August 21, 2016

SECOND EDITION

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

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Bhadra 6, 1423, Zilqad 17, 1437

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 116

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

August 21 attack n Tribune Desk

FILE PHOTO

Trial may end this year Islam Shaon and n Ashif Md Sanaul Islam Tipu The victims of the gruesome August 21 grenade attack incident are yet to get justice as the trial of the cases have not been completed in 12 years.

In August 2014, the prosecution had said the trial might be finished hopefully by next August, and as it approached, they said it would take one more year.

However, yesterday, they hoped that the trial would be finished by December this year. “... Our goal has not been fulfilled completely, but we have achieved it partly,” Syed Rezaur Rahman, chief counsel of the cases, told the Dhaka Tribune Thursday.

He said that deposition recording

INSIDE

and cross-examination of 223 witnesses, out of 491, have been completed.

After the depositions, the defence may produce witnesses and then the final arguments will take place before pronouncement of the verdict.

‘JUSTICE NEEDS TO BE DELIVERED’

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Two cases were filed in connection with the blasts – one under the Explosive Substances Act and the other for the 24 murders. The cases are running in parallel.

Rejecting assumptions that the trial would end soon, Rezaur said: “The trial is going on smoothly to provide justice. This type of assumption is thus irrational.”

National oil-gas protection committee yesterday announced a long march protesting the construction of the Rampal power plant called ‘Chalo Chalo Dhaka Chalo’ starting Nov 24  PAGE 3

Ferocious HujiB now on the wane

Many Qawmi madrasa teachers and students had joined the war in Afghanistan in the 1980s to join hands with the local Mujahideens there.  PAGE 5

He claimed that the prosecution was trying their best to conclude the trial by this year.

Rezaur also blamed the then BNP-Jamaat government for staging Joj Miah drama to divert the incident for the delay. Besides, the further investigation process took more than a year.

Moreover, several accused in the case were also facing trials in some sensational cases. They needed to be produced before different courts in those cases and it consumed much time, he added.

The state counsel also blamed the defence counsels for the delay in the process. “The accused moved the High Court with petitions regarding the trial process five times. A total of 294 working days were spent there. Lawyers of  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Living with 1,797 splinters n Adil Sakhawat

Rampal protesters declare ‘March to Dhaka’

PHOTO: COURTESY

Victims

Mahbuba Parvin would probably have been safe at home in Savar on August 21, 2004, had it not been for a call from her fellow Awami League activists to join the anti-terrorism rally called by party chief Sheikh Hasina.

Mahbuba, who is now the secretary of women’s affairs in Awami Swechchhasebak League Dhaka district unit, was the only Awami League activist from Savar who was called to attend the rally.

“I look up to Bangabandhu’s daughter and our party leader. So I stopped what I was doing at home when I received the call and went to the rally,” Mahbuba told the Dhaka Tribune.

She started towards Bangabandhu Avenue around 12:30pm, where the

rally was going to be held, and reached around 30 minutes before it started.

“As I was the only activist from Savar, I requested to sit at the front of the gathering so I would be able to see our leader speak.”

And she was able to do so, sitting very close to the truck from which Hasina addressed the rally.

“Apa [Hasina] came to address the rally after the other senior leaders gave their speeches. As she was wrapping up her speech, we suddenly heard a loud explosion and everything became dark.”

That day, at least 13 grenades were blasted aiming the rally, which drew more than 20,000 people. Eighteen people died on the spot and more than 200 people were injured. The death toll went up to 24, including Ivy Rahman,  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Ivy Rahman, Rafiqul Islam, Mahbubur Rashid, Abul Kalam Azad, Rezina Begum, Nasir Uddin Sardar, Atique Sarkar, Abdul Kuddus Patwari, Aminul Islam Moazzem, Belal Hossain, Mamun Mridha, Ratan Shikdar, Liton Munshi, Hasina Mamtaz Reena, Sufia Begum, Rafiqul Islam (Ada Chacha), Mostaque Ahmed Sentu, Md Hanif, Abul Kashem, Zahed Ali, Momen Ali, M Shamsuddin and Ishaque Miah.

Injured More than 200 people

including many Awami League leaders suffered severe splinter and other injuries in the attack. Among the injured were Sheikh Hasina, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Suranjit Sengupta, Obaidul Quader, Sahara Khatun, Mohammad Hanif, Prof Abu Sayeed, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Nazrul Islam Babu, Awlad Hossain, Sayeed Khokon, Mahbuba Parvin, Umme Razia Kajol, Nasima Ferdous, Shahida Tarek Dipti, Rasheda Akhter Ruma, Hamida Khanam Moni, Engineer Selim, Ruma Islam, Kazi Moazzem Hossain and Mamun Mallick.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

14-party: Aug 21 trial to be completed soon n Tribune Desk Health Minister Mohammad Nasim yesterday said that the trial of the August 21, 2004 grenade attack would certainly be completed during the tenure of this government.

The spokesperson of the 14-party alliance and Awami League presidium member said: “The trial of Bangabandhu murder and the prolonged trial of the war criminals were held due to the determination of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The trial of the August 21 grenade attack will surely be completed

Bangla programming language Potaka launched n Shegufta Hasnine Surur A group of programmers have launched the first ever Bangla-based programming language called Potaka.

The language was formally launched yesterday at an event hosted by the IT firm Joomshaper in Dhanmondi, Dhaka.

Potaka, which is in Beta version 1.0, is the brainchild of Ikrum Hossain, a software engineer currently with Telenor.

Speaking at the launching event, Ikrum and the other programmers contributing to Potaka pointed out that not understanding the English language was a big part of why many students were afraid of programming.

The language can be seen at www.potaka.io. The website contains an editor with syntax highlighting, built-in Avro phonetic typing and autocomplete functions.

A parser and some interesting examples can also be found at: github.com/ikrum/potaka. l

soon,” reports BSS. He made the allegation during a press conference at the political office of Awami League president Sheikh Hasina after a meeting of the 14-party alliance.

The meeting was convened to take stock of the latest political situation of the country and the alliance’s flood-relief distribution drive.

The 14-party spokesman also announced the action programme for the month of September for creating mass awareness against terrorism and militancy.l

Despite having government offices, banks and schools closed on Saturdays, traffic in Dhaka remains unmanageable. Photo taken in Kalabagan yesterday RAJIB DHAR

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Trial may end this year 52 accused cross examined every prosecution witness, which is also a lengthy process,” he said.

The lawyer claimed that the prosecution had no fault that could slow down the process.

One of the defence lawyers Mohammad Ali, however, claimed that that state had produced a huge number of witnesses and “some of them are useless, which is causing the delay.”

The grenade attack was launched in 2004 on an antiterrorism rally organised by the Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital. Then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina had just ended addressing the rally and the activists were getting ready to bring out a procession when the grenades were hurled.

Although Hasina narrowly escaped death, at least 24 people including then the chief of AL’s women wing Ivy Rahman – also wife of late president Zillur Rahman – were killed and over 200 others injured in the attack.

Later, investigations revealed the involvement of Hawa Bhaban, former political office of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, different militant organisations and the

administration in planning and executing the attack.

The then government first blamed Awami League for staging a drama by carrying out the attack.

Some ministers and lawmakers even pointed fingers at India.

August 21 attack After the Awami League formed government in 2009, a further investigation was conducted and in July, 2011 the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted the supplementary charge sheet against 30 people.

Although Hasina narrowly escaped death, at least 24 people including then the chief of AL’s women wing Ivy Rahman were killed

Accused who are fugitive

Tarique Rahman, Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, Mohammad Hanif, Maj Gen (retd) ATM Amin, Lt Col (retd) Saiful Islam Joarder, Babu alias Ratul Babu, Anisul Morsalin, Mohibul Muttakin, Maulana Tajuddin, Shafikur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hai, Maulana Abu Bakar, Iqbal, Khalilur Rahman, Jahangir Alam Badar, Maulana Liton alias Zobair alias Delwar, Md Obaidur Rahman, Khan Syed Hasan, Harris Chowdhury.

The then police administration had attempted to implicate a very poor Jamal Ahmed, also known as Joj Mia, in 2005 and claimed with accomplishment that he was one of the masterminds behind the attack launched by notorious Seven Start Group.

In several months after the much-talked-about arrest, media first discovered that it was an attempt to victimise a wrong person to hide the real perpetrators.

In June 2008, the CID pressed charges against BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu, militants outfit HujiB’s chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and 20 others in the cases. After indictment, the trial began the same year.

The names of BNP Senior ViceChairman Tarique Rahman, former state minister Lutfozzaman Babar, Harris Chowdhury and Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed were included in the charge sheet.

On March 18, 2012, the court framed charges against Tarique and others. Mujaheed has been hanged to death in a war crimes case and was exempted from the charges recently.

Of the accused, Tarique and 18 others have been absconding and 24 others, including Babar, are now in jail. Eight others are out on bail. The government is working to bring back some fugitive accused from abroad. l

Accused who are on bail

she was treated for her ear damage at Combined Military Hospital on recommendation of Sheikh Hasina.

But the doctors could not remove the splinters.

“I had 1,800 splinters in my body, and only three were removed. The rest of them cannot be removed.”

While she was undergoing treatment in Kolkata, rumour of her death quickly spread in Dhaka, especially when a photo of her lying on the street at the crime scene was published by newspapers the next day.

She said some of her acquaint-

ances did not realise she was alive until 2009, when she was nominated to receive a monthly stipend of Tk5,000 from Bangabandhu Memorial Trust as an injured survivor of the attack.

The prime minister also assured her of bearing the academic expenses of her two sons, she told the Dhaka Tribune.

Mahbuba’s elder son is currently studying master’s in banking and insurance at Dhaka University, while her younger son is planning to pursue higher studies abroad after graduating from North South

University in architecture.

She is now waiting for exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the attack. “The government has been sincere in getting justice in war crimes trial and Bangabandhu killing. I know the government also succeeds to get justice in the trial of the grenade attack.”

Still suffering from the aftermath of the attack, Mahbuba sought help from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for further treatment. She also asked for the prime minister’s help in arranging for her younger son’s higher studies. l

Khaleda’s nephew Saiful Islam Duke, former police chiefs Md Ashraful Huda, Shahidul Huq, and Khoda Baksh Chowdhury, first three investigation officers in the case – CID Special Superintendent Ruhul Amin and two former CID ASPs Munshi Atiqur Rahman and Abdur Rashid – and former DCC ward commissioner Ariful Islam.

Case proceedings

The CID pressed charges against 20 people in the case on June 9, 2008.

Trial began in the same year. On July 3, 2011, the CID submitted supplementary charge sheet against 30 people. On March 18, 2012, A Dhaka court framed charges. l

Living with 1,797 splinters the then women’s affairs secretary of the Awami League and wife of former president Zillur Rahman.

Mahbuba can still vividly recall how she felt in after the attack. “It felt like thousands of needles were pierced my body. The pain was so excruciating that I felt as if I had been struck by lightning. After a while, the left side of my body started going numb. That is the last thing I remember before I lost consciousness.”

Mahbuba was so heavily injured that the rescue workers primarily thought she was dead and sent

her to the morgue with other dead bodies.

Hearing the news of her death, a fellow activist went to the morgue to identify her, but found that she still had pulse and immediately took her to hospital.

“I woke 25 days later, at Peerless Hospital in Kolkata,” she said, adding that her treatment abroad was arranged by Sheikh Hasina herself.

Mahbuba suffered several injuries in the attack, including severe ear damage. She was also hit with grenade splinters.

After she returned from Kolkata,

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

Rampal protesters declare ‘March to Dhaka’ starting November 24

Tahmid sent to jail n Arifur Rahman Rabbi

n Nure Alam Durjoy, Rampal National oil-gas protection committee yesterday announced a long march protesting the construction of the Rampal power plant called ‘Chalo Chalo Dhaka Chalo’ (March to Dhaka) starting November 24.

The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports made the declaration at a day long sit-in-protest at the Central Shaheed Minar.

The committee member secretary Anu Mohammad also announced a three month long protest programme demanding the cancellation of the power plant.

Professor Anu Mohammad said: “if the environmentally destructive project is not cancelled within November 23 we will begin our ‘Chalo Chalo Dhaka Chalo’ programme from November 24 along with a mass rally on November 26 in Dhaka”.

The three-month programmes will be begin from September which will include rallies, conventions, dramatic performances etc. across the country.

“We will hold a rally and go to the Indian High Commission to present an open letter to the Indian government very soon,”Anu said.

Professor Anu Mohammad warned: “If there is any obstruction from the government during our peaceful march we will call a nation wide hartal or a blockage.”

Protesting the coal-fired Rampal power plant, the sit-in began

Activists of National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports demonstrate at the Central Shaheed Minar premises yesterday demanding the cancellation of Rampal power plant project in Sundarbans MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU at 11.00am and continued till 7.00pm.

The protest drew concerned citizens, prominent civil society activists as well as politicians.

Communist Party president Mujahidul Islam Selim said that the coalfired power plant at Rampal must not be built and that the government must understand the political consequences of the mass awakening.

“We will continue to fight to protect the Sundarbans,” he added.

Warning the government, the prominent writer and researcher Syed Abul Maksud said: “This project is against the nation, this project is against the sentiment of the liberation war.”

“Someday people will equate those in favour of the Rampal power plant with war criminals like Go-

lam Azam and Sayedi,” he added.

Professor Emeritus of Dhaka University Serajul Islam Choudhury said: “This is a matter of life and death and losing is not an option.”

The protest was joined by Dhaka University professor Gitiara Nasreen, Fahmidul Haq, activist Khusi Kabir, Rehnuma Ahmed, amongst many others. l

‘Family members ‘Justice needs to be delivered’ unaware she was Nure Alam Durjoy At first, I did not understand thing going off under the truck. At n what was taking place. When one first we did not understand what married’ or two grenades went off, I was was happening. Then we found Photojournalists SM Gorky and still taking photos from the stage. I many people were dropping on the Mir Farid speak to Dhaka Tribune’s n Tribune Desk thought they were cocktails [hand ground. They were actually injured Nure Alam Durjoy, remembering Family members of Afsana Ferdous yesterday said that they were unaware of that she was married They said she never mentioned her marriage but did say that she had a good relationship with Habibur Rahman Robin, a Tejgaon college BCL leader.

Hasanuzzaman Mintu, uncle of the deceased, told the Dhaka Tribune that he learned about her being married from her neighbours in Manikdi, Dhaka. He also learned that police has the marriage registration license but they did not confirm him of anything.

He said he will file a murder case when they receive the autopsy report. Police sources said they had picked up four people for questioning but did not confirm their identity. l

their experiences in the middle of the grenade attack on an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.

Both feel that justice is overdue in the grenade attacks and should be delivered as soon as possible.

SM Gorky, Chief Photojournalist, Jugantor I was there on the makeshift stage built on a truck during the Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21.

Many other Awami League leaders made their speech, and when Sheikh Hasina finished her speech saying “Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu” and began to get down, some of us photojournalists began asking her to turn towards us for photos.

At that moment, we heard some-

by grenade splinters.

After that the leaders there formed a human shield to save Sheikh Hasina. When she was walking towards her car surrounded by Awami League leaders and bodyguards, the perpetrators opened fire, instantly killing one of the officials, Mahbub.

I was on the stage behind Sheikh Hasina. I was bloodied too. I still have some 48 splinters in my body.

A police officer rescued me. The prime minister later helped me a lot personally with treatment.

I am hopeful that justice and punishment for the culprits who were involved with that terrible incident will be delivered.

Mir Farid, Photojournalist, Daily Kaler Kantho

bombs]. I only realised that it was a massive after seeing many people got down on the ground.

A moment later, another grenade exploded near the stage.

Some people, including Awami League secretary Abdul Jalil, fell on me. I managed to save my camera by raising my hand up. Many were injured by grenade splinters.

My glasses were broken and two splinters got into my left eye, but it was nothing to me. I keep my broken glasses as a memory.

Grenades were exploding randomly. After that, I jumped from the stage.

If someone sees the photos I took at the time from beginning to end they might be able to get a good idea of what had transpired

Gulshan terrorist attack survivor Tahmid Hasib Khan has been sent to jail.

Police finished a second round of interrogation of six days with the Toronto University student and produced him in court yesterday where Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Delwar Hossain ordered him sent to jail.

Rana Kumar Bhakta, general recording officer of the court, said Tahmid’s lawyer Hamidur Rahman applied for his bail which the court rejected. Police did not ask for further remand.

Another survivor of the attack, former North South University teacher Hasnat Reza Karim, was arrested along with Tahmid on August 3 night under section 54.

Both were placed in court and taken for eight days of interrogation starting August 4.

After the eight-day remand Hasnat Karim was shown arrested in the Gulshan attack case, becoming the first person to be accused in the terrorist attack. He was sent for more interrogation.

Tahmid was also placed on sixday remand, but he has not been shown arrested in the case. l

there that day.

As far as I know, I took the last smiling photo of Ivy Rahman.

Md Alam was the best among us, who took the best photos of the incident that were published in the papers. He was from Daily Ittefaq.

He was then more than 60 years old.

I saw PM’s personal photographer Habib bhai, Khokon bhai, Gorky and Mamun there. Habib bhai was in front of the Sheikh Hasina and we the rest were behind them.

If the government wishes, it can identify the culprits. It is not a big deal for the government. Instead of identifying the perpetrators, the blame game is going on.

It has been 12 years. Awami League has formed two successive governments. But I think they will keep the issue alive as a political prop. Every political party does that.

However, I hope one day justice will be achieved. l

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

BYLC concludes fourth Youth Leadership Summit n Tribune Desk

Members of Bangladesh Communist Party’s female unit form a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday demanding justice in the murder of Afsana Ferdous MEHEDI HASAN

PM calls for crafting militancy-free country n BSS Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon all citizens to turn the grief of August 21 grenade attack of 2004 into strength to build a peaceful democratic Bangladesh free of terrorism and militancy.

She made the call in a message on the eve of the 12th anniversary of a brutal grenade attack on an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in the city that killed some 24 leaders and activists.

“My expectation on this day is that we would establish ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by the father of the nation by eliminating militancy,” the prime minister said.

She said the main objective of August 21 grenade attack was to frustrate the country’s independence, democracy, peace and progress.

“The aim of the August 21 was also to make killing, conspiracy, militancy, corruption and misrule a permanent phenomenon and destroy the spirit of the War of Liberation by making Bangladesh leaderless,” she said.

