17 May, 2016

SECOND EDITION

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

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Jyoishtha 4, 1423, Shaban 9, 1437

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 25

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

Draining the Teesta dry The DhakaTribune’s Abu Bakar Siddique reports from the banks of Teesta River on the effects of Indian river diversion on Bangladesh’s rivers and land The Gajoldoba Barrage on the Teesta River looks like it is straight out of a movie set.

Tucked away in the far north of Bangladesh, one may witness here the holocaust that has followed in the wake of India’s policy of damming up rivers.

The river banks are lush and full of life on one side of the dam, where calm waters lap up against the thick walls.

Death marks the other side: barren earth dotted with the stubble of dry roots where once plants grew.

Located 80 kilometres from the Bangladesh-India border, it takes the better part of four hours to reach the Bangladeshi portion of the trans-boundary river.

A PHOTO STORY APPEARS ON PAGE 5 Not even the faintest of trickles of water escapes the greedy mouth of the barrage, a result of India's policy on the Teesta River.

It has become clear that the Indian government has diverted and withdrawn as much water as deemed necessary at Gajoldoba, unconcerned with Bangladesh’s needs or even those of the farmers downstream from the barrage.

The West Bengal irrigation minister told the BBC Bangla Service as much in an interview on March 14, 2014. Rajib Banerjee said the state had in fact been planning to expand farming coverage and would need more water for irrigation.

He pointed out that there was no legally binding treaty on Teesta  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Downstream on the Bangladesh side, sand bars and silt predominate as the gates, at right, of Gajoldoba Barrage on the Teesta River in India’s West Bengal guard their reserve of water. The photo was taken on April 15 this year ABU BAKAR SIDDIQUE

India to 'divert rivers' to tackle drought n BBC India is set to divert water from its rivers to deal with a severe drought, a senior minister has told the BBC. Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati said transferring water, including from major rivers like the Brahmaputra and the Ganges, to drought-prone areas is now her

government's top priority.

At least 330 million people are affected by drought in India.

The drought is taking place as a heat wave extends across much of India, with temperatures in excess of 40C. The Inter Linking of Rivers (ILR) has 30 links planned for water-transfer, 14 of them fed by Him-

alayan glaciers in the north of the country and 16 in peninsular India.

Environmentalists have opposed the project, arguing it will invite ecological disaster but the Supreme Court has ordered its implementation.

'First in India's history'

“Interlinking of rivers is our prime

agenda and we have got the people's support and I am determined to do it on the fast track,” Bharati said.

“We are going ahead with five links [of the rivers] now and the first one, the Ken-Betwa link [in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh] is going to start any time now.

“And then we will have the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

US offers help in stopping terror plots n Mohammad Jamil Khan A team of US counterterrorism specialists has offered to help Bangladesh pre-emptively stop terrorist attacks, the home minister has said.

A 15-member team of counterterrorism experts, including several individuals specialising in identifying terror plots found on social media websites, was offering

its technical support to strengthen security in Bangladesh, Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said.

He made the comments following a meeting with US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat and William E Todd, the visiting principal deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs at the US Department of State.

The counterterrorism team was also present during the meeting at

the Home Ministry yesterday.

Kamal said he told the US officials that Bangladesh was seeing scattered attacks by home-grown terrorists, but the government was keen on identifying terror plots and preventing such attacks.

The minister also told the US diplomats that Bangladesh was a peace-loving country where people of all religions could live happily.

No big terrorist activities or attacks

have taken place in Bangladesh because the citizens were against terrorism, Kamal said.

The US team agreed that Bangladesh was on the right track of combating crime, the home minister said, adding that both sides have agreed that the main issue was working together against terrorists.

Replying to a query on letters to the ministry from several embassies citing security concerns, Ka-

mal said the letters followed a couple of incidents in the country; but there was nothing to worry about as foreign officials were now happy after security was increased in the embassy area.

‘In this global fight together’

US Ambassador Bernicat said it was a very fruitful meeting with the home minister and the US would  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

Man confesses to killing RU Prof Rezaul n Dulal Abdullah, Rajshahi Rajshahi police have announced that a man has confessed to the killing of Rajshahi University Professor Rezaul Karim Siddique.

He gave a confessional statement at the Rajshahi Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court yesterday evening, Rajshahi Police Commissioner Md Shamsuddin said.

Although the police disclosed the name of the arrestee to be Maskawat Hossain Sakib alias Abdullah, they did not disclose any other detail. A press conference has been called at noon today.

Commissioner Shamsuddin said

all details would be given out at the press conference.

Maskawat is not among the arrestees in the murder case whose names police have already revealed.

Two days into the murder police arrested Hafizur Rahman, the secretary of Islami Chhatra Shibir of ward 19, Rajshahi city.

The next day they arrested mosque Imam Raihan Ali, 32, and Madrasa teacher Munsur Rahman, 48 from Dargamaria, the victrim’s home village.

Professor Rezaul was hacked to death by assailants at walking distance from his home in Rajshahi city’s Shalbagan area on April 23. l

Two Bangladeshi peacekeepers killed in Mali n Tribune Desk Two Bangladeshi policemen who were on a UN peacekeeping mission in Mali were killed in a cyclone that hit the West African country on Sunday.

The two are Constable Md Samidul Islam and Constable Mot-

ahar Hossain.

AKM Kamrul Ahsan, senior information officer at the police headquarters in Dhaka, said the duo joined the mission on May 2 this year.

“The constables died when the cyclone hit a contingent of Bangladesh police stationed in a coastal

Aslam remanded for 7 days n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday placed BNP Joint Secretary General Md Aslam Chowdhury on a seven-day remand in connection with the alleged plot with Israel to topple Bangladesh government.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sarafuzzaman Ansari passed the order after Gulam Robbani, inspector of Detective Branch (DB) of Police, produced him before the court seeking a 10day remand for interrogation.

Opposing the remand petition, his counsel Md Sanaullah Miah

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

India to ‘divert rivers’ to tackle drought Damnaganga-Pinjal interlink which will sort out the Mumbai drinking water facility.”

Bharati said the river-linking project would be the first in Indian history since independence in 1947.

There were also other projects aimed at supplying water for irrigation and drinking in the next few years and the ILR was a long-term scheme, she added.

Following two consecutive bad monsoons, India is facing one of its worst droughts.

Of its 29 states, nearly half were reported to have suffered from severe water crisis this dry season.

The worst hit have been Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, among others.

The federal government in Delhi has had to send trains carrying water to the worst affected places.

India has faced a water crisis for years. Its ground waters have depleted to alarming levels, mainly because of unsustainable extraction for agriculture and industries.

“The water crisis will be there [in the future] because of climate change but through this [inter linking of rivers] we will be able to help the people,” Bharati said. “The public has welcomed it and they

are happily ready to be displaced.”

‘No scientific study’

Critics say the project is not viable financially, environmentally or socially. The government has also been accused of granting environmental clearances without proper assessments.

“It is even more impossible in the context of climate change as you don’t know what will happen to the rivers’ flows,” says Himanshu Thakkar of the South Asia Network for Dams, Rivers and People.

“The project is based on the idea of diverting water from where

it is surplus to dry areas but there has been no scientific study yet on which places have more water and which ones less.” The government says the scheme will irrigate 35,000 hectares of land and generate 34,000 megawatts of electricity.

BJP campaigned for the project when it was in power in the 1990s.

But it lost elections to the Congress Party which did not seem keen on the scheme.

In 2012, however, when the Congress-led coalition was still in power, the Supreme Court ordered the government to implement the project in a “time-bound manner.” l

Draining the Teesta dry water sharing, which according to him meant that India was free to use as much water as it saw fit.

That is what is happening at the moment, as a trip to the other side of the border clearly revealed.

Whatever water the river brings into Bangladesh is the result of accumulated rainfall and a handful of estuaries feeding into the Teesta flowing downstream from Gajoldoba.

India has been diverting Teesta water using feeder canals through Baikunthapur forest in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district towards distant areas of the state for irrigation.

There were high hopes that a water sharing agreement on the Teesta would be inked during the then Indian premier Manmohan Singh’s visit to Bangladesh in 2011.

But the hopes were crushed to dust by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who staunchly opposed such a pact.

Prof Ainun Nishat who has long been involved with river water negotiations commented that India did not even have any regard for the ecology of the river in its own territory let alone the millions of Bangladeshis dependent on Teesta water.

“Our neighbour seems to have

forgotten that there is a country downriver the barrage and they need water. They do not even think that the river itself has a life. If they did then they would have kept a minimum downstream flow,” said Ainun Nishat, a lead Bangladeshi hydrologist.

Impact on agriculture

The environs of the Teesta in its Bangladeshi portion turn almost into a desert during the dry season.

The Water Development Board says that the water flow falls drastically during the dry season, and has been lean of late.

“This year, we have seen 935 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water during the 2nd 10-day tenure of March,” said the Bangladesh Water Development Board.

While, during the same period last year, the water flow at Dalia point was only 312 cusecs.

But between 1973 and 1985 when Gajoldoba did not start operations, the average water flow at the same point was 5,149 cusecs.

The Boro farmers dependent on irrigation projects based on Teesta water suffer greatly because they are simply deprived of water. This

area around 5:30pm (local time).

Five more police officials were also injured in the cyclone,” he said.

Kamrul said the process for bringing the bodies back to Bangladesh had been initiated.

AKM Shahidul Hoque, inspector general of police, mourned the deaths in a press release. l

leads them to use shallow and deep tube wells exploiting ground water but at the same time raising the cost of production.

“I was forced to set up a shallow pump to irrigate my 5 acres of boro although there is a canal of the Teesta Irrigation Project just adjacent to my field,” said Monsurul Islam, a farmer of Jaldhaka upazila of Nilphamari district.

Similar to Bangladeshi farmers depending on Teesta water, the farmers of Haldibari, located downstream from Gajoldoba but still in India, also suffer.

Subol Sarker, living in the area said: “We are not suffering as much as Bangladeshi farmers. But I also set up shallow pumps to dig out underground water to ensure irrigation during the dry season.”

On the other hand, the farmers lucky enough to have lands adjacent to the canals carrying water from the Teesta get enough to irrigate their land.

Moloy Dey of Nirmal Palli village near Gajoldoba said: “Water for irrigation is not a problem in these parts. We always get Teesta water through the canals.”

Paresh Rajbonshi at Gatebazar of

Jalpaiguri district echoed Moloy Dey. “During monsoon, we get enough from rainfall. And in the dry period, we get water from Teesta canal for Rs200 (about Tk235) per acre for the Boro season,” he said.

Mir Sajjad Hssain, a former member of the Joint Rivers Commission said: “What Bangladesh receives during the dry season is the accumulated flow of ground water discharge and run-off from small channels and creeks but certainly not Teesta flow.”

Shifting agriculture

Farmers across the northern districts, especially those in Lalmonirhat, are shifting away from the water-dependent Boro paddy and switching to maize and tobacco.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension, this year around 15,000 hectares of Boro land shifted to cash crops like maize and tobacco in Lalmonirhat.

“The cultivation of maize and tobacco increased by 4,000 and 4,500 hectares while the boro decreased by about 15,000 hectares,” said Safayet Hossain, deputy director of Lalmonirhat agriculture extension.

“This is a threat to food security.” l

filed a bail petition before the court but the court rejected the plea after hearing.

Meanwhile, the court also granted a seven-day remand for Aslam Chowdhury’s aide Asaduzzaman Mia for interrogation in connection with the same allegation. l

US offers help in stopping terror plots work as a partner with Bangladesh in fighting all kinds of crime and terrorism issues.

Following the return of the principal deputy assistant secretary with counterterrorism experts, there has been a very good discussion on how to expands cooperation on the terrorism issue, Bernicat said. “We find a very very strong partner in Bangladesh and we are in this global fight together.”

Replying to a query on recent meetings with civil society members and BNP leaders, Bernicat said the fight against terrorism needed the support from everyone in the country.

Saying that the government and the police were not able to do everything in the country, she said the US was working on bringing everybody to fight together to keep Bangladesh safe.

Bernicat also said that the visiting US official brings the message that the US wants to coordinate with the Bangladesh government about the needs of the citizens and to offer the right kind of assistance.

Meeting with IGP

Meanwhile, a five member team, led by US Bureau of Counterterrorism Deputy Coordinator Marie Richards, met with Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque at the Police Headquarters yesterday, according to a statement by the Police HQ. In the meeting, the delegates and the IGP agreed to work together about combating militancy.

The delegates also ensured that they would support tracing militant activities on social media sites and increase the capacity of Bangladesh Police by providing their technical support in this regard. l

WB: No internet access for 90% Bangladeshis n

Ishtiaq Husain

Despite the government's efforts in making a digital Bangladesh, a new study has found that around 90% Bangladeshis still do not have any internet access.

As many as 148 million of Bangladesh's 159 million people do not have access to the internet, according to the World Bank's “World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends.”

Bangladesh is fifth among nations where the web remains largely unavailable to the vast majority of people, read the report.

Deepak Mishra, co-director of the report, presented it at a programme in Dhaka yesterday in the presence of Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for ICT, and Qimiao

Fan, World Bank country director for Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.

In the report, India topped the list of citizens without internet with 1.11 billion people still offline, trailed by China with 755 million. In Pakistan, some 165 million people are without internet connections.

According to telecoms regulator BTRC, Bangladesh had more than 61 million internet subscribers as of March this year.

Although the number of internet users worldwide has more than tripled since 2005, nearly four billion people still did not have access to the internet, the World Bank found.

According to the report, digital technologies were spreading rapidly in Bangladesh with around 130 million mobile phone subscribers.

“Bangladesh can accelerate growth, create more jobs and deliver better public services by enhancing access to digital technologies,” it read.

World Bank's Qimiao Fan said: “The World Bank Group is supporting the government’s vision of ‘Digital Bangladesh’ through various complementary investments for the country to fully benefit from the digital dividends.”

The report's co-director Deepak Mishra said: “There is little doubt about the transformative potential of digital technologies.”

Bangladesh should focus on closing the digital divides by making the internet universal, affordable, open, and safe; but digital development strategies need to be much broader than ICT strategies. l

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

NIZAMI EXECUTION

Erdogan criticises Europe’s silence n Tribune Desk Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s slammed European Union to keep silent over war criminal Motiur Rahman Nizami’s execution.

Erdogan, who earlier this year defended Saudi Arabia’s medieval-style executions as domestic issues, apparently had decided to maintain his own double standard on the issue by blasting European leaders for remaining silent over Nizami’s execution, reports AFP. The controversial Turkish leader, who is at loggerhead with the EU for ongoing military campaign against the Kurds and controversial anti-terrorism law which kept death penalty as punishment, accused the West of “double standards” for keeping mum over Nizami.

“If you are against political exe-

cutions, why did you remain silent to the execution of Nizami who was martyred a couple of days ago,” Erdogan said in a televised speech in Istanbul. “Have you heard anything from Europe? ... No. Isn’t it called double standards?” Erdogan said.

Turkey, an important Nato member and an important EU ally in dealing with largest exodus of refugees to Europe after the World War II, had been fighting a long bloody war against the Kurdish separatists.

Allegations of crimes against humanity in the ongoing campaign had surfaced on numerous occasions against the Turkish army, of which Erdogan is the commander-in-chief.

Nizami, the top leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami, was hanged at Dhaka Central Jail late Tuesday for war crimes during the 1971 Independence War with Pakistan. l

Polycarbonate driving licenses from November Showkat Kallol and n Asif Shohel Mamun Bangladesh government will provide new polycarbonate motor driving licences to 15 lakh licence holders from November 4 this year in a bid to avoid duplication and forgery.

New polycarbonate motor driving licences are likely to be costly for motor car owners as the projected cost of manufacturing new licences is 50% higher compared to the cost of the existing digital smart licence project.

The government has already provided 11.5 lakh digital smart licences to motor vehicle drivers in the country Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD) recently sent a proposal to the cabinet committee on public purchase to appoint a firm to make new biometric licences for 15 lakh license holders. The proposal will be placed before the committee tomorrow.

However, RTHD Secretary MAN Siddique assured that increased cost of the new polycarbonate driving licence project does not mean that the licencing fees will increase.

The distribution of new polycarbonate motor driving licenses will

start from the first week of November, he also said.

The proposal paper said polycarbonate licences cannot be duplicated and their authenticity can easily verified by the authorities.

Local firm Tiger IT Bangladesh Limited has secured first position in the bidding and another firm, Madras Security Printers Private Limited, also participated in the tender process. Tiger IT will manufacture a total of 15 lakh personalised Dual Interface polycarbonate motor driving licences, according to the proposal. The total cost of producing the new licences will be Tk74.98 crore, the proposal said.

The proposal said the per unit cost of existing smart card driving licences was Tk328.50 while the per unit cost of polycarbonate motor driving licences would be Tk499.90.

According to the proposal, the government has already provided 11.5 lakh digital smart licences to motor vehicle drivers in the country.

