30 Sep, 2016

SECOND EDITION

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 | Ashwin 15, 1423, Zil-Hajj 27, 1437 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 153 | www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages plus 24-page Weekend supplement | Price: Tk10

Tension escalates as India launches strikes on militants in Pakistan n Reuters India said on Thursday it had conducted “surgical strikes” on suspected militants preparing to infiltrate from Pakistan-ruled Kashmir, making its first direct military response to an attack on an army base it blames on Pakistan.

The cross-border action inflicted significant casualties, the Indian army’s head of operations told reporters in New Delhi, while a senior government official said Indian soldiers had crossed the border to target militant camps.

Pakistan said there had been no such targeted strikes, but some military officers said it had repulsed the Indian troops and returned fire across the Line of Control, the de facto frontier that runs through the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir.

The Indian announcement followed through on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s warning that those responsible “would not go unpunished” for a Sept. 18 attack on an Indian army base at Uri, near the frontier, that killed 18 soldiers.

The strikes also raised the possibility of a military escalation between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan that would wreck a 2003 Kashmir ceasefire.

Lt General Ranbir Singh, the Indian army’s director general of military operations, said the strikes were launched on Wednesday based on “very specific and credible information that some terrorist units had positioned themselves ... with an aim to carry out infiltration and terrorist strikes”.

Singh said he had called his Pakistani counterpart to inform him of the operation.

The top spokesman for the Pakistani military slammed the Indian account of its action as “totally baseless and completely a lie”.

“We deny it. There is no such thing on the ground. There is just the incident of the firing last night, which we responded to,” Lt General Asim Bajwa told news channel Geo TV. Pakistan said two of its soldiers had been killed and nine wounded in firing across the Line of Control.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Indian army soldiers keep guard on top of a shop along a highway on the outskirts of Srinagar yesterday

REUTERS

New-JMB man close to militant Tamim held in Tongi

Warrant issued for the arrest of Tarique

n Arifur Rahman Rabbi

n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes (CTTC) unit has detained a member of militant outfit new-Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh from Tongi station road under Gazipur district.

Salauddin Kamran, 30, was arrested on September 28 around 8pm. He is close to new-JMB coordinator and the Gulshan attack mastermind Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury, police said.

Meanwhile, A Dhaka court yes-

terday placed him on a six-day remand for his alleged involvement in the Kallyanpur militant den.

Metropolitan Magistrate Mahmudul Hassan granted the remand after DB Inspector Jahangir Alam produced Salauddin Kamran, 30, before his court seeking a 10day remand.

During primary investigation, Kamran told police that he was close to Abu Hakim, a militant who was killed in the Kallyanpur raid on July 25, said Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police

Masudur Rahman.

He said he came to Dhaka in May after joining the militant group and was trained in Paikpara area by now detained militant suspect Rakibul Hasan Regan. Kamran was also close to killed militant Tamim Chowdhury and other top brass of the new-JMB. According to police, Kamran told them that he had been working to spread the ideology of newJMB and give momentum to its activities. He also confessed to

Karwan Bazar kitchen market to start moving in November

Kushtia-Jhenaidah Highway in terrible state for long

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

A Dhaka court yesterday issued warrant for the arrest of BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman and journalist Mahatir Faruqui Khan in a sedition case.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sarafuzzaman Ansari passed the order after accepting charges against Tarique and three others.

The court also directed officerin-charge of Tejgaon Police Station to submit a report on the execution of the order by November 1.

Of the accused, Tarique and Mahathir Faruqiu Khan, the then chief reporter of ETV have remained absconding while former ETV chairman Abdus Salam is in jail and Kanak Sarwar, the then special correspondent of the private TV station, is on bail.

On September 6, DB inspector Emdadul Haque, also investigating officer (IO) of the case, submitted a charge sheet against four people, including Tarique Rahman in a sedition case.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

INSIDE How to spot fake policemen In light of increased criminal activities by police impersonators, Dhaka Metropolitan Police have called on the public to act when they encounter such people and offered pointers on how to spot them.  PAGE 3

After missing several deadlines over the last one decade, the relocation of Karwan Bazar kitchen market is likely to start in November and move to Aminbazar, Mohakhali and Jatrabari.  PAGE 5

People of Kushtia suffer everyday as a large portion of Kushtia-Jhenaidah Highway has been in a rundown state for long due to negligence of the authority.  PAGE 6

PM: Patrons of militancy must face trial

Sheikh Hasina said those who patronise militancy by supplying money and giving order, protected war criminals and burned down innocent people by petrol bombs must face trial.  PAGE 32

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‘No stimulants found in viscera of 21 militants’ n Arifur Rahman Rabbi No form of narcotics or stimulants were traced in the viscera of the 21 militants killed during the Gulshan, Sholakia, Kallyanpur, Rupnagar and Narayanganj incidents.

Dr Dilip Kumar Ghosh, chemical laboratory chief of Criminal Investigation Department, confirmed the matter to the Dhaka Tribune and said that the samples of 21 militants’ viscera (stomach, liver and kidney) and blood were sent to the laboratory and “after examination, we found no trace of any narcotics or stimulants in them.”

He also said there were no traces of any adulterated substances in the samples.

Earlier, criminal experts and investigators suspected that the killed militants might have been using narcotics or stimulants like captagon and yaba, similar to foreign militants. Following the suspicion, the samples were sent to CID’s chemical laboratory in Mohakhali, Dhaka after autopsy of the bodies for verification.

According to sources, viscera and blood samples of 19 killed militants (nine in Kallyanpur, seven in Gulshan and three in Narayanganj)

were sent to the laboratory from the Forensic Medicine Department of Dhaka Medical College. The samples of the other two militants killed in Sholakia were sent from Mymensingh Medical College.

However, of the seven said militants killed during the Gulshan attack, involvement of the chef and another Holey Artisan Bakery employee are yet to be confirmed.

The examination reports were sent to respective forensic departments on Wednesday, a source said.

A law enforcement agency official, seeking anonymity, said the militants were cold-blooded murders and that is why it was being suspected that they might have been using stimulants to carry out such heinous acts.

On July 1, militants killed 20 people, mostly foreigners, inside Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka’s Gulshan area, before security forces stormed the building and ended a 12-hour standoff on July 2.

On July 26, nine militants were killed and one of their accomplice was taken into custody by law enforcement agencies during a raid in a house in Mirpur’s Kallyanpur area. l

Seminar on Chemical Safety, Management held in city n Tribune Desk Bangladesh Shishu Academy yesterday form a human chain in Dhaka University area demanding an end to child marriage RAJIB DHAR

Assam CM: Sealing Indo-Bangladesh border top priority n Tribune Desk Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday said sealing the Indo-Bangla border stretch in the state is a top priority of his government as the country’s security will be compromised if it is allowed to remain porous, reports PTI. “The matter has been taken up with the Centre in right earnest and

the Army will be called in to construct the border fencing,” Sonowal said at the conference of the deputy commissioners and superintendents of police in Guwahati.

He said the process of updating the national register of citizens (NRC) is critical for the state as well as the nation and directed the DCs and SPs to complete the process meticulously and without any error. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Tension escalates as India launches strikes on militants No more strategic restraint

The Indian version of events represents a departure from a traditional policy of strategic restraint in the face of what New Delhi sees as cross-border terrorist acts that it believes are sponsored by the Pakistani state.

“The bigger message is that Pakistan is now on notice that cross-border attacks would be part of our response if there are any more terrorist attacks,” said former Indian air vice marshal Manmohan Bahadur.

It also comes at a particularly delicate time for Pakistan, with powerful Army Chief of Staff General Raheel Sharif due to retire shortly and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif still to decide on a successor.

The Pakistani premier condemned what he called India’s “unprovoked and naked aggression” and called a cabinet meeting on Friday to discuss further steps.

Share markets in India and Pakistan fell on India’s announcement.

India’s NSE index was down 1.6% at 0958 GMT after falling as much 2.1% to its lowest since August 29, while Pakistan’s benchmark 100-share index was down 0.12%.

India announced its retaliation at a news conference in New Del-

hi that was hurriedly called, only to be delayed, as Modi chaired a meeting of his cabinet committee on security to be briefed on the operation.

“The prime minister is clear that this is exactly what we should have done,” a senior government official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. “Informing the world about the surgical strike was important today.”

US National Security Adviser Susan Rice spoke with her Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, before news of the Indian cross-border operation broke, the White House said.

Rice discussed deepening collaboration between the United States and India on counter-terrorism and urged Pakistan to combat and delegitimise individuals and entities designated by the United Nations as terrorists.

Six-hour exchange

Exchanges of fire took place in the Bhimber, Hot Spring, Kel and Lipa sectors in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and lasted about six hours, the Pakistani military said earlier.

An Indian army officer in Kashmir said there had been shelling

from the Pakistani side of the border into the Nowgam district, near the Line of Control, and the exchange of fire was continuing.

There were no casualties or damage reported on the Indian side of the frontier.

Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir in full, but govern separate parts, and have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947, two of them over Kashmir.

Tension between the South Asian rivals has been high since an Indian crackdown on dissent in Kashmir following the killing by security forces of Burhan Wani, a young separatist leader, in July.

They rose further when New Delhi blamed Pakistan for the Uri attack, which inflicted the heavies toll on the Indian army of any single incident in 14 years.

India has been ratcheting up pressure on Pakistan, seeking to diplomatically isolate it at the UN General Assembly in New York and winning expressions of condemnation from the United States, Britain and France over the attack.

China, another of the permanent members of the UN Security Council and a traditional ally of Pakistan, has urged dialogue between

the two antagonists.

On Wednesday, officials from several countries said a November summit of a the South Asian regional group due to be held in Islamabad may be called off after India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan said they would not attend. l

New-JMB man close to militant Tamim held in Tongi planning and carrying out subversive activities in the country.

Earlier, The one-hour-long “Operation Storm 26”, nine militants were killed and one of their accomplices was taken into custody by the law enforcement agencies during a raid in a house in Kallyanpur area on July 26.

On the other hand, Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury, the mastermind of Gulshan attack with alleged IS link and two other suspected militants were killed in a drive in a militants’ den in Paikpara area of Narayanganj town on August 27. l

Bangladesh National Authority For Chemical Weapons Convention (BNACWC) organised a seminar titled “Chemical Safety and Management” at Multi-purpose Conference Room of Armed Forces Division yesterday.

Lieutenant General Mahfuzur Rahman, Principle Staff of Armed Forces Division and Chairman of BNACWC was the key speaker of the seminar where Dr. Syeda Razia Sultana, Professor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Md Abul Bashar Mia, acting president of Bangladesh Chemical Society (BCS) also spoke in the seminar, said a ISPR press release.

Total 55 officials of Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), National Board of Revenue (NBR) and Directorate of Drug Administration were present at the seminar. l

Warrant issued for the arrest of Tarique On January 8, last year, Sub-Inspector Borhanuddin filed the sedition case with Tejgaon Police Station over the live telecast of a provocative speech by Tarique Rahman at a programme in London on January 5.

According to the case, Tarique Rahman instigated his party men by delivering ‘provocative’ speech against law enforcers which led the country to anarchy at that time.

Abdus Salam committed the same offence by broadcasting Tarique Rahman’s ‘provocative’ speech on his television channel. The case statement also said the broadcasting of the Tarique’s speech posed a threat to the sovereignty of Bangladesh.

Abdus Salam was arrested from near the ETV office in the capital’s Karwan Bazar on January 6, 2015, in connection with another case.

Tarique Rahman has been in London since September 11, 2008 on medical grounds after securing parole in various cases.

Tarique is also facing other cases filed on different charges, including August 21 grenade attacks on Awami league rally in 2004. l

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How to spot fake policemen n Tribune Desk

sums. They will follow them and pick them up in the microbuses and then rob them through intimidation.

In light of increased criminal activities by police impersonators, Dhaka Metropolitan Police have called on the public to act when they encounter such people and offered pointers on how to spot them.

On their web portal ‘DMP News’, the city police have published an announcement advising people on how to identify, prevent and keep citizens safe from fake law enforcers.

Incidents of scams, robberies and other crimes involving criminals posing as police officers has increased in recent times. This week a former army man and three others were arrested in Dhaka. Police say the gang had been robbing people in police Detective Branch (DB) for quite some time.

DMP Senior Assistant Police Commissioner Hafizur Rahman Riyel of the DMP Media and PR Department issued the message on the website on Thursday.

How to identify fake policemen 1. Observe whether their walkie talkie is on because the walkie talkies used by frauds are never turned on because they are toys.

2. If plainclothes policemen conduct any drives they always wear jackets and have their ID cards. But fake policemen often do not have any of these.

3. Fake policemen do not have long weapons like shotguns or SMGs because they always use toy pistols.

4. Monitor their movement and behavior. After entering any house, they become busy with cash, jewelries and valuables. Their behavior is always rough.

5. Monitor conversations among these people. They always point their weapons at people and act like robbers or thieves.

Who are the fake policemen

Most of the frauds who pose as fake policemen are smart, the DMP announcement said. Their movement, behavior and even their hairstyle will match those of members of law enforcing agencies.

Often these are people who have been dismissed from police or other forces. Because of this background, they are aware of var-

What to do ious laws and tactics, which allows them to successfully convince targets that they are law enforcers.

What instruments they use People of such gangs enter targeted homes identifying themselves as ‘plainclothes’ police officers. They use handcuffs, toy pistols, toy walkie talkies, ropes

and fake ID cards.

In most cases, they use a microbus.

They will also often have police dresses, whistles and DB police jackets. However, the message said the impostors can easily be singled out if one carefully notices some issues.

Modus Operandi

Police impersonators will enter targeted homes with toy pistols and walkie talkies and try to collect money from people there through intimidation. They case banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions for people withdrawing or depositing large

The DMP notice asked citizens to use their wit and observational skills to detect fake policemen.

“If you can be a hundred percent sure that the weapons they are carrying are toys, tackle them with courage and quickly inform the police and let your local beat officer know,” the message said. l

DMP readies K9 unit, to HRW: Stop kneecapping detainees n include more dogs Tribune Desk

n Kamrul Hasan DMP announced yesterday that the dog squad added to the force last year is ready to be utilised for any future drives.

The Canine (K9) Unit, specialised dog squad unit working under the special action unit of DMP’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) had ended its 10-week training program facilitated by four US embassy officials yesterday. A test concluded the program which eight of the dogs passed.

The K9 unit consists of six Labradors and four German Shepherds with 25 certified dog handlers.

DMP Commisioner Asaduzzaman Mia announced yesterday that they are trying to procure ten more dogs for the unit.

CTTC sources said that the first dog squad was planned in 1996 but was not implemented. DMP decided to buy police dogs with rudimentary training last year in October from England. The unit was first publicly deployed as part of

Pahela Baishakh security measures in Ramna this year.

ADC Sanowar Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that two factors were essential – purebred dogs and dogs with excellent sense of smell.

He expressed satisfaction with the results of the program.

ADC Sanowar said they would not use the dogs for breeding but they might be considered for breeding when they got older.

“We want to utilise all of their strength,” he added.

AC Jamil Khan said the 32-member team led by Additional Commissioner Monirul Islam with one ADC, one AC, one sub-inspector, three assistant sub-inspector, 24 constables and two nayeks would be in charge of maintaining the dogs during any operations. A veterinary doctor has also been employed to look after their health concerns.

The dogs will be deployed upon DMP’s orders and prepared to operate at any time.

The dogs are being kept at DMP headquarters in Mirpur. l

Security forces in Bangladesh are deliberately shooting members and supporters of opposition parties in the leg, Human Rights Watch has said in a report.

In the 45-page report, “‘No Right to Live’: ‘Kneecapping’ and Maiming of Detainees by Bangladesh Security Forces,” published yesterday, the group said it had collected evidence from 25 individuals, mostly members and supporters of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, who said that police shot them in the leg without provocation.

Several of the victims are permanently disabled, including some who had their legs amputated after being shot. Many described being beaten before being shot.

Victims told HRW that police shot them in custody and then falsely claimed that they were shot in self-defense, in crossfire with armed criminals or during violent protests.

“Security forces in Bangladesh have long killed detainees in fake ‘crossfire killings,’ pretending the victim was killed when the authorities took him back to the scene of the crime and were attacked by one of his

accomplices,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

“Now they’re engaging in ‘kneecappings’ of people they have arrested, apparently because they belong to or support an opposition party.”

Most victims were unwilling to be identified, fearing arbitrary arrest, disappearance, torture, or extrajudicial killing, HRW said.

Security forces in Bangladesh have long killed detainees in fake ‘crossfire killings’ The group called upon Bangladesh authorities to order prompt, impartial, and independent investigations into all alleged “kneecappings” and other deliberate infliction of serious injuries by members of the security forces.

The government should also invite the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN special rapporteurs on torture and extrajudicial executions to investigate kneecappings

and other alleged acts of torture and make appropriate recommendations to ensure justice, accountability, and security force reform, it said.

According to HRW, Mahbub Kabir, who worked in the marketing department of the pro-Jamaat daily Naya Diganta, was captured and shot in front of witnesses, but the police later filed criminal cases against him, HRW said.

Kneecappings appear to have started after violent street protests in early 2013. Activists have told the group they believe Bangladesh authorities adopted the practice of kneecapping in part to dissuade people from participating in street protests.

Violence broke out again in the months preceding the January 2014 general elections when opposition supporters used petrol bombs and targeted the public to enforce strikes and economic blockades.

Security forces responded fiercely, targeting both protesters and bystanders.

Human Rights Watch said it had documented many cases of arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings during this period and since. l

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Govt to establish cardiac hospitals in every district n Kamrul Hasan Health Minister Mohammad Nasim yesterday said that the government would gradually establish cardiac hospitals in every district.

The health minister made the statement at a program held at theNational Heart Foundation Hospital (NHFH) yesterday afternoon.

Admitting to the limitations of the ministry he said: “We are trying to set districts level hospitals equipped with ICU, CCU facilities.

Because of the limitations of the ministry, many districts does not have adequate facility to treat cardiac patients.”

“We have been urging private hospitals for the last three years to lessen their pathological and operational costs, to no avail rendering their services only for those who can afford it,” said the minister.

He said government had already installed 50 and 70 diagnostic machines in Chittagong and Dhaka where the poor can get a proper diagnosis at a lesser cost.

Director General of Directorate General of Health Services, Abul Kalam Azad quoted the World Eco-

nomic Forum report, 2014, which said that the economic loss from non communicable diseases (NDC) were much higher than other diseases.

According to World Health organisation, preventative measures for NCD would costs $110bn as opposed to the $550bn if the measures against it are not taken.

“If we take proper measures and stop NCDs, we could achieve the goal to become middle income country within 2021 much earlier.”

He said public awareness is crucial in its prevention and a proposal had already been sent to health minister in this regard.

Dr N Paranietharan, country representative to Bangladesh of World Health Organisation (WHO) said: “46% of the youth are smoker, 23% had hypertension, 93% do not have a proper diet and 38% of them do not regularly exercise,”quoting a WHO report.

Abdul Awal Rizvi said that there is a shortage of skilled labour for treating NCD and they plan on starting a diploma based technical courses for capacity building of that labour market. l

Channel i yesterday holds a press briefing at its office on the occasion of its 18th founding anniversary

DHAKA TRIBUNE

JnU ‘C’ unit admission test today n Rafikul Islam

The first-year honours admission test under “C” unit of Jagannath University for 2016-17 academic session will be held today with some 50 applicants competing for one seat.

The examination will begin at 3pm and continue until 4pm at 12 centres.

Around 27,825 candidates will sit for the admission test against 560 seats – business 490 and others 70 – under the “C” unit, said a press release.

