08 May, 2016

SECOND EDITION

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

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Boishakh 25, 1423, Rajab 30, 1437

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 16

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www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10

5 killed in UP polls violence Death toll rises to 76 since Election Comission announced schedules n Tribune Desk Five persons including a 17-yearold boy were killed in violence during the Union Parishad polls across the country yesterday.

The deceased are Taposh Chandra Das in Comilla, Mahbub Hossain Paltu in Thakurgaon, Siddkur Rahman and Jahidul Islam Bulu in Rajshahi and Hossain Ali in Narsingdi.

In Comilla’s Brahmanpara, supporters of two Madhabpur Union Parishad member candidates – Sultan Ahmed and Rezaul Karim of Chandla union parishad – attacked each other around 10:30am yesterday in front of the Chandla Primary School.

Brahmanpara police station Officer-in-Charge SM Badiuzzaman said Taposh Chandra Das, a Rezaul supporter, was hacked to death in the midst of the clash.

In Thakurgaon, Mahbub Hossain Paltu was killed when police opened fire to stop a clash between supporters of two member candidates at Kaldanga Dakhil Madrasa centre.

Pir’s disciple slaughtered in Rajshahi n Dulal Abdullah, Rajshahi An elderly follower of a Pir or Muslim preacher has been slaughtered in a mango grove at Tanor upazila in Rajshahi.

The victim, Shahidullah, 55, is the son of late Habibur Rahman of Mohanandakhali area of Nouhata in Poba Upazila. He was a follower of Pir Imam Mahdi from Goalanda in Rajbari district.

He was found slit throat in a mango orchard owned by homoeopathic doctor Abul Hasan in Jhumarpara village of Tanor on Friday evening. Police recovered the body on information and sent it to Rajshahi Medical College for post-mortem examination.

Victim’s son Russel Ahmed filed  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

How Sadiq Khan won London n Tribune Desk

ple were killed in a clash between supporters of Awami League’s nominated and rebel candidates.

The deceased are Siddkur Rahman, 30, and Jahidul Islam

Conservatives’ efforts to paint Sadiq Khan and his associates as friends of Islamist extremists backfired and with more than 1.3m votes, Sadiq achieved the biggest personal mandate of any politician in UK history and beat Zac Goldsmith by a huge margin.

Sadiq, the son of a bus driver, completed his remarkable personal journey from council home to City Hall and provided political consolation for the Labour by winning one of the most bitterly-fought elections in decades to become the first Muslim mayor of London.

The 45-year-old Labour MP for Tooting in south London succeeds Conservatives’ Boris Johnson.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Supporters of two member candidates in Lakshmipur clash during yesterday’s union parishad polls Baliadangi Upazila Health Complex’s Dr Abul Kashem confirmed that Paltu had died from a gunshot wound.

Eight others were also injured in the incident, including two who

received bullet wounds. Of them, Nazim Uddin, 55, was sent to Rangpur Medical College Hospital in critical condition.

In Auchpara Union under Rajshahi’s Bagmara, at least two peo-

FOCUS BANGLA

DHAKA MAYORS: YEAR ONE

A good start but still a long way to go Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Huq and Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon have completed their first year in office, facing various challenges and initiating many short- and long-term schemes to turn Dhaka into a clean, green, and liveable city.

Dhaka Tribune’s Abu Hayat Mahmud examines their record in the first of a multi-part series MAYORAL PLEDGES D H A K A C I T Y C O R P O R AT I O N S When the two mayors of bifurcated Dhaka took oath on May 6 last year, the residents welcomed their long-awaited mayors with great expectations.

Talking to media after being elected on April 28, ruling party-backed Annisul and Khokon expressed their visions to make Dhaka a liveable city during the very first year of their five-year term.

In their election manifestos, they mostly concentrated on providing better waste management and plantation; reducing waterlogging; recovering footpaths, roads

Khokon: Need assistance from government agencies

Annisul: Changes will be visible from next year

and roadside areas to improve traffic system and reducing jam including other facilities for the residents.

But they stumbled in their very first step – clearing the roads and footpaths across the city.

On May 28, 2015 after holding a meeting with Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, the two mayors had announced that they would free all the foot-

paths soon.

Khokon launched eviction drives but the illegal occupants resumed their businesses soon after. Annisul, on the other hand, backtracked, saying: “It is a complicated issue ... it involves many stakeholders. We are trying to find a sustainable solution.”

Annisul later started eviction drives against illegal parking and successfully freed the roads in

Saatrasta, Gabtoli, Mohammadpur, Mohakhali, Tejgaon and Abdullahpur areas.

He has also been successful in shifting the Karwan Bazar traders to the three newly-built kitchen markets at Aminbazar, Mohakhali and Jatrabari. The mayor hopes that around 17 of the 23 bigha land at Karwan Bazar would be freed within December 31, and all the shops cleared by April next year.

Besides this, the construction of 22 “U” loops aimed at reducing traffic congestion would be completed by August this year.

The DNCC has removed around 20,000 bilboards form the streets, housees as well as commercial buildings.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

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SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

Prove yourself innocent, BNP to Joy n UNB BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi yesterday urged Prime Minister’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy to prove that he has no involvement in the allegation of siphoning off Tk2,500 crore.

“Khaleda Zia and BNP have talked about $300 million (Tk 2,500 crore) based on information.

It’s the responsibility of Sajeeb Wazed Joy, not Khaleda Zia, to prove whether he has any involvement in it or not,” he said.

Rizvi came up with the remarks at a discussion responding to the prime minister’s call to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to accept Joy’s challenge to divulge elaborate information about $300 million.

Bangladesh Projonmo Academy arranged the discussion at the Jatiya Press Club.

Earlier last week in the city, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at a programme of Jagpa alleged that the government arrested journalist Shafik Rehman as he collected some information about Joy’s involvement in siphoning off Tk2,500 crore.

In response to Khaleda’s comments, Joy, also the prime minister’s ICT affairs adviser, through a status on his Facebook page asked Khaleda to inform him about the details of the Tk2,500 crore she claimed to have kept in his account in the USA as per a case document.

In her wrap-up speech of the parliament session on Thursday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also asked Khaleda Zia to accept the challenge thrown at her by Joy. “The BNP chief has tried to mislead people by giving false information about Joy. He challenged her. I hope she’ll accept the challenge by responding to it.”

The prime minister also said she provided her son with good education as he on completion of his graduation in computer science from India’s Bangalore University studied in Harvard University availing himself of a student loan.

Reacting to the prime minister’s comment, Rizvi said: “It sounds good that you have provided your son with good education. But, can a well-educated son make indecent remarks about a woman of his mother’s age?”

“I would like to call upon the prime minister to get your son admitted to any educational institution in Bangladesh so that he can learn our values that no one should disrespect their seniors,” he added.

Rizvi also alleged that the country’s share market and banks have massively been plundered after Joy was made the prime minister’s ICT affairs adviser. l

A good start but still a long way to go Annisul has also coordinated repeatedly with Dhaka Wasa to take immediate steps to reduce waterlogging in the city in the monsoon.

Several projects involving storm water and surface drains are under way.

The DNCC has taken various other steps under Smart DNCC, Clean Dhaka Programme, Traffic Management Programme, Green Dhaka Programme, Secured Dhaka and Future Mega Plan. Most of the projects are likely to be completed by next year.

Meanwhile, DSCC Mayor Khokon has made several attempts to recover the footpaths in the city’s Gulistan area but could not continue the drives properly. The

hawkers and vendors occupied the footpaths again demanding rehabilitation.

To reduce waterlogging, the DSCC has improved drainage system in Shantinagar, Rajarbagh and Kanthalbagan area. Following his intervention, the Dhaka Wasa is setting up a pump in Kamalapur which will pump out water during heavy rains.

As many as 81 big waste collection containers have been installed and 10 Secondary Transfer Stations in the DSCC areas.

The DSCC has decided to install LED lights instead of sodium lights as street lamps. This project would be completed by next year.

Khokon also taken up various

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

other development projects including installing CCTV cameras, repairing roads, footpaths and drains, building public toilets and plantation.

The DSCC mayor, however, has not taken any step to save the Buriganga River from pollution, although he had pledged to do so in his election manifesto.

When contacted, Annisul told the Dhaka Tribune: “Dhaka is one of the most unhealthy cities in the world. There are various problems in the city, while there are limitations of the city mayors in enforcing power in various sectors.

“One year is a very short time to show a visual change of the Dhaka city.”

The DNCC mayor said most of their projects were at initial stage.

He hoped that when completed next year, the city people would see a dramatic change.

Echoing Annisul, Khokon said: “Lack of coordination among the government agencies is a big challenge in providing better services to the city residents.

Sometimes we are helpless when other service providers do not lend their hands.”

For this reason, Khokon said that the duo had requested Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to form and lead a coordination committee.

In response, the premier has assured them of taking necessary measures. l

of UP polls in which 725 parishads took part. Voting began at 8am and continued till 4pm without break.

across the country.

Adding yesterday’s count to this number totals 76 deaths.

On May 5, Shujan announced at a press conference that they had counted 71 killed and over 6,000 people injured during the first three phases.

Of those killed, at least 16 had no political affiliation, the group said. l

5 killed in UP polls violence Bulu, 35. At least 30 others were reportedly injured in the clash.

In Narsinghdi’s Raipura, clashes broke out between two Awami League candidates for the Paratali Union Parishad at the Jamadarbari Primary School centre.

Hossain Ali, 55, was struck down by a Teta (a three-point spear) during the incident. He was later taken to Raipura Upazila Health Complex

where doctors declared him dead.

Raipur police Station Sub-Inspector Manik Banik confirmed the incident.

Around 25 other people were wounded around the upazila in polls related violence, including BNP chairman candidate Biplob Mia, 48, who was hacked by unknown assailants and is now admitted at the health complex.

Yesterday was the fourth round

76 killed so far

Citizens for Good Governance (Shujan), a rights group, reported that 71 people had died in violence during and around the first three phases of Union Parishad elections that were held in four phases

How Sadiq Khan won London Ed Miliband’s failure was a lesson for Sadiq, not only in the fallibility of polling but also what not to do and from the very outset, he steered clear of the errors that had dogged Miliband’s campaign, reports the newstatesman.com.

The Labour team feared low turnout or voters shunning a Muslim candidate would destroy their hopes. But Sadiq had an upper hand as more Londoners have been voting for the Labour in recent elections (44% in 2015).

However, his victory cannot be attributed to partisan loyalties alone. His strategists cited four in-

sights as central to his success.

The first was that “personality matters more than policy”. His election leaflets rooted his policies in his personal story: “the bus driver’s son who’ll make commuting more affordable”, “the council estate boy who’ll fix the Tory housing crisis” and “the British Muslim who’ll take on the extremists”.

The second insight was that policy should be announced early – and then endlessly reannounced.

All of Sadiq’s signature pledges – the fares freeze, “first dibs” on new homes, the “London living rent” were made by January.

The third was that the Labours competed for every vote. Sadiq spent more time in Tory-leaning outer London, engaged positively with media and avoided picking unnecessary fights.

The fourth insight was to anticipate and prepare for opponents’ attacks. Sadiq’s team knew that the Tories would play the “extremism” card – and pre-empted it.

He also maintained his composure even as the Tories ramped up their attacks, something he later described on Faebook as “a desperate and nasty Tory campaign”.

“He is extraordinarily calm under

that level of pressure,” an MP said about him.

As the first Labour mayor since 2008, Sadiq stands as one of the winners of British politics.

In a short speech after the results, he said: “This election was not without controversy and I am so proud that London has today chosen hope over fear and unity over division.

“I hope that we will never be offered such a stark choice again.

Fear does not make us safer, it only makes us weaker and the politics of fear is simply not welcome in our city.” l

Pir’s disciple slaughtered in Rajshahi a case with Tanor police yesterday morning. He mentioned that his father had land-related conflict with Shajahan and Piar Ali of Nouhata for the last one decade.

Tanor police OC Abdur Razzaq told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that they were trying to find the motive of the murder and had already started drives to arrest the culprits.

“The victim was hit by a sharp weapon in the throat,” Razzaq said, adding that there was no involvement of militants in the attack.

On January 9, Rajshahi College political science student Dablu Hembron was slaughtered at his house at Mondumala Moyenpur village of Tanore. He went home after

completing master’s examination.

Police are yet to solve the mystery.

Since last year around 30 people including Muslim, Hindu and Christian preachers, Pirs and their followers, teachers, secularists and war crimes trial activists have been killed in attacks by machete-wielding militants in Dhaka and elsewhere.

International militant organisations Islamic State and al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent said their men had committed the murders but the government claims that those were acts of the local outlawed militant groups including Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh and Ansarullah Bangla Team or An-

sar Al Islam.

Last year, ex-PDB chairman Khijir Khan was killed at his khanqah sharif in Dhaka on October 5; and Rahmat Ullah alias Nengta Fakir and his assistant Abdul Kader were killed at the shrine in Bayezid area of Chittagong on September 4.

Earlier, Ahle Sunnat leader and TV anchor Sheikh Nurul Islam Faruqi was killed at his house in east Rajabazar, Dhaka on August 27, 2014. Pir Lutfar Rahman, his son and four disciples were killed at his house in Dhaka on December 21, 2013.

On August 8 the same year, Pir Taibur Rahman and his teenager son Namum Manir were killed at

Khalishpur of Khulna on August 8.

Shahidullah’s son Russel said that his father had followers who used to visit the house often. On the other hand, Shahidullah sometimes visited his followers’ houses in different areas.

“Father left the house around 8:30am on Friday saying that he would meet some of his followers at Golabari village of Rohonpur under Gomostapur area of Chapainawabganj,” he said.

Locals found the body in the evening and informed the police.

The law enforcers also seized a travel bag, clothes, a letter and a notebook from beside the body in the mango orchard. l

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SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

This ancient building on Pushparaj Saha Lane in Goalatuli, Old Dhaka, a memory of the city's history and traditional architecture, is being demolished to make room for a new building. Image on the left is an old photo and the one on the right, taken yesterday, shows the building halfway through demolition. Such incidents of architectural heritages being torn down for economic benefits are frequent in the old parts of the town SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Bridges Division eyes major transformation with big projects Showkat Kallol and n Asif Shohel Mamun Bangladesh will be abuzz with the six transformative construction projects for the next three years as half of the projects may be complete within that time.

Three of these mega projects are Padma bridge, BRT Line construction (elevated part) and Dhaka Elevated Expressway.

The Bridges Division recently prepared key performance indicators which will be disclosed alongside the next fiscal budget announcement. The other mega projects are Karnaphuli river tunnel, construction of the Dhaka- Ashulia Elevated Expressway and connectivity for the four-lane roads on each side of the Bangabandhu bridge.

Poverty reduction and social development improve for implementation of Bridges Division key performance indicator including six mega projects within next three years ( 2016-17, 2017- 18 and 2018-2019).

“We are currently working on

BRIDGE DIVISION SIX MEGA PROJECTS INDICATOR Indicators

Unit of measurement

Mid term targets 2016-17

2017-18 2018-19

Construction of Padma bridge

% completion

64

89

100

Construction of BRT lane(elevated position)

% completion

25

60

100

Dhaka elevated expressway

% completion

30

60

100

Construction of Karnaphuli tunnel

% completion

30

50

70

Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway

% completion

5

20

45

Upgrade four lanes road of the each side of the Bangabandhu bridge

% completion

10

40

70

SOURCE: BRIDGE DIVISION

six big projects including Padma Bridge and Dhaka Elevated Expressway. We have already finalised a financial plan in tandem with the structural plans of the projects,” Bridges Division Secre-

tary Khandaker Anwarul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“We hope that all of the construction work will be complete within the stipulated time frames if our budgets are made available,”

he added.

“Padma Bridge project is going on in full swing and will hopefully be completed by December 2018.

The construction work of Dhaka Elevated Expressway project began on June 2015 and is running smoothly.”

“Besides, the rest of our projects including the much talked about Bus Rapid Transit (elevated part) project are in the pre-primary stage. But we believe that all of the projects will begin in due time as per our plan,” he said.

The Bridges Division's budget proposal stipulates that after the construction of the Padma Bridge, the Gross Domestic Product of Bangladesh will increase by 1.20% while the rate of poverty may be reduced by 0.84%. At present, 30% of the construction of the main bridge has been completed.

The division hopes to complete the 46.73km long Dhaka Elevated Expressway by 2019 with a cost of Tk8,940.18 crore.

The detailed design of the Karnaphuli tunnel has already been

finalised. The construction of the 3.4km Karnaphuli tunnel will start immediately after the division signs a loan agreement with the Chinese government owned EXIM Bank.

Bridges Division is now conducting a feasibility study for the construction of 38km long Dhaka Ashulia Elevated Expressway with a project cost of Tk16,250 crore. A big elevated expressway will constructed by the Chinese firm China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation. After the feasibility study, commercial contract will be signed with the company.

Work for a 20 km bus rapid transit lane from Gazipur to Shajalal international airport has already begun under the Transport Ministry.

The Bridges Division will construct a 4.5km elevated expressway for the rapid transit lane project. It has already approved the design of the expressway.

Construction of the 33.4km connecting roads on both sides of the Bangabandhu Bridge will start from 2017. l

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BNP: UP polls worse than previous ones n UNB BNP yesterday alleged the fourth phase of Union Parishad (UP) polls were also marred by “massive vote rigging and irregularities” like the previous three phases, saying any election will turn into Awami League’s ‘family programme’ in the coming days if this situation continues to prevail.

Speaking at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office about the UP polls, party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also alleged the country’s election system has become like a ‘grand cremation ground’ as the government has destroyed it.

“The fourth phase of UP election has also been marked by snatching ballot boxes, casting fake votes, driving out of BNP agents from polling stations, capturing centres, ob-

structing voters and attacking the houses of BNP leaders and activists,” he said.

At many places, the BNP leader said the ruling party men stuffed ballot boxes after snatching ballots on Friday night, hours before the start of balloting. “The ruling party cadres have staged a grand festival of fake votes capturing many voting centres.”

“Awami League has destroyed the election system. If the current situation continues to exist, any election of the country will become Awami League’s family programme in the days to come,” Rizvi told reporters.

Replying to a question, the BNP leader said BNP could have won 90 percent of the UP chairman posts had the election been free and fair.

He said people’s verdict was not reflected in the UP polls as the ruling party men snatched

their voting rights using the state machinery.

Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan alleged that the election atmosphere worsened in the fourth phase of the UP polls than the last three phases.

He came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after holding a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad at his office after the end of voting.

“There will come a day when people won’t utter the word ‘election’ with respect for what is now happening now in the name of polls,” Nazrul observed.

He said their party policymakers will work out their next course of action as the election atmosphere does not improve after the fourth phases of the UP polls. l

10,000 police personnel deployed in city ahead of Jamaat’s hartal n UNB Around 10,000 additional police personnel were deployed yesterday to maintain peace in the capital during Jamaat-e-Islami’s countrywide 24-hour hartal from 6:00am.

Earlier on Thursday, Jamaat called for the 24-hour countrywide hartal for Sunday protesting the Supreme Court order upholding the death penalty of its ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami.

Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Md Maruf Hossain Sarder told UNB that adequate number of police will remain on high alert to avert any unpleasant incident in the capital during the 24-hour hartal that will begin from 6:00 am on Sunday.

He said police will set up check posts at a number of strategic points and they will search suspected people.

Besides, plainclothes police

will be also posted at a number of places with still and video cameras to identify if any one tries to make any kind of trouble during the hartal hours, the DC (Media) added.

Earlier, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court rejected death-row war crimes convict Nizami’s review petition against its previous verdict in favor of his death penalty that was earlier awarded by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). l

Int’l Mothers’ Day today n UNB

International Mother’s Day will be observed across the country today as elsewhere in the world.

The International Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May every year for the last few years The earliest Mother’s Day celebration can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honour of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods.

During the 1600s, England celebrated a day called “Mothering Sunday”.

In the United States, the

Mother’s Day celebration started in 1872 by peace activist Julia Ward Howe, who was horrified by the carnage and suffering of the Civil War and wrote a proclamation calling on women to unite and oppose war.

