30 Jult, 2016

SECOND EDITION

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

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Shraban 15, 1423, Shawwal 24, 1437

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 94

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

Life uncertain for self-made business owners, employees n Tribune Desk It took them years to turn their dreams into reality – starting something from scratch and slowly building their own businesses, serving people, providing employment to young generation.

But it took only a government notice for their dreams to shatter in the span of a few hours.

These self-made entrepreneurs – owners of different business establishments, lost all their investment as well as their means of livelihood when city authorities began their drive to evict “illegal” establishments in Dhaka earlier this week.

Around 500 people employed by these businesses are without jobs now; tens of thousands more face the same fate.

The mass eviction was launched

by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) around the city of Dhaka on July 25.

Earlier, in the wake of the terror attack on a Gulshan cafe that claimed the lives of at least 24 people, the government sent notices to owners of around 13,000 commercial establishments around the city that have reportedly been set up in residential areas.

The decision was made in line with a government announcement on April 4 this year that said all of Dhaka’s unauthorised commercial establishments including bars, res-

n Udisa Islam

Remains of an unauthorised establishment in Gulshan, Dhaka demolished by Rajuk on the second day of its ongoing eviction drive. The photo was taken on Tuesday MEHEDI HASAN idential hotels and private universities must be moved away from residential areas within the next six months.

In the first three days of the 21-day drive, 25 businesses were evicted or shut down in Dhanmondi, Gulshan and Uttara areas, sources told the Dhaka Tribune.

INSIDE

These businesses included restaurants, fast food joints, bakeries, sweet shops, supermarkets, departmental stores, hotels, and even private offices. In only three days, the eviction drive caused a massive blow to the owners of these businesses who invested crores of taka.

Many of these entrepreneurs

now think setting up their businesses in posh areas might have been the biggest mistake of their lives. “What could be worse than losing your job, investment, property, passion, dreams and aspirations all at once?” said one entrepreneur.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Tracing the path of a militant

Understanding youth militancy in Bangladesh

Flood victims face food crisis

Keraniganj jail starts journey

NY Fed asks Philippines to recover BB money

The new Dhaka Central Jail at Keraniganj started its operations yesterday after some 6,400 prisoners were transferred amid beefed up security measures.  PAGE 5

When Shishir Bairagi clocked in to start his shift at Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1 he had no idea what was waiting for him – a nightmare that would continue to plague him, in more ways than one.

“I used to get Tk20,000 per month at Holey Artisan as a chef. Now I am a hawker who sells brushes in Gulshan.

Terrorists have changed my life forever,” Shishir said, his expression sombre.

Having dropped out of school after Class VIII, Shishir's job at Holey Artisan is something he had only dreamed of. “I used to work in an air-conditioned place.

Every three months we used to get a new set of work clothes and shoes – even if the current set was in perfect condition. My life was well set, but that one night destroyed my life.”

He shuddered at the memory of that night. “I was in

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

n Tribune Desk Prof Ali Riaz, talks to the DhakaTribune on militant groups’ recruiting and operation tactics; their rise; and government’s counterterrorism strategy  PAGE 4

'No other workplace like Holey Artisan'

Thousands of flood-affected people in the northern parts of Bangladesh are living a sub-human life for lack of pure drinking water, foods and safe sanitary facilities.  PAGE 6

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has asked the Philippines’ central bank to help Bangladesh Bank recover the $81m that was stolen by hackers in February.  PAGE 32

He was well educated, came from a well-off family and had a career progression that showed signs of a promising young professional in the making.

But Shazad Rouf Arko, who was identified by the police as one of the militants killed in the Kallyanpur den, gave it all up to become a militant.

The path he took has a striking resemblance with one of the Gulshan attackers, Nibras Islam, who law enforcers say was also a friend of Arko's.

He and Nibras both went missing around the same time in February this year, while both their

Shazad Rouf Arko names were mentioned in a case filed with Shahbagh police station under the anti-terrorism act.

It is not known when or how they met, but both of them went

to North South University and were students of English-medium schools in Dhaka.

Coming from affluent families, both Arko and Nibras had socially active lives throughout their school and university years – their social media accounts were full of pictures of them having fun with friends.

But somewhere down the line, they got radicalised and ran away from home to join the life of a militant.

In the weeks before he disappeared, Arko did not show any signs that he had been radicalised, his father Tauheed Rouf recently told the Washington Post.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

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SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

Dhaka, Delhi agree to urgently repatriate prisoners n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

Tracing the path of a militant

Bangladesh and India have agreed to undertake immediate actions for repatriating prisoners and victims of human trafficking, and stressed the necessity of signing a repatriation treaty to simplify and expedite the procedure.

The fifth home minister-level talks held in India on Thursday between the two countries discussed the issue extensively where Dhaka has been assured New Delhi’s fullest support and cooperation in its fight against terrorism, fundamentalism and radicalism.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal led the Bangladesh side in the talks while his counterpart Rajnath Singh the Indian side. l

From USA to Kallyanpur

“That is the worst part. Maybe it was my inability to understand, but we never got any indication,” Tauheed said. The young man had been praying with some regularity, he said, but that was all.

In 1999, Arko immigrated with his family to the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, his father told the Post.

Later, the whole family – except the father – became US citizens and relocated to San Francisco.

However, the US State Department issued a statement yesterday, saying they were not yet confirm about Arko’s US citizenship status.

Arko’s LinkedIn profile shows that he went to the Irvington High School in Freemont, California, where he was active in tennis, choir and social service. While in the US, he was also reportedly a member of the Muslim Student Association Club there.

In 2009, the family moved back to Bangladesh so Arko’s mother

could be treated for cancer; she has since died, the Post reported.

After returning to Bangladesh, Arko went to the American International School of Dhaka (AISD), the same school where Gulshan attack victims Faraaz Ayaz Hossain and Tarishi Jain studied.

There, he was part of the cricket team, choir, social service club, and talent show, his profile shows.

Later in 2015, Arko completed his BBA degree from North South University with a major in marketing. At NSU, he was member of his class football team; Nibras was also known at NSU for his football skills.

During his university years, he also worked as a director at New Victor Limited (NVL) – a weapons supplying company.

NVL was founded by Arko’s grandfather Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rouf in 1977; Arko’s father is now its managing director.

Arko wrote in his profile that NVL was “the oldest company in this

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

business sector: we supply military defence equipments from abroad (China, England, Italy, USA, Canada, Korea, S Africa) to Police, Army, RAB, Navy, BOF headquarters.”

In his LinkedIn profile, Arko also wrote he had worked as an apprentice at Berger Paints since April 2015.

But he deserted a bright future and walked down the dark path to militancy when he went missing on February 3 this year. His father filed a general diary with Bhatara police three days after he went missing.

Arko was named on the list of 68 missing persons released by the Rapid Action Battalion.

Using fingerprints, he was later identified as one of the nine militants killed during Tuesday’s police raid in Dhaka’s Kallyanpur.

‘Fun-loving boy’

A relative of Arko recently spoke to the Telegraph of India, describing Arko as “a fun-loving, normal boy, who loved

Life uncertain for self-made business owners, employees Business owners and landlords affected by the eviction estimate that the shutdown of the 25 businesses has resulted into a collective loss of around Tk10 crore. Businesses who have been ordered to renovate will face a loss of Tk2-3 crore, they surmised.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Helal Uddin, whose restaurant Everest Restaurant was shut down in Uttara, said: “My partner and I invested Tk30 lakh in this restaurant.

Our business was already incurring loss; now we have lost everything.”

The restaurant had 38 staff members who are now unemployed.

The proprietor of Dawat restaurant in Gulshan said he lost his investment of Tk45 crore while 32 employees in his restaurant lost their jobs when Rajuk closed down his restaurant.

’There was no prior warning’

Rajuk did not send out eviction

notice to business owners before launching the eviction drive, claimed the affected entrepreneurs.

But when the Dhaka Tribune contacted Rajuk officials in this regard, they claimed they had published a newspaper advertisement saying all unauthorised businesses in Dhaka was goinf to be shut down.

They did not specify on which day the advertisement was published.

They also refrained from answering when the Dhaka Tribune asked what would happen to the businesses that did not subscribe to any newspapers.

The frustrated business owners said they had valid trade licence, were regular tax payers, yet the government did not send an eviction notice to them once, choosing instead to publish an advertisement.

An employee of Mini Mart, a departmental store in Dhanmondi that was shut down, said: “If Rajuk had informed us about the drive earlier, we could have moved our merchandise away from the shop and saved ourselves from a huge loss.”

The entrepreneurs also alleged that Rajuk launched the drive much earlier than the deadline to close unauthorised businesses down, said a restaurant owner.

Requesting anonymity, he told the Dhaka Tribune: “Rajuk sent us a letter on July 11 telling us to shut down our business by October 4.”

However, Rajuk Executive Magistrate Khandker Oliur Rahman refuted the allegation. “Rajuk’s eviction committee sent a out a notice in this regard. Rajuk mobile court is conducting the drive as a part of that process; it also has the authority to conduct such a drive at any time.”

It may get a lot worse

Many of these businesses employed mostly young people who are now suddenly out of jobs.

“There are thousands of workers whose lives were entirely dependent on their jobs in those places. Some had families who were dependent on their income. Losing their jobs have put them in a vulnerable situation which may lead them to the criminal world – or even radicalisation,” said a restaurant owner.

HM Ali, president of Bangladesh International Hotel Association, said: “The sudden decision to evict hotels from Gulshan and the diplomatic zone would create a disaster for the businesses as they have invested crores of Taka there.”

He said some 200,000 people would be in danger of losing their jobs if all of the hotels in the

playing musical instruments.”

“I still remember a family gathering in January this year, where he sang [Anjan] Dutt’s song Chakri-ta ami peye gechhi Bela sunnchho [I have got the job, Bela],” he said, requesting anonymity.

However, just a month after that family event, Arko ran away from home.

“The family [of Arko] has a liberal background … They would host parties at home where people would come and sing. His grandfather was the director general of the DGFI. How can someone from this family become a terrorist?” he said.

“Shazad’s mother died in 2009.

Since then, he started praying five times a day … But we never thought that he would become a terrorist,” the relative told the Telegraph.

His amazement echoes what the entire country is trying to figure out – how young men with such well-off backgrounds were choosing the path of militancy. l

aforementioned areas were to be evicted.

Well thought-out plan necessary

Criticising the government move, Prof Nazrul Islam, chairman of the Centre for Urban Studies, told the Dhaka Tribune that instead of carrying out a sudden drive to evict establishments that will likely leave many people without jobs, the government and Rajuk should come up with a well thoughtout plan to avoid such a situation.

Because of the government’s systemic fault, not only 13,000 commercial outlets would be evicted from the city, but a crisis would be created for the locals and lead to unemployment for the staffs, said the former Dhaka University professor.

“This [eviction] means not only the investors will be in loss, but their employees, locals and foreign guests will also face a crisis,” he added. l

‘No other workplace like Holey Artisan’ the kitchen. Other chefs were putting out food for the waiters to take to the tables, when one of them suddenly ran back inside. When I went out to see what the matter was, I saw other kitchen staff running back to the kitchen.”

Seeing the panicked faces of his colleagues, Shishir realised something sinister was taking place in the restaurant. Not wasting time, he made a beeline for one of the toilets in the back of the building, a few of his colleagues in tow.

Then started a night of terror that would haunt them forever.

“We were nine people crammed inside that toilet. We were stuck in there all night, suffocating.”

The only thing that helped them

keep it all together was the voice of Sadat, one of the owners of Holey Artisan.

“We called him [Sadat] and told him where we were. We told him we were suffocating to death. He told us to stay strong and keep our skin hydrated any way we could,” Shishir said. “All night, he kept assuring us that help was on the way.”

Outside, the terrorists had committed a massacre, killing 20 people with guns and machetes.

Asked if the terrorists checked the bathrooms to see if there were more people, Shishir said they had.

“They started checking for more people where we were after midnight. Around 2:30am, they started banging on our door, telling us to

come out one by one, with both our hands in the air.

“Being a Hindu, I was scared witless. I kept yelling: ‘For Allah’s sake, don’t kill us!’”

Shishir took a pause, his eyes showing the remnants of that night’s horror. “We dodged a bullet there.

For some reason, they decided not to kill us. They just locked us back in the toilet,” he said, his voice trembling.

Then began another few hours of excruciating wait.

“As dawn neared, the terrorists sent a colleague, whose name is also Shishir, for us. Hearing him approach, I planned an escape with another colleague. As soon as Shishir opened the door, four of us just bolted out of the toilet and ran for our

lives. My colleague and I managed to escape, slipping through a tear in the barbed wire fence surrounding the building. I do not know where the other two went.”

But as soon as they came out of the frying pan, they fell into fire.

“As we slipped through the fence, we were caught by a team of law enforcers who were patrolling the perimeter outside the restaurant. I do not remember if it was RAB or army.”

Mistaking them for terrorists, the law enforcers started beating them. “We kept telling them we were restaurant staff. We even showed them our IDs, but it all fell on deaf ears. They were convinced that we were two of the attackers,”

Shishir said, his eyes wet.

Then, once again, Sadat came to the rescue.

“Our boss was in the next building. Hearing our claim, when they [law enforcers] dragged us to the building, he recognised us. Holding us in his arms, he told the law enforcers: ‘Let them go, they are my children.’”

Shishir said Sadat’s support and encouragement was the reason they were able to live through the ordeal.

“I hope that the restaurant opens again, and Sir invites all of us back to work there. Because we may get jobs in other places, but there will be no other workplace like Holey Artisan.” l

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‘Kallyanpur militants wanted to kill foreigners’ n Tribune Desk Documents found at the Kallyanpur den suggest that the militants were planning further large-scale attacks on foreigners, possibly in Dhaka and Narayanganj, police sources have said.

Requesting anonymity, a counter-terrorism unit official told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that evidence collected at the scene, along with information gleaned from the surviving militant Hasan, indicated that the militants were targeting places where foreigners worked or gathered for cultural programmes.

The official, who is close to the investigation, said the Kallyanpur militants were able to burn many

important documents before they were killed. But some documents that were retrieved showed attack plans in Dhaka and Narayanganj.

Police were now verifying the information disclosed by the surviving militant, while he would be interrogated further once he recovers from his injuries, he added.

Another official of DMP’s Counter-terrorism and Transnational Crimes Unit said the militants were also planning to strike shopping malls and had already scoped out some sites.

He refused to disclose the names of the shopping malls as it might incite panic, but assured the Dhaka Tribune that necessary security measures have been arranged at

those places.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Mirpur Zone) Masud Ahmed said the militants had rented two rooms of Kallyanpur’s Jahaj Bari saying that eight tenants would live there; but on the night of the raid there were 11 people present.

Nine of those present in the house were killed, one was arrested injured, while one more managed to flee the scene, he said.

DC Masud said a case against the militants has now been handed over to the counter-terrorism unit.

Saiful Islam, acting deputy commissioner of the counter-terrorism unit, told the Dhaka Tribune that there was no major update in the

case, but they were in search of Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury – the alleged mastermind of the Gulshan attack who also visited the Kallyanpur militants at Jahaj Bari.

Another source in the Detective Branch told the Dhaka Tribune that they were carrying out raids in several areas of Dhaka city after getting information that militants might have set up more hideouts in different bachelors’ mess.

Rasik a US citizen as well

Family members of Taj-ul-Haque Rasik, one of the militants killed during the Kallyanpur raid, said Rashik was a US citizen.

Another dead militant, Shazad Rouf Arko, was also a US citizen.

Rasik was born in 1990 in the United States, his father Rabiul Islam told reporters in his Dhanmondi home yesterday.

Rasik had previously been detained by the police on August 15 last year for his suspected links with terrorism, Rabiul said, adding that the police later released his son after making him sign a bond.

Family sources said Rasik, who completed his graduation from North South University last year, went missing from his home on April 5 this year. However, no general diary was filed at the time as the family thought that the young man had run away because he was angry at them. l

Medical student held for suspected ABT link Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong

No ‘mess’ or ‘sub-let’, says this to-let sign, indicating only families are allowed to rent this flat

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Where are bachelors going to live? n Tribune Desk

Suman Khan, a masters student of psychology at Jagannath University, had been living on the second floor of a building on Nasiruddin Lane in Kaltabazar, Old Dhaka for the last year. He was living there with six other students from the university. Suddenly, this month, the landlord asks them to vacate the flat saying he needs it for personal use.

But he has already put up a tolet notice on the front gate, seeking a married tenant.

“We’ve been looking for rooms since mid-July, but no one in this area will rent to us,” Suman says.

Following two major terrorist attacks in Bangladesh, police say they have spotted at least 24 dens of terrorists cooping in Dhaka’s flats.

In Kallyanpur, on July 26, Dhaka police engaged in a gun battle with nine militants who were staying in a flat there since mid-June.

The Gulshan restaurant attackers were also staying in a flat in

Bashundhara residential area.

Thousands of young men share flats in Dhaka, mostly students but young professionals as well. However, most homeowners prefer to rent to families and it remains difficult for single men to find accommodation in the city.

“Am I supposed to get married to get a living place?” said a frustrated Suman, who cannot move too far away from his campus.

Hasan Arafat, a student of political science at Kabi Nazrul Govt College, said he and five other friends used to live in a flat in Azimpur.

