley, 19, was stopped at Denver Airport on her way to Syria to marry an IS fighter she met online. A US federal court later sentenced her to four years in prison.

Last year, twin teenage sisters, Zahra and Salma Halane, disappeared from their home in Manchester and flew to Istanbul, bound for Syria.

It is thought the girls, who were just 16 at the time and were academic high

fliers, followed their older brother who is believed to be a jihadist fighter in the region.

The pair, who had dreamed of pursuing medical careers, later became jihadi brides, but were widowed when both their husbands were killed fighting for IS. Earlier this month, one of the sisters posted images from Syria showing her completing self-defence training with AK47s and handguns.

In December, it was revealed that a 15-year-old girl had been prevented from joining IS after police dramatically stopped her flight on the runway at Heathrow.

The teenager, from Tower Hamlets, London, had secretly saved up money for her flight to Turkey, without her parents’ knowledge in the hope of travelling on to Syria.

But counter-terrorism officers, who had been tipped over about her plans, raced to the airport and stopped her plane which had already begun taxiing on to the runway. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Khaleda a national disgrace, says Joy n Abu Hayat Mahmud

A gang of hoodlums harassing a girl (blurred in the picture on left) in Suhrawardy Udyan after they dragged her from the Book Fair premises in broad daylight yesterday. (In the second picture) One of the miscreants trying to grab the camera as he spots the photographer taking the snap of their wrongdoings. Witnesses said several other similar incidents happened in the Udyan yesterday amid huge rush of visitors DHAKA TRIBUNE

Families of Abu Dhabi blaze victims call for remains to be sent back

Minor boys fall victim to bomb blast and road accident

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

n Tribune Report

An 11-year-old schoolboy sustained serious injuries to his leg in an abandoned crude bomb blast in the capital’s Azimpur area yesterday when he started playing with the bomb, thinking it was a ball.

The victim, Emon Hossain, is a class-V student of Azimpur Adarsha School and lives with his grandfather Ashraf Ali near Moddhya Colony area.

Lalbagh police station Sub-Inspector Saiful Islam said three crude bombs were lying abandoned under a tree in the Moddhya Colony area. Around 12:30pm Emon and his two friends, Nayeem and Tanjil, were playing in the area. At one point, Emon found the crude bombs wrapped in red tapes.

“Emon threw one of the bombs towards a wood apple tree to knock a fruit out of the tree but it fell down and blasted near his left leg. We brought him to the police station and after primary treatment he was taken to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH),” he told the Dhaka Tribune over phone.

Meanwhile, a 10-year-old boy Mamun died in a road accident in Mohakhali in the capital yesterday.

Around 11am some unidentified motor vehicle hit Mamun on the slope of the flyover. A team of army personnel took him to the Combined Military Hospital.

As his condition deteriorated he was referred to DMCH where he died around 4pm at ward no 204, Mamun’s father Arif, a beetle leaf trader by profession, told reporters at DMCH. Mamun used to live with his parents in Korail Slum in Mohakhali. His mother Chan Banu works at a restaurant.

Arif said a team of army was passing by when the accident took place. They rescued Mamun from the spot.

“A case was filed against the unidentified vehicle,” said Mozammel Haque, DMCH police outpost in-charge. l

WEATHER

PARTLY CLOUDY

Authorities have confirmed the death of three Bangladeshi workers, two of whom were to fly home next month, in a fire in the UAE emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The family members of the three blaze victims appealed to have their loved ones’ remains repatriated so that they can buried in their home districts.

They urged the government to take immediate steps to bring the bodies home.

The three deceased, all from Chittagong district, were burnt to death in the early hours of Friday in a fire at a two-storey building in Abu Dhabi’s Mussafah industrial area.

Abdus Shukkur, Selim Uddin and Enamul Haque, from Chittagong’s Fatikchhari and Raozan upazilas, were killed in the blaze.

Two other Chittagong men were among 5 Bangladeshis severely injured

in the blaze.

Sekandar and Mohiuddin of Raozan upazila sustained injuries in the fire that left 10 dead and thirty injured, all of them migrant workers of various nationalities.

The ground floor of the two-storey building housed several trade stores and car repair shops and the second floor, designated as a warehouse, was illegally rented to workers, according to the Khaleej Times.

The fire broke out at around 3:30am following a loud explosion, nearby residents said.

Nearby residents said the building’s shops contained compressors and gas cylinders.

The owner of the building had been taken into custody by Abu Dhabi police, the Khaleej Times report said.

Shukkur’s only son, six-year-old Tanvir Wasfi, said his father moved abroad for work when he was an eight-

Youth ‘beaten to death’ by police n Our Correspondent, Faridpur Police allegedly beat to death 25-yearold Asadul in Miapara village of Kalamridha Union in Faridpur’s Bhanga upazila yesterday.

In protest of this killing, locals brought out a procession with the dead body on the Bhanga-Maowa highway, demanding the alleged policemen be brought to justice. They also uprooted a tree and blocked the road.

Sources say, SI Rasel and SI Mukul Khan from Bhanga jail raided the village yesterday and arrested several suspected youths for being involved in “welcome-tune party,” and demanded a large sum of money from them.

“Welcome-tune party” locally is known as the group of people who use disguise of mobile operators and make scam phone calls to local users, telling them they have won the “lottery” and asking the “winners” to forward a sum of money to a certain phone number.

Asadul was arrested by the police on being involved in a group that carries out these scams, and was asked for a heavy sum of bribe.

When Asadul failed to give the money, they beat him up and severely injured him, according to sources.

At one point, the they strangled him with an iron chain, causing immediate death.

Nazrul Islam Hawladar, a local villager, said: “SI Rasel and Mukul demanded Tk3lakh from Asadul. Despite our repeated and desperate requests to let him go, they severely beat him with an iron chain in front of us. Then, as we watched, he fell to his death.”

Later, angry locals chased the police, who allegedly dropped the corpse on a haystack and fled the scene.

Family members and local villagers then uprooted a tree and blocked the Bhanga-Maowa highway in protest, causing long tailbacks on both sides of the road.

DHAKA

n UNB

TOMORROW SUN RISES 6:25AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY 27 29 26 25 29 28 25 28

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

The SSC and its equivalent examinations, scheduled for today and 28, have been shifted to February 28 and March 6 respectively.

The government rescheduled the examinations as the BNP-led alliance called another spell of 72-hour hartal from 6am today. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid announced the new dates for the two examinations at a press conference at his Hare Road residence after an emergency meeting.

As per the new schedule, Sunday’s examinations – Chemistry, Civics and

20 19 18 17 18 19 17 21

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

32.6ºC Mongla

13.3ºC Srimangal

Source: Accuweather/UNB

5:11am 6:26am 12:12am 4:19pm 5:58pm 7:14 pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

War criminal Mohammad Kamaruzzaman’s lawyer Tajul Islam talking to the journalists after meeting the Jamaat leader at Dhaka Central Jail yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

AL discussion today

The ruling Awami League is set organise a discussion today marking the International Mother Language Day at Krishibid Institution of the capital. Party President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the meeting. l

Chhatra League men assault four Barisal freedom fighters n Our Correspondent, Barisal Activists of Chhatra League’s Barisal University unit assaulted freedom fighters early yesterday over the order of laying wreaths at Barisal Shaheed Minar, injuring at least four.

Of the four, three are Abdul Kader, Ehsan Rabbi, member secretary of Muktijoddhar Santan Command, and AMG Kabir Bhulu.

Two of the injured were treated at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

AMG Kabir Bhulu, a freedom fighter and former deputy commander of Muktijoddha Sangsad’s Barisal unit, said district Awami League Secretary and lawmaker Advocate Talukdar Md Yunus and Workers Party lawmaker

Citizenship/Civics and Bebosayee Udyug under general education boards and General Math under Madrasah Education Board – will be held on Saturday, February 28.

Besides, Tuesday’s examinations – Geography and Environment/Geography/Commercial Geography of general education boards and Bangla under Madrasah Education Board – will be held on Friday, March 6.

Observing that the government along with 15 lakh examinees and their guardians are worried, Nahid said they rescheduled the examinations considering the security of the students. l

Heidelberg meets its partners n Tribune Report

PRAYER TIMES Fajr Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

Upon receiving this information, Bhanga Upazilla Chairman Md Shahadat Hossain and Bhanga Upazilla Nirbahi Officer Md Alamgir Hossain went to investigate the situation.

Shahadat Hossain said: “Bhanga jail police often harasses innocent youths and takes bribe from them.” He told the angry locals to protest if police without uniform comes to the locality and arrests someone in the future. He also demanded exemplary punishment for members of the police force involved.

“For a while now, the police have been involved in a trade of extorting money from innocent youths through bribe,” former union parishad chairman Nurul Huq Mia said, further demanding exemplary punishment for the accused policemen.

Officer-in-Charge of Bhanga police station Nazmul Islam and Superintendent of Fairdpur police Jamil Hasan could not be reached for comments. l

devastated her and the couple’s three children.

“How can we live now?” she asked, weeping.

Her sons, themselves overcome with grief, could do little to console their mother.

Sobhan Sowdagor, a resident of Raozan upazila’s Noapara area, wept silently after hearing of his son Ekramul’s death.

The elderly man said he had spoken with his son a few days ago and could not believe his son had died.

“Carrying one’s own child’s dead body is the saddest thing a father can experience,” he said.

Sekandar and Mohiuddin, the two Raozan upazila men who managed to survive, were critically injured in the fire.

At least 10 migrant workers including the three Bangladeshis were killed and 30 others were injured in the fire. l

Today and Tuesday’s SSC exams rescheduled

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22 TODAY SUN SETS 5:58PM

month old baby.

“I have no memory of direct contact with my father. I grew up seeing his photos and talking with him on the phone. I was planning how I would spend my time with him when he came on March 3. But he is gone,” said the little boy, crying.

Popi Akhter, Shukkur’s wife, was seen weeping loudly for her husband to be returned to her.

Shukkhur, from Suabil in Fatikchhari upazila, was said to have bought many items for the family in preparation for coming home but everything had been destroyed in the blaze.

A similar scene of grief and despair was to be found at the Babunagar home in Fatikchhari upazila of another victim of the fire, Selim Uddin.

Selim’s wife Sakhara Begum said her husband was scheduled to come to Bangladesh on March 1.

She said the news of his death had

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son and ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy yesterday said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia had proved herself a national disgrace refusing to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement.

“I cannot but note with shame that the leader of the ‘other’ political party in Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia, has refused to go pay her respects to the memory of our martyrs at Shaheed Minar,” said a post on the official Facebook page of Joy. Expressing astonishment at those who support Khaleda, Joy said: “How can you [BNP leaders] support someone who [Khaleda] does not even respect the martyrs of our Language Movement and indeed our independence? How can you support someone who partners with Jamaat and their war criminals? How can you support someone who orders women and children to be burned alive?

“Khaleda Zia is not a national leader.

She is a national disgrace.”

Meanwhile, Relief and Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya yesterday called upon the BNP chief to return to the path of democracy shunning the politics of vengeance.

“If you have respect for democracy, then stop killing general people and petrol bomb attacks,” he said after placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar on behalf of the Dhaka City unit Awami League. Food Minister and Joint General Secretary Quamrul Islam was also present.

Maya, also the general secretary of the city unit, said the next general election would be held in 2019. “The BNP may go to power if the people want.”

Quamrul said the BNP-Jamaat alliance wanted to destroy the spirit of Language Movement by continuing militant activities and terrorism.

He requested people to unite against the BNP-Jamaat’s nationwide violence.

HeidelbergCement has recently arranged a colorful event with its channel partners at Radisson Hotel in the capital, says a media release. ScanCement and RubyCement are two popular brands of the company. All business partners of the duo along with their families joined the programme.

In the event, Syed Abu Abed Saher, director-marketing & sales of HeidelbergCement Bangladesh Limited and other high officials of the company exchanged views with partners, among whom yearly performance rewards were distributed also. l

Tipu Sultan first laid wreaths at Shaheed Minar at midnight.