However, more than 40 countries, including Bangladesh, observe the day following American culture that originated from the thought that Anna Jarvis, daughter of Anna Reeves Jarvis. Anna’s initiatives led to the establishment of Mother’s Day in 1905.

In 1914, Woodrow Wilson, 28th president of the United

States, declared the first national Mother’s Day, as a day for American citizens to show the flag in honour of those mothers whose sons had died in war.

The day will be celebrated in Bangladesh through different programmes as the spirit of the day has been boosted up through previews of special programmes to be broadcast by different electronic media as well as through different activities in the social networking website Facebook that include sharing of photo, video contents dedicated to mothers. l

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Citizenship bill draft termed ‘fantastic absurd’ n Adil Sakhawat Slamming the draft of the Citizenship Bill 2016 approved by the cabinet, speakers at a programme termed it “fantastic absurd” yesterday.

They criticised the provision of the bill which bars expatriate Bangladeshis holding dual citizenship from participating in politics, saying it would be “fantastic absurd” if the provision was kept while signing the bill into law.

‘It is very important to scrutinise the draft before placing it in the parliament for enactment’ The draft is now at the Law Ministry awaiting the vetting process.

The bill will replace the existing Citizenship Act 1951, and Bangladesh Citizenship Temporary Provisions Order 1972.

Barrister Sara Hossain, honorary executive director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, said the government’s intention behind the formulation of the law was vague.

“It is important that the government clarifies its intention before enacting the law. The law will be a barrier to people’s citizen rights. If that is the case, then it will also be a barrier to people’s basic rights.”

She said different minority groups such as enclave dwellers, Urdu-speaking Bangladeshis, indigenous people of Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Rohingyas would face

many difficulties because of the law.

“Bangladeshi migrant workers who have been living abroad for a long time will also face citizenship-related complexities,” added the noted lawyer.

Speaking on the occasion, Gonoshasthaya Kendra’s Zafrullah Chowdhury said laws are formulated for citizens’ welfare but most of the laws in Bangladesh are enacted to repress the people.

Describing the bill as very intentional, he said the government is formulating the law to take action against those who would engage in anti-Bangladesh activities.

“For example, Ghulam Azam was a Bangladeshi citizen who was awarded a 90-year prison sentence for war crimes. Now according to a provision of the draft citizenship act, his son, a former army official, will lose his citizenship.”

Criticising Section 8(2) of the draft act, Zafrullah said at least 70% of the parliamentarians hold dual citizenship while some bureaucrats are also dual citizens.

“They will lose their Bangladeshi citizenship if the law comes into effect.”

Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) Executive Director Abrar said the draft law contains provisions that may lead to a situation of statelessness for a person.

“It is very important to scrutinise the draft before placing it in the parliament for enactment,” he said.

The programme was organised

by RMMRU in Dhaka’s Cirdap auditorium. l

Two workers are seen to trim down some excess from a metal plank used in the construction of Moghbazar flyover near Rampura in Dhaka yesterday. Though a safety net has been hung near the edges, sparks from the welding machine are seen to fall on the busy street beneath the flyover. Such carelessness from the construction workers and authorities concerned may lead to major accidents among other hazards RAJIB DHAR

JU teachers, students stage demo for proctor’s removal n JU Correspondent

Teachers and students of Jahangirnagar University yesterday staged demonstrations on campus, protesting the arrest of the university’s students who had protested Shohagi Jahan Tonu’s murder by blocking the Dhaka-Aricha highway on April 25.

The university’s left-leaning teachers and students observed a “solidarity assembly” in front of the new arts faculty building from around 11:30am to 1:30pm, de-

manding the removal of JU Proctor Prof Tapan Kumar Saha for his failure to ensure security of students, sources said.

JU anthropology department teacher Prof Sayeed Ferdous said: “A new trend of murder, kidnap and rape has started all over the country and the ones who are protesting such crimes are being tortured.”

“Moreover, it is the responsibility of university authorities to ensure the security of students, rather they are in their posts to flatter the government and the ones in

TEMPERATURE FOREC AST FOR TODAY

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN SUNDAY, MAY 8

Dhaka

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Chittagong

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Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:31PM

Joydeep expressed solidarity with the ongoing movement and also demanded the removal of the JU proctor.

JU unit Chhatra Union president Dipanjan Shidhanto Kajol, Jahangirnagar Shangskritik Jote President Jubayer Tipu and activists of Progressive Students Alliance and Anti-Imperialist Students Union were also present at the “solidarity assembly.”

Over 200 students from different departments and institutes attended the protest yesterday and

power,” he added.

JU government and politics department teacher Prof Naseem Akhter Hossain said: “Many days have passed since the incident took place but the authorities are yet to take any action. We do not want to wait anymore and will take steps along with the general students if the authorities do not consider all allegations including sexual harassment.”

History department teacher Golam Rabbani and former JU unit Chhatra Union president Shoumit 38

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Rangpur

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23

Khulna

37

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Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:19AM

37.8ºC Chuadanga

21.3ºC Srimangal

Source: Accuweather/UNB

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PRAYER TIMES

expressed their solidarity with the movement.

Students alleged that JU Vice-Chancellor Prof Farzana Islam had assured them that a probe committee would be formed by May 3 to investigate into the police attack on students but no probe committee has been formed yet.

JU Chhatra Union President Dipanjan Shidhanto Kajol said they will arrange a publicity programme and a torch procession today and tomorrow respectively to press home their demands. l Sylhet

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Cox’s Bazar

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Fajr: 4:55am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 5:00pm | Magrib: 6:34pm Esha: 8:30pm Source: Islamic Foundation

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Pakistan expresses concern over Nizami verdict n Tribune Desk Pakistan yesterday expressed deep concern and anguish after Bangladesh’s top court upheld death penalty for Motiur Rahman Nizami for war crimes.

“We have noted with deep concern and anguish the dismissal of the review application on the death sentence, by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, for Mr. Motiur Rahman Niazami the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Nizami is the chief of Jamaat-e-Islami which openly opposed Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971. He was involved in mass murders and rapes of Bangalis in Pabna and massacre of intellectuals in Dhaka.

Pakistan, which had previously condemned sentencing of Jamaat leaders for war crimes, dubbed the trials “controversial”.

“There is a need for rec-

onciliation in Bangladesh in accordance with the spirit of Tripartite Agreement of April 1974 which calls for a forward looking approach in matters relating to the events of 1971,” the statement added.

Nizami was the chief of Jamaat’s student’ wing Islami Chhatra Sangha, members of which formed al-Badr militia. The tribunal verdict said Nizami had civil superior responsibility in the commission of the offences as chief of both Chhatra Sangha and al-Badr in 1971.

The review petition was the war criminal’s last legal battle. Now, he will have the chance to seek presidential pardon. If he does not receive it or opts to not seek clemency, the government will carry out the death sentence. l

‘Climate induced displacement now highest concern’ n Abu Bakar Siddique Right groups yesterday demanded the inclusion of climate induced displacement issue in the upcoming World Humanitarian Summit as Bangladesh is the worst victim of the climate change.

The developed countries which are responsible for high carbon emission must consider taking responsibilities of climate induced displacement, said Dr Atiq Rahman of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies adding that the country will face the displacement of more than

20 million people by 2050.

He also said the climatic displacement will be one of the highest security concerns of the country, while addressing a discussion yesterday.

Echoed with him, French Ambassador Mrs Sophie Aubert said Climate induced displacement is happening because of human error as it is not the natural phenomena.

Twelve civil society organisations led by COAST has organised the seminar at Cirdap international conference center titled Setting Agenda for World Humanitarian Summit Istanbul: Cli-

mate Induced Displacement, Humanitarian and Right Perspectives.

Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Shaha Kamal said the government delegation in the World Humanitarian Summit will place the issue of climate induced displacement as Bangladesh is hardly responsible for climate change impacts.

Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of COAST suggested that the government should include the agenda in Humanitarian Summit which is going to happen towards the end this month in Istanbul, Turkey. l

Miscreants stab police official in Gulistan n DMCH Correspondent Some unknown miscreants stabbed a police official while performing duty on Kadom Ali Lane in Gulistan area under Bongsal police station of the capital yesterday.

The incident took place near Sundarbans Square Market of the area on Saturday morning.

Locals got admitted Anisur Rahman, assistant

sub-inspector of Nawabpur police outpost, to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in a critical state.

Nawabpur police outpost In-charge Emdadul Hoque said a four-member team led

by ASI Anisur was on-duty on the lane around 8:30am and the miscreants stabbed him with knives indiscriminately after finding him isolated.

There were about four stab-wounds in Anisur’s

chest, back and shoulder, Emdadul also said.

Being informed Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia and some senior police officials visited the hospital.

The DMP commissioner said: “This is an isolated incident. We suspect a man and try to detain him. The reason behind the attack can be said after the investigation.” l

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News

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

Fourth phase sees random clashes n Tribune Desk

Elections were held in 725 union parishads in the fourth phase across the country yesterday, amid reports of sporadic clashes and irregularities.

Four people, including a police constable, sustained bullet injuries during polls in Hathazari upazila and were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

Voting was suspended at three polling centres over clashes of two rival groups, said Returning Officer Selim Reza.

The BNP demanded re-polling in four unions of Hathazari raising allegations of electoral fraud.

Meanwhile, Chittagong city unit Chhatra League Secretary Nurul Azim Rony was arrested in possession of a firearm and bullets for

intruding into a polling centre at Mirzapur union in Hathazari.

AKM Hafiz Akhter, Chittagong superintendent of police, said Rony was arrested and handed over to Hathazari police.

Mujibur Rahman, officer-incharge (investigation) of Hathazari police station, said Rony and Hathazari upazila unit Chhatra League Secretary Arifur Rahman Rasel were arrested on Charia Board School premises.

“A pistol and 15 rounds were seized from Rony, and Tk26,000 and a rubber stamp from Rasel,” he said.

Chandpur

At least 35 people sustained injuries in violence during polls in several unions of Chandpur.

Police fired 70 rounds outside 11 polling centres to bring the situa-

tion under control.

Police and supporters of candidates clashed in a number of unions. There were also clashes between supporters of Awami League and BNP contestants.

The district election officer, Ataur Rahman, said voting was mostly peaceful but there had been unwanted incidents in some places.

Noakhali

Voting was suspended at 16 polling stations out of 92 in Noakhali’s Sonaimuri upazila as violence flared after ballot papers were snatched from a centre.

Also, BNP candidate Abu Sayeed boycotted the election and demanded that voting be held again.

Later in the day, miscreants hurled bombs inside Devpur Government Primary School centre, leaving Assis-

tant Presiding Officer Babul Chandra Acharya injured. He was admitted to Sonaimuri Upazila Health Complex.

Bogra

In Bogra’s Nashratpur union, the nomination form of Awami League-backed chairman candidate Shamsul Haque Khandaker was cancelled.

The returning officer made the decision to cancel the nomination as Shamsul, also a former chairman, did not hand over the dealership of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation according to the rules.

Lakshmipur

Six polling agents were detained by police on charge of casting fake votes at Kerowa Manchura Girls High School centre in Lakshmipur’s Raipur upazila.

A police team led by Judicial Magistrate Mosharraf Karim detained the polling agents.

Ballot boxes were seized and voting was also suspended at the centre after the detention.

Manikganj

In Manikganj’s Joymantap union, BNP-backed candidate Md Ali boycotted polls alleging electoral fraud, including occupation of centres and ejection of BNP polling agents from centres.

He told journalists at a press briefing that he had to boycott the election as the polling authorities took no action against vote rigging.

But Election Officer of Singair upazila Hawlader Mohammad Kamrul Hasan said he was not aware of Ali’s decision to boycott the election. l

Ranga: JP to remain in grand alliance govt n BSS

Jatiya Party (JP) Presidium Member Md Mashiur Rahman Ranga, also State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, yesterday said the JP would remain in the grand alliance government led by Awami League.

“Jatiya Party led by former President and Party Chairman HM Ershad is in the Mohajote (grand alliance) government and it will remain so,” he said while speaking at the biennial conference of Satkhira district unit of Jatiya Party here.

He said: “Despite being an elected MP, the then BNP government sent Jaitya Party chairman to the jail for five years. But the Awami League government honoured him allowing him to sit in the parliament.”

He categorically said the JP will continue with the Awami League led alliance. The state minister said BNP and its partner Jamaat believe in terrorism and they want to do politics keeping people confined but the JP in no way supports any acts of destruction.

“We want to change the lots of the poor and the distressed people and to go forward to ensure the country’s overall development,” Ranga added.

District JP unit President Azhar Hossain chaired the conference, addressed, among others, by JP Presidium Members Sunil Shuvo Roy and Abdur Rauf, Khulna district unit President of JP Shahfiqul Islam Modhu and Satkhira District unit General Secretary of JP Ashrafuzzmamn Ashu. l

Socialist Khetmajur and Krishok Front forms a human chain in front of National Press Club in Dhaka yesterday demanding fair price of farmers’ agricultural products DHAKA TRIBUNE

RU continues protesting Prof Rezaul killing n Abdullah Al Dulal, Rajshahi

Teachers and students of Rajshahi University (RU) yesterday continued their protest programme on the campus for the 15th consecutive day demanding immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the killers of Prof Rezaul Karim Siddiquee.

Thousands of the teachers and students attended a human chain in the morning in front of Senate Bhaban at the university organized

by Rajshahi University Teachers’ Association (Ruta). Dr Mohammad Shahidulla and Dr Mohammad Shah Azam spoke the programme.

According sources, suspected Islamic extremists on April 23,

hacked to death Rajshahi University’s English department teacher Prof AFM Rezaul Karim Siddique, the fourth teacher of the institution to be killed in a decade.

Well-known for his enthusiasm for music and literary works, Prof Rezaul was hacked with machetes by two assailants on motorcycle in an alley near his house in Shalbagan area of the town around 7:30am.

He was attacked while walking to the main road to catch a bus for the university at that time when presence of people was very thin in the alley.

Following the murder, officials of several law enforcement agencies visited the spot and observing the crime scene suggested that it

could be an act of the militants who recently killed a number of secular writers and activists, and preachers belonging to Shia, Ahmadiyya, Hindu and Christian communities.

Later in the day, international militant organisation Dae’sh or Islamic State claimed responsibility for the murder of Prof Rezaul for “calling to atheism,” said US-based jihadi monitor website SITE Intelligence Group quoting Dae’sh’s Amaq news agency.

The government, however, refuses to accept Dae’sh’s presence in Bangladesh claiming that these attacks were conducted by local militants.

After the murder, Progressive Students’ Alliance, an umbrella platform of several student organisations, and the students of Eng-

lish Department, brought out a protest procession on the campus.

RU Teachers’ Association also announced a number of programmes protesting the murder including a boycott of classes as a token protest.

The agitating students also blocked Rajshahi-Dhaka Highway for around 30 minutes from 10:30am demanding quick arrest of the killers.

Proctor Mujibul Haque Azad Khan termed the murder utterly shocking, and said that it was another of the heinous murders.

Besides teaching, Prof Rezaul was the editor of literary magazine “Komolgandhar” and adviser to a cultural organisation named “Shundorom.” He was working to set up a music school in Shalbagan area.

Friends, colleagues and locals said that Prof Rezaul was a pious Muslim. He used to donate money to mosques and madrasas too.

After the murder, the body was sent to Rajshahi Medical College morgue for post-mortem examination. The body was handed over to the family of the victim around 12:45pm.

He was buried at his ancestral home at Darmagaria village in Bagmara around 9:30pm after the third janaza.

Riasat Imtiaz Sourav, son of the victim, filed a case with Boalia police around 4pm against unnamed persons. RMP formed a six-member committee, led by Additional Commissioner Tamizuddin Ahmed Sarder, to monitor the case. l

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8

News

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

People of seven villages suffer due to lack of a concrete bridge Khondoker, n Nayan Jhenidah Thousands of people in seven villages under Trilochonpur and Sundarpur unions in Kaliganj upazilain the district have been suffering since the country's independence due to lack of a concrete bridge over the Chitra River According to local sources, farmers of three villages in Trilochonpur union are the worst sufferers as they are facing setback to carry their products, which are mainly perishable items, to upazila headquarters for want of a bridge.

The growers carry agricultural products to the district town, travelling a 15-km long alternative road. “We cannot make much

profit as we have to spend extra money as carrying cost," said Abdul Alim, a trader of Chacra village.

A bridge is necessary at Badarghat point to connect the two unions with Kaliganj upazila headquarters, villagers said, adding that they repeatedly appealed to the government for construction of a concrete bridge.

Locals said several thousand people including schoolchildren had to cross the river everyday through a bamboo-made bridge to go to the upazila headquarters amid the risk of life.

Meanwhile, accidents occur sometimes while crossing the makeshift bridge and people get injured.

The school-going children face severe problems in reach-

ing their institutions by the shaky bamboo bridge. Most of them do not go to school in the rainy season for fear of accidents on the bridge.

"I don't know how to swim, so I feel afraid of crossing the river by the shaky bridge," said Rina, a student of Class V under Trilochonpur union.

Prior to every parliamentary or local body election, candidates pledge to build a concrete bridge over the river at Badarghat point, but after election, they forget the pledge, locals alleged.

When contacted, Alinur Rahman, chairman of Sundarpur union parishad, said the higher authority was informed of the necessity of building a concrete bridge over the Chitra River to mitigate the sufferings of the people. l

Four found dead in Natore n M Kamal Mridha, Natore

At least four people were found dead in the district yesterday.

The deceased were Sazal Kumar Pramanik, son of Khitish Chandra of Bowalia village under Shukash union of Singra upazila, Bablu Biswash, 45, son of Abdul Latif Biswash of Diargarfa village under Chandai union of Baraigram upazila, Aku Hossain, 40, resident of Khudgabindapur of Charghat village and Saddam Hossain, 20, son of Insar Ali of

Gorlaz-Nawdapara village of Bagatipara upazila.

Nasir Uddin Mondol, officer-in-charge of Singra police station, said Sazal took poison in the morning following a family feud.

The family members rushed him to the upazila health complex where he died.

Monirul Islam, officer-incharge of Baraigram police station, said Bablu was a battery-run easy-bike passenger.

Suddenly, he fell on the road from the vehicle while the it was crossing DK Madrasa area

near Chandai Bazar. At one stage, a human hauler ran over him. He died on the spot.

Mizanur Rahman, officerin-charge of Sadar police station, said a buffalo pulling cart hit an easy-bike in Gazirbeel area leaving Aku dead on the spot.

Aminur Rahman, officerin-charge of Bagatipara police station, said locals found the slaughtered body of Saddam near a brick kiln under Sonapur-Harir Beel area in the morning. He went missing on Friday. l

160 female students hospitalised for food poisoning Correspondent, n Our Rangpur At least sixteen residential female students of Tazhat Fatema (R) Girls' Kawmi Madrasa in the city were admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) on Friday night after they fell sick from food poisoning.

Humayun Kabir, headmaster of the madrasa said 56 residential female students of the institution continued fasting on

the occasion of Holy Sab-E-Meraj on Wednesday and Thursday.

"All of the 56 female students ate boiled rice with 'sak' and 'alu bhorta' in the morning and took boiled rice with chicken curry in the evening," he said adding that 16 of them started vomiting along with severe headache.

"We admitted the sixteen sick female students to Ward No-9 under the Department of Pediatric at the RMCH," he added.

Ailing students Sharmin, 15, of the Department of 'Kitab', Ankhi Moni, 15, and Parveen, 14, of the Department of 'Nurani' said they started experiencing headache and vomiting since taking lunch.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Dr ATM Mahbubul Karim visited the ailing female madrasa students at RMCH, inquired about their health condition and treatment. l

9

DT

Career

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

What makes a leader root causes and not settle for the status quo. A mark of a good leader is that he/she does not take any exception to the plan when “things just happen,” or “that’s the way it is.” They seek to understand the issue, correct it and then aspire to come up with a sustainable solution.

Decisiveness

All leaders must make tough decisions. It goes with the job.

They understand that in certain situations, difficult and timely decisions must be made in the best interests of the entire organisation; decisions that establish a firm authority and finality that might not please everyone.

Extraordinary leaders don’t hesitate in such situations.