When two of them moved away, the landlord refused to let them get new flatmates.

“So we’re paying extra rent. He’s threatened to throw us out if we take more people in.”

Landlords are not without their share of worries. Police have been carrying out searches in shared flats across the capital almost every day.

Saiful Islam, a homeowner in Sutrapur who rents to single men, said: “I am thinking that I should ask

my tenants to give me copies of all of their educational certificates. Who knows what’s in someone’s mind?”

He said he was renovating the building so that he could rent to families eventually.

Many young men are leaving the capital.

Mahadi-ul-Morhsed, who has completed his masters and is looking for jobs, is giving up his room and moving back to the village.

“Due to this situation, I am going to stay in my village and only come to Dhaka for job interviews,” he said.

DMP’s Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman said the police were not trying to prevent landlords from renting to single men.

“We gave out tenant information forms, which they have to fill up properly and submit to the local police station,” he said.

Asked about random drives, he said: “Police are only raiding houses which are suspicious and we are not doing anything that would create problems for civilians.” l

The Detective Branch (DB) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) said they had arrested a member of banned militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team on Thursday night.

Abdul Hannan alias Abdullah alias Laden, 21, was held with a laptop and Jihadi books from Kulgaon area.

He is the son of Intajur Rahman of Thakurgaon Sadar.

“Hannan is a freshman at Dinajpur Medical College and was arrested at a house on Jamshed Shah Road in Kulgaon,” said DB Additional Deputy Commissioner (Bandar-West) Nazmul Hasan.

“Police seized a laptop, two mobile phones and 11 Jihadi books from him during the operation.”

ADC Nazmul said Hannan became an active ABT member when he came to Chittagong from Dinajpur after Eid-ul-Fitr to mobilise organisational activities of the banned militant group.

“Hannan stayed at a mess and police arrested him there around 11:30pm,” he said, adding police were trying to arrest his associates.

“We also found some Jihadi documents and photos in his laptop.”

CMP Additional Deputy Com-

Abdul Hannan missioner (public relations) Md Anwar Hossain said Hannan’s brother Abul Hasnat was a student of Dhaka Medical College and was arrested around two weeks ago in Thakurgaon in possession of sharp weapons. “Hasnat is now behind bars.”

“During initial interrogation, police have obtained some vital information about ABT. We are working to verify the information he gave,” ADC Anwar said.

He said a case had been filed with Bayezid police station and Hannan could be produced in court within 10 days.

Earlier, police arrested six ABT members in Chittagong’s Sitakunda upazila.

Police said the arrestees were plotting attacks on the key establishments in Sitakunda. l

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SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

Understanding youth militancy in Bangladesh Prof Ali Riaz, chair of Politics and Government at Illinois State University and author of Islamist Militancy in Bangladesh: A Complex Web, talks to Dhaka Tribune’s Rifat Islam Esha on militant groups’ recruiting and operation tactics; their rise; and government’s counterterrorism strategy The government seems to be working under the assumption that the presence of transnational terrorist groups means groups of people have arrived from outside. But, as is in other places, transnational terrorist groups are now recruiting locals to do their battle because they are succeeding in convincing some people that this is their battle too.

How do militant groups approach young people for recruitment?

There are various ways to reach, indoctrinate and radicalise the youth. In recent years, the internet has become the primary means to reach out to sympathetic individuals all around the world. By internet I am not only referring to a few websites but also various social media. Until the emergence of ISIS in 2014, transnational terrorist groups didn’t use the internet for recruitment but as a means to communicate with their members.

As tech-savvy youths joined ISIS, it became very easy for the organisation to spread its reach. A simple conversation with a friend or stranger can also be the beginning of the radicalisation process.

Counterterrorism is not only military operations; denial cannot be a strategy

Exactly how these organisations reach individuals?

In many instances potential recruits are approached via social media sites and instant messaging services. Those who have grievances, a sense of alienation and occasional boredom are approached and offered a sort of counselling – a customised message tied with their personal situations with a political agenda. Sometimes, they are told how their current state is deeply connected to the moral and ethical degradation of society. This is an incremental process, rather than an overwhelming effort. That is why it is difficult to predict who might join the groups with certainty.

The militant groups have a tendency to reorganise, collaborate and expand their activities. Why do you think this is done?

Militant groups, in Pakistan and elsewhere, have changed their names when they came under surveillance or were banned by the government. In some instances, the militant groups have split into smaller groups and taken new names so that they can operate under the radar. Conversely, sometimes, smaller groups came together to collaborate, cooperate and share resources. In Bangladesh, not only had the Islamist militant groups worked together but also have worked with insurgents from northeast India. This is done to pull their resources together and make use of the available opportunities.

The continuous mutation process is an effective strategy of the militants for survival and operation.

Do you think the government restricting the spread of certain kinds

Unfortunately, the education system has never been the citadel of open discussions … If you restrict discussion on some issues, you are essentially restricting discussion of all issues of information is a way forward?

In this age, it is almost impossible to restrict flow of information – irrespective of the contents. In the past decades, there have been many efforts by Western countries to restrict the spread of terrorist messages via Internet. But there are arguments that these online sources shouldn’t be taken down but instead be tracked to see their messages, understand their strategies and monitor their plans; some have argued that the users should be monitored too. Each of these options has its downside. If the government restricts one way, there will be another way to spread these messages. It is necessary to monitor the ways of indoctrination, and the messages that transnational terrorist groups spread, but these are not sufficient to combat militancy in Bangladesh, or elsewhere.

Do the militant groups have the same or similar targets?

‘Militant groups’ is a catchall

phrase. We need to make a distinction between local militant groups with somewhat national agenda and the transnational terrorist groups with global agenda. For the transnational terrorist groups, the global agenda comes first, although occasionally they provide a ‘national color’ for recruitment.

There is a concurrence between their goals. But then there are contests among them too, on various issues including an ideal disposition of an “Islamic” state or an Islamic society. Local militant groups have contested each other previously. That’s why their targets are not necessarily the same.

How do you think that the government’s denial of IS affecting the security situation in our country?

I am quite puzzled by the insistence of the government, particularly after the Gulshan café attack, that there are no transnational terrorist connections to these attacks.

Besides, recent revelations about some suspected militants currently missing show that they had travelled outside the country. The current strategy is affecting the security situation in many ways: the government may lose the confidence of citizens that it can address the situation; it might encourage militants to be more audacious; it affects the strategy - you cannot battle something that you consider doesn’t exist; and finally, the government is unable to make use of the help offered by other countries.

Why do you think the extremism rose from 2013 onward?

I think there are several factors that came to a head since 2012 that can be attributed to the growing strength of militancy in the country. These factors are both domestic and global. Globally, the emergence of ISIS, its apparent success in holding to a large swath of land and its ability to reach a global population via communication technology are important factors.

If not equal in measure to ISIS, the regrouping of Al Qaeda under the name of AQIS has made an impact.

Domestically, the counterterrorism strategy began to falter as the government apparently shifted its focus to counter its political rival that created space for militancy.

The growing intolerant rhetoric in the mainstream politics and the controversial election of 2014 are important factors. The shrinking space for dissent and use of force, extrajudicial killings are factors. The violence by BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, especially the JI’s violence against the International Crimes tribunal verdicts, created an environment. The rise of the Shahbagh and Hefazat has also

contributed to the schisms in the society within which the militancy is now thriving.

There cannot be a simple correlation between one of the above factors and militancy per se –these have acted in some combination to create an enabling environment.

Do you consider unemployment as a reason behind the youth joining militant forces?

I don’t think you can singularly point to unemployment as a reason. This can be a contributory factor. Each year, at least 2.2 million individuals enter into the job market while only 700 thousand find jobs. This can become a vast pool of potential recruits, even if they are not now. 47% of youth with graduate and post-graduate degrees are unemployed in Bangladesh. It is really worrying; we don’t have to paint them as ‘security threat’. But can you solve this problem without private investments? Why is the investment stagnated? Isn’t that an issue of politics that has nothing to do with militancy? We also need to discuss the quality of education at every level.

Our educational institutions and society as a whole shy away from having open discussions on religion, sex, history, etc. What can we do on a cultural level to promote more harmony?

Unfortunately, the education system has never been the citadel of open discussions. But the students and teachers had managed to carve out space for debates on controversial issues. The tradition of public debate and dissension seem to have disappeared. Why? How? These are the questions we must ask first. If you restrict discussion on some issues, you are essentially restricting discussion of all issues. Without a vibrant civil society, without a free press, without an inclusive politics you cannot expect to have debates.

Anything you want to add to our conversation?

When it comes to combating militancy, there is no silver bullet, let us not look for one. Shun scapegoating, finger pointing and blame games – political point scoring on the issue of national security is simply wrong. Counterterrorism is not only military operations; denial cannot be a strategy. Counterterrorism strategy needs to be comprehensive; it needs to include political aspects and addressing the enabling environment. Bangladeshi leaders ignore these at the peril of the nation. l

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SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

21,000 youths sign up at BPO Summit n Ishtiaq Husain

Prison vans carrying inmates of Dhaka Central Jail arrive at the new location in Rajendrapur, Keraniganj yesterday amid tight security SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Keraniganj jail starts journey n Adil Sakhawat The new Dhaka Central Jail at Keraniganj started its operations yesterday after some 6,400 prisoners were shifted to the new location amid beefed up security measures by police, RAB, BGB and fire service.

The inmate transfer started around 6:30am from the jail in Old Dhaka’s Nazimuddin Road. Nineteen convoys, each consisting of 16 vehicles, were used for the move.

As of 10:10pm yesterday, the central jail in Old Dhaka was emptied and the last convoy had reached Keraniganj, Additional Inspector General of Prisons Colonel Iqbal Hasan confirmed the Dhaka Tribune.

In an afternoon press briefing, Inspector General of Prisons Brig Gen Syed Iftekhar Uddin said: “Important prisoners [militants, classified prisoners and those accused of behaving abnormally] have been already shifted to Kashimpur Jail.”

The IG prisons also said that as the new jail has no female ward, the female prisoners were also transferred to Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur at an earlier date. He said a new jail for women would soon be established.

“The new jail will be free of any syndicate about which allegations were raised earlier. Like any other jail, there will be no tea stalls in the adjacent areas. Some government officials have lands near the jail’s premises. I request them not to make any establishment there,” Brig Gen Syed Iftekhar said.

“This new jail will facilitate basic needs of the prisoners and maintain the United Nation’s standard

New plans for the old site

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN

Dhaka

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Chittagong

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Rajshahi

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Dhaka delays closing bid on Jica project for security n Tribune Desk

the PM also asked for a budget estimation to provide block allocation for the development of this facility.

Admitting limitations, the IG prison said the new jail has very limited space for meetings between prisoners and their relatives. It also has no hospital. But it will have a cafeteria for the relatives to have their breakfast and lunch beside the new jail.

He said they have a plan to establish a 200-bed medical facility inside the new jail premises. A meeting will be held on Monday to discuss about extending the two-storey prisoner-relative meeting space to four-storey.

The new jail site is located in Rajendrapur of south Keraniganj, just 5km from the first Buriganga Bridge.

Jail Super Jahangir said the new Dhaka Central Jail has 16 buildings for inmates, spread out over 78.5 hectares of land. l

rule for any prisoner; but it will not be like the ones in developed countries,” he said, adding that every prisoner will get a 90-square feet area to live in the new jail.

The IG prisons also informed of plans to increase the jail’s accommodation capacity from 5,500 to 8,000 in future.

He further informed that the new jail’s guards would not be receiving enough facilities at the moment, but he hoped to facilitate them as well in the future since there is space.

About 553 jail police have been already transferred to the new jail.

“In the morning, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked me to start the implementation work of initiating a video conference system in the new jail so that the trial processes of high-risk militants and terrorists can be done inside the jail,” Brig Gen Syed Iftekhar said, adding that

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

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having their morning walks or spending their afternoon leisure period on entertainment sources including convention centres, open theatres and space for playgrounds,” Brig Gen Iftekhar said.

Asked about designing the new plans, he said: “We would arrange an open competition for building this infrastructures. Engineers will submit their designs, and we would work with the winning design.”

Commenting on when site development work would begin, the IG prisons said a decision on this would be disclosed later as plans are yet to be finalised on funding and other issues. l

The Nizamuddin Road site of the old Dhaka Central Jail would now undergo a massive transformation, aiming to benefit the locals.

The old buildings will be replaced with a recreation centre, shopping mall, departmental store, and walkways, said Inspector General of Prisons Brig Gen Syed Iftekhar Uddin yesterday.

Addressing a press brief, he said the cells of Bangabandhu and the four national leaders would be transformed into museums.

“Preserving the historical tradition and proof of the central jail, the old town residents will be given an open space for

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Rangpur

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The 2nd Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Summit has ended with a focus on job creations for both international and local businesses.

Some 21,000 curriculum vitae were submitted by youths wanting to work or train in the sector during the summit. On the closing day yesterday, hundreds of spectators visited the event.

A two-day 2nd BPO summit began Thursday at Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel in Dhaka. Sajeeb Wazed Joy, ICT affairs adviser to the prime minister, inaugurated the summit, jointly organised by the ICT Division and Bangladesh Association of Call Center and Outsourcing (BACCO).

The second day started with a seminar titled “Infrastructure and Institutional Readiness for BPO in Bangladesh” where State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid Bipu was the chief guest.

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Bangladesh has postponed the closing bid for a large-scale project funded by Japan’s official development assistance in the wake of the terrorist attack at a restaurant in Dhaka on July 1 that left 20 hostages, including seven Japanese, dead, Japan Times reported on Thursday quoting sources.

The closing bid for the project that includes building state-ofthe-art coal-fired power plants had been scheduled for late July, but the government determined that safety measures for Japanese companies bidding for the work need to be reinforced, the sources said.

The project is expected to cost about $6.7bn, and 80% of the amount

Khulna

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YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:27AM

35.1ºC Rajshahi

Ashraful Islam, executive director of Bangladesh Computer Council, ICT expert Prof Dr Rokonuzzaman, Hosne Ara Begum, managing director of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, Fadiah Khan, director of Summit Communications Limited and Parthapratim Deb, additional secretary of ICT Division were panellists.

Nasrul Hamid Bipu said the government was playing a revolutionary role in producing power which had contributed to the growth of IT products. Rural youths were also earning revenue through outsourcing, he added.

Speakers said BPO held tremendous potential for Bangladesh because of its human resources. They also stressed on strong infrastructure for the advancement of the sector.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the low speed of Internet, speakers said there was an urgent need to build high broadband internet at the rural level. l

24.5ºC Cox’s Bazar

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is to be funded by the Japanese government’s loans. It would be the biggest official development assistance project yet for Bangladesh.

The bidding process will resume after the situation in Bangladesh stabilises and security authorities have prepared sufficient anti-terrorism measures, the sources said.

The closing bid for the ODA project had originally been scheduled on July 24. Two finalist groups of Japanese companies, including Toshiba Corp and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Ltd, were expected to place bids.

The project involves constructing two 600-megawatt coal-fired power plants in Matarbari, Cox’s Bazar and building a deep-sea port there for carrying in coal. l

Sylhet

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Fajr: 4:55am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 5:15pm | Magrib: 6:55pm Esha: 8:45pm Source: Islamic Foundation

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SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

300 houses go into Meghna n Md Ibrahim, Chandpur

Flood victims take shelter on the district flood control embankment yesterday, as their houses have been submerged by floodwater

Flood victims facing drinking water, foods crisis n Tribune Desk Thousands of flood-affected people in the northern parts of Bangladesh are living a sub-human life for lack of pure drinking water, foods and safe sanitary facilities.

During a visit to flood affected areas yesterday, our Kurigram correspondent found many people were living along with their fawls and cattle on the district flood control embankment in a jam-packed way. They are the worst sufferers of sanitation facilities.

Flood victims at Roamari upzila said if the district administration did not supply foods and drinking water to them immediately, they would face a dire consequence in the upcoming days.

According to the Water Development Board, Kurirgam more areas were flooded yesterday as the Brahmaputra River water was surging.

Local sources said the district administration had only distributed 575 tonnes of rice and Tk17 lakh in cash among flood victims which were not sufficient.

Roamari Upzila Nirbahi Officer Md Abdullah Al Mamun, however, said flood situation the flood situation in the district had improved slightly.

In Gaibandha, Water Development Board sources said the Brahmapurta, the Jamuna and the Gaghat Rivers were flowing 91cm above their danger levels.

About 160 chars went under water at Sundarganj, Saghata, Fulchhari and Sadar upzilas.

Around 200,000 families of these chars are passing days in great miseries as they need emergency supplies.

Many of them have taken refuge on nearby highland and embankments.

District Health Department sources said 65 medical teams are working in the flood-affected areas. Some 9,000 flood victims have taken shelter in 122 shelter centres.

Besides, three people drowned in floodwater in the last few days, officials said.

In Faridpur, the flood situation in different parts of the district has taken a serious turn with the Padma River water kept on swelling.

Faridpur Water Development Board sources said the Padma was flowing 75cm above the danger level at Goalanda point yesterday.

About 50,000 people in three upazilas – Sadar, Charbhadrason and Sadarpur – are reeling under floodwater.

