24 June, 2016

SECOND EDITION

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016 | Ashar 10, 1423, Ramadan 18, 1437 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 62 | www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages plus 24-page Weekend supplement | Price: Tk10

‘Budget unlikely to create jobs’ n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi The upcoming budget will not create new jobs as it lacks short-term measures to boost investment, say businessmen and trade analysts.

The country's economic situation will be alarming, they warn, since unemployment is rising every year while implementation of the infrastructure development projects is sluggish.

They, however, agree that the situation would improve in the long run as the budget has indication of long-term investment through establishing economic zones, generating more power and executing infrastructure projects.

“New investment creates new jobs. But now businessmen dare not go for new investment,” FBCCI First Vice-President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin told the Dhaka Tribune.

In the proposed budget, he said, the government has offered measures for long-term investment but not for short- or mid-term, which is needed for new job creation.

According to Finance Minister AMA Muhith's budget speech, during 2010-15 period, a total 4.7 million people entered the labour market – 98% of them in the local market.

Moreover, the proposed budget added salt to the wound of the business community as there are more taxes compared to the previous year. Shafiul said: “If these issues are not addressed properly in

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time, there will be no investment and no employment.”

Former finance adviser to a caretaker government ABM Mirza Azizul Islam doubts the infrastructure projects can be completed in time.

“Measures to improve infrastructure, skill development and ener-

gy have been taken in the budget, which may lure investment. But the question is whether the government will be able to implement the projects timely,” he said.

Since these projects would need more than a year to be completed, “this will not contribute to attracting

investment in the current fiscal year, a precondition for new employment generation,” Mirza Aziz said.

He stressed the need for ensuring good governance and increasing the institutional capacity to complete the schemes in time.

Mir Nasir Hossain, former pres-

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

PM: AL committed to fulfil people's expectations n BSS

Rajshahi city suffers long power outage Life of people living in Rajshahi city and its suburbs came to a halt due to power cut caused by the collapse of Katakhali grid sub-station.

SEHRI & IFTAR

Ramadan 18 19 20

ident of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), told the Dhaka Tribune: “Since the size of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) has increased, there will be some new jobs. But the desired investment and employment depend on the implementation of the budget.

“Investment as well as employment generation will increase if the government provides uninterrupted electricity and gas to the industries on priority basis.” Nasir added that addressing the primary issues would attract investments as there are positive elements in the economy.

The RMG sector is the largest sector that employs over 4.4 million people. Investment in the sector can create more jobs, especially for the rural women. But the owners think the sector is not investment friendly as the government has imposed 1.5% tax at source, while the corporate tax is still high.

“Production cost of the apparel sector has gone up by 8% to 10% due to compliance issues, while the prices of products fell in the US and EU markets. As a result, profits came down to a marginal level, even no loss no profit in some cases,” Siddiqur Rahman, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), told the Dhaka Tribune.

“How will investors invest if there is no savings?” he said,

June 24 25 26

Sehri – 3:40 3:41

Iftar 6:53 6:53 6:53

Source: Islamic Foundation

Expressing her firm resolve to fulfil the expectations of the people, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said none could destroy the party due to its roots in people, and the right decisions made by grassroots-level leaders during any crisis period.

Pointing out her government’s vision to build a middle-income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041, she said each and every party worker should work honestly with the ideology of Bangabandhu to build up the organisation and build up their own life.

Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Awami League, said this in a discussion organised by Bangladesh Awami League at Bangabandhu International Conference

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina places wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi in Dhaka yesterday morning, marking the 67th founding anniversary of the Awami League BSS Centre marking the 67th founding anniversary of the party.

On this day in 1949, Awami League, the country’s oldest political party, was founded at the

historic Dhaka’s Rose Garden with Moulana Bhasani as the president, Shamsul Haque as general secretary and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as joint secretary.

Hasina said the Awami League is the main player behind every achievement of Bangladesh and its people including the dignity of the mother language and national freedom.

Since its inception, the Awami League has remained in constant struggle to establish the rights of the people, she said, adding that the party in fact came into being to change the lot of the depressed and oppressed people and that the countrymen have got something whenever the party came to power.

Awami League advisory council members Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed and Professor Anupam Sen, presidium members Matia Chowdhury and Mohammad Nasim, Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and Jahangir  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

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‘Country’s savings per capita is Tk25,843’ n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith yesterday estimated the country’s savings per capita to be at Tk25,843.

The finance minister told the parliament that according to 201516 fiscal year, the savings per capita of the people is estimated to be Tk25,843.

Answering a query, he said three out of the six state-owned commercial banks have been facing a capital crisis.

Until March 31, 2016, Sonali Bank’s deficit was recorded at Tk2,850 crore while the figure of Rupali Bank is Tk444 crore and Tk2,236 crore for Basic Bank.

The finance minister said that according to the NBR there are around 10,000 foreigners working in Bangladesh and 7,676 of them have paid income tax amounting to Tk284.82 crore.

During the question answer session, he said the amount of remittance to India from Bangladesh was $30.75 million in 2012-13 FY while and the figure for Bangladesh was $18.75 million.

Among the 1963,331 registered tax payers, there are 315,831 female taxpayers in the country. l

Audit objection twice the proposed budget n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The amount of audit objection is more than double of the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2016-17.

The total amount of audit objection is Tk778,739.85 crore while the proposed budget is Tk340,605 crore.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith made the disclosure in reply to a query of a starred question from Muhibur Rahman Manik in parliament yesterday.

The budget session of the parliament started with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair and she tabled all the questions.

The finance minister said there are 876,013 unsettled audit objections against public organisations, which involves Tk778,739.85 crore.

Analysing the list provided by the minister, banks and financial institutions currently have a large quantity of audit objections of Tk145,996.16 crore.

On the other hand, the Local Government Division faces the largest number of audit objection of Tk182,860 crore. l

Employees of ICDDRB in Dhaka stage a demonstration yesterday at the organisation’s premises to press home their demands which include cancellation of the lease with Brac University, returning of the scientific journal from abroad and re-installation of laboratory MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Picked up in Dhaka, found in Chandpur n Ibrahim Rony, Chandpur

A retired school teacher who was picked up from the National Press Club area while observing a hunger strike against a former home minister on Monday morning reportedly appeared at Kochua police station in Chandpur the very next day.

Arjan Kanti Poddar laid on the footpath beside the main entrance of the press club around 11am, hanging a banner from the boundary wall that read “Hunger strike protesting the

grabbing of 4 acre land worth Tk11 crore by Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir in the name of Kochua Development Forum,” eyewitnesses said.

But within 20 minutes, a microbus came to the spot and some people picked him up forcibly introducing themselves as members of Banani police.

When contacted yesterday, Banani and Shahbagh police claimed that they had no idea about the incident.

Local sources said that the land

situated at Poa village under Kochua belonged to five relatives of Arjan but grabbed in 1994 by the former Awami League minister who is an incumbent lawmaker. The family was evicted from the house eventually. He could not lodge a complaint against MK Alamgir on the matter fearing reprisal.

A local seeking anonymity alleged that Arjan had been picked up by the MP’s men and handed over to Kochua police the same night. His family members re-

ceived him from the police station the next morning.

Kochua police OC Ibrahim Khalil refuted the allegation that the MP’s men had been behind the alleged abduction. “He came to the police station on Monday evening and was complaining over several issues. So we asked him to submit a formal complaint describing the matter precisely.

“He then said that he would take step after consulting his relatives,” the OC said. l

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‘Budget unlikely to create jobs’ PM: AL committed to fulfil urging the government to reinstate the previous rate of tax at source.

“The business community looks forward to directives in the budget to promote investment, trade and exports, and to maximise their impact on growth. The budget should address the concerns of the investors and galvanise investments,” said Syed Nasim Manzur, president of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI).

But the main focus of this year’s budget remains revenue collection, which would be a burden for the existing taxpayers, said Nasim, warning that it would not only discourage the existing taxpayers but also create new avenues for corruption and poor governance.

Since the local investment is stagnant, there will be less investment from the foreign investors, say experts on the foreign direct

investment (FDI) in the next fiscal year.

According to the central bank data, Bangladesh last year received $2.23m as FDI from several countries.

“The decline in private investment and GDP ratio gives rise to the concern about sustainability of the 7% plus growth rate in the coming years,” said Ahsan H Mansur, executive director of Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh.

“Private investment has remained virtually stagnant at 22% of the GDP, with FDI accounting for less than 1%, both being well short of their Seventh Five Year Plan,” said Mansur.

“Breaking out of the 6% plus range in a sustainable manner will require massive efforts in attracting private investment of foreign and domestic origins,” he added. l

Kabir Nanak, and Organising Secretary Ahmed Hossain took part in the discussion.

Recalling the long history of the party, the prime minister said Awami League had to sustain through struggles. The party had to face four military dictators as well as evil forces that were out to distort country’s history and destroy democracy.

Hasina said Awami League restored the people’s right to vote and bread, and that Awami League leaders and workers have sacrificed most in the country’s history for realising rights of the people.

She said all military dictators including Iskandar Mirza, Ayub Khan, Ziaur Rahman and Ershad and even Khaleda Zia tried to split Awami League. Pakistani rulers had hatched conspiracy against Bangabandhu after launching of

the historic six-point demand.

Bangabandhu was arrested repeatedly and legal suits were filed against him in every district where he addressed a meeting on sixpoint demand. After the 1957 conference, she said Moulana Bhasani left Awami League. At that time Bangabandhu relinquished his ministerial job to organise the party, which is a great lesson for party leaders, she said.

The prime minister said Bangabandhu had to overcome many hurdles to organise the Awami League and he visited every nook and corner of Bangladesh to organise the party.

The non-cooperation movement called by Bangabandhu against the Pakistani regime was an unprecedented political event and manifestation of his ability to mobilise people, Hasina said. l

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Muhith: VAT dispute fee may go down n Asif Showkat Kallol

The government is considering bringing down the amount of Value Added Tax (VAT) to be paid for filing appeal against assessments of the revenue authorities.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday agreed with a proposal from Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on implementation of the provision.

The minister also agreed to two other proposals from foreign investors on defining the financial year for tax assessments and the bar on investing gratuity funds in government savings instruments.

Muhith was attending a post-

budget discussion meeting titled 'Adverse impact upon the member companies of FICCI from proposed budget provision' with the FICCI delegation, led by its president Rupali Chowdhury, at the Finance Ministry auditorium.

“I will reconsider the appeal VAT rate which has been proposed to be raised to 50% from 10% and gratuity funds may be allowed to invest in savings instruments,” he said.

He also said the amount for filing appeal may be set at 15%.

With the FY17 budget, the government has proposed that VAT payers have to deposit 50% of the disputed VAT or penalty before making an appeal to the National

Board of Revenue's appeal commissioners against the assessment or decisions of field-level VAT officials.

Another 50% of the disputed VAT will be required in making an appeal to the Tax Appellate Tribunal against the decision of the appeal commissioner, as per proposed measures.

Currently, VAT payers need to pay only 10% of disputed amount at each stage of appeals.

The minister also said the government would consider allowing foreign investors to assess their income tax for a January to December financial year instead of the existing July to June year.

FICCI President Rupali Chowd-

hury said foreign investors would not come to Bangladesh as there is still lack of infrastructure for new investments like gas and electricity connection.

She claimed that only $2 billion foreign investment came to Bangladesh which was very poor compared to Vietnam and Myanmar.

The FICCI president said that the corporate tax rate had been hiked to 35% from 25% in two years.

“If this is not reduced, foreign investors will not feel encouraged to invest in Bangladesh while existing investors will face trouble in expanding their industries,” she said.

In response, Muhith said gas connections would be provided to

factories by the end of 2017 as new LNG plants will be set up by then.

FICCI member and Lafarge Surma Cement Limited Chief Financial Officer Masud Khan said it was not possible to pay a 50% VAT for filing an appeal for VAT disputes as it will create heavy burden on foreign and local companies.

He also said people were not being benefited from gratuity funds as the interest on profit is only 2% and suggested that investment in savings instruments should be allowed.

“Lafarge has business in 90 countries, but our accounts cannot be properly consolidated in Bangladesh due to the July-June fiscal year,” Masud Khan said. l

NGO worker shot, mugged of Tk5 lakh n Arifur Rahman Rabbi

The photo, taken yesterday from a footbridge in Dhaka’s Rayerbagh, shows how pedestrians - including some with infants in their arms - squeeze through a chest-high central reservation and ignore oncoming traffic to cross the road, oblivious of the fact that a footbridge is just a few feet away MEHEDI HASAN

Muggers getting reckless ahead of Eid n Kamrul Hasan

Muggers in Dhaka are becoming desperate to make money ahead of Eidul-Fitr as more and more people are becoming their victims every day.

Some victims were required to be admitted to hospital for treatment.

Police sources said more then 500 incidents of mugging took place in Dhaka last month.

An intelligence report submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs says 282 muggers and dope gangs are active in Dhaka ahead of Eid but the number of crimes committed by them are not going down.

An NGO official named Saiful Islam Murad was shot yesterday afternoon and Tk5 lakh was snatched from him in Hazaribagh.

The incident took place hours after Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)

Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia announced that police would open fire to stop mugging in Dhaka if necessary.

On Wednesday evening, BBC journalist Sharmin Roma was mugged near Sultana Kamal Mahila Complex in Dhanmondi. She sustained injuries in her right shoulder as the mugger pulled her bag and dragged her on the road, BBC Bangla reported.

DMP Assistant Commissioner (Dhanmondi zone) Ruhul Amin Sagor told the Dhaka Tribune police were looking into the incident but none had been arrested in this connection.

In another incident on Sunday, Sadia Akhter Chowdhury, a master’s student at Eden College, fell prey to muggers near Bangladesh Medical College Hospital while on her way to the exam hall in New Market area.

She got injured in the head, nose

and shoulder as she fell from rickshaw when her purse was snatched.

Sadia’s family did not go to police to report the crime. Her elder brother Rasel A Chowdhury Rajib said: “I am a victim of bomb attack and did not get justice. So what would happen even we file a general diary over what happened to my sister?”

Victims say the crimes are mostly taking place in the early hours of the day and also late at night, with some happening even near police checkpoints. Many of the criminals also introduced themselves as law enforcers.

Police said they had identified some 50 mugging-prone areas in Dhaka, including Agargaon, Taltola, Mirpur Zoo road, Jatrabari, Chittagong road, Sayedabad, areas adjacent to Dhaka University, Bangshal, Gulshan and Badda.

They said they were increasing

patrol in those areas to check crimes.

After a meeting with law enforcement agencies at the Secretariat, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday told reporters he had directed members of the agencies to work efficiently in order to prevent any sort of untoward incident in the capital.

Meanwhile, after attending a meeting on law and order and traffic management in Gabtoli area yesterday, DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia said police were taking stern action to stop crimes such as snatching and mugging.

“Police will open fire on criminals if necessary because the law says they can do so to protect people’s life and property,” he explained.

Police also issued a press release yesterday, seeking people’s assistance in stopping crimes like mugging. l

A group of miscreants shot an NGO worker and mugged Tk5 lakh from him in Dhaka's Hazaribagh area yesterday afternoon.

The victim was Saiful Islam Murad, 30, from Arambagh of Dhaka.

Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Police Outpost Sub-Inspector Bachchu Mia told the Dhaka Tribune that Saiful, who was shot in the right thigh, was admitted to the hospital around 2pm.

Hazaribagh police station OC Mir Alimujjaman said the incident took place when Saiful, who worked for Medicine Sans Frontiers (MSF) located in Kamrangirchar, was on his way to office in a car around 12:15pm after withdrawing Tk5 lakh.

When Saiful reached Hazaribagh glass factory area, four to five muggers in a motorcycle blocked the car he was in and mugged the Tk5 lakh shooting him in the leg, he added.

When asked, the OC said no one was arrested in this regard yet arrest.

Meanwhile, Shanta Begum, 30, wife of expatriate Mohammad Ripon, was also injured by muggers when they snatched Tk1.55 lakh from her in Badda area of Dhaka.

SI Bachchu Mia of DMCH confirmed that Shanta received primary treatment at the hospital.

Quoting Shanta, he said: “Her husband was supposed to come today [yesterday] from Africa but he did not, so she and her daughter were returning home from the airport in a taxi when the incident happened.”

He said when she reached Badda area, two muggers entered the taxi and took them hostage at gunpoint. Then they took away Tk1.55 lakh and a necklace from her and dropped them in a quiet area inside Aftabnagar. l

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PM seeks people’s help Bapex-Gazprom joint venture on to root out militancy n BSS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday sought cooperation of the countrymen towards stamping out terrorism and militancy for maintaining peaceful atmosphere in Bangladesh.

“We are taking action against terrorism and militancy so that peaceful atmosphere prevails in the country ... we seek cooperation of the countrymen to this end,” she said.

The prime minister sought the cooperation while participating in a discussion on the 67th founding anniversary of Bangladesh Awami League in the House. Industries Minister and senior Awami League leader Amir Hossain Amu initiated the unscheduled discussion on rule 302.

The Leader of the House said there are some elements who always orchestrate conspiracies. “But we will have to move forward to build Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Bangabandhu by foiling the plots,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh Awami League, the country’s oldest political party, established democracy and led the nation towards gradual socio-economic development.

In this connection, the AL president sought support and doa of the countrymen for further advancing the country by building a hunger and poverty-free Sonar Bangla.

“We seek cooperation and doa of the countrymen to serve them and ensure their better and peaceful life,” she said.

Pointing out that establishment of Awami League and Bangladesh’s independence are inter-linked, the Prime Minister said whatever Bangladesh achieved so far that came under the leadership of Awami League.

“The Awami League has contribution to all movements of the country from the Language Movement to Liberation War. If we see the list of martyrs, the Awami League, Jubo League leaders the most who sacrificed their lives for realising the rights of the people,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the people of the country had to cross hurdles and transition period time and again. “But the Awami League always stayed by the people, worked for their welfare and struggled for realising their rights,” she said.

