August 9, 2016

SECOND EDITION

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

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Shraban 25, 1423, Zilqad 5, 1437

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 104

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

Death messages pledge carnage n Tribune Desk Violent to the very end, the militants killed in a police raid in Kallyanpur last month pledged more terror attacks in Bangladesh by members of their movement.

The Dhaka Tribune has acquired the recorded statements of three Kallyanpur militants before they were killed by police on July 26.

In the audio recordings obtained from investigators, the militants attempt to lure listeners to their philosophy, arguing that support for the caliphate is the “only way to go to heaven.”

Below are transcriptions of the recorded statements of Shazad Rouf Arko, Abu Rehan and Taj-Ul-Haque Rasik.

To date, the militant who identified himself as Abu Rehan remains a mystery. His actual identity has not been uncovered and nobody has yet come forward with information about who he might be.

Investigators said five of the militants, including Rashik and

RAB updates list of missing to 70 n Arifur Rahman Rabbi Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has released an updated list of missing people on its Facebook page.

The list, released last night, now contains the names of 70 people, while it was 68 in the earlier version.

Mufti Mahmud Khan, director of legal and media wing of RAB, confirmed the matter to the Dhaka Tribune.

A scrutiny of the list revealed that three have been removed from the previous list. One, Shazad Rouf Arko, was killed in the Kallyanpur militant den. Zubayer Hossain Faruq, 21, is studying in Malaysia and has contacted RAB, said an official. He could not say why the last one, Iqbal Hossain, 20, was removed.

The new list was also updated with five new missing  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Arko, were members of a suicide squad.

Police say the militants were planning large-scale attacks on foreigners and belonged to the same group which massacred 20 hostages, mostly foreigners, at a Gulshan restaurant on July 1.

Their speeches are peppered with theological terms in Arabic that have been translated. The Dhaka Tribune neither endorses the use of these terms in this context nor intends in any way to interpret their significance.

Alternating between denunciations of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and justifications of their cause, the militants pledge to bring violence to their opponents.

At one point, one of them offers advice to the head of Islamic State Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi, counselling him to be brutal with non-believers.

To listen to the audio, please visit www.dhakatribune.com.

Comments and feedback on our website and Facebook page are welcome. l

Shazad Rouf Arko

Abu Rehan

Taj-Ul-Haque Rasik

This is Shazad Rouf aka Arko. I want to get this message to my family, Towhid Rouf … and others … and all my family members … and those who support Sheikh Hasina, the taghut [one who oversteps boundaries] … everyone.

People who do not support Allah’s Sharia [Islamic law] law, remember, only if you support Allah’s Sharia law, that’s when you can go to heaven. That’s the only way to go to paradise. That’s exactly

I am Abu Rehan. You all stay strong and support Khilafa [caliphate].

Sacrifice your lives and belongings for Khilafa. Certainly Khilafa will conquer from the east to the west.

Surely you are on the right path Insha Allah.

And I want to give this message to our Caliph Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi al-Husseini al-Qurayshi Habibullah that we recommend that you gouge the eyes of the Kuffars with which they look at Mu’meens [believers].

My message to all the Muslims throughout the world who have still not come and given Bayah [allegiance] to the Khilafa: why are you holding back?

The Kuffar, the Murtadin and Munafikin [hypocrites] have all gathered against it. Why do you not see that it is so simple that the Khilafa wants to establish its rule while the Kuffar want to establish their own authority. This is so simple.

So, please, everyone wherever

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 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

BNP to deprived leaders: Wait till next council Al-Masum n Mohammad Molla Admitting that many competent leaders did not get proper positions in BNP’s new mammoth committee, the party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday asked the deprived leaders to wait until the next council.

“There is no possibility right now because the committee has been announced.

If any person thinks they were deprived, they should wait for the next council of the party,” Fakhrul told journalists at the BNP Headquarters in Nayapaltan.

The BNP’s announcement of a new 502-member executive committee on Saturday triggered widespread outrage

among many party leaders who felt they were deprived of their deserving positions while many controversial names were included in the committee.

“Whenever any committee of any political party is announced, some dedicated leaders get deprived. It is normal that it is impossible to accommodate such a huge number of competent people. From that perspective, it was not possible for our chairperson [Khaleda Zia] to accommodate all,” Fakhrul said yesterday.

However, when announcing the new committee on Saturday, Fakhrul had termed the new body dynamic and vibrant.

Soon after that announce PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

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PM blasts BNP for CCTV footage reveals Sholakia militants’ ferocity co-opting war

criminals’ children in its committee

n Tribune Desk

After almost a month of the dreadful Eid day attack in Shokalia, the ferocity of the militants that day has surfaced in a footage acquired by a law enforcement agency.

In the footage from a CCTV camera installed near the Sholakia Eidgah, it was seen that a militant in a blue panjabi repeatedly hacked at a police official with a sharp weapon while another militant in pink panjabi was collecting the official’s gun. The policeman was attacked when he stopped the two militants at a check-post.

On July 7, militants went to Sholakia, Kishoreganj to carry out their attack at the country’s largest Eid congregation but faced obstruction nearly 300 yards away from the Eidgah as a police check-post was set up near Sabujbagh Residential Area.

In the footage, it was also seen that the two militants who attacked the police at the check-post managed to escape as there was no other police officials near the area.

A militant named Abir Rahman, a student of North South University, was killed during a shootout with the police while another militant Shafiul was arrested with injuries and later admitted to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.

Shafiul was killed in a reported gunfight between his associates and a RAB team when he was being taken to Kishoreganj for further investigation. l

n Tribune Desk Coming down heavily on the BNP for including children of convicted war criminals in its newly-announced big committee, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said BNP has insulted the nation and the Liberation War martyrs with this committee.

“The trial of war criminals is still in progress... there is no other country in the world where war criminals were supported and placed in the Cabinet… BNP insulted the entire country and the martyrs of the Liberation War by forming this committee,” she said at the unveiling of a book on her mother Begum Fajilatunnesa Mujib at Ganabhaban, reported UNB. The prime minister alleged that the BNP had “cheated” the entire nation, the three million martyrs, and 200,000 women who were raped during the war by forming this new committee.

She said BNP is an aimless party that wants to go to power and indulge in corruption taking anti-liberation forces and war criminals with it. “This party has no principle, ideology and philosophy at all.”

She expressed her wonder and

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Death messages pledge carnage Taj-Ul-Haque Rasik Shazad Rouf Arko you are, give Bayah to the Khilafa, see its arguments, see its Dalils [proofs], and you’ll find that it is upon Haq [truth]. And whatever else there is, is upon Batil [falsehood].

One of the signs that it is upon Haq is that all of the Kuffar and all of the Murtadin have gathered against it. So … it is still triumphant and it is still expanding. So this is one of the miracles. My message is to the Kuffar: this is just the beginning, we will transcend the whole world, we will conquer the whole world. This is a promise.

He saw the extent of the Muslims throughout the world. So, wait, wait, wait. Wallahi [by Allah] we are coming, coming to your lands and as you have seen the war has started in your lands and the frequency has increased.

The lone wolves have increased and this is just the beginning. This is a message from your brother Taj-

what we did. We are here.

We emigrated from our homes, we had everything … we had everything … all for the sake of practising Jihad Fi Sabilillah [struggle in the way of Allah, including warfare]. That either we kill or we get killed and paradise is for us.

You have to understand the real thing here, that Jihad Fi Sabilillah is all about maintaining the Sharia.

That’s exactly what we do.

You have to understand that you guys support Sheikh Hasina, the Murtad [apostate], you guys support democracy, that is why you guys are doing Shirk [idolatry] and that’s why I’m happy to call my family all Murtads, all Kuffars [unbelievers].

You can be safe and go to heaven … and go to paradise. Allahu Akbar [Allah is greatest]! And remember small people … small groups like us will get victory over the huge people. That’s exactly what’s going on. Small group of us … we

are getting Nusrah [support] from Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala [Allah most glorified, most exalted] and we are gonna defeat you, we are going to fight you until there’s no more Fitna [strife] … and Insha Allah [Allah willing] we are ready with our weapons right now.

The police and RAB and whoever it is, all the Kuffars can come any time and we are ready to kill them and gain Jannat [heaven]. Fi Sabilillah [In the way of Allah]. l

Abu Rehan And to my parents I want to say: come to the path of religion. Certainly this is the greatest wish for us. We will choose righteousness over all the wealth of the world and if anyone asks us to choose between Hidayat [guidance] and riches, we will choose Hidayat.

Come to the path of Islam and stay strong. l

said one should go through the party’s constitution to see what is in it. “What kind of committee have they formed? It has more than 500 members… there is no rule and policy in this party.”

Hasina said it was BNP Founder Ziaur Rahman who first rehabilitated war criminals by bringing them to power. “His family is doing the same.”

She said Zia stopped the trial of Bangabandhu’s killers, rewarding them through posting in foreign missions.

Not only that, Zia also destroyed the spirit and values of independence and distorted the country’s history of pride.

As a result, she said, a generation has grown up without learning the real and true history of the Liberation War. l

BNP to deprived leaders: Wait till next council ment, BNP leaders Mosaddek Ali Falu and Shamimur Rahman Shamim tendered their resignation citing personal reasons, while sources tell the Dhaka Tribune that a good number of senior leaders are also thinking of quitting politics.

But Fakhrul urged the disappointed leaders to remain patient.

“There will be no use in demonstrating. Keep patience, because there is no last word in politics.”

Asked whether any BNP leader influenced the formation of the new committee, Fakhrul said: “It is propaganda. A quarter has been propagating from the beginning to demean the BNP.” Fakhrul also blamed media for its biased behaviour. “You [journalists] are now finding the loopholes of BNP but you are not finding out the loopholes of the ruling party,” he claimed. l

RAB updates list of missing to 70 persons, who are: Shahidul Alam, 35, from Chittagong, a madrasa student; Jiban, 27, from Nilphamari; Hossain Ahmed, 32, from Sylhet, possibly in Musul, Iraq; Emdadul Haque, 30, from Pabna and Rajshahi University 3rd year English student Sheikh Efte-

sam Ahmed Sami, 22, from Rangpur.

On July 20, RAB first published an unverified list of 261 missing people. After followups from the media and the public revealed many faults in that list, it updated the list to 68. l

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Titas gas price hike proposal rejected n Aminur Rahman Rasel Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has rejected the proposal of increasing gas prices, placed by Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd, saying that the company does not need to increase its distribution charges.

Titas participated at the public hearing on gas price increase yesterday – the second day of the eight-day hearing – at the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh auditorium in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka.

At the hearing, BERC technical evaluation committee, headed by BERC Director (Gas) AKM Monowar Hossain Akhand, observed that in the 2016-17 fiscal year, the total operating revenue of Titas is estimated to be around Tk1,077.34 crore.

The estimated revenue is well above the required revenue of

around Tk717.71cr, considering around Tk0.3 per cubic metre as transmission charge for Gas Transmission Company Ltd (GTCL) on a cost-plus basis. This means Titas does not need to increase distribution charges, the committee observed.

Earlier, Titas submitted a proposal to increase gas prices by 87.6% on average. The company asked the BERC to increase domestic gas prices from the existing Tk600 and Tk650 for single and double burner stoves, respectively, to Tk1,100 and Tk1,200 – more than 80% increase in both the prices.

It also asked to increase prices in the power sector, industries, commercial establishments, CNG filling stations, captive power plants and fertiliser factories.

At the hearing, consumers’ groups, business leaders and representatives of different organisa-

tions and political parties all criticised the proposal.

A Matin Chowdhury, former president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), asked the Titas delegates the reason behind low pressure in gas supply to the industries.

Complementing that question, BERC Chairman AR Khan asked whether the abnormally low pressure in gas supply was the reason behind the recent system gain of Titas.

Having said earlier that Titas had achieved 0.22% system gain in the 2015-16 fiscal year, recovering from a 0.32% system loss in 2014-15, Sankar Kumas Das, director (finance) of Titas, admitted that low pressure was indeed one of the reasons behind his company’s system gain.

“We have been using the same calculations for years; so low pressure in gas supplies have helped with system gain,” Sankar said at

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News the hearing. “However, we have no control over gas pressure. We get it and we distribute it.”

He added that Titas would look into the matter to resolve it.

Meanwhile, former BTMA chief Matin, who was accompanying the current BTMA president, Tapan Chowdhury, said the proposed 130% hike in gas price in the captive power plants, used by spinners in textile industry for uninterrupted power generation, would badly damage the sector.

“We are selling our products at minimum prices only to keep our businesses afloat. The profit margin has fallen in the spinning and weaving industries,” said Tapan.

Among others, Prof Shamsul Alam of Consumers Association of Bangladesh and Ruhin Hossain Prince of the Communist Party of Bangladesh spoke at the hearing as well. l

In utter disregard of street laws, buses in Dhaka city stop in the middle of the road every day to pick up passengers. When this photo was taken yesterday in Gulistan, one of the busiest thoroughfares of the city, stationary buses had left a little more than a lane to let other vehicles pass by RAJIB DHAR

PM Hasina praises Tarique’s wife Zubaida n Tribune Desk Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has s p o k e n highly of Zubaida Rahman – wife of BNP leader Tarique Rahman – saying she will do well as a politician.

Zubaida, the daughter of former navy chief MA Khan, is a doctor by training.

The unexpected praise came during yesterday’s Cabinet meeting when there was a short discussion on BNP’s newly-declared standing committee, said a minister wishing anonymity.

Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader and Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan noted that Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury had said that there were two empty posts in the standing committee.

Zafrullah suspected that they were probably reserved for BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s two daughtersin-law, according to the minister.

There are 19 posts in the BNP standing committee. Seventeen of them have been filled so far.

As other ministers made observations on the matter, the prime minister stepped in.

“She [Zubaida] is well educated and comes from a good family. It will be good if she joins politics,” Hasina was quoted as saying.

The premier noted that Zubaida was also a relative of Local Government Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain. Mosharraf clarified that she was the daughter of his uncle’s sister-in-law.

Zubaida married Tarique in 1993 and joined as a BCS health cadre two years later. She left the country with her husband and daughter in 2008 for UK, where she has been living since. She was later dismissed from her job for remaining absent from workplace without permission. l

First span of Padma bridge reaches site n Shohel Mamun

The first span of the superstructure of Padma Bridge has reached the Mawa project area from China.

The 150 metre span arrived at the site by waterway yesterday, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader told media.

“The span will be set over pillars of the Padma bridge, possibly in December, after completing lab-

oratory tests,” he told reporters at the secretariat yesterday.

“The 6.15km long Padma bridge will get a complete shape with 41 spans within December 2018.

“From now on, every month we will receive one or two spans. Each weighs some 2,900 tonnes and is made of steel plates of 20-80 millimetre thickness in a Chinese factory,” the minister added.

Quader said overall implemen-

tation progress of the Padma bridge project was 37% and the piling of 26 pillars had been completed.

“The construction work of viaduct has begun,” he added.

Deal with China for Padma rail project

Bangladesh Railway has signed a formal deal with the China Railway Group (CREC) to construct the much-hyped Padma Bridge rail link

project at a cost of Tk27,652 crore.

Railway Director General Amzad Hossain and CREC Deputy Manager Zhang Xuecai signed the deal yesterday at Rail Bhaban in Dhaka.

Railway Minister Majibul Haque, who was present at the signing, said: “We have requested the construction firm to complete the project within scheduled time.

“We want that a part of the project, Munshiganj’s Mawa area to

Faridpur’s Bhanga area, should be finished by December 2018 so that we can run a train over the Padma bridge, which will be opened by that time,” Majibul said.

The project, which will connect the southern part of the country with the capital city Dhaka, aims to ensure smooth rail journey.

According to the project summary, the total length of the new railway track is 172km. l

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Rajuk gives Uttara hotels three days to move

JS watchdog wants foreigners monitored

n Abu Hayat Mahmud

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

A mobile court of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk) yesterday shut down a restaurant in the residential area of Uttara Model Town and issued a three-day ultimatum to all unauthorised guest houses, hotels and restaurants in the area to move out.

Rajuk Executive Magistrate Khandker Zakir Hossain led the mobile court which evicted busi-

ness on residential plots at road 7, 14/A, 18 and 19 under Uttara Sector 4 in Dhaka city, said a press release.

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has already urged the government to stop the ongoing eviction drive against businesses at the capital’s upscale residential areas.

After the terror attack on Holly Artisan Bakery at Gulshan, Dhaka’s development authority Rajuk start-

ed the drive on July 25 and it will be continued till August 31 at Uttara, Gulshan and Dhanmondi areas.

On Sunday, business leaders called for ending the eviction drive, saying it was hurting businesses.

At a round-table discussion with several business owners’ organisations, FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmad expressed deep concern.

Hotel, Guesthouse and Restaurant Owners’ Association of

Bangladesh and Tour Operators’ Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) organised the programme at FBCCI’s conference room in Motijheel.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor and former FBCCI president Annisul Huq and a group of urban planners in another discussion on Saturday suggested that the eviction drive should not be rushed.

They also urged the authorities concerned to run the drive in a planned manner. l

HC asks Ctg trial court to explain the delay in disposal of a case n Ashif Islam Shaon The High Court yesterday asked a trial court in Chittagong to submit a written explanation as it failed to dispose of a murder case in 17 years.

The additional session judge of Chittagong will have to explain the reason within two weeks before the court of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice JBM Hassan which passed the order yesterday.

The High Court passed the order while hearing the bail plea of Foyez Uddin Ahmed, an accused in the murder case that was filed with Sandip police station almost 23 years ago.

The High Court also asked the trial court to dispose of the case within three months.

In August 1993, the murder case was filed against six persons for killing 30-year-old Abbas Uddin.

Later in October, police submitted charge sheet against them.

The trial started in 1999 but the state could only present five of their 25 witnesses.

Foyez was arrested in May this year. He then moved a bail petition with the lower court which was rejected. Later he moved with the High Court against the bail rejection order.

Assistant Attorney General Md Shahidul Islam Khan told reporters that the court in a rule asked why the accused person’s bail will not be granted. The court gave two months to give explanations.

The court also said that if the investigation officer of the case fails to produce witnesses before the trial court, the court’s judge may take steps against him. l

Members of RAB produce the 10 people arrested with counterfeit notes in front of media yesterday at the RAB 2 office MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Nine foreign nationals held for fake currency scam n Arifur Rahman Rabbi Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has detained 10 people, including nine foreign nationals, from Bashundhara Residential Area, Dhaka.