Besides, academic activi-

ties in different educational institutions have been suspended as most school buildings in Dicrir Char, Narartek, Aliabad, Gadadhardangi and East Chartepakhola under sadar upazila have been submerged by floodwater.

In Rangpur, standing crops on 16,090 hectares of land have been submerged under floodwater.

The submerged crops include Aman paddy on 7,442 hectares of land, Aman seedbeds on 4,131 hectares, vegetables on 1,650 hectares, jute on 1,675 hectares, Aus padday on 1,179 hectares and Banana on 13 hectares of land.

In Jamalpur, flood situation has deteriorated further due to rise of water in the Jamuna, the Brahmaputra and the Atrai Rivers.

According to the WDB, water was flowing 121cm above danger level in the Jamuna River.

About 300,000 people of the district have been left marooned at 45 union parishads of nine upzilas of the district. Two children have died drowning in the floodwater in the district.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Rasel Sabrin said they had allocated 267 tonnes of rice and Tk2.50 lakh in cash among flood victims. l

6 food factories fined in Rajshahi n Tribune Desk The regional office of the Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institutions fined owners of six food factories Tk1.50 lakh in Rajshahi city yesterday for making foods in unhygienic atmosphere.

According to the officials

concerned, the BSTI in cooperation with the district administration conducted mobile court in different areas of the city, reports BSS. The court led by Executive Magistrate Jeshmin Prodhan lodged separate cases against five owners of food factories on charges of manufactur-

ing, possessing and selling of substandard and unhygienic food items together with violation of BSTI’s existing rules and regulations.

The factories are Tripty Bakery, New Bishal Bakery, Food View, Mistanna Bhandar and Kader Bread and Biscuit Factory. l

Some 300 houses and two fish storehouses have been destroyed at Haimchar 5 union of Chandpur’s Haimchar upazila because of erosion in the Meghna River.

The people living in the char are passing their days amid fear of losing their homes as erosion continues to wear away the river bank.

Locals say the local Water Development Board (WDB) office is doing noth-

ing to prevent erosion but WDB officials argue using bags full of sand to avert erosion will yield no result.

The building of Mollakandi Government Primary School, where enrolment of students living in char areas of the union is the highest, has already sunk.

Chairman of the union Md Shahadat Sarker said erosion had caused panic among locals, so many of whom had already lost their abodes.

The chairman also called

on the government to provide aid for the erosion-affected people.

Additional Executive Engineer of Chandpur Water Development Board Ataur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune a project to prevent river erosion in Mollakandi area was sent to the ministry a few months ago.

“But it needs to be revised. Dredging is necessary in the area. We will revise the project before sending it again to the ministry. l

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SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

Door-to-door garbage collection in Ctg soon n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) is going to embark upon a mammoth programme in an attempt to turn Chittagong into a clean, green and liveable cosmopolitan city.

The programme titled ‘Door-toDoor Garbage Collection and Removal’ will begin from August 1 in the city.

Initially the programme will begin in seven wards of the premier port city. The project will cover all the 41 wards in five phases by the

end of this year.

At first phase, wards such as West Sholoshahar, Shulak Bahar, Bagmoniram, Enayet Bazar, North Pathantuli, Alkaran Gosaildanga will be brought under the programme.

The corporation sources said at first the garbage would be collected from each and every household through garbage van. Then the garbage truck will dump the collected garbage at the two landfills.

As per the information provided by the conservancy department of the CCC, the city which is inhab-

ited by around six million people produces around 1,200 tonnes of garbage each day.

The corporation can manage 900 tonnes of waste with the existing manpower and logistic facilities. Rest of the garbage is collected by the street children commonly known as ‘tokai’.

While addressing a gathering of eminent citizens to mark the completion of his one year in office on July 25, the CCC mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, said: “I urge the city dwellers to help keep the city clean and

green. We have already distributed two million leaflets for raising public awareness about cleanliness and have a plan to distribute one crore more. We will impose fine on the spot, lodge cases and arrest the people who will dump garbage defying rules of the corporation from January 1, 2017.”

The CCC mayor also called upon the city residents to give up the habit of throwing garbage at drains, canals and water bodies for the sake of environment and public health.

Shafiqul Mannan Siddiqui, chief

conservancy officer of the CCC told the Dhaka Tribune that they were hopeful of implementing the programme successfully.

“The process is underway to recruit 2,000 casual workers for implementing the programme for which the corporation will have to count an additional of Tk2 crore per month.”

“The corporation will implement the project from its own fund.

As many as one million waste bins will be distributed to households under 41 wards of the city,” said the chief conservancy officer. l

Hundreds living under risk of landslide Majumder, n Jasim Khagrachhari

Heavy monsoon downpour in Khagrachhari and the surrounding areas is threatening the lives of hundreds of people with landslides.

District administration sources said 300 families are vulnerable in Sadar upazila, 250 families in Matiranga, 120 in Mohalchhari, 100 in Manikchhari, 80 in Ramgorh, 75 in Panchhari, 70 in Dighinala, 50 in Laxmichhari and 45 families in Guimara.

In the last 16 year more than 20 people have lost their lives in landslides according to sources at the district administration.

Muslim Uddin from Shalbagan said: “I have lost my house because of a landslide last year. This new house is also being threatened by a landslide as well.” He added: “I wish they would relocate us to a safe area.”

Network Member of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association Pradip Chowdhury said the local government have been silent about illegal construction of buildings and the cutting of the hills that leave the areas susceptible to landslides.

He requested the authority concerned to take necessary steps to relocate the families living threatened by landslides.

Mohammad Abdul Malek from Hatiyapara said in the past 15 years that he had been living in the area there had been numerous landslides threatening their lives and property.

“Where will we go and who can help us?” he pleaded.

Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Wahiduzzaman visited some of the affected areas in the hill town of Khagrachhari last week.

DC Md Wahiduzzaman said that that they have a statistical count of the families threatened by landslides and that they will form a committee to help relocate the vulnerable families to a safer location. l

Police personnel search women who came out from Shah Makhdum Shrine in Rajshahi city yesterday. Law enforcement agencies have beefed up security measures across Rajshahi region to thwart any sort of militant attacks AZAHAR UDDIN

‘Gunfights’ kill two n Tribune Desk

Two alleged criminals were killed in separate incidents of ‘gunfight’ with police and members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Pabna and Jessore early yesterday.

In Pabna, Jahurul Islam alias Hatakata Jahurul, 32, ringleader of infamous robber gang ‘Jahurul Bahini’, was killed in a gunfight between his cohorts and members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) at Bakterpur village in Ishwardi upazila early yesterday.

Tipped off, a team of Rab-12 launched a drive in the area under Salimpur union around 3 am, said Akramul Hossain, additional superintendent of RAB 12 while briefing at its office.

Sensing the presence of the elite force, the robbers opened fire to Rab members, prompting them to

retaliate, triggering a gunfight.

Jahurul, son of Barat Ali Mandal of Ullapara upazila in Sirajganj, was caught in the line of fire and sustained bullet injuries while the others managed to flee the scene. Later the elite force after rescuing him took him to Pabna Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

In Jessore, a gunfight took place between two groups of criminals at a date orchard in Taraf Nauapara of Jessore district town early Friday, said Ilias Hossain, officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station.

On receiving information, a team of police went to the spot around 1am and fired ten rounds of bullet to disperse the criminals. Later, police captured drug peddler, Abu Taleb, bullet-injured around 2am.

He was rushed to Jessore Medical College Hospital but doctors there said he was brought dead. l

Quader for demolishing structures along roads within seven days n Ibrahim Rony, Chandpur Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said illegal establishment along roads across the country would have to demolished within the next seven days for smooth vehicular movement.

The minister also said vehicles without fitness certificates would not be allowed to transport sacrificial cattle ahead of coming Eid-ulAzha.

“We will take steps to control carrying of sacrificial cattle by vehicles without fitness certificates,” the minister said while talking to journalists after visiting the un-

der construction Matlab bridge on Dhanagoda River.

There will be no cattle market on roads and highways and officials concerned of the administration will look after the matter, he added.

The 304-meter long Matlab bridge is being constructed on the Dhanagoda River at a cost of Tk84 crore, which is scheduled to be completed by June, 2017.

Additional Chief Engineer of Comilla zone of the roads division Zunaid Ahsan, superintendent Engineer of the Comilla region’s roads division KM Atikul Haq and police super of Chandpur Shamsunnahar accompanied the minister. l

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SOUTH ASIA

Myanmar launches thin economic policy Myanmar’s government released a long-awaited economic policy on Friday, but the document was noticeably light on specifics. The paper broadly outlined 12 policies ranging from prioritising labour-intensive enterprises to the privatisation of some state-owned ones, but it lacked detail or plans for how to accomplish the goals.

-REUTERS

INDIA

Indian politician arrested for insulting female leader Indian police on Friday arrested a ruling BJP leader on charges alleging he insulted a senior female politician by describing her as “worse than a prostitute.” Dayashankar Singh was arrested in his hometown in Bihar state where he was found hiding in a relative’s home. Singh was expelled last week from his party for making the remark against Mayawati, a leader representing millions of lower-caste Dalits.

-AP

CHINA

China holds Japanese man for endangering nat’l security

China is investigating a Japanese citizen on suspicion of endangering national security, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported on Friday. The man, in his late 50s, was scheduled to stay in Beijing for five days through July 15, but did not return to Japan and has not answered his mobile phone, Kyodo cited Japanese government sources and others as saying.

-REUTERS

ASIA PACIFIC

Philippines sets the ball rolling for federal system The Philippines is paving the way to shift to a federal form of government by 2022, after President Rodrigo Duterte agreed with the leaders of Congress to set up a body to amend the constitution, the speaker of the house said on Thursday. The proposal will create 11 to 12 states, lumped together from rich and poor provinces, with greater autonomy.

-REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

IS executes 24 civilians after seizing Syria village The Islamic State jihadist group has executed at least 24 civilians after seizing a village in northern Syria from a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance, a monitor said Friday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS executed 24 civilians “in the last 24 hours” after taking Buyir from the Syrian Democratic Forces.

-AFP

Curfew reimposed in Srinagar, but clashes persist n Tribune International Desk Authorities re-imposed a curfew to prevent a protest march to the main mosque in Indian-controlled Kashmir’s main city Friday, but fresh street demonstrations and clashes still occurred amid outrage over the killing of a top rebel leader earlier this month.

Residents said government forces visited homes in Srinagar before dawn and asked them to stay indoors. One resident, Bashir Ahmed, said police didn’t allow bakers and milkmen to deliver supplies in the area, reports Associated Press.

Hundreds of men and women defied the curfew after Friday prayers and marched to a UN office on Kashmir and held a protest demonstration. They chanted “We want freedom. Go India, Go back.”

Police fired tear gas and used wooden batons to disperse the protesters.

However, youths regrouped in streets later and clashed with the police, hurling rocks at them.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Similar confrontations between the protesters and government forces also were reported from at

Indian paramilitary soldier questions a Kashmiri man selling milk before turning him back near a temporary checkpoint during curfew in Srinagar on Friday AP least 10 places in northern parts of Kashmir, including Bandipora and Sopore towns.

Doctors at the main hospital in Srinagar said they have treated at least 50 people for injuries, most of them caused by pellets, in the past three days.

Security forces apparently continued using pellet guns despite India’s Home Minister Rajnath Singh cautioning them to minimise the weapons’ use because of serious eye injuries to protesters, some of whom have been blinded.

The curfew, re-imposed after being lifted Thursday, had been in effect since July 9, the day after Burhan Wani was killed by government forces. Security forces also prevented people from praying in big mosques across the region, but did not interfere with those visiting small neighborhood mosques in rural areas for Friday prayers.

Shops, businesses and schools remained closed as separatists asked people to hold strikes and street protests until Friday.

Key separatist leaders Syed Ali

Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik had called for the protest march to the main Jamia Masjid mosque on Friday.

Geelani and Mirwaiz Farooq, who were put under house arrest, defied the restrictions and came out of their homes to march to the mosque. Police stopped them and took them away, a police officer said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to reporters.

Police have kept Malik in a lockup to prevent him from leading the protest.

Areas of southern Kashmir where most of the deadly street protests have been centered have remained under curfew. At least 49 civilians, mostly teenagers and young men, have been killed as government forces fired live ammunition and pellets. A policeman also died after protesters pushed his vehicle into a river.

About 2,000 civilians and 1,500 police and soldiers have been injured in the clashes.

Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim region, is divided between India and Pakistan, but both claim it in its entirety. The rivals have fought two wars over control of Kashmir since independence from Britain in 1947. l

INSIGHT

Aussie Muslim migrants on edge, race relations falter with rise of the right n Reuters, Sydney Race relations in Australia have deteriorated so badly that some community leaders fear violence will erupt in a political vacuum where the new government, elected with a bare majority, must rely on the support of parties that have fomented the discord.

The potential for violence after a bitter election campaign, which featured calls for a ban on Muslim immigration, is palpable for people like Afghan-born Muhammad Taqi Haidari.

Haidari, from Afghanistan’s Shia Muslim Hazara minority, no longer tells people his name is Muhammad, preferring to use Taqi.

Australia, a staunch US ally with troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, has been spared the mass violence that has become commonplace among other US allies,

A protester casts his shadow across a poster displaying Australia’s far-right politician Pauline Hanson during a rally REUTERS particularly in Europe.

In barely more than a month, scores of people have been killed

in Paris, in smaller French towns such as Nice, and across Germany, many of them in attacks claimed by the militant Islamic State group.

In Australia, once fringe parties such as Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, which first gained international notoriety in the late 1990s, have exploited the fear such attacks have generated by saying that Muslim immigration must be stopped.

That is an even more pressing concern after the narrow win secured by Australia’s conservative coalition in July 2 elections, which also gave a stronger voice to fringe political players like Hanson.

Race relations have threatened to erupt in the barely four weeks since Hanson secured her return to the Australian parliament. Her public appearances have attracted protesters and supporters in numbers rarely seen in Australian politics.

Outwardly easy-going and

peaceful, Australia has a troubling race relations record. The White Australia Policy, which was only dismantled in the late 1960s, favoured European migrants over non-whites. Australia’s Aborigines were administered under flora and fauna laws until then and remain far behind the rest of the population in literacy, health and economic standards.

There have also been racial flashpoints before. In 2005, riots broke out in the Sydney beachside suburb of Cronulla between white residents and Lebanese from other suburbs, gaining international notoriety.

The rise of One Nation in Australia echoes what has been seen in Europe, where centrist governments are being challenged by right-wing, anti-immigration parties after hundreds of thousands poured in, fleeing war in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. l

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SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

FOCUS

USA

Who is setting Kenya’s schools on fire? n AFP, Nairobi Dozens of secondary schools across Kenya have been deliberately set on fire, but as the authorities struggle to pinpoint why, fractious relations between pupils, teachers and a controversial education minister offer clues.

In the last three months, 117 Kenyan schools have been partially burnt by arsonists.

Yet the arson attacks, which are countrywide, don’t seem to correspond to any of the usual ethnic, geographical or socioeconomic fault lines that often spark tension in Kenya.

A confidential report by the police and the Education Ministry identifies a clear pattern of behaviour in the planning of the crimes, as the authorities struggle to contain the phenomenon.

The fires “mainly affect dormitories where students sleep, and appear well coordinated because so far students have never been caught by the fire, meaning they escape well in advance with prior knowledge,” the report said.

In response, Education Minister Fred Matiang’i has held several meetings with teachers, religious leaders and police, and more than 150 students have been arrested so far.

But the problem persists: on Thursday night alone, four schools were set on fire.

out financially due to the cheating crackdown.

Ministerial role

Students of St Peter’s-Nyamesocho in Kisii county rummage through a burntout dormitory for salvagable items on July 07 AFP

Fear and loathing

Identifying those orchestrating the attacks, or merely proving they might be copycat acts, is proving difficult.

The media has relayed fears of parents for their children’s safety along with strident editorials condemning the incidents as symptomatic of a soft touch approach to parenting and education in Kenya today.

“An education system in which students burn hostels and destroy school property every day is an indictment of the collective ethos of a nation. It is a shame and a reflection of a society gone haywire,” the Daily Nation newspaper thundered on Thursday.

The government has mean-

while seized upon recent reforms designed to stop epidemic levels of cheating to explain the fires.

They say the burning schools are retribution from a “cartel” formerly linked to the country’s exam-setting body, which used to profit handsomely from selling papers and answers.

Questions were exchanged by text messages and on social media, with some sold for around $10.

The cheating ring was dismantled in March 2015 and several senior figures from the government agency were arrested.

Others blame students themselves, saying they are scared of failing their exams, and still more point to their parents, whom they characterise as angry after losing

The role of Education Minister Matiang’i is also a suspected factor, following months of complaints from teachers, students and parents against his tough approach.

Matiang’i has effectively reduced the length of the school holidays by modifying the scholastic calendar, and has altered the allocation of funds for school supplies, angering the education establishment.

He has carried out surprise visits to schools, publicly taking teachers to task in a way that has reportedly left them feeling humiliated.

The minister has earned the nickname “Magufuli” as a result, in reference to the tight ship administration run by the Tanzanian President John Magufuli, who has cracked down on ministerial incompetence and wasteful public spending.