“Whatever the country’s people achieved that came during the period of Awami League governments, but the people were deprived of all things when the other governments were in power,”’ she said.

The leader of the House said Awami League’s 67-year history is a history of sacrifice and struggle in one hand, while its history is achieving independence for the country and taking the country towards socioeconomic uplift in the other. l

the cards Rahman n Aminur Rasel To conduct both on-shore and off-shore oil and gas exploration, state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (Bapex) is planning to form a joint venture company with Russian company Gazprom.

The decision was made at a meeting between Nasrul Hamid, the state minister for the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, and a ten-member Russian delegation led by Gazprom Managing Director Andrey Fick at the secretariat, a ministry official told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

During the meeting, Nasrul said that to conduct exploration works in the quickest possible time, Bapex must become an international standard company. The capacity of the company should be increased up to that standard with which it can conduct exploration work at both home and abroad.

Nasrul ordered to form

PM to open four-lane highways before Eid n Shohel Mamun

a working group comprising of both Bapex and Gazprom officials that will facilitate all necessary procedures including the issues of registration in the joint stock company to form a joint venture company.

He stressed importance on developing human resources and said that Gazprom could help Bangladesh through knowledge sharing, training and technology sharing.

Gazprom’s Fick said the Russian company was interested to work for the development of the energy sector of Bangladesh. Gazprom can aid Bangladesh by forming a joint venture company with Bapex and conduct exploration work at both on-shore and off-shore.

It can also help with technical know how, geological data analysis and several training facilities, Firk added.

Energy Secretary Nazimuddin Chowdhury, Petrobangla Chairman Ishtiaq Ahmed, and Bangladeshi Ambassador to Russia Dr Saiful Haq were also present. l

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set inaugurate the Dhaka-Chittagong and Joydebpur-Mymensingh fourlane highway before Eid-ul-Fitr, according to Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.

Quader made the statement while talking to journalists during a visit to Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka on Thursday.

He said the prime minister on July 2, will open the four-lane highway at a programme held at Bangabandhu International conference center.

On Dec 26, 2005 the ECNEC had approved the Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane highway which was to be completed by June 2012 but the deadline kept getting extended.

However, the highway will still be under construction when it opens in July.

A Roads and Highway official said: “around 90% of the construction is complete and the rest will be done by December this year.” “the construction work has been almost been completed, just some work like central reservations, road markings and three plantation is still going on” road transport and bridges minister said.

“The two new highway is the prime minister’s gift to the people on Eid” the minister added.

The Joydebpur-Mymensingh highway constuction project began in July 2010 under the supervision of the RHD. l

Canadian International School holds convocation ceremony n Tribune Desk The Canadian International School yesterday, held its annual convocation ceremony at Radisson Blu hotel in Dhaka.

The ceremony was celebrated with a theme “Walking the Red Carpet of Life.”

Inspector General of PoliceA K M Shahidul Hoque attented the event as chief guest. The

event was attended by Vice-Chancellor of North South University, Professor Atiqul Islam, Counsellor and Deputy Director, Operations (Development), High Commission of Canada Brian Allemekinders, and Chairman ATN Bangla Dr Mahfuzur Rahman.

Chairman of Canadian International School Mohammad Kamaluddin, high school principal Cayla Cohen gave speeches on the occasion. l

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ISPR: Claim of murder attempt on Tonu’s father imaginary n Tribune Desk The army authorities yesterday claimed that the force’s image could be tarnished because of the baseless and imaginary allegations being made by the family members of slain college student Sohagi Jahan Tonu.

“Bangladesh Army has been providing complete and sincere assistance to the authorities concerned who are investigating the sad murder of Tonu. Like the people of the country, the patriotic Bangladesh Army too wants that the real killers are identified and brought to trial by arresting them,” said a statement of the Inter-service Public Relations (ISPR) sent yesterday.

“But Tonu’s family members

demeaning someone personally or curbing the freedom of any individual.”

Regarding the allegation that attempts were made to kill Tonu’s father Yaar Ali when he had gone near the murder spot recently, the ISPR statement said: “Tonu’s father is a current member under the Comilla Cantonment Board and he enjoys security like the other members.

“The attempt to run him over by a bus or motorcycle is entirely an imaginary issue which the family had not shared with anyone so far. Yaar Hossain failed to give any credible information when his senior officer – the cantonment executive officer (CEO) who is a first class government official on deputation – inquired about the incident.

“Moreover, since he never

have raised baseless and inconsistent allegations at different times and on different issues which may stain the image of Bangladesh Army.

“Tonu’s family has been given every facility enjoyed by the other families living inside the [Mainamati] cantonment. They have not been barred from moving freely.

Soon after the murder, guards were deployed near the house as a primary step for the sake of their security and investigation.

“But the guards were withdrawn as the situation improved later.

“On the other hand, visitors are questioned [at the entrance] for identity verification before they are allowed to enter the cantonment area for the sake of security.

This defence rule is not meant for

lodged a complaint about the matter with the army authorities or the investigators, it seems inconsistent considering merit.”

The statement also said that Tonu’s family had been living inside the cantonment like the other families. The army authorities are pledge-bound to provide every necessary assistance to Tonu’s bereaved family and in the investigation, it added.

On March 29, the ISPR issued another statement urging the media to run comments responsibly over the incident.

It said that Tonu’s body had been found in an area adjacent to Comilla cantonment and noted that baseless comments by vested quarters regarding the army and attempts to confuse people were not

desirable.

The statement said that the army had been assisting the investigators since the beginning and expressed determination to do so.

In a statement issued on March 25 – five days after Tonu’s body was found, the army authorities said that they were providing full support to the police in investigating the murder case.

The ISPR statement said that the unconscious body of Tonu had been found in the bordering area of the cantonment by her father and he then informed the military police. Tonu was taken to the Combined Military Hospital there and the duty-doctor declared her dead.

“Efforts have been taken to dig out the reason behind the murder,” the statement said. l

‘Police will open fire if necessary to stop crime’ n Kamrul Hasan

O’Level and A’Level students of Scholastica pose for a picture with the school’s senior campus Principal Kaiser Ahmed, its teachers and guests who were present during their graduation ceremony yesterday at Uttara, Dhaka MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Scholastica holds graduation ceremony n Tribune Desk Scholastica school yesterday celebrated the academic achievements of its O and A level students during a graduation ceremony at their campus in Uttara.

Kazi Inam Ahmed, director of Bangladesh Cricket Board and Gemcon group said to the graduates: “It is a day of celebration. You have all worked very hard and this is possibly one of the biggest exams or hurdle you have completed in your life.”

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

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like previous Scholastica graduates and make the country proud.”

Principal of senior campus, Uttara, Brig Gen Kaiser Ahmed said in his speech: “The young learners relentlessly pursue developing various skills to complement the academic programme that we offer.”

A total of 474 students were awarded graduation certificates at the ceremony. The three-day long celebration ended with a cultural programme with the graduates and their parents in attendance. l

He said that his friends from in his schools days have gone on to achieve new heights such as becoming a member of the British parliament, authors, film makers, successful businessmen, owners of four different BPL franchise, fellow collegue at BCB, working in global giants work like google, etc.

However, success is about to achieving your goals by working hard, having perseverance and tenacity, he further said.

He added: “I am sure many of you will achieve such great feats Dhaka

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Police will open fire, when necessary, to tackle crimes such as muggings and extortions ahead of Eidul-Fitr, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah has said.

The DMP chief warned at view-exchange meeting on law and order and traffic management in Dhaka’s Gabtoli area on Thursday morning.

He said the police are going take strict action against criminals including instances of extortions and mugging in the capital city and will open fire on the criminals if necessary.

The law has provisions for police being able to fire at criminals to protect people’s life and wealth, he explained.

Talking with journalists, he also denied allegations that “police are killing criminals in crossfires.

“They were killed in encounter, but not in crossfire.”

He said law enforcers open fired in retaliation as the law gives them the right to defend themselves when criminals attack.

According to the Code of Criminal Procedure, members of the police force can open fire in self defence any time a criminal opens fire at law enforcers, he told the journalists. l

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Khulna

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Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:13AM

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25.0ºC Tetulia

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Sylhet

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Fajr: 3:51am | Jumma: 1:15pm Asr: 5:15pm | Magrib: 7:03pm Esha: 8:45pm Source: Islamic Foundation

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Acute drinking water crisis hits the south n Kudrote Khuda Sobuj, Kushtia

People of the south-western part of the country are facing an acute drinking water crisis because of the Farakka Barrage in India.

This has forced locals to use the underground water level reserve which is receding at an alarming rate as big and small rivers dry up.

Sources at the Department of Public Health Engineering said the tube-wells in Kushtia, Magura, Jhenidah, Jessore, Meherpur, Chuadanga and different parts of Khulna cannot draw sufficient amount of water.

The lowest level of water flow is at the once mighty Gorai River, the main branch of Padma River, said Executive Engineer Abdus Sattar of Ganga-Kabodak Irrigation Project.

This drastic fall in the flow of water has caused at least seven of the 15 rivers - Hisna, Kaliganga, Kumar, Hamkumra, Harihar, Chitra, and Kali, which are dependent on the Gorai River, to be nearly dead.

This has also resulted in the ecological balance of the entire region under serious threat.

The 386-kilometre long Gorai River is an important source of fresh water in the south-western region, depends on the Padma River for its flow of water.

For the past three decades the flow of water in the Padma has been increasingly lean leaving the Gorai River almost during the dry season from December to May. Consequently, increased salinity in the coastal areas of the greater Khulna region poses a se-

rious threat to the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest.

Increasing salinity in the region also has an adverse effect on drinking water and surrounding nature, fishery, agriculture, navigability and trade in the vast area of the region.

Though the water crisis increases during the dry season, there has not been any steps taken by the authorities to address the matter.

The ecological balance of the north-western and eastern regions has already been destroyed and all related sectors like agriculture, environment and biodiversity have been adversely affected.

The Padma, flowing through the north-western and eastern parts of the country, has turned into a virtual desert over the last 14 years

due to ‘Farakka Effect’ and appears to be the final stages of dying.

Drastic fall in the ground water level, heavy deposition of silt, emergence of numerous shoals and erosion has posed as a serious threat to the overall ecological balance of the northern region.

The slow desertification of the region is also contributed by the decreasing levels of under ground water levels. It has already decreased by 90 feet.

The Padma river is now at a record level low at Paksey point, according to Sub-Assistant Engineer of Paksey Railway Division Dipak Chandra Bose.

Many of the fresh water fish have already disappeared because of the desertification across Kushtia. Rivers, tributaries, canals,

Two get life term for killing in Ctg

One held for derogatory comment about PM on Facebook n Mohammed Afzal Hossain,

n Tribune Desk

Tangail

Police arrested a man at Kalihati upazila in Tangail yesterday for making derogatory comment about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Facebook. The arrested was Russel Talikdar, 28, son of Suruzzaman Talukdar at Pichuri village.

Akheruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Kalihati police station, said Russel uploaded cartoon and posted derogatory comment about PM on social media Facebook. He was arrested from Alenga Bus Station area in the evening, said the OC. l

marshes and other water bodies are drying up fast.

Sources said at least eight lakh shallow tube-wells have been installed in 10 districts of the south-western region so far with government and private initiatives of which about 4.5 lakh cannot reach the underground water level.

A source of the DPHE told the Dhaka Tribune that the groundwater level in some parts of Kushtia district has gone down by 26ft.

He said: “all the rivers in the south-western region have dried up as India withdrew water from the Padma River through the Farakka Barrage.”

Meanwhile, experts said that one of the major reasons behind the decrease in water levels is the excessive use of shallow tube-well. l

People of several organisations in Satkhira form a human chain yesterday in front of press club in the town demanding dredging of the Betna River DHAKA TRIBUNE

A court yesterday sentenced two people to life-term imprisonment for killing a trader in Boakhali upazila on August 15, 1996.

The convicts are Sudip Chowdhury and Joydip Chowdhury, residents of Kanundapara village of the upazila.

According to the prosecution, the convicts had an enmity with cloth trader Jagodish Chandra Das over drug trading.

Following the enmity, the rivals opened fire on Jagodish on August 15, 1990, leaving him on the spot. l

Raipur-Haidarganj Road in dire state n Saiful Islam Swapan, Lakshmipur A large portion of the Raipur-Haidarganj Road constructed by Local Government Engineering Department (LGRD) has turned into dilapidated condition surprisingly within one year passed after the completion of its repair works.

According to local sources, around 11 kilometer of the road worsen in a short time as gigantic potholes developed at major points.

The road is very important to locals as it has connected Lakshmipur and Noakhali districts through Raipur-Haidarganj and Haimchar-Charbhoirabi.

A total of five primary schools, two secondary schools, two madrsas, two colleges, a health centre and a family planning office are situated beside the road.

The students of schools and colleges and officers of the institutions alleged that they have to face very hazardous situation on the way due to dilapidated

situation of the road.

They claimed the drivers charged money double from them taking the opportunity of the dire situation.

A trucker named Mofizuddin said: “The road is very important to go to other parts of the country from the district town. We have been compelled to use the road amid great danger.”

A bus driver namely Murad Hossain said: “Let alone potholes, even we cannot properly see the vehicles come from opposite direction owing to the dense dust. The road costs around two hours to cross a distance of 20-minute. The road’s sorry state damage machinery and tyres of our vehicles and many people become victim of accident there as well.”

Locals alleged that asphalt and gravel started getting loose just some days after the end of the carpeting and since then its condition on the track of worsening in course of time.

As a result, major and minor acci-

dents became prevalent on the road, even many of them were fatal. During plying, drivers struggle to keep the control over their vehicles.

Some passengers opined that they used to face dense hazardous dust and intolerable shaking during passing the road.

According to the local residents, the road also breaks the cars, which may cause accidents. Many people think that this road section needs capital repairs.

The upazila engineering department was supposed to repair the road at Tk6 lakh last year. But the work has not been done yet for unknown reason.

Alamgir Mazhi, chairman of Dakhinchar Ababil union council, said: “I have requested local MP and the LGRD men several times to repair the road.

But no steps have been taken yet in this regard.”

LGRD Engineer Md Akter Hossain said a project of Tk10 crore had been taken to repair the road. l

7

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

Rajshahi city dwellers' life comes to a halt due to power outage n Abdullah Al Dulal, Rajshahi The life of people living in Rajshahi city and its suburbs came to a halt due to power cut caused by the collapse of Katakhali grid sub-station that provides the whole region with electricity.

Townspeople said the load shedding paralysed their normal life as they could not be able to do their regular work.

Local sources said the power supply was suspended on Wednesday evening after a heavy downpour, but it could not be restored till 9pm yesterday, much to create dissatisfaction among city residents.

Rafiqul Islam, a resident of Saheb Bazar, said: “We have been facing acute water crisis since Wednesday as we cannot operate our water pump without electricity.”

He said people could not prepare sehri as well as iftar due to water crisis.

“Many of us were compelled to buy water for household use as we could not even get water from Wasa pump.”

Wasa sources said they could not operate their pumps for the same reason and that’s why they could not supply water to the city people.

Many people were seen recharging their mobile phones, charger fans and charger light by generator.

“Foods kept into refrigerator may rot as we have not been getting electricity for over 24 hours,” said Suraiya Parveen, a resident of the same area, while talking to the

Technicians yesterday tried to repair a deep insulator at Katakhali grid sub-station which collapsed after a hailstorm on Wednesday evening. People of Rajshahi region get electricity from the sub-station AZAHAR UDDIN Dhaka Tribune yesterday evening.

She also said elderly people were suffering most due to the chronicle load-shedding.

Abdullah Al Mamun, a student at Rajshahi City College, said he could not sleep Wednesday night at all due to severe heat as they could not run their fans.

He said: “The entire Rajshahi city had been in the dark due to suspension of power supply since Wednesday evening. The power came around 4pm today [yesterday] for a few minutes. Again, the power supply was suspended, hampering our regular activities.”

During a visit to Katakhali power supply centre yesterday afternoon, our Rajshahi correspondent

found that technicians were trying to restore power supply.

Sources at the power supply centre said 33 KV distribution breaker of Power Development Board attached to the grid sub-station under Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) was damaged due to heavy rain and thunderstorm on Wednesday.

Chief Engineer of Power Development Board, Rajshahi Wazed Ali told the Dhaka Tribune that a deep insulator and a transformer at Katakhali power sub-station were exploded during a hailstorm.

“We tried to restore power supply, but could not make it happen,” he said.

Raihanul Swapan, a trader at Al

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News

Helal super market, said the presence of customers were very thin due to the load-shedding.

He said: “Although State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid earlier assured us that there will be no load shedding during Ramadan, we are still suffering from the problem.”

Md Hazrat Ali, chief engineer (distribution of northern part) of PDB, Rajshahi said yesterday: “We are working on restoring power supply and already are providing some areas with electricity for two to three hours.”

He also said it would take two more days to resume full operation of the sub-station. l

Train-car crash kills four in Jeesore n Tauhid Zaman, Jessore At least four people were killed and two others injured as a train hit a car at Manikdihi level crossing in Mathurapur area, Jessore Sadar upazila yesterday morning.

The deceased are Abdul Hakim, 32, Rezaul Kabir Raju, 38, a resident of Keshabpur upazila, Chayan, 10, son of Nityapad Biswas of Tirerhat village of sadar upazila, and Chayan’s grandmother Joya Rani Sarkar, 55.

Depika Rani, mother of Chayan, who was undergoing treatment at Jessore Sadar Hospital, told the Dhaka Tribune that they were going to Tirerhat area from Keshabpur by the car. When the car reached Mathurapur around 11am, a train hit their car, leaving four of her relatives dead on the spot.

Officer-in-charge of Kotwali Model police station Elias Hossain said the train Chitra Express was heading towards Rajshahi from Khulna.

He, however, said three people were declared dead after they were taken to the hospital.

