October 1, 2016

SECOND EDITION

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016 | Ashwin 16, 1423, Zil-Hajj 28, 1437 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 154 | www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages plus 12-page Arts & Letters | Price: Tk10

Half of narcotics cases PM returns home n end in acquittal Tribune Desk

n Arifur Rahman Rabbi About 54% of those arrested in drug related cases filed by the Department of Narcotics Control in the past five years have gotten acquitted.

Up to July this year, 954 cases were filed against 1,174 people, of

whom 636 people were acquitted and 538 were sentenced. Of all the cases that were tried, 420 ended in conviction and 534 were dismissed. Around 51,000 cases are still pending, according to numbers released recently by the DNC. People concerned alleged that the high rate of acquittals was hap-

pening because of weak investigations, FIRs and charge sheets filed improperly.

“The court pronounces a judgement on the basis of evidence – often obtained from the depositions of witnesses. But we often find witnesses absent from the court,”  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned home yesterday from Washington after concluding her 17-day visit to the Unites States and Canada.

Emirates Airlines flight EK586 carrying the premier and members of her entourage landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 6:50pm.

Deputy Leader of Jatiya Sangsad Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury received the prime minister presenting a bouquet of flowers as she disembarked from the aircraft, BSS reports.

On September 14, Hasina had left Dhaka for the North American tour.

She first paid a four-day visit to Canada on September 15-18 to attend the Fifth Replenishment Conference of the Global Fund on deadly diseases at the invitation of her Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau.

She then went to New York City to join the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

During her stay in New York, the Premier also held bilateral talks with world leaders and took part in the discourses on global issues.

A large number of front-ranking leaders of Awami League and its associate bodies were present at the airport to greet the Prime Minister as the party accorded a grand reception on her successful visit to the US and Canada and receiving the Planet 50-50 Champion and the Agent of Change Award.

The UN-Women recognised the Prime Minister as Planet 50-50 Champion, while Global Partnership Forum handed over the Agent of Change Award to her this year for her outstanding contribution to women empowerment. The award was handed over at a high-level reception at the UN Headquarters on September 22.

Ministers, PM’s advisers, mayors of Dhaka South and Dhaka North City corporations, state and deputy ministers and senior officials were present at the airport to receive the prime minister.

The city was at a standstill during PM’s return

The PM was welcomed by thousands of Awami League supporters  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

Under-pressure Tigers target series win n Mazhar Uddin

The mindset has changed drastically for the home side after the second ODI defeat as there will be some extra pressure on the Tigers when they take on a spirited Afghanistan in the series-deciding game at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today.

Bangladesh were shaky in the first ODI after returning to the 50over format following a 10-month break and despite a few errors, the home side eventually managed to snatch a close seven-run win. But the Tigers repeated the mistakes in the second game as the Afghans cashed in on the opportunity and levelled the series and are now eyeing a historic series win against a higher-ranked nation.

Batting has been the major concern for Bangladesh as the batsmen tend to throw their wickets away after being set at the crease.

Soumya Sarkar, who has been going through a poor run in the last year or so, did get a start in the second ODI but failed to push on and post a big score. Tamim Iqbal, along with Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah and Shakib al Hasan, were guilty of the same mistake, failing to prolong their innings.

So the seniors need to take up more responsibility with the bat to ensure no more hiccups in the series-decider.

Youngster Mosaddek Hossain was the exception for the Tigers on his debut as he remained unbeaten on 45, adding 43 valuable runs for  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

The England national cricket team arrive at Hotel Radisson Blu Water Garden in Dhaka yesterday evening to play two Test matches and three ODIs with Bangladesh MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

INSIDE Children’s involvement in crime on the rise

ASK: 150 custodial deaths in nine months

Barapukuria plant turns a curse for locals

Recruitment of children in criminal activities, mostly by criminal gangs, is on the rise in the country, according to several experts and statistical databases.  PAGE 3

Ain o Salish Kendra has counted reported deaths of at least 150 people in so-called crossfires or gunfights and other means at the hands of different law enforcement agencies.  PAGE 5

Despite massive protests from locals, rights activists and international experts government built the Barapukuria Power Plant in 2009 in Phulbaria upazila of Dinajpur.  PAGE 7

London mission in disarray over British visa for performers Bangladesh High Commission in London is in disarray over the arrival of four Bangladeshi performers to attend an event there.  PAGE 32

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

Jubo League man held with gun near airport n Tribune Desk A Jubo League leader has been held with a firearm from near the Shahjalal Airport during the prime minister’s arrival in Dhaka.

The detainee, Selim Khan, 45, is a leader of the ruling party-affiliated organisation’s Dhaka metropolitan north wing. He was held around 4pm yesterday and taken to the Airport Police Station.

The station’s Officer-in-Charge Nur-e-Azam confirmed the incident to Dhaka Tribune.

“Police have detained Selim Khan, a Jubo League leader, from among the activists gathered there to receive Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he said.

The officer said the gun Selim Khan had was licenced.

“But there is a ban on bringing weapons to the prime minister’s event. Therefore he has been detained at the police station,” he added.

Nur-e-Azam said decision would be taken about the man after discussing with senior police officials. l

Vehicles remain in standstill due to heavy traffic congestion near the Jahangir Gate on Bir Uttam Ziaur Rahman Road in Dhaka yesterday evening. As the prime minister arrived home following her 17-day visit to Canada and the US yesterday evening, a grand reception thrown by her party men create an insufferable traffic gridlock on the major streets in the capital DHAKA TRIBUNE

Pakistan postpones Saarc summit n Tribune Desk

Pakistan yesterday officially postponed the Saarc Summit to be held in Islamabad next month after India along with four other member states of the regional grouping decided against attending the meet, reports PTI. The Pakistan Foreign Office al-

leged in a statement that decision

by India to “derail the summit” effectively “contradicts” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s own call to fight against poverty in the region.

“India’s decision to abstain from the Summit on the basis of unfounded assumptions on the Uri incident is a futile effort to divert attention of the world from the

atrocities” by India in Kashmir, the Foreign Office said.

“Pakistan attaches great importance to regional cooperation under the umbrella of Saarc ... Therefore, Pakistan remains committed to hosting the 19th Saarc Summit at Islamabad at the earliest so that the objectives of regional cooperation under the Saarc umbrella can

be pursued more vigorously,” it said.

The Foreign Office said a new set of dates for holding of the summit in Islamabad will be announced soon, through Nepal, which is currently the Saarc Chair.

“Accordingly, we have conveyed the same to the prime minister of Nepal,” it said. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Under-pressure Tigers target series win the last wicket with Rubel Hossain to take his side past the 200-run mark.

The 20-year old also had a good time with the ball, picking up two wickets giving away 30 runs from his quota of 10 overs and will once again look to continue his impressive form as he also starred in the lone practice match against the Afghans.

Meanwhile, Tigers head coach Chandika Hathurusingha will look for a better team combination after

left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain was called up to the squad in place of paceman Rubel Hossain.

Mosharraf has been performing consistently in the domestic circuit for quite some time now and has a bright chance of making a comeback to the national side after eight years.

The pitch for the first and second ODI gave a lot of assistance to the spinners and the Tigers think tank may opt for three spinners - Shakib, Taijul Islam and Moshar-

raf - in the playing XI with skipper Mashrafe bin Mortaza and Taskin Ahmed shoring up the pace-bowling department.

However, another pacer Shafiul Islam, who is yet to play a game in the series, is also being considered for the third ODI. In that case, Taijul may be left out.

In contrast, Afghanistan have been up to the mark with their bowling and managed to dismiss Bangladesh in both the games.

The experienced Mohammad

Nabi will once again lead the way with the leather, along with leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who has so far troubled the Bangladesh batsmen a great deal. Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai played well in the second game and scored his first ODI fifty since last year while Mohammad Shahzad can be devastating on his day.

The Mirpur pitch will yet again help the spinners and the home side’s tweakers will be looking to make the most of it. l

Half of narcotics cases end in acquittal Public Prosecutor Abu Abdullah told the Dhaka Tribune.

“Some who were made witnesses by the investigators on the case gave statements against the charges. Investigators often even failed to present the evidence,” he added.

The lawyer said weak FIRs, poor investigation and improper charge sheet, all may contribute to the failure of the drugs cases.

On the basis of experience and observation of narcotics trials, Abu Abdullah said most of the time the investigator does not give importance to the selection of witnesses.

“They will pick bystanders or passersby as witnesses. As a result, the court cannot find the person when it is time for witness statements. May be they have moved somewhere else, changed their addresses. To

resolve such issues the investigator could take the mobile phone number of the witnesses. That way it may at least be possible for us to find the witnesses,” he added.

Mostafizur Rahman, assistant director (operations) of the Department of Narcotics Control, told the Dhaka Tribune that they had limited manpower with which to handle all duties.

“Sometimes the accused is released for weak investigation. But the investigators are always trying to do their best to place the witnesses and evidence properly in the court. However, sometimes it may not be enough,” he said.

“To ensure that the accused get punished, we are trying to increase manpower to develop the quality of our investigation.”

DNC officials said they cannot

always pay attention to proper investigation due to manpower shortage and since they are occupied with many other tasks.

According to the department of Narcotics Control statistics, in the last five years the case dismissal rate increased by 12% and correspondingly the number of acquittals increased.

Last year, the DNC filed 1,873 cases and scored convictions in only 892 of them. In these cases 971 people were convicted, which was 48.2% of the total. The rest were acquitted, which was 51.8% of the total.

In 2014, 2,689 cases were filed whereas conviction was handed out in 1,716 cases. Among the cases, 1,175 people had been convicted, which was 52% of the total.

In 2013, the department filed

2,066 cases and got 1,127 convictions. In those cases 1,218 people were found guilty, which was 54% of the total.

In 2012, 3,494 cases were filed and 1,846 cases ended in convictions. In them, 1,860 people were convicted, which is 53% of the total.

However, mobile courts operating under the Department have had a better rate of success.

Until August this year, the mobile courts carried out 9,404 drives and filed 4,473 cases and convicted 4,612 people.

In 2015, the mobile courts carried out 14,937 drives, filed 7487 cases and convicted 7,823 people.

In 2014, there were 14,815 drives, 7,948 cases and 8,320 convicts and in 2013, 9,679 drives, 5,244 cases and 5,445 convicts. l

PM returns home on her way to and at Gono Bhaban.

The traffic movement in the city came to a standstill by yesterday evening. The traffic situation had already began to worsen by noon.

The city dwellers suffered sporadic to heavy traffic gridlocks in different areas of Dhaka, especially on Airport road and Mirpur area.

In pursuit of giving the prime minister a warm welcome, scores of followers and supporters flooded the streets creating a near intractable traffic gridlock on the highways of Dhaka.

Many commuters were stuck in traffic jams amid the chants and slogans played on loudspeakers by the followers during the day.

A Facebook user, Proloy Hasan, posted an elaborate status on his entire experience of commuting through Dhaka yesterday, saying: “It seemed like time has simply stopped, and I am stuck in the jam forever.”

One Wahid Ahmed wrote: “What happened to this country … Reception of political leaders are really valuable … Dhaka city is now stuck down in heavy traffic as we have to pay for litres of fuel and CNG … Just waste of money and time ...”

A Mack Al Mamun wrote: “If you are planning to go outside today, go at your own risk. I covered less than 2km in 30-40 mins, which made me turn our car and return back home.” l

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Children’s involvement in crime on the rise Jamil Khan and n Mohammad Md Sanaul Islam Tipu Recruitment of children in criminal activities, mostly by criminal gangs, is on the rise in the country, according to several experts and statistical databases.

The majority of these juvenile delinquents are street children who get initiated into the world of crime through drug abuse, said experts.

“Street children are getting engaged in criminal activities – in most cases without their knowledge. There is an organised syndicate of criminals who are working behind it and mainly forcing these children into committing crimes,” said Wahida Banu, executive director of Aparajeyo Bangladesh.

According to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, there are around 40 million children in the country between the age of 5 and 17 years.

Among them, around 1.3 million children are engaged in hazardous jobs, 70% of whom are also involved in criminal activities due to poverty.

As Bangladesh observes National Child Rights Week 2016 from September 29 to October 5, sources at the Ministry of Home Affairs

say around 44% of the street children in the country are involved in drug peddling, 35% are involved in picketing, 12% in mugging, 11% in human trafficking and 21% in other criminal activities.

According to the Department of

rul Islam refuted the allegation.

“We do not tolerate any illegal activities, especially drug-related activities. We regularly raid the areas vulnerable to drug dealing and make arrests,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

cruit street children because they are difficult to trace.

In one such case, 15-year-old Deen Islam was arrested in Sutikhalpar area in Jatrabari on September 30, 2013 with 25 yaba pills.

Police produced him in court

Street children are getting engaged in criminal activities – in most cases without their knowledge. There is an organised syndicate of criminals who are working behind it and mainly forcing these children into committing crimes Narcotics Control, nearly 550,000 children are addicted to drugs and around 30% of them are engaged in criminal activities to fuel their addiction.

The Dhaka Tribune recently visited the slum in the capital’s Karwan Bazar area where children of different ages were found taking drugs – sometimes in broad daylight.

The scenario is similar in most of the slums in Dhaka, and they get away with it by paying bribes to law enforcers, according to sources.

However, when asked about it, Tejgaon police station OC Mazha-

Meanwhile, according to children’s rights watchdog Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF), 18 children aged between 12 and 17 years were arrested while carrying firearms, 5 in the same age range for murder, 6 for drug peddling, 26 for rape, 18 for robbery and theft and 33 for participating in political violence in 2015.

Besides, 14 children aged between 12 and 17 years were convicted for sexual harassment by mobile courts.

Invisible population

Sources say seasoned criminals re-

but he was able to secure bail and got out of prison on October 29 that year, a man named Abul Malek acting as bail guarantor in the case.

However, shortly after securing bail, both Deen and Malek went into hiding and have yet to be found, sources said.

In the case document, Deen’s address in Dhaka was listed as Jatrabari, while his permanent address was mentioned to be in Kishoreganj. But this information was later found to be false.

Court sources said such cases are very common as street children rarely have permanent bases and

can go into hiding without leaving a trace.

In a bid to try such cases, a juvenile court was formed in Dhaka on October 4 last year where drug-related cases are given top priority.

The court currently has 428 cases on trial, of which 140 are drug-related, sources said.

“Since most of the accused are street children, they are difficult to get a hold of once they secure bail.

Finding witnesses in these cases is also difficult, which is why verdicts are getting delayed,” said Md Shahabuddin Miah, assistant public prosecutor at the juvenile court.

“But we are doing our best to get the verdicts out,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

“The street children get involved in crime because they have no shelter and grow up in poverty.

The government must ensure shelter and education for these children to stop them from becoming criminals,” said BSAF Director AS Mahmood.

When contacted in this regard, State Minister of Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki said the ministry was working on this issue. “Children who are involved in crime will be brought under punishment,” she said. l

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

BCL, police foil Rampal protest at Shaheed Minar n Kamrul Hasan and Arif Ahmed A peaceful protest rally at the Central Shaheed Minar on Dhaka University campus yesterday morning against the construction of Rampal power plant turned into a scuffle, which the rally organisers claimed was incited by Bangladesh Chhatra League men.

The organisers claimed that more than 50 protesters were injured during the melee as Chhatra League men swooped on the protesters as soon as the rally kicked off around 10:30am.

Police used water cannon to disperse both the protesters and the Chhatra League men. Organisers also claimed that police personnel treated them rather harshly.

In defence, Shahbagh police station OC Abu Bakar Siddiq told the Dhaka Tribune that neither Chhatra League nor the protest rally orgnisers notified the authorities concerned about their scheduled programmes at the Shaheed Minar premises.

When contacted, Dhaka University Proctor Prof Amzad Ali also said that neither the anti-Rampal protesters nor the Chhatra League demonstrators had notified the university authorities about their programmes beforehand.

Saikat Mallik, president of Bangladesh Student Federation and one of the protesters, told the Dhaka Tribune that the organisers had planned a bicycle rally – titled Bachao Sundarban Cyclist Procession – followed by a gathering at 10:30am at Shaheed Minar.

“But as soon as we reached the campus, we saw the area was al-

Two cyclists are handcuffed and taken in custody by Tejgaon police in Farmgate area, Dhaka yesterday morning on suspicion of their involvement in the protest against Rampal coal-fired power plant at Central Shaheed Minar RAJIB DHAR ready occupied by Chhatra League members,” he said.

Witnesses told the Dhaka Tribune that Chhatra League members waved banners supporting the construction of Rampal power plant and hurled abuses and threats at the protesters.

A number of general students who attended the Chhatra League counter-demonstration admitted that they were forced to participate in the counter-protest by the student wing of the ruling party.

The Chhatra League members herded the protesters on to the Shaheed Minar grounds and creat-

DNCC garbage truck kills BGB man n Arifur Rahman Rabbi A member of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been killed as a garbage truck of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) ran over him in Shyamoli of Dhaka on Friday around 9:20am.

The deceased is Abu Taher, 30.

Mohammapur police station ASI Sadequr Rahman said the garbage truck ran over Abu Taher when he was crossing the road in front of Shishu Mela, leaving him dead on the spot.

An agitated mob caught the vehicle, however, its driver managed to flee the scene.

On information, police rushed to spot, seized the truck and sent the corpse to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

“We have informed the BGB high officials about the accident

and they will come to take over the body,” the ASI added.

Mohsin Reza, public relations officer of BGB Headquarters told Dhaka Tribune that Taher worked as a nayak of BGB and lived in a barrack in Pilkhana. He was from a village in Maikganj.

He added: “Taher went to the college gate area to visit his older brother who is sick and admitted in Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. Taher had the accident on his way, after the visit to the hospital. We [BGB] express our deepest condolences for the loss.”