The name of the divisional commissioner was then announced but Chhatra League activists, led by the vice-chancellor of Barisal University, defied the order and forcefully laid wreaths at Shaheed Minar.

The activists of Barisal Sangskritik Sangsad, who were in charge of ensuring discipline on Shaheed Minar premises, protested the violation of order, but Chhatra League activists got angry and beat up the freedom fighters on the road in front of Shaheed Minar.

Police later arrived on the scene and brought the situation under control.

No Chhatra League leader of Barisal University could be reached for comment. l

BGB-BSF meeting to improve relation

n Our Correspondent, Chuadanga A company commander level flag meeting was held between BGB and BSF on Chakulia border in Damurhuda upazila yesterday.

The 40-minute meeting started at 12pm, in which BGB Thakurgaon Company Commander Shafiqul Islam and 113 BSF battalion Maluapar Company Commander AC Haris Chowdhury led their respective teams. Earlier, another such type of BOP commander level meeting was held on Hariharonagar frontier in Jibannagar upazila around 11:30am. The discussion included minimising damages of croplands in both countries, drug smuggling and human trafficking. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, February 22, 2015

People pay respect to language martyrs across the country n Tribune Report The “Amar Ekushey”, also the International Mother Language Day, was observed with solemn regard and due fervour across the country yesterday.

With the clock striking 12am, people from all walks of life poured into Central Shaheed Minar in various districts to pay their homage to those who laid down their lives to establish Bangla as a state language on February 21 in 1952.

Our Sylhet correspondent reports: People from all walks of life thronged the Sylhet central Shaheed Minar to pay their respects to language martyrs on the occasion of Language Martyrs Day and International Mother Language Day. Walking barefoot to the Shaheed Minar with flowers singing ‘Amar bhaiyer rokte rangano Ekushey February’, leaders and activists of different socio-political and cultural organizations paid their respects to language heroes.

Shaheed Minar Bastabayan Parishad first placed wreaths at the altar of the Shaheed Minar at one minute-past zero hour. Then different political parties,

their front bodies and socio- cultural organizations, including Sylhet district and city unit of Awami League, Muktijodha Sangsad, district and city unit BNP, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, BSD and Ganotantri Party placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar.

In Chuadanga, the Language Martyrs’ Day and the International Mother Language Day was observed by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar in Chuadanga.

Deputy Commissioner Delwar Hossain, district Superintendent of Police (SP) Rashidul Hasan, Chuadanga municipality Mayor Riajul Islam Joarder and various cultural and political organisations paid tribute at the Shaheed Minar at the Chuadanga Govt.

College premises. Later a procession was brought out followed by a colourful drawing and handwriting competition among children at the Chuadanga Press Club.

In Comilla, people in Comilla observed the day with a vision to create a secular and democratic Bangladesh.

In the first hour of the day, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Rail-

ways Minister Mujibul Haq Mujib, Comilla Sadar MP AKM Bahauddin Bahar, Comilla Deputy Commissioner Hasanuzzaman Kollol, SP Tutul Chakrabarty and various organisations paid tribute to the language martyrs at Central Shaheed Minar at the city’s town hall.

The tribute kept pouring in throughout the day from students, teachers, NGO leaders, cultural organisations and educational institutions.

Jessore correspondent said Deputy Commissioner of the district Dr Humayun Kabir led the tribute procession by placing wreaths at Central Shaheed Minar at 12:01am yesterday. He was followed by Principal of MM College Namita Rani Das, SP Anisur Rahman, Civil Surgeon and district Awami League leaders.

People from all walks of life joined the procession towards the Shaheed Minar to pay their tribute. Later they took an oath to put an end to the on going political violence.

Jhalokati correspondent said the ceremony of the day began right at 12:01am with the placing of wreaths at Central Shaheed Minar of the district.

Deputy Commissioner Mohd Shakha-

AL office catches fire in Kishoreganj n Our Correspondent, Kishoreganj

Two injured in crude bomb blast in Chittagong

A local Awami League office and its attached autorickshaw garage were gutted in a fire in Faridpur bazar of Kuliarchar upazila early yesterday, said police.

However, none was reportedly injured in the blaze that took place to Faridpur Union unit AL office around 12:30am.

Local sources said fire fighters from Kuliarchar Fire Service and Civil Defence being informed rushed to the scene, but all belongings of the two establishments had already turned into ashes in the fire.

Faridpur union unit AL General Secretary Shahidul Islam alleged that blockaders set the fire and they were going to take legal action in this regard.

When asked about the leader’s accusation, Kuliarchar police station OC Chowdhury Mizanuzzaman Khan said: “The reason behind the fire can be said after proper investigation. I am going to visit the spot.”

On the other hand, the garage’s owner Abul Hossain claimed that he incurred a loss of Tk35 lakh from the blaze. l

n FM Mizanur Rahaman, Chittagong Two people sustained splinter injuries in a crude bomb blast yesterday in Chittagong. It was alleged that they were carrying the bombs. The incident took place at Segunbagan area of Pahartali under Khulshi Police Station in the city after noon.

The injured, Monir Hossen, 35, and Shah Alam Monu, 30, were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH), said Nayek Hamidur Rahaman of CMCH Police Outpost.

Sukanto Chawkrabarty, inspector

Rapid Action Battalion yesterday in a drive recovered 12 petrol bombs from Munshipara area in the town and arrested two persons in this connection.

According to police sources, on a tip-off, a team of RAB conducted the

Deputy Commissioner GSM Jafarullah, SP Khandkar Faridul Islam, Sadar Upazila Chairman Pavelur Rahman Shafiq Khan and Municipality Mayor Khalid Hossain Yaad placed their wreaths in the early hours.

Naogaon correspondent said the programme kicked off in Naogaon by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar.

Deputy Commissioner Md Enamul Haque, MP of Naogaon Sadar Abdul Malek, SP Md Kaimuzzaman Khan, Civil Surgeon Dr Motahar Hossain Bulbul, family members of language martyr Dr Manzur Hossain and civil society members paid their tributes one by one.

Later, ADM Abdul Bari, president of Ekushey celebration committee, administered a public oath where people prayed for the departed souls of the language martyrs and promised to uphold the spirit of the language movement.

Jamalpur correspondent said State Minister for Textiles and Jute Mirza Azam was the first person to place the wreath at Central Shaheed Minar followed by district administration, freedom fighters, police, zila

parishad, upazila parishad, political parties, educational institutes, press club and various social and cultural organisations.

Discussion programmes, drawing and handwriting competitions and cultural functions were organised to observe the day in the district town.

In Munshiganj, in the first hour of the day, Deputy Commissioner Md Saiful Hasan Badal, SP Biplab Bijoy Talukder, District Muktizoddha Commander Anisuzzaman Anis, Zila Parishad Chief Executive Soudagar Mustafizur Rahamn, Administrative Officer Md. Akram Ali, Principals of Govt Haraganga College and Iajuddin Ahmed Model College paid homage to the language movement martyrs by placing wreaths at the district Central Shaheed Minar in Munshiganj.

Besides, Awami League, BNP, Zila Sammilito Sangskritik Jote, Munshiganj Press Club and other organizations paid their tributes.

They stood there in silence for a minute in honour of the language heroes. In the morning a good number of people attended the rally. l

(investigation) of Khulshi Police Station, said a crude bomb went off inside a brick and sand shop named Jamal Enterprise, within 200 yard of the Pahartali Degree College, in Segunbagan, Khulshi at around 1pm, leaving the two injured.

Monu is son of Jamal Hossain, the owner of the shop, said Inspector Sukanto. During primary investigation police found that the duo were allegedly carrying the crude bombs meant for subversive activities when the bomb went off, said the police official adding that the injured were admitted at CMCH under police custody after the incident. l

12 bombs recovered; 2 arrested n Our Correspondent, Dinajpur

wat Hossain, SP Md Mazid Ali, district Awami League President Sardar Md Shah Alam, General Secretary of Jhalokati Press Club Akkas Sikdar, General Secretary of Reporters’ Unity SM Rezaul Karim and other civil society leaders paid their tributes one after another.

Associate organisations of the Jatiya Party and Awami League also paid their respect.

Kurigram correspondent reports: The day was observed with due fervour in Kurigram. In the first hour of the day, district administration, various political, social, cultural and civic society organisations paid tribute by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar.

A procession was brought out at 8am which was well attended by a number of people. Besides, blood donation programme, cultural activities and competitions were also organised to mark the day.

The Indian enclaves situated inside Bangladesh also celebrated the day.

Madaripur correspondent said people queued up at the Central Shaheed Minar at Lakeside area of Madaripur to pay their tribute.

raid at a shop and recovered the petrol bombs concealed in a basket.

The law enforcement agency also arrested the shop owner and Jamaat cadre Haroon-or-Rasheed, 40, and his employee Daven Chandra Das, 30, for stockpiling the explosives to carryout sabotage. l

Kids queue up to pay tribute to the language martyrs at a makeshift Shaheed Minar at Deing Para of Godagari upazila of Rajshahi. In the absence of a proper Shaheed Minar in the area, Adivasi locals and teachers built one with sticks and papers. About 300 people in the area placed their wreaths at this Shaheed Minar. The photo was taken at Karitas School yesterday AZAHAR UDDIN

Three killed in road accidents in 3 districts n Tribune Report At least two people were killed in road accidents in Joypurhat, Panchagarh and Narayanganj districts yesterday.

Our Joypurhat correspondent reports: A motorcyclist was killed in a road accident in Pakortali area of the district in the morning.

The victim was identified as Firoz Hossain, 38, son of Entaj Ali of Jamalganj Bazar area under Joypurhat Police Station.

The accident took place around 9.30

am when a vehicle locally called “votvoti” collided with a motorcycle carrying Firoz in Pakortali area, leaving him dead on the spot, said Abdur Rashid, officer-in-charge of Joypurhat police station.

In Narayanganj, a minor girl was killed in a road accident in Fatulla area of Sadar upazila in the morning.

The deceased was identified as Lamia, 10, daughter of Amanullah Miah of Bholail area. She was a Class-III student of Bholail Govt Primary School.

SI Golam Mostafa of Fatulla police station said the accident took place in Bholail

area around 10am when a battery-run auto-rickshaw ran over Lamia while she was crossing the road on her way to school, leaving her dead on the spot.

Police arrested three-wheeler driver Sohel, he added.

Our Panchagarh correspondent said a minor boy was killed in a road accident on the Tetulia-Banglabandha Highway at Ranchandi village in Tetulia upazila.

The victim was identified as Bayojid Shah, 08, son of Mozibar Rahman of Ranchandi village under the upazila. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

5

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Huge blaze guts 79-floor Dubai skyscraper n AFP, Dubai

This picture released from N Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) yesterday, shows a drill for striking and seizing island at an undisclosed location in N Korea

AFP

Hundreds of panicked residents fled one of the tallest towers in Dubai early yesterday as a huge fire engulfed the skyscraper, causing extensive damage to its luxury flats.

The inferno gutted the upper part of the 79-storey Torch tower, triggering an evacuation of nearby blocks in the Dubai Marina neighbourhood, an AFP correspondent reported.

Amateur footage posted online showed fire engulfing the upper floors of the tower – home to hundreds of expatriates – with debris falling onto the road as strong winds fanned the flames.

Resident Mehdi Ansari told AFP that the fire alarm sounded at around 2 am (2200 GMT).

Civil defence teams cleared the building, which at 336 metres (1,105 feet) is one of the world’s tallest residential towers.

Dubai police said there were no fatalities but seven people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

A civil defence department statement said the fire began on the 51st floor and swept across the tower’s facade affecting 20 storeys.

Major General Rashid Thani al-Matroushi, director of Dubai civil defence, said firefighters were able to stop the fire spreading to nearby buildings.

Firefighters battled the blaze for more than two hours, before hundreds of residents of nearby towers were allowed to return to their apartments.