Of the detainees seven are from Cameroon, Abdou Nassara, 35, Jean Claude, 40, Gonou Desire, 37, Mimba Serges, 37, Kambiwa Dieu Nedort, 43, Moguem Solo, 42 and Tiadeu Barnard, 34.

Two from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ngonga Diasonama Merlin, 41 and Mutombo Nzali Yousouf 44.

One Bangladeshi, a woman was named Mare Moyna Poroi Taylor, 26.

RAB 2 Commanding Officer Lt

Col Moin Uddin Ahmad said: “They were detained during a drive conducted on Sunday night with a large amounts of fake foreign and Bangladeshi currencies.”

He said five of the foreign nationals did not have passports with them while four had their visas expired.

The commanding officer explained that the detainees ran a scam with black dollars which is counterfeited foreign currency, in this case it was US dollars. The color of the fake money is black so that it can go undetected at the airport. The money returns to its original color upon being washed with a chemical mixture.

The RAB officer said the gang

would contact Bangladeshis via e-mail or phone and offer to trade the black dollars by selling them at a lower rate, most of the currency they sold were counterfeit.

He said they would give the buyer real dollars at first to build trust and then sell them fake currency once that trust was established.

The black dollars are usually brought into the country through diplomatic luggage, said Lt Col Moin Uddin Ahmad.

RAB says that the gang has been in the business of selling counterfeit money for a long time along with dealing drugs.

Legal action being taken against them, Lt Col Moin Uddin Ahmad said. l

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Private Member’s Bills and Resolutions has recommended that the Home and Foreign ministries monitor the arrival and departure of all foreigners.

The committee also suggested during a meeting yesterday that houses rented out to foreigners should be in correspondence with the validity of their visas.

Ruling Awami League lawmaker Mohammad Israfil Alam made the recommendations in the meeting while discussing the Foreigners Registration Bill 2015 which has been tabled in the parliament.

On November 18 last year, Israfil placed the bill in the parliament.

In the bill, a proposal was made to form a Foreigners’ Registration Cell under the Home Ministry.

After the meeting, Israfil Alam said: “The committee has recommended not to place the bill in the parliament. But the committee suggested the Home and Foreign Ministry to monitor the issues as the main issue of the bill is very important.”

A press release from the committee said: “The issue is very important as some crimes were committed by some foreign nationals and dual citizens. That is why a monitoring system of foreigners’ arrival and length of stay should be strengthened with a coordination between the two ministries.”

North Korean diplomat leaves Dhaka n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman The North Korean Mission’s First Secretary Han Son Ik has left the country after he was caught smuggling tobacco and electronics into the country.

Customs officials seized a large batch of tobacco and electronic products, worth Tk3.5 crore, from Kamalapur Inland Container Depot (ICD) last month.

The North Korean diplomat reportedly brought the items without due process.

The National Board of Revenue wrote to the Foreign Secretary about the incident asked him to be removed.

This is the second time North Korean diplomats were asked to leave the country as in 2014 another Korean diplomat was found guilty of gold smuggling. l

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE WORLD'S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

'We are indigenous people not ethnic minorities' n Morshed Jahan Mithun Instead of being slapped with the humiliating label of Khudra Nrigoshti or ethnic minorities, all indigenous communities of the country have the right to be recognised as indigenous people in accordance with the UN guidelines.

Bichitra Tirki, a leader of the indigenous Orawn community who also heads the Chapainawabganj unit of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad, said this during an exclusive interview with the Dhaka Tribune.

“I have come to realise that it is not possible for the oppressed and exploited people to establish their rights without struggle and movement. Also it is not possible for the indigenous people of the country to live a peaceful life without solidify-

one day,” said the 36-year-old who has won several legal battles in her eight-year fight for land rights of the indigenous people.

But Bichitra's life story is one of hardship and exploitation, just like thousands of oppressed people in indigenous communities.

In August 2014, she was beaten up with sticks and sharp weapons before being gang-raped by three land grabbers who demanded money after losing a legal battle against her.

But Bichitra's courage and tenacity kept her alive. She still had a war to win.

Although rape victims are not named in news, Bichitra said she wanted people to know the truth and ensure that the culprits be brought to justice.

“If I become scared of being

Bichitra Tirki ing their power together,” Bichitra said ahead of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.

“I believe, like me, many indigenous women will come forward

ashamed of social stigma by getting my name published, the perpetrators will go scot-free.

“Publish my name, publish my photograph. Although I have been gang-raped, I am not scared. There are hundreds of thousands of indigenous sisters and brothers in the entire north Bengal beside me. My children, family, relatives, villagers — all are with me,” Bichitra said.

Bichitra stands as a beacon of hope in her community.

During a 2009 long march, as activists carried red flags in support of victimised indigenous people, Bichitra, clad in a red sari, marched with others for 55 kilometres with her one-year-old child in her arms.

It is the same spirit of leadership and dedication she shows in upholding the rights of her communi-

ty members.

In the 2011 UP polls, she was elected member for the women’s reserved seat of Parbotipur union parishad of Gomstapur upazila.

Although Bichitra continues to receive threats from her attackers, most of whom are now out on bail, she said she believes in divine justice.

“The attackers, land grabbers have to face it on the judgement day. I am trying my best to continue fighting for justice and land rights of every indigenous people in the country.”

But her fight does not end there.

Bichitra also said the Bangali farmers in her area also face similar hardships and have to work as day labourers in their own field. “I am fighting for land rights of all farmers in my area,” she said. l

HC: Stop medicine production, sale of 34 pharmas

19 constables held for using fake FF certificates

n Ashif Islam Shaon

Nineteen police constables were arrested yesterday on charges of using fake freedom fighter certificates to secure a special quota during recruitment.

All of the detained policemen are from Sirajganj and had joined Bangladesh Police in 2012 as trainee recruit constables under the Freedom Fighter quota.

The constables were arrested

by Anti-Corruption Commission's integrated district office in Pabna, confirmed ACC Public Relations Official Pranab Kumer Bhattacharya.

The crackdown, led by ACC Deputy Director Abu Bakar Siddique and Deputy Assistant Director Abul Kalam Azad, is said to be the biggest ever by the antigraft body regarding fake freedom fighter certificates.

The High Court yesterday directed the government to stop the production and marketing of low-quality medicines of 34 pharmaceutical companies.

The bench of justices Salma Masud Chowdhury and Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo slapped an embargo on the production and sale of all sorts of medicines by 20 pharmas and antibiotics by 14 other companies.

The bench also ordered the government to take back the lowgrade medicine produced by these 34 companies from the market as soon as possible.

The Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh in a supplementary petition on July 31 notified the court that its order to stop these pharmaceuticals from producing and selling their substandard products was yet to be carried out.

On June 7, the High Court had asked the authorities concerned to stop the 34 companies from producing medicine and antibiotics. The Appellate Division on June 15 upheld the order.

The High Court bench had also asked authorities concerned as to why their inaction of scrapping the companies approval to produce sub-standard medicines and antibiotics should not be declared

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All of men were held from Chada Khar Bashtola area of Pabna and were later placed before the district's judicial court for the next course of action.

In November 2014, Sirajganj police filed a case against these 19 constables and their fathers for using fake freedom fighter certificates to secure an upper hand during recruitment. Later the case was handed over to the ACC. Among the 19 fathers, two have already died.

Asked what action would be taken against the fathers, whose names were falsely mentioned as freedom fighters on the fake certificates, an ACC official said high-ups of the commission would later decide on the issue.

Seeking anonymity, the official added that they were also considering the senile conditions of many of the constables' fathers. l

companies' production was not halted.

It's lawyer Manzil Murshid said that the companies are still producing the medicines and the products are available in market which is creating health hazards.

“We moved the petition seeking the court's directives to stop these acts immediately,” he said. l

illegal and why the licence of the 20 companies will not be cancelled.

Four companies then moved with the Appellate Division but the High Court order was upheld on June 15 by the appeals court.

The Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh moved with the supplementary petition after a newspaper ran a report that the

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

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YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:32AM

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23.0ºC Rangamati

Source: Accuweather/UNB

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Fajr: 4:55am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 5:15pm | Magrib: 6:50pm Esha: 8:45pm Source: Islamic Foundation

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Relief still a far cry for people living in remote areas n Ariful Islam, Kurigram

The flood situation has improved in the last couple of days, but sufferings of flood-affected people of Chilmari upzila, Kurigram yet to end, as they are still lacking of relief and rehabilitation.

During a visit to Ramna and Thanahat unions yesterday, this correspondent found that many houses were under water. Consequently, many people are still living at schools, roads and flood control embankment.

Water levels in 73 river stations across the country monitored by the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) marked falls and 11 stations recorded rises.

Among the 90 monitored water level stations, one river station has been registered steady while six rivers are flowing above the danger mark, a bulletin issued by FFWC said yesterday.

Flood victims said they were mostly suffering for lack of pure drinking water and sanitation facilities.

Halima Begum, who has been staying in a tent on a road at Chhoto Kusti village, said she had been suffering from arthritis for long, but she could visit a doctor since the flood water entered into their locality.

“My husband even cannot earn bread and butter for my family nowadays due to flood. Nobody came to us with relief and medicine still now,” she said.

Osman Goni, another resident of the locality, said he had been suffering from fever for five days, but he could not manage medicine for himself for lack of money. He urged the district administration to arrange relief as soon as possible.

Rasheda Begum said they

Tidal surge likely to submerge low-lying coastal areas

People of Kamarjani village, Gaibandha sadar upzila have already dismantled their houses, as erosion by the Brahmaputra River has taken a serious turn in the locality. The photo was taken yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE were facing various problems on the street. After being marooned they have been staying there, but nobody manage drink water or toilet system for them.

Chairman of Thanahat union Abdur Razzaque Milon urged the government and non-government organisations to come forward to help the flood victims.

Flood exposes parts of Gaibandha sadar to erosion

Parts of Gaibandha Sadar upazila were exposed to serious erosion by the Brahmaputra River.

“A good number of houses and arable land have been devoured by the river and many homesteads and other structures including business establishments and schools are threatened,” said Solaiman Islam Kachu, a resident of the area.

“We are trying to protect the area dumping sandbags in river at vulnerable points,” said Executive Engineer of the WDB Prokash Krishna Sarker.

Mid-day-meal at Thakurgaon schools Mostafiz, n Zakir Thakurgaon Md Humayun Khalid, secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education inaugarated mid day meal programme yesterday at Kastor Govt Primary School in Pirganj upazila of Thakurgaon district.

The district administration launched the programme for children to prevent dropout from the school. After the inaugaration programme, the secretary distributed meals

among the students.

“For normal growth and development, it is essential first to consider the usual nutritional needs of the child at his particular age, then to consider the modifications required because of the specific illness or handicapping condition which may alter normal food needs and feeding practices,” said Khalid.

DC Mukesh Chandra Biswas, former MP Imdadul Haque, Education Office Haresuddin and UNO ABM Iftekharul Islam were present on the occasion. l

Under the influence of steep pressure gradient over North Bay and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh, squally weather may affect the maritime ports, North Bay and adjoining coastal areas, said a met office release yesterday, reports BSS. Maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Pyra have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal no-three.

Low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Barguna, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barisal, Pirojpur, Bagherhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by tidal surge of 2-3 feet height above normal astronomical tide. l

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

JnU authorities seek land of old Dhaka jail to build dorms n Mohammad Jamil Khan Authorities of Jagannath University (JnU) sought the land of old Dhaka jail to construct dormitories there.

Authorities of the university yesterday made the appeal to the government at its academic council meeting presided over by Vice-Chancellor Dr Mizanur Rahman, said a press release.

A multi-storied dormitory, a cultural centre, a research centre and a museum would be constructed at the site of jail and these structures would be named after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and four national leaders – Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, M Mansur Ali and AHM Qamaruzzaman, if the land is allotted to the university, said the release.

The university academic council

also asked students to stop such practice that would hamper regular activities of the university, country’s lone non-residential public university.

Meanwhile, boycotting classes and examinations, students of the university continued their demonstrations, demanding construction of halls at the site.

Over 1,000 students of the JnU congregated in front of the university’s Shaheed Minar around 9am.

They later brought out a procession holding different banners, festoons and chanting slogans “Give us hall or kill us. The procession paraded different main points of the campus.

After the procession, the agitators locked the main gate of the university and staged a sit-in programme there for over three hours.

Mahima Tuku, a third year stu-

dent of geography department, said they had to suffer a lot for want of residential halls.

She also added they were now facing residential problems more than previous time due to the militancy and terrorism issues.

She said: “No one wants to make bachelors their tenants, then where we will reside?”

The protesting students also threatened to go on tougher movement if the university authorities did not meet up their demand immediately.

Proctor of JnU Dr Noor Mohammad said it was a logical movement.

“The university authorities are concerned about the accommodation crisis of students. That’s why we have sent a letter to Home Ministry to get the empty place of

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News

former central jail, which has been shifted to Keraniganj recently.

He also said the university authorities were keeping close watch on students’ movement so that no one can create nuisance taking the advantage of students’ movement.

Currently, about 20,000 students were studying at the university. The educational institution was transformed into a university in 2005 through pass of a bill named Jagannath University Act in the national parliament.

Students of the university often observe several kinds of programme such as procession and rally demanding measures to ease their accommodation crisis.

In 2014, students of the university staged demonstration on the campus for several days. l

5 die inhaling toxic gas in Jessore n Tauhid Zaman, Jessore Five people, including a man and his son, died inhaling toxic gas inside an under-construction septic tank at Borondali-Saraskathi village, Keshabpur upazila, Jessore yesterday.

Firefighters said two workers went down the septic tank around 4pm to remove support of its newly-built slab. As they were not coming up, three others labours also went down inside the tank and all of them died one after another inside the tank inhaling toxic gas.

Later, members of firefighters recovered the bodies.

Assistant Director of Jessore Fire Service and Civil Defence told the Dhaka Tribune that the workers had died due to inhalation of toxic gas. l

Two die taking adulterated liquor

n Bipul Sarkar Sunny, Dinajpur Two persons died after consuming adulterated liquor at Daudpur Bazar, Nababganj upazila, Dinajpur, in the early hours of yesterday.

Krishna Chandra Ray, 42, son of Amulyo Chandra Ray of Daudpur Bazar, and Abdul Baten, 46, son of Abul Kashem of Malpara village of the upazila, were friends.

Local sources said the two friends became sick after drinking the toxic liquor on Sunday night, but their family members did not take them to hospital.

Later, Krishna died around 12:30am and Baten at about 12:45am. l

A motorcyclist is compelled to cover his face with a handkerchief due to dust which is posing health risk. The photo was taken from Halisohor area in the port city yesterday RABIN CHOWDHURY

Discontent over fresh Ctg BNP committee n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong

The newly announced three-member Chittagong city committee of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party has triggered disappointment among grassroots activists and leaders.

Expressing skepticism over the sincerity and capacity of the fresh committee, they said upgrade of the three-member committee into a full-fledged was a far cry.

Some senior leaders of the party even alleged that the party high command could not maintain the custom of seniority while picking up Dr Shahadat Hossain as the president of the city chapter.

Other officer bearers of the com-

mittee are Abu Sufian, vice-president, and Abul Hashem Bakkar, secretary.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced three names of the fresh Chittagong city unit committee on Saturday.

Brushing aside all misgivings, the new office bearers assured party men that a full-fledged committee would be formed without any delay.

It may be mentioned that the last council of BNP’s city chapter could not be held as followers of BNP leaders- Abdullah Al Noman and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury locked in a fierce clash on November 16, 2009.

The central leaders had to re-

turn to Dhaka at that time without announcing any committee. Later a five-member committee was formed in January 2010, where Khasru and Dr Shahadat were made president and secretary, respectively, and Dastagir Chowdhury, Shamshul Alam and Abu Sufian were made vice-presidents.

Following the death of BNP leader Dastagir Chowdhury, the city chapter was running its organisational activities with only four members. Chittagong city chapter is supposed to be comprised of 151 members as per the constitution of the party.

Speaking on a note of disappointment, Abu Sufian said: “The party high command on several oc-

casions assured me that I would be made city unit president. Now it is a sheer disgrace to me that I have been superseded by Dr Shahadat.”

“My supporters and followers are pressing to step down. I have promised them of stepping aside as vice-president after meeting with the party chairperson,” said the aggrieved leader who was also vice-president in the previous committee.

“We have been eagerly waiting for a full-fledged city BNP committee for a long time. However, the previous committee signally failed to upgrade it in the last seven years,” said Abdus Sattar, former joint secretary of Chittagong city BNP. “The party workers are feeling

down in the dumps. A full-fledged city chapter will turn out to be a morale booster for the grassroots activists of the party,” said the party old guard.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Dr Shahadat Hossain said their first and foremost duty was to form a full-fledged committee within three to six months.

Dr Shahadat, however, said the previous committee where he acted as the secretary could not play its due role due to unfavourable political atmosphere in the country.

Abul Hashem Bakkar, secretary of the fresh committee also assured of forming a full-fledged committee very soon accommodating both old guard and fresh blood. l

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

7 killed in Nepal helicopter crash A helicopter crashed into a hillside, 22 kilometres north of the capital, in Nepal on Monday, killing all 7 people on board including a baby. The Kathmandu-bound Fishtail Air helicopter was carrying 6 passengers when it lost contact with air traffic control about 30 minutes after taking off from the western district of Gorkha.

-AFP

INDIA

India’s Lok Sabha approves biggest tax reform Parliament approved India’s biggest overhaul of indirect taxes on Monday after the lower house ratified a constitutional amendment Prime Minister Narendra Modi called a major step to make doing business easier. This measure will harmonise a mosaic of state and central levies into a national sales tax.

- REUTERS

CHINA

Thousands protest possible China-France nuclear project

Thousands of people took to the streets of a city in eastern China to protest against a possible Sino-French nuclear project, residents said Monday, as local police denied beating demonstrators.

Residents in Lianyungang, 480km north of Shanghai, shouted slogans and waved banners outside government offices at the weekend to complain about the health impacts of a suggested nuclear waste processing plant.

-AFP

ASIA PACIFIC

Japan’s Emperor Akihito hints at abdication Japan’s Emperor Akihito has made a rare televised address to the nation, expressing his fears for his health and his ability to carry on as emperor, and hinting that he wants to stand down.