Jamal Uddin Mir, officer-incharge of Mohammadpur police station told Dhaka Tribune that this incident took place adjacent to Shishu Mela. He added: “We will take necessary action in connection to this incident.” l

ed a wall around them, preventing anyone from leaving or entering.

The Rampal protesters, led by Prof Anu Muhammad, tried to exit multiple times but were repelled

by Chhatra League every time.

The protesters asked for an open debate between the two parties and were rewarded with even more jeers and violent threats.

Cyclists from around the city were rallying to this spot as well.

Police stopped a number of cyclists in Shahbagh, Dhanmondi, Nilkhet, Polashi and Kakrail and seized their bicycles.

A cyclist was beaten up and

his bicycle smashed by Chhatra League members near Dhaka College, organisers told the Dhaka Tribune.

Liton Nandi, president of Bangladesh Student Union, said Chhatra League activists broke an arm of a protester named Ashik.

Samanta Sharmin, coordinator of the protest, confirmed the victim's identity as Hasib Mohammad Ashik, second-year student at the department of Islamic history at Dhaka University.

In a press statement, she further said three of the injured protesters were admitted at Dhaka Medical

College Hospital.

Despite all the earlier setbacks, the protesters managed to rally together at Shaheed Minar and tried one last time to break through the Chhatra League barrier. They placed women, children and the elderly at the forefront and marched onwards. They were attacked from behind as they proceeded towards National Press Club.

They were set upon by police at this point and protesters dispersed in various directions.

“The attack has revealed the moral depravity of the government.

They are afraid of our protests and unleashed Chhatra League and police repeatedly on us,” said Prof Anu Muhammad, member secretary of National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports.

However, when the Dhaka Tribune contacted the DU wing of Chhatra League, they claimed that no members of the student party was present at the counter-demonstration, and those who participated were general students.

Two cyclists detained

Sub-Inspector Shahidur Rahman of Tejgaon police station told the Dhaka Tribune that two cyclists were detained near Farmgate area with Bangladesh flags on suspicion of hand bomb explosions in Shahbagh.

When asked why Tejgaon police arrested them for any alleged incident at Shaheed Minar, he replied that they were just following orders from the Police Headquarters.

The names of the arrestees were not disclosed. l

Govt to reward Posco Daewoo for speedy deep sea exploration n Asif Showkat Kallol The government has decided to reward South Korean company Posco Daewoo International Corporation for successful exploration at offshore gas block no 12 in the Bay of Bengal under the Speedy Supply of Power and Energy (Special Provision) Act 2010, official sources said.

The Power Division has placed a proposal in this regard at the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, to be placed in the next Cabinet meeting, a Power Division official told the Dhaka Tribune.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina already gave the nod for the plan last month, he added.

According to the agreement between Posco Daewoo and Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla), Daewoo will

The Power Division has placed a proposal in this regard at the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, to be placed in the next Cabinet meeting purchase 1,000 cubic feet of gas at $6.5 per unit, the official said.

“Under the agreement, the government will get its share of gas and also buy gas from international oil company at this rate. The com-

pany will get the gas under production sharing contract,” he said.

According to sources, in May, Petrobangla completed negotiations with three international oil companies to explore three offshore gas blocks – Blocks 12, 16 and 21 – with the depth of 20-200 metres and areas of 3,200-3,600 square kilometres in the Bay of Bengal.

Then, Petrobangla received formal Request for Proposal for Block 12 from Singapore-based KrisEnergy, South Korea-based Posco Daewoo, and Norway-based Statoil.

Later, Posco Daewoo and KrisEnergy submitted Express of Interest proposals for the project, before the deal was eventually finalised with Posco Daewoo.

No proposals were submitted for Blocks 16 and 21, the official said. l

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ASK: 150 custodial deaths in nine months n Tribune Desk Human rights group Ain o Salish Kendra has counted reported deaths of at least 150 people in socalled crossfires or gunfights and other means at the hands of different law enforcement agencies in the last nine months.

The dead include 19 militants killed after the deadly Gulshan terror attack and in raids at different places of Dhaka and Narayanganj.

Of those killed extrajudicially, the highest 83 people died in police custody, followed by 34 in elite force Rapid Action Battalion custody before and after their arrest.

Other forces accused of extrajudicial killings are DB police (12 deaths), SWAT (12 deaths), joint forces (six deaths), BGB-police (two deaths) and Ansar/rail police (one death).

Meanwhile, family members and witnesses allege that at least 75 others were picked up by plainclothes police during the same time. Only three of the victims returned to their families alive and eight as dead, while 18 others were shown arrested in different cases.

The police have, however, refuted the allegations of detaining these persons, ASK says in its periodical report released yesterday.

Information on the incidents were collected from nine national dailies and ASK offices across the country.

The latest report says at least 90

The number of people sustained injuries in political violence during this time is 10,863, according to ASK. On the other hand, at least 34 people were killed in mob beating across the country, including 11 each in Dhaka and Chittagong.

During the last nine months, ASK and the nine dailies reported attack and harassment of at least 95 journalists across the country.

people were killed in crossfires or gunfights by the police, RAB, DB police and BGB-police before their arrest while 20 others after being held by police and RAB. Of the dead, five people died due to torture after arrest and four before their arrest. Four others died during treatment in custody while two faced mysterious deaths, ASK says.

Killed in police custody

83

Killed in RAB custody

34

Killed in polls violence

146

Killed by BSF along border

27

Temples vadalised, torched

79

Killed for dowry

96

Incidents of rape/gang-rape

512

Killed for protesting sexual assault

Between January and September, at least seven Hindu priests and followers were killed by militants across the country ASK says. Apart from the seven, two Christians and two Buddhists were also killed by the religious extremists.

ASK documentation also reports death threats issued against a number of Hindu priests and followers, 79 incidents of vandalism and arson attacks on Hindu temples and 58 incidents of attacks on houses.

At least five Hindu houses were grabbed by criminals during the time when at least 27 people sustained injuries across the country.

Violence against women

11

Of them, 32 came under terrorist attacks, 19 were tortured or threatened by ruling Awami League men while 18 others sued for their reports.

The Border Security Force (BSF) of India shot dead 21 Bangladeshis along the border since January and tortured to death six others. The reason behind another death could not be ascertained.

At least 28 others were injured in attacks by the BSF personnel and 19 abducted during the same time. All but one were returned to the BGB.

On the other hand, 34 people detained in lockups and 23 prisoners died or were killed during the first nine months of the current year.

The rights body also reports that at least 168 people were killed in 855 incidents of political violence occurred centring establishing supremacy across the country.

Of them, 142 people were killed in the union parishad elections, four during the municipality polls while 13 others killed in clashes between rival groups of the ruling Awami League.

Attack on religious minorities

At least 89 women and seven children were killed from January to September while three others committed suicide due to torture for dowry by their in-laws. The number of women injured due to torture for dowry was 93.

The rights body reports at least 28 incidents of acid attacks on women and children in the first nine months. Four of the victims were children while one of the victims attacked for dowry died while undergoing treatment. Only nine cases were filed over the 28 incidents.

At least eight women were subjected to torture through fatwa or village arbitration across the country during the nine months. Four

of them were banished from their village. Legal action was sought in only two of the incidents.

Twenty-six cases were filed over the deaths of 30 domestic helps in torture, three suicide, 14 torture and two rape incidents across the country. Of the victims, 30 are children.

At least 58 women were killed by their husbands and in-laws while 10 by their own families during the time. The dead include 18 children.

Only 135 cases were filed in the 305 incidents of domestic violence occurred during the period, ASK says.

At least 512 incidents of rape were reported in media since January. Of the victims, 26 were killed after rape. The number of gangrape was 152, of who 64 are aged 13-18 years.

More than half of the rape victims were children. Of the 341 children raped, 37 are aged below six, 121 are aged 7-12 and 183 between 13 and 18 years.

On the other hand, at least six men and five women were killed for protesting against sexual harassment, while six women committed suicide since January.

Another 94 women and 17 men were subjected to torture and assault for resisting stalkers, while 61 men who came forward to help the victims were injured in clashes with the stalkers. Four girls stopped going to school after facing sexual harassment during this time. l

Strike postponed at Chittagong port Hussain, Chittagong n Anwar and Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Chittagong Prime Mover-Trailer Owners-Workers Unity Council has postponed their strike at the at Chittagong Port till October 4.

Humayun Kabir, general secretary of Chittagong Prime Mover-Trailer Workers’ Union, said that they had decided to postpone the strike after a meeting with CMP Commissioner Iqbal Bahar at his residence yesterday morning.

An inter-ministry meeting will be held on October 4 with Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader in the chair, to discuss the demands.

Due to the strike, a total of 40,259 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers have piled up at the port yards exceeding their capacity of 36,357 TEUs. The strike was announced on Monday for an indefinite period

to a rough estimate of Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association (BFFA), in the last five days of the strike, the RMG sector has witnessed shipment hindrance of $380 million. Currently, Bangladesh exports RMG products of $76m in a day using the Chittagong seaport.

“The movers went on an indefinite strike raising demands, but neither the government nor the leaders of trailers informed us.

We have to bear the brunt of the strike,” BGMEA President Siddiqur Rahman told reporters.

“Shipments worth thousands of crores of Taka have been disturbed due to the strike. We are earnestly requesting the government to take steps so that no one can use the port as a tool to materialise the their demands,” Siddiqur said.

BGMEA Senior Vice-President Faruq Hassan and BFFA President Mahbubul Anam were present at the conference. l

protesting alleged harassment, fines and assault of trailer operators at load control centres at Daudkandi and Meghna Bridge areas on Dhaka-Chittagong highway.

The Roads and Highways Department issued a notice on August 17 to check overloading on the highways through fixing the weight limit of maximum 33 tonnes for each prime mover. A provision for fine was also kept in the notice.

At a press conference yesterday, the RMG business apex body Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s intervention in resolving the crisis at the Chittagong Port.

They also demanded compensation for the probable losses from the parties who are responsible for the strike.

Over 80% of the shipment of the apparel sector is sent out through the Chittagong sea port. According

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

RAIN OR THUNDERSHOWER LIKELY SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1

Dhaka

34

26

Chittagong

33

27

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 5:46PM

34

26

Rangpur

34

25

Khulna

33

25

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:51AM

35.5ºC Khulna

22.6ºC Sylhet

Source: Accuweather/UNB

33

26

PRAYER TIMES

Sylhet

34

25

Cox’s Bazar

32

27

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

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

Jamuna gobbles up 3km of Sariakandi

The photo taken yesterday from Dhalikandi village, Sariakandi upzila, Bogra shows a portion of the village has been eroded by the Jamuna River

n Nazmul Huda Nasim, Bogra The Jamuna River, which has been receding for the last few days, is now causing severe erosion on the bank of the river at Sariakandi, Bogra, washing away houses and infrastructures.

According to the Water Development Board officials, severe erosion took place as the water started receding.

The sources said the river has already eroded five hundreds of houses and five primary schools.

Around 500 families of Sari-

NEWS IN BRIEF Fire breaks out at a chemical factory in Ashulia

A fire broke out in the ground floor of a chemical factory building in Ashulia’s Zirabo area on yesterday afternoon.

Abdul Hamid, station officer of the Ashulia EPZ fire service, told the Dhaka Tribune that three units of fire services are working to douse the fire, started at 3pm, of the Greenholl Limited factory building. The second floor is the factory floor and it has not been effected by the fire. There has been no news of any casualty, as of yet.

Two minors drown in Natore

Two girls drowned in a pond while bathing in two villages in Lakshmipur Kholabaria union under Natore sadar upazila yesterday. The drownings occurred in neighbouring villages around the same time.

Jim Khatun, 8, daughter of Abu Siddique from Chowri village went to bath in a nearby pond at around 12 on Friday. She was found at about 2pm.

Jakia Sultana, 12, daughter of Atikur Rahman from Khamar village went to bath around 1:30pm was found around 2pm as well. UP Chairman Baten Bhuiyan confirmed the deaths.

Truck hits autorickshaw killing policeman in Kushtia

A police member was killed and two others were injured as a truck hit an auto-rickshaw, requisitioned for the law enforcers’ duty, in front of Islami University at Shantidanga on the Kushtia-Jhenaidah highway in Sadar upazila early yesterday. The deceased was identified as nayek Ariful Islam, a resident of Khojabari village in Badalgachhi upazila of Naogaon district, while the injured policemen were nayek Amirul Islam and constable Tushar Emran. Superintendent of police Prolay Chisim said the accident took place around 4:30am when a speeding truck slammed into an auto rickshaw, requisitioned for police duty, carrying three policemen, from behind, leaving them critically injured.

-TRIBUNE DESK

akandi Local people have already taken shelter at safer places.

During a visit to Kornibari village under Sariakandi upzila, this correspondent found that around three-kilometre area of the upzila had been eroded by the river.

Nizam Uddin High School, a

DHAKA TRIBUNE

community clinic and two government primary schools may be eroded anytime.

Staff of the Water Development Board were trying to check the erosion putting sand bags.

Hafizur Rahman, Fazlul Haque, Taslim Uddin, Rafiqul Islam who

are residents of Dhalorkandi village told the Dhaka Tribune that they did not want any assistance from the government, they only want measures which would check erosion of the Jamuna River.

Nasima Begum, a resident of Boirakandi village, said: “We cannot sleep at night fearing erosion.

When we tried to take shelter at the flood control embankment, some people prevented us from taking shelter there. “We do not know where will we go?”

Sarbanu, wife of Ishak Mandol, a resident of Dhalirkandi village, alleged that the Water Development went their locality after the start of erosion, but they did not take any preventive measures.

Chairman of Sariakandi union parishad told the Dhaka Tribune that if the WDB did not take prompt measures to save the locality from erosion, the entire locality would be gobbled up by the river.

Ansar Ali, organising secretary of Sariakandi upzila unit Awami League, said as the flood control embankment was at risk, the WDB should take measures to save the dam, otherwise, affected people would not find any place to take shelter.

Executive Engineer of the WDB Ruhul Amin told the Dhaka Tribune that they would start renovation of the dam from Rouhdoho to Dhalirkandi in November at a cost of Tk301 crore. He expressed hope that the work on the embankment would finish in 2018. l

Thousands in Bhabodah suffering for waterlogging n Taudid Zaman, Jessore As water-logging in Bhabodaha area consisting Monirampur, Abhoynagar, Keshobpur upazilas of Jessore and large portions of Phultala and Dumuria upazilas of Khulna district, has become a permanent problem and nearly 3 lakh people of the area have been sufferings for years.

The large area is now similar with longterm water logging as drainage channels of several rivers of the area have been silted up.

Due to fatal water logging local people have become financially crippled, said local sources.

Water-logging in Bhabodaha is not a new problem, since 60s different steps were taken to reduce the problem but those steps did not bring any long-term benefits, said local sources.

Debasis Mondal, 40, a resident of Monirampur upazila, who used

to work as a daily labourer said, “Now the people of the area is ruining their lives with help of government and other organisations.”

“We have been living in a tinny temporary house on a road for two months,” he said.

Tripty Rani, a teacher of Sujatpara Primary School said, “Due to water logging we have compelled to live with snakes and fishes.”

She said, “If concerned authorities do not take immediate steps to solve water logging problems permanently, we have bound to raise our voices.”

Shekhar Chandra Roy, Chairman of Kultia union said, “People of the area are suffering due to water logging. People who run their live from hand to mouth are running out of food as wage earner having sit ideal due to water logging.”

The chairman urged to government to declare Bhabodaho as disaster area immediately.

Enamul Haque, general secretary of Bhabodaho water extraction songram committee said, “Suffering of the local due to water logging has continued increasing and people’s financial condition has hampered seriously.”

He said: “Government has already started dredging works to reduce suffering of people.”

He urged to authorities concerned to deploy army to boost the dredging works along with to start Tidal River Management (TRM) so that the water bodies are dredged and level of the lands is made high to solve the problem permanently.

He hoped that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will take necessary initiatives to tackle the problems.

Dr Humayun Kabir, Deputy Commissioner of Jessore said: “District Administration is going to start TRM in the area to solve the problem permanently.” l

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

Barapukuria plant turns a curse for locals n Bipul Sarker Sunny, Dinajpur Despite massive protests from locals, rights activists and international experts government built the Barapukuria Power Plant in 2009 in Phulbaria upazila of Dinajpur district and after seven years of its establishment it has turned as a curse of the local people.

Now adjacent people are suffering from acute water crisis and different skin diseases due to Barapukuria Power Plant.

Thousands inhabitants of 11 villages in Phulbaria are falling victims of various skin diseases due to the waste and coal mixed contaminated water emerged from the power plant and suffering from acute water crisis, as water level of the area has been fallen drastically due to the 14 deep-water pumps of the plant which remain always running for collecting water, said locals sources.

Fazlur Rahman, an employee of the power plant and resident of Yusufpur village in the upazila, said: “In 2009, authorities concerned of power plant installed 14 deep-water pumps to collect water to produced electricity from water steam. These pumps collect nearly thousands tonnes of water per hour to meet the demand.

“Due to excessive collection of water by the pumps, water level of the area has fallen drastically and people of the area have been running out from water from several years.”

Fazlur said: “Now, we have compelled to buy water from Bogra Palli Unnayon Academy to meet our daily need of water.”

Not only these, people of the area are also suffering from severe diseases as people of the area have bound to use coal mixed poisonous water for their daily works due to

Riva, a second grader student of a local school in Fulbaria upazila of Dinajpur shows her affected hand to this correspondent.

Riva has been suffering from complicated skin diseases for two months after washing her hands with coal-mixed waste water.

The photo was taken from Yusufpur village in the upazila yesterday. Bipul Sarker Sunny DHAKA TRIBUNE lack of water supply.

Riva, a second grader student of the local school and daughter of Idris Ali, hailing from Yusufpur village has been suffering from complicated skin diseases for two months after using coal-mixed waste water. Idris Ali has spent Tk700 daily to cure her daughter, but his all effects went in vain, said locals.