The release stated that all kinds of electronics devices including mobile phones are prohibited inside the examination halls.

Candidates have been requested to come at examination centres wear-

ing half-sleeved shirt and sandal.

Mobile court will be deployed during the exam period to avert any unwanted situation, the release added.

It also asked candidates to bring two print copies of the admit card.

Admission seekers have been asked to visit the website: www. jnu.ac.bd or www.admission.jnu. ac.bd for more information. l

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Canadian PM Trudeau and Yunus address One Young World Global Summit n Tribune Desk

The Forest Department yesterday released over six hundred birds of different species in the Curzon Hall area of Dhaka University. The birds were seized from Savar in a joint raid by the Forest Department and RAB DHAKA TRIBUNE

Karwan Bazar kitchen market to start moving in November n Abu Hayat Mahmud After missing several deadlines over the last one decade, the relocation of Karwan Bazar kitchen market is likely to start in November and move to Aminbazar, Mohakhali and Jatrabari, according to city authorities.

The relocation was supposed to start in 2006, when the plan was adopted by then Dhaka City Corporation to alleviate traffic congestion in the area. But the move never took place as the authorities concerned failed to finish the construction of the new marketplaces, supposedly due to lack of funds, sources told the Dhaka Tribune.

After the bifurcation of Dhaka City Corporation into Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) in 2012, the project went to the DNCC, although one of the new locations – Jatrabari – falls under DSCC jurisdiction.

The kitchen market – largest in the country – occupies around 23 bighas, or around 7.6 acres, of area

tion and the pungent smell of rotting waste and dirty water trickling down from the fish stalls make the roads unusable, complained both customers and commuters.

To alleviate this situation, the government decided to relocate the entire market to three different locations in Aminbazar, Mohakhali and Jatrabari.

The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved a Tk206-crore project in October 2006 to construct markets in the new locations to move the market from Karwan Bazar. The budget was recently revised to Tk331 crore.

When contacted, DNCC Mayor Annisul Haq confirmed that the move was likely to start in November.

“Around 70% of the shops in Karwan Bazar kitchen market will be moved to the new locations by December 31. The market will be completely shifted by April 2017,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

He further said the move was taking place after a successful negotiation between the city authori-

in Karwan Bazar and is surrounded by offices of many government and private organisations, according to city corporation sources.

‘The city corporation agreed to meet some of our terms and conditions and we agreed to shift to the new locations’ It comprises both wholesale and retail trades of vegetables, meat, fish, spices and many commodities.

Besides the main market building, there are makeshift shops taking up half the space on the streets surrounding the main market, leaving little space for vehicles to move.

In addition, wholesale traders occupy the streets to unload their produce from trucks and pickup vans – coming from around the country – in the middle of the road at peak hours.

The broken and muddy condi-

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

RAIN OR THUNDERSHOWER LIKELY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

Dhaka

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Chittagong

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Rangpur

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ties and the traders.

When contacted, Md Omar Faruq, general secretary of Karwan Bazar Wholesale Kitchen Market Traders’ Association, reiterated the mayor’s statement.

“The city corporation [DNCC] agreed to meet some of our terms and conditions and we agreed to shift to the new locations,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

The vacated area will be used for a new project which include a shopping mall and a recreation area, Annisul added. l

Khulna

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Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:50AM

34.8ºC Jessore

22.8ºC Sylhet

Source: Accuweather/UNB

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PRAYER TIMES

Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus delivered a keynote address at the One Young World Summit in Ottawa, Canada on Wednesday on the grounds of Parliament Hill.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan spoke at the grand opening of the Summit which brought together 1,300 young leaders from more than 196 countries.

Professor Yunus urged the young delegates to not accept the world that is handed to them rather to build the world of their own dreams. He said he dreams of a world where there is Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment and Zero Net Carbon Emissions.

Prime Minister Trudeau told the young audience that they were the leaders of today, and was happy that the Summit of brilliant young leaders had come to Ottawa.

The other keynote speakers at the opening session were former Irish President Mary Robinson and activist and musician Bob Geldof.

The global forum has brought together 1,300 delegates between the ages of 18 and 30 from 196 different countries.

During the three-day Summit, young leaders from all around the world will present their work and learn from the counsellors who are global leaders in different fields.

This is the seventh One Young World Summit. l

Sylhet

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Fajr: 5:10am | Jumma: 1:15pm Asr: 4:30pm | Magrib: 6:05pm Esha: 8:00pm Source: Islamic Foundation

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Kushtia-Jhenaidah Highway in terrible state for long n Kudrote Khoda Sobuj, Kushtia

People of Kushtia suffer everyday as a large portion of Kushtia-Jhenaidah Highway has been in a rundown state for long due to negligence of the authority.

According to local sources, about 24 kilometres of the road damaged completely and potholes developed at several points as substandard materials had been used to repair it.

The road becomes unidentifiable during the rainy season, when rain waters deposit on the potholed road making it invisible for road users, including drivers.

Fatal accident is regular incident in the district due to dilapaitated situation of the road. Specillay the passengers of local huamn haulers are the worst victim.

Recently, five female labourers were killed and four others injured in a collision between a truck and a human hauler in Bottoil area.

Locals said a truck collided with the human hauler carrying the labourers on Kushtia-Jhenaidah highway, killing two of them on the spot.

Later, locals and fire rangers rescued the injured and sent them to Kushtia General Hospital where three others died under treatment.

Kushtia highway police SI Amirul Islam said the accident took place while the labourers were going to a local private factory.

Kushtia model police station SI Azizur Rahman said: “We have seized the vehicles but the drivers managed to flee the scene.”

Rafiqul Islam, supervisor of a private bus services, said the drivers of buses and small vehicles had

to face critical situation as most portion the road remained in dilapidated state.

According to Roads and Highways sources, Mrs Zamil Iqbql Enterprize, a constuction firm had taken the charge to repair the road at cost of Tk7.80 crore in 2014.

The firm was supposed to complete the work in June this year. In the meantime the enterprize had drawn Tk6 crore leaving the work incomplte, said the sources.

When Dhaka Tribune correspondent visited Mazampur, Chourhash, Alampur, Brithipara and Laxmipur areas found brick and tar had washed way.

Zahiruddin, resident of Bottoil area near the road, said the highway had turned into dilapidated situation so early due to using of substandard materials.

SI Suman, in-charge of highway police outpost, said due to diliapadated situation of the road, number of accidents had increased recently.

A leader of Tranport Owners Association said they had observed several porgrmmes demanding repair the road.

By taking bribe from the constuction firm, the roads and highway department had given work to the entrprise, he said.

Deputy Engineer Dev Doyal of the district roads and highways department said the road had become unfit for vehicles due to heavy shower this year.

Shohag Mian, engineer of the department said to solve the problem a longtrem plan should be taken, otherwise the same situation might be seen. l

Man killed in gunfight n Tauhid Jaman, Jessore

A man was killed as two gangs of miscreants traded gunshots with each other on the Jessore-Jhenaidah highway in the district town yesterday.

The deceased was Azadur Rahman Tokan, 38, a resident of Makimpur village under Horinaku upazila of Jhenaidah district. Sentenced for 10 years in a firearms case, he had long been absconding.

Kotwali police station Officer-inCharge (OC) Ilias Hossain said: “We had information that two gangs of miscreants locked in gunfight on the Jessore-Jhenaidah highway in the dead of night. Around 2am, police reached the spot and fired several shots to disperse them.

“When the miscreants fled in the face of our actions, police discovered bullet-injured Tokan at the battle scene and took him to Jessore General Hospital,” the OC added.

The hospital’s physician M Abdur Rashid said a bullet had hit on the man’s head and killed him before he was brought to the hospital. l

Boy strangled to death

n Md Emroz Khandakar, Pabna

Vehicles on the Kushtia-Jhenaidah Highway are seen plying facing critical situation as potholes have developed at several points on the road. The picture was taken yesterday from Mazampur area of Kushtia district DHAKA TRIBUNE

Efforts to eliminate child labour stressed n Tribune Desk Mayor of Rangpur City Corporation (RpCC) Alhaj Sarfuddin Ahmed Jhantu yesterday stressed on eliminating child labour to turn every child into an educated citizen through comprehensive efforts of all stakeholders.

Jhantu came with the remark while presiding over tri-monthly Advisory Committee meeting of the 'Child

Labour Elimination Action for Real Change (CLEAR) in Urban Slum Areas of Rangpur City Corporation and Thakurgaon Municipality of Northwestern Bangladesh' project at RpCC auditorium here.

The Eco- Social Development Organisation (ESDO) in association with RpCC and Thakurgaon Municipality has been implementing the project in Rangpur city and Thakurgaon municipality

with financial assistance of Manusher Janno Foundation.

Member-secretary of the Advisory Committee of CLEAR project Ruhul Amin Khan narrated the project activities and success achieved so far in bringing back of the working and vulnerable children under mainstream education programme in the city. The Advisory Committee Members, Coordinator of the CLEAR attended the meeting, reports BSS. l

A schoolboy was strangled to death by miscreants in Sujanagar upazila of Pabna district yesterday.

Deceased Emon Hossain, 12, son of one Ayen Uddin, was a student of class-VI at Kadoa High School.

Quoting family members, Officer-in-Charge of Sujanagar police Nur Islam said, Emon used to drive a battery-run three-wheeler after school to support his family. He went missing from Raipura area in the evening.

His body was found beside a road Thursday morning but his vehicle is missing. Police suspect miscreants might have taken the three-wheeler after killing the boy. l

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News

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

N’ganj people in panic as fake-DB crimes rise Hossain, n Tanveer Narayanganj People of Narayanganj remain in panic as members of fraud gangs and fake Detective Branch (DB) are involving incidents of kidnapping and snatching valuable from people.

The incidents of abduction and kidnapping have increased in the district in past few months, said law enforcers sources.

Local sources said law enforcers have arrested few members of the fake detective gangs but several numbers of fraud gangs are still involved in the abduction and looting of businessman as well as local people, much to create tension among the personnel of law enforcing agencies.

Fraudsters involved in abduction and others criminal occurrences are usually carried fake handcuffs, pistols and cars with DB stickers.

Fraud cases

On Wednesday noon, four members of fake DB gangs stopped a passenger bus of BRTC near Khan Shaheb Osmani Stadium on Stadium link road and detained two people including an expatriate of Singapore. Later the gang snatched Tk10,40,000 and dropped them at the area.

On September 3 in this year, few people posing them as members of detective branch stopped a passenger bus and detained Yamin, a dredger trader for his alleged connection with militants at Signboard area on Dhaka-Chittagong

Highway in Narayanganj. Later, the gang snatched about Tk7 lakh before released him.

Arif Hossain, a witness of the incident said: “People wearing jackets of DB along with pistol, handcuffs, wireless sets and sticks stopped a bus of BRTC and picked up Yamin.”

Another businessman of the district wishing anonymity told to the Dhaka Tribrune, four members of DB detained me just before the Eid and demanded Tk50,000, otherwise they will arrested me as yaba traders. Later I paid them Tk20,000 and released from the scene. He said: “I did not contact with law enforcers to avoid further hassle.”

Law enforcers on alert mood

Following several incidents of abduction and kidnapping, law en-

forcers of the district are in alert mood to arrest the members of fraud gangs. In recent past, law enforcers arrested few members of fraud gangs who are used to kidnapped people posing them as members of DB and police.

On September 27, police arrested Md. Rubel, 50, a fake traffic sergeant from Chashara area in the city.

AKM Shorfuddin, Inspector of Traffic Police of the district said: “Rubel used to take extortion from traffics for many days.”

Police also recovered several documents and Tk45,000 from his possession.

On September 25, police arrested Maksudur Rahman, 29, a fake additional superintendent of police from Narayanganj police line.

In several drives, members of

DB of the district arrested two fake DB members along with jackets, pistols and wireless sets.

Md. Saiful Islam, Inspector of DB said: “In several drives in the capital’s Dholai Khal and Keraniganj areas DB members arrested two fake DB members, Mozibur Rahman, 45, and Rakibul Hasan Tapu, 40.”

On July 26, police arrested a fake police while he was going to welcome Narayanganj City Mayor Dr. Selina Hayat Ivy, posing him as police official.

Contacted, Mahamudul Islam, Inspector of Narayanganj District Detective Branch said: “We have ordered every portion of DB to be alert to curb fraud gangs from the city.”

He also urged to city dwellers to be more conscious about the fraud gangs. l

IO testifies in 7-murder case Hossain, n Tanveer Narayanganj

A Narayanganj court on Thursday took deposition of investigation officer in the seven-murder case in presence of the 23 arrested accused in the case.

According to court sources, District and Sessions Judge Syed Enayet Hossain took the deposition of Mamunur Rashid Mondal, investigation officer of the case. Lawyers of prime accused Nur Hossain and others questioned Mamunur Rahman.

The sources said the court also fixed October 3, for next hearing.

On April 27, 2014, Nazrul Islam, his three associates and driver were abducted from Fatullah area in the city. At the same time, senior lawyer of the Narayanganj District Judge’s Court Chandan Kumar Sarker and his driver were abducted on their way to Dhaka.

Three days into their abduction, the bodies of six people, including that of Nazrul and Chandan, were recovered from the Shitalakkhya and Dhaleshwari rivers on April 30.

The body of Nazrul’s driver Jahangir was recovered from the Shitalakkhya River on May 1.

Two cases were filed in connection with the murders. Nazrul’s wife Selina Islam Beauty filed a case against six people, including former councillor Nur Hossain, while Chandan’s son-inlaw Bijoy Kumar Paul filed the other case against some unknown people.

Later, Shahidul Islam, Nazrul’s father-in-law, claimed that RAB officials had killed Nazrul and others in exchange for Tk6 crore from Nur Hossain, the prime accused in the murder case, and other accomplices.

The three former RAB officials were sent on forced retirement for their alleged involvement in the incident. l

Students of different schools of Rajshahi bring a procession against the new decision about the creative question system. The photo was taken from Fire Service office area in the city yesterday AZAHAR UDDIN

Hike in expenses worries Barisal puja committees n Anisur Swapan, Barisal Increased price of raw materials for making idols as well as other costs have affected the preparations of this year’s Durga Puja, the biggest festival of the Hindu community, in Barisal, said Rakhal Chandra Dey, the district puja celebration committee president.

The five-day Sharadiya Utsav will begin on October 7.

Prices of clay, straw, bamboo, cloth, rope, colour and other things used for making idols had increased by 10 to 20% compared to that of last year, said members of the festival management commit-

tees of different puja pavilions in the district.

Moreover, farmers this year incurred loss due to flood and river erosion caused from excessive rains. It made fund collections for the puja committees, said Suranjit Datta Litu, secretary of city puja celebration committee.

Besides, costs of food and accommodation for the artisans and their teams had also increased, he added.

The cost for a team varies from Tk20 to 50 thousand according to the sizes of idols, according to Nitai Pal and his team from Faridpur, working at two puja pavilions in the city.

Sweety Pal of Gopalganj, perhaps the only female artisan in the region, was seen busy in East Bogra Road area of the city.

She said usually for five to eight people it takes 18 to 20 days to make a large idol while the smaller ones 15 to 16 days.

Sweety said a standardised remuneration for idol makers was yet to be fixed keeping in line with their living costs.

However, despite the financial constraints, the number of puja pavilions in the region has increased this year, as more number of welloff families has set up pavilions at their own costs.

At more than 564 puja pavilions of the district, including 35 in Barisal city, were being prepared to celebrate the festival, while the number of pavilions was 555 last year, said Manik Mukharjee Kundu, secretary of the district puja udjapon parishad.

Gazi Md Saifuzzaman, deputy commissioner of Barisal, said the local administration would allot special grants for puja pavilions, while special security, uninterrupted electricity and water supply and traffic control arrangements would be made for the worshipers and visitors’ convenience during the festival. l

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8 World

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Afghan president, Hekmatyar sign peace deal Afghan President Ashraf Ghani signed a peace treaty with a notorious warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar on Thursday, pledging to lobby the US and the UN to remove him and his party from terrorist blacklists. Once international sanctions are lifted, Hekmatyar is expected to return to Afghanistan after 20 years in exile. He is believed to be in Pakistan. REUTERS

INDIA

Pakistan captures Indian soldier in Kashmir Pakistan captured an Indian soldier on its side of the disputed Kashmir border, military officials in the two countries said on Thursday, as tensions rose following a cross-border raid that India said it carried out against militants. “It is confirmed one soldier from 37 Rashtriya Rifles with weapons has inadvertently crossed over to the Pakistan side of the Line of Control,” an Indian army official said in New Delhi. REUTERS

CHINA

China armed forces warn Japan Japan is playing with fire with plans to step up activity in the contested South China Sea through joint training patrols with the US, China’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday. Japan is strengthening its ties in the region, in particular with the Philippines and Vietnam, which contest China’s claims to parts of the sea. REUTERS

ASIA PACIFIC

Japan seeks breakthrough with Russia Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is betting that close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia’s economic woes and regional concerns about China’s rise will help him make progress in a decades-old territorial row when the men meet in December. Abe may even alter a long-standing demand that the sovereignty of all four disputed islands northeast of Hokkaido. REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

Palestinian president to attend funeral of Israel’s Peres

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas plans to pay a rare visit to Jerusalem on Friday to attend the funeral of former Israeli leader Shimon Peres. It was not immediately clear if the occasion would yield anything more than handshakes with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Barack Obama, who will also be at the burial. AFP

ANALYSIS

What will happen if India-Pakistan lock into nuclear war? n Tribune International Desk If India and Pakistan fought a war detonating 100 nuclear warheads (around half of their combined arsenal), each equivalent to a 15-kiloton Hiroshima bomb, more than 21m people will be directly killed, about half the world’s protective ozone layer would be destroyed, and a “nuclear winter” would cripple the monsoons and agriculture worldwide.

As the Indian Army reports striking terrorist camps across the border, and a member of Parliament (MP) of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) urges a nuclear attack and the Pakistan defence minister threatens to “annihilate” India in return, these projections, made by researchers from three US universities in 2007, are a reminder of the costs of nuclear war.

On September 23, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy said if 100m Indians died in a Pakistani nuclear attack, India’s retaliation would wipe out Pakistan.

But the real costs would be higher and not just in India and Pakistan, where the first 21m people– half the death toll of World War II– would perish within the first week from blast effects, burns and acute radiation. This death toll would be 2,221 times the number of civilians and security forces killed by terrorists in India over nine years to 2015, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of South Asia Terrorism Portal data.

Another 2bn people worldwide would face risks of severe starvation due to the climatic effects of the nuclear-weapon use in the subcontinent, according to this 2013 assessment by the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, a global federation of physicians.

Pakistan has an estimated 110 to 130 nuclear warheads as of 2015–an increase from an estimated 90 to 110 warheads in 2011–according to this report from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. India is estimated to have 110 to 120 nuclear warheads.

Talk of war began after a terrorist attack on an army garrison in the Kashmir town of Uri claimed the lives of 18 Indian soldiers. The Indian Army said the attack was carried out by four terrorists from the Jaish-e-Mohammed (Army of Mohammed) group, based in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja M Asif responded to threats from India by saying, “If Pakistan’s security is threatened, we will not hesitate in using tacti-

cal (nuclear) weapons.” Pakistan’s nuclear weapons capability has previously deterred India from responding to previous attacks.

INDIA AND PAKISTAN’S NUCLEAR ARSENAL (ESTIMATES)

Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal

As many as 66% Pakistani nuclear warheads are mounted on 86 landbased ballistic missiles, according to Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists data estimates.

Pakistan’s Hatf (named after the sword of Prophet Muhammad) series of ballistic missiles has been developed–and is still under development–keeping India in mind.