Akihito has had heart surgery and treatment for prostate cancer. But Japanese law says the emperor must serve until death and is forbidden from appealing directly for retirement or abdication.

-THE GUARDIAN

MIDDLE EAST

Saudi-led coalition air strike kills 9 in Yemen A Saudi-led coalition air strike killed 9 civilians outside the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Sunday night as forces loyal to the exiled government stepped up an offensive in the area.

The strike hit Odhar village in the Nehm area, which has been at the centre of renewed fighting between supporters of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government and Iran-allied Houthi forces. - REUTERS

COW POLITICS

Modi balancing Dalit anger with antagonistic Hindu right n Siddharth Varadarajan Nearly 11 months after a mob lynched Mohammed Akhlaq in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh on suspicion of having killed a cow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally broken his silence on the violence that ‘gau rakshaks’ – ‘cow protectors’ – have unleashed in different parts of the country.

“I feel really angry at the way some people have opened shops in the name of cow protection. I have seen that some people commit anti-social activities through the night, but act as cow protectors by day”, the prime minister told an audience at a ‘town hall’ style interaction with an invited audience in Delhi on Saturday.

While Modi was careful not to refer to any one incident in particular, the trigger for his remarks appears to be the recent shocker in Una, Gujarat, where a group of Dalit men were brutally flogged by upper caste vigilantes for skinning a dead cow. A video recording has relayed the crime to every home across the country, to devastating effect. It has stoked Dalit anger and upset efforts by the Bharatiya Janata Party to attract Dalit votes in the run up to crucial elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

True to form, Modi stopped short of saying that the vigilantes ought to be prosecuted and punished, instead urging state government to prepare “dossiers” on these “cow protectors” and keep them under control. “It will be found that 70 to 80% are people who commit the kind of bad deeds which society does not accept. To hide their bad activities, they don the mantle of cow protectors,” he said.

Plastic politics

The documentary Plastic Cow, made in 2012 by Kunal Vohra for the Karuna Society for Animals and Nature has captured in graphic detail the horrible fate that cows in India are condemned to once they stop producing milk. “The recent comments of politicians and others in TV debates and newspaper reports on the need to protect the cow in India make me laugh at their hypocrisy. It is the poor animal that has become a pawn in these discussions. The biggest loser on the issue is the animal; nobody seems to really care,” Rukmini Shekhar, associated with the documentary, told my colleague Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty last year when The Wire

The then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi giving food to a cow at the Krushi Mela (Agricultural Fair) in Vadodara wrote about Plastic Cow. Now, Modi has delivered several fiery speeches since 2014 on how slaughter for meat is a major threat to cows in India. He attacked the Congress during the Lok Sabha election campaign for introducing a ‘pink revolution’ in India based on cow slaughter. He raised the beef issue again during the October 2015 election campaign in Bihar, and the BJP took out newspaper advertisements in that state on the eve of polling to urge voters to back the party if they wanted to save cows from slaughter.

I don’t recall any speech Modi made at a rally on the threat plastic poses to cows. Indeed, a Google search produces no examples of statements by Modi – before his ‘town hall’ on Saturday, that is – about the need to save cows from eating plastic.

Speaking about his own work in the service of cow, the prime minister claimed that at a camp he had organised for bovines, “at least two buckets full of plastic were removed from the stomach of one of them.”

Modi did not say when and where he had organised this camp but his description of the amount of plastic removed from a cow sounds suspiciously similar to the surgery shown in the Plastic Cow documentary film.

Be that as it may, if today Modi is upset that cow protectors want to save cows from slaughter and not from plastic, he has only his own toxic words to blame. Go online and read his speeches. You will find him speaking darkly about a ‘pink revolution’ and not a plastic one. The reason is obvious. When you talk about cow slaughter, you are polarising the electorate on religious lines. Talking about the

dangers of plastic is not so useful when the idea is to divide and rule.

What the BJP’s priorities are

Vigilantes also have a way of picking up signals from the laws that Modi and his colleagues have passed on cow slaughter. No law has even been considered by Modi and the BJP to help protect cows from plastic. A 2012 PIL by the Karuna Society to ban plastic bags and save the cow was finally disposed by the Supreme Court last month. Accepting that the situation is ‘very alarming’, the court directed the central and state governments to consider banning the use, sale and disposal of plastic bags.

Till now, there is no sign the Modi government is prepared to act.

Since the BJP came to power in the Centre and in states like Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand, not only have party-run governments tightened laws against cow slaughter but senior leaders have often used the beef issue as an emotive political tool without being censured by the prime minister.

Apart from Akhlaq, several Muslims have been murdered or attacked by cow vigilantes, including a man and boy in Jharkhand, and a Kashmiri truck driver near Udhampur. On none of these occasions did Modi make a public statement condemning the violence.

Indeed, senior BJP leaders, including Union culture minister Mahesh Sharma, the chief ministers of Jharkhand and Haryana, minister of state Sanjeev Baliyan and others, have either soft-pedaled these crimes or provided oblique justifications for them.

However, ever since the vigilantism of the ‘gau rakshaks’ started affecting the Dalits – who are an

PTI

important voting group that the BJP hopes to tap in the upcoming elections – Modi and his advisors have moved to limit the political fallout from their campaigning over the beef issue. The sacking of Anandiben Patel as chief minister of Gujarat was the first indication of damage control; though her exit was the product of internal wrangling within the BJP, the timing was such that Dalits could be told the CM was being punished for the Una incident.

Modi’s angry comments are a desperate attempt to placate Dalits and send a message to the vigilante groups – whose ‘anti-social’ foot-soldiers are drawn from the same political eco-system that the sangh parivar inhabits – that they should be more careful about their actions lest they end up hurting the BJP politically.

After his ‘town hall’ event, Modi took to Twitter to say: “The sacred practice of cow worship & the compassion of Gau Seva can’t be misused by some miscreants posing as Gau Rakshaks… There is absolutely no need for anyone to take the law in his or her hands & disturb the spirit of harmony & togetherness.”

The prime minister did not say or do anything to condemn them for their endorsement of vigilantism.

And today, when the worst that thugs who attack Dalits have to fear is to be part of a “dossier”, I don’t expect the lumpens who’ve been baiting Muslims in the name of the cow to feel the least bit unnerved.

[Siddharth Varadarajan is a Founding Editor of The Wire. He was earlier the Editor of The Hindu and is a recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Award for Journalist of the Year.] l

The article was first published on THE WIRE

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

ANALYSIS

USA

Why it matters: The US and the world n

Tribune International Desk

How should America use its influence in a world where being a superpower doesn’t get you what it once did? As instability and human tragedy in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria have shown, the US alone cannot impose solutions or force the surrender of adversaries like the Islamic State group, which cannot be deterred by the threat of nuclear attack, reports The Associated Press.

Where they stand

Donald Trump says his approach is defined by the phrase “America First.” He says, for example, that if allies in Europe and Asia won’t pay the full cost of US contributions to their defence, then the US should let them defend themselves. He is sour on “international unions that tie us up and bring America down.”

Hillary Clinton takes the view that America benefits from a wide network of alliances, both for security and for economic strength.

She says she would work to widen and strengthen that network. She criticizes a “go-it-alone” approach for the US and asserts that international partnerships are “a unique source of America’s strength.”

Why it matters

The way America wields its power

around the world affects people in every walk of life, in every corner of the country. Going to war in Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003 profoundly changed the lives of tens of thousands of people whose loved ones were killed or grievously wounded. It also raised questions that confront Clinton and Trump: How can American influence be used most effectively to protect the homeland and prevent future wars?

In Iraq and Syria, President Barack Obama has chosen not to use the full force of the US military against IS. Instead he has sent small numbers of troops to prod and coach local forces to do the main fighting, backed by US airpower. He says this is more likely to create a durable success than fighting the Iraqis’ and Syrians’ wars for them. Trump says this is an abdication of a commander-in-chief’s responsibility to extinguish as quickly as possible the most immediate threat to the United States. Clinton supports the thrust of Obama’s approach to avoiding another US war in the Mideast.

The Iran nuclear deal, which Trump trashes and Clinton praises, is an example of diplomacy with the potential to change the course of history, for better or worse. Critics like Trump say it opens the door for Iran to get

US AND WORLD MILITARY SPENDING

2016:

March 27: A bombing on Easter Sunday kills 65 people in a park in the eastern city of Lahore that was crowded with Christians, including many children March 16: A bomb rips through a bus carrying Pakistani government employees in the volatile northwestern city of Peshawar killing 15 people.

January 20: Islamic militants storm a school in Charsadda northeastern Pakistan in a deadly attack that lasted for hours. At least 20 people were killed and 23 are wounded

2015:

September 18: Taliban storm a mili-

2014:

December 16: Militants attack an army run school killing over 150 people, mostly children.

As if Hillary Clinton were not formidable enough of a rival, Donald Trump now faces competition from a new quarter-largely unknown Republican dissident, Evan McMullin, who launched his White House bid Monday. The 40-year-old McMullin’s entrance in the race highlights how the ‘Never Trump’ movement is still actively seeking to upend Trump’s candidacy less than three months before the election.

-AFP

Poll: Colombians turn against peace deal

its hands eventually on nuclear weapons, which would threaten America. Clinton says it blocks that path and provides possibilities for change in Iran that could reduce the chance of war.

At its core, the discussion about US leadership gets down to this: How much can the US accomplish acting alone, compared with allying itself with like-minded nations? The question applies not just on the military front but also in economics. Trump argues the US gets too little out of current trade arrangements as well as decades-old security partnerships like Nato, which is anchored in Europe but traditionally led by the US He has called Nato “obsolete”

and a bad deal for America.

Clinton, by contrast, sees Nato and alliances with Japan and South Korea as a pillar of US strategy for promoting peace and preventing war.

Trump is right when he says Nato was created to confront a threat - the Soviet Union - that no longer exists. The question is whether the alliance is capable of adapting to 21st century threats like a resurgent Russia, instability in the Middle East and the appeal of the Islamic State group. Whereas Trump suggests the US can be better off going it alone, Clinton aligns herself with the more traditional notion that there is strength in numbers. l

Major militant attacks in Pakistan in past 5 years tary air base used as a residential area on the outskirts of Peshawar, killing 29 people, including 16 who were praying inside a mosque.

August 16: A suicide bombing at the home of Punjab province’s home minister Shuja Khanzada kills 18 people, including the minister and a senior police officer.

May 29: Gunmen hijack a bus and kill 22 people near Pishin district in southwestern Baluchistan province.

May 13: Gunmen storm a bus carrying Shiite Muslims in southern city of Karachi and kill 45 people.

April, 11: Gunmen in restive southwestern Pakistan kill 20 workers at a dam construction site.

February 14: Taliban militants storm a Shiite mosque in the city of Peshawar, killing 20 people.

January 30: A suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in southern city of Shikarpur kills 59 people.

Anti-Trump conservative launches US presidential bid

THE AMERICAS

CHRONICLE

A suicide bombing that killed more than 60 people and wounded nearly 100 others on Monday at a gathering of lawyers on the grounds of a government-run hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta was the latest in a string of mass killings by militant groups around Pakistan.

Here is a look at some major attacks in the past six years in Pakistan by militants.

DT

World

November 2: Taliban suicide bomber kills 60 in attack on a paramilitary checkpoint close to the Wagah border crossing with India.

June 9: Ten gunmen disguised as police guards attack a terminal at Pakistan’s busiest airport with machine guns and a rocket launcher, killing 13 people during a five-hour siege.

June 8: A suicide bomber in the country’s southwest killed at least 23 Shiite pilgrims returning from Iran.

2013:

September 22: A twin suicide bomb blast in a Peshawar church kills at least 85 people.

August 17: Heavily armed Taliban fighters blast their way into a Pakistani air force base, leaving two security officers and nine insurgents dead.

June 22: 10 Foreign climbers are killed by militants on Nanga Parbat, ninth highest mountain in world.

March 3: Explosion in Karachi kills 45 Shiites outside a mosque.

January 10: Bombing in Shiite area of

southern city of Quetta kills 81 people.

2012:

November 22: A Taliban suicide bomber struck a Shiite Muslim procession in the city of Rawalpindi, near Pakistan’s capital, killing 23 people.

January 5: Taliban shoot and kill 15 Pakistani frontier police after holding them hostage for more than a year.

2011:

September 20: Militants kill at least 26 Shiites on a bus near the southern city of Quetta.

May 23: Pakistani commandos recapture a major naval base from Taliban attackers who struck to avenge the killing of Osama bin Laden in a US raid.

Militants destroyed two U.S.-supplied surveillance aircraft and killed at least 10 personnel.

May 13: A pair of Taliban suicide bombers attacks paramilitary police recruits in Shabqadar, killing 80, also in retaliation for bin Laden’s killing. l

Source: AP

A poll published Sunday indicated that Colombians would reject a peace deal to end the country’s half-century civil war in a planned referendum worrying that the deal would see Farc fighters reintegrated into society without being tried over the bloodshed. Just 39% of respondents backed the peace deal and 50% opposed it, in the study by polling firm Ipsos published by Colombian media.

-AFP

UK

Travel misery for London commuters Hundreds of thousands of train commuters in London and southern England were facing misery on Monday as rail staff began a five-day strike in a safety row over who opens and closes the doors.

The dispute centres on the role of conductors, staff who currently have responsibility for opening and closing the carriage doors. -REUTERS

EUROPE

Italy top court gives go ahead to political reform referendum Italy’s highest court on Monday gave a green light to a national referendum that Prime Minister Matteo Renzi says will guarantee political stability and on which he has staked his future. The Court of Cassation ruled positively on the validity of the more than 500,000 signatures needed by law for a referendum to be held.

-REUTERS

AFRICA

30 protesters killed in Ethiopia’s Oromiya region At least 33 people were shot dead by security forces in protests at the weekend across Ethiopia’s central Oromiya region linked to an aborted government attempt to commandeer local land, opposition party officials said on Monday. Unrest wracked Oromiya for several months until early this year, sparked by plans to allocate farmland in the region surrounding the capital for development.

-REUTERS

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

ANALYSIS

Key challenges for Nepal’s new PM Prachanda n Tribune International Desk Nepal’s new prime minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, commonly known as Prachanda, comes to office at a time when his country is facing serious internal and external challenges. He will have to solve these issues to maintain political stability in the country.

Prachanda was elected as the 39th PM of Nepal on August 3, replacing Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) Chairman KP Sharma Oli with backing from the Nepali Congress, Madhesh-based parties, and other fringe parties in Parliament. Prachanda secured 363 votes out of 573, meaning 210 lawmakers voted against him.

His victory made him the first communist prime minister in Nepal who has been elected for a second term.

When it comes to internal challenges, Prachanda’s first priority is addressing the demands of Madhesh-based parties on rethinking the demarcation of provinces. This is a necessary step toward the implementation of Nepal’s newly adopted constitution, which caused protests in the southern part of country. Madhesis complained that the current demarcation of provinces would leave them underrepresented; they want two provinces in Nepal’s southern belt.

A look main challenges facing the tiny South Asian nation, home to the world’s tallest mountains--

Strange bedfellows

A single political party has been unable to capture a majority of seats in parliamentary elections, forcing it to form a coalition with the second biggest vote getter. The main partners in the last government were the two largest communist parties, but their failed to overcome the differences between them. The Maoists are former communist rebels who came to power after giving up armed struggle, while the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) has been mainstream for decades. They are both competing for voters who believe in communist ideology. Dahal led the communist insurgency between 1996 and 2006, while his coalition partner Sher Bahadur Deuba (leader of the Nepali Congress party) once offered a $50,000 bounty for Dahal’s head when he was prime minister. The Nepali Congress is in no better position and the fault lines between the old Koirala group and that of Deuba are still present and visible. There is already a competition in getting the Home ministership with many including Situala vying for the post. There is also the demand that the proportion within the cabinet allotted to the Nepali Congress should be 60 and 40 between the two groups! The common perception in the valley is that Deu-

ba is too close to India though it is not the real position. The younger leadership is yet to get an opportunity to prove itself.

citizens and those of marginalized groups. However, it took political parties seven years to complete the task. The first Constituent Assembly was elected in 2008 with a two-year deadline, but was disbanded after four years. The second assembly, elected in 2013, managed to finish the job in September 2015, but the constitution was rejected by ethnic groups in southern Nepal.

Devastating earthquake

The April 25, 2015, earthquake and aftershocks killed nearly 9,000 people and damaged 1 million buildings. Though the government and donors were quick to distribute plastic sheets, tents and food, reconstruction have been slow and nearly 4 million people are still homeless. It took nearly a year for the government to form the earthquake reconstruction authority and it managed to give the first grant installments to only a few thousand families. Foreign donors have pledged $4.1bn in aid, but only half was made available. Nepal says it needs $7.9bn over the next 5 years.

Ethnic trouble

The Madhesi ethnic group in southern Nepal bordering India clashed with police and imposed a general strike in the region. They also blocked border crossings, cutting off supplies that led to severe shortages of fuel and medicines. More than 50 people were killed in the protests, which ended in February without meeting the group’s key demands- more land in the new federal state assigned to them by the new constitution. Other smaller ethnic groups also demanded their own separate states. The Madhesi groups are in a real dilemma. They are not united and they would never be. There is some temptation to join the alliance and at least give outside support. Will they get anything substantial be it the Maoists or the Nepali Congress? Highly doubtful.

Any accommodation with the new dispensation without getting some visible concession will be suicidal for them and will only

Short-lived governments

The new government led by Dahal is the ninth in the past 10 years. It is also the 24th government over the last 26 years. Most have been coalition governments as squabbling over who gets to be prime minister or gets key ministerial portfolios has often ended partnerships.

New constitution

After the monarchy was abolished, political parties and Maoists attempted to draft a new constitution that would guarantee rights of

Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda REUTERS encourage demand for secession.

Economy

Nepal’s inflation rate this year hit 10.5%, while the economy grew barely 1.5%. Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the region and imports most of its supplies and all of the oil products. Nepal’s main source of foreign currency is hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists and money sent by an estimated 4 million Nepalese working abroad. The India border blockade last year and early this year made the situation worse.