Idris Ali said: “Riva washed her hands with water of a ditch, filled with coal mixed water as we were running out of water. After the incident, she has affected with skin diseases.

“Local people such as farmers, school going children and women of the area, who used ditch water

for daily works, are also suffering from skin diseases like Riva.”

Local people also alleged that amid living beside of the power plant they are suffering from load-shedding.

Achhiya Khatun, resident in the upazila, said: “We pay Tk12 per month for water but the supply of water is not enough against our demand.

“The power plant is not for us.

We live beside the power plant but we do not get electricity and have to suffer from acute load shedding.”

Hazrat Ali, senior assistant director (security) of Barapukuria Power Plant, said: “Water level of the area has fallen due to deep-wa-

Hannan Shah laid to eternal rest Islam Akand, n Raihanul Gazipur

BNP standing committee member ASM Hannan Shah, who died in Singapore on Tuesday, was buried at his native village Ghagutia, Gazipur, Kapasia upazila, on Friday afternoon.

His two namaz-e-janazas were held at Bhawal Rajbari ground around 9am and Kapasia Pilot School ground around 11am. Hundreds of BNP leaders and activists participated in the janaza.

BNP leaders, including Fazlul

Haq Milon and Nazrul Islam, Gazipur city Awami League General Secretary Shah Alam attended the namaz-e-janaza held.

Gazipur city unit Awami League’s General Secretary Jahangir Alam and Chairman of Gazipur Sadar upzila Izadur Rahman Milon took part in the janaza.

Apart from the two janaza, four janazas for Hannan Shah were held in the capital on Thursday.

Hannan Shah died at Raffles Heart Centre in Singapore early Tuesday at the age of 77.

His body was brought to Bang-

ladesh on Wednesday evening by a flight of Bangladesh Airlines and later it was kept at the mortuary of Combined Military Hospital.

He was born on October 11, 1941 at Ghaturia village of Gazipur’s Kapasia.

His father Fakir Abdul Mannan was a minister in 1965-68 of the then Pakistan government.

Hannan Shah joined the Pakistan Army in 1962 and returned to Bangladesh in 1973 and joined the Bangladesh Army. After retiring from the armed forces, Hannan Shah joined politics and became a lawmaker from Gazipur 4. l

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ter pumps of the power plant but the water and waste emerged from the plant are totally safe.”

He said: “A huge number of local people have got job opportunities in the power plant but some others have filed false cases against the power plant to tarnish its success.

“With the financial help of power plant, Bogra Palli Unnayon Academy is supplying water to the local people.”

When contacted, Dr Nurul Islam, upazila health and family planning officer, said: “Though water and waste emerged from the power plant are very harmful from human body, we did not notice any victim yet affected by the coal mixed water.” l

Man confesses to throwing acid on wife, mother-in-law Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong

After four days of the heinous acid attack on a 22-year-old woman and her mother, police arrested a man for his alleged involvement with the attack from Dhaka’s Mirpur area on Thursday night.

During interrogation, the man also confessed that he had carried out the attack.

“Tracking mobile phone number, police traced the accused Jane Alam alias Jahangir, 30, from Rupganj of Mirpur in Dhaka,” said SM Mostain Hossen, deputy commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police, at a press conference.

On Monday, Selina Akhter, 22, and her mother Hosne Ara, 45, had suffered burn injuries in their face and different parts of the bodies as Jahangir, ex-husband of Selina, also a CNG-run auto rickshaw driver, threw acid on them while they sleeping inside their house city’s Railway Officers’ Club area.

They are now undergoing treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH)’s Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit.

DC Mostain said after carrying out the acid attack, Jahangir had fled to his native house in Rangpur and later he went to Dhaka to avert arrest.

During primary interrogation, Jahangir confessed to throwing acid on his ex-wife as there had been a conjugal dispute which triggered divorce between them, said the DC. Addressing the press conference, the deputy commissioner said though Selina divorced Jahangir one year ago, Jahangir still wanted to live with her, a proposal Selina turned down.

Seeking anonymity, an investigation officer said Jahangir collected the acid from the battery of his CNG-auto rickshaw. l

Student tortured by teacher hospitalised n Nadim Hossain, Savar A school student was admitted to a local hospital after he was reportedly tortured by his teacher in Ashulia Polli Bidyut area at Savar upazila Thursday night.

The victim is Kabir Hossain, a class XII student of Tangail Residential Cadet Academy. He is the son of Kamal Hossain from Nandail upazila in Mymensingh.

Aktara Begum, mother of the victim, said: “Class teacher

Shohidul beat up Kabir, a residential student of the academy, brutally over a trifling matter yesterday [Thursday] night, leaving him critically injured.”

Later, other students of the hostel admitted him to a local hospital.

Selina Ahmed, assistant headmaster of the academy, said: “We have formed a probe committee to investigate the incident. We will take proper action after getting the investigation report.” l

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Myanmar man jailed for calling president ‘crazy’ A man has been jailed for nine months after calling Myanmar’s president “crazy” in a Facebook post, in the latest use of a junta-era defamation law under the new civilian government. Aung Win Hlaing was convicted under Myanmar’s telecommunications law for calling President Htin Kyaw an “idiot” and “crazy” in online posts.

-AFP

INDIA

India evacuates border villages after strikes India evacuated thousands of people living near the border with Pakistan, a day after carrying out strikes along the de-facto frontier that have dramatically escalated tensions between the neighbours.

Authorities in northern Punjab state said they were evacuating villages within 6 miles of the border following Thursday’s raids, which provoked furious charges of “naked aggression” from Pakistan. -REUTERS

CHINA

China: Countering Dalai Lama is top ethnic priority China will make countering the Dalai Lama’s influence the highest priority in its work on ethnic affairs in Tibet, the region’s Communist Party boss has said, vowing to uproot the monk’s “separatist and subversive” activities. China’s Foreign Ministry expressed anger and threatened countermeasures this month after the Tibetan spiritual leader spoke at the European Parliament in France.

-REUTERS

ASIA PACIFIC

Philippines’ Duterte draws Hitler parallels Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday likened his deadly crime war to Hitler’s efforts to exterminate Jews, as he declared he was “happy to slaughter” millions of drug addicts. Duterte also railed against Western critics of his unprecedented law-andorder crackdown, which has left more than 3,000 people dead in three months.

-AFP

INSIGHT

Dueling truths follow Indian raid in Pakistani Kashmir n Tribune International Desk

In New Delhi, they say that highly trained Indian soldiers slipped across the de facto border and into Pakistani-controlled Kashmir in a daring nighttime raid, killing anti-India militants preparing to launch attacks.

In Islamabad, they say only one Indian soldier made it across the border — and he was captured — with Pakistani forces easily driving back the other Indians, who retreated as soon as they encountered resistance.

India says none of its soldiers were killed. Pakistan says eight Indian soldiers died.

Who is telling the truth?

No outsider knows for sure. The region where the fighting occurred is deep in the Himalayas, along the Line of Control that has long split Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Access to the area is restricted on both sides. Officials in both countries are leaking select details to reporters, while announcing almost nothing openly.

But one thing is clear: The dueling tales of courageous forces serve politics on both sides of the border, with powerful forces in each country able to proclaim their courage in the face of aggression.

Tension along the India-Pakistan border has grown sharply since a deadly September 18 attack on an Indian military base in Kashmir. New Delhi blamed the attack on militants belonging to the outlawed group Jaish-e-Mohammed, which has its headquarters in Pakistan. Islamabad denies that.

An Indian army convoy moves near the highly militarized Line of Control dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, in Akhnoor, some 62 kilometers from Jammu, India on September 30 AP In India, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been facing increasing demands in his own party to punish Islamabad for the attack, the story of a successful raid ratcheted down that pressure.

In Pakistan, where the military wields immense power behind the scenes, the story of killed and retreating Indian soldiers weakens the criticism it began to face after India announced its “surgical strike” in an unusual Thursday announcement on live TV. While politicians have long massaged the truth to their own benefit, the practice has been tak-

MIDDLE EAST

Saudi soldier killed by Yemeni shells Shelling from Yemeni rebels killed a Saudi border guard and wounded three civilians including a Bangladeshi. The Tuwal district of Jazan, on the Saudi frontier with Yemen, came under fire on Thursday afternoon, wounding the border guard corporal, a ministry statement said. He died on the way to hospital.

-AFP

An Indian army soldier stands vigil at his post by a military base at Braripora, near the de facto border dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, in Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday on September 21 AP

en to an extreme in both Pakistan and India.

“They do exploit situations and spin things to take away public attention from their real problems,” said IA Rehman, a member of the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Blurry facts

Many of the most basic facts are now in dispute. India said the raid had targeted “terrorist launch pads,” inside the Pakistan-controlled portion of Kashmir, where a string of anti-Indian militant groups have long had bases. Later, a high-ranking Indian official speaking on condition of anonymity said that Indian troops had crossed the Line of Control on foot, attacked the militant bases and crossed back into Indian territory without suffering a single death. A “significant” number of militants were killed, officials said.

On Friday, though, Pakistani officials, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Pakistani forces had seen the Indians as they approached the Line of Control, and easily pushed them back with gunfire that left eight dead.

The officials also said that one Indian soldier had been captured just on the Line of the Control and was now in Pakistani custody. India acknowledges that one of its soldiers is in Pakistani custody,

but insists he was not involved in the raid and had accidentally strayed into the wrong area. Lost people from both countries are fairly common along the mountainous length of the Line of Control, which is poorly marked and often unfenced.

Both countries denied the other’s version of what had happened.

As usual, commoners pay

As usual, the villagers who live near the Line of Control paid a price for the tension.

On Thursday, Indian authorities evacuated thousands of villagers living close to the frontier to temporary shelters, said Pawan Kotwal, a top regional official.

But with the border area largely calm, he said most returned to their farms after daybreak Friday.

The villagers are familiar with the drill, though evacuations have been rare since tension along the border declined dramatically following a 2003 India-Pakistan cease-fire accord.

“People living in border areas know things by experience,” he said.

“They would only need some assistance in case of urgent evacuation.”

Meanwhile, Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged gunfire at two forward posts along the Line of Control overnight Thursday, Indian officials said. No casualties were reported. l

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

EU to ratify Paris climate deal n Tribune International Desk

PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT

EU environment ministers agreed Friday to fast-track the ratification of the landmark Paris agreement on climate change, despite the fact that some national parliaments have yet to approve the deal.

“All member states greenlight early EU ratification of Paris agreement. What some believed impossible is now real,” European Union President Donald Tusk said on Twitter.

“Victory!” tweeted French Environment Minister Segolene Royal.

Fears that the United States and China, the world’s two biggest polluters, were leaving the EU behind on ratifying last year’s historic deal pushed the bloc’s 28 ministers to rush through the collective measure.

Around 60 countries have now committed to the landmark agreement designed to stem the planet’s rising temperatures, which was sealed in December 2015 in the French capital.

“This is a historic day,” EU Environment Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete told a news conference, “a day when we put behind us any doubts that the EU is ready to join the Paris climate agreement.”

Seven EU countries including Germany and France have ratified the deal so far. The Paris accord requires all countries to devise plans to achieve the goal of keeping the

Takes effect when ratified by 55 countries, who jointly represent at least 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions As of September 21, 2016:

European Union

Accord ratified by 61 signatories

55 representing 48% of global emissions

197 parties

September 30, 2016 EU decides to ratify Paris accord soon (date uncertain), enabling it to enter into force

nearly 60%

55% with EU

100%

Top 10 greenhouse gas emitters (70% of all emissions) China 20.09%

United States 17.89

European Union 12.08

India 4.10

Canada 1.95 South Korea

Speed up the process

Questions about how emissions

Paris Agreement December 12, 2015 Aims to limit global warming to 2°C above pre-Industrial Revolution levels Negotiated by 197 countries, signed by 180

cuts will be divided among EU countries have held up the deal in a number of nations, not least over the issue of how Britain’s vote to leave the union will affect quotas. The European Parliament must now give its approval before the EU actually ratifies the agreement, an EU statement said.

The ministers “agreed to speed up the process of ratification of the Paris Agreement” and “decid-

Sources: UN. Climate Analytics

ed to go ahead with ratification at EU level”, said the statement.

“Member states will ratify either together with the EU if they have completed their national procedures, or as soon as possible thereafter,” it added.

Europe has prided itself on taking a global lead on climate change issues but has watched with alarm as the rest of the world has left it behind. l

In US, police shooting affects presidential politics n Tribune International Desk The killing of a black man by a Charlotte police officer, and the sometimes violent protests that followed, have intensified the political divide in a state crucial to deciding whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump wins the presidency.

Republicans and Democrats alike say the killing of Keith Lamont Scott will energize both parties’ strongest supporters in a presidential battleground state that also has competitive races for governor and the US Senate. Both camps are citing the case as they push familiar arguments on race relations, law enforcement and social unrest.

Scott, 43, was shot September 20 standing outside his vehicle. Police maintain he was armed. Video released by Charlotte-Mecklenburg authorities was inconclusive. The officer who shot Scott is also black.

Both Trump and Clinton had planned appearances in Charlotte in the days after Scott’s death, but both cancelled them.

Trump has said little specifical-

Demonstrators march to protest the police shooting of Keith Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina on September 26 REUTERS ly about Scott and the Charlotte protests, beyond calling the situation “tragic.” But at Monday’s debate, he again cast himself as the “law-and-order” candidate.

He chided Clinton for avoiding the same phrase, and he renewed his endorsement for the kind of “stopand-frisk” police practices that critics deride as racial profiling.

Clinton has campaigned extensively with Mothers of the Movement, a group of African-American women, some of whose sons have

US expects donors to pledge $3bn a year for Afghanistan An international conference is expected to pledge over $3bn a year in development support for Afghanistan next week but funds will be dependent on reforms and countering corruption. The EU and Afghanistan will host a donor conference on October 4-5 in Brussels to seek backing for reforms to stabilise and develop the country. Some 70 states and 30 international organizations and agencies will attend. -REUTERS

Gunmen ambush Mexican military convoy, kill 4 soldiers

Mexico rise in temperatures within 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and strive for 1.5°C if possible.

Leaders of EU countries had agreed at a summit in the Slovakian capital Bratislava on September 16 that the bloc should push through ratification at a collective level as soon as possible.

USA

THE AMERICAS

Russia Japan 7.53 3.79 Brazil 2.48

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been killed by police. She called for Charlotte police to release their videos of the shootings before they had done so. Clinton also held a phone call with black pastors in the area. She campaigned Tuesday in the state capital, Raleigh, where she urged caution and said “there’s still a lot we don’t know” about Scott’s death and the police killing of Terence Crutcher four days earlier in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Throughout her campaign, Clinton has argued the United

States must confront “systemic racism” in its law enforcement and criminal justice structure. Trump’s running mate Mike Pence has described that as “rhetoric of division” and declared that “the men and women of law enforcement are a not a force for racism in this country; they’re a force for good.”

Adams added that Trump’s rhetoric will stoke the Democratic base, pointing specifically to his comments a day after violent Charlotte protests dominated the news. Trump said “drugs are a very, very big factor in what you’re watching on television at night.”

His campaign later said he was talking about America’s drug problem in general, not the protests.

Still, Trump’s comments could influence voters like 19-year-old Niesy Figueroa, a student who said she knows some of Scott’s extended family and participated in peaceful protests. Figueroa said she’s not thrilled with casting her first presidential ballot for Clinton, but said Trump’s Charlotte reaction helps her get over her “hurt” that Bernie Sanders lost the Democratic nomination.

“Trump? No,” Figueroa said. “He just seems a little racist.” l

Gunmen ambushed a military convoy in northwestern Mexico on Friday, killing four soldiers and stealing an ambulance that was carrying a wounded criminal. “We are concerned. This was an act of cowardness,” Sinaloa state government secretary general Gerardo Vargas Landeros said after the attack in the north of the city of Culiacan, a bastion of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel.

- AFP

UK

Czech PM asks UK to stop hateful attacks on citizens The Czech prime minister has asked his UK counterpart Theresa May to take action to stop what his government considers violence against Czechs in the wake of UK’s decision to quit the EU, his office said Friday.

The Czech leader said Prague was disturbed by the increase in hateful attacks in UK aimed at the citizens of EU member states.

-AFP

EUROPE

Russia shrugs off Syria death toll allegation Russia on Friday dismissed an accusation its bombing campaign in Syria has killed thousands of civilians, insisting it has stopped jihadists taking over as it marks a year since it began air strikes. A human rights group said Friday that more than 9,300 people had been killed in the year of Russian air strikes in Syria in support of President Bashar Al-Assad.

-AFP

AFRICA

Official: Somali force duped US into bombing rival A regional administration in Somalia said rival forces deliberately misled the US into launching an air strike that killed 13 of its troops and wounded 7 others. The US confirmed conducting the strike on Wednesday morning, but said it targeted the Shabaab, an al-Qaeda group. Somali forces returned fire in self-defense.

-AFP

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

Farc peace deal: End of Latin revolutionary era n Tribune International Desk

RODRIGO LONDONO ‘TIMOCHENKO’

The Farc’s peace deal in Colombia marks the effective end of a wave of revolutionary movements inspired by the Cuban revolution, with just a few small groups left After four years of peace talks in Cuba, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Marxist leader Rodrigo Londono warmly shook hands on Colombian soil for the first time and signed the historic peace accord with a pen made from a bullet casing to end a half-century civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands.

Like many other Marxist and Maoist followers of the “armed struggle”, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia People’s Army (in Spanish, Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, Farc) were inspired by the audacious exploits of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, who set out to Cuba on the rickety fishing vessel Granma with just 80 men in 1956, and went on to overthrow dictator Fulgencio Batista three years later.

It was certainly not the first armed rebellion in Latin America, which had witnessed numerous bloody independence campaigns against Spain in the 19th century and a smattering of communist militias in the 1940s. But the Cuban rebels’ success ignited a fresh blaze of revolutionary fervour across the continent that was fuelled by cold war politics, military coups, US backing for rightwing dictators and the murderous suppression of more moderate leftwing activists.