A major attack by Pakistan’s nuclear-tipped medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) would likely target India’s four major metropolitan cities–New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai.

The MRBMs would also target the major commands of the Indian Army. Nearly half (40) of Pakistan’s ballistic missile warheads could be mated to Ghauri (named after 12th-century Afghan king Shahbuddin Ghauri, also known as Muhammad of Ghauri) MRBMs. The missile has a claimed range of 1,300km and can target Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Bhopal and Lucknow, according to this 2006 report on Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme by the National Institute of Advanced Studies (Nias), Bengaluru.

Pakistan has an estimated eight warheads which could be mated to the Shaheen (Falcon) II. This MRBM has a range of 2,500km and can target most major Indian cities, including Kolkata on the east coast.

An estimated 16 warheads could be fired atop the shortrange Ghaznavi (named after the 11th-century Afghan invader Mahmud Ghazni) ballistic missile.

With a range of 270km to 350km, it can target Ludhiana, Ahmedabad and the outer perimeter of Delhi.

Pakistan has an estimated 16 nuclear-tipped Shaheen1 (falcon), short-range ballistic missiles (IRBM), having a 750km range which can reach Ludhiana, Delhi, Jaipur and Ahmedabad.

Pakistan has an estimated six 60-km range Nasr missiles, which could be mated to nuclear weapons. These tactical nuclear missiles could target advancing battle formations of the Indian Army.

Pakistan also has 8 nuclear-tipped 350km Babur cruise missiles with nuclear warheads. An estimated 36 nuclear warheads, accounting for 28% of Pakistan’s

Delivery System

Aircraft Vajra Shamsher Subtotal

Number of warheads

32 16 48

Delivery System

Aircraft F-16 A/B Mirage III/V Subtotal

Number of warheads

24 12 36

Land based ballistic missiles Prithvi-2 24 Agni-1 20 Agni-2 8 Agni-3 4 Subtotal 56

Land based ballistic missiles Ghaznavi (Hatf-3) 16 Shaheen-1 (Hatf-4) 16 Shaheen-2 (Hatf-6) 8 Ghauri (Hatf-5) 40 NASR (Hatf-9) 6 Subtotal 56

Cruise missiles Dhanush K-15(Possible) Subtotal

Cruise missiles Babur (Hatf-7)

2 12 14

8

Infograph: Mohammad Razon/Dhaka Tribune

The Agni-V Missile in a dress rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade in January 2013 REUTERS total, can be delivered using aircraft. US-made F-16 A/B aircraft can deliver 24 nuclear bombs while the French-made Mirage III/V can deliver 12.

India’s triad: Submarine, missile and aircraft

India has deployed 56 Prithvi (earth) and Agni (fire) series of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, which carry 53% of India’s 106 estimated warheads, according to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.

This doesn’t take into account the estimated 12 warheads for the K-15 Sagarika submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), which India has possibly produced for the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine INS Arihant.

Given the smaller geographical size of Pakistan, India would likely target Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi and the Pakistani Army Armed Corps headquarters at Nowshera.

However, the fallout of the nuclear attacks on Lahore and Karachi, for instance, would not just be restricted to the Pakistani ter-

ritory, and depending on the wind directions, can affect both Indian and Afghan border territories.”

The 250 km-range Prithvi SRBM acts as a delivery system for 24 of India’s warheads. These are capable of hitting major Pakistani cities, such as Lahore, Sialkot, the capital Islamabad, and Rawalpindi, according to this May 2015 IndiaSpend analysis.

India has 20 nuclear-tipped Agni I SRBM and eight Agni II intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBMs), with ranges of 700km and 2,000km, respectively. These are capable of covering almost all Pakistani cities, including Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Peshawar, Karachi, Quetta and Gwadar.

Agni III, IV and V, with their longer ranges, might be able to reach all of Pakistan, but it can be safely said that they are directed more towards China.

India also possesses an estimated two ship-launched 350km range Dhanush SRBM, which could be fitted with nuclear warheads. l

Source: HT

9

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

Saudi may cut anti-terror ties with US n AFP, Riyadh Saudi Arabia could reduce valuable security and intelligence cooperation with long-standing ally Washington after a Congressional stab in the back allowing 9/11 victims to sue the kingdom.

Cutting such cooperation is among the options available to Riyadh after Congress voted overwhelmingly to override President Barack Obama’s veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA).

Congress on Wednesday rejected President Barack Obama’s veto of legislation allowing relatives of the victims of the September 11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia, the first veto override of his presidency, just four months before it ends.

The vote was a blow to Obama as well as to Saudi Arabia, one of the United States’ longest-standing allies in the Arab world, and some lawmakers who supported the override already plan to revisit the issue.

“I’m afraid that this bill will have dire strategic implications” for the United States, Salman al-Ansari, the president of the Saudi American Public Relation Affairs Committee (SAPRAC), told reporters. “This partnership has helped provide US authorities with accurate intelligence information” that helped stopped attacks, said Ansari, whose com-

mittee is a private initiative to strengthen Saudi-US ties.

JASTA allows attack survivors and relatives of terrorism victims to pursue cases against foreign governments in US federal court and to demand compensation if such governments are proven to bear some responsibility for attacks on US soil. Saudi Arabia was home to 15 of the 19 al-Qaeda hijackers who carried out the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US which killed nearly 3,000 people.

The US and Saudi Arabia have a decades-old relationship based on the exchange of American security for Saudi oil. Ties between Riyadh and Washington became increasingly frayed under Obama, but analysts said security cooperation and intelligence sharing remained solid.

Unthoughtful and delusive

“Saudi has been stabbed in the back by this unthoughtful and unrealistic bill,” Ansari said. “How can you sue a country that is collaborating against the very same terrorism that they are baselessly being accused of?”

Mustafa Alani, a senior adviser to the Gulf Research Centre suggested a review of the Saudi-US alliance. “Your financial investments have to be reduced in the US, your political and security cooperation has to be reduced,” he said.

A senior Saudi prince reported-

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN OF HIJACKERS INVOLVED IN 9/11 ATTACKS Number of 9/11 Hijackers 6

1

4

2

0

1 5

4

3

2 3

American American United United Airlines Airlines Airlines Airlines Flight 77 Flight 11 Flight 93 Flight 175 Saudi Arabia Egypt

United Arab Emirates Lebanon

ly threatened to pull out billions of dollars of US assets if JASTA became law, though Saudi officials have distanced themselves from such threats. “It will be very difficult for Saudi Arabia to continue in intelligence cooperation when they take such a hostile position,” said Jamal Khashoggi, a veteran Saudi journalist and analyst.

He said Saudi officials are probably debating whether to act now or “wait until the first suit is filed in some small town in America”.

The Congressional vote coincides with Western criticism of Saudi Arabia over civilian casualties from its air war against rebels in Yemen, its human rights record, and a fundamentalist Muslim ideology accused of fuelling violent Sunni extremism.

Missile launched at own country

Khashoggi said Saudi Arabia must “look inside our own system, our own way of thinking” and find a way to remove the kind of perceptions which led to the overwhelming Congressional vote.

Obama opposed the law, saying it would harm US interests by undermining the principle of sovereign immunity, opening up the US to private lawsuits over its military missions abroad. The erosion of sovereign immunity is also a concern among the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, of which Saudi Arabia is the most powerful member.

Saudi Arabia’s Gulf allies have lined up beside Riyadh to criticise the law.

United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan warned before the vote that the law “will have negative effects on international cooperation in the fight against terrorism.”

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed al-Khalifa said on Twitter on Thursday that the law “is an arrow launched by the US Congress at its own country”.

Still, Alani and others said they were not sure the Saudi government would be willing to immediately take steps that would jeopardise such a deep-rooted relationship. l

Russia looms as key issue for 2016 US election n Tribune International Desk Russia cannot be ignored. Since the end of the Cold War, Russia has never posed such a vexing problem to US policy-makers as it does now.

From Eastern Europe to the Middle East and increasingly Asia and the Americas, Russia is making its voice heard and its presence felt, reports The Associated Press.

After a brief period of looking inward during much of President Barack Obama’s first term, Russia has returned to the international stage with zeal under Vladimir Putin. Russia is militarily involved in Syria, supports separatists in eastern Ukraine and areas of Georgia and has even been accused of trying to meddle in the US presidential race. At the same time, the Obama administration has been forced to accept that working with Russia is probably the only way to achieve results on many complicated international issues. Thus, Russia was central in the Iran nuclear negotiations and is a player as well as negotiator in the Syria truce effort.

Where they stand

Republican Donald Trump advocates improved relations with Russia - “Wouldn’t it be nice if we actually got along with Russia?” has been a standard line in his campaign speeches - and has been strikingly complimentary of Putin’s strong leadership style, contrasting it favourably with that of Obama. Some of Trump’s current and former top advisers have been criticized for being too close to Putin, and Democrats have accused the businessman of pandering for Russian praise.

Trump, however, is not the first politician to champion better US ties with Russia.

In fact, one of Hillary Clinton’s first initiatives as secretary of state in 2009 was to “reset” relations with Moscow, an effort that produced decidedly mixed results.

The “reset” policy had some successes while Putin was taking a break from the Russian presidency. On Putin’s return, though, the reset began to unwind and Russia started to take positions directly opposed to the US, notably in support of President Bashar Assad in Syria and then in Ukraine. Clinton

DT

World USA

New Jersey train crash kills 3, injures 100 Three people were killed and more than 100 injured, some critically, when a commuter train derailed and ploughed through Hoboken station in New Jersey during the morning rush hour on Thursday, US media and a transit official said.

Hoboken lies on the west bank of the Hudson River across from New York City. Its station, one of the busiest in the metropolitan area, is used by many commuters travelling into Manhattan from New Jersey and further afield. REUTERS

THE AMERICAS

Colombian ELN guerilla to continue peace talks The National Liberation Army (ELN), the second guerilla group in Colombia, said it is ready to continue peace talks with the government and seek solutions to overcome the difficulties that remain stalled the start of a formal negotiation. The position of the rebel organisation came a day after President Juan Manuel Santos urged to release people kidnapped and kept immediately start negotiations. AFP

UK

UK signed nuclear power station deal The contract for a French-Chinese consortium to build UK’s first nuclear power plant in a generation was signed on Thursday, officials said after a string of controversies threatened to scupper the huge deal.

The $23bn complex was formally approved at a low-key ceremony in London attended by British, French and Chinese officials. AFP

EUROPE

Turkey stops Kurdish broadcasts

Vladimir Putin, left, Hillary Clinton has had direct negotiating experience with Putin and his aides and that has left her wary of cooperating with Moscow. Her campaign says she will “stand up to Vladimir Putin,” ‘’deter Russian aggression in Europe” and “increase the costs to Putin for his actions.”

Why it matters

Relations between the former Cold War foes - the owners of the most nuclear weapons on Earth - are arguably some of the most important to leaders in both the White House and Kremlin. Animosity or cordial friendship can bring profound changes in international affairs and the next president will

REUTERS

have to engage or confront Russia on a variety of matters, not least of which are allegations that Russia may have been behind the hacks of Democratic National Committee emails.

The conflicts in Syria and Eastern Ukraine will not end without Russian buy-in, and Russia will have to be involved in any new effort to bring North Korea back to denuclearisation talks. In the meantime, Russia is a driving force behind the co-called Brics group of nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - that sees itself as a balance to the US superpower and may also present problems for the US. l

Turkish authorities have stopped broadcasts of 10 mostly Kurdish language television channels under state of emergency rules imposed in the wake of the July 15 coup bid.

The channels including children’s channel Zarok tv stopped broadcasting on Wednesday night and they have been removed from the Terksat satellite. AFP

AFRICA

Amnesty accuses Sudan of using chemical weapons Sudan’s government has carried out at least 30 likely chemical weapons attacks in the Jebel Marra area of Darfur since January using what two experts concluded was a probable blister agent, Amnesty International said on Thursday.

The rights group estimated that up to 250 people may have died as a result of exposure to the chemical weapons agents. REUTERS

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

Moscow vows to press Syria offensive, US weighs tough response n Reuters, Washington, DC/Beirut The Kremlin vowed on Thursday to press on with its assault in Syria, while US officials searched for a tougher response to Russia’s decision to ignore the peace process and seek military victory on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad.

Moscow and Damascus launched an assault to recapture the rebel-held sector of Aleppo this month, abandoning a new ceasefire a week after it took effect to embark on what could be the biggest battle of a nearly sixyear war.

Rebel fighters have launched an advance of their own in countryside near the central city of Hama, where they said they made gains on Thursday.

The United States and European Union accuse Russia of torpedoing diplomacy to pursue military victory in Aleppo, and say Moscow and Damascus are guilty of war crimes for targeting civilians, hospitals and aid workers to break the will of 250,000 people living under siege inside Syria’s largest city.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini called the air strikes in Aleppo a “massacre” and said European governments were considering their response. Russia and the Syrian government say they are targeting only militants.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, who personally negotiated the failed truce in talks with Russia despite scepticism from other senior US officials, has said Washington could walk away from diplomacy unless the fighting stops.

He has called for a halt to flights, a step rejected by Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday Russia would “continue the operation of its air force in support of the anti-terrorist activity of Syria’s armed forces”.

Peskov said Washington was to blame for the fighting, by failing to meet an obligation to separate “moderate” rebel fighters from terrorists.

“In general, we express regret at the rather non-constructive nature of the rhetoric voiced by Washington in the past days.”

US officials are considering tougher responses to the Russian-backed Syrian government assault, including military options, although they have described the range of possible responses as limited and say risky measures like air strikes on Syrian targets or sending US jets to escort aid are unlikely.

til now most outside countries had said would never be won by force.

The multi-sided civil war has killed hundreds of thousands of people, made half of Syrians homeless, and allowed much of the east of the country to fall into the hands of Islamic State jihadists who are enemies of all other sides.

Aleppo has been divided into government and opposition sectors for four years, and its rebel zone is now the only major urban area still in the hands of anti-Assad fighters supported by the West and Arab states. The government lay siege to it in July, cutting off those trapped inside from food and medicine.

The last week of bombing has killed hundreds of people and left many hundreds more wounded, with no way to bring in medical supplies. There are only around 30 doctors inside the besieged zone.

The two biggest hospitals were knocked out of service by air strikes or shelling on Wednesday.

Russia says the only way to defeat Islamic State is to support Assad. Washington says the Syrian president has too much blood on his hands and must leave power.

Washington is bombing Islamic State targets in the east but has otherwise avoided any direct participation in the civil war in the rest of the country, leaving the field open to Russia, which joined the war a year ago tipping the conflict in favour of its ally Assad.

Relations between Moscow and Washington are already at their worst since the Cold War, with the United States and European Union having imposed economic sanctions over Russia’s annexation of territory from Ukraine and support for separatists there.

Washington caught off guard

The ferocity of the assault on Aleppo is driving many of the Western-backed anti-Assad groups to cooperate more closely with jihadist fighters, the opposite of the strategy Washington has hoped to pursue, rebel officials said.

In Aleppo, rebels fighting under

US AND RUSSIAN ROLES IN THE SYRIAN CONFLICT Territory IS group Influence In control Syrian regime and allies Rebels and/or Fateh al-Cham Kurds

Russia Syrian regime

USA Support

Rebels, Kurds

Idlib

Aleppo Raqa

Hmeimim Deir Ezzor

Tartus

Homs

Air base

Palmyra

LEB.

Naval installations

Abu Kamal IRAQ

Units deployed Air

DAMASCUS

Sea JORDAN

Recent strikes (Sept 1 - 7) Since Oct 2015

Result

25,000 soldiers

Troops deployed

3,000

300 special forces troops Maximum contingent

Cumulated

20

Since Aug 2014

Deaths

0

Civilian victims

1,600 2,400

the Free Syrian Army banner are sharing operational planning with Jaish al-Fatah, an alliance of Islamist groups that includes the former Syrian wing of al-Qaeda.

Meanwhile, in nearby Hama province, FSA groups armed with US-made anti-tank missiles are taking part in a major offensive with the al Qaeda-inspired Jund al-Aqsa group that has diverted some of the army’s fire-power from Aleppo.

The FSA rebels have deep ideological differences with the jihadists, and have even fought them at times, but say survival is the main consideration.

“At a time when we are dying, it

A man rides a bicycle past damaged buildings in the rebel-held Tariq al-Bab neighbourhood of Aleppo on September 26 REUTERS

50 km

Caspian Sea

TURKEY Syria IRAQ

Mediterranean

IRAN

JORDAN KUWAIT 200 km

Sources: ISW, Thomas Van Linge, Airwars, AFP

Battle for Aleppo

Recapturing Aleppo would be the biggest victory of the war for government forces, and a potential turning point in a conflict that un-

TURKEY

is not logical to first check if a group is classified as terrorist or not before cooperating with it,” said a senior official in one of the Aleppo-based rebel factions. “The only option you have is to go in this direction.”

Two US officials said the speed with which the diplomatic track collapsed in Syria and pro-government forces advanced in Aleppo had caught some in the administration off guard.

Obama administration officials have begun considering responses, including military options, US officials said. The new discussions were being held at “staff level,” and had yet to produce any recommendations to Obama.

Even administration advocates of a more muscular US response said on Wednesday that it was not clear what, if anything, the president would do, and that his options “begin at tougher talk”, as one official put it.

One official said that before any action could be taken, Washington would first have to “follow through on Kerry’s threat and break off talks with the Russians” on Syria.

Options on the table

Possible responses include allowing Gulf allies to supply rebels

BAHRAIN QATAR U.A.E.

with more sophisticated weaponry, or carrying out a US air strike on a Syrian government air base, viewed as less likely because of the potential for causing Russian casualties, the officials told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The options being weighed are limited in number and stop well short of any large-scale commitment of US troops.

One of the officials said the list of options included supporting rebel counter-attacks elsewhere with additional weaponry or even air strikes, which “might not reverse the tide of battle, but might cause the Russians to stop and think”.

Another official said any weapons supplied to rebels would not include shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, which rebels say they need to fight the Russian air force but which Washington fears could end up in the hands of militants.

Other ideas under consideration include sending more US special operations forces to train and advise Kurdish and Syrian Arab rebel groups, and deploying additional American and allied naval and airpower to the eastern Mediterranean. l

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

Rakub to get Tk700cr state guarantee

n Asif Showkat Kallol Ministry of Finance is planning to provide the state guarantee of Tk700 crore to the Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (Rakub) as low-cost credit to prop up the specialised bank reeling under the negative effects of a small capital base and liquidity crisis, said a senior finance ministry official.

He said it is not possible for the state-owned bank to survive in the competitive market without the state guarantee for the next two years.

The move has been taken as the bank failed to repay the loan of Bangladesh Bank in due time. For failure to repay loan, the central bank cut the bank’s Tk471.35 crore profit during the 2009-12 period.

Finance ministry has agreed to give the guarantee, according to a summary signed by finance secretary. It’s now waiting for the approval of Finance Minister AMA Muhith.

According to the summary, Rakub will repay its all loan to the government institutions and Bangladesh Bank as per the condition.

The guarantee will remain effective until June 30, 2017. Rakub will provide classified loan and repayment will be in instalment within the duration of the guarantee.

The financial health of the Rakub is still weak despite making a profit of Tk3.36 crore in fiscal year 2014-15.

The operational cost of Rakub is quit high which indicates inefficient management of the bank.

The total paid-up capital of the bank now stands at Tk645 crore and its risk-weighted assets amount to Tk3,856.16 crore. Under the BASEL II, the paid up capital of Rakub requires Tk400 crore.

The accumulated loss of the bank stands at Tk1,072.47 crore and the capital deficit is Tk761.69 crore.