Ansari, who lives on the tower’s 27th floor, praised the emergency services for dealing with the blaze.

Dubai Marina is a popular expat neighbourhood that has a high concentration of residential towers. It is also a major tourist attraction.

In 2012, a huge blaze gutted the 34-storey Tamweel Tower in the nearby Jumeirah Lake Towers district. It was later revealed to have been caused by a cigarette butt thrown into a bin.

Also yesterday, local media reported that 10 foreign labourers had perished in a fire that destroyed a makeshift hostel above a tyre shop in Abu Dhabi.

Eight others were injured in the blaze that gutted the two-storey building in the Mussaffah district on Friday, Gulf News daily reported, saying that the unlicensed accommodation above the shop was originally a storage area. l

Pro-Kremlin demo vows ‘no Maidan’ for Russia Yemen's ex-President n AFP, Moscow

Thousands of pro-Kremlin activists took to the streets of central Moscow yesterday vowing to prevent a Ukrainestyle uprising in Russia.

The rally by the Anti-Maidan movement marked one year since scores of demonstrators were gunned down in Ukraine’s pro-Western uprising that came to be known as the Maidan protests.

“Ukraine’s example has taught us a lot, and we won’t allow a Maidan in our country!” organisers said ahead of the rally in support of President Vladimir Putin.

“Putinism forever,” said a handmade banner held by an elderly woman, while a column of Cossacks bran-

Rajnath: Culprits in document leaks will be punished

n Agencies In the wake of the sensational corporate-espionage case which has rocked the country, home minister Rajnath Singh yesterday said that those involved in the scandal would not be spared and strictest punishment would be meted out to them. He said the police probe into this case will soon unravel the truth about everything.

Talking to reporters in here at a function, he said, “Jaldi doodh ka doodh, paani ka paani ho jayega (Everything will be clear soon). No guilty person would be spared and strictest punishment would be given to them.”

The home minister also did not rule out a nexus between middlemen and government officials in the case. He said, “It is possible. I am not ruling out any possibility. Delhi Police investigating the whole issue. I think the issue will come to light very soon.” l

Unicef: 89 boys abducted by South Sudan armed group

n AP, Kampala An armed group in South Sudan has abducted 89 boys in a northern state, the UN children’s agency said yesterday.

The boys, some as young as 13, were abducted near Malakal, the capital of Upper Nile state, according to a Unicef statement.

The children were abducted while doing their exams in the town of Wau Shilluk, said the statement, citing a Unicef education team.

Armed men surrounded the community and searched house by house, forcibly taking boys older than 12, said witnesses, according to the Unicef statement.

“The recruitment and use of children by armed forces destroys families and communities. Children are exposed to incomprehensible levels of violence, they lose their families and their chance to go to school,” said Jonathan Veitch, the Unicef representative in South Sudan.

It is not clear which group carried out the abductions.

Watchdog groups have persistently accused South Sudan’s warring factions of actively recruiting and using child soldiers. l

dished a placard reading “The Maidan is a disease. We will treat it.”

After the Kiev uprising ousted Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych last February, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and has since backed a separatist insurgency in the east of the country.

Moscow police said some 35,000 turned up for yesterday’s event.

The marchers, some dressed in fatigues, waved Russian flags and many sported the black and orange St. George ribbon, a symbol of victory over Nazi Germany that Ukrainian separatists have adopted as their badge of honour.

“Yankee go home and take the Maidan with you,” read a massive banner carried by several people.

Established early this year, the umbrella movement includes several groups representing bikers, Cossacks, athletes and Russian veterans of the Afghan and Chechen wars, some of whom have fought alongside rebels in eastern Ukraine.

One of the movement’s leaders, Nikolai Starikov, said the march was their first major rally aimed at discouraging the pro-Western opposition from plotting a coup in Russia.

“Don’t even try. Don’t make any attempts to rock the boat in Russia,” he said in televised remarks.

State-controlled television gave ample coverage to yesterday’s event and said similar rallies had been held across the country.

The opposition plans a protest on March 1 against the Ukraine conflict as well as Russia’s economic crisis, which has been exacerbated by Western sanctions over Moscow’s support for the separatists.

Earlier this week a Moscow court jailed top opposition activist Alexei Navalny for two weeks in a move that will most likely prevent him from leading next weekend’s rally.

The protest is set to take place in southeastern Moscow, after authorities denied permission for the activists to march through the city centre.

Putin remains Russia’s most popular politician despite hardships brought on by the economic crisis and several rounds of Western sanctions. l

China protests at Indian PM’s visit to disputed border region n Reuters, Shanghai China has lodged an official protest against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to a border region claimed by both countries.

China disputes the entire territory of the northeast Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, calling it south Tibet. Its historic town Tawang, a key site for Tibetan Buddhism, was briefly occupied by Chinese forces during a 1962 war.

“The Chinese government has never recognised the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’,” a statement on the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s website said on Friday, adding that Modi’s visit was “not conducive” to developing bilateral relations.

Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhen-

min told India’s Ambassador to China Ashok Kantha yesterday that China was firmly opposed to the visit.

“The Indian side’s insistence on arranging activities by leaders in the disputed region infringes on China’s territorial sovereignty and interests, magnifies the dispute on the border issue, and violates the consensus to appropriately handle the border issue,” a separate ministry statement cited Liu as saying.

Modi visited Arunachal Pradesh on Friday to inaugurate the opening of a train line and power station. He did not mention China but pledged billions of dollars of investment to develop infrastructure in the region.

“I assure you that you will wit-

ness more development in the state in the next five years than it has seen in the last 28 years,” Modi said, addressing a huge crowd.

Faster transport links and exploitation of Arunachal Pradesh’s hydro-electric potential are the keys to fighting poverty and bringing about rapid development in the frontier state, he said.

In January, China objected to statements by Japan’s Foreign Ministry supporting India’s claim to the region. A visit by US President Barack Obama to India in January was widely seen as a sign Modi is moving closer to the United States, to offset rising Chinese influence in Asia and, in particular, intensifying activity by the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean. l

Ukraine conflict to dominate talks as Kerry lands in London n Reuters, London US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in London yesterday for meetings with his British counterpart, and a senior official said they would discuss possible penalties that could be imposed against Russia if violence in eastern Ukraine continues.

The senior US official said the Ukrainian conflict was expected to dominate the talks between Kerry and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond. The discussions would also cover the fighting in Syria and Iraq, Nigeria’s upcoming election as well as the Israeli-Palestinian situation, the official said.

Ukraine accused Moscow on Friday of sending more tanks and troops into eastern Ukraine despite a European-brokered truce that went into force last Sunday.

Moscow did not immediately respond to the accusation but has always denied accusations in the past that its forces are fighting in Ukraine.

“There is no question there have been a huge number of violations (of the ceasefire),” the senior US official told reporters. “The question is what is the status of where we think this is going from here and what are the costs that should be imposed,” the official added.

View galleryMembers of the Ukrainian armed forces ride a tank near … Members of the Ukrainian armed forces ride a tank near Artemivsk, eastern Ukraine, February 21, 2015 …

Washington warned Russia on Friday that the continued support of separatists fighting in Ukraine was a direct threat to the “modern global order.”

Western nations have clung to the diplomatic route in dealing with the conflict, even though the rebels seized the strategic town of Debaltseve, in defiance of the ceasefire brokered by Germany and France, inflicting one of the worst defeats on Kiev in the 10-month-old conflict.

US President Barack Obama’s

administration has said it is considering deepening sanctions against Moscow and is weighing the possibility of arming Ukraine’s military to defend itself.

The US official said the London discussions would also focus on Nigeria’s upcoming election on March 28, which was postponed earlier this month, and increased violence by militant group Boko Haram.

View galleryMembers of the Ukrainian armed forces ride an armoured … Members of the Ukrainian armed forces ride an armoured personnel carrier near Artemivsk, eastern Ukr …

The United States has said it is concerned with the delay.

“We are very interested in these elections going forward,” the US official said.

Kerry travels to Geneva on Sunday for two days of talks with senior Iranian officials on Tehran’s disputed nuclear program as the sides try to resolve differences before a March 31 deadline for a basic framework agreement. l

Hadi 'leaves house arrest' n AFP, Aden Yemen’s Western-backed president, who resigned last month under pressure from Shiite militia, was out of the capital yesterday after weeks under house arrest, prompting his supporters to question UN proposals to fill the power vacuum.

President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi arrived in the main southern city of Aden, where his supporters have refused to recognise the authority of the presidential council installed by the Huthi militia to replace him, an aide told AFP.

It was not immediately clear whether the Huthis had allowed him to leave Sanaa in the face of demands by the UN Security Council for an immediate end to his house arrest.

Hadi plans to address the nation within 48 hours using the Aden transmitters of state television which are under his supporters’ control, the aide said.

He would not be drawn on whether Hadi intended to withdraw his resignation, which did not receive the parliamentary approval required by the constitution before the Huthis unilaterally dissolved all government institutions on February 6. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Sunday, February 22, 2015

BOYHOOD: The film of the decade

n

London Bengali Film Festival in September The London Bangali Film Festival (LBFF) is expected to take place in late September in the UK capital. The programme will be held for five to six days showcasing films and premiers.

The announcement came from a press conference held on Thursday in the capital’s Gulshan with Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith as the chief guest.

Actress and model Dilruba Yasmeen Ruhee hosted the function. She said: “This festival is unique as it focuses on the Bengali films. We want to take the Bangladeshi films to the international arena.”

Mentioning about last year’s London Indian Film festival where Bengali film Shangram was premiered, Ruhee said she had found very few Bangladeshi films at the festival.

The LBFF will be held in London with special guests and talks, followed by a red carpet film awards ceremony, thus making it the largest Bangladeshi film festival. Judges of the festival include film makers, critics (media), distributors and senior

60TH FILMFARE AWARDS 2014 Sony Max, 4:30pm Hosted by: Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Kapil Sharma The Filmfare Black Lady remains the Piece de resistance on every Bollywood actor, director and producer’s mantle – an unabashed symbol of success and achievement recognised by the industry. This year the Filmfare Awards will bring glamour, fun and lots of entertainment.

Leaud who played the boy in François Truffaut’s comingof-age film series “The Adventures of Antoine Doinel.”

I am rooting for “Boyhood” at the Oscars for – Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actress.

I am so glad that they released it in Dhaka. I beg the multiplex owners to please release more non-action, non-3D films. l

BUSHRA lands debut album

Dilruba Yasmeen Ruhee, actress and the programme director of LBFF, speaks at the event

staff of a UK film school. The LBFF invites films that are commercial, non-commercial, independent and artistic.

Producer and Director Munsur Ali is founding CEO of the LBFF, which is an annual celebration of films from or about the Bangali Diaspora.

“We need to export good quality Bangali films for the international audience, with an aim to bringing them into the theatres,” Munsur said.

During the Q&A, Munsur was asked how this festival was different from the Bangladesh National Award.

“The films will be independently judged on their merit by the UK media and film personalities. I have decided to stay away from the process to make it completely unbiased,” he replied.

The festival aims at screening alternative artistic cinemas, and telling unique and untold stories or stories re-told from another point of view.

“Our goal is to take these films to the mainstream audience and highlight the rich, artistic, historical and modern culture of Bangladesh.” Munsur added. l

TELEVISION

Mosabber Rahman

I’ll be unoriginal like everybody else and say that “Boyhood” is the film of the decade. Why? Well no one in motion picture history had ever shot a film for 12 years, chronicling the life of an actual boy – from the age of six to eighteen. In 1924 Erich von Stroheim made a film called “Greed” which ran for almost 8 hours. That film was butchered down to 2 hours and the original version burnt forever. We have come a long way since then. For us film lovers “Boyhood” represents the unlimited possibilities of film itself.