Local people said they had found body of Joya Rani on the spot after police took three bodies to the Sadar Hospital. Later, relatives of the deceased took the body to her residence.

Witnesses said the train hit the car as there was no gate man at the level crossing.

Accident at level crossings have turned into a regular phenomenon due to illegal level crossings across Bangladesh.

On May 16, two women were killed when wagon rammed into a BRTC bus at a rail crossing in Chittagong city’s Sholoshahar gate. l

Prisoners in sub-human conditions in Barisal jail

Autistic school on verge of closure

n Our correspondent, Barisal

The only school for autistic children in Magura may face closure at any time due to financial crisis.

Eight staffs, including four teachers, have been serving the school where around 49 autistic children are receiving education at present without any salary for four years, according to the school authorities.

The school was founded by Dolifa Yasmin, head mistress of the school, and some other local philanthropists in 2012, raising hope among the guardians of disabled children.

That time Shopnil Foundation, a local NGO, let the school use its office to run the school’s activities.

Later, the school has been shifted to another rented building. The only income source of the school is the monthly student fee of Tk200. Since most of the students

The inmates of Barisal Central Jail (BCJ) are in utter miseries as they far exceed the accommodation capacity of the jail.

The 185-year old jail has a capacity of 633 while it accommodates 1138 prisoners, including 411 convicted and 727 under- trial, at present, said Munir Hossain, deputy jailor of BCJ. The number most often reaches 1,600 during the special drives of law enforcers to curb militancy, according to Kamal Hossain, senior jail superintendent.

Kirtankhola ward has two rooms with 90 beds on floor in each for under-trial prisoners, but about 130 to 140 prisoners have to share each room.

Almost the same condition has been prevailing in other wards of BCJ, said recently released prisoners seeking anonymity.

The inmates have to spend money to manage space for sleeping at night, they added.

For more than 1,100 prisoners, there are only 77 toilets for daytime and 47 for night, which is less than one-third of requirement, the jail sources said.

The jail hospital does not have any pathology facilities. The inmates are prone to various infectious diseases like skin diseases, stomach tuberculosis, typhoid and dysentery, sources in the jail said.

They have to go through subhuman treatment and corrupt system, said Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, a member of jail visiting team. l

n Mazharul Hoque, Magura

are insolvent, the amount stands at about Tk6,000, all of which is spent on space rent. Any government or non-government organisation is yet to extend their financial support to the school.

I have found a very positive change in my child, as the teachers treat my child with great care The headmistress said: “We get no financial support from the school though we have been working here for four years.

“Members of my in-laws family discourage me to go to the school.

But I cannot but start for the school every day, as I treat the students as my own issues.”

AKM Nurul Basher, guardian of a student, said his child had been going to the school for two years.

“I have found a very positive change in my child, as the teachers treat my child with great care,” he added.

Shekh Mahinul Hoque, deputy director of Social Welfare Directorate, Magura, told Dhaka Tribune that he was aware of the financial problems of the school, but could not help as the school was not registered in Social Welfare Directorate.

In this regard, Dolifa said as the school is approved by Society for the Welfare of the Intellectually Disabled (SWID), she hoped for getting financial help from SWID. That is why the school committee had not applied for the social welfare directorate registration. But, SWID has not extended any help to the school yet, she added. l

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8 World

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

UN urges Pakistanis not to label Afghan refugees as terrorists

The United Nations refugee chief on Thursday urged Pakistanis not to blame Afghan refugees for terrorism in their country, amid growing public calls for their deportation and worsening relations between the two neighbours. Warning that the roughly 2.5 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan risked becoming a forgotten crisis.

-REUTERS

INDIA

India launches 20 satellites into orbit India successfully launched 20 satellites in a single mission on Wednesday, with most of them set to serve international customers as the South Asian country pursues a bigger share of the $300bn global space industry.

It was the most satellites India has put in space at one go, though Russia set the record of 37 for a single launch in 2014.

-REUTERS

CHINA

Tornado, hail storms kill 78 in east China A tornado, hail storms and driving rain killed at least 78 people and injured some 500 in eastern China on Thursday, flattening power lines, overturning cars and ripping roofs off houses in Jiangsu province. The storm struck mid-afternoon near China’s commercial capital Shanghai, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said -REUTERS

FACT CHECK

Debunking Trump’s Clinton claims n Tribune International Desk

In a speech skewering Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump assigned her far more influence than she had as secretary of state as he blamed her directly for a host of foreign policy ills. He also peddled some suspect allegations that she used her time as the top diplomat to enrich herself.

Below are some of his assertions and how they stack up with the facts–

WHAT TRUMP SAID

FACTS

“In just four years, Secretary Clinton managed to almost single-handedly destabilise the entire Middle East.” He blamed her for an invasion of Libya that “handed the country over to ISIS,” for making Iran the dominant Islamic power in the region and for supporting regime change in Syria that led to a bloody civil war. He charged that her “disastrous strategy” of announcing a departure date from Iraq created another opening for ISIS there.

These statements make only passing acquaintance with reality.

There was no US invasion of Libya. Clinton initially opposed but then sought credit for the Nato-led air campaign to help rebels overthrow Libyan leader Moammar Gaddhafi in 2011. (Trump spoke in support of US intervention at the time.) While the violence destabilised Libya, Islamic State inroads there have been more recent and are largely limited to a small coastal area of the country. Arguments about Iranian domination of the Middle East predate Clinton’s tenure, going back a decade to the George W Bush administration’s deposing of Saddam Hussein in neighbouring Iraq. While secretary of state, Clinton supported arming Syria’s moderate rebels, but the Islamic State group only arrived later. And she had nothing to do with the “disastrous strategy” of giving a departure date from Iraq. It was the George W Bush administration that announced the planned withdrawal of US forces from Iraq in 2008.

US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and his staff “made hundreds and hundreds of requests for security. They were desperate.

They needed help. Hillary Clinton’s State Department refused them all. She started the war that put them in Libya, denied him the security he asked for, then left him there to die.”

Trump greatly exaggerates the security requests, not all of which were denied, and gets the history of US-Libyan relations wrong. The reference to security requests appears to reflect the Republican-led House Select Committee on Benghazi’s tally of “requests/concerns” related to the diplomatic outpost in Benghazi. For many of those, there’s no record of denials. And some security upgrades did occur before the September 11, 2012, attack that killed Stevens and three other Americans. Clinton did not start the war in Libya. She supported a Nato intervention well after large-scale violence had broken out between Gaddhafi’s forces and rebels. Nor did the conflict put Stevens or any US diplomat in Libya. Several congressional investigations have shown that Clinton had no role in military decisions related to Benghazi, and that it would have been impossible for US armed forces to intervene in time to save Stevens.

“She ran the State Department like her own personal hedge fund.”

Trump’s case that Clinton used her office for personal profiteering was based largely on sources of information that have been widely questioned, such as the book “Clinton Cash” by Peter Schweizer. The book argues that Clinton and her husband used the State Department to enrich their family, but it does not provide evidence of direct connections between business dealings by foreign interests and decisions by Clinton when she was secretary of state. A review of State Department calendars did show that she opened her office to dozens of influential Democratic party fundraisers, and corporate donors. However, no evidence of legal conflicts in Clinton’s meetings were discovered, however.

“Our trade deficit with China soared 40% during Clinton’s time as secretary of state.”

Trump’s claim is more than double the actual increase. From late 2008 through 2012, a period coinciding with Clinton’s tenure, the trade deficit with China rose 17.6%. Trump’s campaign may be using data from the end of 2009 through 2013, when the deficit did rise 40%, but that does not match up with Clinton’s time in office. More broadly, the secretary of state is not typically held responsible for the trade deficit.

“Under her plan, we would admit hundreds of thousands of refugees from the most dangerous countries on Earth, with no way to screen who they are, what they are, what they believe, where they come from.”

Clinton has called for the US to continue to accept refugees, including as many as 65,000 from Syria. But Trump is wrong about Clinton’s stance on refugee screening. She’s never said she would scale back the current refugee processing system.

Under that system, a person’s beliefs are not generally a disqualifier for entrance into the US Refugees are checked to make sure they don’t have criminal records or have been identified by intelligence agencies as having ties to terrorist organisations. l

ASIA PACIFIC

North Korea: New missile can strike US in Pacific North Korea leader Kim Jong Un said after supervising the test launch of an intermediate-range missile that the country now has the capability to attack US interests in the Pacific, official media reported on Thursday. South Korean and US military officials have said the North launched what appeared to be two intermediate-range missiles dubbed Musudan on Wednesday. -REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

‘Israeli rabbis called for poisoning Palestinian water’

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday accused Israeli rabbis of calling for the poisoning of Palestinian water, in what appeared to be an invocation of a widely debunked media report that recalled a medieval anti-Semitic libel. Though Abbas’s remarks, in a speech to the European parliament, did not appear on the official transcript issued by his office.

-REUTERS

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Opinion poll 39.2%

45%

THE GLOVES ARE OFF

SOUTH ASIA

Source: RealClearPolitics *Opinion poll conducted on June 21

9

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

SE Asian IS unit emerges in Philippines n Reuters, Jakarta/Manila Southeast Asian militants who claim to be fighting for Islamic State in the Middle East have said they have chosen one of the most wanted men in the Philippines to head a regional faction of the ultra-radical group, security officials said on Thursday.

The claim was made in a video that was recently posted on social media, possibly last week, a military intelligence official in the Philippines said.

The video is significant, experts say, because it shows that Islamic State supporters are now being asked to stay home and unify under one umbrella group to launch attacks in Southeast Asia, instead of being drawn to the fight in the Middle East.

Authorities in the region have been on heightened alert since Islamic State claimed an attack in the Indonesian capital Jakarta in January in which eight people were killed, including four of the attackers.

In the 20-minute video, young men and some children in military fatigues are shown carrying and training with weapons, and holding Islamic State flags. A section of the video showed some of these

USA

Anti-Semitic assaults rise in United States

Basilan in the Mindanao region of the southern Philippines. In April, at least 18 Philippine soldiers were killed and 53 wounded in an attack on his followers on the island.

Kidnap gang

Screenshot of an Youtube video which shows few southeast Asian IS militants men engaging in gunbattles in jungles but it was not clear where and with whom.

The video also showed three men apparently being executed, but it was not clear where and who they were.

The authenticity of the video and when it was taken could not be independently verified.

In the video, a man authorities in Malaysia have identified as Mohd Rafi Udin, a Malaysian militant currently in Syria, says in Malay: “If you cannot go to (Syria), join up and go to the Philippines.”

In the video, Udin also urges Muslims to unite under the leadership of Abu Abdullah, a Philippine militant leader who pledged

allegiance to Islamic State in January.

Abu Abdullah, also known as Isnilon Hapilon, is a leader of the Philippine militant group Abu Sayyaf. He is on the FBI’s most wanted list for his role in the kidnapping of 17 Filipinos and three Americans in 2001 and carries a bounty of $5m.

The video was released to mark Islamic State’s acceptance of allegiances from jihadists in the Philippines, the first formal recognition of a Southeast Asian group, said Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, chief of Malaysia’s police counter-terrorism unit.

Hapilon is known to be based in the interior hills of the island of

For decades, Abu Sayyaf has been known for extortion, kidnappings, beheadings and bombings, and is one of the most brutal Muslim rebel factions in the south of the largely Christian Philippines.

The group has posted videos on social media sites this year pledging allegiance to Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

The latest video appears aimed at recognising Hapilon as the Southeast Asian leader of the group, anti-terrorism experts said.

The Jakarta attacks in January were claimed by Islamic State. But the attack did not bear the hallmarks of other spectacular strikes by the radical group - the militants lacked sophisticated weaponry and were amateurish in the execution.

Some security officials fear a more organised and better trained militant group could launch far deadlier attacks in the region.

But Philippine military officials dismissed these concerns, saying the video was just propaganda and should be ignored. l

7,100 cities forge alliance to curb climate change STEP 1 : Signature of the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy

Evaluation & , feedback

iorities st pr u j ad re

De fin e

Initiation & Baseline Review

Venezuela’s political opposition said on Wednesday it had collected the required number of valid signatures to begin a recall referendum against President Nicolas Maduro, amid the country’s economic crisis. The electoral council had rejected more than a quarter of the nearly 2 million signatures collected by the opposition. It requires 200,000 signatures to begin the process.

-REUTERS

UK

English teachers to hold 1-day strike Members of the National Union of Teachers will walk out on 5 July after voting by more than 9-1 in favour of industrial action.

The union said its demands were for the government to increase funding to schools and education, guarantee terms and conditions for teachers in all types of schools, and to resume negotiations on their contracts to allow workload to be addressed.

-THE GUARDIAN

Iceland goes to the polls Saturday to elect a new president, with voters hoping the country can turn over a new leaf after the Panama Papers scandal tainted part of the political elite. Iceland made headlines around the world in April when angry masses protested in the streets for days to demand the resignation of their prime minister, implicated in the scandal over offshore accounts. -AFP

AFRICA

STEP 2 : Offering citizens high quality of life in sustainable, climate-resilient and vibrant cities

Deli ve

THE AMERICAS

Venezuela opposition has enough signatures for referendum

Panama Papers looms large as Iceland votes for president

r practical actions

Implementation, Monitoring & Reporting

Submission of your Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP)

Over 1,200 die of starvation at Nigeria refugee camp Mohammad Razon/ Dhaka Tribune

STEP 3 : Submission of your monitoring report

Anti-Semitic assaults rose dramatically in the US last year to 56, and the overall number of hateful incidents targeting Jews increased by 3%, the Anti-Defamation League said in a report on Wednesday.

Colleges in particular have become a place where Jews are particularly exposed to harassment, with anti-Semitic incidents at university campuses accounting for 10% of occurrences nationwide.

-REUTERS

EUROPE

ns tio bi am

Cities in six continents joined up to form the world’s largest alliance to combat climate change on Wednesday, a move intended to help making ground-level changes to slow global warming.

More than 7,100 cities in 119 countries formed the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, a network for helping exchange information on such goals as developing clean energy, organisers said.

Cities are responsible for an estimated 75% of carbon emissions contributing to climate change and consume 70% of global energy, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

The coalition is the world’s largest, representing 8% of the world’s population, its founders said. It results from the merger of two groups - the European Union’s Covenant of Mayors and the UNbacked Compact of Mayors.

One of the co-chairman of the initiative is former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, who helped launch the Compact of Mayors.

He predicted the new coalition will help deliver on commitments made by 195 countries that met in Paris last year to limit global warming. l

THE COVENANT OF MAYORS STEP BY STEP

Revie wp rog re ss

Reuters n Thomson Foundation, New York

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World

More than 1,200 people have died of starvation and illness at an aid camp in north-east Nigeria that houses people fleeing the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, according to MSF. It found 24,000 people, including 15,000 children, sheltering in the camp located on a hospital compound during a visit to Bama last month. -THE GUARDIAN

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EU Referendum

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

UK's D-Day: Memorable moments

1 2 3

4 5

8 6

7 (1) Two activists with the EU flag and Union Jack painted on their faces kiss each other in front of Berlin Brandenburg Gate ahead of EU referendum (2) London Mayor Sadiq Khan speaks during a "Labour In for Britain" campaign event in London on Wednesday (3) A woman reads a newspaper on the underground in London with a 'vote remain' advert for the EU referendum on Wednesday (4) Vote Leave stickers are displayed during the final speech of the EU referendum campaign by UKIP leader Nigel Farage in London on Wednesday (5) Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha leave after voting in the EU referendum, at a polling station in London on Thursday (6) Nigel Farage leaves after voting in the EU referendum, at a polling station in Biggin Hillon Thursday (7) A Muslim woman covered in burqa arrives to vote at a polling station in London's Tower Hamlets on Thursday (8) A British Muslim man in traditional attire leaves a polling station after voting in London's Tower Hamlets REUTERS

Afghan Hindu and Sikh families wait for lunch inside a Gurudwara during a religious ceremony in Kabul early this month REUTERS

INSIGHT

Dwindling Afghan Sikh, Hindu communities flee new abuses n Reuters, Kabul On a bright day in downtown Kabul, Jagtar Singh Laghmani was in his traditional herb shop when a man turned up, drew a knife and told him to convert to Islam or he would cut his throat. Only bystanders and other shopkeepers saved his life.

The incident earlier this month was the latest attack on a dwindling community of Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan, a deeply conservative Muslim country struggling with growing insecurity caused by an Islamist insurgency and economic challenges.

Once a thriving minority, only a handful of Sikh and Hindu families remain. Many have chosen to flee the country of their birth, blaming growing discrimination and intolerance.

For centuries, Hindu and Sikh communities played a prominent role in merchant trade and money lending in Afghanistan, although today they are known more for medicinal herb shops.

According to Avtar Singh, chairman of the national council of Hindus and Sikhs, the community now numbers fewer than 220 families, compared with around 220,000 members before the collapse of the Kabul government in 1992.

Once spread across the country, the community is now mainly concentrated in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar, Ghazni, and the capital Kabul.

Although Afghanistan is almost entirely Muslim, its constitution, drawn up after USled forces drove out the Taliban government in 2001, theoretically guarantees the right of minority religions to worship freely.

But as the conflict drags on, Avtar Singh said conditions were worse than under the

Taliban, which imposed strict Islamic laws, staged public executions and banned girls from schools.

Hindus and Sikhs had to wear yellow patches that identified them in public, but were otherwise seldom bothered.

Last week, dozens of Hindu and Sikh families left Helmand, where Taliban insurgents, who have a presence in much of the southern province, sent a letter demanding around $2,800 a month from the community.

Hostility

Tensions have surfaced in Qalacha, an area on the outskirts of Kabul where the Sikh and Hindu community owns a high-walled crematorium.

As the capital has expanded in recent years, the neighbourhood has become densely populated and some newer residents oppose Hindu and Sikh cremations.

The Sikhs say local Muslim hardliners have stirred up hostility against them, and the community now requires police protection for their funeral rituals.