The cash deposit ratio is 1:7.6.

The bank incurred a loss of Tk513 crore in the fiscal year 2013-14. l

Capital market snapshot: Thursday DSE Broad Index

4,695.2

0.1% ▲

Index

1,125.9

-0.0% ▼

30 Index

1,778.7

-0.0% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk

6,816.0

38.5% ▲

Turnover in Mn Vol

195.3

36.5% ▲

All Share Index 14,429.4

0.3% ▲

30 Index

0.3% ▲

CSE

Selected Index

13,096.1 8,785.9

0.3% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

324.5

1.2% ▲

Turnover in Mn Vol

11.3

11.8% ▲

ADB approves $8bn five-year loan for Bangladesh n Tribune Business Desk The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will increase its lending for public and private sectors in Bangladesh to $8 billion for 2016 through 2020.

It’s aimed at helping the country build infrastructure and skills needed for a strong, diversified economy and strengthen trade links within the region, the bank said in a statement yesterday.

The Bangladesh Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for 20162020, endorsed by the ADB Board of Directors, envisages an enhanced partnership between Bangladesh and ADB. “Bangladesh halved poverty as targeted under the Millennium Development Goals, and reached middle-income status following a decade-long strong economic growth,” said Kazuhiko Higuchi, country director for ADB’s Bangladesh office.

“Our new CPS is aligned with the government’s goals of creating new sources of growth, generating employment, and supporting rural development for regionally bal-

ADB will help the development of economic corridors to position Bangladesh well in regional and global value chains AFP anced growth.”

The CPS adopts a broad-based approach in order to respond flexibly to the demand of the country.

Based on ADB’s core strengths, the CPS will help ease infrastructure constraints, boost human capital, promote economic corridor development, improve rural livelihoods, and provide climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure and services. The CPS will promote

investment and growth in specific geographical areas to ensure a more integrated and higher impact.

ADB will help the development of economic corridors to position Bangladesh well in regional and global value chains. The CPS supports further development of the Dhaka-Chittagong industrial artery, extending to Cox’s Bazar in the southeastern part of the country, and development of the southwest

economic corridor from Dhaka.

In coming years, ADB proposes to support major railway and road network capacity improvement; Chittagong port development; urban transport in Dhaka; power generation, transmission, and distribution; energy transmission, including regional energy trade; renewable energy development; water and urban services nationwide; water resources management and flood control; climate-resilient rural infrastructure; education and skills development; and access to finance.

ADB’s program of assistance will be underpinned by gender mainstreaming; private sector mobilisation, especially through public-private partnerships; improved public finance management; and regional cooperation support. ADB’s knowledge products and services will provide analytical bases for developing operational activities.

To aid its operational expansion, ADB will also strengthen institutional capacity support at the project, sector, and country levels.

In the previous CPS period of 20112015, ADB lending to Bangladesh exceeded $5.0 billion. l

Mobile app on public Stocks end flat amid procurement launched choppy trading n Tribune Business Desk The Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) under the IME Division of the Ministry of Planning has launched mobile app on Public Procurement (PP) to ensure efficiency, transparency and accountability in the public procurement process in Bangladesh.

Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal inaugurated the CPTU mobile app, which has become available immediately after the inauguration, at the NEC auditorium yesterday.

Speaking at the event titled “Role of Banks in e-GP and Way-Forward”, the minister said the e-GP (e-Government Procurement) will help ensure equal access for the bidders, making the public procurement process efficient, transparent and accountable.

He urged the banks to take e-tendering charge rationally for providing services to the bidders under the e-GP system.

“Real owners of the bank are people...not its founders. The bank should provide services to the peo-

ple first....not the family of the bank.”

Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor SK Sur Chowdhury suggested banks provide e-tendering services from their branches across the country. He urged the government to set service fee for e-tendering.

So far 63,737 tenders have been dropped using this system, according to the IMED Secretary Farid Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury.

At present, 450 organisations are using the e-GP system and there are about 23,000 registered tenderer, he said.

State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan, World Bank Country Director Qimiao Fan, Agrani Bank Managing Director Mohammad Shams-Ul Islam, United Commercial Bank Limited Managing Director Muhammed Ali, senior executives of banks, officials of procuring entities and bidders were, among others, present at the event.

The e-GP is developed, owned and operated by the CPTU and provides an on-line platform to carry out the procurement activities by the public agencies. l

n Tribune Business Desk Stocks closed flat yesterday amid choppy trading with turnover hitting nine months high.

The trading moved into the red and green frequently throughout the session as investors played on the both sides of the fence.

The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange DSEX rose marginally over 4 points to 4,695.

The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, witnessed fractional fall of 0.7 point to 1,778. The DSE

Shariah Index DSES also witnessed fractional drop of 0.3 point to 1,125.

However, the Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX moved up 23 points to 8,785.

Strong selling and buying spree helped significant rise in the DSE turnover that stood at Tk681 crore.

The figure is highest since February 20 this year and around 40% higher compared to the previous session.

Engineering sector turned out to be the most traded sector among all the sectors, contributing over 15% of the total turnover. l

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Dutch minister: Living wage Labour inspection in the pipeline a challenge for Bangladesh strategy n n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

Bangladesh faces the challenges of ensuring living wages for workers, transparency in value chain and fair prices of products for sustainable sourcing of garment products, said a visiting Dutch minister.

“There is a lack of transparency in all of the value chain, and of course this is because of competitiveness, so buyers do not want to share how much they pay and producers do not want to share how much they charge. That needs to be changed,” said Lilianne Ploumen, the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

She laid emphasis on more dialogues so all can know where the profits are and how to make sure that profits are divided fairly for ensuring sustainable sourcing.

The minister was speaking at an inaugural function of the Sustainable Sourcing in the Garment Sector (SSGS) in Dhaka yesterday. Com-

merce Minister Tofail Ahmed was present as the chief guest.

“Firstly, more transparency in all of the value chain is needed that is promoted in the conference. There has to be more dialogue so that all of us know where the profits are and how to make sure that profits are divided fairly for ensuring sustainable sourcing,” Ploumen said.

“We have to make sure that workers are paid decent salaries and the benefits are not going to one part of stakeholders in a value chain.”

She said: “Since the Rana Plaza incident, lots of progress have been made, minimum wage has been raised, safety inspectors were appointed but the prices of products have not been increased yet, although a lot of investment was made by the factories’ owners.”

About challenges of the apparel industry, the Dutch minister said: “There are two challenges - making sure that investment is made on green technologies in factories and on workers’ salaries. The sec-

ond challenge is making minimum wage a living wages.”

“All the stakeholders need to talk to each other for sustainability. This is a next step in improving sustainability and also the profitability of the garment sector,” Ploumen said.

Tofail Ahmed said the garment sector renovated safety standards in terms of structural, fire and electoral and the sector has made lots of investment in this regards, but the prices of products did not increase.

He said the situation in Bangladesh is “absolutely normal as the government has tackled militant activities efficiently.”

“The exports also remain unhurt and we’ve seen 19% export growth in August.”

The Dutch embassy in Dhaka in partnership with the International Apparel Federation and the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association organised the conference. l

Tribune Business Desk

The draft Labour Inspection Strategy for Bangladesh – first ever in the country – is following through a consultation stage before getting a final nod.

Some 50 participants representing the government ministries and regulatory agencies, employers’ organisations, trade unions, brands and retailers, NGOS and development partners took part in the consultation, said ILO in a press release yesterday.

The development of the strategy is an important step towards developing a credible and effective inspection system for Bangladesh.

In his address at the inaugural session on the Draft National Labour Inspection Strategy, Mujibul Haque Chunnu, state minister for Labour and Employment, said: “The Department of Inspections for Factories and Establishments has undergone considerable improvement in recent years.”

The labour inspection strategy will help set the direction for the

next five years, he added.

Its primary purpose is to improve Bangladesh’s current inspection system and the performance of its enforcement responsibilities consistent with international labour standards and national legislation.

The strategy will focus on strategic priority areas and key measures to be undertaken over the next five years.

In addition, it will help guide employers, worker organisations, buyers and foreign investors so they can better understand the labour inspection environment.

During the consultation the need for the strategy to go beyond key export–oriented sectors was emphasised.

Mikail Shipar, secretary to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, said: “While much importance has been placed on the RMG sector we must also seek to systematically widen the labour inspection process to other key industries as well as those operating in the domestic market.” l

Grameenphone observes Customer First Day n Tribune Business Desk Grameenphone Ltd yesterday celebrated its Customer First Day with over 700 students and teachers at the Dhaka Residential Model College (DRMC) in the city.

The event held on the college premises from 3pm to 5pm aimed to actively engage students and teachers and generate awareness around safer use of the internet.

Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister of ICT Division, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, was present at the event as the chief guest while Brigadier General Md Abdul Hannan, college principal, as the special guest.

In his address, Palak termed the event a timely initiative, adding

that the campaign will help people use internet without fear and enjoy its full potentials.

Speaking on the occasion Grameenphone CEO, Mr Rajeev Sethi, predicted that in the next five years, Telenor’s market in Asia is going to see a massive boom, and it will be the youths who will be the prime customers of the data-centric telecom industry.

Around half a billion youth will have access to the internet for the first time in this market, and giving them a safe online education is one of the main goals of Telenor, said the GP boss.

“It is our responsibility to equip youths with the right tools and teach them on the downside of internet abuse.” l

Grameenphone celebrates Customer First Day with over 700 students and teachers at the Dhaka Residential Model College.

The day was observed yesterday to raise awareness among students and teachers about safe internet use GP

FBCCI calls for withdrawal of container-carrier strike n Tribune Business Desk

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has demanded immediate withdrawal of the indefinite strike enforced by the owners and workers of container carrying vehicles for the sake of smooth movement of export and import products.

In a statement yesterday, the apex trade body said the ongoing

strike has been affecting the export-related sectors, especially the garments, severely as over 8,000 container-carrying vehicles are not transporting import-export goods to and from Chittagong, reports BSS. Offloading of containers at Chittagong port has been hampering badly, it added.

The FBCCI said as the container-carrying vehicles are not transporting any export products to the

port. Most of the ships are going back empty which is not only affecting the export but also hampering the revenue collection.

There will be a negative impact on the relations with buyers due to delay in the shipment of export items, it added.

“The country’s export sector will face an image crisis if the strike is not withdrawn,” FBCCI said.

The trade body requested the Shipping Ministry, Commerce

Ministry, Chittagong City mayor, Chittagong Port Authority and law enforcement officials to take necessary steps for withdrawal of the strike to ensure smooth movement of export-import products of the country.

Owners and workers of the vehicles went on indefinite strike on September 26, protesting what they said harassment by the staff members of the Road Transport and Highways Division on Dha-

ka-Chittagong highway.

On August 17, the Road Transport and Highways Division fixed a limit for carrying goods and declared the amount of fines against overloaded vehicles in an effort to cut movement of overloaded vehicles.

On August 23, the division started a drive in this regard, which was resisted by the workers. The drive started again on September 24.

Many drivers refused to pay the fine. l

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OPEC agrees surprise oil output cut n AFP The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreed yesterday to cut oil production in a surprise move aimed at boosting stubbornly weak crude prices.

The news triggered an immediate spike of more than five percent on oil markets, which had expected the talks in Algiers to end without agreement, and helped push US equities higher.

At the end of six hours of negotiations and weeks of horse trading, OPEC announced the plan to cut production to a level of 32.5-33 million barrels per day (bpd) from 33.47 billion, bpd in August, the International Energy Agency said.

“We have had a very lengthy but historical meeting in Algiers,” said

Qatari energy minister and OPEC meeting president, Mohammed bin Saleh al-Sada, who confirmed the planned cut.

There are “very positive signs in the market ... nevertheless we need to bring forward rebalancing of the market,” he told a press conference after the informal talks.

Brent North Sea crude for November delivery rose $2.72 to $48.69, while a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up $2.38 at $47.05 after the announcement.

The meeting agreed to establish a committee to determine how the cut will be shared between members and the quotas will be discussed at OPEC talks in Vienna on November 30.

The committee will also hold talks with non-OPEC countries, including Russia, the second-biggest

producer of crude oil. Moscow has already voiced support for a freeze on its production levels, which hit a new record this month.

‘Historic decision’

“Today OPEC has taken a historic decision,” said Algerian Energy Minister Noureddine Boutarfa, adding that the move had been agreed unanimously.

“OPEC will go back to its role of monitoring the market. It’s a role that it lost many years ago.”

Faced with new competition from US shale production, the 14-nation cartel had adopted a more defensive strategy, opening up its taps and cutting prices.

Analysts said the output cut, though a surprise, would not fundamentally change the market.

German inflation surges to 16-month high in September n AFP, Frankfurt German inflation in September jumped to its highest level since May 2015, data showed Thursday, in welcome news for the European Central Bank’s efforts to boost prices with a massive stimulus programme.

Inflation rose by 0.7 percent this month compared to the year before, according to preliminary figures from Germany’s federal statistics office Destatis.

The figure is still far off the ECB’s inflation

target of just below 2%, but it beat analyst expectations and suggests the central bank’s efforts are paying off in Europe’s economic powerhouse.

Analysts surveyed by Factset had predicted a September increase of 0.6%. Inflation stood at 0.4% in July and August. Consumer prices increased by 0.1% on last month, Destatis said.

Within the consumer price basket, energy prices shrank by 3.6% on the year, less than the 5.9% year-on-year fall they saw in August.

Food prices were up 0.4% on the year. l

CORPORATE NEWS

Oculin Tech has recently organised a training session on implementation of ISO 27001 information security management system for Mutual Trust Bank, said a press release. The bank’s additional managing director, MD Hashem Chowdhury and Shadab Sajid, managing director of Oculin Tech have inaugurated the programme

Korea-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KBCCI) has recently held its 5th annual general meeting, said a press release. President of KBCCI, Mostafa Kamal and ambassador of Republic of Korea, Ahn Seong-Doo were present at the meeting

“Even if one was agreed this would be unlikely to support prices beyond any brief sentiment-driven rally,” Capital Economics analysts’ group said before the decision was announced.

“Almost all the OPEC members and Russia are already producing very near or at their maximum capacity”.

Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh also hailed the agreement, while stressing that Tehran hopes to bring its own production back up to the level of around 4 million bpd it enjoyed before international sanctions over its nuclear programme were imposed.

Record low prices

Yesterday’s meeting was tasked with addressing the collapse in

prices, which have fallen by more than half since mid-2014.

“We must act on supply to re-stabilise the market” which has been hit by massive oversupply, Boutarfa, the Algerian energy minister, told a news conference.

According to the International Energy Agency, last year saw a 25% fall in investment in oil and gas exploration and production and the agency says the decline is continuing apace.

Amid record output, there has been discord among the 14-nation cartel, whose share of global crude supply is around 40%.

Progress has been hampered notably by disagreements between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the latter back on stream after the recent lifting of a range of energy-related sanctions. l

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Can Africa’s mobile money revolution reduce poverty? n AFP, Dakar When farmer Isaac Tondo fell on lean times in Liberia’s long rainy season, his brother in the capital sent 8,000 Liberian dollars (US$87) to his Lonestar mobile money account, ensuring his children’s school fees would still be paid.

Across Africa more and more people - from urban start-ups to hard-up villagers - are now spending, saving and planning for the future through banking services offered by mobile phone companies. And experts believe growth and poverty reduction will follow, if certain key risks are managed.

Tondo’s brother used to entrust cash with contacts passing through their home village in Grand Gedeh county, but the roads are so bad they can no longer access it.

“The only means of receiving money from Monrovia is through mobile money,” the farmer told AFP. Collecting and depositing cash at omnipresent kiosks and sending money via text message has fast become the natural solution in African nations where distances are often long, roads and infrastructure poor, and few have access to traditional bank accounts.

Africans are “leading in the world” in their uptake of mobile banking services, Mitsuhiro Furusawa, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF told AFP at a recent conference on promoting access to financial services in Dakar, Senegal.

The IMF has said the potential for further financial development is “substantial” on the continent, and that wider access to banking services could unlock an additional

1.5% in annual growth.

Payment systems such as Orange Money in west Africa, M-Pesa in Kenya and Tigo Cash, used in several nations, have become incredibly popular in recent years in sub-Saharan Africa, where the vast majority lack physical or financial access to traditional banking services.

Around 11 percent of Africans now have a mobile banking account, according to the IMF, rising to 60 percent in Kenya. The average figure for the rest of the world is two percent.

While Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda lead the way in east Africa, Ivory Coast is the bright spot in the west of the continent, where 25% of the nation uses such services.

Jean Marius Yao, President and Director General of Orange Money in Ivory Coast, believes the market

Across Africa, more and more people are now spending, saving and planning for the future through banking services offered by mobile phone companies REUTERS

Fed, BOJ add shine to risk-parity strategy n Reuters The Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan’s actions last week have given a second wind to an alternative investment strategy that relies on cheap money and low market volatility to produce outsized returns.

Risk parity trades, which involve borrowing to take long positions in both stocks and bonds, have been favored by some big hedge funds and other institutional investors starved for yield by eight years of record low global interest rates.

The funds had a rough 2015 when volatility spiked because of concerns about China’s economy and tumbling oil prices, prompting investors to yank more than $2bn from risk parity portfolios, according to Morningstar. Since January, however, they have bounced back as volatility has fallen, delivering on balance returns more than twice as high as the mid-single-digit total returns from this year’s sputtering US equity and fixed-income markets.

For example, Bridgewater Associates, which pioneered risk parity investing two decades ago, has seen its $62bn All Weather fund

post a 13.1% return from January through end of August.

That rebound looked under threat, however, in the run-up to the Fed’s Sept 20-21 policy meeting when several policymakers seemed to suggest that a rate rise was in the cards and markets turned choppy.

Yet the Fed not only held fire, but also lowered its forecasts for future policy rates, effectively assuring investors that borrowing costs will stay low for longer. The BOJ, on its part, both affirmed its commitment to more asset purchases and made a new pledge to keep 10-year bond yields near current levels around zero.

The central banks’ actions have stoked gains in stocks, junk bonds, emerging market debt and other risky assets that risk parity funds target. They also brought market measures of risks of big swings in the stock and bond markets to their lowest so far this year.

“So I would say if the Fed’s latest move dampens cross-asset volatility, then leverage applied via risk parity funds should increase,” Chintan Kotecha, senior equity derivatives strategist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York. l

is far from saturated.

“There is a big margin for improvement, with some sectors not being fully served, notably rural communities and women,” he said.

One other area of growth was likely to be those who already had traditional bank accounts, he said, including employers paying wages via text.

“The flow is going in both directions,” Yao added.

Parallel system

Africa’s enthusiastic adoption of mobile banking has evolved from a simple way to transfer cash into an entire parallel system of micro-payments of everything from saving accounts to business loans.

Countries such as Kenya could give a glimpse of how the sector will evolve across the continent, said Roger Nord, Deputy Director

of the IMF’s African Department.

Payment system M-Pesa, operated by British telecom giant Vodafone’s subsidiary Safaricom, began offering interest on its “e-wallet” accounts, allowing users “who never saved a dollar” to put money aside, Nord said.

“There is a very clear relationship in economics between financial development and economic growth and poverty reduction,” he added.

M-Pesa’s range of services now encompasses medical insurance, bill payments and small business loans, building livelihoods and better securing users’ futures.

In Ivory Coast, Orange Money offers savings accounts, collective financing of large-scale projects and life insurance to a population previously largely locked out of such services. l

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Feature

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ResearchHUBs on ResearchHUB’s onBangladeshi Bangladeshi university ranking n Features Desk

H

ome to 163 million people, Bangladesh is among the top ten largest countries in the world in terms of population. Yet, economically it is still lagging behind major players – according to the Human Development Index, Bangladesh ranks in the lowest third of the world. The opportunities and potential the country is endowed with are largely untapped. As the country is not rich in natural resources, the role of human capital – the people’s capability to create, innovate and be entrepreneurial – is ever more crucial for the development of the country.

