24 July, 2016

SECOND EDITION

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

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Shraban 9, 1423, Shawwal 18, 1437

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 88

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

Militant attacks in Bangladesh claim 393 lives in last 11 years n Mohammad Jamil Khan The number of militant attacks have been on the rise in Bangladesh in the last 11 years.

No strata of society is now left untouched, as people from various backgrounds and professions are being included in militant hit lists.

According to data from the South Asian Terrorism Portal (SATP), at least 393 people were killed during terrorist attacks in Bangladesh since 2005 to July 17 of 2016. Among these deaths, there were 360 civilians and 33 security forces. In addition, 243 terrorists themselves were killed.

The data spanning 11 years show that the highest number of killings occurred in 2013, when 246 civilians and security forces (plus 133 terrorists) were killed, whereas no one was killed in 2009. For the rest of the years, 25 were killed in 2005, 6 in 2006, 1 in 2007, 1 in 2008, 3 in 2010, 1 in 2012, 38 in 2014, 25 in 2015 and 46 in 2016.

The militants themselves are also emerging from various classes of society – earlier, it was considered that only Madarasa-based students were radicalised, but now militants are seen to be also com-

DEATH TOLL IN ISLAMIST MILITANT ATTACKS FROM 2005 TO 2016 CIVILIANS

Prof Zia said that the problem can be resolved if we can address the gaps within our intelligence agencies and bring about changes in social, family and educational activities.

Data from the SATP also shows that the first major militant attacks to be reported in Bangladesh were in 1996, where Shanti Bahini rebels abducted 30 Bengali settlers in Rangamati district on September 11 and eventually killed them.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

26

6

1

1

0

3

0

1

228

29

23

42

Total death 360

SECURITY FORCES 2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

18

*Data till July 17, 2016

Source: South Asian Terrorism Portal

ing from higher education backgrounds and high-profile families.

It may be due to this increased diversity that militant groups are now found to be capable of adopting and using modern, cutting-edge technologies to implement attacks.

Security analysts think that in order to take effective steps against militant activities in Bangladesh, it is essential to identify the primary reasons behind them.

Monirul Islam, chief of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational

2014 2015

9

2

2016

4

Total death 33

Crimes unit, told the Dhaka Tribune that the trend of militancy in Bangladesh is a direct consequence of global phenomena, as local militants are inspired from global militant activities.

In contrast, Prof Dr Zia Rahman, chairman of Dhaka University’s criminology department suspected that the rise of militancy in Bangladesh since the 90s is a result of conflict in internal politics and a main reason for the recent surge has been the trial of war criminals.

n Ranjan Basu, Delhi After the Indian prime minister’s recent assurance of combating militancy hand in hand with Bangladesh, this week’s Delhi tour of the Bangladesh home minister seems vital for both the countries as they face the common problem of rising militant activities.

The Indian intelligence officials are set to brief Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, when he lands in Delhi on July 27, about the spread of the Islamic State group in South Asia, especially India with the help of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

Law enforcement and intelligence agencies of the two countries had strengthened information sharing about militant activities mainly after the blasts at a JMB den in Burdwan of West Bengal on October 2, 2014.

The cooperation will reach a new height during Kamal’s upcoming tour as the National Intelligence Agency of India has unearthed a possible link of JMB and IS to the July 1 Gulshan terror attack that

2005

2005

Indian intelligence to brief Kamal on spread of IS network

Suicide bomb blasts kill 80 Hazara protesters in Kabul n Reuters, Kabul Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday that killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 200 when it tore through a demonstration by members of the mainly Shia Hazara minority.

Graphic television footage from the site of the attack showed many dead bodies lying on the bloodied road, close to where thousands of Hazara had been demonstrating over the route of a planned multimillion dollar power line.

“Two fighters from IS detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shi’ites in the city of Kabul in Afghanistan,” said a brief statement on the group’s Amaq news agency.

The attack was the worst in months and if confirmed as the work of Islamic State, would represent a major escalation for a group

which has hitherto been largely confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar.

The explicit reference to the Hazara’s Shia religious affiliation also represents a menacing departure for Afghanistan, where the bloody rivalry between Sunni and Shia typical of Iraq has been relatively rare, despite decades of war.

The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about nine percent of the population, are Afghanistan’s third-largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination and thousands were killed under Taliban rule.

The Taliban, a fierce enemy of Islamic State, had issued a statement denying any involvement.

“We would never take part in any incident that divides the Afghan people,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

An Afghan protester screams near the scene of a suicide attack that targeted crowds of minority Shiite Hazaras during a demonstration at the Deh Mazang Circle in Kabul yesterday AFP

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SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Madrasa teacher who sheltered Sholakia attacker held Rahman Rabbi and n Arifur Tazul Islam Reza Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Gaibandha has detained a madrasa teacher for allegedly sheltering Shafiul, one of the terrorists caught during the Sholakia attack.

Md Anwar Hossain, 48, the head of Ebtedayi department of Khalshi Dhakhil Madrasa in Gobindaganj, was arrested on Friday night from his home in Panthopara area, RAB-13 Commanding Officer (CO)

Mohammad Atik told the Dhaka Tribune.

Anwar has told interrogators that Shafiul, a Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) member, had lived at his home from February to May with his family and told him he was a plastic wares dealer, the CO said.

Anwar had been handed over Gobindaganj police station, he added.

Shafiul Islam Sohan alias Abu Muktadil alias Shariful is the son

of Hyi Prodhan, a Jamaat-e-Islami leader in Dinajpur facing charges of carrying out sabotage during the 10th parliamentary election.

Caught after a gunfight with police after he attacked a police check post at the Sholakia eid congregation, Shafiul has also been named in four murders including those of two Hindu community members in Gaibandha and another in Panchagarh.

Our local correspondent, who

Indian intelligence to brief Kamal killed two dozens of people – mostly foreigners including an Indian student.

Kamal will visit the NIA Headquarters Wednesday afternoon and discuss one-onone the recent militant activities with its chief Sharad Kumar. Then Kamal would be given a special multimedia presentation by the intelligence officials about IS activities in India – recruitment and training – aided by the JMB members.

After the Burdwan blast incident, officials of NIA and Dhaka’s DB police said the JMB had started working in West Bengal in 2006 and had spread its root in different areas by recruiting members and giving them training at madrasas.

Two days after the Gulshan attack, the Indian officials captured an IS operative named Abu Musa al-Bangali from Burdwan. Musa, who hails from Birbhum in West Bengal, has revealed to the police the name of an acquaintance, Mohammad Solaiman, who was a JMB member. He said the duo had met several times in India.

NIA officials suspect that Solaiman is one of the masterminds behind the Gulshan attack. But he was not in Bangladesh during the operation and now hiding in a secret camp inside India.

Musa is currently under the

custody of West Bengal CID police, but he is set to be handed over to the NIA within a day or two. They hope to get crucial information about the activities of IS in India and its link to the Bangladeshi militants.

Senior officials of the NIA confirmed to the Bangla Tribune about sharing these information with the visiting Bangladeshi minister.

The IS threat of attacking India and Myanmar from its organisational base in Bangladesh is a major concern for India. The group claims 25 attacks since September last year that killed at least 44 people.

The Bangladesh government refuses the IS claim and insists that the Gulshan attack and the other targeted killings were conducted by some home-grown militant groups. Investigators dealing with the sensitive case have already found the connection of the local militants with some foreign groups.

“It is not our aim to establish the claim that IS has presence in Bangladesh. But we want to tell the minister about the militants of IS and other groups held in India, and their strong connection to the Bangladeshi militants,” a high official of the NIA said seeking anonymity.

“We are aware of the sensitivity

that the Bangladesh government does not want to admit IS presence in their country. We cannot confirm it too. But there is strong evidence that JMB or other militants groups are trying to carry out operations in association with the IS.” On the second day of his Delhi tour, Home Minister Kamal will meet his counterpart Rajnath Singh at the latter’s office. The Indian authorities have also planned to take Kamal to the ongoing parliament session, but the matter is yet to be finalised.

The desperateness of both the countries to check militancy and enhance cooperation has become visible after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed interest to inaugurate the integrated check post at Benapole-Petropole border through video conferencing and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina too agreed to the proposal when approached.

Usually heads of states do not take part in such initiatives.

Hence, it shows the keenness of the two governments to work together against their common enemy – militancy. The Indian officials think that Kamal’s Delhi visit would strengthen the ties and devise possible tactics. l This report was first published by Bangla Tribune

visited Anwar’s house, was told that Shafiul lived in the front rooms of the house with a child and a woman he said were his wife and children.

Anwar Hossain and his family lives in the inner rooms. Anwar has four children and one of them studies in Bogra.

Anwar’s wife Tuhin Begum told the Dhaka Tribune she did not know what Shafiul’s occupation was and the family did not leave the house much.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Suicide bomb blasts kill 80 Hazara protesters in Kabul The attack succeeded despite tight security which saw much of the city centre sealed off with stacks of shipping containers and other obstacles and helicopters patrolling overhead.

It was the deadliest bombing seen in Kabul since April, when more than 60 people were killed in an attack on offices used by the security services. That was considered the worst single incident of its kind in Kabul since 2011.

Mohammad Ismail Kawousi, a spokesman for the ministry of public health, said at least 61 dead and 207 wounded had been taken to nearby hospitals.

Power line

Saturday’s demonstrators had been demanding the 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be rerouted through two provinces with large Hazara populations, an option the government says would cost millions and delay the badly needed project by years.

But the resentment felt by many Hazaras runs deeper than simple questions of energy supply.

In November, thousands of Hazara marched through Kabul to protest at government inaction after seven members of their community were beheaded by Islamist militants and several protestors brief-

Militant attacks in Bangladesh claim 393 lives in last 11 years Ever since, the frequency of terrorism and the number of fatalities has also risen.

Security analyst Maj Gen (Retd) Abdur Rashid said that militant activities first started in Bangladesh, inspired by the Afghanistan-based outfit, Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami (Huji). Later, another militant outfit was introduced in the name of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

In response to drives by law enforcers, the militant outfit split to form another militant squad called Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), he said.

In 1991, police first arrested a group of Huji members from Cox’s Bazar, although the outfit first came to light in front of the press club on April 30, 1992, through a program they organized.

Huji, later, conducted an attack on a cultural program in Jessore in 1999 that left 10 people dead. On April 14, 2001, the outfit conducted another attack during the Bangla new year celebrations. Their attacks continued until 2005.

In April, 2004, JMB came to light in Rajshahi. Their first attack was a series of bomb blasts across Bang-

ladesh on August 17 2005. Members from JMB also attacked a court in Jhalakathi, killing two judges.

Although Bangladeshi authorities executed JMB’s top leaders Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai in 2007, including six others, they are still in operation.

According to law enforcers, the outfit’s latest attack was in Gulshan and Sholakia in July this year.

Ansarullah Bangla Team’s presence was found in 2013, after the death of blogger Rajeeb Haider.

Investigators discovered later that the outfit was responsible for a number of killings of bloggers and

Mojammel Haque, Officer incharge of Govindaganj police station, said police had searched Anwar Hossain’s house and were looking into whether he had any militant involvement.

He will be taken to court to seek permission for questioning, he added.

Last week RAB chief Benazir Ahmed told the media that Shafiul had been trained in nearby Sariakandi in Bogra district before the Sholakia attack. l

publishers in Bangaldesh.

According to sources, the outfit’s initial outreach activities were through spreading leaflets and posters, but now they are using blogs, websites, Facebook and remain in contact with one another through encrypted messaging applications, such as Threema, which was found to be used during the Gulshan attack.

Law enforcers are suspecting that local militants may have links with international militant groups, such as Islamic State.

Asaduzzaman Miah, commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Po-

ly tried to force their way into the presidential palace.

The protests by a group whose leaders include members of the national unity government have put pressure on President Ashraf Ghani, who has faced growing opposition from both inside and outside the government.

They have also risked exacerbating ethnic tensions with other groups and provinces the government says would have to wait up to three years for power if the route were changed.

The transmission line, intended to provide secure electricity to 10 provinces is part of the so-called TUTAP project backed by the Asia Development Bank, linking energy-rich states of Central Asia with Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Hazaras say they want the line to come through Bamyan and Wardak provinces, west of Kabul, where many Hazaras live, to ensure their power supply.

The government says the project already guarantees ample power to the two provinces and denies it disadvantages Hazara people.

Under current plans, due to be implemented by 2018, the line will pass from a converter station in the northern town of Pul-e Khumri to Kabul through the mountainous Salang pass. l

lice however said that they do not have any information to confirm this, but they are not ruling out the possibility of international ties, as investigations are underway.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, however insisted that the militants are local and home-grown and do not have international ties. He said that earlier, the groups used Madrasa students but now, they are giving arms to students from well-off, higher education backgrounds.

There is no IS in Bangladesh and those responsible will be arrested soon, he said. l

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SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

PM: Militancy will be contained n UNB Reiterating her government’s zero tolerance stance to rein in terrorism, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the government will contain militancy and terrorism by any means.

“We’ll surely eradicate militancy and terrorism whatever the name it takes. We won’t allow any sort of militancy and terrorism on the country’s soil,” she said.

The prime minister was speaking at the first-ever “Public Administration Award” giving ceremony among 30 officials and employees as well as institutions for their outstanding contributions to their respective fields.

The prize-giving ceremony was held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium with Public Administration Minister Syed Asharaful Islam in the chair.

She asked the public servants to work keeping in mind that militancy and terrorism in any form will not be allowed on this land and have to resist the social menace.

The prime minister also expressed her resolve to ensure peace and security of people. “We’ll have to work with this view in mind,” she told the public servants.

Hasina said she has the belief that the government will be able to resist militancy and terrorism

Imam arrested for anti-govt sermon n Ranajit Chandra Kuri, Noakhali

An imam of a mosque in Kabirhat upazila, Noakhali was arrested for delivering anti-government sermon during Jumma prayers on Friday, police said.

The arrestee, Hafez Belal Hossain, 35, is the main imam at Bandatta Bazar Jame Mosque in Kabirhat’s Sundalpur union.

Kabirhat police station OC Moktar Hossain confirmed the matter and said they were preparing to file a case against the imam.

Sundalpur Union Parishad Chairman Nurul Amin Rumi said Belal, during his Jumma sermon, claimed the country was being run by Jews.

“He asked the devotees present at the sermon: ‘Who runs the government – Muslims or Jews?’ When people said, “Muslims,” he said, “No, it’s the Jews.”

He also urged the devotees to sign a form opposing the National Education Policy, which sparked a protest among the devotees and they informed police.

Police then came to the spot and arrested Belal, Nurul said. l

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with the recipients of the country’s first ever Public Administration Award at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka yesterday in the country. “We’ve already showed the world that we can do many things and Inshallah this time too we’ll be able to do this.”

About the recent terror attacks at Gulshan in Dhaka and Sholakia in Kishoreganj, the prime minister said: “This is not the lessons of Islam that one will get ‘Hur-Pori’ by after killing human beings.”

Mentioning that the government is advancing towards the end of its

current tenure, Hasina asked the public servants to be more sincere so that the development programmes that have been taken by the government could be completed quickly.

“We’ve been given a five-year tenure… we’ve some thoughts to develop the country, we want to implement those thoughts, we want to advance the country by implementing those thoughts,” she added.

On skill development of the

public servants, the prime minister said the government, apart from providing them training at home, also has taken a step to send them abroad to receive modern training.

“Providing services to people is your holy responsibility because your salaries and allowances come from the pockets of poor farmers and labourers…all that come from the hard-earned money of thesesections of people,” Hasina said

Security device sales shoot up n Mohammad Jamil Khan

The sale of security devices has increased in the country in the wake of the two recent militant attacks in Dhaka’s Gulshan and Kishoreganj’s Sholakia, said market insiders.

Traders selling such products told the Dhaka Tribune that people were buying a variety of security devices to install in their homes as well as business establishments as security had become a key concern against the backdrop of the attacks.

Dr Saiful Islam, who runs a homeopathy shop in Old Dhaka’s Islampur area, went to Dhaka’s Stadium Market on Thursday to buy two closed-circuit television cameras.

“I am worried about the way militant attacks are happening. I need to keep an eye on who is coming to my shop and who is leaving.

This is why I bought the cameras and these give me a sense of security. I will install the cameras on two sides of my shop,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

Salesmen at stores in the market, and in nearby Baitul Mukarram Market, said they were passing a busy time as more and more people were coming to shop for surveillance devices.

Masud Rana, owner of Camera

Zone at Stadium Market, said the sale of IP cameras and CCTV cameras to be installed in office buildings had gone up lately.

“IP cameras can record from a long distance and can be operated from anywhere with the help of an internet connection. Also, they are easily accessible using cell phones, desktop computers and laptops,” he said.

“We are also helping customers install cameras in their desired locations.”

Security measures have also been ramped up in the city’s shopping malls, offices and markets after the attacks made in a week of each other.

Traders said different types of CCTV cameras are available in the market, and they are mainly imported from China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and America. Based on the product, the price of a CCTV camera varies between Tk2,000 and 15,000.

On the other hand, the price of a bullet camera ranges from Tk48,000 to Tk200,000.

The price of the centre box, required to connect four CCTV cameras, falls between Tk3,500 and Tk7,000.

The price of the box will be be-

tween Tk5,000 and Tk9,000 if eight cameras are to be connected, and between Tk8,000 and Tk16,000 if the number of cameras is 16.

Apart from CCTV cameras, people are also taking an interest in purchasing other types of security products.

Abu Taleb, owner of Tahmin Electronics at Stadium Market, said: “Earlier, consumers were only interested in buying CCTV cameras but after the militant attacks, we are seeing that the demand for products such as walkthrough metal detectors and super scanners has increased.”

Ramjan Ali, a security guard at Lakshmibazar Ekrampur intersection, told the Dhaka Tribune that locals had appointed four guards to ensure security in the locality.

“Earlier, we would only keep the main entrance to the locality locked from 11pm to 6am area but now we have a walkthrough metal detector set up for additional security.”

A walkthrough metal detector costs between Tk200,000 and Tk700,000.

Besides, motion sensors are sold for Tk20,000, and under vehicle search mirrors between Tk3,000 and 10,000. Metal detectors are sold between Tk1,600 and Tk3,200. l

BSS

adding “It’s the duty of the public servants to serve people, work for their welfare and development.”

State Minister for Public Administration Ministry Ismat Ara Sadeq, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Public Administration Ministry HM Ashiqur Rahman, Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam and Public Administration Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury also spoke at the programme. l

BGB denies bayonet charge on youth n Tawhid Zaman, Jessore Border Guard Bangladesh officials have denied the claim that cattle smuggler Shahidul Islam, killed in a shooting by the BSF members early yesterday, was also charged with bayonets.

Shahidul, 35, son of Sabed Kosai from Putkhali village under Benapole, was killed near Angrail border.

Members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) chased and caught Shahidul when he was entering Bangladesh with cattle along with several other traders. He was then shot and charged with bayonets, and the body left in a field inside the Indian territory, locals claimed.

The body was brought to Bangladesh by his accomplices. Benapole police recovered the body and sent it to Jessore General Hospital.

BGB 21 Battalion Commanding Officer Lt Col Ariful Huq claimed that Shahidul had not been charged with bayonets. “A BSF patrol team challenged a group of youths when they were crossing the border illegally. Attacked by the trespassers, the BSF members opened fire on them killing Shahidul on the spot.” l

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SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Operation IRENE ends with no major finds n Kamrul Hasan

“Operation IRENE” was initiated to stop the illegal trafficking of small arms and drugs in the country ends with no major breakthrough.

However, Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation (CIID) who were carried out the nationwide operation with the assistance of Rapid Action battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) for the last two weeks, claimed that creating awareness among was their principal success.

Along with 33 other countries, “Operation IRENE” is going on in Bangladesh coordinated by the Regional Intelligence Liaison Office for Asia and the Pacific (RILO AP) of World Customs Organisations (WCO), said Hossain Ahmed, additional director general of Customs Intelligence.