In the 1960s and 70s, guerilla groups sprang up in every country in the region except Costa Rica.

The Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) in Nicaragua, the 8th October Revolutionary Movement (MR8) in Brazil, the Armed Forces of National Liberation (FALN) in Venezuela, the People’s Revolutionary Army (ERP) and Montoneros in Argentina, the Tupamaros in Uruguay, the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR) in Chile.

In Central America, they were among the factors that led to bloody civil wars in El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua, where the Cuban-trained Sandinista guerrilla Daniel Ortega secured power through revolution in 1979 and was then elected president of Nicaragua.

In South America, however, the communist militants made little headway. After Che Guevara was brutally murdered in Bolivia, the internationalism of socialism slowed down by the led of Cuba and the Soviet Union. Funding and weapons supplies were cut. Splintered, outgunned and rarely able to secure popular support outside of remote strongholds, the guerrillas never came close to seizing power through military force.

The 3rd supreme commander of Farc January 22, 1959 Born in the coffee-growing region of Quindio 1972 Joins the Young Communists 1979 Joins Farc guerilla force 1981 Becomes a military commander 1982 Becomes senior Farc commander 1985 At the age of just 26, he joins Farc’s high command, the inner circle of its seven most senior members 2011 Takes over as Farc leader after troops kill his predecessor, 'Alfonso Cano' 2012 Writes to Colombia’s president, Juan Manuel Santos, proposing fresh peace talks after the failure of several previous rounds September 23 , 2015 Meets Santos in Cuban capital Havana September 26, 2016 Signs peace agreement Instead, many turned to the ballot box after the restoration of democracy in much of Latin America in the 1980s took away much of their raison d’etre. Dilma Rousseff, a member of a clandestine Marxist group became president of Brazil.

José ‘Pepe’ Mujica, a Tupamaro who was shot and imprisoned in the 1970s, became president of Uruguay. Dozens of other former guerrillas became senators and congressmen.

Elsewhere, armed groups were sporadically active in countries that were slow to move towards democracy – such as Mexico, which had to wait until 2000 for its first change of government in more than 70 years.

The Zapatista Army of National Liberation staged high-profile military campaigns in 1994, but is now committed to peaceful means.

Last month, the small Paraguayan People’s Army has lost several of its leaders in recent years and is thought to have only between 20 and 150 members, which makes it more of a local gang than a national threat. The same might be said for Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) in Peru. It has been weakened and is now believed to have fewer than 300 members.

In Nicaragua, contra militia groups are also rumoured to be

making a comeback, though they are thought to be very small and it is unclear whether their primary focus is opposing an increasingly authoritarian Ortega or drug running. The illegal narcotics trade also helps to explain the longevity of Colombia’s main revolutionary groups, the Farc and the National Liberation Army (ELN).

The Farc is the oldest and most important guerilla group in the western hemisphere. Born in 1964

as a communist-inspired peasant army that took up the banners of social justice for Colombia’s poor rural communities, it was inspired by the Cuban revolution. But it was never reliant on Havana like other insurgencies in the region were.

Former Venezuela president Hugo Chávez, before securing power in an election, declared armed guerilla movements to be “out of place”, a conclusion reached many years ago by his allies in Cuba, Fidel and Raúl Castro. They have been key backers of the Colombian peace process and fittingly hosted the negotiations that led to the end of an era that also began in Cuba.

National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia

Estimated strength: 2,000 combatants

Anywhere else in the world a rebel army of 2,000 fighters would be a big deal. But for most of its history the National Liberation Army (ELN) has played second fiddle to the country’s larger and more powerful Farc. Now that the Farc have committed to lay down their weapons and shift to party politics, the ELN, founded the same year as the Farc in 1964, becomes the oldest and largest insurgency in Latin America.

From the beginning, the ELN combined Marxist-Leninist ideology with liberation theology; some of the group’s first recruits came from the church, including Camilo Torres, a popular Colombian priest who died in his first battle in 1966 and later became a cultural icon of the group. The group was nearly decimated in the 1970s as a result of a military offensive and internal fractures that led to bloody purges.

The possibility of the ELN negotiating a peace deal with the government remains remote, despite an announcement in March that the two sides were ready to begin

talks. Strong anecdotal evidence is emerging that as the Farc move out from areas historically under its control, ELN units are moving in, scooping up some dissident Farc fighters.

Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), Peru

Estimated size: 300 combatants

Founded in the late 1960s by philosophy professor Abimael Guzmán, Sendero Luminoso expanded rapidly and initially peacefully in the 1970s by recruiting university students. But in 1980, it declared war on “bourgeois democracy”, burned ballot boxes and established military bases and training camps in the Andean highlands, where they won the support of poor local farmers.

In the years that followed, there were massacres on both sides. Shining Path guerrillas set off bombs in Lima and killed dozens of individuals, including rival Marxist leaders and union bosses.

By its peak in 1991, the movement controlled much of south and central Peru but came under fierce assault from the armed forces during the presidency of Alberto Fujimori.

Following the arrest of Guzmán in 1992, Shining Path has declined and the government declared it destroyed in 2012. But the group is rumoured to have made a comeback in recent years.

Paraguayan People’s Army (EPP), Paraguay

Estimated size: 20-150 combatants

Formally established in 1998, but active before then in other guises, the EPP was an offshoot of the now defunct Free Fatherland Party.

Over the years, they have carried out a series of kidnappings and killings, most notoriously of the president’s daughter in 2004. Its goals today are unclear. Some reports suggest the EPP has been recruited as muscle for drug traffickers.

Popular Revolutionary Army (EPR), Mexico

Estimated size: 20 combatants

A 2009 stamp printed in cuba dedicated to 50 anniversary of the triumph of the revolution shows Che appointed Minister of Industry BIGSTOCK

Mexico is said to be home to more than 40 armed groups, almost all of which were formed during the rule of the Institutional Revolutionary Party from 1929 to 2000. Few have been active since then, but the EPR was blamed for a series of bombings and attacks on oil pipelines and foreign companies in 2007 after its alleged leader went missing and was presumed captured by the military. It has been quiet for many years, but broke its silence in 2014 to join other former guerilla groups in condemning the disappearance of 43 students from a rural teachers training school. l

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World

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

INSIGHT

Native American tribe’s quest to stop a pipeline n Reuters, Washington, DC Three days after guard dogs attacked Native Americans protesting an oil pipeline project in North Dakota in early September, an unprecedented event took place at the White House. Brian Cladoosby, president of the National Congress of American Indians, which represents more than 500 tribes, spoke to nearly a dozen of President Barack Obama’s Cabinet-level advisers at a September 6 meeting of the White House’s three-year-old Native American Affairs Council.

It was the first time a tribal leader addressed a session of the council, and Cladoosby was invited in his role as the Indian Congress’ leader.

Cladoosby, a Swinomish Indian from Washington state, spoke twice at the one-hour roundtable.

He said he praised the Obama administration in his opening statement for its track record on Native American issues such as pushing to reform the Indian Health Service.

But when Cladoosby gave his closing speech, he delivered an impassioned request to his audience: stand with Native Americans who have united with the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and block construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, a 1,100 mile conduit to get oil from North Dakota to Illinois.

That plea marked one of the previously unreported turning points in a drama that played out since February and culminated September 9 with an about face by the US government, from giving the pipeline a green light to backing a request from North Dakota’s Standing Rock Sioux to halt construction of the pipeline.

The tribe fears sacred sites could be destroyed during the line’s construction and that a future oil spill would pollute its drinking water.

This month’s win for the tribe, which could be reversed by regulators, is a rare instance of protests resulting in quick federal action and the triumph of an unusual alliance between environmentalists and Native Americans, who both say they were emboldened by the defeat of the Keystone XL pipeline last fall.

It also was the most galvanising movement in Native American politics in decades, some tribal leaders said, as Crow, Navajo, Sioux and other traditional rivals united to fight what they considered an assault on their way of life.

sues, if appropriate. The Corps said it effectively considered its due diligence requirement met when it green lit the line in July.

Later that same month, the tribe filed suit against the Army Corps in federal court.

Internal rift

Protesters demonstrate against the Energy Transfer Partners’ Dakota Access oil pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in Cannon Ball, North Dakota on September 9 REUTERS within half a mile of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe’s reservation.

Part of its rationale, laid out in a report for the US Army Corps of Engineers, which regulates infrastructure projects that traverse certain inland waterways, was that the route would avoid Bismarck and thus pose no threat to the city’s water supply. The Bismarck route also is more populated and thus would require more easements from multiple landowners. Ironically, that 139-page report concluded the Standing Rock route would raise “no environmental justice issues” because the pipeline would not cross tribal lands.

The Army Corps’ decision angered environmental activists and unwittingly introduced a powerful new element into the environmental movement: Indian rights groups, who quickly tapped into an extensive network of green activists forged during five long years of protests against TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline, which Obama formally nixed last November.

Campaign gains steam

The protest gained steam in February when Standing Rock Sioux leaders asked for legal help from Earthjustice, an environmental law group that had previously helped US tribes and Canadian First Na-

tions fight Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline, according to Jan Hasselman, an attorney from Earthjustice working on the North Dakota case, and tribal leaders.

Two months later, about 18 tribe members started praying daily near the pipeline’s planned route in North Dakota. The participants would grow in size, creating a group called the Sacred Stone Camp.

The international environmental movement soon took notice, including, 350.org, an environmentalist group that helped defeat the Keystone XL pipeline. In July, the group sent a delegation to the Sacred Stone Camp to see how they could help.

The tribal members and environmentalists agreed to seize on the US Army Corps’ “fast-tracking” of permits for the pipeline in late July, which they argued was illegal and a violation of tribal rights, 350. org said. In this case, the Corps had the right to approve pipelines in general and consider specific local concerns, such as Native is-

A fateful decision

In late 2014, pipeline operator Energy Transfer Partners made a fateful decision.

Dallas-based ETP chose to route its proposed Dakota Access pipeline away from North Dakota’s capital, Bismarck, and southward

US President Barack Obama talks to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Chairman David Archambault II (L) as they attend the Cannon Ball Flag Day Celebration at the Cannon Ball Powwow Grounds on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota on June 13, 2014 REUTERS

While the government’s reversal in September caught most by surprise, a March 29 letter from the Department of the Interior to the Army Corps shows that disagreements within the administration had been percolating for months.

The Interior department, which is responsible for protecting Native Americans’ welfare, said the Army Corps “did not adequately justify or otherwise support its conclusion that there would be no significant impacts upon the surrounding environment and community” from the pipeline.

Energy Transfer, the Department of Justice, the Army Corps and the Department of the Interior did not respond to requests for comment.

The letter presaged the intra-government fighting ahead of the White House’s decision to temporarily block the line.

The federal delay of the pipeline “isn’t something that just fell out of the sky,” Archambault, the tribe’s chairman, said in an interview.

“We feed (federal regulators) information all the time on everything that’s illegal here.”

Archambault declined to discuss responses from federal regulators he received.

On September 9, just three days after Cladoosby made his plea at the White House, US District Judge James Boasberg rejected a request from the tribe to block the $3.7 billion project.

Minutes after that ruling, the Interior and Justice Departments, along with the Army Corps, suspended construction on a two-mile stretch of federal land below the Missouri River.

Protesters have vowed not to leave their camp until the pipeline is scrapped or moved far away from their reservation. Their concerns about potential spills, it turns out, have precedent.

An analysis of government data shows that Sunoco Logistics, the future operator of the pipeline and a unit of ETP, has had the highest rate of spills since 2010 than any of its competitors. Sunoco said it has taken measures to reduce its spill rate.

Cladoosby admits he “was really surprised” by the fast moving events after his strategically-timed entreaty.

He will be back at the White House on Monday and Tuesday. Leaders of 567 native American tribes will meet with Obama in Washington to tackle a range of issues facing Native Americans from economic development to environmental protection - including the Dakota Access pipeline. l

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Heritage

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

The undivided Dhaka The ‘what ifs’ of history are fascinating

n Tim Steel

B

y the middle of the 19th century it was becoming clear to British administrators and, without doubt, those whom they administered, that the traditional Bengal Presidency had become, or was becoming, unwieldy.

Both its sheer size and scale, and the diversity of geographical and commercial interests within it, together with its burgeoning population, meant that communications and exercise of authority in the extensive, waterlogged, often flooded, and river divided lands of Bengal -- and the many others that had accumulated around it -- were very difficult to manage.

With the continued rapid growth of population in Bengal, the most fertile and commercially vibrant of the lands in the subcontinent, who can doubt the difficulties?

The ever growing reach across more of South and South east Asia, and further parts of the subcontinent, were, despite an increasingly more professionally trained bureaucracy and the

early years development of administratively invaluable technology (such as telegraphy and railways) -- hard to imagine, even today, quite how any level of administrative support and control could be effectively achieved.

The presidency, in the years following the 1857 rebellion,

The original base of administration, independent of the other presidencies in the subcontinent, had been established long before the development of Calcutta, in Dhaka.

The Ganges especially, and the many other rivers of the region,

since, at about the same time, the Bengal Nawabs shifted their headquarters westward, course alterations of the Ganges might have played some part in these changes.

By the end of the 19th century, the area and population administered from Calcutta, which

Conspiracy theorists have seen in the division an attempt to marginalise the Muslim population that represented a majority of the lands; lands that were simpler to communicate with and police from that administrative centre

reached from the “north-west frontier” lands of the Khyber Pass, as far as Penang and Singapore.

It had been established in 1765, following the Battle of Buxar with, then, largely, only the lands of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to manage.

Much had happened in the ensuing century and a half.

facilitated, in the middle of the 17th century, the oversight of the many diverse trading activities of the East India Company.

Since then, growth had been continuous, with the centre of the presidency shifted to the new city of Calcutta, from about the time of the death of Aurangzeb in 1707.

It is possible to speculate that

by then also encompassed the totality of the sub-continent, since the Bengal Presidency head was also recognised as de facto Viceroy, was vastly in excess of any other administrative challenge in the British Empire -- arguably, within the entire world. It had become, simply, untenable.

It was Lord Curzon, who in

1905 finally grasped the nettle, and divided the presidency within Bengal itself.

Conspiracy theorists have, ever since, seen in the division an attempt to marginalise the Muslim population that represented something of a majority of the lands stitched together for administration from Dhaka; lands that were intrinsically more accessible, and simpler to communicate with and police from that administrative centre.

However, the bureaucratic minds that half a century later could, foolishly or conspiratorially, envision a new nation in two halves, divided not only by distance but even by religious beliefs, worked, perhaps, earlier in the century, more logically, as advisers to Curzon.

Curzon would return to Britain to a successful political career.

Certainly, the administrative division created, provided something of a blue print to today’s nation state of Bangladesh, and the north eastern states of India.

The creation of “Eastern Bengal and Assam,” reflected the belief that a marriage

between the flourishing economy and continuously developing infrastructure of East Bengal, with the perception of the burgeoning economic prospects of Assamese territories which would depend for success on the Bengali infrastructure for realisation, was, potentially, an ideal match.

An administration in the region that clearly foreshadowed such contemporary philosophies as public and private enterprise working together, underlying developments such as communications in railways and industrial enterprise (in such as tea and oil), probably thought they had achieved an economic ideal, matched with the economic success of such flourishing industries as jute, rice, and fisheries.

The dilemma of developing education, at all levels, whilst reflecting traditional, especially religious undercurrents, was one recognised long before in both the Charter Act of 1833, and the Macaulay Report of 1854, and there had been endeavours to meet often complex requirements of individuals, families, and the economy.

But it is necessary, when considering how the “devolution” of authority and responsibility for education affected the provision, to recall the history, and, for nearly

It is easy to wonder whether, had Eastern Bengal and Assam been maintained as a centre of regional governance, both history and geography of Bangladesh might have been very different

a century, the partisan pressures to influence it.

However, the period of 1905 to 1912 certainly saw a considerable advance in the provision within the territory, including a 20% increase in that provision, and also including the addition of such studies as Persian, Sanskrit, mathematics, history, and algebra and the development of colleges, especially in Dhaka. Together, with the embryo of what was to become the University of Dhaka, once known as the “Oxford of the East;” female colleges were also established in every district.

What is certain is that this short lived experiment in administrative change, made simultaneously with the far greater proposal for the removal of all national administration from Calcutta to Delhi, certainly provided a template for the inevitable consequences of the, subsequent, very evidently ill considered, Partition of 1947.

In fact, the development of the Assamese oil industry benefitted

from the railway system of Bengal; and tea, similarly, was considerably enhanced as an industry with this development of communication.

And Chittagong, to which the railways were focussed, offered port facilities that, at the time, seemed less vulnerable than those of Calcutta.

Certainly, this period marked the real beginnings of Chittagong as an international port; a port that now bears most of the flourishing international trade of Bangladesh.

The partition, administered from Dhaka, also saw considerable development of the system of river transport that continues to operate from Dhaka, even today. Previously, such river transportation was “secondary stage,” but now became a primary stage for even VIP travel, taken together with the developing railway system.

Around the world, such VIP travel underpins investment and administration to sustain and improve services.

At partition in 1947, especially

in the climate of mutual hostility between increasingly militaristic regimes in Pakistan, and the civilian administration in India, many of these efficiencies of communication were irretrievably broken; only today hesitant moves are being made to recover those losses.

British administration had, traditionally, shifted in the summer months to cooler climes, and Shillong became the summer capital of the Dhaka based administration.

For the first time, too, the High Court in Dhaka was directly subordinated only to the Privy Council in London through the Council’s Judicial Committee.

It may well be no coincidence that in 1905, it was the Liberal Government of Sir Henry CampbellBannerman, with which Curzon, undoubtedly had close connection, that approved the administrative reorganisation.