The prime minister said although it was the moral responsibility of the government to bring the killers to book, the then BNP-Jamaat regime tried its level best to protect them.

“The then government helped a number of attackers to flee the country and destroyed the evidence of the incident. In the name of investigation, they also diverted the heinous crime to a different direction,” she added.

Citing the investigation report, the prime minister said truth could not be suppressed.

“Later investigations revealed that many of the players belonging to BNP-Jamaat alliance were directly involved in the attack.”

Sheikh Hasina hoped that the killing, terrorism and militancy would end in the country forever and rule of law would be established after the holding of trial of the attackers, planners, order issu-

ers and patrons.

She said the trial of the August 21 grenade attackers is going on.

“We have upheld democracy and rule of law,” she said and referred to the execution of the verdict of the Bangabandhu killing case, war crimes cases and the trial process of jail killing case.

Terming August 21 a “day of black chapter” in the country’s political history, Sheikh Hasina said: “The killers carried out the barbaric attack in the broad daylight on an anti-militancy rally of Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue to kill me under the patronage of the then BNP-Jamaat alliance government.”

“Our party leaders and workers by forming a human-shield saved

me from a series of grenade attacks,” she recalled.

The prime minister said she narrowly survived the attacks due to divine blessing.

“But some 24 leaders and workers including president of Mohila Awami League Ivy Rahman embraced martyrdom and over 500 AL leaders and workers, journalists and security personnel were injured,” she said, adding many of the injured are now leading a painful life with splinters.

While in power, the BNP-Jamaat government was always engaged in ill efforts to make Bangladesh a dysfunctional state by patronising militants and terrorists, the prime minister said and referred to the return of the Awami League to power with a huge mandate of the people in 2008.

In the last seven and a half years, the Awami League government has turned Bangladesh into a role model of development in all sectors, she said and listed a number of achievements in economic and other sectors.

She hoped that Bangladesh would become a middle income country even before 2021 and a developed and prosperous country in 2041.

Sheikh Hasina urged all to pay due tribute to the martyrs of August 21 by building a peaceful and safe country. l

Bangladesh Youth Leadership Centre (BYLC) concluded their fourth Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) yesterday with the theme “Connect, Collaborate, Co-create” at the International Convention City in Bashundhara, Dhaka.

The rigorous admission process competitively selected 400 students from over 2,700 applications from all over Bangladesh and 60 countries around the world.

With financial support from UK Aid, this year’s summit brought together university students and young professionals from seven countries for three days of exploration, leadership training, and networking.

“The summit facilitates inter-generational dialogue which is critical in finding innovative solutions to the problems we are facing as a society today”, said Akhter Matin Chaudhury, chairperson of BYLC, at the opening ceremony of the summit on August 18.

Speaking as the chief guest, Bangladesh Parliament Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said: “BYLC is doing the important work of building bridges between people from different backgrounds and creating a shared vision for our future.”

Highlighting UK Aid’s commitment to youth development in Bangladesh, DFID Country Representative Jane Edmondson said: “The new Sustainable Development Goals look forward to a world where the goals have been met for everyone. It is young people who have the biggest stake in this future, and it is young leaders who will make it happen, here in Bangladesh and worldwide.

Prime Minister’s International Affairs Advisor Gowher Rizvi and State Minister for Youth and Sports Biren Sikder was also present at the opening ceremony. The keynote address was given by Sir Christopher Ball, former Warden of Keble College, Oxford University.

This year’s leadership faculty included Ejaj Ahmad, founder and president of BYLC, and Harvard professors Dr Dean Williams and Dr Hugh O’Doherty.

The leadership sessions focused on examining the opportunities and dangers of exercising leadership in an uncertain world and collectively exploring creative solutions to society’s most urgent challenges. Dean Williams spoke about how current leadership practices are insufficient to enable progress, and stressed the importance of crossing boundaries to exercise leadership in a fractured world. l

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

Ferocious HujiB now on the wane n Mohammad Jamil Khan Many Qawmi madrasa teachers and students had joined the war in Afghanistan in the 1980s to join hands with the local Mujahideens there against the then Soviet occupational force. Inspired by al-Qaeda, they later launched the Bangladesh faction of militant group Huji eyeing to establish Islamic rule here.

Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh (HujiB) announced its formation officially on April 30, 1992 from a press conference at the National Press Club with Maulana Abdus Salam as its chief.

Other top brass included Shaikhul Hadith Allama Azizul Haq, who served as the chief of Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ), and Muhammad Habibur Rahman alias Bulbuli Huzur of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, and Mufti Izharul Islam Chowdhury, principal of Lalkhan Madrasa in Chittagong.

The group first hit the headlines by carrying out an attack on poet Shamsur Rahman at his home on January 18, 1999. They later bombed a cultural function of Udichi in Jessore on March 6, 1999 in which 10 persons were killed and over 100 injured.

Until January 27, 2005 when they killed former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria and four others, the members of HujiB carried out at least 13 attacks killing 105 people and injuring more than 700 others.

Then the BNP-Jamaat government banned the militant group on October 17, 2005. The Home Ministry note banning HujiB read: "Harkat-ul Jihad Al-Islami is a self-proclaimed terrorist organisation. Its activities are very sensitive and it is identified as a terrorist organisation.”

Most of its top leaders including Mufti Abdul Hannan and Mufti Abdur Rouf have been arrested in connection with the attacks and are now facing trials. But detectives say the group is now divided into three parts but are trying to reorganise.

HUJIB ATTACKS SINCE 1999 Jan 18, 1999 Assassination attempt on poet Shamsur Rahman

Mar 6, 1999 Bomb attack on Udichi's Jessore function; 10 killed

Oct 8, 1999 Bomb attack on Ahmadiyya mosque in Khulna; 8 killed

Jul 20, 2000 Plot to assassinate Sheikh Hasina in Gopalganj foiled

Jan 20, 2001 Bomb attack on CPB meeting in Dhaka; 5 killed

April 14, 2001 Ramna Batamul blasts; 10 killed

Jun 3, 2001 Attack on Baniarchar church in Gopalganj; 10 killed

Jun 16, 2001 Bomb attack on Narayanganj AL office; 20 killed

Sep 23, 2001 Bomb attack on AL rally in Bagerhat; 8 killed

May 21, 2004 Bomb attack on Shahjalal Shrine; 3 killed

Jun 21, 2004 Bomb attack on Suranjit's rally in Sunamganj; 1 killed

Aug 7, 2004 Bomb attack on AL rally in Sylhet; 1 killed

Aug 21, 2004 Bomb attack on AL rally in Dhaka; 24 killed

Jan 27, 2005 Bomb attack on Kibria’s rally in Habiganj; 5 killed

three dozen members of HujiB were also arrested in Saudi Arabia and Bolivia in 2003 on suspicion of planning terrorist acts.

Monirul Islam, chief of CounterTerrorism and Transnational Crime unit, said: “The outfit used to get financial support from influential people and it made them strong and ferocious.

Instigated by the financiers, they conducted the grenade attack on an Awami League rally on August 21, 2004.”

He thinks that the outfit has lost its strength as most of their leaders

Earlier it enjoyed support from local politicians linked to the BNP, Jamaat and IOJ. It also received support from outlawed militant group Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Pakistan's spy agency ISI, Pakistani militant groups Lashkar-e-Taiba, Asif Reza Commando Force (ARCF) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Indian separatist group Ulfa and Myanmar-based Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO).

It was also reported that a 25-member team of Taliban operatives reached Bangladesh in June, 2001 to train HujiB cadres. Over

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According to intelligence information, the three HujiB factions are led by Mufti Hannan, Mufti Rouf and Abdus Salam. Of them, Salam is absconding and believed to be leading the group from abroad.

Leaders of the three groups held meetings several times to unite, but it has not been possible because of Salam's opposition.

Many of its members have joined different active militant groups like the JMB and Ansarullah Bangla Team, and are believed to be taking part in the recent targeted killings.

Police's detective branch has got information after interrogating Mufti Maulana Nazimuddin, Engineer Saiduzzaman and Anas, who were arrested from Old Dhaka on July 23, that the factions are working to strengthen its organisational activities.

Mahfuza Afroz Lucky, senior assistant commissioner of DB police, said: “Although the outfit is now weak, its members are trying to re-unite again. As a part of it, money is coming from someone in the Middle East. The arrestees have told us that they are using the money to bear costs of cases and release the detained leaders and members.”

The group first saw split in 1998 when Mufti Hannan and Mufti Rouf formed Islamic Gono Andolon. After its ban in 2005, Gono Andolon was renamed Sacheton Islami Janata on August 19, 2006.

The outfit enjoyed impunity during the military-backed caretaker government when they organised rallies and processions under the banner of Sachetan Islami Janata. The faction led by Salam even floated Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) with a 15-member convening committee in May, 2008 to contest the national election in December. But the IDP did not get party registration. l

TONU MURDER

Sluggish investigation, justice a mirage n Tribune Desk Five months after her mutilated body was found inside the cantonment area, investigators have failed to make an iota of progress into the rape and murder of Comilla Victoria College student Sohagi Jahan Tonu.

No-one has been arrested yet.

The snail-pace investigation has exasperated Tonu’s family, who now fears being denied justice.

Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has interviewed more than 50 suspects but is yet to identify anyone.

DNA tests confirmed that Tonu was raped by three men before the killers murdered her and dumped her body in a bush on March 20.

But the CID is yet to start DNA sample matching to identify the killers.

Tonu’s father Yaar Hossain, an office assistant at Comilla Cantonment Board, filed a murder case with the Kotwali police the following day without naming anyone.

After joining as Special Police Superintendent of CID’s Comilla branch on July 25, Shahriar Rahman met Tonu’s family. He had assured proper investigation and bringing the perpetrators to book.

The CID has apparently made no effort to crack the case since then.

Tonu’s parents have reasons to be despondent: investigators have failed to find out the reason of her death after two post-mortem examinations; they are yet to collect DNA samples from suspects and match with those found on the victim; transfer of the first investigation officer and no progress in the case.

Inspector Gazi Mohammad Ibrahim of CID, who is investigating the case, declined comment, saying they were still looking into it.

Tonu’s father Yaar Hossain and mother Anowara Begum said they wondered if they would be able to see their daughter’s killers behind bars or the trial of the murderers. l

18 Jamaat-Shibir men remanded n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

A Dhaka court has granted remand to 18 detained suspected activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Chhatra Shibir.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sazzadur Rahman gave the order on Saturday afternoon.

Of them, two --Abadul and

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN SUNDAY, AUGUST 21

The school is on the third floor of a six-storied building. Kefayetullah and his family live on the fifth floor.

Locals said around 8am, three police vehicles carrying uniformed men came to the building. Around two hours later some people including women were taken to the police station. l

Shamim-- were granted three-day remand each while 16 others were placed on two days remand.

They were detained from Islamic International School in Dhaka’s Merul Badda area on Friday.

Shamsunnahar Nizami, wife of hanged war criminal Motiur Rahman Nizami, is the principal of the school.

Dhaka

30

25

Chittagong

28

26

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:27

32

26

Rangpur

33

25

Khulna

28

24

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:36AM

36.2ºC Jessore

24.4ºC Rangamati

Source: Accuweather/UNB

27

25

PRAYER TIMES

Sylhet

34

24

Cox’s Bazar

27

25

Fajr: 5:00am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 5:00pm | Magrib: 6:41pm Esha: 8:30pm Source: Islamic Foundation

DT

News

6

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

Shrimp farming fears to fall Hedait Hossain Molla, n Md Khulna

More than 4,000 Shrimp farms in Paikgachha upazila of the coastal district Khulna may be blocked any time due to manifold problems including technical support.

According to local sources, although the upazila holds a prominent name for shrimp production, the sector insiders here are mainly facing difficulties for want of necessary equipment to detect various diseases of the fish.

The farmers as well as officials of the Upazila Fisheries Department have to face trouble for unavailability of Polymer Chain Reaction (PCR) machine, used to diagnose viral and other diseases of shrimp.

Farmers said the nearest PCR machine for them was the one installed by the District Fisheries Department in Satkhira, and to avail service from there also, they have to spend as much as Tk1,000.

Besides, dearth of other technical facilities is also hampering growth of the industry.

For want of diagnosis of the diseases, a lot of shrimps die every year, forcing the farmers to count heavy losses.

The farmers started shrimp cultivation in the 80s in the saline water of the upazila.

However, shrimp farming saw a boost in the upazila within a few years as it was more profitable than farming of any agricultural corps.

According to the District Fish-

eries Department, some 5,000 tonnes of shrimp are produced every year in some 4,000 enclosures on 20,000 hectares of land in the upazila.

Several thousand residents of the upazila are earning their livelihood being directly or indirectly involved in the industry.

Although the sector has a substantial role in growth of the country’s economy through export, the farmers are struggling with the want of proper technical assistance.

They are forced to use the traditional methods for shrimp farming instead of the modern ones.

Shrimp cultivator Abdul Haque said if there was a machine to detect virus, they could know weather the shrimp fries were affected

with disease before preserving those.

ASM Rasel, senior fisheries officer of the upazila, said : “As there is no PCR machine in the upazila, the farmers have to assume that their shrimps have died following attack by some viral disease.”

Recent flood water and heavy downpour also hampered the farming.

Already 550 enclosure had been washed away leaving the farmers in critical situation.

Some farmers told the Dhaka Tribune that they need govt help to recover the loss this year.

Abdul Haque said he had requested the higher authorities to install a PCR machine in the upazila and providing subsidy. l

Prisoner dies in Natore jail n UNB

An under-trial prisoner, who had been serving jail term at Natore District Jail, died at Sadar Hospital early yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Ilias Hossain, son of Nuru Miah, a resident of Madhyapara village in Gurudaspur upazila of the district.

Superintendent of Natore District Jail Faruk Hossain said Ilias fell sick on Friday night suddenly.

Later, he was whisked off to Natore Sadar Hospital where he died in the morning.

Earlier, on August 11, a mobile court convicted Ilias and sentenced him to one year’s imprisonment for taking drugs. l

Magura patients suffer for inaccessible welfare funds n Mazharul Hoque Lipu, Magura Patients at Magura Sadar Hospital are unable to access healthcare services as the post of hospital’s social welfare officer has been vacant since May 30.

Because the post has dual functions one being the social welfare officer and the other being the general secretary of patients welfare society those we are supposed to benefit from this program are being deprived as they cannot access the financial support they need in order to use the hospital facilities.

Every month at least 70 patients at Magura Sadar Hospital benefit from this financial support scheme by the patient’s welfare society .

But for the lat 3 months the patients have been unable to access the service because the post remains vacant without an appointed officer.

At present the welfare society has about Tk5 lakhs in its coffers.

A patient at the hospital, Anjira Khatun said: “I need guinea worm surgery as my father is a rickshaw van puller and we cannot bear the cost so I applied to the welfare society for help.”

“They cannot help us because there is no officer to approve our request. We are very disappointed,” she added.

Gangira Khanom employee at Magura sadar hospital social welfare office said: “everyday financially insolvent patients come to us for help but we have to turn them away because there is no officer to approve their requests.”

He also said: “I along with two other employees have not gotten our salaries for the past three months, we cannot live like this.”

When contacted Vice President of Magura patients welfare society Ziaul Hoque said that the society contributes greatly to lives of patients who cannot afford healthcare.

He also said: “ We contribute monthly to the fund and we also fundraise but problem is distributing the money because there is no appointed officer to approve the distribution.”

Deputy Director of social welfare department of Magura Mahinul Hoque admitted that the vacant position is a problem and said he has informed higher officials of the matter. l

5 killed in road crash n Mohiuddin Molla, Comilla

Five people including a couple were killed as a truck rammed into a CNG-run auto-rickshaw in Muradnagar upazila of Comilla yesterday.

The deceaded were Sohag Mia, 40, his wife Nasima Begum, 35, auto-rickshaw driver Rubel, 35, his brother Sohel, 32, and Abdul Mannan, 65 . They all hailed from differ-

ent villages in Muradnagar upazila.

Police sources said the accident took place in Pannar Pool area on the Muradnagar-Ilyatganj Road around 10:30am, leaving one dead on the spot and five critically injured. They all were passengers of the auto-rickshaw.

Five injured were rushed to Muradnagar and Devidwar upazila health complexes where they died between 3pm and 4pm. l

The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports hold a sit-in programme yesterday at Chashara Shahid Minar in Naraynganj to repeal the project of Rampal DHAKA TRIBUNE

Two youths killed in shootout Tauhid-Uz-Zaman, n Md Jessore

At least two youths were reportedly killed in shootout in Jessore town early yesterday.

Of the deceased, one was Habib Gazi, 26, son of Abbas Gazi. The identity of another could not be known yet.

Kotwali police station Oficerin-Charge Ilyas Hossain said local people first informed police that they had heard of firing in the Poura Park area.

Police went to the spot and later recovered a body from Poura Park in the town and Notunhat area on the Jessore-Benapole road.

After an hour, police was informed of another incident of firing near the Jessore-Benapole Highway.

"A bullet-riddle body was lying at Notunhat, North side of the highway," the OC said.

Police sources said the dead youths were the members of motorcycle pilfering syndicate.

A motorcycle without any license plate was also found on the spot.

Asad Gazi, brother of Habib also said a team of police picked up his brother at night along with his 5 associates on August 18. Since then, his brother had remained missing.

While I was watching television in the morning, I could know from the picture on the TV screen that my brother was shot dead.

Sahida Yasmin, member of Arabpur Union council, said the police had picked 5 persons in the area. After they picked up them, they could not return home. Of the five, Habib was found killed.

I went to the hospital and found the body.

Few days ago an accused in a dozen of cases was killed in `gunfight` with police at Porhodan-

ga area of the district`s Naragati upazila.

The deceased was identified as Mizan Kazi, 38, son of Ratan Kazi of Bagudanga village of the upazila.

Law enforcers seized a shutter gun, four rounds of bullet from the scene.

Mahabubur Rahman, Officerin-Charge (OC) of Naragati police station, said Mizan was arrested by cops of Gopalganj police station. His cohorts fired at policemen while he was being taken to Naragati from Gopalganj on the night.

Cops also retaliated to the miscreants for self-defense. At one stage in shootings, Mizan received bullets and succumbed.

Mizan was an accused in at least a dozen of cases including murder and robbery. Of the cases sixes were filed with Naragati Police Station while others were lodged with Mollarhat of Bagerhat and different Police stations in the capital. l

7

DT

News

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

Journalists vow to combat militancy, terrorism n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong Chittagong journalists have announced to continue their war against militancy and terrorism across the country.