The operation was conducted following a decision taken by the Enforcement Committee of the Customs Cooperation Council at their 35 meeting, he added.

According to the CIID official they had conducted the drive at the three international airports along with the land and sea ports.

One major discovery made by the CIID was that smugglers were using online shopping and courier services to bring in firearms, drugs and explosives and specialty circuits, said Hossain.

Deputy Director of CIID HM Shariful Hasan, told the Dhaka Tribune: “this sudden drive did not yield much success in terms of recovery but such drives do give a strong message to all that CIID is not only working on customs related issues. They are also working against smuggling too.”

Several CIID officials told the Dhaka Tribune that they had conducted the drive using scanning and random sampling.

They checked aircraft passenger bags and they also checked the luggage and canopy areas, cargo areas and almost all the parts of the airport, the officials added.

DD Shariful told the Dhaka Tribune that RAB’s dog squad and BGB’s sniffer dog had identified some luggage and bags as suspect and so they were investigating the contents of those bags.

Assistant Director of Sylhet CIID told the Dhaka Tribune that they did not find anything suspicious at the airport that could be linked with militancy.

He however, said they were increasing their security measures at the airport so that no smuggling could be done through that airport. l

Activists of Sammilita Sangskritik Jote form a human chain in front of Central Shaheed Minar urging people to stand against terrorism

BNP to face Tarique’s conviction legally, politically n UNB BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said they will face their Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman’s conviction in a money-laundering case both legally and politically.

“We’ve got disappointed and aggrieved by the High Court verdict.

The government out of its political vengeance had appealed for scrapping the lower court verdict acquitting Tarique Rahman. He didn’t get justice from the apex court,” he said.

The BNP leader made the remarks while talking to reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on his return from the UK.

Fakhrul said the government has resorted to a tactic to keep Tarique away from politics by convicting him in the cases filed against him. “We want to clearly say Tarique Rahman’s case and conviction is a political issue, and we’ll face it legally and politically.”

The High Court on Thursday sentenced BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman to seven years’ imprisonment and fined him Tk20 crore scrapping his acquittal in the money-laundering case.

On November 17, 2013, a Dhaka court acquitted Tarique while sentenced his friend and business partner Giasuddin Al Mamun to seven years along with a fine of Tk40 crore in the ACC case filed for

illegally sending Tk20.41 crore to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.

A five-member BNP delegation, led by Fakhrul, reached here around 11am in a flight of Bangladesh Biman after attending a seminar on Bangladesh’s current situation at the House of Lords in the UK. Fakhrul said Tarique was punished in the money-laundering case only because of political reason.

He said though the militancy and violent extremism have become a serious problem for the country, the government is not sincere about eliminating the menace. “The government doesn’t want a national unity to tackle the problem.” l

Multi-client seismic survey soon n Aminur Rahman Rasel The government is going to sign a contract with a foreign joint venture to conduct a two-dimensional (2D) multi-client seismic survey in offshore areas of the country in mid-August, according to sources.

The proposal, placed by Energy and Mineral Resources Division, has already been approved by the Prime Minister's Office, said a deputy secretary at the division yesterday.

“Approved by the prime minister, the proposal summary has now been sent to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

“Now we are ready to sign a deal with TGS-NOPEC and Schlumberg-

er, a Norwegian-US joint venture, to carry out a 2D seismic survey.

We hope to be able to sign the contract in mid-August,” he added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the minister in-charge of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.

The objective of the multi-client survey is to provide the country's oil and gas industry with 2D seismic data of the offshore areas to help with basin evaluation, prospect generation and robust bidround participation.

The survey, first of its kind in the country, was deemed necessary after Bangladesh’s maritime boundaries with Myanmar and India were settled.

According to the project plan by Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla), the contractor will get two years to complete the survey. Petrobangla will share the profits from the sale of the data.

The state-owned Petrobangla, on behalf of the government, invited retenders to conduct the survey on December 10 last year and received proposals from five global geophysical companies by January 31 this year.

The companies are Norway-US joint venture TGS-NOPEC and Schlumberger, Chinese company BGP, Russian firms Dalmorneftegeophysica (DMNG) and Marine Arctic Geological Expedition (MAGE), and UK-Based Spec Partners Ltd. l

RAJIB DHAR

Three HujiB members held n Arifur Rahman Rabbi

Detectives arrested three members of the banned militant outfit Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh (HujiB) in Dhaka on Friday night.

The arrestees – Maulana Nazimuddin, president of HujiB's Dhaka north unit, and his two associates engineer Saiduzzaman, 24, and Mohammad Anas, 21 – were picked up when a team of the Detective Branch (DB) of police raided a house in Kotwali area following a tip-off, said Md Shahidullah, assistant deputy commissioner at the DB (south).

“After primary interrogation, we have learnt that they were helping HujiB members who got injured at different times and also providing financial support to the families of deceased members," he told the Dhaka Tribune.

They also provided support to the families of those who died or were wounded during the Afghanistan War, he added.

A case was filed with Kotwali police in this regard.

Detectives further learnt that HujiB Ameer (chief) Mufti Shafiqur Rahman is hiding in Dubai and sending funds to Bangladesh to run the local unit, sources said.

Detectives also recovered documents on the current status of HujiB members who have been arrested at different times, and what help their families have been provided with. The DB is currently verifying the information.

“The arrestees have given us vital information,” said Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner at Dhaka Metropolitan Police. “They have been placed on a four-day remand and are now being interrogated.” l

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SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

‘We have no expertise to run nuclear plant’ As the work for Rooppur nuclear power plant gears up, veteran nuclear engineer Dr Abdul Matin, tells DhakaTribune’s Asif Showkat Kallol in terms of technical skills and safety standards, Bangladesh is quite unprepared to handle a nuclear power plant.

Bangladesh is on the verge of signing a loan agreement with the Russian government to finance the Rooppur nuclear power plant project and it appears that the work for the nation’s first nuclear plant may soon be set into motion. A subsidiary of the Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation Rosatom will sign a contract with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission this week in Moscow to provide a $500 million Russian loan to finance engineering surveys, design and personnel training for the Rooppur plant. Science and Technology Minister Yaefesh Osman and State Minister for Finance MA Mannan are now in Moscow to sign the deal.

The 2400MW power plant in Rooppur is scheduled for completion by 2020. Russia may also provide up to $10 billion for the plant’s construction.

Dr Matin was among the engineers involved with setting up Pakistan’s first nuclear power plant in Karachi. He is concerned that the cost of construction of the Rooppur power plant is going to go up due to the lack of experts in the project and the ignored security and safety issues.

Is the government prepared to set up the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh?

At a seminar in 2009, Awami League government high-ups including Prime Minister’s International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi and Science and Technology Minister Yaefesh Osman said they wanted to set up a 600MW nuclear power plant with a second generation reactor in Rooppur. I advised them to form a company and a regulatory body immediately and set up a 1200MW plant instead of 600, with a third generation reactor. But they sat on this for the next five years.

Eventually the government did do those things, but it did not develop or hire the technical manpower needed to set up a nuclear power plant.

Now, the director of the Rooppur nuclear power plant project is a physicist and a biologist has been made the chairman of the regularly authority. The regulator is supposed to ensure the safety of the

usually heat up even if they are shut down and that could be dangerous for humans and the environment. Hydrogen-air explosions occurred in Unit 1, 3 and 4 of the Japanese Fukushima nuclear power plant after shut down in 2011.

Why is the feasibility study of Rooppur power plant costing us $550 million dollar?

Engineer Dr Abdul Matin nuclear power plant. How could a physicist and a biologist have the necessary knowledge on nuclear reactors and issues of nuclear power plant safety? Are they fit for those posts? India and Pakistan have a huge number of nuclear reactors, but physicists or biologists do not hold executive posts in any of those nuclear projects. The International Atomic Energy Agency guidelines say the project manger of a nuclear power plant must be a nuclear engineer with an experience of construction of nuclear power plant and reactors. A total of 90% of the staff should be engineers and 10% scientists, according to IAEA.

The cost of setting up the nuclear power plant will increase due to appointing inexperienced people in key positions. Although right now the cost is estimated at $12.65 billion, the government is going to sign a loan agreement without knowing what the costs will be in the final deal.

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What measures have been taken to ensure safety at Rooppur?

Why do we need to hire an independent consultant?

Are you sure that a nuclear plant cannot be run by foreign expert?

I asked the authorities to hire an independent consultant but the ministry has appointed a sister organisation of Rosatom, which will set up the reactors in Rooppur.

How can a sister concern look after the interests of the client? It will definitely serve the interests of the supplier.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith now says the cost of Rooppur project will increase to get modern technology. How are Dhaka

they evaluating this modern technology?

The per kilowatt cost of the first unit of the Russian built 2,000MW Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu was only $1,500.

Later it went up to $3,500, but the proposed per unit cost of Rooppur will be $5,500. The government wants to compare the price with plants in the European union and the United States, but this comparison is not reasonable. The per unit cost involves three factors: capital cost, fuel and operation and maintenance cost. A nuclear power plant’s capital cost is higher compared to other modes of power production. So per unit cost of Rooppur power plant has increased because how much loan we take with rate of interest and repayment time.Another reason of increase of capital cost we have no manpower for construction of manpower.

Why has the cost of setting up the Rooppur plant increased in the last five years?

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The regulator is supposed to receive a preliminary safety analysis report before the construction work of the nuclear power plant begins. But the Russians have already started preliminary work in Rooppur. I do know whether the safety report was submitted to the regulator. Another surprise is that the responsibility for safety evaluation of the Rooppur plant was also given to Russian authorities.

People are yet to return to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant area in Ukraine after the disaster in 1989.

If a nuclear disaster takes place in Rooppur, we have no capacity to evacuate the 30 million people who live there to safety within an hour.

People are living within a 30km radius of the plant area. It is not even possible to inform all the people in that area within an hour.

A nuclear power plant cannot be run by foreigners. It must be operated by local experts. Russian experts may leave the country if an incident like the Gulshan terror attack happens or some civil disturbance takes place. A nuclear reactor cannot be shut down by flipping a switch. Nuclear reactors Khulna

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Feasibility study for the Rooppur plant cannot cost more than $15 million. Why does it cost $550 million? The Russian authorities have already started preliminary work.

Why are they doing a feasibility study? The atomic energy commission is entirely absent from these proceedings and the decisions are being taken by the secretariat and the ministry.

During my service at the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission we had negotiated with Russia to set up a nuclear power plant in Rooppur in 1968-69. Later we negotiated with Belgium for setting up a 200MW plant in East Pakistan and even the contract with Belgium was finalised, but it was not materialised due to the Liberation War. I also worked to prepare the contract to set up first 137MW Karachi Nuclear Power Plant in 1971 with the assistance of Canadian GE. Karachi Nuclear power plant was run

by Bengalis. Two high officials of Karachi Nuclear power were Bengalis, including the project manager. I was a member of the safety committee of the plant.

So we should not set up the plant without trained manpower?

We cannot build a nuclear power plant unless the country has trained high-skill manpower.

When we came back to Bangladesh from Pakistan after Liberation, the Newsweek magazine ran a story that said Bangladesh has people who can make atomic bombs. Now nuclear power experts have tried over time and some experts nuclear reactor are working in BAEC. The chairman of BAEC is also a nuclear reactor researcher. Nuclear power plant engineering and nuclear reactor research are completely different subjects. Right now Bangladesh needs more nuclear power plant engineers for the construction of the big nuclear plant. l Sylhet

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Fajr: 4:50am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 5:15pm | Magrib: 6:58pm Esha: 8:45pm Source: Islamic Foundation

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SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Missing madrasa teacher’s body recovered in Kishoreganj Correspondent, n Our Kishoreganj

A man is wading through stagnant dirty water in Netrakona municipality. The picture was taken yesterday

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Prolonged waterlogging makes life difficult in Netrakona municipality n Hanif Ullah Akash, Netrakona The residents of Netrakona municipality have been facing lots of troubles due to pro-longed water-logging in the town.

Though more than 120,000 people live in nine Wards of 128 year old municipality, no new roads and culverts have been built in the locality for the increased number of population.

Lack of proper drainage system, damaged and narrow roads and lack of proper planning to develop the town have caused the prolonged water-logging, especially, in

rainy season, said the locals.

Residents of Shatpai and Barshikura of Ward No 1, Palpara and Saudagar of Ward No 2, Moinpur and Pukuria of Ward No 3, Bahir Chapra and Rajur Bajar of Ward No 4, Malni and Rishipara of Ward No 6, Katli and Joynagar of Ward No 7, Nagra and Ananda Bazar of ward No 8, and several other areas, including Kurpar, Bolaingua, Khatib Nagua, Hospital Road and Dharia, of Ward No 9 have been going through immense sufferings due to stagnant water in their areas for a long time.

In rainy season, drain water, mixing with rain water, enters the

houses in the areas, as there is no arrangement to drain off the excess water, said the sufferers.

Minor students could not go to schools in this season, said Putul Rani Shutrodhar, a resident of the locality.

Besides, carrying any patient to a hospital in any emergency situation becomes very difficult.

People went to mosques, schools or colleges wading into the dirty water, said Malek Master, freedom fighter Khorshed Alam, Abul Hossain, Renu Begum and Mokammel Haque Rana of the town.

Waterborne diseases, especial-

ly, diarrhoea spread in the areas in this season, they added.

Moreover, they have to live with bed smell of the stagnant water.

“Several times we had gone to the higher authorities of the municipality to get rid of the sufferings, but we did not get any solutions,” they said.

The local people demanded immediate steps to solve the problems.

Alhaj Najrul Islam Khan, mayor of the municipality, said admitting the facts, “Steps have been taken to develop the drainage system under the project of the municipality’s infrastructure development.” l

Lives of cancer patients of northern region at risk n Liakat Ali Badal, Rangpur The lone radiotherapy machine at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) for treating cancer patients of northern parts in the country is out of order for the last 11 months, leaving the patients’ lives at risks.

Newly married Rikta Begum of Kisoreganj upazila in Nilphamari needs to take radiotherapy within one month for treating her throat cancer; otherwise, she might lose her life, fears doctors.

So, either she has to go to Bogra or Dhaka for taking radiotherapy.

But, she does not have the financial ability to go to Dhaka. On the other hand, she will have to wait for six to seven months in Bogra for getting an appointment.

Abed Ali from Pirgachha, Afjal Hossain of Lalmonirhat and many other patients of the region admitted to the hospital like Rikta are at life risks for the same reason.

Banomali Roy of Kaliganj upazila in Lalmonirhat came to the

hospital to take radiotherapy, but had to return without taking the treatment. He has already lost all of his land property to meet up the treatment costs. Now, it is impossible for him to afford going Dhaka to take radiotherapy. Saraf Ali of Rangpur and Sahab Uddin of Dinajpur are also in same situation.

Associate Professor Dr Swapan Kumar Nath, head of the radiotherapy department, said the radiotherapy machine of the hospital was purchased in 1997 and after four

years it started to provide service.

It went out of order in August last year, as since 2009, no servicing had done to it, he added. Now, if a new machine is not purchased immediately, many cancer patients might lose their lives, fears the doctor.

Admitting the fact, RMCH Director Dr ASM Barkatalluh said a letter had been sent to Health Department in this regard. “Steps have been taken to buy a new radiotherapy machine, as the old one has gone out of order permanently,” he said. l

The body of a madrasa teacher, who went missing on Thursday, was recovered from the Norsunda River at Karimganj upazila in Kishoreganj yesterday morning.

According to local sources, deceased Moulana Md Abdul Hay, son of late Izzat Ali of Kazla Moddopara village in Tarail upazila of the district, was an assistant teacher of Tanshwar Dakhil Madrasa in Itna upazila.

He was missing from Thursday evening after he went to take a bath in the river near his home at Kazla Moddopara village, said police and locals.

Locals found his floating body in the river in Niamtpur Hazibari area of Karimganj upazila, one kilometre away from his home, yesterday morning and informed the police.

Later, the police recovered the body from the river, said Khondokar Showkot Jahan, officerin-charge (OC) of Tarail police station.

The body was handed over to Abdul’s family, the OC added. l

Two students missing in Satkhira n Asaduzzaman, Satkhira Thirteen days have passed after two students went missing from Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira on July 11.

According to local sources, Habib Hossain, 16, son of Abdul Jalil Gazi of Poranpur village under Koikhali union of the upazila, was a student of class 10 at A Rouf Memorial School and College in the upazila, while his cousin Shakil Hossain Dolan, 17, son of Abdul Majed of the same locality, was a student of class 11 at Shyamnagar Government Mohsin Degree College.

The families of the boys filed a general diary with Shyamnagar police station on July 12, one day after the incident, said Nasir Uddin, sub-inspector of the police station.

Our correspondent tried to reach Enamul Haque, officer-incharge of the police station, over mobile phone but the OC did not receive the call. l

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SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Jute growers happy in Rajshahi n Tribune Desk

Heavy rain and onrush of water from upstream have submerged Khatiamari village in Fulchari upazila in Gaibandha leaving the people marooned. The picture was taken yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Flood worsens in 6 districts n Tribune Desk

The flood situation yesterday in Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Faridpur, Kushtia, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts worsened as the rivers flowing through the districts further swelled due to downpour and onrush of water from the upstream.

In Sirajganj

Onrush water from the upstream and incessant rainfall flooded thousands of villages in five upazilas of the district, leaving at least one lakh people marooned, reports our correspondent.

Water of the Jamuna was flowing 29 centimetres above the danger line, accentuating erosion by the river at several points, said Sayed Hasan Imam, executive engineer of Water Development Board of the district.

Nine unions of Kazipur upazila, five of Sadar upazila, three of Belkuchi upazila, seven of Chowhali upazila and three unions of Shahjadpur upazila were reeling under flood water, said WDB sources.

Sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension reported that several hundred acres of land had been flooded.

Besides, around 50 houses at Enayetpur in Chowhali upazila have been devoured by the Jamuna due to the river erosion triggered by the overflow of water, said Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rezaul Bari.

Deputy Commissioner of the district Billal Hossain said the local administration has already distributed 15 tonnes of rice and Tk 2.05 lakh as relief among the flood affected people of Kazipur and Shahjadpur upazilas.

In Kurigram

Incessant rains and onrush of water from the upstream inundated fresh areas in 31 unions of the district,

leaving over one lakh people marooned.

Officials at the Water Development Board (WDB) of the district said Brahmaputra and Dharala rivers were flowing 50 cm and 36 cm above the danger marks respectively, reports UNB Besides, the water level in Teesta and Dudhkumar Rivers has surged by 42 centimeters and 20 centimeters respectively.

According to Flood Control Room in the district, some 3290 families have been affected due to riverbank erosion, which also damaged 65 educational and religious institutions in the unions.

Meanwhile, police recovered the body of an unidentified elderly woman from floodwater in Sadar upazila.

Deputy Commissioner of the district M Nurul Amin said some 92 tonnes of rice and Tk10.94 lakh have been allocated for the flood affected people. Besides, a list of flood and erosion affected people is being prepared, he said.

In Faridpur

Erosion of the river Padma due to incessant rain fall during last few days has threatened three unions of Charbhadrasan upazilla of the district.

According to Ward members of Gazirtek, Charjhaukanda and Sadar unions meanwhile about fifty acres of land with standing crops particularly jute have been eroded in the river. They said that three primary schools and one Madrasha have been eroded in the river also, reports BSS. According to the sources, the spree of erosion has also threatened an area of 375 meters of CC block built last year as river protection embankment. Some portions of the embankment have already slided down in the river.

Meanwhile BWDB, Faridpur office has taken up repair work of

the embankment.

The sources said that about 30 vacant homesteads as the inmates have already abandoned facing erosion in the river. It may be mentioned here that most areas of this upazilla is located near the river Padma where boat is the only means of communication.

In Kushtia

Our correspondent said the government map of Kushtia district had already changed due to the erosion in recent flood.