That project was also carried out by Tiger IT Bangladesh Limited, which provided the technical facilities for manufacturing the digital smart licences with a cost of Tk37.77 crore. The project has been extended to November 3 this year from April 5 this year.

The manufacturing of digital smart licences was launched on April 6, 2011, according to the proposal. The validity period for professional licences are five years while the period for non-professional licences are 10 years. l

Bangladesh Buddhist Federation form a human chain in front of National Press Club in Dhaka yesterday protesting the murder of Buddhist monk Maung Shue U in Naikhongchhari, Bandarban and demanding immediate arrest of his killers MEHEDI HASAN

Khaleda shocked at country's present state n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday questioned the country's present state, asking why Bangladesh had turned into a safe haven for militants.

“Why are the clergy being killed? How many days people have to live in a dreadful atmosphere? The government has lost its ability to reply to these questions because it is busy cashing in on political benefits instead of carrying out its actual duties,” she said in a

press statement.

The former premier said it seemed to her that the ruling party had surrendered to evil forces.

She said foreigners and religious people were being killed and it was happening due to the government's poor attention to such incidents.

The BNP chief said the Awami League was blaming the opposition for all the heinous acts as an act of political vengeance.

“It seems the government's key objective is not to arrest the criminals involved in killings but to use

such barbaric incidents for political purposes. That is why the opposition parties, including the BNP, have been blamed for the incidents, and also that is why militant outfits are encouraged to carry on with such murders,” she said.

Khaleda said contradictory statements of a minister over the existence of militancy in the country had raised questions in peoples' minds.

She condemned Saturday's killing of Buddhist monk Maung Shue U and demanded that the perpetrators be brought to book soon. l

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Veteran journo Sadeq Khan dies at 83 n Tribune Desk

Veteran journalist, Language Movement hero and freedom fighter Sadeq Khan passed away at his Baridhara residence in Dhaka yesterday. He was 83.

Sources close to the family said he fell unconscious in his bathroom in the morning. When his family members took him to the United Hospital, the doctors pronounced him dead, reported UNB. The contributing editor of the Weekly Holiday is survived by his wife and a son as well as a host of relatives and well-wishers.

His body will be brought to National Press Club at 10am today for his namaz-e-janaza and also so that his colleagues could pay last respects.

Another namaz-e-janaza will be held at Gulshan Azad Mosque after Zohr prayers, after which he will be buried in his father's grave at Banani graveyard.

An Ekushey Padak recipient in 2002, Sadeq was and active member of the Communist Party of Bangladesh.

He was the brother of Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon and son of late Justice Abdul Jabbar Khan, who was the speaker of Pakistan National Assembly during the Ayub Khan regime.

Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu, Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia have expressed condolences over his death in seperate messages.

National Press Club President Muhammad Shafiqur Rahman and General Secretary Quamrul Islam expressed deep shock at the death of the veteran journalist and conveyed sympathy to his bereaved family members. l

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Spotlight

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

T H E G R E AT D I V I D E

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Water is abundant upriver the Gajoldoba Barrage on the Teesta River in India’s West Bengal state

2 Downstream, in Bangladesh, sand bars and silt predominate. The great gates of the barrage, at right, guard their reserve of water 3 Feeder streams like this are the work horses of India’s water diversion scheme 4 Sluice gates off an Indian feeder canal, pictured on April 15 this year at Gatebazar in Jalpaiguri district, divert water in yet another direction 5 Some 20km west of the main barrage, a sub-feeder canal takes water to thirsty Indian hamlets, leaving Bangladeshi villages thirstier still 6 The high water in a Teesta sub-feeder canal, 50km away from the barrage, shows how water-rich this part of India has become PHOTOS: ABU BAKAR SIDDIQUE

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TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN TUESDAY, MAY 17

Dhaka

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Chittagong

34

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Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:35PM

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Rangpur

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Khulna

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Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:15AM

36.7ºC Chuadanga

20.0ºC Rangpur

Source: Accuweather/UNB

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PRAYER TIMES

Sylhet

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Cox’s Bazar

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Fajr: 4:45am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 5:15pm | Magrib: 6:40pm Esha: 8:30pm Source: Islamic Foundation

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

BNP man among 24 sued in double murder case

Bogra Nawab Palace to be restored soon

Mentally challenged girl raped in Gazipur, 3 held

A case has been filed accusing a BNP activist and 23 others in connection with the Sunday’s killings of two youths in Ershadnagar area under Tongi of Gazipur city.

Yanur Begum, mother of deceased Sharif, lodged the case with Tongi Model police station on Sunday night, said duty officer Siddiqur Rahman.

Local BNP man Kamrul Islam was named as the prime suspect in the case. The names of 11 people were also named in the case while 12 more people were unnamed. Police sources said Kamu was accused in 21 cases, including extortion and murder, filed with Tongi police station.

Police recovered the bodies of two youths – Jumman Miah, 26, son of Md Harun and Shariful Islam Sharif, 32, son of Ala Uddin – from the area being informed by the locals.

Meanwhile, police arrested three suspects in connection with the killings.

Quoting family members, Tongi police station Sub-Inspector Jahirul Islam earlier said Sharif and Jumman were called out of their houses by some people around 12:30am Sunday. After that they did not return back to home. Later, local people found their throat-slit bodies in the morning. l

At last Bogra Nawab Palace laced with memories of former Pakistan prime minister Syed Mohammad Ali is going to be resorted soon as the government has published a gazette notification asking it’s restoration.

Following a directive from President Md Abdul Hamid, a gazette notification signed by Senior Assistant Secretary of Cultural Affairs Ministry Sonia Akter was received by Regional Director of Archeological Department Nahid Sultana yesterday.

Nahid Sultana said she had already informed district administration about the matter.

Three buyers who recently bought the palace have also been informed about the gazette, she added.

She said: “The Nawab Place is an archeological property, nobody will not be allowed to renovate the building without government’s approval.”

The palace was built on three acres and 75 decimals of land at Sutrapur, Bogra in 1884.

After the independence of the country, successors of Syed Mohammad Ali sold out the property excluding one acre and 58 decimals of land.

A number of establishments, Al-Amin complex, TMSS Women’s Complex, Sarif Uddin Super Market and Rana Plaza, have been built on

A 13-year-old mentally challenged girl has been raped at Kaliakoir of Gazipur.

Three persons – Moshiur, 18, Abdul Mannan, 20, and Roni, 22 – were arrested on charge of raping the girl. The incident took place in Munshirtek area of the upazila on Sunday night.

Locals and police sources said four youths took the girl to an abandoned house near rail line on Sunday evening and raped her.

When the girl was returning home, locals noticed her crying and then took her to local councilor Sarwar Hossain Akul.

Kaliakoir municipality councilor Sarwar Hossain Akul said the girl was bleeding when local brought her to him around 10pm.

Later, locals caught some youths and then the girl identified three rapists among them.

Being informed, Kaliakoir police arrested them.

Kaliakoir police station Sub-Inspector Monirul Islam said the three were arrested on charge of rape.

The girl was admitted to Shaheed Taj Uddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital. The hospital’s resident doctor Abdus Salam Sarkar said they found the evidence of rape after examining the girl. l

Islam Akand, n Raihanul Gazipur

Nazmul Huda Nasim, n Md Bogra

A view of Bogra Nawab Palace the land.

Local cultural activists have long been demanding conversation of the palace as it has the merit to be considered as an archeological heritage site.

But ignoring their demands, the palace was sold out to three influential local businessmen for just over Tk27.45 crores on April 15, when Cultural Ministry was taking preparation to announce the palace as an archaeological heritage site.

The buyers are Bogra Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Masudur Rahman Milon, Vice-President Shafiqul Hasan Jewel and former vice-president Abdul Gofur.

Milon is the son of district Awami League unit chief Momtaj Uddin.

Earlier, on April 19, Senior Assistant Secretary Sania Akter of Cultural Ministry issued a letter to repair

FILE PHOTO

the palace which is the long-cherished desire of local people.

Bogra Deputy Commissioner Ashraf Uddin then received a letter from the Cultural Affairs Ministry asking the local administration to take necessary steps in this regard.

The DC said the district administration would take measures as per the ministry directive.

But sources at district administration then said they would not start restoration work of the place without any directive from the Archeological Department as it was entrusted with the maintenance of any archeological site.

The sources also said they had to acquire the palace before doing any renovation there. When contacted, Abdul Gafur, one of buyers, told the Dhaka Tribune that they would comply with government’s directive. l

Islam Akand, n Raihanul Gazipur

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

‘2 JMB groups active Police looking into 3 causes in Rangpur region’ n BUDDHIST MONK MURDER

S Bashu Das, Bandarban

Police are looking into at least three possible motives behind the barbaric murder of Buddhist monk Maung Shue U at Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban.

“We are considering three different possibilities – the problems with the construction of Maung’s temple, his family feuds, and the militants,” said Mizanur Rahman, superintendent of police in Bandarban.

He further said there was another possibility of Rohingyas being involved in the murder.

The monk, 70, was found in a pool of blood by his daughterin-law around 5am on Saturday when she went into the temple to give him food, local sources told the Dhaka Tribune. Police said the monk had been hacked in the neck.

Maung’s family claimed that he did not have any enmity or dispute with anyone in or outside his fam-

ily. His son Ching Sa U Chak filed a murder case with Naikhongchhari police station on Saturday evening.

According to locals, the Buddhist temple in Chakpara was established two years ago in a quite place. As part of religious rituals, Maung had been living in the temple alone for two years, meditating.

Police sources said drives were in progress around Naikhonchhari to detain suspects of the murder, and additional teams had been deployed to patrol the area.

In addition to the local police, six senior officials from the district Detective Branch have been sent to investigate the murder, said Naikhonchhari police station OC Abul Khayer.

Police have already arrested three people in connection with the case. They were picked up on early Sunday in the upazila’s Baishari union.

The arrestees are Ziaur Rahman, 25, Abdur Rahim, 40, and

Chha Mong Chak, 45. Of the trio, Zia and Rahim are Rohingyas, police said.

Superintendent Mizan said police did not obtain any significant information during the primary interrogation of the detainees, which is why they would petition to place the arrestees on remand.

“We are hopeful that we will be able to solve this mystery soon.”

Maung’s funeral was held yesterday afternoon in Chakpara.

The ceremony was attended my Buddhist monks who came from around the country.

Protests have been taking place to demand justice for the slain monk. The murder has created widespread panic among the minorities in the area.

“We still cannot believe that someone like Maung would get killed. He was a calm person who lived by himself,” said Mongbaching Chak, local Awami League leader. l

n Liakat Ali Badal, Rangpur

Two JMB militant groups are currently active in the eight districts of Rangpur division, carrying out at least 12 recent operations including the killing of Japanese citizen Kunio Hoshi, the region’s police DIG has said.

Golam Farukh, the deputy inspector general of the Rangpur Range, told the Dhaka Tribune that militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh was also behind the recent killing of a Hindu priest in Panchagarh and the attack on Dinajpur’s Kantaji temple.

The two groups – one based in Rangpur and the other in Dinajpur – were working in smaller units of seven to eight members each; but they were also getting support from local sympathisers to carry out their operations.

The information came out dur-

Level crossing accidents claim lives of 13 in 5yrs Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong

Two women were killed and four others injured when an oil-laden railway wagon rammed into a BRTC bus at a rail crossing in Chittagong city’s Sholoshahar gate yesterday morning.

Following the accident, the Bangladesh Railway (BR) East Zone formed a probe team headed by Divisional Traffic Officer (DTO) Firoj Iftekhar to investigate the incident and asked it to submit the probe report as early as possible, said BR sources.

With the latest incident, a total number of 13 people had been killed in train-traffic accident in Chittagong in last five years from 2011 to 2016, said railway police sources.

One of the deceased was identified as Bibi Morium, 35, wife of Dubai expatriate Shahdat Hossain, hailing from Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong, while the identity of the another victim could not to be identified immediately, said Sub-Inspector (SI) Jahirul Islam, in-charge (IC) of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) police outpost.

Police said the accident took place when a Hatahzari-bound oil-laden train rammed into a bus carrying the six persons at the Sholoshahar rail crossing around 11am, leaving three persons critically injured”.

Following the collision the train drag the bus nearly 150 yards, added the OC. Witnesses said defying the signal the bus driver put the bus on

ing interrogation of arrested JMB militants, said DIG Farukh.

So far, 39 JMB militants have been arrested in connection with 12 separate attacks in the region including the murders of Hoshi and a Kaunia mazar Khadem named Rahmat Ali and the attempted murder of Baha’i leader Ruhul Islam.

Charge sheets would soon be filed against the arrested men as the investigations were nearing their end, the DIG said, adding that efforts were on to detain some more suspects.

The senior police official also said different units of law enforcement agencies were trying to identify the sympathisers and financiers of the JMB groups.

However, Farukh added that the Rangpur region was currently out of any militant threat after JMB activity in the region became limited following the arrest of most of their killers. l

BNP: Aslam’s connection with Mossad absurd

n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong

Police and firefighters start rescue operation after an oil-laden railway wagon rammed into a BRTC bus leaving two women killed and four injured at the rail crossing in Chittagong city’s Sholoshahar gate yesterday morning RABIN CHOWDHURY the track where the train rammed and drag it causing the causalities.

Being informed, police and fire service personnel rushed to the spot and started rescue operation and sent the injured to the CMCH. SI Jahirul Islam of CMCH said : “Six persons were rushed to the CMCH where the on-duty doctors declared two female dead”.

However, the train service resumed in Chittagong- Chittagong University (CU) route and Chittagong-Dohazari and Chit-

tagong-Hathazai after rescue operation, he added.

13 killed in last 5 years

At least 13 people were killed in train-traffic accidents in last five years from 2011 to 2016 in different rail crossings in Chittagong city and outside according to the BR sources and GRP sources.

Five passengers of a private car were killed when train rammed their car in a rail crossing in Sitakunda upazila in 2011.

Four female readymade garment (RMG) workers were killed and 15 other were sustained injuries when a train smashed into a human hauler in a level crossing in Chittagong city’s Chandgaon area in March 11, 2014.

In Chittagong city’s AK Khan Ispahani rail crossing and Sitakunda rail crossing one person was killed in each accident in 2015’s December 25 and August 25 respectively when trains rammed a human hauler and a lorry. l

The leaders of Chittagong BNP condemned the arrest of Aslam Chowdhury saying that the connection of the BNP leader with Israeli secret service Mossad was ridiculous, unfounded and figment of imagination.

In a joint statement issued yesterday, the BNP leaders said the government made a mountain out of a molehill over some photos of a personal tour of Aslam Chowdhury to India.

“The government is spreading propaganda to mislead the people.

As a matter of fact, Aslam Chowdhury is a highly educated politician with a clean image,” claimed the BNP leaders in the press statement.

The press statement was jointly signed by Chittagong city BNP President Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Central Organising Secretary and Chittagong city secretary Dr Shahadat Hossain, south district president Jafrul Islam Chowdhury, City Vice-President Abu Sufian and north district BNP leader Kazi Abdullah Al Hasan.

The BNP leaders also demanded immediate release of Aslam Chowdhury, newly-appointed joint secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

It may be mentioned that Aslam was arrested from Khilkhet area in the capital on Sunday evening along with two of his associates. l

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TOP STORIES

World powers in crunch talks on Islamic State in Libya n AFP, Vienna

Exit polls put BJP on top in Assam, Trinamool in West Bengal India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should win power this week in the northeastern state of Assam for the first time, exit polls showed on Monday, but trail regional groups in four other areas that have held polls.

PAGE 9

Thousands of Afghan Hazaras join power line protest in Kabul Thousands of demonstrators from Afghanistan’s Hazara minority marched in protest through Kabul on Monday, accusing President Ashraf Ghani’s government of cutting them out of a multi-million dollar power transmission line project.

PAGE 9

Major powers including the US discussed in Vienna on Monday the growing threat posed by the Islamic State group in conflict-wracked Libya, just across the Mediterranean from Europe.

IS has taken advantage of the chaos left by the toppling and death of longtime dictator Moammer Gaddafi in 2011, which left rival militias vying for control of the oil-rich country.

A recently formed unity government backed by the international community has been slowly asserting its authority in Tripoli, but it still faces a rival administration in the east.

In a bid to stabilise the country, the fledgling regime of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj has drawn up a list of requests for Western partners to assist its forces with arms, training and intelligence.

The Vienna conference is being co-chaired by the US and Italy, Libya’s former colonial ruler which has faced a major influx of migrants from the North African nation braving the perilous sea voyage.

A total of 25 top diplomats were in attendance, including the UN’s special envoy to Libya Martin Kobler and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

“The key question is whether Libya remains a place where terrorism, people-smuggling and instability continue to flourish or whether we can regain statehood with the new unity government,” German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said.

“We have a lot to do,” US State Secretary John Kerry told reporters

Displaced Libyan children who fled the eastern Libyan cities of Abu Grein and Sirte look out of window at a school where they are taking shelter in Bani Walid, nearly 200km south of Tripoli, on May 10 AFP before he held brief talks with Sarraj at Vienna’s plush Bristol Hotel.