Without any sign of the government reversing its strict policy on cheating, and Matiang’i still firmly in place, older students are currently refusing to take their mock examinations ahead of the real thing in October.

Some said they want the exams delayed to make up for time lost to teachers striking in October 2015.

So whether or not the arson mystery is solved, the bad blood between all the actors in this educational saga seems far from over. l

FACTBOX

UN: Over 56m trapped in vicious cycle of violence, hunger More than 56m people in 17 countries affected by prolonged conflicts are struggling to feed themselves, trapped in a “vicious” cycle of violence and hunger, two United Nations agencies said on Friday.

Conflict is a leading cause of hunger because it forces people to flee their homes and fields, and disrupts markets leading to higher prices for food.

Farmers are unable to grow their crops or tend to their livestock, a key source of income in many conflict-hit areas.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) said there were 17 countries where violence has significantly affected access to food.

They listed them as Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Su-

DT

World

Ü

Ü Ü

Ü Ü Villagers collect water from a dry river bed in drought hit Masvingo, Zimbabwe, June 2 REUTERS dan, Haiti, Colombia and Afghanistan.

Here are some facts about the worst-affected populations and the impact of conflict on food security--

Ü A hunger crisis affects 14m peoÜ

ple in Yemen; more than half of the population.

Nearly 5m South Sudanese and

8.7m Syrians urgently need food, nutrition and other assistance.

In Central African Republic and Colombia, millions of people are not sure where their next meal will come from.

Nearly 90% of Syrian refugees in Lebanon need urgent food, nutrition and other assistance.

About a fifth of the population in Burundi and Haiti, and 50% of the population in Central African Republic face a food crisis.

About half of all poor people live in countries affected by conflict.

Countries recovering from conflict where people do not have enough food to feed themselves are 40% more likely to relapse into conflict within a decade if hunger is not addressed.

Source: THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION

Trump, Clinton to be given intelligence briefings US intelligence officials next week will invite the presidential and vice-presidential candidates from both political parties to receive top secret briefings on world crises and security threats, two US officials familiar with the plans said. Candidates customarily get one briefing although they may ask that it be broken into segments.

-REUTERS

THE AMERICAS

Brazil arrests man over terrorism allegations A Brazilian man has been arrested on terrorism charges just over a week from the Olympics after he posted comments online about the Islamic State group, his lawyer said Thursday. Chaer Kaloun, 28, a Brazilian of Lebanese descent, was “taken overnight to Ary Franco prison in Rio and arrested for having posted comments on Islamic State,” lawyer Edson Ferreira said.

-AFP

UK

Britain casts doubt on EDF’s $24bn nuclear project Britain has cast doubt on a $24bn project with French utility EDF to build the UK’s first new nuclear plant in decades, delaying a final decision on the plan just weeks after the Brexit vote. The surprise decision to review the Hinkley Point C project was made public hours after the board of French state-controlled EDF voted to proceed with it. The British government, which had been expected to sign contracts on Friday, said instead that it wanted to give the plans further consideration, postponing its verdict until early autumn.

-REUTERS

EUROPE

Police capture 14 of Europe’s most wanted European police forces have tracked down and arrested 14 people on a “most wanted” list in the six months since its launch, many thanks to public tip-offs, officials said Friday. Police forces from across the European Union came together to launch www.eumostwanted.eu after criticism over a lack of coordination in the wake of November’s jihadist attacks in Paris, which left 130 people dead.

-AFP

AFRICA

Niger calls on donors to fund WFP Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world, called on donors Friday to fund the World Food Programme’s activities in the country, which are threatened by lack of funding. WFP said it needed $21.4m to help Niger’s most vulnerable people from September to December.

-AFP

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SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

FACT CHECK

Misfires in Hillary Clinton’s speech In her speech accepting the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton wrongly implied Donald Trump has proposed banning Islam in America and sketched out a plan for defeating Islamic State militants that merely mirrors what the US is already trying to do.

Clinton spoke Thursday night to the largest TV audience she is likely to have until the presidential debates, meaning many Americans were probably hearing of her agenda for the first time. Although she brings plenty of policy detail when stacked against the broad-brush ideas of her Republican rival, in some cases there’s less than meets the eye to what she says she will do.

A college education, for example, might not end up as debt-free for everyone as she suggested.

For his part, Trump spun a story about the Iran nuclear deal that was more fiction than fact at an Iowa rally that preceded Clinton’s convention speech.

Clinton

“Donald Trump says he wants to make America great again - well, he could start by actually making things in America again.”

Facts

Trump has regularly sourced his branded products from overseas, including his menswear line and products for his hotels. Trump has defended himself on the grounds that as a private businessman his priority is to make money. But in stump speeches, Trump has regularly shamed companies like Apple for doing the same and manufacturing products elsewhere.

Trump

“We pick up 73% of the cost of Nato. We’re paying to protect them. Wouldn’t it be nice if people would pay, and we could do things properly? ... That’s got to change.”

Facts

A look at some of the claims from the political maelstrom-Clinton

“I’ve laid out my strategy for defeating ISIS. We will strike their sanctuaries from the air, and support local forces taking them out on the ground. We will surge our intelligence so that we detect and prevent attacks before they happen.

We will disrupt their efforts online to reach and radicalize young people in our country. It won’t be easy or quick, but make no mistake - we will prevail.”

Facts

Clinton might as well have said she laid out President Barack Obama’s strategy for defeating Islamic State militants. Everything she mentioned, the Obama administration already is trying to do.

Clinton

“Bernie Sanders and I will work together to make college tuition-free for the middle class and debt-free for all.”

Facts

Tuition-free for students who go to an in-state public college or university. Debt-free is a harder lift. Clinton has adopted parts of Sanders’ plans to defray some of the costs of higher education. Under her proposal, the government would pay for tuition at in-state colleges and universities for students from families earning less than $125,000 a year. That would leave students

Democratic US presidential nominee Hillary Clinton celebrates among balloons with her vice presidential running mate Senator Tim Kaine, left, after accepting the nomination on the fourth and final night at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on Thursday REUTERS still bearing the cost of room and board, which makes up more than half of the average $18,943 sticker price at a four-year public university, according to the College Board. Experts worry about other impacts-- Will colleges raise tuition once the government starts paying, increasing the cost to taxpayers?

Will more students flock to public colleges because of the subsidy, also raising costs?

Clinton

“In my first 100 days, we will work with both parties to pass the biggest investment in new, good-paying jobs since World War II.”

Facts

It would be the biggest since World War II only if you don’t count Obama’s $814 billion 2009 stimulus.

Clinton doesn’t have price tags on all her proposals, but the bulk of the investment appears to be her plan to spend $275 billion over five years on roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Obama’s stimulus included infrastructure as well as tax cuts and aid to state and local governments, all intended to boost the economy and hiring.

Clinton

“We will not ban a religion.”

Facts

Trump never proposed banning Islam in the US, as Clinton seems to suggest. He proposed a freeze on the entry of all foreign Muslims into the US, then adapted the idea with several iterations. Recently he said he’d stop immigration from any country compromised by terrorism, or impose “extreme vetting” on people coming from places with a history of terrorism.

He’s also spoken in support of surveillance on mosques in the US. As contentious as his thinking has been on the subject, it hasn’t extended to outlawing a religion.

Clinton

On taxing the wealthy and corporations: “Because when more than 90% of the gains have gone to the top 1%, that’s where the money is.”

Facts

While vague, Clinton’s claim probably relies on outdated figures and exaggerates inequality. Her assertion echoes similar claims made by Sanders during the primary campaign, though it’s not clear if she is referring to income or wealth or over what time frame.

According to Emmanuel Saez, the University of California at Berkeley economist whose research on

the wealthiest 1% helped spark the Occupy Wall Street protests, income gains have been more widely shared in recent years. The top 1% captured 52% of the growth in incomes from 2009 through 2015, still a hefty amount. But that’s down from the 2009 through 2012 period, when the top 1% captured 91% of the growth.

Clinton

“In Atlantic City, 60 miles from here, you’ll find contractors and small businesses who lost everything because Donald Trump refused to pay his bills. People who did the work and needed the money, and didn’t get it - not because he couldn’t pay them, but because he wouldn’t pay them.”

Facts

Indeed, Trump casinos failed on several occasions. During the bankruptcy of the Taj Mahal Casino in the early 1990s, some contractors who’d helped Trump build the property went bust because Trump’s company didn’t pay what it owed them. Trump himself was short on cash at the time, though his bankers did give him a $450,000-a-month allowance to maintain his lifestyle while his debts were renegotiated.

No, the US picks up just over 22% of the cost of Nato operations, based on last year’s figures. Trump’s figure of 73% is based on the US share of overall military spending by Nato member countries, not of the money devoted to the alliance. Because of high spending and unique military resources possessed by the US, the alliance acknowledges that it is over-reliant on Washington in areas such as intelligence, surveillance, in-flight refueling, ballistic missile defense and airborne electronic warfare. Nato asks member nations to spend at least 2% of their gross domestic product on defence. Of the 28 Nato nations, only five — the US, Britain, Estonia, Greece and Poland — meet or exceed that percentage.

Trump

“We’re fighting in Yemen.”

Facts

Only a small number of US special operations troops are in Yemen and they’ve not been near the fighting.

In Yemen, Houthi rebels backed by Iran are fighting government forces backed by Saudi Arabia. The US has provided logistical and intelligence support to longtime ally Saudi Arabia. Separately, the Pentagon has provided military support, intelligence, ships and a small contingent of special operations forces to help fight al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, as part of the ongoing counter-terrorism fight. US officials have acknowledged that US special operations forces have advised the Yemeni and Emirati forces in the region, but they are working at the headquarters level, not near the conflict.

Source: AP

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Kids

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fiction

When the world wags its tail n Tribune Desk Raju gave Kuno an angry look when he pulled at his sleeve again.

Raju loved Kuno very much. When his mother died and his father remarried, Kuno was all he had. To Raju, Kuno was not just his pet dog.

He was his friend; his best friend.

Over the past year, things started changing. Raju got busy with his life and his friends. He hardly had any time left for Kuno. Raju made a lot of new friends at his new school, but Raju was the only friend Kuno had.

Kuno now started barking at Raju. Raju still did not understand what was wrong. He wondered if he was just asking to cuddle him. That thought made him feel upset because he knew he wasn’t spending enough time with Kuno.

Raju suddenly felt like the bed was moving. He thought it was Kuno at first, but there was no way he was that strong. He then understood it was an earthquake.

Everything was shaking, even his ceiling fan. Now she knew what Kuno was trying to do. She had

read in the newspaper that animals can understand when a natural disaster is going to happen before it happens. Kuno was trying to warn him. He ran to him and curled on his lap, scared. Raju grabbed Kuno and hid under the table.

When Raju woke up and looked around, everything was ruined.

Raju never felt more scared. He didn’t know what was going on. All he remembered was hiding under the table with Kuno. Where is Kuno?

He was not with him anymore. He wanted to look around but was trapped by the broken table. There was a small opening but it was too small for him to get out.

Raju suddenly heard a dog bark.

To his delight it was Kuno. Raju called him back. He then heard a voice answer, “Darling, are you injured?” Kuno had brought help.

Raju cried and answered that he wasn’t injured. In his joy, he also felt a little sad about not being there for Kuno the last few days and very blessed to have a friend like him.

Indeed, dogs are a man’s best friend. l Photo: Bigstock

photo of the week

The world became a blur as the toddlers circled. They weren’t on earth anymore, but a different land of magic and colour, spinning out of reality. Their ride, the Pankhiraj, was truly an extraordinary bird.

Photo: Mahmud Hossain Opu

book

The Witch’s Curse

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music

Viennese vegetable orchestra

From target to prey Author: Keith McGowan Genre: Fantasy Age: 9-12 years The story Siblings Sol and Connie escape from their house in search of their long lost aunt. But soon, they get lost in a scary forest and fall into a witch’s trap! Sol gets cursed and starts turning into a deer.

Eventually, both the siblings find themselves in a wild chase to save their lives from the wicked witch, who wishes to hunt them down.

Any good?

Although a bit scary, The Witch’s Curse is a funny and heartfelt treat for its readers. With detailed illustrations and positive messages on determination, resourcefulness and sibling love over sibling rivalry, this book is a must read and a definite suggestion for all. l

Videogame

Scooby Doo! First Frights Whether you are a five year old or a young adult, you can never be too old for Scooby Doo. Scooby Doo! First Frights brings to you the ultimate Scooby Dooby madness of all time.

Separated into four episodes, and several chapters, the storyline involves a lot of ghost busting and discovering real culprits behind the masks. Scooby and his team have to solve several mysteries in places like amusement parks, castles and islands.

There is always a criminal who scares away people from these places by disguising themselves as ghosts and phantoms. Now its up to Scooby and his gang to solve these mysteries and reveal the culprit to the world.

From fast paced chase scenes to ghost fighting, clue hunting and puzzle solving, this game is a spooky but fun treat to all. So what are you waiting for? Grab those scooby snacks and go zoink!l

This is an Austrian one-of-a-kind musical group who play from instruments made up of fresh vegetables.

Instead of guitars and drums, the orchestra plays cuke-ophones, radish-marimbas, carrot flutes, pumpkin basses, leek violins, and other freshly made instruments.

The instruments creates its own unique sounds.

A lot of people were inspired from it and tried making music with toothbrushes and even vacuum cleaners!

This vege-band created a major buzz, and the orchestra performs all over the world.l

toy

Checkers

Checkers or draughts is a two player strategy board game.

It involves diagonal moves of individual pieces. No piece can occupy a light square.

pieces by jumping over them and you can win by capturing all of them. You can also win by running your opponent out of moves.

How to play A checkers board is divided into either an 8x8 or a 10x10 board.

Basically, it involves your pieces moving diagonally forward. You can capture your opponent’s

Where to get it You can buy a checkers board at any toy store, usually along with magnetic chess. Get one for yourself and enjoy countless hours of fun with a friend. l

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trivia

art tutorial

Anti-gravity glass What you’ll need: • Few playing cards • Scissors • Transparent tape • A plastic glass What to do: Take one of the cards and cut it across its length. Stick a tape along the edge of the half card.

Stick the half card at the back of a playing card. The card will act like a base to keep the glass.

Place the card on top of your table, making sure that the half card is facing you and not the audience.

Have fun watching everyone clap when you show them your anti-gravity glass! l

fun science

d iy

Mystery markers

Go green!

Readers, it is very important to take care of mother nature.

After all the wonderful things

she has provided us, it is our duty to take care of her. Let’s plant!

What you’ll need: • Clear two-litre soda bottles • Small flowerpot • Potting soil • Seeds • Saucer • Craft stick marker (sticks from a choc-bar ice cream) • Scissors What to do: Cut the top half from the clear two-litre soda bottle. Be careful not to cut yourself!

Find a small flowerpot that fits inside the bottle. Make sure the flower pot is filled with potting soil. Plant the seeds according to the packet’s instruction given. Consider herbs which can be transplanted outside and are fun to trim.

Place the pot in a saucer and poke in the craft stick marker.

Put the bottle over the pot and be sure to water your plant accordingly.l

What you’ll need: • Bowl of water • Paper towels, cut into strips • Three or more coloured markers, including black What to do: Draw a wavy line an inch above the bottom of each towel strip, using a different coloured pen on each.

Dip each strip into the water so that the bottom edge of the paper towel is submerged, but not the line of ink.

Hold in place as the water creeps up the towel. The ink marks will spread, revealing the different dyes that make up each colour.

What’s happening: Most colours are actually made up of several different dyes. As the paper towel draws the water out of the bowl, the water molecules bond with the different ink molecules and spread them.

The process of separating these dyes is known as chromatography. Grab a black marker and discover the several blue and red smears that it can make! l

Cinco De Mayo

S

peedy loves Mexican food, and this time, the hot weather and cool wind made him want it even more! But why just have the food when he could go there and enjoy all of Mexico with it? He started packing and headed to Puebla, a city in Mexico.

And what a surprise he had!

The whole city was filled with celebrations for Cinco De Mayo!

He didn’t know what that was though. He saw a group of men singing happily and dancing while wearing scary painted masks, so Speedy asked one of them what it was all about.

The masked men said, “ Cinco De Mayo is Spanish for May 5, and it is celebrated as a holiday.

Here in Mexico, we call this day ‘El Día de la Batalla de Puebla,’ or The Day of the Battle of Puebla.”

Speedy was excited now, and wanted to know more. He learned that one of the traditions of Cinco De Mayo was having a pinata, an animal-shaped toy filled with chocolates and gifts.

The pinata is hung on a wire and you have to break it with a stick to get the gifts. Speedy hit the pinata at his first try and got a lot of gifts and chocolates.

Speedy later wore a sombrero,

a Mexican dress, and danced with his new friends in the Cinco De Mayo parade. He also got himself a pair of maracus, a Mexican instrument, and was enjoying himself shaking it to the music.

Speedy finally got to have his favourite Mexican food, like burritos and nachos with salsa.

He had a great time, but now it was time for him to go back.

He promised his Mexican friends that he will back again for the next Cinco De Mayo. If you are in Mexico some time around May, be sure to join the festival and have the time of your life! l

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Kids

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Heritage

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Alexander’s footprints Alexander never came to Bangladesh, but he tried

n Tim Steel

T

o paraphrase the famous British military anthem: Some talk of Alexander, and some of Megasthenes; of Ptolemy and Virgil, and such great names as these ...