Dahi-ul Haq Abid, Afghan deputy minister for hajj and religious affairs, said the government had done what it could to improve the livelihood of Hindus and Sikhs.

Harassment is also common.

Jasmeet Singh, 8, stopped going to school because of what he said was daily harassment.

He and other children from the community now either go to private schools or study inside the temple.

Increasing numbers of Sikhs and Hindus have moved to India, their spiritual homeland, but some say they remain foreigners wherever they go. l

An Afghan Sikh woman prays inside a Gurudwara in Kabul early this month

REUTERS

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FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

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12 Business

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

TOP STORIES 3.9m solar power to benefit 20m rural people The Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development II (RERED II) Project provides electricity in rural remote villages of Bangladesh through solar power and renewable energy sources, said a World Bank statement yesterday .

PAGE 13

Southeast Asia steelmakers bid to emerge from China’s shadow As a construction boom spurs steel demand across Southeast Asia, countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand are challenging a flood of imports from China by retooling their steelmaking technology or imposing tariffs.

PAGE 14

IMF warns the US over high poverty, inequality The International Monetary Fund warned the United States yesterday over poverty and rising inequality in the country, saying both could hold back its economic potential.

PAGE 15

Capital market snapshot: Thursday DSE Broad Index

4,381.5

0.3% ▲

Index

1,078.9

0.3% ▲

30 Index

1,714.4

0.3% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

3,116.1

-5.3% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

106.7

-6.5% ▼

All Share Index 13,460.3

0.2% ▲

30 Index

0.4% ▲

CSE

Selected Index Turnover in Mn Tk Turnover in Mn Vol

12,388.0 8,191.7

0.2% ▲

233.7

19.3% ▲

7.2 -17.6% ▼

Social media boosting e-commerce n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Social media platforms not only play out as a mere means of communication all across the country, but also a platform for boosting e-commerce.

With the boon of technology and internet, the popular social media site – Facebook – is now reaching out to people living in the remote part of the country with the message of hassle-free online trading.

Apart form social networking, the FB has now come to live up to the desire of a large number of online buyers who now prefer to buy things of their choice, fighting shy of hustle and bustle at the crowded markets ahead of the greatest religious festival.

A Patuakhali trader Rafiqul Islam is one who tended to buy a Panjabi on the occasion of upcoming Eid ul-Fitr from a shopping mall in Dhaka.

But his time-consuming journey to the capital to satisfy his desire once yielded to the Facebook browser that helped him catch sight of a request to give a like to the page -- Sada Kalo, a local fashion brand.

“After liking the page, I came across up-to-date trends on Eid collection on the page, and ultimately ended up in buying my desired Punjabi, sitting at home,” Rafiqul told the Dhaka Tribune.

The small trader is not the only man whose purchase desire was fulfilled with the help of social media and online payment gateway, many like him are shopping using e-commerce.

E-COMMERCE FACT-SHEET Number of e-commerce website about 700 e-CAB membership 400 Yearly e-commerce turnover

Tk600cr

Yearly growth of e-commerce is about 8% Bangladesh's internet users over 6 crore

70% usurers use mobile phone to browse Bangladesh's Facebook users over 3 crore Facebook page on e-commerce over 5,000 Daily F-commerce turnover over Tk2cr The online shopping is being taken to people’s doorsteps, even to the rural people ahead of Eid ul-Fitr, thanks to information technology.

“I have to work round the clock and have a little time to spend at shopping. Online shopping has created a new window for me as I can go through web pages and chose products,” Minhaz A Rahman,” an IT freelancer told the Dhaka Tribune.

He said he visits the web pages for frequent shopping, even those for groceries. Though earlier it was a little problem regarding payment,

now it has turned easy, he added.

Social media and online payment gateway are playing an important role in taking e-commerce business to consumers, Md Abdul Wahed Tomal, general secretary of e-CAB, told the Dhaka Tribune.

There are about 5,000 Facebook pages, which run business of several items.

The online payment systems like bKash help expedite the business as buyers can send money from anywhere to their sellers, said Tomal.

In Bangladesh, local shoppers pay either on cash or through debit or credit cards or bKash service while the international shoppers make payment through paypal or payza.

According to e-CAB, there are abut 8,000 e-commerce websites in the country, of which 400 are the members of the platform.

Fashion houses are launching e-commerce and Facebook pages to attract consumers and retain their existing customers as the online business are booming.

“It is not possible for everyone to visit outlet to buy products due to distance and their business activities. Considering the consumers’ interest, Sada Kalo has launched an online buying subsystem and Facebook page to attract buyers,” Shafiqul Islam Sajib, senior in-charge of Bashundhara outlet, shared his view with the reporter.

Nowadays, it is very easy to find out the latest fashion and trendy products of brand shops as fashion houses put their new products on Facebook page to attract consumers, said Nusrat

Amin, a private employee.

“If you look into the recent use of social media, you will find it is not only for communicating with friend but also for advertising products as young people are now 24 hours online,” said BASIS president Shameem Ahsan.

“We are promoting e-commerce through digital centre, an initiative of government to reach the service to people’s doorstep.”

According to a survey of LightCastle Partners (LCP) titled “The Rise of Digital Consumer Class in Bangladesh in 2015” the e-commerce is mostly driven by the female and young consumers, and 90% of them are residing in Dhaka.

The survey shows that 55% of the consumers are female while 40% are young professional and 33% are university students.

The most prevalent age group is 26-30 years old that accounts for half of the consumers.

The survey also shed light on payment system. According to the survey, 68% consumers pay cash on delivery, 20% through online payment getway, 7% mobile banking and 5% cash while picking up.

As per the findings of the survey, 22% e-commerce consumers buy fashion wear, 18% fashion accessories, 10% footwear, 9% jewelries, 15% electronics products, 10% food, 2% grocery, 6% personal care and 8% books.

Meanwhile, the E-commerce Association of Bangladesh (E-CAB) has urged the government to keep the e-commerce and online shopping out of taxation till 2024 to give it a push. l

Government to become harsh on payroll tax n Syed Samiul Basher Anik In the wake of widespread irregularities by many private firms in withholding tax deduction from the payroll tax, the government has decided to become tougher on them to bring compliance in the system and boost the income tax collection.

It is being widely alleged that many companies are currently involved in income tax evasion by playing hide and seek with their expenses paid to staffs as salaries.

However, the chances may not be continued any further as the government has already undertaken a plan to become harsh on those unscrupulous companies to bring transparency in the process by boosting compliance culture.

As per the proposed budgetary measures for fiscal year 2016-17, a

company has to make sure that all its employees, who are eligible to have a 12 digit Taxpayers Identification Number, are doing it properly.

If the company fails to make sure compliance of the provision, any payment by the way of salary to an employee, who is not registered with 12 digit Taxpayers Identification Number, or electronic taxpayers identification number (eTIN), but is eligible to have one, companies will have to pay tax on the salaries paid to those individual staffs.

According to the finance bill 2016, if salary is paid to any such individual, it will be treated as income of the company and tax will be collected on that thereof.

To make the process more clear and transparent, the government also proposed to make it manda-

tory for companies to submit a list of all staffs with their income tax returns submitted to the National Board of Revenue.

Private companies are now entitled to treat salary and wages paid to the official and employees as tax free income.

“By misusing the provision,

many companies are now evading income tax by showing salary paid to staffs, but we cannot cross check those due to lack of any such list. Once the list is in our hand, we can cross check those and can take strict action against those dishonest companies,” a senior NBR official told the Dhaka Tribune. l

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FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

3.9m solar power to benefit 20m rural people n Tribune Business Desk The Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development II (RERED II) Project provides electricity in rural remote villages of Bangladesh through solar power and renewable energy sources, said a World Bank statement yesterday .

Together, the RERED II and its predecessor RERED project have supported more than 3.9 million solar home systems (SHS) in rural Bangladesh benefiting over 20 million people.

The project has introduced and installed 321 solar irrigation pumps and replaced more expensive diesel-run irrigation pumps.

These solar powered irrigation pumps benefitted more than 8,000 farmers by reducing their irrigation costs. These pumps help save country’s foreign exchange reserve for importing diesel, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The project has installed seven renewable energy-based mini-grids with a combined capacity of 966kWp and supplied electricity in the remote locations of Swandip, Kutubdia, Bagha and Godagari

A solar panel seen on a roof top in a rural area in Rajshahi, Paratoli in Narsingdi, Nageshwari in Kurigram, and Monpura in Bhola.

Nine more mini-grids with a combined capacity of 1,071kWp

are under construction. The project will soon start constructing another four mini-grinds with aggregate capacity of 736 kWp. These mini-grids will help spur econom-

DHAKA TRIBUNE

ic activities in the rural growth centers by providing access to electricity.

Over 28 million households in Bangladesh still depend on tradi-

tional biomass fuel for cooking. The project has introduced improved cook stoves program to help rural women and children exposed to air pollution from traditional stoves.

Fourty one NGOs are now distributing these improved cook stoves and selling more than 70,000 every month in rural areas.

The project will supply one million improved cook stoves by 2018.

The project is built upon the success of the previous RERED project. The government-owned Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) in partnership with non-government organizations (NGOs), is implementing the project.

The Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF) has provided $10 million matching grant support for solar irrigation pumps.

The project is also channeling grant funds from the Global Partnership for Output Based Aid (GPOBA) and US Agency for International Development (USAID).

The World Bank board approved US$155 million in 2012 and an additional financing of $78.4 million in 2014 for the project. l

Stocks rise amid dull trade ahead of Eid

Robi introduces Hire Purchase Scheme for its subscribers

n Tribune Business Desk

n Tribune Business Desk

Stocks rose amid continued dull trade yesterday as investors preferred to trim their positions ahead of long Eid vacation coupled with weekend holidays.

The benchmark index DSEX gained 15 points or 0.4% to 4,381, extending its rally for the second straight session.

The blue-chip comprising index DS30 was marginally up about 3 points or 0.3% to 1,078. The DSE Shariah Index DSES rose 4 points or 0.3% to 1,714.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX closed at 8,191, rising about 15 points.

Trading activities also continued to shrink as the DSE turnover stood at Tk311 crore, down 5% over previous session.

The bourses will go for a nineday long weekend and festival holidays beginning from July 1 to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr—the biggest religious festival for the Muslim community.

Trading will resume on July 10 after Eid celebration scheduled for July 6.

The large cap sectors showed positive performances except food and allied, engineering sectors and cement, which ended marginally lower.

Non-banking financial institutions came to spotlight on the day with a significant rise of over 3.7%, driven by GSP Finance.

Market bellwether banks came second gaining more than 1%, followed by pharmaceuticals 0.5% and power 0.2%.

Cement, Food & Allied and Textile sectors decreased by 0.17%, 0.32% and 0.53%.

Olympic Accessories Limited was the most traded share with a turnover worth Tk19 crore.

It was followed by Acme Laboratories Limited, National Feed Mill Limited, Tosrifa Industries Limited, Orion Infusion and Dragon Sweater and Spinning Limited.

Gainers took a lead over losers as out of 318 issues traded, 148 advanced, 126 declined and 44 remained unchanged.

Vanguard AML BD Finance Mutual Fund One was the largest gainer with a rally of over 8.7%. Other top gainers are ICB, First Janata Mutual Fund, GSP Finance, Tosrifa Industries, BD Finance, LR Global Mutual Fund One and National Feed Mill Limited.

The worst performers were Dulamia Cotton, Salvo Chemical Industry, Prime Islami Life Insurance, Tallu Spinning, Monno Jute Stafflers, Phoenix Insurance and Bangladesh Building System. l

Mobile Operator Robi Axiata Limited has introduced Hire Purchase Scheme (HPS) for its subscribers to avail quality handsets with monthly instalments.

Global brand LG smartphones in different price range, including LG’s flagship smartphone LG G5 are now available for Robi subscribers with Hire Purchase Scheme (HPS).

“The HPS scheme has been offered for the first time in the country’s telco industry,” said Robi in a statement yesterday.

This unique offer allows Robi

users to avail these quality handsets with Equated Monthly Instalment (EMI) even without using credit cards. These offers will be available at all the LG-Butterfly authorised stores across the country.

Robi and LG Butterfly Marketing Ltd have recently signed an exclusive deal in this regard at the mobile phone operator’s corporate office.

Robi’s Managing Director and CEO Supun Weerasinghe and LG Butterfly Marketing Ltd’s Chairman and Managing Director MA Mannan signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.

As per the agreement, LG’s pop-

ular smartphone devices LG K7, LG K10, LG Class and LG G5 are available for the Robi subscribers, using the EMI facilities under the HPS scheme.

Customers can choose between EMI facility spread over six or twelve months. LG K7 comes with Robi’s 250 minutes talk-time and 2GB internet bundle, LG K10 comes with 350 minutes talk-time and 2GB bundle, LG Class comes with 400 minutes talk-time and 3GB internet bundle and LG’s flagship smartphone LG G5 comes with 900 minutes talk-time and 5GB internet bundle. l

Robi’s Managing Director and CEO Supun Weerasinghe and LG Butterfly Marketing Ltd’s Chairman and Managing Director MA Mannan exchanging document after signing an agreement in the city yesterday COURTESY

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FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

Southeast Asia steelmakers bid to emerge from China’s shadow n Reuters, Bangkok As a construction boom spurs steel demand across Southeast Asia, countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand are challenging a flood of imports from China by retooling their steelmaking technology or imposing tariffs.

US and European steelmakers are leading complaints over alleged dumping, but cheap Chinese imports account for two thirds of steel consumed in many Southeast Asian countries. The region includes six of the top 10 buyers of Chinese steel, and capacity utilization in its own mills has slumped to less than 40%.

While steel from China is expected to dominate for many years, swelling demand is driving efforts in countries like Vietnam and Indonesia to build more modern plants to better compete with China’s vast mills.

“China is a major force with huge supply dominating the world, but we have solutions to deal with it,” Tran Tuan Duong, general director of Vietnam’s biggest steel firm Hoa Phat Group, told Reuters.

Hoa Phat aims to triple production capacity to up to 6 million tonnes over 5-10 years using modern blast furnace technology.

Political uncertainty dampens eurozone business activity

The local unit of Taiwan’s Formosa Plastics Group has begun work on a $10.6bn steel complex in Ha Tinh province with an initial annual crude steel capacity of 7 million tonnes, although this month’s planned start-up of the initial phase has been delayed by an environmental dispute.

Trade tensions

China has raised global trade tensions as its steel exports have soared, with surplus capacity estimated at more than 300 million tonnes, or triple Japan’s annual output.

Steelmakers in Southeast Asia have been hit hard as many of the region’s electric arc furnace plants, which use scrap as their raw material, are unable to compete with Chinese blast furnaces using far cheaper iron ore.

Many electric arc furnace plants have been idled and capacity utilization across the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) grouping has fallen to less than 40% from around 65 percent following a 2010 regional free trade agreement with China that cut tariffs on a raft of goods, including steel, said Roberto Cola, president of the ASEAN Iron and Steel Council.

Hoa Phat’s Duong said Vietnam

A man checks steel quality at Hoa Phat steel mill in Hai Duong province, Vietnam REUTERS

could compete with other Southeast Asian countries.

“But the trade deal is plus C, which means including China, and all troubles come from that,” he said.

Vietnam was the second-biggest market for Chinese steel in 2015, with imports of 10.11 million tonnes, according to UK consultancy MEPS. Its own steel output that year stood at just 6.1 million tonnes, World Steel Association data showed.

“With Southeast Asia as a whole it’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation,” said MEPS analyst Jeremy Platt. “The cheap imported steel is benefiting their economic develop-

ment, but it is hindering the ability to develop their steelmaking sector.”

Tariffs rise

Several countries are introducing tariffs to protect local industry.

Vietnam in March imposed temporary anti-dumping tariffs ranging from 14% to 23% on steel imports from China and elsewhere. It slapped additional import duties of up to 25% on more Chinese steel products that last until October 2019.

Thailand’s commerce ministry is working on the final draft of an anti-dumping law and expects to propose the draft for approval by

end-2016, a spokeswoman said.

The moves come as local steelmakers hope to cash in on an expected jump in demand.

Indonesia and the Philippines face a huge backlog in infrastructure, said the ASEAN Iron and Steel Council’s Cola, with steel consumption in ASEAN forecast to reach 80 million tonnes by 2018 from 70 million tonnes last year.

Indonesia’s Krakatau Steel is building a blast furnace with a capacity of 1.2 million tonnes west of Jakarta, which it expects will be completed shortly.

Vietnam’s steel consumption surged 34% in the first five months of 2016, and demand is expected grow at more than 10% a year over the next decade as rapid economic growth fuels infrastructure development, said Hoa Phat’s Duong.

Steelmakers’ share prices have risen in anticipation. Vietnam’s Hoa Phat Group has climbed 35% this year, smaller rival Hoa Sen has gained 94%, and Krakatau Steel has rallied 123%.

In Thailand, steelmakers expect the first annual growth in demand in three years as the government begins work on over $50bn in infrastructure projects. Shares of Tata Steel (Thailand) Pcl, have surged nearly 40%. l

CORPORATE NEWS

n AFP, Brussels

Political and economic uncertainty dampened eurozone private sector business activity in June, a closely watched survey showed yesterday.

Data monitoring company Markit did not cite Britain’s EU referendum as the specific cause of the downturn but the vote, which opened yesterday, has roiled sentiment already hit by concerns over the outlook for the US and Chinese economies.

Markit said its June Composite Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) fell to 52.8 points, a 17-month low, from 53.1 in May. The PMI measures companies’ readiness to spend on their business and so gives a good idea of how the underlying economy is performing.

Any reading above the boombust 50 points line indicates the economy is expanding.

Markit said the June figures rounded “off the worst calendar quarter since the fourth quarter of 2014 amid signs of political and economic uncertainty dampening business activity.” l

Executive committee of Standard Bank Limited has recently held its 128th meeting, said a press release. The committee’s chairperson, Gulzar Ahmed presided over the meeting

Samsung Electronics has recently inaugurated a brand shop at Kuril Pragati Sharani partnering with Transcom Digital, said a press release. Seungwon Youn, country manager of Samsung Electronics Bangladesh inaugurated the outlet.