While visiting different areas at Khoksa, Kumarkali, Mirpur, Veramara and Daulatpur upazilas here, it was found that the affected people have taken shelter at safer places with their belongings. They are passing their days under open sky amid much hardship.

They urged the government to take immediate steps to rehabilitate them.

Some locals Rahim, Sokomoddin and Chikna Begum, said the Padma has become more furious this year than the previous years as the water of the river has increased in the ongoing rainy season.

Chairman of Kumarkhali upazila Abdul Mannan Khan said at least 300 families had become homeless due to the erosion.

Member of Parliament from Kushtia-4 constituency Abdur Rouf and Deputy Commissioner Sayed Belal Hossain recently visited the areas and assured the affected people to rehabilitate them as soon as possible.

In the morning, while visiting the erosion affected areas of Kumarkali, it was found that the rapacious Padma was devouring arable lands, dwelling houses, trees and the fields of standing crops.

The local people complained that the government has not taken any initiative to provide relief materials to the victim.

Locals said the Padma has be-

come more turbulent this year.

They opined that the erosion of the Padma occurs twice a year-once at the time of onrush of flood water and at the time of receding.

Many of the affected people are suffering from various intestinal diseases, including fever, dysentery, diarrhoea and hepatitis for the lack of pure and safe drinking water, Md. Sagor Ali, a village doctor of the area said.

When contacted, Abdus Sattar, Executive Engineer of Water Development Board, Kushtia said they were trying to build another embankment to protect the river erosion.

In Jamalpur

Flood situation worsened in Jamalpur as water level of Brahmaputra and Jamuna Rivers has risen at Bahadurabad point leaving 50,000 people marooned, reports our correspondent.

Sources said water level had crossed danger level at the point damaging roads and submerging croplands. Hundreds of villages at Patharshi, Kulkandi, Chinaduli and Belgacha unions in Islampur upazila went under water.

Hasmat Ali, Chairman of Patharshi union, said a dyke in Harinbadha ared had damaged causing suffering to the people of 50 villages in the union.

In Gaibandha,

More than 30,000 people were marooned in 19 union coulcils under as the water level in Teesta, Brahmaputra, Jamuna has surged by 15 , 10 and 10 centimeters respectively.

According to local sources, croplands, dykes, homesteads and bridges in the areas were damaged seriously causing suffering of the people.

Abdus Samad, deputy comissioner of the district said relief goods had been sent for flood victim people. l

Jute growers are happy as both yield and market price are better everywhere in the region including its vast Barind tract this year.

As there was favorable climatic condition, jute was cultivated on more lands than that of target fixed by the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE). Newly harvested jute has started appearing in the local markets and other growth centres for the last couple of days.

At present, most of the growers along with their family members are very much engaged in harvesting, decomposing, segregating and selling activities of jute.

On starting of full-scale harvesting and decomposing activities within next 15 to 20 days, jute will be available in the markets abundantly. Initially, jute is being sold at Tk1,700 to Tk1,900 per mound in different hats and bazars where the previous year's market price was Tk1,400 to Tk1,500.

Jute cultivation increased substantially as demand of raw jute has gradually been rising in both public and private sector jute mills, said Monsur Rahman, Managing Director of Monsur Jute Mills Limited.

Fazlur Rahman, Additional Director of DAE, said farmers got fair prices of jute during the last couple of years and as a result they are now eager to cultivate more jute. "Seven to eight years back, the farmers lost their concentration to jute cultivation as they did not get fair prices of their production," said the official.

Its farming on more 10,265 hectares of land has been achieved over the fixed target in the region comprising Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts.

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) had set a target for cultivating jute on 36,037 hectares of land whereas the farmers have finally brought 46,302 hectares under the cash crop farming.

Quality seeds, easy term bank loan for agri-inputs such as fertiliser, pesticides boosted jute cultivation in the region which made the farmers hopeful of jute this year, reorts BSS. Agriculturist Rahman said jute farming has started getting brighter dimension through increasing its production and export, ensuring adequate supply of quality seed, disbursement of more incentives and adopting other effective measures.

The farmers have started adopting the latest line sowing jute technology using seeder machines saving huge seed and reducing farming costs and ribbon- retting method to get quality fibre and more profit," he added. l

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8 World

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Pakistan row over Bin Laden compounds A dispute has broken out over the future of the site where Osama Bin Laden was shot dead in 2011, with authorities pushing rival plans for a graveyard or playground. The military has erected a wall around the 3,800 square feet plot where the al-Qaeda leader’s compound once stood in the garrison city of Abbottabad, and wants to convert it into a graveyard. But the local provincial government is trying to redevelop it as a playground.

-REUTERS

INDIA

India searching for missing air force plane Indian ships and aircraft searched on Saturday for an air force plane that went missing over the Bay of Bengal with 29 people on board the previous day, with no indication what happened to the aircraft or sign of wreckage, the defence ministry said. 16 ships, a submarine and six planes are involved in the search for the plane. -REUTERS

CHINA

Floods kill at least 154 across China Torrential rains that have swept through China have killed at least 154 people and left 124 missing, officials said Saturday, with most of the casualties reported from a northern province where villagers complained about lack of warning before a deadly flash flood. The rains, which began on Monday, have flooded streams, triggered landslides and destroyed homes across the country.

-AP

ASIA PACIFIC

120 Taiwanese arrested in Greece Around 120 Taiwanese nationals have been arrested in Greece for suspected telecom crimes, Taipei officials said Saturday, the latest such arrests abroad. They were caught in the suburbs of Athens Thursday, along with some Greeks, when local police thwarted a telecom gambling crime ring, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said.

-AFP

MIDDLE EAST

Iran urges global antiterror fight Iran said on Saturday the international community should make fighting terrorism its top priority, after an 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman apparently acting alone killed at least nine people in Munich. The attack was the third on civilians in Western Europe in eight days. The Arab League also condemned the shootings. -REUTERS

Power project divides Afghan society Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Kabul on Saturday, where a suicide bomb killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 200, to protest the Afghan government’s reroute of the TUTAP transnational electricity project. Most belong to the predominantly Shia Hazara ethnic group, an impoverished minority that has been repressed throughout the country’s history.

Carrying lanterns, they demanded electricity for the province of Bamyan

n Tribune International Desk The TUTAP project aimed to unite the country’s power lines, but instead caused a split down ethnic lines. A change in plan, which bypasses an underdeveloped province, has sparked mass protests by the Hazara minority.

Saturday’s demonstrators had been demanding the 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be rerouted through two provinces with large Hazara populations, an option the government says would cost millions and delay the badly needed project by years.

International terrorist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the suicide attack.

Political abuse or technical problems?

The TUTAP project is designed to deliver electricity from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan, making power available to millions of Afghans by connecting preexisting infrastructure.

The German technical advising firm Fichtner originally recommended that the power route run through Bamyan province, near planned Chinese and Indian natural resource projects and a power station that could be connected to the line.

According to Daud Noorzai, deputy chief of staff for President Ghani, the TUTAP project wouldn’t have delivered power to Bayman province anyways. Like a water pipeline, high-tension power lines don’t deliver to the areas it passes through, Noorzai said. “Changing to the current structure to pass through Bamyan would not only create more costs, but also prolong the completion of the project by years.”

In the future, the government says it wants to be more transparent about the implementation of its projects and prevent their manipulation by different sides of the political spectrum.

But the anger is sparked by far more than revised calculation, according to Alexey Yusupov, head of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in Kabul. “This has a lot to do with a sense of injustice, and of discontent with the government in general, much less than it has to do with the technical aspects of the project.”

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

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

An outlet for dissatisfaction

In a way, TUTAP has become a specific issue for Hazaras to vent their general anger. “This has become an emotional issue, because the protestors have the feeling that the government is taking something away which they had promised. This feeling that has built up among Hazaras.

Bamyan is one of the most underdeveloped provinces in Afghanistan, though other provinces have received just as little in the way of development support. The situation has only worsened since the end of the first Nato mission, which spelled the end as well of accompanying financial aid.

This has then latched onto a laundry list of discontents with the increasingly unpopular National Unity Government – rampant corruption, growing unemployment, a worsening refugee problem and faltering peace negotiations with the Taliban.

The TUTAP project has provided an opportunity to unleash this resentment. Furthermore, Hazara leaders in the government have seized on the pent-up anger of the community. “Political leaders like

Mohammad Mohaqeq and Karim Khalili want to demonstrate their power and show that they are able to get people out onto the street,” Yusupov said.

Route Change

Initially, the Bamyan route was chosen and approved by Afghan Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW).

Later on, however, the route was changed on requests from Da Afghanistan Breshna Shirkat (DABS), the only company in the country that manages power supply and distribution. Critics like Assadullah Saadati who is a member of Afghan parliament says DABS representatives went to Germany and pressurized Fichtner to choose any route they want except for Bamyan.

According to DABS representatives, another waiting period of two years is required to change the route back to Bamyan. People on the other hand ask why DABS had to request for a route change in the first place.

What are Hazara demanding?

Hazara leaders are calling on the government to stick to an initial plan to run the power line through the

A women from Afghanistan’s Hazara minority attend a protest in Kabul on July 23 REUTERS

TURKMENISTANUZBEKISTANTAJIKISTANAFGHANISTANPAKISTAN (TUTAP) Ü A unified grid will allow Afghanistan to benefit from being an electricity transit country between energy-rich Central Asia and energy-poor South Asia, and be an anchor country of the regional Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TUTAP) interconnection concept. Ü Development of a unified Afghanistan grid is planned with asynchronous interconnection with neighbouring countries to be achieved through high-voltage direct-current back-to-back converter stations. Ü Under TUTAP, a 500 kV line will be transmitted from Turkmenistan first to Afghanistan and then to Pakistan. After crossing the border into Afghanistan the transmission will connect to a sub-station in Pul-e Khumri, the center of northern Baghlan province and will then travel to the capital city of Kabul before being transferred to other parts of the country. Ü To reach Kabul, the line could pass either through the central province of Salang Pass.

central regions or brace themselves for more protests. Their demands are co-ordinated by a group called the “Enlightening Movement.”

Hazara grievances are supported by some representatives of other ethnic groups – particularly the Tajiks – but others accuse them of political opportunism and of trying to use the controversy to shore up their standing among their own supporters. l

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SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Clinton picks Kaine as running mate n Reuters, Washington, Dc Hillary Clinton named US Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday, opting for an experienced governing partner who will help her present the Democratic ticket as a steady alternative to the unpredictable campaign of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump.

The selection of Kaine, a self-described “boring” Virginian with a reputation for low-key competence, could appeal to independents and moderates, but it quickly angered liberal groups that object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact.

The Spanish-speaking former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor fit Clinton’s long-stated criteria that the vice presidential choice be a capable and reliable partner who is ready to take over the presidency if necessary.

Clinton made the announcement via Twitter and a text message to supporters after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida. She called Kaine to tell him about 40 minutes before the announcement, and called President

Barack Obama shortly after Kaine.

“I’m thrilled to tell you this first: I’ve chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team,” she said in her text message.

Kaine, 58, edged out two other finalists - Cory Booker, a US senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, according to a Democratic source familiar with the discussions.

Clinton also bypassed candidates who would have generated more excitement among liberal and Hispanic activists, including progressive favorite US Senator Elizabeth Warren and two Hispanic members of Obama’s Cabinet, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez.

The former secretary of state will be formally nominated as the party’s presidential candidate for the Nov. 8 election at next week’s Democratic convention in Philadelphia. She leads Trump in many opinion polls.

Clinton’s choice of a running mate could give her campaign momentum heading into the convention, as the fight for the White House begins a more than threemonth push to the finish.

Clinton, 68, acknowledged in

Nine people died on Friday when an 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman went on a killing spree in the southern German city of Munich.

The attack sparked fears of a new jihadist attack on the West, but police later described it as “classic act by a deranged person” obsessed with massacres who had no link to the Islamic State group.

Following are recent mass attacks in Europe and the United States, and on other Western targets:

sponse to calls to target nations of coalition states” fighting the jihadist group.

June 28, 2016: TURKEY A triple suicide attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport kills 47 people. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim says “the evidence points to Daesh,” an Arabic acronym for IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

June 13, 2016: FRANCE A man armed with a knife who claims allegiance to IS kills a senior police officer and his companion at their home in Magnanville, west of Paris.

July 18, 2016: GERMANY

June 12, 2016: UNITED STATES

A 17-year-old assailant, believed to have been an Afghan or Pakistan refugee, attacks passengers on a Bavarian train with an axe, injuring five people, two of them critically. He is shot dead by police.

The Islamic State (IS) group releases a video the following day purportedly featuring the attacker announcing he would carry out an “operation” in Germany, and presenting himself as a “soldier of the caliphate”.

A gunman who claims allegiance to IS opens fire inside a gay bar in Orlando, Florida and kills 49 people in the deadliest mass shooting in US history. IS later says the man was a fighter for their Islamic caliphate.

July 14, 2016: FRANCE Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, rams a 19-tonne truck into a holiday crowd in Nice, killing 84 people.

IS describes him as one of their “soldiers” who staged the attack “in re-

March 22, 2016: BELGIUM Suicide attacks claimed by IS kill 32 people and wound more than 300 at Brussels airport and Maelbeek metro station, near European Union offices.

They appear to have been carried out by members of the same cell that committed attacks in Paris in November 2015.

January 12, 2016: TURKEY Twelve German tourists are killed in a suicide attack in central Istanbul. On

USA

Poll: Support grows among Americans for stricter gun laws Americans increasingly favour tougher gun laws by margins that have grown wider after a steady drumbeat of shootings in recent months, but they also are pessimistic that change will happen anytime soon, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll. Nearly two-thirds of respondents expressed support for stricter laws, with majorities favouring nationwide bans.

-AP

THE AMERICAS

Brazil Muslims back probe of 10 for terror suspicions

Hillary Clinton, left, US Senator Tim Kaine an interview earlier this week that even Kaine admits he is boring, and said she did not mind.

“I love that about him,” she told Charlie Rose of CBS News and PBS. “He’s never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator and is one of the most highly respected senators I know.”

A campaign official said Clinton was impressed with Kaine’s downto-earth style when she campaigned with him in Virginia last

REUTERS

week. Afterwards, Kaine went back to her house in Washington, D.C., for a 90-minute evening meeting.

Two days later, Kaine and his wife, Anne, joined Clinton in New York for lunch, along with Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea and Chelsea’s husband. Kaine was the only vice presidential candidate to have a private family lunch during the vetting process, the official said. l

Recent attacks on Western targets n Tribune International Desk

DT

World

March 19, three Israeli tourists and an Iranian are killed by a suicide bomber at an Istanbul shopping centre. Turkish authorities attribute both attacks to IS.

December 2, 2015: UNITED STATES Pakistani national Tashfeen Malik, 29, and his wife Syed Farook, a 28-yearold US citizen, open fire during a Christmas party in San Bernardino, California, killing 14 people. IS hails the attack, but does not claim direct responsibility.

November 13, 2015: FRANCE Coordinated suicide attacks in Paris kill 130 people and wound more than 350 at a concert hall, cafes and the national stadium. IS claims responsibility for the attacks.

October 31, 2015: EGYPT An Airbus jetliner owned by a Russian company crashes with 224 people on board in the Sinai desert after a bomb rips a hole in the plane. IS claims responsibility.

June 26, 2015: TUNISIA Gunmen kill 38 people, including 30 British tourists, at a beach hotel in Sousse, a little more than three months after a similar attack at the Bardo museum in Tunis kills 22 people, including 21 foreign tourists. IS claims

both attacks.

July 16, 2015: UNITED STATES An attack on a Chattanooga, Tennessee recruitment centre and a Navy and Marine Corps reserve centre leaves four marines and one sailor dead at the hands of a lone gunman, who according to the FBI was inspired by radical Islamist propaganda.

June 17, 2015: UNITED STATES Man guns down nine African-American churchgoers in South Carolina during an evening Bible study class at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. The killer, 21-year-old Dylann Roof has been indicted on charges of murder and hate crime.

January 8, 2015: FRANCE A gunman who claims allegiance to IS kills a policewoman in a Paris suburb before attacking a Jewish supermarket the next day, where he kills four more people.

July 22, 2011: NORWAY White supremacist Anders Breivik kills eight people in a bombing outside a government building in Oslo and then guns down another 69, most of them teenagers, at a Labour Youth camp on the island of Utoya. l

Sources: REUTERS, AFP

Brazil’s Islamic community supports police actions against a group of people suspected of planning attacks during the Olympics as long as the investigations are conducted in a transparent way, a Brazilian Muslim leader said Friday.

Sheik Jihad Hassan Hammadeh, president of the Ethics Committee told reporters the community is concerned with the Thursday arrest of 10 Brazilians police said had pledged allegiance to the IS. -AP

UK

UK comes under pressure over Brexit plans at G20 Britain faced calls on Saturday from some European and Asian countries to move more quickly towards leaving the EU, but the US said the process was too sensitive to be rushed. At the first meeting of leading economies since Brexit, finance ministers and central bankers said Brexit had the potential to weigh on the world’s already slow economic growth.

-REUTERS

EUROPE

France, Germany vow to work together on security Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office says French President Francois Hollande has called the German leader to talk about joint security operations in the wake of the deadly rampage at a Munich mall.

Merkel’s spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer says the call Saturday reinforced that “in these difficult times, it is good to know that France and Germany, stand closely together.”

-AP

AFRICA

16 killed in fighting between rival Tuareg groups in Mali At least 16 people were killed and 17 wounded in northern Mali in fighting that ended Friday morning between rival Tuareg groups.

The fighting was between the government-allied militia group, GATIA, and the Coordination of Azawad Movements, a coalition of groups seeking autonomy in northern Mali.

-REUTERS

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SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

INSIGHT

Tight Brexit timeline unsettles Germans n Reuters, Berlin German Chancellor Angela Merkel and fellow European leaders are pressing the new British government to trigger divorce proceedings with the European Union as soon as possible.

But behind the scenes, senior German officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, say they fear a swift move by London to invoke Article 50 of the EU treaty risks creating an impossibly short window for negotiating Britain’s departure.

Further complicating the task, EU leaders have rejected the possibility of any negotiations before Britain moves on Article 50, a step which would start a two-year countdown to Brexit.

Behind their stance is a desire to send a message to Britain that it cannot hold the EU hostage by horse trading on the terms of an EU exit before it commits to leave.

But six top officials in Berlin and Brussels described this position as problematic, with one dismissing it as “absurd”.

Some believe Europe’s hard line on the sequencing of Brexit talks will need to be revised, perhaps as early as October, when new British Prime Minister Theresa May is due to attend her first meeting of EU leaders in Brussels.

The comments reveal the depth of anxiety in Europe’s key capitals about how both sides in the Brexit showdown have positioned themselves in the weeks after the shock June 23 vote to leave the bloc.

“It was not wrong to send a tough message after the Brexit vote but I don’t think the current stance is sustainable,” said one official.

“You need to start some sort of process as soon as possible, whether you call it negotiations or not.”

A second senior official said: “It’s absurd to think that we won’t negotiate on anything before Article 50 is invoked.”

May, on her first foreign trip since replacing David Cameron as prime minister last week, visited Berlin on Wednesday for talks with Merkel before travelling to Paris on Thursday to discuss Brexit with French President Francois Hollande.

At a news conference in Berlin, she said Britain needed time to agree on its objectives for the talks and would not trigger Article 50 this year. Merkel said it was understandable that Britain would take a few months to figure out its negotiating strategy, but added: “Nobody wants a prolonged period of limbo.”

The French have taken a tougher line, pressing Britain to move fast,

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May address a news conference following talks at the Chancellery in Berlin on July 20 and launching an open campaign to woo London-based financial firms to Paris.

Far too short

Behind the concern of the German officials is a creeping realisation that the two-year window for negotiating a Brexit, as set out in Article 50, is far too short.

An extension of the period is possible, but it would require the unanimous agreement of the remaining 27 EU member states, and is therefore seen as unlikely, or at best unsure.

Berlin is also sceptical about the possibility of Britain revoking Article 50 once it has been triggered.