British grenadiers, of course, made their own military mark on the history of Bangladesh; and writers of the famous Roman and Greek classical period of Europe also made theirs.

Writing, in some cases, over 2,000 years ago, they presented a reality of their age, of familiarity with the lands that are now those of Bangladesh.

As well as of being as fascinating with perhaps even greater worldwide familiarity than today’s Bangladesh. How ironic, in the age of information.

I wonder, in those ancient times, how often writers were asked, “Where is Gangaridai?” compared with how often I am asked today, “Where is Bangladesh?”

There can, indeed, be little doubt that the educated, and especially, the traders and merchants, were familiar with not only Gangaridai, but also its location, and that of lands beyond. Deep into the Ganges basin, and north towards an inland city, called Thina, and the great difficulties in reaching it.

However, the great Roman geographer late in the last century

The earliest writer, describing the military strength of Gangaridai, was of course Megasthenes, writing with the benefit of his experience of the geography; and certainly familiarity around Patna, of those who could recall the circumstances of Alexander’s advance. He describes a River Ganges, that faced Alexander’s army, at least eight miles wide and 20 at its maximum, and an estimated 100 feet deep

BCE, Strabo, writing in his famous work Geographia, comments: “Concerning those who sail from Egypt, even to the Ganges, they are but private citizens with no knowledge of the history of places they visit.” The earliest known example of academic snobbery.

It was a much valued destination, of that there can be little doubt.

Poets, historians, and businessmen of the half millennium, known as the

“classical period” of European history, wrote about its location and both its trade and, it seems, especially the military prowess of its people.

Prowess that always, inevitably throughout human history, has involved wealth.

Even with all the aids, technology, and progress of modern archaeology, and advances that have facilitated a better appreciation of such significant places and events

in pre-history, we continue to be unable to take any definitive view on periods and locations of the emerging -- we might say -- embryonic, modern, commercially-based civilisation, that certainly emerged in these lands of Bangladesh over two millennia ago.

Even the duration of the Kingdom of Gangaridai, if kingdom it was, is hazy. Was it a kingdom?

Archaeological development

of appreciation of the very early Harappan civilisation further west suggests an absence of mansions and palaces in urban sites, which to some archaeologists suggests that some form of true democracy was an early form of governance.

Around histories of Vanga, Magadha, and Mauryan periods swirl such questions; perhaps only Megasthenes’ commentary of the Aleaxandrian invasion goes some way towards offering a definite period within the history of Gangaridai.

Modern politics also thickens the swirling mists of time that have left us with dateable sites and artefacts, but no certainties.

Gangaridai, we are told, were a people dwelling on the east side of the Ganges. Knowing as we do, the mobility of river courses in the Gangetic plains, even that fails to locate with certainty.

Naturally, India, recognising the inevitability of archaeological and historical definition of the existence and significance, of

Gangaridai internationally, have laid claim to a capital city close to Calcutta. Since that is a fringe of the delta, it seems an improbable claim.

Within the lands of the delta, one modern claim is made for a location of the capital at Gopalganj; others suggest the site, with its 5km rampart on the banks of the Old Brahmaputra at Wari Bateshwar; or even Egarosindur, a largely unexplored site at Kishoreganj.

Of Gangaridai however, we have early writers to thank for our certainty that it not only existed, but was, in its time, internationally significant, as a major crossroads of international trade and commerce.

Megathenes was a traveller, born in modern Turkey, who arrived in the city of Pataliputra (modern Patna), capital of both Magadha and later, Mauryan Empires.

Those who believe that Chandragupta, the first of the

Mauryan Emperors, built the east/ west Grand Trunk Road may well be as confused as historians seem to be about times and places, since Megasthenes is said to have arrived at Pataliputra along the “great” highway.

Surely the Grand Trunk Road is said to have been constructed

by Chandragupta? Or, perhaps, simply following the footprints of Alexander?

However, it appears that he arrived there shortly after the failure of Alexander and his army to cross the Ganges, a crossing that -- it may be reasonable to suppose, across a wide river, perhaps in flood -- beyond which it was intended to seize the wealth of the flourishing trading centre with the lands of Gangaridai.

Every army sought financial rewards for their endeavours, and Alexander’s was, certainly, no exception.

Whilst most of the great writers of Alexander’s endeavour, over the subsequent seven or eight hundred years, write of his eventual failure, his military achievements before his death at the age of 32 still resonate down the centuries.

Focusing on military issues, there are also mercantile and geographical commentaries that confirm the importance for perhaps as much as nearly a millennium, of Gangaridai, to a wider world.

The world map, produced in the late 3rd century BCE by

Eratosthenes, is remarkable for the evidently detailed knowledge of the Ganges and its major tributaries, such as Jamuna.

Such maps reveal very evident sources of information, and familiarity with such destinations.

Similarly, Strabo also shows great familiarity with the delta and its components in both his

But it is the military historians that throw the most revealing light onto to sheer strength, in population numbers, military resources, and evidently, wealth that we may reasonably suppose derived from manufacturing and trade of the deltaic lands.

The earliest writer, describing the military strength of Gangaridai,

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

until recent times, originated in Bhutan), 700 elephants, and 60,000 infantry (“in apparatus of war”).

Diodorus Siculus, a Roman historian, writing in the second half of the last century BCE, may well have derived some of his information from Megasthenes.

However, his estimate of assembled forces were far greater.

Indeed might the old song go, ‘Some talk of Alexander,’ it was unquestionably the ill-fated attempt by Alexander to conquer the peoples and lands that are now Bangladesh to add to his, hitherto, unparalleled adventure in international conquest, that opened the ancient, early worldwide awareness of these lands of Bangladesh

commentaries and cartography.

The publication of mid 1st century CE, Periplus of the Erythaean Sea, a merchants guide to trade, not only provides detailed instructions for approaching the delta, but also prime items for trade.

And, of course, Ptolemy, the great mid 2nd century CE cartographer, whose detailed sources for his remarkably accurate maps of the known world made his own map of the deltaic lands, with remarkable accuracy; including the mark of a settlement called Ramcu, exactly where Ramu stands, today.

was of course Megasthenes, writing with the benefit of his experience of the geography; and, certainly familiarity around Patna, of those who could recall the circumstances of Alexander’s advance.

He describes a River Ganges, that faced Alexander’s army, at least eight miles wide and 20 at its maximum, and an estimated 100 feet deep.

The forces assembled to resist any attempt by Alexander to make a crossing, comprised, he wrote of 1,000 horses (interesting, considering horses were not native, and over subsequent centuries,

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Heritage

“An army of 20,000 horses, 200,000 infantry, 2,000 chariots, and 4,000 elephants trained and equipped for war.”

All subsequent historians agree that the forces of Gangaridai had by far the largest number of war elephants in India.

A very clear comment on the wealth and prowess of the military might of the “kingdom.”

More of them also increase the estimate of numbers; Quintus Curtius Rufus, Plutarch, and Pliny the Elder, as, like most Romans, great admirers of Alexander, may well have considered that only

unbelievable geographic and military hurdles could possibly have daunted Alexander and his army.

They, and others, such as the 3rd century Dionysius Periegetes, add geographic descriptions to their writing of what was for centuries regarded as the edge of the known world.

Even Ptolemy’s usually accurate mapping fails at mapping territories beyond east and south-east of the lands of Bangladesh.

For them, it seems, Alexander did in fact march to the ends of the known world, only to be confronted by unsurpassable obstacles to further advance.

Indeed might the old song go, “Some talk of Alexander,” it was unquestionably the ill-fated attempt by Alexander to conquer the peoples and lands that are now Bangladesh to add to his, hitherto, unparalleled adventure in international conquest, that opened the ancient, early worldwide awareness of these lands of Bangladesh.

To the successful rebuff by nature, and the power and courage of the peoples themselves, we owe such knowledge that has put early times in the lands of Bangladesh into the ancient history of world civilisation, and well as on some of the earliest maps of the world. l Tim Steel is a communications, marketing and tourism consultant.

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Climate Change

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

Climate change: A new market for Bangladeshi businesses invested in saline-resistant seed varieties in the coastal areas of Bangladesh and drought-resistant crops in the northern region of the country whereas ACI is making a range of disaster-resilient products, including fertilisers.

International funding for the private sector

The third opportunity for businesses in Bangladesh comes in the form of new finance streams from international organisations keen to involve the private sector in building climate change resilience. Such funding streams are part of global efforts to tackle climate change and billions of dollars have been mobilised, some of which is designated to increase private sector involvement.

As part of the CDKN-funded project, a workshop was held in Dhaka last month to help companies engage with the Green Climate Fund. This is the world’s

Climate change poses both risks and business opportunities in Bangladesh

n Yousuf Mahid and Will Bugler

T

here are no two ways about it, when it comes to dealing with climate change, Bangladesh businesses will have to get involved. This year, global temperature records are being broken on a monthly basis. As the temperature rises, so does the cost of adapting to climate change.

For Bangladesh, tackling climate change will require big changes to almost every sector of the economy. These changes will bring big investment opportunities for the country’s businesses.

An ongoing project funded by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) found that businesses in Bangladesh have a triple incentive to make climate investment a priority.

Firstly, businesses themselves need to invest to avoid the risks climate change poses to their operations. Second, there is growing opportunity to profit from the emerging “climate market.”

Lastly, businesses can take advantage of new streams of lowcost finance from international climate funds.

Climate change poses risk for industries

The first of these incentives -avoiding risks -- is highly relevant for businesses in Bangladesh already experiencing adverse impacts of climate change.

Flooding has disrupted the

transportation of goods across the country, and delays in crop harvest have impacted food production in the agriculture sector.

These costs are significant. The severe floods of 2004 damaged Bangladesh’s garment industry by an estimated $3 million a day after a disease linked to the floods broke out and prevented employees from working. Businesses need to ensure their operations are resilient to climate change by reducing risk and avoiding potentially costly disruptions caused by climate change.

The new emerging ‘climate change’ market But the project found that avoiding risks is only part of the picture.

There is also a growing market which businesses could invest into to help the country adapt and respond to climate change. Since the private sector is innovative, they can generate new ideas to develop industries that not only cut carbon but also make the country more resilient to climate impacts.

One such opportunity in Bangladesh is in agriculture. As the impacts of climate change worsen, climate-resilient seed varieties and other products will need to be developed so farmers can maintain the size and quality of their harvests.

Two companies already involved in the seed industry are Lal Teer Seed Limited and Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI). Lal Teer Seed Limited has

There are no two ways about it, when it comes to dealing with climate change, Bangladesh businesses will have to get involved

largest climate fund, promising at least a $100bn per year from 2020 onwards to help countries tackle climate change.

The workshop was hosted by the climate consulting firm Acclimatise, the International Institute of Environment and Development, and the International Centre for Climate Change and Development. The workshop helped companies understand how they could access the Green Climate Fund through a special “Private Sector Facility.”

Depending on their circumstances businesses can either help to manage finances allocated from the Fund, or they could implement climate change-related projects with financial support.

Accessing finance through the Green Climate Fund is a rigorous process, but if companies are successful they will be better placed to take advantage of the market opportunities and will bring much needed innovations in how the

country adapts to climate change.

More awareness needed

Through the workshop and wider consultation with a range of businesses in Bangladesh, the project found that the main barriers to business investment in climate change are neither the scepticism climate change is real (50% of interviewees reported changing climatic conditions posed a high risk to their operations) nor a disbelief that market opportunities exist under climate change (92% believed they did). Instead, the main barrier found in the consultation was the lack of awareness on how best to prioritise and invest into climate change for the largest possible returns.

If the government and other organisations want to engage the private sector in the fight against climate change, they will need to raise awareness about how exactly businesses can help. This means identifying suitable investment opportunities that can deliver returns that that are attractive to private sector investors. It also means actively linking funding streams like the Green Climate Fund, with the businesses who have the capacity and willingness to manage the funding, and invest in climate resilience.

When it comes to climate change, Bangladesh has already gained international recognition for its efforts to adapt. Now the country can lead the world by showing how to effectively engage the private sector in such a manner that businesses are squarely involved in the country’s adaptation process. l Yousuf Mahid is the Co-ordinator of Climate Change Governance team at the International Centre for Climate Change and Development. Will Bugler is the Network Manager at the climate consulting firm Acclimatise. Both are part of the CDKN-funded project mentioned in the article.

This page has been developed in collaboration with the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) and its partners, Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) and International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). This page represents the views and experiences of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of Dhaka Tribune or ICCCAD or its partners.

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Insight

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

Pepper: The Japanese humanoid robot Pepper, the Japanese humanshaped robot is considered generous and charming. It is the first humanoid robot which is able to recognise the principle human emotions and familiarise its behavior to the mood of its interlocutor. It is designed as a sincere day-to-day companion who would communicate with you in the most natural and spontaneous way, through his body movements and his voice.

Pepper tries to learn about you as much as it can: about your tastes, habits and who you are overall. Moreover, it can be personalised by downloading the software applications of your interest, according to your mood or the occasion. The best part is that it adapts and evolves with you.

Currently, more than 140 SoftBank Mobile stores in Japan are using Pepper as an innovative way of updating and amusing their customers. It is also being adopted in many Japanese homes.

Mastercard has partnered

with Pizza Hut Asia to deliver a different type of experience in a Pizza Hut store using the robot, as well as create an app. It was announced earlier this year that Pepper will soon be taking orders in Pizza Hut locations across India. It is expected that by the end of this year, Pepper will be able to make recommendations, complete transactions and be formally employed.

The app will be powered by Mastercard payment service MasterPass. Those who have a MasterPass account will be able to pair with Pepper and place an order by tapping the Pepper icon in the digital wallet. After pairing, Pepper can explain the menu, give recommendations, take the order and even give a breakdown of the calories in your meal.

Vipul Chawla, managing director of Pizza Hut Restaurants Asia, said they are very thrilled about Pepper. He is expecting this will make it easier for customers to engage, bond and manage transactions with Pizza

Hut. It will save time and will give customers a fun and exciting experience.

Pepper is already being used in quite a number of places. It has

taken over the role of a waiter, salesman and customer service representative in about 500 companies in Japan, including Nestle, Mizuho Bank ad Nissan,

Reuters reports. The cost of each bot is approximate $1,800 and will soon launch for pre-sale in the United States in July. l

Situational leadership for startup growth recognising and pro-actively addressing the dynamics of performance regression.

• Effectively drive behavioral change and business results by communicating through a common, practical language of leadership.

Situational leadership has significant impacts on the startup arena. A leader’s position is usually associated with task performance at the workplace by employees. As it’s effectual and relevant, startups should apply the notion to hasten their enlargement to another level.

Situational leadership Situational leadership is a leadership style that has been developed and studied by Kenneth Blanchard and Paul Hersey. The process is so simple to both understand and apply that its creator, Dr Paul Hersey, often described it as “organised common sense.” In simple words, depending on where you are and the surrounding situation, you see the right leadership style that goes along with it.

Importance of situational leadership Applying situational leadership across organisational leaders, first-line managers, individual contributors and even teams can utilise its benefits in the following manner: • Maintain an acute awareness of their innate leadership-

related strengths and areas for development.

• Conduct highly effective coaching conversations by understanding when a particular leadership style has a high probability of success

and when it does not.

• Skillfully influence up, down and across the organisation by knowing when to be “consistent” and when to be “flexible.”

• Create more productive

teams/organisations by accelerating the development of individuals that are new to their role and/or are learning a new task.

• Develop engaged, committed employees by effectively

Accelerate startup growth When you have just launched a startup, it is necessary to apply situational leadership across different company structures. One of the fresh aspects of working at a startup is the freedom.

In that scenario, situational leadership embraces assortment and eccentricity. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula to creating an engaged workforce that invokes positivity, creativity, and the spirit of an organisation.

What may be more important than your organisation’s awareness and recognition is the manager’s involvement in developing his/her team’s dynamic, while at the same time focusing on building relationships that encourage collaboration, engagement and retention. This is where applying situational leadership boosts the augmentation of a startup. l

DT

20 Editorial

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

INSIDE

A book for my child We discovered that it was us who didn’t pass the baton on to them; it was us who haven’t taken them to the Nilkhet book market; it was us who didn’t put them to sleep with bedtime stories; it was us who didn’t teach them the value of words PAGE 21

Sinister options If she should succeed, that would create an unprecedented gender divide in geo-politics -- Hillary Clinton in the US, Theresa May in the UK, and Angela Merkel in Germany, facing Putin in Russia, Xi Jinping in China, and Narendra Modi in India. Handbags in the West, holsters in the East PAGE 22

DHAKA TRIBUNE

New promises for our children While allocation is important for our children, even more so is its utilisation.

Looking back at the FY 2015-16, only 42.4% of the allocations for children was utilised during the first nine months 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.

Why the double standard?

C

laims of inconsistencies and double standards in Rajuk’s eviction drive following the terrible July 1 Holey Artisan attack need to be investigated in order to avoid undue harassment and persecution of business owners.

Numerous restaurants and shops on Thursday had their businesses shut down, with their signs and shutters being demolished, in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area.

Many of the business owners had invested their life savings into their respective businesses, which are now lost.