‘No boots on the ground’

The Libyan leader has insisted his country needed assistance, not intervention.

“We are not asking for foreign boots on the ground, but we are requesting assistance with training, and lifting the arms embargo on Libya,” Sarraj wrote in a column published in the British newspaper The Telegraph on Monday.

Formed in late March, his Government of National Accord (GNA) has won international support as well as backing from key institu-

Governments seek rules for Paris climate deal Governments began work on Monday on a rule book to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming, with the UN urging stronger action after a string of record-smashing monthly temperatures.

PAGE 10

Libyans hold banners as they take part demonstration in Benghazi calling for military forces to recapture the southern city of Sirte from the Islamic State group without foreign intervention on May 6 AFP

tions like the central bank and the National Oil Corporation.

But it has failed to get the endorsement of the elected parliament and its ally Khalifa Haftar, a self-declared army chief who has launched a crusade against Islamist fighters across the country.

A rival government in the eastern city of Tobruk has also refused to recognise the GNA. Amid the chaos, IS has carved itself a bastion in Libya where it overran last year the Mediterranean coastal city of Sirte, Kadhafi’s hometown, transforming it into a training camp for militants.

Europe fears the jihadists, who have in recent weeks made new advances, will use Sirte’s port and airport as a springboard to launch attacks on the continent.

IS “is a threat not only to Libyans and the wider region, but also to Europe,” warned French Foreign Minister Harlem Desir at the start of Monday’s conference.

“We are calling on Libyan political powers to form an alliance with Sarraj and create the necessary institutions to combat (IS).”

The warnings have also struck a chord with Washington, where officials say plans are being drawn up to loosen an arms exports ban imposed five years ago by the UN. A senior US administration official told AFP that Libya’s international partners were willing to help if the GNA presented a “detailed

and coherent list” of what it needs to fight IS. “There is a very healthy desire inside of Libya to rid themselves of (IS), and I think that is something we should be supporting and responding to,” the official said.

But diplomats have warned that the GNA may struggle to come with a concrete request for help.

Race for Sirte

Libya’s divisions have once again deepened in recent days, with the GNA and Haftar’s forces each announcing their own plans to fight IS and “liberate” Sirte.

“This is a mistake. It must be prevented... we can no longer accept this division,” said Nicola Latorre, chairman of the defence committee of the Italian senate and an IS expert.

Claudia Gazzini, a Libya analyst at the International Crisis Group, has also warned that the race for Sirte is pushing any hope of a political solution further away.

IS is estimated to have around 5,000 fighters in Libya, and it is trying to enlist hundreds more.

This month the jihadists launched suicide attacks on key checkpoints in government-held territory along the Mediterranean coast.

The move allowed them to build a defensive line along part of the coastal highway that links the east of Libya where Haftar is based with Tripoli in the west. l

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Exit polls put BJP on top in Assam, Trinamool in West Bengal n Reuters, New Delhi India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should win power this week in the northeastern state of Assam for the first time, exit polls showed on Monday, but trail regional groups in four other areas that have held polls.

Voting in stages over the past month ended on Monday in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala states and the union territory of Puducherry. Results are due on Thursday.

A victory in Assam would testify to the continuing appeal of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while defeat elsewhere would reflect Modi’s difficulties in making inroads against popular regional parties.

An exit poll by India Today-Ax-

is My India predicted victory for the BJP in Assam, which borders Bhutan and Bangladesh. “Our historic victory in Assam will open new frontiers for the BJP in the northeast,” BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav said.

Modi waged a polarising election campaign in a bid to form the party’s first government there. In campaign rallies, he vowed to disenfranchise millions of Muslim immigrants in a response to rising discontent among the state’s Hindus.

The results should be a snapshot of Modi’s performance as he approaches the half-way mark of his five-year tenure.

A separate poll by ABP Ananda showed the party will be defeated in the West Bengal and two southern states, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

WEST BENGAL, ASSAM EXIT POLL PREDICTION

by India Today

WEST BENGAL Trinamool Congress: 233-253 seats Left: 38-51 seats BJP: 1-5 seats Others: 4-8 ASSAM BJP: 79-93 seats Congress: 26-33 seats Victory in these states could have given Modi greater control over the upper house of parliament, which would put him in better position to push through key policies.

A majority of his key economic reforms are stalled, his

push to turn the country into a manufacturing powerhouse has floundered and sizeable minority groups blame him and his party for pushing a Hindu nationalist agenda at their expense.

Yet his government has made progress elsewhere, most notably in the power sector where change is reaching distressed rural communities in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state.

Modi must win in the Uttar Pradesh state poll next year to sustain his hope of one day gaining full control of parliament and a second term in 2019.

Opinion and exit polls have a patchy track record in India and surveys get carried out with sample sizes ranging from a few hundred to several thousand voters. l

Thousands of Afghan Hazaras join power line protest in Kabul n Reuters, Kabul Thousands of demonstrators from Afghanistan’s Hazara minority marched in protest through Kabul on Monday, accusing President Ashraf Ghani’s government of cutting them out of a multi-million dollar power transmission line project.

Protesters demanded that the planned route for the 500kV transmission line linking Turkmenistan with Kabul be changed to pass through two provinces with large Hazara populations, an option the government says would cost millions of dollars and delay the badly needed project by years.

It says the current plan ensures that the two provinces of Bamyan and Wardak will get ample electricity even if the main transmission line does not pass through them directly.

The line, intended to provide power to 10 provinces, is part of a wider TUTAP project backed by the Asian Development Bank linking the energy-rich Central Asia republics of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The mainly Shia Hazaras have long faced persecution but they are politically well organised and thousands gathered in a square away from the city centre chanting “TUTAP is our right!” but they dispersed peacefully.

Only about 30% of Afghanistan is connected to electricity and modernising the creaking power system, which is subject to frequent blackouts, has been a top priority.

SOUTH ASIA

Myanmar religious tolerance activists face police action Myanmar police said Monday said they have begun legal action against 5 protesters over a weekend rally intended to promote religious tolerance. The move came as rights groups raise concerns about efforts by the new pro-democracy government to amend draconian laws on demonstrations. Police said they decided to take action against 5 rally leaders because the campaigners had deviated from the agreed protest route.

-AFP

INDIA

18 killed as overcrowded boat sinks in eastern India Rescuers say they’ve recovered 18 bodies from a river in eastern India’s West Bengal state where an overcrowded boat sank following a village fair over the weekend.

District Magistrate Saumitra Mohan says the vessel overturned Saturday night as the villagers were returning to their homes across the river despite the crew’s warning that the boat was overcrowded.

-AP

CHINA

China: Afghanistan backs Beijing stance on South China Sea

WHO ARE THE HAZARA? Ü Most Hazara live in central Afghanistan in an area known as the Hazarajat. Others live in areas north of the Hindu Kush. The Hazarajat and other Hazara territories are mountainous. Ü The Hazaras are one of the largest ethnic groups in Afghanistan and are estimated to comprise 20%-25% of the total Afghan population. The Hazara are roughly estimated to number between 1m-1.5m in Afghanistan and between 17,000 and 70,000 in Pakistan, but some estimates suggest a total of 6m Hazara. Ü The term hazara is a Mongol-Persian blend. It means “thousand” in Farsi, and is believed to be the Persian equivalent of the Mongol word for thousand, minggan. Ü Hazara are thought to have several affinities with the Mongols, including physical appearance, language, and kinship system. Although the Hazara lack the characteristic epicanthic eyefolds, many believe they are clearly Mongoloid. Ü Hazaragi, the traditional language of the Hazara, is an Indo-Iranian language with many Mongol loanwords. Ü The Hazara were traditionally nomads who subsisted by herding sheep and goats; they also raised horses for fighting feuds. Mixed grain farming is now their primary subsistence activity. Ü Hazara kinship is organised in lineages; descent is traced through the male line. The males in a specific area consider themselves descendants of a common ancestor Ü The Hazara are one of Afghanistan’s most impoverished ethnic groups and one of the most resistant to central-government control Under current plans, due to be implemented by 2018, the line would pass from a converter station in the northern town of Pul-eKhumri through the mountainous Salang pass to Kabul.

Demonstrators want an earlier version of the plan that would see a longer route from Pul-e-Khumri through Bamyan and Wardak, to the west of Kabul.

The government says that switching the route would delay the project by as much as three years, leaving millions without secure electricity. l

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World

Sources: WORLD HAZARA COUNCIL, THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, EVERY CILTURE.COM

China on Monday said landlocked Afghanistan has expressed support for Beijing’s stance on the South China Sea dispute, the latest country from outside the region to line up behind China’s calls for bilateral talks on the issue. Chines Foreign Ministry said Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah made the statement in a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing.

-AP

ASIA PACIFIC

US, S Korea, Japan to hold joint drill against N Korea South Korea, Japan and the US will hold their first anti-missile drills together next month to guard against threats from nuclear-armed North Korea. The drill will be held in the waters near Hawaii on June 28, said an official at the Seoul’s defence ministry, ahead of the US-led Rim of the Pacific naval exercises.

-AFP

MIDDLE EAST

Coalition forces hit IS in Syria, kill 27

Demonstrators from Afghanistan's Hazara minority attend a protest in Kabul REUTERS

Turkish and US-led coalition forces struck Islamic State targets north of the Syrian city of Aleppo on Sunday, killing 27 fighters. Turkish artillery and rocket launchers fired into Syria while warplanes from the US-led coalition carried out three separate air campaigns. 5 fortified defence posts and 2 gun posts were destroyed in areas less than 10km from Turkey’s Syria border.

-REUTERS

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USA

Obama slams Trump in speech US President Barack Obama on Sunday criticized the populist campaign of Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump, decrying “anti-intellectualism” and noting that “ignorance is not a virtue.” Obama did not specifically name during his remarks at a university graduation ceremony in New Jersey, but it was clear he was referring to the candidate who is running on a slogan of “Make America Great Again!”

-AFP

THE AMERICAS

Colombia claims largest cocaine seizure in its history Colombian authorities say they’ve made the biggest cocaine seizure in the history of a country long plagued by traffic in the drug. The National Police agency said Sunday that 50 commandos backed by helicopters seized about 8 tons of cocaine on a banana plantation in the northwestern department of Antioquia.

-AP

UK

Over 300 corporate bosses urge UK to leave EU More than 300 business chiefs on Monday urged Britain to vote to leave the EU in June’s referendum, arguing in a joint letter that its bureaucracy stifled companies’ ability to grow. The letter comes days after the British government seized on warnings from the Bank of England and the International Monetary Fund on the financial consequences of leaving the EU. -AFP

EUROPE

UN urges Greece to stop detaining migrant children A top United Nations official urged Greece on Monday to stop detaining refugee and migrant children, some of whom are locked up in police cells for weeks, and to develop child protection services instead. The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Francois Crepeau, said he had met unaccompanied children held in police stations for more than two weeks without access to the outdoors.

-REUTERS

AFRICA

UN: 9.2m Lake Chad residents need food aid More than 9 million people in the Lake Chad region are in desperate need of food aid as the violent insurgency being waged there

by Boko Haram rages, the UN said Monday. Half of the region’s residents are facing chronic food insecurity and malnutrition as the violence around Lake Chad continues to deteriorate, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement. -AFP

INSIGHT

Democrats use Trump as bogeyman to get people to vote n Reuters, New York Democratic Party activists in some US states are using Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate who has stirred controversy with his comments about illegal immigrants and women, as the centerpiece of their “get out the vote” campaign for the November elections.

In California, canvassers from the Orange County Democrats carry pictures of Trump when they knock on doors ahead of the June 7 California primary. They ask if people will vote in the primary, and warn that if they don’t help pick the strongest possible Democrat, “this guy will win,” said Henry Vandermeir, the local party chairman in Orange County, a traditionally Republican island in the state.

Democrats in New Hampshire have unveiled Trump/Sununu lawn signs, looking to tie Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Sununu to the presumptive Republican presidential nominee on issues such as climate change (Trump is a skeptic) and healthcare.

One sign reads: “Trump/ Sununu. Because Health Care Is For Losers,” a swipe at Trump’s vow to repeal the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law.

“Every state party is trying to maximise what they can get out of this difference (between candidates) and to tie Trump to the Republicans in the state,” said Holly Shulman, a spokeswoman for the New Hampshire Democratic Party.

The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Protesters embrace during an anti-Trump rally at Capitol Hill in Washington,DC on Thursday To be sure, Republicans appear likely to use Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination who is also a polarising figure, in a similar fashion.

“There is no better volunteer recruitment tool, fundraising pitch, or unifier for the Republican Party than the prospect of a Hillary Clinton presidency that will surely take us further backwards,” the Republican National Committee said in a statement.

‘Retrumplicans’

Democrats are also looking to tie Trump to Republican Senate candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot as they seek to regain control of the chamber they lost in the 2014 congressional elections.

The Democratic Senatorial

Campaign Committee last week released so-called “Trump cards” online, equating several Republican senators’ policy positions with those of the New York developer.

For Pennsylvania Republican Pat Toomey and New Hampshire’s Kelly Ayotte, for example, the DSCC highlighted how they and Trump oppose a federal minimum wage hike.

The DSCC also launched a website in March, partyoftrump. com, which labeled some senators “Retrumplicans” and asked for donations to help fight senators who support Trump.

Recent polls suggest that a Trump/Clinton matchup could be a tight race. The two candidates were in a dead heat in the three key swing states of Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania in a Quinnipiac

REUTERS

University poll earlier in May. And a Reuters poll this month showed that much of the backing for Clinton and Trump comes from people whose primary motivation is to stop the other side from winning, rather than any love for either of the two candidates or their policies.

The strategy of highlighting opposing candidates is not without risks, according to Bruce Newman, the author of “The Marketing Revolution in Politics: What Recent US Presidential Campaigns Can Teach Us About Effective Marketing.”

If Trump - who shocked pundits by beating 16 other Republican hopefuls for the nomination - proves more attractive to the general electorate than Hillary Clinton, then tying him to other Republicans could hurt Democrats. l

Governments seek rules for Paris climate deal n Reuters, Oslo Governments began work on Monday on a rule book to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming, with the UN urging stronger action after a string of record-smashing monthly temperatures.

Nasa said at the weekend that last month was the warmest April in statistics dating back to the 19th century, the seventh month in a row to break temperature records.

The meeting of government experts is the first since 195 nations reached a deal in Paris in December to limit climate change by shifting from fossil fuels to green energies by 2100. It will begin to work out the detail of the plan.

“The Paris Agreement rep-

resents the foundations ... Now we have to raise the walls, the roof of a common home,” French Environment Minister Segolene Royal told a news conference.

The agreement sets targets for shifting the world to green energies by 2100 but is vague, for instance, about how governments will report and monitor their national plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Many government delegates at the start of the May 16-26 UN talks, in Bonn, Germany, expressed concern about rising temperatures and extremes events such as damage to tropical coral reefs, wildfires in Canada or drought in India.

“We have no other option but to accelerate” action to limit warming, Christiana Figueres, the UN climate chief, told a news confer-

ence, asked about the Nasa data.

She said record temperatures were partly caused by a natural warming effect of an El Nino weather event in the Pacific Ocean, magnified by the build-up of manmade greenhouse gas emissions.

She said national promises for curbing greenhouse gases put the world on track for a rise in temperatures of between 2.5°C and 3°C , well above an agreed ceiling in the Paris text of “well below” 2°C with a target of 1.5°C. “Certainly we are not yet on the path” for the Paris temperature targets, she said.

Last month, the Paris Agreement was signed by 175 governments at a New York ceremony, the most ever for an opening day of a UN deal, and including top

BIGSTOCK emitters China and the US. The agreement will enter into force once 55 nations representing 55% of world emissions have formally ratified. Royal said she would submit a bill on Tuesday to the French National Assembly seeking ratification. l

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

TOP STORIES No district budget likely from next FY

The government plans to stop district budget allocation from next fiscal year mainly because of failure in effectively implementing the experimental ones, official sources said. The district budget was introduced in the FY2013-14 with an allocation of Tk1,907 crore for Tangail district on a pilot basis.

PAGE 13

DSE share index ends in green

Share prices at Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) yesterday ended in green, breaking a-three day losing streak as optimistic investors took position to purchase stocks at lower prices. DSEX, the key index of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) increased by 13 points closing at 4,289 points.

PAGE 13

BOJ negative rates hit Japanese megabank earnings

PMO smells rat in BTCL’s costlier file n Ishtiaq Husain Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday sent back the bidding file of telecommunication network modernisation project for further assessment.

It was sent for final approval flouting rules as the authorities reportedly favour a Chinese firm to award the work in an additional cost of $31m.

As per official documents, Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited (BTCL) has bypassed all rules and recommendations to award the project to the Chinese ZTE Holdings and ZTE Corporation at $231.5m although a BTCL technical evaluation committee report says the cost will in no way exceed $200m.