The announcement came from a human chain formed in front of Press Club yesterday.

As a part of the programme of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Chittagong Union of Journalists (CUJ) organised a rally and the human chain with CUJ president Reaz Haidar Chowdhury in the chair.

Addressing the rally the journalists urged the guardians and educational institutions to look over the movement of their children and students so that they cannot be misled.

Conducted by CUJ Joint-Secretary Swarup Bhattacharya, the rally was addressed, among others, by vice president of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Shahidul Alam. l

Chittagong Union of Journalists form a human chain yesterday in front of press club in the city against communalism and militancy

RABIN CHOWDHURY

Youth ‘beaten to Rural women become incomegenerators through bull fattening death by police’ n BSS

n Liakat Ali Badal, Rangpur Police in Rangpur have refuted the allegation of beating a man named Nurunnabi to death for refusing to pay bribes, claiming that he died of a heart attack.

Locals at the city’s Mahiganj staged protests yesterday demanding arrest of the policemen, who they say “tortured Nurunnabi to death.”

Relatives of the victim allege that a police team led by sub-inspectors Tarek and Tofazzal went to Nurunnabi’s house at Balatari early yesterday and handcuffed his younger brother Golzar Hossain.

They demanded Tk1.2 lakh from him as bribes claiming that he was involved in a motorcycle theft incident. Golzar refuted the allegation and said that he had been involved in electronics business and showed them his trade licence.

After he was then forced to give them Tk80,000, the police officers ordered him to pay the rest before noon.

“But then they handcuffed my brother Nurunnabi and demanded Tk1 lakh from him. He died after the police beat him mercilessly in front of me,” Golzar claimed.

Police left the scene in a hurry with Nurunnabi’s body, telling his relatives that they were taking him to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for treatment.

Fazlul Karim, in-charge of the

RMCH outpost, said that a police team brought a body in the morning and “told me juts to keep it here.”

Kotwali police’s Officer-inCharge ABM Jahidul Islam said that a motorcycle thief had named Nurunnabi as his accomplice. “A police team went to his house in that connection. Nurunnabi died of a heart attack when he tried to flee to evade arrest.”

Nurunnabi’s wife Arzina Begum claimed that he had been staying in Dhaka at the time of the theft. “He was completing formalities to go to Hong Kong,” she said.

Rangpur police chief Mizanur Rahman told reporters that they had formed a three-member committee and asked to file a report within three working days. We will take action based on the findings,” he added. l

In ahead of the forthcoming possible brisk business, hundreds and thousands of rural people most of them women in the region are now passing their busiest days in taking care of their bulls in order to sell those in the sacrificial cattle markets.

“I, myself, prepare straw, grass and other fodders and wash both the bulls and barn regularly,” said Monira, 38, while talking to BSS in her semi-pucca house in Gangdhopapara village under Puthiya Upazila of the district.

Her neighbour Sazbar Ali, 43, having four bulls, narrated his success story of the business. At least 36 other families of the locality are fattening bulls to catch the lucrative sacrificial cattle market. “We see an income-generation atmosphere in the village over the bull fattening,” Taleb says.

Already, they have replaced their traditional domestic cattle-rearing process with modern and commercial one.

They become habituated to various money transactions including borrowing loans from different banks for purchasing bulls alongside repaying those in due time.

With intervention of various projects, the producers formed Medium and Small Enterprise (MSE) in the Gangdhopapara village with a noble intention of making their bull fattening trade profitable and sustainable.

Various government and

non-government organizations have been implementing the projects in order to the best uses of existing potentialities in the sector.

The initiative were taken to disseminate the good learning and practices to other neighbours to elevate their socio-economic condition and more women empowerment through boosting the sector that can meet the country’s protein deficiency.

training, advice and input to the producers and earn on an average Tk 4500 per month. Routinely, they extend different modern technology to the producers through setting demonstration plot in the locality.

Besides, they organize community meeting with the help of private companies for building awareness about quality inputs.

In all the MSE areas, service con-

The initiative were taken to disseminate the good learning and practices to other neighbours to elevate their socio-economic condition Like Gangdhopapara, around 11,200 rural people are operating 395 bull fattening MSEs in 17 upazilas of Rajshahi, Chapainawabgonj, Natore and Pabna districts with the projects, said Abdul Awal, Divisional Deputy Director of Department of Animal Resource.

He added that the producers have adopted new and improved skills, practices and technologies in bull fattening contributing to enhanced production and productivity.

The size of the market has expanded due to the growing active role of large and small-scale private companies.

Line Agencies have become proactive towards supporting market actors especially Local Service Providers (LSPs) and Service Providers Associations (SPAs) by dint of their complementary roles in extension services.

In practice, the LSPs provide

tracts were established to provide regular necessary services and inputs to the farmers. SPA has a good collaboration and linkage with line departments and private companies. As a result, a win-win business model has been developed among them.

District Livestock Officer Nizam Uddin told BSS that the venture promotes various value-addition activities of bull fattening which reflected a sustainable economic change of the poorest people particularly women.

Many of the rural families have been rearing and fattening bulls commercially and earning huge profits every year. In the wake of expansion of modern technology, the animal husbandry sector is flourishing in the areas boosting the local economy that reduces import of sacrificial animals from India, he added. l

DT

8 World

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

The Afghan Taliban captured a strategic district in the northern province of Kunduz on Saturday, forcing troops to retreat to the provincial capital which fell briefly to the insurgents last year. The militants seized the district of Khanabad, which connects Kunduz to Takhar and other northern provinces.

-REUTERS

INDIA

India appoints new central bank governor India’s government promoted Urjit Patel, a deputy governor in charge of monetary policy at the Reserve Bank of India, to serve as its next governor for a three-year term. He will replace Raghuram Rajan, a former International Monetary Fund chief economist who stunned financial markets in June by announcing he would step down in September.

-REUTERS

CHINA

China, Myanmar vow closer ties China and Myanmar said Saturday that they have pledged to forge closer ties as blood brothers, as Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi got set to wrap up a visit to Beijing, her first diplomatic trip since taking power in March. The neighboring countries also said in a joint statement that they would strengthen trade and cooperation on issues along the border.

-AP

ASIA PACIFIC

UN condemns mounting Thai junta rights restrictions

The United Nations condemned mounting rights restrictions in junta-ruled Thailand on Friday, calling on the kingdom’s generals to quickly return power following the passing of a new military-crafted constitution. The UN said restrictions on freedom of expression and political assembly put in place since the 2014 coup “actually increased” ahead of the referendum.

-AFP

MIDDLE EAST

Thousands in Yemen march in support of rebels Thousands of Yemenis marched on Saturday in support of Shiite Houthi rebels and their ally, former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The march in the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, was in support of a new combined governing council the rebels and Saleh announced late last month, but which was immediately rejected by the internationally recognized government and the United Nations.

-AP

Libya’s jihadist challenge to last beyond Sirte defeat n Reuters, Sirte, Libya The grand ambitions scrawled on a wall near the Libyan city of Sirte’s Mediterranean sea front look fanciful now: “Islamic State’s naval port, the departure point for Rome, with God’s permission.”

Beaten back by local forces over three months and by US air strikes since August 1, Islamic State is on the verge of losing the city where it exerted absolute control since last year, its most important base outside Syria and Iraq.

But while defeat in Sirte will be a critical blow, it will not be the end of Libya’s jihadist threat. Some militants were able to flee Sirte before it was encircled and are likely to try to reactivate elsewhere in Libya, officials and fighters say.

Militants may link up with existing cells and armed factions already operating in other regions, as the divisions that fuelled extremism in Libya persist and even risk worsening as a result of the Sirte campaign.

Officials give few details on fighters detained or killed in the battle for Sirte, saying they find it hard to trace militants who use different identities and that resources to track and intercept fugitives are scarce.

But according to Mohamed Gnaidy, a military intelligence official in Misrata, a western Libyan city, about a dozen militant commanders and hundreds of more junior fighters may have slipped away.

That does not mean Islamic State will resurface openly in another Libyan town, Gnaidy and other officials said. But the group could stage revenge attacks or wage an insurgency, operating sleeper cells in urban areas and forging new alliances in the vast open spaces of the south.

Sirte, the home town of toppled dictator Muammar Gaddafi and the last big city to fall in the 2011 uprising that overthrew him, sits in the centre of Libya’s coast, midway between areas controlled since 2014 by rival governments in the east and west.

Islamic State seized control of Sirte a year and a half ago as warring factions battled each other across the country.

Much of the group’s Libyan force, which according to most estimates prior to the battle in Sirte numbered between 2,000 and 5,000, was based in the port city.

At one stage Western officials even suggested Sirte could become a fallback option for the militants under pressure in Syria and Iraq.

ISLAMIC STATE GROUP LOSING TERRITORY IN LIBYA Government forces (GNA*) and allies Ansar al-Sharia (Al-Qaeda affiliates)

Libyan army and allies

IS group

Tubu tribal militia

Tuareg fighters

Mediterranean Sea

Zuwara TUNISIA

Zawiya

Nalut

Others

TRIPOLI

Garian Zentan

Al Baida Derna Misrata Sirte

Ben Jawad

IS fighters restricted Harawa to small areas of city Ras by advancing proLanuf government forces

Sabha

Tobruk

Benghazi Ajdabiya Marsa al-Brega

EGYPT

Taliban make further gains in Afghan north

ALGERIA

NIGER

CHAD

200 km

*GNA: Government of National Accord

But Libya’s Islamic State branch, already ousted from its initial base in the eastern city of Derna, has found it hard to win support, raise revenue, and retain territory.

In January, Sirte-based militants pushed eastwards from the 250km coastal strip under its control, attacking but not holding major oil terminals. In May, they surged on settlements and checkpoints to the west, provoking a counter attack from Misrata to start the campaign for Sirte.

City battlefield

Sirte is now a battlefield, its otherwise deserted central neighbourhoods the scene of sporadic sniper exchanges, artillery fire, and house-to-house fighting.

On days of heavy clashes, dozens on both sides have been reported killed. No accurate numbers exist for Islamic State deaths, but casualties among the Misrata-led brigades testify to the enemy’s force, with more than 350 killed and 1,500 wounded.

That toll prompted a request for US air strikes, giving fresh impetus to an advance slowed by car bombs, highly trained snipers, and a wide range of improvised explosive devices.

Libyan officials now fear such deadly tactics could be used elsewhere, including in the capital Tripoli and other cities in western Libya where Islamic State previously carried out attacks.

“Now they are trapped and

Sirte may be exaggerated. Fighters who managed to leave told him this was only possible for a short period at the start of the battle.

Last month’s UN report said Islamic State efforts to infiltrate smuggling networks in Libya’s southwest had largely failed. But in the southeast the group “struck a deal with Arab armed groups around Al Kufra to protect its convoys”, establishing a “small operational presence” in the area.

Haftar question

LIBYA

SUDAN

SOUTH ASIA

it’s easy to defeat them, but after they’re defeated they’ll definitely take revenge,” said Fathi Bashagha, a security official who coordinates between Misrata-based forces and the UN-backed government in Tripoli.

In the far west, Islamic State could attempt to rebuild around Sabratha, an area used as a training and support hub by Tunisian militants before dozens were killed in a US air strike in February and in later clashes with local forces.

According to a UN report published last month, some fighters crossed back to Tunisia following the strike; others found refuge in Sabratha itself or at the foot of the Nafusa mountains to the south.

Islamic State “still operates in the region stretching between Tripoli and the Tunisian border, especially in rural areas,” the report said.

Within Libya, officials say fugitive fighters from Sirte probably fled south, potentially reinforcing links between Islamic State and militant groups present in the Sahel, including Nigeria’s Boko Haram, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Al Mourabitoun and Ansar Eddine.

Hassan Kara, a field commander in Sirte, said senior Islamic State commanders had “fled the battlefield very early on”, and that residents in Libya’s southwest had reported militants fleeing through the desert towards Niger.

Arnaboldi, the researcher, said he thought reports of escapes from

In the northeast, the spillover from Sirte could fuel a conflict between forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar, a powerful commander who rejects the government in Tripoli, and loose alliances of fighters that include Islamists loyal to Islamic State and al Qaeda-linked Ansar al Sharia.

Some militants from eastern Libya may have returned to their home region from Sirte. The Misrata brigades that approached Sirte from the west did not manage to seal off routes out of the city to the east until June.

“We heard Dae’sh (Islamic State) were escaping from this side so we moved to close it off,” said Ahmed Grayma, a field commander from a Misrata group called Brigade 166 now located on the eastern front.

Haftar’s forces have been battling Islamists in the eastern cities of Benghazi and Derna. Though Haftar loyalists have secured large areas in Benghazi, air strikes, bombings and clashes continue in some neighbourhoods.

Milad Zway, a spokesman for Haftar’s special forces, told Reuters Islamic State had sleeper cells across the east, including in Ajdabiya, close to oil terminals, and Bayda, where the eastern government is located.

Zway said Islamic State and other anti-Haftar militants were “two sides of the same coin”. Haftar’s opponents say he exaggerates the role of Islamic State among his foes, and many are former anti-Gaddafi rebels with no ties to the militants.

The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), which nominally commands the Misrata-led brigades, will get a boost from victory in Sirte, but its bid to create unified security forces and end the conflict has faltered.

While the political divides endure, Libya’s factions “could make further use of violent extremist networks in the ongoing political struggle”, the UN report said. l

9

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

World’s largest Muslim bloc OIC concerned by Kashmir violence n Tribune International Desk The world’s largest bloc of Muslim countries expressed concern Saturday over alleged human rights violations in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which has seen weeks of deadly clashes between Muslim protesters and police, reports The Associated Press.

Iyad Madani, secretary-general of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, said at a news conference in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad that the situation in Kashmir was deteriorating and urged the international community to act.

“The situation is getting worse rather than better and this cannot continue,” Madani said after meeting with Sartaj Aziz, the foreign affairs adviser to Pakistan’s prime minister.

Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim region, is divided between India and Pakistan but claimed in its entirety by both. Most Kashmiris want an end to Indian rule and

favour independence or a merger with Pakistan, which has long called for a referendum on the region’s future. Hindu-majority India has refused to hold such a vote.

“We should not be afraid of referendum,” Madani said, adding that it was up to the Kashmiri people to decide their future.

Standing next to him at the news conference, Aziz accused Indian forces of using lethal force against Kashmiris protesting peacefully over extra judicial killings. He said a peaceful solution to the dispute over the region “is an imperative for regional peace and stability.”

More than 68,000 people have been killed since rebel groups began fighting Indian forces in 1989 and in the subsequent Indian military crackdown. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training rebels, a charge Islamabad denies.

Meanwhile, a Kashmiri couple in their late 70s was injured in firing by Indian forces who have intensified nocturnal raids to arrest

Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Iyad Ameen Madani, speaks at a press conference in Islamabad on Saturday AP protesters in the region, police said Saturday.

The husband and wife were injured Friday night by pellets from a shotgun fired as they tried to resist a police party looking for one of their sons for allegedly leading anti-India protests in the southern Tral area, police and locals said.

A police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with department policy said the raiding party “accidentally fired” at the couple and “regretted” the incident.

In signs of an intensified crackdown against protesters in Indian-held Kashmir since last week, local residents have increasingly accused counterinsurgency police and army soldiers of systematically raiding neighbourhoods, ransacking houses and beating residents to intimidate protesters.

More than 2,000 people have been arrested for participating in protests and clashes in recent weeks, state government officials said.

Earlier in the week, Indian army soldiers beat a young college teacher to death and injured dozens of other people in a raid in the southern Khrew area. The army later said that it regretted the incident.

A strict curfew and a series of communication blackouts have failed to stop the protests, as residents have struggled to cope with shortages of food, medicine and other necessities.

At least 63 civilians have been killed and thousands injured in protest-related violence. l

US withdraws staff from Saudi Arabia dedicated to Yemen planning n Reuters, Washington, Dc The US military has withdrawn from Saudi Arabia its personnel who were coordinating with the Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen, and sharply reduced the number of staff elsewhere who were assisting in that planning, US officials told Reuters.

Fewer than five US service people are now assigned full-time to the “Joint Combined Planning Cell,” which was established last year to coordinate US support, including air-to-air refuelling of coalition jets and limited intelligence-sharing, Lieutenant Ian McConnaughey, a US Navy spokesman in Bahrain, told Reuters.

That is down from a peak of about 45 staff members who were dedicated to the effort full-time in Riyadh and elsewhere, he said.

The June staff withdrawal, which US officials say followed a lull in air strikes in Yemen earlier this year, reduces Washington’s day-to-day involvement in advising a campaign that has come under increasing scrutiny for causing civilian casualties. A Pentagon statement issued after Reuters disclosed the withdrawal acknowledged that the JCPC, as originally conceived, had been “largely shelved” and that ongo-

ing support was limited, despite renewed fighting this summer.

US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the reduced staffing was not due to the growing international outcry over civilian casualties in the 16-month civil war that has killed more than 6,500 people in Yemen, about half of them civilians.

But the Pentagon, in some of its strongest language yet, also acknowledged concerns about the conflict, which has brought Yemen close to famine and cost more than $14bn in damage to infrastructure and economic losses.

“Even as we assist the Saudis regarding their territorial integrity, it does not mean that we will refrain from expressing our concern about the war in Yemen and how it has been waged,” Stump said.

“In our discussions with the Saudi-led coalition, we have pressed the need to minimize civilian casualties.”

A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, Brigadier General Ahmed al-Asseri, declined to confirm details about the positioning of US military personnel, but played down such moves.

Hospital strike

Since the campaign began, the US military has conducted an average

DT

World USA

Trump campaign manager quits Donald Trump’s US presidential campaign sealed a major staff reshuffle with the resignation on Friday of its campaign manager.

The departure of Paul Manafort came as Trump tried this week to reset his unorthodox bid for the White House after falling behind Clinton in opinion polls for the November 8 election.

-REUTERS

THE AMERICAS

Colombia urges UN to supervise ceasefire Bogota pushed Friday for the United Nations to supervise Colombia’s ceasefire with the FARC rebels, even before the country votes on a peace deal to end the long-running civil war. “We need the mission to deploy as quickly as possible,” Sergio Jaramillo, Colombia’s high commissioner for peace, told reporters.

-AFP

UK

Britain not to trigger EU divorce before end of year British Prime Minister Theresa May will not begin formal divorce talks on leaving the European Union before the end of the year, a government spokeswoman said on Friday. Bloomberg cited unidentified officials as saying that May is sympathetic to the case for acting by April at the latest.