Had they broken the law? Yes. Was it solely their fault? No. Rajuk has claimed that they had published notices regarding the eviction drive in newspapers but, contrarily, has also said that there will be a mobile court. Which is it?

Furthermore, many businesses are claiming that they had not received the notice to begin with. Secondly, if the government is intent on an eviction drive, they must ensure that it is following a well-thought-out plan, and not demolishing establishments based on ad hoc judgment calls.

Mayor Sayeed Khokon is correct to point out that hasty, sudden evictions in the city will only exacerbate the situation, and that a problem that has been building up for 40 years cannot be erased in four days.

Much has already been said with regards to the human cost of the eviction drive, which will leave countless in the city unemployed.

This is not the way to go about it. Ample time and planning is needed to ensure that the problem is tackled properly, taking into account fairness and consistency.

Ample time and planning is needed to ensure that the problem is tackled properly, taking into account fairness and consistency

DT

21

Opinion

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

A book for my child Does anyone read anymore?

n Ekram Kabir

S

ometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night thinking that there were times in my life when I used to stay up, night after night, reading books.

I had a great bunch of bookloving friends studying with me in the university who, like me, burnt quite a lot of the midnight oil for books. We loved books.

We read almost everything -- from fiction to travel stories to plays to biographies to political history. We were very fond of paperbacks -- both in Bangla and English -- which we used to get from the the Nilkhet book market, our informal library.

Books were an integral part of our lives at that time. Our generation was inspired to read books by our parents and schools.

I remember reading my first book on my own in class two when I secured second position in the class.

My mother has been buying books for me since I was in class three. But I was a devil. I found myself more interested in books which were not on of my list of texts. And that was a lot of fun.

I was sent to a cadet college when I was in class seven. That was a great opportunity for the bookworms of our class as our college had one of the most resourceful libraries of the country.

We spent ample time there to have read many books; I even read two books on basketball and cricket in our college library.

When I look back, I think of the books I read and how they helped me to develop the psyche that I possess today.

Books helped me to develop my diction. I could feel that I was enriching myself with a varied range of words. The books also aided me to be more focused.

Unlike news and articles, a book requires a lot of concentration.

We could have a look at the world without going out into the world through the books that we read.

We were in many museums even before visiting them. We became active participants in the world, as we felt smarter in our minds.

Reading also made us handy in any academic or scholarly conversation. We could find an escape that would reduce the stress of a cadet college, which was full of stress at that time.

The best substance that the

When was the last time you took your child to the bookstore? books provided was the power of imagination. We could almost see what was happening deep inside the minds of Captain Ahab of Moby Dick and Srikanto by Sharat Chandra Chatterjee and Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.

At the fag end of our college life, we also read Humayun Ahmed’s Shongkholeel Karagar and Nondito Norokey.

Those books were like magic to us.

We could imagine the entire world with the minds of our inner selves.

At that time, there were hardly any gadgets.

For global news and views, we only had to depend on the newspapers which arrived in the evening, and weekly Newsweek and Time magazines.

We used to race for those publications to see who would read them first. That was our journey to attain global perspective. We felt we weren’t exposed to the world happenings as much as we wanted to.

Years and years after that,

BIGSTOCK

We discovered that it was us who didn’t pass the baton on to them; it was us who haven’t taken them to the Nilkhet book market; it was us who didn’t put them to sleep with bedtime stories; it was us who didn’t teach them the value of words

we could feel that the world was changing, transforming.

Transforming in the process of accommodating the tech-savvy ones amongst us; and our children were born in that whirlwind to follow their path.

It was then that they, our children, slowly forgot the value of the good old white pages and succumbed to the touchscreens.

We thought and thought, but couldn’t fathom what they sought in their pursuit. One day, we discovered that it was us who didn’t pass the baton on to them; it was us who didn’t take them to

the Nilkhet book market; it was us who didn’t put them to sleep with bedtime stories; it was us who didn’t teach them the value of words.

When we realised, it was too late; too late to make our children habituated to enjoy the taste of tales that would stir their imagination.

They became busy otherwise; they became the “other” and the “wise” before we could take them to the Nilkhet book market -- to buy a few books. l Ekram Kabir is a writer.

22

DT

Opinion

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

Sinister options Things are getting hotter. Not just climatically, but politically

How would a Clinton presidency change the world?

n FS Aijazuddin

O

ne hopes that there will never be a time again when summer temperatures soar to the sizzling 60s across the globe.

Unfortunately, they will.

Al Gore was right. His apprehension of global warming -showcased in his Academy Awardwinning film An Inconvenient Truth (2006) -- was not personal paranoia.

Then, he was dismissed as an eccentric by smug scientists and armchair sceptics. Global warming, as we are learning to our discomfort, is not a one-off phenomenon: It is an unbearable reality. The world is getting hotter -- climatically, and also by osmosis politically.

One hopes too that there will never again be a fortnight in international politics as disturbing and disquieting as what the world experienced recently. But there will be, for turmoil under the heavens has descended on earth, never to ascend.

In most countries, a referendum is usually called to decide constitutional amendments.

Great Britain, bereft of a written constitution, felt bound to implement the masochistic results of her Brexit referendum.

One prime minister fell, another replaced him.

To the surprise of many, especially victims of his unsparing tongue, Boris Johnson was appointed by Theresa May as her foreign secretary, in the hope that on the job he will learn that “tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy.”

In the US, another flaxen extrovert, Donald Trump has been formally confirmed as the Republican candidate for the US presidential elections in November 2016.

To many, Trump is no more than a bleached Hugh Hefner, surrounded by a bevy of Playboy bunny blondes (a few of them his wives).

Trump’s unstoppable luck may well fulfil Will Roger’s frightening wise-crack that “a fool and his money are soon elected.”

His Democrat opponent Hillary Clinton (once a Republican) has a belated shot at becoming president -- a hope she denied herself when she subordinated her ambitions to

REUTERS

press conference. They provoke him through the bars NATO has planted in an arc on his western borders.

They humiliate him with a lastminute threat of exclusion from the Rio Olympic Games on a stale accusation of “state-sponsored doping” of Russian athletes.

No wonder he simmers, a human cauldron bubbling with revenge, plotting retaliation whenever, wherever, however he can.

Ask US’s CENTO ally Turkey. Its president Erdogan has no doubts about who sponsored the coup against him. He accuses the US of nurturing Fethullah Gülen, his former deputy-turned-foe.

Gülen enjoys US hospitality in exile as Ayatollah Khomeini did in France for 15 years until 1979, when he returned to Tehran, after the Shah of Iran had been cleared away like some unsightly debris.

Turkey is the common bond between the equally unlamented General President Pervez Musharraf and the Sharif brothers.

To them, Turkey represented a beardless version of Saudi Arabia, secularism without sin. Will the coup in Turkey be a lesson for the Sharifs? Unlikely.

They have no opponents in exile abroad. They themselves were the last of that breed.

If she should succeed, that would create an unprecedented gender divide in geo-politics -- Hillary Clinton in the US, Theresa May in the UK, and Angela Merkel in Germany, facing Putin in Russia, Xi Jinping in China, and Narendra Modi in India. Handbags in the West, holsters in the East

the presidential aspirations of her husband Bill Clinton.

Her record as secretary of state complements the skills of her running mate Tim Caine who speaks fluent Spanish. Together, they plan to target the Hispanic, gender, Afro-American, and minority votes which she hopes will propel her into the White House.

If she should succeed, that would create an unprecedented gender divide in geo-politics -Hillary Clinton in the US, Theresa May in the UK, and Angela Merkel in Germany, facing Putin in Russia, Xi Jinping in China, and Narendra Modi in India. Handbags in the West, holsters in the East.

The Cold War, like a revival of some Broadway musical, has been

re-scripted, performed by a new cast of state and non-state players.

Gone is the innocent conviction Dr Henry Kissinger once held, that only the US has “the capacity to bring about order, to expand prosperity, and to preserve the peace” across the world.

His Vietnam and Cambodia have spawned half a hundred failed conflicts and over half a million orphans. Ask the Iraqis, Libyans, Egyptians, Tunisians, Syrians, and Afghans.

Ask the Russian President Putin. He chafes, a coiled Samson.

His blindness is colour-blindness.

He sees only red, even in America’s red, white, blue. Western leaders err in underestimating him.

They taunt him as German chancellor Angela Merkel did in a

They need not root out disloyal generals. They have only one migraine -- COAS Raheel Shareef -and his extension lies in the prime minister’s hands.

They do not need to call their electorate onto the streets. The landslide results in Azad J&K elections are endorsement enough of their PML-N. The public though is fickle by instinct. “The best lack conviction,” WB Yeats wrote in his poem The Second Coming, “whilst the worst are full of passionate intensity.” Will the American electorate prove him wrong? l FS Aijazuddin lives in Lahore and is a columnist for Dawn, Pakistan’s main English-language newspaper. This article first appeared in Dawn.

DT

23

Opinion

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

New promises for our children Are we spending enough on our children?

n Md Ashiq Iqbal

B

angladesh is widely recognised as a Millennium Development Goals success story with a strong track record of growth and socio-economic development.

We are now embracing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which will drive our development efforts in the coming decade.

Together with the world, Bangladesh is stepping into the SDG era with new promises for children, and the budget for FY2016-17 marks our first steps on that path. It is of utmost importance that these steps be founded on solid ground, for we have decided to “leave no one behind.”

In a much anticipated step in FY2015-16, the government introduced child-focused reporting on the budget to facilitate tracking of our investment in children.

The government has followed this up in FY2016-17, by again introducing a “child budget,” a framework which reports on children’s share in the allocations of seven ministries or implementing agencies.

According to the Child Budget Report FY2016-17, in the coming fiscal year, 14.6% of the national budget (2.5% of GDP) will be spent for children.

Allocations for the education sector alone will constitute about 80% of the child budget, the

towards implementation tracking of SDGs for children by the public and private sectors.

While allocation is important for our children, even more so is its utilisation. Looking back at the FY 2015-16, only 42.4% of the allocations for children made through the Annual Development Program (ADP) was utilised during the first nine months of the fiscal year.

The cost of this nonimplementation could be huge and will let down those children most in need of support.

Looking to the education budget, projecting forward we might end up with about 80% utilisation of the education allocations for children made last year, which will deprive our children of an education investment worth about Tk153,000 lakh.

This amount is equivalent to the construction cost of 2,500 schools (excluding land cost).

A projection effort also suggests that we might end up spending only 83% of the health allocations made last year for the children.

That is, about Tk24,000 lakh may remain unused, which is the cost of establishing about 195 community health facilities with delivery services, with which we could have achieved about 2,000 more assisted births each month across the country.

Additionally, looking forward to FY2016-17, have we prioritised our children enough in our

Leave no child behind

While allocation is important for our children, even more so is its utilisation. Looking back at the FY 2015-16, only 42.4% of the allocations for children made through the Annual Development Program (ADP) was utilised during the first nine months of the fiscal year

rest going for health and social protection and welfare of the children.

We will be spending 28% more on children compared to last year, a significant increase by any measure and one for which the government should be congratulated.

The child budget for FY2016-17 holds new promises for children, proper implementation of which can give us a head start in our SDG run.

Likewise, the Child Budget Report itself is a promising step

distribution of national resources?

Arguably not.

As the new child budget reveals, Tk7,857 for every child will be spent next year, representing only about one-third of the per capita national budget (Tk21,038) for the year.

This falls short of the prioritisation that we promised to our children in the seventh five year plan, and in the constitution of the country where the state is actually encouraged to positively discriminate in favour of children.

Moreover, a few aspects of the

child budget need attention.

First, unlike the first child budget report, the report for FY2016-17 does not reveal individual projects or the cost heads that have been included in the estimates.

Only aggregate allocations at the ministry level are reported.

As the guidelines for the new child budget format now include indirect allocations for children, it is ever more important to reveal the list of projects/cost heads to ensure transparency in the reporting.

RAJIB DHAR

Second, in Bangladesh, where a child is born or where he or she lives defines his or her life opportunities in many ways.

If born in hard-to-reach areas like chars, haors, or hilly regions, geographic isolation may deprive a child from accessing vital health, education, or other services.

If living in urban slums, despite the physical proximity to those services, he or she may be excluded deliberately by the system, given the legitimacy of the settlement.

This geographic factor of children’s well-being necessitates targeted and differential investments and programming.

Unfortunately, the national budget and the child budget report do not include geographic disaggregation of resource allocations.

Leaving no children behind will require reaching out to every last child deprived of essential services living in the most difficult corners of the country.

It is thus imperative to have a geographic reporting of the budget to better address geographic inequities.

Third, and most importantly, from the targeted investment point of view, it is of critical importance that the child budget gradually evolves to be a forward looking lens for equity and inclusion, and not just remain as a reporting format for allocations and spending.

The “child budget” reporting is indeed an important step towards bringing children into the resource planning process.

At this critical juncture, when we are incorporating SDGs into our local policy priorities, it is important that this “child budget” report overcomes its current limitations, and further evolves as an effective tool in tracking SDGs for children. l Md Ashiq Iqbal is Public Finance Advisor, Policy, Rights, and Governance at Save the Children in Bangladesh.

DT

24 Sport

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

Fizz set for surgery in England

TOP STORIES

n Minhaz Uddin Khan

The never-ending curse that is doping

The Bangladesh Cricket Board physicians are in discussions with Professor Tony Kochhar of the University of Greenwich regarding the surgery on Mustafizur Rahman’s injured left shoulder.

The BCB’s media and communications committee chairman Jalal Younus informed the media yesterday that the best option for the surgery in England is being searched alongside options in Australia.

Mustafizur is suffering from SLAP (Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior tear) on his shoulder.

Every time an Olympic Games comes around, the focus automatically shifts to a range of aspects – the build-up of the athletes, the last-minute preparations of the hosts and sadly, positive dope tests. PAGE 25

According to sources, chances are high for the surgery to take place in England

Schweini retires from Germany duty Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger yesterday announced his retirement from international duty with immediate effect. The 31-year old midfielder revealed the news on his official Twitter account. PAGE 26

Abahani Limited’s Nigerian striker Sunday Chizoba (R) skips past the challenge of a Feni Soccer Club footballer during their Bangladesh Premier League clash in Chittagong’s MA Aziz Stadium yesterday RABIN CHOWDHURY

Abahani edge Soccer Club Ctg Abahani return to winning ways Hoque from n Shishir Chittagong

Sprint king Bolt eyes ‘triple triple’ Ace Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt will launch an audacious and historic bid for three Olympic sprint golds for an unprecendented third time as the perfect antidote to a year of turmoil in his drugtainted sport. PAGE 27

Rooney hails Mourinho Manchester United captain and England forward Wayne Rooney believes new manager Jose Mourinho has restored a “winning mentality” at Old Trafford.

Mourinho was brought in after the end of last season following the sacking of Louis van Gaal. PAGE 28

A lone goal by Jewel Rana helped Abahani Limited earn a narrow 1-0 victory over Feni Soccer Club and clinch their first win in the Bangladesh Premier League at MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong yesterday.

Despite the three points, the Sky Blues couldn’t exhibit their best performance as they were dominated by the Feni outfit but Jewel, who started for the first time, rescued his side by scoring in the opening half.

“As usually, I’m not satisfied with the performance. It’s good that we got three points but it is not the way how I wanted them.

Our midfield had a bad day. I have to analyse,” said Abahani head coach George Kottan after the game while Feni tactician Ladi Baba Lola informed that they deserved the win for their large spells of possession.

Kottan suffered two defensive set-backs as Ariful Islam and Waly Faisal couldn’t start due to knee injury and stomach problem respectively. Jewel and Shakil Ahmed got the nod but the latter

was not up to the mark.

Strikers Sunday Chizoba and Nabib Newaj Jiban are yet to get back their form but the combination of trio Lee Andrew Tuck, Emon Mahmud and Jewel at least impressed in the initial stages of the game.

Feni created most of the chances among the two sides but a lack of finishing touch, coupled by a solid opposition defence led admirably by Samad Yussif, held them back.

They went close to scoring in the 26th minute when a Shahran Howlader header was blocked

by Topu Barman. Four minutes later, Nigerian midfielder Uche Felix curved a shot from 20 yards

RESULTS Feni Soccer

0-1

Abahani Jewel 42

Ctg Abahani Rubel 42, 52, Preux 45+1, Zahid 89

4-2

Mohammedan Sojib 76, Malek 90+1

TODAY’S MATCHES BJMC v Brothers, 4:30pm Arambagh v Muktijoddha, 7:30pm

but Abahani goalkeeper Shahidul Alam Sohel produced a diving save to deny the effort. Abahani had their moment in the 37th minute when Sunday’s shot from the box deflected off a defender before rolling out for a corner.

Jewel gave the Sky Blues the lead five minutes later when the national winger took advantage of a blunder by Feni custodian Sujan Chowdhury, who failed to grip Emon’s free-kick and lost the ball.

Abahani’s midfield struggled against Feni’s throughout the game and in the 74th minute, Rimon unleashed a shot from the corner of the box but Sohel punched the ball away.

Two minutes later, Felix’s powerful goal-bound strike from the edge of the box was cleared by Samad.

Moments before the final whistle, Feni got a golden opportunity to bring parity but substitute forward Chowmrin Rakhaine’s shot from six yards flew over the bar.