Besides, the project file was sent to the PMO for final approval of the Modernisation of Telecommunication Network project without carrying out any feasibility study in a gross violation of BTCL Company Act. The project is aimed at giving a complete overhaul to the coun-

try’s TNT network as it has become outdated and no renovation has been made for long.

But the Chinese firm selected for such big and important project related with the country’s telecommunication system has records of failure in at least one BTCL project and also made headlines for showing poor performance overseas.

Taking such records into account, the Economic Relations Division in a letter in November, 2015 advised the authorities to

follow “limited tender” procedure allowing firms only from the donor state to participate in the bidding. The project will be funded by the Chinese government.

The letter was sent to the economic and commercial councillor at the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka, secretary of Post and Telecommunication Division and BTCL managing director.

But the BTCL didn’t follow the advice and rather formed a technical evaluation committee to determine the nature of the bid and

BUILD for package VAT to help SMEs The Bank of Japan’s shock negative rate policy is taking a bite out of profits at major banks, with Mitsubishi UFJ yesterday warning over its bottom line.

PAGE 14

Why China’s private sector needs a ‘high degree of attention’

Xia Xiaokang and Bruno Chen, who both run private-sector companies, are the sort of businessmen that Chinese leaders are increasingly concerned about as economic growth slows.

PAGE 14

Capital market snapshot: Monday DSE Broad Index

4,288.6

0.3% ▲

Index

1,053.2

0.2% ▲

30 Index

1,666.4

0.4% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

2,886.4

11.9% ▲

Turnover in Mn Vol

98.7

48.2% ▲

All Share Index 13,215.9

0.4% ▲

30 Index

12,323.4

0.4% ▲

CSE

Selected Index

8,036.0

0.4% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

152.6

7.6% ▲

Turnover in Mn Vol

6.2

33.5% ▲

n Tribune Business Desk A public-private dialogue platform called upon the government to enforce the new value-added tax law with continuation of multiple VAT rates to benefit private sector, particularly small and medium enterprises.

Implementation of the new VAT and Supplementary Duty Act 2012 will hinder the private sector in general and SMEs in particular, said Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD).

If the VAT is imposed at the rate of 15%, it will encourage SMEs to skip VAT payment, according to a BUILD statement, signed by its Chief Executive Officer Ferdaus Ara Begum, which expressed concerns over the new law.

“Our concern is full implementation of the new VAT and SD Act 2012. We apprehend that our SMEs are not ready yet to embrace the imposition of VAT as they will see a high rise of prices of consumer goods,” it said.

The full implementation of the new act will significantly cause price hike and affect fixed income earners who are the main contributors to the GDP, BUILD said. “..without increasing imports and extension of the income tax net, only focusing revenue generation from VAT will breed serious impact on domestic production

We apprehend that our SMEs are not ready yet to embrace the imposition of VAT as they will see a high rise of prices of consumer goods while the government is looking for manufacture-based growth and increasing investment from the present level of 26% to 34% as per the target of 7th FYP,” the platform pointed.

It recommended that the government implement the law in phases with multiple VAT rates instead of the uniform rate of 15% for all sectors to help SMEs and business growth.

“More than 90% of enterprises of the country are SMEs and their size is quite small. Maintenance of a quality accounting record is nearly a big job for them. In case the package VAT continues as proposed by different chambers, the private sector

could be benefited,” it added.

It also stressed development of a clear idea and understanding between private and public sector so that benefits of new law can create more SMEs and bring more business and investment in the country, it added.

The new Value-Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act 2012 will come into effect from July 1, 2016, introducing a flat rate of 15% VAT for all sectors. But the law has already drawn widespread criticism from different quarters, mostly from leading business associations as it will have no provisions for package VAT or the truncated value-based VAT system.

With the introduction of the law, all levels of business have to pay a unique and single VAT rate at 15%. l

to evaluate the performance of all the five companies that showed interest in the project.

The committee rated the capacity of the proposed Chinese company as “poor.” However, all its observations were completely ignored in the process.

Later in August last year, a negotiation committee was formed on the directives of the Telecommunication Division Secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury, who is also the chairman of BTCL. The advice of State Minister for Posts and Telecommunication Tarana Halim was also allegedly ignored in this regard.

The report compiled by the negotiation committee stated that the process followed to award the contract to ZTE failed to meet the rules of Public Procurement Act 2008 and Public Procurement Rules, 2006.

Faizur Rahman Chowdhury on Saturday said: “Please call me on Sunday during office.”

But on Sunday the secretary did not pick up his mobile phone though several calls were made. l

Banglalink profit rises 6% in Q1 n Ishtiaq Husain Banglalink, the second largest mobile operator, recorded revenue growth of 6% compared to the same period of last year.

The company has witnessed an increased revenue of Tk1,220 crore.

The rise was mainly driven by a 60% increase in data revenue and a 3% increase in voice revenue compared with the first quarter of 2015.

Mobile operator Banglalink came up with the disclosure at a press conference held at a city hotel yesterday.

Addressing the press conference, Banglalink Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Erik Aas said: “During the first quarter of 2016, Banglalink’s data revenue increased due to new  PAGE 2 COLUMN B14

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Business

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

No district budget likely from next fiscal year Showkat Kallol and Syed n Asif Samiul Basher Anik The government plans to stop district budget allocation from next fiscal year mainly because of failure in effectively implementing the experimental ones, official sources said.

The district budget was introduced in the FY2013-14 with an allocation of Tk1,907 crore for Tangail district on a pilot basis.

Although the government

planned to introduce such budget first in the FY2009-10, it could not be implemented as there was no legal framework to support this.

The budget was adopted to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public money.

Later, the district budget was gradually expanded to six more districts on pilot basis- Sylhet, Khulna, Chittagong, Barisal, Rajshahi and Rangpur - in FY2014-15 and FY2015-16.

A total of Tk32 crore has been

allocated for district budgets in the current fiscal year.

Finance ministry officials said the district budgets, however, did not have any significant impact on the districts due to poor local government administration.

Despite having a separate budget, the districts did not produce any expected outcomes.

Besides, since the demands of local people were said not to be reflected on these budgets, they failed to produce

expected results, officials said.

In some cases, the district administrations concerned also failed to be specific in expenditure for different sectors, officials added.

“In such circumstances, the government is unlikely to continue with the idea of separate budget for districts from the next fiscal year,” said an official.

A high official of Finance Division said the implementation of district budget is not possible and

it is also not a practical idea.

He said such budget will not work even if there is a law to support it.

“How do the authorities calculate district budget outlay? It is not right to calculate a big project investment in the district budget,” the official said.

He said an amount of Tk1,200 crore, for example, has already been allocated for the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project in Pabna district. l

DSE share index ends FBCCI calls for relocation of Japanese factories to Bangladesh in green n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

Share prices at Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) yesterday ended in green, breaking a-three day losing streak as optimistic investors took position to purchase stocks at lower prices.

DSEX, the key index of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) increased by 13 points closing at 4,289 points.

The blue chip index DS30 went up by 0.39% or 6 points to end at 1,666 points, while the Shariah-based index DSES posted a 3 points gain to 1,053 points closing in green.

“Dhaka stocks went about a volatile ride yesterday (Monday) amid lackluster trading and fears of a new VAT law to be effective from July,” said LankaBangla Securities in its market commentary.

However, market got some comfort as benchmark index broke the three days of losing streaks, closing above the weekly support level 4,275 points mark, the report said further adding that earning decla-

rations by the financial stocks and sponsor directors’ buy supported day’s trading session.

Out of the major banks, three have already got the policy support to streamline their capital market exposure without selling shares, said the report quoting Bangladesh Bank.

Day’s turnover stood at Tk289 crore, which was 11.9% higher than the previous session’s value. Issues traded at the DSE trading floor, 167 gained prices 95 declined and 53 remained unchanged Among the major sectors, Bank, Cement, Engineering and Textile increased by 1.01%, 0.45% 0.42% and 0.53% respectively while Food and Allied and Fuel and Power sector decreased by 0.59% and 0.19% respectively. Bangladesh Building Systems, up by 2.5% was the most traded share with a turnover worth around Tk14 crore.

Dragon Sweater was the highest gainer of the day, posting a gain of 9.90%, while BD Finance was the worst loser, plunging by 11.54%. l

n Tribune Business Desk

The Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) urged Japanese entrepreneurs to relocate their industries to Bangladesh and facilitate more export of Bangladeshi products to their market.

The request was made to Masato Watanabe, Japan ambassador to Bangladesh, at a meeting with the FBCCI held in the capital yesterday.

Md Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin,

visit our website @

www.dhakatribune.com

FBCCI first vice-president, requested the ambassador for relocation of Japanese industries to Bangladesh as there is a huge opportunity for investment. He also called for steps to do more export of Bangladeshi products to Japan.

“Bangladesh is developing very fast. The country expects Japan to be in its development process,” said FBCCI president Abdul Matlub Ahmad.

He emphasised the need for technical assistance from Japan

and transfer of technology to Bangladesh.

Matlub requested the ambassador to arrange a “business meeting” between the businessmen of two countries when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit Japan this month.

Masato Watanabe expressed his deep interest of Japanese cooperation in the development process of Bangladesh. He emphasised holding a regular diaIogue between the business community of both countries. l

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Business

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

BOJ negative rates hit Japanese megabank earnings n AFP, Tokyo The Bank of Japan’s shock negative rate policy is taking a bite out of profits at major banks, with Mitsubishi UFJ yesterday warning over its bottom line.

The huge lender said its net profit fell 8% to 951.4bn yen ($8.7bn) in the fiscal year to March, blaming the drop on a slowdown in the economy, sluggish equity markets, and low interest rates.

Rivals Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Mizuho Financial Group said last week that negative rates were also squeezing their lending margins.

In January, Japan’s central bank surprised markets with the negative rate policy, which was de-

signed to boost lending to people and businesses, and stoke growth in the wider economy.

But the move - which effectively charges commercial banks for keeping excess in Bank of Japan vaults, giving them an incentive to lend more - was widely criticised as a desperate bid to prop up Tokyo’s faltering economic growth blitz.

Bankers were among the policy’s biggest critics including Mitsubishi UFJ’s chief executive Nobuyuki Hirano, who warned it would hurt lenders’ finances as they battle to drive up already sluggish lending.

“We expect to see an acceleration in the contraction of domestic interest margins associated with the BoJ’s introduction of negative rates,” said Akira Takai, a

Why China’s private sector needs a ‘high degree of attention’ n Reuters, Beijing Xia Xiaokang and Bruno Chen, who both run private-sector companies, are the sort of businessmen that Chinese leaders are increasingly concerned about as economic growth slows.

Beijing is counting on the private sector to invest more in the economy and take up the slack as the government tries to engineer a shift away from

largely state-run heavy industry to more entrepreneurial and services-led growth.

Unfortunately, just when China needs the private sector to step up, they look to be stepping back.

“We plan to downsize our business rather than expand,” said Chen, who runs Ningbo Tengsheng Garments Co in the coastal export hub of Zhejiang province in eastern China. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

Banglalink profit rises 6% in Q1 data customers and an increase in data usage from the existing customers. The expansion of 3G-coverage and an industry-wide increase in Smartphone penetration also contributed to a sharp rise.

Customers also increased their voice usage, leading to an increase in voice revenue.”

Despite aggressive price competition, Banglalink’s Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) increased by 4% in the same quarter of the previous year mainly because of growing data usage, he added.

Compared to the same quarter in 2015, there was a slight decline in Banglalink’s customer numbers as the introduction of strict identity verification procedures contributed to a slowdown in customer growth in the market.

In the first quarter, Banglalink’s underlying EBITDA, excluding one-offs main-

ly related to performance transformation costs, reached at Tk500.9 crore representing 26% year-on-year growth.

The increase was driven by both revenue growth and Opex control initiatives, in particular, maintenance cost optimisation.

As a result, the underlying EBITDA margin reached 48.1% during the quarter.

Banglalink’s capital expenditures in the first quarter amounted to over Tk100 crore posting a 44% increase compared with a year earlier as it continues to invest in high-speed data networks.

Banglalink’s 3G network covered 34% of the population at the end of the first quarter.

Banglalink is the second largest mobile telecom operator in Bangladesh with over 31.6 million subscribers, and a subsidiary of Netherlands based VimpelCom Ltd. l

A man walks past the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group’s headquarters in Tokyo REUTERS

Tokyo-based analyst at Daiwa Securities Group. Separately, Mitsubishi UFJ yesterday for the first time appointed two women to executive positions in its core banking unit.

The relatively unusual move - Japan Inc’s top ranks are overwhelmingly male - comes as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called on firms to boost the role of women as part of his wider bid to kickstart the world’s number three economy.

The BoJ’s new policy has hurt lenders’ share prices, making them the worst performers on the Tokyo Stock Exchange this year.

Their earnings have also been under pressure owing to a slowdown in Asian economies and while they’ve had to boost their allowances for bad debts. l

Dhaka Tribune

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Advertisement

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

DHAKA TRIBUNE

16-17

CELEBRATING CONSTITUTION DAY OF

NORWAY Greetings from the Ambassador

Merete Lundemo

T

Dear friends, oday, Norwegians celebrate Constitution Day. It is the birthday of our 1814 Constitution, the oldest in Europe that is still in use and the second oldest in the world. Our Constitution is founded on the principles of sovereignty of the people, separation of powers, and ensuring human rights for all. It reflects universal values, which were central in the process towards independence. Rule of law established by the constitution inspired the building of a modern, diverse and democratic state.

Here in Bangladesh, we also celebrate the close ties between Bangladesh and Norway, which dates back to Bangladesh’s independence. Over the past decades, Bangladesh and Norway have forged a rich partnership in development, private sec-

tor cooperation and investments, as well as dialogue and cooperation in the political field. Human rights, climate change, disaster preparedness, and promotion of women’s participation are among the areas where we have worked much together and share objectives.

Through many years, we have worked together with Bangladeshi authorities and a number of partners – Bangladeshi and international agencies and organizations, who work hard to transform ambitions and projects into reality and results. Thanks to the professionality and the efforts of our trusted partners, we have together been successful in improving people’s lives and in strengthening rights.

We want the story about our good cooperation to be told today. From among our many partners, we have invited a few, from different sectors, to write in this supplement about their cooperation with Norway. I thank our dear and trusted partners, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, United Nations Development Programme together with the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, and the International Labour Organisation for celebrating together with us by sharing their stories.

On behalf of all of us at the Norwegian Embassy, I wish the members of our community, and all our partners and friends a Happy Constitution Day. l

From Left: front row: Haidar Ali, Morshed Ahmed, Nasreen Hossain, Merete Lundemo, Shaheen Ismail, Shaheen Islam, Nikhil Halder, Francis Gomes. Back row: Terhi Width, Syed Bayzid Muntasir, Henrik Width, Maksudur Rahman, Faruq Hasan, Jenny K Sundsbø, Md. Shiraj

United Nations Development Program – Disaster Management

L

ooking at Norway and Bangladesh on a map, you notice a common defining feature of both countries – their long coastline. In Bangladesh, tens of millions of people depend on the land and river systems of the Bengal Delta for their livelihoods.

However, unlike Norway, two thirds of Bangladesh is located less than five meters above sea level – this makes Bangladesh one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the effects of climate change and weather related loss. In Bangladesh, tens of millions of people are threatened by rising sea levels, saline intrusion, water logging and river bank erosion.

Building disaster resilient habitats reduces the vulnerability of the poorest and most vulnerable in Bangladesh.

These are often the people with fewest resources and living in the most hazardous areas of the country. Norway has been working with the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief and UNDP – along with partners of Australia, European Union, Sweden and UKaid – to support over 40,000 small

Key results of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme ●

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Warning time received of impending floods has been extended from 3 to 5 days in the country’s four major river basins. This means that 19.5 million households (88 million people) are now able to protect 70% of their assets.

A network of over 48,000 volunteers have been trained in disaster response.

Local level financing in rural and urban areas has reduced vulnerability of more than 3 million people.

Thanks to raised ground villagers can focus on agriculture and livestock instead of fighting the flood water and medium size initiatives to protect the lives and assets of more than 3 million people in Bangladesh.

The Local Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (LDRRF) is a unique initiative that has brought together local knowledge, human capacity and financial

resources in implementing community driven models to disaster management and climate change adaptation. Construction of small scale infrastructure, such as embankments to protect from flood and tidal surge, shelters and killas (raised earthen platform) to protect

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad – Women’s Empowerment

B

angladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) works for gender equality and women’s empowerment through multi-dimensional approach with the vision to establish a democratic, secular and equality based human society and state.

BMP is a national voluntary activist-based women’s human rights organization. The organization is nonprofit and without political affiliation, established on April 4, 1970. Norway and BMP have been partners for more than a quarter of a century. Norway supports BMP’s work for women’s rights, against early marriage and gender based violence.

Recently, Norway as a core development partner has supported BMP’s project “Promotion and Protection of Women Human Rights in Bangladesh (2010-2015)”.