“Boyhood” came out right after the 50th anniversary of Michael Apted’s great documentary series, known as the “Up Series”, which had been following fourteen children since 1964 (the latest installment is “56 Up” released in 2012). But “Boyhood” is not a documentary- it’s good old ‘fiction-film’. Previously, my all-time favorite coming-of-age film was “Harold and Maude” (1971), but after watching this one I had to reconsider. The coming-of-age genre tries to capture the essence of growing up, that is, how and when a young person becomes a grown-up. Does anyone remember that coming-of-age TV series “Wonder Years”? I was addicted to it.

Richard Linklater who wrote and directed the film took a big risk with the way he chose to tell the story of a boy. The storytelling is so simple and unpretentious, lacking all glittery cinema-ornaments, that it might not appear to be a very special film- it might not give you that kick-in-the-gut feeling. But that’s alright, life is like that, we only realise our happiest moments in retrospective.

We see the boy gradually growing up in front of our eyes, without any announcement on the screen, it all happens “quietly.” Ellar Coltrane, who played the boy, has all the ingredients to become a movie-star just like Jean-Pierre

n Entertainment Desk

WHAT TO WATCH

n Entertainment Desk The debut solo album of young singer Bushra Jabeen, “Bushra Season One,”

hits the market on February 20.

There are eight songs of different genres including pop, folk, trance and rock in the album while Samir M Rahman and Beduin famed Mustafa Shaon have composed the music. Sheikh Rana, Samir and Nurul Momen have penned lyrics for the album. The artist and composer together tried to keep variation as audience don’t get turned off in the same manner of music.

Earlier, a launching ceremony of the album took place at the Hotel Imperial in the capital. Several

renowned artists of Bangladesh attended the event to celebrate the launching ceremony on Friday. The album, produced by Boom Factory Production and Loyy, will also be available on digital platforms like Qinetic Music, iTunes and Amazon.

The aspiring singer comes with classical music background but she would like to establish herself at rock genre in the future.

Her future plan is to make sure she becomes a successful artist on both studio and stage to enthrall her listeners in all forms. l

ESCAPE PLAN HBO Hits, 8:30pm Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger When a structural-security authority finds himself set up and incarcerated in the world’s most secret and secure prison, he has to use his skills to escape with help from the inside.

THEATRE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR 3D I ZERO DEGREE I ROMEO V/S JULIET I SEVENTH SON 3D I JESSABELLE @ Star Cineplex SEVENTH SON 3D I ROMEO V/S JULIET I EXODUS 3D I INTERSTELLAR I NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB I THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES I THE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR 3D I ZERO DEGREE @ Blockbuster Cinemas

ONE HUNDRED SACKS OF RICE to be staged today n Entertainment Desk The play “One Hundred Sacks of Rice” produced jointly by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka will be held at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at 6:30pm today.

“One Hundred Sacks of Rice”, directed by Golam Sarwar, is an adaptation of a Japanese literary work

by Yuzo Yamamoto. The play is set against the backdrop of the transition from Shogunate era to Meiji resurrection, about 140 years ago.

The plot of the story revolves around the samurais and farmers, who survived the war, demanding the rice to be shared among them. However, after a long debate, Torasaburo Kobayashi, one of the Nagaoka ministers and a highly educated samurai, persuaded his lord and the people to sell the rice instead of consuming it. l

Kristen Stewart becomes first US actress to win prestigious French award n Entertainment Desk Kristen Stewart has become the first US actress to win a Cesar award, the French equivalent of the Oscars. She got a best supporting actress gong for her role in film drama “Clouds of Sils Maria.”

Accepting the prize, Stewart shouted “I love you Juliette” in French to her co-star Juliette Binoche. She later paid tribute to French filmmakers. “The reasons why people make films here in France are very different from the reasons why people make movies in Hollywood and I prefer it here a little bit,” she told Variety. According to the outlet, “she also revealed she will star in another French film but declined to reveal any further details.”

In the drama from writer-director Oliv-

THE DAY I WAS NOT BORN screens at Goethe Institut today

ier Assayas, Stewart plays a personal assistant to an aging film actress who is looking to make a career comeback, played by Juliette Binoche. At the Cannes Film Festival, film critic Jordan Hoffman wrote in his review that Stewart “flips a middle finger at the critics” in “the best role of her life.” He also wrote that the performance “will fundamentally change your perception of this oft-mocked individual.” César voters apparently agreed.

The big winner of the night was “Timbuktu,” which won seven awards including best film and director. It depicts life in northern Mali under the control of Islamist militants, and is competing for best foreign film at Sunday’s Oscars.

The last American actor to win a César was Adrien Brody for 2002’s “The Pianist.” l

n

Entertainment Desk

The much talked 2010’s German film, “The Day I Was Not Born” (Das Lied in mir), will be screened at 6pm at the Goethe Institut today.

Directed by Florian Cossen, the film unveils a German woman’s unplanned stopover in Argentina that leads her to uncovering a past she never knew she had.

During a layover in Buenos Aires on her way to Chile, 31-year-old Maria recognises a nursery melody although she does not speak any word of Spanish. Remembering the Spanish lyrics, she decides to interrupt her travel and embark on a search of a long-kept family secret whose origins go back to the time of the Argentinean military dictatorship. Hearing about the incident, her father Anton suddenly turns up at Maria’s hotel in Buenos Aires with a surprising discovery. l

SALMAN calls VIRAT ‘too metrosexual!’ n Entertainment Desk Salman Khan is often compared to ace cricketer Virat Kohli. The actor is considered similar to not only in terms of his good looks but also his moody behaviour.

But Salman is not like Virat, so he states.

When asked about his comparison to the vice captain of the Indian cricket team, the “Kick” actor replied, “I don’t think I am like Virat Kohli. He is too metrosexual.

I am not.”

The actor then spoke of his future plans and the idea of settling down one day. As we all know, the su-

perstar is one of the most eligible bachelors in the nation.

He however isn’t as keen on being a husband the way he is on being a father.

He said, “I always get so close to a wedding. God has been very kind.

“You can ask most married men and they will tell you what I mean.

“But one day my luck will run out.

“I hope it runs out soon. But more than marriage, having children is on my list. If I can figure out how to have those without marriage.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Spotlight

Sunday, February 22, 2015

7

THE WORLD BOWS TO LANGUAGE MARTYRS There was a time when February 21 was exclusive to the Bangalis who paid their solemn respect every year to those who laid their lives for the right to speak in Bangla in 1952. Now, the world recognises that unique struggle and the day is now the International Mother Language Day. That global fervour was very much visible at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka yesterday, when foreign delegates and Bangladeshis alike paid homage to the language martyrs PHOTOS: SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN / RAJIB DHAR

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Sunday, February 22, 2015

CODE-CRACKER

Teesta talks must deliver results

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

T

he government needs to be proactive in following up the assurances of talks to resolve water sharing and land boundary issues with India, which have been made by the West Bengal chief minister on her visit to Dhaka.

Mamata Banerjee has asked the people of Bangladesh to have confidence in her newfound willingness to seek a resolution to the longstanding issue of sharing common river waters between Bangladesh and India.

Taken together with the commitments made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state minister’s visit heralds the hope of meaningful progress towards settling outstanding bilateral concerns.

As neighbours with 54 common rivers between them, Bangladesh and India must not allow further delay in mutually settling and managing common water issues.

India’s unilateral actions in obstructing Teesta waters by the Gazaldoba Barrage and diverting water flows to to the MahanandaMechi-Fulhar Rivers, are unfairly detrimental to Bangladesh. Farmers who rely on Teesta waters for irrigation face ever increasing hardship from the changes made to seasonal water patterns.

Progressing talks to resolve the Teesta issue is vital to protect the spirit of the Bangladesh-India Ganges water treaty and to help ensure compliance by India with the International Convention on Nonnavigational uses of watercourses.

We hope the signs of progress on Teesta will also enable a formula for ensuring full ratification by India of the long-delayed Land Boundary Agreement. This is sorely needed to help provide a platform for building closer and better trade relations.

Follow up signs of progress on Teesta to provide a platform for building better bilateral relations

Deliver us from families at war February 5

sattar Ooh. Sharp, sharp piece. More from Farid Bakht, please.

Nafees Ahmed What does recent political events have to do with the Digital Bangladesh agenda? I don’t see the link.

A selling title but surely, all that glitters is not gold.

Ernrudd Into the patient psychopathic arms of Jamaat?

IS video shows burning of hostage February 4 Syeed Ahamed

Who else is following the terrorist group ISIS in burning people alive? The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind ...

Naima Nigar I am left speechless.

Buy new ships and help local shipbuilders

Tk21cr snack allowance sought for police on blockade duty

uestions are rightly being asked about the government’s decision to borrow $184m last month to purchase six oil carrying ships with an average age over 30 years old for the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation.

Common sense dictates that if BSC has not added to its fleet since 1991 and needs more vessels, it ought to be buying newer craft.

The government’s own rules restrict vessels over 25 years old from using Bangladeshi ports for safety reasons.

International regulations and insurance requirements mean that even if the government were to relax certain requirements, it is certain the vessels being procured will have great difficulties securing insurance and clearance for using foreign ports.

The government has to be more far-sighted and prudent when committing taxpayer funds.

We believe the government has also overlooked a major opportunity to boost Bangladesh’s emerging shipbuilding industry, as it could have at least opened tenders to build such ships here. Even if for some reason, this were not technically possible for this particular order, the government still has enormous scope to help local shipbuilders.

As a nation with thousands of aging and unsafe river vessels plying both passenger and cargo routes, it should be better at enforcing rules to pressure transport owners to modernise their fleets.

Local shipbuilders have a natural advantage in supplying and fitting out such vessels. Encouraging new orders of this type can not only improve river safety but provide the platform shipbuilding companies need to create more jobs and to grow further and compete better in export markets.

Indo-Bangla joint border conference begins in Tripura

Q

There is enormous scope to help local shipbuilders grow

February 3

Mohdud Ul Huq They deserved it.

February 3

Nizam Ahmad I want friendlier borders. If that happens, the borders can be kept open for trade and for the benefit of the people. Closed borders benefit governments and politicians. North Korea is one example of having closed, armed borders, while EU is an example of open borders – unarmed, peaceful, and more prosperous than North Korea can ever be.

Hasina exempted from Novo Theatre graft cases

February 4

Probir Bidhan Power #politics #corruption #Hasina.

Broaden intercity roads to meet future growth February 6

RetiredBUET Bangladesh is a small, flat country. There is no reason citizens should not have the benefit of fast highways and railway lines between our major urban centres. To become a developed country, we must plan for citizens to be able go anywhere in the nation within a few hours.

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 14 represents F so fill F every time the figure 14 appears.

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

As the writer remind us, both our supposedly secular nationalist parties have been in bed with the ultimate anti-national force. They are the only winners in the boxing match. The only way out in the absence of a new party is for the people who vote for the two boxers to kick the families out of the ring.

Zero-Agenda My face has contorted to a permanent grin reading this article.

Joy: No dialogue with BNPJamaat February 7 Jabbed Down with all of them! What are you talking about?

AL and BNP must go! And Joy, who is he? Wet behind the ears and getting ready to take over from mum? This is not their given right to govern our desh. Bangladesh is full of thieves and fools who kill to please their leaders in AL and BNP. Bring the army out and send both parties into exile or jail and elect new people. deep purple blue No to dialogue: Like mother, like son! The national grandson (Banganati) should first give up his American nationality and then talk Bangladesh politics.

Indian and Western education has left no impression on him, otherwise, he would have seen the value in dialogue and discussion, which are the only means of resolving differences in a democracy.

Strange that the Banga-American-nati thinks his mother is the prime minister – how can Hasina be deemed a prime minister when democratic (free, fair, and participatory) elections were not held but a sham election was staged, where the majority of the so-called members were elected unopposed? kabdullah Bangladesh has reached a point where we must seriously do away with the legacy system. Down with the Rahman families!

Khaleda: Movement will continue February 5

Mikey Hartal on Friday please.

Joshim Uddin Mikey: You nut.

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.