Meanwhile in the day’s other match at the same venue, home side Chittagong Abahani defeated Mohammedan Sporting Club 4-2 with Rubel Miah leading the way with a brace. l

A second MRI test on Mustafizur made Professor Kochhar advice surgery and the BCB is looking to put the left-arm pacer under the blade as soon as possible.

Professor Kochhar is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon specialising in shoulder, elbow and upper limb.

“BCB’s chief physician Dr Debashish [Chowdhury] is in continuous communication with Dr Tony in England. The best option for the treatment in London is being short-listed. At the same time, we are also considering options in Australia. We will go for the best option,” said Younus yesterday.

According to sources, chances are high for the surgery to take place in England.

Meanwhile, Dr Debashish said Mustafizur’s medical reports have been sent to Australia for consultation. The BCB physician believes feedback from Australia will also be the same as England.

“It takes at least five months for recovery in such cases but then again, it varies from person to person,” said Dr Debashish.

Mustafizur travelled to England earlier this month to join Sussex for the Royal London One-Day Cup and the NatWest Twenty20 Blast.

Following a brilliant debut in the T20 Blast, the Bangladesh paceman complained of pain in his shoulder.

He was in the 13-man squad for the game against Gloucestershire in the One-Day Cup on Sunday and had travelled to the ground to practise with the rest of the team, but persistent pain forced Sussex to take the precautionary move. l

25

DT

Sport

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

Aaqib in Dhaka for short HP stint n Tribune Report Former Pakistan paceman Aaqib Javed reached Dhaka yesterday for a week-long training camp with the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s High Performance cricketers. Aaqib will work with the pace bowlers in the camp.

The BCB had announced an extended high performance squad to take part in a specialised camp. Aaqib will be the first of the specialist coaches at the camp.

The former United Arab Emirates coach earlier turned down the offer as the Bangladesh pace bowling coach in June this year. He had cited his commitment with Pakistan Super League franchise Lahore Qalandars as the reason. The BCB is still seeking a pace bowling coach for the national side. l

Siddikur misses cut at King’s Cup n Tribune Report Siddikur Rahman’s quest for a good campaign in the upcoming 2016 Rio Olympics received a jolt as he missed the cut in the ongoing King’s Cup at Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club in Pattaya, Thailand yesterday.

The 31-year old Bangladesh golfer, who carded an impressive twounder-par 68 in the opening round followed it up with a disappointing seven-over-par 77 to end at 112th place, tied alongside 12 others. Terry Piladaris and Sattaya Supupramai are currently leading. l

Bangladesh’s youngest Fide Master Fahad Rahman (bottom right) listens intently as Grandmaster Enamul Hoque Rajib (C) makes a point during the day-long chess festival in the capital yesterday COURTESY

Fahad now targeting IM norm n Tribune Report Bangladesh’s youngest Fide Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman has been busy receiving wishes since his return to the country.

And yesterday was no exception as he spent a busy day attending a day-long chess festival in the capital where he drew with eventual winner Grandmaster Abdullah al Rakib to become the runners-up.

“I just returned home (Thursday) and my physical condition was not so good but I didn’t want to

avoid the festival. Everyone came to congratulate me and I am enjoying every single moment here,” said Fahad.

“I drew with Rakib bhai in the final rounds to become the runners-up. It feels nice to perform against these great players. I think this kind of initiative will help the new players to do better in future,” he added.

After winning the 14th Dubai Juniors Chess Tournament unbeaten in United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, the 13-year old chess player returned to Dhaka on Thursday

morning. Many people attended yesterday’s chess programme and congratulated Fahad for his latest achievement.

The day-long chess festival, organised by the country’s two GMs Rakib and Enamul Hoque Rajib, was held at the auditorium of Mohammedan Sporting Club where a total of 84 young chess players participated. Renowned chess players including Rakib played against some youngsters in the event to boost their interest.

Fahad, the seventh grade student

got another boost courtesy Mahindra Comviva, his current sponsor, who wants to extend the deal, set to conclude in September this year.

“I am focusing on a few international tournaments this year in order to earn my International Master title. It will require a lot of money. And the good news is that my current sponsor is craving to extend the deal after the Dubai triumph,’’ informed Fahad.

“My target is to perform well and eventually become a GM,” he concluded. l

The never-ending curse that is doping

n Rashad Banna Every time an Olympic Games comes around, the focus of the entire world automatically shifts to a range of aspects – the buildup of the star athletes in different disciplines, the last-minute preparations of the hosts and sadly, positive dope tests.

And when it comes to doping, there is no bigger case than that of disgraced American cyclist Lance Armstrong.

Diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening cancer when he was 25, Armstrong not only won over the challenge of the disease but returned to the cycling arena when many thought he would be lucky to survive, let alone resume his career.

The Texan lad went on to win a jaw-dropping seven Tour de France titles and in the intervening years, became an inspiration to millions across the globe. His yellow wristband “Livestrong”, championing the cause of cancer victims throughout the world even today, became an instant hit among thousands, mainly the young generation.

However, the whole world came crashing down on Armstrong and his legion of fans as he was accused of systematic doping by a United States Anti-Doping Agency investigation. He was later slapped with a lifetime ban but the damage had already been done by then.

Rightly stripped of all his cycling titles, Armstrong betrayed his followers, family, friends, but most importantly, his ethics.

But as far as doping in Olympics is concerned, the Russian contingent prior to the upcoming 2016 Rio Games have surpassed all the previous controversies.

Accused of state-sponsored doping in recent times, namely

the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, 108 Russian athletes including cyclists, rowers, swimmers, canoeists and weightlifters have so far been banned from participating in the most prestigious sporting event of the world. The most shocking omission is perhaps that of decorated Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, the two-time Olympic gold medallist.

While hundreds of clean and honest Russian Olympians are expected in Rio, the majority of the 387-strong contingent still face an uncertain future with just a few days left till the opening ceremony.

In order to curb doping, the concerned authorities – be it regulatory bodies or anti-doping agencies – must be more ruthless and pro-active. But what happens when

the people in power themselves are involved in wrongdoing? For instance, the previous president of IAAF, Senegalese Lamine Diack was recently accused of receiving bribes in 2011 to cover up positive doping tests of Russian athletes.

Doping in sports however, is not a lost case by any stretch of the imagination. When sincere athletes likes US champion swimmer Michael Phelps (notwithstanding his few laughing gas controversies), Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt, British track and field athlete Jessica-Ennis Hill, Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie and Moroccan middle-distance runner Hicham El Guerrouj inspire millions of kids and supporters alike with their heroics, the power of sport is clearly visible.

So, all is not doom and gloom.

All that needs to be done is for the ruling body to place the utmost emphasis on fair-play and the athletes to be more responsible with their actions. When both of these factors are taken care of, everything else will fall into place. l

DT

26

Sport

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

Maracana final was best

NATIONAL CAREER

n AFP, Berlin

Having announced his international retirement yesterday, Germany’s midfield general Bastian Schweinsteiger walks away from die Mannschaft two years after his crowning moment in helping win the 2014 World Cup. Bloodied, but unbowed, Schweinsteiger was magnificent at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracana stadium in the final, ensuring Germany controlled the midfield before Mario Goetze’s extra-time winning goal.

After 12 years and24 goals in 120 international appearances, “Schweini” leaves having been a key factor in Germany reaching at least the semi-final stage of the last six major tournaments.

The last two injury-hit years have been unkind to the 31-yearold, who opted to quit Bayern Munich, the club he joined as a teenager in 1998, for a high-profile switch to Manchester United in 2015.

A knee injury in January was aggravated while on Germany duty in March, restricting him to a handful of games, before coming off the bench in their opening Euro 2016 group game to score with his third touch of the ball in a 2-0 win over Ukraine.

The March injury to the medial ligament in his right knee meant he played in only five of Germany’s six Euro 2016 games - sitting out the goalless draw against Poland - and started only the semi-final defeat to France.

With his club future open, now is the right time for Schweinsteiger to quit international football with Germany to play their opening 2018 World Cup qualifier in September.l

Schweini leads list of nine headed for Utd exit n ESPN The last of Manchester United’s Euro 2016 contingent - Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin, Anthony Martial, Matteo Darmian and Marouane Fellaini - returned to the club for training on Thursday.

And with a full squad at his disposal, Jose Mourinho made it clear who is in charge at Old Trafford.

The Daily Mail reports that the Portuguese informed nine players they are welcome to leave the club.

Schweinsteiger is reportedly the biggest casualty, and United are hoping to find a taker for the final two years of his £160,000-a-week contract. Mourinho has wasted no time telling Adnan Januzaj, Andreas Pereira, James Wilson, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Will Keane, Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett they are not in his immediate plans. l

Years

Team

2000

Germany U16

Apps(Gls) 1(0)

2001–2002

Germany U18

11(2)

2002–2003 Germany U19

7(2)

2004

Germany U21

7(2)

2004–2016

Germany

120(24)

FACT FILE Born Aug. 1, 1984 in Kolbermoor, Bavaria.

Makes international debut in June 2004 in a 2-0 defeat by Hungary in Kaiserslautern.

Endures a disappointing debut in a major tournament, as Germany are eliminated in the group stage of Euro 2004.

Stars for Germany as Juergen Klinsmann’s side reach the 2006 World Cup semi-finals on home soil, but lose to eventual winners Italy after extra time.

Scores twice in a 3-1 World Cup playoff win over Portugal to help Germany finish third in Stuttgart.

Suffers more disappointment as Germany lose 1-0 to Spain in the Euro 2008 final.

Loses out to Spain again in 2010 World Cup in South Africa, as Carles Puyol’s header secures a 1-0 victory in the semi-final.

Germany are eliminated by Italy in the last four of Euro 2012.

Schweinsteiger retires from Germany duty n AFP, Berlin Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger yesterday announced his retirement from international duty with immediate effect.

The 31-year-old Manchester United midfielder, who won his 120th and final cap in Germany’s 2-0 defeat to France in the semi-finals of Euro 2016, revealed the news on his official Twitter account.

“With Bastian Schweinsteiger, we are saying goodbye to a big name from the national team,” said German Football Association president Reinhard Grindel.

Schweinsteiger retires from die Mannschaft with his Old Trafford future in the balance having reportedly been told by United’s new coach Jose Mourinho that he

is one of nine players free to leave the club.

He still has two years left to run on his United contract.

A knee injury in January flared up again in March, restricting him to just a handful of matches before he played at the European Championship, netting a goal on his return against Ukraine in Germany’s opening pool game.

The defensive midfielder said now is the right time to retire from the national team ahead of Germany’s first qualifier for the 2018 World Cup against Norway on September 9, four days after a home friendly against Finland.

“I have just told the national head coach (Joachim Loew) to no longer consider me for selection in the future as I would like to retire,” wrote Schweinsteiger.

“I would like to thank the fans, the team, the German Football Association and the coaches.

“In 120 internationals, I have been allowed to run out for my country and experience moments which were undescribably beautiful and successful.”

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is the favourite to replace Schweinsteiger as Germany’s captain as Loew heaped praise on his midfield marshal.

“On a personal and sporting level, I want to say thanks for 12 trustfilled years,” said Loew.

“On each occasion, I had the feeling he gave everything for the national team and strongly identified with our values and goals.

“As a coach, I benefited a lot from him and can only thank him for everything he has done for me.”l

Schweinsteiger ends his long wait for a major international trophy two years later in Brazil, after Germany beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final.

Following the international retirement of Bayern team mate Philipp Lahm, Schweinsteiger takes over as Germany captain.

Joins Premier League side Manchester United after spending 13 seasons with German champions Bayern Munich, where he made 500 appearances, winning eight Bundesliga titles and the 2013 Champions League crown.

Has an injury disrupted first season with United, but was selected by Germany manager Joachim Loew for the 2016 European Championship, his seventh major tournament.

Played five games in Euro 2016 as Germany reach the semifinals where they lose 2-0 to hosts France.

Announces retirement from international football, after making 120 appearances for his country, with a record of 81 wins and 20 defeats. He scored 24 goals for Germany. l

27

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Sport

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

Neymar fan caught in laundry room of Olympic team hotel n AFP, Rio de Janeiro

QUICK BYTES Akpom strikes as Arsenal down MLS All-Stars Chuba Akpom scored a late winner as English giants Arsenal defeated the Major League Soccer All-Stars 2-1 in San Jose on Thursday. England Under-21 striker Akpom pounced three minutes from time at the Avaya Stadium as the Premier League side snatched victory in an entertaining game. Akpom tapped in from close range after neat interplay saw Spaniard Nacho Monreal go clear down the left before squaring for his young teammate.

–AFP

Boro sign Villa’s American keeper Guzan Middlesbrough yesterday announced the arrival of Aston Villa’s United States goalkeeper Brad Guzan, their eighth new signing of the close season. Guzan made 34 appearances for relegated Villa last season and played every match in the USA’s run to the Copa America semi-final. The 31-year-old is due to serve as back-up at Boro to former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who joined Boro this month.

–AFP

Marseille swoop for Swansea striker Gomis Marseille have completed the signing of French striker Bafetimbi Gomis from Swansea City on a season-long loan, the Ligue 1 side announced.

Gomis scored in each of Swansea’s first four Premier League games last season, but the 30-year-old then added just two more goals the rest of the campaign.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH FOOTBALL SONY ESPN 2:00PM International Champions Cup Juventus v South China Club 11:00PM Barcelona v Celtic 1:00AM Chelsea v Real Madrid 3:00AM Bayern Munich v Inter Milan

CRICKET SONY SIX 10:00PM Caribbean Premier League T20 St Lucia v Tallawahs 2:00AM Barbados v Guyana

TEN 2 1:30PM New Zealand Tour of Zimbabwe 1st Test, Day 3 9:00PM India Tour of West Indies 2nd Test, Day 1

A member of the Acorda Capoeira (Awaken Capoeira) group prepares for a performance for tourists in the Rocinha favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazi on Wednesday REUTERS

A fan of Brazilian football star Neymar was arrested on Thursday after being discovered in the laundry room of the team’s hotel in Goiania ahead of today’s friendly against Japan.

“Hotel staff noticed something strange in his behaviour and called us,” police officer Vladimir Passos told AFP, adding that the culprit had wanted “to approach Neymar and the team”.

Passos said that the 22-year-old sports student had been arrested but was later released after being cautioned.

“The flaw was spotted and we’ve fixed it,” said Passos of how the man managed to get into the players’ hotel.

The Brazilian men’s team arrived in Goiania on Thursday morning from the Granja Comary national training centre at Teresopolis, near Rio. Neymar is one of team’s three players aged over 23 years. Brazil play South Africa, Iraq and Denmark in Group A.l

Bolt eyes ‘triple triple’ as athletics emerges from darkest hour n AFP, Rio de Janeiro Usain Bolt will launch an audacious bid for three Olympic sprint gold medals for an unprecendented third time as the perfect antidote to a year of turmoil in his drug-tainted sport.

Track and field has been dragged through the ringer since Sebastian Coe took over as president of the International Association of Athletics Federations in Beijing last August on a “zero-tolerance” anti-doping mandate.

In November, the IAAF issued a blanket ban of Russia’s track and field team over that statesponsored doping, ruling that only US-based long jumper Darya Klishina was eligible to compete at the Rio Games, which start on August 5.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected a wider appeal by 67 track and field athletes including treble Olympic gold-chasing pole vault tsarina Yelena Isinbayeva.

One supporter of the IAAF’s blanket ban on Russia is Bolt, the

six-time Olympic gold medallist who is also world record holder in the 100, 200 and 4x100m relay.

“This will scare a lot of people, or send a strong message that the sport is serious about cleaning up,” Bolt said.

“It’s sad, but rules are rules. I don’t make the rules, I don’t make the decisions. I just have to go along with it. If you feel like banning the whole team is the right action, then I’m all for it.”

And so the stage is set for Bolt in his quest for an unprecedented

Latham century helps NZ to sizeable lead n Reuters, Bulawayo Tom Latham’s century and 91 from Kane Williamson put New Zealand firmly in the driving seat with a 151run lead over Zimbabwe on the second day of the first Test yesterday.

New Zealand closed on 315 for four in reply to Zimbabwe’s first-innings 164. Ross Taylor (38) and nightwatchman Ish Sodhi (5) were not out at the close.

Latham reached his fourth Test century soon after tea before being

caught by stand-in wicketkeeper Brian Chairi off the part-time bowling of veteran Hamilton Masakadza for 105 from 209 balls.

Latham and Williamson compiled a second-wicket partnership of 156. Williamson fell nine runs short of his century after a sharp catch at slip by Masakadza off the leg-spin bowling of home skipper Graeme Cremer.

The New Zealand captain had benefited from a contentious decision from the television um-

pire when he looked to have been caught at first slip by Sikandar Raza off Cremer when he was on 72.

Williamson asked Raza to confirm he had taken the catch and despite a positive response he spoke to the umpires who opted to get television evidence which could not prove the dismissal.

Opener Martin Guptill was dismissed in the first session for 40, was caught in the gully to hand debutant Chamu Chibhabha a first Test wicket. l

third Olympic treble.

“This is where history is going to be made, I’m excited to put on a show for the entire world to see.