They also know when not to act unilaterally, and foster collaborative decision making instead. In fact, here’s a system you can use to become a better decision maker. It’s called the Q-CAT:

n Fariel Samiha Sadaf In a world where everyone is keener on bossing people around, it’s difficult to find a true leader. Over the past several years, one of the most important contributions psychology has made to the field of business has been in determining the key traits of acknowledged leaders.

Psychological tests have been used to determine what characteristics are most commonly noted amongst them.

Many leaders are competent, but few qualify as remarkable. If you want to join the ranks of the elite, make sure you embody the following qualities at all times.

It sure wouldn’t be easy, but the rewards can be truly phenomenal.

Communication skills

Many leaders are competent, but few qualify as remarkable

A good leader must possess competent communication skills.

They must be good speakers as well as listeners. They should be able to communicate to all levels of the organisation and also be able to conversate with followers, listen to their ideas, ask questions and answer to their queries in order to ensure that

they have understood what was communicated.

They should also be able to win people over through sharing objectives and ideas, allowing followers to buy-in and place their trust on the leader. It is vital to be able to convey and share the vision the company entails. Ask each of the other managers in your company to tell you, in their own words, about the vision of the company.

How close is it to what you thought they understood? Is your team on the same page as you are? As you work, your company’s vision should be kept in mind, and you should reevaluate it from time to time. And remember, your staff needs to be just as involved as you in keeping it up to date if you truly want them to buy-in on the vision.

Be sure to keep your key players involved. It is your solely communication skills that will keep your workforce motivated and committed.

Problem solving skills

If there are issues and problems which prevent the tasks from being achieved, the leader must possess a clear foresight, probe

Q = Quick. Be quick but not hasty.

C = Committed. Be committed to your decision but not rigid.

A = Analytical. Be analytical, but too much analysis can cause paralysis.

T = Thoughtful. Be thoughtful about all concerned, but don’t be obsessive.

When you use the Q-CAT, it’ll help you to decide when to bring others into the process and what steps need to be taken to help you make better decisions.

Team builder

To become a great leader, you must develop a great team or, as one might say, a well-oiled machine. But how do you do that? You can start by handing off responsibilities and let your team to run with it. Don’t breathe down their necks and micromanage, but make yourself available if questions or problems come up.

Teach your team to have the freedom to work through their own decisions. When projects aren’t on track or your team is falling behind on deadlines, it serves no one if you start pointing fingers.

This is when you need to rise to the occasion and inspire confidence in your employees, to let them know you support them and is ready to help. When an emergency strikes, your team will expect you to be a tower of strength and endurance.

Result driven

It is not enough to just lead, and expect the team to deliver. The leader actively seeks perfection and focuses on the delivery of the team’s performance, by leading and understanding everything going on. She/he may delegate effectively but is still required to set the example, raising the bar for others to follow.

Confidence

Not only are the best leaders confident, but their confidence is contagious. Employees are naturally drawn to them, seek their advice, and feel more confident as a result. When challenged, they don’t give in too easily as they know their ideas, opinions, and strategies are well-informed and the result of much hard work. Moreover, when proven wrong, they take responsibility and quickly act to improve the situations within their authority.

Conscientiousness

Leaders are often dominated by a sense of duty. They usually have a very high standard of excellence and an inward desire to do one’s best.

They also have a need for order and tend to be very selfdisciplined.

Charisma

People usually perceive leaders as larger than life. Charisma plays a large part in creating this perception. Leaders who have charisma are able to arouse strong emotions in their employees by defining a vision which unites and captivates them.

Circumstances and persistence are major components in the developmental process of any leader. If your goal is to become a leader, work on developing those areas of your personality that you feel are not “up to par.”

For instance, if you have all of the basic traits, but do not consider yourself a “people” person by default; try taking classes or reading books on empathy. On the other end, if relating to others has always come naturally to you, but you have trouble making logical decisions, try learning about toughmindedness and how to develop more psychological resistance.

Just remember, anyone can do anything they set their mind to. l Content was reprinted from www. everjobs.com.bd/job-journal

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10

Feature

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

Career advice you’d like to give to your most hated co-worker n N Anita Amreen When it comes to career advice, we’ve almost heard it all. From the cliches that claim that, “Failure is the pillar to success,” to those that state, “Slow and steady wins the race.” We’ve heard them all and have rolled our eyes so far back in exasperation, we seem to be in a permanent state of dismay.

This week we asked a host of individuals what is one piece of career advice they secretly wanted to give their most hated or most disliked co-worker. The answers may surprise you. *Some names have been changed to maintain anonymity.

“Sweaty co-workers: please do something about the BO. The mixture of the stench from sweat and the invasion of privacy is hell.

That’s one. Then there are those that openly use Tinder during meetings: please stop. Third, please stop trying to make after work plans when you’re clearly not interested.” - Nuhash Humayum, writer.

her look stupid and immature. No one respects a leader who doesn’t miss a single opportunity to show off.” - KR*, Interpreter at Quantum Consumer Solutions and teacher at American Standard International School.

“Please do something about your communication skills (or lack thereof). You often end up sounding like a rude imbecile when really, it’s just that you have terrible English and you don’t know how to phrase yourself.”

- Mahdin Mahboob Khan, Phd student, Stony Brook University, New York “Don’t follow the masses.

Sometimes you need to realise that the “m” is silent.” - JR*, Territory Officer, BAT. “Please stop hovering over my computer when my Facebook window is open. I can see you lurking. Yes. I see you. Stop.” Shafayat Nazam Rasul, lecturer at North South University

Please do something about your communication skills (or lack thereof)

“Boundaries are like country borders when it comes to the professional atmosphere. You should know when to maintain yours and not give an opinion about anyone’s lifestyle or online social presence.” - Ashfaque Zaman, former teacher.

“Maybe you should spend less time contemplating and discussing my marriage and attend more of the board meetings that you keep missing due to your own failing marriage.” - SS*, teacher at Turkish Hope International School.

“It really annoys me when my direct senior makes up new rules and regulations that are unnecessary and inapplicable. I want to tell her that it only makes

“We always have that one person that is on top of office gossip.

While it’s a given for most organisations, it gets annoying when he/she can’t help but spill their word vomit to you every five minutes. I know you love sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong and you love even more to share your findings with the world, but please give it a rest. You need to get a life – one that is your own.”– Sumi Mahmud, Owner and Graphic Designer for Naga Inc “Stop with your constant illogical explanations for everything.

It’s not only irritating but it also makes you look stupid (like that was even possible). You’ve only made it this far as a pilot because of the autopilot function. Please

PHOTO: BIGSTOCK remember that books can’t teach you how to fly.” - SBM*, First Officer, Biman Bangladesh Airlines “I really like you, but I really don’t want to hear about your girlfriend problems when I’m trying to concentrate. And I appreciate your enthusiasm in my life but could you be enthusiastic without your face coming awkwardly close to mine, please?” - Arman R Khan, writer “Please, please, please start wearing proper black socks. Your Nike or Reebok socks don’t go with

your formals, even if they’re black and neither do those ridiculous looking ankle socks.” - Ali Faiyaz Shoumo, RM, Premium Banking, Brac Bank Ltd “Nothing annoys me more than those that chew out loud during lunch at the cafeteria. Other advice would be for those who constantly use sticky notes to jot down anything and everything.

Maybe start using a smartphone app, perhaps?” - Kazi Ahmed, co-founder and chairman, Control N Ltd.

“Please do something about your personal hygiene. It’s unbearable to deal with conversations that include distractingly dirty teeth and unbearably horrid bad breath.”

- Mir Rabby, Associate Executive Director at Radio Shadhin 92.4 FM “When you simultaneously get more work done than the rest of us, get paid for it, still have a social life, and generally enjoy yourself - but complain about not having a significant other yet. Boo. Effing. Hoo.” - Ibtisam Ahmed, postgrad student at the University of Nottingham. l

DT

Editorial 11

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

INSIDE

This Mother’s Day, let’s talk about depression To celebrate motherhood without understanding the physical and mental challenges our mothers go through during and post childbirth, is an incomplete celebration, a halfacknowledgement of their entire journey

PAGE 12

Pride and progress Indo-centricity remains stuck in the same place it was then. Until that problem is resolved, and the PakistanIndia relationship is normalised, new moods will not be enough to change Pakistan’s trajectory

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

PAGE 13

Let the city’s children play

D

Why the empty words?

As a friend of Bangladesh, the United States should remember how wrong it was to take sides with Pakistan in 1971.

They should not repeat such a mistake.

PAGE 14

Be heard Write to Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Send us your Op-Ed articles: opinion.dt@dhakatribune.com www.dhakatribune.com Join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/ DhakaTribune.

The views expressed in Opinion articles are those of the authors alone. They do not purport to be the official view of Dhaka Tribune or its publisher.

haka’s mayors need to do more to live up to their promise of reviving the capital’s parks and playgrounds.

A year on from their election, Bangla Tribune’s opinion survey found most respondents across the city saying that Dhaka is still not a child-friendly city.

Well over half the people surveyed, 55% in Dhaka North and 61% in Dhaka South said there were no nearby playgrounds for children. Even worse, where people do have access to existing playgrounds, over half of all respondents say they are not suitable for children to play in.

The mayors must make it a top priority for the city corporations to end the institutionalised neglect which has left most playgrounds and parks in dire need of renovation and improvement.

All residents of the capital suffer from the general scarcity of civic spaces for rest and recreation.

It is particularly harmful for the city’s children, who are left without sufficient usable spaces for safe outdoor play and sport.

The mayors should bring together local schools and neighbourhood associations to work with the city corporations and police to safeguard and protect existing parks and play areas. This need not cost a lot of money, but needs the leadership and organisation that directly elected mayors can provide to ensure accountability.

A high profile campaign to bring local people together to renovate playgrounds and green areas will both help make them more popular and safe and also help ensure they are properly maintained in future.

For the longer term, the mayors should use their authority to make sure new developments are properly planned with provisions that increase public access to green space and recreation areas.

There is no option for Dhaka not to ensure all green spaces are better maintained and kept safe for everyone to use whenever they like.

Mayors’ leadership needed to ensure playgrounds are properly maintained and accessible

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DT

Opinion

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

This Mother’s Day, let’s talk about depression Motherhood isn’t just umbilical cords and purple roses. It’s about way more

Mothers are only human

n Syeda Samira Sadeque

I

t’s difficult to see our mothers as monsters. Be it the cultural background we’re brought up in, or the morally high standard that a patriarchal system such as ours holds motherhood to, nothing really allows us to look at our mothers as anything other than a saint.

Or, sometimes, just as humans.

Instead, we’re taught from day one to hold our mothers to the standard of saints, as a gateway to the heavens, as holy beings who cannot be wronged and who definitely can do wrong.

That’s where the problem lies. In the past few months, the media has been ripe with stories of mothers killing their newborn children in different parts of Bangladesh. And this is nothing new. It’s happened before and it will happen again. What’s concerning is that our reaction to these incidents have remained the same over time: Demonising the

BIGSTOCK

mother.

Nothing justifies the murders.

No child should have to die such horrific deaths -- least of all by someone they should be able to trust, in a place they call home.

But there is an entire conversation missing when, upon reading these news stories, we jump to the conclusion and blame the mothers instead of understanding the complications of motherhood, the biggest of which is post-partum depression.

Postpartum depression is defined by the National Institute of Health as a “moderate to severe depression in a woman after she has given birth. It may occur soon after delivery or up to a year later. Most of the time, it occurs within the first three months after delivery.”

There was a time when it was thought to be prevalent in Western nations, but recent research has revealed rising symptoms in this part of the world. Post-partum depression can vary in length,

level of severity, and even in its time of occurrence. While many mothers experience it immediately after birth, many have reported experiencing it at a much later stage.

reported.

When these incidents take place, they put our traditional views of motherhood in conflict, causing us to lash out at the only people we’re conditioned to easily

To celebrate motherhood without understanding the physical and mental challenges our mothers go through during and post childbirth, is an incomplete celebration, a half-acknowledgement of their entire journey

While many mothers experience moderate to severe mood swings, for some mothers it can go to the extent of irrational fear or imagination such as seeing the child as a devilish (or supernatural) entity. This can often lead to violence on the mother’s part, as is seen in the cases of the murders

blame in our society: The woman.

Following these incidents, stories spread on social media with captions that -- rather comfortably -- assigned hellish nicknames to the mothers in question: “Satan” or “devil” or the likes were used by many, both mothers and nonmothers.

While the mothers are at fault of committing the crimes, it is vital for us to view the issue through the lens of post-partum depression instead of jumping to conclusions.

When these stories of mothers killing their children spread like wildfire on social media, we’re doing little justice by attributing the whole blame to mothers.

It is as much our flawed understanding of motherhood -- one that allows a mother to make no mistake and holds her to impossibly high moral grounds -- as our lack of awareness of postpartum depression that can drive a mother to eventually pull the trigger.

Research has shown that post-partum depression can be worsened without proper support from the community and/or one’s partner. And that’s where we, as a society, as a community, have a role to play. To not necessarily condone mothers who murder, but to understand the complex system behind it.

In Bangladesh, there is little data available on the issue -- once again reaffirming our lack of knowledge on this topic. Mental health itself being a rather tabooed issue doesn’t help the case either.

The thing about mental health is that it exists in every society, every household and, in some capacity, almost in every individual.

When we raise our mothers to god-like standards, we take them out of the realm of humans -- attributing these holy roles to them automatically negates the possibility in our mindset that mothers, too, can err. Mothers, too, have their demons. Mothers, too, are humans.

So, this Mother’s Day, when you celebrate your mother and her journey, remember and honour her struggles as well -- both physical and mental.

Because, to celebrate motherhood without understanding the physical and mental challenges our mothers go through during and post childbirth, is an incomplete celebration, a halfacknowledgement of their entire journey.

Because, motherhood isn’t just umbilical cords and purple roses and boasting about your mom’scooking -- it’s about way more.

And it's about time, we as a society, start seeing that. l Syeda Samira Sadeque is a journalist.

13

DT

Opinion

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

Pride and progress Are Pakistanis finding their agency?

n William Milam

I

did not expect to come away from my recent visit to Pakistan feeling positive.

After all, I was coming from Bangladesh in a very sombre mood, because the politics in Bangladesh are very depressing.

And my visit to Pakistan coincided with the revelations of the “Panama Papers” which, though ambiguous as to any legal culpability, would clearly weaken the civilian government vis-à-vis the army.

My arrival followed closely on the spectacle of a “sit in” in support of an executed murderer of a major politician, which the government allowed to disrupt normal activity for several days.

I looked forward to seeing a great many friends who I much admire, but had no great expectations that Pakistan itself would evoke feelings other than the usual “muddling along.”

But somewhere along the way in those two weeks, I began to feel a different vibe, a sense of self-confidence, a feeling of energy that I have not seen in many previous visits. My friends, for the most part, exuded this sense of self confidence and energy, and one could feel it in the streets.

One of those friends described it as “finally, Pakistan is a work in progress; before it was a work, but there was no progress; now there is progress.”

I suspect that one factor in this new sense of confidence is that Pakistanis are discovering they have agency. In big and small ways (mainly the latter), the middle and upper middle classes are taking their fate in their own hands.

An agent is someone who makes choices for other people.

Individuals have their own agency when they have the capability to make choices for themselves, and the will to act on their choices.

Groups of people have agency too. This collective agency occurs when people act together, in a social movement, for a collective or social goal.

This goal is almost always to improve their lives in some way. Labour unions, other social movements -- even sometimes political parties -- can exercise collective agency for a social good. To believe in human agency, individual or collective, is to believe that humans can, and do, make decisions and enact them to improve their own lot and their societies.

There is, of course, much

Is life in Pakistan less depressing than it is in Bangladesh? philosophical argument about whether human agency can be independent or is dependent on some greater force. This has been argued for centuries, and clearly these arguments are still raging.

But whether human agency is determined in some mechanistic way, or is free and undetermined is not the point here.

movement either ran out of steam or was crushed by military governments.

The most exciting example of collective agency was in a village near Lahore. There a group of people are bringing modernisation to the village -- a hospital for women, for their obstetrical and gynecological care; a school for

Indo-centricity remains stuck in the same place it was then. Until that problem is resolved, and the Pakistan-India relationship is normalised, new moods will not be enough to change Pakistan’s trajectory In fact, it is clear that humans do exercise agency individually and collectively, and we see it around us every day. I wrote about one manifestation a few months ago -the great migration crisis is clearly the result of a collective decision on the part of several million displaced Middle Eastern suffering people to exercise their agency and move to where there is safety and hope.

And I see small signs of collective agency in Pakistan, things I have not seen in many previous visits or when I lived there. In part, I may not have been looking in the right places.

I suspect the spirit has always been there. I read of historical examples, of groups trying to exercise agency, but the

boys and girls, and a community centre among other projects. I was present at the official opening of the community centre, and saw the enthusiasm and the pride in their accomplishments.

I have also been reading again chapters of a book yet to be published about larger examples of Pakistani women exercising their collective agency to better their working conditions. For the most part, these movements are fairly recent, taking place in the last 10-15 years. They include the long struggle by the women health workers for better pay and permanent positions, the movement by landless peasants against the owners of their land and the army, and the movement against sexual abuse

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and harassment on the job, which resulted in legislation.

These are gripping in their stories of women coming together against great odds and great opposition and through collective action and solidarity (and pragmatic negotiation) attaining their objective of better working conditions. Often, these struggles took a decade or more.

What makes these stories different is that most of them are about working class and lower middle class women rising up to seize the challenges and winning their battles. The cost of those victories was high in terms of family stress as well as social opprobrium.

One other experience during the visit provided additional evidence that the mood might be changing. I was invited to the Folk Culture Festival (called Lok Virsa Mela) which reminded me of the California State Fair where I spent many happy childhood days.

The provinces come together to display their wares -- food, crafts, arts, song, dance, etc. There were thousands of people of all classes and ethnicities, all having a joyous time, singing, dancing, eating.

It took me back not only to my happy childhood days at the State Fair, but to my early years in Pakistan and the Lahore Kite Festival. Until the Lok Virsa Mela, the Kite Festival was the only time I had seen large numbers of Pakistanis of all classes and kinds having fun. I remember clearly a conversation I had on a rooftop at a party during the Kite Festival with another party-goer, who said

to me: “This is the only time of the year I have any fun.” And the next year the Kite Festival was stopped, ostensibly because it was getting too dangerous, but really because the mullahs said it was a Hindu festival.

Now, before my friends start worrying about my mental equilibrium, and start to call the guys with butterfly nets, I realise that one rose doesn’t make a summer and that a Lok Virsa Mela and a few successful women’s movements doesn’t make a healthy country. The political, economic, and security problems remain very large and daunting. The governance remains dysfunctional.

The central problem I wrote about five or six years ago in the Future of Pakistan book, Indocentricity, remains stuck in the same place it was then. Until that problem is resolved, and the Pakistan-India relationship is normalised, new moods will not be enough to change Pakistan’s trajectory.

But if I am right, and middle class and upper middle class Pakistanis are beginning to feel they have agency, that they have control of their own lives, and thus if they have the confidence to assert themselves politically, then there is a chance to break down over time these barriers that halt progress. An assertive bourgeoisie is historically a driver of change. l William B Milam is a Senior Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington, DC, and former US Ambassador to Pakistan and Bangladesh. This article first appeared in The Friday Times.

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Opinion

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

Why the empty words?

The US should help Bangladesh root out extremism

All killers need to be brought to justice

n Nadeem Qadir

I

n a country where secularism and progressive life are key, but is dubbed by many as Muslim-majority, the recent killings of a university teacher, a Hindu barber, and USAID official along with his friend are clear indications of an evil anti-state design.

It is indeed a design to give up our basic values as Bangalis, it is a design to force upon an alien rule and culture in the name of Islam, and last but not the least, it is a design to unseat a government that has marked high points in many areas.

These include a stable political scenario, an unprecedented power generation and foreign exchange reserve, and an economy that has grown faster than ever before despite global gloom.

These achievements of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government have given birth to internal and external enemies, who never saw Bangladesh with a kind eye.

Internally, the home minister has made it clear that all kinds of terrorism in the name of religion was being carried out by the

BIGSTOCK

“criminal organisation” called Jamaat-e-islami and its brutal student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir. All police probes have found out the root lie with these evil forces.

they call it, but on the other hand is a proof of the evil designs that I have mentioned. The arrests in Singapore of Bangladeshi men make it clearer.