The goal of the project was to reduce gender inequality through women’s increased participation and uphold women’s dignity in the broader political administrative and social context. The purpose was to strengthen and intensify women’s human rights movement and consolidate the social movement to empower women and initiate programme intervention to resist any form of violence against women.

Some of the project’s outputs: social movement has accelerated in resisting violence against women and political empowerment of women

Robust disaster management policy and institutional framework at the national and district levels.

At least 13 Ministries and Departments have taken measures to reduce disaster and climate risk in their sectors.

22 million school students access curriculum content on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation through their textbooks.

115 million cell phone users can access flood and cyclone early warning.

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad raises women’s rights awareness with the help of folk songs and street drama

has been strengthened. Women’s human rights movement has also further intensified through networking at the same time as BMP is effectively functioning as a lobby and advocacy agent. The project has also strengthened BMP through capacity building towards sustainability and institutionalization.

The project was carried out in 60 organizational district branches and 2376 grass-root branches throughout the country.

Norwegian support has contributed

in creating a strong institutional development of BMP. BMP’s principles and philosophy are similar to those of the Norwegian government, and thus the long partnership has been very smooth.

As a development partner, Norway’s non-interference policy is a very positive experience for BMP. BMP’s core values of democracy, human rights, secularism and equity are strengthened and help to create a positive impact not only within the organization but also in the society. l

lives and livestock, and excavation of ponds to provide safe water and food supply, are some simple measures that communities have put in place, but that have the largest of impact on their lives.

For the disaster vulnerable people

of Bangladesh, Norway has been a vital partner. CDMP is one of the largest single development cooperation investments of Norway in Bangladesh.

The successes are still unfolding, and we hope to see Bangladesh continue to build its resilience. l

QUOTES “The raised ground has changed our lives.

Before we had to think all the time about how to save crops from the flood water.

Now we can focus on our earning and well being of our families” Munni Begum Single mother and only income earner of the family, Kurigram “Most of villagers were uneducated and work in agriculture … Before we suffered a lot from flooding every year, losing houses and crops and livestock. The killa (raised ground) has made life much easier for us” Tofajjal Hossian Farmer, Rangpur “The brick wall has been a blessing for us. It keeps the flood water away. We can carry on with our farming and our homes and families are well protected” Ms. Parvati Rani Sunamganj “Very few people suffer due to water borne diseases after the initiatives of CDMP in this area” Mr. Nur Islam Chairman, Negeshwari Upazila, Kurigram

ILO – Improvement of Labour Rights

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ork is part of everyone’s daily life and it is crucial to a person’s well-being and development as a human being. However, economic growth should include the creation of jobs and working conditions in which people can work in freedom, safety and dignity.

International labour standards are there to ensure that economic development remains focused on improving human life and dignity.

Norway has been a member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) since the ILO was formed in 1919, ratifying all eight Fundamental Conventions as well as the four Governance Conventions. This clear commitment to ILO’s mandate of creating Decent Work for all underpins Norway’s collaboration with ILO. The Norwegian Government has supported a project called Promoting Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and Labour Relations in Export Oriented Industries in Bangladesh (FRLP). Working to promote better compliance with international labour standards, the initiative focused on the ready-made garment, shrimp processing, and shoe and leather sectors.

Actions carried out included efforts to create better knowledge and understanding of labour rights. Support was provided to workers, employers and their representatives so they can engage in meaningful dialogue and labour relations. Meanwhile the capacity of governmental authorities and labour courts has been improved to help them better perform core functions and mandates.

Ready-made garment worker at a factory in Dhaka area

The FRLP project was instrumental in forming a basis for reform agenda in the country and future continuation of the work on social dialogue on a more advanced level The Norwegian funding was important as it allowed the ILO through

the FRLP project to continue work on labour rights issues in a highly challenging context and build the foundation for social dialogue in Bangladesh.

The project was innovative, as for the first time in Bangladesh a workers education programme was carried out while the relatively novel concept on workplace cooperation has been introduced and awareness on labour rights and obligations raised. Meanwhile, a complaints handling mechanism was also launched.

The FRLP project was instrumental in forming a basis for reform agenda in the country and future continuation of the work on social dialogue on a more advanced level. l

DT

18

Tech

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

Infinity and not beyond after all Disney is no longer making games

n Mahmood Hossain It’s a tad puzzling why the heads of Disney have decided to discontinue the Disney Infinity video game franchise. If it had

not been indefinitely cancelled, the new Infinity 4.0 would have featured content from the upcoming movies Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Guardians of the Galaxy 2, along with new 12-

inch figures.

The new plans, according to a report published by Kotaku, would have brought gamers a new story mode and gathered characters from Star Wars, Marvel

and Disney universes. There were also plans of revealing larger figures that traditionally come with the Infinity games. With Disney’s current success in the movie industry, one can only slip

into bewilderment. More revenue would only mean more games or tag-along content for the new blockbuster films to come.

The company went even further to state they will no longer be publishing their own video games. Instead, for future video games, Disney will be teaming up or outsourcing to other tech/video game companies. We already know of their collaboration with Electronic Arts, who are more famous for their sports division.

The EA team-up includes future sequels to Battlefront and third-person game from game developers Respawn. It seems there will also be a new Star Wars project in the works between EA and Visceral Games.

Disney Infinity 3.0 will be the last release, as it was first available to the public in August of last year for consoles and PC. The company still plans to release new characters from Alice Through the Looking Glass this month, followed by Finding Dory Play Set additions in June. l

Jadoo’r baksho We might sound a little biased, but this is a quality set-top-box from Jadoo Digital

n Tahsin Momin

through the opening set-up menus, and that’s about it. There’s nothing more to it; within five minutes we’re ready to flick through the channels.

You hardly need any clues to recognise the pattern here: Jadoo Digital released a set-topbox, we approve of it - it’s as straightforward as there can be.

Like the underappreciated factory worker who punches the holes in Polos, the HP IP Hybrid set-top-box knows its role and gets on with it.

Whether this talented set-topbox is worth the Tk3,500 spend will depend upon your specific needs, but not the quality of the work it does.

Features This is a HD digital set-top-box plus a digital TV recorder, which essentially means, if you subscribe to the Jadoo Super HD package worth Tk500, then we have got access to 200 channels including 15 in high definition. And if you go for slightly more expensive Tk600 package called the Jadoo Premium HD, then you get access to 230 channels, which include 30 high definition channels in it. Moreover,

it can record your desired TV shows and movies so that you never miss out on them.

Furthermore, you can begin watching your programme even if it’s halfway through recording, and you also have the power to pause and rewind live TV. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But

this is precisely what we mean by HP IP knowing its part and playing it. Well, this is of course, more than just a television recorder.

Unlike your regular cable TV, it has a well-stocked suite of smart features, including catch-up channels and access to internet, as well as sharing photos via its USB

port.

The remote control isn’t the most substantial we’ve grasped, but it’s comfortable and no trouble to use. Set-up is as simple as plugging in power, TV aerial, Ethernet cable (not available at the moment) and HDMI into our TV. Switching the box on, we breeze

Performance Turning on, we stick to BBC and are prompted immediately to press OK for the HD service, a shortcut available wherever there is an HD alternative, but we must admit that the picture in standard definition is admirable too.

Flicking between the two broadcasts, it’s clear that if the HP IP Hyper box is giving us as good quality as the direct feed from our TV, and the difference is relatively significant. The sound quality too, is superb; switching to MTV, and we would be enjoying a dynamic and expressive performance.

Verdict All in all it does what it claims to accomplish on the box. At the end of the day, the HP IP Hyper is a formidable set-top-box that enhances the joy of getting your eyes stuck to the telly. l

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DT

Auto Connect

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

Elegant velocity Toyota Harrier - a crossover SUV with elegance and class

n Tahsin Momin Ever since its debut in 1998, the Toyota Harrier has been a firm favourite among buyers looking for a crossover SUV, wooing them with its good looks, great build quality, and decent practicality. Its biggest draw was perhaps that it was a Lexus with a much lower price tag.

And now in its third generation, the Harrier has done quite well to hold on to its ground as a luxury crossover SUV. Exterior The Harrier is without doubt a head turner. It manages to carry the

curves on its body without looking too busy. The chiselled front nose, a grille with 3D slats, and chrome surrounds on the fog-lights, add to the bold look of the car.

Around the back, the curved lines are concentrated towards the rear LED lights, giving the car plenty of character. While the car was given a complete makeover, the design cues can still be linked to the ones from the previous generation; the rear quarter windows with the signature upward kink and the tapered tailgate, were both found in the second generation Harrier.

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Price: lakhs and onwards Interior On the inside, the cabin is full of quality materials. There are no signs of cheap and hard plastics, instead everything has been made of premium plastics and lush leather, matched with contrast stitching on both the door panels and dash trimmings. However, the shiny plastic trim on the centre console is a magnet for fingerprints.

While there are bunch of features available on the Harrier, the model we tested came with front seats that are electrically operated, the dual-zone air conditioning controls, and a full panoramic roof to play with.

The seats, also wrapped in the same lush leather with contrast stitching, are very comfortable and offer plenty of support. The rear seats have plenty of legroom and the backrests can be adjusted for tilt.

Performance Performance wise, things could have been better. To drive, the Harrier is a tad light, but the car is able to tackle corners and bends quite confidently.

It is powered by a 2.0-litre fourcylinder engine rating at 151HP and 192Nm of torque. However, when pushed to its limits the engine does sound slightly rough and while dragging the 1600kg body around, we felt that it is missing the ‘oomph’ factor.

The ride comfort is fairly good over imperfect road surfaces and interestingly enough, during our test drive, we felt that the ride on the rear seats felt smoother than on the front seats.

Safety The Harrier has gotten a fivestar NCAP safety rating, and an array of electronic safety features including ABS brakes

Available at: Sal-Sabeel Cars House-7, Road-8, Gulshan-1, Dhaka-1212 9861897, 8827084

with electronic brake-force distribution, stability, and traction control. Airbags such as front, side and full-length curtain, they all come with roll-over sensors that measure the tilt of the vehicle and activates during an imminent roll-over.

Verdict At the end of the day, the Toyota Harrier is a car that aims to provide its occupants with comfort while giving the driver a hassle-free driving experience. It is without doubt one of the best SUV in its class that fits the bill for a luxurious family car or an executive’s runabout. l

Novelty of the Paint Job n ASM Foysal It is common for us to park our cars indoors, which protects it from the harsh environment.

You would only need a couple of waxing sessions a year to protect the fine paint job on it. However, if your car is exposed to the harsh elements: rain, hail or even battering wind, or if it just spends most of its time outdoors, you should probably wax it every three to four months.

Not only does wax give your car a gleaming radiance, it provides an extra layer of protection against harsh weather, bird droppings,

tree sap, ultraviolet rays, vehicular and industrial pollution, and other various grime found in the air and on roads. Waxing your car regularly would prevent these eroding substances from damaging the clear coat: the finish on top that seals the paint, and stop from exposing the paint below. On top of that, if you have to rub and scrub an un-waxed car to clean it, you risk chafing through the clear coat and into the paint.

Washing your car regularly would stave away much of the regular contaminants, but some, such as bug splatters and tar, can require additional efforts

to remove. Whether you do it yourself or hire someone, thoroughly cleaning the exterior and applying a good-quality wax by hand at least twice a year can make the paint in your car appear brand new, like the day you bought it.

Rust isn’t nearly as common on cars as it was 30 years ago, but it is still the silent killer if you let water or other corrosive materials to accumulate. Driving in Bangladesh, where most roads are unpaved, and puddles seems to appear out of nowhere, being battered by sand water and small pebbles is a common scenario. If

you live near an ocean, or a place where the water itself is salty, the best remedy for protecting your car from salt damage is to get it washed on a regular basis, such as weekly. Even if it hasn’t rained, there is still salt residue on the roads that winds up on your car, especially underneath on brake,

suspension, and other parts not easily visible or accessible.

Though some vehicle owners avoid car washes because of the cost it bears, most car washes give the bottom of vehicles a good cleaning, so minerals and road dirt doesn’t build up and cause corrosion. l

DT

20 Editorial

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

TODAY

The Turkey-Pakistan opprobrium By denouncing the conviction and hanging of the leader of an Islamist party, he was expressing solidarity not only with Pakistan, an ally, but also for the greater Muslim Umma, whose leadership he aspires for PAGE 21

Four point something And, as their grades plummet and CGPAs fall, they can’t quite understand how, with their 5.0 CGPAs, they are not the best students in the classroom. They see students, less studious than them, speeding ahead of them without even trying PAGE 22

The internet is fast breaking the difference between global and local. We live in a glocalised world, where terror organisations are glocal and empowered by new innovations and business plans PAGE 23

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.

Target food safety drives better

S

Extremism 2.O is glocal

Be heard

BIGSTOCK

unday’s protest and closure of chain stores by the Bangladesh Supermarket Owners’ Association came about after repeated instances of police and RAB misapplying the law in high-profile raids.

In addition to not using scientific methods to examine foods inspected in such drives, officials have not been giving staff or store owners any opportunity to show records documenting their source and supply.

As well as being unfairly applied, this publicity-led approach does not make strategic sense.

By their very nature, chain stores are dependent for their custom and reputation on investing a lot of money to ensure a uniform level of quality and service.

They have a big stake in building public trust and confidence and in developing robust quality monitoring systems for their food supply chains. This makes them better placed to enforce hygienic practices and root out rogue suppliers, than most smaller retailers and street markets.

It is their investment in modernising retail stores which is incentivising food producers to invest in new cold chain networks to ensure less food is wasted and more fresh, hygienic foods are made available to consumers. They are also the key driver for the fast growing food processing and frozen food sectors in Bangladesh Authorities need to follow a fair evidence-based approach to target food safety risks.

The present policy is unduly focused on carrying out high profile raids to capture maximum publicity, while ignoring many areas and sectors where safety risks are higher and standards often lower.

It would be far better to spend resources targeting rouge suppliers and in raising public awareness of hygiene standards and processes.

Supermarkets and the thousands of workers, farmers, and producers involved in supplying them, should not be unfairly targeted, especially while higher risk retailers are being ignored.

Follow a fair evidencebased approach to target food safety

DT

21

Opinion

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

The Turkey-Pakistan opprobrium Turkey’s denunciation of Bangladesh’s war crimes trial is nothing unexpected

Erdogan’s political support is rooted in Turkey’s resurgent Islamic elements

n Ziauddin Choudhury

T

urkish President Erdogan’s reproach of our war crimes trial and hanging of Maulana Nizami for the crimes did not come unexpectedly. That such denunciation from Turkey should come in the heels of similar criticism by Pakistan was also no big surprise.

After all, Turkey and Pakistan have been on the same wavelength in their attitude towards Bangladesh since the Liberation War. Turkey had sided with Pakistan forces since the beginning of our independence struggle, offering Pakistan both moral and international support, and did not recognise Bangladesh until February 1974 just before the first meeting of the newly formed Organisation of Islamic Conference in Lahore.

That this recognition happened within days of Pakistan’s recognition of Bangladesh is not a coincidence. It is a show of solidarity of the two countries in international diplomacy.

Pakistan and Turkey were welded together since the birth of Pakistan through a variety of treaties, to promote trade and culture ostentatiously, but mostly to unite these countries with western powers through defense treaties orchestrated by the US to thwart Soviet and communist influence in the region.

The third country that would join this axis was Iran. Close diplomatic and defense ties among three countries began with the Central Treaty Organisation or CENTO, a central Asian association formed in 1955 somewhat similar to South East Asia Treaty

Organisation in objectives.

The second, Regional Cooperation for Development, was formed by three countries in 1964 to promote socio-economic development among the partners through collaboration. Unlike CENTO, RCD was not a military alliance, but the three countries were aligned through defense ties with the US and the UK.

REUTERS

was successful in curtailing the army’s role through constitutional changes, no government could last in the country without the army’s blessing and support.

The current Turkish Republic was set up by Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) following World War I who emerged as the country’s political and military leader.

He transformed the shrunken

through the front and build a country from the ravages of war.

It came through the back door, through machination and manipulation, and held its sway over the country primarily through force and intimidation.

Unlike Turkey, the Pakistan army not only did not build a new country, but it broke a country.

Unlike Turkey, it did not nurture or

By denouncing the conviction and hanging of the leader of an Islamist party, be it far removed from Turkey, he was expressing solidarity not only with Pakistan, an ally, but also for the greater Muslim Umma, whose leadership he aspires for

CENTO fell apart after the fall of Shah in Iran, and the rise of antiAmerican forces in that country.

RCD also evaporated gradually.

But political changes in Iran or even the changes in Turkey from military-led democracy to popular democracy did not make any dent in the Turkey-Pakistan relationship. The Pakistan government, from Ayub Khan through Bhutto, from Ziaul Huq to Nawaz Sharif, has been able to maintain a steady relationship of mutual support and friendship throughout Pakistan’s existence.