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Pretended (4) 5 Qualified (4) 10 Operatic air (4) 11 Slippery fish (3) 12 Corrodes (5) 13 Enquire (3) 14 Long, projecting teeth (5) 16 Boring tool (6) 18 Young feline (6) 21 Manservant (5) 23 Band’s engagement (3) 24 Cake decoration (5) 26 Drink (3) 27 Insect (4) 28 Philippine monetary unit (4) 29 Got bigger (4)

DOWN 2 Inconsiderate speed (5) 3 Craft (3) 4 Error (7) 6 Bill (4) 7 One granted a lease (6) 8 Large deer (3) 9 Annoying child (4) 15 Combining (7) 17 Speak abusively (6) 19 Hackneyed (5) 20 Near (4) 22 Matures (4) 23 Opening (3) 25 Vehicle (3)

Copper mining threatens Afghan site of ancient Buddhist past February 6 gus Great job Afghan people ... these will get you thousands of Buddhist tourists every year, and that will be a far greater revenue generator.

Welcome to Bangladesh

CALVIN AND HOBBES

February 6 Arif Hossain

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

Well written article. I encountered similar experiences when I went back in 2006.

CROSSWORD

Google Street View in Bangladesh PEANUTS

February 5 F Singh Google is just mindblowing. The stuff this company does ...

Dreampie F Singh: Yawp. And now they can add “survived Dhaka traffic” as yet another feather in their cap.

Death for killing people with petrol bomb

February 5 Dr Ahsan Habib There should be similar punishment for people killed under custody. It is the job of the government to protect them, not to find them accidentally killed.

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

9

Sunday, February 22, 2015

In the name of security n Garga Chatterjee

E

BIGSTOCK

No offense, really

W n Abak Hussain

hen exactly did we get so touchy?

There’s so much in our history that could have helped open our minds. Not too many countries can boast having a month-long book fair. And it’s not like the Boi Mela is slowly dying out in the digital age either, as some might have predicted.

It still gets overcrowded at times, and printed books show no sign of becoming extinct anytime soon.

We Bangalis are known to be a literary bunch. There is no shortage of writers, poets, and intellectuals in the country. We have a high number of newspapers, both English and Bangla, in circulation. Our addas taking on a philosophical nature is a national characteristic.

While folks in other countries make small talk about the weather or last night’s game, Bangladeshis have no qualms about diving headfirst into heated debates about politics or ideology with any random stranger.

Higher education seems omnipresent. Dhaka city alone has more universities than it is possible to count. From the looks of it, there’s a lot of learning going on everywhere. And now, with the Internet, and social media in particular, there’s hardly an idea out there we haven’t been exposed to.

Then how did we get to be like this?

Sure, there’s an Ekushey book fair, ostensibly celebrating a freedom we earned many years ago, but publishers

and booksellers are constantly on edge. Sure, the newspapers are still coming out, but not without editors getting harassed for simply doing their job. Somewhere underneath our pretend-love of free discourse, we have screwed it up badly.

Two recent events which most people are familiar with by now have brought to light how depressing it is to try to speak, write, or publish anything here.

years ago. That didn’t matter. Hefazat’s threats were enough – Rodela had to shut down their stall at the book fair.

The second is the case against three senior journalists of The Daily Star.

The newspaper had published a photo of a poster of Hizb ut-Tahrir. The poster and the group had been banned, and the newspaper had published the photo in order to portray the vile nature of the poster. There was no subversive intent in publishing this

There are bigger enemies out there than books and newspapers, but we’ve become desensitised to the things that are really objectionable

The first is the unfortunate harassment of the publisher Rodela Prokashoni.

Rodela had published a book that had offended the religious sentiments of some – namely folks of Hefazat-e-Islam – who, instead of countering the book with a civilised debate about what exactly it was that they found so unacceptable, threatened Rodela Prokashoni’s staff, and tried to shut down their offices.

It is worth noting that the allegedly offensive book was a translation of quite an old foreign book, the author of which was an Iranian madrasa-educated theological scholar who died 33

picture, as the caption had made clear.

And yet, action has been taken against the paper, and the courts will now deal with it as they see fit.

Reporting the news can indeed be a dangerous game.

Those are just two very recent examples that show just how difficult it has become to publish, or even just speak. Arguments, words, or images can be taken out of context, bent, twisted, manipulated and made to look like whatever the aggressor wishes for them to look like. If you go looking for offense with a lantern, you are sure to find it. If you think every-

one is out to get you, anything anyone says will sound like a threat.

Bangladeshis, as a people, have had more than their fair share of struggle.

Just yesterday was Ekushey February – the day we make a big show of remembering martyrs who laid down their lives for our freedom to speak in our own language. But we seem to have forgotten those lessons.

One particular book at the book fair might be offensive to one person, but the closure of a whole stall and the atmosphere of fear surrounding it all might be seen as offensive towards the spirit of the Amar Ekushey book fair.

We’ve choked the freedom out of every aspect of life, especially when the freedom is a necessity for moving forward. In this year’s World Press Freedom Index, brought out by Reporters Without Borders, Bangladesh scored an abysmal 146th out of 180. A worse performer than even Afghanistan or Myanmar, Bangladesh has one of the least free environments in the world when it comes to news media.

There are bigger enemies out there than books and newspapers, but we’ve become desensitised to the things that are really objectionable. We walk by burning buses like it ain’t no thing. We go to work knowing our vehicle might be attacked at some point – no big deal. We tolerate things that are truly ugly.

But we’re scared to speak or publish freely – pictures or words might make somebody upset. Hello, Draconia. l Abak Hussain is Op-Ed Editor, Dhaka Tribune.

ver since Sureshbhai Patel was assaulted by the police in Alabama, there has been a lot of outrage in the government and media circles of the Indian Union, and correctly so. This 57-year-old man from the village, Pij, in Gujarat’s Kheda district, was visiting his prematurely born grandson, born to his son who had gone to the US to study engineering and is now a US citizen.

The police confronted Sureshbhai as he was walking on the footpath in his son’s neighbourhood and for a brief period, grilled him in English, a language that Sureshbhai didn’t know. Then he was brutally attacked, resulting in him being bloodied and paralysed due to severe spinal injuries.

How ridiculous is it that simply not knowing a language can make one unsafe and vulnerable to this extent?

It was a weird feeling learning about that, because I had just flown from Bengal to Nagaland in a flight mostly filled with Bengalis and Nagas – in a flight that had no safety instruction, announcement, signage, or reading material in Bengali or Nagamese.

In the US, Sureshbhai didn’t know the language of Alabama and was in danger. In Kolkata airport, most CISF personnel don’t know Bengali. In Chennai’s main railway stations, most RPF personnel don’t know Tamil. In the Indian Union, the central government airlines and railways do not care about the mother-tongue of a section of its customers and puts people’s lives in danger on a daily basis. Why? Many brown people of the Indian Union have been protesting American police brutality and racism with extra vigour this time – one way to get back at the communal harmony tips that President Obama has been giving to brownland.

The US certainly has a pathetic record on this count. Mostly white police typically patrol mostly non-white areas, to assault and arrest mostly non-white people, who are then tried in courts full of mostly white judges.

There is no security without legitimacy in the eyes of the people being purportedly ‘secured’

But change colour/race to caste/religion, and the previous sentence does not seem to be true only for distant US and hits uncomfortably closer to home. In this subcontinent as a whole, one solution that has often been advocated in the US, is to ensure that security is entrusted with locals, so

that the force is racially representative and socio-culturally literate about the context in which it operates.

How ridiculous is it that simply not knowing a language can make one unsafe?

If we cut to the subcontinent, a radically opposite picture arises. Here, the security apparatus carries forward the British colonial policy where ethnic insurgents from one area (say Nagaland) are typically dealt with by sarkari armed forces that hail mostly from another area (say Bihar and UP) to ensure “peace and prosperity.”

The same goes for the Punjabis in Balochistan, the Pathan in East Bengal, and Bangladeshis in Jumma territories.

Why is it always the case that most of the security forces deployed in Nagaland don’t know any Naga dialect, those deployed in Chhattisgarh don’t know Gondi, those in Manipur don’t know Meitei, those in Rangamati don’t know the language of Chakmas.

Is this purely accidental? Is a lack of mutual understanding between combatants, between armed forces and the people, a pre-condition for ensuring smooth and efficient security operations? What does “smooth and efficient” or for that matter “security” mean in such cases? What’s going on here in our name? Why do they fear making local language literacy a pre-condition for deployment of forces?

Sections of the audio excerpt from Sureshbhai’s attack communication log haunts me. One policeman asks: “Do you understand?” Another policeman says: “I don’t know what his problem is, but he won’t listen.”

While the Alabama police should be held accountable, the communication between police personnel in audio form and even a video of the confrontation and attack on Sureshbhai is on public record. If brown people in the US are dealt with this level of transparency, can we not expect at least that amount of transparency from brown policemen in brownland?

There is no security without compassion. There is no security without empathy. There is no security without legitimacy in the eyes of the people being purportedly “secured.”

All acts that lack these qualities when done in the name of security are sins in the eyes of the gods, even if some “holy cow” paper document says otherwise. l Garga Chatterjee is a freelance contributor.

He can be followed on twitter @gargac.

All are simply not equal n Anjali Khan

T

he government of Bangladesh recently rejected Saudi Arabia’s attempt to specify that the 120,000 workers it would recruit this year would be “housemaids.” In the past, many Bangladeshi women have had negative experiences with domestic work in Saudi Arabia, and prematurely returned to Bangladesh with stories of physical, mental, sexual, and economic abuse.

Ethiopia and Kenya have banned their citizens from working as domestic workers in the Kingdom. Almaz: A Story of Migrant Labour is based on the experiences of a woman who travels to Saudi Arabia from Ethiopia to support her mother, but finds herself mired in a web of multiple forms of abuse, eventually thrown out of a window, and deported to her home country in a wheelchair without any remuneration for months of hard work in Saudi Arabia.

Countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Nepal, and Sri Lanka have seen their citizens beheaded after murky trials. Let’s not forget the eight Bangladeshi workers beheaded for the alleged murder of an Egyptian security guard in Saudi Arabia.

It is tempting to adopt a paternalistic approach and beseech Bangladeshi workers, especially women, not to

apply for such jobs that would expose them to sexual, mental, and physical abuse, obliterate their freedom, and put them at the mercy of a legal system in which all are simply not equal before the law.

Yet, there is some element of hypocrisy when we, as privileged employers, employees, and citizens, pontificate about abuses elsewhere while binding workers in indentured servitude in our homes, perpetuating hierarchical structures in offices, or tolerating a system that subjects them to unsafe (to put it lightly) working conditions in factories in our own country. To what extent do we foster the conditions that push Bangladeshis to desperately seek employment in notorious environments, in spite of the costs and risks?

We seamlessly complain about the exploitation of Bangladeshis around the world and expect workers in our own homes to work from dawn to midnight. We treat drivers as invisible bodies, undeserving of introductions, when we invite friends into our cars.

We manage to feel magnanimous when simply responding to a security guard’s salaam (greeting). We might even throw in a smile if we’re feeling particularly kind that day. It does not take long for us to go back to focusing on protecting and expanding our privileges after condemning the inhumane

negligence and greed that claimed the lives of workers in fires and collapsed buildings.

Such inconsistencies suggest that our concern for the abuse of Bangladeshis by foreigners stems from chauvinism, rather than a genuine commitment to their welfare.

We need to take a careful look at the ways in which privileged classes engage in bonding by “othering” migrant workers. Why do some see attempts by migrant workers to make conversation or navigate in-flight amenities as an affront to their sensibilities?

Why do workers’ requests for help with filling out forms elicit noblesse oblige type sighs and post-flight recitations about the trials and tribulations of being literate on a Middle East-Dhaka leg? Why do some feel compelled to wave their non-Bangladeshi passports at check-in staff and crew members in an effort to get preferential treatment on flights to and from the Gulf? Why are some so desperate to upgrade to business class just so they won’t have to sit next to a construction worker?