Chief operating officer of Transcom Electronics Ltd, Arshad Huq was present on the occasion

Sonali Bank Limited has recently held its 9th annual general meeting, said a press release. The bank’s acting chairperson, Mohammad Muslim Chowdhury was present at the meeting as chief guest

Prime Bank Limited has recently organised a discussion session on Ramadan in Chittagong. The bank’s vice chairperson, Md Nader Khan was present at the session as chief guest

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FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

IMF warns the US over high poverty, inequality n AFP, Washington The International Monetary Fund warned the United States yesterday over poverty and rising inequality in the country, saying both could hold back its economic potential.

The IMF cut its outlook for US economic growth this year to 2.2%, compared to 2.4% forecast at the beginning of the year. It cited the impact of slower global growth overall, the contraction in the energy industry due to low oil prices, and a slowdown in domestic con-

sumer spending.

The Washington-based global crisis lender said the US economy is in "good shape" generally, growing more strongly than other leading advanced economies, with unemployment at a nearly nine year low and inflation in check.

The world's largest economy "has repeatedly demonstrated its resilience in the face of financial market volatility, a strengthening dollar, and subdued global demand," the report said.

Yet it identified stark trends that

it said will slowly choke off avenues to future growth if not addressed soon, particularly a very high level of poverty for a rich country and increasing inequality.

The IMF said the ageing of the US population, with a surge of baby-boomers moving into retirement, is combining with a troubling stall in productivity gains and lack of investment in workers and physical capital to present a new challenge to the economy. On top of that, it said the growth of inequality and persistence of high poverty

would exacerbate those trends.

It noted that 46.7 million Americans - one out of seven people - are living in poverty, including 20% of all children. Working Americans' share of all income in the country has fallen by five percent in 15 years, and the middle class is the smallest it has been in three decades.

The polarization in income distribution, the Fund said, has effectively cut consumer demand by 3.5% since 1999 - the equivalent of losing one year's consumer spending out of 15.

That trend will only further

crimp the economy, said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde.

"Not only does poverty create significant social strains, it also eats into labor force participation, and undermines the ability to invest in education and improve health outcomes," she said in a statement.

"Our assessment is that, if left unchecked, these four forces - participation, productivity, polarization, and poverty - will corrode the underpinnings of growth (both potential and actual) and hold back gains in US living standards." l

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Kids

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

Toy review

Game review

Elefun and friends: Gator Goal game STOMP CHOMP LAUNCH! Grab your soccer ball and your launcher because Gatorific is here! It’s time for you to show him you’re the boss! Gather up your friends and knock out Gatorific’s teeth with your soccer ball, as he tries to scare innocent children, and turn him crazy by making his

eyes spin and his flag pop up.

Exciting and entertaining, Elefun and Friends Gator Goal Game come with the Gator figure, a flag, soccer ball, a launcher and instructions.

Stomp, chomp and launch your way to victory! The game is available at Gulshan 2 market. l

book review

Kapow!

Prepare for the life of a spy, because this week we bring you Nancy Drew: the Silent Spy, where you get to fight bad guys using high-tech gadgets.

Upon returning to Glasgow, Nancy learned of her mother’s death. Later, she falls in a new adventure, involving the same evil group that her mother was investigating.

Find clues to crack the codes, solve puzzles and learn about the Scottish culture and history. This action packed game has gears and gadgets unlike anything you have seen before.

Hot Dog Burglary

Nancy Drew: The Silent Spy is compatible with Windows and Mac and is available online to purchase. l

n Features Team Tom Watson’s Stick Dog Wants A Hot Dog is the sequel to Stick Dog a humorous book for kids. In this part, Stick Dog and his same crew of friends Karen, Stripes, Mutt and Poo-Poo are seen as they go on an adventure to get hot dogs.

They must plot a way to steal hot dogs from a hot dog vendor. While they do so they come across their rival which is a band of raccoons who also want the hot dogs to themselves.

This book is filled with hilarious scenes like having to distract the hot dog vendor and Karen getting locked inside a house. If you’re looking for a fun read this is a really good book to begin with. l

photo story

These kids are learning the power of unity through games

PHOTO: MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

diy

fun science

Bouncing balloon

Airplay

We’ve got a fun experiment with a ball and a balloon, for all you scientists out there. For this experiment you will need: • A balloon • A table tennis ball • An electric hair dryer with circular nozzle Firstly, you need to blow a balloon and tie the end. Then hold the balloon above your head then release it and try to keep it in the air by blowing it. Take note of the result. Next, follow the same steps but this time using an electrical hair dryer to keep the balloon in the air. This time, you will be able to keep the balloon in the air, but not for long, because the dense air will make it fall. In the next experiment you will see that the balloon is floating because the hair dryer is decreasing the pressure in the air causing it to float. The same can be observed using a hair dryer and table tennis ball. l

1) A 9” balloon 2) A pop-top cap from a liquid soap bottle or a water bottle 3) Hot stationary glue

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

animal facts

Hovering disk craft

Ever been fascinated with flying saucer? If so, then it’s time to make your very own. Here’s what you’ll need to make one:

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Kids

Blue Ring Octopus Take a CD/DISC, cover the centre hole with a piece of tape and poke six holes in the tape with a push-pin. Then, glue the cap of a water bottle to the centre of the CD or DVD disc. Create a good seal to keep the air from escaping. Blow up the balloon all the way and pinch the neck of it.

Make sure the pop-top is closed and fits the neck of the balloon over the pop-up portion of the cap. When you’re ready for it to start hovering, simply put the craft on a smooth surface and pop the top open.

The air flow created by the balloon causes a cushion of moving air between the disc and the surface. This lifts the CD and reduces the friction which allows the disc to hover freely. Large scale hovercrafts are capable of travelling over land, snow and water.l

n Features Team * A blue ringed octopus gets its name from the dazzling blue colour that it has on its rings when it is disturbed. * It’s average size is 5-8 inches. * The blue-ringed octopus spends much of its life hiding in its nest. * If it loses one of its eight arms, it can grow it back within six weeks. * They hunt mostly during the day. * Its diet usually consists of small crabs and shrimp, but they also eat fish. * Its venom is powerful enough to kill humans. * It is able to kill 26 adult humans within minutes. * In its lifetime it lays 50 eggs towards the end of autumn.l

mythical creature

Sisters of Justice The Three Furies were spirits who stood up for fairness, scaring men when they did something bad.

They were called “the angry ones” because they would get very sad whenever they punished the evil people on earth. But some people realised, that all they needed to do was call them “the nice ones” and

they would become calm again.

The furies are three sisters: Allecto (which means endless), Tisiphone (meaning punishment), and Megaera (meaning rage). The three sisters looked like monsters, they would keep whips, and cups of poison with them, so 0they could use it to hurt bad people. l

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FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

Ramadan Special

Ramadan: You are there and so am I n Shireen Pasha You are there and so am I We will not build a false heaven on earth With self-indulgent romance Beloved We will not celebrate our union With self-indulgent romance Beloved We will not celebrate our union We will not break We will not be defeated We will not be frightened Knowing You are there and so am I We will not build a false heaven on earth We will honor our love on this treacherous journey of life Embracing the challenges at unstoppable pace

Embracing the despair of difficult days We will reject an imposed Utopia We will not seek sympathy If the ocean wrecks our ship and slashes the sails If we die We shall face Death Knowing You are there and so am I Together we have perceived the world, at each other we have gazed Across the blazing sands, we have travelled Neither mirages charmed us, we remained unfazed Nor have we soothed the mind with false platitudes ever Throughout our life, we will walk with our head held high May this phrase be exalted, Beloved You are there and so am I -Poem by Rabindranath Tagore, translation by Arundhuti Hom Chowdhury, Shivajee Chatterjee, Kausik Datta, Shireen Pasha

Soul

Shontrash Birodhi Raju Sharokh Bhaskarjya by Shaymol Chowdhury

It is the 7th century BC, pre-Islam Arabia. A husband and wife decide to commit their lives to ending mass female infanticide, gross income inequality, predatory lending, a culture of greed, molecular warfare (black magic) that left a community suspicious instead of trusting, and factional fighting that prevented a long term outlook. Accepting fully well their fragile mortality, they deeply believed that they could take on the Goliath matrix of injustice, bringing about social change because they received a profound insight of Allah - the most forgiving, compassionate force of energy - beauty, pure love, the creator in the creation, that leaves one with the joy of being aware. The couple saw the chaos around them and knew fully well that if human beings could develop themselves in mind, body and soul, they would know Allah, transforming their environment from aspirations for a false heaven on Earth to a pragmatic abode of perennial renaissance.

We know a lot about the husband in this couple but who was the wife? Her name was Khadija bint Khuwaylid (Khadija meaning a girl child, who was born premature). She grew up in a house that was next door to the Ka’aba, so close that the branches of the tree in her

courtyard touched it. Imagine playing on the branches of a tree that touched the House of God. Perhaps a nice dig in the libraries of Alexandria (Egypt) would reveal more about her childhood. From the childhood beneath the tree that touched the Ka’aba, she grows up to be a successful business woman (earning well, paying well, donating generously), having two marriages (both of which left her in widowhood with children) before she meets her Beloved Mohammad. Needless to say she had to be strong to negotiate life in an environment where female Goddesses were the dominant figures of worship, yet death was the usual verdict for girl children.

Mind

Scholars speculate that of the three Goddesses (Al-lat or Saraswati / Athena, Al-Uzza or Durga / Aphrodite, Manat or Kali / Nemesis) revered in pre-Islam Arabia, Khadija focused on Al-Uzza (Durga / Parvati, or Aphrodite, the Mother Goddess of love and fertility). Perhaps Khadija believed in love and the transformative energy of the heart, which was then supplemented by her and her husband’s insight of Allah. (Green being the colour of Islam may be no happen-stance. Mystics have always said green is the colour of the heart energy, the seat of

consciousness. Now biophysicists say the thymus gland, where the heart is located, vibrates the color green. Once opened, the thymus gland enables one to become who one is meant to be.)

Khadija was the first to convert to Islam and accept Mohammad as a prophet (a seer of the will of God). For the next ten years after having accepted Islam, Khadija supported the Muslims’ social justice movement for oneness and peace with her physical and metaphysical energy as well as her wealth (underwriting the new community when they were ostracised for refusing to participate in the old culture of greed and a life of duality in which one’s actions were separated from one’s faith in the oneness of Allah).

Body

Where is the honour for Khadija, without whom Islam would not have survived? (You can be certain of that.)

My mother and I were travelling through Baridhara in Dhaka, the wealthiest neighborhood in the capital of Bangladesh. We wanted to offer our Maghrib prayers. We stopped at the DOHS Baridhara mosque. A few men were preparing to pray on the ground floor, while the top floor remained astoundingly empty. The attendee insisted that because of our gender, we could not pray inside the mosque. Why is it that at the Ka’aba men and women pray side by side and we cannot even pray on an empty floor of a mosque in Dhaka? What have we learned by wanting to be Muslims, when we cannot even have the clarity to correct this mistake of disallowing Muslim women from participating fully in Islamic life, which includes the movement and presence of women across time and space.

Can we achieve the full awareness of Allah? Can we develop ourselves to a point where we reduce gender disparity in all spheres of our lives, where we pray side by side despite our gender, where we honour not just beloved Mohammad but also beloved Khadija by living the ideals for which they reverently worked? l

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FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

| food |

| beauty |

Side Dish Iftar offer

Divine pampering this Ramadan

Side Dish International Cuisine is now at Uttara Sector 1. This is definitely a must try for seafood lovers living in the area. Not a fan of seafood? No problem. They also offer great BBQ, pizza, pasta, and coffee items.

This Ramadan, Side Dish International Cuisine also has a special iftar menu. The platter contains dates, sliced fruit, vegetable spring rolls, fish fingers, buffalo wings, chicken lollypops, chicken chaaps, luchi, shahi chops, kalijeera jilapi, shwarma, haleem, chicken biriyani, chana masala, cucumber slices, desserts and drinks. This gigantic platter is reasonably priced at Tk650. There are also three types of iftar boxes available for takeaway only, and priced between Tk250 to Tk400.

There is a 20% Discount for Standard Chartered Bank card holders and a 10% Discount for

BRAC Bank card holders. You can also order their food from home via Foodpanda and Hungrynaki.

For reservation you can call at 01873618800. l

| CSR |

Through Ramadan, Divine Beauty Lounge is offering some amazing pampering packages to help you feel relaxed during and after a hard day’s fast, and to get your glow on before Eid. Package 1 costs Tk1,899 and gets you a hot oil massage with herbal pack + Natural Herbal Facial + full hand wax.

Package 2 costs Tk2,499 for a haircut + hot oil massage +

Everjobs’ grand giveaway

| grooming |

Everjobs.com.bd, one of the fastest growing job portals in Bangladesh, recently embarked on a mission to give away t-shirts to the rickshaw pullers and water bottles to the underprivileged, during iftar time in the month of Ramadan.

Gijs Verheijke, CEO of everjobs Asia said, “I am very glad that this excellent initiative is being launched in Bangladesh. I feel it is a very kind step to be sharing happiness with everyone” Everjobs is currently operating in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar,

Exciting New Offers at Grooming Lounge

Cameroon,Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda. Launched in 2015, everjobs aims to become

DT

Biz Info

the leading job portal in fast growing markets, finding the right match for both employers and candidates. l

This Ramadan Grooming Lounge gives you the chance to enjoy all its services at a discount of 15 percent. As wonderful as that seems, it doesn’t end there. WIth every purchase of Tk2,000 worth of services, you get a fish foot spa absolutely free. Too good to be true? But it is. So if you’re in need for some grooming before Eid, be sure to drop by Grooming Lounge.

You can find Grooming Lounge at Sector 13, Uttara, Dhaka and for more information please call at 01794141414.l

Shahnaz gold facial.

Package 3 costs Tk2,899 and offers fair polish + hot oil massage with herbal pack + VLCC facial + full hand wax.

You also get a complimentary foot massage with every collagen facial.

Don’t miss out on this great offer! Divine Beauty Lounge is located at 1st Floor, House 13/A, Road 108, Gulshan 1 l

DT

20 Editorial

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

TODAY

What does Brexit mean for Bangladesh?

The very issue that compelled the Conservative government to call the referendum has taken centre stage. In the process, it has drowned out all other rationalist arguments on the benefits of staying in the EU PAGE 21

State of surveillance As businesses learn even more about our habits and desires, they’ll be able to mold our behaviour to fit their own interests.

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

PAGE 22

Conserve the circle of life

Nadiya’s story is not my story We wish she understood the power of her narratives enough to understand that a little research was due before she turned her personal experiences into generalised statements PAGE 23

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

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

W

e Bangladeshis must play our part in protecting wildlife and not disrupting the delicate ecosystem any further.

Our activities have already had a range of negative consequences on us, such as increased flooding, food shortage, water shortage, pollution, rising temperatues, etc.

While the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Bangladesh have highlighted in the Red List this year that a total of 21 new wildlife species has been discovered, it is concerning that 31 species -- 11 mammals, 19 birds and a crocodile -- are now regionally extinct.

While the Red List, in 2000, assessed two bird species as extinct, the number has now increased to 19. 390 species are threatened, among which 56 are critically endangered, including a national symbol -- the Royal Bengal tiger.

Human intervention in the forests and corresponding habitat loss are one of the primary reasons for extinction.

The Red List data would help the government to formulate a wildlife policy and bring in appropriate changes to the Wildlife Act 2012. While preventing wildlife trafficking and illegal trade of wildlife should be key priorities, the policy would also help the government to make environment-related decisions when implementing projects across ministries.

For example, environmentalists have suggested to the government that the 25,000 trees along the Dhaka-Sylhet track in the Lawacchara rainforest should be trimmed and not cut down, in order to conserve habitat.

The policy would also encourage the Education Ministry to redesign curriculum to highlight environmental conservation to increase student awareness.

The Environment and Forest Ministry’s plan to create a think tank on nature conservation is welcome, and should be set up as soon as possible, otherwise, day by day, the alarming trend of extinction ensues and we run the risk of disrupting the circle of life and facing its negative consequences.

Human intervention in the forests and corresponding habitat loss are one of the primary reasons for extinction

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21

Opinion

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

What does Brexit mean for Bangladesh?

We won’t benefit significantly, if history is a predictor

n Nofel Wahid

T

he UK is in the midst of Brexit fever.

A referendum on whether the UK should leave or remain in the European Union will be held on June 23.

The most recent opinion polls indicate that British voters are divided pretty evenly on the referendum.

Notwithstanding the polls, the campaign to leave or remain has distilled down to a simple argument between the opposing camps.

Those in favour of remaining in the EU, including the British Prime Minister David Cameron, argue that the economic benefits of staying outweigh all other considerations.

The Leave campaign, led by former London Mayor Boris Johnson (a once-close friend of David Cameron and a fellow Conservative), is arguing that economic doomsday predictions around leaving the EU are overblown at best.

More importantly, the Brexiters have made immigration the central issue of their campaign.

They argue that the UK needs to leave to free itself from European laws on free movement of workers, which has led to a large influx of Eastern Europeans into the UK over the past decade.

A bit of background on the immigration issue

In 2004, the EU expanded to include 10 new Eastern European members, such as Poland, Romania, Lithuania, and others.

At the time, the UK government estimated that the EU’s expansion would lead to about 15,000 Eastern Europeans migrating to the UK every year to find better jobs.

In reality, data from the UK’s Office of National Statistics shows that Eastern European migration into the UK has averaged well over 100,000 a year over the last decade.

For example, in 2004, there were only 100,000 migrants from Poland, Lithuania, and Romania living in the UK (let’s call them EE3 countries), compared to almost 400,000 migrants from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka (let’s call them SA4 countries).