US Assistant Secretary of State

As a friend of Bangladesh, the United States should remember how wrong it was to take sides with Pakistan in 1971. They should not repeat such a mistake.

The government’s proof of zero tolerance to all kinds of terrorism is the ousting of anti-India and anti-Myanmar groups from its bordering areas, which were harboured and patronised by the previous BNP-Jamaat government.

Our major friend, the United States, which champions all kinds of human rights, has called on the Dhaka government repeatedly to deal with the bigots with a tough hand. The killings cannot be a proof of government inaction as

for South Asia, Nisha Desai Biswal told the media that local terrorists have links with Bangladesh’s home-grown ones: “The US wants to disconnect this link,” she was quoted as saying during her recent visit to Bangladesh.

US Secretary of State John Kerry telephoned Sheikh Hasina recently to convey his concerns, especially for his colleague Xulhaz Mannan, hacked to death for being a gay activist.

The prime minister rightly

condemned the killings, and said the US was harbouring two men convicted of killing her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She asked Washington to extradite them to Dhaka to face justice. Washington has no answer, and that is sad.

Preaching rights abroad, but not respecting the rule of law is a double standard that Washington is guilty of not only in this case, but also during the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh. It stood in support of Pakistan as millions were killed in what was then East Pakistan.

The other incident, the premier pointed out, was in which more than 100 people died by BNPJamaat’s fire-bombings across Bangladesh last year. She said the same group was now killing Hindus, Muslims, and freethinkers in a pre-planned way.

We welcome the concerns, but not empty insistence that Islamic State or al-Qaeda exist in Bangladesh or that local terrorists are trying to establish links with terrorist groups.

Imran H Sarker, with whom I disagree on many issues, rightly said to the BBC: “The target (of the religious bigots) is this country, this society, and its secular frame.

They (bigots) are saying if you disagree with me you will be killed.”

As a friend of Bangladesh, the United States should remember how wrong it was to take sides with Pakistan in 1971. They should not repeat such a mistake.

The US should come up with a concrete strategy to help, and save the country for free and progressive thinkers instead of only highlighting the issues that tarnish the efforts of the people of Bangladesh in keeping it a secular country with the door open for freethinkers.

Bangladesh is not for religious bigots, but for freethinkers, even for those like Xulhaz Mannan, who do not harm anybody for any cause.

I have lived with Hindus, studied in Catholic schools, and have grown up with teachings from my late mother that we are all humans, and we must love each other to make the world a better place to live in. l Nadeem Qadir, a senior journalist, is a UNCA Dag Hammarskjold Scholar in journalism. He is the Press Minister of Bangladesh High Commission in London.

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Business 15

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

INSIDE Marcel eyes 40% growth this year Marcel, a local manufacturer of electronics products and home appliances, has set 40% growth target compared to the previous years. PAGE 16

Shift in Saudi oil thinking deepens OPEC split As OPEC officials gathered this week to formulate a long-term strategy, few in the room expected the discussions would end without a clash. But even the most jaded delegates got more than they had bargained with. PAGE 17

Tech world eyes digital life beyond the smartphone The smartphone revolutionized how people live and work, but the technology world is now struggling to see what comes next. PAGE 18

Capital market snapshot: Past Week DSE Broad Index

4,306.8

2.6% ▲

Index

1,057.1

3.1% ▲

30 Index

1,665.3

3.3% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

17,459.2

-2.0% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

449.2

-1.4% ▼

All Share Index 13,248.1

2.5% ▲

30 Index

12,313.2

2.6% ▲

8,057.7

2.6% ▲

CSE

Selected Index Turnover in Mn Tk Turnover in Mn Vol

978.4 -11.5% ▼ 41.7

0.7% ▲

Biman to recruit seven more pilots n Ishtiaq Husain Biman Bangladesh Airlines is set to recruit at least seven more pilots from Bangladeshi nationals as “First Officer” to operate its Boeing 737 aircraft.

The appointment of the pilots would be contractual and the interested pilots with the pre-requisite qualifications and experiences are requested to apply in the prescribed format available in the website of the national flag carrier (biman-airlines.com), which must reach to Manager Employment Human Resources Department of Biman head office by May 22.

Though the Biman administration has announced the vacancy notice, it did not yet mention anything about the number of the “First Officers” to be recruited.

An official of the management,

however, told the Dhaka Tribune that the airlines would recruit at least seven pilots.

On Thursday last, Biman management made a major reshuffle transferring 5 pilots from flight operations department.

As part of the move, Captain

Market bounces back into green Business n Tribune Desk The stock markets ended in green last week after a long four-week downslide, thanks to recent earning disclosures by several companies.

The Bangladesh Bank directive on Monday on curbing banks’ overexposure to stocks helped the equity market hit the biggest single-day gain on the following day last week.

The gain is the higest in kind in a year.

The central bank said most banks might not need to sell shares to bring down their overexposure within the regulatory limit.

In addition, the disclosure of satisfactory earnings of some com-

panies in the past week also boosted investors’ confidence, said a trader on Thursday.

In last week, the benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX advanced by 2.6% to 4,307 while the bluechip comprising index DS30 increased by 3.3% to 1,665. The DSE Shariah Index, DSES, was up by 3.1% to 1,057.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, closed at 8,058 with a gain of 2.6% over the past week.

Trade volume during the week remained similar to that of the previous week that only witnessed a four-trading session because of weekly holidays, plus the national holiday on May 1. l

visit our website @

www.dhakatribune.com

www.dhakatribune.com

Farhat Hasan Jamil has been made director flight operations, replacing Captain Kamal Sayeed.

After assuming office in March as Biman Chairman Air Marshal Enamul Bari (retd.) made this major reshuffle.

As Biman has now sufficient pi-

lot to operate all types of aircrafts, it should announce a circular for recruiting cadet pilot to operate Dash 8 Q 400 aircrafts. But, the management has announced a circular for recruiting First Officer, which is not required, said a senior pilot of Biman while talking to the Dhaka Tribune.

“National flag carrier has now an additional 10/12 foreign and local pilots on contractual basis.

Two years back, Biman had to recruit those foreign and local pilots in the wake of pilot shortage.

The management should dismiss them as the airliner has no more pilot shortage at the moment,” he added.

Biman announced the circular even before holding its regular promotion board meeting that decides how many pilot should be recruited. l

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Marcel eyes 40% growth this year n Tribune Business Desk Marcel, a local manufacturer of electronics products and home appliances, has set 40% growth target compared to the previous years.

Over the last couple of years, Marcel had been registering 30%35% growth in its business. Witnessing the continuous growth, this year the company has made the new target in comparison with the previous year, said a statement of the company.

The local consumer-based electronics goods manufacturer is also considering “2016” a challenging year in terms of grabbing a lion’s shre of the country’s electronics market.

With the aim of turning the challenging year into a successful one, the local brand is operatng business by adopting timely working plans and marketing strategies.

“Our aim is to be the premier electronics brand in the local market. Marcel gained popularity among the customers within a short time of its journey, said Mosharraf Hossain Razib,” head of marketing.

“Now, we consider 2016 a challenging year to grab the lion’s share of the country’s electronics market. To make the dream come true, some new electronics products and electrical appliances were released while new models and designs added to the existing products spe-

cially in the area of refrigerators and LED televisions,” said Razib.

Marcel has already added new electronics and electrical products to the existing product line. It has also strengthened research and development activities to ensure highest quality of products and also increased the number of sales and service points.

Modern technologies and equipment were installed in the manufacturing unit. In addition, the local brand has slashed its product prices in line with the reduction of overhead cost at the manufacturing process.

The Marcel officials said they were registering 30%-35% growth over the last couple of years. Wit-

nessing the continuous growth, this year the company has set the target of 40% growth.

Recently, the company has marketed non-frost refrigerators with ‘intelligent inverter’ technology-based compressors, which consume about 35% to 40% less electricity than the refrigerators with induction technology compressors, it stated.

In addition, compressors with intelligent inverter technology would be long-lasting and noisefree. By producing refrigerators with intelligent inverter and nano-healthcare technologies, Marcel has now met the European and American standards, added the company. l

Brexit outcome may play into Fed rate decision n Reuters, Washington Britain’s vote in June on whether to leave the European Union is shaping up to be the next global event to impact the US central bank’s decision-making on when to next raise interest rates.

San Francisco Fed President John Williams on Thursday became the latest US central banker to suggest that the vote on Brexit, which comes a week after the Fed’s next policy meeting, could play into deliberations.

“Clearly if there’s an expectation that it actually will pass and the markets will react to that then we have to take that into consideration in terms of how it affects the US economy and the outlook,” Williams told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution.

Williams on Thursday told CNBC that given strong US jobs gains and signs of stirring inflation, two or three rate hikes this year seem reasonable.

His views on Brexit echo those of

John C Williams, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, speaks at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills REUTERS Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart, who is attending the same conference, and who told CNBC that Britain’s vote “is a big deal” that deserved close attention.

“I think it’s possible that as the markets absorb information running up to the Brexit vote, that the markets are volatile,” he said.

Polls show a tight race in Britain

with the outcome likely uncertain before the Fed meets next on June 14-15. The Fed raised rates for the first time in a decade in December from near zero but have since stood pat, in part because of global economic uncertainty.

Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan, also at Stanford on Thursday, said during a visit to London

last week the Brexit vote will be a factor in the Fed’s June decision unless the outcome of the vote is very clear ahead of time.

The view that Brexit is a deciding factor, however, is not monolithic at the Fed, as comments form St. Louis Fed President James Bullard earlier on Thursday show.

“International influences ... appear to be waning during the first half of 2016,” Bullard at an event in Santa Barbara, California, before heading to Stanford to join his colleagues at the conference.

Fed officials in March suggested they expect two rate hikes will be appropriate this year; traders of futures tied to U.S. rates are betting on just one.

Bullard told reporters before the speech that the “pretty big gap” between the rate views makes it difficult to conclude who is more accurate. He also said he does not see Britain’s referendum as a global stress event.

“Even if the UK votes to exit there will be a long period of negotiation,” Bullard said. l

Abe: Yen surge threatens Japanese companies n AFP, London

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said last week that “drastic fluctuations” in the yen’s value risked having a major impact on the trade prospects of Japanese companies.

Abe said the current situation was “not desirable”, during a visit to London.

The yen surged to an 18-month high against the dollar after the Bank of Japan decided last week not to unveil any fresh stimulus.

On Thursday afternoon, the dollar was at 107.13 yen, still way down from above 111 yen before the BoJ announcement.

A strong currency is damaging for Japan’s exporting giants, such as Toyota and Sony, as it makes their goods more expensive overseas and shrinks the value of repatriated profits.

“Any drastic fluctuation on the exchange rate will have a major impact on the trade of Japanese companies, which is not desirable,” Abe told a press conference in London.

Such trade-reliant companies “will receive a lot of impact if abrupt change in the rate occurs. It is not favourable.

“At the forex market, excessive volatility or disorderly moves could give adverse impact and therefore the stability in the currency rate is important.

“We need to carefully watch these movements of exchange rate and as necessary we would like to respond.”

Abe is on a tour of European capitals ahead of hosting the Group of Seven summit on May 26 and 27 in the Ise-Shima region between Tokyo and Osaka.

“There may be discussion as necessary” at the G7 summit on exchange rates, he said. l

Negative rates depress loan income in Japan n Reuters, Tokyo Japan’s three biggest banks are likely to flag lacklustre earnings for the current business year when they release forecasts this month, with loan income depressed by an economic stimulus policy that charges lenders to store money at the central bank.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc, Mizuho Financial Group Inc and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc have booked mixed earnings in recent years, with bumper stock gains offsetting weak core domestic lending.

Bank of Japan (BOJ) action has

increasingly forced lenders to charge less for loans and yet has failed to stimulate demand, so its decision last week not to expand its negative benchmark interest rate policy offers respite for the year ahead.

For the year ending March 2017, net profit is likely to fall 8.8% at Mizuho and 3.6% at SMFG, according to the averages of analyst estimates compiled by Thomson Reuters. Profit at MUFG, the least dependent on domestic lending, is likely to be roughly the same as the previous year.

“It’s going to be a tough year,” said banking analyst Toyoki

Sameshima at BNP Paribas Securities. Fee-generating businesses such as selling mutual funds are also likely to be weak as volatile financial markets deter investors, he said.

Negative rates

The BOJ’s January decision to introduce negative rates - to encourage spending rather than storage - has added pressure on banks to compete for borrowers with even lower lending rates.

The Tokyo Interbank Offered Rate (TIBOR), a benchmark rate for corporate loans, has declined sharply in recent months. The

three-month rate was 0.06273% before the BOJ held its policy last week, from 0.17091 before it adopted negative rates.

Loan volume, however, has not increased by the same degree.

Japanese banks’ total outstanding loans rose just 2% in March from the same period a year earlier, less than in January.

“The BOJ’s negative interest rate policy has almost no impact on loan demand from our corporate clients,” said a senior banker at one of the three lenders.

“Unless companies feel confident enough about their business outlook, they don’t borrow money

and invest in production expansion,” said the banker, who was not authorised to speak publicly and so declined to be identified.

Positive spin

Some analysts see positives in the flip side of the central bank’s policy, which also involves buying Japanese government bonds (JGBs). Investors have been buying bonds in the hope of later selling to the central bank at higher prices.

Prices jumped after the adoption of negative rates, pushing up the value of commercial banks’ substantial bond holdings. l

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Shift in Saudi oil thinking deepens OPEC split n Reuters, London As OPEC officials gathered this week to formulate a long-term strategy, few in the room expected the discussions would end without a clash. But even the most jaded delegates got more than they had bargained with.

“OPEC is dead,” declared one frustrated official, according to two sources who were present or briefed about the Vienna meeting.

This was far from the first time that OPEC’s demise has been proclaimed in its 56-year history, and the oil exporters’ group itself may yet enjoy a long life in the era of cheap crude.

Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s most powerful member, still maintains that collective action by all producers is the best solution for an oil market that has dived since mid-2014.

But events at Monday’s meeting of OPEC governors suggest that if Saudi Arabia gets its way, then one of the group’s central strategies - of managing global oil prices by regulating supply - will indeed go to the grave.

In a major shift in thinking, Riyadh now believes that targetting prices has become pointless as the weak global market reflects structural changes rather than any temporary trend, according to sources familiar with its views.

OPEC is already split over how to respond to cheap oil. Last month tensions between Saudi Arabia and its arch-rival Iran ruined the first deal in 15 years to freeze crude output and help to lift global prices.

These resurfaced at the longterm strategy meeting of the OPEC governors, officials who report to their countries’ oil ministers.

According to the sources, it was a delegate from a non-Gulf Arab country who pronounced OPEC dead in remarks directed at the Saudi representative as they

A gas flame is seen in the desert near the Khurais oilfield, about 160 km (99 miles) from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia argued over whether the group should keep targeting prices.

Iran, represented by its governor Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, has been arguing that this is precisely what OPEC was created for and hence “effective production management” should be one of its top long-term goals.

But Saudi governor Mohammed al-Madi said he believed the world has changed so much in the past few years that it has become a futile exercise to try to do so, sources say.

“OPEC should recognise the fact that the market has gone through a structural change, as is evident by the market becoming more competitive rather than monopolistic,” al-Madi told his counterparts inside the meeting, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

“The market has evolved since the 2010-2014 period of high prices and the challenge for OPEC now, as well as for non-OPEC (producers),

is to come to grips with recent market developments,” al-Madi said, according to the sources.

Orchestration

For decades Saudi Arabia had a preferred oil price target and if it didn’t like the prevailing market level, it would try to orchestrate a production cut or increase in OPEC. It would contribute the lion’s share of the adjustment and forgive smaller and poorer members if they failed to comply with the group’s agreement.

Back in 2008, the late King Abdullah named $75 a barrel as the kingdom’s “fair” oil price, most likely after consultations with the long-serving oil minister Ali al-Naimi.

When the Saudis orchestrated the last output cut in 2008 - to support prices during the global economic crisis - oil jumped fairly quickly back above $100 from below $40. Later Riyadh again made

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known its price preference on a few occasions but in recent years it has effectively stopped sending any signals.

This follows the fundamental changes on oil markets. In the past five years, the development of unconventional oil production from US shale deposits and other sources such as Canadian oil sands has made redundant the idea that crude is a scarce and finite resource. Russia, which is not an OPEC member, has also contributed to the ample global supply.

“No free riders”

Dispensing with price targets represents a massive change in Saudi thinking. This is now being driven largely by 31-year-old Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who took over as the ultimate decision maker of the country’s energy and economic policies last year.

When oil was viewed as scarce,

the kingdom thought it had to maximise its long-term revenues even if that meant pumping fewer barrels and yielding market share to rival producers, according to several sources familiar with the Saudi thinking.

With the importance of oil declining, Riyadh has decided it is wiser to prioritise market share, the sources say. It believes it will be better off producing more at today’s low prices than reducing output, only to sell the oil for even less in the future as global demand ebbs.

On top of this, Riyadh has pressing short-term needs including tackling a budget deficit which hit 367bn riyals ($97.9bn) or 15% of gross domestic product in 2015.

“The oil industry is, relatively speaking, not a growth industry any more,” said one of the sources familiar with the Saudi views inside the OPEC governors’ meeting.

In the past, low oil prices used to push global demand much higher but today’s rising efficiency of motor vehicles, new technology and environmental policies have put a lid on growth.

Despite record low prices in the past year, demand is not expected to grow by more than 1 million barrels per day in 2016, just one percent of global demand.

One thing is guaranteed: the kingdom will not go back to the old pattern of cutting output any time soon to support prices for the benefit of all producers, Saudi sources say.

“The bottom line is that there will be no free riders any more,” al-Madi said at Monday’s meeting. “Some OPEC members should ‘walk the talk’ first,” he told his colleagues.

Even Riyadh’s rivals doubt it will perform any U-turn. “Saudi Arabia doesn’t give a damn about OPEC any more. They are after US shale, Canadian oil sands and Russia,” a non-Gulf OPEC source said. l

Americas, Asia do what OPEC wouldn’t – cut oil production n Reuters, Singapore Wildfires in Canada. Instability in Venezuela. Stalling US frackers.

Drops in oil output are happening so fast that it looks as if the Americas alone could resolve global oversupply.

The 70% oil price slide between 2014 and early 2016 has been pegged to one problem – production exceeding demand by as much as 2 million barrels per day (bpd).

But oversupply is evaporating quickly due to output cuts in the Americas - including the United States, Canada and Latin America and also increasingly in Asia.

“Unplanned oil supply disruptions have been a key element so

far this year that have contributed to a tighter oil market than was otherwise expected,” said analyst Guy Baber of Simmons & Co. If the disruptions last, there will be limited spare capacity to meet demand, Baber cautioned.

Output from the Americas dropped over 1.5 million bpd last quarter, while producers in Asia and Australia cut some 250,000 bpd, eating away large chunks of the world’s oversupply, government, industry and consultancy data shows.

This comes at a time when members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), led by Saudi Arabia, have refused to curb output in order to retain market share and squeeze

out higher-cost competitors.

“The Saudis have achieved what they want in that the market is re-balancing through price,” said senior oil analyst Neil Beveridge of Sanford C. Bernstein.

“Over the past 12 months Saudi has raised production, putting downward pressure on price to bring back discipline among the producers. This is now playing out.”

In fact, with so much non-OPEC output now off the market, producers like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been able to raise supplies and prices for shipments to Asia, the world’s top oil consuming region.

Outages in Canada are also helping speed up the re-balancing, Beveridge added.

Cuts galore

A raging wildfire in Fort McMurray, at the heart of Canada’s oil sands region, has forced more than 690,000 bpd out of production, according to Reuters estimates, with more disruptions possible.

“In the last two years, outages have not been the focus because of the imbalance in the market, but that changes now that the market is tightening,” said Richard Gorry, director of JBC Energy Asia.

U.S. output, down by 410,000 bpd this year and 800,000 bpd since mid-2015, is expected to slide another 800,000 bpd in the next five months, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Latin America’s crude oil production, suffering from under-investment, fell 4.6% in the first quarter to 9.13 million bpd, a loss of 441,000 bpd from the same period a year ago, according to data from individual countries and OPEC. The largest decline was in Venezuela, which lost 188,000 bpd in the first quarter as President Nicolas Maduro’s government wrestles a deep economic crisis.