Campbell- Bannerman was a free trade, laissez faire liberal, often

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Heritage

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

referred to as “Britain’s first, and only, radical prime minister.” He was, also, in fact, the first leader, previously usually referred to as “First Lord of the Treasury,” to be officially known as prime minister.

On his retirement and death in 1908, he was followed by another liberal prime minister, Herbert Henry Asquith.

But by 1911, when the division was rescinded, Asquith was leading a coalition administration, which may well have diminished the influence of those who had pioneered the original division.

Once again, Dhaka was reduced in its ability to strongly influence its own affairs, and those of the lands around, of which it would only return to primacy in 1947.

And, even then, that influence was certainly diminished.

Hindus and Muslims alike were dubious of the benefits of the new province, each for many, and often, different reasons. And when, following the decision to reorganise administration to the new capital in Delhi, neither group effectively fought that decision.

It is, perhaps, easy with the benefit of hindsight to wonder whether, in fact, had Eastern Bengal and Assam been maintained as a centre of regional governance, both the modern history, and, indeed, geography, of Bangladesh might have been very different -the fascination of the “what ifs” of history. l Tim Steel is a communications, marketing and tourism consultant.

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

Climate Change

Poor countries have the edge on climate innovation n Anita Makri

T

he developing world and emerging markets are among the most exciting places for climate policy and innovation, according to a former White House official who advised the Obama administration in the run-up to the COP20 summit in Lima, Peru.

Some developing nations are already looking at climate technologies as a major economic opportunity, said Kelly Sims Gallagher, now a professor and director of the Centre for International Environment and Resource Policy at Tufts University in the United States.

She made the remarks on the opening day of Science Policy Research Unit’s (SPRU) 50th anniversary conference at Sussex University in Brighton, UK. Developing countries have several advantages that put them in a good position to innovate, Gallagher told SciDev.Net. There is less existing built infrastructure, which tends to create a lock-in effect, making it difficult to adopt cleaner and more efficient technologies.

And the cost of renewables and other energy efficiency technologies is now low enough to make investing in them a sensible economic decision, she said.

Very few governments have rushed to get domestic policies in place after Paris [the 2015 climate

The cost of renewables and other energy efficiency technologies is now low enough to make investing in them a sensible economic decision

Vulnerable countries like Bangladesh lead the way in adaptation technology treaty], she noted, adding that it is a big agenda, and poorer countries may have a competitive edge.

Gallagher acted as an adviser to Obama on the US-China deal that was widely seen as a tipping point for climate policy success during COP21 in Paris.

Discussions on innovation generally overlook the developing world but China’s investment in industries of the future has created healthy competition, according to Gallagher, and “a lot of other developing countries are starting to experiment in the same way.”

India-based wind energy

company Suzlon, which operates in 19 countries, is one example, Gallagher told SciDev. Net. “Ethiopia has written an innovation strategy that very explicitly includes a focus on adaptation and resilience of technologies,” she said.

Bangladesh is another example of a country looking at this policy area strategically, “not only as a matter of survival but also as an economic opportunity,” Gallagher explained.

“I actually think the least developed countries could be the pioneers in those technologies,”

she said, and then sell them to industrialised countries.

The scale of the climate change challenge needs deep structural and systemic change, said Lord Nicholas Stern, professor at the London School of Economics in the UK. “Over the next 15-20 years we need an investment of $90 trillion for (green) infrastructure.”

Commenting on governments’ policy moves after the Paris accord, Gallagher said she was disappointed by the slow pace so far. “Very few countries, or negotiators, or government leaders, or even NGOs for that

matter looked past Paris,” she told SciDev.Net. “There was such an overriding focus on whether or not [an agreement] was even possible, that nobody had started thinking about the aftermath and the post-Paris agenda, which is clearly national and sub-national policymaking.” l

through better communication between countries and getting firms more involved in technology development. But the need to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere -- rather than just stop them from getting there -- remains prominent, they say.

Pete Smith, a climate researcher at the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom, who was not involved in the study, says it would be a gamble to rely on technology.

“These technologies have a number of currently unsolved limitations which make them a risky bet for future use in reducing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations,” he says.

Smith co-authored a 2015 study highlighting the high water, land, and energy costs of negative emission technologies that remove carbon from the air.

He says these technologies

should be considered a back up, used only to support aggressive mitigation action, rather than as a central element of climate policy. l

Anita Makri is Opinion and Special Features Editor at SciDev.Net. This article was originally published at http:// www.scidev.net/global/governance/ news/poor-countries-climateinnovation.html.

Climate pledges set to fail n Lou Del Bello

G

lobal temperatures are set to rise by 3 degrees Celsius by 2100, despite government commitments to curb climate change signed last December, a study reveals.

The paper published in Nature on June 29 estimates that the UN climate deal hammered out in Paris, France, still falls short of a promise by nation states to keep global warming “well below 2 degrees Celsius.”

Combining ten landmark reports on climate science and global emissions, it finds that global warming could exceed the agreed target by more than one degree.

Such a rise in global mean temperatures would “dramatically increase a number of risks, including extreme weather events

and damages to vulnerable ecosystems such as coral reefs,” says co-author Taryn Fransen, a climate policy expert at US thinktank the World Resources Institute.

“This type of risk is present in the 2 degrees scenario outlined in the Paris agreement, but it could become much more severe and unsustainable under higher temperatures,” she says.

Unless countries’ commitments to climate change response are greatly increased by 2030, global mean temperature will rise between 2.6C and 3.1C by 2100, the study estimates.

Fransen adds that pledges should be implemented as soon as possible, because infrastructure such as power plants or transport systems that are built now will last, and emit greenhouse gases, for decades to come.

The researchers examined

the emissions reduction pledges tabled in Paris. They then modelled different scenarios and concluded that the median global temperature by 2100 would significantly exceed the current climate goals.

The study also looked at what is needed to keep global temperatures in check.

Co-author Niklas Höhne, a climate mitigation researcher at German non-profit the NewClimate Institute, says: “If the emission levels implied by the national contributions come true in 2030, temperature limits can only be achieved by taking greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere in the second half of the century.

“This would be a bet on such carbon removing technologies being available at large scale in the future.”

The authors are optimistic that the pledges can be achieved

Lou Del Bello is Multimedia Producer at SciDev.Net. This article was originally published at http://www.scidev.net/ global/climate-change/news/climatepledges-set-to-fail.html.

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

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Kids

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

Fiction

The presents rescued Part 4 of the Magic Christmas Ring nNusaiba Zyen After a long while, I reached the little log-cabin. It actually wasn’t a little log-cabin. It was a grotto. I tried to open the door but it was locked from the inside. “Unlock this door, you Christmas thieves!” I commanded. “Never, because these are my presents now!” said the eldest girl. “Your presents!? These are also my presents!” said the littlest girl, as she tried to grab the sack away. Then another girl said, “They’re mine!” Soon, a fight about the presents had begun.

I walked around the grotto to see if I could find a window.

Fortunately I found one. It was

big and silver. I tried to open it but it was locked from the inside as well. I looked for a big branch to break the window with. Beside the grotto was a big and a long tree without any foliage. Its bare branches were covered in snow. I decided to climb up the tree. I climbed up to the first branch, and reached for the second. It was out of reach, so I jumped and grabbed the second, but it broke away, and I fell back on to the first branch. I saw a lot of snow below. So with no fear, I jumped off the branch and fell on the snow.

Then I quickly got up then took the broken branch. I walked to the window and the

girls were still fighting on those presents. I charged my hands then broke the window with the branch. And they still did not notice me! So I crept inside then grabbed the sack from the girl who had it. Before she tried to take it away, I pointed at the door and said, “What’s that!?”

The girls looked at the door and there was nothing. “Hey, she fooled us!” said the littlest girl. “Get her!” commanded the eldest girl. I jumped out the broken window then a hot pursuit began.l

Photo: Bigstock

colour it

Photo: Bigstock

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Kids

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

magic trick

animal facts

History/ Geography Trivia: 1. Which is the only continent without a desert?

2. Who first stepped on the moon?

3. What is the third-largest island in the world?

(Hint: it’s a six-letter word ending in O) 4. Where did the Olympic Games originate?

5. Which is the largest ocean on earth?

6. Who invented the telephone?

7. In terms of continent size, where does Antarctica stand? Third largest, fourth largest or fifth largest?

8. On which city was the first atomic bomb attack?

9. Which country first used paper money?

• The Peacock Katydid insects look exactly like dead/rotting leaves to the untrained eye (that’s their primary defence against predators).

• This species has unique names such as Eyespot Attack, and walking leaves.

• There are no two insects identical in their colour or shape of the wings.

• The adult katydid’s size ranges from one to five inches.

• The Peacock Katydid’s diet consists of leaves, plant matter, and sometimes even other insects, mainly the ones that are already dead.

• The Peacock katydids are extremely rare.l

Answers: 1) Europe 2)Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin 3) Borneo 4) Greece 5)Pacific Ocean 6)Alexander Graham Bell 7) 5th largest at 13,209,000 sq. km 8) Hiroshima 9)China l

d iy

Bracelets or tape?

fun science

Colourful life!

Learn how to make a rainbow with this fun science experiment. Make your life colourful!

Things we need: • A glass of water (about three quarters full) • White paper • A sunny day What to do: • Take the glass of water and paper to a room full of sunlight.

• Hold the glass of water (being careful not to spill it) above the paper and watch as sunlight passes through the glass of water bends and forms a rainbow of colours on your sheet of paper.

• Do this experiment with different angles to see different colours flowing through.

How this works: • Rainbows can form in other different situations than just rain. Rainbows form in the sky when sunlight refracts (bends) as it passes through. Raindrops act in the same way when they pass through your glass of water. The sunlight refracts,

separating them into the colours red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.l

Looking for super-fast, super inexpensive and super fun bracelets to wear anywhere and everywhere? Then these beautiful duct tape bracelets are just the right jewellery for you.

You will need • Duct Tape (silver or white) • Scissors • Paint • Glue • Glitters and other decorative items Instructions • Cut one strip of duct tape to your desired length.

• Fold a long edge along the side of the tape and continue folding the edge till the whole length of the tape has an edge to it.

• The edge of the tape must be towards the centre.

• After the fold, bring the two ends together and create a bracelet that fits your wrist perfectly.

• If a silver tape is used, it need not be coloured. If a white tape is used, you can decorate the bracelets with paints, glitters and can also glue on decorative items, just the way you want. l

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

music

b o ok

Ghost Hawk

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Kids Author Susan Cooper Genre Historical Fiction Age 10 years

The Story

Any Good?

When Little Hawk returns to his tribe – the Pokanoket, after three months of aimless adventure in the wild, he is shocked to find that his whole village has been wiped out by a disastrous plague and the only survivor left is his grandmother.

The mystery of this plague, thought to have been brought by the white settlers, takes Little Hawk to their camp, where he befriends a white boy named Jack. Torn apart for several years, when the two great friends finally reunite, it is through thick and thin, that their friendship blossoms, paving their lives in the world forever.

movie

A fantastic piece of sheer brilliance, Ghost Hawk is a pure tale of friendship between an Indian and a white boy, which realistically depicts the historical past but encourages us with beautiful prose and memorable characters to enjoy life’s every small moment, as they flow into something greater and beyond limits in the world. A touching story of the fate of the indigenous people in search for freedom, this book is a classic and a must treasure for your collection.l

video game

7 Facts about bagpipes

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Be Imaginative!

Dragon Boys What happens when three small kids portraying a knight, a princess and a dragon, act in one school play? We have a Gold Medal for 38th Student Academy Award Winner! This short film thesis, done in collaboration with Lisa Allen, Shaofu Zhang and Bernardo Warman, was created out of a budget of $5000. Academy of Art University of San Francisco, what was created as a small project turned out to be one of the hugest hits ever. What was essentially a small play between three people, turned out to be an epic battle for love and honour. With thrillers and mysteries and countless art action with sword violence, this movie definitely is worth all the praise it received.l

Let your Imagination Run Wild!

Not often do we find a video game we can get all addicted to. This week we bring you, “SUPER SCRIBBLENAUTS.” This sequel definitely lives up to its precedent. This new game asks you to look for solutions to various puzzling scenarios by adding objects, animals, or people into the scenes. You can type (or write) in pretty much any word you can think of (as long as it’s not offensive or trademarked) and it will appear pictorially. You can create bridges to cross gaps, vehicles to make fast escapes, etc. This new game becomes more interesting when you have to fill in different equations. This new and brainy game is definitely worth a try when you need a change from action games.l

6.

7.

The bagpipe is thought to be invented in the ancient city of Sumaria by peasants , farmers and gypsies.

It consists of a drone, bag , chanter , and a mouthpiece.

The chanter is a melody pipe which consists of finger holes.

The melody produced , is made by the use of double reeds inside the instrument.

The piper has to squeeze the bag and blow into the pipe , moving his fingers on the finger holes to make music.

Bagpipes are famous for their use in traditional and folk music.

Scotland is famous for their Great Highland Pipes , and Ireland for their Irish Uillean Pipes.l

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20 Editorial

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

INSIDE

An incredible inspiration I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to a guru who taught me more than my educational institutions and professional organisations have PAGE 21

On following dreams It does not matter if you are a businessman, a writer, a physicist, an imam, or a women’s rights activist: Every profession is good PAGE 22 BIGSTOCK

Railway lines the way forward

The dysfunctional majority Irrespective of the size of its population, all religion and ethnic groups are pivotal parts of Bangladesh and entitled to equal treatment guaranteed by the constitution.

Bangladesh belongs to all citizens: Race, religion, or ethnicity is irrelevant in this debate 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.

B

angladesh’s railway network has, for some time, needed upgrading and better connectivity to serve the country more efficiently.

It is, then, heartening to see plans to construct a dualgauge railway line that is certain to increase trade and tourism in the southernmost part of Bangladesh.

This is all made possible by the $1.5 billion loan provided by the Asian Development Bank -- the highest loan the ADB has approved so far for a single project.

The highly ambitious project, which plans to lay down a 102-kilometre stretch of railway, would connect Cox’s Bazar with the existing Bangladesh railway network.

This is great news for Bangladesh. As part of the Trans-Asia railway network, such a project would not only connect the country better, but would also connect to networks in Myanmar and promote regional cooperation.

Better railway facilities would also help reduce congestion on our highways, which have become untenable in recent years, thereby cutting down travel time, reducing emissions, and improving the quality of life.

Both domestic and international tourism would get a boost.

However, while the approval of the loan is a significant step, and the initial blueprint looks promising, implementation is key.

In the past, we have seen projects get stalled endlessly, or get bogged down by bureaucracy and corruption.

Let us not delay with this project. Proper and speedy implementation is vital to securing the future of our economy, and will see Bangladesh move a step closer fulfilling its 7th Five-Year Plan.

Better railway facilities would also help reduce congestion on our highways, which have become untenable in recent years

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21

Opinion

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

An incredible inspiration Syed Shamsul Haq’s books worked magic in the minds of his readers

n Ekram Kabir

I

t felt empty like a zillion broken hearts; it felt lonely like the sky; and it felt uninhabitable like a prehuman planet. This is exactly what I felt when I heard that he wasn’t there anymore. We all learnt that he was on his way out with, what the physicians said, an incurable ailment.

It was expected for his admirers and followers to accept the reality of a human lifespan. But did we accept that? Had we prepared ourselves to let him go? Were we ready for the demise of such a stalwart who’d never be born again on the face of this earth, not to speak about in a Bangla language environment? At least, I wasn’t.

I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to a guru who taught me more than my educational institutions and professional organisations have. It was one sentence, just one sentence: “Ekram, the most difficult task for a writer is to sit at his writing table immediately after waking up [early] in the morning.”

That did the trick for me; and his guidance was solely instrumental for me to write my first novel.

Years before this valuable advice, I first got introduced to Syed Shamsul Haq through his Neel Dangshon at the Jhenidah Cadet College library. After that, I felt eager to reach out for Nurul Diner Shara Jibon, Judhdho ebong Judhdho, and Khelaram Kheley Ja. I read these works during my university days in the 80s.

Having been oriented in a revolutionary environment at that time, these works worked like magic in my mind. They imbued the sense of literary value in my psyche more than any English literature textbooks could.

At that time, I only knew him through his works, although I saw him from a distance speaking at cultural congregations. I hardly had any courage to go up to him and get introduced. However, finally, I met him face-to-face when I was working with the British Broadcasting Corporation in Dhaka. We had invited him to our morning news analysis show on few occasions. It was then, I could come to understand some of the aspects of his deep insight on life and the living beings around him.

Intimacy grew between us and his family became family friends with mine. Coming closer to him helped me to grow more interest in him and I completed reading some

A great loss for literature of his other novels and poems from his early years.

I left the BBC and became the editor of a few magazines in ICE Media, and I was profoundly happy to get Syed Shamsul Haq as the editorial adviser of those magazines.

It was at that time I discovered his editorial acumen in guiding us.

He took special care, while guiding us, with the content of Bengal Barota -- a literary and cultural magazine.

Journalism had taught me to be a newsman and I surely had some deficiency in editing literary and cultural content. I also had some problems with modern-day spellings of many Bangla words.

Even today, I don’t have the right words to express my gratitude to him for enriching my knowledge about the literary world.

And it was at that time, I wrote my first novel. I had the intention to show him the manuscript before publishing the work of fiction.

However, it was near impossible to find spare time from his busy writing schedules.

I discovered that his expectations from me, regarding writing, was very high, but I doubted I had impressed him then. However, a couple of years

I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to a guru who taught me more than my educational institutions and professional organisations have. It was one sentence: ‘Ekram, the most difficult task for a writer is to sit at his writing table immediately after waking up [early] in the morning’

later, I had an opportunity to do so.

The members (with myself included) of Dhaka-based book club called The Reading Circle had decided to read Nurul Diner Shara Jibon and discuss the play in Syed Shamsul Haq’s presence.