A decade later, in 2013, there were more than 1 million migrants from EE3 countries compared to little over 650,000 from the SA4 countries, as illustrated in Chart 1.

It is worth noting that these figures relate to migrants who had

being a centre-right party, found the large, unanticipated migration trends deeply disturbing and Prime Minister David Cameron

convincing 2015 election win, Prime Minister Cameron and his government now finds themselves in a major bind over

The very issue that compelled the Conservative government to call the referendum has, not surprisingly, taken centre stage. In the process, it has drowned out all other rationalist arguments on the economic and national security benefits of the UK staying in the EU

recently arrived in the UK, not UK citizens of Eastern European or South Asian ethnicity.

The UK Conservative Party,

promised to hold a referendum on the UK’s membership in the EU if his party won re-election in 2015.

A year later, after a pretty

the referendum.

The very issue that compelled the Conservative government to call the referendum has, not surprisingly, taken centre stage.

In the process, it has drowned out all other rationalist arguments on the economic and national security benefits of the UK staying in the EU.

Why the comparison with South Asia?

The comparison between migration from Eastern Europe and South Asia might seem random, but it has strangely been brought into play by the Leave campaign.

Keen to ensure that their main argument for Brexit is not seen as being blatantly xenophobic, Leave campaigners have argued that limiting Eastern European migration into the UK would create opportunities for more migration from South Asia.

This may just be campaign rhetoric, empty promises made in the heat of a political battle

that will amount to little once the referendum is over.

But nevertheless, it is worth asking -- if Brexit does lead to more South Asian migration into the UK, how much will Bangladeshis benefit?

The Financial Times in an article on May 19 refers to Pasha Khan, the president of the Bangladesh Caterers Association, stating: “Leaving the EU would ease the staff shortage in his [catering] industry.”

But digging deeper into UK’s population and migration statistics reveals that most migrants from South Asia have come from Pakistan, followed by India and Bangladesh.

Chart 2 illustrates that the number of Pakistani migrants living in the UK has increased from 200,000 in 2004 to almost 350,000 in 2013, an annual average increase of 5.5%. Growth in Indian migration to the UK has been even higher at 7.5% per annum.

On the other hand, the number of Bangladeshi migrants in the UK has increased from just 58,000 in 2004 to 73,000 in 2013, which is equivalent to an annual average growth rate of only 2.3%.

To the extent that historical trends can be a predictor of the future, these figures show that Bangladeshis are not likely to benefit significantly from Brexit.

If the UK does choose to quit the EU, and a subsequent (conservative) UK government makes good on its promise to take in more migrants from South Asia, it is Pakistanis and Indians who stand to benefit the most. l Nofel Wahid is an economist. This article first appeared on orthonomi.com.

22

DT

Opinion

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

State of surveillance The Orwellian nightmare come true

Big Brother is watching you

As businesses learn even more about our habits and desires, they’ll be able to mold our behaviour to fit their own interests.

n Jawad Mahruz

T

he internet is a surveillance state.

Regardless of whether we admit it to ourselves or not, and whether we like it or not, we’re being tracked all the time.

Google tracks us, both on its pages and on other pages it has access to.

Facebook does the same; it even tracks non-Facebook users.

Apple tracks us on our iPhones and iPads. One reporter, who wishes to remain anonymous, used a tool called Collusion in 2013 to track who was tracking him: 105 companies tracked his internet use during one 36-hour period.

Increasingly, what we do on the Internet is being combined with other data about us. Everything

we do now -- from ordering food to submitting assignments -- involves computers, and computers produce output data as a natural by-product.

Everything is now being saved and correlated, and many bigdata companies make money by building up intimate profiles of our lives from a variety of sources.

We’re now in the early stages of the so-called “Internet of Things.” Companies are rushing to install sensors and transmitters in all manners of consumer and industrial goods. These networkconnected “things” will be able to beam reports on our behaviour to corporate databases.

We won’t be tracked just by our smartphones. We’ll be tracked by our cars, our homes, our clothes,

BIGSTOCK

our appliances along with the machines and tools we use in our jobs.

We’re beginning to see the extent of the surveillance the Internet of Things will entail.

Thermostats and smoke detectors sold by Nest, a unit of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, collect information on a home’s temperature, humidity and lighting as well as the movements of people in rooms.

Amazon’s Echo, a voiceactivated home automation device, records conversations and stores them in Amazon’s cloud.

The cars built by Tesla contain sensors that track and transmit a vehicle’s location and its owner’s driving habits. Vicks sells a rectal thermometer with a Bluetooth transmitter and an accompanying smartphone app.

Under Armour has announced plans to put biometric sensors in the garments it makes.

All this information is fed back, via the Internet, to their respective manufacturers. There doesn’t seem to be anywhere that companies won’t go to collect

information about us.

As consumers, we’ve always divulged information about ourselves in the course of buying products and services. If you want to get a comfortable pair of hiking boots at a local shoe store, you’re going to need to let the clerk measure your feet.

If you want to build a new house that suits your lifestyle, you’re going to have to share with an architect details about how you and your family live.

Technology companies would argue that the new networkconnected goods fit this wellestablished pattern. Collecting information about us allows them to deliver more personalised products.

Can’t we trace this phenomenon back to its roots? In the past, exchanges of information were limited to particular purchases.

The shoe clerk and the architect didn’t collaborate in preparing a detailed profile of you that they could then share with or sell to other companies. And they certainly didn’t keep tabs on you

as you went through your day.

So how did this start? Have we actually sacrificed our private lives for better products?

Ever since Internet firms started tracking us online, we’ve worried about the loss of privacy. Knowing that we’re always under watch can erode our sense of autonomy and circumscribe our freedom of thought and action.

The Internet of Things brings an added danger. As businesses learn even more about our habits and desires, they’ll be able to mold our behaviour to fit their own interests. The networked devices that surround us won’t just collect information about us. They’ll also start telling us what to do.

Surely, we can take measures to prevent companies from intruding into our personal lives. Or can we?

Mass production, as essential as it is, requires near infinite data in order to be accurate.

We’re basically stuck in a scenario where it’s our privacy versus our comfort. Fixing this will require strong government will, but they are just as bloodthirsty for data as the producers, in hopes of being able to track down suspects and prevent crimes from happening.

Consequently, privacy is not being given as much importance as previously hoped.

So, it appears that privacy advocates are on the losing side of the battle. I welcome you to a world where Google knows exactly what kind of information you search for.

I welcome you to a world where your cell phone company knows exactly where you are all the time. Say hello to the end of private conversations, because progressively, your conversations are being carried out via e-mail, text, or social networking sites where they are not safe from the prying eyes of corporations.

And I welcome you to a world where all of this, and everything that you do or is done by the computer is saved, correlated, analysed, and passed around from company to company without your knowledge or consent; where the government can access it without a warrant.

A world where ubiquitous surveillance is integrated, and it’s efficient beyond the wildest dreams of George Orwell.

Welcome to the world of Internet without privacy, and we’ve ended up here with hardly a fight. l Jawad Mahruz is a freelance contributor.

DT

23

Opinion

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

Nadiya’s story is not my story It isn’t fair to expect Nadiya to represent Bangladeshis, but we can’t deny that her voice has power

Mishtis have always been an indispensable part of Bangladeshi cuisine

BIGSTOCK

n Ishrat Jahan

A

relentless, and to some extent, justified amount of criticism has piled up on Nadiya Hussain’s plate after her recent statements about Bangladeshi cuisine.

In an interview with The Guardian, the winner of last year’s “Great British Bake Off ” talked about her experiences of growing up in London, and her childhood that had “no concept of dessert or cheese in Bangladeshi cuisine” before being introduced to European cuisine.

In an isolated sense, the entire article does not amount to anything more than one of the many recycled sneak peeks into the life of a British celebrity.

But unfortunately, the article does not exist in a vacuum.

The potential amount of misrepresentation regarding Bangladesh that Nadiya’s words generate is what makes the article the target of resentment and debates.

We, as Bangladeshis, wish she understood the power of her narratives enough to understand that a little research was due before she turned her personal experiences into generalised statements in a globally circulated newspaper

Misrepresentation is not a new experience for this part of the world. The endless pool of orientalist and “third-world citizens need saving” rhetoric have been powerful tools used by the media for decades.

Yet, one would have to live in a very special kind of Western supremacy vacuum to justify claiming that “the concept of desserts doesn’t exist in Bangladeshi cuisine.”

How is it that with one sentence in a popular media outlet, the very existence of a historically and culturally rich, complex, and diverse cuisine is written off

as simple, bland, and lacking in desserts?

This is, quite simply put, ignorance. And ignorance has no justification. Her statements are, at best, gross generalisation.

In the more complex scheme of things, it becomes an issue about the power of narratives. Nadiya’s narrative should not equate to the millions of other Bangladeshi narratives, at home or abroad.

And yet, in one way or the other, it does.

Her voice has more power, more reach than the collective Bangladeshi voices that will speak in a very different wavelength

about Bangladesh. In an ideal world, Nadiya’s narrative would not have drowned out the other million narratives.

Her contribution to the process of othering an entire country (and its cuisine) would not have been so important or impactful. But in the world we have made, Nadiya’s words are more important than most.

Her narratives will be enough to throw hundreds of aspiring and successful culinary experts under one, narrow body of description of what Bangladeshi food should look like.

It’s important to understand

that it wasn’t Bangladeshi cuisine that Nadiya calls simple, rather it is the cuisine, specific to her location: From childhood impressions of Bangladesh, from inside her childhood home in Luton.

Why should this be representative of the other millions of Bangladesh and Bangladeshi diaspora childhoods?

The questions and anger surrounding this issue need not be directed at Nadiya’s personal experiences, but at the casual acceptance of her narrative being an automatic representation of Bangladeshi experiences across the globe.

We, as Bangladeshis, wish she understood the power of her narratives enough to understand that a little research was due before she turned her personal experiences into generalised statements in a globally circulated newspaper.

What is underneath the surface of Nadiya’s narratives in the media is a much more uncomfortable issue. Nadiya, with her headscarf and her Bangladeshi roots, has been repeatedly reinforced by the media as a beacon for multiculturalism, a highlight of Bangladeshi culinary talents, when it’s very clear that Nadiya does not represent Bangladeshis, diaspora, Muslims, or even women.

She is an individual who represents no one but herself.

Nadiya is as British as her cakes.

The ability to represent does not necessarily translate into a will to represent. She is expected to be a role model for a country (and its national identity) with which she has, at best, had fleeting interactions that have, over the years, been reduced to a handful of childhood memories.

Frankly, it is unfair to expect Nadiya to take upon the responsibility of representing Bangladeshi cuisine when her own experiences with it are limited to a distorted diaspora picture.

Nadiya’s story is not my story.

Nadiya’s story is a lesson in the dangers of championing a single (albeit, misinformed) story as the holy lens for viewing Bangladesh and Bangladeshi cuisine.

It is a reminder of how the collective power of the words of a selective few and the media actively generate stereotypes that shape our world. Keep your cakes Nadiya, and I will keep my box of assorted mishtis. l Ishrat Jahan is a freelance contributor.

DT

24 Sport

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

TOP STORIES

Cleveland celebrate with huge parade Downtown Cleveland was a sea of wine and gold as hundreds of thousands of jubilant fans gave a hero’s welcome to NBA star LeBron James and his Cavaliers mates. The team brought home the city’s first sports title in more than 50 years. PAGE 26

India name Kumble as head coach Anil Kumble, the former India Test captain and the country’s most successful bowler, has been named as the coach of the men’s cricket team, with his one-year tenure to begin with India’s four-Test tour of the West Indies in July. PAGE 27

Arambagh in Fed Cup grand finale Arambagh Krira Sangha reached the final of the Federation Cup after a long 15-year gap as they came from behind to beat Team BJMC 3-1 in the first semi-final at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. PAGE 28

Republic of Ireland’s Robbie Brady (C) scores the only goal against Italy in Lille on Wednesday

Brady late goal fires Ireland n Reuters, Lille Robbie Brady scored a glorious late winner for Ireland to put them through to the knockout stages of the European Championship for the first time with a 1-0 win over Group E winners Italy.

Brady scored his 85th minute headed goal from a pinpoint cross by his Norwich City clubmate Wes Hoolahan, who had just spurned a golden opportunity to seal the well-deserved victory himself.

It delivered Irish football one of its most famous nights against a second-string Italy side, with the three points securing third place in the group and setting up a last-16 tie against hosts France in Lyon on Sunday.

With his team already guar-

anteed to top the group, Antonio Conte made eight changes, with only Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli and Alessandro Florenzi surviving fron the side that started against Sweden.

RESULTS Italy

0-1

Ireland Brady 85

Sweden

0-1

Belgium Nainggolan 84

The Irish began like a team on a mission, full back Seamus Coleman thundering into a tackle in the opening seconds to lay down a marker, and plenty of tough challenges from both sides followed.

Ireland almost took an early

lead when Jeff Hendrick jinked to create some space at the edge of the box and hit a left-footed piledriver that flew just wide of the top corner.

Italy had to wait until just before halftime for their first decent chance, Ciro Immobile dragging his shot just wide after a wellworked short free kick.

With Italy content to soak up the considerable pressure, the Irish mixed up their play, alternating between long balls and short passes, and set pieces continued to be a potent weapon.

With 13 minutes left and the Irish tiring, Martin O’Neill threw on playmaker Hoolahan. Hoolahan crossed for Brady to head Ireland into the lead and send the Irish fans into raptures.l

ROUND OF 16 25 JUNE 2016

7 things we learned from the 2016 DPL Intense competition The occasion might just have been the first in decades where a DPL campaign saw such fierce competition. Though the players by choice had its own demerits, this system has balanced the strength of the sides. PAGE 29

2pm/7pm (BDT)

St Etienne

SWITZERLAND POLAND 25 JUNE 2016

8pm/1am (BDT)

CROATIA 25 JUNE 2016

WALES 26 JUNE 2016

PORTUGAL

HUNGARY

Paris

Toulouse

BELGIUM

27 JUNE 2016

26 JUNE 2016

2pm/7pm (BDT)

Lyon

IRELAND 8pm/1am (BDT)

ENGLAND

ICELAND

ROUND OF 16 TIES TO WATCH ITALY V SPAIN Group E was supposed to be the “group of death” but Antonio Conte’s men not only finished top but won it with a game to spare. Built on a solid foundation, the Italians kept clean sheets in their first two group games, before making eight changes and losing their third 1-0 to the Republic of Ireland. The current European champions, Spain, may have suffered a shock defeat to Croatia but still look strong enough to go far in the tournament, with Alvaro Morata netting three goals already.

CROATIA V PORTUGAL The Croatians produced one of the most impressive results of the tournament thus far in coming from behind and beating Spain 2-1 to snatch top spot in Group D. Portugal however, have struggled by comparison. Their 3-3 draw with Hungary was surely the game of the tournament so far, skipper Ronaldo scoring his first goals of the competition, but a late goal from Iceland meant they were forced into third spot in the group and will go into their game with Croatia without a win.

WALES V NORTHERN IRELAND

St Denis

SPAIN

FRANCE 27 JUNE 2016

Lille

SLOVAKIA

5pm/10pm (BDT)

ITALY

N IRELAND 8pm/1am (BDT)

5pm/10pm (BDT)

GERMANY Lens

5pm/10pm (BDT)

26 JUNE 2016

REUTERS

Nice

Wales may have lost to England but they beat their rivals to top spot in Group B and now march on to the Parc des Princes in Paris to face Northern Ireland.

There was an air of disappointment in the Northern Ireland camp after their opening 1-0 loss to Poland but they bounced back to claim a 2-0 victory, courtesy of goals from Gareth McAuley and Niall McGinn. l

25

DT

Sport

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

EUROS - 5 FLOPS ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC (Sweden) Fresh from scoring 50 goals for Paris Saint-Germain in his last season, Zlatan Ibrahimovic looked ready to terrorise opposition defences at the Euros. On the eve of Sweden’s first game against the Republic of Ireland, Ibrahimovic declared: “The legend can still deliver.”

He leaves France -having failed in his quest to score at a fourth European Championship finals,

ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI (Poland) One of the reasons Poland were tipped to do well in France was the presence of Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski at the tip of their attack. But while Adam Nawalka’s side qualified for the last 16, it felt like they did so despite their biggest star. Poland scored just two goals in three games but conceded none.

The leading scorer in last season’s Bundesliga and the top scorer in Euro qualifying, Lewandowski has not yet found the net in France.

ARDA TURAN (Turkey) Barcelona midfielder Turan’s status as an icon in his home country of Turkey meant fans were largely pinning their hopes on him to drive Fatih Terim’s team on in France. But after a difficult season at club level Turan toiled at the Euros, struggling to influence games from a position wide on the left.

ALEKSANDAR DRAGOVIC (Austria) It would be easy to pinpoint Bayern Munich star David Alaba as the biggest disappointment in Austria’s awful campaign. However, Dragovic was more responsible than anyone for their early exit. He was meant to be a leading figure in defence for an Austrian side considered dark horses coming into the tournament. The Dynamo Kiev player’s tournament has been a disaster. He was sent off in the opening game against Hungary, leaving 10-man Austria to succumb to a crucial 2-0 defeat.

BLAISE MATUIDI (France) The energy of PSG midfielder Matuidi is usually vital for France, but he was not at his best as Didier Deschamps’ side struggled to find top gear in Group A. He has been Deschamps’ most used player since 2012 but there is now a debate in France as to whether Les Bleus would be better off using Moussa Sissoko of Newcastle United. Sissoko showcased his marauding midfield abilities in the 0-0 draw with Switzerland. l

SWEDEN BIDS ADIEU TO ‘PROUD’ ZLATAN Belgium captain Eden and had a difficult childhood. nAFP, Nice Hazard described Ibrahimovic He will be dearly missed

Sweden bid farewell to Zlatan Ibrahimovic with noisy tributes but no goals and exited the European Championship finals meekly after a 1-0 defeat by Belgium.