Article 50 will not be invoked before the end of the year, the spokeswoman said.

-REUTERS

EUROPE

German conservatives call for partial ban on face veil

Damage is seen inside a hospital operated by Medecins Sans Frontieres after it was hit by a Saudi-led coalition in Hajja province, Yemen on August 16 REUTERS of two refuelling sorties every day and provided limited intelligence support to the coalition. That assistance continues, officials said.

Still, the Pentagon has long distanced itself from the Saudi-led coalition’s decisions on targeting.

“At no point did US military personnel provide direct or implicit approval of target selection or prosecution,” Stump said.

The JCPC had also largely wrapped up an earlier effort to advise the Saudi-led coalition on steps to prevent civilian casualties, the Pentagon said.

An annual UN report on children and armed conflict said the Saudi-led coalition was respon-

sible for 60% of child deaths and injuries in Yemen last year. Saudi Arabia has said the report is based on inaccurate information.

On Tuesday, a coalition air strike hit a hospital operated by medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres in Yemen, killing 19 people and prompting the group to evacuate staff from six hospitals. MSF cited a “loss of confidence in the Saudi-led coalition to prevent fatal attacks.”

US Representative Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California and a colonel in the Air Force Reserve, said he believed such strikes could help galvanize votes for limiting arms transfers to Saudi Arabia. l

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives have agreed that women should be banned from wearing the face veil in schools and universities and while driving. The move follows an influx last year of more than 1 million, mainly Muslim, refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, and growing security fears among the public after two Islamist attacks and a shooting rampage by a mentally unstable teenager.

-REUTERS

AFRICA

Congolese vote delay keeps Kabila in power Congo’s next election will be delayed until at least July 2017, the election commission said on Saturday, allowing long-standing President Joseph Kabila to stay in power beyond the end of his mandate in December. The election’s postponement due to funding shortages and delays in the registration of millions of new voters was expected. But it will likely fuel anti-Kabila street protests.

-REUTERS

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INSIGHT

Bangladesh to Balochistan: Pakistan Army’s sordid record of ethnic genocide n Tribune International Desk August started with a huge Military Operation in Kolwah, a region in Balochishan, where gunship helicopters and ground forces burnt 13 villages and abducted eight persons including a 12 years old student and a 70 years old Farmer, while FC, a Paramilitary Force in charge of law & order in Balochishan claims in a statement that it has arrested eight “suspected terrorists” during Kolwah Military operation. However, neither any one of the eight “arrested ones” has yet been produced in any court of law nor the details are made public.

On August 8, 2016, a horrific suicide attack took place in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s province Balochistan. More than 70 were killed and 100 injured. Even a hospital was not spared and there was gunfire too. Increasingly, Baluchistan is coming under international focus and its tense relationship with the government of Pakistan. More and more protests are taking place as the Balochi have started protesting all over the world.

Even before the summer of 2016 can hit the peak, Pakistan is sweating because of rising turbulence in Balochistan province. Its fear is evident in the flip-flops on the peace process with India and refusal to allow the National Investigating Agency (NIA) to visit Pakistan to probe the Pathankot attack.

Pakistan Army’s genocidal operations in Balochistan

Little known is the fact that Pakistan Army’s genocidal operations in Balochistan predated Pakistan Army’s ethnic genocide in erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) having shaken of the Pakistani yoke in December 1971. In a manner of speech the Pakistan Army has been bleeding Balochistan ever since 1948 with a ‘thousand cuts’. Ironically, Jinnah the founder of Pakistan, who was earlier the Legal Adviser of the Kalat State, as Balochistan was then known, ordered the invasion of the Kalat State in March 1948 which had strongly opposed opting for accession to Pakistan.

From Jinnah to Bhutto and thereafter under General Zia and General Musharraf, all of them reacted with unleashing Pakistan Army’s vicious onslaughts on the Balochi freedom struggle led at different stages by the three main tribal groups of Marri, Mengal and the Bugtis, of course with the remainder of Balochistan.

Heartening and reinforcing Indian Prime Minister Modi’s references of support to the Baloch nation

were the news that Bangladesh, having been a victim of Pakistan Army’s ethnic genocide itself has come out with condemnation of Pakistan Army’s atrocities against the Baloch people.

Reminiscent of Bangladesh atrocities by the Pakistan Army, in Balochistan too, the Pakistan Army has gone-in for selective and targeted killings of political leaders, lawyers, the educated and educated sections within Balochistan. As one of my colleagues remarked that the recent killing of over fifty lawyers in one go at the Quetta Hospital smelt of such targeted killings by the Pakistan Army, the ISI, Islamic Jihadist groups affiliated to Pakistan Army and civilian terror gangs operating under government control. It was as if the Pakistan Army wished to decimate the entire potential leadership of the ongoing Baloch freedom struggle.

Balochistan civilisationally has been a distinct entity with no political, economic or cultural affinities with the Punjab core of Pakistan.

Balochistan has no dependency on Pakistan.

Political, economic and geopolitical importance of Balochistan

Balochistan as a nation independent of Pakistan would be politically, economically and geopolitically self-sustainable with its vast energy and mineral deposits. Significantly, Balochistan comprises virtually the entire coastline of Pakistan totalling 470 miles. Pakistan’s only deep-water port of Gwadur lies within Balochistan. Balochistan comprises 43% of Pakistan’s total territory. It is no wonder that Pakistan is obsessively fixated on keeping possession of Balochistan at any cost, including ethnic genocide.

Balochistan has been deliberately been kept under-developed

by Pakistan resulting in a virtual absence of education facilities and health care setup. The only things that Baluchistan stands out distinctively is the profusion of Pakistan Army garrisons, sale of Baluchi lands especially around Gwadur to Punjabi colonisers and retired Pakistan Army senior officers. Also in tandem is Pakistan’s deliberate strategy of changing the demographic profile of Balochistan by influx of Punjabis. This is reminiscent of Pakistan’s strategic patron China’s policy in China Occupied Tibet.

Recently, Balochistan has shot into prominence because of China’s strategic and economic interest manifested in taking over the Gwadur Port on long lease from Pakistan and the China Pakistan Economic

Corridor which runs for most of its southern end in Balochistan. Gwadur Port is intended to emerge as a Chinese Navy base. China has also been sucked into Balochistan because of its geopolitical significance and addedly facilitated by Pakistan, and primarily the Pakistan Army.

The present Pakistan Army Chief has personally committed the Pakistan Army to successful completion of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor at any cost or despite any opposition. Implicit in this commitment of the Pakistan Army Chief is the reality that the whole of Balochistan being opposed to Pakistan-China joint colonisation of Balochistan, might now be inflicted with greater measure of suppression and ethnic genocide. This would be a worrying development for regional stability and the global strategic calculus.

THE BALOCHISTAN CONFLICT The Balochistan has been going on for several decades. There are five main conflicts that happened but the fifth one is the only one still going on today.

This conflict involves three countries, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. The Balochistan region contains large amounts of oil & uranium, both which are very expensive and rare. the Balochs, however, want their independence, be their own country. Pakistan has had many conflicts with India, some of them being that they accused the Indians of helping Baloch nationalists.

There are three main ethnic-linguistic groups in the Balochistan land, Pakistani, Iranian and Afghan. All of these ethnic groups want to become independent from these countries and be recognised as Baloch.

There have been many killings and violent riotings in the past. Nowadays it can be considered a cold conflict, there is a lot of tension between who owns the land (Pakistan or Iran or Afghanistan) but the Baloch still won't give up and will fight for their freedom.

Tehran

IRAN

PAKISTAN

Kabul

Balochistan freedom struggle

Balochistan and its brave Baloch people therefore deserve global and regional support in their freedom struggle groaning under Pakistan Army suppression and unremitting ethnic genocide against the six million people of Balochistan.

How is the Pakistan Army is getting away with its repeat of the East Pakistan genocide against its Bengali co-religionists? Geopolitical and geostrategic factors come into play in favour of the Pakistan Army.

The United States which has the biggest stake in Balochistan’s strategic significance shies away from adopting a strong stand against the brutal suppression of Balochistan. Recently a State Department spokesperson has asserted that the United States does not support Baluchistan’s independence. There seems to be a marked cleavage between the US Administration and its Senators and Congressmen.

China with its deep and well entrenched strategic stakes in Balochistan will never ever support demands of the Baloch peoples surge towards independence. China can be expected to be complicit with the Pakistan Army in its brutal hold over Balochistan.

But then the Baloch people should not be disheartened by the stands of the United States and China. Both USA and China were opposed to Bangladesh’s struggle for independence and ending Pakistan Army’s ethnic genocide. Could the United States and China stop the emergence of an independent Bangladesh?

Like Bangladesh, the Baloch people need to keep alive their torch for freedom as they have done for the

Islamabad

AFGHANISTAN

Quetta BALOCHISTAN Karachi

Gwadar

Shina

MAJOR ETHNIC GROUPS OF PAKISTAN

Chitralis Hindkowans

Baltis Potoharis

PUNJABIS Brahuis

78.7m

PASHTUNS

27.2m

SERAIKIS

14.8m

BALOCHIS

6.3m

SINDHIS

24.8m

MUHAJIRS

13.3m

last six decades. More than 300,000 Balochis have lost their lives and another 25,000 are missing. It is a terrible price to pay for independence by the six million people of Balochistan. That is the only way of redeeming the sacrifices of its martyrs by an incessant freedom struggle.

Against the above backdrop, Indian Prime Minister Modi assertion from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, 2016 required boldness and courage of conviction. India as the largest democracy in the world and as a regional power and a global

power in the making cannot ignore regional flashpoint in the making.

Concluding, one fervently hopes and prays that the emotive pitch for Baloch freedom finds resonance in world capitals, if for nothing else, on humanitarian grounds and in defence of human rights. The Pakistan Army should not be allowed to get away with a repeat of its East Pakistan genocide.

Sources: Human Rights Council of Balochistan, South Asia Analysis Group, Council on Foreign Relations. l

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EXPLAINER

Who are the Philippines’ communist insurgents? n Tribune International Desk

Communists in Philippines

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has agreed a new ceasefire with Maoist-led guerrillas, who declared a truce several hours before, ahead of fresh peace talks in Norway next week, a senior administration official said on Saturday.

The ceasefire will come into effect from Sunday morning.

Duterte lifted the unilateral truce with the communist New People’s Army late last month as rebels did not respond to a deadline to reciprocate the government’s truce.

The peace talks, brokered by Norway, will resume on August 22, four years after getting bogged down due to rebels’ demand for the release of 500 political prisoners.

Last week, 17 captured communist guerrilla leaders in the Philippines were freed so they could attend peace talks next week in Norway.

Talks brokered by Norway between the government and the Maoist-led rebels’ National Democratic Front stalled in 2012 over the government’s refusal to free communist leaders who had been in jail for decades.

Communist insurgents in the Philippines have fought one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies. Although less numerous and less violent than Muslim separatist insurgents in the country’s south, the Maoists have outlived successive Philippine administrations and held out against constant military and police offensives, relying on clandestine cells to pass on orders from exiled leaders.

The new Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, has made peace with the insurgents a priority, and a new round of marathon peace talks brokered by Norway opens in Oslo on Monday.

A brief look at the insurgents and their struggle:

How a world war sparked communism in the Phillipines

The insurgents trace their roots to a communist party whose guerilla wing helped fight Japanese occupation forces in World War II. After the liberation and the Philippines’ independence from the US, however, the leftists were politically sidelined and armed insurgents crushed. In 1968, the Communist

Turkish parliament approves deal ending rift with Israel n Reuters Turkey’s parliament approved a reconciliation agreement signed with Israel in June which has brought to an end a six-year rift between the two regional powers, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday.

Relations between the two countries crumbled after Israeli marines stormed a Turkish ship in May 2010 to enforce a naval blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, killing 10 Turks on board.

Israel, which had already offered its apologies for the raid, agreed under the deal to pay out $20m to the bereaved and wounded in return for Turkey dropping outstanding legal claims.

Both countries are to appoint ambassadors under an agreement which is partly driven by the prospect of lu-

crative Mediterranean gas deals.

The accord, signed on June 28, was a rare rapprochement in the divided Middle East, also driven by mutual fears over growing security risks. Two weeks afterwards more than 240 people were killed in an attempted coup in Turkey.

Under the deal, the naval blockade of Gaza, which Ankara had wanted lifted, remains in force, although humanitarian aid can continue to be transferred to Gaza via Israeli ports.

Israel says the Gaza blockade is needed to curb arms smuggling by Hamas, an Islamist group that last fought a war with Israel in 2014. Hamas, which won Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006, is designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States and European Unions. l

Party of the Philippines was re-established on Mao Zedong’s birthday, proclaiming as its goal “the protracted peoples’ struggle” modelled on China.

The insurgents’ ranks swelled after dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972. The armed wing of the Communist Party, the New People’s Army, set up jungle camps all over the sprawling archipelago as launching pads for raids targeting the military and police, large agricultural and mining estates as well as US forces, which maintained big overseas bases until 1991.

A staggering human toll, a stunted economy

The insurgency has left about 150,000 combatants and civilians dead since it broke out, drawing support from the ranks of those dissatisfied with economic inequality and the Philippines’ alliance with the US. It also has stunted economic development, especially in areas of the countryside where the insurgents are active.

A blundering boycott, an American colonel killed The insurgents missed an oppor-

tunity to win wider political clout when they boycotted a historic 1986 snap election, which was dismissed as a sham and led to the overthrow of Marcos in a “people power” revolt and restoration of democracy.

President Corazon Aquino freed the rebel founder, Jose Maria Sison, from prison and opened peace talks. However, Sison fled into exile in the Netherlands and the talks broke down. In 1987, the insurgents killed three American soldiers in separate attacks near Clark Air Base.

In 1989, they assassinated US Army Colonel James Rowe, who was providing counterinsurgency training to Filipino troops.

A rebellion within the rebellion

By the early 1990s, differences over strategies led to a split in the rebel ranks and a bloody internal purge that left hundreds dead, further weakening the insurgents, whose numbers dwindled to a few thousands from a peak of 25,000. The remaining fighters have relied on so-called “revolutionary taxes” for survival — extorting money from businesses, or blowing them up if they refuse. The government accuses the insurgents of kidnappings

and providing guns-for-hire, saying they’ve become bandits and a spent ideological force.

Peace talks

Peace talks started again in 1995, and made progress with the government pledging immunity from arrest and safe movement for rebel negotiators. The two sides later reached another agreement on the respect for human rights and humanitarian law. The negotiations again broke down, and resumed in 2001. However, the insurgents withdrew from talks when the US government, followed by the European Union, placed them on a list of terrorist organisations.

Under Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, peace talks stalled over the government’s refusal to heed a rebel demand for the release of some captured guerrillas who were to serve as peace talks consultants. Duterte, however, has agreed to the release of insurgents who are involved in peace talks, and appointed two allies of the guerrillas to Cabinet posts in concessions that fostered the resumption of talks. l

Sources: REUTERS, AP

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EPB to add service sector to export earnings n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Export Promotion Bureau is going to include service sector export in the country’s overall export value to find, what officials say, a holistic picture of foreign currency earnings of Bangladesh.

According to Bangladesh Bank data, in the last fiscal year Bangladesh earned $3.19bn from service sector exports with 12.85% rise from the previous year’s $2.83bn.

The total export volume in the year was $34.25bn, growing 9.77%

from a year earlier. In the FY201415, the total earning amounted to $31.20bn.

If the service sector exports were included, the total export volume in the last fiscal year would be $37.45bn.

Bangladesh’s service sector earnings come from transportation of passengers and goods, freight, travel, business, communication, construction, insurance, financial services, computer and information services, royalties and licence fees, entertainment, cultural and

recreation services and government services.

As part of initiatives, the EPB directors concerned on August 4 held a meeting with the Bangladesh Bank statistics department to discuss ways how they could get service sector export data from the central bank.

Bangladesh Bank has in principle agreed to supply data to the EPB. Later, the central bank urged the EPB to send a proposal in black and white to the governor seeking the data.

EPB Vice-Chairman and CEO

Pvt sector urged to explore gas, oil

Mafruha Sultana sent a letter to the governor on the matter. But the central bank was yet to respond formally, EPB officials said.

“We have not got any response from Bangladesh Bank yet. However, the central bank authorities verbally agreed to supply data,” said a high official of the EPB told the Dhaka Tribune requesting anonymity.

“There is nothing wrong with any of us (BB and EPB). Hopefully we will get it very soon.”

“The aim of the move is to in-

PATA new Tourism Frontiers Forum to begin on Nov 23 n Ishtiaq Husain

DCCI organises a seminar on ‘New Investment Horizon: Blue Economy’ at its office in the city yesterday

n Tribune Business Desk Tawfiqu-e-Elahi Chowdhury, adviser to the prime minister, on Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs, has called upon the private sector businessmen to get involved in exploring gas and oil.

Different private organisations can engage in exploring gas and oil, as still there is no such initiative, he said while attending a seminar titled “New investment horizon: blue economy” as the chief guest.

The seminar was held in the capital yesterday organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI).

U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh, Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat, attended the programme as a special guest.

Tawfiqu-e-Elahi Chowdhury also encouraged businessmen to facilitate gas import from Myanmar.

He advised the private sector to take initiative to explore gas from deep sea.

“We want to address risk factor of blue economy so that investors can explore gas and oil at lower risk.”

The government has enough re-

The government has enough resources to promote blue economy

sources to promote blue economy, he said.

In her address, the U.S. ambassador said sustainable development of ocean resources is key to ensuring that no person, no country, is left behind.

“We cannot claim success in achieving these development outcomes if any part of society is excluded from it.”

Expressing concern, Bernicat said: “Our oceans are at risk now from overfishing, from marine pollution and from global climate change. Overcoming those challenges and sustainably developing marine resources are key to global economic growth going forward.”

Admiring the steps Bangladesh has taken to overcome the

COURTESY

challenges she said the country is taking steps to ensure the hilsa – the iconic national fish of Bangladesh – is protected as it moves through inland waterways during its spawning season – when the fish population is most vulnerable to overfishing.

Addressing the seminar, DCCI president Hossain Khaled urged the government to emphasise building substantial marine science and technological capacity to catch up emerging opportunities of blue economy.

Kawser Ahmed, chairman of the Department of Oceanography, Dhaka University, presented his keynote paper focusing on how the U.S. economy was blessed by the blue economy.