I instantly volunteered to recite Jago Bahey, Konthhey Shobai from his epic play that I watched both on stage and on television several times.

I had practiced the verses several times before my recitation in front of him, and he was the first person among the lot to start clapping: “Good recitation,” he had commented. I will always cherish that moment. Then we all listened to him speak about his Nurul Diner Shara Jibon. It was quite enthralling and educative

to listen to a legend, and that too, being Syed Haq. Coming back to my novel. I had finished the manuscript of Ek Dushtu Cadeter Golpo quite some time ago when I worked with Syed Haq in ICE Media.

I didn’t give it to any publisher for about three years, but when Onnesha Prokashon published it in Ekushey Boi Mela this year, I was over the moon.

It’s my first work of fiction, and I thought I must get it launched by someone truly illustrious. I thought of many writers, but not of Haq bhai. I assumed he would be too busy to take out time for a book launch of a small writer like me.

But surprisingly, the unexpected happened. My friend from college, Shakoor Majid, was

instrumental in this. The Cadet College Club in Dhaka organises its own Boi Mela every year and we invite an eminent writer to inaugurate the fair. Shakoor proposed that he would invite Syed Haq and Anwara Syed Haq to inaugurate the fair, and we were told that they’d also launch books written by the ex-cadets in 2016 Boi Mela.

And that was it. Syed Haq launched my first novel on Ekushey February 2016.

Nothing could have been more inspirational than this.

Even if there is a void in my heart because I can’t see him physically, my spirit remains overwhelmed with inspiration that he had left behind. l Ekram Kabir is a writer.

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22

Long Form

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

On following dreams Not all knowledge is to be found in textbooks. This is the concluding part of yesterday’s long form

Are we growing in a nourishing environment?

BIGSTOCK

It does not matter if you are a businessman, a writer, a physicist, an imam, or a women’s rights activist: Every profession is good

Mustafa n Muhammad Monowar

I

see all these mothers sitting on mats in front of schools and gossiping whole day: From whose child got scholarship offers to which coaching centre is more prestigious.

I personally think those mats are the root of all evil in this urban setting. These bhabis, who seem to have nothing to do but gossip with each other, are so desperate to show off that they are better mothers, that they ultimately ruin their children’s dreams in the name of studying -- for them it’s not about education but about

whose child is getting the best grade among all the bhabis.

Do you seriously want your children to have golden GPA 5 because you want to see the humiliated face of the other bhabis?

I am not writing this to say how things should be instead. I am writing because I have been a sufferer, and it hurts to see that the same system is still in effect, stepping on children’s dreams.

Ask any parent in Bangladesh what they want their children to be? The answer would be either a doctor or an engineer. Ask them if they know what their children want to be, and they would mumble something shamelessly

vague.

I personally think we are the real criminals who have corrupted every single sphere of our society.

Our education system is a system that only evaluates the memorisation skills of children and calls it education.

It’s pretty simple actually. You memorise everything in the book, if possible even the page numbers and illustrations.

And you copy them down on paper from your memory. Voila!

You are a talented student.

Congratulations. Please have some laddu and roshogolla. You are our pride.

What is very unfortunate is that curiosity for learning and

other traits such as having good manners and honesty are hardly even acknowledged, let alone being given priority.

I don’t think we have any provision in our education system that allows to give importance on evaluating these qualities of a student.

Learning is a quality, not a skill.

The curiosity for learning things other than studying is a good quality, but we straightly declare them as distractions from studies.

What’s so toxic about this system?

I think children who give priority to learning come out as gentle and kind people, whereas children who are taught to give priority on achieving grades by hook or crook, turn out to be money-hankering, status obsessed, selfish individuals.

And their own parents become the first victims.

Learners learn and that learning allows them to respect others. But those who study for grades are the ones who judge others who are unlike them.

Take a close look at the society. Scientists think studying humanities is useless. Humanities students think science students have no emotion. Feminists think religion is oppressive and patriarchal.

Conservatives think feminism is all about promiscuous sex and arrogance. We are all so divided by our egotistic judgmental attitudes that we fail to notice that we’re missing a vital point.

Wake up. You live in a society, and what are societies for? To be together and help each other live a better life? Or take lives and fight over pointless wealth and dirty money?

Even animals do not kill their own kind. And we remain too proud to call ourselves the smartest species in the “universe.”

The current trend of inspiring youth is to say: “Do what you love, and follow your dreams.”

I would not disagree. It’s always good to follow your dreams. But there are certain instances where it is wrongly interpreted. Just because you couldn’t pursue your dream subject doesn’t mean you have to give up on your life.

Many of us have known or heard about teenagers committing suicide just because they didn’t get GPA 5 -- and that’s the amount of pressure we put on children.

I have personally known a person, who was a brilliant student and was pretty confident that he’d easily get into IBA. He failed

and now he roams the streets as a notorious bokhate chele.

The point is not everyone can materialise the dreams they dream about.

And for them there are scopes.

Dream again. But a bit differently and learn to love what you do -- if life could go as we planned, I’m pretty sure it would’ve been a hell of a lot boring.

Having explored quite a diverse range of professions and being with a lot of people believing in different ideologies taught me a very important thing.

It does not matter if you are a businessman, a writer, a physicist, an imam, or a women’s rights activist: Every profession, or ideology is good -- as long as you are a good person.

There is beauty to be discovered in all lines of professions. And I can assure you, if you ever find love in what you do, it will soon become a work of art, and a source of happiness and satisfaction for you.

There are just a few things I feel like jotting down.

Learning is never useless.

Whatever you learn, it enriches you and makes you a better person.

And sooner or later, at some point, it will be of use. So if your child wants to be an artist, give him paint and brushes.

If she wants to break toys to see what’s inside, help her see it.

If they like guitars, give them an album of Pink Floyd.

I am not undervaluing the need for academic qualifications. Do tell your children to study. But there are are certain approaches.

Be creative about it. And if they start to listen to you without being annoyed, consider yourself a successful parent.

Never discourage exploring and learning things that do not seem to matter to you. Teach them to respect others. Teach them to be kind to everyone.

And finally make them realise that being a good person is more important than earning money.

And it starts with you.

If you are a teacher, a parent, a guardian, or just someone who children admire, know that you are their role-model. They are learning from your every move.

So instead of telling them what to do, show them how it should be done. l Muhammad Mustafa Monowar is a student of literature in BRAC University and a blogger. Follow him at www. wallofwinterblues.wordpress.com.

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23

Opinion

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

The dysfunctional majority Lest we forget what secularism means

Bangladesh is meant to be an inclusive nation

REUTERS

n Nur E Emroz Alam Tonoy

I

n Dhaka’s international airport, the gateway of Bangladesh, each bright neon sign of this large modern structure is a constant reminder of our moral bankruptcy, political Islam, and spread of communal majoritarianism into every sphere of society.

How significant are the names Shah Jalal, Shah Paran, Shah Makhdum in terms of shaping our national identity? What have they done to deserve such honour? And of course, why not Atis Dipankar or Sree Chitanya Dev? Bangladesh is in serious crisis as the “philosophy of rights” is being repeatedly hammered and as it struggles to get a foothold in the state mechanism due to escalating majoritarianism. It now poses a threat even greater than corruption, causing severe damage to our already vulnerable reputation of human rights protection, freedom of speech, and communal harmony.

In simple terms, majoritarianism is described as the actions of many to override the rights of the few. In a more accurate simplified term, it is a form of tyranny. This concept

Irrespective of the size of its population, all religion and ethnic groups are pivotal parts of Bangladesh and entitled to equal treatment guaranteed by the constitution. Bangladesh belongs to all citizens: Race, religion, or ethnicity is irrelevant in this debate

was developed from a democratic narrative to alert the stakeholders to the subliminal dangers of modern democracy.

In accordance with this philosophical point of view, the development of Bangladesh does not rely upon prioritisation of the majority, but on the principles of equal justice and assurance of human rights protection of every citizen.

Lets have a brief look at the Awami League, our greatest ever brand of secularism. It will allow us to have a better understanding of the fatal impact of majoritarianism in our society.

In theory, AL always held views consistent with the fundamentals of democracy. The disclosure of secularism and commitment to diversity allowed the party to

maintain a moral ownership over the legacy of secularist movement of the country.

But unfortunately, the current ground reality is a complete different story. It appears to be a story of moral degradation and political shortfall.

In 2013, a spate of violence leveraged by the madrasa students aimed to demonstrate the power of political Islam to force Awami League to surrender to Islamic fundamentalism.

Since then, under the watch of AL, the safety of minorities and the democratically accepted meaning of individual liberty have been compromised. Free speech has become a crime. The government is also failing to take necessary action to check communal violence, and in many

cases the perpetrators were let off the hook.

Bangladesh is not a neutral state.

The constitution of Bangladesh is not justified with the widely accepted wisdom of universal human rights code, namely, “that in any country the faith and the confidence of the minorities in the impartial and even functioning of the state is the acid test of being a civilised state.”

Clearly, I’m pointing at section 32(A) of the constitution which proclaims Islam as the state religion of Bangladesh.

It is by far the strongest statement in favour of Muslim majoritarianism.

The existence of such discriminatory and divisive text in a constitution which proclaims

to guarantee equality above all measures is disappointing, even condemnable. This is undeniable evidence of overriding the will of the few by the many, and an infringement of the principles of equality.

Here “the philosophy of rights” comes to play.

A person who really believed in the concept of fairness, that equality of all citizens regardless of how they pray or to whom they pray is a right, would believe that even the section 32(A) is widely supported by the majority, and they have got it wrong in terms of fairness.

It is a question of political responsibility and rights; and must be prioritised over electoral calculation and religious bias.

The majoritarianism in Bangladesh is not just limited to religion. The ethnic Bangali majoritarianism over the other 45 minority ethnic groups bears no less significance and therefore is subject to intense scrutiny.

I personally feel resentment to accept the term minority. It is divisive and discriminatory. But even so, I must admit that they deserve the right to be recognised, constitutionally as well as institutionally.

This matter should have been considered as a matter of utmost importance in national interest to uphold and to celebrate the concepts of diversity and pluralism, but instead due to a series of policy failure, it now points at the majoritarian nature of our political culture.

Irrespective of the size of its population, all religion and ethnic groups are pivotal parts of Bangladesh, and entitled to equal treatment guaranteed by the constitution.

Bangladesh belongs to all citizens: Race, religion, or ethnicity is irrelevant in this debate.

The success of Bangladesh relies on the combined might of Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and also those who reject religion as a way of life. The concept of Bangladesh was meant to be inclusive. It was never a country for one religion or race, and it’ll never be.

Therefore, Bangladesh must immediately concentrate on contesting the threat of majoritarianism and put forward a realistic, evidence-based agenda to celebrate an inclusive, diverse, and pluralistic society. l Nur E Emroz Alam Tonoy is a blogger and an online activist.

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24 Sport

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

Shahidi eyes positive cricket in series decider

TOP STORIES

n Ali Shahriyar Bappa

BPL franchises shape up squads The players’ draft for the forthcoming fourth edition of the BPL Twenty20 was held at Radisson Hotel in the capital yesterday as the seven franchises picked up their desired players through lottery. PAGE 25

Late winner stuns Bangladesh in final India emerged as the champions of the Under-18 Asia Cup Hockey after beating hosts Bangladesh 3-3 in a pulsating final at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium in the capital yesterday. PAGE 26

Pujara, Rahane lift India after poor start Gutsy fifties from middle-order batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane helped India reach 239 for seven in the second Test against New Zealand after a see-saw opening day yesterday in Kolkata. PAGE 27

Totti leads Roma rout, Ibra fires Utd Francesco Totti at 40 continues to shine for Roma, Manchester United needed Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s height to see off stubborn Zorya Luhansk while Mario Balotelli got on the score sheet for Nice again in Europa League action. PAGE 28

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha and wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim in action during training in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Mashrafe confident of winning series n Ali Shahriyar Bappa Tigers limited-over captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza believes they will bounce back from the shocking second ODI defeat against Afghanistan in the third and final game of the three-match series today.

Mashrafe vowed to play positive cricket during the pre-match press conference at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

“Definitely, we have the confidence and belief that we can win the series. I don’t think all the achievements we have achieved will disappear after just one defeat. Obviously, the players and the staff were disappointed after the loss but that doesn’t mean that we have forgotten all the good work that we have done in the recent past. It was a bad day for us and it happens in any sport,” Mashrafe told the media.

Many are talking about the missed stumping chance by Mushfiqur Rahim at a crucial moment in the second ODI. Bangladesh could have gone closer to

victory if Mushfiq had stumped Najibullah Zadran in the 47th over. At that stage, the Afghans still required 13 runs off 20 balls.

Mashrafe however, said the team are fully supportive of Mushfiq and thinks the wicket-keeper should not be blamed solely.

“If Mushfiq’s professional aspect is being monitored, then he is always ahead of us by one step.

And from that aspect, Mushfiq always gives hundred percent. If you are talking about blaming him for the defeat then that is not fair. If today I blame him or someone else then in the next match, the blame might fall on me,” said Mashrafe.

“So it’s not right to blame just Mushfiq. Had we scored 20 or more runs then we could have won the match. If we had won then nobody would have blamed him. So there is no point in blaming him particularly,” he added.

Mashrafe though is of the opinion that Afghanistan are a tough competitor and that there is no chance of taking them lightly.

“Many used to think that the Afghanistan series will be easy, but my team and I always be-

lieved that it wouldn’t be that easy. And that was clear after the first game. In the second match our batting collapsed. At one point, we recovered but still we lost wickets in the latter stages.

I think that we did not play our best game,” he said.

“We are well matured. Batsmen are working on their mistakes. If you see the top five, some players got runs but did not score big,” he added.

The Mirpur wicket in the second ODI was a bit slower compared to the first game but Mashrafe said they are absolutely happy with the pitch and conditions and that the playing XI will only be drafted before the match.

“I have no complaints. In the first match, we got the wicket that we wanted but despite that, we couldn’t score well. In the second match, because of rain, the wicket was really damp and slow and there was turn. “Then in the second half of the game there was not much turn but I still feel we bowled well.

Till now, the wicket seems good.

Hopefully it would not change [today],” he concluded.l

Afghanistan played some fighting cricket against hosts Bangladesh to level the three-match ODI series in Mirpur on Wednesday.

And Afghan middle-order batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi said they will look to carry the momentum in the series-decider today.

Shahidi though admitted that it will be tough to win the series against the formidable home side.

“It will be tough to win. Because it’s the first time we are playing against Bangladesh in their home.

Our plan is to play good cricket and Inshallah we will play good. We are here to play positive cricket. We did some mistakes in the last two games. In the first game, we should have won the match. We are looking to (rectify) the mistakes that we did in the previous games and concentrating on improving those areas,” Shahidi told the media in the pre-match press conference at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.

Shahidi said they will be under pressure in front of the passionate home crowd. But he believes the team which play good and positive cricket will eventually win the match.

“Both the sides are strong. Our team are also good and Bangladesh are also very good. Crowd is in their favour. Too much crowd are coming here and supporting them. But if we play good cricket then we will win and if they play good cricket then they will win,” he said.

Shahidi gave credit to their coach Lalchand Rajput for their success in the recent past. He also thinks their recent performance will raise their possibilities of achieving the Test membership in future.

“In the last one year, Afghanistan cricket improved. Credit goes to our coach as well. Our coach Rajput is working really hard with us.

Before him, Inzamam-ul-Haq also did very well,” he said.

“We are trying our best to take our Test membership. We are playing good cricket and defeated Ireland two times, in their home and away. We also beat Zimbabwe twice.

“We beat the West Indies in the (2016) Twenty20 World Cup and played good cricket against Bangladesh here. So Inshallah, our [Afghanistan] cricket board will organise more matches against the good teams.” l

25

dt

BPL 2016

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

An overview of the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20’s players’ draft ceremony at a city hotel yesterday

MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

BPL franchises shape up squads in players’ draft n Tribune Report

The players’ draft for the forthcoming fourth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 was held at Radisson Hotel in the capital yesterday as the seven franchises picked up their desired players through lottery.

Khulna Titans, one of the two new franchises, got the right to call

first in the players’ draft, ahead of another newcomer Rajshahi Kings.

Khulna picked up left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain in the first call before picking Shafiul Islam in the fourth call.

On the other hand, Rajshahi purchased Nurul Hasan and youngster Mehedi Hasan Miraz in the second and third call respectively.

All the franchises tried to pick

young and established players from the domestic circuit as a total of 58 local and 23 foreign cricketers were picked up by the seven franchises during the players’ draft.

Earlier, the seven “A+” players were picked up by the franchises along with a few foreign cricketers, including West Indies hard-hitter Chris Gayle, who will play for Chittagong Vikings.

Earlier, BPL governing council member secretary Ismail Haider Mallick informed that there will be no icon player in the upcoming edition as they have decided to change it into “A+” category.

Shakib al Hasan will receive Tk55 lakhs, the highest among the seven A+ players, and turn out for Dhaka Dynamites. Tamim Iqbal will once again play for Chittagong, Mush-

fiqur Rahim for Barisal Bulls and Mahmudullah for Khulna while Mashrafe bin Mortaza was retained by defending champions Comilla Victorians. Each of these four A+ cricketers will pocket Tk50 lakhs.