This means that something will have to give, German officials say. They spell out two possible scenarios.

Under the first, the EU would revise its position and agree to a prolonged period of negotiations before Article 50 is invoked. That would win both sides extra time before the clock starts ticking, but it would represent a climbdown and probably provoke outrage in some EU capitals, notably Paris.

The second option, in the event May triggers Article 50 early next year, would be for Britain to settle for a very basic framework for its future ties with the EU, based on an existing model similar to that of

Norway or Switzerland.

Even then, the deadline of two years is widely viewed as a stretch.

A third senior official said it took the EU three years to seal its divorce from Greenland, a negotiation that was focused almost exclusively on fishing rights.

Berlin is reluctant to hand over responsibility to the executive European Commission out of fear they could take an overly confrontational stance towards Britain

That official estimated that the EU and Britain, because of the complexity of their relationship, needed at least twice that time -- six years -to seal their separation, describing two years as “mission impossible”.

Adding to the muddle is the heavy election calendar in Europe next year, which officials fear could lead to paralysis.

Germany, France and the Netherlands are all holding elections

in 2017, Spain is still struggling to form a government after two inconclusive votes, and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has said he will resign if he loses a referendum on constitutional reform in the autumn.

Leaders in these countries will be focused on their campaigns. If there are changes in power, new governments will need time to settle in.

“Do you really think that Europe will be in a position to focus on Brexit talks next year if its five biggest countries are in the middle of elections or dogged by political uncertainty?” a senior Brussels-based official said.

Down to earth

Even if formal negotiations do not start for half a year or more, the official said it was important that Britain and the EU converge on a “corridor of principles” for Brexit talks in the months ahead.

One of the big worries in Berlin and other capitals is that London has unrealistic expectations about what it can secure from the Brexit negotiations, particularly on the tradeoff between access to the EU’s single market and respect for the bloc’s core principle of free movement.

British diplomats also acknowledge that the team May has put

REUTERS

together to steer Brexit talks has a starry-eyed view of what concessions London can win from the EU and say their European counterparts need to deliver this message to them directly.

“A lot of people have ‘climbed up trees’, people like David Davis and Liam Fox,” said one of the German officials, referring to the new Brexit and trade ministers in London.

“They need time to climb down.”

The problem is not just on the British side. It remains unclear who will take the European lead in negotiations, although officials say the aim is to clear this up by September.

Berlin is reluctant to hand over responsibility to the executive European Commission, its president, Jean-Claude Juncker, and his chief of staff Martin Selmayr, out of fear they could take an overly confrontational stance towards Britain.

An alternative would be to let the European Council, led by Poland’s Donald Tusk, take the lead, with input from sherpas in European capitals and with the Commission playing a secondary, supportive role.

Either way, agreeing a common negotiating strategy between the remaining 27 EU countries is becoming a huge challenge, especially because Berlin and Paris have different views about how to treat Britain during the process. l

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SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Turkey to shutdown 2,340 schools, charities, unions amid state of emergency WIDESPREAD PURGE IN TURKEY AFTER FAILED COUP

Purges

detained

Erdogan declared the state of emergency late on Wednesday saying it would enable authorities to swiftly and effectively root out supporters of the coup.

The state of emergency allows the president and government to pass laws without first having to win parliamentary support and also allows them to curb or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary.

Turkish authorities have already launched a series of mass purges of the armed forces, police, judiciary and education system, targeting followers of Gulen, who operates an extensive network of schools and charitable foundations.

The first decree signed by Erdogan authorises the closure of 1,043 private schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 trade unions, 15 universities and 35 medical institutions over suspected links to the Gulen movement, the Anadolu agency said.

Parliament must still approve the decree but requires only a simply majority, which the ruling AK Party founded by Erdogan and in power in Turkey since 2002 commands.

In an address to lawmakers late on Friday Erdogan vowed to bring to justice supporters of the Gulenist “terrorist” movement and he urged Turks to continue attending rallies in major cities in support of democracy and against the coup plotters.

Turkey expects to complete within a week

Cambodia blocking Asean consensus on S China Sea n AFP, Vientiane Staunch China ally Cambodia is preventing Southeast Asia from reaching a consensus on the South China Sea after an international tribunal rejected Beijing’s territorial claims to the waters, a diplomat said Saturday.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is meeting in Laos for the first time since the UN-backed tribunal ruled earlier this month that China did not have historic rights to vast swathes of the strategic sea.

The issue is expected to overshadow the summit, with several of the 10 member states also claiming territory in the contested waters.

China invests heavily across Asean but is accused of trying to divide the bloc by habitually offering aid, soft loans and diplomatic support to key allies Laos and Cambodia.

A Southeast Asian diplomat Said Saturday that only Cambodia is standing in the way of a joint statement on the waters.

“It’s very grave. Cambodia just opposes almost everything, even reference to respect for legal and diplomatic processes which already has been in previous statements,” the diplomat said.

Communist-ruled Laos also has close links with Beijing and has been accused of preventing a united front on the South China Sea issue.

But diplomats said as the chair of Asean this year Laos is trying to see a statement produced even if it is watered down.

“It does not need to take sides because even if only one country opposes, there is no consensus,” the diplomat said.

Another regional diplomat said Friday that negotiations appeared to be at a deadlock. l

Tens of thousands or people either detained or sacked

9,650

Military personnel

6,984

1,754

Judges

Total since July 16

55,463 sacked Private education

Ministry of Education

21,000

21,740

9,000

Ministry of the Interior

668

President Tayyip Erdogan tightened his grip on Turkey on Saturday, ordering the closure of thousands of private schools, charities and other institutions in his first decree since imposing a state of emergency after the failed military coup.

A restructuring of Turkey’s once untouchable military also drew closer, with a planned meeting between Erdogan and the already purged top brass brought forward.

In the decree, published by the Anadolu state news agency, Erdogan extended to a maximum of 30 days from four days the period in which some suspects can be detained.

It said this was to facilitate a full investigation into the coup attempt.

Erdogan, who narrowly escaped capture and possible death during the July 15 coup attempt, told Reuters in an interview on Thursday he would restructure the armed forces and bring in “fresh blood”.

Turkey’s Supreme Military Council (YAS) will meet under Erdogan’s supervision on July 28, a few days earlier than originally planned, private broadcaster NTV reported, a sign that the president wants to act fast to ensure the armed forces are fully under the government’s control.

Reinforcing that message, the YAS meeting - which usually takes place every August - will be held this time in the presidential palace, not as is customary at the headquarters of the military General Staff.

Erdogan has accused US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, who has many followers in Turkey and abroad, of mastermind-

ing the failed coup, in which at least 246 people were killed. Gulen denies the charge and has condemned the coup.

Civilians

n Reuters, Istanbul

244 Police officers

Sources: Turkish media, AFP

to 10 days a dossier requesting Gulen’s extradition from the United States, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told private broadcaster NTV in an interview.

Cavusoglu said the link between soldiers involved in the abortive coup and Gulen’s extensive network of followers was “very clear”, adding that Turkey would do all it could “politically and legally” to secure his extradition.

Washington has said Ankara needs to provide clear evidence of Gulen’s involvement before it can agree to extradite him. Lawyers say the process could take many years.

On Friday evening Erdogan held his first meeting since the coup with the head of the national intelligence agency, Hakan Fidan, after complaining of significant intelligence

Other ministries

2,942 781

Other civil servants

shortcomings ahead of the coup attempt. Despite media speculation, however, he did not sack Fidan.

After the coup Western countries pledged support for democracy in Turkey, a NATO ally and an important partner in the fight against Islamic State, but they have also expressed concern over the scale of the subsequent purges of state institutions.

Turkish authorities have suspended, detained or placed under investigation more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, teachers, civil servants and others in the past week.

Speaking at a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bankers in China on Saturday, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said Turkey would strongly adhere to democratic principles and the rule of law. l

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SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

TOP STORIES

Tourism business on the wane

EXPORT TREND OF PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR 100

Export value in$million

60 40

48.25

59.82

69.24

72.64

2013-14

2014-15

82.11

20 0

2011-12

2012-13

2015-16

Source: EPB

80

Pharma export sees 13% jump in FY’16 Bangladesh’s export earnings from pharmaceuticals have witnessed a 13.04% jump to US$82.11 million in the just-concluded fiscal year.

PAGE 13

G20 ministers urge tighter tax rules The world’s major economies need to deepen cooperation on tax collection as companies seek to minimise the amount they pay to governments, finance ministers said yesterday.

PAGE 14

China alone cannot save world from Brexit downturn The world cannot depend on China alone to save it from a Brexit-induced downturn, the country’s premier said Friday, ahead of hosting a meeting of G20 finance ministers. Government representatives and central bank chiefs from the world’s top 20 economies gather in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu this weekend with the impact of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union (EU) high on the agenda.

PAGE 15

Capital market snapshot: Past Week DSE Broad Index

4,553.8

0.3% ▲

Index

1,114.3

-0.2% ▼

30 Index

1,779.3

0.0% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

23,939.4

39.7% ▲

Turnover in Mn Vol

663.5

23.5% ▲

All Share Index 14,011.3

0.5% ▲

30 Index

12,926.6

0.4% ▲

Selected Index

8,528.1

0.6% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

2,264.2 121.3% ▲

CSE

Turnover in Mn Vol

66.0

68.0% ▲

n Ishtiaq Husain

Tourism business is likely to feel the pinch as inbound foreign tourists are cancelling their scheduled trips to Bangladesh following the Gulshan terror attack on July 1.

Industry insiders said around 90% foreign tourists have already cancelled their tour of Bangladesh which was scheduled in September.

The tourism industry is receiving a blow after the extremist attack on the up-scale Holey Artisan café where 22 people, mostly foreigners, were brutally killed.

“It is the biggest terrorists attack in Bangladesh since independence.

Whatever the cause of the attack, it is certain that it has an adverse impact on Bangladesh tourism,” said Kazi Wahidul Alam, editor of fortnightly tourism newspaper, The Bangladesh Monitor.

The tourism expert said: “It is a wake-up call for the industry. We have to deal with the crisis by forming a crisis-management team, or else the industry will suffer much.”

According to the government report, nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian and three Bangladeshis were killed in the attack.

Bengal Tours, an inbound tour operator that mainly handles Japanese tourists, said of the tourists visiting Bangladesh, Japanese account for the highest number. The recent terrorist attack has sent a negative message to them.

The tour operator Managing Director Masud Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune all tour packages have been cancelled which were scheduled for July-August period. Not only recent package but all other advanced bookings have also been postponed.

According to the industry in-

People pay tribute to the victims of a recent terror attack at cafe in Dhaka, which has left killed 22 people, most of them foreigners RAJIB DHAR siders, around 20,000 Japanese tourists used to travel Bangladesh every year which drastically came down since 2012, 2013 after sporadic clashes between opposition political parties and law enforcement agencies.

“Before 2012, we were handling over 3,000 Japanese tourists regularly. After the January national poll, the number of Japanese tourists came down to around 500 every year. Now, we do not have any work as we have no queries from our Japanese counterpart,” said Masud.

The tourism businesses received a huge blow not only from Japanese and Italian markets, but also the whole European market.

Taufiq Rahman, managing director of Journey Plus, who is mainly handling the European market, specially the UK market, said his scheduled 90% inbound

tour packages have been cancelled after the Gulshan attack.

“All tour packages between August and September have been cancelled. Those interested to visit our country in November-December period did not cancel their trips as of now,” said Taufiq.

The tourism business owners were able to overcome the adverse impact after the killing of Japanese national Kunio Hoshi in Rangpur on October 3 and an Italian aid worker Cesare Tavella in the capital’s Gulshan area on September 28.

“This time we have to get a crisis management team ready to deal with the situation,” said Wahidul Alam.

“Awareness campaign is important as it happens globally. It is not time to invite foreigners to visit Bangladesh. We will have to demonstrate solidarity with Japan, Italy and others countries,” said

Masud Hossain.

Echoing the same, Taufiq Rahman said the government should form a committee comprised of non-resident Bangladeshis in Japan and Japanese nationals working here to bring back confidence in Japanese tourists.

“If it works successfully, Japanese will visit Bangladesh again.”

However, the national tourism organisation, Bangladesh Tourism Board, recently held a meeting with stakeholders after Gulshan terrorist attack.

Nikhil Ranjon Ray, joint secretary to Bangladesh Tourism Board, told the Dhaka Tribune that they will inform foreigners through embassies that the government is taking steps to fight militancy.

All the steps will play an important role to bring back foreigner’s trust, he added. l

Dhaka urged to end JICA-funded projects timely n Asif Showkat Kallol The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has urged the Bangladesh government to fully utilize Japanese yen 100bn to be disbursed this fiscal year.

According to minutes of the high level portfolio review meeting of JICA’s ODA ( official development assistance), the JICA recommended number of measures, including taking advance action for land acquisition for speedy execution of JICA funded projects.

At the meeting held last week at the Economic Relation Division in Dhaka, several decisions like above on use of JICA’s loan were also taken. The meeting was told that the ministries and divisions will follow

the JICA’s procurement and anti-corruption guidelines in implementing the Japanese projects.

The performance of 24 JICA financed projects and projects under the 37th ODA loan package include Matarbari Ultra Super Critical coal -fired power project, Foreign Direct Investment Project Inclusive city governance project and the Karnaphuli, Meghna and Gomoti Second Bridge Construction and existing bridges rehabilitation project have been evaluated in the meeting.

Finance minister official, however, said, “After Gulshan terror incident, foreign consultants are not interested to come to visit Bangladesh despite the government’s promise to provide special security for them.”

He said, “A Japanese consultant of Foreign Direct Investment Project is yet to come Bangladesh for because of terror incident in Dhaka, though he is supposed to come earlier.”

JICA President Shinichi Kitaoka will visit Bangladesh on August 6-7 to thoroughly assess the situation on the ground after the Dhaka café tragedy and discuss future cooperation with the Bangladesh leadership. l

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Pharma export sees 13% jump in FY’16 Bangladesh’s export earnings from pharmaceuticals have witnessed a 13.04% jump to US$82.11 million in the just-concluded fiscal year.

A good number of pharmaceutical manufacturers have received certification from the respective countries and global organisation to export medicine, which helped rise export.

According to Bangladesh Aushad Shilpa Samity, over the last two years, around 1,200 pharmaceutical products got registration for export earnings that will see a massive jump within the next three years.

Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data shows that in the fiscal year 2015-16, Bangladesh earned $82.11 billion, a 13.04% up, compared to $72.64 million a year ago. The sector has exceeded export target by 2.64%. The government has set a target to earn $80 million from the last fiscal year.

According to the EPB, in the last fiscal, Bangladesh exported pharmaceutical products to 105 countries, of which Myanmar imports the highest quantity of medicines worth $13.60 million followed by Sri Lanka with $13.38 million, the Philippines with $6.10 million, Vietnam $5.32 million, Kenya $4.60 million, Afghanistan $4.18 million, and Slovenia $3.38 million.

The pharmaceutical industry

PATA delegation due tomorrow to inspect NTFF 2016 venue n Ishtiaq Husain A three-member delegation from Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is expected to visit Bangladesh tomorrow to inspect the security arrangements for the venue of New Tourism Frontiers Forum (NTFF 2016) meet scheduled to be held at Cox’s Bazar on November 23.

The team would inspect the facilities of the hotel venue and the overall security of Cox’s Bazar though the government of Bangladesh is yet to officially disclose the name of the specific hotel where meeting of thee tourism forum will be held. PATA New Tourism Frontiers Forum’s (NTFF 2015) was held in Philippines.

The gathering would bring together tourism professionals to share their insights and experiences in marketing and managing tourism growth to lesser know destinations and also ensure the sustainable growth and development of travel and tourism in the area. Local communities will also be economically benefited through the dispersion of tourists to these new frontiers. l

EXPORT TREND OF PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR 100

Export value in$million

80 60 40

48.25

59.82

69.24

72.64

2013-14

2014-15

82.11

20 0

2011-12

2012-13

also set a target of exploring 30 new destinations for their products during the current financial year.

“From now on, the export earnings from the pharmaceutical sector will continue to grow. It is the visible result of our initiatives and steps to get registration of products to be eligible for export,” said Abdul Muktadir, managing director of Incepta Pharmaceuticals while talking to the Dhaka Tribune.

Muktadir said: “The global buyers of pharmaceutical products have started to import from Bangladesh for price competitiveness and its superior quality.”

Currently, least developed and

developing countries are dominating the import of Bangladeshi products.

Manufacturers, however, stated that the developed countries have also started to source as Bangladesh has received certification from those countries and international organisation to export.

In the last year, Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited has got approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) to export medicine.

As the sector is equipped with larger capacity to grab market share, we are hoping to reach export earning to $1 billion by 2020, said Muktadir.

He also hoped that export earn-

2015-16

Source: EPB

n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

ings from this sector would be $10 billion by 2025.

He also urged the government to allow investment outside the country as it would help to export more in the year to come.

At present, some 250 Bangladeshi pharmaceutical companies are meeting 97% of domestic demands while 30 companies are exporting to 105 countries, especially the LDCs. Meanwhile, WTO’s Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) has extended patent waiver for least developed countries (LDCs) to 2032, which would the sector to grow faster. l

Stocks keep flirting with bear market territory n Tribune Business Desk

Stocks continued to stay flat for the third straight week ended Thursday as investors were cautious in putting funds ahead of new monetary policy statement and quarterly corporate earnings.

In a wild week of trading that saw stock prices fall into a bear market, food and allied sector took the brunt of losses. Rally in heavyweight bank, telecommunication and engineering sectors helped offset losses of the market during the week.

The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange DSEX gained 15 points or 0.4% to close at 4,560.

The blue-chip comprising index DS30 saw a fractional gain of 0.6 point to 1,779. The DSE Shariah Index DSES declined 2 points to 1,114.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX gained 50 points or 0.6% to 8,528.

Evince Textiles that made debut last week surged 135% on its offer value of Tk10 on the first trading day. However, immediately after debut day, the new stock continued to lose its luster by declining 27.7% to finish the week at Tk17 a share.

The week’s DSE daily average turnover stood at almost Tk400 crore, up 16% over the previous week’s average of Tk343 crore due mainly to extended trading day.

Concentration was seen in large-cap and multinational companies stocks following quarterly earnings speculation of listed companies Stock exchanges had to extend trading session during the week to six instead of usual five as the government declared Saturday as the working day.

During the week, pharmaceuticals, fuel and power, engineering and banking were the active sectors, which accounted for 16%, 15%, 14% and 13% respectively of the week’s total turnover.

The week’s most favourite stock is Grameenphone that helped telecommunication sector close

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Business

sharply more than 4% higher as it recommended 85% interim cash dividend last week for 2015.

Banks have also done well after remaining under pressure for long as the sector climbed 2.6% ahead of disclosure of quarterly corporate results.

Engineering sector was also in the radar of investor, rising over 2%, led by BSRM Limited.

Non-banking financial institutions and power closed in green.

On the other hand, food and allied experienced the highest losses of 2.5%, followed by pharmaceuticals during the past week.

Lanka Bangla Securities said investors went for cautious trading on the last three trading days of the week ahead of the announcement of the monetary policy for the first half of the current fiscal.

Sheltech Brokerage said increased concentration was seen in large-cap stocks and multinational companies stocks following quarterly earnings speculation of listed companies.

However, the week’s market breadth remained broadly negative as out of 329 issues traded, 193 closed lower, 114 higher and 22 remained unchanged on the DSE. l

Shimanto bank starts operation from next month n BSS Border Guard Bangladesh’s (BGB) Shimanto Bank will start its operation from next month for the welfare of its members.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to inaugurate the Shimanto Bank in the first week of August at a programme at BGB headquarters in the city, said a press release here today.

With the beginning of new journey of this public sector bank, a brainchild of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the long-cherished dream of Border Guards of Bangladesh would be fulfilled.