Energy and water shortages

Even though Nepal has several mountain rivers that can be used to produce electricity from hydro-power plants, it continues to face huge power shortages. Consumers face up

to 12 hours of daily rolling outages. It was not possible to build new plants during the communist insurgency and only a few have been built since then. Tap water for Kathmandu’s 3 million people is available only two hours a week on average.

Nepal will continue to have political instability for the next few months. Some substantial progress can be made in the restructuring and rehabilitation in the earthquake affected area if a sincere effort is made. Progress can also be achieved in transitional justice if the leaders really want it.

It will be interesting to see how Dahal is going to meet all these challenges. l

Sources: AP, South Asia Analysis Group, Nepali Times

NEPAL: AT A GLANCE Population: 26.62 million Ethnicity More than 120 caste/ethnic groups Top 5,% Chhetree

Religion Hinduism 81

CHINA

Buddhism 9

16.6

Brahman-Hill

Kathmandu

12.18

Magar

7.12 6.56

Tharu Tamang

Christianity 1

5.81

3.4

Kirat 3

GDP current

$20.88bn

5.4

4.8

4.5

Islam 4

INDIA

60 km

Poverty Share of population below national poverty line, % 31.5

Bangladesh

Economy Annual growth, % 6.1 4.8

Everest 8,848 m

Surface area: 147,181 km²

4.1

Forecast 0.5 3.4

GDP per capita

$732

25.2

Nepal India

21.9

Maldives

15

Bhutan Sri Lanka

12 6.7

Inflation

7.2% 200809 10 11

12 13 14 15 2016

Source : IMF/Nepal Statistical Yearbook/TourismStatistics/WBank/ADB

11

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

TOP STORIES Banks warned on suspicious foreign investment source Bangladesh Bank has asked the Authorised Dealer (AD) banks not to get allured with investment proposal from any suspicious foreign persons or firms.

PAGE 13

German industrial output points to weak quarterly growth German industrial production rebounded in June, official data showed yesterday, but analysts warned that the expansion won’t redeem a sluggish second quarter for Europe’s biggest economy.

PAGE 15

OPEC calls informal September meeting OPEC said yesterday it has called an informal meeting of member countries for next month in Algeria to help stabilise the oil market.

PAGE 15

Capital market snapshot: Monday DSE Broad Index

4,569.1

0.0% ▲

Index

1,121.1

-0.1% ▼

30 Index

1,785.7

-0.2% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk

4,632.9

10.8% ▲

Turnover in Mn Vol

107.7

15.8% ▲

CSE All Share Index 14,063.7 30 Index Selected Index

12,940.6

0.1% ▲ -0.1% ▼

8,562.7

0.1% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

255.3

-6.6% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

8.0

14.2% ▲

Export earnings fall 3.5% in July n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Bangladesh’s export earnings have seen a 3.5% fall to $2.53 billion due to negative growth of clothing sector in the first month of current fiscal year compared to the same period a year ago.

According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) provisional data, in July 2016, Bangladesh fetched $2.53 billion, which is 3.49% less compared to $2.62 billion in July 2015.

The figure is nearly 25% less than that of the target of $3.37 billion set for the month of July 2016.

Trade analysts and manufacturers as well as the government have attributed Eid vacation to the downtrend of export earnings.

They argued that the factories, especially the RMGs, were closed due to the vacation, which caused less production.

“Negative growth is not expected, but it may be caused by the Eid vacation,” Khondaker Golam Moazzem, additional research director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), told the Dhaka Tribune.

There is no connection between the current situation of the country and the work orders executed in July, which were placed two to three months ago, said Moazzem.

“If the downtrend continues, we will have to think about the new measures for reaching the target.”

Meanwhile, the country’s RMG export earnings witnessed a 4.41% decline to $2.11 billion in July, which was $2.22 billion in the same period a year ago. The figure is

Unusually long vacation during Eid-ul-Fitr is said to have dampened exports last month as most of the facories including that of readymade garments remained closed RAJIB DHAR 23.60% less than the target of $3.03 billion set for the month of July 16.

As per the data, Knitwear products earned $1.07 billion with 4.45% downswing while woven fetched $1.04 billion, posting a 4.36% fall.

In the last fiscal year, Bangladesh earned $28 billion from the country’s apparel industry, which contributed 82% to the overall export of $34.25 billion.

“Production of RMG factories remained closed from 7 to 10 days due to vacation on Eid ul-Fitr. This caused slow production, which is a reason behind the negative growth of export earnings,” Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Ex-

porters Association (BGMEA) president Mahmud Hasan Khanm Babu told the Dhaka Tribune.

In August and the months to come, the sector will see better growth as the factories are in fullfledged production, he said.

“In June, there were more pressures on the workers to meet the shipment earlier ahead of Eid. As a result, some shipments scheduled for July was done in June, a high official of EPB told the Dhaka Tribune, seeking anonymity.

He argued that some shipments were executed earlier caused less earnings in July while vacation cast a shadow on production.

In June, Bangladesh earned

$3.58 billion, posting a 16.74% growth compared to the same period a year ago.

As per the provisional data, leather and leather product export earnings saw 2.26% fall to $92.50 million while leather footwear posted a 4.31% negative growth to $49.70 million. Frozen food and fish exports posted a meager fall by 0.11% to $37.77 million.

Meanwhile, export earnings from jute and jute goods achieved a moderate growth, riding on better performance of raw jute export.

Earnings from jute and jute goods grew by 25.71% to $69.77, while earnings from raw jute increased 74.30% to $25.50 million. l

No China credit until limited tender system finalised n Asif Showkat Kallol China has abstained from investing in new Bangladeshi projects as limited tender processing system for the Chinese firms has not been finalised yet, according to an Economic Relations Division document.

Bangladesh is going to introduce new criteria for the Chinese contractors to implement its development projects under the Chinese credit, officials said, which include limited tender system for Chinese projects and direct procurement system for priority projects.

Economic Relations Division has already sent a proposal on the new criteria to the Cabinet Division, which will be placed at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for approval.

Senior Secretary Mohammad Mejbahuddin signed the proposal.

The proposal said China keeps itself from invest in new development projects in Bangladesh as the limited tender processing system has yet to be finalised.

At a meeting in Dhaka on August 15, 2015 China’s commerce minister and Bangladesh’s finance minister agreed to introduce limited tender processing system for the China-funded projects in Bangladesh.

Although the ERD sent a letter on limited tender on May 2, 2016 to the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka, the embassy has responded yet about finalising the new system.

Bangladesh government has so far selected Chinese contractors under direct procurement method to implement projects under the Chinese concessional loans and

preferential buyer’s credit.

On August 12, 2015 the cabinet committee on economic affairs decided and later directed the ministries and divisions to avoid unsolicited Chinese development

projects apart from projects under the Speedy Supply of Power and Energy Law (Special Provision) Act 2010 and projects under the Public-Private Partnership initiative. l

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Banks warned on suspicious Stocks end flat n foreign investment source Tribune Business Desk

n Tribune Business Desk Bangladesh Bank has asked the Authorised Dealer (AD) banks not to get allured with investment proposal from any suspicious foreign persons or firms.

“Banks have been warned against such investment proposal,” said a BB circular issued yesterday.

The warning came in the wake of concern of terrorist financing from foreign sources.

The circular reads investment proposal from suspicious individuals or organisations is sometimes found nontransparent and incomplete. As a result, the financing

source cannot be confirmed.

It noted that the aim of such investment proposal is not to invest but to pocket some money from local sponsors in the name of primary expense.

Such foreign investors try to allure local sponsors by getting them an opportunity to get big investment from other sources, it added.

The central bank suggested banks to be cautious about such investment proposal to avoid risk of being affected and to take necessary measures to make their sponsor clients aware.

Banks have to confirm that an internationally well-reputed bank

or financial institution is involved with investment process before accepting any foreign investment proposal, according to the circular.

“If any investment proposal appears suspicious, banks should inform its respective sponsor client about it and give necessary advices.”

Banks have also been asked to circulate the instruction to all branch managers across the country.

The central bank will have to be informed about the measures taken by the banks in this regard within two weeks from the date of issuance of the circular. l

Stocks ended flat in green yesterday in choppy trade, led by mainly large cap issues.

The DSE benchmark index DSEX witnessed a fractional rise of 0.7 points to 4,569.

The blue-chip comprising index DS30 inched over 3 points down to 1,785. The DSE Shariah Index DSES lost only 1 point to 1,121.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX rose 10 points to 8,562.

Cement sector suffered most as it declined by 1.4%, led by Lafarge Surma Cement with a drop of over 2%.

Most other sectors, including bank, telecommunication, non-banking financial institution and power fell marginally.

Engineering sector was the best performer, rising about 1.2%, driven

by BSRM Steel, the country’s leading steel maker, which gained over 2%.

Textile sector was the second best performer, posting a rise of 1%, led by Desh Garments that climbed about 7%. Food & allied and pharmaceuticals sectors closed flat.

Trading activities improved but still remained far below than expected level as the DSE turnover stood at Tk463 crore, up more than 10% from previous session.

Tannery sector showed the highest turnover increase of over 87% while telecommunication showed the highest turnover loss of about 50%.

Engineering sector had the highest contribution of over 21% to the total DSE turnover. l

Walton sees 45% sales growth in January-July n Tribune Business Desk Walton, a local manufacturer of electronics products, posted 45% growth in sales of its products during the first six months of the year compared to the same period a year ago.

In addition, the overall turnover during the first half of the current year also surpassed the target of that period.

According to statistics of sales department of Walton, during January-June period of 2016, the local brand posted more than about 50% growth in the sales of its produced fridges against the sales of the corresponding period of 2015, said a statement of the company.

Walton also witnessed about 58% growth in the turnover of its televisions, including color line and LED. In addition, about 241% growth was seen in the sales of LED televisions.

Like fridges and televisions, Walton is also experiencing a strong presence in the country’s electronics and

electrical home appliances market.

During January to June’ 16, sales of Walton brand home appliances were gone up by about 78% against the sales of the same period of the previous year.

Witnessing huge customers’ demand for home and electrical appliances, the local brand is now manufacturing a wide range of home appliances in its own factory at Chandra in Gazipur.

The overall sales of Walton brand products increased by 45%in the first half of the current year due to improved quality, wide spread service points and reduced prices of products, said Md Rayhan, deputy director (marketing) of Walton Group.

Walton Group’s Executive Director and Chief Coordinator of Marketing Eva Rezwana said: “Achieving continuous growth in the business turnover through marketing world-class products is a special uniqueness of Walton brand.”

She also hoped that the growth will remain in future. l

Participants at a workshop on ‘Supercrete for Sustainable Urbanization in Bangladesh,’ organised by Lafarge Surma Cement at a hotel in Sylhet recently. This is a part of the district-level awareness building campaign on high-rise buildings. Engineers from Local Government Department and different other institutions conducted the workshop. Similar workshops were also held in Bogra, Tangail and Mymensingh PR

Biman asked to submit report on ticket sales earning n Ishtiaq Husain

Parliamentary standing committee on Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry has asked Biman Bangladesh Airlines to submit a report on its earnings, expenditures and profits from ticket selling.

The parliamentary watchdog came up with the instruction at a meeting held at Sangsad Bhaban in the city yesterday with Faruk Khan, MP, in the chair.

The meeting was attended, among others, by Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Me-

non, Professor Md Ali Ashraf, Tanvir Imam, Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, Rowshan Ara Mannan and Secretary to the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry SM Ghulam Farooque.

Underscoring the need for resuming Biman’s flights on Dhaka-New York-Dhaka and Dhaka-Rome-Dhaka routes, the committee members said: “Though it was an election pledge made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2008, the national flag carrier has so far failed to resume its flight on the two prestigious routes despite repeated initiatives.”

In this regard, chairman of the

committee Faruk Khan urged all the members to expedite all the process, so Biman can resume its Dhaka-New York-Dhaka flights quickly.

To resume Dhaka-New York-Dhaka flights, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) will have to achieve Federal Aviation Administration SEC-3 certificate and implement the Civil Aviation Act 2016.

In 2006, national flag carrier suspended its Dhaka-New York-Dhaka route due to loss while it was also forced to postpone its Dhaka-Rome-Dhaka flight due to lack of passengers.

The meeting also reviewed the development project works of Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong. The project includes a number of boarding bridges, expansion of runway, taxiway, modernisation of radar system and cargo village construction works.

A parliamentary sub-committee, which was formed to investigate into the irregularities and miss-management of the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, also submitted its report at the meeting.

The report recommended for establishing a better human re-

sources management system as the committee found different types of mismanagement as less qualified people have been posted to the important positions.

Sub-committee also found that the current General Manager of the hotel E J Mac Ewan, who has been holding the position for seven years, is allegedly involved with different irregularities.

Besides, the parliamentary committee warned the contractor of taking stern action for the delay in the construction works of Ruposhi Bangla hotel. l

Business

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

German industrial output points to weak quarterly growth

Steam rises from the cooling towers of the coal power plant of RWE, one of Europe’s biggest electricity and gas companies in Niederaussem, north-west of Cologne REUTERS

n AFP, Frankfurt German industrial production rebounded in June, official data showed yesterday, but analysts warned that the expansion won’t redeem a sluggish second quarter for Europe’s biggest economy.

Industrial output posted growth of 0.8% in June compared with the previous month, preliminary data adjusted for price, calendar and seasonal effects from the federal

Dollar extends rally on upbeat US jobs data n AFP, Tokyo The dollar rose against the yen and most emerging market currencies yesterday after news that the US economy added more jobs than expected last month.

On Friday, the Labor department said the world’s top economy added 255,000 jobs in July, beating analyst forecasts for an increase of 185,000 payrolls, while also upgrading employment estimates for the prior two months.

The figures boost the likelihood of a Federal Reserve interest rate hike this year, after soft GDP data had all but taken a rise off the table.

“In terms of relative monetary policy, the US dollar will have more upside against the euro and the pound because the Bank of England is easing and the risk is ECB (European Central Bank) eases more,” Elias Haddad, a senior currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, told Bloomberg News.

At the same time, “the monetary policy divergence that we’ve had last year or two years ago isn’t going to be as pronounced this year even if the Fed does raise its rate in December.” l

statistics office Destatis showed.

It was a slightly weaker performance than expected ahead of Friday’s quarterly GDP growth announcement, as analysts surveyed

by Factset had predicted 0.9% growth.

Growth in June meant a turnaround from May’s unexpected 0.9% shrinkage, which Destatis on Monday revised down from the preliminary figure of 1.3%.

The latest release completes a

picture of a 1% decline in production over the second quarter, the economy ministry said in a statement.

June’s increase “comes too late to make a disappointing quarter for German industry a good one,” economist Carsten Brzeski at ING Diba bank wrote.

But the figures “take away some fears of a hard landing of the German economy in the second quarter,” he went on.

“GDP will post only a small gain at best” based on the production figures and other key indicators, Ralph Solveen of Commerzbank predicted.

Looking to individual sectors, manufacturing saw production growth of 1.5% while construction shrank by 0.5%.

Analysts noted that manufacturing growth in June was unsurprising, as May saw a large number of public holidays cut into output - especially in the automotive sector.

Meanwhile, another weak showing for construction confirmed that slowing production over the second quarter was “largely traceable to delays due to bad weather in the construction sector,” the economy ministry said in a statement. l

CORPORATE NEWS

National Bank Limited has recently held a business review meeting, said a press release. The bank’s EVP, Hossain Akhtar Chowdhury presided over the meeting

US-Bangla Airlines Limited has recently signed an agreement with Social Islami Bank Limited on providing the bank’s employees and credit cardholders with 4% discount on ticket fare for domestic flights, said a press release. The bank’s DMD, Md Tarik Morshed and Md Shafiqul Islam, head of marketing and sales of US-Bangla Airlines Limited have signed the agreement

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

OPEC calls informal September meeting n AFP, Vienna OPEC said yesterday it has called an informal meeting of member countries for next month in Algeria to help stabilise the oil market.

The Vienna-based Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said in a statement that the meeting would take place on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum in Algeria from September 26 to 28.

“OPEC continues to monitor developments closely, and is in constant deliberations with all member states on ways and means to help restore stability and order to the oil market,” it said.

OPEC President Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada reiterated the organisation’s view that oil demand will pick up in the third and fourth quarters of this year.

OPEC sees recent oil price declines and current market volatili-

A view of an oil refinery off the coast of Singapore ty as “only temporary” and due to weak refinery margins, an inventory overhang and the impact of Britain’s decision to leave the EU on the crude oil futures market.

An expected return of economic growth in oil-consuming countries would rekindle demand for oil in

REUTERS

the remainder of the year while oil supply would tighten, leading to higher prices.

Al-Sada added that more investment in oil production was needed to meet growing demand and offset declining output from existing wells.

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Business Oil production was expected to decline as a result of an “unprecedented drop in capital expenditure” in the industry since last year.

Oil edged higher to near $42 a barrel in Asia yesterday but analysts said the increase was unlikely to last as the commodity remains under pressure by a supply glut and a strong dollar.

Prices have been fluctuating since entering a bear market last week, falling more than 20% and closing below $40 a barrel for the first time since April.

OPEC said last month it expected the global supply glut to ease further this year and next thanks to reductions in oil output from producers outside the cartel, particularly the United States.

If accurate, this would be a vindication of its Saudi-led strategy since 2014 of squeezing non-OPEC suppliers by keeping production at high levels despite low prices. l

Oil rises on fresh calls for production freeze

n Reuters, London

Oil received a boost yesterday from reports of renewed talks by some OPEC members to restrain output, but analysts warned the bearish fundamentals that brought prices to four-month lows last week still lurked in the background.

International benchmark Brent futures LCOc1 were trading at $44.77 per barrel at 0930 GMT (0530 ET), up 50 cents, or 1.13%, from their last close.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were at $42.35 per barrel, up 55 cents, or 1.32%.

The rise came on the back of fresh calls by some members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to freeze production levels in a bid to rein in output that has consistently outpaced demand. l

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Tech

Power play This week we take a look at the smartphones with the best batteries

n Mahmood Hossain All those smartphone brands can upgrade their specs and models all they want. Their flashy new gimmicks and beautiful designs will only steal the focus away from one of our number one priorities: battery life. The better the specifications and apps get, the more we need to rely on our batteries. Sure, there is a large collection of different kinds of attachable battery packs and power bricks, but who has ever found that bulky look to their phones in the first place?