This relationship goes beyond the two countries’ similarity in religion (both are Muslim and predominantly Sunni), geographic proximity, and somewhat closeness in culture. There is a bigger similarity, the tradition of a strong and politically active army.

Turkey has had a strong history of army intervention in the government. In fact, until Erdogan

and broken Ottoman Empire into a modern nation-state with the help of a newly energised army. In other words, Turkey’s modernisation process was again led by the military.

Although Mustafa Kemal sought to exclude the army from open involvement in politics, and a law was passed to ensure that, he never wanted to remove the army from exercising its influence in politics. He viewed the army as the guardian of the new constitution, which was secular, and the modern state of Turkey. As a result, the army in Turkey practically was in the king-making position, with the civilian government responding to its commands.

In striking similarity, Pakistan has had also a powerful military that came to wield power in Pakistan and dictated its politics for much of its existence.

However, unlike Turkey, the military in Pakistan did not come

protect a secular constitution or a secular country, but helped evolve a non-secular idealism and foment radicalism.

I wish the similarities and mutual friendship between Pakistan and Turkey and their military past could explain the latest reproach of our war crimes trial. It is natural for Pakistan to denounce any effort by Bangladesh to hold those accountable for the atrocities committed in the war of our liberation.

It is natural for them because the war of 1971 was never viewed

by Pakistan as a struggle for freedom by Bengalis. It was viewed by Pakistan as a foreigninspired (read: Indian inspired) rebellion of anti-states to break a Muslim country apart.

It was a conspiracy against Muslim Umma by enemies of Muslims. Therefore, all those who have been tried by Bangladesh for war crimes were actually patriots

and true Muslims who wanted to defend their country and religion.

But why Turkey?

To understand this, one has to read beyond the historical support of Turkey for Pakistan and its original denial of support for Bangladesh.

Turkey’s Erdogan rode to presidency on the shoulders of an Islamist Party that had to change its name to an ambiguous seemingly non-religious party, Justice and Development Party (or AKP in Turkish), adhering to Turkey’s secular constitution.

His political support is still rooted in Turkey’s resurgent Islamic elements who he would not dare displease. By denouncing the conviction and hanging of the leader of an Islamist party, be it far removed from Turkey, he was expressing solidarity not only with Pakistan, an ally, but also for the greater Muslim Umma, whose leadership he aspires for.

In the current world of global diplomacy, it is difficult to denounce a foreign leader and shun a country. We have to maintain our relationship with countries that we may disapprove of for our own image of showing tolerance.

We also have to have a strategy to deal with adverse publicity and a campaign through our diplomatic channels to make other countries better acquainted with what the war crimes were, and why we need to prosecute those who participated in one of the greatest massacres of the past century. l Ziauddin Choudhury has worked in the higher civil service of Bangladesh early in his career, and later for the World Bank in the USA.

22

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Opinion

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

Four point something It’s time to treat knowledge with the respect it deserves

n SN Rasul

W

hat is the point in a five-point-oh GPA? This year, at SSC level, more than 109,000 students were awarded a perfect five. More than 88% of students passed this year. The former is slightly lower than last year, and the latter is slightly higher.

But, really, what is the point?

Does this prove anything, that almost 90% of our students passed their exams and that more than a lakh of them have scored “perfect” results? Does this mean that our national examinations are producing students carrying the weight of knowledge with them as they embark on their Higher Secondary level education?

With the HSC exams still ongoing, one can only guess that the statistics will be something similar, though not as much of a walk amongst roses and sunshine.

Last year, 34,721 people received GPA 5 while the pass rate was around 65%.

Gritty realities, but let us forget the 35% who’ve slipped through the cracks. Let’s hone in on the 34,000 or so candidates who passed with perfect scores. Do these people represent a slice of the Bangladeshi youth who offer great potential in their minds?

Are these students about to step into life, ready to conquer all of its challenges with the education they’ve received and what they’ve achieved?

They’re not. I have no science on my side to say that with such certainty, but few would disagree. The problems within the Bangladeshi school education system (to say nothing of it at university level) are manifold.

I do not mean to deny that education in English medium schools is much better, but the fact remains that it is. What is being said here isn’t anything new: It is known that Bengali medium schools continue to practice rote memorisation as a method of study, with students coming out having learned little or nothing of the subjects they are being taught.

Recently, when an aunt of mine, while vying for a place for her daughter at one of the top schools, was asked what was the point of these “top schools,” in fact, what really made these schools so different. Her answer was blunt: When cheating, they can cheat off of better students, and hence, get better results.

Cheating is as common a

Is our grading system broken? feature of the education system as pencil and paper. Students complain about “strict” teachers who do not allow them to cheat, as if this is a bad thing, as if not being allowed to do so is a disservice, a cruelty, an injustice.

This doesn’t stop at school level either. At university, there is widespread impunity for this kind of behaviour. Students and teachers alike laugh it off, with warnings and second warnings and third warnings which fly through the air as meaninglessly as the results they receive. Sure, one could stand their ground, offer a no-tolerance policy so that the students are forced to come into shape, but that is a double-edged sword. It brings down pass rates, and brings the teacher’s methods under question.

But understand this, there’s no method to this madness. This has been the norm for as far as my young memory can go back.

These students, when they enter their university lives, look for “common” questions, so that they can vomit it out word for word.

But of course, there’s nothing doing. They can barely understand the language in which the course is being taught, and cannot understand the concept of just that: Understanding. Suddenly, they find themselves stranded

BIGSTOCK

And, as their grades plummet and CGPAs fall, they can’t quite understand how, with their 5.0 CGPAs (or maybe four point something), they are not the best students in the classroom. They see students, less studious than them, speeding ahead of them without even trying across a sea of unbeknownst learning, where the books aren’t enough, and the words that are coming out of their lecturers’ mouths, they don’t quite register.

At university level, lecturers do not have the time or the patience for individual guidance. At that level, they’re not supposed to. It’s not school anymore, where each student’s needs will be catered to, not anymore.

And, as their grades plummet and CGPAs fall, they can’t quite understand how, with their 5.0 CGPAs (or maybe four point something), they are not the best students in the classroom. They see students, less studious than them, speeding ahead of them without even trying. Because they’ve been taught not things, but how to learn. To understand, digest, formulate information instead of breathing it in and regurgitating it out. That is a far more useful attribute in a world

that already has information at its fingertips.

Undoubtedly, the Bangladeshi education system needs a complete overhaul. And this doesn’t mean a little change here and a little change there in the curriculum, but schools, teachers, administrative staff, all of it needs to be rebooted to suit the needs of a newly emerging world.

It needs to be understood that results don’t mean anything when you’re struggling to write a simple sentence in English (not to bow down to our colonial masters of times gone past) or if you don’t have a very rich guardian or uncle ready to foot your daily needs for the rest of your life.

It’s time to learn to learn, read for pleasure, and write because we can. It’s time to treat knowledge with the respect it deserves. l SN Rasul is a Sub-Editor at the Dhaka Tribune. Follow him @snrasul.

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23

Opinion

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

Extremism 2.O is glocal We need to understand terror in the digital age

n Habibul Haque Khondker

T

he terrorist attacks in the recent months in Bangladesh were organised by small groups of extremists, for which, organisations beyond the national boundaries of Bangladesh have taken responsibility.

There is no denying that there are groups, with links or blessings from outside, carrying out targeted killings in Bangladesh, and now, after the capture of extremists in Singapore, it is evident that small groups of radicalised Bangladeshis are planning attacks on high-value targets in Bangladesh from the safety of hideouts overseas.

There are two schools of thought with regard to the presence of extremist organisations in Bangladesh: One school of thought, armed with research findings, claims that the terrorist groups are internationally linked, carried out by local units of international terror organisations.

control (C&C) structure. This is probably an old-fashioned notion. Organisationally, this is the opposite of a C&C structure.

It is probably a de-centralised, loosely structured organisation -- more like a social movement, or something in between a social movement and an international organisation.

A sociology professor once compared al-Qaeda with an international research-funding organisation like the Ford Foundation.

A local group of extremists would approach the foundation with a project, and if the project is considered viable, it will receive some funding.

The rest -- planning, execution, etc -- may rest in the hands of the local organisation. Here, some conceptual discussion may be helpful. Sociologist Manuel Castells states that, in the 21st century, we have entered a networked society. Concepts such as organisation, structure, etc

made possible thanks to new, smarter, and faster internet technologies with a variety of applications for different purposes.

A huge number of people --netizens -- are joining the new economy, driven by the desire for profit and excitement. The ideology they are working with is the ideology of market capitalism overlaid by individualism.

A recent idea in this vein is “Jugaad,� a low-cost innovation system. Following this model, increasingly, people will make their own appliances, gadgets, tools in a local workshop rather than buying these products from a mega company.

This will bring down the cost and weaken the power of the industrial giants. 3D printers have aided this new mode of production. In the not too distant future, a variety of things will be 3D-printed in your own home.

In thinking about the extremist groups in the 21st century, one has

The internet is fast breaking the difference between global and local.

We live in a glocalised world, where terror organisations are glocal and empowered by new innovations and business plans

Daesh does not operate with a top-down command structure

REUTERS

The other school of thought, mostly represented by the officials, claims that there are no international links to local terrorist acts.

They claim that the terrorist attacks are locally organised. So, are the terrorist attacks global or local? They are actually both -they are glocal. To put it in plain English, these organisations are both global and local at the same time.

It is important to re-orient our thinking about this grave threat.

First, concerned authorities in Bangladesh must come out of denial and accept the reality that there is a problem.

I don’t want to sound alarmist, but want to warn about the possibility of the rise of this menace in light of recent happenings. In trying to tackle this threat, one has to think clearly and pay attention to the various developments in technology and business models.

Some people mistakenly view Daesh (or ISIS) as a traditional organisation with a top-down, command and

need re-formatting.

Think of hotel chains and taxi services. In the new globalised society, a growing number of tourists do not check into hotels, they look for more affordable Airbnb and share a coach. Rather than hiring taxis they use Uber.

If you have a spare room, you can sign up with Airbnb and rent your extra room for cash.

Similarly, if you have a car and a driving license you can start the process of signing up with Uber. Airbnb is an alternative to hotels, as Uber is an alternative to taxi services. These are the new bottom-up business models that are catching on.

People cloud -- another new idea -- is a variation of cloud computing, like a giant storage system of data. People cloud or outsourcing is when you reach out to people for ideas or services.

It is a smart way of outsourcing your job at low operational cost.

Rather than hiring expensive consultants, you can use people cloud to get new ideas, personnel, etc at a much lower cost.

All these developments are

to assume that the new extremists are internet-savvy techies, combining the models of Uber and Airbnb with a vicious ideology.

These groups are more likely to be local, yet some of the members can be well-travelled with a tour of duty to some of the dangerous places.

The spread of internetenabled smartphones has led to a veritable connectivity revolution.

Rather than likening a transnational terror organisation to an international bank or food chain, one should compare it with Airbnb or Uber.

A small extremist group can sign up with a network and run their operations with loose links with Uber central. The internet is fast breaking the difference between global and local.

We live in a glocalised world, where terror organisations are glocal and empowered by new innovations and business plans.

It is time our law enforcers understand the paradigm shift. l Habibul Haque Khondkeris a sociologist and a part-time columnist.

DT

24 Sport

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

DPL 8th, 9th rounds pushed back

TOP STORIES

Siddikur back in Top 10 AT Order of Merit Four weeks, four consecutive victories around the world by Asian golfers. These are indeed great days for the Asian Tour, as was evident by Siddikur Rahman’s entry to the top 10 of the AT Order of Merit. PAGE 25

n Tribune Report The eighth and ninth round matches of the ongoing Dhaka Premier League have been bodily shifted from this Friday to next Tuesday due to the Annual General Meeting of the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s umpires committee.

“The umpires committee has given a letter to the BCB, requesting to reschedule the league owing to the AGM, which will take place from May 20-21. They will be busy during that time. And the Shabe-Barat is on May 22 and the next day is a holiday so the board has decided to shift the games to May 24,” said Amin Khan, co-ordinator of the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis, yesterday.

He also informed that all the other domestic leagues will also be rescheduled due to the same reason.

In the eighth round, defending champions Prime Bank Cricket Club are up against Mohammedan Sporting Club, Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club face Kalabagan Cricket Academy and Abahani Limited take on Gazi Group Cricketers.

Following the eighth round next Tuesday, the ninth round will be held on May 28. l

Kalabagan Cricket Academy’s Mahmudul Hasan pierces the cover and mid-off region during their Dhaka Premier League clash against Abahani Limited at Fatullah’s Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Tearful Terry tells fans: ‘I want to stay’ Tearful former England captain John Terry made an emotional address to his devoted Chelsea fans on the Stamford Bridge pitch on Sunday, telling them that he still wanted to stay at the west London club. PAGE 26

Murray takes Rome title, Djoker beaten Great Britain’s Andy Murray enjoyed the perfect 29th birthday present on Sunday, puncturing Novak Djokovic’s air of dominance by beating the out-of-sorts Serb in straight sets in the final of the Italian Open in Rome. PAGE 27

Barca claim La Liga, Stuttgart relegated Luis Suarez notched his third hat-trick in five games as Barcelona won 3-0 at Granada to clinch their 24th La Liga title.

Suarez finished the season as La Liga’s top scorer with 40 goals, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s grip. PAGE 28

Kalabagan CA shock Abahani n Minhaz Uddin Khan Mahmudul Hasan’s second List A century provided the biggest upset of this season’s Dhaka Premier League yesterday after 11th placed Kalabagan Cricket Academy beat the much fancied Abahani Limited by three wickets.

It was their first win in the tournament, having lost their first six games. Abahani suffered their fourth defeat in seven games.

In the other two matches, Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club rose to second place with a six-wicket win over Mohammedan Sporting Club while Legends of Rupganj missed the chance to go top of the points table after they lost to Prime Bank Cricket Club by 60 runs.

Kalabagan CA v Abahani

Consecutive defeats had made Abahani frustrated this season.

The side until yesterday had got only three wins out of six matches and to make it worse comes the

BRIEF SCORES ABAHANI LTD 282/7 (Mitra 63, Tamim 48, Tiwary 40) lost to KALABAGAN CA 286/7 (Mahmudul 106, Taposh 47, Saxena 43) by three wickets PRIME BANK CC 299/9 (Nurul 108, Maruf 75, Rana 40) beat LEGENDS OF RUPGANJ 239 (Jalaj 52, Asif 47, Rana 4/37) by 60 runs MOHAMMEDAN SC 188 (Naeem 100, Farhad 3/26, Al Amin 3/34) lost to PRIME DOLESHWAR SC 192/4 (Imtiaz 88, Nasir 37*, Ariful 2/34) by six wickets defeat against Kalabagan CA in Fatullah.

Abahani posted 282/7 in 50 overs with Avishek Mitra’s 63 being the highest. Captain Tamim Iqbal, Mosaddek Hossain and their new foreign recruit Manoj Tiwary, made 48, 42 and 40 runs respectively.

Mahmudul picked up three

wickets before heading their superb chase though Abahani with their high score were favourites at the halfway stage.

But Abahani felt the absence of a strike bowler as Kalabagan CA were barely troubled. Mahmudul’s 111-ball 106 with eight boundaries and three sixes nearly took them to victory.

At the start of the 47th over, Kalabagan CA needed only 10 runs to register the win with three wickets in hand. A single came in the second ball of the over while two sixes by Bishwanath Halder, in the fourth and fifth, gave them the last smile.

Mohammedan v Doleshwar

Batting first, Mohammedan had a shaky start losing four wickets for 42. Opening batsmen Ezaz Ahmed and Nazimuddin were dismissed for two and nought respectively while Upal Tharanga and captain Mushfiqur Rahim could add only 10 and eight runs each.

Naeem Islam had a slow ap-

proach but to some extent had pulled the side out of trouble with his first century of the season. But since Naeem got dismissed with only five overs to spare, the innings could hardly progress. Farhad Reza and Al Amin Hossain picked up three wickets each for Doleshwar.

Later with Imtiaz Hossain’s 88, Doleshwar had a walk in the park.

Nasir Hossain remained unbeaten on 37 off 39 with four boundaries and a mighty six.

Prime Bank v Rupganj

Nurul Hasan’s 108 backed by foreign recruit Sachin Rana’s four-for inspired Prime Bank to a 60-run win over Rupganj.

Mehedi Maruf’s early blast got him 75 runs, with nine boundaries and three sixes, followed by Nurul’s century, allowing Prime Bank to post 299/9 in 50 overs.

The Rupganj batsmen failed to give the thrust as they were bowled out for 239 runs in the 46th over. Opener Jalaj Saxena scored 52. l

25

DT

Sport

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

ASIAN TOUR ORDER OF MERIT

Siddikur back in Top 10 Asian golf celebrates record run tion which will enhance his hopes n Agencies of qualifying for the Olympics.