“Shimanto Bank will start its operation as a commercial bank. It will deliver banking services to all sorts of people across the country especially in border areas where the BGB have networks,” Abu Hena Mohd Razee Hassan, deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank and head of Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) told BSS today. The members of BGB will take get banking service easily from the bank and it will also play a vital role to improve the living standard of its members, he added.

The bank’s capital is Tk 400 crore.

The profit money of the bank will be provided to retired BGB members, wounded freedom fighters and BGB members and their families. l

Walton targets to sale 1.5m fridges in 2016 n Tribune Business Desk Walton, a local manufacturer of electronics products, has set a target of selling 1.5 million fridges in the current year in an effort to grab more market share.

In the last year, Walton had sold about 9.65 lakh fridges against its target of 9.60 lakh pieces fridge.

To reach the sales target, the local manufacturer has already undertaken massive preparations, including increasing fridge production through installing stateof-the art equipments, releasing new models no-frost fridges with inverter technology, setting new strategy and opening new sales point in the potential area.

Witnessing the previous year’s growth and demand hike for Walton brand fridges, the authority has set a target of selling 1.5 million fridges, a 50 percent growth over the last year’s sales while the local brand already has sold out about seven lakh pieces fridge during the first half of the current year.

Walton always brings surprise for its valued customer in the local fridge market. l

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Bangladesh and the culture of innovation – Part II n Sajid Amit In last week’s article, we considered elements of a culture of innovation in the context of Bangladesh. Of course, public policies that allow innovation to occur, adequate infrastructure, investments in information and communication technologies are paramount for innovation to grow, and the government has recognized the importance of such.

Ease of doing business in Bangladesh and all its accoutrements, such as ease of acquiring a business permit, access to credit, land acquisition are also factors that merit policy attention. However, savvy entrepreneurs actually thrive on circumventions to such systemic constraints, so they are unlikely to be resolved with any urgency.

We also considered our local start-up culture in last week’s article and the increasing attention it is generating, particularly among urban youth. Incubators, seed capital, angel investment, venture capital and a litany of other silicon valley vocabulary has made its way to our urban innovators, and while these are positive signs (we have to start somewhere), it is also essential that innovation cultures not just rest

with independent and sometimes investor-funded start-ups, but find happy integration with our tertiary sector and corporate world at large.

Despite Silicon Valley success stories of university drop-outs, formal education continues to be primary vehicle for supplying the skills required for innovation, as will be evidenced by scientific, social and commercial contributions of leading universities of the world.

Even in India, their leading universities, the IITs in particular, have played a defining role, through their investment in research, fostering of a start-up and entrepreneurial culture, and forging closer ties with industry and industrial R&D, in putting India on the global innovation map.

Our universities can and ought to do the same. While our universities hire and promote on the quantity and quality of academic research generated by our faculty members, the next step would be forge closer ties with the industry and create spaces for greater collaboration between university research and industrial R&D. Several private universities in Bangladesh are increasingly committed to generating high-class academic and action re-

search and these are all very good signs. Increasingly, we will witness the commercialization of research at universities and greater student participation in such activities.

Certain private universities also offer coursework on entrepreneurship which need to be grounded in active, learner-centered and context-rich pedagogical methods so as to imitate real world situations. Universities that do not offer coursework on entrepreneurship ought to focus on entrepreneurship skills as competency to develop among students across subjects or through extracurricular activities such as entrepreneurship clubs.

There is scope for policy attention here. To cite examples of other countries, Denmark, in 2009, formalized a strategy for education and training in entrepreneurship targeting all levels of education.

Finland, Ireland and Norway have all integrated entrepreneurship education into their national strategy for higher education and, in some cases, secondary schools.

Entrepreneurship education is best served early in people’s lives.

As a country, in order to be more innovative, we also need to graduate more engineers. To cite

Denmark’s example again, universities there have been known to set explicit graduation targets for the youth to ensure an adequate supply of advanced technical skills to the economy. Other more replicable examples include cases of universities providing financial incentives for students to study STEM disciplines, new teacher education and training programs, and financial schemes to attract top STEM graduates into teaching.

Generating more engineers will also attract global companies to set up more innovation and research and development (R&D) centers here as well as knowledge process off-shoring (KPO) businesses.

These subsectors have attracted significant foreign and domestic investment in countries like Egypt, India and the Philippines.

Innovation cultures are also a prerogative of our leading companies and their management. While Bangladeshi senior management have been known to complain about finding creative, entrepreneurial young workers, I often think Bangladeshi CEOs and business leaders also need to depart from their anachronistic styles of command-and-control. This is par-

G20 ministers urge tighter tax rules n AFP, Chengdu

The world’s major economies need to deepen cooperation on tax collection as companies seek to minimise the amount they pay to governments, finance ministers said yesterday.

The issue has become controversial in many countries, with multinational firms from Google to Starbucks facing accusations of not contributing appropriately to the economies where they make their money, and multi-billion-dollar merger proposals being partly driven by tax considerations.

“When the current cross-border tax rules were developed they were tied to concepts that reflected geography and national boundaries,” US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew told G20 finance ministers meeting in the Chinese city of Chengdu.

“When we look at technology and cloud computing a lot of that has become harder to define.”

“There needs to be a common standard across countries on important issues of transfer pricing,” he said at a high-level symposium on tax policy, adding that countries had to deal “collectively” with issues that lead to non-taxation.

Such moves would transform

Members of the organisation set up a meeting room on the eve of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting AFP the global business environment, and could see multinational companies paying more tax, cutting returns to shareholders.

Closing loopholes, Lew said, would change the choices businesses make.

Chinese finance minister Lou Jiwei said that enterprise and international trade structures had

changed “dramatically, imposing severe challenges to the existing international tax system”.

The G20 should promote “international coordination and cooperation in taxation”, he said.

The G20 has previously supported proposals requiring authorities to share the identities of shell companies’ real owners, and backed

creating a blacklist of international tax havens that do not cooperate with information-sharing programmes.

But the discussion as the G20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs met in Chengdu, in southwestern China, was wider, addressing base erosion and profit shifting, known as BEPS. l

ticularly important if one is serious about innovation, since innovation, particularly at large companies, is seldom mandated from the top. Instead, it tends to be an organic series of events driven by employee participation, contribution, and above all, passion.

An interesting example I read is of the software company Atlassian, which encourages employees to take “FedEx Days”, i.e., paid days off to work on innovative solutions to problems as long as they can deliver something of value 24 hours later (ala FedEx).

Other ways in which companies can promote innovation include large-scale adoption of Web 2.0 tools which can further employee engagement and cast a wider net on ideas and ways of thinking of employees at different levels of an organization, with appropriate reward mechanisms to ensure systemic sustainability.

In sum, there are case studies in the offing, regional and global, that we would do well to adapt and adopt if we are serious about enriching our culture of innovation. l Sajid Amit, Director, Center for Enterprise & Society, CES.

IMF urges key G20 countries to spend more for growth n AFP, Chengdu The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned risks to the global economy are growing, as it called on some G20 nations to boost government spending.

Central bank chiefs and finance ministers from the world’s top 20 economies gathered in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu on Saturday to tackle a slowing global economy facing new uncertainties with Britain voting to leave the European Union (EU).

“Global growth remains weak, and downside risks have become more salient,” the IMF said in a report released ahead of the G20 meeting.

In an update to its April forecast, the IMF lowered its forecasts for global growth this year and next by 0.1%, to 3.1% and 3.4% respectively.

Britain’s new finance minister Philip Hammond is among those attending to deliver a message that his country is still “open for business”, according to a statement from the British treasury. l

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Business

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

China alone cannot save world China’s workforce may decline 23% by 2050 from Brexit downturn n AFP, Beijing The world cannot depend on China alone to save it from a Brexit-induced downturn, the country’s premier said Friday, ahead of hosting a meeting of G20 finance ministers.

Government representatives and central bank chiefs from the world’s top 20 economies gather in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu this weekend with the impact of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union (EU) high on the agenda.

China’s economic boom of recent decades has seen it become the world’s second-largest economy and a key driver of global growth, with a massive stimulus package Beijing launched in 2008 credited with helping ease the pain

of the global financial crisis.

But investors worldwide have worried over its slowing expansion, while Britain’s referendum last month has heightened risks and instability.

“It is impossible to carry all of the burden of the whole world on our shoulders,” said Premier Li Keqiang, after meeting the heads of six global economic organisations, including the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Beijing.

The IMF just days ago predicted that uncertainty created by Britain’s vote to leave the EU, commonly referred to as Brexit, would slow the world economy into next year.

In an update to its April forecast, the IMF lowered its forecasts for global growth this year and next by

0.1%, to 3.1% and 3.4% respectively.

“Failure to achieve clarity about the future relationship between the UK (United Kingdom) and the European Union would add to uncertainty and weigh on confidence,” IMF staff warned in a report for the G20 finance ministers’ meeting issued on Thursday.

“And, if not managed well, China’s transition could further raise volatility around the baseline path of the global economy,” it said.

Raised pressure

China is seeking to restructure its economy to make the spending power of its nearly 1.4 billion people a key driver for growth, instead of massive government investment and cheap exports. l

n AFP, Beijing

The size of China’s workforce may decline by as much as 23% by 2050, a government official said, as the population of the world’s second-largest economy rapidly ages.

China’s working age population, defined as those between the ages of 16 and 59, peaked in 2011 and would soon “experience a process of sharp decline”, particularly after 2030, said Li Zhong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, at a news conference.

He forecast that last year’s tally of 911 million people of working age could fall as low as 700 million by 2050 - a decline of over 23%.

“Over the long term, macro-lev-

el data analysis shows that we must focus on the development of human resources as a whole, and study how to more fully and more efficiently make use of labour resources,” he said Friday.

China is faced with deep demographic challenges, thanks in large part to decades of the strict and at times brutal enforcement of its hugely controversial “one child” policy.

The country now has 220 million people over the age of 60, Li said, accounting for over 16% of its total population.

China’s economy grew by 6.9% last year, its slowest rate in a quarter of a century, and its shrinking workforce has heightened the challenges brought on by sluggish economic growth. l

ECB survey sees lower euro zone growth ahead on Brexit n Reuters

Euro zone growth may be lower than previously expected, primarily due to the effects of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, the European Central Bank’s Survey of Professional Forecasters showed on Friday.

Growth is now seen at 1.4% next year, below an earlier projection of 1.6% while the 2018 estimate was cut to 1.6% from 1.7%, the quarter-

ly survey of 51 forecasters showed.

For 2016, the GDP growth projection was unchanged at 1.5%.

“Based on the qualitative comments provided by the respondents, these revisions largely reflect an expected negative impact on the euro area from the UK referendum result,” the ECB, the central bank of the euro zone, said.

The ECB kept interest rates unchanged on Thursday but left the door open to further easing, argu-

ing that it needed more data on the slowdown and the economic impact of the referendum.

Those forecasters that already included Brexit in their projection predicted that the fallout would reduce 2017 growth by 0.26 percentage point and inflation by 0.07 percentage point, the ECB said.

The growth impact will be felt through lower net exports to Britain, further limited by the depreciation of the pound, uncertainty

CORPORATE NEWS

Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) has recently organised an open discussion meeting with investors of EPZs regarding strengthening security of the zones, said a press release.

Executive chairperson of BEPZA, Major General Mohd Habibur Rahman Khan was present at the meeting

Chittagong zone of First Security Islami Bank Limited has recently held a conference for its managers, said a press release. The bank’s managing director, Syed Waseque Md Ali presided over the conference

about the nature of Britain’s future relationship with the EU, and increased volatility on financial markets, the ECB said.

The impact of Brexit on inflation will be small, however, the survey showed.

The ECB aims for inflation of close to 2% but has undershot the target for years, a risk to its credibility, particularly since it is on track to miss at least through 2018, according to its own staff projections.

The survey of professional forecasters sees inflation at 1.2% next year, 1.5% in 2018 and 1.8% in five years. Consumer prices in the euro area were projected to increase by an annual average 0.3% this year and then pick up by 1.2% in 2017 and 1.5% in 2018.

Compared with the previous survey, that represented a slight downward revision of 0.1 percentage point for both next year and the year after. l

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Career

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Tuning in Pets and animals

When I tune in with any being, human or animal, I am able to receive communication from them through pictures, feelings, words, thoughts and their emotions.

All animal communicators work differently. I receive more of the animals’ feelings which are felt in the pit of my stomach. I also get absolutely direct conversation from them.

Their emotions, whether they are happy ones or sad ones, are translated to me in a way that I understand. The easiest way to explain is that I get, “blocks of feelings,” which are conveyed to me in the exact way that I would understand them.

For details, visit her website at www.catrima.com or shoot a mail to catrima@gmail.coml

PHOTO: BIGSTOCK

n Rad Sharar Bin Kamal Catrima Gabrielle has a unique ability and profession, one which may be considered to be a blessing as well as a curse. By vocation, she is an experienced psychic reader and intuitive therapist. One of the rarest trades of the entrepreneurial industry, her gift is as mystical as it is practical, as she shall explain herself.

Catrima Gabrielle

To be precise, I am a diploma holder in Clinical Hypnotherapy & Psychotherapy (DHP) and Complete Mind Therapy (DCMT), Master Practitioner of NLP, rapid phobia removal therapist, pain consultant and a qualified reconnective therapist.

With my telepathic, psychic and remote viewing abilities, I have also helped couples in crisis through relationship building, people with debilitating addictions and have coached those going through both professional and personal changes in their lives, bringing about changes to individuals who had given up all hope of leading normal everyday lives.

I’m also a passionate animal lover and work closely with them on a soul level using my innate ability to communicate with them.

I’ve been blessed to have been able to change the negative behavior of countless animals that have been abused and mistreated in the past and have helped owner and pet come closer together to create a deep and natural bond which previously had not seemed possible.

to Ministers of Parliament, Olympic athletes and TV and radio personalities. There are also individuals leading what we term normal lives in the fields of banking, medicine, the legal arena, senior executives, designers, as well as ambitious university and college students.

Corporates and business

People and relationships

I have garnered over 3,000 clients over the last 10 years, and now focused on developing and extending my portfolio of clients to include those requiring guidance and clarity in projecting growth of businesses, and multinational corporations in Bangladesh.

I focus on serving the comprehensive needs of businesses, be it small, medium or large, in the full range of the business cycle. I am not only experienced in the field of coaching, motivating and having a very clear and focused insight into the projections of a company’s goals and targets, but my ability of intuitively assessing any area of an organisation may be considered as my modest talent.

I have worked with multimillion dollar companies in the UK, Jordan and Australia, Canada and the United States, but also was an advisory consultant

Over the last couple of years, people have asked me why I don’t call myself a straight out psychic, as I am able to do what they generally do in a reading.

What I feel is different about what I do is the fact that I am, with my background training in Neuro Linguistic Programming, more able to counsel and guide people through their life issues. I don’t see the point of simply telling you what is about to happen in your life, if you are stuck with a major (or minor) dilemma which needs sorting out. How can you look ahead to what is about to happen, if you are unable to move on from your current issues?

I also feel that how you go about dealing with your current issues has a huge impact on how things will turn out for you and those you care about in the future.

So no matter how much I can “see” what is going to happen in your life, all of that is obsolete if

you take different actions in your current situation. I also feel that your future is in your hands. Yes, fate plays its own part, however, nothing is written in stone in regards to the positive and negative opportunities coming (or not coming!) into your life. It’s

I’m also a passionate animal lover and work closely with them on a soul level using my innate ability to communicate with them

your attitude and the way you project your thoughts that bring about the results in your life, good and bad.

The journey that you may be taking with your partner would be a lot more scenic and exhilarating if you are empowered with the knowledge that the road ends with what you both want rather than find out at the end of the road that this is, at least for the other person, literally the end of the road.

Article reprinted under special agreement with www.startup-bd.com

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DT

Internships

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

6 things that go wrong during a job interview n Muzakkir Hossain

W

hile we mentioned that a killer CV and cover letter is crucial to landing your dream job, an interview is the most important step in securing it. Regardless of how well the rest of your application turns out, flunking the interview can decimate your chances of getting the job. There are many mistakes that interviewees make, and here are six crucial mistakes that hiring managers do not overlook.

Not showing up on time First impressions are vital when it comes to job interviews, or just meeting anyone for the first time in general. Not showing up on the assigned time leads to nothing but a bad impression. This is why you should aim to arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled time. For example, if your interview starts at 10am, aim to be at their office by 9:45am.

It’s Dhaka, and the traffic is horrendous, so how do you get to the interview on time? The obvious, and the right, answer is to give yourself plenty of time.

Spare more time than you think you would need because you might get stuck in bad traffic (naturally), spill something on your clothes on a rainy day or a million other things. If you are late, however, acknowledge you are late and promptly explain why.

Keep in mind, however, that being early does not mean that we recommend you to camp outside the office overnight. Arriving too early for an interview can annoy the staff at the workplace and demonstrate a lack of common sense.

Not looking the part As I mentioned before, first impressions matter. You know the common trope: “Love at first sight?” Well I doubt you have ever heard of “Love at second sight” (unless you are talking about the Chinese drama from 2014). While in the long run, your performance will matter more than your looks, but it does matter for your interview. Usually, business attire is appropriate, but the best way to go about this is for you to research into what their dress code is.

Often, just a shirt and trousers will work but make sure they are washed and ironed. A useful rule of thumb is to dress for the job you want. This goes unsaid, but do not forget to groom yourself and shower.

PHOTO: BIGSTOCK

Remember, the point of the interview is to show off your strengths, so failing is not something you should be planning on

Not preparing No matter how much confidence you exude in your looks and your tone, if you appear unprepared for your interview, your hiring manager will look through that.

Research the company ahead of time and prepare for any questions to ask. This step should segue from your cover letter and CV. Even if you don’t have any honest questions to ask, prepare some so it seems that you are interested in the position.

Research and prepare answers for the anticipated interview questions based on the position.

Score bonus points by bringing along a copy of your CV for reference. Your interviewers should already have copies, but a copy for yourself will allow you to peek at it and refer to.

Poor responses While preparing can help you anticipate common questions, you will most definitely come across flustering questions. If

the interviewer catches you off guard, avoid swearing under your breath, and keep your mind calm.

A poor answer is no better than not answering at all, so instead of blurting out whatever comes to mind, take a moment to think about an acceptable answer.

Remember, the point of the interview is to show off your strengths, so failing is not something you should be planning on. If you are unable to answer a question, think aloud as you try to creatively approach the problem. Often hiring managers will appreciate your creativity and critical thinking.

Criticising a previous job While it might seem that you can score sympathy points by badmouthing your previous job, or boss, it will just make you seem like a negative and a difficult person. If you have been fired, or you have had a bad encounter, it might seem hard to explain,

understandably. Instead, try to focus on the positive experiences you have had and how you are looking to focus on your future.

Ingratitude When you are sitting with an interviewer, they are often doing you a favour by sitting with you.

Don’t be arrogant, inappropriate or disrespectful, and maintain professional decorum. And lastly, when you leave, remember to thank the person for your time. It might seem obvious but people tend to forget common sense in stressful situations.

Even if you interview went poorly, your interviewer does not deserve any of your attitude.

It could have gone better than the other candidates, but your ingratitude could blow that as well. Regardless of whether you care about common courtesy or your own agenda, it is a good idea to be grateful. l

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18

Internships

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Who/What/Wear: The internship edition Tips for dressing, by the industry

n Sabrina Fatma Ahmad Your resume is a work of art, you nailed your interview, and landed that dream internship. Your school is psyched, you are psyched, everyone is happy. All set? Until you remember that you had to go the extra mile to dress for that interview, and the idea of putting that much effort and thinking into your clothes every day for the next couple of months makes you want to curl up and cry. And this is where we step in. Here’s a handy guide for internships for various industries.

The corporate gig

Banks, hotel PR management, and most big corporations are big on suits. You’ll find a lot of them.

But unless you’ve been explicitly instructed to wear one, you don’t necessarily have to follow the same route.