If your first priority is battery life, or the fact that it’s a very important aspect of a device, here’s a list of the smartphones with the best batteries in the market.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Active (S7 Edge and S7)

The entire S7 line is incredibly impressive.

Not only is this the best overall Android smartphone around, the battery on this sucker puts up some favourable numbers. After testing them out in the real world, the running time on these devices put up to 16,19, and 21 hours. From light, moderate to heavy use of the device, you really can’t go wrong with the new flagships from Samsung.

Motorola Moto Z Force

This modular (mostly) smartphone has a wonderfully durable display, and having various accessories to tag onto it doesn’t hurt either.

It may not be the prettiest phone you’ve ever seen but it does possess quite a long-lasting battery that clocks up to 16 and a half hours.

Being the slightly bigger sibling of the slimmer Moto Z, you’ll be able to have one of these phones in the market soon enough.

Xiaomi Mi5

Okay, perhaps the name doesn’t roll off the tongue as the others but this device houses a 3,000mAh battery. Similar to the OnePlus 3, it has a 16-megapixel camera with a 5.15-inch screen. In addition, the design looks ridiculously premium, as if it’s ready for the runway at Milan Fashion Week.

OnePlus 3

The folks at OnePlus really know how to upgrade their cash-cow. We’ve seen pretty good changes from one model to the next. The newest device is much more attractive to look at, and it won’t cost you a ridiculous amount to own one.

Even with its 16-megapixel camera, Snapdragon 820 processor and 5.5-inch display, the battery still kicks in over 14 hours. And let’s not forget its trademarked Dash charging technology that charges the device super fast.

Huawei Mate 8

This 6-inch display device is a beast. The screen is obviously jaw dropping, surrounded by its all-metal build and fingerprint reader. And the battery?

4,000mAh battery that can last up to 15 and a half hours of continuous video play. Try to comprehend all these numbers, shall we? However, the biggest drawback to this device is that it’s not as affordable as the other impressive phones in the list. So if you have a tighter budget, look elsewhere, we won’t blame you.

Samsung Galaxy J3 This Mighty Mouse of a gadget is almost the opposite of the expensive Mate 8. Samsung, again, makes the list with this very affordable model in the line-up. Impressive battery life isn’t only found in flagship phones, as the J3 rocks a removable battery (big plus) that puts up 15 hours and 40 minutes to last you the entire day.

Battery life on phones will continue to get better as the years go on, but for now, we’re actually in pretty good hands with handsets like these. As mentioned before, there are plenty of battery packs out there to attach to your phones in any case. But if you want to avoid spending the extra money and carrying all that unattractive bulk, start with the phones on this list. l

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Feature

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

The unwanted censorship Are we sacrificing basic freedoms for the sake of security?

n Mahmood Sadi Blocking websites is not a new thing for the governments; let alone for the Bangladeshi one.

In a crackdown on media, the Bangladesh government has recently blocked over 30 online portals and news websites, including some pro-opposition media. Interestingly, Bangladesh’s telecoms regulator simply told the media that the sites were shut down on government orders, without citing any reason for the action.

One justifiable reason that can give some sort of consolation to Bangladesh’s netizens who want to see the internet in its freest possible nature is that- as the country is waging a war against terrorism, the authorities have a free pass to close down sites and social media pages on security grounds.

Ironically, the Bangladesh government action came just after one week of United Nations Human Rights Council passing of a nonbinding resolution condemning countries that prevent or disrupt access to the internet.

That resolution was passed in line with the declaration which the United Nations made in 2011 that internet access is a fundamental human right.

A precedence Earlier the Bangladesh government blocked popular social media sites for nearly about three weeks in last November after the death penalties of two eminent (war criminals) had been finalised.

The decision to restrict access to those sites were presumably made by the authorities in anticipation of retaliation by pro-war criminal extremist groups and their followers, who have attempted to create chaos and spread propaganda through social networking sites during this period.

That blocking had been done through the country’s International Internet Getaways (IIG). Now the government wants to take it a step further. It is now planning to take over the direct control of blocking any website if it feels that the site might pose security or any sort of threats to the country.

Under a Tk 150 crore project of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication (MoPT), it will establish a direct control room where it will install

PHOTO: BIGSTOCK

centralised software to block the internet traffic. The Department of Telecommunication under the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication (MoPT) will host that control room and it will be run by the department staff.

It is to be noted that two years ago the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) called for a tender for to install a complete security solution in the telecom regulators headquarter. One bidder placed the lowest bid worth of Tk 25 crore to install the package within the BTRC headquarter. Later the MoPT cancelled that project on the grounds that the regulator should not have establishments like that.

This was before the Department of Telecommunication was formed in the Ministry.

Where there is a will Usually, there are three commonly used techniques to block access to Internet sites: IP blocking, DNS tampering, and URL blocking using a proxy. These techniques are used to block access to specific WebPages, domains, or IP addresses. These methods

Few things are more inimical to, or threatening of, internet freedom than allowing functionaries inside governments to unilaterally block websites from functioning on the ground that the ideas those sites advocate are objectionable or “dangerous are most frequently used where direct jurisdiction or control over websites are beyond the reach of authorities.

The problem however is while technologies can be effective at blocking specific content such as high profile websites, it is not entirely possible to prevent access to those websites through proxy servers. It happened in Bangladesh when people used Facebook through proxy server even though it was blocked by the IIGs. A proxy website acts as an intermediate source between the user and server the site being contacted is hosted on. Users send requests to proxy websites which

conveys them to the site’s server.

The reply received by the proxy website is then forwarded to the user’s computer. This gives an impression to ISP’s and blocking software that the user is visiting the proxy website but in reality, s/he is visiting the site which was blocked.

However, when proxies cause problems, autonomous system number (ASN) blocking provides a very controversial way to block access to particular websites.

Some governments across the world Including China and Jordan have implemented that in their countries.

To make this easier to understand, each ISP has an ASN

allocated for particular IP ranges it controls. If a government wants to block a website, it can “trick” its own infrastructure by allocating a smaller ASN (creating a path of least resistance) with an IP range containing the IP of the website it wants to block. This will direct routers to go to its own version of a particular website rather than the website itself.

Because of this, it wouldn’t matter whether someone types the IP address or the URL for YouTube; he/she won’t be able to access it either way because the government has fooled the router into thinking that the IP address is hosted in that particular country.

Surveillance state?

It is not known whether the government is planning on the full Monty in blocking the websites or not. Whatever it is, few things are more inimical to, or threatening of, internet freedom than allowing functionaries inside governments to unilaterally block websites from functioning on the ground that the ideas those sites advocate are objectionable or “dangerous.

Every netizen across the world would agree upon that. l

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Biz Info

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

| welfare |

| dining |

Mayor Anisul meets Uttara residents

South East Asian flavours at The Westin Dhaka

Dhaka North City Corporation-1 organised a meeting between

the mayor Anisul Haque and residents of Uttara. Around 400

people from different walks of life including owners of establishments, businessmen, teachers and students shared their thoughts, views, complaints and demands with the mayor.

Anisul Haque assured them by sharing his plans worth Tk120 crores which is to be implemented for the betterment of Uttara. He asked for their support in achieving the goal of providing them with better city facilities.

The meeting was held at Dhaka North City Corporation community center, sector 6, Uttara. l

Experience the exotic flavours of Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia at the South East Asian food festival hosted by The Westin Dhaka from the August 4 till 11, 2016. The week-long food festival will highlight the sizzling cuisines of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and other South East Asian countries. Popular dishes such as Satays, Gado-gado, Beef Rendang, Undang Masak Lemak, Singapore Chicken Rice, Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Ice Kacang and many other delicacies will be served at Seasonal Tastes throughout the week and the dishes will prepared by chef Jegatheeswaran Kuppusamy, the newly appointed Chef de Cuisine at The Westin Dhaka.

The buffet dinner is priced

| cosmetics |

at Tk4500 net and guests can avail special card and telco offers during the food festival. Prior reservations will have to be made by calling +8801730374871 in order to avoid disappointment.

The inauguration of South East Asian Flavours took place on August 4 at the Silver Room of The Westin Dhaka and the festival was inaugurated by H E Darryl Lau (consul of Singapore), H E Nur Ashikin Binti Mohd Taib (ambassador of Malaysia), H E Iwan Wiranata-atmadja (ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia) and Dilip Madhok (general manager, The Westin Dhaka). Officials of the embassies, consulate, the hotel and media representatives were present at the ceremony. l

| event |

Shape up Dr Jhumu Khan’s Laser Medical is now offering Ultracontour, a non-invasive option from France, to enhance your curves by reducing the number of fat cells without surgery and better shape your body by trimming abs, love handles, hips and thighs to give you the perfect figure.

For more information, contact: Dr Jhumu Khan’s Laser Medical, Gulshan – 01711660938 Dhanmondi – 01727001199 Uttara – 01784111888 Find them on Facebook: facebook. com/lasermedicalcenter Website: lasermedicalbd.com l

Friendship week at Radisson

Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat, founder and chairman, Canadian University of Bangladesh and other officials exchanged views with Mathew Ruffle, principal, American International School of Dhaka at the Banani campus of Canadian University of Bangladesh on August 6, 2016

Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden is celebrating this Friendship week from August 7 – 14 at Spice & Rice.

The restaurant is offering a special package throughout the week in the form of a specially crafted journey menu for only Tk3000 net for two along with a free flow of soft drinks.

For reservation, call +88029834555.

Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden Airport road Dhaka Cantonment Dhaka - 1206 Bangladesh. l

19

DT

Auto Connect

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

A look back to the future Cars have come a long way from where they began; from the gasguzzling behemoths of yesteryear to the outperforming hot hatches of the modern day and it all comes down to sheer mechanical efficiency

n ASM Foysal Looking into the pages of history, we’d find cars boasting specs that would rise eyes and drop jaws.

7.2 liter, V8 engine sounds aweinspiring, scary even by today’s standards but that’s not the “chin hitting the floor” part; the eye bulging moment comes when you realise that this behemoth of an engine is only capable of producing 300BHP. Such is the story of the Jensen Interceptor housing a Chrysler engine. These days we can produce more power than that using no more than a

2-liter engine with a couple of turbos. These short-comings are not only limited to the engine but extend to almost every aspect of the car manufacturing process. Due to the exponential development in technology, gas guzzling vehicles are relics of the past. Let’s find out the primary factors that affect the efficiency in today’s normal cars compared to the ones boasting extraordinary specs of the ancients.

Fuel delivery system

Fuel injectors are now the norm in supplying fuel to the engine as opposed to the carburetor which

was the standard back in the day.

Carburetor engines was inherently flawed, they would require constant tuning to keep up their performance which means they would deteriorate and become less efficient over time. However, injection system eliminates the need for regular tune-up. The air to fuel ratio is all that needs to be maintained to optimize the engine’s performance.

Manually adjusting the carburetor and finding the perfect ratio was a game of chances, unless you were a mechanical wiz or an expert in tuning carburetor

Shift in the fuel landscape

engines. Now the chances of finding that perfect spot is left to the computer or rather the ECU of the vehicle. The ECU is completely capable of managing the entire fuel delivery system, just “set” and forget. Another major cause of inefficiency in carburetor engines is that they require fuel to sit on a bowl that feeds to the engine, now this is fine when the engine is running but when idling, the fuel will evaporate over time. The chances of that happening in an injection system engine is next to zero since the entire system is sealed.

humans and to all life forms in general, the noxious fumes from the leaded fuel would leave traces of lead in the air thereby polluting the environment and affecting the health of millions. The octane rating is also higher in unleaded fuels than leaded ones meaning more air and fuel is compressed together before it ignites. Since leaded fuels have a propensity to pre ignite, using unleaded fuel not only increases the ratio of the air to gas mix, it increases the efficiency of the engine several folds.

The fuel we use now a days are unleaded but leaded fuel was used to power vehicles until very recently.1996 was the year when focus shifted towards unleaded fuel and so did the efficiency.

Fuels laced with lead was leaving traces of lead deposits behind which would accumulate over time and create a film of lead coating on the pistons. This would severely hinder the piston movements and affect the combustion process consequently reducing the efficiency of the vehicle. Lead is also deadly to

Advancement in material science

Polished shoes

made to any shape in a mold hence mass producing them was easy. However, when it comes to moving objects, weight becomes a major factor in its movement and general efficiency. Unfortunately, iron is an extremely heavy metal and not nearly as strong as steel or other alloys used now-a-days.

The reduction in mass not only increased the performance of the vehicle, it significantly improved fuel efficiency. The effects of mass reduction are further seen in manufacturers using low displacement engines resulting in lower carb and turbo charging them to rev up performance.

corners would still ensure the tyre remains in contact with the road surface, avoiding any drifting and transferring the power from the engine more efficiently into moving the vehicle.

With the ever changing face of the car industry, it won’t be long till we look back and think how dated the Lamborghini Gallardo and Porsche Panamera really are.

In the age of hybrids, efficiency is the key to survival for the car producers and before long we’ll be at a point where today’s most sophisticated development seems like a relic out of its time. l

New material always open different doors for technological development, this stands true for all metals discovered; from the very early stone age to discovery of bronze and later iron. Having strong tensile properties and being relatively cheap, iron was the metal of choice for every part of the vehicle making process, starting from the engine block to the gear box and transmission, everything was made from iron.

It was easy to manipulate and molten iron could be simply

The science of making tyres have developed significantly over the last couple of decades. Assorting through an endless array of compounds and grading material, tyres can be designed to serve all purposes. Before the advent of radials in the 70s, crisscross plys (The metallic strands that buildup the insides of the tyre) were standard in each and every tyre. The primary advantage radials have over crisscross is that the side walls maintain their strength as well as flexibility.

This means steering around the

DT

20 Editorial

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

TODAY

How stupid do you think we are?

No one is saying Tahmid is beyond suspicion. But let’s not say with absolute certainty that he had taken up the gun to join the terrorists in their jihad against crusaders. Let’s take our time. Let’s learn to doubt PAGE 21

Brexit and the politics of fear But globalisation, because of its rapid growth and its complexity, is not all good. In fact, if it were, I would not be writing this and the UK would not have voted to leave the EU PAGE 22

BIGSTOCK

Taking care of business

Why did the cow cross the border?

Smuggling of cows from India deprives both the Indian and Bangladesh governments of taxes that are nominally imposed. It also drains foreign exchanges from the country as the payment for the cows is made in either Indian currency or in dollars PAGE 23

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

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

T

he Bangladesh economy has shown tremendous resilience in recent times. In spite of a plethora of domestic problems, we have reached our highest ever FDI numbers, and our exporting sector is roaring ahead.

However, the perception of Bangladesh is not without its problems.

A London-based risk analysis firm has ranked Bangladesh 6th in the list of countries that are losing out on business opportunities due to civil unrest.

Coming in 174th out of 200 countries in the Civil Unrest Index is not something to be proud of. Though there may be problems in the methodology used in this ranking created by Verisk Maplecroft, it is not a ranking we can easily ignore.

The ranking takes into account, among other things, inflation levels, whether certain social groups are marginalised, and the frequency of political unrest. We need to work on reducing the levels of all of these.

The country’s standing in this report shows that Bangladesh may be lagging far behind the economy’s potential. We can do much better if we improve our overall business environment, make it easier to do business for all, and therby improve our image to the world.

The overall perception of Bangladesh took a hit after the horrific attacks on Holey Artisan Bakery in July. It helps no one to remain in denial about the complex repercussions of those attacks, and of some of the subsequent measures taken in the country in light of the attacks.

The government needs to make breaking down institutional barriers for opening and running businesses a high priority, on par with fighting terror. It is the best way to ensure job creation for an ever expanding work force and for enduring stability and prosperity.

We need to make the rules of business clear and transparent to all parties.

Don’t let Bangladesh fall behind.

We can do much better if we improve our overall business environment, make it easier to do business for all, and improve our image to the world

DT

21

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

How stupid do you think we are?

Rumours, suspicion, and judgment calls

n SN Rasul

I

’m not sure who to address this to. Do I address our so-called “defenders of the people” -- police, RAB, SWAT, Army -- or do I talk to the ministers, of home and information and education? Or do I aim these words at the political parties, who constantly shoot blame missiles at each other, hoping to distract us from the real problems? Or do I address our esteemed and honourable prime minister herself?

News of the “arrest” of Tahmid and Hasnat broke about a week ago exactly. It was good news for some of us, who had known Tahmid personally. Some of us had spoken to him, hung out with him, played sports and music with him, heard him make jokes, laughed with him.

And, because he had been missing for so long, with the police’s penchant for being simultaneously incredibly inconsistent and persistently inane with their excuses and explanations, some of us had assumed the worst: Tahmid was dead.

Not the nicest of thoughts.

Rumours, of course, persisted of his involvement in the case. Even people in my family asked: “Why else would they keep him for so long?”

It would be dishonest of anyone to suggest that they are absolutely certain of his innocence, and I’m no exception. I wasn’t close to him; I barely knew him, in fact.

The last time I saw him, he was hosting a cousin’s engagement party, dressed smartly in a tuxedo.

Who would’ve thunk it, right?

But one could say the same about the others who were involved in the Holey attack.

That, in itself, is not the most ridiculous thing to come out of the government’s mouth.

It’s the fact that -- after all these weeks wondering where Tahmid and Hasnat were, with the police saying that they had kept him immediately after the attack, to them changing their tune to say they had released him with the rest of the hostages, to them saying again that they had them -- the police claimed that they had been picked up and arrested.

Picked up, was he? They said that they had arrested him from a house in Baridhara, while they had Hasnat picked up from in front Aarong.

And what had they been doing all this while? Laying eggs and

Innocent or guilty? Only time will tell making merry of their newfound freedom? Tahmid’s and Hasnat’s respective families had not heard a single word from either of them.

Would the government, police, DGFI, et cetera, et cetera, like to clarify as to why they hadn’t contacted their families? Or were they just having a good ole time?

Or had their families just forgotten to let the rest of their families, or the general public, know that they had gotten their loved one back?

Do the authorities really expect us to buy this? How stupid do they think we are?

Then, came the reports, rumours, news that Hasnat had been the “leader,” that Tahmid was his assistant; some said that they had instigated the attackers.

Then came the photographs of Tahmid, Rohan, and Hasnat, with Tahmid holding a gun in his hands. We conjectured from their body language. His gait seemed to have an aura of confidence, while Hasnat does, in fact, seem to be talking to them as if he’s giving instructions.