Production is also on the wane across Asia Pacific.

China, the region’s biggest producer and consumer of oil, is expected to see a 6 percent drop in crude output in 2016 due to ageing fields and poor economics, Standard Chartered bank said. l

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SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

Tech world eyes digital life beyond the smartphone

A man inspects the Apple iPhone 6 Plus at an electronics store in Mumbai REUTERS

n AFP, Washington The smartphone revolutionized how people live and work, but the technology world is now struggling to see what comes next.

As smartphone sales have peaked in most major markets, Apple, Samsung and others are being forced to rethink their business models to keep growing and connecting with consumers.

The trend in smartphones appears to follow similar peaks in tablet sales and personal computers, said Bob O’Donnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research.

“We are clearly entering a new era where growth of traditional devices has ended and you have to think differently,” O’Donnell said.

It’s not clear what will be the “next big thing” in technology or even if there is one, and that is troubling for an industry that has been living off growth from smartphones and their ecosystems of Android and Apple iOS applications.

John Curran, managing director of Accenture’s communications, media, and technology group, said that in a maturing smartphone market, consumers are not hesitating about new purchases.

“Consumers are basically satisfied with their current devices,” said Curran.

Curran said the Internet of Things appears to be a promising market but that no single device has proved compelling so far.

“We’re seeing a broad range of devices, smartwatches, home automation, drones and the like,” Curran said.

“But these are not taking off (because) people don’t see the personal value in their lives yet.”

An Accenture survey released in January, based on polls in 28 countries, found declines in purchase

intent for new smartphones and other big-ticket electronics devices.

Only a relative small number of consumers expressed interest in new Internet of Things devices such as smartwatches or drones expressing concerns over cost, security and complexity of use.

‘We’re seeing a broad range of devices, smartwatches, home automation, drones and the like’ Curran said the smartphone became wildly popular because it addressed a key problem of communications for people on the go, but that the next big thing is not clear.

“Consumers are looking for things that solve practical, tangible problems,” he said.

“They want to see things that make their lives easier, that delight and amaze them.”

Looking for integration

Ramon Llamas, analyst at the research firm IDC, said consumers want to see how all their new gadgets and services can be interconnected.

“The smartphone will still have a privileged place in our lives, but it needs to connect to all our other devices,” he said.

“You want your smartphone to talk to your home security system and your wearable device.”

Global smartphone sales in the first quarter showed their slowest growth on record of 0.2%, according to IDC. A separate report by Juniper Research was even more gloomy, saying global sales fell nearly six percent.

The market for devices such as smartwatches, fitness bands and smart home technology is growing, but in a more disjointed fashion, with a number of competing operating systems that can often confuse consumers.

“In all of those environments, you will need some level of computing or connectivity, so the companies that can deliver those kinds of things will be better positioned,” O’Donnell said.

With no single important device dominating, O’Donnell said the future tech landscape will see players emerge that can combine hardware, software, virtual reality and artificial intelligence. That could open the door to important roles for Facebook, Amazon, Intel and other players.

Devices ‘fade away’

Some look to a landscape where technology and artificial intelligence permeate all aspects of life, where the “device” may become almost irrelevant.

“Looking to the future, the next big step will be for the very concept of the ‘device’ to fade away,” says Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Alphabet unit Google, in a recent blog post.

“Over time, the computer itself - whatever its form factor - will be an intelligent assistant helping you through your day. We will move from mobile first to an AI (artificial intelligence) first world.”

Samsung, the world’s biggest smartphone maker, said it too is looking at a different future of connected things.

“We are already imagining the next step beyond the smartphone,” Samsung Electronics mobile communications business president Dongjin Koh told the company’s developer conference in California.

Samsung wants to integrate software and services using its Tizen platform in the belief that “everywhere you go, there will be opportunities to bring devices and people together,” Koh said.

Intel, the company known for PC chips and failing to recognize the shift to mobile devices, last month unveiled a major restructuring, with a view to the “Internet of Things.” Some reports said Intel’s new structure abandons the smartphone in favor of emerging devices and services.

“The biggest opportunity in the Internet of Things is that it encompasses just about everything in our lives today,” said Intel CEO Brian Krzanich in a blog post.

“From our shoes and clothes to our homes and cars - the Internet of Things is transforming everything and every experience.” l

India to gradually move to gas-based economy n Reuters, New Delhi India plans to shift to a gas-based economy by boosting domestic production and buying cheap liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the world’s third-biggest oil importer seeks to curb its greenhouse emissions, oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.

New Delhi has promised to shave a third off its emissions rate by 2030, partly by boosting the use of cleaner burning fuels.

“Gradually we are shifting towards a sustainable gas economy,” Pradhan told Reuters in an interview.

Gas accounts for about 8 percent of India’s energy mix, while oil accounts for more than a quarter.

India’s gas supply deficit is expected to widen from 78 million cubic metres a day (mscmd) this fiscal year to 117 mscmd in 2021-22, ac-

cording to a government estimate.

India recently negotiated better terms for a long-term LNG deal with Qatar and importer Petronet LNG is in talks with Exxon to renegotiate pricing for gas from Australia’s Gorgon project.

“The price should be affordable to us. We respect long-term contracts but everybody has to appreciate the changing scenario,” said Pradhan. “In a bigger canvas ... India has the potential of a huge market base”.

Pradhan last month visited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Iran to deepen ties with its main oil suppliers.

“We want to move beyond a buyer-seller relationship,” he said, adding that India was offering them stakes in its pipelines, petrochemical complexes and refineries. l

CORPORATE NEWS

IDLC Finance Limited has recently signed an agreement with PaCT (Partnership for Cleaner Textile), a programme of International Finance Corporation (IFC) on developing business strategy in water and energy efficiency for strengthening position of IDLC in the green industry. CEO and MD of IDLC Finance Limited, Arif Khan and Wendy Werner, country manager of IFC Bangladesh were present at the signing ceremony, said a press release

Marico Bangladesh Ltd has recently announced appointment of Ashraful Hadi, as an independent director of the company for next three years, said a press release. Barrister Ashraful Hadi is an advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh with over 15 years of experience as a lawyer

Social Islami Bank Limited has recently held a business review meeting to evaluate the bank’s performance, said a press release. The bank’s chairperson, Major Dr Md Rezaul Haque (retired) was present at the meeting as chief guest while its managing director and CEO, Md Shafiqur Rahman presided over the meeting

| session |

Summer trimester begins at IUB

Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) organised an orientation program on Saturday, May 7, 2016 at its permanent campus in Bashundhara, Dhaka for the newly admitted students of the Summer 2016 Trimester.

Welcoming the new students, vice chancellor Prof M Omar Rahman, depicted the distinctive nature of IUB education, which places importance of professional education on the foundation of cross-disciplinary liberal arts curricula. He said IUB is going global and committed to research and global partnership. He mentioned, “Believe that all of you are special and each of you can change the world.”

Prof Sarwar Uddin Ahmed, dean of School of Business, Prof Shahriar Khan, dean of School of Engineering and Computer Science, Dr Abdul Khaleque, dean of School of Environmental

Science and Management, Dr Mahbub Alam, Dean of School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences also spoke to the newly admitted students. Brig Gen (Retd) Md Anwarul Islam briefly discussed on the rules and regulations of the university. The program was conducted by Ms Lima Choudhury, deputy director, undergraduate admissions and financial aid office of IUB. Later, the newly admitted students visited different schools, departments, library, cafeteria etc. Apart from the students, their parents or guardians, members of the faculty and management of IUB were also present at the event.

Photo Caption: Prof. M Omar Rahman, Vice Chancellor, IUB, addressing at the orientation programme of the Summer 2016 at its Auditorium in Bashundhara, Dhaka.l

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SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

| training |

| endorsement |

Haji Ahmed Brothers Securities limited technical training program launched

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, the new brand ambassador of Vita Malt

On Saturday, April 30, 2016, the Center for Enterprise & Society (CES) of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) began a threeday skills development program on Technical Analysis Training for stock market brokers and traders at Haji Ahmed Brothers Securities Limited (HABSL).

To inaugurate the training inauguration ceremony, the vice chancellor of ULAB, Professor Imran Rahman, the managing director of HABSL, Mrs Ayesha Dada, director of CES at ULAB, Mr Sajid Amit and COO of HABSL, MA Z Kamruzzaman, offered speeches and their best wishes to the participants.

Capital markets research and development constitutes one of the focus areas of the

DT

Biz Info

Center for Enterprise and Society. Given CES’s staff and ULAB management’s hands-on experiences in domestic and international capital markets, the vision of a strong-form, information-driven, compliant, and profitable Bangladesh stock market is a part of CES’s long-term vision.

The training program, which got underway on April 30, will take place on three consecutive Saturdays - April 30, May 7, and May 14. The goal of the program is to offer participants insights into Technical Analysis Charts and Patterns, Fundamental Analysis Basics, Marketing and Sales Training for Brokers, as well as a Primer on the Bangladesh Stock Market. l

VitaMalt is a health food drink for great nutritional content that can boost your power. Hence, Bangladesh cricket legend and captain has chosen this as his drink. A VitaMalt is the package for a healthy life. You can enjoy and boost your power three times a day by drinking VitaMalt. Firstly, drinking a glass of VitaMalt in the morning with breakfast will give you the energy and nutrition for all your physical and mental activities throughout the day. Secondly, drinking a glass of VitaMalt during the afternoon will recharge your strength and attention. You are set to continue your activity throughout the afternoon with stamina and vigor.

Lastly, drinking Vitamalt at night, before bed, will give you a good night’s sleep.

These nutrients in VitaMalt work in symphony to grow, heal, repair and maintain your body’s cells, organs, systems and skeleton. l

| offer |

Moms get all free at Amari Dhaka

| deals |

Cafe Euphoria. The treasure of set meals Cafe Euphoria is launching 20 different sets from May 10, which start from Tk155 only with drinks. In the first five days, the first 50 customers will receive a 50% discount. Aside the discount, Cafe Euphoria will cater to whatever your budget happens to be. All meals are below Tk400 so now there will be plenty of variety at affordable prices.

Cafe Euphoria is located at House 100, Level 5, Road 11, Banani. l

It is the day for family gettogethers and there is no one more special than mom on this Mother’s Day. Celebrate mom’s special place in your life with an unforgettable getaway to Hotel Amari Dhaka. To

fete Mum, celebrate all that she has been to the family and show everyone’s appreciation and love for her.

With a lavish Mother’s Day Buffet lunch and dinner, along

with indulgent spa specials, it’s never been easier to show your mom how much you care. Dine at Amari’s signature Asin buffet destination Amaya Food Gallery, and get 30% off on lunch or dinner buffet for MOM. On this special day, Amari is offering a family dining offer where moms can dine for free for a table of four people. We will also surprise your mom with a complimentary cake & free foot massage voucher under this dining offer.

To make you feel fresher and enthusiastic, Amari’s signature Breeze Spa is offering a free body scrub, if you book any 90 minutes Spa treatment.

These offers are applicable only on May 8.

For and queries dial 0255059620; 01777770944; 01777769444 l

DT

Downtime

20

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Leprosy victim (5) 6 Rowing implement (3) 7 Decree (5) 10 Joint (5) 12 Welsh national emblem (4) 13 Ethical (5) 15 Monkeys (4) 16 Curve (3) 18 Sesame (3) 20 Serpents (4) 22 Foolish person (5) 23 Untruthful person (4) 25 Slender supports (5) 27 Sugary (5) 28 Groove (3) 29 Scorch (5)

DOWN 1 Least high (6) 2 Corn spike (3) 3 First (6) 4 Reconditioned tyre (7) 5 Top airman (3) 8 Unwell (3) 9 Lacerate (4) 11 Soaked food (3) 14 Helps (7) 16 To the rear of a ship (6) 17 Pure (6) 19 Wading bird (4) 21 Kitchen utensil (3) 22 Anger (3) 24 Boring tool (3) 26 Drinking vessel (3)

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 21 represents N so fill N every time the figure 21 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.

A B C DE FG H I J K L MN O P Q RST UVWXYZ

CALVIN AND HOBBES

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.

PEANUTS

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

DT

World 21

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

INSIDE

Labour’s Sadiq Khan first Muslim mayor of London after bitter campaign n Reuters, London The Rohingya and Suu Kyi’s Myanmar Wracked by numerous insurgencies waged by separatists, social problems resulting from the large domestic drug trade, and anti-Muslim pogroms in the west staged by ultranationalist Buddhist monks, the victory of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) is one of the few positive developments Myanmar has seen in recent decades.

PAGE 22

More than 50 mass graves found in former IS territories in Iraq More than 50 mass graves have been discovered in territory formerly controlled by Islamic State group fighters in Iraq, including three burial pits in a football field, the UN envoy said Friday.

PAGE 23

Sadiq Khan, the son of a bus driver, became London’s first Muslim mayor on Saturday, seeing off a Conservative challenger who attempted to link him to extremism and securing a much-needed win for his Labour Party.

Khan’s victory, which also makes him the first Muslim to head a major Western capital, was confirmed shortly after midnight inside London’s futuristic glass and steel city hall following a day of mixed news for Labour in elections elsewhere in the country.

Dealt a crushing blow in Scotland, where it came third behind the Scottish National Party and Britain’s ruling Conservatives, Labour did better than expected in England, saving its left-leaning leader from an early challenge.

But the big prize was the London mayor vote, which pitted Khan, 45, who grew up in public housing in inner city London, against Conservative Zac Goldsmith, 41, the son of a billionaire financier.

“This election was not without controversy and I am so proud that London has today chosen hope over fear and unity over division,” Khan said in a short speech after the results.

“I hope that we will never be offered such a stark choice again. Fear does not make us safer, it only makes us weaker and the politics of fear is simply not

n Tribune International Desk

Humble beginnings

Ardent conservative Ben Howe may do the unthinkable when he enters his South Carolina voting station on November 8.

PAGE 24

Accusations

Khan held his lead in the opinion polls, despite accusations by Goldsmith that he has shared platforms with radical Muslim speakers and given “oxygen” to extremists.

Khan says he has fought extremism all his life and that he

Sadiq Khan

The new mayor of London Aged 45

Labour Party

(centre-left)

Denounces Islamic radicalism.

Has received death threats for supporting same-sex marriage 1970 Born in London, the son

of bus driver from Pakistan

1994 Human rights lawyer (to 2005)

Labour local councillor (to 2006)

2005 Elected member of parliament 2008 Government minister (to 2010) 2016 Victory for Khan as Mayor

of London

Photo: Justin Tallis

regrets sharing a stage with speakers who held “abhorrent” views.

The Labour Party accused Goldsmith and the ruling Conservative Party of smearing Khan.

Goldsmith denied the charge, saying he had raised legitimate questions over his opponent’s judgement - but the tactics do seem to have backfired, with some voters interviewed by Reuters saying they found the campaign “disgusting and slimy”.

While fighting those charges, Khan, a former human rights lawyer, also distanced himself from the newly elected Labour leader,

Jeremy Corbyn, after a row over anti-Semitism.

The Labour leader ordered an inquiry into charges of anti-Semitism after suspending Ken Livingstone, a political ally and a former London mayor, for saying Adolf Hitler had supported Zionism.

The impact of the crisis was difficult to gauge in the election of more than 2,700 local officials and new devolved authorities in Scotland and Wales.

Compared to the last regional elections in 2011, Labour’s share of the vote was down 9.2 percent in Scotland and 7.6 percent in Wales, allowing a strong showing for the anti-EU UK Independence Party before a referendum on membership of the bloc on June 23.

But, with fewer losses in England than expected, Corbyn was able to rally enough support to prevent an early challenge.

Corbyn, who was elected as party leader last year on a wave of enthusiasm for change and an end to ‘establishment politics’ among mostly younger members, welcomed some of the results and said he would fight to re-establish Labour in Scotland.

“We hung on and we grew support in a lot of places,” he said.

But he did little to quell criticism of his leadership in a party which has moved from crisis to crisis, the latest the row over anti-Semitism forcing Corbyn to suspend Livingstone. l

5 things to know about Sadiq Khan Sadiq Khan became London’s first Muslim mayor Friday in a historic election. Here are five things you need to know about him.

#NeverTrump conservatives think the unthinkable: Supporting Clinton

welcome in our city.”

Khan’s 13.6% margin of victory over Goldsmith was the widest in a London mayoral election in 16 years, showing that a bitter campaign marred by accusations that Khan had links to extremists and charges of anti-Semitism within Labour ranks had failed to deter his voters.

The Labour lawmaker replaces Conservative Boris Johnson, who ran the city of 8.6 million people for eight years. A top campaigner for Britain to leave the EU, Johnson is seen as a contender to succeed David Cameron as party leader and prime minister.

The Conservatives were keen to keep hold of the post, which does not run the City of London financial district but has influence over government in lobbying for the capital.

The mayor is responsible for areas such as policing, transport, housing and the environment.

Khan, looking exhausted after a much delayed result, made an emotional speech referencing his Pakistani father, who he said would have been “proud that the city he chose to call his home, has now chosen one of his children to be the mayor.”

Khan, 45, was born in the now gentrifying neighbourhood of Tooting, south London, to a bus driver from Pakistan and a seamstress mother. He was raised in government-subsidized housing with seven siblings, which he says enabled his parents to save to buy a home of their own. London is facing a major housing crisis, with high rents and mortgages beyond many people’s reach, which Khan has pledged to tackle. Khan, who is also the member of Parliament for Tooting, said he ran for mayor because “I want all Londoners to get the opportunities that our city gave me.”

Human rights lawyer After attending state schools in Tooting, Khan studied law at university in London and worked as a human rights lawyer for more than a decade. He became London’s youngest councilor at 23 when he was elected to the local authority in Tooting. He also served as chairman of Liberty, a leading human rights organisation in England and Wales, for three years. Khan was elected to the British Parliament in 2005 and was transport minister between 2009 and 2010, when the Labour government was voted out and replaced by a coalition between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties.

Practicing Muslim A practicing Muslim, Khan voted in favor of gay marriage in 2013, sparking death threats from extremists, according to media reports. He does not drink alcohol but visits pubs and has

called for them to be protected from closure. Khan married fellow lawyer Saadiya Khan in 1994 and the couple have two daughters. He became the first Muslim member of parliament to be elected in London in 2005. He wrote the book Fairness Not Favours - How to connect with British Muslims three years later.

Rival’s ‘nasty, dog-whistling campaign’ Khan’s closest mayoral rival Goldsmith has been accused of running a negative campaign by linking Khan with extremists, after he and Prime Minister David Cameron said Khan has shared a platform with people with extremist views.

Khan has said he never hid the fact that he dealt with “some pretty unsavory characters” during his work as a human rights lawyer and as chairman of Liberty. Andrew Boff, a senior Conservative in London, criticised Goldsmith’s tactics

Friday and said his actions may have damaged the party’s relations with the Muslim community. Khan accused the Conservatives of running a “nasty, dog-whistling campaign” and said, “As mayor, I will be the British Muslim who takes the fight to the extremists.”

‘Uncle Tom’ controversy Footage recently surfaced of Khan referring to moderate Muslims as “Uncle Toms” during an interview with the state-backed Iranian channel Press TV in 2009. When asked about reaching out to Muslims to fight extremism Khan said: “You can’t just pick and choose who you speak to you; you can’t just speak to Uncle Toms. You can’t just speak to people who say what you want them to hear.” Khan later said he was wrong to use the phrase and regretted it. l

Source-USA TODAY

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22

World

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

INSIGHT

The Rohingya and Suu Kyi’s Myanmar Her NLD won a major victory last year. Will it help a beleaguered minority?

n Tribune International Desk The ballot held in Myanmar last November brought the first fair and peaceful transition of power seen by the country since the military seized power in 1962. Wracked by numerous insurgencies waged by separatists, social problems resulting from the large domestic drug trade, and anti-Muslim pogroms in the west staged by ultranationalist Buddhist monks, the victory of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) is one of the few positive developments Myanmar has seen in recent decades.