Four weeks, four consecutive victories around the world by Asian golfers. These are indeed great days for the Asian Tour and golf in the region, as was evident by Siddikur Rahman’s comeback to the top 10 of the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Elsewhere, Korea’s Jeunghun Wang, 20, completed back-to-back victories with a come-from-behind one-shot triumph in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on Sunday, a week after he had broken through in Morocco.

The slender Wang pipped Bangladeshi Siddikur on the last hole with a birdie to win the tournament tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Sunshine Tour. He became the youngest player at 20 years and 263 days to win consecutive events on the European Tour.

Although disappointed that he failed to land a third Asian Tour victory in Mauritius, Siddikur’s consolation was that he moved back into the world’s top-300 at 274th posi-

“I didn’t even think I was going to be able to reach second position.

Before we came here, I was really struggling with my golf. I’m really

ASIAN TOUR ORDER OF MERIT Player

Earnings (US$)

1. Marcus Fraser (Aus) 2. Jeunghun Wang (Kor) 3. Miguel Tabuena (Phi) 4. Soomin Lee (Kor) 5. Scott Hend (Aus) 6. SSP Chawrasia (Ind) 7. Younghan Song (Kor) 8. Swangarunporn (Tha) 9. Shaun Norris (Rsa) 10. Siddikur Rahman (Ban)

637,261 470,338 336,258 319,301 313,399 310,551 224,772 197,985 166,368 153,245

happy to get second position,” said the Bangladeshi history-maker, who has been hampered by a back injury in recent years.

“I am happy with how I finished.

This is a good boost for me on my world rankings. Hopefully I can get

back into the running for the Olympics. I will take the positives from this week. I am looking forward to the rest of the season and hopefully I can cap a good year.”

Prior to Wang’s heroics, countryman and close friend Soomin Lee, 22, and China’s Li Haotong, also 20, were victorious in European Tour events in China which left quite a few observers and players buzzing with optimism about the future of the Asian Tour.

Wang’s win was worth US$189,841, which moved him up to second place on the latest Asian Tour’s Order of Merit on US$470,338, some US$166,000 behind leader Marcus Fraser of Australia.

Filipino Miguel Tabuena, who is 21, is third on the Asian Tour rankings with US$336,258 while Lee is fourth, some US$17,000 further behind.

Add in those victories by Lee and Li in China, Asian golf celebrated a small slice of history by notching four straight wins on the European Tour which has never been recorded previously. l

AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open winner Jeunghun Wang of Korea (L) embraces Bangladesh golfer Siddikur Rahman following the conclusion of the fourth and COURTESY final round on Sunday in Mauritius

RCB beat KKR by nine wickets to stay alive MSC thrash Azad SC n Tribune Desk Thirty-two runs, 43 balls, and less than an hour spent at the crease while batting in a total of eight matches. Those are Chris Gayle's numbers during his lean run since his hundred in West Indies' World Twenty20 opener against England exactly two months ago. On a humid night at the Eden Gardens, he struck form again to help Royal Challengers Bangalore stay alive in their hunt for the playoffs, with a nine-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Royal Challengers' top order made light work of the 184 target as Virat

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri is all smiles alongside Danny Simpson, Kasper Schmeichel, Riyad Mahrez, Andy King, Danny Drinkwater, Leonardo Ulloa, Robert Huth and Jamie Vardy during the parade in Leicester yesterday REUTERS

BRIEF SCORE KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS 183/5 (20 ov) Gambhir 51, M Pandey 50, Russell 39*, Aravind 2/41 ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE 186/1 (18.4 ov) Kohli 75*, De Villiers 59*, Gayle 49, Narine 1/34 Kohli and AB de Villiers carried their stellar show from Bangalore to Kolkata, after Gayle's 31-ball 49.

Gayle trudged to one off seven balls before unleashing the big hits. He started with a four off a full delivery in the second over, but was more brutal against

the short balls. He pulled those that was directed towards him, he upper cut one on the off side, slapped one down the ground, and welcomed Sunil Narine with consecutive fours to race to 35 off 21. Amid the carnage, Kohli exhibited one classical inside-out drive for six that showed that the Royal Challengers party was on at both ends, and only 11 people at the packed ground were not dancing to it.

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan experienced a mixed day in the office as he went wicketless in his four overs, conceding 39 runs. Earlier with the willow, the left-hander struck an 11-ball 18, studded with a four and a six. l

n Tribune Report Mohammedan Sporting Club began their Green Delta Premier Division Hockey League campaign in style as they handed Azad Sporting Club a crushing 12-0 loss at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium yesterday.

Tasvar Abbas netted four goals for the Black and Whites in the 45th, 53rd, 57th and 60th minutes while Omar Bhutto bagged three in the 23rd, 34th and 54th minutes of the game. Shahidullah Titu, Imran Hasan, AHM Kamruzzaman, Salman Sadik and Mohammad Shakil added one apiece for the Motijheel based outfit.

Meanwhile in the day’s other game, Dhaka Wanderers Club defeated Sonali Bank 7-4 at the same venue. Bishal and Sarwar Morshed scored two each for the winning side while Nahian Shubho, Hosne Mobarak and Sajin notched one apiece. Rocky registered a consolation hattrick for Sonali Bank while Irfan scored the other.

Rangpur division win Development Cup U16 n Tribune Report Rangpur emerged as the champions in the Development Cup Under-16 Football Tournament for the first time ever when they defeated Dhaka 3-2 in the tiebreaker in the final at the Government Physical Education College field in Mohammadpur yesterday.

After the stipulated time failed to yield any goals, the game rolled into the penalty shootout where three Dhaka players were unable to convert their spot-kicks. Despite the final loss, Dhaka’s Shehab was adjudged the player of the tournament.

This was the third edition of the age-level Development Cup. Chittagong clinched the title in the first two editions but this time around, they crashed out in the last four. l

DT

26

Sport

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

PREMIER LEAGUE Team

GP W D L GD PTS

1 Leicester CL

38 23 12 3 32

2 Arsenal CL

81

38 20 11 7 29

71

3 Tottenham CL 38 19 13 6 34

70

4 Man City CLQ 38 19 9 10 30

66

5 Saints

38 18 9 11 18

63

6 Man United 37 18 9 10 12

63

7 West Ham

38 16 14 8 14

62

8 Liverpool

38 16 12 10 13

60

9 Stoke City

38 14 9 15 -14

51

10 Chelsea

38 12 14 12 6

50

11 Everton

38 11 14 13 4

47

12 Swansea

38 12 11 15 -10

47

13 Watford

38 12 9 17 -10

45

14 West Brom 38 10 13 15 -14

43

15 Palace

42

38 11 9 18 -12

16 Bournemouth 37 11 9 17 -20 42

Chelsea's John Terry is thrown in the air by team mates after the English Premier League game against Leicester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday

Reuters

17 Sunderland 38 9 12 17 -14

39

18 Newcastle R 38 9 10 19 -21

37

19 Norwich R 38 9

7 22 -28 34

20 Aston Villa R 38 3

8 27 -49

17

Tearful Terry tells Chelsea fans: 'I want to stay' n Reuters, London

Tearful John Terry made an emotional address to his devoted Chelsea fans on the Stamford Bridge pitch on Sunday, telling them that he still wanted to stay at the club.

Yet the club’s greatest idol stopped short of confirming that he would be taking up Chelsea’s new one-year contract offer, revealed on Friday, which is believed to feature a pay cut and whatTerry him-

self calls a “different role”.

Terry was suspended for Chelsea’s final game of the season, a 1-1 draw with champions Leicester City but, with club owner Roman Abramovich watching from the stands, took the microphone to talk to the fans.

“We all want the same,” Terry said. “I’ve said for a long time I want to finish my career here. I’ll be speaking to the club over the next few days. I want to stay, the

Rashford in 26-man England squad n AFP, London Manchester United’s teenage sensation Marcus Rashford and Newcastle United winger Andros Townsend were named in a provisional 26-man England squad for Euro 2016 yesterday.

The uncapped Rashford, 18, has burst onto the scene with United this season, scoring seven goals in 16 games, while Townsend, who won the last of his 10 England caps Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (City), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Tom Heaton (Burnley).

Defenders: Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Chris Smalling (United), John Stones (Everton), Kyle Walker (Tottenham), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Danny Rose (Tottenham), Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool).

Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham), Ross

in October, has impressed since joining Newcastle from Tottenham Hotspur in January.

Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere and Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson were both included after recent spells on the sidelines, but there was no place for Wilshere’s club-mate Theo Walcott.

Explaining Rashford’s call-up, England manager Roy Hodgson told a presser at Wembley: “He deserves to be selected." l Barkley (Everton), Fabian Delph (City), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Danny Drinkwater (Leicester), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Liverpool), Raheem Sterling (City), Andros Townsend (Newcastle), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal).

Strikers: Wayne Rooney (United), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (United).

club knows that, the fans know that. I want to stay.”

The 35-year-old’s eyes then began to well up as the fans interrupted him to chant: “John Terry, we want you to stay!”

It led Terry to continue in what also felt a little like a farewell address. “On a personal note I’d like to thank everyone,” he said. “This season has been tough for me, very emotional, so thank you for the support.

“Chelsea is my life, as it is yours.

The best moments of my life have been in this stadium. You’ve been a big part of that.”

Earlier, in the 26th minute of the match, a host of fans held up posters reading “John Terry 26”, referring to the captain’s shirt number, leading him to acknowledge the show of support.

“I’m happy that they are now in contact and are talking. Personally, I hope they manage to come to a

solution,” Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink said. “When they are talking then I mustn’t spoil it by starting to speculate.

“He is 35, when people normally say goodbye. But he’s physically very fit and mentally very fit, so he can contribute a lot wherever he wants to play.”

Terry made his Chelsea debut in 1998 and has played over 700 games for the London club, leading them to four Premier League titles. l

United face multi-million bill n AFP, Manchester A fake bomb inside Old Trafford that forced the abandonment of Manchester United’s last Premier League game of the season triggered angry calls yesterday for action as the club faced a multi-million pound bill for the “fiasco”.

As inquiries started into the incident which led to bomb disposal experts blowing up a mobile phone attached to a gas pipe, United vowed to reimburse the tickets of 75,000 fans who were evacuated Sunday ahead of the game against Bournemouth.

They will also give them free entry to today’s rearranged match against the south-coast side. That gesture alone could cost United more than three million pounds (3.8 million euros/$4.3 million).

Tony Lloyd, Manchester’s mayor and police and crime commissioner, said: “It is outrageous this situation arose.

“A full inquiry is required to urgently find out how this happened, why it happened and who will be held accountable.

“This fiasco caused massive inconvenience to supporters who had come from far and wide to watch the match, wasted the time of huge numbers of police officers and the army’s bomb squad, and unnecessarily put people in danger, as evacuating tens of thousands of people from a football stadium is not without risk.”

Officials said a company which

conducted a security exercise at Old Trafford had left the fake bomb - a mobile phone attached to a gas pipe - in a stadium toilet. The device was found just before Sunday’s kick-off and the evacuation ordered.

British media named the company that left the device in the stadium as Security Search Management and Solutions. l

A police dog sniffs the seats after the EPL match between Manchester United and Bournemouth was abandoned at Old Trafford on Sunday REUTERS

27

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

Djoker suffers rare loss as Murray takes Rome title n Reuters Andy Murray enjoyed the perfect 29th birthday present on Sunday, puncturing Novak Djokovic’s air of dominance by beating the out-of-sorts Serb in straight sets in the final of the Italian Open in Rome.

Just a week after Djokovic had beaten him in the final of the Madrid Open, the Scot gained his revenge over the world number one in another claycourt final with a superb 6-3 6-3 win in one hour and 35 minutes.

Djokovic was not at his best and in a grumpy mood, com-

plaining on several occasions to the umpire about the slippery court surface on a damp day at the Foro Italico.

Yet the defeat, just his third of the entire season, could not be totally put down to hints of weariness from Djokovic after a tough week’s work as he told Murray afterwards: “Well done Andy, you were just too good.”

It was an emphatic triumph, after finishing runner-up in Madrid and making the semi-finals in Monte Carlo, to convince Murray that he now must have his best shot yet at winning the French Open. l

Andy Murray of Great Britain returns the ball to Novak Djokovic of Serbia during the Italy Open final on Sunday REUTERS

Ayesha, Rumana steer Rupali Bank to victory n Tribune Report Opening batter Ayesha Rahman’s 80-run knock and leg-spinner Rumana Ahmed’s four-wicket haul guided Rupali Bank to a 42-run win over BKSP in the Dhaka Premier Division Women’s Cricket League yesterday.

Taking first guard, Rupali

Bank posted 171 runs on the board for the loss of seven wickets, thanks to Ayesha’s 90ball 80 featuring two fours and half a dozen sixes. In pursuit of 172, BKSP made a good start with opener Morsheda Khatun adding 62 runs to the tally but as the innings progressed, they lost regular wickets and eventually managed 129. l

DAY’S WATCH FOOTBALL TEN 1

CRICKET SONY SIX

12:45AM

8:30PM

Sky Bet Championship 2015/16

Indian Premier League

Hull City v Derby County

Pune v Delhi

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Sport

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

LA LIGA Team

GP W D L GD PTS

1 Barcelona CL 38 29 4 5 83

91

2 Real Madrid CL 38 28 6 4 76

90

3 Atletico CL

38 28 4 6 45

88

4 Villarreal CLQ 38 18 10 10 9

64

5 Athletic EL

38 18 8 12 13

62

6 Celta Vigo ELQ 38 17 9 12 -8

60

7 Sevilla

38 14 10 14 1

52

8 Málaga

38 12 12 14 3

48

9 Real Sociedad 38 13 9 16 -3

48

10 Real Betis

38 11 12 15 -18

45

11 Las Palmas 38 12 8 18 -8

44

12 Valencia

38 11 11 16 -2

44

13 Espanyol

38 12 7 19 -34

43

14 Eibar

38 11 10 17 -12

43

15 Deportivo

38 8 18 12 -16

42

16 Granada

38 10 9 19 -23

39

17 Sporting

38 10 9 19 -22

39

18 Vallecano R 38 9 11 18 -21

38

19 Getafe R

38 9

20 Levante R 38 8

9 20 -30 36 8 22 -33

32

Supporters wave FC Barcelona flags as their team parades on a bus through the streets of Barcelona to celebrate their 24th La Liga title on Sunday

Barca claim La Liga title, Stuttgart relegated SPAIN Luis Suarez notched his third hat-trick in five games as Barcelona won 3-0 at Granada to clinch their 24th La Liga title.

Suarez finished the season as La Liga’s top scorer with 40 goals, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s grip on the honour since 2009.

Barca ended with 91 points, one ahead of Real Madrid.

At the other end of the table, Sporting Gijon beat Villarreal 2-0 to prevail in a gripping three-way battle to avoid relegation as Getafe and Rayo Vallecano dropped into the second tier. They joined Levante, who had been relegated two weeks previously and finished bottom on 32 points.

ENGLAND Manchester City secured fourth place in the Premier League and Arsenal leap-frogged their arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur to finish second on the final day of the season.

LA LIGA 4-1

Las Palmas

Cop 28, Charles 48, 87, Atsu 83

Willian Jose 33

Malaga

Espanyol

4-2

Moreno 12, 78, Asensio 31, 67

Rayo Vallecano

3-1 2-1

Pezzella 56, Ruben Castro 73-pen

Sporting Gijon Jony 7, Alvarez 79

ITALY Serie A champions Juventus rounded off their campaign by thrashing Sampdoria 5-0. Napoli sealed second spot after Gonzalo Higuain bagged a hat-trick to break a 66-year goal record and help his side floor Frosinone 4-0.

The hat-trick took Higuain’s tally for the season to 36 league goals, which broke the record for most goals in a Serie A campaign set by Gunnar Nordahl for AC Milan in 1949-50.

Napoli secured the second Champions League berth while AS Roma finished third.

Carpi’s stay in the top flight ended after only one season and they will be joining Frosinone and Verona in Serie B next season despite ending the season with a 2-1 win at Udinese.

BUNDESLIGA Former champions VfB Stuttgart were relegated for the first time in 41 years after losing 3-1 at VfL Wolfsburg in the top- flight season finale.

Werder Bremen needed an 88th-minute goal by Papy Djilobodji to beat visiting relegation rivals Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 and keep their spot in the Bundesliga, with their opponents going into a playoff against Nuremberg, third in the second division.

Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski took the honours as the league’s top scorer with 30 goals after netting in the champions’ 3-1 victory over relegated Han-

Eibar Baston 57, Enrich 90

Hernandez 12, Trashorras 23, Miku 73

Real Betis

City drew 1-1 at Swansea City to earn the point they needed to book the last Champions League qualifying spot, Arsenal crushed Aston Villa 4-0 and Spurs were routed 5-1 at relegated Newcastle United.

Champions Leicester City drew 1-1 at Chelsea to end the campaign 10 points clear at the summit with only three league defeats all season.

The game between Manchester United and Bournemouth was abandoned after a security alert at Old Trafford.