He said over 50% of the U.S. population live within 50 miles of the coast.

In his keynote address, Kawser said American maritime transport carries 95% of the nation’s foreign trade. Ships move 2 billion tonnes of freight in and out of U.S. ports.

Coastal and marine waters support more than 28 million jobs.

Coastal areas are also tourist destinations for 189 million Americans annually. l

clude service sector in total export figure and give a real picture of the country’s overall export earnings,” EPB vice-chairman said.

She said: “In the service sector, there are both formal and informal export earnings. We want to analyse potentials of the service sector considering the earnings coming through formal channels.”

Mafruha said with the inclusion of export earnings of service sector the total amount of the country’s exports would be bigger, she added. l

The Pacific Asia Travel Association will stage a three-day PATA New Tourism Frontiers Forum 2016 in Cox’s Bazar from November 23.

The event is being hosted by the Bangladesh Tourism Board under the supervision of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

A total 200 foreigners from different countries will visit Bangladesh to attend the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) New Tourism Frontiers Forum 2016.

In addition, around 100 local participants will also take part in the conference.

An advanced team comprising three members of PATA officials already inspected the venue and security system of Bangladesh government.

The team expressed its satisfaction over the security arrangement.

Royal Tulip Sea Pearl Beach Resort & Spa located on Inani beach in Cox’s Bazar has been selected as the venue to hold the PATA conference.

Founded in 1951, PATA is a non-profit association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to and from within the Asia Pacific region.

Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) Nikhil Ranjan

Roy said: “To arrange the threeday-long tourism conference, all kinds of security arrangements have been undertaken by the local administration and the government high-ups.”

According to the Tourism Board sources, advanced team of PATA officials held exclusive meeting with deputy commissioner and superintend of police of Cox’s Bazar and intelligence officials of various organisations.

“The Tourism Ministry and Tourism Board are ready to provide all kinds of support to make it a successful event in Cox’s Bazar.

The programme will bring a positive image and also work as a trust building platform to attract more foreign tourists to Bangladesh,” said Nikhil.

The tourism industry received a blow after the Gulshan terrorist attack on July 1 at Holey Artisan Bakery where 22 people, mostly foreigners, were brutally killed by the extremists.

Industry insiders said: “Following Gulshan terrorist attack, a few international events had already been canceled which portray a negative image of the industry, but the upcoming event will definitely give a positive message to the foreigners that Bangladesh is now a safe tourist destination.” l

New ‘Flash Boys’ market IEX opens on Wall Street n AFP, New York The new IEX stock exchange, aimed at leveling the field for investors disadvantaged by high-speed traders, opened for business Friday in a potent challenge to Wall Street’s old guard.

After a long fight for approval against resistance from the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq exchange, IEX’s public trading platform began trading in an initial two stocks, with plans to handle all 8,000 listed firms by the end of a two-week rampup.

Already some 130 broker-dealers have signed up for trading, including the 40 top ATS members, the company told Markets Media.

That demonstrated the attraction of IEX’s key feature, a 350 microsecond “speed

bump” on all orders that effectively prevents lighting-fast, computer-driven high-speed traders from cutting in front of slower orders and forcing up their costs.

That issue had driven former Wall Street trader Brad Katsuyama to seek an alternative to the main exchanges that had increasingly allowed high-speed traders to dominate market action, leading to charges of unfairness from other market mainstays like pension and mutual funds.

Katsuyama, whose fight against the high-speed traders was chronicled in the 2014 Wall Street best-seller “Flash Boys” by Michael Lewis, initially launched a private “dark pool” exchange with the automatic delay in trades, called ATS, that grew to capture up to two percent of total US market volume. l

CORPORATE NEWS

Innovation and Incubation Center of Daffodil International University (DIU) has recently launched a lecture series programme where twelve eminent entrepreneurs will speak on entrepreneurship, said a press release.

Chairperson at trustee board of DIU, Sabur Khan handed over a memento to Md Mozibar Rahman, chairperson of BRB Cables Industries Ltd

Sonali Bank has recently concluded a foundation course for its officers, said a press release. The bank’s MD and CEO (additional charge), Didar Md Abdur Rob handed over certificates among the newly appointed officers

Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB) Limited has recently held its 147th board meeting, said a press release. The chairperson of ABB, Anis A Khan presided over the meeting

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Green Delta CEO: Innovation is key to success in insurance sector Farzana Chowdhury is the Managing Director and CEO of Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd, the largest non-life insurance company in Bangladesh. Recently, she sat with the Dhaka Tribune’s Asif Showkat Kallol and Kayes Sohel to talk about various issues regarding the country’s insurance sector, its challenges and potentials count of the changed market conditions and amend the regulations accordingly.

The entire insurance industry will benefit from such actions and subsequently contribute to the economic development of the country.

For her visionary leadership and tireless efforts to work for the betterment of women in Bangladesh, she has recently been recognised as a Local SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Pioneer by the UN Global Compact at the Global Leaders’ Summit in UN Headquarters, New York.

What is the solvency margin?

Solvency margin is an indicator to measure an insurance company’s ability to meet short and long term debt and other liabilities by taking into account the net cash flow. Ideally a company’s solvency ratio should have a value of greater than 1 to be profitable. The greater the solvency margin of a company, the higher the financial strength of that company, meaning that they are in a good position to make all meet all its liabilities.

In the insurance sector, solvency margin indicates whether the company is financially solvent after fulfilling the shareholders’ liabilities and taking care of the customers’ claims.

Bangladesh saw its terrorist attack recently. What do you think it would have an impact on the country’s insurance sector?

Yes, I think the entire country is still reeling from the terror attack. As a consequence, businesses are going through a rough patch and this scenario is probably going to continue for a while. The current situation reminds us of the great floods during the 70’s and 90’s as well as the Rana Plaza tragedy couple of years back.

Despite all the adversaries, the country has always come out stronger and this time around I am sure Bangladesh will cope with this situation well and prosper.

How will you evaluate the present situation in the Bangladesh insurance sector?

The insurance sector still remains largely untapped in Bangladesh. With only less than 3% insurance penetration in the country, the industry is in a growing stage. This offers huge scope for the insurance companies to expand their businesses. That is the reason many foreign insurance companies like the LIC – largest are now looking to invest in the Bangladesh insurance market.

As you are heading the largest non-life insurance company in Bangladesh, how do you foster innovation in terms of your products?

Nowadays in every business innovation plays a vital part in the ever increasing competitive market. GDIC being in the insurance sector, always thrives to introduce innovative products that differentiates us from the rest of the pack.

Some of our innovative initiatives are: As the entire country is gearing for “Digital Bangladesh” by 2021, we are also trying to do our part to digitalise the insurance sector.

We have already launched online payment system for our valued clients who can now pay their insurance premiums online from the comfort of their own home without having to physically come to our offices and banks and thus

Farzana Chowdhury is also said to be the first female CEO in the country’s history of insurar

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

There are few things that the insurance companies are worried about. Recently there was a lot of talk on the excess management expenses of the companies.

We, the insurance industry as a whole, believe that few aspects of the regulations should be amended making it more convenient for them.

When I become the CEO, I found out that there wasn’t any specific insurance product for women, who comprises more than 52% of the population. So we have designed and introduced the first comprehensive insurance scheme for women in South Asia called Nibedita. This was a game changer in our insurance industry and recently I have been recognised as a Local SDG Pioneer by the United Nations for Nibedita.

We strongly believe that in order to create mass awareness on insurance, the students should be well-versed on insurance. Keeping this in mind, we have launched a special product for them – PPA (People’s Personal Accident). In this scheme, students can be insured for a minimum coverage of Tk1 lakh with annual premium of Tk74 only.

We are also working with some universities to incorporate insurance courses in

the regular curricula.

As the climate change is a buzz word now, GDIC is also working hard to contribute in mitigating the adverse impact of climate change. We give special priority in insuring those businesses that are environment friendly and in case of industrial structures, those with less or no carbon emission.

We believe that innovation is the key driver for business success, increased productivity and sustainability. In order to succeed, business should not think of innovation as a cost burden, it is rather a catalyst for enhanced bottom line.

What do you think of the rules and regulations brought by Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA)?

IDRA has done a fantastic job in regularising the insurance industry. They have taken numerous steps to reduce the

prevailing malpractices in the industry.

I whole-heartedly appreciate their efforts and hope that they will continue to work for the improvement of the sector.

However, there are few things that the insurance companies are worried about. Recently there was a lot of talk on the excess management expenses of the companies. We, the insurance industry as a whole, believe that few aspects of the regulations should be amended.

For example, the management expense is still referred by the Insurance Act 1958. In reality, it makes little sense as lot of the factors have changed significantly over the past six decades e.g. inflation, operating costs, addition of value added taxes and so on. Moreover, the management expense should be decided based on the solvency margin of the respective companies.

We hope that IDRA will take into ac-

Most of the people in our country perceive life insurance when they hear the term insurance. What’s your take on it?

Well, it is true to some extent that most people think of insurance as life insurance. It is mainly because of the aggressive marketing of some of the life insurance companies for more than past 40 years. But now the scenario is changing and the insurance awareness is increasing gradually. We are relentlessly trying to create mass awareness among the public through our innovative products and customer-centric marketing and promotional campaigns.

Do you agree with the statement that the insurance companies are not investing enough on research and development?

At Green Delta we have always given high importance on having a strong Research and Development department.

This is evident from the fact that we have pioneered numerous innovative products for women, garment workers, rural poor, migrant workers, students and other customer segments.

GDIC has always invested heavily in attracting, recruiting, retaining, training, and developing skilled workforce for R&D. I think all the insurance companies would also come forward to create a strong R&D team at their respective organisations. l

Indonesia uses new interest rate to boost economy n

AFP, Jakarta

Indonesia’s central bank Friday began using a new benchmark interest rate it hopes will transmit changes in borrowing costs more quickly, as policymakers seeks fresh ways to boost the economy.

Bank Indonesia left the new benchmark, called the seven-day reverse repo rate, unchanged at 5.25%. Analysts had been split on whether the bank would make a cut on the new rate’s debut.

Southeast Asia’s top economy has been slowing in recent years as demand for its key commodities exports have dropped, particularly from regional powerhouse Chi-

na, and policymakers have been scrambling to find new ways to lift the country’s fortunes.

The central bank had already cuts its old benchmark four times this year but analysts say that the moves were failing to persuade commercial banks to lower their own lending rates, meaning the changes were not having a major impact on the real economy.

The new rate, which is a shift from the old, 12-month reference rate, has a more short-term focus and the bank hopes it will help them influence markets more quickly and directly.

“Our monetary policies will be more effective and efficient when interpreted by the markets,” said

Bank Indonesia governor Agus Martowardojo, referring to the new rate.

While the benchmark rate was left on hold, the lending facility rate - the rate at which commercial banks can borrow from Bank Indonesia - was cut by 100 basis points to six percent.

Despite Friday’s decision, Capital Economics forecast a reduction in the benchmark rate soon.

President Joko Widodo came to power almost two years ago on a pledge to boost growth in the G20 economy, but has struggled to get key projects off the ground due to the dim global outlook and Indonesia’s notoriously difficult business environment. l

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

Facebook aims for video-loving teenagers with new app n AFP, San Francisco Facebook on Friday took direct aim at video-loving adolescents, and Snapchat, with the release of a new iPhone app that allows teens to watch clips about the lives of their classmates.

The app, called Lifestage, was released with no fanfare, and is available for anyone to download on iPhone, although seeing profiles of other users is reserved for those 21 years of age or younger.

The social network allows users to make video clips to describe likes, peeves, dance styles, and other aspects of their character.

Those clips are woven together to serve as public profiles that

can be viewed by other Lifestage members, provided they are young enough. A tool in the app lets users block and report older folks.

“Lifestage makes it easy and fun to share a visual profile of who you are with your school network,” the app’s iTunes store description says.

Once enough students at any given school are on the app, it becomes “unlocked.”

“Once your school is unlocked, you can access the profiles of others in your school community (and all over!) so you can get to know people better in your school and nearby schools,” the description said.

Lifestage users are invited to share video snippets whenever they wish. l

DT

16

Career

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

Inside the mind of an entrepreneur n Farhan Rahman It has become a known fact that we are all heavily dependent on our daily dose of technology, without even realising it. Gadgets, such as our phones, make our lives that much easier and our dependency on them is growing day by day. This would, naturally, suggest that the hardware market in Bangladesh is booming due to growing demands and potential customer base. While that is somewhat true, we spoke to Md Zahidur Rahman Milky, assistant product manager at Global Brand Pvt Ltd, to understand the current situation and reality of the Bangladeshi hardware market and its potential for being a source of employment.

How well is Bangladesh coping locally and internationally with regard to hardware production?

In terms of production we don’t have any production lines of PC hardware in Bangladesh. But we do have mobile phone companies and accessories produced locally.

There are no hardware companies as of now or PC hardware in Bangladesh. We are still looking forward to it.

Local mobile phone companies are doing quite well comparing to the international brands. A lot of small business establishments are here producing mobile accessories to serve the local market.

What are the major advantages and disadvantages we have in the hardware market?

As a developing country we do face some problems here. In the hardware market, high-end products serve a little portion of customer base while low or midrange products have the major portion of the customer segment.

There’s a big market growing for gadgets in Bangladesh. New innovations and new facilities are making people interested in the latest gadgets. The market grew fast and got a lot bigger in the last five years, engaging some more international mobile phone companies and world leading PC component manufacturers here. We do not need to import our desired products personally.

Almost everything is available here.

Due to the system of taxation, however, we face a lot of price inflation here. We cannot match the price with international markets, therefore, making customers more interested in

importing or carrying products from abroad. Sometimes we cannot provide the desired product due to regional limitations. It takes a lot of time to introduce a new product here compared to the international market. Moreover, some dishonest businessmen are making a lot of money by serving replica or fake products in the market, making customers lose their trust on genuine products.

Another issue we face is the lengthy import process of our country.

Can this sector provide sustainable employment for the youth of Bangladesh?

I can see a huge opportunity in the hardware sector. This country is producing quite the number of engineers per year.

We import all sorts of hardware but we don’t have any industries here. If foreign investors take an interest in this sector, along with government cooperation, we could make a service sector for the unemployed but talented youth.

Thus, the products will come out cheaper and in turn reduce our dependency on foreign brands.

Moreover, some dishonest businessmen are making a lot of money by serving replica or fake products in the marketing, making customers lose their trust on genuine products

Which major aspect needs to be addressed to help Bangladesh compete in the global market much more efficiently?

Firstly, we have to consider what our local customers’ needs are in comparison to what they are offered by the global market.

We should make the most use of production and approach to other countries that shares same environment or lifestyle.

Secondly, labour cost is very low here in Bangladesh and could be another advantage for us.

Third, using local talents instead of hiring foreign high officials will open up new opportunities. No educated person will aim to go abroad for a career.

What motivates you to do what you do?

I am a gamer, not professional though, and a tech geek too. I do what I love and gadgets are like my love.

Who is your role model?

Myself, perhaps.

What are your favourite foods and hobbies?

Pasta, Pizza, anything that has Cheese in it! And I love local street food too. l

Content was reprinted under a special arrangement with www.startup-bd.com

17

DT

Career

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

7 scary interview questions and how to face them n Features Desk Job interviews are stressful, difficult, and most importantly, unpredictable. This is true for both fresh graduates and professionals.

The fact that your job almost entirely depends on that interview makes it even more difficult to focus.

Hiring managers across the world, especially in transnational firms, often ask candidates things that they had never even thought about in their lives. While you fumble in your mind, thinking about how to answer that random question, the interviewers in front of you wait patiently for a smart answer, making it even harder to prepare a witty reply.

Here are a list of questions that were designed to throw candidates off balance, and to challenge their ability to handle the interview pressure.

What makes you happy about work on a Saturday evening?

The objective of this question is pretty straightforward:

understanding how you react to the prospect of working extra hours. This can be a typical case for production or supply chain jobs. All social media and digital marketing jobs will also fall under this category. Hence, you will need to prepare an honest reply, but one that does not hurt your chances of getting the job.

What career advice would you give to a room full of people, aged between 15 and 45?

This is a tricky question. It is safe to assume that your age is between 22 and 30, so what advice do you give to a room full of teenagers and people of various age groups?

Some of them may be a decade older and more experienced than you. In this situation, you can use a useful management quote from some celebrated personality, which will make it credible. Add that you’re sharing this only because you have found it to be highly relevant.

Tell me a secret, something that you wouldn’t even tell your best

friend You can tell how ironic this is.

You just met these people. They are not your friends. In fact, they are the ones who are judging you.

They have the power to hire you or reject you. How do you tell them your deepest secrets? In such situations, it is best to make up a random story and tell that to the eager recruiters. Make sure you don’t make up any story about some illegal activity you carried out; that would cost you the job.

Tell me a joke As soon as you hear this, you either get a brain freeze, or several dirty jokes in mind; the ones that you usually laugh about with your friends. No decent (interview appropriate) jokes pop up in your head. It is useful to think of one or two funny one-liners beforehand, just in case.

What do you hate most about your former boss?

You know what the interviewer is doing as soon as you hear the question. The underlying

objective of this question is to know how you talk about your former employer, and if you have respect for them. This is based on the assumption that your past is a good predictor of your future attitude. You should tread this question very carefully, and be

honest. Explain the situation to the interviewer, but make sure you are not disrespecting your former employer.

How would you explain your career trajectory to an eight-yearold?

Explaining anything to an eightyear-old is a challenging task, let alone your career plans. But you still have to try and do it when asked in the interview. This is actually a test of how you can communicate with a person who has far less knowledge than you do. Simplify the information and tell them the gist of what you have done so far, and what you plan to do in the future. Try to include some examples, because young people are good at capturing things more easily when given vivid details.

Teach me something new This is very interesting and challenging. Choose a common trick to teach. Choose something that is easy to teach or easy to learn. It can be an interesting marketing trick, or a useful programming formula that is rarely used of in this part of the world. It will depend mostly on the type of industry you work in. l

Article was reprinted under a special arrangement with www.grad-insights.com

DT

18

Career

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

| dress for success |

The sweet spot Is there a ‘right’ amount of make up for work? (Part I of III)

n Sabrina Fatma Ahmad As if we really needed another reason to divide us, make-up has managed to stir up a lot of feathers. There’s the whole camp of people who would probably snort Sephora in powdered form if they could, and can’t imagine

stepping outside their homes, nay, their bathrooms without their full mask on. Then there’s the other camp (actually two camps with completely different ideologies, but more on that later) who would probably list make-up as some sort of crime against humanity.