No one there, perhaps, quite looks like a hostage. So, who can really blame us? Who can blame the public for changing its mind on Tahmid, as it went from #FreeTahmid to something more sinister?

RAJIB DHAR

No one is saying Tahmid is beyond suspicion. But let’s not say with absolute certainty that he had taken up the gun to join the terrorists in their jihad against crusaders. Let’s take our time. Let’s learn to doubt

And, with the fluidity with which news comes forth, with the various number of news outlets, both of and lacking repute, all of it is just information to be consumed and digested.

But, knowing the Bangladeshi political climate as we do, its law enforcements, and the lack of trust we should have, collectively, for everything they say, shouldn’t we be at least a tad bit suspicious of these images?

I won’t say much against the authenticity of the images. For all intents and purposes, the images look as real as images from the incident could.

But we already knew that Tahmid was forced to hold a gun; this is nothing new. Hasnat, because of his ties to Hizb utTahrir previously, one would find it more difficult to make excuses for.

We read about how Tahmid broke down in tears, how the rescuers started to beat him seeing the gun before someone told them that he had been one of the hostages.

And isn’t it worth noting how these images came out as soon as they resurfaced? Where were these images before? And where did these images come from? Who took the photographs?

Let us not, especially in this case, jump the gun as to the innocence and guilt of Tahmid, or Hasnat for that matter. The authorities and their non-linear, plot-hole-ridden narrative isn’t worth buying into.

The fact that they could so obviously lie about their whereabouts during the arrest, when, in fact, it seems, for now, pretty evident that they hadn’t stepped outside, for a second, from the confines of some sort of

forced captivity, is suspicious to say the least.

If you must judge how clean and “tip-top” both of them look, you may; it is worth taking note of.

They do not look too much worse for wear. But that, too, can have more sinister explanations if one chooses to ponder for more than a millisecond before making a rash judgement call.

No one is saying Tahmid is beyond suspicion. But let’s not say with absolute certainty that he had taken up the gun to join the terrorists in their jihad against crusaders.

Let’s take our time. Let’s learn to doubt. Let’s not make rash judgment calls. Let’s not be as stupid as the government seems to think we are. l SN Rasul is a Sub-Editor at Dhaka Tribune. Follow him @snrasul.

22

DT

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Brexit and the politics of fear The decision to ‘leave’ or ‘remain’ isn’t as black and white as some would have us believe

A painful separation, but perhaps not from the most organised of unions

n William Milam

I

arrived at London on the day of the BREXIT referendum.

London looked the same as usual -- people going about their business. I saw none of the “I voted” lapel stickers or the usual campaign signs or bumper stickers, which in this case would have read “remain” or “leave,” that one would see in America on a voting day.

Probably a good many Londoners were going about their business as usual, confident that the “remain” side would win handily; London supported it by a significant margin, and must have thought the rest of the country would follow suit. So did Scotland; so did Northern Ireland.

But the rest of the country felt differently. A divided Britain was asked by a divided government to make the most momentous decision the country had made since 1940, when it decided to stand alone and fight rather than give in to a then-overweening German threat to invade.

(Although that decision was not put to referendum, it could not have been sustained without great popular support, which Winston Churchill rallied and solidified).

The original intent for the referendum was to resolve the Conservative Party’s division over British membership in the European Union by asking the electorate to choose for it.

The danger of doing this in

a country that was clearly also divided on that issue -- by the repressed feelings of anger on the part of a significant number of citizens from the working and lower-middle classes who have been left behind by globalisation, and who blame their difficulties on the European Union (EU) -- was evidently overlooked.

In the June 23 referendum, unlike in 1940, a majority of the British people decided to cut and run. As far as I can tell, fear played a large role in this decision. The fear factor was the main theme of both sides. The “remain” side mainly tried to scare voters by emphasising the economic damage that BREXIT would cause.

The “leave” side played to the fear of the working and lower-middle classes in the UK of immigrants (the other) taking their jobs and the feeling of loss of control over their own lives to an external authority (the EU Commission), as well as the fear that they were being sold out by the elites of Britain.

These are fears that were easily exploited by those (mostly demagogues) who were leading the charge for “leave.”

This fear is neither irrational nor invisible. For decades now the working classes of the Western industrial countries have been losing ground to the forces of globalisation while the elites have prospered.

Inequality has grown inexorably in these countries, as

REUTERS

a result of de-industrialisation, wage stagnation, policies that favour the wealthy in some, and in all very little understanding by governments of the problem (or recognition that it is a problem), let alone any serious programs to rectify it.

Tangible surrogates, immigration especially, have become the symbols of these intangible forces for the working classes. These symbols, of course, are erroneous oversimplifications at best, but they are easy symbols for demagogues and unprincipled politicians to exploit.

Although there are definite undercurrents of racism in the anti-immigration rhetoric of some of those who supported “leave,” the feeling against immigrants is more complicated than that.

It is more a fear of the “other” that is being unleashed; after all, most of the EU immigrants are white also.

Although the toxic connotations these symbols have taken on are of great concern, they reflect a real problem -- several generations of citizens who believe themselves to be victims of impersonal, uncontrolled, and pernicious global forces, and the subjects of exploitation by the country’s elite who benefit from these forces.

So they now reject the arguments of the elite as to what direction is in the national interest.

And here lies the irony and perhaps the tragedy. The path

they have chosen reminds me of the song title: “Stop the world, I want to get off.” BREXIT seems some sort of romantic midsummer night’s dream -- a magic escape from all the vicissitudes that will mark the century ahead by simply disengaging with the EU. But, like it or not, migration will likely be a stubborn characteristic of the 21st century.

War and civil conflict in the Middle East and possibly South Asia will continue to push refugees westward. The growing population of the poorer countries, as well as political instability, bad governance, and just plain better opportunity will continue to draw many who seek a better life toward the West.

While it is not yet universally accepted, it is possible that environmental crises could add to the migrant flow further out.

Withdrawing from the EU is not likely to stop the immigration pressure on the UK, nor any of the Western countries.

But globalisation, because of its rapid growth and its complexity, is not all good. In fact, if it were, I would not be writing this and the UK would not have voted to leave the EU

The irony is that this referendum may start a chain of events that leads to the UK breaking up. Is that what the “leave” voters wanted?

Scotland is fierce on staying in the EU and has threatened already to hold another referendum on independence, which would probably gain approval this time.

And, surprisingly, some leaders in Northern Ireland have suggested that maybe the time has come for the six counties of the North to join the Republic of Ireland.

After all these years of bloodshed and hatred, could the UK’s decision to abandon the EU do something the British and Irish

could never do -- create a united Ireland? It seems far-fetched that the religious issues could be put aside so fast, but then it seemed very unlikely only six months ago that the British would leave the EU, and that decision may be creating a tidal wave in which smaller countries seek the comfort of larger partners.

In fact, seeking larger partners may be the route most nations take, at least those not yet captivated by the siren song of “taking their country back.”

Try as we may, I doubt we can escape the trials and tribulations of globalisation by hiding in the weeds somewhere.

International airlines, international banks and banking systems, the internet, and other communications systems are tying the world more closely together all the time. Societies in Asia and elsewhere in the so-called third world are showing that they are just as technically good as we are, with cheaper labour.

But globalisation, because of its rapid growth and its complexity, is not all good. In fact, if it were, I would not be writing this and the UK would not have voted to leave the EU, probably not even raised the question.

It will have to be guided and formed to fit countries’ social needs, and one serious deficit needs to be addressed quickly -- that is the segments of our populations that have been left behind by the impersonal and efficiency-driven forces of globalisation.

Finally, I mentioned above the meanness and narrowness of the remain-leave debate, the resort to fear-mongering on both sides, and to implicit racism and xenophobia on the “leave” side. That tone, unfortunately, meant there was no opportunity to have a serious discussion of the sustainability of the EU as a regional organisation.

I believe strongly that a restructured European Union is necessary to the peace and prosperity of Europe. A discussion on making it viable and sustainable needs to start in the EU and its member states, and sadly, the UK would have added a voice of reason and erudition to the discussion which may now be absent. l William Milam is a Senior Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington, DC, and former US Ambassador to Pakistan and Bangladesh, and Chief of mission in Liberia. This article previously appeared on The Friday Times.

DT

23

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Why did the cow cross the border?

If India doesn’t make it legal, beef will have to come from somewhere else

India has the world’s largest cattle population

BIGSTOCK

Smuggling of cows from India deprives both the Indian and Bangladesh governments of taxes that are nominally imposed. It also drains foreign exchanges from the country as the payment for the cows is made in either Indian currency or in dollars

n Syed Rezaul Karim

A

n integrated and upgraded land port at Benapole border has been jointly inaugurated recently by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, and Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Bannerjee.

This landmark land port with latest infrastructural facilities is expected to augment the bilateral trade further between the two friendly countries.

However, the newly expanded land port will not witness the truck load of Indian cows to be imported into Bangladesh under the normal trade practice. Due to a ban on the export of cows by India to Bangladesh, the legal import of cows from India does not exist.

However, India exports million tons of meat, mostly of buffalo, every year to many Muslim countries around the globe.

Even though buffalo and cows have an identical physiology and perhaps a common genetic

lineage, cows are holy in India.

The cow is a deity to Hindus and is worshipped as such. The religious hysteria against cow slaughter in India is whipped up occasionally by ultra nationalists, such as Bojrong Dal, cow protection vigilantes , and by Janasangh Parivar.

Slaughtering cows is banned in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and some of the northern Indian states.

Very recently the High Court of Himachal Pradesh has asked the Indian government to ban cow slaughter across India. But the slaughter is not banned in West Bengal, Kerala, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, etc.

There was a brutal incident in Dadri, a place in Uttar Pradesh last year where an old Muslim man was killed by a Hindu mob of the same village for allegedly keeping beef in his house. But later it was proved by forensic test that the meat was of buffalo.

Recently, two Muslim women

were beaten mercilessly by a Hindu mob in front of the police in Madhya Prodesh for allegedly carrying 30 kilograms of beef. It was later found that the meat was that of buffalo.

Such is the religious fanaticism and frenzy in the name of protecting cows.

India is the home of the largest cattle population in the world (301 million in one estimate) and the highest exporter of meat in the world (2 million tons in 2015). By contrast, Bangladesh has a cattle population of only 25 million.

Given the demand for beef in Bangladesh, there is a serious shortage of meat. The per capita meat requirement of Bangladesh is 43.25kg, but the availability of it is only 9.12kg, indicating an almost 79 % deficit.

In the past, Indian cows brought into the country, legally and illegally, to a certain extent, helped to mitigate the demand and keep the price of beef stable.

It is the shortfall in the supply of meat in Bangladesh that drives the traders to illegally trade cows from India. Trade through import permit or license would have reduced smuggling.

With BJP in power in India, restrictions on the movement of cows to Bangladesh were reinforced with vigour. Home Minister of India Rajnath Singh visited the Indo-Bangladesh border and Assam shortly after the

BJP took power.

His twin directives were maintenance of strict border security by the Indian Border Security Force to stop movement of cows from India and to stop illegal immigrants from Bangladesh to Assam. It seems cattle and humans got an equal treatment in the eye of the minister.

The economic theory would tell us when there is a demand for goods and services in one country, and there exists a price advantage in the supply of those goods and services in another country, trade takes place. But when that normal channel is thwarted by political or other considerations, trade takes a different route, subverting the natural one.

Bangladesh border has witnessed killings of dozens of Bangladeshi cattle traders India’s

by Border Security Force. But the smuggling of cows has not totally stopped. The demand of the Bangladesh traders was equally reciprocated by the Indian counterparts knowing full well that the trade is illegal.

Smuggling of cows from India deprives both the Indian and Bangladesh governments of taxes that are nominally imposed. It also drains foreign exchanges from the country as the payment for the cows is made in either Indian currency or in dollars.

The smuggling, however, reduces cost to the extent that the duties otherwise would have been payable. But the illegal trading in cows involves some transaction cost to facilitate the trade on both sides of the border.

The short run effect of banning cows from crossing over to Bangladesh is obviously the inflation of beef prices in the Bangladesh retail market.

The price per kg of beef has gone up in the couple of years by more than 50 %. The long run effect will be increased breeding of cows in Bangladesh.

However, this increase in production is likely to be handicapped by lack of enough pastures and limited supply of land. The rise in income in the country will also create additional demand. So the beef price is unlikely to show any downward trend.

Perhaps Bangladesh should now give its attention to importing cows from Myanmar. l Syed Rezaul Karim is the former Managing Director of Hoechst Bangladesh Limited.

DT

24 Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Phelps grabs glory as Russians seek to restore pride

TOP STORIES

Shakib’s Jamaica lift CPL crown All-rounder Shakib al Hasan’s Caribbean Premier League Twenty20 side Jamaica Tallawahs clinched the 2016 title following their nine-wicket victory Guyana Amazon Warriors at Saint Kitts yesterday. PAGE 25

US swimming legend Michael Phelps returned yesterday to the hunt for more Olympic glory as swimmer Yuliya Efimova opens her campaign to restore Russia’s battered pride.

Phelps earned adulation Sunday when he extended his record gold medal tally on a day of Olympic drama that saw world records, a first title for Kosovo and a heart-stopping crash.

Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, inspired the United States to victory in the 4x100m freestyle relay before he started his personal campaign yesterday.

For two-time doping offender Efimova, the situation could hardly be more different. She was jeered in the heats and will be going for medal honours Monday in the 100m women’s breaststroke with more verbal abuse likely to accompany her efforts.

Tempers frayed at the Rio Olympic swimming competition Sunday as athletes tore into the 24-year-old Efimova after she won her breaststroke semi-final.

The Russian, who was cleared to compete in Rio after a convoluted drugs case, triggered a chorus of boos when she was introduced and

Djoker stuned, Williams’ hope ends Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina stunned a tearful Novak Djokovic of Serbia in an emotional Olympics triumph on Sunday as Venus Williams of the USA pondered the end of her four-gold Games odyssey. PAGE 26

Jubair hoping to gather experience Young leg-spinner Jubair Hossain started off his career with huge potential back in 2014. However, a lack of experience both in the international and domestic circuit meant the leggie slowly faded away from the limelight. PAGE 27

Brazil on brink of more humiliation Brazil face another embarrassing exit from a tournament on home soil after Neymar slumbered through a second 0-0 draw of Rio 2016 against Iraq. The Olympic hosts need to beat group leaders Denmark tomorrow to win to avoid a stunning exit. PAGE 28

SWIMMING

n AFP, Rio de Janeiro

USA’s Michael Phelps (L) and teammate Caeleb Dressel celebrate after winning the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay final during the swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Sunday AFP

WOMEN 100M BUTTERFLY FINAL 1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 55.48. (WR) 2. Penny Oleksiak (CAN) 56.46 3. Dana Vollmer (USA) 56.63 400M FREESTYLE FINAL 1. Katie Ledecky (USA) 3:56.46. (WR) 2. Jazz Carlin (GBR) 4:01.23 3. Leah Smith (USA) 4:01.92 MEN 4X100M FREESTYLE RELAY (FINAL) 1. United States 3:09.92.

(Dressel, Phelps, Held, Adrian) 2. France 3:10.53 (Metella, Gilot, Manaudou, Stravius) 3. Australia 3:11.37 (Roberts, Chalmers, Magnussen, Mcevoy) 100M BREASTSTROKE - FINAL 1. Adam Peaty (GBR) 57.13. (WR) 2. Cameron Van Der Burgh (RSA) 58.69 3. Cody Miller (USA) 58.87 after the race as rival swimmers made their feelings known in no uncertain terms.

But it was a day of unadulterated delight for Phelps, the 31-yearold who has now won 19 gold medals after the relay win ahead of defending champions France in silver, with Australia third. l

Baki 25th, fails to qualify n Tribune Report Abdullah Hel Baki displayed Bangladesh’s best performance in the country’s short history of Olympics shooting when he scored 621.2 points to take 25th spot in the 10-metre air rifle event at the 2016 Rio Olympics yesterday.

It was also the best ranking or placing for any Bangladeshi shooter in the Olympics. Baki however, failed to qualify for the final round as only the top eight shooters earn that right. The silver medallist of the Commonwealth Games, Baki was only short of 4.3 points to make it through the qualification as Belarus shooter Illia Charheika scored 625.5 points to finish at eighth position. Although Baki’s best score is 624.8 points, nobody expected him to qualify for the fi-

cipline in 2004 through the hands of Asif, who scored 587 points to end 35th while Mohammad Hossain played in the 2008 Beijing Olympics where he scored 581 points to be placed 46th. In the last Olympics in London four

nal round. 2004 Athens Olympics shooter Asif Hossain Khan termed Baki’s result “respectable”.

Since Bangladesh started participating in the Olympics from 1984 in Los Angeles, the nation first took part in the shooting dis-

10M AIR RIFLE MEN’S QUALIFICATION Abdullah Hel Baki Rank 25th

Total Score 621.2

Status Not Qualified

SERIES

1

2

3

4

5

6

TOTAL

103.8

104.0

105.4

103.6

100.6

103.8

BANGLADESH SHOOTERS IN OLYMPICS Olympics 2004 Athens

Event M10m Air Rifle

Participant Asif Hossain Khan

Score 587

Ranking 35 out of 47

2008 Beijing

M10m Air Rifle

Mohammad Hossain

581

46 out of 51

2012 London

W10m Air Rifle

Sharmin Akter Ratna

393

27 out of 56

* Bangladesh did not participate in the shooting discipline before 2004

years ago, Bangladesh sent a female shooter for the first time Sharmin Akter Ratna scoring 393 points to finish at 27th place.

The International Shooting Sports Federation imposed a new rule for the scoring system in 2013 in order to make the scoring more accurate than ever.

Meanwhile, Baki was the first member from the Bangladesh contingent to leave for the biggest and most prestigious sporting event of the world. Prior to his departure, Baki hinted of struggling to adapt with the condition, having very little time to adjust before yesterday’s event. It was however, not the first time Baki travelled to Brazil, as he went there in March to take part in the ISSF World Cup at the same city which he believed help him to prepare better. l

25

DT

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Abahani, Muktis share spoils n Tribune Report Abahani Limited and Muktijoddha SKC began their Mymensingh phase of the Bangladesh Premier League with a 1-1 draw at Rafiq Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium yesterday.