The previous three elections held in Myanmar since the NLD’s founding, in 1990, 2010 and 2012, saw it either excluded from participation or its victories reversed by the military, leaving many in Myanmar and the international community with little hope of seeing a clear and uninterrupted transfer of power in the country.

This time, the NLD won an overwhelming victory, ending the pro-military Union for Solidarity and Development Party’s (USDP) domination of the country. It was the culmination of efforts over half a century to return to civilian government. The NLD secured an absolute majority in the landslide elections and gained enough seats in the upper and lower houses of parliament to overcome the mandatory 25% guaranteed to the army, allowing them to install NLD member and Suu Kyi confidant Htin Kyaw as the new president on March 30.

(Suu Kyi was barred from holding office herself due to a constitutional clause restricting anyone married to a foreigner or having foreign children assuming the presidency, a policy created by the army and believed by many to specifically target her because of her marriage to the late David Aris and their two sons, all three being British citizens.)

Despite the overwhelming progress inspired by the NLD’s victory and the relatively balanced and fair nature of the 2015 elections, one aspect has left many of Myanmar citizens disenfranchised. Myanmar’s Muslims were excluded from running as candidates on the 2015 ballot, and the Rohingya, one of the country’s most oppressed and persecuted ethnicities, were not allowed to vote. Stripped of their citizenship and viewed as foreigners by many in the Buddhist majority country, the Rohingya have found themselves living in concentration camps in Myanmar’s westernmost state for the last four years.

Rohingya’s freedom of movement

Forced out of Rakhine’s (also known as Arakan) state capital Sittwe in 2012 after sectarian riots, 140,000 Rohingya now live in poorly maintained camps ringing the city or are allowed to remain in a cordoned off Aung Mingalar neighborhood.

Policemen and soldiers man checkpoints surrounding the camps and deny the Rohingya freedom of movement. The camps suffer from inadequate medical care, food shortages, and rampant unemployment. Though a return to democracy presents an opportunity for the Rohingya to reclaim their rights, the future may still be bleak. The NLD purged itself of Muslims before last year’s elections, as reported in the International Business Times, and the stateless inhabitants of Rakhine have yet to see an improvement in their dire conditions. A senior official working for the United Nations who asked not to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the issue, told The Diplomat “This is worse than anything I have seen in my previous assignments. Everyone is on edge here and we have to tread lightly in order to maintain our activities.”

Views about the election among Rohingya throughout Myanmar are mixed. Some voice optimism regarding the change of government, “We wish well for the NLDled government and its president in regard to their relationship with the country’s marginalized minorities, including the Rohingya,” said Mayu T, a Rohingya from Maungdaw, a Muslim-majority city in Rakhine’s north. “Many are in ghettos now while others set sail en route to Malaysia.” Recently overshadowed by the European migrant crisis, refugees in Southeast Asia -many from Myanmar-remain problematic.

NLD’s view on Rohingya

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 25,000 Bangladeshis and Rohingya paid smugglers to bring them to other countries in the first three months of 2015 as reported in The Guardian. Ironically, the opponents of reform in Rakhine insist that the Rohingya are immigrants from Bangladesh who seek better opportunities for employment; in fact, they face persecution in both countries, and many Rohingya would prefer to seek asylum in Muslim or Western countries. The recent “No Rohingya” protest in Yangon held

by Buddhist ultra-nationalists on April 29 illustrated the viewpoint clearly – that there are no Rohing-

ya in Myanmar, only Bangladeshi immigrants.

A Rohingya asylum seeker in Malaysia offered his opinion. “I don’t think that Rohingya should return to Myanmar,” said Aktar Ismail, “but, if they do accept us, we should get all the opportunities that other ethnicities receive. I expect that the situation will change.

It will change for the Shan and the Kachin [Buddhist and Christian minorities in Myanmar], not the Rohingya.” Prior to the NLD’s assumption of power, the prior pseudo-civilian government had been negotiating a series of ceasefires and peace agreements with separatist rebels in Myanmar’s east, north, and south. Notably, these attempts at conflict resolution have not extended to the west, where anti-Muslim Buddhist paramilitaries are leading an insurgency of their own. Earlier this year the Arakan Army killed several Myanmar soldiers in more than 15 battles as reported in The Gaurdian.

These insurgents hold an ambiguous relationship with the local politicians who continue to control much of Rakhine’s local government and who oppose the NLD. “My opinion on the NLD government is very positive,” asserted Myo Win, a Rohingya activist in one of the concentration camps, “but we are very much concerned about Rakhine State as the Arakan National Party won in the election.

There was a 90 percent Arakan National Party (ANP) victory in Rakhine State, so there will not be any changes there.” The ANP worries that the NLD’s reformist agenda, popular with the Rohingya despite its apparent sectarian flaws, will bring demographic changes to Rakhine in favor of the Muslims.

Challenges for NLD

Ultimately the NLD will likely face challenges at the local and national levels in any potential confrontation over the Rohingya crisis.

In addition to Rakhine’s Buddhist ultra-nationalists, remnants of the military government may oppose sectarian reforms. Less positive opinions are also present, “The NLD government is only able to change the country under limitations because 25 percent of the upper and lower parliament and administrative departments are with the military junta according to Myanmar constitution,” observed Sham Shu Anwar, a Rohingya from Maungdaw, “but we Rohingya believe in zero percent of the NLD government as its members always keep silent on the Rohingya crisis.” Po-

The Rohingya exodus The people the world forgot

The Rohingya are a Muslim minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, formerly Burma. There are about 1.33m Rohingya in Myanmar, mainly in Rakhine state in the west, according to the immigration Ministry. Despite living there for generations, they are not recognised as citizens by the government. Rights groups say the Rohingya face severe persecution and discrimination, including rape, forced labour extortion, restrictions on movement and marriage, land confiscation and limited access to public service. Yet even those in Myanmar’s democracy movement, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, are doing little to help the Muslim minority. The United Nations has said they are ‘virtually friendless’ in Myanmar.

Stateless

Rohingya activists claim a centuries-old lineage in Rakhine but the 1982 citizenship Law, enacted by Myanmar’s former dictatorship, excluded them from the list of 135 groups recognised as ethnic minorities, rendering nearly all of them stateless. Since then, identification cards, required for everything from schooling and marriage to finding a job and getting a death certificate, have been denied to most Rohingya.

Fleeing Families

The Border Administration Force, made up of officers from the police, military, customs and immigration, oversee the Rohingya. They control every aspect of their lives. Rohingya can’t travel or marry without their permission. Rohingya women in two townships bordering Bangladesh face a two-child limit.

Rohingya men have for years travelled across the Bay of Bengal on small, ramshackle boats to Malaysia to find better jobs and send money home. Since June 2012, however, record numbers of women and children, including infants, h ave been embarking on these dangerous boat journeys.

Displacement

A year on, more than 140,000 people are still displaced, living in sprawling, squalid refugee camps that are hot, dusty and crowded. They have little access to basic services. Many suffer, and have died, from diarrhoea and respiratory illness due to unsanitary living conditions. Thousands are living in flimsy huts. Even those not displaced have lost their livelihoods due to restrictions on movement.

Myanmar Rakhine

Bangladesh

Thailand Sri Lanka Malaysia Indonesia Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation

sition reception from the Rohingya has not been universal in the NLD, it would seem.

Two Rohingya leaders in Yangon, one an activist and the other a politician, seemed to have reservations about the new government.

Former political prisoner Wai Wai Nu, once persecuted because of her father’s political activities summed it up briefly, “It’s good that we have changes, but it’s still too early to comment.”

The Ministry of Border Affairs and its armed agents are feared by Muslims in the west of the country

due to a long history of harassment by the government body, and are integral to the restriction of movement policy the Rohingya currently endure. He continued, “In the NLD itself, there are hard-liners. We do believe in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Let us see how things unfold, it is still too early to say. But one thing we are quite sure of is that strong international pressure must be there for a durable peace in Arakan.”l

[This is an excerpt from a THE DIPLOMAT article which can be found at http://bit. ly/1Of8JFu]

23

SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

More than 50 mass graves found in former IS territories in Iraq n Tribune International Desk More than 50 mass graves have been discovered in territory formerly controlled by Islamic State group fighters in Iraq, including three burial pits in a football field, the UN envoy said Friday.

Government forces have been uncovering the sites one by one as they sweep territory formerly held by the so-called Islamic State, revealing further evidence of war crimes and possible genocide, a United Nations envoy said.

Jan Kubis, the Special Representative for Iraq, said the most recent grave was discovered at a football ground in Ramadi on 19 April, containing 40 bodies.

“As territory is retaken from the criminal and terrorist gangs of IS, evidence of the heinous crimes they have committed continues to be uncovered,” he told the UN Security Council on Friday. “More than 50 mass graves have been discovered so far in several areas of Iraq.”

Kubis warned that IS continues atrocities against women and children in the country, including forcibly recruiting Yazidi boys as child soldiers, while the fate of thousands of women and girls from the religious minority remains unknown.

Although efforts by the Iraqi

A candidate for mayor in the southern Philippines was shot dead on Saturday, police said, bringing to at least 15 the number of people killed in violence related to national elections.

The Philippines has a long tradition of political violence - fuelled by lax gun laws, politicians with private armies and corrupt law enforcement agencies - and dozens of people are killed each election campaign.

In the latest incident, unknown gunmen broke into the home of politician Armando Ceballos in a mountainous town in the southern Philippines at dawn Saturday and shot him dead, a provincial police spokesman said.

Ceballos was one of two candidates standing for mayor of Lantapan, a remote town about 840km south of Manila. His opponent is the incumbent vice mayor.

In the far southwestern island of Puerto Princesa, gateway to some of the Philippines’ most popular holiday destinations, two supporters of the local mayor were stabbed

SOUTH ASIA

UN: Sri Lanka still torturing suspects after end of war A UN official slammed Sri Lanka’s criminal justice system on Saturday, accusing police of sexually abusing suspects and still using torture seven years after the end of its ethnic war. UN Human Rights Expert Juan E Mendez told reporters in Colombo he had found credible evidence of detainees being tortured and disappearances since the end of the war in May 2009.

-AFP

INDIA

Clashes in Indian Kashmir after 3 militants killed

Iraqi security forces including a forensics team work at the site of a mass grave in the stadium area in Ramadi and Kurdistan Regional governments have led to some being released, he said “much more needs to be done”.

American defence officials have recently hailed the re-capture of up to 40% of territory overrun by IS in Iraq, with Barack Obama claiming the group’s fighters realised their “cause is lost” amid continuing air strikes and military operations.

But Kubis said that civil unrest and a political deadlock in Baghdad, which saw hundreds of protesters storm parliament in a protest last month, was serving the interests of IS and other militant groups.

“Despite the notable and consistent progress on the ground against IS, it remains a formidable and determined enemy that constantly adjusts its tactics and attack patterns,” he added.

“IS cannot be defeated by military means alone. Without addressing the root causes of violent extremism and the underlying ideology, efforts will not be sustainable and lasting.”

The envoy said that military victories must be accompanied by rehabilitation efforts, the rule of law and unified government to fight the ideology of IS, which

AP

originally started as a band of jihadist militants in Iraq.

Supporters of Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have been holding demonstrations and sit-ins for months to demand an overhaul of the political system put in place by the US following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, culminating in the storming of parliament on 30 April.

Iraq’s ambassador to the UN, Mohamed Alhakim, said the country’s leaders and elected political blocs are working to implement the prime minister’s reform programme. l

Mayor candidate shot dead in Nepal recalls India envoy, Philippine election violence cancels president’s visit n AFP, Manila

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World

to death at a campaign sortie late on Thursday, police said.

The two men were part of a motorbike convoy in support of Puerto Princesa city mayor Lucilo Bayron, who is stumping to retain his seat, police investigator Earl Torres said.

The attackers were not identified, though the Bayron camp blamed supporters of his rival.

There had been 14 deaths in 26 “validated election-related incidents” of violence between January 10 and May 5, national police said in a statement. It was not clear whether the Puerto Princesa deaths were included in the list.

In the country’s deadliest single incident of political violence on record, 58 people were massacred in 2009 as gunmen allegedly belonging to a local warlord in the southern Philippines attacked a group of people to stop a rival filing his election candidacy.

Thirty-two of the victims were journalists covering the contest, making the attack the deadliest ever recorded against media professionals. l

n AFP, Kathmandu Nepal has recalled its ambassador to India and cancelled an upcoming visit by its president to New Delhi, officials said Saturday, further straining ties between the two neighbours after months of tension.

Deep Kumar Upadhyay was recalled to Kathmandu late Friday after allegedly siding with the Nepali Congress opposition in supporting a threat by the Maoist party to topple Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s government, sources said.

Nepal’s parliament was thrown into chaos last week after the Maoists threatened to pull out of the ruling coalition and dislodge the prime minister - a move reportedly also backed by India. The Maoists later decided to continue supporting the government.

It came as President Bidhya Devi Bhandari was forced to suspend her first official visit to India, scheduled to start Monday,

after the Nepali government Friday failed to endorse the trip.

Nepal’s relationship with India - which is often accused of acting as a “big brother” to its smaller, impoverished neighbour - has been strained since a monthslong border blockade last year.

The blockade, by Nepal’s Madhesi ethnic minority, came in protest at a new constitution which they said left them politically marginalised, with more than 50 people dying in clashes with police.

Kathmandu accused India of imposing an “unofficial blockade” on the landlocked nation in support of the Madhesis, who share close cultural, linguistic and family links with Indians across the border.

Prime Minister Oli visited India in February in a bid to smooth ties.

But Guna Raj Luitel, editor of the Nepali daily Nagarik, said the latest developments suggested relations between the two countries had not improved as much as previously thought. l

Hundreds of villagers clashed with police in restive Indian-administered Kashmir Saturday after 3 armed militants were killed in an early morning gunbattle with government forces, the army and witnesses said. As word of the killings spread, hundreds of villagers came out onto the streets, throwing stones at police who fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.

-AFP

CHINA

17 missing 2 dead after collision in East China Sea A collision between a fishing boat and a cargo ship in the East China Sea has left 17 missing and 2 dead.

The Lu Rong Yu collided with a Maltese freighter on Saturday. Passing ships rescued two additional passengers who later died, a report said, adding that search and rescue operations are ongoing.

-AFP

ASIA PACIFIC

Court: Australia cannot force asylum seeker to have abortion in PNG A pregnant woman who says she was raped at an Australia detention centre for asylum seekers on the tiny South Pacific island of Nauru cannot be forced to have an abortion in Papua New Guinea because it is unsafe and illegal, a court has ruled. The African woman, identified in court documents only as S99, has claimed she was raped while she was in Nauru and has sought an abortion in Australia.

-REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

Hezbollah: Saudi Arabia causing collapse of Syria truces Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah on Friday said Saudi Arabia was causing the collapse of ceasefires in Syria and thwarting peace talks by stepping up support to armed groups fighting against Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad. An escalation of fighting, particularly around the northern city of Aleppo, was likely to continue because of Saudi military support and sectarian rhetoric, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said.

-REUTERS

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USA

Obama tells Trump: ‘This is not a reality show’ US President Barack Obama warned on Friday that occupying the Oval Office “is not a reality show,” in a swipe at outspoken Republican candidate Donald Trump who is vying to replace him in the White House. During hard-fought Republican primary campaigns, Trump delighted in responding to attacks from rivals and found that his support grew when he lashed out at his opponents.

-REUTERS

THE AMERICAS

Canada wildfire growing as weather heats up A raging Canadian wildfire that forced the evacuation of the Alberta oil town of Fort McMurray intensified on Saturday, helped by hot, dry weather, with police escorting a fresh convoy of evacuees out of the region. The blaze, the largest of some 40 wildfires burning across the province of Alberta, has forced some 88,000 residents to flee for safety.

-REUTERS

UK

Survey: More than 8m in UK struggle for food More than 8 million people in Britain live in households that struggle to put enough food on the table, with over half regularly going a whole day without eating, according to estimates of hunger in the UK. One in 10 adults suffered moderate levels of food insecurity, placing the UK in the bottom half of European countries on hunger measures, below Hungary, Estonia, Slovakia and Malta. -THE GUARDIAN

EUROPE

Germany to help Jordan, Tunisia buy armoured vehicles Germany plans to give Tunisia and Jordan funds to buy armoured vehicles to help defend their frontiers against Islamic State, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Friday. Berlin will give Amman $28m to buy ‘Marder’ armoured personnel carriers. Tunisia would get a double-digit million sum.

-REUTERS

AFRICA

Kenya closing camps with thousands of refugees The Kenyan government said Friday it will close two refugee camps, including one of the world’s biggest, due to a lack of security and economic challenges as human Rights group condemned the plan. The closure of the camps will have adverse effects and the international community should collectively take responsibility for the humanitarian needs that arise, Karanja Kibicho, permanent secretary at the Interior Ministry, said.

-AP

ANALYSIS

#NeverTrump conservatives think the unthinkable: Supporting Clinton n Tribune International Desk Ardent conservative Ben Howe may do the unthinkable when he enters his South Carolina voting station

on November 8.

Howe, who has voted for every Republican presidential nominee since Bob Dole ran for the office in 1996, may instead cast his ballot for conservative public enemy No 1: Hillary Clinton.

“It’s disheartening to think that I would have to pull the lever for someone whom I disagree with that much,” said Howe, a contributing editor to the conservative blog RedState. “But such is the maniacal, sociopathic person that we have somehow found as our nominee.”

Such is the antipathy held for Donald J Trump, the presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee, that some conservatives are considering supporting Clinton, so iconically loathed by many Republicans who view her as an unabashed liberal without morals or principles.

Many prominent conservatives, including columnist George Will and National Review senior editor Jonah Goldberg, continue to proudly embrace the #NeverTrump banner, which has since evolved into a #NeverEverTrump campaign. Supporters vow under no circumstance will they vote for the New York real estate mogul.

While Republican officials are now imploring conservatives to

rally around Trump to defeat Clinton, some prominent Republicans of the #NeverTrump gang, like Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse, are calling for a third-party candidate.

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush who ran against Trump for the Republican nomination, and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the 2012 nominee, have all declared they won’t vote for either Trump or Clinton.

Meanwhile, aides for both former presidents George W Bush and his father George H W Bush have said neither will endorse Trump as a candidate.

Yet some like Howe and others are willing to take it a step further and support Clinton, a “political version of a tragic Sophie’s choice,” wrote conservative radio talk-show host Dennis Prager.

Marc Salter, former senior aide for Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential bid, recently tweeted “I’m with her” - a Clinton campaign slogan - after Trump repeated a National Enquirer story that suggested Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s father may have been with Lee Harvey Oswald before he shot President John F Kennedy in Dallas in 1963.

‘Dangerously unstable character’

“Trump’s obvious narcissism combined with his astonishing ignorance of even the simplest things in public policy really make him a dangerously unstable character in the Oval Office.”

For some conservatives who may not be able to bring them-

Hillary Clinton

REUTERS

selves to physically cast a vote for Clinton, they would still prefer to see her in the Oval Office.

Aside from the concerns about his personal behaviour, many feel Trump isn’t even conservative based on his anti-trade, protectionist views, his changing positions on abortion, his musings about increasing the minimum wage and his vows to beef up libel laws against journalists.

It may be difficult to determine the size of the #NeverTrump movement or what effect it might have on the race. As of Friday, the #NeverTrump website had more than 35,000 people pledging support, having added more than 7,000 names in a couple of days.

Many conservatives, like former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, have slammed those conservatives refusing to rally around Trump, saying if you’re not for him, “you are functionally” for Clinton who will “create the most radical Supreme Court.”

And it’s an argument that does hold some resonance among conservatives, worried that a Clinton administration would pack the

court with progressives.

Fly off the handle

Wehner said it’s an important issue to consider, but the presidency is more than choosing Supreme Court nominees.

“I think at the end of the day, one of the most important things a president needs is the right temperament, the right emotional stability ... who conducts himself in a certain way, who has wisdom, who doesn’t fly off the handle.”

And better four years of possible gridlock with a President Clinton, than be subjected to a President Trump, Harsanyi added.

“I want to see Hillary win. I think that’s the only way to save any remnants of conservatism in the Republican Party where the RNC and everyone else has largely given in to Trump,” he said.