Sabbir Rahman and Soumya Sarkar, the new A+ category players, will feature for Rajshahi and Rangpur Riders and get Tk40 lakhs each. l

CHITTAGONG VIKINGS

COMILLA VICTORIANS

DHAKA DYNAMITES

KHULNA TITANS

RAJSHAHI KINGS

RANGPUR RIDERS

BARISAL BULLS

A+ Category

Tamim Iqbal

Mashrafe bin Mortaza

Shakib al Hasan

Mahmudullah

Sabbir Rahman

Soumya Sarker

Mushfiqur Rahim

Players retained

Taskin Ahmed Anamul Haque Bijoy

Imrul Kayes Liton Kumar Das

Mosaddek Hossain Nasir Hossain

Arafat Sunny Mohammad Mithun

Al Amin Hossain Taijul Islam

Outside the Draft

Chris Gayle Dwayne Smith Shoaib Malik Chaturanga de Silva Mohammad Nabi

Sohail Tanvir Imad Wasim Ashar Zaidi Nuwan Kulasekera Thisara Perera Rashid Khan

Kumar Sangakkara Andre Russell Mahela Jayawardene Dwayne Bravo Evin Lewis Ravi Bopara

Shahid Afridi Sharjeel Khan Babar Azam Mohammad Shahzad Dasun Shanaka Gidron Pope Richard Gleeson

Dilshan Munaweera Rumman Raees Khan

New franchises’ calls

Nicholas Pooran Riki Wessels Kevon Cooper Mohammad Asghar Benny Howell

Darren Sammy Mohammad Sami

Mosharraf Hossain Shafiul Islam

Mehedi Hasan Miraz Nurul Hasan

First round (foreign)

Grant Elliott Imran Khan Jr

Khalid Latif Shahzaib Hasan

Seekugge Prasanna Wayne Parnell

Lendl Simmons Ben Laughlin

Milinda Siriwardana Upul Tharanga

Nasir Jamshed Sachithra Senanayake

Mohammad Nawaz Carlos Brathwaite

First round (local)

Abdur Razzak Subashis Roy

Al-Amin Nazmul Hossain Shanto

Sanjamul Islam Alauddin Babu

Shuvagata Hom Ariful Haque

Mominul Haque Farhad Reza

Rubel Hossain Sohag Gazi

Shamsur Rahman Abu Hider

Second round (local)

Jahurul Islam Nazmul Hossain Milon

Nahidul Islam Mohammad Saifuddin

Suhrawadi Shuvo Mehedi Maruf

Abdul Majid Alok Kapali

Nazmul Islam Raqibul Hasan

Ziaur Rahman Naeem Islam

Kamrul Islam Rabbi Nadif Chowdhury

Second round (foreign)

Jeevan Mendis Tymal Mills

Jason Holder

Usama Mir

Andre Fletcher Junaid Khan

Samit Patel

Gehan Rupasingha

Josh Cobb

Third round (local)

Zakir Hasan Saqlain Sajib

Mohammad Sharif Nabil Samad

Mohammad Shahid Irfan Shukkur

Hasanuzzaman Naeem Islam jnr

Abul Hasan Rony Talukdar

Elias Sunny Pinak Ghosh

Mahedi Hasan Monir Hossain Khan

Fourth round (local)

Shahidul Islam Yasir Ali Chowdhury

Jasimuddin Saikat Ali

Tanveer Haider

Noor Hossain Saddam Taibur Rahman

Salman Hossain Ebadot Hossain

Muktar Ali

Shahriar Nafees

Fifth round (local)

Jubair Hossain

Rasel Al Mamun

Abdul Halim

Mehrab Hossain Josy Shahbaz Chouhan

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26

Sport

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

Late winner stuns Bangladesh in final

Bangladesh U-18 satisfied despite defeat n Tribune Report

n Tribune Report

Bangladesh players, head coach and manager were not fully satisfied with their display when they earned a huge 6-1 victory against Chinese Taipei but despite losing 5-4 against India, everyone seemed happy with the performance and termed bad luck for their defeat in the nail-biting Under-18 Asia Cup Hockey final yesterday.

The young boys showed great spirit and determination from the beginning of the tournament right till the end of the final. A late winner just three seconds before the final whistle might have snatched the title from Bangladesh’s grasp but the home side already did an outstanding job before the match had even begun as they reached the final of the tournament for the first time in history.

There were plenty of things to learn from the young Bengal Tigers, who will surely lead the senior side in big tournaments sooner or later. Bangladesh played a total of four matches in the seven-day event and won all the matches, except the final, scoring 25 goals conceding 10.

Bangladesh and India faced off in the group stage which ended with the same margin as the final but the home side were the winning side on that occasion.

“It’s totally bad luck that we lost [yesterday]. The boys performed really well. They played like we expected. They took the lead twice but conceding a goal in the last three seconds; there is no answer for that. It was just not our day but we didn’t lose,” said team manager Kawser Ali after the game.

Drag-and-flick hero Ashraful Islam was in brilliant form throughout the tournament, scoring the highest 11 goals. He also defended well yesterday.

He said, “We played with determination. We wanted to win the game. They were also very organised. But at the end of the day I think it is luck that denied us the win. It’s really hard to concede a goal in that moment.”

Captain and the tournament’s best performer Romman Sarkar wants to take lessons from the competition. l

RESULTS Bangladesh

4-5

Romman 22, Mohsin 35, Ashraful 58, Mahbub 63

India Shivam 23, Hardik 43, Konjegbam 51, 61, Abhishek 70

THIRD-PLACE DECIDER Pakistan

18-0

Chinese Taipei

FIFTH-PLACE DECIDER China

2-1

Oman

India emerged as the champions of the Under-18 Asia Cup Hockey after beating hosts Bangladesh 3-3 in a pulsating final at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium in the capital yesterday.

The home side went ahead twice with captain Romman Sarkar, Mohammad Mohsin, Ashraful Islam and Mahbub Hossain netting one apiece for the boys in red and green while Konjegbam Singh scored two and Shivam Anand and Hardik Singh added one each for the visitors. Abhishek bagged the winner three seconds before the final whistle to seal victory.

Let alone winning the title, Bangladesh U-18 never reached the final of an international tournament prior to the U-18 Asia Cup Hockey 2016. They played in the same competition only once in the

inaugural edition in 2001 where they finished fifth.

Bangladesh, who defeated the same opponents in their first match of the tournament with a 5-4 margin, didn’t have the best of starts to the game.

India, on the other hand, looked more organised than their first game defeat, dominating possession at the beginning before Bangladesh slowly started to wrest away the rhythm as the game wore on.

The hosts went close with only four minutes into the clock but Romman’s touch on a fierce Ashraful hit flew over the bar.

India received their first penalty corner two minutes later but they squandered the chance with a poor final shot. Bangladesh goalkeeper Yeasin Arafat then made a brilliant save to deny a Konjegbam flick in the 19th minute.

Romman put the young Bengal Tigers ahead in the 22nd minute from Bangladesh’s first penalty corner. Ashraful’s shot from Fazle Rabby’s push and Naim Uddin’s stop was blocked by the Indian defence but Romman collected the rebound before finding the back of the board with an unstoppable hit.

The delight however, lasted less than a minute as India defender Shivam equalised the margin with a decent finish after racing forward into the right side of the circle.

Both the sides earned another penalty corner each in the 27th and 33rd minute but neither of them yielded any results.

Mohsin gave Bangladesh the lead again in the last minute of the first half with a superb connect from a Sobuj Rahman hit.

The visitors began the second half brightly and scored two more

goals to take control of the driving seat. Hardik restored parity in the 43rd minute before Konjegbam gave them the lead in the 51st minute.

Drag-and-flick specialist Ashraful, who ended up with 11 goals from four matches, put things level in the 58th minute from Bangladesh’s third penalty corner but Konjegbam scored again for the visitors three minutes later.

Mahbub made it 4-4 in the 63rd minute before Abhishek struck in the dying moments to break Bangladesh’s hearts.

Meanwhile, Pakistan finished third after beating Chinese Taipei 18-0 in the third-place deciding match. China beat Oman 2-1 in the day’s other classification match to finish fifth among seven teams.

Romman was adjudged player of the tournament while Ashraful received the highest scorer’s award.l

Bangladesh players are distraught following their 5-4 defeat against India in the final of the Under-18 Asia Cup Hockey Tournament at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium in the capital yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Rahmatganj at the summit n Tribune Report Brothers Union registered only their second victory in the Bangladesh Premier League after beating Uttar Baridhara Club 2-1 in their ninth-round match at Sylhet District Stadium yesterday.

The Gopibagh outfit moved to sixth place in the points table with 11 points from nine matches while Uttar Baridhara remained at the bottom of the table with only three points.

It was Uttar Baridhara’s eighth consecutive defeat in the league this season.

Ghanaian defender Abbas Inusah put Brothers ahead at the stroke of the opening half, heading home a corner from Kawser Rabby before Augustin Walson doubled the lead 10 minutes into the second half with a solo effort.

Uttar Baridhara pulled one back in the 71st minute after Kenyan forward Collins Tiago scored from the six-yard box during a goalmouth scramble.

Meanwhile in the day’s other match at the same venue, Muktijoddha lost to surprise table-toppers Rahmatganj 1-2.

Rahmatganj are at the summit with 19 points from nine matches while Muktijoddha are fifth with 15 points from the same number of games. l

RESULTS Brothers

2-1

Abbas 45 Walson 55

Muktijoddha

Baridhara Tiago 71

1-2

Rahmatganj

England cricket team arrive in Dhaka n Tribune Report Visiting England cricket team arrived in Dhaka yesterday.

The 34-member contingent, comprising 16 cricketers and 18 officials including the security and England and Wales Cricket Board members, set foot at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:05pm, courtesy the Etihad Airways EOY-258 flight.

Jos Buttler and his troop will play a practice match against the BCB XI ahead of the ODI series, which begins next Friday in Mirpur.

The second ODI is scheduled to be held on October 9 before Chittagong hosts the two teams in the third ODI on October 12. Following the ODIs, Alastair Cook and his side will play a couple of two-day matches against the BCB XI in Chittagong. The first of two Test matches gets underway on Oct 20. l

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

SCORECARD, DAY 1

QUICK BYTES Ronaldo, Sanches back for WC qualifiers Cristiano Ronaldo and Renato Sanches were recalled to the Portugal squad after injury on Thursday as coach Fernando Santos urged the European champions to switch out of party mode. Santos, naming his players for next month’s World Cup qualifiers at home to Andorra and away to the Faroe Islands, believes his players were not fully switched on when they began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat in Switzerland. “We have to get out of European champion mode, that party mode, that state of relaxation,” Santos told reporters. “That cannot happen again.”

INDIA 1ST INNINGS S. Dhawan b Henry M. Vijay c Watling b Henry C. Pujara c Guptill b Wagner V. Kohli c Latham b Boult A. Rahane lbw b Patel R. Sharma c Latham b Patel R. Ashwin lbw b Henry W. Saha not out R. Jadeja not out Extras (b 8, lb 6)

R 1 9 87 9 77 2 26 14 0 14

Total (7 wickets; 86 overs)

239

B 10 29 219 28 157 12 33 22 6

Fall of wickets 1-1 (Dhawan), 2-28 (Vijay), 3-46 (Kohli), 4-187 (Pujara), 5-193 (Sharma), 6-200 (Rahane), 7-231 (Ashwin) Bowling Boult 16-8-33-1, Henry 15-6-35-3, Wagner 15-5-37-1, Santner 19-5-54-0, Patel 21-3-66-2

–REUTERS

India batsman Ajinkya Rahane evades a rising delivery against New Zealand during their second Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India yesterday

England job after Arsenal ‘love’ ends Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is open to managing England in the future but is currently committed to the Premier League side, the Frenchman said yesterday.

“My priority is to do well here. This has always been my club,” Wenger, who will celebrate 20 years at Arsenal today, told reporters.

“If I am free one day, why not? But I am concentrated on my job,” he said, referring to the England job.

The Football Association is looking for a new England manager after the shock end to Sam Allardyce’s 67-day stint following a newspaper investigation.

–REUTERS

DAY’S WATCH CRICKET STAR SPORTS 1 10:00AM New Zealand Tour of India 2nd Test, Day 2

FOOTBALL

STAR SPORTS 1

7:30PM Indian Super League Guwahati v Kochi

TEN 3 Sky Bet EFL 2016/17 7:30PM Rotherham v Newcastle 10:00PM Wolverhampton v Norwich City

SONY SIX Spanish La Liga 04:30PM Granada v Leganes 8:00PM Sevilla v Alaves 10:18PM FIFA Futsal World Cup Third Place: Iran v Portugal 1:15AM Final: Russia v Argentina

SONY ESPN 09:30PM Italian Serie A Pescara v Chievo Verona

REUTERS

Pujara, Rahane lift India after poor start n Reuters, Kolkata

Gutsy fifties from Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane helped India reach 239 for seven in the second Test against New Zealand after a see-saw opening day yesterday.

The touring side claimed three wickets in the first session and four in the third but the Indian duo forged a 141-run partnership for the

fourth wicket to leave the match evenly poised.

Wriddhiman Saha was unbeaten on 14 with Ravindra Jadeja yet to score when bad light stopped play at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.

Earlier, New Zealand paceman Matt Henry (3-35) celebrated his Test return with a two-wicket burst to wreck India’s top order and lift the mood in the Kiwi camp.

Beaten comprehensively in the series opener in Kanpur, New Zealand’s bid to level the three-Test series suffered a body blow when skipper Kane Williamson was ruled out due to illness with Ross Taylor taking over captaincy.

India captain Virat Kohli’s decision to bat in his country’s 250th home Test gave the Kiwi pacemen an opportunity to extract whatev-

Conte to look to Terry to halt slide n AFP, London

Chelsea icon John Terry looks primed to be thrown straight back into action today against struggling Hull in a bid to end a run of two successive Premier League defeats.

Both losses to Liverpool and Arsenal have been since Terry damaged ankle ligaments but having returned to training this week and with England central defender Gary Cahill out of form the 35-yearold club captain is needed more than ever.

Terry, who looked to have ended his Chelsea career at the end of last season only to accept a year long contract, has quickly emerged as a central figure in Conte’s plans after the Italian missed out on his main defensive targets during the recent transfer window.

The arrival of David Luiz and Marcos Alonso on transfer deadline day at least bolstered the defensive numbers but neither player has made a significant impact since then. Luiz’s partnership with Cahill in central defence has looked anything but convincing.

Cahill in particular was guilty of an error in Arsenal’s 3-0 victory which confirmed the scale of the task confronting Conte as he attempts to revive the club.

The England defender is likely to make way for Terry for a game that has grown in significance ahead of back to back meetings with champions Leicester and Manchester

FIXTURES Hull Sunderland Swansea Watford West Ham

v v v v v

Chelsea West Brom Liverpool Bournemouth Middlesbrough

United. And while the focus has been trained on problems at the back, the manner of the Arsenal defeat also raised questions about other players with midfielder N’Golo Kante’s lack of form identified as a growing concern.

“When you want to win you must have a good balance when you attack and when you defend,” said Conte.

“I think this is the right way if you want to win. It’s important to work together in defensive situations and in offensive situations.

We must work together. We can improve a lot and it’s important to understand this and try to work together.”

Pre-season relegation favourites Hull posted back-to-back Premier League wins at the outset of the campaign, but they have struggled since that encouraging start and are aiming to arrest a slump in form which has seen them take one point from the last 12.

They have conceded nine goals in their last two games, heavy defeats by Arsenal and Liverpool, as they go in search of a first victory against Chelsea in almost 28 years, a winless run covering the sides’ last 12 meetings.

Uncertainty over the future of caretaker manager Mike Phelan, who after almost a fortnight of deliberation is yet to accept an offer to take the role full-time, and on-going talks to sell the club have played a part in the downturn in results for the 14th-placed Tigers.l

er life was available from a greentinged track and the tourists did not disappoint.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan failed to capitalise on his recall to the side for the injured Lokesh Rahul, chopping a Henry delivery on to his stumps to depart for one. Henry struck again in his sixth over with a beautiful delivery which angled into Murali Vijay (nine).l

Bayern poised for next record n AFP, Berlin A sixth straight Bundesliga win for Bayern Munich, at home to Cologne today, will see coach Carlo Ancelotti equal the record for the best start in Germany’s top flight.

Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Andre Schubert, who managed the feat last year, and Willi Entenmann, with Stuttgart in 1986, are the only two Bundesliga coaches to have won their first six league games.

Ancelotti had already steered Bayern to the best start to the season in the club’s history with eight straight victories before Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. l

FIXTURES Bayern Munich Hertha Berlin Ingolstadt Darmstadt Freiburg Leverkusen

v v v v v v

Cologne Hamburg Hoffenheim Werder Bremen Frankfurt Dortmund

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

RESULTS GROUP A Fenerbahce

1-0

Feyenoord

1-0

Zorya Luhansk

Emenike 18

Man United Ibrahimovic 69

GROUP B Astana

0-0

Olympiakos

0-1

Young Boys APOEL Sotiriou 10

GROUP C

2-3

Qabala

Mainz

Gurbanov 57-P, Zenjov 62

Muto 41, Cordoba 68, Oztunali 78

1-1

Saint-Etienne

Anderlecht

Roux 90+4

Tielmans 62-P

GROUP D

5-0

Zenit

AZ Alkmaar

Kokorin 26, 59 Giuliano 48, Criscito 66-P, Shatov 80

1-0

Dundalk

Maccabi

Kilduff 72

GROUP E Austria Vienna

0-0

Viktoria Plzen

AS Roma

4-0

Astra Giurgiu

Strootman 15, Fazio 45+2, Fabricio 47-og, Salah 55

GROUP F

1-0

Athletic Bilbao

Rapid Vienna

Benat Etxebarria 59

3-1

Genk

Sassuolo

Karelis 8, Bailey 25, Buffel 61

Politano 65

GROUP G Ajax

1-0

Standard Liege

2-0

Panathinaikos

Dolberg 28

Celta Vigo

Guidetti 84, Wass 89

GROUP H

2-0

Ghent

Konyaspor

Saief 17, Renato Neto 34

2-0

Donetsk

Braga

Stepanenko 5, Kovalenko 56

Totti leads Roma rout, Ibra fires United n AFP, Paris Francesco Totti at 40 continues to shine for Roma, Manchester United needed Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s height to see off stubborn Zorya Luhansk while Mario Balotelli got on the score sheet for Nice again in Europa League action.