Criticising Saudi Arabia for abusing Bangladeshis and simultaneously sneering at migrant workers might seem contradictory, but both activities make us feel better about ourselves.

We laud the migrant workers’ massive contributions to our foreign exchange reserve to feed our sense of

How much do we really care about migrant workers? national pride and self-worth, but God forbid that we see them as people worthy of respect rather than a scrunched up nose when we sit amidst them on flights. We may want to be saviours, but have little interest in partnerships for justice, which would involve devolving some power and unsettle hierarchies.

Companies capitalise on our desire to set ourselves apart, to climb up the rungs of privilege. They urge us to “be privileged,” grab opportunities for the “deserving few,” and patronise “exclusive” stores and restaurants. And we fall over ourselves trying to embody and exude privilege in our words and

actions.

We justify our paternalistic dehumanisation of migrant workers by citing how some use airplane washrooms improperly, ask intrusive questions, stare, and jump out of their seats when the plane hits the runway. We claim hygiene, manners, and compliance with rules as potent tools for our assertion of superiority and privilege.

The persistent othering of migrant workers is only one of the many othering processes at work in Bangladesh right now. Civil society is characterised as a “cancer” that needs to be excised.

Shushil (civil) is deployed as a curse

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

word. Intellectuals are dismissed as buddhivaishya.

Amidst all the vitriol and polarisation, it will be difficult to reconstruct a culture of empathy, but we can start with the comfortable and innocuous task of recognising our own contributions to this culture of dehumanisation, a culture that allows us to see other human beings as targets deserving of ridicule, abuse, and violence.

A culture that is not all that different from what Almaz’s story depicts in abusive workplaces in Saudi Arabia. l Anjali Khan is a freelance contributor.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE Sunday, February 22, 2015

UPCOMING MATCHES

TODAY South Agrica v India, 9:30am

11 Its our batting

TOMORROW England v Scotland 4:00am

vs their bowling, says Kohli

Sport

Did you know?

Pakistan (4 for 1) set a new record for the worst start to an ODI yesterday. Canada, 4 for 4 against Zimbabwe, held the record previously

Rain - a blessing in disguise

Bangladesh get one crucial point at Gabba Mazhar Uddin from Brisbane Rain might have spoiled Australia’s mood, but it certainly lifted the atmosphere in the Bangladesh team as the latter came out of their World Cup match against the hosts with a point yesterday. Continuous rainfall in the region saw the day-night affair at the Gabba officially called off on 4.41pm AEST without a ball being bowled.

Having three points from two matches an unbeaten confident Bangladesh will meet Sri Lanka next in Melbourne on February 26.

The weather has been on it’s worst side right from the Tigers landed in Brisbane where cyclone Marcia had done the damage both in the lives of Queensland people and also the Australian team in the context of the World Cup. Mashrafe and his troop arrived at the stadium at 1pm on the rainy day, half an hour before the scheduled start

time though their supporters gathered at the venue way earlier.

Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain and Al Amin Hossain looked to be in joyous mood as they stepped beside the boundary rope before running back inside from the rain which was in no mood to stop.

It would have been a great experience for the Bangladeshi cricketers to play at this historical ground but at the same time getting a vital point against the strong Australian side is something which the Tigers won’t mind.

On the other hand, the Aussies were disappointed. A wash out was the last thing they wanted and it was evident from the words of Steven Smith who faced the question of whether they lost a point or Bangladesh gained one.

“I think we both gained one point didn’t we? Look its always disappointing not to get out there as its a place where we played well at the Gabba but obviously we can’t control the weather but we take that one point. Hopefully we can play good cricket in the rest of the tournament,” said Smith at the post match press conference. l

Bangladesh fans cheer as they pose for a photo in the stands as rain from Cyclone Marcia delays start of the 2015 Cricket World Cup match against Australia at the Gabba cricket stadium in Brisbane yesterday AFP

Gabba, selfies and our Shakib n Mazhar Uddin from Brisbane Gabba, Brisbane has been a wonderful experience for the handful of journalists from Bangladesh and our cricketers. It was the first time Bangladesh were to play at one of Australia’s major venues and though rain disallowed any on-field action, the off-field activities are what kept us all busy.

Getting a look at some historical autographed cricket bats to taking “selfies” with the lush green background – it was like a dream come true for many to be at the place.

Seeing the great legends of the game has also been a fantastic feature so far for me on the tour and it just got better.

With rain outside and no match guaranteed, I was having a slow lunch at the dining area when suddenly I no-

WIvPAK R

B

West Indies D. Smith c Haris Sohail b Sohail C. Gayle c Riaz b Irfan D. Bravo rtd hurt M. Samuels c sub (Yasir) b H Sohail D. Ramdin c sub (Yasir) b H Sohail L. Simmons run out (UmarAkmal) D. Sammy c Afridi b Riaz A. Russell not out Extras (b2, lb6, w14, nb1)

23 27 4 14 49 78 38 52 51 43 50 46 30 28 42 13 23

Total (6 wkts, 50 overs)

310

Fall of wickets 1-17 (Gayle), 2-28 (Smith), 3-103 (Samuels), 3-152 (Bravo retired hurt), 4-194 (Ramdin), 5-259 (Sammy), 6-310 (Simmons) Bowling Irfan 10-0-44-1 (1w); Sohail Khan 10-1-73-1 (1nb); Afridi 10-0-48-0 (1w); Haris Sohail 9-0-62-2; Riaz 10-0-67-1 (4w); Sohaib Maqsood 1-0-8-0; Pakistan R B Nasir Jamshed c Russell b Taylor 0 2 A Shehzad c Simmons b Holder 1 10 Younis Khan c Ramdin b Taylor 0 1 Haris Sohail c sub (Carter) b Taylor 0 6 Misbah-ul-Haq c Gayle b Russell 7 21 Sohaib Maqsood c Benn b Sammy 50 66 Umar Akmal c Smith b Russell 59 71 Shahid Afridi c Holder b Benn 28 26 Wahab Riaz c Ramdin b Russell 3 13 Sohail Khan c Ramdin b Benn 1 8 Mohammad Irfan not out 2 11 Extras (lb3, w5, nb1) 9 Total (all out, 39 overs)

160

Fall of wickets 1-0 (Jamshed), 2-1 (Younis), 3-1 (Haris Sohail), 4-1 (Ahmed Shehzad), 5-25 (Misbah), 6-105 (Sohaib Maqsood), 7-139 (Umar Akmal), 8-155 (Riaz), 9-157 (Afridi), 10-160 (Sohail Khan) Bowling Taylor 7-1-15-3 (2w); Holder 7-2-23-1 (1w); Russell 8-2-33-3 (2w); Sammy 8-0-47-1; Benn 9-0-39-2 (1nb) Result West Indies won by 150 runs

ticed the Aussie greats Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Mark Waugh and Brett Lee walk in and take the table in front of me.

They were having a chit-chat over lunch when the name “Shakib” struck my ear. Yes they were talking about our Shakib al Hasan, the world No 1 all-rounder.

I put some more concentration as I heard Mark Waugh saying, “Yes Shakib, they have Shakib who played at the Big Bash.”

It gave me a proud feeling thinking how much Shakib means to our Bangladesh, that even the greats of the game have him as a group topic. I was thinking “Shakib has certainly reached a height so high than many can imagine probably.”

I was done with my food before I grabbed my opportunity of taking a selfie with one of the quickest bowler in Australia, Brett Lee and headed out of the dining area with a broad smile. l

Yousuf Rahman (Babu), former national cricketer, vice captain and first centurion writes from New York for Bangladesh fans all across the globe.

WEST INDIES - PAKISTAN Bizarre elements of the match: Pakistan’s decision to go into the match with a part time 5th bowler against a West Indian team that is known for its power batting.

Not having the courage to sideline Younus Khan and save him from the embarrassment.

Continuing to have faith in a part time keeper who has let Pakistan down time and again.

Embarrassments of the match: The spineless batting of Pakistan that has demeaned the value of the World Cup.

TALKING POINTS Pakistan’s pathetic fielding display which will definitely be recorded as the worst of the tournament.

read 4 for 1. Yes, it read 4 wickets for 1 run, which is the worst start in ODI history.

Most painful moment:

West Indian Cricket Board President Whycliffe (Dave) Camero’s Tweeter message expressing his negative opinion on Chris Gayle’s performance.

Younus Khan being slotted at No.3 only to face the 2nd ball of the innings and get out first ball.

High points of the match: Andre Russel’s decimation of the Pakistani bowling attack and the first 3 overs of the West Indian bowling spell.

Shock of the day: The face of Pakistani fans when the score

Lowest point:

AUSTRALIA - BANGLADESH Statement of the day: Bangladesh went to the Gabba, with its supporters and its monsoon weather.

Most exciting moment: Bangladesh gained a point by default and is placed 3rd on the table.

Ruthless Russell helps Windies sink Pakistan

Do or die time for Pakistan: Misbah n AFP, Christchurch

n AFP, Christchurch

Pakistan’s World Cup campaign needed improvement across the board, captain Misbah-ul-Haq declared Saturday after a humiliating 150-run loss to the West Indies.

The rout at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval was compounded by a batting display that set a record for the worst start to a one-day international innings, with Pakistan’s first four wickets falling for just one run.

Pakistan now languish at the bottom of Pool B with two losses from two outings, their performance against the West Indies a step backwards from the 76-run loss to arch-rivals and defending champions India in their tournament opener.

“It’s a do or die situation for us and there are no ifs and buts,” Misbah said as he tried to look ahead to Pakistan’s next game against Zimbabwe, while sifting through the wreckage of Saturday’s crushing loss.

“We just lost in all three departments,” Misbah admitted. “We couldn’t bowl well, a lot of dropped catches, and the batting totally flopped.”

“We need to pick up ourselves up and come hard in the next game because now we’re at the edge,” Misbah said.

“We have to forget the last two matches and learn from our mistakes.

We can only win if we perform.”

Misbah said Pakistan’s problems against the West Indies began from the moment he won the toss and opted to use bowler-friendly conditions, with overcast skies and a hint of moisture on the pitch.

“But we couldn’t take enough wickets up front. We only took one or two.

We could have done better than that.”l

West Indies condemned hapless Pakistan to a record-shattering start to a one-day international Saturday before completing a 150-run World Cup rout, while Australia’s clash with Bangladesh was abandoned in cyclone-battered Brisbane.

West Indies, the 1975 and 1979 champions, scored 310 for six at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval, with 115 runs coming in a swashbuckling final 10 overs as Lendl Simmons, Andre Russell and Darren Sammy hit out.

In reply, 1992 winners Pakistan crumbled to their second straight defeat as they were all out for 160 after the top four wickets fell for just one run, the worst start in ODI history.

The West Indies, meanwhile, bounced back from their shock first-up loss to Ireland as six batsmen posted scores of 30 or more.

“In the last game things didn’t go well for us, and we just turned up today and wanted to show the world that we are not just a pushover,” said manof-the-match Russell, who hit 42 not out off 17 balls before claiming three wickets.

Denesh Ramdin top-scored with 51, Simmons added 50 to go with his century against Ireland, Darren Bravo scored 49 while Marlon Samuels and Sammy chipped in with 38 and 30 respectively.

Bravo was unfortunate not to reach what would have been his 17th ODI half-century when he was forced to retire hurt with a pulled hamstring.

It was the second time he required medical treatment after being dazed

earlier in the innings when a powerful throw from Younis Khan hit him on the side of the helmet as he scrambled through for a single.

The 26-year-old left-hander is expected to miss the next two games against Zimbabwe in Canberra on Tuesday and South Africa in Sydney next Friday.

However, that wasn’t the end of Bravo’s painful afternoon -- he was later reprimanded for swearing while he was at the crease.

“It was a wonderful performance,” said West Indies skipper Jason Holder.

“We batted really well.

“Jerome Taylor (3-15) was excellent with the new ball.”

Pakistan were staring down the barrel at one for four, the worst start to any ODI innings, with the previous record held by non-Test side Canada’s four for four against Zimbabwe in 2006.