“She’s sort of an institutionalist. I don’t think she will blow up the republic in the way that a Donald Trump might.” l

[This is an excerpt from a CBC article, which can be found at http://bit. ly/1TNp7l0]

Brazil Senate committee votes for Rousseff to stand trial n Reuters, Brasilia A Senate committee recommended on Friday that Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff be put on trial by the full chamber for breaking budget laws, moving a step closer to the likely suspension of the leftist leader from office next week.

Despite renewed promised by Rousseff on Friday to resist her removal, her chances for staying in office are dimming. Her departure would come at a time when a majority of Brazilians are against Rousseff because of an economic recession and a massive corruption scandal that has exposed wrongdoing by ruling party officials.

The full Senate is expected to

vote to put her on trial on Wednesday, which would immediately suspend Rousseff for the duration of a trial that could last six months. During that period, Vice President Michel Temer would replace her as acting president.

The upper house committee voted 15-5 to accept the charges against Rousseff, which involve budget irregularities that critics say masked budget problems while she ran for re-election in 2014, and her opponents are certain to muster the simple majority needed to begin a trial.

If the Senate convicts Rousseff, by a two-thirds majority vote to oust her, Temer would serve out the remainder of Rousseff ’s second term through 2018.

Local newspaper surveys say

Dilma Rousseff

REUTERS

the opposition has 50 of the 54 votes needed, with many of the 10 undecided senators likely to favor her ouster.

Rousseff has struggled to survive politically in the face of Brazil’s biggest ever corruption scandal and its worst recession since the 1930s. Her removal would mark an end to 13 years of leftist rule by the Workers Party that

began in 2003 under her mentor, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

While Rousseff is not directly accused of corruption, Brazil’s top prosecutor has asked for her to be investigated for obstructing justice in the kickback scandal that has engulfed state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR4.SA) and fueled Brazil’s political crisis.

In a separate initiative launched by the opposition, Rousseff ’s 2014 re-election campaign is being investigated by an electoral court for alleged funding with bribe money.

At Rousseff ’s presidential palace Friday, officials had glum faces and appeared resigned to the end of her administration. l

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INSIDE RESULT Ctg Abahani

2-0

Abahani Limited

Preux 55, Rubel 62

STARTING XIs CHITTAGONG ABAHANI

Abahani reach Club Cup Hockey final

Rana; Reza, Arman, Udoka, Saikat; Kawshik, Sohel, Janaby; Zahid, Rubel, Preux

Abahani Limited set up a final date with Usha KC following their 3-2 win over Mariner Young’s Club in the second semi-final of the Club Cup Hockey Tournament at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium yesterday. PAGE 26

ABAHANI Shakil; Ariful, Waly, Topu, Mamun; Emon, Faisal, Jewel; Tuck, Camara, Sunday

PLAYER OF THE FINAL Rubel Miah

PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT Leonel Saint Preux

TOP SCORER

Shamsi handed South Africa call-up Left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi has been handed a first call-up by South Africa’s ODI squad for next month’s triangular series against the West Indies and Australia. The 26-year-old is one of three specialist spinners. PAGE 27

Chittagong Abahani players and officials are all smiles with the champion’s trophy following their KFC Independence Cup title win at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. The port city outfit got the better of Abahani Limited in the grand finale MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Chittagong Abahani clinch season-opener n Tribune Report

Boro strike it rich with PL promotion Middlesbrough struck it rich as they were promoted to the Premier League after a 1-1 draw in their £170 million shoot-out with Brighton and Hove Albion yesterday. Aitor Karanka’s side survived a nervous encounter. PAGE 28

Nadal hits out at doping accusers Rafael Nadal is convinced that none of his rivals are taking performance-enhancing drugs and believes that people who have accused him of doping have “personal problems”. He is suing former French cabinet minister Roselyne Bachelot. PAGE 29

Chittagong Abahani created history yesterday at Bangabandhu National Stadium when they defeated Abahani Limited 2-0 in the KFC Independence Cup final to claim their first ever title in the domestic circuit.

Following a barren first half, Haitian forward Leonel Siant Preux produced a brilliant effort to put the port city outfit ahead early in the second half before Rubel Miah scored a sensational bicycle kick to ensure the crown of the season-opening tournament.

The trophy is the first professional title in Chittagong Abahani’s history ever since the club’s inception in the top-flight almost a decade ago.

Abahani, on the other hand, will be mightily disappointed as they failed to end their five-year trophy drought.

The Sky Blues were a different side to the one that had thrashed Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club 6-0 in the semi-final. Andrew Lee Tuck was not allowed any free space to work his magic while the same can be said about Sunday Chizoba and Camara Sarba. Abahani’s defence, which was solid right throughout the tournament, also exhibited a lacklustre display.

In contrast, Chittagong Abaha-

ni were a much-improved outfit compared to the group stages.

Chittagong Abahani orchestrated their first real attack in the 26th minute but veteran defender Rezaul Karim Reza saw his weak shot fly wide.

Abahani’s Emon Mahmud also failed to give Abahani the lead in the 34th minute when his grounder went inches wide off the post.

Preux could have put his side ahead just before the first half when the Haitian rounded off a defender after breaking into the penalty area, only to see his final shot blocked by a defender.

Preux continued to threaten the Abahani defence and the Haitian duly broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half. Re-

ceiving a neat through pass from Zahid Hossain, Preux entered into the right side of the box, cut inside the keeper and placed the ball into an empty net.

Rubel doubled the lead with a spectacular strike seven minutes later. Following a cross from Kawshik Barua from the right flank, Rubel threw his whole body into the air to unleash a bicycle kick that hit the back of the net.

Abahani tried to stage a comeback but the Chittagong defence remained rock-solid to maintain their lead for the remainder of the game. The frustration increased in the 89th minute when Waly Faisal’s goal-bound shot was blocked

by Mohammad Ibrahim two yards away from the goal-line. l

KEY MOMENTS 13’ Camara Sarba shoots wide 26’ Rezaul Karim Reza sees his

effort go just wide following a Zahid Hossain free-kick

44’ Rubel Miah’s strike into the near

post is saved by Abahani goalkeeper Sultan Ahmed Shakil

55’ Collecting a through pass from

34’ Emon Mahmud shoots inches

Zahid, Preux cuts inside the keeper and places the ball home

43’ Leonel Preux breaks into the

62’ Kawshik Barua provides a cross, Rubel hits the back of the net with a bicycle kick

wide off the post after collecting a Camara cutback inside the box penalty area, rounds off a defender but his final effort is blocked by a defender for a corner

89’ Waly Faisal’s goal-bound shot

cleared by Mohammad Ibrahim two yards in-front of the goal-line

Sunday Chizoba, Eleta Kingsley, Fikru (six goals each)

WHAT THEY SAID Rubel Miah, player of the final As five of our players could not play the tournament, I wanted to take my chance. My target was to show the coach my potential. Coach also encouraged me to play my own game. I tried my best.

Leonel Preux, player of the tournament I did my best to show the people who I am. I think now everybody should know the quality of Chittagong Abahani. We played without five key players but still we won the tournament. That means something and it will also boost our confidence.

Jozef Pavlik, Chittagong Abahani coach It has been a great tournament, great final, fantastic game and fantastic performance. I have big respect for both the teams. I have been looking towards the future. I want to see my players play every game well and I’m very satisfied with what they have done so far. It is something fantastic.

Amalesh Sen, Abahani coach The defence failed to perform up to the mark. They made individual mistakes [yesterday]. They failed to mark the opponent players properly in the second half and conceded the goals.

Zahid Hossain, Chittagong Abahani captain We deserved the title. We proved that Chittagong Abahani are the number one team. Whichever team I play for, I always want to win the trophy. We will try to win every other tournament from now on. l

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An action of the Club Cup Hockey Tournament semifinal between Abahani Limited and Mariner Young’s Club at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Abahani beat Mariner, reach Club Cup Hockey final n Tribune Report Local giant Abahani Limited set up a final date with Usha Krira Chakra following their thrilling 3-2 win over Mariner Young’s Club in the second semi-final of the Club Cup Hockey Tournament at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium

yesterday. The grand finale will take place tomorrow at the same venue.

The traditional Sky Blues went ahead in just the second minute of the game through Pakistan’s Tousif Arshad, who capitalised on a penalty corner.

Mariner, the 2004 finalist,

brought parity only six minutes later courtesy another penalty corner.

Gerhard Peter Rach’s Mariner then took the lead in the 24th minute, thanks to Mamunur Rahman Chayan’s drag and flick.

From thereon in, Abahani were desperate to equalise the margin,

scripting together one attack after another. Their persistence was finally rewarded in the 54th minute when Romman Sarkar bagged a brilliant goal with a reverse hit.

And in the 62nd minute, Shafqat Rasool grabbed the all-important to spark wild celebrations in the Abahani dug-out. l

De Kruif set for Bangladesh return n Tribune Report Dutch tactician Lodewijk de Kruif is all set to return as the temporary head coach of the national side for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers Play-off, confirmed the Bangladesh Football Federation yesterday.

The decision was taken in the first meeting of the newly-elected BFF executive committee in Motijheel.

The committee also decided to overturn the suspension of the four national footballers who violated team discipline, provided the quartet seek forgiveness.

“We have important Asian Cup Qualifiers Play-off matches coming up against Tajikistan on June 2 and 7. We have appointed our former coach De Kruif as the head coach of the national team. He

will arrive soon. We are also planning to arrange a training camp for around 15-20 days before the Playoff matches,” said BFF vice president Kazi Nabil Ahmed, who is also the chairman of the national team management committee.

one new, it will take him a month to understand the players and the situation.”

Football’s governing body in Bangladesh has tried its luck with different foreign coaches in recent times, Italian Fabio Lopez and

Meanwhile, regarding the suspension of the four booters – former captain and midfielder Mamunul Islam, wingers Zahid Hossain and Sohel Rana and defender Yeasin Khan – Nabil said, “We have come to the decision that if the suspend-

De Kruif has been appointed on a temporary basis for these two matches. We wanted to appoint someone for a short-term basis, someone who knows our players, pitches and the way we play Nabil continued, “De Kruif has been appointed on a temporary basis for these two matches. We wanted to appoint someone for a short-term basis, someone who knows our players, pitches and the way we play. If we bring in some-

Spaniard Gonzalo Sanchez Moreno to name but a few, but none of them were able to leave their mark.

The BFF therefore, thinks hiring former Bangladesh head coach De Kruif, albeit temporarily, is the best possible option at the moment.

ed footballers realise their mistakes and seek forgiveness, we will reconsider the matter of including them in the national team.”

The quartet were recently suspended for breaching team protocol. l

DPL round 5 pushed back n Tribune Report The fifth round matches of the ongoing Walton Dhaka Premier League, scheduled to be held today, have been bodily shifted to tomorrow – the reserve day – due to the day-long strike called by the opposition political party, confirmed the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis. In the fifth round, table-toppers Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club will be up against Victoria Sporting Club in Fatullah, Prime Bank Cricket Club will lock horns with Brothers Union at BKSP 3 ground while Abahani Limited will face Legends of Rupganj in Mirpur. l

DPL POINTS TABLE Teams

M W L Tied Pts

Prime Doleshwar

4

4 0

0

8

Mohammedan SC

4

3 1

0

6

Abahani Limited

4

3 1

0

6

Prime Bank CC

4

3 1

0

6

Victoria SC

4

2 1

1

5

Legends of Rupganj 4

2 1

1

5

Gazi Group

4

2 2

0

4

Sheikh Jamal DC

4

2 2

0

4

Brothers Union

4

1 3

0

2

Kalabagan KC

4

1 3

0

2

Cricket CS

4

0 4

0

0

Kalabagan CA

4

0 4

0

0

27

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QUICK BYTES Four Russian gold medallists in Sochi reportedly doped Four Russian gold medallists at the 2014 Sochi Olympics were drug cheats, doping whistleblower Vitaly Stepanov alleges in an interview for an upcoming edition of CBS television’s “60 Minutes”.

In an interview to air in full today, Stepanov, a former official with the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, cites Grigor Rodchenkov, former head of Russia’s now-discredited drug testing lab, as telling him that FSB state security service officers “tried to control every single step of the anti-doping process in Sochi”.

Hosts Russia won 13 gold medals at the Sochi Winter Olympics.

–AFP

Cagliari promoted to Serie A Italian club Cagliari were on Friday promoted to Serie A after a 3-0 win at Bari. The Sardinian club joins Crotone as the second Serie B side to play in the Italian top flight next season with two games to play. The third ticket will be attributed during a play-off.

Cagliari returns to Serie A after just one season in the second division.

Coached by Rastelli the club were Italian league champions in 1970.

–AFP

Italy Euro 2016 blow as Verratti ruled out Italian midfielder Marco Verratti was Friday ruled out of Euro 2016 after his Paris Saint-Germain club revealed he will undergo groin surgery on May 16. Verratti’s absence from the June 10-July 10 tournament in France is a major blow for Italy coach Antonio Conte with the 23-year-old joining Juventus’s Claudio Marchisio on the sidelines. Marchisio was ruled out of the Euros with a left knee injury.

–AFP

Spurs player Dembele banned for six matches Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele has been handed a six-match ban for violent conduct that went unseen by the referee but was caught on video, the Football Association said on Friday.

Dembele, who had accepted the charge, will see his suspension extend into next season.

Tottenham have two matches remaining. Television replays appeared to show the Belgian international trying to gouge Chelsea striker Diego Costa’s eye during a heated 2-2 league draw at Stamford Bridge on Monday.

–REUTERS

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli plays a shot against Rising Pune Supergiants during their Vivo Indian Premier League match at The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday. Kohli scored an unbeaten century off 58 balls and helped his side successfully chase down the target of 192 BCCI

Mathews hopes to gain from Jayawardene’s England knowledge n AFP, London Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews hopes to utilise Mahela Jayawardene’s inside knowledge of the England set-up when the two teams meet in a Test series later this month.

Jayawardene, one of Sri Lanka’s greatest batsman but retired from international cricket since last year’s 50-over World Cup, recently acted as a batting consultant to England including at the World Twenty20 in India where his "adopted" team reached the final.

Jayawardene, who is due to have a stint playing for county side Somerset in English domestic cricket’s T20 competition later this season, no longer has any official role with the England set-up ahead of the start of a three-Test series at Headingley on May 19. But according to Mathews, he will be close at hand for advice in his new role as a television commentator.

Mathews could also tap into the experience of another Sri Lankan batting star in Kumar Sangakkara, no longer on the international scene but now playing for London-based county side Surrey.

“When it comes to internation-

al cricket there are no secrets to be honest,” Mathews told reporters at Lord’s, where Sri Lanka were training ahead of this weekend’s tour opener against Essex.

“I think we have a lot of video footage, they have video footage of us as well, so there are no real secrets. When you get on the park you know what they are up to and the plan for this, and we get to know it.

“But there might be a couple of

tactical ideas that Mahela can predict. I’m pretty sure that guys like Mahela and Sangakkara will always come and help us.”

Earlier this year, Sri Lanka Cricket president Thilanga Sumathipala criticised Jayawardene when he started his second stint with England at the World T20. But Mathews was far more relaxed about his former team-mate working with a rival nation. l

Sri Lanka head coach Graham Ford and captain Angelo Mathews talk to the media during a press conference on Friday REUTERS

Spinner Shamsi handed South Africa call-up for Caribbean series n Reuters, Cape Town Left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi has been handed a first callup by South Africa’s One Day International squad for next month’s triangular series against the West Indies and Australia.

The 26-year-old is one of three specialist spinners named on Friday, as South Africa anticipate slow pitches in the Caribbean.

Injury-plagued fast bowler Dale Steyn is being rested for the six matches in Guyana, St Kitts and Barbados with an eye on his fitness for the Test series against New Zealand in August plus Australia and Sri Lanka later in the year. He is replaced in the ODI squad by Wayne Parnell.

Squad: AB de Villiers (Titans, captain), Kyle Abbott (Warriors), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Farhaan Behardien (Titans), Quinton de Kock (Titans), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (Titans), Imran Tahir (Dolphins), Morne Morkel, Chris Morris (both Titans), Wayne Parnell (Cape Cobras), Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada (both Highveld Lions), Rilee Rossouw (Knights), Tabraiz Shamsi (Titans). l

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Bayern secure record 4th straight Bundesliga title

n Reuters, BERLIN Bayern Munich secured a record fourth consecutive Bundesliga title with a game to spare on Saturday after a 2-1 victory at Ingolstadt helped them put the disappointment of their midweek Champions League semi-final exit behind them.

The Bavarians made sure of their 26th German league crown and the first silverware of their season thanks to two goals from top scorer Robert Lewandowski in the first half.

Four days after their away goals defeat to Atletico Madrid ensured a third consecutive Champions League semi-final exit, Bayern went eight points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who lost 1-0 at strugglers Eintracht Frankfurt.

They can clinch the double when they take on Dortmund in the German Cup final on May 21 in Berlin, ensuring coach Pep Guardiola will leave the club to join Manchester City in the close season on a high. l

Schalke

RESULTS 1-1

Huntelaar 82

M'gladbach

Baier 89

2-1

Hahn 43, 79

Hamburg

Augsburg

Bayer Leverkusen Aranguiz 20

0-1

VfL Wolfsburg Luiz Gustavo 73

VfB Stuttgart

1-3

Gentner 6

Mainz Malli 37, Cordoba 53, Onisiwo 77

1-0

Dortmund

Cologne

0-0

Werder Bremen

Hanover 96

1-0

Hoffenheim

Frankfurt Aigner 14

Kiyotake 28

Hertha Berlin Darida 14

Ingolstadt Hartmann 42-P

1-2

Darmstadt

Gondorf 24, Wagner 83

1-2

Bayern Munich Lewandowski 15, 32-P

Bayern Munich players celebrate wining the league for the fourth year in a row after their Bundesliga match against FC Ingolstadt at the Audi Sportpark yesterday

AFP

Gayle ensures Palace’s survival, Sunderland win n AFP Crystal Palace forward Dwight Gayle struck twice to clinch a 2-1 win over Stoke on Saturday that guaranteed the FA Cup finalists will avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Alan Pardew’s side knew a draw would be enough to secure their top-flight status and allow them to focus on their first FA Cup final appearance for 26 years against Manchester United at Wembley later this month.

Initially it seemed they might have to wait until the last weekend of the season to ensure their survival as Charlie Adam opened the scoring for Stoke in the first half at

Selhurst Park.

But Gayle equalised two minutes after the interval and struck again midway through the half to secure only Palace’s second win in 20 league games.

Meanwhile, Sunderland climbed out of the relegation zone by coming from behind to beat Chelsea 3-2. The Black Cats were 2-1 down at home to Chelsea, last season’s champions, before two goals in three second-half minutes from Fabio Borini and Jermain Defoe dramatically turned the match their way.

Chelsea’s defeat was made worse when skipper John Terry was sent off late on.

Victory saw Sunderland go a point in front of Newcastle, who

have played one game more than their north-east rivals and could only manage a goalless draw with already-relegated Aston Villa on Saturday.

If Sunderland win at home to Everton on Wednesday, they will stay up and relegate both Newcastle and Norwich City in the process.

Second-bottom Norwich moved closer to the drop after a 1-0 loss at home to Manchester United, with Juan Mata’s 72nd-minute goal proving decisive at Carrow Road.

United’s victory saw Louis van Gaal’s fifth-placed side close to within a point of local rivals Manchester City, who currently occupy fourth spot and the last qualifying position on offer to English

clubs for next season’s Champions League. l

Aston Villa

RESULTS 0-0

Newcastle

1-1

West Brom

Bournemouth Ritchie 82

Crystal Palace

Rondon 16

2-1

Gayle 47, 68

Norwich

Stoke Adam 26

0-1 Manchester United Mata 72

Sunderland

3-2

Khazri 41, Borini 67, Defoe 70

Chelsea Costa 14, Matic 45+3

West Ham

1-4

Kingsley 69-og

(Routledge 25, Ayew 31, Ki 51, Gomis 90+3

Swansea

Boro promoted to EPL n AFP, London

Middlesbrough fans invade the pitch after being promoted to the Premier League at Riverside Stadium yesterday

REUTERS

Middlesbrough struck it rich as they were promoted to the Premier League after a 1-1 draw in their £170 million shoot-out with Brighton and Hove Albion yesterday.