Hyperbole aside, does the amount of makeup you wear have any effect on your career?

Actually, yes it does. Done right, it can enhance your natural features, make you look more polished, give you a boost of confidence and that can affect your attitude and performance.

And numerous studies have shown that image plays a big role in whether you get raises or promotions. If you completely skip the paints, you might actually hurt your chances at getting ahead.

On the flip side, it’s so easy to go overboard. If your face paint

could stop bullets, or your bag is falling off your shoulders because of all the makeup you’re carrying inside it, you might need a make up intervention. So how do you arrive at the sweet spot?

5 signs you’re wearing too much make-up You keep touching up your makeup throughout the day Even if your boss is chill with you sporting a full face out of a need for “self-expression,” they will mind if all the time you spend touching up cuts into your productivity. If you happen to work at a place where the men outnumber the women (which is most places), you can be sure that they will paint you as “high maintenance” or question your intelligence when it comes to jockeying for a promotion.

You have obvious contour lines

Oh, sweet sister. We all want those chiselled jawlines and cheekbones that could cut glass, but the Maleficent look is just not appropriate for the office. If you can take all that effort with your bronzers and highlighters every single morning, you can totally take a few more minutes to buff and blend. Or, you know, save at least a quarter of an hour by skipping the extreme contouring altogether.

The fix: Try a little strobing instead of going nuts with the contouring.

Choose highlighters without too much shimmer, because a face full of fairy dust isn’t work-appropriate unless you work in Santa’s factory.

Your clothes are wearing your make-up

Are the necklines of your tops always caked in foundation and powder? Are you on a first-name basis with your local laundry? Are you spending more on detergent?

You need to slow down there.

Unless you work in television, and sometimes even then, what you should be aiming for is a little coverage, not a full face armour.

The fix: Prevention is the best cure, so make sure you start your routine with primer, set with a make-up setting spray, and carry some blotting sheets and baby wipes in your bag. If a boo-boo does occur, use shaving foam to remove the stains before you toss the injured garment in the wash.

The fix: Repeat after me: primer and setting spray. Apply the first when you’re starting your beauty routine, and the latter when you’ve finished it. Do this before you head out for work, and then rely on nothing more than blotting paper throughout the rest of the day, and only a swipe of lipstick and a little powder ahead of a big presentation, and you’ll be just fine.

Your cellphone needs windshield wipers

Your face and neck are two different colours

The fix: Aside from going easy on the make up, it’s always a good idea to angle the phone away from your face when you’re talking anyway.

If you have gotten gunk on your phone, squeeze a teensy amount of hand sanitiser onto toilet paper and genty scrub it off the screen. Follow up with a gentle rubdown with a clean microfiber cloth.

The fix: Even if you’re not wearing that much makeup, it can still look weird if you applied it on only your face, so do dust some on to your neck and throat when you’re applying it. Also, be sure to check your makeup under natural lighting before you head out to work. l

Cellphones spend a lot of time squished up next to your face, so if your phone screen looks myopic right after you end a call, it’s a sign you have too much product on your face. Not only will the cloudy phone turn off anyone sitting next to you at the meeting table, the face oils deposited along with the makeup residue on the phone screen are an active breeding ground for germs, so the next time you have to make a call, you’re setting up an appointment for your next breakout.

So you’re sporting the “natural” look, right? Raaaaight. Pull the other one on. Not only is this a quintessential make-up faux pas anywhere, it kind of makes you look extra clownish under the harsh white office lights.

19

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

| summit |

| award |

BYLC convenes international youth leadership summit

Quality assured at BRAC

Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC) concluded their fourth Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) with the theme “Connect, Collaborate, Co-create” on Saturday, August 20, at the International Convention City, Bashundhara.

The rigorous admissions process competitively selected 400 students from over 2,700

who have the biggest stake in this future, and it is young leaders who will make it happen, here in Bangladesh and worldwide.

This is why the UK Government’s development programs support young people and why we were delighted to support the Summit.”

Other speakers at the opening ceremony included the Prime Minister’s International Affairs

DT

Biz Info

inter-connected world,” where Marcia Bernicat, US ambassador to Bangladesh, and Abrar Anwar, chief executive officer of Standard Chartered Bank, also spoke. Chairing the panel on the “Changing landscape of tertiary education in the 21st century,” Gowher Rizvi remarked, “Being the best in the nation is no longer enough, young people now have

Professor Dr Saiful Islam, vicechancellor of BUET, handed over certificates among the participants of “Quality Assurance in Out Come Based Education,” a workshop organised by Institutional Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), BUET on August 18.

Dr ASMA Haseeb, professor, University Malay, Malaysia, Deptartment of Mechanical Engineering was present on the occasion. Professor Dr Mohd Rafiqul Islam, director, IQAC, BUET, presided over the function. l

| education |

Challenges of the 21st century university applications from all over Bangladesh and 60 countries around the world. With financial support from UKAid, YLS 2016 brought together university students and young professionals from seven countries for three days of exploration, leadership training, and networking.

“The summit facilitates intergenerational dialogue, which is critical in finding innovative solutions to the problems we are facing as a society today,” said Akhter Matin Chaudhury, FCA, chairperson, BYLC, at the opening ceremony on August 18.

Speaking as the chief guest, the speaker of Bangladesh Parliament, Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, said, “BYLC is doing the important work of building bridges between people from different backgrounds and creating a shared vision for our future.”

Highlighting UKAid’s commitment to youth development in Bangladesh, Jane Edmondson, DFID country representative, said, “The new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) look forward to a world where the goals have been met for everyone. It is young people

advisor, Gowher Rizvi, and state minister for Youth and Sports, Dr Biren Sikder. The keynote address was given by Sir Christopher Ball, former warden of Keble College, Oxford University.

This year’s leadership faculty included Ejaj Ahmad, founder and president of BYLC, and Harvard professors, Dr Dean Williams and Dr Hugh O’Doherty.

The leadership sessions centered on examining the opportunities and dangers of exercising leadership in an uncertain world and collectively exploring creative solutions to society’s most urgent challenges.

Dr Dean Williams spoke about how current leadership practices are insufficient to enable progress, and stressed the importance of crossing boundaries to exercise leadership in a fractured world.

Experts from different sectors participated in thematic plenaries on globalisation, education and entrepreneurship to explore the nuances of leadership within different contexts.

Manzoor Hasan OBE, founding board member and former chairperson, BYLC, chaired the session on “Leadership in an

the challenge of being exceptional global citizens.”

Pradeep Singh, deputy dean and chief executive officer Indian School of Business (ISB), Mohali Campus, spoke about the new demands on modern education institutions. Annisul Huq, mayor, Dhaka North City Corporation, chaired the plenary on “Inclusive economy & entrepreneurship.”

Discussants included Saima Chowdhury, board member, BYLC and chief executive officer, Noi Solutions; David Hasanat, chief executive officer, Viyellatex Group; and Kamran Bakr, chairman, Unilever.

Foreign secretary Md Shahidul Haque chaired a plenary on, “Investing in the next generation,” which featured prominent youth icons.

The summit aimed to provide Bangladesh’s youth with a platform to be inspired, exchange ideas, and implement their learning in the real world.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Elite Force, Renata Limited, Adcomm Limited, Majumder Group, Abdul Monem Limited, F-commerce platform Shop Up, and Aamra Limited were valuable partners. l

High quality higher education is needed for producing world-class workforce to face the challenges of 21st century. Universities should give top priority on fundamental and strategic research activities, observed Sir Christopher John Elinger Ball, British academic and former chancellor, University of Derby.

He made the observation while delivering lecture at a seminar on “What are Universities for in the 21st Century” at Dhaka University yesterday. Dr Gowher Rizvi, International Relation Affairs adviser to the Prime Minister, was present as the chief

guest. UGC chairman Professor Abdul Mannan presided over the seminar. Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique, vice-chancellor, Dhaka University delivered the welcome address on the occasion.

Professor Dr AK Azad Chowdhury, former chairman, UGC; Professor Dr Dil Afroza Begum, member, UGC; former UGC members, vicechancellors, pro-vice chancellors, treasurers, senior professors and academicians from universities, as well as high officials from UGC and HEQEP, were present on the occasion. l

DT

20 Editorial

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

TODAY

Is it time for Pakistan to move to a presidential system?

Given the inherent stability of the parliamentary system, there is very little pressure for those at the top to improve their performance PAGE 21

Not indigenous enough People often ask me and other indigenous people to put on our indigenous dresses while we participate in training sessions, workshops, or other meetings PAGE 22

Clothes that don’t stain the environment Bangladesh’s RMG industry, thankfully, realised that environmental sustainability has a global demand and can act as a competitive factor 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.

RAJIB DHAR

RMG factories providing workers’ dorms is a much-needed initiative

B

angladesh Bank has recently signed an agreement with the BGMEA that will provide loans to factories to provide their workers with homes.

This is a welcome development that will not only benefit the workers, but also the factory owners themselves.

Many workers have to travel large distances just to reach their respective workplaces. Rent, too, eats up a significant chunk of their earnings, about 25%.

Single workers seem to be suffering the most, as it is very difficult for them to find accommodation, and when they do, the expenses are too high for them to sustain.

Eventually, some of them find themselves forced to live in dire conditions in slums.

This initiative will hopefully ensure that no workers in this sector -- the primary driving force behind our country’s burgeoning economy -- are left behind. It will also make it easier for workers to arrive at work on time, and save costs on accommodation that factories oftentimes need to provide.

Needless to say, this initiative will go a long way in improving worker efficiency and productivity in the RMG sector as a whole. For an industry that provides employment to 40 lakh people in the country, this is an important step.

Foreign envoys have remarked on the progress made by Bangladesh’s RMG industry, though they have also, rightfully, observed that more needs to be done -the industry requires more unions and, most importantly, sweeping improvements to workers’ safety conditions.

It is important, however, to keep in mind that the accommodations provided be affordable and offer adequate and safe environments for the workers to live in, amongst other necessary services such as health-care and education for their children.

With our RMG factories having gone through several changes recently as a result of the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster, it is only appropriate that the industry now makes it a priority to take care of its workers. That’s the least of what the industry, the nation in fact, owes these hard-working men and women.

With our RMG factories having gone through several changes recently as a result of the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster, it is even more important that the industry takes care of its workers

DT

21

Opinion

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

Is it time for Pakistan to move to a presidential system?

Pakistan’s current political system does absolutely nothing to hold those at the top accountable

The parliamentary system has been stable enough for Pakistan, but it’s long overdue for a change

Pakistan is plagued by corruption, mismanagement, and even just plain administrative incompetence at all levels. Yet, given the inherent stability of the parliamentary system, there is very little pressure for those at the top to improve their performance. And there is little chance that they will be effectively replaced

n Azeem Ibrahim

P

akistan is a parliamentary democracy modelled on the UK, its former colonial ruler, with a ceremonial head of state and an all-powerful parliament.

But this arrangement is not serving the country well at the moment.

Like in the UK, the institutional inertia of the parliamentary system ensures that power is retained by the political insiders of the major parties.

In some context, this is a good thing. For example, in the UK, this system has enabled a smooth

transition of power after the Brexit vote from the former prime minister, David Cameron, to his successor, Theresa May. At a time of great political upheaval, this system allowed for a swift change of leadership toward someone who is regarded as competent and “a safe pair of hands,” someone who is generally trusted to be boring but effective, and someone who would not have otherwise been likely to win the leadership.

And so, the country can now focus its attention on the actual Brexit negotiations, which will determine its future for decades.

But the same institutional

inertia which keeps power solidly confined to just top political operators is much less positive if those at the top of political parties, who control the government and most areas of the state, are chronically corrupt.

The parliamentary system has given Pakistan a good deal of political stability, after so many decades of on-again-off-again military takeovers.

But this stability has also come at the price of putting most of those at the top of the political class beyond effective accountability.

This system has made it more difficult for the military to remove

REUTERS

the civilian government from power, but it has made it even more difficult for the people to challenge and hold to account the incumbent government.

If new political movements or parties want to enter the fray and offer an alternative vision and direction for the country, they have decades of work ahead of them -- just as in the UK, it has taken the Labour party a great deal of luck and over two decades from being established out of the broad Labour movement into a party with actual impact in the British Parliament.

Time running out?

Pakistan cannot wait for that long.

Pakistan is plagued by corruption, mismanagement, and even just plain administrative incompetence at all levels.

Yet, given the inherent stability of the parliamentary system, there is very little pressure for those at the top to improve their performance. And there is little chance that they will be effectively replaced.

With each new party having to field hundreds upon hundreds

of candidates to contest seats in every constituency under the parliamentary system, successive generations of politicians will not be drawn from the most able and talented, but from those with insider connections, and family ties -- mirroring the deep problem with nepotism of the country at large.

In these circumstances, there is a strong argument for shaking things up.

The performance of the top leaders will only improve if the people can hold them to account -- ie, if they can get rid of their leaders when they under-perform, or when they are proven to be corrupt.

In other words, there is an argument that the country should shift towards the more directly accountable presidential system of democracy, where the head of the executive branch of the state, the government, is directly answerable to the democratic public at fixed intervals of time, such as four or five years.

Of course, with great power comes great responsibility. And there is also a question of the quality of the democratic public who does the holding to account.

The presidential system has allowed for the likes of Donald Trump in the US and Marine Le Pen in France to pose a realistic chance to take over the reins of power in their countries.

With the power to elect their leader directly, the public will not necessarily elect the most able leader, or the one who is best for their country.

They may also elect leaders who are just better liked, look better on television, or who are the most successful at whipping up anger or fear of real or imagined threats to the nation.

These are real concerns and should not be taken lightly.

But with each passing year, the virtually guaranteed mismanagement of the country

by Pakistan’s sclerotic political elite, makes the alternative worth considering more and more, despite the inherent risks. l Azeem Ibrahim is Research Professor at the Strategic Studies Institute US Army War College and International Security Lecturer at the University of Chicago.

This article previously appeared in alarabiya.net.

22

DT

Long Form

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

Not indigenous enough In a country like Bangladesh, what does it mean to be ‘indigenous’ anyway? This is the first part of a two-part long form

Contrary to popular belief, indigenous people don’t sing and dance all the time

n Muktasree Chakma Sathi

I

met a female university student in Dhaka who told me how an entire department forced her to perform a dance during an orientation program.

She told me with an air of disbelief in her voice: “I have never danced before. I never learned to and that was the first dance I ever had to perform. I was a newcomer and didn’t want to upset my friends and teachers.”

You might be thinking to yourself: “Why was she forced to dance?”

It is because she was an indigenous girl. And an entire department of a university in the capital thought that every single indigenous girl knows how to dance. After all, dancing and singing randomly, well, that’s what indigenous people do all the time, isn’t it?

Another indigenous girl from the Santal community in Bangladesh lost her role in a drama. The girl, despite there being no issue with her acting skills, was told that she could not play the role of the indigenous female character in the drama.

The drama was being made for a well-known private television channel in Bangladesh. She was indigenous but she was not “indigenous enough” in the eyes of the drama director.

Why is that? Because the director had the assumption that

an “indigenous person” must have pale skin, a flat nose, small eyes, and straight hair.

The Santal people, who live in the plain lands of Bangladesh, do not have the features the director wanted.

Due to my work, I often travel.

People often ask me and other indigenous people to put on our indigenous dresses while we participate in training sessions, workshops, or other meetings.

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

performance was not “indigenous enough” because my costume didn’t have many feathers, coins, shells, and seeds as he had expected.

The aforementioned incidents indicate how non-indigenous people think of “indigenousness,” and how, based on their assumptions, they decide who is indigenous/ tribal/Pahari/Jumma.

Do the non-indigenous people have the right to decide this for us,

local culture and tradition of the tribes, minor races, ethnic sects, and communities.”

Now, one could say that the term is “small ethnic groups,” not “indigenous groups.” So, let’s have a look at the Small Ethnic Groups Cultural Institution Act of 2010, which explains who belong to “small ethnic groups.” Section 2 of the act says that the indigenous peoples living within the country will be included under the

People often ask me and other indigenous people to put on our indigenous dresses while we participate in training sessions, workshops, or other meetings. Every time I hear this suggestion, I can’t help but wonder: ‘Why, and for whom, do I need to dress up?’

Every time I hear this suggestion, I can’t help but wonder: “Why, and for whom, do I need to dress up?” “Who decides when I wear my indigenous attire or when I do not?” “Is it us, the indigenous people, or is it others?”

A very good friend of mine once invited me to his wedding and requested me to perform a dance for his gaye holud. I happily agreed and rehearsed the dance.

After my performance at the wedding, he thanked me but subtly implied that my

the indigenous peoples?

Who is indigenous anyway?

What do the national and international laws say?

National laws on indigenous peoples

The Bangladesh Constitution has significant provisions that are applicable to indigenous peoples, particularly Article 23(a) which refers to indigenous peoples as “small ethnic groups,” and adds that: “The State shall take steps to protect and develop the unique

category of small ethnic groups.

Voila!

Furthermore, there are also several other acts relevant to indigenous peoples in Bangladesh, namely the Forest Act of 1927, National Human Rights Commission Act of 2009, Narcotics Substantive Control Act of 1990, Social Forestry Rules of 2004, Education Policy of 2010, Child Policy of 2010, and Women Policy of 2011.

There are also regional laws for indigenous peoples in the Chittagong Hill Tracts or those

on the plain lands. Past laws of relevance are the Frontier Police Regulation of 1881, Regulation of 1900, Regulation Act of 2003, Headman Manual of 1936, Bazar Fund Manual of 1937, Land Acquisition Regulation of 1958, Development Board Ordinance of 1976, Reserved Forest Fire Protection Rules of 1958, District Ordinance of 1984, Hill District Council Act of 1989, Regional Council Act of 1998, Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act of 2001, Land Khatian Ordinance of 1984, and the Peace Accord of 1997.

Relevant existing laws, on the other hand, include the East Bengal State Acquisition and Tenancy Act of 1950, Vested and Non-resident Property Administration Act of 1974, and Special Affairs Division.

Sadly, state institutions, including both administrative and law enforcement agencies, have a tendency to not enforce these laws; instead, giving preference to national laws, resulting in consistent failures to recognise and address the situation of indigenous peoples in Bangladesh. l The concluding part of this long form will be published tomorrow.

Muktasree Chakma Sathi is an activist, feminist, and researcher presently working with Minority Rights Group International and SANGAT, a South Asian Feminist Network. You can follow her on Twitter @SathiChakma.