For guys: Invest in a lot of button downs, tailored pants, and lace-up shoes or loafers (NOT your pointed-toe formal shoes). If you want to ace the internship and get a job offer, please resist the temptation to wear jeans and your gym sneakers!

For girls: Structured kurtas with tailored pants and shoes with modest heels (or dressy ballerina flats). Or an impeccably tailored shalwar kameez that’s not too long, or too short. No cleavage, or skinny jeans, but also, no floppy gowns

and palazzos, no matter how trendy they are!

Marketing, PR, non-profits and academics

These fall under the “business casual” category, so the rules are a little relaxed. There’s a little more wriggle room to express yourself, but don’t get carried away.

For guys: You can break out the khakis and the dressier jeans for this one, but make sure they fit well, and are impeccably ironed. You can even make do with the “office panjabi” for this type of environment.

Please pay attention to the footwear, though. Tennis shoes, loafers, sandal shoes are all good options. Flip-flops and sneakers are still a big nope.

For girls: Fotuas, kurtis, kameezes, and even the occasional cotton sari are perfectly acceptable. If you’re wearing jeans, try a regular fit and not the skinny, low-rise stuff. It’s best to invest in comfortable shoes for this type of work, and a smart, sensible mid-sized bag, because there’s a lot of walking and moving involved.

Media, fashion, and creative industries

This one’s a balancing act. The rules are relaxed, the environment is chill, but there’s also that subtle pressure to look good and keep up. The list of don’ts is what you should be considering for this type of industry.

PHOTOS: BIGSTOCK

For guys: Yes, the media job isn’t a suit job, but don’t skip the grooming, please! And no jeans with panjabi, and certainly no flip flops. Or gym sneakers. See a pattern here?

Experiment with polo shirts and chinos, well-fitted kurtas, sandal shoes, deck shoes. Invest in a handy backpack or messenger bag.

And don’t skip the sunscreen.

For girls: Stay stylish, but don’t go nuts either. Avoid killer heels and too much skin. Pantsuits and kimono jackets are just some cool options you can bring into your wardrobe as are wedge heels and espadrilles.

The bottom line?

Be comfortable, be polished, be professional, no matter where you’re interning, and it just might result in a job offer.l

You’ll find a lot of them. But unless you’ve been explicitly instructed to wear one, you don’t necessarily have to follow the same route

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SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

| debate |

| food |

IUB debate tournament

Tawa’s special dish

A nationwide three-day long inter-school debate tournament, titled Ascension 16, kicked off on Thursday, July 21 at the Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) campus in Bashundhara, Dhaka.

IUB organised the tournament to encourage young students to be more rational and embrace free thinking. About 60 teams from 30 different English and Bengali medium schools from inside and outside of Dhaka are

participating in this national level inter-school debate tournament.

The closing and prize giving ceremony were held on Saturday, July 23. l

Amongst the numerous other set dishes Tawa serves, they attribute their success to the one comprising of exotic spicy beef kala bhuna and creamy fullflavored dal butter fry served with aromatic basmati rice.

The beef kalo bhuna has a good bit of heat to it and takes your senses for a roller coaster

ride. The spices bind the beef perfectly and remain true to its authentic traditions. The ambrosial set comes with a hearty portion of aromatic basmati rice, lip-smacking when added to daal butter fry.

The set meal comes with a salad and soft drink, which makes it a complete meal prices at Tk365.

| hotel |

Minila’s call

| salon |

Quality grooming The Grooming Lounge is a one stop shop for beautification, men’s grooming, health and nutrition.

They offer an array of brands along with editorials, expert consult and insider know-how. l

Just five minutes away from the airport, Hotel Milina promises a secured and comfortable stay close to the city.

Address: House 4, Road 9,Sector 6, Uttara Contact: 01911326895 Website: www.hotelmilina.com E-mail: mdsohel178@yahoo.com

| education |

Qayum Reza Chowdhury nominated for Asia Education Leadership Award Qayum Reza Chowdhury, a noted educator, businessman, former president of BGBHA and chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), University of Asia Pacific (UAP) has been nominated for the Asia Education Leadership Award presented by the World Education Congress, CMO Asia.

CMO Council is the strategic partner, and Stars of the Industry Group is the research partner of the event.

Chowdhury is the first nominee of the leadership award from the private sector. He received the award for setting an example of being a role model in

the industry, illustrate exemplary leadership and build various institutions with the supreme objective to develop future leaders.

Those who can make a difference to the lives of others are chosen for this kind of award, as well as for the quality of their

DT

Biz Info

work, rural reach and outlook, and the ability to contribute to social change.

Chowdhury has been invited to accept the award in person on August 5 at The Pan Pacific Marina Square, Singapore.

DT

20 Editorial

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

TODAY

Terrorism and the dilemma of a ‘liberal Muslim’ It is not only the ‘liberal’ Muslim but every Muslim who must do something about this -- and that ‘something’ is to stop living in denial PAGE 21

Care to listen?

Assessing the minds of the audience, consumers, employees, party-men, family members, countrymen, etc, needs to be regarded as the key test for the desired progress in everything PAGE 22 BIGSTOCK

Still the place to invest

I

Climate change as crime against humanity We need to ask when generic negligence becomes criminal negligence and criminal recklessness 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.

t is incredibly encouraging to know that, despite recent setbacks, foreign investors have not lost faith in Bangladesh as an important up-and-coming driver of global economic growth.

While incidents such as the attack on Holey Artisan Bakery -- a café especially frequented by foreign workers in Dhaka -- left many questions hanging regarding the state of safety and security in the capital, they have not kept Bangladesh’s competitively low labour costs and efficient supply chain, especially in the readymade garment industry, from remaining attractive to investors.

In fact, according to a report issued recently by US-based Fitch Group’s BMI Research, Bangladesh was identified as one of the 10 future emerging markets which are set to become important new contributors to the global economy over the next decade.

An exceptionally stable economic expansion, averaging at 6.2% year on year over the last decade, is just further proof of how statistically reliable a partner our country can be for any would-be foreign investor.

However, it doesn’t mean that we can simply rest on our laurels, expecting the economy, and indeed the country, to improve by itself. Uncertainty still prevails over many foreign investors, who are choosing to err on the side of caution, understandably, by not rushing to send their staff to do business with us.

Which is where the government steps in.

A lot has been said over the incumbent regime’s grand plans to propel Bangladesh into the middle-income zone by the end of this decade, and to that end, safety and security are paramount -- if the government can ensure these, investors will come.

An exceptionally stable economic expansion is proof of how statistically reliable a partner our country can be for any would-be foreign investor

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21

Opinion

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Terrorism and the dilemma of a ‘liberal Muslim’ The case for Islam’s compatibility with progressive, liberal views

An Islamic Renaissance needs to start from within

n Saif Mahmood

I

am amused whenever I am asked to present a “liberal Muslim viewpoint” on an issue. Why am I considered a “liberal Muslim”? I was born a Muslim. As a child, I was made to read the Qur’an in Arabic -- a language I do not understand -- by rote. I was tutored in the essentials of faith by a neighbourhood maulavi through a book written for young Muslim boys in the early years of the last century on the correct methods of performing ablutions, praying, fasting, and compensating for doing all or any of this in an impermissible way.

I attended English-medium schools, participated in Diwali pujas at the neighbours’ place, celebrated Raksha Bandhan in school, earned a number of degrees, joined the bar, made English my language of communication, quit religious formalism, travelled the world wearing western suits, and wrote and spoke extensively on “nonreligious” matters.

I believe the former makes me a “Muslim” and the latter a “liberal,” and, together, these attributes make me a “liberal Muslim” -- a favourite commodity for TV channels debating anything from the Triple Talaq to Ramzan terrorism. As TRP enthusiasts

RAJIB DHAR

rejoice in this discovery, I ask myself: Is it possible to be liberal and a Muslim at the same time? That this question can be asked for a religion that came as an egalitarian social reform movement itself, bears testimony to the fact that something is fundamentally and terribly wrong.

Even as hundreds are being killed in the name of religion, apologists continue chanting the corroded mantra “terrorists have no religion,” and to back their defence, explain that, if they did, they would not be killing fellow Muslims or bombing the Prophet’s city. Yes, there are Islamic injunctions against violence, there are verses that give the message of tolerance and universal brotherhood, there are exhortations for treating even enemies with deference. But that is not the only side of Islam and cannot be overstretched to cloak the other side that has been successfully usurped by IS and the like.

In covering themselves with this Oedipus blind, these apologists are deliberately disregarding the fact that the killers involved in each of these incidents (including the one in Medina) also swore by one or the other Qur’anic verse to justify their acts as part of an essential religious duty. For them, what

they were doing was as Islamic as for you it is un-Islamic.

After the recent Medina bombing, Muslims all over the world are busy declaring that the bomber had nothing to do with Islam since the Prophet had, reportedly, said: “Anyone who harms (the people of) Medina, Allah will make him melt in fire like iron or like salt in water.” In making these declarations, they conveniently forget that, probably, it is the selfsame hadith that made the bomber unleash terror on Medina in the first place.

It seems that the man was convinced that some religious practices being followed there were “harming” true Islam, and to save Medina from these harms, decided to “melt people in fire.”

What does it result in then -- your Islam against mine? It is this philosophy of everyone claiming ownership of his own brand of Islam that has led to Islam being at war not only with the rest of the world but also with itself, leading to dreadful instances of bloodbath in Syria and Iraq.

In these circumstances, is it

are being misinterpreted? This question needs to be answered at various levels. To begin with, it is not only the “liberal” Muslim but every Muslim who must do something about this -- and that “something” is to stop living in denial. Instead of being defensive, we must acknowledge the problem; this itself will lead to a serious change.

Amongst other things, Muslim parents need to create an environment, not only of passive tolerance, but of active harmony.

Ordinary Muslims need to mobilise a mass movement and come out on streets against extremism, as they do, against Israel’s excesses on Palestine. The ordinary Indian Muslim on the street is a formalist who makes it to the local mosque, at least every Friday. The neighbourhood Imam should, therefore, instead of reading an incomprehensible sermon in Arabic and advising people on the length of their pyjamas while praying, publicly denounce and slam violence in his weekly sermons and declare it anti-Islamic from the pulpit without any “ifs” and “buts.”

aside, this is an exercise that can stem from faith itself rather than through an artificial compromise with a phenomenon from outside.

This is what Muslims, liberal and others, must do. But are Muslims alone required to take the entire burden of solving this mess? Is the onus of arresting radicalisation solely on them?

Again, the answer must be an equally emphatic “no.”

Societal and political attitudes towards Muslims need a drastic change. Expecting the common Muslim to apologise for a terrorist attack in Paris or circulating jokes on how everyone must keep a Qur’anic verse handy to save oneself from unexpected murders after Dhaka only adds fuel to the communal fire in which the oppressed and mistreated Muslim community has been burning for ages. And, in India, what certainly does not help is the demand of selectively banning an obnoxious pinheaded Muslim evangelist while ministers who unabashedly hurl the filthiest of abuses on the Muslim community not only go scot-free but are accorded official protocol.

What should, then, a ‘liberal’ Muslim do if not say that that his religion and its teachings are being misinterpreted? To begin with, it is not only the ‘liberal’ Muslim but every Muslim who must do something about this -- and that ‘something’ is to stop living in denial

enough for Muslims to say that terrorists “misinterpret” the scriptures? Are our scriptures and theological texts beyond misconstruction? I am afraid the answer is an emphatic “no.”

In fact, both the Qur’an and the Hadith (Prophet’s teachings) are, what journalist Hasan Suroor calls “a minefield of ambiguity allowing people to cherry pick” verses and sayings to defend their case. The hundreds of translations and the dozens of authoritative commentaries of these texts are not only vulnerable to, but, in fact, invite manipulation and portions from both are routinely quote-mined to defend outlandish opinions. After all, why does no one misinterpret Newton’s law of gravity?

The question that naturally follows is: What should, then, a “liberal” Muslim do if not say that that his religion and its teachings

The message should be loud and clear: Irrespective of the cause, violence shall not be tolerated in any form. Finally, Islamic scholars must recognise the fundamental need of Islam -- Islam is in need of a Renaissance.

Like every other religion that has grown by proselytisation, Islam too has had a violent history which, in those times, was defensible. However, much as the advent of Islam was all about progressivism, unlike their proselytising predecessors, Muslim theologists have failed to inform their beliefs and attitudes with contemporary standards and demands of inclusivity.

There is a pressing need to present Islamic texts unambiguously and in consonance with present-day realities, leaving no room for misconstruction by anyone. If they keep their political differences and selfish interests

Muslims must set their house in order but what will they build on if every now and then someone keeps perforating the foundation on which their house stands? As we try to answer such bewildering questions, the “liberal Muslim” in me must seeks refuge in a couplet attributed to Iqbal that best explains the dilemma of every “liberal Muslim”: Zaahid-e-tang-nazar ne mujhe kafir jaana aur kafir ye samjhta hai, muslmaan hoon maiyn (While the narrow-minded mullah considers me an infidel the infidel thinks I am Muslim) l Saif Mahmood is PhD (law), Advocate, Supreme Court of India and Founder, South Asian Alliance for Literature, Art, and Culture. This article previously appeared in scroll.in.

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Opinion

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Care to listen?

We need to think about the messages we send out

The media should think of the audience it’s addressing

BIGSTOCK

n Ekram Kabir

T

he recent terror attack at a Gulshan café in Dhaka has propelled a thousand questions among the

public.

While the ghastly incident was taking place, people across the world were anxiously watching the news on their televisions and other screens. The international visual media couldn’t do anything without the help of the local media.

However, the question that has been raised by the public, as well as the prime minister herself, is whether the TV channels did the right thing by airing live broadcasts from the spot at a time when a law-enforcment high-up requested them to stop their live transmission for the sake of the ongoing operation.

A day later, the prime minister criticised the live coverage of the TV channels.

This led to a flurry of opinions and analyses among journalists as well as the audience. Both the sides had put forward their points of view.

This was a crucial question: Was it proper for the media to

Assessing the minds of the audience, consumers, employees, party-men, family members, countrymen, etc, needs to be regarded as the key test for the desired progress in everything

broadcast all the information that they had with them?

Some members of the audience thought they shouldn’t have. On the other hand, another group of audience thought the opposite.

They thought the journalists were right; they did the right thing by airing everything they got from the spot as the entire nation was anxiously waiting to know what was happening at that café.

To me, both opinions make sense ... to an extent. The authorities were right and the media men were also right in their respective positions.

The media men said there should have been a point of contact or a communicator on behalf of the government or the law enforcers who could have updated the media for the people to know the goings-on at that café.

The people were surely waiting to

know what was happening there.

These are realities. And these realities lead us to the question about the messages that we send out to society on a regular basis.

I am a father, and I deliver some messages to my children.

The media men are either journalists or filmmakers or writers who express their facts and thoughts to the people. The politicians send out their values and ideas to the people as well as their political workers.

Manufacturing companies promote their products through promotional messages among potential buyers. Everyone, one way or the other, is sending out messages all the time. And, on the other hand, the people -audience, readers, consumers, employees, etc -- who are at the receiving end of these messages, have to absorb all those messages

coming from all sides. What they are thinking about those messages is my point of concern.

My worry: Are my children accepting or receiving the messages that I’m broadcasting to them as a father? I shouldn’t be taking it for granted that my children would receive whatever I tell them. Have I tried to know what they are thinking about the messages that I’ve been giving to them?

Similarly, do the companies that manufacture consumer goods and sell them to the people want to know what their consumers are thinking about them? What about the employees of a company?

A company is always in the process of shooting out quite a lot of messages about company decisions to its employees. Does that company run any survey among the employees to know

their reactions to those?

Our political leaders issue many statements every day for the people and for their party members. Do they want to know how the people or their party men react to what they are saying?

Likewise, the media men are following all the grammar of journalism and providing information to the people.

There’s no problem in providing information that the people want to know. Providing news is also a form of sending out a message.

Have we tried to know what the audience is thinking about our way of delivering those messages?

Well, some, of course, do, but there’s hardly any audience/ reader survey done by our media organisations.

But this is important.

Assessing the minds of the audience, consumers, employees, party-men, family members, countrymen etc, needs to be regarded as the key test for the desired progress in everything.

We need to listen to what they say about us, what they think about us, and what they conclude about us. l Ekram Kabir is a writer.

DT

23

Opinion

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Climate change as crime against humanity If it puts millions of lives at stake, what else should we call it?

n Hakan Altinay

C

rimes against humanity is a term occasionally thrown around when people want to describe acts of utter depravity and unequivocally outside the realm of legitimacy.

The term, in the meantime, has an actual legal definition: the Rome Statute describes crimes against humanity as widespread acts of murder, deportation, and other inhumane acts of similar character.

A vital question which we can no longer avoid is whether a willful rejection of mitigating climate change constitutes as a crime against humanity.

Let’s review the facts: There is not a single Academy of Science around the world which doubts the reality and the significance of climate change.

We know that if we are intent on extracting and burning all hydrocarbons currently in the ground, the median temperature will increase as much as 8 degrees centigrade as early as this century.

Nobody doubts that such a change will cause death and destruction of millions, and forced displacement of many more, starting with the poorest in the world.

funds, and ExxonMobil refuses to take on any numeric target to mitigate or sequester the emissions for which it is responsible.

Through acts of commission and omission, Qatar, Chevron, and ExxonMobil will cause the death and destruction of millions, so in what sense are they not criminals against humanity?

One objection may be that these actors are not sadists and are not out to kill millions. Yet, we need to ask when generic negligence becomes criminal negligence and criminal recklessness.

If someone drives a car at 120 km per hour blindfolded, and kills a dozen people at Times Square, we do not absolve their criminal responsibility because they did not intend to kill those specific 12 people.

Science tells us that what Qatar and other carbon majors do will lead to the deaths of millions, and the displacement of tens of millions.

There is no doubt that the carbon majors know exactly what they are doing and the consequences of their actions.

If there ever were criminal gross negligence and recklessness, this is it. At this scale, it can only have one name: Crimes against humanity.

We need to ask when generic negligence becomes criminal negligence and criminal recklessness Carelessness alone on the carbon majors’ part will result in the deaths of millions around the globe Given the stakes, one would assume the greatest contributors to this epic calamity would be in a rush to eliminate, or at least reduce, their culpability and fingerprints.

Yet, we see that Qatar -- with the highest per capita emissions in the world -- some months ago, submitted their nationally determined plan, with no numeric targets, to lower their enormous emission levels.

They demonstrate additional temerity by claiming a developing country status, while having the highest per capita income in the world, $150,000 per person.

Or, take the two largest historical emitters, Chevron and ExxonMobil.

No other entity is more responsible for the stock of GHGs currently in the atmosphere than these two corporations.

Yet, Chevron refuses to disclose the climate change research it

Another feature of our cognitive discomfort with calling the acts by Qatar, Chevron and ExxonMobil as crimes against humanity is that the media ecosystem which we all inhabit does not provide us with the names, faces, and stories of probable victims.

Subsistence farmers in Bangladesh and Niger, fishing communities in Senegal and Somalia, have not yet cracked the code of garnering the attention of the global media. Unless they are bearers of contagious viruses or AK-47s pointed at us, they are free to perish without a blip. Since they perish without our heed, no crimes, it seems, are committed.

Ordinarily, we would have expected human rights grandees such as Human Rights Watch to blow the horn about an impending crime against humanity. Sadly, climate change does not register at

the HRW’s radar either.

Human Rights Watch did commit a grave error by devoting more attention and ink to three people which were water boarded and 71 who were abused at Abu Ghraid, than millions whose lives were destroyed because of an illegal and illegitimate war, because HRW thinks taking a position on the legality of a war precludes their ability to review the manner in which the war is being conducted.

The verdict of the international public opinion has passed them by on this issue, and if they fumble the ball on climate change because a pedantically-narrow rendition of crimes against humanity does not cover gross negligence and criminal recklessness around climate change, the costs to their credibility and the credulity of the human rights paradigm will be greater.