3-1

Schalke 04

FC Red Bull

Goretzka 15, Duje Caleta-Car 47-og, Howedes 58

Soriano 72

5-2

Krasnodar

Nice

Smolov 22, Joaozinho 33, 65-P, Ari 86, 90

Balotelli 42, Cyprien 71

GROUP J

5-1

Qarabag

El Babacar 39, 45, Kalinic 43, Zarate 63, 78

Ndlovu 90

Fiorentina

1-2

Liberec Komlichenko 1

PAOK Salonika Athanasiadis 10-P, 82

GROUP K Hapoel

0-0

Southampton

Sparta Prague

3-1

Inter Milan

Vaclav Kadlec 7, 25, Holek 76

Palacio 71

GROUP L FC Zurich

2-1

Schonbachler 45, Cavusevic 80

Steaua Bucharest

Osmanlispor Maher 74

1-1

Villarreal Borre 9

Jose Mourinho’s side struggled to break down their Ukrainian opponents until the introduction from the bench of Wayne Rooney. The England captain’s mishit shot was headed in by Ibrahimovic to leave United a point behind group leaders Fenerbahce.

Bilbao rage as ref changes mind

Two days after his 40th birthday, captain Francesco Totti set up three of Roma’s goals as they romped past Romanian outfit Astra 4-0. The sublime skills of the midfielder saw first-half free kicks turned into goals as first Kevin Strootman tapped in at the far post on 15, and while Totti’s 45th minute shot was pushed onto the bar by the ‘keeper, Fazio was on hand to head home the rebound. After an own goal, shortly after the restart, a clever lob into the area on 55 minutes from Totti enabled Mohamed Salah to rush in complete a 4-0 victory. Roma now go top of Group E on goal difference after draw 1-1 with Viktoria Plzen two weeks ago.

Having awarded a goal to Athletic Bilbao at the end of the first half French referee Tony Chapron consulted his linesman as the Rapid Vienna players protested off-side, which Williams was as he tapped home Aritz Aduriz’ pass. But Chapron’s first change of heart was to award a penalty and a yellow card for a foul on Aduriz. But after further consultation with his assistants Chapron simply disallowed the goal for an off-side early in the build up, leaving the home players holding their heads in disbelief as they went in 0-0 at half-time. Bilbao eventually won 1-0 however thanks to Benat Etxebarria’s thundering drive on the hour. All four sides in Group F now have three points.

Ibra breaks Ukrainian resolve

Schalke reborn in Europe

Three assists for Totti GROUP I

Sulley 19

Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores the all important goal against FC Zorya Luhansk during their Uefa Europa League Group A match at Old Trafford, Manchester, England on Thursday REUTERS

Zlatan Ibrahimovic headed in a 69th-minute winner as Manchester United got their campaign off the ground with a laboured 1-0 home win over Zorya Luhansk. It was the Swede’s sixth goal in 10 United appearances. Beaten 1-0 at Feyenoord in their Group A opener,

While Schalke 04 have suffered five consecutive Bundesliga losses under new coach Markus Weinzierl, the Blues skipped to a 3-1 win over Austrians Salzburg. This season has brought them their worst ever start to a Bundesliga season where they have yet to earn a single point.

But with goals from Leon Goretzka, who headed home the opener on 15 minutes, Benedikt Howedes from a corner and an own goal in a scramble, Schalke made it two wins from two in Group I after their 1-0 win at Nice last time out. It was their 14th unbeaten game in the Europa League group phase. For Salzburg, Jonatan Soriano exposed the German team’s defensive frailties with his 72nd-minute consolation.

Kladec brace sees Sparta stun Inter

Two early strikes from Vacvlav Kladec gave Sparta Prague the impetus to eventually overcome ten-man Inter Milan 3-1 at the Generali Arena. Inter may be third in Serie A, but in Europe they are struggling having lost 2-0 at home to Hapoel Be’er Sheva on matchday one. After defender Andrea Ranocchia was sent off, Sparta striker Mario Holek headed home the ensuing freekick and the Italians looked dead and buried with 15 minutes to go.

Coach Frank de Boer will have been furious as Inter captain Rodrigo Palacio had on 71 minutes dragged them back into contention, finishing off a fine move to make it 2-1.

leaders, their romance with Italian striker Mario Balotelli continues to bloom as the 26-year-old got his fifth goal in four games. Trailing after strikes from Fedor Smolov on 22 minutes and Joaozinho, 11 minutes later, Balotelli slipped as he struck a curling shot home in the 43rd minute before bending over to cough and retch having complained of fever overnight. For the in-form Russians, there were braces from the two Brazilians Joaozinho and Ari, who replaced Smolov when he limped off after his opener. l

Balotelli on target but Nice beaten

Krasnodar crushed Nice 5-2 in Group I for a second Europa League win for the Russians, who also won 1-0 at Salzburg two weeks ago. For Nice it was a second defeat from two games following a 1-0 home loss to Schalke. But for the Ligue 1

Roma’s Francesco Totti in action against Astra REUTERS

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Disorderly noise (6) 5 Fate (3) 7 Icy cold (5) 8 Whole (6) 10 Lair (3) 12 Paradise (4) 13 Bishop’s territory (3) 14 Harvest (4) 16 Greek letter (4) 17 Offspring (3) 18 Male deer (4) 20 Gratuity (3) 23 Ointment for the scalp (6) 24 Of the kidneys (5) 25 Marsh (3) 26 Held principles (6)

DOWN 1 Gratis (4) 2 Bear witness to (6) 3 Concur (5) 4 Observed (4) 5 Cover (3) 6 Lyric poem (3) 9 Notion (4) 11 Pinch (3) 14 Wander (4) 15 Hire (6) 16 Wager (3) 17 Vestment (5) 18 Petty quarrel (4) 19 Camera part (4) 21 Choler (3) 22 Female swan (3)

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Downtime

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 21 represents V so fill V every time the figure 21 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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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

Showtime

Kali: masked citizen and unmasked superhero

n Rayan Quddus Have you seen Amit Ashraf’s web series, Kali? No, it is not about

the Hindu goddess, it’s about a vigilante superhero in the city of Dhaka. When you look at it for the first time, you will obviously notice

that it is about a female superhero in a third world concrete jungle, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

If you go into the series a bit

Jayati Chakraborty performance at Uttra Club

nShowtime Desk On September 29, 2016, UCB Family Lounge, sponsored by the United Commercial Bank Limited (UCB), was inaugurated at the premises of Uttara Club Limited.

Nasir U Mahmood, the president of the Uttara Club Limited, inaugurated the lounge, which will be open for all cultural programs arranged at the venue.

Followed by the inauguration, a musical soiree took place on the occasion where famous Indian singer Jayati Chakraborty performed.

In particular, she performed various songs of Rabindranath Tagore. Jayati’s, who has a gifted unique voice, renditions has mesmerised the audiences at the event.

Chakraborty is an illustrious

singer who performed scintillating Tagore and modern numbers. She has also sung playback in some Bangla films.

“Songs of Rabindranath are in my heart. I love to listen and sing his songs. I heard about many devoted Tagore listeners in this country, now I have met them,” said the singer.

MA Sabur, the chairman of UCB, said, “United Commercial Bank limited always played a significant role in the development of arts and culture and it will always actively participate in social activities.”

Emirates professor Anisuzzaman, Annisul Huq, Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation, Kabori Sarwar MP, playwright and actor Mamunur Rashid and Muhammed Ali, the managing director of UCB, along with different luminary personalities were present in this program.l

further, there is actually some good character development.

The protagonist, just like every other superhero, has an alter ego. By day, Amaya is a niqab wearing NGO worker, by night, an unmasked vigilante going by the name of Kali. Now what makes Kali interesting is that she is physically and mentally tortured. But she doesn’t wear a mask when she is Kali the superhero; everyone knows who she is when she is unmasked. She hides amongst ordinary citizens by wearing a niqab, a case similar to Superman wearing specs.

However, unlike Superman, she can’t fly or lift a building at ease.

Kali is tactical when it comes to fighting crimes. She knows her limitations and is willing to ask for help from trusted individuals.

You cannot call Kali a superhero or an antihero.

She isn’t necessarily a person motivated to solve crimes out of nowhere, her drive to bring justice to the oppressed and silenced is fueled by her own past experience, when she was a victim of an acid

attack which left a scar on her face. This is clearly portrayed in every scene when she combats a crook hand to hand. Kali makes it clear, in a subtle manner, that she is not the moral compass of society. Rather, she suggests that there are problems and doing a few bad deeds to temporary solve problems might at least bring some social attention to the problems she fights.

On the other hand, it should be noted that the script is well written from the start to the middle. It shows some of the real problems women face in our present world. Also, it shrewdly shows how Amaya keeps her alter ego a secret. All the episodes are well paced and have a very intense storytelling style. But the fifth and final episode might not live up to everyone’s expectations.

Nevertheless, it is a well-deserved treat if you like something new.

And Azra Mahmood’s performance in the title role was out of this world. If you want to something fresh from Bangladesh, this is highly recommended. Go watch all the five episode on bioscopelive. com. l

New track in town

n Showtime Desk Shahrar Nizam, also known as DJ Shazy, collaborated with pioneer Bangladeshi rapper, Skibkhan for a new song titled “Deshi”.

The song is a fusion between rap and R&B. And unlike most songs, which uses both Bengali and English, it actually mixes both dialects to achieve a unique sound.

The song is quite catchy, and cheesy. On the other hand, the

music video has a high production quality. It has all the elements that make a music video popular in the western world - a nice beat, pretty girls and men singing about how they find the girl attractive.

The song should be appreciated for its efforts, and in no a way did it not live up to the expectation.

This is a new hybrid music genre, which might ultimately dominate the Bangladeshi music industry very soon. If you haven’t heard it yet, go lend your ears to it.l

7 inning stretch th

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Showtime

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

Fox’s new sports show 'Pitch' is one to keep an eye on

n Mahmood Hossain For the majority of you, baseball is an alien sport that took a few moves here and there from cricket.

What most may not know is that this sport is America’s greatest pastime. The show is more than just about the sport; it’s about the rise and challenges of a female athlete. It’s very difficult to pull off a successful sports show or feature film. But when it’s done right, the action, thrill and drama is as real as the sports you see on television,

if not more.

The concept of Pitch is wonderful, and it is placed perfectly in the world we live in today.

The premier episode is everything you would have wanted from a television show. The story is about a young pitcher who becomes the first woman to play in the MLB. Major League Baseball, for those who are foreign to American sports, is the top tier professional league baseball. This is where the multi-million dollar contracts are signed, with all the perks and pitfalls of a superstar athlete. The obvious driven element is the fact that Ginny Baker, played wonderfully by Kylie Bunbury, is a female playing in a male dominated sport.

There aren’t any Emmy award winning performances as of yet, but it’s the story that will intrigue the audience. What Bunbury and the equally charming

supporting cast do will hook you in just enough to keep the train going. Especially with the very unexpected twist at the end of the pilot episode, the show makes a solid case for the audience to stick around to find out what happens next. As a starting pitcher – a position similar to that of a bowler in cricket – for the San Diego Padres (a real franchise), she’s given no special treatment by the team and its staff. Apart from being beautiful, she’ll have to show her worth on the mound.

However, the owner and general manager (Mark Consuelos) have a more marketable and business-like approach to the main character, which changes the dynamics of why she’s been signed to the professional team. In a way, you’ll get to see the ins and outs of the MLB. Mark-Paul Gosselaar should be a slightly familiar face to those of you who are old enough to remember Saved By The Bell.

Gosselaar plays as the team captain, Mike Lawson; a veteran of the game who figures out that Ginny Baker could be tied to his own legacy. Ali Larter plays as Amelia Slater, Baker’s agent. While the rest of the team find it difficult with the fact that there is a female in their team, teammate and friend Blip Sanders (Mo McRae) is a soft supporting cushion for Ginny, accepting the new change wholeheartedly. The same can be said about the former’s wife Evelyn Sanders (Meagan Holder),

who could be seen as another crutch to hold Ginny up.

Overall, we have a show that explores the changes in the real world, applying it to fiction that could transform into reality in the near future. It’s watching a strong, beautiful, very talented, independent, African-American woman breaking the ceiling once

built by men. Then again, it’s also about struggle, loss, resilience, hope and the human spirit. So even if you aren’t too familiar with the sport of baseball, it’s still a sport. We can all relate to the basic characteristics in team sports.

We all know how it feels to be challenged, lose and finally, win. l

WHAT TO WATCH The Dark Knight HBO 8:30pm When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, the caped crusader must come to terms with one of the greatest psychological tests of his ability to fight injustice.

Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart Captain Phillips WB 9:00pm The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.

Cast: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman

xXx Zee Studio 7:05pm An extreme sports athlete, Xander Cage, is recruited by the government on a special mission.

Cast: Vin Diesel, Asia Argento, Marton Csokas

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

THE UNDIVIDED DHAKA PAGE 12

MASHRAFE CONFIDENT OF WINNING SERIES PAGE 24

London mission in disarray over British visa for performers n Tribune Desk The press wing of Bangladesh High Commission in London, UK is in disarray over the arrival of four Bangladeshi performers to attend an event in London due to visa complexities.

Invited by the high commission, the young artistes – Shwapnil Shojib, Samiul Islam Poluck, Nirjher Chowdhury and Aviroop Sharma – are set to perform at the prestigious Nehru Centre and the Brady Arts Centre on October 6 and October 9, respectively, which now seems uncertain, said an official.

the costs incurred so far?”

The programme, titled Summit Evening of Young Bangladeshi Performers, is being sponsored mainly

by Summit Communications Ltd, along with a few other sponsors based in London.

Four British-Bangladeshi senior artistes will also perform at the shows.

Such a programme has not been held in London for many years and this venture aims at showcasing Bangladeshi talents as well as present Bangladeshi culture to the British audience, an official at the high commission.

It has taken several months of hard work to get the venues, the artistes and then the funds, and it is not costing the government a penny “We have furnished all documents and even, out of the way, given guarantee that the four would exit the UK after the shows, but so far there is no good news,” said Nadeem Qadir, press minister at the high commission.

"We need the four [artistes] here

by October 5 at the latest... it will be a great humiliation [if they are not here] as we have distributed invitation cards, banners and flyers for the shows,” he said.

He further said if the performers did not reach London for the shows, the sponsors would pull out their funds. “Then who will bear

Qadir said the British authorities asked for note verbale, but that is only issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – which has separately requested the British mission in Dhaka for the visas – to those with official or diplomatic passports.

“It has taken several months of hard work to get the venues, the artistes and then the funds, and it is not costing the government a penny,” he added.

“I hope good sense will prevail for greater bilateral ties and the Bangladeshi performers will be able to perform in London as per schedule.” l

WIKIPEDIA

Italian police have recovered two Van Gogh paintings stolen during a dramatic raid on an Amsterdam museum in 2002.

The works were recovered from the Naples mafia, they said.

The Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam said the works were found during a “massive, continuing investigation” by Italian prosecutors and organised crime officials.

The paintings were taken when thieves used a ladder and sledgehammers to break into the museum.

They were eventually found

Trekkers set for the Himalayas n Nure Alam Durjoy

A group of four trekkers, led by Mount Everest climber MA Mohit, is set to go on an expedition to scale the Mera Peak of the Himalayas which is around 21,830 feet high.

The team will leave Dhaka for Nepal on October 4 and stay at Katmandu for a day or two for buying necessary trekking gears.

They will start their expedition in on October 7 morning from Tenzing-Hillary Airport.

‘The climbers encourage and inspire the youth to reach the peaks and their dreams’

Shwapnil Shojib

Nirjher Chowdhury

Samiul lslam Poluck

Aviroop Sharma

Stolen Van Gogh paintings found in Italy n BBC

7TH INNING STRETCH PAGE 31

wrapped in cloth in a safe in a house in the picturesque seaside town of Castellammare di Stabia, near Pompeii.

The works were among assets worth millions of dollars seized from a Camorra organised crime group linked to cocaine trafficking, Italian reports said.

Months earlier, police had arrested several suspected drug traffickers who had invested their proceeds in Dubai, Spain and the Isle of Man. They were reportedly linked to one of the biggest mafia clans in the Scampia area of northern Naples.

Among those arrested in Jan-

uary were suspected drugs gang leader Raffaele Imperiale and Mario Cerrone. It was Mr Cerrone who apparently told investigators about the two paintings.

The theft of the two works, valued by investigators at $100m led to criticism of security at the world’s major art museums.

Neither work was insured at the time, and both were on loan to the Van Gogh museum from the Dutch government. Two Dutch citizens were jailed for theft but always maintained their innocence.

Dutch and Italian ministers were overjoyed by the news, and praised Italian investigators. l

At a press conference yesterday morning, expedition flags were handed over to mountaineers MA Mohit, Sadia Sultana, Shayla Parvin Bithi and Kazi Bahlul Maznu.

The press conference was moderated by expeditor Enam Ul Haque and was briefly addressed by former caretaker government adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, author Selina Hossain and Dhaka University Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam.

Congratulating the climbers, Hossain Zillur Rahman said: “The climbers encourage and inspire the youth to reach the peaks and their dreams.”

Azim Group's Executive Director Anup Baran Das also spoke at the ceremony.

The expedition has been planned by Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club, and sponsored jointly by Azim Group, Bangladesh Finance and Investment Co Ltd, and Channel i.

Mohit is the only Bangladeshi mountaineer who has scaled the Mt Everest twice. He said: “It will take at least 22 days to climb the peak. The trekking path to Mera Peak is beautiful as there are remote villages and forests.”

Trekkers Kazi Bahlul Maznu and Sadia Sultana have conquered four and one 6,000m mountains, respectively. Shayla Parvin is joining the expedition for the first time after undertaking formal mountaineering training in India and has also trekked to Mount Kyajo Ri in Nepal in 2015.

The Mera Peak is the highest among 33 peaks in Nepal. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207. Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com