The brash giant of football ended his 116-cap international career on Wednesday with 62 often spectacular goals yet not a shot on target during Sweden’s three matches at Euro 2016.

Ibrahimovic brushed away the disappointment of elimination at the group stage and said he was proud of having emerging from “the ghetto” to become Sweden’s record goal scorer.

“It’s heavy, it’s disappointing, but at the same time I enjoyed it,” he said.

“This was my last game in the national team. I have many fantastic memories, because it’s a nice story because where I came from, a little... what people call the ghetto, and I made that country my country.”

Ibrahimovic, 34, was born to a Bosnian father and a Croatian mother in the tough Malmo neighbourhood of Rosengard

by Sweden and many of their opponents as the Zlatan portraits on yellow flags and thousands of Swedish fans chanting his name to the Pet Shop Boys song “Go West” testified.

Triumphant Belgian fans in the Nice stadium only slightly spoiled the occasion when they changed the words to “Bye Bye Ibrahimovic.”

Ibrahimovic scored at three previous Euro finals but barely got a look-in in France.

“I hoped for a better finish for him,” said Sweden coach Erik Hamren, who admitted he was losing a rare talent.

“I hope we can find another player, not a Zlatan as I don’t think in a small country like Sweden you can find someone like that, he’s really unique.”

“He is a big personality of football, I told him ‘bravo’ for your career. I was a player myself so I know how it feels when you finish your international career,” said Belgian coach Marc Wilmots.

“He has done a lot of things for Sweden.”

as “a big man in football” “He did a lot of important things. Of course he wanted to go further in this tournament but our objective today was to qualify and we did that,” Hazard said.

“Unfortunately for him he was eliminated but I think he can still do a lot of things at club level.”

Indeed Chelsea midfielder Hazard could well be facing "Ibra" in the Premier League next season as the Swede is rumoured to be heading to Manchester United after parting company with Paris Saint-Germain following four highly successful seasons.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Ibrahimovic thanked supporters who he said “made it possible for me to achieve what I have achieved”.

“So wherever I go, wherever I come, I’ll always bring the Swedish flag with me and stand with it. So for me disappointment doesn’t exist, only pride, and gratitude. I’m very thankful. So thank you,” he said. l

Goals prove Ronaldo’s back, says coach n AFP, Lyon Portugal’s coach Fernando Santos says Cristiano Ronaldo’s two-goal display against Hungary proves he has shaken off a poor start to return to his best at Euro 2016.

Ronaldo scored a pair of brilliant goals in Lyon on Wednesday to go down in European Championship history as the first player to score at four finals.

Portugal came from behind three times for a 3-3 draw which allowed them to scrape into the last 16 to face Croatia in Lens on Saturday, although they will only have two days’ rest.

Ronaldo, Portugal’s mostcapped player ever with 128 appearances, rescued his country

and wracked up another record by making a 17th appearance at a Euro finals, overtaking France’s Liliam Thuram and Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. “This is what Cristiano is all about, because he’s a winner and a scorer, he feeds on goals,” said Santos.

“This will have increased his confidence levels. He’s a confident player anyway, but this will have boosted him for the next game against Croatia.”

The 31-year-old opened his account in style with a deft backheel on 50 minutes, then netted with a powerful header 12 minutes later as he twice equalised at the Stade de Lyon.

Ronaldo had struggled as Portu-

gal drew their other Group F games against minnows Iceland and Austria, when he hit the post with a second-half penalty on Saturday.

Santos says Portugal must now raise their game against a team he had not wanted to play.

“Croatia are one of the sharks, we had been trying to avoid them,” admitted the Portugal boss.

“They placed first in a group with Spain, which tells you all you need to know about them.

“The most important thing is that we are through to the knockout stage.

“We had wanted to finish in first place, to move on, but not like this.”

The 61-year-old was relieved his side had rediscovered their

goalscoring touch after converting just one of their 50 shots on goal against Iceland and Austria.l

TOP SCORERS 3 GOALS ALVARO MORATA (SPAIN) v Turkey – 34’, 48’; v Croatia – 7’ GARETH BALE (WALES) v Slovakia - 10’; v England - 42’; v Russia – 67’

2 GOALS DIMITRI PAYET (FRANCE) v Romania – 89’; v Albania – 90+6 IVAN PERISIC (CROATIA) v Czech Republic - 37’; v Spain – 87’ CRISTIANO RONALDO (PORTUGAL) v Hungary – 50’, 62’

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26

Sport

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

Cleveland celebrate with huge parade n AFP, Cleveland

Cleveland Cavaliers’ Lebron James waves to the crowd during a parade to celebrate winning the 2016 NBA Championship in Cleveland, Ohio on Wednesday

Chile set up Copa final rematch with Argentina n Reuters Chile beat Colombia 2-0 in the Copa America semi-final on Wednesday and will face Argentina in Sunday’s final after surviving a tumultuous match in Chicago that was halted for more than two hours due to a torrential rain storm.

Chile were already two goals up at half time but the second half was delayed as an electrical storm powered towards Soldier Field and drenched the stadium with rain.

The teams came back to a waterlogged pitch and Colombia, who had a man sent off early in the second period, could not reduce the deficit.

“We played well but Chile are a very strong side,” Colombian midfielder Juan Cuadrado said after the final whistle.

“We thought a comeback was possible but sometimes things don’t work out like you want.”

The result takes Chile into a mouth-watering final against Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday.

The game will be a repeat of last year’s final in Santiago that the host nation won on penalties.

The reigning champions came into the game on a high after beating Mexico 7-0 and took only six minutes to make their mark again.

Former Chelsea midfielder Cuadrado misdirected a header across his own goal straight to Charles Aranguiz and the Leverk-

usen midfielder had the straightforward task of sidefooting past David Ospina.

Chile doubled their lead four minutes later after an Alexis Sanchez shot rebounded off the post into the path of Jose Pedro Fuenzalida.

With Ospina beaten, the Universidad Catolica full back scored one of the easiest goals of his career by sidefooting into the empty net.

Chile, who were already missing midfielders Arturo Vidal and Marcelo Diaz, lost Pedro Pablo Hernandez after half an hour when he

RESULT Chile

2-0

Colombia

Aranguiz 7, Funezalida 11

limped off injured and the resulting reshuffle took the wind out of their sails.

Colombia came back into the game, with James Rodriguez coming close with two shots and creating chances for Roger Martinez and Edwin Carmona.

However, Claudio Bravo was in fine form and it stayed 2-0 at the break.

Colombia pushed on after the restart with a lively Rodriguez leading the attack but were dealt a huge blow in the 56th minute when influential midfielder Carlos Sanchez was sent off for a second yellow card offence.l

REUTERS

Downtown Cleveland was a sea of wine and gold Wednesday as hundreds of thousands of jubilant fans gave a hero’s welcome to NBA superstar LeBron James and his Cavaliers teammates.

The team brought home the city’s first major sports title in more than 50 years - since the Browns took the National Football League title in 1964 - ending the longest such drought for any American city.

Confetti in the team’s colors rained down as the parade snaked through the city, with the NBA championship trophy in a black pickup truck and team members traveling in separate vehicles.

The Cavaliers, led by series MVP James, pulled off the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history to dethrone the Golden State Warriors, winning Game 7 on Sunday 9389 to complete an improbable rally from a 3-1 deficit to take the title.l

Vardy spurns Gunners, commits to Leicester n AFP, Leicester

Jamie Vardy gave a huge boost to champions Leicester yesterday by rejecting an offer from Arsenal to sign a new contract.

The 29-year-old striker - presently on duty with England at the Euro 2016 finals - agreed to an improved four year contract offer from “The Foxes” and spurning Arsenal’s advances after they activated a £20million ($30m, 25.5m euros) release clause.

“Leicester City have today (Thursday) agreed with the representatives of Jamie Vardy to extend the England international’s contract with the Premier League champions for a further four years.

“Both parties hope that this announcement will end recent speculation regarding Jamie’s future and confirm his long term commitment to Leicester City Football Club,” read a statement from the club, who added neither party would be making any further comment on the matter till after England’s Euro 2016 campaign was over.

They play Iceland in a last 16 match next Monday.

Vardy, who had only signed a new contract with Leicester in February this year, scored 24 league goals as Leicester, 5,000/1 rank outsiders, were crowned champions of England last season. l

England’s Jamie Vardy runs during a training session in Chantilly, France yesterday.

England will face Iceland in the Euro 2016 round of 16 in Nice on Monday AP

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QUICK BYTES Azarenka ruled out of Wimbledon Former world number one Victoria Azarenka has withdrawn from Wimbledon with a knee injury, organisers said yesterday.

Belarussian Azarenka , who would have been seeded six at the championships, has not played since retiring from a first-round match at the French Open last month. It is yet another blow for the two-times Australian Open champion who has been plagued by foot injuries.

–REUTERS

Griezmann signs new Atletico deal Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann has signed a fresh deal with Atletico Madrid keeping the France international at the La Liga side until 2021. The star forward “has renewed its contract with our club until June 30, 2021,” announced Atletico in a statement yesterday.

It said the 25-year-old “has enjoyed two excellent seasons in our team” since 2014 with a 57-goal haul.

–AFP

Rangers sign Kranjcar on two-year deal Croatian midfielder Niko Kranjcar has signed a two-year deal with Rangers, the Scottish Premiership side announced yesterday. The 31-year-old, who was free agent after a short spell with American club New York Cosmos, will be manager Mark Warburton’s sixth signing ahead of the 2016-17 season as Rangers return to the Scottish top-flight after four years in the lower division.

India name Kumble as head coach n Agencies Anil Kumble, the former India Test captain and the country’s most successful bowler, has been named as the coach of the men’s cricket team, with his one-year tenure to begin with India’s four-Test tour of the West Indies in July. The announcement was made yesterday in Dharamsala, where the BCCI is holding its first annual cricket conclave, with board president Anurag Thakur and its secretary Ajay Shirke naming Kumble in a press conference.

There was speculation that Ravi Shastri, who was team director until April, would be accommodated in the position of batting coach but Thakur said the remainder of the coaching staff had not been chosen. Applicants for the remainder of the coaching staff have until the end of June to submit their applications, which leaves the BCCI to pick a batting, bowling and fielding coach before India fly to the Caribbean in the first week of July.

This is the first coaching role for Kumble, India’s greatest match-winner with 619 Test wickets and 337 in ODIs, and something of a surprise given that he has no prior coaching experience at international or first-class level, which was one of the BCCI’s criteria for applicants. The 45-year-old was

GARETH BALE Wales

Spain

Bale has lived up to his pre-tournament billing as one of the potential stars of Euro 2016. He inspired Wales to a 2-1 victory over Slovakia in their opening game with a stunning 25-yard free-kick and repeated the feat, albeit from 10 yards further out, in the narrow loss to England. He struck again against Russia.

DIMITRI PAYET France

CRICKET TEN 3

Germany

Tri-Nation 2016 West Indies v South Africa

STAR SPORTS 2 7:00PM Sri Lanka Tour of England 2nd ODI

Barcelona great Iniesta has demonstrated that even at the age of 32, he remains one of the game’s foremost midfielders. He may have disappointed in Spain’s 2-1 defeat by Croatia, but he was sublime in their first two matches as the defending champions edged the Czech Republic 1-0 and crushed Turkey 3-0. His stand-out moment came against Turkey when he was involved six times in a sweeping move.

The Bayern Munich centre-back has been an absolute rock in Germany’s uncertain first round. He was man of the match in the world champions’ hardfought goalless draw against Poland.

Hailed for the way he marshalled the back, Boateng has also become a leader in the team, not hesitating to criticise the attackers for failing to do their duty warning Germany “won’t go far” if they do not improve. Many are now talking about him as a future captain but a calf injury suffered in the win over Northern Ireland could hold him back in the last 16 game against Slovakia on Sunday.

MICHAEL MCGOVERN Northern Ireland

JEROME BOATENG

10:30PM 9th ODI

a standing ovation in stoppage time, he left the pitch wiping away tears.

ANDRES INIESTA

Iceland coach: Time to change national holiday

DAY’S WATCH

tralia in a landmark 3-0 T20I series, apart from winning this year’s Asia Cup. Kumble’s appointment, much like that fizzing delivery which won him many, many wickets for India, is a proper googly.

The BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman with Sanjay Jagdale as the conveyor had met on Wednesday to deliberate on the presentations made by the applicants a day before. Kumble, Shastri, Lalchand Rajput, Praveen Amre and Tom Moody were the five applicants who were interviewed after the board shortlisted 21 names from

FIVE STARS OF THE GROUP PHASE

–REUTERS

Iceland co-coach Heimir Hallgrimsson jokingly suggested Wednesday’s historic 2-1 win over Austria at Euro 2016 would force the Nordic island country to change its national holiday. Iceland is the smallest nation to qualify for a major finals and its national team strode into the last 16 and a meeting with England after consigning Austria to a premature exit.

–AFP

the last of the high-profile applicants to throw his name into the hat and, given his gigantic reputation and cricketing pedigree, this sudden development threw the BCCI’s hiring process for Indian’s coach into something of a tizzy.

Until he threw his name into the ring, the leading candidate for head coach was Kumble’s former India team-mate Shastri - they played five Tests together in the early 1990s - under whose watch from August 2014 to April 2016 India reached the semi-finals of two major ICC tournaments, rose to No 1 in the ICC Test rankings for eight weeks and beat Australia in Aus-

Payet sparked the tournament into life with a magnificent left-foot winner against Romania in the 89th minute of France’s opening game. He had earlier set up the opening goal for Olivier Giroud and when he was substituted to

If Northern Ireland overcome the odds against Gareth Bale and Wales tomorrow, Michael McGovern will almost certainly play a role. The 31-year-old goalkeeper hurled himself everywhere to limit Germany to a one goal victory in Group C and is certainly one of the heroes of the tournament. l

the initial list of 57 applicants. A day later, Kumble was announced as the choice for the most high-profile coaching job in international cricket.

Kumble - one of just two bowlers to have taken all ten wickets in a Test innings - is well respected among the Indian cricket fraternity, which appears to have earned him favour. Additionally, his no-nonsense attitude as a player and captain would likely have won him votes. During his tenure as captain of India’s Test team from November 2007 to October 2008, a period in which they won home Tests against Pakistan, South Africa and Australia and a famous away game in Perth, Kumble is believed to have instilled in several of his younger teammates a win-at-all-costs attitude.

Though he has no formal coaching experience, Kumble has been a mentor for two IPL franchises, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians. Past administrational profiles include serving as president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association chairman of the NCA when Patil was its director and head of the BCCI’s technical committee. Currently, Kumble chairs the ICC cricket committee.

Kumble played with and led Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman in Tests and it is believed that his stature was the key factor. l

Vietnamese put houses on Euros n AFP, Hanoi Football and a flutter go handin-hand in Vietnam making Euro 2016 a golden opportunity for fans to enjoy two national obsessions, even for those who have already bet their houses on the beautiful game - and lost.

Each major football championship is followed by a slew of reports of big wins, losses and suicides that fixate a nation with a particularly deep love for gambling, even though it is outlawed.

Speaking at a small cafe in Hanoi, Nguyen The Hoang recounts an astonishing gambling run during the last European Championship in 2012 that ended up wiping out his fortune.

“Football betting cost me almost half a million dollars,” the 58-yearold explains of a bad streak that cost him two homes and a restaurant.

“My wife hates football so much because it ruined our lives,” he added.

The father-of-two now washes dishes at a small streetside noodle shop, where his wife prepares bowls of pho that bring in a meagre $10 a day. l

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Arambagh in Fed Cup grand finale n Tribune Report Arambagh Krira Sangha reached the final of Federation Cup after 15 years as they came from behind to beat Team BJMC 3-1 in the first semi-final at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Arambagh will face the winner of the second semi-final between Abahani Limited and Sheikh Russel, scheduled to be held today at the same venue at 7:30pm.

RESULT Arambagh

3-1

Akon 65 – P, 69 Jafar 90

Team BJMC Jakir 38

Forward Jakir Hossain Jiku put BJMC ahead in the first half before Nigerian striker Kester Akon inspired a spirited Arambagh side by scoring two quick goals in the second half. Jafar Iqbal added the third in the dying moments of the game to secure the final berth.

The last time Arambagh reached the final of the Federation Cup was back in 2001. This time around, they showed great spirit under the guidance of experienced coach Saiful Bari Titu, beating Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Abahani en route to the final.

However, they didn’t start well yesterday as Jakir gave BJMC the breakthrough in the 38th minute, taking advantage of Arambagh’s shaky defence. A low Khan Mohammad Tara free-kick was collected by Jakir, who was afforded

plenty of time in the middle of penalty area to roll the ball into the net.

Titu admitted that their performance in the opening half was lacklustre. “It was a bad start to the game. They looked tired. I told my players (after the first half) that if you want to play the final it’s your choice. Tiredness is only your mentality,” he said after the game.

Titu’s words seemed to galvanise the Motijheel outfit, who looked motivated in the second half and soon equalised the margin in the 65th minute through a flawless penalty by Kester Akon after Sankar Das fouled substitute midfielder Aung Ching Marma inside the box.

Kester scored again four minutes later, sending the ball over the onrushing BJMC goalkeeper Arifuzzaman Himel.

BJMC’s Samuel Adams missed a glorious opportunity to bring parity in the 75th minute when the Nigerian hit the sidepost from a penalty after defender Monsur Amin brought down Eleta Kingsley inside the box.

In-form forward Jafar sealed victory moments before the final whistle, smashing home a powerful angular strike after drifting into the penalty area from the left side.

Titu later informed that the tactical change - bringing in midfielder Marma in place of defender Sajib - worked well for his side. “Along with the tactical change, luck also did a little bit of favour to us when they missed a penalty. There was however, motivation and hard-work as well. Full credit to the players.”l

An action of the Federation Cup semi-final between Arambagh Krira Sangha and Team BJMC (green) at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Belgian Saintfiet next Bangladesh football coach? n Tribune Report Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet is interested in taking charge of the Bangladesh football team as the head coach. The post has been vacant ever since the departure of Dutch head coach Lodewijk de Kruif, whose temporary reign came to an end earlier this month.