Aitor Karanka’s side survived a nervous encounter at the Riverside Stadium to end their seven-year exile from the top flight and bank the huge cash windfall due to Premier League clubs as a result of the new television contracts that kick in next season.

Needing just one point from their last game of the Championship season to guarantee they would finish above third-placed Brighton on goal difference, second-placed Mid-

dlesbrough took the lead through Christian Stuani’s first-half strike.

Dale Stephens equalised for Brighton after the break, but the midfielder was sent off moments later and Middlesbrough held on to spark wild celebrations on Teesside.

Middlesbrough started the day with a chance of lifting the Championship title as well as securing a place among the elite, but had to settle for second after already promoted leaders Burnley swept to a 3-0 victory at relegated Charlton Athletic.

It was still a glorious end to a turbulent 12 months for Middlesbrough and a region recently blighted by redundancies in the steel industry. l

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Nadal hits out at doping accusers, says rivals are ‘totally clean’ n Reuters, Madrid Rafael Nadal is convinced that none of his rivals are taking performance-enhancing drugs and believes that people who have accused him of doping have “personal problems”.

The Spaniard is suing former French cabinet minister Roselyne Bachelot after she alleged earlier this year that he had failed a drugs test. He used an interview with El Mundo published yesterday to defend himself and other top players.

“I have total confidence that all my rivals are totally clean,” he said.

“I have no doubt about that, first of all because I believe in the anti-doping programme and secondly because I believe in people until they show you otherwise.”

The 14-times grand slam winner said that people who have accused him of doping are unhappy with their own lives, and do not like his style of play.

“They do it because evidently they have a personal problem and are unhappy with themselves, and then they look further, at the technical aspect, perhaps only because of my way of fighting for every point, my style of play, which I’ve had throughout my career.”

Former world number one Nadal, who will attempt to win a 10th French Open title this year, strenuously denies ever having taken performance-enhancing substances and has never failed a drug test.l

DAY’S WATCH CRICKET SONY SIX Indian Premier League 4:30 PM Mumbai v Hyderabad 8:30 PM Kolkata v Gujarat

FOOTBALL STAR SPORTS 1 Barclays Premier League 6:30 PM Tottenham v Southampton 8:50 PM Manchester City v Arsenal

STAR SPORTS 2 Barclays Premier League 8:50 PM Liverpool v Watford

MOTO GP TEN 1 HD 2:00 PM Moto GP 2016: Race

Espanyol eye bursting Barca’s bubble again n AFP, Madrid

Rafael Nadal returns a forehand against Joao Sousa during their Madrid Open quarter-final on Friday

REUTERS

Nadal, Murray, Djokovic into Madrid semi-finals n AFP, Madrid Rafael Nadal will face defending champion Andy Murray in the Madrid Masters semi-finals after extending his perfect start to the European clay-court season to 13 matches with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 win over Joao Sousa on Friday.

Murray continued his serene passage into the last four by sweeping past eighth seed Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-2. World number one Novak Djokovic also eased into the

semi-finals with a 6-3 6-4 over 11th seed Milos Raonic.

Nadal is looking to break Argentine legend Guillermo Vilas’s record for clay-court tournament wins with his 50th and a fifth title in Madrid this weekend.

However, to do so he will have to avenge Murray’s only ever victory over the 14-time Grand Slam champion on clay in last year’s Madrid final.

Nadal beat Murray on route to winning in Monte Carlo last month,

but the Scot believes more rain yesterday could help him.

In the women’s Madrid Open, world number seven Simona Halep reached her first final of the season in comprehensive fashion with a 6-2, 6-0 thrashing of Australian Sam Stosur.

Halep faced Dominika Cibulkova in yesterday’s final after the Slovakian celebrated her 27th birthday in similar style with a 6-1, 6-1 demolition of American qualifier Louisa Chirico. l

Cameroon’s Ekeng dies after collapsing on pitch n Reuters Dinamo Bucharest and Cameroon midfielder Patrick Ekeng died on Friday after collapsing on the pitch during a match for his club.

Ekeng, 26, fell to the ground shortly after coming on as a 62nd-minute substitute during a league match against Viitorul Constanta, his club said in a statement on their website (www.fcdinamo.ro).

Media reports said he suffered a suspected heart attack and was pronounced dead in hospital two hours later.

“Dinamo lost tonight, forever, footballer Patrick Claude Ekeng Ekeng,” Dinamo said.

“On behalf of everyone at Dinamo, sincere condolences to the bereaved family. God rest his soul.”

The Cameroon FA also confirmed the news on Twitter, while Ekeng’s former club Cordoba tweeted: “There are no words to express our sorrow for the death of Patrick Ekeng.”

Cameroon midfielder Marc-

Vivien Foe also died after collapsing on the pitch, during a Confederations Cup match in 2003 against Colombia in France.

Ekeng had also played for Le Mans in France, as well as Swiss club Lausanne. l

Dinamo Bucharest's Patrick Ekeng is transported to an ambulance after collapsing during a play-off match against Viitorul Constanta in Bucharest on Friday REUTERS

Espanyol travel to La Liga leaders Barcelona today aiming to repeat their feat of denying their bitter local rivals the title in 2007.

Barca hold the slenderest of advantages in the title race with two games remaining as they lead Atletico Madrid thanks to their better head-to-head record with Real Madrid a point behind in third.

In eerily similar circumstances Barca were embroiled in a threeway title race with Sevilla and Real when Espanyol travelled to the Camp Nou on the penultimate day of the season nine years ago.

Then a last minute equaliser from Raul Tamudo snatched the title from Barca’s grasp and allowed Real to be crowned champions the following weekend.

After a 1-0 win over Sevilla last weekend to move to the brink of mathematically sealing their survival in the top flight, Espanyol fans chanted “we want another Tamudazo” whilst the players celebrated.l

LA LIGA FIXTURES Real Sociedad Real Madrid Villarreal Getafe Eibar Barcelona Sevilla Las Palmas Celta Vigo Levante

v v v v v v v v v v

Rayo Vallecano Valencia Deportivo Sporting Gijon Real Betis Espanyol Granada Athletic Bilbao Malaga Atletico Madrid

Ben Arfa in talks with Barcelona: Nice president n AFP, Paris Barcelona are “in talks” with France winger Hatem Ben Arfa, the president of his current club Nice confirmed to local media on Friday.

“Barcelona are one of a number of clubs who have enquired about Hatem,” Nice president JeanPierre Rivere told television station France 3, confirming reports in sports daily L’Equipe that said a move to the Camp Nou was “very probable”.

“Quite honestly, if (a transfer) were to happen, I would be very, very happy for Hatem who deserves to go to a club like Barca.”

The 29-year-old will be out of contract at the end of the season and has successfully relaunched his career at Nice, his 17 league goals having the Cote d’Azur club on course to qualify for Europe.l

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Showtime

27th Jatiyo Rabindra Sangeet Utshab ends today

FRIENDS since then n Rad Sharar Bin Kamal Yesterday marked the 12th anniversary of the last episode of FRIENDS. With no further introduction required for the show, let’s take a look at how the cast have been busy since then.

Ross: The lovable geek turned

into a crime fighting vigilante as he helped the NYPD cops solve a murder involving his neighbour, transgender prostitute and a robber, which all happened next to his $4 million home in New York.

David Schwimmer also provided the voice for Melman the giraffe in the animated Madagascar films as well as directed his own thriller named Trust.

Joey: Matt LeBlanc flopped

out with his show Joey after his career as Joey Tribbiani ended, after which he only appeared in the small screens, playing different versions of himself.

n Showtime Desk A five-day musical event arranged on the occasion of Rabindranath Tagore’s 155th birth anniversary comes to an end at the capital’s Shawkat Osman Auditorium of Central Public Library today.

To mark the Bengali polymath’s birth anniversary on May 7, Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Shilpi Sangstha arranged the “27th Jatiyo Rabindra Sangeet Utshab” that commenced from May 4.

Noted educationist Professor Syed Anwar Hossain inaugurated

the programme as the chief guest.

On the opening day, an award was conferred upon eminent Tagore artiste Hamida Haque.

Today, on the 92nd birth anniversary of celebrated singer Kalim Sharafi, the organisers will felicitate noted artiste Papia Sarwar.

According to a press release, Tapan Mahmud, president of BRSS, said, “The objective of this festival is to spread Rabindra Sangeet among younger audiences. That’s why we encouraged the participation

of the youth this year. Nearly a hundred new singers performed in this year’s festival.”

The event featured solo performances by 120 Tagore singers, in addition to chorus songs and recitations by different cultural groups of the country.

Rabindranath holds special significance in the hearts of Bangladeshis as his poems and songs had inspired the nation in its most difficult years. Moreover, the country had adopted one of his songs, Amar Sonar Bangla, as its national anthem. l

Chandler: Matthew Perry

continued his drug addiction after the sitcom ended, heavily.

He even tried to hide it from his co-stars, later admitting, “Mostly it was drinking, you know, and

opiates. I think I was pretty good at hiding it but, you know, eventually people were aware.”

Sober now, the funny man also tried his luck in the movie 17 again and in other TV shows including Mr Sunshine and Go On.

Monica: You’ve heard of Cougar Town. Well, after that ended, Courteney Cox has hasn’t really been all that active. Unless you count her super divorce from David Arquette, after which she is planning her wedding to Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid.

Rachel: After a decade in the tabloids for her rocky lovelife, things have slowly moved upwards for Jennifer Anniston as she met her real life Ross in the form of Justin Theroux.

The A-lister has appeared in blockbusters such as Horrible Bosses and The Break-Up, and has garnered critical acclaim for Cake.

Phoebe: Lisa Kudrow stayed under the shadows after Phoebe Buffet disappeared. She took secondary roles in some known movies like Easy A and Neighbours but other than that, poof! l

Kingdom of Clay Subjects at the Seattle Film Festival n Hasan Mansoor Chatak Kingdom of Clay Subjects, a drama

set in rural Bangladesh, will be screening later this month at the Seattle International Film Festival

(SIFF) as a world premiere. The 42th edition of the festival shall be held in Seattle, Washington from May 19 to June 12.

The film’s SIFF screenings, in the category of contemporary world cinema, are scheduled to be broadcast at 6:30pm on Saturday, May 28, and 12pm on Sunday, May 29.

The SIFF, one of the top film festivals in North America, features a diverse assortment of predominantly independent

and foreign films, and carries the reputation as an “audience festival.”

This year, Kingdom of Clay Subjects is the sole representative of Bangladeshi cinema at the festival.

Set in rural Bangladesh, it’s an emotional take on the traditions of Bangladeshi society shown from the point of view of 10-yearold Jamal, who is struggling to understand the ways that caste and gender affect the strong women in his life.

The 88-minutes-film casts Anindo, Sheuli, Jayanta Chattopadhyay, Rokeya Prachy, MA Shakil, Chinmoyee Gupta, Iqbal Hossain, Abdullah Rana, Ramiz Raju and Kochi Khondokar.

Kingdom of Clay Subjects is h the first feature film of writer

and director Bijon Imtiaz, who is also the first Bangladeshi film production MFA graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Collaborating with the film’s producer Arifur Rahman, Bijon started his journey to making the film back in 2011. Highly inspired

by Satyajit Ray, the duo even named their film production company as Goopy Bagha Productions Ltd after two of the film’s characters.

It was shot at locations in and around the Police Academy Sardah in Rajshahi and in Dhamrai. Indian National Film Award winning sound designer, Anish John, recorded the film’s sound at the locations while Ramshreyas Rao and Andrew Wesman worked as the cinematographers. l

5 shows of ‘Durdarshan’ to remember for a lifetime

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SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

Timberlake is back n Showtime Desk The wait is over for Justin Timberlake’s new release, and it seems definitely worth the wait.

His new song “Can’t Stop The Feeling” is a true summer jam and has had listeners clicking on the repeat button.

Justin recorded the song for his animated film Trolls in which he voices as one of the leads. The video features Justin pulling off his fly dance moves, along with other stars who lent their voices to the film, including Gwen Stefani, James Corden, and Anna Kendrick.

They all look like they’re having the best time in the world dancing along to the poppy beat. l Source: E! News.

WHAT TO WATCH

n Showtime Desk It’s been 34 years since satellite channels started broadcasting shows on a daily basis. Years passed, and the shows that remained throughout that time is still remembered by audiences worldwide; plots, characters, and even title songs are still etched in their memories.

Here are five such shows of Durdarshan that froze audiences to their seats whilst staring at their television screens for hours.

Ramayan Ramayan, created by Ramanand Sagar, starring Arun Govil and Deepika Chikhalia in the roles of Ram and Sita respectively, was the television adaptation of the Hindu religious chronicle.

It aired between 1986-1988, and became so popular amongst the masses that nobody stepped out of their homes while it was airing.

Mahabharat The same was the case with Mahabharat. The 94-episode series originally ran from October 2, 1988 to June 24, 1990 on Durdarshan National.

Produced by BR Chopra and directed by his son Ravi Chopra, the show was scripted by the poet Rahi Masoom Raza, and was based on the original story by Ved Vyasa. Considering the scale of the show, it was no wonder that the makers had to rope in a huge cast. The show comprised of actors like Nitish Bhardwaj, Kiran Juneja, Mukesh Khanna, Gajendra Chouhan, and Roopa Ganguly among others.

Nukkad “Bade shahar ki ek gali mein basa hua hai Nukkad” was how the title song of the show went. We could expect to get more quality shows on Indian television if directors with the grit of Aziz Mirza started directing again. Starring Dilip Dhawan, Rama Vij, Pavan Malhotra, Sangeeta Naik, and Avtar Gill in lead roles, the sitcom showed the daily struggles of a common man.

Hum Log India’s first soap opera, Hum Log told the story of Basesar Ram and his family. People who have followed the show still remember each and every member of his family; his kids Badki, Majhli, Chutki, Nanhe, Lalloo and his wife Bhagwanti, were some of the most memorable characters of the show. Legendary actor Ashok Kumar who was the narrator of

the show, appeared at the end of every episode to add his own personalised comments. Written by the popular writer Manohar Shyam Joshi, the script, the characters, and the presentation were a class apart. Check out the show’s first episode and judge for yourself.

Buniyaad Another show written by Manohar Shyam Joshi, and directed by popular filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, and Jyoti, Buniyaad first aired in 1986 on Durdarshan National, and has also been re-aired numerous times. Alok Nath may be remembered by most as the Sanskari Babuji of Bollywood and television, but Master Haveliram was one of his most memorable characters ever. The show also starred Anita Kanwar, Kanwaljeet Singh, Kruttika Desai, Kiran Juneja, and Abhinav Chaturvedi. l

Cast: Nicholas Cage, Eva Mendes, Brett Cullen, Peter Fonda, Matt Long

Transporter 3 WB 5:22pm Frank Martin puts the driving gloves on to deliver Valentina, the kidnapped daughter of a Ukrainian government official, from Marseilles to Odessa on the Black Sea. En route, he has to contend with thugs who want to intercept Valentina’s safe delivery and not let his personal feelings get in the way of his dangerous objective.

Cast: Jason Statham, François Berléand, Robert Knepper, Natalya Rudakova, Eriq Ebouaney Ocean’s Eleven WB 7:21pm Danny Ocean and his eleven accomplices plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously.

Cast: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts

Ghost Rider HBO 9:30pm Stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze gives up his soul to become a hell blazing vigilante, to fight against power hungry Blackheart, the son of the devil himself.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Zee Studio 11:35pm As Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world, he teams up with a fellow Avenger and Shield agent, the Black Widow, to battle a new threat from history: an assassin known as the Winter Soldier.

Cast: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of The Dawn Treader Star Movies 11:47pm Lucy and Edmund Pevensie return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace where they meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader.

Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world.

Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Will Poulter, Ben Barnes, Liam Neeson, Simon l

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SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

BIMAN TO RECRUIT 7 MORE PILOTS PAGE 15

CTG ABAHANI CLINCH SEASON-OPENER PAGE 25

27TH JATIYO RABINDRA SANGEET UTSHAB ENDS TODAY PAGE 30

Need a ride? Call SAM n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

Commuting in traffic-congested Dhaka will never be the same again.

Bid adieu to the mad scramble at bus stops or coaxing autorickshaws to take you on. Now you can order a ride at your doorsteps for commuting.

Just log into SAM (Share a Motorcycle) app on your device and order a ride – they will be hassle-free and cheap, the company said. This service matches bikers with riders going towards the same destination.

SAM is available for download on Google Play Store and the iOS version will be ready within June.

Datavoxel Ltd and Datavoxel Inc (USA) jointly developed the platform exclusively for Bangladesh.

Datavoxel Ltd made the announcement at a press conference in Dhaka yesterday.

It is the world’s first e-hailing platform from Bangladesh through which commuters can avail friendly and affordable bike rides in Dhaka whenever they need, organisers said.

Bikers and riders have to install two separate apps to avail the service, which is expected to be available from June 1. With over 400,000 private motorbikes in Dhaka City, Datavoxel Ltd found a way to arrange transport option for as many commuters.

“We came up with the idea of SAM to help commuters reach destination fast, safe and comfortably at a very affordable cost,” Imtiaz Kasem, managing director of Datavoxel Limited, said.

He said the app will also act as

Organisers and participants of Share a Motorcycle (SAM) pose for a picture in front of Spectra Convention Centre in Dhaka yesterday a social benefactor as it will offer a new transport option for the middle and lower middle-income people and will give an option to people with jobs to earn some more without spending extra time and energy.

Riders can pay through the e-wallet system. No cash transaction is required. They can also pay fares through credit cards, debit cards and bkash accounts.

Riders will be charged Tk6 per kilometer and there will be no waiting charge.

They may have to pay maximum Tk10 if the biker has to wait for the commuter during pick-ups.

SAM will get 20% of the charge and rest will be given to the biker.

About security, Kasem said information of both riders and bikers will be collected and stored in SAM’s database for

security reasons.

The service will initially be available in Dhaka and the company plans to venture into other areas in phases. The strategic partners are Omera, Rahimafrooz, bkash, Getco & Always Online Network.

How SAM works A rider’s request is sent to available bikers within the commuter’s two-kilometre radius. The biker

DHAKA TRIBUNE

with the same destination can accept the request and go ahead to pick him up.

The mileage meter will determine the distance and at the end of the ride, a bill will be generated accordingly. At the tap of a button the rider will pay the bill and the biker will be on his way.

Both the rider and the biker will rate each other before they request for a ride or accept a ride again. l

AUST teacher admits to his crimes Holy Shab-e-Barat n on May 22 Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

Suspended Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology teacher Mahfuzur Rashid Ferdous yesterday told a Dhaka court that he had sexually harassed some of his female students.

On Thursday, five female students of the university who fell victim to sexual harassment by the teacher testified before separate courts.

Ferdous was produced before the court yesterday, on completion of his two-day remand. He admitted

to his crimes before the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Qazi Kamrul Islam. The court sent him to jail after recording his confession.

Students of the university have been demanding his punishment since last week. Hundreds of students staged demonstrations in front of the campus and have been campaigning on Facebook. The university said it, too, was looking into the allegations.

Police arrested electrical and electronic engineering department’s Associate Professor Ferdous on May 4 from Eskaton Garden

area at Ramna. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Delwar Hossain the same day granted the police two days to interrogate him in custody.

University’s alumnus and brother of a victim Asafudoullah Sayem filed a sexual harassment case against the teacher the previous night with Kalabagan police under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. Ferdous was acting as the assistant proctor. He was suspended on April 30 after several students provided evidence of harassment to the university authorities. l

n UNB The holy Shab-e-Barat, the night of fortune and forgiveness, will be observed in the country on May 22 as the Shaban moon was not sighted in Bangladesh sky yesterday.

The National Moon Sighting Committee took the decision at a meeting at the Islamic Foundation’s Baitul Mukarram office in the

evening, said a handout.

The meeting was held with Religious Affairs joint secretary M Amzad Ali in the chair.

According to Muslim belief, Shab-e-Barat is the night when Allah arranges the affairs of the following year. On Shab-e-Barat, Allah writes the destinies of all the creations for the coming year by taking into account their past deeds. l

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