Higher education plays a pivotal role in fostering human capital and releasing the potential of Bangladesh’s people.

This report portrays the current status of country’s major universities, both from a student perspective and in terms of outreach of research. No such initiative to compare Bangladeshi institutions has been undertaken so far. The goal is to aggrandise competitiveness and strengthen transparency among universities.

ResearchHUB conducted a survey in which we received 3,768 responses from students and alumni of 124 universities in Bangladesh. 57% of the responses were from students of private universities, 41% came from public ones and 2% from international ones. The final output of this report will help university authorities to identify areas of improvement in order to become more competitive.

Bangladeshi universities do not enjoy a good international reputation: none of them are ranked within the top 500 universities in world university rankings, such as the Financial Times or QS World University Rankings. Furthermore, no single institution is accredited by AACSB, EQUIS or AMBA, which, internationally, are the most widely accepted organisations for university education quality assurance. A simple methodology was employed by ResearchHUB to perform a benchmark across Bangladeshi universities. In the coming years, the methodology will continuously be improved to cover more aspects of quality in terms of education and research, and to convey a more concrete picture of the higher education landscape of Bangladesh.

Top 10 Bangladeshi Private Universities Based Only on ResearchHUB Survey Rank University Score 1. Bangladesh University of

Bangladesh higher education at a glance Total university students2 872,891 Number of universities 131 Public 37 Private 91 International 3 (Bangladesh Education Statistics 2015. Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics, Ministry of Education.

January 2016.)

Top 30 Bangladeshi universities Rank University City Code Score 1. University of Dhaka Dhaka DU 95.08 2. Jahangirnagar University Dhaka JU 83.91 3. Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Dhaka BUET 68.47 4. Independent University Dhaka IU 66.86 5. Khulna University Khulna KU 56.46 6. Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Sylhet SUST 50.75 7. University of Chittagong Chittagong CU 47.62 8. Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology Rajshahi RUET 45.19 9. North South University Dhaka NSU 44.22 10. Brac University, Dhaka BracU 42.84 11. Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur HSTU 41.41 12. Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology Chittagong CUET 41.28

Engineering and Technology 95.70 2. North South University 94.85 3. Islamic University of Technology 94.75 4. Independent University Bangladesh 93.79

13 Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University Tangail MBSTU 40.79 14 Islamic University of Technology Dhaka IUT 40.55 15 Daffodil International University Dhaka DIU 40.54 16 University of Asia Pacific Dhaka UAP 40.18 17 American International University- Bangladesh Dhaka AIUB 40.12 18 Jagannath University Dhaka JagU 40.02 19 International University of Business Agriculture and Technology Dhaka IUBAT 39.33 20. Khulna University of Engineering and Technology Khulna KUET 38.87 21. Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Dhaka AUST 38.65 22. East West University Dhaka EWU 38.65 23. University of Rajshahi Rajshahi RU 38.00 24. International Islamic University Chittagong Chittagong IIUC 37.42 25. United International University Dhaka UIU 36.96 26. Bangladesh University of Textiles Dhaka BUT 36.67 27. Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology Dhaka DUET 36.63 28. BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology Dhaka BUFT 36.27 29. Bangladesh University of Professionals Dhaka BUP 35.84 30. Southeast University Dhaka SEU 35.01

5. International University of Business Agriculture and Technology 92.87 6. University of Asia Pacific 92.74 7. University of Rajshahi 92.58 8. Shahjalal University of Science and Technology 92.50

“Public/private” or “good/bad”?

For over 0.8 million university students in Bangladesh there are only 37 public universities with very limited number of seats.

Students who fail to secure a place in a public university are bound to opt for a private institution, which are therefore playing an instrumental role for the country’s education system. Yet, they typically receive criticism rather than appreciation. Among the Top 30 universities in our ranking, as depicted in Table 2, IU is number 4 just after DU, JU and BUET. Also, NSU, BRAC, DIT, UAP and AIUB received a score of more than 40, making it into the top 18, together with other reputed public universities. IU secured a place among the top six in this list, boosted by research papers published from the Department of Environmental Science of IU which were highly cited compared to articles published from other universities. Hence we would like to encourage everyone to base evaluations of universities rather on their accomplishments, quality of education, international accreditation and research outreach, than on whether they are public or private.

The path to worldwide rankings The path to worldwide university rankings for Bangladeshi universities seems long and winding. In the QS World University Ranking 2016, to name a few, top Asian universities that are ranked among the top 50

9. Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology 91.58 10. Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University 91.56

worldwide are: National University of Singapore at #12, University of Hong Kong at #27, and University of Tokyo at #34. In contrast, the top university of Bangladesh, University of Dhaka is #701+ in the same list. Bangladeshi universities are lagging behind in terms of research output. This is illustrated by the fact that in 2014-2015, the National University of Singapore published 13,784 articles covered by the ISI web of science – more than the total number of articles published by all Bangladeshi universities taken together.

ResearchHUB is a platform to support excellent quality academic research. Their goal is to raise awareness among young students and researchers about the need of society for good research, and guide them to achieve excellence in academia.

The ResearchHUB team consisted of Ziaul Haque Munim, PhD Candidate, Int Management University of Agder, Norway, Jubair Ahmed Shamim, PhD candidate, Nuclear Eng University of Tokyo, Japan, Qazi Haque, PhD candidate, Economics, University of Adelaide, Australia, Mamoon Ul Kader, PhD candidate, Economics, Simon Fraser University, Canada.

The strategic advisor is Shabbir Ahmed Tamim, Founder, Career Cafe, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The external support for the ranking report was provided by Jann Goedecke, PhD candidate, Finance, KU Leuven, Belgium. l

17

DT

Travel

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

The Beverly Hills of the dead Chinese Cemetery in Manila

nEliza Binte Elahi A cemetery is probably the last place many people would consider putting on their must-see list.

Cemeteries are actually interesting studies in themselves of how the dead are memorialised.

Funerary architecture and adornments reflect facets of culture and custom. Personal touches and details on tombs additionally show how people choose to honour their departed loved ones.

In the Philippines, a visit to the Manila Chinese Cemetery offers a fascinating look into Chinese cultural viewpoint on death and the afterlife. Located in a northern suburb of Manila is one of the most unique and grandiose cemeteries in the world. Walk into the Manila Chinese Cemetery in the Filipino capital and you might think you are visiting a residential suburb A walking tour along the quiet and narrow streets of the Manila Chinese Cemetery is like listening

to stories retold by the decorated tombs, elaborate mausoleums, and intricately-carved memorial sculptures. Aside from being morbid-curiosity tour that one would usually expect when exploring old graveyards, touring the Manila Chinese Cemetery is also a cultural, historical and an architectural tour.

Being an active burial ground since the Spanish times, the cemetery has been transformed into a city-like landscape with architectural structures representing styles from the19th century revivalist to the pre-war art deco movement to modern and contemporary design-themes.

I was told by someone of a cemetery located in Manila where the dead have better houses than the living. He was right. Most of these “homes” have their own fully-functioning kitchens, bathrooms and even bedrooms where relatives can sleep alongside their buried relatives. In some

cases, they live amongst the dead full-time.

Welcome to the Chinese Cemetery of Manila, a neighbourhood all of its own, originally established when the Chinese trading community were prohibited by Spanish colonials from using the Catholic cemeteries.

Forced to create their own, it is a unique place where wealthy Chinese families have built little mansions around the graves of their loved ones since the 19th century, to make sure they feel comfortable even in the afterlife.

The Chinese hold great respect their departed ones and since ancient times, they have believed that the souls of the dead live in another world and graves are their earthly residences. If the family can afford it, these earthly residences can be built up to three stories high.

It has become tradition for the living to spend entire days visiting the deceased, installing household

amenities such as TV sets, couches and flushing toilets inside the tombs.

Many of them are not only furnished but have all the amenities of the average home: hot and cold running water, flushing toilets, electricity, kitchens, dining areas and even guest rooms.

The most luxurious often have ornate gardens and balconies.

It’s customary on Sundays and particularly on All Saints Day for families to spend time in these mausoleum homes; preparing meals, feasting, drinking and playing mahjong (leaving an empty chair for the deceased).

However the cemetery as a whole has admittedly seen better days and even some of the most lavish mausoleums are now looking neglected. The graveyard is owned by the Manila city government, which has allegedly initiated an expansion program to build more “apartment tombs” and a crematorium.

This was the site of heavy fighting and executions during World War II, and there are several memorials, as well as a mass grave, to commemorate those events.

The Chinese here bury their babies separately from the family graves, and the wall where babies are buried makes for a sad read. There are alleys with rental tomb space, there are tomb houses with trees growing straight through the roof, there are old tombs with stone turtles - symbol of longevity. I even saw several tombs where the man and wife were already buried - but where a third space was still open, reserved for the lover of the man.

Every tomb is unique, each has its story to tell, and you can easily spend a lot of time exploring this fascinating place.

The one-of-a-kind cemetery has become a curious tourist attraction of sorts, and you can hire professional guides to take you on a tour through Manila’s vast city of the dead to see the most interesting tombs, or pay the caretaker around 200 pesos to make sure you don’t get lost.

Like in allsocieties, there are wealthier and poorer areas of the cemetery’s community. Smaller and less well-maintained graves are usually grouped together down narrow alleyways further from the entrance gates. l The writer is Faculty & Coordinator, School of Business, University of South Asia.

DT

18

Feature

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

The Pandora’s box of health care

Raqibul n Professor Mohammad Anwar On September 23, two headings on page three of Dhaka Tribune drew my immediate attention. The first read “Faridpur newborn Galiba dies” and other, “Why hasn’t the Faridpur doctor been fired?”

What we can gather from the newspapers is that Galiba’s mother went to a private health clinic in Faridpur. There was a delay in attending to her by the doctor, who eventually pronounced Galiba dead. However, she was still alive.

Born at 23 weeks, she weighed only 700g. None of her internal organs, especially the lungs, had fully developed. It was also found that she contracted a number of infections during the time she was left unattended, after being declared dead.

Medical leaders and their responsibilities

Leaders in the medical sector who have limitless opportunities to lead the health sector in the right direction should have the courage to shoulder the blame for

such malpractices that continue to occur in the country.

However, contrary to owning up to their responsibility and failure, some very conveniently occupied the role of the plaintiff, jury and judge and decided to hang the alleged doctor, who should share only a small part of the blame for the death of poor Galiba. Proper and unbiased investigation would show that this has occurred principally due to failure of the healthcare system that has been presided over and championed by many, and the alleged doctor is merely a pawn in the game of medical care in Bangladesh.

If a proper healthcare system had been developed, no one would need to show concerns over malpractice. If those who had led the health sector over the past few decades had done their job responsibly, there would be due process in any of these circumstances, and such due process would have raised a lot of issues.

Resource management and quality assurance

First of all, workforce planning.

Human resource planning is an essential component of any successful healthcare system, given the fact that two-thirds of the financial resources of the system is put aside for wages of healthcare professionals.

Poorly planned human resource strategies create mismatch between demand and supply, and fall short in effectively utilising healthcare personnel, even if they are already trained, resulting in an unproductive, or at best under productive, work force.

So in the absence of a properly formulated framework for workforce planning, is the current system of medical education and training appropriate and adequate? They very well know that it is not, but how do they plan to improve and make their doctors fit for purpose? There is a huge discrepancy between demand for health care in Bangladesh and supplying human capital with the appropriate expertise that will enable workers to satisfy the demand for healthcare. The number of appropriately qualified

doctors, nurses and technicians, and corresponding skill sets and geographical distribution, is really worrying.

We know Bangladesh has around 45,000 practicing doctors for a population of 160 million.

According to WHO criteria, we are in need of a number of doctors ten times greater than what already exists. Government policy has focused on establishing new medical colleges, and Bangladesh now produces about 9000 doctors every year. Since 2010, out of a total of 45,000 practicing doctors in the country, 30,000 doctors have come out of these medical colleges, numbered at around 126, whereas in the UK, only 33 medical schools produce about 6500 medical graduates.

Though the number of graduates produced in Bangladesh has increased exponentially, it is still not adequate for the demand for health care.

Clinical governance, which is unheard of in Bangladesh’s medical practice, is designed to ensure quality of patient care.

This is the responsibility of the government, hospital authorities, doctors, nurses other health professionals, and is a powerful and comprehensive mechanism for ensuring that high standards of clinical care are maintained throughout a health system, and that quality of service is continuously improved.

Clinical governance is composed of continued professional development, education and training, medical audits, clinical effectiveness, risk management, research and development, and openness.

A framework for best practices Another important missing piece in Bangladesh is national healthcare frameworks. For example, the regulatory framework of healthcare in England is comprised of two main elements - regulation of the quality and safety of care offered by healthcare providers, currently undertaken by the Care Quality Commission, and regulation of the market in healthcare services, currently the responsibility of the department of health. Another framework, the UK NHS Outcomes Framework, alongside the Adult Social Care and Public Health Outcomes Frameworks, sits at the heart of the healthcare system, and provides a national overview of how well the National Health Service in the UK is performing.

The national strategic framework to develop the healthcare support

workforce, on the other hand, is a long-term strategy for workforce development, education and training.

Many of the victims of medical negligence, particularly resulting in death, should be able to seek redress. However, the process in Bangladesh is long drawn, expensive, and non-cooperative, to both doctors and patients.

Though health professionals should not be exempt from the criminal process and proper application of law is imperative to safeguard both patients and medical professionals, criminal law can be a very blunt instrument when applied to such a complex field as healthcare.

The greatest tragedy in Bangladesh, for patients and for dedicated healthcare professionals, is the absence of ways to distinguish between system failure, individual error or frank negligence. This is due to the absence of national frameworks, of established processes of governance, both clinical and corporate, accountability and regulatory frameworks that help doctors to understand their strengths and weaknesses and ways to improve their care in order to fulfil the objectives that led them choosing a medical career the noblest of professions.

Instead of continuing to blame the victims of a faulty system that many healthcare professionals have themselves sponsored and established, they should engage in robust debate with politicians, lawmakers, healthcare management bodies such as the ministry and DG health, and healthcare professionals on development of various national healthcare frameworks. We also need to focus on workforce planning, clinical governance, medical negligence and litigations associated with provision of sub-standard health care in order to ensure patient safety, transparency and best practices, and safeguard the competent, dedicated and hardworking medical practitioners. l Professor Raqibul Mohammad Anwar is a Colorectal Surgeon at Bart’s and The Royal London Hospital, Ambassador and Convener of Examinations, The Royal College of Surgeons of England, Colonel, UK Armed Forces (RAMC), and President and CEO of RAHETID (RA Hospital, Education and Training Institute Dhaka)

19

DT

Biz Info

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

| achievement |

Lifebuoy Friendship Hospital announces Asian CSR award receipent island and southern coastal belt area of Bangladesh.

Lifebuoy Friendship Hospital (LFH) started its operation on March 13, 2002, being the first floating hospital in Bangladesh.

It has been the flagship project of friendship since its inception with

On September 21st, 2016, Lifebuoy Friendship Hospital was announced the winner in the health enhancement category of the Asian CSR Awards 2016, among the 112 entries from 13 countries. The announcement was made at the gala dinner of the 15th Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility at the Kempinski Hotel, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

Dr Naheed Nazrul (Team Leader, Hospital service), Dr Mohammad Atiqullah Sayeed (Programme Specialist- Hospital

marginalised population.

Friendship has established a strong three-tier model that has already been replicated twice after LFH. This model is reliable and replicable in taking the healthcare solution to everyone. l

Service, Healthcare Population and Nutrition), Syed Wasama Doja (Head, Cultural Preservation) and Runa Khan (Founder and Executive Director) from Friendship were present at the ceremony.

Friendship has been working for over 14 years in Bangladesh, trying to take development initiatives to the hardest to reach people. It has been able to take healthcare, education, financial assistance, governance, disaster management, and other services to more than 4.2 million people in the northern river

| takeover |

The Westin Dhaka celebrates Marriott International’s successful completion

On September 27, 2016, Dilip Madhok, General Manager of The Westin Dhaka, celebrated Marriott International’s successful completion of the acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc; creating the world’s largest hotel company.

The celebration took place at the grand ballroom of The Westin Dhaka.

On 23 September 2016, the

an aim to provide essential primary healthcare. This is the most successful and innovative model of CSR involvement of Unilever with the healthcare program for the poor and marginalised community.

Till now LFH has provided more than 600,000 services to the

most iconic and visionary name in hospitality, Marriott International, Inc (NASDAQ: MAR), expanded to include 30 of the most desirable and prestigious hotel brands with the addition of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts portfolio.

At a time when travellers place even greater emphasis on enriching and personal experiences, they can now choose from the most diverse selection

of hotel brands ever. With more than 5,700 hotels and 1.1 million rooms in over 110 countries across the globe, guests now have access to the best hotels and resorts wherever they travel.

Members of Marriott’s leading loyalty programs, Marriott Rewards – which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards – and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), are also invited to link their accounts at members.marriott. com, to enjoy the benefits, recognition, and experiences each program has to offer. Members will have their status matched across programs and be able to transfer and redeem points across programs for travel to more destinations than ever before.

Members who link their accounts will be able to transfer points at a three-to-one ratio (three Marriott Rewards points = one SPG Starpoint) between the programs for redemption stays or on the Marriott Rewards Experiences Marketplace or SPG’s Moments platform. l

| offer |

Experience the exotic Hakka cuisine with the special Hakka lunch boxes

Hakka Dhaka is offering special meal packages from both its Banani and Uttara outlets. The special offer meals include egg fried rice/Hakka noodles, chicken wings/mushroom chicken/Hunan chicken, and dry chili beef/ szechuan prawn.

This meal is guaranteed to

make you fall in love with Hakka Dhaka! The offer is available only for takeout or delivery from both branches (Banani and Uttara).

Free delivery in Uttara from Sectors 1 through to 6, Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara!

Call: 01616-666544 (Uttara) or 01616-666543 (Banani) l

DT

20 Editorial

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

TODAY

Bilateral back and forth While sanctions designed to persuade Pakistan not to follow certain policies, ie nuclear weaponry, went unrewarded in bilateral programs, the West had no intention of risking a bankrupt Pakistani state sliding into failure PAGE 21

BIGSTOCK

On following dreams What are schools for, then? Why are you paying the teachers, if they can’t even motivate students to study? Isn’t it a shameful failure of the school?

PAGE 22

Unpacking the complexity of climate change Bangladeshi communities draw on a store of local and traditional knowledge of the weather and its impacts, as well as meteorological science 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.

Pakistan needs to change its tune

T

he minimum amount of decency required for Bangladesh-Pakistan relations to able to move forward in any meaningful way has been sorely lacking.

Bangladesh has made the right decision, then, to boycott the 19th Saarc Summit, which was scheduled to be held in Islamabad this year in November.

Recently, relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan have gone from bad to worse, as Pakistan has repeatedly tried to interfere with Bangladesh’s internal affairs, creating a hostile environment that is not conducive to a Saarc Summit.

For a summit to be effective, the Pakistan and Bangladesh relationship needs to be more cordial and fraternal, and show at least base-level cooperation.

This is not possible in the light of the statements issued by Islamadad in recent times.

Not only has Pakistan not apologised or even recognised its crimes of 1971, it continues to deny and downplay them. This disqualifies it from having any right to comment on Bangladesh’s attempts to seek justice for 1971 war crimes.

