05 Oct, 2016

SECOND EDITION

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

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Ashwin 20, 1423, Muharram 3, 1437

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 158

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www.dhakatribune.com

Are Saarc’s days numbered?

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32 pages |

Price: Tk10

On Kashmir, Bangladesh to support India

Influential Indian think tank recommends ditching Saarc, focusing on Bimstec Saarc member countries are Afthey would take Afghanistan and massive development n Mohammad Al Masum Molla through n Mohammad Jamil Khan ghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakithe Maldives from Saarc as observwork.

Delhi-based leading private thinktank Observer Research Foundation (ORF) has urged Bangladesh to concentrate on Bimstec as Saarc has failed to work effectively.

The ORF is working to form a board with all Saarc members, except Pakistan, for enhancing regional trade and cooperation.

Focused on strengthening the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi- Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec), the think-tank also suggested that the trilateral sub-regional cooperation among Bangladesh, India and Myanmar can be strengthened

“Despite many efforts by Saarc, the three-decade old regional forum could not work more effectively due to hindrance from Pakistan,” ORF’s distinguished fellow Pinak R Chakravarty told a group of Bangladeshi journalists visiting New Delhi on an invitation by the Indian External Affairs Ministry.

“I’ll urge Bangladesh government to concentrate on Bimstec very carefully. I think East could be more relevant for Bangladesh,” the former Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka said Monday.

“Forget Saarc at least for the time being,” he said, adding that

ers of Bimstec. “So, you will really have (Bimstec like) Saarc without Pakistan but with Thailand and Myanmar.”

Chakravarty said that they were trying to make Bimstec more active for regional cooperation as Pakistan wanted to use Saarc as a “leverage for their purpose.”

The remarks came amid the postponement of 19th Saarc Summit, scheduled to be held in November in Islamabad, after most of its member countries including Bangladesh boycotted it in the wake of terrorist attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir.

stan, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives and Sri Lanka; while the Bimstec members are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan.

“Connectivity in the region can be a good gesture among the three states [Bangladesh, India, Myanmar]. We have settled maritime boundary [disputes], and Bangladesh, Myanmar and India can work in a trilateral way to explore energy sources in the Bay of Bengal. We can share our resources to explore energy and all the three country will be benefited.”

Bangladesh will stay beside India if the next door neighbour comes under attack centring the ongoing tense situation prevailing with Pakistan over the Kashmir issue, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said echoing the prime minister.

The minister yesterday told reporters at his Secretariat office that Pakistan’s threats of war against India would not affect Bangladesh.

“We have no borderline with Pakistan and their area is 1,200 miles [1,931km] away from us. So their roar has no effect on us. We already

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Hacked female student in critical condition The victim was attacked by a Chhatra League leader in Sylhet when she was returning home from an exam Serajul Islam, n Mohammed Sylhet, and Kamrul Hasan The female college student who was brutally hacked by a leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League on Monday is in a critical condition, doctors said yesterday.

The victim, Khadiza Akhter Nargis, 23, was on life support – as of 10pm yesterday – after a team of specialist surgeons operated on her at Square Hospital in Dhaka, where she was brought in around 9am yesterday from Sylhet’s MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Dr Rejaus Sattar, associate consultant (neurosurgery) at Square Hospital, said due to the severity of the injuries she sustained, the result of the surgery could not be assessed as yet.

“The patient is on inactive ventilation in life support and will be under observation for 72 hours.

Further neurological scans of consciousness signs will dictate the next course of actions,” he added.

Earlier at a press briefing yester-

Khadiza Akhter Nargis. Right, the photo captures Chhatra League leader Badrul hacking Khadiza day, Dr Mirza Nazimuddin, medical director at Square, said Khadiza sustained critical trauma on her head and arms.

“There are deep gashes on her skull and scans show brain damage. The tendons in both arms have been slashed, probably when she was trying to protect her head,” he said.

Khadiza, an honours second-year student at Sylhet Government Women’s College, was attacked on Monday evening by Badrul Alam, fourth-year economics student at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) and a top leader of Chhatra League’s SUST wing, while she was on her way back home after taking

COURTESY

an exam at Sylhet MC College exam centre.

Locals rescued severely wounded Khadiza and took her to Osmani Medical College Hospital, while others gave Badrul a good beating before handing him over to Shah Paran police station.

The reasons behind the attack could not be known immediately.

Khadiza’s uncle Abdul Kuddus told the Dhaka Tribune that he did not know about the assailant before the attack was made public in the media.