Nasir Jamshed went without scoring when he lobbed the second ball from Taylor to Russell at short midwicket.

Taylor finished off the opening over with Younis caught behind for a duck and in his next over dismissed Haris Sohail to have the impressive figures of three wickets for one run in two overs.

Holder bagged his first wicket of the tournament when he had Ahmed Shahzad caught in the gully for one in his first over.

Two defeats left Pakistan, the 1992 champions, at the bottom of Pool B. They resumed their faltering campaign against Zimbabwe in Brisbane on March 1.

But the West Indies’ chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals have improved considerably.l

West Indies bowler Andre Russell celebrates dismissing Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal during their 2015 Cricket World Cup Group B match in Christchurch yesterday AFP

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

11

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Its our batting vs their bowling: Kohli n AFP, Melbourne

QUICK BYTES

Drunken Dutch damage Rome fountain Dutch soccer fans caused “permanent” damage to a 500-year-old Rome fountain, an expert said on Friday after a drunken rampage by supporters that the city’s mayor branded “hardened hooligans”. The Barcaccia, a boat-shaped fountain at the foot of the Spanish Steps, was chipped by beer bottles thrown and kicked by fans of Rotterdam team Feyenoord before a Europa League match against AS Roma on Thursday. Police fired teargas to clear hundreds of fans and detained 23 of them. Six more were later arrested for causing injury, resisting arrest and insulting public officials, a judicial source said on Friday. The damage to the Baroque fountain by Pietro Bernini, a sculptor responsible for many of Rome’s greatest works, was serious, Anna Maria Ceroni, a local official responsible for restorations, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. “The extent of the damage still needs to be determined, but it’s permanent,” she said.

–Reuters

AFP

Indian vice-captain Virat Kohli predicts an “exciting” tussle between his team’s batsmen and South Africa’s bowlers during Sunday’s World Cup blockbuster at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

“Both sides are balanced, so it all depends on how you play on the day,” the leading Indian batsman said ahead of the key Pool B match that will almost certainly assure the winner a place in the quarter-finals.

Both teams won their opening games, defending champions India thrashing Pakistan by 76 runs in Adelaide last Sunday and South Africa beating Zimbabwe by 62 runs in Hamilton earlier the same day.

Kohli, deputising for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni at Saturday’s prematch media conference, said the hard pitch with extra bounce at the MCG will be a challenge for the two teams.

“They have good fast bowlers and we have the batsmen,” he said. “So it should be an exciting contest between their bowlers and our batsmen.

“The key will be to sustain the momentum for the whole innings. It is not easy to clear boundaries at a big ground like the MCG, so trying to step it up towards the end won’t be easy. We need a calculated approach to batting.”

Kohli said it was an advantage having played alongside the fearsome Steyn and prolific AB de Villers for the same RCB franchise in the Indian Premier League.

“Dale is a good friend, I get the biggest hug from him when we meet,” he said. “But when we get on the field, he will look to dominate me and I will try to dominate him.l

big game.

Media speculation of injuries to off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar were quickly dispelled by the team management, which announced that all 15 squad members were available.

India’s former World Cup- winning coach Gary Kirsten, who is now a consultant with his native South Africa, will stress on exploiting India’s weak bowling to counter the strong batting led by Virat Kohli.

Kirsten is one of six specialists on the coaching staff to help South Africa overcome the unwanted tag of being the best team never to have won the World Cup. Besides chief coach Russell Domingo and Kirsten, the Proteas have three bowling coaches in Allan Donald, Charl Langeveldt and Claude Henderson and

have also hired Australian Mike Hussey to provide inputs during the tournament.

The lone missing link is a psychologist and Domingo said he wanted the team to focus on cricketing skills.

“You can’t be mentally strong but have bad skills,” he said.

Domingo also did not believe his side had a psychological advantage over India because South Africa had not lost to them in the World Cup. “India are the current world champions and a wonderful one-day side,” he said. “Whatever has happened in the past in previous World Cups will count for very little on Sunday.

“It is going to be a big stage for some of our players who haven’t experienced that type of atmosphere before. There’s a lot you can take out of a good result against India.”l

Dortmund win again to move clear of trouble Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was again on target as Borussia Dortmund moved further clear of the relegation zone in the German Bundesliga on Friday with a 3-2 victory at VfB Stuttgart. It was a third consecutive win for Jurgen Klopp’s side, who will travel to Italy to face Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie next Tuesday with confidence restored.

Aubameyang, Ilkay Gundogan and Marco Reus were all on target for Dortmund, who move up to 10th place in the table, four points clear of the drop zone, ahead of the rest of the weekend’s games. They have also scored 10 goals in winning their last three matches, with their next league game the Ruhr derby at home to Schalke 04 next weekend. “It was very important to go home with the three points, but we must keep working and concentrating so as not to give anything to our opponents, especially when it comes to Juve,” Aubameyang told Sky television.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH Gazi TV, Star Sports 1, 3, HD1, HD3 ICC Cricket World Cup 9:15AM India v South Africa 400:AM (Saturday) England v Scotland

Star Sports 2 5:00 PM Hockey India League 3/4 Place 7:30 PM Hockey India League Final 1:40 AM Italian Serie A Fiorentina v Torino

Star Sports 4 4:30 PM Indian Super League Chennaiyin FC v Delhi Dynamos FC 5:50 PM English Premier League Tottenham v West Ham 7:55 PM Everton v Leicester City 9:55 PM Southampton v Liverpool 1:55 AM Spanish La Liga Elche v Real Madrid

Neo Prime 8:30 PM German Bundesliga Hamburger v Monchengladbach 10:30 PM VfL Wolfsburg v Hertha Berlin

Ten Action 12:00 PM A-League Melbourne City v Perth Glory 2:30 PM Sky Bet Championship Middlesbrough v Leeds United 7:30 PM I-League Kalyani Bharat v Salgaocar 10:00 PM French Ligue 1 Olympique Lyon v Nantes 2:00 AM Saint-Etienne v Olympique Marseille

Ten HD 7:00 PM French Ligue 1 Guingamp v Montpellier 3:00 AM ATP World Tour 500 Rio Open Finals

India’s batsman Virat Kohli (R) plays a shot during a practice session at Junction Oval Cricket Ground in Melbourne yesterday

Buoyant India face South Africa test n AFP, Melbourne India appear relaxed and refreshed, and South Africa unsettled, ahead of their World Cup clash on Sunday, but the facade could be short-lived when the two Pool B heavyweights take the field.

Some 80,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground are in for a treat in the day-night match that will almost certainly assure the winner a place in the quarter-finals from Pool B. Both teams won their opening games, defending champions India thrashing Pakistan by 76 runs in Adelaide last Sunday and South Africa beating Zimbabwe by 62 runs in Hamilton earlier the same day.

The margin of victories were de-

ceptive because while India outplayed their arch-rivals, South Africa were severely tested with both bat and ball by their lowly-ranked rivals.

The Proteas were wobbling at 83 for four before being bailed out by a brilliant record stand of 256 for the fifth wicket between century-makers David Miller and JP Duminy.

Zimbabwe then made a valiant chase of 339 for four, reaching 191 for two in the 33rd over before the last eight wickets fell for 86 runs to hand South Africa full points.

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir’s three for 36 hid a disappointing outing for pace spearhead Dale Steyn, whose nine overs cost 64 runs for one wicket.

It was later revealed Steyn was suffering from sinusitis, which continued for so long that he missed training till Wednesday, but now appears to be re-

turning to top gear.

South Africa need Steyn to fire to contain the deep Indian batting, against whom he took five for 50 the last time the two sides met in the World Cup in Nagpur four years ago.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men overcame that defeat to lift the title a fortnight later, but they will still be wary of what awaits them at the gigantic MCG on Sunday.

Having extended their World Cup domination over Pakistan to six matches in a row, India now face an adversary to whom they have lost all times in the premier 50-overs-a-side tournament.

The Indians spent a relaxed week in Melbourne since the high-profile clash against Pakistan, alternating between net sessions and rest days without publicly disclosing the likely line-up for the

Brisbane washout piles pressure on England n AFP, Brisbane The beleaguered England team found themselves under even more pressure after rain forced Australia’s World Cup match against Bangladesh in Brisbane on Saturday to be abandoned without a ball bowled.

A point apiece for the no-result at the Gabba saw both Australia and Bangladesh move to three points, three behind Pool A leaders New Zealand with a game in hand.

England are languishing in last place in the seven-strong group after big losses to both Australia (111 runs) and New Zealand (eight wickets), with Eoin Morgan’s side unable to afford many more slip-ups if they are to claim a topfour finish that will see them into the quarter-finals.

Brisbane had been lashed by rain in the two days leading into the match, due to the effects of Cyclone Marcia,

a category five storm off the central Queensland coast.

There had been some hope the match night go ahead if conditions improved and, at one stage, the groundstaff began preparing the outfield as rain eased during the afternoon.

However, it soon picked up again and it became obvious that there would be no chance of staging even a 20 overs per side game, the minimum required to constitute a result in a one-day international.

The washout favoured Bangladesh, who were given no chance of beating tournament favourites Australia but who must now be thinking of reaching the last eight ahead of England.

Bangladesh next take on Sri Lanka in Melbourne on Thursday. They play England in Adelaide on March 9 in a match that could have a key bearing on which sides qualify out of Pool A for the knockout phase. l

Pakistani cricket fans burn an effigy of team captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi at a protest following the 150-run World Cup defeat of Pakistan to West Indies yesterday AFP

Pirlo wonder goal lifts Juventus Reds focus on high-flying n AFP, Turin Juventus warmed up for their Champions League last-16 clash against Borussia Dortmund next week with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over relegation-threatened Atalanta in Turin on Friday.

In a Serie A clash moved forward to Friday night, Juventus extended their lead at the top of the table to 10 points over idle Roma with the capital side not in action until Sunday when they travel to Verona.

The victory also maintained Juventus’ unbeaten run at home this season, and extended their run without loss in all competitions at the Juventus Stadium to 31.

Fernando Llorente and Andrea Pir-

lo got the goals for the hosts after the visitors had taken an early lead through Guilio Migliaccio.

Atalanta took a shock lead against the run of play when they won a corner on the right on 25 minutes that was superbly delivered by former Dutch international Urby Emanuelson.

However, constant pressure from Massimiliano Allegri’s league leaders paid off six minutes before half-time when they levelled the match.

Juventus then took the lead moments later thanks to a stroke of brilliance from Pirlo, who sent a powerful swerving shot from 35 yards past the despairing dive of Sportiello just before half-time. l

Saints in old boys reunion n Reuters, London Slowly but surely Liverpool are edging towards the Premier League’s top four and victory over high-flying Southampton at St Mary’s on Saturday could prove crucial in their season, manager Brendan Rodgers said on Friday.

Liverpool snapped up Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren from Southampton during the close season but, as things stand, the trio would have been better off staying on the south coast as Southampton occupy the final Champions League spot.

However, seventh-placed Liverpool,

who trail Southampton by four points, are yet to lose in the league this year and are showing signs of the form that earned them the runners-up spot in the Premier League last season.

“The games are now being ticked off and with 13 games to go it would be a big step for us to get the result. We respect Southampton and what they’ve done this season but we know we have the quality and confidence to get a result there,” said Rodgers.

Liverpool will be without injured midfielders Steven Gerrard and Lucas Leiva, while defenders Jose Enrique and Jon Flanagan will also miss the trip.l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Sunday, February 22, 2015

Mamata for better February 21 brings huge crowd to Boi Mela Dhaka-Kolkata trade links n Tribune Report

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has outlined strengthening trade links with Bangladesh by forming a joint business delegation to remove obstacles faced by the businessmen.

“I am here for sharpening the existing relationship between the two countries,” she said at a gathering of business leaders of Bangladesh at a city hotel yesterday.

For strengthening trade and commerce ties, she said: “We have enough resources; we speak the same language and have similar culture. We need immediate nursing to move forward.”