Saintfiet, who has vast coaching experience in African football, is now in the capital city. He arrived yesterday morning and watched the first semi-final of the Federation Cup between Arambagh Krira Sangha and Team BJMC at Bangabandhu National Stadium in the afternoon.

The 43-year old coach is now interested to work in Asia and said he has followed Bangladesh football closely for a while.

The Belgian is now a free agent after working as Togo head coach for 11 months, which was his last

job. He however, has not had any official contact with the Bangla-

desh Football Federation as of yet.

“I am yet to speak to anyone regarding the contract. I am here to watch some matches of the tournament and I will talk to the president (Kazi Salahuddin) about football and after that, may be there will be an opportunity to come as the national team coach. It is too early to say anything,” said Saintfiet.

He continued, “There are several reasons to wish to be the coach of Bangladesh. Bangladesh have much more potential to show. The last results of Bangladesh in regional competitions may be not as good as the 2003 Saff Championship. The results of 2010 and 2012 were also not good. But Bangladesh have quality.

“I would like to come here to change the team and bring some good results as well as qualify for the Asian Cup Qualifiers. So for me, I have good name in Africa and the Middle East, in terms of results.

I would also want to make a good name in Bangladesh. Bangladesh could be a good option at that.”

The Uefa pro-licensed coach has a notable resume. He managed national teams like Togo, Malawi, Yemen, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and the Qatar Under-17 team and worked as a club coach in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

But he never managed a country for more than a year.

“There was certain reasons as to why my contracts with those teams were not long-term. I was appointed in Malawi for only one match. I got a five-month contract with Ethiopia. I was never fired but there were small contracts with the teams. I was too young so I was ambitious to change the jobs,” he explained.

Saintfiet met BFF president Salahuddin and the other top officials yesterday and is likely to stay in the capital till this Monday. l

Fizz bowls first time in weeks n Tribune Report National pacer Mustafizur Rahman had his first net bowling session yesterday ever since he returned home with an injury from the IPL 2016. The left-arm pacer before attending the session with the ball had undergone a rehab programme, which included running and gym sessions.

Mustafizur, who had a brilliant stint in the IPL for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, had picked up a hamstring and ankle injury. His two-week rehab programme began on June 9.

In March, Sussex had announced that Mustafizur would be their second overseas player and participate in the NatWest T20 Blast and the Royal London One-Day Cup. The Bangladesh bowler was set to join Sussex at the end of the IPL but injuries and fatigue denied him from appearing in the UK. l

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7 THINGS WE LEARNED FROM THE 2016 DPL Intense competition

The occasion might just have been the first in decades where a Dhaka Premier League campaign saw such intense competition. Though the players by choice system had its own demerits, one thing this system has done was balancing the strength of the sides. The result – neck-and-neck competition in Bangladesh’s most competitive domestic tournament. All six teams in the Super League phase had their chances of claiming the title, something unheard of in the last two decades.

Abahani, CCDM at centre of attention

DPL 2016 champions Abahani Limited were at the centre of all allegations. The Dhanmondi-based side this season were in the headlines for all the wrong reasons which in the process overshadowed the hard work of the players.

The CCDM (Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis) was also under the spotlight for unfair attitude towards some teams. What’s more, some particular matches were shifted to other venues in very short notice. The Bangladesh Cricket Board will investigate allegations that the BKSP-3 groundsmen didn’t cover the pitch properly ahead of the Brothers Union-Legends of Rupganj game that was eventually abandoned. They will also investigate the CCDM decision of changing the date of the Gazi Group Cricketers-Victoria Sporting Club match.

Safety of the helmets in question

A blow to the neck incurred by Victoria all-rouder Suhrawadi Shuvo raised concerns of the adequate protection of the helmet. The incident reminded the necessity of using the newly-designed helmets with stem-guards. Majority of the players in Bangladesh cricket

use helmets which meet the safety standard but when it comes to protecting the back of the head and the neck, safety is surprisingly unattended. Comfort is certainly an issue but Shuvo’s accident should make all realise that the comfort is a small price to pay for being safe.

Sick umpires, controversial decisions

Controversial decisions are part and parcel of Bangladesh’s domestic cricket. It will be rare to find a competition where umpiring decisions were not questioned. This season’s DPL was no different. Controversial decisions by the on-field umpires frustrated the players and team officials and on occasions, sparked off disputes. This had two team officials slammed with fines while three of the four players fined also had to serve a one-match suspension. The most highlighted incident of the season occurred during the Abahani-Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club game. A particular decision during the game got Abahani captain Tamim Iqbal furious.

Tamim then indulged into a heated conversation with the umpires. The two umpires, Tanvir Ahmed and Gazi Sohel, later left the field without completing the game. The two match officials had initially said they got too sick to conduct the game. It was later revealed that the umpires were offended by Tamim and did not continue the game.

Tamim was fined Tk one lakh and received a one-match ban which he will serve in the next BCB competition.

Payment issue

Payment irregularity has always been a part of the DPL but this season, it got worse.

The BCB implemented the players by choice system, despite objection by the cricketers. But the system was

hardly in motion as nine of the 12 clubs had frustrated their cricketers with irregular payment. Victoria were supposed to meet the BCB deadline after their scheduled payment wasn’t made on time by the club. According to the regulations, 30 percent payment was supposed to be paid during signing, another 30 percent during the Super League and the remaining 40 percent within 45 days after the competition ends. Earlier this week, the BCB gave the clubs 72 hours to pay up or face action. Unpaid players would be paid by the BCB, the board confirmed.

Bowling actions a concern

After Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny got reported for their bowling action in the 2016 World Twenty20, BCB took the initiative to make sure the bowlers have their action right in the domestic arena too. The board ensured of catching bowlers with suspected actions but the approach has been sluggish.

In the league’s first week, as many as seven bowlers were reported with Gazi Group’s Mustafizur Rahman reported twice but it took almost the entire length of the tournament to form the bowling action review committee.

Indian cricketers the common choice

The 2016 DPL has seen an unprecedented number of Indian cricketers taking part. The likes of Yousuf Pathan, Manoj Tiwary, Unmukt Chand, Sachin Baby, Manvinder Bisla and a few other high-profile names were part of the competition this season. This large number can be pinned down to the lifting of an unofficial embargo by the BCCI on letting Indian players travel abroad to play in other countries’ List A competitions.

–MINHAZ UDDIN KHAN

Shyamoly earns wild-card for Rio n Tribune Report Archer Shyamoly Roy earned a wild-card for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro as the second Bangladeshi athlete after shooter Abdullah Hel Baki.

The 23-year old Shyamoly, who is the national champion in the individual recurve bow event, was confirmed of her wild-card yesterday, said officials of the Bangladesh

Archery Federation.

“It’s like a dream come true that I’m going to participate in the Olympic Games, given that it has been only two years since my debut for the national side. I’m really grateful to the federation for giving me the opportunity to participate in different international events in the last two years,” said Shyamoly yesterday.

“We had asked for two

wild-cards for the Rio Games but they provided us one wild-card, for Shyamoly.

They considered her performance in last year’s World Championship in Denmark and I think she deserves this opportunity,” said BAF general secretary Kazi Razib Uddin Ahmed Chapal.

Shyamoly finished 32nd in last year’s World Archery Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark. l

Victoria players complain to cricket board n Tribune Report The Victoria Sporting Club cricketers yesterday placed their complaint to the Bangladesh Cricket Board, a day after the deadline set by cricket’s regulatory body in the country expired.

As per the regulations, the clubs taking part in the Dhaka Premier League should clear 60 percent of the players’ payment before the start of the Super League phase.

But, much to the irritation of the Victoria players, they went unpaid of the

aforementioned amount even after the Super League got underway.

This forced the BCB to set a deadline to the club in question to clear at least 60 percent of the cricketers’ payment.

However, the deadline expired last Wednesday, and the Victoria players had no other option but to take their complaint to the BCB. “Only one among us got 40 percent payment. Someone got 10 percent while the others received 20 or 30 of the payment till now. The

league has been finished.

We will all go home in the upcoming Eid but can’t go without money,” said Victoria captain Nadif Chowdhury, cutting a frustrated figure.

“All the boys are disappointed. We all are professional cricketers. It is very unfortunate for us if we have to suffer in this way to get the payment. CEO (Nizamuddin Chowdhury) assured us that the board will look after the matter.

We are still hopeful of getting the money,” added Nadif. l

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FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Pale bluish green (5) 4 Ostentatious display (4) 7 United (3) 8 Distant (3) 9 Heavenly bodies (5) 12 Biblical quotation (4) 13 Muteness (7) 15 Vegetable (3) 16 Eyelid infection (3) 18 Vote in favour (3) 19 Terminate (3) 21 Lauds (7) 24 Partly open (4) 26 Letting contract (5) 27 Court (3) 28 Contend in rivalry (3) 29 Cast off (4) 30 Conjecture (5)

DOWN 1 Employer (4) 2 Being (6) 3 Actual (4) 4 Top of the head (4) 5 Metal-bearing rock (3) 6 Insignificant (5) 10 Corded fabric (3) 11 Show contempt (5) 14 Waterway (5) 17 Essay on a theme (6) 18 Gather for oneself (5) 20 Pass away (3) 21 Poke (4) 22 Rescue (4) 23 Observes (4) 25 Respectful fear (3)

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 15 represents N so fill N every time the figure 15 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

Pit perfect Priyanka striped vest top, her hair loosely styled and a pair of sunglasses, the star, who’s making her name in the US in television series Quantico, put both of her hands behind her head, with both of her armpits on display.

Attached to the image, she wrote: “Here’s another ‘pit-stopping’ picture to add to the debate. #WillTheRealArmpitPlease StandUp #nofilter#armpitdiaries.”

Clearly amused by the attention her armpit has attained, it’s probably the last reaction the actress expected when she agreed to the shoot.

Photographed by fashion snapper Nick Saglimbeni, the Bollywood idol poses in a variety of seductive poses, including wearing a black part PVC dress, an over-sized shirt and heels, and a hot-pant catsuit with knee high black boots.

Maxim India re-tweeted Chopra’s #nofilter picture with the words “mic drop.”

Source: dailymail.co.uk, cnn. com l

n Showtime Desk The Quantico star who caused a social media storm when her armpit was featured on the cover of a men’s magazine, looking “unrealistically” smooth, has finally had her say on the snap in question.

Priyanka Chopra, 33, appears on Maxim India’s June/July cover and has caused a stir with her strangely smooth armpit, which many say has been edited using Photoshop.

The star has now responded to the furore with a new, no filter picture of her pits. Wearing a

For the first time, these three musicians have collaborated for an album of CMV. Prothom Bhalobeshe is the newest album, which has three songs from the trio. Recording had been done recently and the title song was sung by Tahsan. The whole album is organised by Pritam Hasan who is already popular for “Esho Mama Hey”.

“It is like a dream project for me. I have admired Tahsan and Aadit for long tmie. This time I have got a chance to work and sing with them. As seniors, they helped me a lot while working on this. I hope listeners will love this album,” said Tahsan.

Tahsan added, “ Pritam is

promising among the new faces of the music industry. He’s trying to present something new.

This time he has his hand in something new as well.” Album producer Shahed Ali informs

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

Musicians under threat?

n Nazia Lopa After the death of Christina Grimmie, the world has been given two more shocking blows. Amjad Sabri from Sabri Brothers died on June 22.

He was the son of legendary Sufi singer Ghulam Farid Sabri. Along with his brother, Ghaznavi Sabri, he formed the band Sabri Brothers, which toured across the world.

Amjad Sabri was shot and killed yesterday while driving his car in Karachi, Pakistan. Extremists have claimed responsibility for the attack, the BBC reports. Sabri was 45 years old.

Sabri was one of the most famous singers of Qawwali, a music style with its roots in Sufism.

His father, Ghulam Farid Sabri, and his uncle, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri, led the Sabri Brothers who were a popular Qawwali group in the 70s and 80s. His family traced its musical lineage to the 17th century.

BBC writes that Sabri, “produced both traditional and commercial music and also sang for movie soundtracks in India and Pakistan,” making him more of a crossover star.

Meanwhile, last week a Chicago singer who appeared on the Mexican version of The Voice in 2011 died after he was shot in an ambush, while celebrating his birthday with friends.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed that 45-year-old Alejandro “Jano” Fuentes died on Saturday. He was shot three times in the head late Thursday outside his Tras Bambalinas School on Chicago’s southwest side.

The attack happened less than a week after the killing of Christina Grimmie, who appeared on the US version of the show. Authorities say a man shot her while she was signing autographs after a performance in Orlando, Florida.

The man then killed himself.

Fuentes got into his car with friends and an armed man suddenly ordered Fuentes out of that vehicle and shot him.

Police said they had no suspects in the attack. WGN television said police were investigating whether the shooting was an attempted carjacking or a robbery.

Source: BBC l

Geetiara Safiya Choudhury at Bhat Ghum

Pritam featuring Adit, Tahsan n Showtime Desk

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n Showtime Desk that, on the occasion of Eid, this album will be releases digitally on GP music exclusive. Also CMV will release this as proper album soon. l

Bhat Ghum, a Popular show of Colors FM 101.6, is about to cross its 100th episode this Friday, June 24. In this episode, Ms Geeteara Safiya Choudhury, a Bangladeshi entrepreneur will be joining as a special guest. She will talk about women empowerment, challenges of womanhood, career and celebrating life as a woman.

Geeteara Safiya Choudhury is one of the more popular icons of Bangladesh who has shown other women how to be successful in life. This show has been hosted by theatre artist Alok Basu from the very beginning.

Till today, many of Bangladeshi celebrities have been on the show,

like Syed Hasan Imam, Ramendu Majumder, Sara Zaker, Sharmin lucky, Asad Chowdhury and many more. Bhat ghum is an ongoing regular show and on air every Friday at 2pm. l

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FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

SOCIAL MEDIA BOOSTING E-COMMERCE PAGE 12

BRADY LATE GOAL FIRES IRELAND PAGE 24

MUSICIANS UNDER THREAT? PAGE 31

BB forensic firm’s contract renewal unlikely n Reuters

Demonstrators dress up as ‘VAT ghosts’ to protest what they say are burdens of value-added tax on the people. Members from different social organisations formed the human chain in the capital’s Shahbagh yesterday SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

JaPa lawmaker demands Muhith’s resignation n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla Jatiya Party lawmaker Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu yesterday called for Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith to step down over scams in the capital market and the banking sector.

“A cancer-like situation prevails in the country’s banking sector. The finance minister said the financial sector saw massive looting. The governor of Bangladesh Bank resigned after a cyber heist of the institution’s

‘There are 100,000 loan defaulter in state-owned banks and they are not being brought to book’ reserve funds. So why should not the finance minister resign over the plunder of crores of taka in the banking sector and the stock market?” he said.

Speaking at the budget discussion in the parliament, Bablu said: “You [Muhith] acknowledged that huge looting took place in the banking sector. So is not it your moral responsibility to resign from your post? You have no right to stay in office after such corruption.

“You [Muhith] do not have any moral responsibility. Can you retain your post the

Bangladesh Bank is unlikely to extend the contract of US cybersecurity firm FireEye to investigate the electronic theft of $81m of its money, sources at the bank said on Wednesday, citing high costs as one of the factors.

The move comes as law enforcement in Bangladesh and the US have reported little progress in identifying the criminals more than four months after one of the biggest cyber heists to date.

FireEye’s Mandiant forensics division was hired by Bangladesh Bank weeks after the cyber heist in early February. It said in an interim report that hackers took control of the bank’s network, stole credentials for sending messages on the SWIFT transactions system and used “sophisticated” malicious software to attack the computers the bank uses to process and authorise transactions.

Mandiant has said it needs 570 hours of more work to complete its investigations, a director on the board of Bangladesh Bank confirmed. The bank has already paid about $280,000 to the company at an hourly rate of $400, he and other officials said on condition of anonymity.

Another official familiar with the computer security systems at the bank said it did not

want to extend Mandiant’s contract because board members were not sure what tangible results could come from further investigation.

FireEye said in a statement that it would seek to help with the probe even after completing its assignment for Bangladesh Bank.

“We have uncovered and provided Bangladesh Bank and the global financial community extensive data about this unprecedented financial attack and how to prepare for the future, and will continue to support law enforcement and the industry past the close of our engagement,” the statement said.

The bank director said Bangladesh Bank planned to seek external help in the investigation, but only after drawing up new terms of reference on the basis of its own internal investigation, a police inquiry and a government-appointed probe.

Cost was a factor in the Mandiant decision, the director said. “Its charges are so high,” the director said, adding a formal meeting of the board on Thursday was scheduled to formally end the contract.

FireEye said that the $400 per hour figure cited by the Bangladesh Bank officials was not a standard rate for its services.

“The pricing and duration of our investigative work is unique to every incident,” the statement said. l

moment you told the parliament that massive corruption took place in the financial sector?

“There are 100,000 loan defaulter in stateowned banks and they are not being brought to book,” the member of the parliament said.

Bablu also demanded that the state-owned banks be operated under private arrangements.

’Govt should withdraw its share from BAT’

Awami League lawmaker Saber Hossain Chowdhury yesterday raised questions about the tax evasion of multinational tobacco producing company British American Tobacco (BAT) even after the appointment of secretary-level officials in the company’s directorial posts.

Terming this a shame chapter, he said the government should not have any share in the firm.

“In the budget, some good moves were expected for controlling tobacco. The prime minister and the finance minister had specific statements in this regard. A company in which several directorial posts are occupied by government secretaries evaded tax and this is shameful,” he said during the budget discussion.

“The government has 13% share in BAT and four secretary-level officials hold directorial posts in the company. But I think the government should not have any share in the firm and the four directors should also quit their posts.” l

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