DT

23

Opinion

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

Clothes that don’t stain the environment The RMG sector shows that industrialisation and environmental sustainability can go hand in hand

n Faruque Hassan

O

nce infamously termed

by Henry Kissinger as an “international basket case,” Bangladesh has now become a basket full of wonders, it seems. Bangladesh is now considered one of the next 11 emerging market economies, and the second-fastest growing economy, as of 2016, according to the International Monetary Fund.

This drastic transformation, that too within a time-span of only 35 years, is a development miracle. It is needless to mention that Bangladesh’s RMG sector has played a pivotal role to that end. Last fiscal year, this sector contributed 82% of the overall export earnings of the country, which accounts for $28 billion, and employed more than four million workers, the majority being women.

The Bangladesh economy is now at the take-off phase of development, and requires a focused strategy to pursue the incumbent government’s longterm goal of becoming a developed country by 2021.

The Bangladesh government has set an export target of $60bn by 2021, when Bangladesh will be

Our RMG factories have improved drastically in the last few years

Bangladesh’s RMG industry, being the second largest RMG exporter in the whole world, thankfully, realised that environmental sustainability has a global demand and can act as a competitive factor to keep its strong foothold in the global apparel supply chain

celebrating its 50th anniversary of independence. In line with this national target, Bangladesh’s RMG sector has taken up the challenge of achieving it, and that too in a sustainable manner.

Now, we’re all quite aware that Bangladesh has been identified as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, it is understandable that, with a population over 160 million, the impact of climate change will be huge. Also, as a young nation, Bangladesh has already showed remarkable success in economic growth and social indicators.

There always exists a

negative correlation between the environment and economic advancement. Economic advancement fosters the depletion of natural resources and creates pollution. The UN recently declared the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) where most of the targets are related to preserving environmental integrity.

Bangladesh’s RMG sector, being the engine of economic growth, recognises the importance of environmental sustainability while also achieving economic development.

In recent years, a good number

of RMG and textile factories have achieved the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

LEED is the globally accepted certification system for green buildings, which are environmentally sound and resource-efficient throughout its entire life cycle. A LEED-certified factory building means a stateof-the-art facility that addresses every possible environmental aspect of the factory and maintains harmony with the

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

natural system.

A green building can reduce energy consumption, carbon emission, water usage, and solid waste alongside the practice of reusing and recycling whenever possible.

It is a matter of great delight that the number of greencertified buildings is increasing in Bangladesh. To date, 35 projects have been certified by USGBC, of which, 33 are RMG factories. More importantly, a further 230 LEED projects have been registered

by USGBC, of which, around 150 belong to the RMG sector.

It can be predicted that, within the next five years, our RMG sector will have more than 500 worldclass factory buildings certified

by LEED. A green factory building is also best placed to address workers’ comfort by ensuring ambient air quality, hygiene, and thermal comfort standards.

Remi Holdings LTD, an RMG factory and washing plant belonging to Bitopi group, recently achieved LEED Platinum certification with a score of 97 points -- making it the highest-

rated green RMG factory and washing plant in the world.

After two very tragic incidents three years ago, the nation’s RMG sector experienced a drastic shake-up. Economic growth was threatened, but our entrepreneurs swiftly responded to the challenge, and now our RMG industry is the only one in the world to have been inspected, and its more egregious problems rectified, by independent organisations and bodies.

Bangladesh’s RMG industry, being the second largest RMG exporter in the whole world, thankfully, realised that environmental sustainability has a global demand and can act as a competitive factor to keep its strong foothold in the global apparel supply chain.

It can be hoped that our government increases incentives and places policies that encourage the growth of green factories. l Faruque Hassan is Senior Vice President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

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24 Sport

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

TOP STORIES

Cool Runnings: Usain Bolt Yesterday, Usain Bolt snatched the baton on what was the last leg of the last Olympic race of his life.

And then he did what he always does, run fast, his body unfurling into gazelle like steps that sailed him past the competition. PAGE 25

Silver turns Sindhu into hot property When Pusarla Sindhu won a gold at the 2012 Asian Jr championships, her hero Sachin Tendulkar presented her a car. One can only guess at the reception the 21-year-old will receive when she returns home. PAGE 26

(L-R) Jamaica’s Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell, Usain Bolt and Nickel Ashmeade celebrate after they won the men’s 4x100m relay final during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on Friday AFP

Bolt bows out with nine golds n AFP, Rio de Janeiro

A sportsman of many talents Cricket was hardly a household game back in the 1970s after Bangladesh’s liberation. Only a few, mainly from the financially sound community, pursued the sport and Jahangir Shah Badshah was one of them. PAGE 27

Six young faces in football squad Six young faces were called up to the national side for the first time as the BFF yesterday announced a 33-man preliminary squad, ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming home clash against Bhutan in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers Play-off on September 6. PAGE 28

Usain Bolt bid farewell to the Olympics by powering to a record third straight sweep of the sprint medals and a final chance to declare himself “the greatest.”

No one had the power on the track nor the courage off it to contradict the 29-year-old whose blistering run gave Jamaica victory in the 4x100m relay.

Allyson Felix hit her own landmark with a fifth gold as the US women won their 4x100m relay, a day after winning a reprieve into the final.

The track drama Friday and the prospect of a Brazil football final yesterday almost overcame the shame felt by many Olympians after star swimmer Ryan Lochte had to apologise for inventing a story that he had been mugged in Rio. Victory was not guaranteed when Bolt took the baton for the anchor leg, but he powered down the straight to cross in 37.27sec before soaking up the acclaim from an adoring crowd. A surprise Japan quartet came second, followed by the United States, who were disqualified to give Canada bronze.

A third straight 100m, 200m and 4x100m clean sweep put Bolt

alongside Carl Lewis and Paavo Nurmi on nine track and field Olympic golds.

Bolt, who said at the start of the week that he would be an “immortal” if he claimed the ‘triple triple,’ had no doubt that he deserves more acclaim.

“There you go. I’m the greatest,” said the Jamaican, who kissed the finish line as he played to the crowd and the cameras.

And how did he achieve greatness? “Dedication. I wanted it the

most. I was never satisfied.”

“I hope I’ve set the bar high enough that no one can do it again,” said Bolt whose departure is a second blow to the Olympics after the retirement of swimming legend Michael Phelps with his 23 career golds.

The United States women’s sprint team brilliantly beat Jamaica to complete a remarkable comeback from disqualification.

Felix, long jump gold medallist Tianna Bartoletta, English Gard-

Kenya’s Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot poses during the podium ceremony for the women’s 5000m athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on Friday AFP

ner and Tori Bowie combined to clock the second fastest 4x100m relay ever run, in 41.01 seconds.

Felix is the first women athlete to reach five golds.

The US team were forced into a solo re-run of their qualifier on Thursday, having overturned a disqualification for a dropped baton exchange between Felix and Gardner.

“It felt like we were really strong tonight. The adversity yesterday made us even more determined and we kept fighting the whole way through,” said Felix.

Greece’s Ekaterini Stefanidi won the women’s pole vault after virus-stricken defending champion Jenn Suhr crashed out.

Kenyan former world champion Vivian Cheruiyot reeled in 10,000m champion Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia to win the women’s 5,000m title.

Off the track, six-gold medal swimmer Lochte apologized for inventing a story about an armed mugging to cover up an act of vandalism at a Rio gas station.

Apart from criticism in the United States, Lochte and three other swimmers with him face an International Olympic Committee disciplinary inquiry. l

Cool Runnings n Quazi Zulquarnain Islam At 7:05 am on Saturday morning, Usain Bolt snatched the baton on what was the last leg of the last Olympic race of his life.

And then he did what he always does, run fast, his body unfurling into gazelle like steps that sailed him past the competition. He won too, like he always does, his 9th Olympic medal in his 9th Olympic final in his third consecutive Games. Beijing, London, Rio – Bolt had stamped his marker from the eastern corner of the world to the west. Literally and figuratively, his dominance could not be more complete. In Bolt’s typically unflustered style the assessment was simple – “there you go, I am the greatest.”

Really, who can argue with that?

Bolt’s medal numbers may lack well behind that of the phenomenal American Michael Phelps but on a whole his feats are astounding. Consider this; Bolt has spent a sum total of 325 seconds running at the Olympic tracks (finals and qualifiers included). That is a little under five and a half minutes and translates to one gold medal every 36 seconds. Like the old school Western gunslinger, Bolt’s magic is about years of preparation and seconds of madness.

But quantifying the magic of Usain Bolt in just numbers would

be a disservice to a man who has transcended the barriers of sport to have established himself as a cultural and lifestyle icon. With Bolt the brilliance is not just in his alien talent or his outstanding numbers, it is also in his character. It is not about the fact that he wins, it is in how he does it that makes him such an icon. Years from now people will perhaps talk not just of Pele or Muhammad Ali but also of this 6 foot 5-inch Jamaican giant who ate chicken nuggets, ran Olympic finals with his shoe laces undone and also danced a mean samba.

We are lucky to live in an era of phenomenal talents in sport. In football we have Lionel Messi, in cricket we had Sachin Tendulkar, in tennis Roger Federer – each man pushing the boundaries of their chosen sport beyond anything seen before.

But with Bolt it is different. Because running is purer, more elemental. It is less a sport than it is an impulse honed by man since the dawn of civilization. Think of it this way, no human being in recorded history has mastered said impulse better than the Jamaican. So every time Bolt creates a new record, he does not just push the boundary of sport, he pushes the boundary of possibility for mankind. Not without reason does his Twitter profile say “anything is possible I don’t think limits.”

LEADING GOLD MEDALLISTS IN ATHLETICS NINE PAAVO NURMI, FINLAND (1920-28) 10,000 metres (2), individual cross country (2), team cross country (2), 5,000m, 1,500m, 3,000m team.

CARL LEWIS, US (1984-96) Long jump (4), 100m (2), 4x100m relay (2), 200m.

USAIN BOLT, JAMAICA (2008-16) 100m (3), 200m (3) 4x100m relay (3).

EIGHT RAY EWRY, US (1900-08) Standing long jump (3), standing high jump (3), standing triple jump (2).

FIVE VILLE RITOLA, FINLAND (1924-28) 10,000m, 5,000m, 3,000m steeplechase, 3000m team, team cross country.

ALLYSON FELIX, US (2008-12) 4x100m relay (2), 4x400m relay (2), 200m.

Unfortunately, that’s not always true and in Rio, Bolt has demonstrated the first signs of age. “My legs just gave up,” he said after his 200m win in a time of 19.78 seconds. It was a far cry from his London effort of 19.32 and his Beijing effort of 19.3. His world record of 19.19 was a distant memory. At 29, time is catching up with even this most ubiquitous talent.

For athletics Bolt came at a time when the sport was reeling from drugs controversies that defined its most famous champions. In that vein he has managed to salvage the sport, a clean champion in the midst of a murky world of performance enhancing supplements. Of the 30 best 100m times ever recorded, 21 are by athletes who have tested positive for drugs.

The other 9 are all by Usain Bolt. In many ways Bolt is a freak, an outlier, a gift from the Gods of athletics at a time that they needed it most.

Hopefully his will be the legacy that rescues a discipline.

In the end, Bolt is about all of this and more. Watching Bolt run is like food for the soul – an expression of pure talent, preparation and unshakeable confidence that makes you literally want to get up and embrace the person next to you because you have together experienced something so special and unique.

Bolt doesn’t so much win, he demolishes opponents but does it all with the casual insouciance of the cheeky next door neighbor. In Rio he pulled playground pranks on an ESPN reporter, hours before his final race; in London he calmed down a nervous volunteer minutes before his 100m final; and in Beijing, well everyone knows what happened in Beijing. In this age of hyperbole, Bolt is unique because in the same frame he comes across as both the guy who you can go have a drink with at the local pub who by the way also happens to be the greatest athlete of all time.

In 2008 in Bejing, a young Bolt emerged as a phenomenon, in 2012 in London that young man became a legend, and in Rio on the early hours of this Saturday morning he took his place among the immortals. l

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt runs in the men’s 4x100m relay final during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Friday AFP

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26

Sport

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

The Bengal Tiger roars into Olympic final MEDAL TALLY COUNTRY UNITED STATES

38 35 32

GREAT BRITAIN

25 22 14

105 61

CHINA

23 18 25

66

GERMANY

16

9

14

39

RUSSIAN FED

13

16 19

48

JAPAN

12

8

41

FRANCE

9

15

14

38

AUSTRALIA

8

11

10

29

ITALY

8

11

6

25

NETHERLANDS

8

6

4

18

21

Updated yesterday (9pm)

DAY SIXTEEN EVENTS TO WATCH ATHLETICS Men

Marathon

6:30pm

RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS Women

Team All-Around

8:50pm

CYCLING MOUNTAIN BIKE Men

Cross-Country

9:30pm

VOLLEYBALL Men

Tournament

10:15pm

WRESTLING Men

Freestyle 65 kg

10:35pm

Men

Freestyle 97 kg

11:45pm

HANDBALL Men

Tournament

11pm

BOXING Women

Middle 75 kg

11pm

Men

Fly 52 kg

Men

Light Welter 64 kg

12am

Men

Super Heavy 64 kg

12am

Men

11:15pm

Super Heavy Over 91 kg 12:15am BASKETBALL

Men

Tournament

12:45am

Isinbayeva quits n Reuters, Rio De Janeiro Barred from competing at the Rio Games, Russia’s double Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva announced her retirement and said whoever won the women’s pole vault in her absence would not have achieved a proper gold medal. At a combative news conference, Isinbayeva also said God would be the judge of whether athletics’ governing body was right to exclude almost the entire Russian track and field team, including herself, over what it said was incontrovertible evidence of state-sponsored doping. Isinbayeva said she had been confident of winning the pole vault after clearing 4.90 metres on June 2 on her first competitive appearance for three years after giving birth to a daughter.l

n Agencies A total of 26 rhythmic gymnasts were narrowed down to 10 after the first day of individual competition at the Rio Olympics. And surprisingly, Russian-Bengali gymnast Margarita Mamun took the top spot with her scintillating display on the field.

Margarita, also known as The Bengal Tiger, scored 74.383 points after four rotations and will be favourite when she takes the field for the final at midnight yesterday (Bangladesh standard time). She briefly competed for Bangladesh but returned to Russia when she turned senior.

In the preliminary session, every gymnast who qualified for the Olympics performed four routines, one each using the ball, hoop, ribbon and clubs apparatus.

The athletes with the top 10 combined scores will advance to today’s final, where they will again perform four routines in pursuit of Olympic medals.

Current world champion Yana Kudryavtseva arrived in Rio as the reigning and three-time world allaround champion. She has maintained her spot at the top of the sport since 2013, when at 15 years old she became the youngest ever

Margarita Mamun of Russia competes using the hoop during Rhythmic Gymnastics at the Rio Olympic Arena all-around world champion. In the second half, she had regained her composure and moved into second place. But she couldn’t catch up with Margarita, her close friend,

training partner and long-time rival.

Margarita claimed the top qualifying spot by 0.385 points. She was the only gymnast to receive two scores of 19 or more points (out of

Silver medal success turns Sindhu into hot property n Reuters, Rio De Janeiro When Pusarla Sindhu won a gold medal at the 2012 Asian junior badminton championships, her cricketing hero Sachin Tendulkar presented her with a car.

One can only guess at the reception the 21-year-old player will receive when she returns into the arms of 1.3 billion Indians after becoming the country’s most successful female Olympian with her silver-medal performance in Rio. The fact that she had been beaten 19-21 21-12 21-15 by Spanish world number one Carolina Marin in the final mattered little for a country that until Friday had won a solitary bronze at these Games.

The Hyderabadi got a taste of what her life will be from now on when she was pulled and prodded as she made her way through a throng of reporters desperate to hang on to every word coming out of her mouth.

“I’m really, really happy because my ultimate goal was to get a medal at the Olympics,” she said as she clung on to the silver medal around her neck.

“I thought it would be a gold but never mind, it’s still a silver. I never

thought I would make it to here... overall I am happy.”

For most of her career Sindhu has largely remained in the shadow of fellow Indian and former world number one Saina Nehwal.

In fact Sindhu was lost in the crowd as India sent a record 120odd athletes to Rio with high expectations of topping their haul of six medals at the 2012 London Games.

Along with Nehwal, who won a bronze four years ago, medals were

expected from 2008 shooting gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, mixed doubles tennis pair Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna, pistol shooter Jitu Rai, boxer Vikash Krishan and shooter and 2012 silver medallist Gagan Narang to name just a few.

Freestyle wrestler Sakshi Malik finally ended the barren run on Wednesday with her bronze before Sindhu, who is mentored by 2001 All England Badminton champion Pullela Gopichand, doubled the medals tally on Friday.l

Silver medallist PV Sindhu of India poses with her medal

REUTERS

REUTERS

20), for her ball and ribbon routine. If she hadn’t dropped one of her clubs and almost lost it out of bounds, her lead could have been significantly larger. l

Germany take women’s gold after beating Sweden n Reuters, Rio De Janeiro Germany won their first ever Olympic gold medal in women’s football on Friday when they turned in a superior second half performance to beat Sweden 2-1 at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

The no. 2 ranked Germans scored two goals in the second half, and although the Swedes got a goal back they could not snatch an equaliser that would take the game into extra time.

The win was Germany’s sixth unbeaten match in the tournament and lifts them into an elite group alongside the United States and Norway as the only teams to win both the Women’s World Cup and the Olympics. Germany failed to qualify for the Olympics in 2012 but won the bronze the last three times they played, in 2000, 2004 and 2008. “This is something completely new, so this is definitely a new summit for German women’s football,” said German coach Silvia Neid. “I really don’t have words to describe this, it doesn’t matter if it’s the World Cup or Euros, this is what you have earned through your hard work.” l

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

I’ll give Pogba Utd freedom, vows Mourinho n AFP, Manchester Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho pledged to shape his team around Paul Pogba after the France midfielder made a successful Old Trafford return in a 2-0 win over Southampton.

Pogba played the whole game as Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s brace sank Southampton on Friday, a week after returning to United from Juventus in a world-record 89 million pound transfer.

Asked what instructions he had given Pogba, Mourinho replied simply: “Play.”