2-0

Levante Verza 59-pen

Getafe Medran 84

Villarreal

Benfica goalkeeper Paulo Lopes rises the trophy to celebrate their 35th Portuguese league title at Luz stadium in Lisbon on Sunday AFP

over 96.

FRANCE Zlatan Ibrahimovic closed his Ligue 1 account with two goals as champions Paris St Germain thrashed Nantes 4-0 at home.

Lucas Moura and Marquinhos scored the other goals as Laurent Blanc’s side ended the season with a record points haul of 96.

Olympique Lyonnais fell to a surprise 4-1 defeat at relegated Stade de Reims, but pipped Monaco to second place on goal difference.

Toulouse avoided relegation on the final day after coming from behind to beat Angers, with Gazelec Ajaccio dropping into Ligue 2.

AFP

SERIE A 3-2

Hellas Verona

Vazquez 28, Maresca 51, Gilardino 64

Viviani 48, Pisano 84

2-4

Fiorentina

Palermo

Lazio

Lulic 2, Klose 74-pen

Vecino 31, 70, Bernardeschi 40, Tello 45

1-2

Udinese Di Natale 79-pen

Carpi Verdi 36-pen, 38

Chievo

0-0

Bologna

Empoli

2-1

Torino

Maccarone 13, Zielinski 54

Genoa Pavoletti 58

Obi 56

1-2

Atalanta

D’Alessandro 52, Kurtic 82

SERIE A

PORTUGAL

Team

Benfica clinched a record 35th Portuguese league title with a thumping 4-1 victory over Nacional, ending the season two points clear of rivals Sporting Lisbon.

Nicolas Gaitan scored twice, with top scorer Jonas and Pizzi also finding the net as Benfica cruised to their third consecutive championship.

1 Juventus CL 38 29 4 5 55

91

2 Napoli CL

38 25 7 6 48

82

3 Roma CLQ

38 23 11 4 42

80

GP W D L GD PTS

4 Inter Milan EL 38 20 7 11 12

67

5 Fiorentina ELQ 38 18 10 10 18

64

6 Sassuolo

38 16 13 9

9

61

7 Milan

38 15 12 11 6

57

8 Lazio

38 15 9 14 0

54

9 Chievo

38 13 11 14 -2

50

BELGIUM

10 Empoli

38 12 10 16 -9

46

11 Genoa

38 13 7 18 -3

46

Club Bruges claimed the Belgian championship for the first time in 11 years when they produced an emphatic display to thump closest challengers Anderlecht 4-0 for an unassailable lead in the standings.

Abdoulay Diaby scored twice within five minutes in the first half and Hans Vanaken and Timmy Simons added two more goals after the break to hand Michel Preud’homme’s club the title. l

12 Torino

38 12 9 17 -3

45

13 Atalanta

38 11 12 15 -6

45

14 Bologna

38 11 9 18 -12

42

15 Sampdoria 38 10 10 18 -13

40

16 Palermo

38 10 9 19 -27

39

17 Udinese

38 10 9 19 -25

39

18 Carpi R

38 9 11 18 -20 38

19 Frosinone R 38 8 20 Verona R

7 23 -41

31

38 5 13 20 -29 28

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Top room (5) 4 Drinking vessel (3) 6 Elliptical (4) 8 Tribal symbol (5) 9 Female horse (4) 11 Single entity (4) 12 Emits fumes (5) 15 Dissolves (5) 18 Authoritative decree (4) 20 Pimply condition (4) 21 Country (5) 22 Capital of Norway (4) 23 Period of time (3) 24 Scottish dances (5)

DOWN 1 Thespian (5) 2 Tenth part (5) 3 Hairdressing items (5) 4 Tribe (4) 5 Writer of verse (4) 7 Entertain (5) 10 Fissure (4) 13 Poem of heroism (4) 14 Flying toys (5) 15 Army rank (5) 16 Fall into disuse (5) 17 Curving recess (5) 18 Destiny (4) 19 Dwarf buffalo (4)

29

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Downtime

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 19 represents M so fill M every time the figure 19 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

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

Showtime

Vanessa making news for all the wrong reasons

Darkroom crosses 75 episodes n SK Farhan Rahman During a Valentine’s day trip to Coconino National Forest in Sedona, Arizona, Vanessa Hudgens carved a heart into a rock and has now been fined USD1,000. The act came to light after the actress took to Instagram to share a photo of the carving which had the words “Austin + Vanessa.” The post has since been deleted.

A misdemeanour was issued against the 27 year old for vandalising protected forest land, one that could have potentially

earned her six months in prison and a hefty USD5,000 fine.

According to Associated Press, Coconino National Forest service spokesman Brady Smith said, “She was caught in the act because she publicised it and she’s famous.”

The spokesman had previously told US Weekly, “This incident is currently under investigation, so there is not much I can share specifically since I am not privy to the details of an investigation until it is complete.”

“However, I can say that the issue of people carving their

names and other things in rocks in the Sedona and surrounding area is always a challenge that we face, and try to inform people about its destructive nature,” he continued.

Back in February, the former Disney star admitted that she had indeed, defaced the rock. Her fine was used by a volunteer group called Friends of the Forest, to restore the rock wall.

A federal magistrate approved the fine after an agreement was reached between the actress and authorities on April 19. l Source: Dailymail, People Magazine

n Showtime Desk Darkroom, the first ever photography show of Bangladesh has completed its 75th episode, recently.

In order to promote and encourage the photography industry, this is the very first attempt by popular satellite channel ATN Bangla to bring about promising photographers and related subjects, in front of the

audience.

The show is being hosted by young photographer Prito Reza and produced by Faruk Azam. Darkroom is a live program which is being telecast every Thursday, at 5.15pm. The show has several exciting segments like the photographer’s biography, photographic lessons, tips and so on. The show repeats on the next day of the live airing, at 1.15am. l

Shades of motherhood

n Rajnin Farzana The most precious gift of this world from the Creator, is one’s mother. The word “Ma” is imprinted in various dimensions in one’s heart.

In order to celebrate this years Mother’s Day, a two-week-long,

group exhibition titled “MA,” was inaugrated at Gallery Cosmos-2, House-115, Lane-6, New DOHS, Mohakhali in the capital on May 13.

Prominent artists including the likes of Samarjit Roy Chowdhury, Biren Shome, Farida Zaman, Jamal Ahmed, Nasreen Begum, Rokeya Sultana, Ivy Zaman, Shameem Subarna, Fareha Zeba, Gulshan Hossain, Kanak Chanpa Chakma, Bipasha Hayat and others are participating in this exhibition. A total of 37 paintings from 22 painters are being showcased.

Since the exhibition solely focuses on the artworks representing motherhood, everyone’s expectations from it is high enough for art enthusiasts to

visit the exhibition of renowned artists and see what they have to offer.

Spectators were dazzled to find out in exactly how many ways a mother and motherhood can be portrayed. One can find here, the ideal image of a mother feeding her baby on her lap to one who is seen adorning her girl.

A powerful picture where a mother is standing with four little children, facing an endless river or sea, may well make someone nostalgic. It is one of Jamal Ahamed’s paintings, where the body language of the subjects is seemingly calm, but with a strong wish to be carried out by the boatman who seems to have left them.

Spectators may be amused to see the visually-stunning painting

by Sourav Chowdhury where a fish is seen feeding four baby fishes.

Or the painting by Dilruba Latif,

where there is a heavenly zeal in the mother’s face while holding her baby tightly in her arms. The painting of the classic clay doll of Bengal by Samina Nafis, where a mother is seen holding her baby in one lap and a pitcher in another, may well remind one of a perfect

village scene.

Right in the middle of the art gallery, a few saris, the traditional attire of a Bengali mother, are used to decorate a wall. And who doesn’t know about the sari being the classic imagery of a Bengali mother with all its motherly smell and beauty?

Samarjit Roy Chowdhury is famous for using classic folk motifs which is also present in his paintings that are being featured in this exhibition. From tiny birds to flowers; his paintings have them all in its attempt to demonstrate the classic affectionate presentation of a Bengali mother.

Gallery Cosmos-2 is holding the exhibition which renders the various imagery of mother in myriad angles, dimensions and colours. The exhibition will run till May 26 with visiting hours from 12:00pm to 8:00pm, daily. l

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

Purple rain on the red carpet

n Showtime Desk Donning an elegant and classy gown paired with neatly done hair, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan blew away the minds of onlookers, triggering both criticism and appreciation, by wearing a purple lipstick on her third visit at the Cannes, this year.

The actress, who has always been a fashion icon and a trendsetter, made the daring move at the premiere of Sarbjit.

While many loved the colour and her look, others seemed shocked, who took to Twitter as soon as Ash walked out on to the red carpet.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan completed 15 years at Cannes this year. Who knows? Purple lips might just become the latest trend! But for now, here are a few examples of what people tweeted: “Forget everything, wear purple lips @Aishwarya rai bachchan”

n Showtime Desk Popular band Joler Gaan’s vocal Rahul Anand, who is also known for his acting for Prachyanat theatre troupe and on the small screen, was severely injured in a road accident in front of the Prime Minister’s office in the capital on Sunday around 6pm. The prominent musician underwent surgery on Sunday, May 15 in the capital.

He was immediately taken to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation and was later transferred to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he went through with the surgery.

“Dada’s physical condition is better now. He will be taken to the general cabin in the evening today

[yesterday]. He might be able to return home after a week,” said Konok Adittya, another member of the popular band Joler Gaan.

Rahul is currently staying at the post-operative recovery room under observation.

The doctors decided to conduct a surgery when Rahul was brought to the hospital with a gravely injured knee. The operation took place from 9pm to 12:30am.

Hearing about his accident, Cultural Minister Asaduzzaman Noor rushed to the hospital where different cultural personalities including Mamunur Rashid, Azad Abul Kalam, Afsana Mimi, Saju Khadem, Shotabdi Wadud, Sanjida Priti, journalist Munni Saha and other members of Joler Gaan and Prachyanat were present. l

WHAT TO WATCH I, Robot Star Movies, 7:06pm The film is set in the year 2035 when everyone is dependent on robots that are programmed to help make human life easier. Del Spooner (Will Smith) of the Chicago Homicide Department does not trust robots. He has no specific reason.

Cast: Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug HBO, 11:28pm A sequel to the first part The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, this film too follows the character Bilbo Baggins as he accompanies Thorin Oakenshield and his fellow Dwarves on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and to steal the Arkenstonefrom the dragon Smaug. During the dangerous journey, they fight against giant spiders, Orcsand Elves.

Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace

“Someone naturally beautiful like Aishwarya Rai made herself look ugly (purple lips wtf?) for Cannes. What’s wrong with the world” “#SarbjitPremiereAtCannes My first reaction on Aishwarya’s lips was like.. omg!! why did she used her daughter’s crayons on her lips?”

“I think Aishwarya’s makeup artist is sabotaging her. Wtf???

Like not just the lip colour but it made her lips look dry Af.” “Urban rich: Aishwarya’s lips look like she had black current ice cream.

Urban poor: Aishwarya’s lips look like she had kala khatta gola.”

“I am totally loving this! Aishwarya Rai breaking the law with purple lips and looking stunning #CannesFilmFestival” “The best bit is the lips!! If Loréal is not gonna set trends via Aishwarya at Cannes than who else will!!” l

Rahul Anand in hospital after accident

DT

Showtime

Machete WB, 11:36pm The highly skilled federale Machete (Trejo) is hired by some unsavory types to assassinate a senator. But just as he’s about to take the shot, he notices someone aiming at him and realises he’s been set up.

Cast: Danny Trejo, Steven Seagal, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey, Cheech Marin, Lindsay Lohan

Graphically Aminul n Showtime Desk The modern day media depends heavily on motion graphics. Aminul Islam is one of those young talents, who loves to play with graphic art and has built up his career in motion picture arena. Aminul has been working with Somoy TV for quite a long time and is contributing from his vast expertise in real time motion graphics.

He has already gathered work experience in several segments of the industry like dramas, TVCs, movies and

documentaries. Aminul wishes to create a suitable environment for aspiring motion graphic designers to pursue the trait as a career and set an example among young promising graphic artists. l

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TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

Back Page

NO DISTRICT BUDGET LIKELY FROM NEXT FISCAL YEAR PAGE 13

KALABAGAN CA SHOCK ABAHANI PAGE 24

PURPLE RAIN ON THE RED CARPET PAGE 31

Unfair removal attempt behind Narayanganj teacher humiliation? n Tanveer Hossain, Narayanganj Shyamal Kanti Bhakta, headteacher of Piyar Sattar Latif High School in Narayanganj Bandar upazila, has alleged that he was humiliated on Friday as part of the school’s management committee’s plan to unjustly remove him from his post.

The three-member probe committee formed in this connection also said the initial investigation had found conspiracy behind the incident as well as information about a conflict between Shyamal and the management committee.

Besides, the upazila nirbahi officer, Mousumi Habib, who visited the scene said the complaint filed by the student, who Shyamal had been accused of beating, had no mention of the teacher hurting religious sentiment.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid condemned the incident yesterday, and said the next course

of action would be decided after the investigation ended.

Shyamal told the Dhaka Tribune the school’s management committee had been trying to remove him for the past few months in order to replace him with Parveen Akhter, sister of the committee’s President Faruqul Islam.

“I have been working at the school since it opened. Now I am a victim of conspiracy of the management committee. Motiur Rahman and Mobarak Hossain of the committee, and peon of the Upazila Nirbahi Office Mizanur Rahman are the three persons who made serious attempts to remove me from my post. The whole thing has been stage-managed,” he claimed.

He also claimed Mizanur and Mobarak assaulted him on Friday at the order of Motiur, and they tried to kill him. “Just a day before, Motiur threatened me. The management committee would want

me to handle their affairs with compromise, but I would not do it. For this rigid stance, I had been reprimanded and threatened on several occasions in the past.”

According to Shyamal, he was forced to sign a resignation letter.

“They also forcefully took away my education and experience certificates, and the keys to the school.”

But the management committee denied Shyamal’s allegations, with Parveen and Motiur saying that no attempts were made to remove the headmaster.

Motiur said an administrative investigation into the incident was on.

Mobarak said a student and his mother were asked to come to the school based on an allegation that the pupil had been beaten by Shyamal. “We did nothing that led to the humiliation of Shyamal.”

Locals meanwhile said a poorly-erected boundary wall of the

school that collapsed in less than a week after it was built in September last year led to Shyamal’s discord with the management committee.

They said lawmaker Selim Osman donated Tk50 lakh for erecting the wall and three separate committees were formed to ensure proper utilisation of the money, but the committees misappropriated the fund instead of cooperating with each other.

Committee to probe further

The probe committee said information they had obtained after talking to several witnesses suggested conspiracies behind the incident.

AKM Nurul Amin, the upazila secondary education officer who heads the committee, said Shyamal was attacked at a meeting called over the beating of a student.

“Our investigation revealed that Shyamal had beaten up the stu-

dent, but we also received information that the attack on the headmaster was part of a conspiracy.

The loudspeaker announcement that provoked the mob to assault Shyamal was also false,” he said.

“We learned about the conflict between Shyamal and the management committee. We will give a detailed account in the probe report,” he added.

Narayanganj District Teachers’ Association harshly condemned Shyamal’s humiliation and called an urgent meeting for today.

President of the association Brajendranath Sarker said the next course of action would be discussed at the meeting.

Kalagachhia union parishad Chairman Delwar Hossain Pradhan said he had learned about Shyamal’s disagreement with the management committee and the ongoing investigation would reveal more details. l

DNA tests confirm Tonu was gang-raped TONU MURDER CASE

n Mohiuddin Molla, Comilla

A small child, restrained by his mother to keep him from wandering away as she concentrates on breaking bricks to earn the day’s livelihood, tries to break free as something in the distance sparks his curiosity. The photo was taken yesterday in Keraniganj, Dhaka SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Three people gang-raped Victoria College student and theatre activist Sohagi Jahan Tonu before killing her inside the Mainamati Cantonment on March 20, CID officials said yesterday.

“The evidence of rape has been found on her clothes,” Special Superintendent of Police in Comilla Nazmul Karim Khan said. “We have almost solved the case, and hope to identify the killers soon.”

Asked whether they had matched the DNA results with the suspects, he evaded a direct answer, and said that they had been analysing every information to identify the killers.

The first post-mortem examination did not find the evidence of

rape, and also could not ascertain the reason behind Tonu’s death.

Later the body was exhumed for DNA tests.

Tonu’s parents on May 10 blamed army sergeant Jahid, his wife and soldier Jahid for the murder, saying that Tonu had turned down a request made by the sergeant Jahid to sing at an army programme.

The CID has so far interrogated more than a dozen suspects including two army officers in connection with the sensational case.

“To confirm about the occurrence of rape, we contacted with the physician. They did not find any evidence of rape saying that no specimen was preserved.

Later we sent Tonu’s clothes to the CID office for DNA tests,” Nazmul said.

Dr Kamda Prasad Saha, leader of the team conducting the second post-mortem examination, said that the report would be submitted to the court very soon. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207. Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com