We should not forget that we got

to crimes against humanity because the world had shared notions of laws of humanity and requirements of public conscience. We cannot conceive the letter of crime against humanity treaty in a manner against the requirements of the global conscience.

The final hurdle is the fact that carbon majors such as Qatar and ExxonMobil are not alone. There are several others who are less responsible than Qatar, but still emit more than their equitable share of the global carbon budget.

When the culprits are too numerous, criminal and moral responsibility becomes less clear.

Victims ought to have the first say on how to partition responsibility. The first step has to be for all those in Bangladesh et al -- who have had nothing to do with creating this global nightmare but has everything to lose -- to

BIGSTOCK

put Qatar et al on notice: Their acts of omission and commission are tantamount to savagery. They should either cease and desist, or face the consequences in the court of global public opinion, and all other competent courts.

If our current interpretations of the law do not cover a major and heinous act such the oblivious conduct of the leading climate change contributors, and if such acts will cause the death and destruction of -- albeit nameless and faceless -- millions, then it is our understanding of the law that needs an urgent update.

If human rights laws and lawyers fail to rise to the occasion, there will be other meta-narratives seeking to articulate and redress this grave injustice. l Hakan Altinay is the President of the Global Civics Academy.

DT

24 Sport

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

TOP STORIES

Much-awaited BPL kicks off today The much-awaited JB Bangladesh Premier League finally gets underway today at Chittagong’s MA Aziz Stadium with the opening match between Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Arambagh Krira Sangha. PAGE 25

‘Olympics medal is still far away’ Asif Hossain Khan: I think we haven’t reached the stage yet where we can consistently plan about getting medals at the Olympics. But we have a lot of time in our hand to make a mark. PAGE 26

Ace golfer Siddikur Rahman takes a selfie alongside the other members of the 2016 Rio Olympics’ Bangladesh contingent at Kurmitola Golf Club yesterday. Before flying off for Rio though, Siddikur will depart for Thailand today to take part in the King’s Cup, beginning Thursday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Fizz’s Sussex hanging by a thread n Agencies Root makes hay as England march on Joe Root powered past 200 as England moved on to 533 for six at tea on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan in Manchester yesterday. Root, who had batted for exactly 10 hours, was on 226 not out at tea. PAGE 27

Allardyce gets England job Sam Allardyce is the new England manager after the Football Association officially appointed him on Friday, 10 years after he failed to convince them he was the right man for the job. The 61-yearold Englishman signed a two-year contract. PAGE 28

Sussex’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals of the NatWest Twenty20 Blast suffered a potentially fatal blow as they went down to a heavy defeat at the Oval last Friday night.

Sussex were aiming to follow up their victory against Essex at Chelmsford on Thursday to consolidate their position in the top four of the South Group.

But with Ross Taylor having finished his stint with Sussex their batting was found severely wanting as they could only score 153-6 having been put in to bat by a Surrey side who desperately needed a win to revive their hopes of progressing.

That was never going to be enough and Surrey cruised to a six-wicket win with 10 balls to spare which pulled them level with Sussex on 12 points.

Mustafizur Rahman, who starred with the ball on his debut picking up 4/23 against Essex, had a disappointing outing, going wicketless conceding 31 runs.

With other results in the group going against Sussex last Friday

night it means that even victory against Glamorgan in their final game at Hove this Thursday would not guarantee them a place in the knockout stages.

Fizz welcomed by Bangladeshi family

Mustafizur is not familiar to England’s environment and weather, having only played there once for Bangladesh Under-19. So in order to adapt to the English conditions better, Mustafizur has been welcomed into a local Bangladeshi’s house.

Sussex County Cricket Club president Jim May informed this before the start of the match against Surrey. May said, “Mustafizur has entered into a Bangladeshi family’s house in Hove. They welcomed him there.”

Fizz to pocket over Tk 34 lakhs from Sussex

The left-arm paceman is expected to play a total of seven matches in the NatWest T20 Blast and the Royal London One-Day Cup, unless his team fail to qualify for the next round.

And according to his deal with

the club, Mustafizur is set to receive £30,000 (a little over Tk 34 lakhs in Bangladeshi standard currency).

In the Indian Premier League though, he got Tk one crore 75 lakhs from the franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.

in Bangla.

When translated in English, the tweet looks like this - “As for our fans in Bangladesh, the game begins at 11:30pm.” l

Sussex tweets in Bangla

SUSSEX 153/6 (Cachopa 45, Nash 39, Morris 2/21) lost to SURREY 154/4 (Sibley 40, Roy 36, Mustafizur 0/31) by six wickets

As a matter of pride for the Bangladesh fans back home, Sussex, prior to their game against Surrey, tweeted the match timing

NATWEST T20 BLAST

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DT

Sport

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Much-awaited BPL kicks off today n Tribune Report The much-awaited JB Bangladesh Premier League finally gets underway today at Chittagong’s MA Aziz Stadium with the opening match between Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Arambagh Krira Sangha.

The tournament opener kicks off at 4:30pm.

In the day’s other match, an injury-ravaged Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra will take on newly promoted Uttar Baridhara Club at 7:30pm at the same venue.

Arambagh were the surprise package in the recently concluded Federation Cup where they finished runners-up. They will start their league mission against the premier league champions who they beat in the Federation Cup. Arambagh head coach Saiful Bari Titu is hopeful of putting up a positive display but also admitted that it will be a different ball game.

“We won against Sheikh Jamal in the Federation Cup but this is the league and it’s a fresh match. We will play on the counter keeping a solid defence, the way we played in the Federation Cup.” Titu also praised juvenile forward Jafar Iqbal and Mohammad Abdullah and believes that if the duo get the balls in place during the

counter attack, it will be hard for the opponents to resist them. He also said they will be in a position of advantage if Wedson Anselme doesn’t feature for Sheikh Jamal.

After terminating Shafiqul Islam Manik’s contract last week, Sheikh Jamal will be without a head coach and their Haitian striker Wedson.

Sheikh Ashraf and Sultan Badol are guiding the team until new coach Joseph Afusi’s arrival.

“Hopefully we will have a good start despite the absence of a head coach and Wedson. Because, we have Landing Darboe and Emeka Darlington. Besides, the local players have already proven their worth,” said Sheikh Jamal manager Anwarul Karim Helal yesterday.

On the other hand, Sheikh Russel are facing injury problems upfront as they will be without their Ethiopian striker Fikru Teferra and local forwards Shakhawat Hossain Rony, Abdul Baten Komol and Jahid Hasan Ameli. “[Jean Jules] Ikanga and Paul Emile will play among the foreign players. I hope we will still have what it takes to beat Uttar Baridhara without some of our key players. But it is still unfortunate that I can’t begin the league will a full-strength squad,” said experienced coach Maruful Haque. l

TODAY’S MATCHES

Sk Jamal v Arambagh, 4:30pm Sk Russel v Uttar Baridhara, 7:30pm BTV World & Baishakhi TV will telecast the games live

Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra players train at Chittagong’s MA Aziz Stadium yesterday on the eve of their Bangladesh Premier League opener against Uttar Baridhara Club today RABIN CHOWDHURY

Shihab fine with Ashraful’s return, but... Mourinho relaxed despite n Dortmund drubbing Minhaz Uddin Khan

The banned Dhaka Gladiators owner Shihab Chowdhury said he wishes Mohammad Ashraful well as the cricketer’s five-year suspended ban for match-fixing is set to end on August 13 this year.

Ashraful was at the epicentre of the scandal in 2013 after he confessed to the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit of his involvement in match-fixing for the Bangladesh Premier League franchise. His punishment will however, be over next month after he was pardoned the extra two years by producing “a certificate of good conduct from ICC”.

Shihab however, remains banned after he was also convict-

ed of “fixing” during the BPL’s second edition. He is now serving the 10-year ban. He said yesterday Ashraful was saved by becoming a “witness” to the investigation.

“There is nothing personal between us. It is good for him that he has got the chance to come back having served the ban. What he did in the whole issue was only to save his career. He had become

witness to the ICC and the BCB so that things can get easy for him. I wish him all the luck,” Shihab told Dhaka Tribune.

Shihab said he does not blame Ashraful for the chaos but a few individuals who played key roles in the saga which ran for around two years.

“I don’t blame Ashraful but there were a few who had played key roles in this whole thing. What Ashraful had done was to save his career. I hope he makes a good return,” said Shihab.

Mosharraf Hossain Rubel and Mahbubul Alam Robin, who were found not guilty in the BPL tribunal regarding the same allegations, didn’t want to comment on Ashraful’s return when contacted by this correspondent. l

n AFP, Shanghai Jose Mourinho said he would not be rushing into judgement on his players as a result of Manchester United’s 4-1 drubbing by Borussia Dortmund in Shanghai on Friday.

“Unfair to make any decision.

Day by day they are starting to win my trust,” Mourinho said of his players, who only returned to pre-season training 10 days ago.

“I know in pre-season the team in the advance stage of preparation looks better,” he said.

“It happens year after year. It was too obvious. We knew after 10 minutes that one team started training a month ago and played

four games.”

Gonzalo Castro scored twice for the German side, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang bagged a penalty and Ousmane Dembele showed why the Frenchman is regarded as one of the best young talents in Europe with a superb finish.

“The reality is even in this situation we have six players still in Europe, plus (Wayne) Rooney and (Chris) Smalling who are only training. That is eight not involved.

“We had no (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, (Anthony) Martial, (Marouane) Fellaini, (Morgan) Schneiderlin – lots of them aren’t here yet.” It was Mourinho’s first defeat as United manager in just his second match. l

DT

26

Sport

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

‘Olympics medal is still far away’ n

S

T

O

R

Y

Rashad Banna

Dhaka Tribune Sports (DTS): Have Bangladeshi athletes reached the level where they can practically target a medal?

Asif Hossain Khan (AHK): I think we haven’t reached the stage yet where we can consistently plan about getting medals at the Olympics. But we have a lot of time in hand to make a mark. We have reached the level where we fight hard against the big names consistently. Therefore, it won’t be surprising if any of our athletes achieve a respectable position or rank. But a medal is still far away I reckon.

DTS: What is your take on the current situation of shooting in Bangladesh?

They thought I emerged from the crowd. When I showed them my accreditation card they apologised and took photos with me. It was a memorable experience for me.

AHK: The ongoing situation in shooting is much better than the past. At the moment, we have a few good quality world class foreign coaches. None of their kind ever came to Bangladesh before. They are training the Olympic shooting contingent.

Currently we are trying our level best to tie them down to a contract spanning till the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It’d be a great thing if we are successful in our pursuit.

DTS: What do you do in your capacity as a BKSP shooting coach?

DTS: How do you rate shooter Abdullah Hel Baki’s chances in Rio?

AHK: His prospects are good. I think he can clinch a good position in the overall standings. It’s tough to say whether he can claim a medal but a respectable rank is quite achievable.

DTS: Do you have any memorable experience from the Olympics?

AHK: I only ever played at the 2004 Athens Olympics. We see everywhere that spectators are not al-

In this file photo dated August 13, 2004, the Bangladesh delegation, led by flag-bearer Asif Hossain Khan, parades during the opening ceremony of the Athens Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium lowed inside any track or venue, let alone running around with a flag.

During one of the several Olympic programmes, out of sheer excitement looking at all the spectators,

I suddenly started running around the venue with a Bangladesh flag.

I noticed two security officials running after me. I ran harder but they eventually caught up with me.

AHK: Firstly we select players from all over the country and then we train them for a month. We trim the list and train them for four more months. The selected few are then enrolled at the BKSP. With that said the ones who are not making the cut have nothing to feel sad about because they subsequently get picked by different clubs.

DTS: Many are of the opinion that your playing career came to a premature end. Do you agree?

AHK: No, not at all. I am fully satisfied with my career. No complaints.

Now, I just want to give back to the game that has given me so much. l

Higuain has Juventus medical, Mahrez close to Arsenal n ESPN

Bangladesh limited over captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza and opening batsman Soumya Sarkar share a light moment during training at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Juventus have agreed to pay Gonzalo Higuain’s €94.7 million release clause, Sky Sport Italia reports, with the Napoli striker said to have undergone a medical with Bianconeri officials in Madrid on Friday.

Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal were also rumoured to be interested in the Argentina international, who broke a Serie A record last season by scoring 36 goals, but it is the Italian champions who look

Fizz’s form impresses Mominul too n Minhaz Uddin Khan Bangladesh batsman Mominul Haque is extremely proud and excited for paceman Mustafizur Rahman, who made a scintillating debut for Sussex Sharks in the ongoing NatWest Twenty20 Blast in England.

The left-arm pacer impressed all and sundry with his magical bowling figures of 4/23 against Essex in Chelmsford on Thursday night.

“It feels great to think that Mustafizur stunned all with his performance. He has taken the seat right after Shakib (al Hasan) bhai.

Mustafizur is a player of a different level. His performance encourages

me personally to better myself and also boosts my confidence level.

I dream of reaching Shakib and Mustafizur’s stature someday,” said Mominul to the media at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.

The left-handed batsman expects the Tigers to be slightly ahead of England when the two sides lock horns with each other in two Tests and three one-day internationals in October-November this year. Even though confusion is still lingering over England touring Bangladesh, Mominul believes the Tigers will be aided by the home conditions and that a positive result can be expected from the hosts.

“We are a very good side in our home conditions. We can expect positive results if England come to play against us in this conditions.

“Now we have Mustafizur and Shakib in the bowling attack. It would also be better for us if we have a leg-spinner. However, to be honest, the Test series won’t be as easy as the ODIs. We as a team need to improve more in the longer-format in order to compete with the top teams on a consistent basis,” he added.

Bangladesh last played a Test in August, 2015, when South Africa toured the country. Considered as the most consistent Bangladesh performer in Tests, Mominul said the long gap will not matter to him

as he has been in touch with the longer-version through domestic competitions.

“Expectation will be high on me and it will be slight challenging too as I have not played a Test for a long time now. But I think it will not be a problem as I have played BCL (Bangladesh Cricket League) and the National Cricket League in the recent past,” said the Cox’s Bazar lad.

He added, “I will be dropped from the team if I don’t perform.

We play less number of Test matches than the other nations. So, we have to perform well. And I have to perform to cement my position in the Test squad.” l

to have made the decisive move having already signed Miralem Pjanic from rivals Roma earlier this summer.

Meanwhile, Eurosport claims Arsenal will soften the blow of having missed out on Higuain by announcing a €50m deal to sign Riyad Mahrez “imminently.”

Mahrez, who was named PFA Player of the Year as Leicester won the title last season, scored 17 goals and set up 11 in 36 Premier League appearances. l

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Sport

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Root makes hay as England pile on the agony n Reuters

QUICK BYTES Turkish weightlifter stripped of 2008 medal The International Olympic Committee on Friday said it had stripped Turkey’s Sibel Ozkan of the weightlifting silver medal she won at the 2008 Olympics due to a doping offence. Ozkan, 28, came second in the -48kg category in Beijing, but she was caught after the IOC ordered a reTest of samples from both the 2008 Games and 2012 Olympics in London.

Joe Root powered past 200 as England moved on to 533 for six at tea on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan in Manchester yesterday.

Root, who had batted for exactly 10 hours, was on 226 not out at the interval, the right-hander’s highest Test score signalling a return to form after a disappointing series against Sri Lanka.

England will look to declare early in the final session at Old Trafford as they bid to level the series after Pakistan won the first Test at Lord’s by 75 runs.

The hosts had resumed in the morning on 314 for four and nightwatchman Chris Woakes dominated the early strike, peppering the boundary with crisp drives and cuts.

Root went past 150 for the fifth time in his Test career but he did offer one chance which was spilled.l

–AFP

Sunderland appoint Moyes as manager Sunderland appointed David Moyes as manager yesterday, replacing Sam Allardyce who has taken charge of the England team. The 53-year-old Moyes, without a club since being sacked by Spain’s Real Sociedad in November, has signed a four-year contract at the Stadium of Light.

–REUTERS

Three candidates to succeed Platini Three candidates to succeed the disgraced Michel Platini as president of UEFA made the shortlist on Friday for the vote to take place in Athens on September 14. The three are Slovenia’s Aleksander Ceferin, Michael van Praag of the Netherlands and Spain’s Angel Maria Villar. –AFP

DAY’S WATCH CRICKET TEN 2 8:00PM India Tour of West Indies 1st Test, Day 4

STAR SPORTS 1 4:00PM Pakistan Tour of England 2nd Test, Day 3

SONY SIX 2:30AM Caribbean Premier League T20 St Lucia v Guyana

DAY TWO, AT TEA England batsman Joe Root plays a reverse sweep against Pakistan during the second day’s play of their second Test in Manchester yesterday REUTERS

Kohli makes history as India take command n Reuters Virat Kohli became the first Indian captain to post a Test double century overseas as the tourists played their way into a virtually unbeatable position on the second day of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua on Friday.

Kohli scored 200 as India hit 566 for eight declared, sharing a 168run fifth stand wicket with Ravichandran Ashwin (113), who was dropped on 43 by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich and made the West Indies pay by compiling a century.

West Indies were 31 for one in their first innings at the close of play with Kraigg Brathwaite (11) and nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo (0) at the crease.

Rajendra Chandrika went for 16 in the penultimate over of the day when he got a thick edge to the keeper off paceman Mohammed Shami.

The day belonged to Kohli, who completed his double ton just before lunch by pulling a single to deep mid-wicket.

He went down on his knees and kissed the turf as retired West

UFC

Indies great Viv Richards, after whom the venue in North Sound is named, joined in the applause from the stands.

Kohli, who struck 24 fours in 283 balls, was out shortly after lunch when he got a thick inside edge on to his stumps off fast bowler Shannon Gabriel (2-65).

Leg-spinner Bishoo (3-163) looked dangerous at times but for the most part the home attack posed few problems for the batsmen on a flat track.

Ashwin, who registered his third Test century, said a more dis-

1ST TEST, DAY TWO INDIA 566/8 dec (Kohli 200, Ashwin 113, Dhawan 84) v WEST INDIES 31/1 West Indies trail by 535 runs ciplined approach was the key to his success.

India’s total left West Indies looking to occupy the crease for three more days to squeeze a draw in the first of four Tests between the teams.

“It’s not going to be easy. We’ll have to prise every wicket out,” said Ashwin. l

Bolt eases to victory, Harrison hurdles to glory

SONY SIX 6:00AM Holly Holm v Valentina Shevchenko

FUTSAL SONY SIX

n AFP, London

7:20PM Premier Futsal League: Final

CYCLING TEN 1 10:00PM Tour De France 2016: Day 21

FORMULA 1 STAR SPORTS 4 6:00PM Hungary Grand Prix Main Race

ENGLAND 533/6 (Root 226 not out, Bairstow 32 not out, Cook 105) v PAKISTAN

Kendra Harrison of the US (L) crosses the line to win the women’s 100m hurdles during the Diamond League anniversary games in London on Friday AP

Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt promised on Friday he will be physically ready for next month’s Rio Olympics - on the night Kendra Harrison broke the 28-year-old 100 metres hurdles world record.

Bolt, running at the track where he achieved the individual Olympic sprint double and the 4x100m relay for the second time four years ago in London, was the star attraction on day one of the Anniversary

Games in front of 40,000 people at the Olympic stadium and he did not disappoint in the men’s 200m.

Brushing aside any concerns about the hamstring injury which forced him to withdraw from his country’s Olympic trials in Kingston earlier this month, Bolt ran a solid time of 19.89sec in his first competitive 200m of this season.

Panama’s Alonso Edward ran a season’s best of 20.04sec while Britain’s Adam Gemili produced a 2016 best of 20.07sec. l

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Sport

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Ronaldo opens CR7 hotel, gives name to airport n AFP, Funchal

Portugese forward Cristiano Ronaldo and his brother Hugo Aveiro pose next to a wax statue representing Ronaldo during a visit to the new location of the CR7 museum dedicated his professional career at Funchal on the Portuguese island of Madeira yesterday AFP

Doping scandal rocks Russian sport n Reuters, Moscow Having your athletes barred from the Olympics because your government stands accused of systematically covering up doping would trigger a political firestorm in many countries, hurting the standing of the person at the top.