This is my final Olympics, it’s a big one,” he said.

“I’m getting there. I am not fully in shape,” said the 29-year-old. “I need more work, but over time I will get there. I thought the cornering wasn’t perfect. But I am feeling good. At least I came here, ran the race and had no injuries. I am ready to defend my Olympic titles. The main thing is I am injury free.” l

DT

28

Sport

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

SCORECARD SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS 117 (de Silva 24, Perera 20; Hazlewood 3-21, Lyon 3-12) AUSTRALIA 1ST INNINGS 203 all out (Voges 47; Herath 4-49, Sandakan 4-58 SRI LANKA 2ND INNINGS

R

B

(Overnight 282 for six) K Perera lbw b Starc K Silva lbw b O’Keefe D Karunaratne lbw b Starc K Mendis c Nevill b Starc A Mathews c Burns b Lyon D Chandimal lbw b Marsh D de Silva c Khawaja b Lyon D Perera not out R Herath c Henriques b Hazlewood L Sandakan b Starc N Pradeep not out Extras (b 1, lb 11)

4 7 0 176 9 42 36 12 35 9 10 13

5 32 3 254 31 100 62 22 34 7 12

Total: (all out, 93.4 overs)

353

Fall of wicket 1-6, 2-6, 3-45, 4-86, 5-203, 6-274, 7-290, 8-314, 9-323, 10-353 Bowling Starc 19-4-84-4, Hazlewood 18.4-3-59-2, O’Keefe 16.2-3-42-1, Lyon 27-2-108-2, Warner 1-0-10-0, Voges 1.4-0-3-0, Marsh 9-1-33-1, Smith 1-0-1-0 AUSTRALIA 2ND INNINGS J Burns b Sandakan D Warner b Herath U Khawaja lbw b Dilruwan Perera S Smith not out A Voges not out Extras

R 29 1 18 26 9 0

Total (3 wickts; 27 overs)

83

B 57 4 22 54 25

Fall of wicket 1-2 , 2-33, 3-63 Bowling Pradeep 3-0-16-0, Herath 10-1-35-1, Perera 9-1-19-1, Sandakan 5-1-13-1

Sri Lanka’s Kaushal Silva (L) attempts to catch the ball off a shot played by Australia’s Steve Smith as wicket-keeper Dinesh Chandimal watches on during day four of their first Test in Pallekele, Sri Lanka yesterday AP

Lanka spinners corner Aussies in tricky chase n AFP, Pallekele Australia faced an uphill struggle to save the first Test against Sri Lanka’s rampant spinners after losing three early second innings wickets yesterday while trying to chase down a formidable target of 268.

The tourists were precariously placed at 83 for three, with skipper

Steve Smith unbeaten on 26, when bad light forced an early end to play for the fourth day running in Pallekele. The world number one Test team still need another 185 runs for victory on the final day today, when Sri Lanka’s trio of spinners will expect to capitalise on their early inroads against the tourists.

The hosts’ leading left-arm spinner Rangana Herath struck in only the second over of the Australian innings when he bowled vice-captain David Warner for one.

Usman Khawaja started positively with three fours but he was ruled leg before wicket to off-spinner Dilruwan Perera.

Then Sandakan joined the party

with a ball that turned sharply and bowled opener Joe Burns who had looked well set on 29.

Australia’s struggles against the Sri Lankan bowlers further underlined the importance of Kusal Mendis’ superb maiden Test century in what has been a low-scoring Test.

No other player on either side has passed 50.l

Godin winner Rooney hails Mourinho’s for Atletico over Spurs in Australia ‘winning mentality’ have to deliver for him,” the Engn AFP, Melbourne n AFP, London land captain added.

Atletico Madrid’s Filipe Luis and Tottenham’s Josh Onomah (L) fight for the ball during their International Champions Cup match in Melbourne yesterday AFP

Spain’s Atletico Madrid beat England’s Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in their International Champions Cup match in Melbourne with their goalkeeper Jan Oblak pulling off two magical saves yesterday.

Uruguayan defender Diego Godin scored the winner five minutes before halftime and the Atletico defence screened out Spurs in the second half to protect their lead.

Skipper Gabi’s free-kick was flicked on allowing Godin to tap home from close range at the far post.

Goalkeeper Oblak, who kept 24 clean sheets for Atletico in last season’s La Liga, pulled off a pointblank reflex save to block a scorching shot from Ryan Mason midway through the second half.

And minutes later he kept out new Dutch signing Vincent Janssen’s curling free kick with his right hand to again deny Spurs.

In the first half Josh Onomah and Argentinian Erik Lamela both hit the woodwork for Spurs.l

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney believes new manager Jose Mourinho has restored a “winning mentality” at Old Trafford.

Mourinho was brought in after the end of last season following the sacking of Louis van Gaal.

United have failed to win the league since legendary manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, with David Moyes and Van Gaal, who oversaw an FA Cup final victory last season, failing to live up to the exacting standards set by the Scot.

But Rooney believes the arrival of Portuguese manager Mourinho, will help propel United back towards the summit of the Premier League.

“It’s always great to get a new manager but when you get someone in the stature of Jose Mourinho he’s great to work under and he’s brought a winning mentality back to the club,” Rooney told Manchester radio station Key 103 yesterday.

“Manchester United as a football club we have to win and we

“There’s pressure on the players but we’re ready and I think this season we’ll give a real challenge on all fronts. He’s come in, he’s been great with the players. The training has been hard but enjoyable. We’re ready, we’re working hard. We know it’s a big season for us. He’s made, in my opinion, some great signings who have gelled in really well with the squad so it’s exciting times,” the 30-year-old striker added.

Rooney, is however, already planning for life after his playing days are over.

“I’ve started taking my coaching badges now so that will probably take about four or five years to complete,” Rooney said.

“Of course I’ve got a lot of experience playing football so I think it would be criminal if I didn’t try and pass that knowledge on, so hopefully when I finish playing I can get some role as a manager or coach and try and use the experience I’ve built up over the years.”l

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Say again (6) 5 Seek charity (3) 7 Light beer (5) 8 Like better (6) 10 Rugby score (3) 12 Classify (4) 13 Make lace (3) 14 Chess piece (4) 16 Jester (4) 17 Small spot (3) 18 Saucy (4) 20 Obscure (3) 24 Bodies of water (5) 25 Arch (3) 26 Throw away (6)

DOWN 1 Deeply engrossed (4) 2 Quickly (mus) 3 Watchful (5) 4 Pastry item (4) 5 Wager (3) 6 Do wrong (3) 9 Young horse (4) 11 Japanese currency unit (3) 14 Harbour town (4) 15 Dress (6) 16 Passing craze (3) 17 Thick (5) 18 Look narrowly (4) 19 Biblical quotation (4) 21 Unwell (3) 22 Month (3)

DT

29

Downtime

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 2 represents I so fill I every time the figure 2 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

DT

30

Showtime

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

Barack Obama

Bill Clinton

Starstudded DNC Chloe Moretz and Brooklyn Beckham

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Eva Longoria

The recent Democratic National Convention made history as the event ended in nominating Hillary Clinton as the presidential candidate from the Democrat party. While many are still rejoicing her being the first ever female presidential candidate in the USA, others were visibly awestruck by the huge number of A-list stars who showed up at DNC, voicing their support for Hillary. l

Katy Perry

Michelle Obama

Meryl Streep

Demi Lovato

Lenny Kravtiz

Alicia Keys Source: Hollywood Life

31

DT

Showtime

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

Things to know about Kristen Stewart’s girlfriend She’s no stranger to working with celebrities Alicia worked on music videos for some big name artists, including Kesha, Maroon 5, Atlas Genius and Alicia Keys, according to her Linkedin profile. Alicia also worked as a celebrity personal assistant prior to dating Kristen.

n Showtime Desk After years of remaining notoriously tight-lipped about her love life, Kristen Stewart is finally opening up about the joys of being in a relationship with Alicia Cargile.

In a new interview with ELLE UK, the actress, 26, has admitted that she’s totally smitten with her belle, with whom she has been romantically linked for over a year after navigating through a rough patch.

“I think, right now, I’m just really in love with my girlfriend,” she cooed. “We’ve broken up a couple of times and gotten back

together, but this time I was like, ‘finally, I can feel again.’”

So just who is the lady who’s captured Stew’s heart? Here are five things to know about Alicia Cargile.

She Works in Showbiz According to Alicia’s Linkedin profile, she’s been working steadily in the TV and film industry since 2009. She’s helped recruiters staff up for pilot seasons, liaised between artists and upper management, helped to create online advertising content and worked in production and post-production for shows.

She’s now a visual effects producer From July 2013 to the present, Alicia’s worked as a VFX producer at Nomad Editing Company, Inc. According to her Linkedin profile, she produces content for the commercials department of the company, with job duties ranging “from on-set work to editorial finishing.”

According to Alicia’s IMDB profile, she worked on the visual effects for the 2013 movie Kill Your Darlings, starring Daniel Radcliffe.

She’s extremely artistic Alicia’s tumblr page features dozens of her drawings, which include several clever and comical cartoons. It also includes uplifting quotes from other artists.

She has big goals Alicia is supremely ambitious.

According to a question and answer session on her tumblr page, she hopes to “work with Wes Anderson, carve a skateboard by hand, go on a trip to Italy with her mother, adopt a dog, publish a book, and always be happy.”l

WHAT TO WATCH Hercules HBO 4:30pm Having endured his legendary twelve labors, Hercules, the Greek demigod, has his life as a sword-for-hire tested when the King of Thrace and his daughter seek his aid in defeating a tyrannical warlord.

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, John Hurt, Aksel Hennie

G.I. Joe: Retaliation Zee Studio 7:20pm The G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy

Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, D.J. Cotrona, Byung-hun Lee, Adrianne Palicki The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Zee Studio 9:30pm When New York is put under siege by Oscorp, it is up to Spider-Man to save the city he swore to protect as well as his loved ones.

Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Campbell Scott, Embeth Davidtz Spy Star Movies 9:30pm A desk-bound CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly

arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster.

Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Jude Law, Miranda Hart Final Destination 3 WB 10:50pm In this third installment of the Final Destination series, a student’s premonition of a deadly rollercoaster ride saves her life and a lucky few, but not from death itself which seeks out those who escaped their fate.

Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ryan Merriman, Kris Lemche, Alexz Johnson, Amanda Crew l

5 secrets of Raima Sen n Showtime Desk Granddaughter of Suchitra Sen, the first lady of Kolkata movies Raima Sen is an open book to her audience. Her beauty, intelligence and presence are known to mesmerise her viewers consistently. Her family background is familiar to everyone as well.

But there are few more things you might not know of.

Raima was offered to be Suchitra Raima Sen was offered to essay Suchitra Sen in Birsha Dahsgupta’s most talked about series Mahanayak. Reportedly, she had to leave the offer due to a date clash with a different project.

However, the pretty face of Bengali cinema has declared she will only play her grandmother if it is made for the silver screen.

She’s a foodie The granddaughter of Bengali cinema’s first lady can’t control her eating, says Prosenjit Chatterjee, who has been her hero in multiple movies. In his words, “Nobody can guess she is a heroine witnessing her food intake.”

Although the Tollywood beauty doesn’t consider herself as a foodie, she shows a huge interest towards Thai food.

She has other royal beauties in her family Most people relate to her family legacy descending from legendary actress Suchitra Sen. However, a handful know that Raima Sen shares a relationship with Maharani Gayatri Devi as well.

Sen’s father Bharat Dev Varma hails from the royal family of Cooch Behar, whose mother Ila Devi was the elder sister of Jaipur’s queen.

Several nicknames Belonging to a typical Bengali family, every person is bound to have at least one cute nickname within their family, locality, and friends. In Raima’s, she has not one, but multiple nicknames.

Though officially her nickname is Dolu, her relatives would call her Dolls, Dollzie, and even Dolly.

At her workplace, Rituparno Ghosh and Prosenjit Chatterjee call her by her pet name. However, the Bastu-Shaap actress prefers to be called Raima or Rai. Raima never finishes reading any script Well, this isn’t really a secret to her directors and colleagues. Raima doesn’t read the whole script, but just goes through her own parts. l

DT

32

Back Page

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016

WHEN THE WORLD WAGS ITS TAIL PAGE 12

ABAHANI EDGE SOCCER CLUB PAGE 24

5 SECRETS OF RAIMA SEN PAGE 31

Another tiger census in November

NY Fed asks Philippines to recover BB money n Reuters

An adult Bengal tiger swims across Sundari canal in the Sundarbans. The photo was taken recently in Kotka, Bagerhat

Hedait Hossain Molla, n Md Khulna The government has decided to launch the third census on the Bengal Tiger population this November through “camera trapping” method to determine the exact number of the critically-endangered species in Bangladesh.

It has also taken a number of steps to protect the Bengal Tigers – only found in the Sundarbans mangrove forest – from poachers.

According to the latest census published last year, the number of Bengal Tigers in the Bangladesh part of the forest – stretching around 6,000sq-km – is only 106 while the number is 170 together with the other part – having an area of around 4,000sq-km. The total number of Tigers in India’s 56 forests is around 1,700.

The latest study, conducted in 2013-14, rejects a previous estimation made during the BNP-Jamaat government in 2004 that put the number at 440, done by pug mark method.

Another survey held in 2012 us-

ing camera trapping method estimated the number of Bengal Tigers in the Sundarbans to be around 200.

The number was 362 in 1993, 359 in 1992, 450 in 1982 and 350 in 1975.

Currently, tigers are found in only 13 countries and the total number is estimated to be around 4,000.

It was 100,000 in 1900 whereas three species of tigers have disappeared in the last 116 years.

The total number of Tigers in the 11 other Tiger range countries is 2,140. The countries are Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Bhutan, Nepal and Russia.

Among these countries, “home range” of Bengal Tigers is lowest in Bangladesh which is 14-16sqkm, but it is stable. It means the density of Tiger population is high in the Sundarbans. The “home range” is 25-30sq-km in Nepal and 400sq-km in Russia.

Forest Officer of the Sundarbans (east zone) Md Saidul Islam said that they had taken strict measures to protect the Bengal Tiger population alongside the law enforcement agencies.

Md Sayeed Ali, forest officer of the west zone, said that they had incorporated smart GPS systems for better surveillance. “We will form community patrol groups for better monitoring,” he said.

The Forest Department took up different programmes to observe the International Tiger Day yesterday.

Human interventions as well as excessive navigation inside the Sundarbans, poaching and development of industrial infrastructures were blamed for the drastic fall of the Bengal Tiger population in Bangladesh, experts said after the last census.

“There is debate over the number of the Sundarbans tigers; it may prevail. But we have to continue the census as per the rules and using modern technology.

“The tiger census based on camera trapping method began in 2012 and the next census will begin in November. It will be held every year from now on,” Sayeed Ali told the Dhaka Tribune.

Green activists blame the Forest Department for not taking the mat-

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

ter seriously. They wonder how the tigers can be protected if their habitat is destroyed gradually.

Loss of deer population in the Sundarbans is another reason behind the human-tiger conflict.

In result, more people are being killed by the tigers and vice versa.

According to local sources, around 30 people and 70 cattle are being killed by the Sundarbans tigers every year. It exposes food crisis in the forest.

Wild teams deployed in the forest, however, claim that awareness among the locals about tigers have increased. For this, poaching and killing tigers have reduced in the recent years.

Forest officials say 19 tigers were killed in the last 17 years, but other sources put the number at 52. Of them, 33 were killed in the west zone.

Police’s elite force Rapid Action Battalion carries out regular drives in the Sundarbans to arrest robbers and poachers, who are linked to international wildlife smuggling rackets. They kill tigers and deer to collect skins, bones and teeth. l

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has asked the Philippines’ central bank to help Bangladesh Bank recover the $81m that was stolen by hackers in February from its account, boosting Dhaka’s efforts to retrieve the money.

In a letter sent on June 23, the New York Fed’s General Counsel Thomas Baxter asked Elmore O Capule, general counsel for the central bank of the Philippines, “to take all appropriate steps in support of Bangladesh Bank’s efforts to recover and return its stolen assets.”

In the letter, Baxter also wrote that the payment instructions that led to money transfers to accounts at the Manila-based Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) were authenticated using a “commercially reasonable security procedure,” but that they were issued by persons using stolen credentials.

Bangladesh Bank has also agreed to share US cyber security firm FireEye’s heist probe report with the Fed, said a Bangladesh central bank source.

RCBC said in a statement the bank supported the efforts of Bangladesh Bank in recovering funds from “the parties who ultimately received them.”

From RCBC the money was mostly laundered through the Philippines’ casino industry and now the trail has gone cold.

Almost six months ago, hackers broke into the Bangladesh Bank’s computer systems and managed to steal $81m. Most of that money is still missing and the culprits have not been identified.

A Bangladesh Bank source said some bank officials will fly to Manila next week in an attempt to hasten the recovery.

The source said Baxter’s letter was an indication that the Fed was now working with Bangladesh Bank.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Fazle Kabir told reporters on Tuesday that his Philippine counterpart had nearly completed an investigation into how the $81m wound up at RCBC, and that he hoped for the swift return of the stolen funds.

A team of officials from Bangladesh will hold meetings with Fed officials in New York between August 15 and 19, according to two sources in Dhaka. l

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