Four-time professional league champions Abahani started brighter of the two sides, taking the lead in the 13th minute through Sunday Chizoba, who volleyed home from an Emon Babu cross.

In the very next minute, table-toppers Muktijoddha came close to equalising the margin when Ahmed Kolo Musa saw his header from a Towhidul Alam Sabuj cross fly inches over the crosspiece.

On the eve of the first half whistle, Sky Blues goalkeeper Shahidul Alam Sohel made a number of brilliant saves to keep his side in the hunt for the three points that would have taken them to the summit of the 12-team points table.

However, Muktijoddha were not to be denied for long as Manjur Rahman Manik connected a whipped cross by Mobarak Hossain to bring parity.

Muktijoddha, Abahani and Chittagong Abahani all have eight points each from four matches but the Reds are top courtesy a better goal difference. The port city outfit are second while Abahani are third. l

RESULT Muktijoddha

1-1

Manik 47

Abahani Sunday 13

TODAY’S MATCH

Arambagh v Brothers, 4pm

Jamaica Tallawahs players, featuring Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan (R), celebrate with the Caribbean Premier League Twenty20 trophy following their ninewicket win over Guyana Amazon Warriors yesterday CPLT20

Shakib’s Jamaica lift CPL crown n Tribune Report All-rounder Shakib al Hasan’s Caribbean Premier League Twenty20 side Jamaica Tallawahs clinched the 2016 title following their nine-wicket victory Guyana Amazon Warriors at Saint Kitts yesterday. Shakib, in the one sided contest, contributed with two vital wickets for Tallawahs as they lifted their second CPL title.

Shakib sealed yet another T20 league title under his belt but his performance was below-par, compared to his past performances.

The left-arm all-rounder scored 160 runs in 10 innings including an unbeaten 54 against Guyana in the group stage.

With the ball, the Bangladesh cricketer picked up 12 wickets in 11 innings with an economy rate of 6.94.

Tallawahs were in the driving seat throughout the game which hardly had any dramatic scenes.

Winning the toss the side invited Warriors to bat first. A brilliant bowling effort by Tallawahs, led by left-arm spinner Imad Wasim’s

three wickets, saw Warriors struggle and eventually dismissed for only 93 runs on the board. Warriors started off with two early wickets even before the team reached double figures. Warriors failed to recover from the situation and kept losing wickets without much contribution to the tally. Sohail Tanvir was the top scorer with 42 runs for the Warriors.

SHAKIB AL HASAN IN CPL 2016 Match 13

Runs

HS

Ave

Overs

Wkts

BBI

Econ

Catch

160

54*

22.85

34

12

3/23

6.94

4

Guyana Amazon Warriors 93 all out in 16.1 overs (Imad 3-21, Shakib 2-25) Jamaica Tallawahs 95 for 1 in 12.5 overs (Gayle 54, Walton 25*) Jamaica Tallawahs won by nine wickets

Shakib bowled four overs to dismiss Chris Lynn and Jason Mohammed and ended up posting economical figures, giving away only 25 runs.

Later, the 94-run target was pulled off comprehensively by Tallawahs with nine wickets intact.

Tallawahs captain and opening batsman Chris Gayle got the side off to a fiery start as he hammered 54 off 27 with three boundaries and half a dozen sixes. Another opener Chadwick Walton played a sensible hand, scoring an unbeaten 36-ball 25.

Tallawahs’ Imad was named man of the match while Andre Russell was adjudged player of the series. l

1986 ICC TROPHY

New faces shake the status quo n Minhaz Uddin Khan England hosted the ICC Trophy for the third time in 1986 and Bangladesh were desperate to make a mark in world cricket. But what stood in between was a team in dispute. Politics, grouping and improper preparation worked against Bangladesh’s chances in the tournament’s third edition.

Bangladesh had finished fourth in 1982 but this time tension in the team eliminated that confidence, ensuring the three-week long tour ended horribly. This year the tournament featured 16 teams divided into two groups. Bangladesh were

placed in Group A which contained seven teams including Kenya and Zimbabwe. The other group had nine teams.

The squad for the tournament was pretty similar to the one four years ago, and few changes meant entrance of young blood. Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu took charge as captain, replacing Shafiqul Haque Heera, who was captain in the previous edition of the tournament, along with a few others had expected him to retain the leadership. Newcomers like Minhajul Abedin Nannu, Athar Ali Khan and Nehal Hasnain were apparently left confused given the situation in the dressing room.

As the team were departing for England from the Dhaka Airport, majority were left stunned when Tanjib Ahsan Saad and Hamin Ahmed joined the team without notice.

Bangladesh had reached England early in order to prepare in the harsh conditions. There were few practice matches in which performance had hardly mattered.

Nurul Abedin was brilliant with the bat during the warm-up games but found himself sidelined to make way for senior players in the main event.

Then there was Athar who was asked to open the innings but it was a new role to which the hitherto middle-order batsman wasn’t accustomed to. The result was the 55 runs he made in five matches.

Bangladesh in their first group game faced a 144-run defeat against Zimbabwe. A fine knock of 135 by Andy Pycroft helped Zimbabwe to pile up 315/7 against Bangladesh who could manage only 171/8 in reply. Next they faced Kenya where Bangladesh defended 143 runs as a group effort by the bowlers

ended the Kenya chase nine runs short. Minhajul led with the willow scoring 50 runs. The game against West Africa ended without toss as the opponents had withdrawn the team last minute and were expelled from the tournament.

But what came next still comes as a disbelief to the members of the team – a 57-run defeat against Malaysia. Malaysia batted first and posted 239 runs. Jahangir Shah Badshah was a hero with the ball taking four wickets but batting debacle denied the joy to sustain. Nehal, captain Gazi and Rafiqul Alam got some runs in the middle scoring 40, 41 and 51 respectively.

This was followed by a six-wicket defeat East Africa after Bangladesh failed to put up a defendable score batting first. With only 162 runs on the board, the Bangladesh bowlers were under pressure and it showed in the scorecard as only

two out of eight bowlers got at least one wicket.

Singapore’s withdrawal from the tournament gave Bangladesh rest before they faced Argentina for a seven-wicket victory, the second and the final win for Bangladesh in the tournament that year.

In the last group game, the side faced Denmark and yet again a batting debacle ended as four-wicket defeat before Bangladesh headed home with chins down.

In between all the humiliation there were a few positives too. Nehal and Minhajul led the way with the bat scoring 155 and 152 runs respectively. With the ball, veteran pacer Jahangir took 12 wickets.

Bangladesh returned home humiliated and with anger among the members which was followed by a series of blame game but who knew that was the start of a new era of the game in the country. l

DT

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Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

MEDAL TALLY COUNTRY UNITED STATES 3

5

4

12

CHINA

3

2

3

8

AUSTRALIA

3

0

3

6

ITALY

2

3

2

7

SOUTH KOREA

2

2

1

5

HUNGARY

2

0

0

2

RUSSIA

1

2

2

5

GREAT BRITAIN 1

1

0

2

SWEDEN

1

1

0

2

JAPAN

1

0

6

7

Updated yesterday (9pm)

DAY FOUR EVENTS TO WATCH GOLD MEDAL EVENTS EQUESTRIAN Individual Eventing Jumping

11pm

CANOE SLALOM Men’s

Canoe Single

12:16am

WEIGHTLIFTING Women’s 63kg

Group A

12:30am

Men’s 69kg

Group A

4am

DIVING Women’s

Synchronised 10m

1am

SHOOTING Women’s

25m Pistol

1am

GYMNASTICS Women’s

Team All-Round

1am

JUDO Women’s

63kg

1:40am

Men’s

81kg

2:01am

Men’s

Individual Epee

FENCING 2:45am

SWIMMING Women’s

200m Freestyle

7:19am

Men’s

200m Butterfly

7:28am

Women’s 200m Individual Medley 8:29am Men’s

4*200m Freestyle Relay 8:38am

Del Potro stuns Djokovic, Williams’ doubles hope ends n AFP, Rio de Janeiro Juan Martin del Potro stunned a tearful Novak Djokovic in an emotional Olympics triumph on Sunday as Venus Williams pondered the end of her four-gold Games odyssey.

Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion who was pushed to the brink of retirement by a series of wrist injuries, downed the top seed 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/2).

The giant Argentine had also defeated the 12-time major winner in the bronze medal match at the London Olympics in 2012.

Both players embraced at the net and wept at the end of their centre court duel played out in front of a raucous Argentine and Serb crowd.

Del Potro, now ranked at 145 in the world after being number four in 2010, said Sunday’s win was more special than his victory in 2012.

He had his first surgery in 2010 but more followed in 2014 and 2015 when he played just six events.

Del Potro started the day by getting stuck in an elevator for 40 minutes at the athletes village where he had to be rescued by the Argentina handball team.

But that inconvenience did not shake the Argentine out of his big-hitting stride as he set up a second-round clash with Portugal’s Joao Sousa.

Meanwhile, four-time gold medallist Venus Williams was staring at the end of her 16-year, five-Olympics journey.

Williams, 36, and sister Serena suffered their first ever defeat in women’s doubles, a record which boasted 15 successive match wins and golds in Sydney in 2000, Beijing in 2008 and London four years ago.

now focus on the US Open later this month.

Serena, 34, was more damning.

At least, Serena is still alive in the singles as the defending champion had the perfect start in her quest for a fifth Games gold medal overall, defeating Australia’s Daria Gavrilova 6-4, 6-2. l

Tempers frayed at the Rio Olympic swimming competition Sunday as athletes tore into two-time doping offender Yulia Efimova after she won her breaststroke semi-final.

The Russian, who was cleared to compete in Rio after a convoluted drugs case, triggered a chorus of boos when she was introduced and after the race as rival swimmers made their feelings known in no uncertain terms.

Defending Olympic breaststroke champion Ruta Meilutyte pulled no punches.

“It’s never nice,” said the Lithuanian of competing against a swimmer who has twice tested positive - the second time for meldonium, which officials ruled she could have taken before it was banned in January.

“I guess the whole point behind competition is we swimmers around the world, we train the hardest every day to be able to perform well and represent our countries and we train fair.

“And when something like that happens it’s never nice and it’s a little bit disrespectful,” she added.

“These are not the values of our sport.”

American gold medal contender Lilly King echoed those sentiments.

“I’m up for the challenge and if that’s what she feels she needs to do to be able to compete then you know, whatever, that’s her deal,” she sniffed.

“I’m here to compete clean and that’s what I’m going to do,” added King, admitting that beating Efimova would be extra special given the Russian’s murky past.

“It would be a great story. Just with all the doping and things going on the past year or two, I think it would be a great moment for us.” l

said.

Sanije Balaj, 51, who watched from a bar in Kosovo’s capital Pristina, began to cry when the national anthem played at the medal ceremony.

“I thought I would never see this day because I thought I would die in the 1999 war. Majlinda was not representing only herself but all the people of Kosovo,” she told Reuters.

Kelmendi described her semi-final match with third-seeded Misato Nakamura, which she won on a single penalty, as her toughest of the day, calling her Japanese opponent a legend who she had always wanted to fight.

But to claim gold she also had to

overcome 10th seed Odette Giuffrida from Italy in a tense duel, winning on a point from a yuko that was initially judged to be a more valuable waza-ari.

Tensions persist between Kosovo and Serbia, which has not recognised Kosovo’s declaration of independence.

Serbia has reportedly advised its athletes in Rio to withdraw from any medal ceremonies if they have to share the podium with athletes from Kosovo, although there were no Serbian judokas participating on Sunday.

Kosovo won further sporting recognition in May when it was accepted as a member of soccer’s world governing body FIFA. l

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic waves to the crowd with tears in his eyes after losing his men’s first round singles match against Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro at Olympic Tennis Centre in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday AFP The 6-3, 6-4 loss to Czech pair Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova came just a day after Venus had been knocked out of the singles in what was her first opening round Olympics loss.

Venus, a seven-time Grand Slam title winner and the 2000 Olympic champion, said she and Serena will

Russians under fire at pool over doping scandal n AFP, Rio de Janeiro

Kelmendi makes history with gold for Kosovo n Reuters

Majlinda Kelmendi made history at the Rio Games on Sunday as she took gold in judo to become the first athlete from Kosovo to win an Olympic medal, a feeling she said she would not trade for any amount of money in the world.

Rio marks the first Olympics at which athletes are competing under the flag of Kosovo, which proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2008.

Many competitors from the small Balkan country, which was accepted as a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2014, had previously participated under another country’s flag in-

cluding Kelmendi herself.

The twice world champion, who was Kosovo’s flag bearer at Friday’s opening ceremony and was competing in the -52kg category, represented Albania at the London Games in 2012 but went home without a medal that time.

“I have lived four years for this day, for this moment, and I felt so happy there at the podium when I saw my flag and when I heard my anthem,” she told reporters.

Kelmendi refused many offers to compete for other countries because she had always wanted to represent Kosovo.

“There is no money in the world, no millions in the world which can make me feel how I feel today,” she

27

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Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

QUICK BYTES South Africa bans four over match fixing Cricket South Africa said yesterday they had banned four players following a match fixing probe of the 2015 domestic Twenty20 competition.

The banned players were named as Jean Symes, Pumelela Matshikwe, Ethy Mbhalati and Thami Tsolekile, the former South African Test wicketkeeper. “The banning of these four players follows a lengthy investigation,” said the organisation.

AFP

Inter Milan part company with Mancini Inter Milan have parted company with coach Roberto Mancini “by mutual agreement”, less than two weeks before the start of the Serie A season, the Italian club said yesterday. “Inter would like to place on record its thanks to Roberto for the work carried out with the team since joining in November 2014,” said a statement on Inter’s website (www. inter.it). The decision follows a string of bad results in pre-season friendlies for Inter, with defeats against Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Tottenham in the last 15 days.

REUTERS

Cook’s England have further to go after Pakistan win England captain Alastair Cook insisted his side had “further to go” after a win over Pakistan at Edgbaston gave them a chance to top the world Test rankings before the end of their home season. The hosts had it all to do after conceding a first-innings lead of 103 runs at Midlands county Warwickshire’s headquarters. However, showing admirable resilience, England recovered to win the third Test by 141 runs on Sunday to go 2-1 up with one to play ahead of the series finale at The Oval starting on Thursday.

AFP

DAY’S WATCH OLYMPICS STAR SPORTS 1 5:30PM, 12:30AM Rio Olympic Games 2016 Daily Live Coverage

FOOTBALL

11:00PM UEFA Super Cup 2016 Real Madrid v Sevilla

CRICKET TEN 1 6:00PM New Zealand Tour of Zimbabwe 2nd Test, Day 4

TEN 2 7:30PM India Tour of West Indies 3rd Test, Day 1

Manchester United celebrate with the trophy after winning the FA Community Shield against Leicester City at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. Jesse Lingaard scored the opening goal for United before Jamie Vardy netted the equaliser in the second half. Later, Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the winner for United in the 83rd minute REUTERS

Smalley set for BFF technical director role n Tribune Report

In a bid to coordinate various ingredients of the country’s football, English footballer-turned-coach Paul Smalley arrived in the capital yesterday to take up the responsibility of the technical and strategical director of Bangladesh Football Federation.

Talks with Smalley began in June this year when the former New Zealand technical director visited Dhaka for the first time. The official contract is yet to be signed but the BFF is hopeful of tying him to a deal within this month.

Smalley is likely to sign a twoyear contract with the federation.

Upon his arrival in the morning, the Englishman visited the BFF House and met president Kazi Salahuddin. Smalley explained his future plan and shared his thoughts regarding the development of Bangladesh football.

“I want to keep the prints of what other Asian countries are doing for their football development.

Then we will also look at Europe as well and see what ideas we can bring from them. My work is to coordinate every ingredient for the development of football and insert

them. This is a challenging task for me and I’m looking forward to it,” Smalley told the media.

Smalley, who recently worked for the Australian Football Association delivering Fifa/Afc coaching courses, continued, “Not only good players but we also have to produce quality coaches. Our target is to improve in these two sectors in future.

Developing national team is also a big thing because it attracts people to the game. That’s my goal for now but there is a comprehensive plan.

“I worked with the English Football Association for four years when they were doing various

Jubair hoping to gather experience n Mazhar Uddin Young leg-spinner Jubair Hossain Likhon started off his international career with huge potential back in 2014 against Zimbabwe.

However, a lack of experience both in the international and the domestic circuit meant the leggie slowly faded away from the limelight.

But rather than fretting over a return, Jubair is gradually garnering experience which he believes will stand him in good stead in the coming days.

“Ever since I got into the national team, my main aim was to gather as much experience I could and also improve my skill. I want to improve my stroke ball as I have a lot of variation in my bowling, which at times created some problems,” Jubair told the media yesterday at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium following a training session.

“I am working on it and trying to bowl in a particular area consistently. I think experience is a very big factor as I am talking with everyone and hopefully I will be able to improve in future,” he said.

The 20-year old, who picked up 16 wickets in six Tests and four wickets in three ODIs, went on to inform that the recent trend of

leg-spinners being named in most of the international sides encourages him a great deal.

“It is really encouraging to see the leg-spinners doing well - Amit Mishra for India and Yasir Shah for Pakistan. He (Yasir) bowled superbly against England in the first Test and it’s encouraging to see the leg-spinners playing in almost all the teams in international cricket,” he said.

Interestingly, Jubair stated that Yasir once approached him to learn the googly delivery when Pakistan toured Bangladesh last year.

“He came to me to learn googly.

Even I also learned a lot from him.

He asked my age and told me that I have a long way to go. He told me not to worry about anything else and just try to bowl in a particular area. He also told me to gather as much experience as I can and try to learn quickly, which in turn will help me a lot,” he added. l

activities for the development.

There, our main target was to point out the positive activities of different countries and initiate them in England. I hope I can do the same in Bangladesh.”

When queried if there is any security concerns in Bangladesh, he replied, “Security is a concern all over the world. Not only in Bangladesh, it is happening in the big countries. Whatever country I travel to, there is always a security risk.

I am aware of these circumstances.”

Bayezid Alam Jobair Nipu is currently holding the post of BFF technical director since 2011. l

Ervine puts up resistance against New Zealand

n AFP, Bulawayo Craig Ervine closed in on a dogged half-century yesterday as Zimbabwe did their best to hold off New Zealand’s bowlers on the third day of the second Test.

Ervine went to tea on 48 and had debutant Peter Moor for company, as Zimbabwe reached 185 for five after 87 overs at the crease.