But in Russia, months away from parliamentary elections at a time of economic crisis, President Vladimir Putin and his allies have deftly deflected the blame by passing it off as a Western Cold War-style plot to sabotage Russia’s international comeback.

The latest crisis over doping is too fresh to have yet been reflected in opinion polls. But even if it tarnishes one of the showpieces of Putin’s legacy - hosting the 2014 winter Olympics - pollsters predict the scandal is unlikely to hurt him much.

“It (the doping scandal) will have no bearing on his popularity.

It’s not a question of logic,” Stepan Goncharov, of the Levada Center, an independent pollster, told Reuters.

Levada’s latest survey, conducted in June, gave Putin an approval rating of 81 percent, down from its peak last year of 89 percent, but still stratospheric by Western standards.

“Voters don’t link domestic problems, such as those with the economy, to Putin,” said Goncharov. “For them it’s other people who are to blame.”

Putin, who cast his hosting of the 2014 Sochi winter Olympics as a $50 billion symbol of Russia’s success under his leadership, complained this week of what he called a dangerous return to Cold War style political interference in sport.

Likening the situation to the 1980s when Moscow and Washington boycotted one another’s Olympics, Putin inferred that the doping scandal, which has already cost Russia’s track and field athletes their place at the Rio Olympics and could yet see the whole team barred, was a political hit job.

“Yes, this intervention takes different forms today, but the essence remains the same,” Putin said in a statement. “To make sport an instrument for geopolitical pressure and use it to form a negative image of countries and peoples.”

Was the United States’ doping agency trying to “dictate its will to the entire world?” he wondered aloud.

Blaming the West is an approach the Kremlin has rolled out when faced with serious international allegations before. l

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo inaugurated his own hotel on Friday called “CR7” after his initials and shirt number, while the airport on his home island of Funchal was renamed in his honour.

Just two weeks after leading Portugal to the Euro 2016 title in France, the national team skipper appeared on a terrace of the red-coloured building overlooking the sea, wearing a white baseball cap.

“It’s a little strange. I never could have imagined that I would be a hotelier at the age of 31,” said Ronaldo of his hotel which opened for business on July 1.

Meanwhile, the president of the Madeira region, Miguel Albuquerque, said that the local airport would be named in Ronaldo’s honour.

Yesterday, Ronaldo will visit his new museum which is situated on the ground floor of his hotel.

A second “CR7” hotel is due to open in Lisbon later this year with two others planned in Madrid and New York in 2017. l

Allardyce gets England job at second time of asking n AFP, London Sam Allardyce is the new England manager after the Football Association officially appointed him on Friday, 10 years after he failed to convince them he was the right man for the job.

The 61-year-old Englishman who lost out to Steve McClaren 10 years ago after Sven-Goran Eriksson left - signed a two-year contract with his task to guide England to the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia.

Allardyce - who gained credit for keeping Sunderland in the Premier League last season - replaces Roy Hodgson, who stepped down after England lost to minnows Iceland in the last 16 of Euro 2016 last month.

Allardyce, whose only piece of silverware came at the beginning of his managerial career with an Irish League title at Limerick City, couldn’t hide his joy after at last getting the job he had coveted all his long managerial career.

“I am extremely honoured to be appointed England manager especially as it is no secret that this is the role I have always wanted,” said Allardyce in a statement issued by the FA. “For me, it is absolutely the best

job in English football.

“I will do everything I can to help England do well and give our nation the success our fans deserve. Above all, we have to make the people and the whole country proud.

“While my main focus will be on the senior team and getting positive results, I want to add my influence to the great work being done across the development teams at St. George’s Park – a facility I have used with my previous clubs.

“I know we have talented, committed players and it is time for us to deliver.”

The FA said Allardyce, who became favourite once Under-21 coach Gareth Southgate said he wasn’t interested in the job and Arsene Wenger said he wanted to see out his contract at Arsenal, had been the unanimous choice of the three-man panel deployed to select the manager.

They had also spoken to Steve Bruce. l

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Move quickly (4) 4 Aviator (5) 8 Salty (6) 9 Close (4) 11 Communion plate (5) 12 Spoken (4) 14 Regret (3) 15 Carry too far (6) 19 Noted printing errors (6) 21 Vast age (3) 22 Lofty (4) 24 On the move (5) 27 Domestic animals (4) 29 Cricket team (6) 30 Precipitous (5) 31 Male deer (4)

DOWN 1 Distress signal (3) 2 Taker of excessive interest (6) 3 Facts given (4) 4 Fruit seed (3) 5 Silly (5) 6 Permit (3) 7 Sinew (6) 10 Period of time (4) 13 Fate (3) 14 Transmits in stages (6) 16 Large container (3) 17 Soften attitude (6) 18 Blockhead (4) 20 Nimble (5) 23 Monkeys (4) 25 Gold mound (3) 26 Corded fabric (3) 28 Droop (3)

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Downtime

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

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

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU How to solve: Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no number repeating.

PEANUTS

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

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30

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

Showtime

Abbas Kiarostami: So can I! Shorts & Medium-length Films: Bread and Alley (1970); Breaktime (1972); Experience (1973); Traveler (1974); Chorus (1982).

Documentaries: Tribute to Teachers (1977); First Case, Second Case (1979); Fellow Citizen (1983); First Graders (1984); Homework (1989).

n Mosabber Rahman Iranian trailblasing filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami passed away at the age of 76. He was a pioneer who put Iran on the map in the world of film. The impact of his art is tremendous. Among his admirers were Kurosawa, Godard and Scorsese. And yet, it is only by accident that he began to make films.

Kiarostami left home at 18 and started supporting himself by working as a traffic police officer. He was convinced he could become a great painter like van Gogh, since they had the same poverty filled background.

However, the teenage traffic police officer failed the art school admission test on his first attempt.

It would eventually take him 13 years to complete the four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

The reason it took him so long to graduate was his new job as a commercial artist; he was illustrating books and designing posters. Soon, he started working for a leading advertising agency, where he would make about 150 ads in just eight years. His focus had now shifted from painting to filmmaking.

In 1970, at the age of 30,

Kiarostami was offered to start a film department at a governmentfunded children’s institute called IIDCYA aka Kanun. The idea was to make documentaries and fictions for education. For the next 20 years Abbas Kiarostami would make 19 shorts and documentaries, alongside three feature-length films at Kanun.

Kiarostami received unanimous acclaim for his first featurelength film at Kanun, Where is the Friend’s House? (1987). However, it was with his next film, at the age of 50, that he would finally get the recognition as a master of the art. That film was Close Up (1990), which is considered to be one of the greatest masterpieces of world cinema. Soon after, Kiarostami would leave Kanun to pursue an independent film career. He would continue to make shorts and documentaries, but it is important to note that his work for children is an essential part of his creative output.

Essential educational shorts, short films & documentaries Educational Shorts: Two Solutions for One Problem (1975); So Can I (1975); Colors (1976); Solution No. 1 (1978); Orderly or Disorderly (1981).

Best films of Abbas Kiarostami With each new film Kiarostami would push the limits of filmart, mostly working with nonprofessional actors. Here is my ranking of all of his feature-length films except for Report (1977), an independent film made outside of Kanun; this is more of a favoritelist than a critical analysis: 10. Shirin (2008); 9. Ten (2002); 8. Like Someone in Love (2012); 7.

Certified Copy (2010); 6. And Life Goes On… (1991); 5. Through the Olive Trees (1994); 4. Wind Will Carry Us (1999); 3. Taste of Cherry (1997); 2. Where Is the Friend’s Home? (1987); 1. Close-Up (1990).

Kiarostami was an accomplished photographer and held exhibitions all over the world. He called photography the mother of cinema, since every cinema starts with a single photograph, and he considered photography a purer art-form. Among his photography books are Snow White, Trees & Crows, Kiarostami: Images.

Kiarostami’s primary source of inspiration was poetry. He edited anthologies, altogether tenvolumes, of his favorite Persian poets: Fire (Rumi), Tears (Saadi), Wine (Hafez), Water (Nima Yushij), and Night (various). He also published three books of his own poetry – Wind and Leaf, Wolf on Watch, With the Wind.

We thank Abbas Kiarostami for his art and we are grateful for it.

God bless him.

“From the injustice of our time, take refuge in poetry.

From the harshness of the beloved, take refuge in poetry.

From glaring cruelty, take refuge in poetry.” l

Gautam hopes Zareen to be his lucky charm n Showtime Desk Gautam Rode can’t seem to catch a break, even when it looks like he’s taking the right steps. Gautam has done films like Agyaat (2009) and U, Bomsi and Me (2005). However, his career in film did not take off. Since then, he has done numerous shows on the small screen. He was spotted by the audience when he hosted Nach Baliye with Karan Wahi. He was also awarded an important project with the biggest budget in the history of Hindi serials.

Saraswati Chandra was the series where he was cast as the main lead and audience had become hopeful. Little did he know, that support and hope wouldn’t last for too long. A very poor script could not make him a popular hero, even though he had an attractive personality. Then, after a short break, he took on assignments like Maha Kumbh, then Karna.

But repetition of expressions didn’t assist him in his career either. Now, he’s taking another shot at Bollywood.

After his stint on Siddharth Kumar Tewary’s Suryaputra Karn, actor Gautam Rode is now shooting for a feature film. As per sources, the actor is doing the sequel of Aksar titled Aksar 2.

Gautam has chopped off the long hair he had for Suryaputra Karn and is now sporting a neat and dapper look. The source further informs that he is shooting for the project in Madh Island for the past few days.

He shared a few pictures from his shoot, but refused to divulge further details. The original Aksar had Emraan Hashmi, Dino Morea and Udita Goswami. The film was a box-office success but it was the song “Soniye” that is still unforgettable for music lovers. Zareen Khan is finalised to play the lead role in the film and she’ll be romancing three men. “We can expect a romantic track with Gautam as well,” says the source.

The film is being directed

by Anant Mahadevan, who had directed the first film as well. S Sreesanth is also doing a cameo in the film. The main male lead is yet to be finalised. l

It’s all about the perfect picture

31

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Showtime

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

WHAT TO WATCH

n Rumpa Farzana Cinema might be a fictional representation, but it can also act as a mirror to reflect the society of today. To all fairytale lovers, Kapoor and Sons is a perfectly “real” story of social life. It tells the tale of an elderly member of a family, one who wants to take the perfect picture with his entire family. He fails several times because of some unwanted occurrence and constant family feuds. Despite experiencing all these happenings, the 90-yearold still smiles to live a joyful life.

Fret not, there will be no spoilers, but just a general overview of the film, read on.

Kapoor and Sons begins with the story of an old man.

This old man, Amarjeet (Rishi Kapoor) is a funny guy who rehearses the scene of his own death almost every day. Harsha Kapoor (Rajat Kapoor) and Sunita (Ratna Pathak), his elder son and daughter-in-law respectively, become habituated to this routine. One day, Rahul Kapoor (Fawad Khan), his grandson, gets a call from home that their grandfather has been admitted

The Condemned Zee Studio 5:30pm Jack Conrad is awaiting the death penalty in a corrupt Central American prison. He is “purchased” by a wealthy television producer and taken to a desolate island where he must fight to the death against nine other condemned killers from all corners of the world, with freedom going to the sole survivor.

Cast: Stone Cold Steve Austin, Vinnie Jones, Robert Mammone, Tory Mussett, Trent Sullivan

Sons illustrates a very common family dilemma where one brother’s success supercedes the others. What makes this movie enjoyable are the refreshing elements brought in by the characters played by Rishi Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. Bhatt and her fresh presence and melodious songs definitely makes the film come alive. There’s also strong performances from Ratna Pathak and Rajat Kapoor, making it an to the hospital, and enters Arjun Kapoor (Sidharth Malhotra).

These two brothers come home to see their grandfather and the story kicks off.

From time to time, the audience get to see different family secrets that are revealed through different stories. External affairs, jealousy, and even their mother’s partial love, is all revealed. It also reveals that it was the mother who let one child become more successful than the other.

Most of the time, it is assumed that mothers cannot be impartial.

However, in real life, there might be different dimensions to motherhood. Perhaps some mothers are not perfect, some can’t love all her children the same way. Some may even be partial towards others for the sake of emotional attachment. Director Karan Johar has been able to

depict this reality to the world through this film.

At the same time, the film also portrays the different aspects of a person’s sexuality in a loud and clear fashion. Audiences have been often exposed to gay characters, but most of them act like women or like to be their man’s passive partner.

Breaking stereotypes, the movie shows that a gay man can also be a handsome, active male partner. He doesn’t have to act like a woman just because he’s gay. Kapoor and Sons is a movie that depicts this side of the real world in a very technical manner.

Interestingly, there were no instances where the film used any word or speech to represent the gay characters, but Karan Johar got the message across pretty clearly.

On the other hand, Kapoor and

combination of a different kind.

Needless to say, the film was very well written and perfectly edited till the very end.

Was the perfect picture taken?

Is there any family who has that ideal, perfect picture? Perhaps the director had the same questions.

These answers can only be found once you’ve finished watching the movie.

Whatever the answer may be, the truth is, maybe there aren’t

300 HBO 6:30pm King Leonidas of Sparta and a force of 300 men fight the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 BC. Cast: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Dominic West, Vincent Regan, Rodrigo Santoro Iron Man Star Movies 6:50pm After being held captive in an Afghan cave, a billionaire engineer creates a unique weaponised suit of armor to fight evil.

Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Leslie Bibb Life of Pi Star Movies 9:30pm A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery.

While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger.

Cast: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Ayush Tandon, Gautam Belur, Adil Hussain

enjoyable, light movie with a strong underlying message.

Altough a minute aspect, the name of the brothers (Rahul and Arjun) have made this movie a little different from the others.

In every movie, audiences have seen “Karan-Arjun” or “RajRahul” as brothers, but now it’s a

too many picture perfect families out there, but there is always love in every family. And members who love to be with each other no matter what will always make for that “picture-perfect” ending.

This is why Karan Johar is unparalleled for his story-telling skills. l

Final Destination WB 11:10pm After a teenager has a terrifying vision of him and his friends dying in a plane crash, he prevents the accident only to have Death hunt them down, one by one Cast: Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Kerr Smith, Kristen Cloke, Daniel Roebuck l

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Back Page

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

TOURISM BUSINESS ON THE WANE PAGE 8

FIZZ’S SUSSEX HANGING

BY A THREAD PAGE 24

ABBAS KIAROSTAMI: SO CAN I! PAGE 30

9 die in Narsingdi boat capsize Ripon, n Asaduzzaman Narsingdi

Russian balloonist ‘breaks roundthe-world record’ n BBC

Nine people, six of whom were children, drowned after an overcrowded boat capsized in the Arial Khan River at Jongli Shibpur in Raipura upazila, Narsingdi.

Locals and rescuers managed to fish out the bodies and rescued passengers after the accident took place yesterday morning.

The deceased were identified as Sumaiya, 3, Marzia, 3, Samrat, 4, Yasin, 6, Zerin, 6, Rakib, 13, Nadim, 10, Maldar Nesa, 80, and Fulesa Begum, 60, police sources said.

According to witnesses, the boat, carrying over 100 passengers, started off from Jongli Shibpur towards a shrine in Nabinagar, Brahmanbaria around 11am.

Shortly after the boat started the journey, it capsized killing four children and a woman instantly.

“That boat capsized because it was overloaded, and some children were running around,” said Md Hazrat Ali, passenger of another boat.

Locals immediately went into the river to rescue the survivors; among them, three other children and another woman died on the way to hospital.

Divers later joined the rescue operation.

A Russian balloonist has set a new record for flying non-stop around the world.

Fyodor Konyukhov’s balloon was said to have passed directly over the airfield in the Australian town of Northam where he began his journey 11 days ago.

If his record is confirmed by the World Air Sports Federation, he will have taken more than two days off the record set by American Steve Fossett in 2002.

Konyukhov, 65, landed safely about three hours after passing Northam. His route took him from Australia to above New Zealand, the Pacific Ocean, South America, the Cape of Good Hope and the Southern Ocean.

At one point, a polar jet stream pushed him towards Antarctica. It is “scary to be so down south and away from civilisation,” Konyukhov said on his website.

His crew said the balloon, which is 56m (183ft) tall and uses helium and hot air, covered the route in 11 days and six hours, beating Fossett’s record by more than two days.

The American, who also started from Northam, took 13 days and eight hours in setting his record. l

Local rescuers bring the capsized boat to the bank of Arial Khan River in Jongli Shibpur area in Narsingdi yesterday. The boat capsized in the morning with more than 100 passengers, killing seven children and two adults DHAKA TRIBUNE “A team of divers from Dhaka was sent to the spot for the rescue work,” said Khandaker Nurul Haque, additional deputy commissioner of Narsingdi. “The survivors are currently under treatment at hospitals in Bhairab, Narsingdi and other nearby areas.”

The rescue operation was called off around 5:30pm. “It will resume if we receive reports of any passenger still missing,” Nurul said.

Meanwhile, Nurul has been assigned by the district administration to investigate the accident and submit a report within 15 days, he

told the Dhaka Tribune.

Police have handed over the bodies to their relatives without post-mortem examinations.

The district administration has also allotted Tk5,000 and 20kg of rice to the family of each victim, sources said. l

Munich gunman fixated on mass killing n Reuters

A German-Iranian teenager who shot dead nine people in Munich was a deranged lone gunman obsessed with mass killings who drew no inspiration from Islamist militancy, police said yesterday.

The 18-year-old, born and raised locally, opened fire near a busy shopping mall on Friday evening, triggering a lockdown in the Bavarian state capital.

Seven of his victims were themselves teenagers, who police said he may have lured to their deaths via a hacked Facebook account on what was the fifth anniversary of twin attacks by Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik that killed 77 people.

The Munich shooting, in which a further 27 people were wounded, some seriously, was the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe – and the second in

SUMMARY ● ●

● ● ● ●

9 people died. More than 27 were injured, 3 critically The suspect was an 18-year-old German-Iranian dual national, who lived in Munich He is believed to have been acting on his own and killed himself Police say killer’s motive "completely unclear" Young people and "adolescents" among the dead Children among the injured

southern Germany – in eight days.

Bavarian state crime office President Robert Heimberger said the gunman, who German media named as Ali David Sonboly, was carrying more than 300 bullets in his backpack and pistol when he was later found dead of a gunshot wound.

Following a police search of the attacker’s room, where a book on teenage shooting sprees was dis-

covered, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae all but ruled out an Islamist militant link in the attack.

“Based on the searches, there are no indications whatsoever that there is a connection to Islamic State” or to the issue of refugees, he told a news conference.

“Documents on shooting sprees were found, so the perpetrator obviously researched this subject in-

tensively.”

The gunman was born and brought up in the Munich area and had spent time in psychiatric care, and there was no evidence to suggest he had an accomplice, Andrae said.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said it was also too early to associate the Munich shootings with Breivik, who in 2011 shot dead 69 attendees at a youth summer camp hours after murdering eight others by detonating a van bomb in Oslo.

Fast-food invite?

Robert Heimberger told the news conference that the police were investigating findings suggesting the Munich gunman invited people to a fast food restaurant at the mall via the Facebook account. “[He] said he would treat them to what they wanted as long as it wasn’t too expensive – that was the invitation,” Heimberger said. He added that this still needed to be

verified, but there were many clues suggesting the attacker had set up the invitation and sent it or posted it online.

Turkey’s foreign ministry said three Turkish citizens were among nine people killed in the Munich attack while Greece’s foreign ministry said one Greek was among the dead. According to foreign media reports, there were also three Kosovo Albanian victims.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was “mourning with a heavy heart” for those killed, and that the security services would do everything to ensure the public was safe.

Bavarian Premier Horst Seehofer said the killings – together with an axe attack by a 17-year-old asylum-seeker that injured five people in Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, on Monday – should not be allowed to undermine democratic freedoms. l

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