‘We want to see real steps for making this planned connectivity true for the big leap’ Mamata arrived in Dhaka on Friday.

She visited Bangladesh in the past, but this is her first visit as a chief minister.

Identifying some potential areas including tourism, garment, textile, hand loom, boutique and entertainment industry, she said: “We have a lot of businesses. Let us work together for the welfare of the people of the two nations.”

Mamata said there was scope for flourishing relations between Bangladesh and India, especially West Bengal, in the tourism sector. “If we can join hands, we can attract foreign tourists.”

She stressed the need for improving infrastructure and road link connectivity, particularly along the West Bengal.

“We are the gateway to Nepal and Bhutan, and you are for the north-eastern region of India. So, we can work together to make the two countries as business destination for others.”

On the yet unresolved land-boundary agreement, Mamata said it was now awaiting ratification of parliament.

However, her views on Teesta water sharing still remained unclear, as she

said it was a problem for both the countries. “More discussion is needed and everything will be settled in the future.”

About allowing transmission of Bangladeshi private TV channels in West Bengal, she said some TV channels were already operating there. She said they would welcome business-related channels, jointly set up by West Bengal and Bangladesh.

The Bangladeshi business leaders asked Mamata to address different issues including para-tariff and non-para tariff barriers, lack of infrastructure in West Bengal side and allowing Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to set up hotels in Kolkata.

At the event, the Indian business leaders offered to set up joint industrial park and identifying the trade- and commerce-related problems to further increasing business relations between the two nations.

They also put some way-forward issues, including rationalisation of non-tariff trade barriers, ironing out infrastructure-related issues and investment opportunity in sectors like electrical machinery and equipment, roots and timber, ago-processing, automobiles and pharmaceuticals.

Speaking at the function, Industries Minister Tofail Ahmed said despite giving duty-free export facilities for all items except for arms and wine, “export to India is yet to be accelerated at the expected level due to para-tariff and non-tariff barriers.”

About the road and rail connectivity among Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan, he said: “We want to see real steps for making this planned connectivity true for the big leap.”

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed, Indian Chambers of Commerce President Roopen Roy, India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mohammad Ali and its founder Abdul Matlub Ahmad also spoke at the event among others. l

An overwhelming number of people visit the Ekushey Boi Mela premises on the occasion of Language Martyrs Day and International Mother Language Day yesterday RAJIB DHAR

n Munir Momtaj A new splash of energy touched the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela yesterday, as many came to AMAR EKUSHEY the fair in celeBOOK FAIR 2015 bration of international mother language day. Huge crowds and long queues of customers created an entirely different aura at the fair.

Publishers who had so far been dissatisfied with the low turnout, which

was largely due to the political violence carried out during the hartal and blockade programme by the BNP-led 20-party alliance, were very happy about the turnout this past weekend.

Yesterday, in celebration of our powerful history Ekushey February, many came out to the streets, with the atmosphere a little lighter since the blockade programmes began on January 6. This spirit spread to the fair grounds as well, where many came with their children.

Many donned black-and-white coloured clothing, in respect to the martyrs from this day in history.

Although the fair opened at 8am,

Country fully prepared to tackle swine flu n Abid Azad

Eight injured in crude bomb blasts, arson attacks in capital

The Bangladesh government has kept its health offices on high alert about a possible outbreak of H1N1 virus, known for causing the lethal disease swine flu.

Swine flu that killed eight and infected nearly 1,500 in Bangladesh in 2009, however is still to be detected anywhere in Bangladesh this year.

But the alert notices follow an outbreak of the disease in neighbouring India. According to a BBC report, more than 700 people were killed since the disease took hold in mid-December.

The report also says the number of cases has doubled since last week to more than 11,000 while this year’s outbreak of the virus is the deadliest in India since 2010.

n

SWINE FLU Symptoms

Cautions

Acute cough, fever and occasional vomiting.

Refraining people from coughing, sneezing in public places and keeping apart the infected persons from other persons.

However, Bangladesh is very well prepared and has taken all the necessary precautions including arranging treatment facilities, drugs and other logistic supports for tackling the deadly virus, an official said.

“The swine flu season in Bangladesh is April-May and there is huge geographical gap between Bangladesh and the flu-hit place in India. But we have all the necessary drugs in store, the necessary treatment facilities and other logistic supports,” Mahmudur Rahman, director of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim has recently directed the district level hospitals and several specialised hospitals in Dhaka to be prepared to open special units and have a stockpile of relevant drugs in case there is an outbreak of the swine flu.

He has also ordered for keeping medical teams stationed at airports to check passengers coming in from India. The virus first appeared in Mexico in 2009 and rapidly spread around the world. l

Mohammad Jamil Khan

At least eight people, including four students, received splinter and burn injuries in separate incidents in the capital yesterday.

Of them, the minor boy, Palash, 9, and his brother-in-law Md Nur Ali, 26, were taken to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) while the others received treatment at the hospital’s casualty unit.

Nur told the Dhaka Tribune he lives in Madhubagh slum of Moghbazar area and works as a painter.

“I was returning home after work and Palash was with me when two crude bombs went off in front of Moghbazar police outpost around 10:30pm,” he said.

Nur and Palash got their hands and legs burnt in the attack.

Meanwhile, four students of Eden College received splinter injuries after two crude bombs exploded in Azimpur area around 8:45pm.

The four - Lima, 19, Tania, 21, Oishi, 20, and Laboni, 19 - were returning to dorm from Central Shaheed Minar.

Mozammel Haque, inspector of DMCH police outpost, said the girls took treatment at the hospital’s casualty unit as splinters hit their legs.

In Press Club area, rickshaw puller Babul Ahmed, 48, received splinter injury in his hands and legs after a crude bomb exploded there around 9.30pm.

Mozammel said Babul was also treated at the casualty unit.

Fifty-two-year-old Shahdiul Islam Shahid, joint convener of ward no 20 unit of Awami League in Dhaka, received splinter injuries in leg after

a crude bomb exploded in front of Annex Building area of Bangabazar around 7:45pm. He took treatment at the DMCH and returned home.

2 burnt in Gazipur

A man and a woman were burnt when the bus they were travelling by came under an arson attack in Signboard area of Gazipur in the evening.

Sahida Yasmin, 30, daughter of Abdus Samad of Kolemshor area of Gazipur, and Babul Hossain, 19, son of Nurul Islam of East Chandra area of Kaliakair, were admitted to Tairunnessa Memorial Medical College and the DMCH burn unit respectively after the attack.

The fire burnt Babul’s head, face and back.

He said the bomb was hurled at the bus around 6pm. l

9TH WORLD POULTRY SHOW ENDS

Local poultry producers look to enter global market by 2018 n Tribune Report Bangladesh poultry producers plan to enter the global market in next three years, said President of World’s Poultry Science Association-Bangladesh Branch (WPSA-BB) Moshiur Rahman yesterday.

“By 2018, we can begin to export our poultry products,” he said at the concluding session of the 9th International Poultry Show and Seminar 2015 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.

“Bangladesh’s poultry sector is growing by 16% annually and if the growth rate is raised to 18%-20%, chicken meat will be the most preferred meat by 2030,” he added.

He said the government was working on food and nutrition security to meet the demand of the growing population.

And Bangladesh’s poultry industry, in collaboration with the WPSA, is also working with the same goal in mind.

“We hope that poverty and malnutrition will be reduced to a great extent by 2050 if the government and non-government organisations work in close collaboration.”

According to Rahman, eggs and chicken meat are relatively safer, cheaper and healthier protein sources.

“It takes at least one and a half years for a cow to get matured for meat, 7-9 months for a goat, and 4-9 months for a fish. On the contrary, a chicken is ready in 30-32 days.”

Speaking at the concluding ceremony, Mike Robson, country representative of The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) opined that the poultry industry would play a crucial role in meeting the nutrition deficit of the Bangladeshi people.

He said intake of eggs and chicken meat should be enhanced among the Bangladeshi consumers.

Referring to the incredible progress made by Brazil, WPSA International

President Professor EN Silva said Brazil could be a model for Bangladesh to replicate.

Secretary of WPSA Dr Roel Mulder and General Secretary of WPSA-BB Rafiqul Haque also spoke, among others, at the event.

The country’s poultry sector has already generated around 60 lakh jobs and is expected to employ around one crore people by 2020.

Companies, researchers and poultry scientists from 23 countries across the world participated in the 3-day show that began on Thursday.

A 28-inch LED television, a refrigerator and a tablet gadget were distributed among the winners in the competition titled Wishing Hen Quiz and Game Show.

ACI Animal Health won the first prize of the Best Stall Award, Renata Animal Health second prize and Facco Equipment Limited bagged the third prize. l

the crowd gathered from earlier in the morning. Many arrived after paying homage to the martyrs at the Shaheed Minar, which is close to the fair premises.

Despite this year’s book fair being split in two different locations – Bangla Academy premises and Suhrawardy Udyan, the overflow of people left little room in both the locations.

Many were seen in long queues, waiting to enter the venues following security check. The flow of visitors could be traced from Curzon Hall to Shahbagh intersection, from Jagannath Hall to the TSC junction. Furthermore,

programmes held to mark the spirit of February 21 in and around Dhaka University added to the festive mode.

Although it has been common to see authors grace the fair grounds with their presence, and get busy signing autographs, a much more different scenario emerged yesterday. Many visitors were seen taking “selfies” with their friends, and many requested to take “selfies” with authors instead of requesting their autographs.

A total of 263 book covers were unveiled yesterday, with the total number of new books this year crossing 3,000. l

Visitors pour into city amusement parks n Abid Azad Amusement parks in the capital were thronged with children yesterday, who came with their parents to celebrate the International Mother Language Day and the weekly holiday.

Yesterday was also the 47th day of the indefinite blockade imposed by the BNP but that did not deter parents from accompanying their children to the recreational facilities. Nine-year-old Mim was elated when her father, Mahtab Ahmed, announced early yesterday that the whole family was going to celebrate the holiday at Shyamoli Shishu Park, a state-run children’s park.

Mahtab also told his daughter that they would go to Central Shaheed Minar to pay tributes to the language martyrs.

“I am incredibly happy. The last time I came at Shyamoli Shishu Park was about six months ago. I got really bored at home but now I am very happy to be here,” Mim told the Dhaka Tribune.

She said her father avoided outdoor activities on weekends because of security concerns in the wake of the recent political unrest in the country.

“We first went to Shaheed Minar to pay floral tributes to those who sacrificed their lives for our language. There we had fuchka and ice cream before we came to the park. I have already had five rides here,” added the girl.

The city parks also had visitors, mostly families with children, on Friday for being a weekly holiday but the number was higher yesterday.

An official of Shishu Park in Shahbagh nevertheless said the number of visitors there was not greater than that in 2014.

“At this time last year, we got hordes of visitors and many children could not even enjoy the rides because of the

crowd,” said Zakir Hossain. “Compared to the flow of weekend visitors in the past few months, today’s number is certainly higher. Because of the prevailing political instability, the park was practically empty in the recent past but it is now bustling with people. Parks should be full of activity all the time, should not they?”

Monjurul Ahmed, who works at a private firm, said he tries to take his two children to amusement parks at least twice a month but did not do so in the

‘I brought my children as they felt like they were becoming captives at home’ last three months as he was apprehensive of getting caught in untoward situations amid mounting political tensions.

“I brought my children today at Shishu Park as they felt like they were becoming captives at home,” he added.

Dr Enayet Hossain, curator of Dhaka Zoo, said the zoo is visited by 10,00015,000 people on an average every day but the number soars up to seven times on Eid day and remains so for the next four to five days.

“The number of visitors also rises two to three times on weekly holidays.

I would not say today’s flow of visitors matched our expectations but taking into account the ongoing political situation, the number was good,” he said.

“We also got a large number of visitors today who came from outside the capital but such visitors are barely found on Saturdays,” he added.

The ongoing blockade came into effect on January 6, and the BNP has also imposed general strikes in several phases since then. l

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