New Zealand knew that they faced a long battle to take 20 Zimbabwean wickets when they declared on 582 for four at tea on day two, with the Queens Sports Club pitch offering no assistance to the bowlers.

Zimbabwe proved as much by not losing a wicket on the second evening, but New Zealand chipped away at them over the first two sessions yesterday. l

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Brazil on brink of more home humiliation RESULTS GROUP A

1-0

South Africa

0-0

Iraq

Sweden

0-1

Japan Asano 67, Nakajima 74

2-2

Nigeria Umar 40 Colombia Gutierrez 59, Fujiharu 65-og

Denmark Skov 69 Brazil

Age is just a number for Chusovitina n Reuters, Rio De Janeiro If there was a gold medal on offer at every competition for the oldest gymnast on show, Oksana Chusovitina would have needed to hire Fort Knox to stockpile a hoard of precious metal.

In a sport overpopulated by tiny teenagers, 41-year-old Chusovitina has kept her body “lean and mean” for over four decades so that she can compete against rivals younger than her 17-year-old son Alisher.

So long is her career that the majority of her Rio rivals were not even born when she was a member of the triumphant Unified Team, representing former Soviet republics, in 1992.

There was certainly a lot of love in the Rio Olympic Arena for the oldest ever gymnast to compete at a Games.

The cheers were loud when the venue’s MC introduced the Uzbek as “a living legend” and the volume went up as she sprinted down the runway before launching into her first vault. A hop back on landing did not dampen the mood and a score of 15.166 proved that she was not in Rio to simply celebrate competing at a record seventh Olympics for a gymnast. l

GROUP B

GROUP C

1-5 Mexico Gutierrez 48, 56, 58, 73, Salcedo 67 Germany 3-3 South Korea Gnabry 33, 90+2, Hwang 25, Fiji Krishna 11

Selke 55

Son 57, Suk 87

Saad Luaibi (L) of Iraq and teammate Ahmed Ibrahim defend against Brazil’s Neymar in the first half of their Rio Olympics football match on Sunday REUTERS

n AFP, Rio de Janeiro Brazil face another embarrassing exit from a tournament on home soil after Neymar slumbered through a second 0-0 draw of Rio 2016 against Iraq.

The Olympic hosts need to beat group leaders Denmark tomorrow to win to avoid a stunning exit, just two years after their devastating 7-1 World Cup defeat by Germany.

Neymar was expected to ease Brazilian football’s wounded pride by delivering a first ever Olympic gold for the five-time world champions.

However, the Barcelona star was

eclipsed. And just as in their opening stalemate against South Africa, Brazil were booed from the field in Brasilia on Sunday as they paid for their profligacy in front of goal.

Portugal and Nigeria were the first sides to seal their places in the quarter-finals with victories over Honduras and Sweden respectively.

There were also wins for Argentina, Denmark and Mexico.

In contrast to his display against South Africa when he was labelled “greedy”, Neymar was a peripheral figure against Iraq and lost his cool when he fired the ball at Sherko Kareem in the second-half as the Iraqi

prevented him from taking a quick free-kick.

Manchester City’s £27 million ($36 million) signing Gabriel Jesus had another night to forget. After claiming he “wouldn’t sleep” after missing an open goal against the South Africans, he skewed an golden chance wide inside two minutes before being hooked off by Micale early in the second-half.

Iraq could even have snatched a shock win when Mohanad Abdulraheem’s first-half header came back off the inside of the post.

Renato Augusto had Brazil’s best chance when he shot over the gaping goal deep into seven min-

Fabian blames scoring system for Rio injuries n Reuters, Rio De Janeiro

Germany’s Fabian Hambuechen demanded an overhaul in the gymnastics scoring system on Saturday after team mate Andreas Toba and Frenchman Samir Ait Said provided painful reminders of just how dangerous the sport can be.

Ait Said ended up in hospital with a broken leg that was left dangling from below his knee following a crash landing from the vault.

He was wheeled out of the arena on a stretcher shortly after Toba cried out in agony following a fall from a tumbling run on the floor exercise which is suspected to have ruptured his ACL. Toba went on to perform on the pommel horse but as he limped off that apparatus with his arms around his team mates, it was clear that his Games were over.

As far as 2007 horizontal bar

Samir Said (C) of France is helped after breaking his leg during competition on the vault on Saturday REUTERS world champion Hambuechen was concerned, the accumulative scoring system that replaced the

old 10.0 format following a judging scandal at the 2004 Athens Olympics is to blame for the injuries.

The system is made up of two different scores. The D (difficulty) score involves adding up the hardest and specific requirements in a routine, while all gymnasts begin with a 10.0 E (execution) score from which points are deducted for flaws such as bent legs, botched landings and falls. The two scores are then added together for a final score.

It is the pursuit of earning a high D-score that makes gymnasts push the boundaries, often with dire consequences as witnessed on Saturday.

Four years after hurting his right leg at the 2012 London Games, Ait Said was again in agony when a misjudged vault landing left him clutching the back of his left knee as he lay prostrate on the crash mat.

It soon became apparent that he would take no further part. l

utes of stoppage time.

Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan waived away strong claims for a penalty moments later when Gabriel Barbosa tumbled inside the area.

Atletico Madrid’s Angel Correa scored and set up Jonathan Calleri’s winner as 10-man Argentina got their challenge for a third Olympic gold back on track with a 2-1 win over Algeria in Rio. Argentina coach Julio Olarticoechea was put in charge for the Games. Olarticoechea took over from Gerardo Martino who quit after a second Copa America final defeat to Chile in as many years. l

Nepali girl, 13, wins swim heat n AFP, Rio de Janeiro Thirteen-year-old Gaurika Singh, the youngest athlete at the Rio Olympics, won her heat in the women’s 100 metres backstroke Sunday after getting into a flap over a torn swimsuit.

The Nepali schoolgirl, who survived the killer earthquake that claimed 9,000 lives in her native country in April last year, quickly changed into a new costume before plunging into the pool for her moment of glory.

“It feels amazing,” grinned Singh after winning her race in one minute, 8.45 seconds.

“It was amazing to look up at that board and see my time. I’m really grateful that I got this opportunity just to even be here.”

Singh was almost thrown off her stroke by a wardrobe crisis. l

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Uncommon (4) 4 Ink sports (5) 9 Anger (3) 11 Wicked (4) 12 Raised platform (5) 13 Venture (4) 14 Exultation (4) 15 American state (5) 19 Adoring praise (5) 21 Cicatrix (4) 25 Church leader (4) 26 Joint (5) 28 Celtic tongue (4) 29 Slippery fish (3) 30 Poor (5) 31 Concreted blood (4)

DOWN 1 Hazard (4) 2 Craft (3) 3 Kingdom (5) 5 Book of accounts (6) 6 Egg-shaped (4) 7 Weary (4) 8 Glossy (5) 10 Danger (5) 16 Concurred (6) 17 Wanderer (5) 18 Trembling poplar (5) 20 Country bumpkin (5) 22 Innermost part (4) 23 Church recess (4) 24 Gridle (4) 27 Zodiac sign (3)

29

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Downtime

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

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

You have two letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters go in the missing squares.

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

As you get the letters, fill in the other squares with the same number in the main grid, and the control grid. Check off the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU How to solve: Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no number repeating.

PEANUTS

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Showtime

Miles withdraws from Azaadi concert

n Showtime Desk After the temporary announcement of canceling the Azaadi concert, the organisers of the show have decided to commence their plans with two Indian bands excluding Miles from Bangladesh.

Miles, one of the top Bengali bands, was supposed to rock in a FM radio program with Fossils, the band considered to be the pioneer of rock acts in Kolkata’s Bengali music scene.

On the special occasion of the Independence Day of India these two bands planned to perform at the Azaadi concert, a show meant to go on air from Red FM on August 13.

Fossils had objections to sharing the same platform with Miles. They claimed that some members from Miles constantly and continuously posted hateful

status updates on their Facebook profiles regarding India.

Red FM later cancelled on both the bands and decided to go on with the program without them.

However, now Fossils is going to take part in the concert with Chandrabindu, another Indian band.

A Facebook fanpage began the hashtag trend #BoycottMiles and pointed out how the main members of Miles (Hamin Ahmed and Shafin Ahmed) interminably thrashed India with “distasteful comments” since the 2014 World Cup days.

After that Fossils also declared their stand with the fan club saying, “As for Fossils, it is very clear that our only objection was performance of Miles – whose music we have all grown up listening to but who have been extremely vocal against India openly in their social networking pages.”

After their allegations, Miles decided not to perform at their concert and canceled the proposal.

Miles stated, “This is completely unexpected of them. We, as a band, have known Fossils for many years. It saddens me how they tried to block our arrival.” l

American Alumni showcases Raton n Showtime Desk American Alumni Association (AAA) showcased a movie Raton which is adapted from a short story written by Dr Muhammed Zafar Iqbal. The screening was held at the EMK Center on August 6.

Raton, an actor who played the titular lead role in the movie, Bulbul Biswas, the film’s director and AAA Life Member Ashfaque Ahmed, the film’s producer, were present on the occasion.

The story follows a 10 year old

boy Raton whose parents were brutally killed by the Pakistani Army during the Liberation War in

1971. Raton gets an abode with the freedom fighters. Unfortunately the commander of the unit gets caught by the military with the association of local collaborators.

The story takes a turn here.

Syed Almas Kabir, the president of AAA, Imtiaj Rasul, the secretary of AAA, and a large number of members of the association watched the film. Followed by the show, a short discussion about the film was held and the actor, the director and the producer shared their experiences with the audience. l

A public meltdown n Showtime Desk It was already known to all that Lindsay Lohan, and Egor Tarabasov had problems. But things between them were worse than anyone could even imagine. Disturbing new photos have emerged, and they show the Mean Girls star throwing her ex-fiancé’s phone out of their jeep before she ran towards the beach after which, he caught up to her and violently grabbed hold of her.

This all happened on the Greek island of Mykonos, where Lindsay was celebrating her 30th birthday. It all looks very terrifying, and Lindsay recently said this was a relationship she was hoping would bring marriage and kids, but it appears violent, unstable and at its end.

“I realise now you can’t stay in a relationship just for love. No woman can be hit and stay with that person if that person isn’t prepared to say sorry,” Lindsay told a magazine.

Lindsay didn’t go into too much detail about the fight - once which shows Egor violently

grabbing her and twisting her arm behind her back - but she did reveal, “Egor drank too much and he went crazy.”

Shockingly this was not the first time they’ve gotten into a violent altercation. Just a few weeks ago, she was heard screaming on the balcony of the flat they shared. Neighbours heard her scream, “Please, please. He just strangled me. He almost killed me.”

When asked about that altercation, she said, “Egor and I had been out for dinner. We danced, it was fun. When we got home I went to bed and Egor went out. A few hours later he came back and when I woke up he was standing over me. He wasn’t himself, he was being very aggressive and he attacked me.”

“I wanted to do this interview because it’s time to tell the truth,” she added. “There have been so many lies printed about me recently. I’ve kept quiet for so long but now I’m scared of what Egor might do to me and to himself.” l Source: Hollywood Gossip

Demise of a Lalon song-bird Baul Rob Fakir passes away at 48

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

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n Showtime Desk

“M

y body is nothing but a dotara and Lalon songs are like religion to me,” Rob Fakir, a famous Baul singer and Lalon disciple, would always state when asked about himself.

Always spotted with a dotara hanging around his neck, he was a simple human being who lived like a sage throughout his life.

Fakir passed away on August 6, aged only 48.

This pre-eminent dotara player (a two or four or some times five stringed musical instrument

resembling a mandolin) who used to make his own instruments had been ill for quite some time, finally breathing his last at the Kustia Central Hospital last Saturday, aged just 48.

Rob Fakir was fully devoted to Lalon’s realm. From early childhood, he used to visit the “aakhra,” a gathering of Lalon devotees who increase the knowledge of the participants through conversation. A disciple of Boro Rob Fakir, a revered Baul of Kushtia, Rob Fakir was also known as Gopal Shadhu.

During the early 1970s, along with his father Siraj Joarder he used to go to the “aakhra” located at Cheuria, Kushtia and that was the beginning of his spiritual journey. He started liking the communion of the Lalon devotees and ended up garnering strong devotion and adoration towards Lalon. He used to harmonise the songs of Abbas Uddin, the great Bengali folk song composer and singer using

Rob Fakir has inspired many contemporary folk singers

just his dotara after listening to the songs on the radio. At first, he used to buy the instruments but wasn’t satisfied with the results. After some time, he began to build his own musical instruments.

Throughout his career, Rob Fakir performed at many international folk festivals like Womad, UK (the biggest folk festival in the world), Songlines Encounter, UK with contemporary folk band Shikor, Dhaka International Folk Festival, and International Sufi Festival in Dhaka.

The band Bangla played a key role in popularising Rob Fakir among the urban youth.

The band’s second album Prottutpanyomotitwa featured songs – “Helaye Helaye Din Boye Jaye” and “Shobey Ki Hobey Bhobey” – rendered by Rob Fakir.

Music label Ektaar produced Rob Fakir’s lone solo album Shobder Ghar. The album features ten lesser known songs including “Jagat Muktitey Bholalen Shai,” “Jey Pothey Shai Choley Pherey,”

“Dekhlam E Shongshar,” and “Shobder Gharey Nishobdo Kore.”

Rob Fakir has inspired many contemporary folk singers. He personally helped singer Anusheh Anadil and Shahnaz Belly to learn a few important traits of the Lalon singing style.

His untimely death left fellow singers and followers saddened and shocked. Bangladeshi-born British jazz pianist and composer Kishon Khan posted on social media: “Deeply saddened to hear the passing of my friend Rob Fakir. He really was a beautiful human being, who gave out a special energy. He created a sense of awe in London, and floated around Womad in a way only a Baul can, always smiling. RIP Rob bhai.”

Guitarist and musician Seth Panduranga Blumberg posted, “If there is a beginning then there will be an ending...But with soul there is no beginning... so no end. We are all comprised of soul. A collective energy of consciousness taking form, leaving form but never born and never ending. I am thankful for the form known as Rob Fakir. joy guru.”

Rob Fakir is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son. l

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Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, Chris Evans l

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

EXPORT EARNINGS FALL 3.5% IN JULY PAGE 12

BAKI 25TH, FAILS TO QUALIFY PAGE 24

DEMISE OF A LALON SONG-BIRD PAGE 31

Bangamata’s birthday observed n Tribune Desk

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina lovingly gazes at the picture of her mother Bangamata Fajilatunnesa Mujib on the cover of a new book in her memory, at its launch in Ganabhaban yesterday BSS

The 86th birth anniversary of Bangamata Begum Fajilatunnesa Mujib, wife of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and mother of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was observed around the country yesterday.

On the Occasion, Sheikh Hasina unveiled the cover of a book in her memory at Ganabhaban.

The book, whose Bengali title means Remembering Bangamata Fajilatunnesa Mujib with Love and Respect, was published by Awami Jubo League. Jubo League Chairman Omar Faruk Chowdhury is the book’s editor, reported UNB. Recalling Bangamata’s contributions in establishing an independent Bangladesh, Hasina said she had always inspired and encouraged Bangabandhu in taking the right decisions in every crucial moment of the nation.

Bangamata was killed along with Bangabandhu and most of her family members on August 15, 1975. Her daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana survived the massacre as they were abroad at the time. l

Pakistani Taliban faction claims hospital bomb attack that killed 70 n Reuters, Quetta, Pakistan A suicide bomber in Pakistan killed at least 70 people and wounded more than a hundred on Monday in an attack on mourners gathered at a hospital in Quetta, according to officials in the southwestern province of Baluchistan.

The bomber struck as a crowd of mostly lawyers and journalists crammed into the emergency department to accompany the body of a prominent lawyer who had been shot and killed in the city earlier in the day, Faridullah, a reporter who was among the wounded, told Reuters.

Abdul Rehman Miankhel, a senior official at the government-run Civil Hospital, where the explosion occurred, told reporters that at least 70 people had been killed, with more

than 112 wounded, as the casualty toll spiked from initial estimates.

“There are many wounded, so the death toll could rise,” said Rehmat Saleh Baloch, the provincial health minister.

Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, a faction of the Islamist militant Pakistani Taliban group, claimed responsibility for the attack in an email.

It was not immediately clear if the group had carried out the bombing, as it is believed to have claimed responsibility for attacks in the past that it was not involved in.

“The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaat-ur-Ahrar (TTP-JA) takes responsibility for this attack, and pledges to continue carrying out such attacks,” said spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan in the statement.

Only last week, Jamaat was added to the United States’ list of glob-

al terrorists, triggering sanctions.

Television footage showed scenes of chaos at the hospital in Quetta, with panicked people fleeing through debris as smoke filled the hospital corridors.

Bodies lay strewn across a hospital courtyard shortly after the blast and pools of blood collected as emergency rescuers rushed to identify survivors.

Prime minister visits

The motive behind the attack was unclear, but several lawyers have been targeted during a recent spate of killings in Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan which has a history of militant and separatist violence.

The latest victim, Bilal Anwar Kasi, was shot and killed while on his way to the city’s main court com-

plex, senior police official Nadeem Shah told Reuters. He was the president of Baluchistan Bar Association.

The subsequent suicide attack appeared to target his mourners, Anwar ul Haq Kakar, a spokesman for the Baluchistan government, said.

“It seems it was a pre-planned attack,” he said.

Ali Zafar, president of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan, told reporters in the eastern city of Lahore: “We (lawyers) have been targeted because we always raise our voice for people’s rights and for democracy...Lawyers will not just protest this attack but also prepare a long-term plan of action.”

Police cordoned off the hospital following the blast, with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif paying visits

to the wounded on Monday evening.

In January, a suicide bomber killed 15 people outside a polio eradication centre in an attack claimed by both the Pakistani Taliban and Jundullah, another Islamist militant group that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State in the Middle East.

Monday’s attack was the worst in Pakistan since an Easter Day bombing ripped through a Lahore park, killing at least 72 people.

Jamaat-ur-Ahrar also claimed responsibility for that atrocity.

Quetta has long been regarded as a base for the Afghan Taliban, whose leadership has regularly held meetings there in the past.

In May, Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed by a US drone strike while travelling to Quetta from the Pakistan-Iran border. l

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