He added: “I don’t know which position he played. For a player to play with the freedom he has, we have to build a certain organisation around him. He has to play with freedom.” l

DAY’S WATCH OLYMPIC GAMES

RESULTS FRIDAY Man United

2-0

Southampton

Ibrahimovic 36, 52 – P

YESTERDAY Stoke City

1-4

Manchester City

Bojan 49

Burnley

Aguero 27 – P, 36, Nolito 86, 90+5

2-0

Liverpool

Vokes 2, Gray 37

Swansea

0-2

Hull Maloney 79, Hernandez 90+2

Tottenham

1-0

Crystal Palace

1-2

Chelsea

Wanyama 83

Watford Capoue 55

West Brom

Batshuayi 80, Costa 87

1-2

McAuley 9

Everton 45+2, Barry 60

Manchester City’s Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero scores the opening goal from the penalty spot past Stoke City’s Irish goalkeeper Shay Given during their English Premier League match at the Bet365 Stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, central England yesterday AFP

Badshah, a sportsman of many talents

STAR SPORTS 1, 2, 3 5PM, 12:30AM Rio Olympic Games 2016 Daily live coverage

FOOTBALL STAR SPORTS 4 English Premier League 5:20PM Sunderland v Middlesbrough 9PM West Ham v AFC Bournemouth

SONY SIX Spanish La Liga 10PM Sporting Gijon v Athletic Bilbao 12AM Real Sociedad v Real Madrid 2AM Atletico Madrid v Alaves

SONY ESPN Italian Serie A 10PM AC Milan v Torino 12:30AM Chievo v Inter Milan

CRICKET TEN 1 4PM Australia Tour of Sri Lanka 1st ODI

TEN 3 1:30PM NZ Tour of South Africa 1st Test, Day 3 8PM India Tour of West Indies 4th Test, Day 4

MOTO GP TEN 2 2:30PM Race: Czech Republic GP

n Minhaz Uddin Khan Cricket was hardly a household game back in the 1970s after Bangladesh’s liberation. Only a few, mainly from the financially sound community, pursued the sport and Jahangir Shah Badshah was one of them.

Born in 1949 in Kushtia, Badshah, like many others during that period, was involved with both professional cricket and football.

His potential as a booter caught the attention of many big clubs back then and winning the top-flight title with Abahani Limited in 1974 as a left-wing back was one of the many feathers in his hat.

But Badshah’s ambition as a footballer had to end following a knee injury in 1974. Bangladesh, under the title Dhaka XI, played against a Russian club team and Badshah was struck with injury.

This forced him to reserve his full attention for the game of cricket.

Bangladesh, at that point, might have lost out on a potential footballer but as far as cricket was concerned, it was about to welcome one of the best seamer-all-rounders.

Badshah made his international debut in February, 1978, and until his retirement in 1990 was considered one of the most reliable all-rounders of the side. He kept picking up vital wickets with his

medium pacers. While with the willow, the right-hander was versatile as he could bat at just about anywhere – be it as a middle-order batter, nightwatchman or opener.

To add to that, many fans flocked to the grounds to see his bowling.

Such accurate were his deliveries that one could not help but praise Badshah in glowing terms.

Back in the 80s, the age difference between the match officials and the cricketers was so slim that many were friends.

During a game, Badshah was called for two no-balls in the same over.

This irked the bowler and he ended up challenging the umpire, saying, “I do not bowl a no-ball; during practice sessions or even if I am blind-folded.”

The challenge was not countered, after all, Badshah during that time was one among few bowlers with precision. He was often seen doing spot-bowling, placing his cap

on the wicket, a drill performed only by a few at that time.

Badshah’s domestic cricket career mostly involved playing for Azad Boys during the mid 70s. In the span of a decade, he had turned into a well-known cricketer for Bangladesh Biman, until he ended his career in 1990.

As far as playing for Bangladesh was concerned, Badshah was a genuine, big-occasion player who used to reserve his best performances for the important matches.

In 1985, Badshah troubled the touring Lankans throughout the entirety of a three-day game which eventually concluded in a draw. The right-arm medium pacer bowled brilliantly with the new ball and dismissed Sri Lanka openers Sidath Wettimuny and Amal Silva for six and nought respectively.

Badshah went on to dismiss several established names, including Rohan Mendis and Roy Dias.

Jahangir Shah Badshah (standing third from left) poses for a photo with the Bangladesh team ahead of their match against Fiji in the 1979 ICC Trophy

But perhaps for Badshah, his display for Bangladesh against an Imran Khan-led side in a three-day affair in January 1986 should be one of his most memorable. The seamer accounted for the scalps of Imran, Abdul Qadir and the side’s wicket-keeper Masood Iqbal.

This was followed by a heroic show with the bat as Badshah, along with Bangladesh captain Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, stood firm after a fiery Pakistan attack rumbled the top-order. Gazi was running out of partners but the veteran Badshah came to the rescue against a quality bowling attack.

The 63-run stand for the seventh wicket stabilised Bangladesh’s innings. Badshah top-scored with 46. His effort was not enough to save the follow-on, nor did it save the match for the local side; but he received warm applause from the opposition captain.

Badshah continued his good form against Pakistan when Bangladesh played their first ever official one-day international in March at Morotuwa. Bangladesh managed only 94 runs on the board and the target was expected to be an easy chase for Pakistan.

But Badshah’s accurate bowling made things difficult for the opponent as he finished with 2/23 from his nine overs. Badshah never played a Test match for Bangladesh as his career ended around 10 years before the Tigers were granted the Test status.

But there is hardly any doubt with the fact that he would surely have led the Bangladesh attack in the maiden Test match if he had been around at that time. l

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28

Sport

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016

Six young faces in football squad n Tribune Report Six young faces were called up to the national side for the first time as the Bangladesh Football Federation yesterday announced a 33-man preliminary squad, ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming home clash against Bhutan in the Asian Football Confederation’s Cup Qualifiers Play-off on September 6.

Twelve players have been excluded from the previous 32-member squad that was announced on July 10 this year. Notable exclusions include Zahid Hossain, Hemanta Vincent Biswas, Monayem Khan Raju and Russel Mahmud Liton, who have all been regulars in the national team. Highest nine players were selected from Abahani Limited while rising powerhouse Chittagong Abahani have eight rep-

resentatives. Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra and Arambagh KS have four and three players respectively.

Reigning champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club on the other hand have only two representatives in the latest squad.

Surprisingly, despite being at the summit of the premier league recently, no Muktijoddha Sangsad player managed to make the cut.

Regarding the latest squad announcement, Bangladesh’s newly-appointed Belgian head coach Tom Saintfiet said, “We selected young players who played good in the league. And also experienced players who played good in the league. So, it’s a very diverse selection of 33 among which we will reduce to 23 later on. We are going to create a team who is going to win against Bhutan.” l

33-MEMBER SQUAD GOALKEEPERS

Islam Hemel

Shahidul Alam Sohel, Ashraful Islam Rana, Maksudur Rahman Mostak and Mohammad Nehal

Shakil Ahmed

DEFENDERS Tapu Barman, Mamun Miah, Ariful Islam, Wali Faisal, Rayhan Hasan, Nasiruddin Chowdhury, Yeamin Ahmed Chowdhury Munna, Rezaul Karim Reza, Atiqur Rahman Meshu and Monsur Amin

MIDFIELDER Pranotosh Kumar, Emon Mahmud Babu, Mamunul Islam, Sohel Rana, Jamal Bhuiyan, Mohammad Abdullah, Mohammad Sohel Rana, Sentu Chandra Sen and Anamul Haque Sharif

FORWARDS Jewel Rana, Nabib Newaj Jibon, Rubel Miah, Romman Hossain, Shakhawat Hossain Rony, Jafar Iqbal, Aminur Rahman Sajib, Mehedi Hasan Tapu, Didarul Alam and Mahbub Hasan Noyon

EXCLUDED FROM THE INITIAL LIST (12) GOALKEEPERS Russel Mahmud Liton and Mazharul

DEFENDER MIDFIELDERS Monayem Khan Raju, Shahedul Alam Shahed, Mohammad Shahedul Alam, Masuk Miah Jony, Hemanta Vincent Biswas and Kawsar Ali Rabby

FORWARDS Towhidul Alam Towhid, Zahid Hossain and Syed Russel Turjo

NEWLY INCLUDED (13) GOALKEEPERS Maksudur Rahman Mostak and Mohammad Nehal

DEFENDERS Monsur Amin and Atiqur Rahman Meshu

MIDFIELDERS Sentu Chandra Sen, Anamul Haque Sharif and Mohammad Sohel Rana

FORWARDS Mehedi Hasan Tapu, Didarul Alam, Aminur Rahman Sajib, Mahbub Hasan Noyon, Romman Hossain and Shakhawat Hossain Rony

Sunday guides Abahani to BPL summit n Tribune Report Abahani Limited moved jointly at the top of the Bangladesh Premier League points table after a brace from Sunday Chizoba helped them seal a comfortable 2-0 victory over Arambagh Krira Sangha at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

With the conclusion of the league’s sixth round yesterday, a total of four teams – Abahani, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Muktijoddha Sangsad and Rahmatganj MFS – share the top spot with 12 points each while Chittagong Abahani are second with a point less.

Sunday gave Sky Blues the breakthrough with only four minutes into the clock. The Nigerian striker earned a penalty after the he was brought down by Ghanaian defender Issah Yussif inside the box. Abahani goalkeeper Shahidul Alam Sohel denied Sunday’s initial effort from the spot but the Nigerian smashed home on the rebound.

RESULTS Abahani

2-0

Arambagh

Sunday 4 – P, 85

Mohammedan Sabuj 1, Masud 17

Abahani Limited’s Nigerian striker Sunday Chizoba scores past the Arambagh goalkeeper Mitul Hasan during their Bangladesh Premier League match at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

2-2

Brothers Kingsley 22, 62

Abahani could have doubled the lead six minutes later when Sunday’s goal-bound header from the middle of the box flew over the bar.

Arambagh were then reduced to 10 men in the added time of the first half after Saddam Hossain received a straight red card following a foul on Englishman Lee Andrew Tuck.

Sunday sealed victory in the 85th minute, collecting a pass from Lee Tuck before drifting past a defender to break into the penalty area. His shot deflected off the onrushing Arambagh custodian Mitul Hasan before bouncing into the far post.

Later yesterday at the same venue, local powerhouse Mohammedan Sporting Club were held to a 2-2 draw by Brothers Union. l

Taskin, Sunny brace for bowling test next month n Minhaz Uddin Khan Bangladesh bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny are set to appear for the bowling action test in Brisbane, Australia next month.

Bangladesh Cricket Board’s media and communications committee chairman Jalal Younus informed the media that both the bowlers have satisfied the bowling action review committee and are well on track to appear for the International Cricket Council test.

Jalal said the duo will appear for the test in Brisbane on September

8 and the result of the test will be made available within 10-12 days.

In that case, if everything turns out to be positive then both Taskin and Sunny will be available for national selection before Bangladesh take on England in the first of two Test matches in October.

“Before anything else, Taskin has to come clear from the test. We are hopeful and positive because as far as our assessment is concerned, he has rectified his action. I am hopeful that he will have a positive result in the ICC test,” Jalal explained.

“As far as Arafat Sunny is con-

cerned, he has worked with Venkatapathy Raju (BCB’s High Performance spin consultant) and with the head coach [Chandika Hathurusingha] for the past few days.

They are pretty satisfied regarding sending him for the ICC test too.

There is a possibility that Sunny will appear for the test along with Taskin,” the BCB director added.

Meanwhile, regarding the England and Wales Cricket Board’s security delegates’ visit to Bangladesh, Jalal stated that the BCB will wait for ECB’s decision and that there is no given deadline.

Following the Dhaka terrorist attack on July 1 this year, ECB had raised security concerns over its scheduled tour to Bangladesh, comprising two Tests and three one-day internationals. The ECB delegation’s three-day visit was arranged in order to assess the arrangement in Bangladesh. The delegation will now report back to the board for a final decision.

“You all know that they visited the venues for the series and also met the home ministry and the security agencies of the country.

We briefed them and presented

our security plan. I think they (the three-member ECB delegation) were pleased with the arrangement. But we cannot expect the result straightaway. A decision will only come after they return to England and present their findings to the board.

“The top officials of the Bangladesh government are aware of this and I think they are dealing with it from their end too. But we do not know what is happening in particular, if you ask me. They are in continuous communication with others, including the British High Commission,” he added. l

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Stop (5) 6 Rodent (3) 7 Kingdom (5) 10 Fragrance (5) 12 Blemish (4) 13 Facial features (5) 15 Be adjacent to (4) 16 Limb (3) 18 No score (3) 20 Scottish dance (4) 22 Liveliness (5) 23 Festive (4) 25 Courage (5) 27 Craze (5) 28 Sailor (coll) (3) 29 Endures (5)

DOWN 1 Cowardly (6) 2 Corn spike (3) 3 Having no key (mus) (6) 4 Effacement (7) 5 High mountain (3) 8 Donkey (3) 9 Make fast a vessel (4) 11 Unruly crowd (3) 14 Everlasting (7) 16 Makes vigilant (6) 17 Niggards (6) 19 Muslim leader (4) 21 First woman (3) 22 Forefront (3) 24 Lacking discipline (3) 26 Fermentation vessel (3)

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CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 12 represents P so fill P every time the figure 12 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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Aynabaji releasing after Eid

Now Arijit says ‘no’ to Bhaijan

Chowdhury said, “Aynabaji is a movie for everybody, it has been made for all types of people in Bangladesh. I hope that my film will quench the thirst for entertainment of the audience and make a place in their hearts.”l

n Showtime Desk n Showtime Desk The long awaited film Aynabaji is going to be launched countrywide after Eid-Ul-Azha in September. With the direction of Amitav Reja Chowdhury, the locally filmed movie, with International standards, was supposed to be released during the month of August. But considering the rainy season and the floods in certain areas in the country, the producers

later decided to launch the film after the Eid holidays. However, considering the eagerness and hopefulness of the audience, due to its viewing at the Cannes Film Festival and the praise that this unique film received, the advertising campaigns are going to begin in the coming week.

Many of actors, actresses and technicians related to this project are going to participate in the advertising campaign as well.

Director Amitav Reja

Flying Jatt, the ‘Desi’ superhero of India

n Showtime Desk The 26-year-old Baaghi star says through the film Flying Jatt, they are simply trying to present a “desi superhero” to the public.

Tiger says the film has nothing to do with drugs or other negative things, and only focuses on the issue of environmental conditions.

“We are not focusing on drugs or anything negative in this film.

The only negative in this film is the issue of pollution. Apart from that, Remo has made the film with kids in mind.”

“So, we really cannot show certain things because it is too violent for children. It is a very

Things started when Arijit and Salman were just pulling each other’s leg at the Star Guild Awards in 2014 when Arijit said something that offended Salman. Ever since then, the actor hasn’t been on good terms with the singer. With this latest update coming in, Arijit, has no plans on reconciling with Salman in the near future.

Arijit Singh and Salman Khan’s spat turned uglier when the former posted an apology on Facebook and their fight became a hot topic of discussion. But apparently, that also hasn’t changed Salman’s mind. Yes, he is still holding a grudge against the 29-year-old

clean film with a clear message,” Tiger later added.

Tiger included that the film will present India a “desi” superhero that lives among them.

Flying Jatt is an upcoming Bollywood superhero action film co-written, choreographed and directed by Remo D’Souza, under the banner of Balaji Motion Pictures. Tiger Shroff, Jacqueline Fernandez and professional wrestler Nathan Jones as lead.

Shroff is playing the role of a superhero and Fernandez will be playing his love interest in the film. The film is slated for release on August 25. l

Esha and the truth n Showtime Desk Actress Esha Gupta is proud of her journey and is happy that she does not need to give credit to anyone for her Bollywood career. She boldly mentions that she is facing Bollywood life without a “godfather” assisting her in the industry.

“I have to work really hard because no one has got my back. It is a good thing because I don’t end up giving anyone credit for where I am. Some people might take it the wrong way, but that’s the truth.

There is no one I give credit to for making me an actor,” she told PTI in an interview.

The 30-year-old actress is, however, thankful to certain people for helping her in the journey.

“There are a lot of people I am thankful to in this process and Mukeshji (Mukesh Bhatt) is on top of that list because he is the one who said he’d cast me in Jannat 2.”

The Delhi-based actress says like any struggling actress in Mumbai, she did not know how she was going to pay rent the next month, but she knew her time would come. She also mentioned that life is really tough there. “I have seen days when I did not know how I was going to pay rent. There is no one looking out for you and if your film flops, you are not going to get a second chance. I did not have a godfather. The only father I have is not from the industry,” she added.

Esha says hard work, patience and luck are important to survive in the industry. Esha was last seen in Akshay Kumar’s Rustom. She has Vipul Shah’s Commando 2 and Milan Luthria’s Baadshaho, which also stars Ajay Devgan and Emraan Hashmi, up her sleeve.l

singer and judging by the current situation, but it looks like the superstar is far from accepting his apology. However, Arijit has decided to move on. He isn’t going to beg for an apology anymore, neither is he going to work with Salman in the future, the singer has decided. A source close to Arijit reportedly said that Arijit has chosen to never work with the Bollywood “Bhaijan” again. l

Faces, places and stories n Sabiha Akond Rupa A doctor by profession and a photographer out of passion, Ata Mohammad Adnan is a man who is essentially a "people" photographer, and intended to tell their stories through his photographs. He said, “I have been fortunate enough to travel to these countries in such a short span of time. And the strangers I encountered on the streets trusted me with a part of their soul.” His recent exhibition “Faces. Places. Stories.” is running at the EMK Center from 9:30am to 8pm, which will end on August 31.

This exhibition has been his visual diary of the past six years when he

visited a number of cities around the world. It includes the fond memories of the people he met, the places he visited and each story he witnessed was translated through his photographs.

The exhibition was inaugurated

by Hasan Chandan, director of Map Photo Agency, and a former photographer of Bangladesh National Museum. When Hasan Chandan was asked about the exhibition, he said, “Ata Mohammad Adnan has a different vision when looking into a scene.

He’s a portrait photographer and his different perspective towards street and landscape photography was seen clearly through his images. It’s

definitely unusual photography.

People will think differently when they will look at his photographs.”

When visiting this exhibition, were able to identify the rare visions of the photographer, especially two pictures of the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal. Adnan concluded by saying, “Never in my dreams did I imagine to have a solo exhibition so early in life, that too both in Chittagong and Dhaka. God has been too kind.”

Website: ataadnan.com Exhibition Location: EMK Center, Midas Center Building, (9th Floor), House 5, Road 27, Dhanamondi 27 (old). l

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