It is utterly unacceptable for Pakistan to try to tell Bangladesh what to do with respect to the 1971 war crimes trials.

It is imperative that Pakistan recognises the true history of Bangladesh’s Liberation War, apologises for the atrocities committed by the Pakistan army, and supports Bangladesh’s right to try and execute war criminals.

In the past, Pakistan has even suggested that Bangladesh forgive and forget -- an absurd request considering that nothing resembling an apology has come from their end, while it is Bangladesh that has tried to maintain good relations by forgoing reparations and releasing Pakistani officers after the war.

There is no point in staging an insincere display of cooperation at the Saarc Summit at this point, when it is clear that Pakistan needs to answer some serious questions before Dhaka can join them at the table.

This boycott is Bangladesh’s chance to ask those questions.

It is utterly unacceptable for Pakistan to try to tell Bangladesh what to do with respect to the 1971 war crimes trials

DT

21

Opinion

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 2016

Bilateral back and forth Pakistan-US relations oscillate, but what can Pakistan do now?

What is Nawaz Sharif’s next move?

REUTERS

While sanctions designed to persuade Pakistan not to follow certain policies, ie nuclear weaponry, went unrewarded in bilateral programs, the West had no intention of risking a bankrupt Pakistani state sliding into failure

n William Milam

I

wrote last time about Pakistan-US diplomatic relations, as I viewed them through the prism of the US economic and military assistance programs. This was a wavy prism indeed, as the assistance levels have gone up and down like a roller coaster.

As I tried to point out, PakistanUS bilateral relations seen through this wavy prism can still be explained in transactional terms.

In the periods of high, or relatively high resource transfers, Pakistan was regarded as an ally, helping the US in its geo-strategic aims. In the low periods, while still an ally, it was seen as not helping with those aims (perhaps even working against them given its nuclear weapon development programs).

In the late 1990s, when I was there, levels were, I suppose, at an all-time low, during the period when Pakistan was subject first to the sanctions of the Pressler Amendment, and later from additional sanctions brought on by the nuclear tests of May 1998.

US assistance programs had all but disappeared, except for a few that came through other budgets than

the Foreign Assistance Act. There wasn’t much left to cut by the time the coup of October 1999 took place, which could have triggered cuts under provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act that forbid assistance to governments that have arrived in place from military coups. Doing normal diplomatic business in Pakistan became for the US much more dependent on personal relationships than any leverage assistance programs could render.

It was after those nuclear sanctions began to bite that Pakistan came close to insolvency and was “bailed out” -- not for the first or the last time -- by the intercession of the IMF and the World Bank, the first providing what was misleadingly labelled “balance of payments support,” the latter giving structural economic support, enabling the country to meets its external obligations.

Of course, those interventions by the international finance institutions could not have happened without the support of the US and other Western countries. As I mentioned, while sanctions designed to persuade Pakistan not to follow certain policies, ie nuclear weaponry,

went unrewarded in bilateral programs, the West had no intention of risking a bankrupt Pakistani state sliding into failure.

In retrospect, many economists wonder if those “bailouts” were wise. They are likely to have strengthened the belief among Pakistani policy-makers of all stripes and parties, that the West regards Pakistan as too “geo-strategically important” to fail. This can be likened to the feeling in Western governments during the 2008 global financial meltdown that some big banks were “too big to fail,” as it would have risked a cascading failure of the global financial system.

The resulting “bailout” of most of those banks paid off in the end as the US government has gotten its money back (The US government decided, I suspect, to make an example of the Lehman Brothers, and let it fail in order that major US banks would not consider themselves sacrosanct).

Some economists argue that unless the political parties of Pakistan, finally, face the question of resource mobilisation without IMF/World Bank bailout options available, they will never face up to the need to fix the tax/revenue

system. But given their history so far, it is a risky option for the international community to consider.

But bilateral relations are a multi-layered, interrelated process, which concern, and are at times, driven by events affecting other parts of government. Ahmed Rashid’s excellent review in the latest edition of the New York Review of Books reminds me of this. The book he is reviewing is Seymour Hersh’s latest exposé on the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011. The review is a good read, and I agree completely with its conclusions. But, apart from his conclusions, Ahmed’s review reminded me that sometimes relations between the deep units of the two “deep states” have driven Pakistan-US bilateral relations.

The period of about late 2010 to mid-2012, during which the bin Laden raid occurred, is a case in point. Though it was not the bin Laden raid per se that caused this, I suspect that in this period the relations between the ISI and the CIA, never great, were as bad as they could be, and drove overall bilateral relations to new lows, probably to what we would term non-transactional, or in fact dysfunctional. It started when the name of the CIA station chief was leaked to the Pakistani press, and he had to be moved out of the country because of death threats.

Then came the Raymond Davis case (no need for details here; everyone will remember them).

When the US finally apologised for the Davis case, and a way was found to resolve the matter legally so Davis could be removed from the country, the case morphed into the ISI accusation that the CIA had brought several hundred agents into Pakistan “illegally” (whatever that would mean in a fight between deep state units) and the government cut off all visas for US officials (legitimate as well as illegitimate).

Just when the Davis problem was resolved, and one would have thought that relations could get back to a more harmonious level, drone strikes, which seemed to have been on hold, were started again and killed innocent Pakistani civilians. And to top off a real bad year, when things were going quiet again, in November 2011, 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in “friendly fire,” and/or the “fog of war,” certainly not intentionally,

by NATO soldiers from across the Afghan border, and the Pakistan Army chief shut down the roads

through Pakistan by which the US supplied its troops in Afghanistan until mid-2012. If ever there was a definition of a non-transactional relationship, this period was it.

Other issues feed into the bilateral relationship. Most probably start with the Indocentricity (perhaps Indophobia is a better term) of Pakistani policy, an issue I have written about many times, and which I continue to think is key to reformation and the ultimate success of Pakistan as a state (I do not have space to explain the issue here). Probably it goes back to the Pakistani fear of encirclement -- hostile India, hostile Afghanistan, (perhaps) hostile Iran.

So a Pakistan, enthralled by Indo-centricity, cannot give up its cozy relationship with the Haqqani network despite the fierce Haqqani opposition to a peace process in Afghanistan and their continued attacks on foreigners in Afghanistan. This is an enormous thorn in the side of the PakistanUS relationship, and the cuts in US assistance programs to Pakistan, if you asked the US Congress, would probably relate mostly to that issue.

Pakistan’s failure to respond to Afghan President Ghani’s attempts to bring the Afghan/Pakistan relationship closer is probably because of its relationship with the Haqqanis and its unwillingness to give it up or risk losing it up by squeezing them hard on the peace process. Rebuffed by the Pakistanis, Ghani is reaching out to India.

This, if anything, hardens Pakistan’s desire to keep the Haqqanis close. The chances for a political solution in Afghanistan dwindle away. And as they dwindle, so actually do the chances that Pakistan will not be mostly encircled by enemies: A Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and India.

And without a peace process to hold onto, the choices for the US would become a military victory, which no one now thinks possible, or to abandon the Afghans to their fate. Given these realities, I do not see the Pakistan-US relationship getting much better until something changes the Pakistani outlook. l William Milam is Senior Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. He was Ambassador to Pakistan from 1998 to 2001. This article was first published in The Friday Times.

DT

22

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

Long Form

On following dreams Do schools do a good job nurturing our interests? This is the first part of a two-part long form Mustafa n Muhammad Monowar

W

hen I was very young, I once told my mother that I wanted to be a police officer when I grew up.

When asked why, I replied that it looks cool to appear at the critical moment in every Bangla movie, where the hero and the villains fight, to shout “Ain nijer haate tule neben na” and arrest all the criminals. My mom laughed, and still tells everyone the story.

I grew up reading Dr Muhammed Zafar Iqbal’s scifictions, because I used to get bullied when I tried playing with my peers outside. When I was in class 4, I broke a toy robot and somehow discovered the function of a motor. I asked my mom to buy me some cable, and managed to grab some spare batteries from other toys and some plastic sheet. With a little guidance from someone, I managed to create my own makeshift electric hand-fan.

Silly as it may be, it was still a great achievement for me. I showed off my accomplishment.

Some of my elders were so amazed that they commented that I’ll surely be a great scientist one day.

Unfortunately, I did not become one. I took science in SSC and got GPA 5. I remember telling my father I aspired to be a doctor, because I could save lives. In college, I changed my mind, I thought of being an engineer so that I could make cool robots and design the types of smart-phones that we have now.

But on the onset of the HSC exam, I suddenly realised that everyone is more concerned about getting grades because that is how you can get into either DU, BUET, or DMC. Academic pressures were felt.

I was a physics enthusiast. And physics is such a subject that it takes you to another world. Three months before the HSC exam, I had a severe mental breakdown, because I was unable to take the pressure of exam preparations. I was suffering from anxiety and depression. My parents were concerned, but they didn’t give up on me. They suggested I try my luck in Business Studies or English at a private university.

I had to pursue a BA in English.

I realised then that I actually liked writing, especially creative things. In my first semester, I took Introduction to English Poetry with Professor Kaiser Haq. On one particular day, we were reading

Are we being turned into robots for the job market?

BIGSTOCK

What are schools for, then? Why are you paying the teachers, if they can’t even motivate students to study? Isn’t it a shameful failure of the school?

Keats’ Ode to a Nightingale. Sir joked that someone should write a poem about crows. On the next class, I appeared with my Ode to a Crow. My professor was surprised.

He read it, corrected a few things, and then asked me to recite it to the whole class.

And that was the beginning.

From that day onwards, I try to write at least something every day.

After graduation, I dreamt of going to Finland for my post grad because I thought I could achieve expertise in the field of educational development. I almost started brewing the idea of starting a non-profit digital education platform.

But despite being a student of English, I scored below average in my IELTS due to nervousness, and so had to change my course of action.

But I didn’t give up.

I continued in my own department, in the same subject for masters, with literature as my major. And I did surprisingly well. I also got a job offer because one of my teachers thought I had great potential. My experience in journalism was good, but had to

be abandoned because it was hard for me to keep running up and down in the hot clogged city to get stories. But it actually paid off.

My experience eased my work at my new workplace. There I found a new world. Although I was a research executive, I met some amazing people. Artists, designers, singers, IT wizards, photographers, creative writers and film-makers. Their work fascinated me so much that I was almost convinced to switch careers. Unfortunately, some political events made it difficult to continue the said job.

I still had to complete my thesis. But without a job, I was losing motivation every day. Half willingly, I entered a line of work I never imagined I would. That too as an HR officer. I felt depressed thinking that I was about to leave my dreams of having a career as a creative writer. So, the last chance to prove myself was my thesis.

Thankfully, my supervisor, who was also the head of our department, was quite impressed with my work and dedication.

With her guidance and very sincere support from my boss, I

landed with an A in thesis.

The rest is history.

I won a scholarship and got to represent Bangladesh at an international conference for young journalists. I was one of the two students from our department to be invited to have lunch with the vice chancellor. And my greatest achievement was to see my mother in tears of joy with each success story I tell her.

Meanwhile, I have started to love my boring job.

At first, it seemed like a very uncreative space. Computers and paperwork -- but I realised, even as an HR officer, I have great opportunities to help people who work under me, and use another kind of creativity to contribute to my organisation and consequently to the country.

The fear that I might have to give up my writing career has also diminished. The proof is that I am still writing this piece.

If you’ve read this far, you might ask what’s the point of this.

Well, I don’t intend to analyse my life’s failures and triumphs here.

Rather, I had to write this because of my nephew.

My nephew had to stay in Chittagong almost all by himself, because dulabhai is busy with his hectic job. He, very recently, came to Dhaka for moral support.

His parents kept complaining that he’s been skipping classes, and remains busy doing pointless things (photography, fencing, and magic tricks). As his mama, I am someone he always looks up to, and hearing his parents’ worries, I hypocritically wanted him to get a good result.

So I tried motivating him by telling him that I’ll give him my guitar as his birthday present if he manages to study with dedication and passes SSC with flying colours.

When I broke the news at the dining table, everyone almost barked at me, saying I was about to distract him further away from his studies -- and that is when I shared my thoughts.

What are schools for, then? Why are you paying the teachers, if they can’t even motivate students to study? Isn’t it a shameful failure of the school and their teachers that the students don’t want to attend their classes?

And being grown ups, why do you expect so much from a teenager and put all the blame on him?

Everyone fell silent. l The second part of this long form will be published tomorrow.

Muhammad Mustafa Monowar is a student of literature in BRAC University and a blogger. Follow him at www. wallofwinterblues.wordpress.com.

DT

23

Opinion

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

Unpacking the complexity of climate change Citizen science can be crucial in gathering climate change knowledge

Flooding is one of the most visible consequences of climate change

REUTERS

Bangladeshi communities draw on a store of local and traditional knowledge of the weather and its impacts, as well as meteorological science. However, they are increasingly forced to recognise the limitations of this knowledge in the face of rapid climatic changes Mahfujul Haque and n MScott Bremer

B

angladesh has been assessed as one of the nations most vulnerable to the impacts of a changing climate, and indeed, is already experiencing some of these impacts.

Given Bangladesh’s reliance on domestic agriculture, we need to study the changing relationship between agrarian communities and their climate, and suggest new ways of knowing this climate.

Bangladeshi communities draw on a significant store of local and traditional knowledge of the weather and its impacts, as well as meteorological science. However, they are increasingly forced to recognise the limitations of this knowledge in the face of rapid climatic changes.

Our knowledge of the climate is largely based on our experience, but we now recognise that the climate in 50 years may be drastically different to anything

that anyone has experienced, or measured for generations.

We need to “re-learn” the climate, even as it changes. There is a need for on-going, adaptive measurement of climate indicators that draws on all knowledge systems; there is a need for genuine citizen science.

Citizen science enlists a network of non-scientist volunteers to help collect and analyse data in many different ways.

Over the years, citizen science has grown in popularity for engaging citizens in helping scientists to understand complex issues.

In recent years, we have seen an increasing application of citizen science for measuring indicators of climate change in developing countries because it is costeffective, it allows gathering data over a large area and over a long time, and it improves the “impact” of the research by grassroots people.

TRACKS project (http://

projecttracks.net), funded by the Norwegian Research Council, is conducting climate research in Sylhet Division, where people are often affected by various climatic events, one of which is flood.

TRACKS aims to bring scientists and agrarian communities together to study the changing climate with its uncertainties.

To do this, the research is trying to give effect to citizen science, by engaging a group of roughly 25 stake-holders in Sunamganj Sadar, and 30 stake-holders in Barlekha for (i) designing their own climate research, (ii) carrying out the measurements, (iii) logging data, and (iv) undertaking some analysis.

The citizen scientists (CSs) were selected from a wider group of 240 people interviewed in 2014, based on their climate knowledge and their enthusiasm to participate in the research process. The selected CSs come from different strata of their communities, including day labourers, farmers, fishers, folk singers, Muslim worship leaders,

Hindu worship leaders, school teachers, household women, UP members, developers, government officials, and scientists.

They were brought together in workshops to map causes of the rainfall, and its impacts in their local area.

This is because communities perceive that rainfall is becoming more variable and erratic with a changing climate, with various adverse impacts on communities in the region. On the basis of this mapping, CSs pointed out areas where they felt a need for more scientific research.

CSs voted on what they saw as the 10 most important indicators for measuring changes in the rainfall and its impacts. Some indicators are based in traditional meteorological science, while others are based on indigenous knowledge.

These indicators include (i) wind direction and speed, (ii) cloud density, colour, and location, (iii) mango trees budding, (iv) air temperature, (v) rainfall in mm, (vi) river level, (vii) Kalboishakhi (northwester) damage and hailstorm damage, (viii) thunderstorm casualties, (ix) behaviour of frogs and insects, and (x) school attendance.

Moreover, they designed the ways of measuring the indicators themselves for a year following the Bengali calendar.

To measure some indicators such as rainfall, temperature, and

river water level, instruments were supplied to the CSs along with necessary training. Measuring other indicators, they have created different units of measurements depending on their indigenous knowledge.

The CSs allocated indicators among themselves based on their personal interests, with some CS taking responsibility for two or more indicators. They started logging data in logbooks from April of this year, and through measuring the indicators regularly, they have improved their knowledge of local weather behaviour.

An online lab has been developed so that the CSs themselves can enter data directly online using their own mobile phone or with the help of research assistants.

CSs will measure these indicators over a one-year period, and gather bi-monthly in the localities so that they can see online data and themselves analyse the measurements they are collecting, using online graphing technology to see how the weather behaves in their localities.

For now, the citizen science is about helping local communities learn about their local weather, but the hope is that the information collected might one day be useful for government agencies.

It is expected that gathering climate knowledge and applying citizen science would contribute to developing future adaptation strategies to climate change in the localities as well as improving national adaptation strategy action plan. l M Mahfujul Haque, PhD, is a Professor of the Department of Aquaculture at the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

Scott Bremer, PhD is a researcher at the Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities at the University of Bergen in Norway. The study is led by an acclaimed group of scientists from the area of “Citizens Science” and “Post-Normal Science Approach” from Norway in partnership with Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS), Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), with financial support from Norwegian Research Council, Norway.

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24 Sport

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

Happy with result, not performance

TOP STORIES

n Tribune Report Khulna Titans target exciting cricket Khulna Titans, new franchise for this year’s Bangladesh Premier League, officially launched their logo yesterday at a city hotel, ahead of the players’ draft, scheduled for today at Radisson Water Garden Hotel. PAGE 25

Sk Jamal, Abahani share spoils Defending Bangladesh Premier Football League champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club played out an entertaining 3-3 draw against powerhouse Abahani Limited at Sylhet District Stadium yesterday. PAGE 26

Bangladesh U-18 players celebrate following their 6-1 win over Chinese Taipei in the U-18 Asia Cup Hockey semi-final at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

U-18 ASIA CUP HOCKEY

Kohli shrugs off rankings pressure Skipper Virat Kohli shrugged off pressure yesterday for India to regain the top spot in the world rankings, saying he’s not interested in numbers, ahead of the second Test against New Zealand. PAGE 27

Celtic hold City, Atleti sink Bayern English winger Raheem Sterling netted at both ends as Manchester City were made to fight for a 3-3 draw with Celtic in a Champions League thriller on Wednesday, while Spanish giants Atletico Madrid once again defeated Bayern Munich. PAGE 28

Bangladesh boys eye more history in final n Tribune Report Bangladesh boys swept into the final of the Under-18 Asia Cup Hockey for the first time after outplaying Chinese Taipei 6-1 in the last four classification match at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium yesterday.

Drag-and-flick specialist Ashraful Islam, who netted seven goals in the group stage, added three more to his tally – all from penalty corners – while Raju Ahmed, Sajib Hossain and Fazle Hossain Rabby bagged one apiece to help the home side earn a comfortable victory.

The boys in red and green will face India in the final today at 3pm. India defeated arch-rival Pakistan 3-1 in the day’s other semi-final at the same venue. India were the champions of the inaugural edition in 2001.

Bangladesh earlier defeated India 5-4 in their opening group stage game before thrashing

Oman 10-0 in the second match to emerge as group champions from Pool A. Bangladesh U-18 have never reached the final of an international tournament before and the last time they took part in the same competition was back in 2001 where they finished fifth among 10 teams.

The hosts’ dominance was evident throughout the match, considering the number of penalty corners they accumulated.

Bangladesh garnered 11 penalty corners against the visitors’ three. Chinese Taipei goalkeeper Po Wen Pan made some brilliant saves to deny the home side from scoring more.

With 10 goals from only three matches, defender Ashraful is now the top scorer of the seven-nation tournament. Ashraful gave Bangladesh an early breakthrough with only three minutes into the clock, converting their first penalty corner. Chinese Tai-

pei could have equalised the margin seven minutes later but Chung Pang Shih missed his chance from a penalty stroke.

Raju doubled the lead in the 27th minute with a field goal, placing home a Romman Sarkar hit. Chinese Taipei captain Tzu Yu Huang scored their only goal six minutes into the second half with a light flick yards away from the post.

Ashraful scored again in the 48th minute from a penalty stroke, after failing to net from six penalty corners since the opening goal. Ashraful notched his third four minutes later in what was Bangladesh’s seventh penalty corner.

Team manager Kawser Ali changed most of the side in the last 15 minutes, giving the key players some rest ahead of Friday’s final. In the absence of Ashraful, Sajib and Rabby added one apiece from penalty corners in the 55th and 59th minute. l

Bangladesh Under-18 earned four penalty corners in their opening U-18 Asia Cup Hockey game against India among which they successfully converted four of them to clinch a vital victory.

The conversion rate of penalty corners against Oman in the second game was also great as Ashraful Islam found the back of the net three times in four attempts.

Yesterday though was a bit different for the Bangladesh youngsters when they played against Chinese Taipei. Although Bangladesh won with relative ease by a margin of 6-1, they could have put five or six more goals past their opponents had they utilised their chances like the previous two matches. They received 11 penalty corners and managed to convert only five.

Bangladesh U-18 team manager Kawser Ali, head coach Zahid Hossain Raju, captain Romman Sarkar and the other players were all happy to win the game and reach the final for the first time in their history, but not satisfied with the performance.

“Not disappointed but there were some things which the players looked confused with. We couldn’t perform the way we wanted to play,” said Kawser.

He continued, “We concentrated more on attacking, which in turn saw our defence collapse on some occasions. Another thing is that we allowed them to make many overhead passes in the first half which cost us some time.”

On the other hand, Raju went as far as to term it a “bad day”!

“It’s a bad day for us. We couldn’t perform up to the expectation. Building up combination and going forward together were absent. Stopping and tackling were not good enough. [Yesterday’s] semi-final was hard. Hopefully, it will bring good fortune for [today’s] final,” said Raju.

“The most important thing is to win the game and I’m very happy we reached the final. But the way we played [yesterday], it did not appear that Bangladesh were playing. We are better than this.” he added. l

RESULTS Bangladesh

6-1

Ashraful 3, 48, 52, Raju 27, Sajib 55, Rabby 59

India

Chinese Taipei Huang 41

3-1

Pakistan

25

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

England set foot in Dhaka today for two Tests, three ODIs n Mazhar Uddin A 34-member England cricket contingent including 16 players and 18 officials will arrive in Dhaka tonight to take part in the much-awaited tour of Bangladesh.

The English side will contest a three-match ODI series and two Test matches during their monthlong tour.

Jos Buttler and his troop will play a practice match against the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI ahead of the ODI series, which begins next Friday at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

The second ODI is scheduled to be held on October 9 at the same venue before Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium hosts the two teams in the third and final ODI on October 12.

Following the ODI series, Alastair Cook and his side are scheduled to play a couple of twoday matches against the BCB XI in Chittagong’s MA Aziz Stadium.

The first of two Test matches gets underway at ZACS on October 20. The second and final five-dayer begins on October 28.

England fast bowler James Anderson will miss the tour as he is yet to recover fully from his shoulder injury, which he incurred during the summer season while Durham paceman Mark Wood was also ruled out from the Bangladesh tour due to an ankle injury.

Middlesex’s Steven Finn was added to the ODI squad while Nottinghamshire’s Jake Ball was added to the Test squad. l

Khulna Titans captain Mahmudullah (CR), team advisor Habibul Bashar (2L) and director Kazi Inam Ahmed pose for photographs during the logo-unveiling ceremony at a city hotel yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Khulna Titans target exciting cricket in BPL 4 n Ali Shahriyar Bappa

Khulna Titans, new franchise for this year’s Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20, officially launched their logo yesterday at a city hotel, ahead of the players’ draft, scheduled for today at Radisson Water Garden Hotel.

Directors of Gemcon Group and the Bangladesh Cricket Board, members of the BPL governing council, Khulna’s category “A+” player Mahmudullah and the team’s technical advisor, nation-

al selector Habibul Bashar were present among others at the logo-launching ceremony.

During the ceremony, BCB director Kazi Inam Ahmed declared Mahmudullah as the captain of Khulna for the upcoming fourth edition of the money-spinning tournament, slated for November 4.

Australian coach Stuart Law has been named as the head coach of the team while Kazi Emdadul Bashar Ripon was declared as the assistant coach.

Former Bangladesh opening

batsman Nafees Iqbal is the team manager.

“We (Khulna) want to play exciting, honest and fun cricket. We have a dynamic young management. We are delighted to have our icon player Mahmudullah Riyad as the captain of the team. We hope, under his leadership, we will play good cricket and win the hearts of our fans,” said Inam.

On the other hand, Bashar said he is looking forward to some exciting cricket from Khulna.

“I think we have worked hard

with our strategy for the players’ draft. I cannot say if we will end up as the champions but I hope we will be able to come up with a decent squad with the aim of giving some exciting cricket to the Khulna supporters and BPL,” said Bashar.

Meanwhile, Mahmudullah also echoed the same sentiment.

“I am happy to have become a part of such a wonderful team. Like Sumon bhai (Bashar) said, we will play positive and exciting cricket and give our best shot in every match that we play.” l

Mosharraf replaces Rubel for 3rd ODI n Mazhar Uddin

Bangladesh batsman Imrul Kayes, who has a bright chance of playing the third ODI tomorrow, talks with head coach Chandika Hathurusingha during training in Mirpur yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain Rubel has been called up to the Bangladesh team in place of paceman Rubel Hossain for the third and final ODI against Afghanistan, scheduled to be held tomorrow.

The 34-year old Mosharraf was earlier named in the 20-member pool following a selection committee meeting on Wednesday night, right after the second ODI against the Afghans.

Mosharraf has been a consistent performer over the past few years in the domestic circuit and made his ODI debut eight years back in 2008. He joined the rebel Indian Cricket League but the Bangladesh Cricket Board later reinstated the players who took part in the tournament.

He was called up to the nation-

al side three years back against Sri Lanka but did not play a game and was later provisionally banned for the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 match-fixing controversy. However, he was later cleared by the tribunal after investigation.

Rubel on the other hand had a poor outing in the second ODI where he bowled just three overs and went for 24 runs. He did well in the latter stages of the first ODI but eventually ended up with bowling figures of 1/62 from nine overs.

And according to Mosharraf, he is looking forward to grabbing the opportunity. He said he will look to perform and establish a regular place in the national side.

“I think there are high chances for me to play in the third game. I was waiting for this opportunity. I have performed consistently in the domestic circuit to make a come-

back to the national team. Finally, I got the chance and I will try to give my best to be a regular member in the national side,” Mosharraf told the media yesterday.

“For that to happen, I have to perform well and give my best,” he said.

Mosharraf, who is also a handy batsman lower down the order, is prepared to contribute with the willow whenever the opportunity arises.

“It depends on my batting position in the team with regards to what will be my role, whether I’ll play as an all-rounder or as a spinner. Wherever I get the opportunity to bat, I will try to give my best.

If any situation occurs in the latter stages of the game, suppose if there’s eight-nine overs remaining in the innings, I will try to bat till the end,” he said. l

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

Sk Jamal, Abahani share spoils n Tribune Report Defending Bangladesh Premier League champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club played out an entertaining 3-3 draw against powerhouse Abahani Limited at Sylhet District Stadium yesterday.

Sheikh Jamal went ahead in the 42nd minute with a goal from Haitian forward Wedson Anselme but Atikur Rahman Fahad soon brought parity moments before the half-time whistle.

The Sky Blues’ English forward Lee Andrew Tuck put Abahani Abahani Limited’s Nigerian striker Sunday Chizoba (R) in action against Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in the Bangladesh Premier League at Sylhet District Stadium yesterday COURTESY

ahead for the first time in the game in the injury time of the first half.

Nigerian striker Sunday Chizoba soon made it 3-1 for Abahani after resumption.

Abahani though went a man down in the 46th minute when Fahad received his marching orders.

Sheikh Jamal’s Gambian midfielder reduced the arrears in the 56th minute before Wedson equalised 15 minutes before the final whistle.

Sheikh Jamal have 19 points from nine matches while Abahani have two less from the same number of games.

Meanwhile in the other game of the day at the same venue, struggling Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra sealed a much-needed 1-0 win over Mohammedan Sporting Club with the all-important goal coming from a Monayem Khan Raju free-kick in the 51st minute. l

Mamunul returns for Bhutan play-off n Tribune Report Mamunul Islam, who announced his retirement early this month, has been called up to the national squad, along with veteran striker Jahid Hasan Ameli.

Bangladesh Football Federation yesterday named a 33-man preliminary squad ahead of the Asian Football Confederation Cup Qualifiers Play-offs against Bhutan next month. The national camp begins in the capital tomorrow.

Bangladesh, who have never lost to Bhutan, played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their

round two Play-offs at home on September 6. The return leg will be held in Thimphu on October 10.

Alongside Ameli and Mamunul, Bangladesh’s Belgian head coach Tom Saintfiet also called up expe-

SQUAD Sohel, Rana, Hemel and Nehal; Topu, Mamun Miah, Fahad, Rayhan, Yeamin, Reza, Yeasin, Meshu and Mansur; Mamun, Sohel Rana, Hemanta, Emon, Sharif, Abdullah, Didar and Joni; Mohammad Sohel, Nayan, Sohel Miah, Zafar, Rony, Enamul, Ameli, Nipu, Ibrahim, Rubel, Jewel Rana and Saad

rienced players like Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club forward Enamul Haque and Chittagong Abahani defender Rezaul Karim.

There are some young players in the squad as well with last year’s Under-16 South Asian Football Federation Championship hero and Abahani Limited striker Sarwar Zaman Nipu and Sheikh Jamal forward Saad Uddin.

Saintfiet has been facing striker crisis for quite a long time and felt it badly during the home game against Bhutan early this month when they failed to score any goals despite creating a dozen chanc-

Southgate vows ‘stability’ as Allardyce admits ‘judgement’ error n AFP, London Gareth Southgate promised to bring some “stability” to the England set-up on Wednesday after Sam Allardyce admitted an “error of judgement” was behind his shock exit as the national side’s manager.

Allardyce’s one-game career as England manager came to a humiliating end after just 67 days on Tuesday following controversial comments made to undercover reporters. Southgate has been promoted to caretaker boss of the senior England side from his post as Under-21 manager.

The former England central

defender will be in charge for the World Cup qualifier against Malta at Wembley on October 8, followed by matches against Slovenia, Scotland and a friendly with Spain.

“It’s obviously been a difficult situation for the FA (England’s governing Football Association) but it was important that there was some stability and continuity for everybody,” Southgate said.

“So, from my point of view, it was important to step forward and give us the best possible chance to win these games.”

Allardyce’s England reign was sensationally brought to a close on Tuesday as he paid the price for indiscreetly talking with undercover

Daily Telegraph reporters posing as Far East businessmen.

“In addition, should we find any evidence of criminality we would inform and seek the support of the appropriate statutory authorities.”

Crouch’s remarks and the football authorities’ statement came after Alan Shearer, a former England captain, said English football had a problem with “greed”.

Meanwhile United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann ruled himself out of replacing Allardyce on a permanent basis.

Meanwhile Greg Clarke said Allardyce’s successor did not have to be English but ought to have Premier League experience. l

es throughout the tie. Bringing back experienced duo Ameli and Enamul therefore, was forced upon the Belgian tactician.

The most surprising name in the list is former captain Mamunul, who decided to hang up his boots on September 5 after being excluded from the final 23-man squad for Bhutan.

Another interesting fact is that Waly Faisal, Nasiruddin Chowdhury, Pranatosh Kumar, Aminur Rahman Sajib and Sentu Sen were also cut off from the final list but none of them managed to remain in yesterday’s 33-man squad, except Mamunul.

Mamunul told Dhaka Tribune that he has not taken the final decision yet whether he will play for the national team again.

“I still don’t know what I will do.

I don’t even know about the squad.

Saintfiet once told me that if I perform in the league he will call me to the squad again. I will take the final decision after discussing with my father,” he said.

The Chittagong Abahani midfielder added, “For now, I am focusing on my club. All my concentration is on the league game against Team BJMC. Whatever I decide will come after that game.”l

CHAMPIONS!

BKSP of Bangladesh clinched the title of the U-14 Subroto Cup Football Tournament 2016 in India after beating hosts Chandigarh 4-2 in the penalty shootout. The final was goalless following the end of stipulated time COURTESY

27

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

QUICK BYTES Djokovic pulls out of China Open Six-time champion Novak Djokovic has been forced to pull out of next week’s China Open because of an elbow injury, according to a statement on his website. The world number one has won 29 straight matches at the event, taking his first title there in 2009 and last year defeating rival Rafael Nadal in the final. “I am extremely disappointed not to be able to compete at the China Open this year,” said Djokovic, who hasn’t played since losing the US Open final to Stan Wawrinka.

“I’m still recovering from my elbow injury and have been advised not to play until my condition improves,” he added. “The China Open is one of my favourite tournaments...I love competing in front of the passionate Chinese fans and I look forward to coming back to Beijing in the future.”

–AFP

Xavi becomes Qatar 2022 ‘ambassador’ Former Barcelona great Xavi Hernandez has become an “ambassador” for a key initiative run

by Qatar 2022 World Cup organisers, officials in Doha said on Wednesday.

Xavi, 36, who now plays for Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League, will become the public face of the “Generation Amazing” programme and will visit a refugee camp in Jordan later this week to hold training sessions with youngsters there. In a statement on the website of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the body overseeing the organisation of the controversial World Cup in Qatar, the star midfielder said it was a “privilege” to undertake his new role.

“I try to help as much as I can.”

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH FOOTBALL SONY SIX

12:45AM Spanish La Liga Real Sociedad v Real Betis

STAR SPORTS 2 12:15AM German Bundesliga RB Leipzig v FC Augsburg

STAR SPORTS 4 1:00AM English Premier League Everton v Crystal Palace

CRICKET TEN 3 5:00PM West Indies v Pakistan 1st ODI

STAR SPORTS 1 10:00AM New Zealand Tour of India 2nd Test, Day 1

Kohli shrugs off rankings pressure n AFP, Kolkata Skipper Virat Kohli shrugged off pressure yesterday for India to regain the top spot in the world rankings, saying he’s not interested in numbers, ahead of the second Test against New Zealand.

After securing a comprehensive 197-run victory against New Zealand in the first Test, India could regain the number one position if they win the second Test starting in Kolkata today and clinch the three-match series.

But Kohli said he was not motivated by records, despite India being just one point behind archrivals Pakistan in the International Cricket Council Test rankings.

“Number one doesn’t matter for us because it is temporary,” the skipper told reporters.

“If you get attached to these things then you get upset you are not able to do it. It’s better to observe from far on things that are not directly in our control.”

India toppled Australia at the top of the rankings after their recent series win against the West Indies, only to be leapfrogged by Pakistan. India are now hopeful of returning to number one before Pakistan play three Tests against the Windies in October and November.

Kohli was noncommittal about whether Gautam Gambhir would play in Kolkata after he was spotted in the nets late yesterday, following the veteran opener’s inclusion in the squad after a two-year absence.

Spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja bowled India to victory on Monday in Kanpur. l

New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult bowls at the nets during a training session in Kolkata yesterday, on the eve of their second Test against India at Eden Gardens AFP

Australia’s rookie bowlers face Proteas test n AFP, Centurion Australia’s fast bowling reserves will be put to the test during a fivematch one-day international series against South Africa starting at Centurion today.

The world’s leading one-day team will be without an entire battery of top-class pace bowlers when they take on their fourthranked challengers.

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have been rested, while Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Pattinson, Pat Cummins, James Faulkner and Peter Siddle were ruled out by injury.

The touring squad includes

three new fast bowlers in Daniel Worrall, who earned his first cap in Australia’s nine-wicket win against Ireland in Benoni on Tuesday, Chris Tremain and Joe Mennie.

The only experienced seamers in the squad are John Hastings, Scott Boland and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who between them have only 73 caps and 80 wickets in one-day internationals.

A key bowler for Australia could be leg-spinner Adam Zampa, 24, who made his debut in February and has taken 25 wickets in 13 matches, although South Africa’s relatively small grounds and the thin air in Centurion and Johannesburg could challenge his skills.

Australia coach Darren Lehmann said on arrival in Johannesburg last week that it was necessary to rotate the team’s bowling resources with a view to building depth ahead of major Test series and one-day tournaments. He said all 14 members of the squad would get game time during the tour.

Given their lack of experience, the Australian bowlers have reason to be grateful that AB de Villiers, the world’s number one-ranked one-day international batsman, will be undergoing elbow surgery that will keep him out of action for both the one-day series and a Test series in Australia in November.

South Africa still have a strong

Pakistan, WI launch WC fight n AFP, Sharjah

Former champions Pakistan and the West Indies start a narrow twoway fight for an automatic place in the 2019 Cricket World Cup in a three-match one-day series starting in Sharjah today.

Pakistan, the 1992 champions, need to win the series 3-0 to rise one place from ninth while their opponents - champions in the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979 - need to avoid a clean sweep to maintain their current eighth spot.

Hosts England and the seven highest-ranked sides in the oneday rankings on September 30 next year will qualify directly for the World Cup. The bottom four teams in the standings will be joined by six Associate sides in a 10-team qualify-

ing round in 2018 from where two teams will qualify.

Both Pakistan and the West Indies will also play in three one-day matches in the Caribbean next March.

Pakistan also have a tough fivematch series in Australia early next year but West Indies will be hard pressed to play England and India before the cut-off date.

Both Pakistan and the West Indies have varied problems in the 50-over game.

Pakistan, ranked number one in Test cricket, have slumped in oneday and are coming on the back of a 4-1 bashing in England, a defeat which almost cost Azhar Ali the captaincy, but he finally survived.

Ali hopes his players take the confidence of their win in the final one-day against England at Cardiff

and a 3-0 whitewash of the West Indies in the preceding Twenty20 series which ended on Tuesday.

“Yes, it will be great if we take that form into the series and that will not only help us in improving our rankings but also take the important step towards the 2019 World Cup,” said Ali. Pakistan will once again look to exploit their opponents weakness against the spin, which saw them restrict the West Indies to low totals of 115, 144 and 103 in the T20 series.

They have leg-spinner Yasir Shah and left-arm spinners - Imad Wasim and Mohammad Nawaz plus allrounder Shoaib Malik.

West Indies had shown recent form, having beaten South Africa twice and Australia once in a triseries. l

batting line-up, however, led by Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla and stand-in captain Faf du Plessis.

The South Africans have named an unusually large squad of 16 players and they too will have to juggle their resources, not only to provide opportunities for all their players but to comply with Cricket South Africa’s recently-adopted racial “targets” which call for a season’s average of six players of colour, including at least two black African cricketers, in the national team.

There are nine players of colour in the squad, including three black Africans. The targets will make managing the workload of Rabada, 21, a particular challenge.l

Halep books WTA Finals spot n AFP, Wuhan World number five Simona Halep downed Madison Keys in the quarter finals of the Wuhan Open yesterday to book her place in the elite season-end WTA Final for the third consecutive year.

Big serving Keys took an early lead in the first set, breaking the Romanian’s serve twice, but was unable to maintain the momentum as Halep equalled and then took the set 6-4.

Halep - who turned 25 this week - dropped just two games to take the second set and confirm her place in the eight-player season finale in Singapore.

Only world number one Angelique Kerber and Serena Williams have so far qualified.l

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

RESULTS Ludogorets

1-3

PSG

Natanael 16

Arsenal

Matuidi 41, Cavani 56, 60

2-0

Basel

1-1

Dynamo Kiev

Walcott 7, 26

Besiktas Quaresma 29

Napoli

Tsygankov 65

4-2

Hamsik 20, Mertens 51, 58, Milik 54-P

M’gladbach

Benfica Goncalo Guedes 70, Salvio 86

1-2

Barcelona

Hazard 34

Celtic

Arda Turan 65, Pique 74

3-3

Manchester City

Dembele 3, 47, Sterling 20-og

Atletico Madrid

Fernandinho 12, Sterling 28, Nolito 55

1-0

Bayern Munich

2-2

PSV Eimdhoven

Carrasco 35

Rostov Poloz 8, 37

Proepper 14, De Jong 45+2

GROUP STANDINGS P W D L GD Pts

GROUP A Paris SG

2

1

1 0

2

4

Arsenal

2

1

1 0

2

4

Ludogorets

2 0 1

1

-2

1

Basel

2 0 1

1

-2

1

Napoli

2 2 0 0

3

6

Besiktas

2 0 2 0 0

2

Dynamo Kiev

2 0 1

1

-1

1

Benfica

2 0 1

1

-2

1

2 2 0 0

8

6

4

4

GROUP B

GROUP C Barcelona

Manchester City 2

1

1 0

Celtic

2 0 1

-7

1

M’gladbach

2 0 0 2 -5

1

0

Atletico Madrid

2 2 0 0

2

6

Bayern Munich

2

4

3

PSV Eindhoven

2 0 1

1

-1

1

Rostov

2 0 1

1

-5

1 4

GROUP D 1 0 1

GROUP E Monaco

2

1

1 0

1

Tottenham

2

1 0 1

0

3

Leverkusen

2 0 2 0 0

2

CSKA Moscow

2 0 1

1

-1

1

GROUP F Dortmund

2

1

1 0

6

4

Real Madrid

2

1

1 0

1

4

Sporting

2

1 0 1

1

3

Legia Warsaw

2 0 0 2 -8

0

Leicester

2 2 0 0

4

6

FC Copenhagen

2

4

4

FC Porto

2 0 1

-1

1

Club Brugge

2 0 0 2 -7

0

Juventus

2

1

1 0

4

4

Sevilla

2

1

1 0

1

4

Lyon

2

1 0 1

2

3

Dinamo Zagreb

2 0 0 2 -7

0

GROUP G 1

1 0 1

GROUP H

Celtic’s French striker Moussa Dembele (3L) shoots to score his team’s thrid goal against Manchester City during their Uefa Champions League Group C match at Celtic Park Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland on Wednesday AFP

Celtic hold City, Atleti sink Bayern n AFP, Paris Raheem Sterling netted at both ends as Manchester City were made to fight for a 3-3 draw with Celtic in a Champions League thriller on Wednesday, while Atletico Madrid once again did for Bayern Munich.

While City’s perfect start to the season was ended in Glasgow, their Premier League rivals Arsenal eased to a 2-0 victory against Basel.

Atletico had eliminated Bayern in the semi-finals last season and repeated the trick at the Vicente Calderon to make it a double for Spanish clubs against German opposition as Barcelona downed Borussia Moenchengladbach.

On paper, the Group C clash at Celtic Park appeared to be a bit of a mismatch with City looking to equal Tottenham Hotspur’s English record of 11 successive victories at the start of a campaign from 1960.

But instead Pep Guardiola’s men found themselves having to come from behind three times to claim a point at a raucous Parkhead, with Celtic first scoring in the third minute when an Erik Sviatchenko header went in off Moussa Dembele.

Fernandinho equalised only for a Kieran Tierney cross to go in off Sterling and restore the Scottish champions’ lead.

Sterling’s brilliantly-taken goal at the other end restored parity before the half-hour mark, but Dembele capitalised on an Aleksandar Kolarov error to make it 3-2 just

after the break.

However, Nolito got City’s third equaliser and it was the English side who looked more likely to go on and win it.

It is Barcelona who are top of the section after the Spanish champions followed their 7-0 trouncing of Celtic last time out with a comefrom-behind 2-1 victory over Gladbach in Germany.

Thorgan Hazard slotted the Bundesliga club in front in the first half but Arda Turan came off the bench to level after the break before Gerard Pique got the winner on 74 minutes.

Five-time European champions Barca, who were without the injured Lionel Messi, can now look forward to a fascinating double-header with their old coach Guardiola’s City.

Meanwhile, Theo Walcott made the difference as Arsenal eased to three points against Basel at the Emirates Stadium.

The Swiss champions have enjoyed excellent results in European competition against English sides in recent years but a first-half brace

by Walcott ensured it was a comfortable night for the Gunners.

They are level atop Group A alongside Paris Saint-Germain, who beat Ludogorets 3-1 in Bulgaria.

A Natanael free-kick gave Ludogorets the lead in Sofia, but Blaise Matuidi restored parity before the interval.

Edinson Cavani then grabbed two goals in the second half, either

side of a Cosmin Moti penalty miss for the Bulgarian champions, to complete the comeback.

In Madrid, Atletico inflicted Carlo Ancelotti’s first defeat as coach of Bayern as Yannick Carrasco’s first-half strike separated the sides at the Vicente Calderon in Group D. The Spaniards eliminated Bayern on away goals in the semi-finals of last season’s Champions League and there was to be no revenge for the five-time European champions, who would have lost by a wider margin had Antoine Griezmann not

struck the bar with a late penalty.

In Group B Napoli continued their excellent start to the season by beating Benfica 4-2 in Italy.

Marek Hamsik gave them a firsthalf lead at the San Paolo before three goals in seven second-half minutes, a Dries Mertens brace coming either side of an Arkadiusz Milik penalty.

Also in Group B, Dynamo Kiev came back to draw 1-1 with Besiktas in Istanbul, substitute Viktor Tsygankov cancelling out Ricardo Quaresma’s opener.l

Barcelona’s Gerard Pique, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto react after scoring against Borussia Moenchengladbach during their Champions League Group C match at Borussia Park Stadium on Wednesday REUTERS

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Church service (4) 4 Sour (4) 8 Feline (3) 9 Be concerned (4) 10 Garment (4) 11 Replenish (5) 12 African river (4) 14 40 winks (3) 15 Fate (3) 17 Mineral spring (3) 19 Precious stone (3) 21 Dash (4) 23 Weapon (5) 26 Gag (4) 27 Saucy (4) 28 Pungent (3) 29 Poker stake (4) 30 Repose (4)

DOWN 1 Long-tailed parrots (6) 2 Scrutinise (4) 3 Glossy fabric (5) 4 Top card (3) 5 Waterway (5) 6 Anger (3) 7 Early freshness (3) 11 Force back (5) 13 Light beer (5) 16 Natural gift (6) 18 Ward off (5) 20 Army rank (5) 22 Muscial sound (4) 23 Mineral spring (3) 24 Female swan (3) 25 Consumed (3)

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Downtime

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 23 represents D so fill D every time the figure 23 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

MONDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

Showtime

“Salman Shah Festival 2016” held at FDC

n

Showtime Desk

On the occasion of the 45th birth anniversary of late film star Salman Shah, a “Salman Shah Festival 2016” was held yesterday at the Film Development Corporation (FDC).

The program was held on the Jashim floor at FDC where film stars, directors, producers, journalists, and other dignitaries were present.

Discussions on the film star’s life and work were held.

AKM Mozammel Haque, MP, was present as the chief guest at

the program. Former secretary of information and culture Syed Didar Bakht inaugurated the event and Redwan Khandakar gave speech as the keynote speaker.

The managing director of FDC Tapan Kumar Ghosh, director Sohanur Rahman Sohan, and the secretary general of the Director’s Guild Mushfiqur Rahman Gulzar were present as special guests.

SM Shafi was the convener of the event.

The main attraction of the program was the presence of Dhallywood megastars that

graced the event.

Salman Shah was born on September 19, 1971 at Dariya Para in Sylhet at the house of his maternal grandparent. His acting career started early when he first appeared on BTV as a child artist.

Salman started out as a singer.

In 1993 he got his big break after starring in the Sohanur Rahman Sohan directed Hindi remake movie Keyamat Theke Keyamat.

He soon followed that with 27 more feature length films.

On September 6, 1996 his dead body was found his apartment in Eskaton, Dhaka. l

The reason behind Aamir’s absence from award ceremonies

nShowtime Desk Aamir Khan is one of the more dynamic actors of Bollywood, a believer in perfection. He has

given Bollywood several hits, proving his acting skills along the way. However, for a few years, he hasn’t been attending award shows. There are so

many rumours about why he doesn’t attend these shows, but very few know that once upon a time he was a regular at the awards scene, especially at the beginning of his career. He was present at the Filmfare nights when Anil Kapoor won the Best Actor award for Beta in ’92 (Aamir was nominated for Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar in the same year).

He was also present when SRK bagged the award for Baazigar in ’93 – the same year Aamir was nominated for Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke. But turns out, the last straw was when SRK won the Best Actor for Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge in ’95 and Aamir didn’t take the trophy home for Rangeela. Aamir’s act in Rangeela was appreciated by everyone but sadly, wasn’t awarded. It was after that incident that Aamir stopped attending Filmfare and popular movie awards. l

Nawab calls for peace

nShowtime Desk Nawab Saif Ali Khan is worried about Bollywood’s recent situation where some artistes are demanding that Pakistani artistes in India be banned or sent back.

Saif becomes the latest Indian celebrity to speak out on the demand for a ban on Pakistani artistes in India by the MNS. In the wake of the Uri attack, the party threatened Pakistani artistes like Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan to leave India, saying the shooting of their films would be stalled otherwise.

Saif said, “This (cross cultural

exchange) should definitely be encouraged. The industry is open to world talent, especially from across the border. But the government has to decide these things.” He added that, “We are artistes and we will talk about love and peace.”

He mentioned that, it is the government that can take a step in this regard.

Bollywood stars such as Karan Johar, Hansal Mehta, Anurag Kashyap, Varun Dhawan and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra have earlier expressed their views on the demand of boycott of Pakstani artistes in India. l

Cumberbatch sings on stage with Gilmour

nShowtime Desk The Sherlock actor surprised fans by giving an impromptu rendition of “Comfortably Numb” with Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour at the Royal Albert Hall. Benedict Cumberbatch, who is set to appear in Marvel’s superhero Doctor Strange, took to the stage for the encore of the classic Pink Floyd track on Wednesday.

Gilmour, who is performing a

series of concerts at the venue in London over the next few days, asked the crowd afterwards: “Who knew he could sing?”

The fans loved Benedict’s impromptu performance as the 40-year-old actor got a huge round of applause as he left the stage.

One fan tweeted: “Benedict Cumberbatch knocks it out the park doing a duet with David Gilmour. ‘Comfortably Numb’ taken to a new dimension!”. l

Shilpa Shetty pens down her second book n Showtime Desk Bollywood diva Shilpa Shetty, who earlier emerged as a writer with her debut book The Great Indian Diet, is all set to come up with her second one. So far we learned that the book is a second volume followed by the bestselling first.

The actress revealed about the book recently while promoting

the #SmallStepsToHealthyHeart initiative by Saffola life by saying, “In the coming days, I will be announcing a big news in the health sector. I am very excited about that. I am writing my second book. The first book The Great Indian Diet is already a bestseller, so on the back of that I am doing the second book now.”

While asked what the book is about, Shetty declines to

reveal much but said, “It will be something about recipes.”

“I think as a celebrity I should make people aware that they are consuming food in a wrong way.

Having said that, I want to tell them what they should do or eat to become healthy and fit,” she added.

The Life in a… Metro star is one of the few actresses who has maintained her gorgeous looks flawlessly.l

Parambrata playbacks for Bhuban Majhi n Showtime Desk Currently, Bhuban Majhi’s postproduction works are wrapping up. In the meantime, another exciting news regarding the film has come out. Parambrata Chatterjee, who dons the lead in the film, came up with another role for it. He gave voice to a song for the film, for which the recording took place recently at the Violin Studio, in Kolkata.

The song titled “Padma nadir nouka bhirlo hooghly nadir teerey,”

is penned by Akash Chakrabarty.

The Dohar famed Kalikaprasad Bhattacharjee, composed and arranged music for the song.

The song will be released shortly online.

In the government-funded film directed by Fakhrul Areefen Khan, Parambrata Chatterjee plays the role of a spiritual singer Nahir, who is inspired by a young lady named Farida, played by Aparna Ghosh, to join the struggle of 1971 Liberation War. Maznun Mizan and Sushma Sarkar are seen in brief scenes. l

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Showtime

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

Brad Pitt says no to his premiere n Showtime Desk This upcoming Wednesday, Terrence Malick’s new film, Voyage of Time, is expected to premiere. Unfortunately the film’s narrator, Brad Pitt won’t be attending. The actor was previously scheduled to attend the premiere, to be held at the California Science Center, but he cancelled probably because he is in the middle of a messy divorce with Angelina Jolie.

The Hollywood hunk has around three weeks to declare his official response to the divorce petition filed against him.

Nevertheless, Pitt is a long time friend of the famously reclusive Malick. Previously, they worked together for the film, Tree of Life.

“Terrence’s Voyage of Time is an incredibly beautiful and unique experiential IMAX film for children and families chronicling the birth of time,” Pitt said to USA TODAY in a statement. “I’m very grateful to be part of such a fascinating and educational project, but I’m currently focused on my family situation and don’t want to distract attention away from this extraordinary film, which I encourage everyone to see,” he added. l

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

Back Page

ADB APPROVES $8BN FIVE-YEAR LOAN FOR BANGLADESH PAGE 12

SHILPA SHETTY PENS DOWN HER SECOND BOOK PAGE 31

PM: Patrons of militancy must face trial n BSS Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said those who patronise militancy in the country by supplying money and giving order, protected war criminals and burned down innocent people by petrol bombs must face trial.

About the civil law suits against BNP-Jamaat leaders, she said: "These are not political cases... these are cases of burning people," she said speaking at a meeting of leaders and workers of greater Washington chapter of Awami League at Ritz Carlton hotel here Wednesday afternoon.

Sheikh Hasina said the persons who are guilty must be punished.

Those who nurtured offenders, made war criminals ministers should also face trial, she said amidst slogans of hundreds of party followers in support of the trial.

She also ridiculed the BNP leadership for relying on foreigners and giving complaints frequently without any substance about country's politics and said they have no confidence in the strength of the people.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who stepped into 70 on Wednesday and observed her birthday without any pomp and grandeur said she learnt the lesson in her childhood from her late lamented parents to sacrifice for others' wellbeing.

Members of her family never celebrated their birthdays in a luxurious fashion when people of Bangladesh had to struggle for food and shelter in those days.

She also offered her deep condolence for the sad demise of eminent poet Syed Shamnsul Haq whom she visited at hospital in Dhaka before her coming to New York.

"I don't like to cut cake to celebrate my birthday... My only motto is to complete the unfinished task of Bangabandhu to bring smile to the downtrodden and exploited masses," she said.

She also recounted the sacrifice of her mother in absence of Bangabandhu to organise Awami League, face cases filed by the Pakistani regime and steer the movement for independence.

The prime minister also recalled how father of the nation

Besides Washington Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was also accorded a reception in Virginia on the occasion of her 70th birthday on Wednesday BSS Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman reconstructed the war ravaged Bangladesh and rebuilt economy in the post-independence era and realised recognition of Bangladesh by OIC and Commonwealth countries.

She said Bangabandhu had initiated the demarcation process of lands and enclaves between Bangladesh and India through signing the Mujib-Indira Agreement and settlement of maritime boundary with Myanmar and India.

Moreover, it was Bangabandhu who bought gas fields after the independence from the then Shell Oil Company as a far sighted step to build Bangladesh.

Bangabandhu laid the foundation of all basic work starting from infrastructure to economy and framing the Constitution in just three and half years of his government. "Had he been alive Bangladesh could have set up an example in the world," she said.

The prime minister flashed back on her painful experience of her life after the assassination of Bangabandhu and her family members on August 15, 1975 and said she had led a refugee life for nearly six years abroad.

She said, after returning to Bangladesh in 1981 as the president of Awami League, the ordeal did not end as she had to face various obstruction by the military junta of General Zia as well as internal strife from her own party.

"Always Awami League leaders and workers stood beside me in my difficult time. Big leaders make mistake but grassroots workers do not," she said amidst cheers from her followers.

Referring to the capture of power illegally and formation of BNP

by General Zia, she said Zia violated the army rules and the constitution. The party that was formed through illegal way cannot do well for the people; she said and alleged

that Zia's son (Tarique) laundered money which was proved through FBI investigation.

"We do not traverse through dishonest ways. We don't think of making our own fortune. Our thoughts always guide us how to do wellbeing of the people," she said.

On the rule by the post-75 rulers, the prime minister said the Zia, Khaleda and Ershad regimes were the weakest governments and those regimes never ever dared to raise the issue of implementing the Land boundary Agreement with India or to resolve the maritime boundaries with India and Myanmar.

"They were only busy with make their own fortunes," she said, adding their policy was to make the nation beggar and economically crippled.

Amid slogans and clapping, the prime minister said it is her government to resolve the exchange of enclaves after long 68 years with India and demarcated the maritime boundaries with the two neighbours of India and Myanmar peacefully in the international court, creating a history in the world.

The prime minister mentioned how her government attained self-sufficiency in food, resolved the nagging power crisis, planned to set up nuclear power plant and provides medicare to the poor through community clinics and drives the country towards the path of digitalisation.

She also narrated the story of her challenge to the World Bank about its allegation of corruption in the Padma Bridge project, saying that the bank failed to show any evidence of corruption and her government started construction of the bridge from its own fund.

"Whenever I faced difficulties I got the support of the people for whom I've dedicated everything," she said.

The prime minister advised the expatriates to remain careful against the backdrop of violent extremism that claims many lives of Bangladeshis in the USA. "The killing of Bangladeshi expatriates here is not acceptable... terrorism is everywhere, so remain careful," she said. l

DMP: Blades, chains off-limits for Ashura Co-ordinated security measures for Durga Puja and Ashura

n Kamrul Hasan Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has prohibited carrying swords, chains and knives during the annual Ashura procession in Dhaka to be held on October 10.

DMP commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah made the announcement at a program, organised on the occasion of K-9 Squad completing their training yesterday morning.

The commissioner said that police have taken adequate security measures for both, Ashura procession and Durga Puja, which will be observed on the same day.

Regarding the Tajia procession of Ashura, DMP Commissioner said that enough lights have been installed in the Hossaini Dalan area.

Last year there was a grenade attack on the Tajia procession but investigators had trouble identifying the attackers because of the poor lighting in the area, he added.

Police have spken with both the Shia and Hindu community leaders ahead of the two largest religious festivals. Police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Detective Branch, Ansar and members of other intelligence wings will be deployed on the day to avert any untoward situations.

Idols of goddess Durga will reach the Buriganga river for immersion from Dhakeshwari via Palashi, Doel Chattar, Golap Shah Mazar and Nababpur areas on October 10.

Ashura commemorates the slaying of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein at the battle of Karbala, now in southern Iraq, in AD 680.

Shias beat their heads and chests with chains and knives, and gash their heads with swords to show their grief and echo the suffering of Imam Hussein.

Meanwhile, Durga Puja, the annual Hindu festival also known as Sharadiya (autumnal) Durga Utsav, is the worship of ‘Shakti’ embodied in goddess Durga.

It symbolises the battle between good and evil where the dark forces eventually succumb to the divine. l

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