Shah Paran police station OC Shahjalal Munshi said the incident might have occurred over a relationship dispute.

“We will take necessary actions once a complaint is filed regarding the matter. Badrul has been admitted in Osmani Hospital under police surveillance.”

Speaking to reporters at his office in the Secretariat yesterday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said whoever had attacked or hacked Khadiza would be brought under punishment.

SUST suspends Badrul

The SUST authorities suspended Badrul from the university yesterday evening following a meeting of the university proctorial body, SUST Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Aminul Haque Bhuyan told the Dhaka Tribune.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

INSIDE ‘Tahmid will be interrogated, if needed’

Home Minister Asaduzzaman yesterday said the investigators had got no information from Gulshan terror attack survivor Tahmid Hasib Khan, but he could be quizzed again, if needed.  PAGE 3

Four die as building collapses in Rangamati

Four people were killed and one injured when a two-storey building collapsed in the Kaptai Lake in Rangamati town yesterday evening. The causes behind the collapse are yet to known.  PAGE 5

Long-desired Kushtia land port yet to see the light

To boost trade with India, the government decided to establish a land port in Pragpur area of Kushtia a few years back, but the opening of the port is still a day dream to the people.  PAGE 7

BD IS supporter charged with murder plot in US

A Bangladeshi citizen has been charged with plotting to kill a member of the United States military on behalf of international terrorist group Islamic State.  PAGE 32

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

New fence along Indo-Bangla border agreed n Tribune Desk

India and Bangladesh have taken a “major decision” to erect a new fence to secure over 250 villages ahead of the present barbed-wire fence along the International Border (IB) to curb cross-border crime and instil a sense of security among the people living in the area.

The decision was taken at the bi-annual director general-level talks between the Border Security Force (BSF) and its counterpart Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)

which concluded in New Delhi yesterday, Times of India reported quoting PTI. “We have taken a major decision to erect a single-row fence for villages that are ahead of the present fencing but behind the IB. This well help in curbing cross-border crimes, smuggling instances and will instil a sense of security in the border population. The Bangladesh government and the BGB have given us the permission to do so,” BSF chief KK Sharma said after signing the joint record of discussions with

BGB chief Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed.

He said the decision would affect 148 villages “fully” ahead of the existing border fence and 137 “partially” ahead of it.

“Most of these villages are in West Bengal, while a few are in other Indian states sharing the border with Bangladesh. As the population lives and works here, the fence will have gates for people to cross over to the other side and come back,” Sharma said.

The BGB DG said that the situation in these villages was “very

challenging” and the forces did not want them to get divided by a fence which would affect the lives of the residents.

“We will ensure that there are no objections from our side when the fence is erected. We need a humanitarian approach and it [the new fence] could be done as the present positive relation between India and Bangladesh is an example that is nowhere to be seen in the world,” he said.

Both the DGs said that regular issues between the two forces such

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Hacked female student in critical condition The proctorial body has also formed a three-member committee led by acting proctor Rashed Talukder to investigate the attack.

The committee has been instructed to submit the probe report as soon as possible, said the VC.

BCL claims Badrul not a member

The Chhatra League wing at SUST has claimed that it has no affiliation with Badrul Alam.

“Badrul is currently employed at Alhaj Ayazur Rahman High School, and according to the organisation’s charter, job holders cannot remain members of this organisation,” said a press statement issued by Chha-

tra League yesterday evening.

However, sources said Badrul is currently the vice-president of SUST Chhatra League.

Chhatra League’s central committee General Secretary Jakir Hossain was seen leaving Osmani Medical College Hospital around 2pm yesterday. Asked about the assailant, he claimed that Badrul was not a member of the organisation.

“Chhatra League is not liable for any individual’s action, especially by someone who is not a member.

We have looked into the incident and have found that he is a job holder. Anyone who is married or working has his or her Chhatra

League membership automatically cancelled.”

Outrage in Sylhet

People staged protests against the heinous attack all over Sylhet city yesterday, demanding exemplary punishment for Badrul.

Khadiza’s classmates in Sylhet Government Women’s College have declared a three-day protest programme with a three-point demand.

They gathered in front of their college campus in the city’s Chouhatta area around 10:30am yesterday and launched a demonstration, demanding death sentence for Badrul.

The other points in their threepoint demand are: trial of the case under speedy tribunal and safety for female college students during commute.

The protest programme also includes abstention from classes and exams, placing a memorandum before the deputy commissioner wearing black badges, and staging a protest rally.

The SUST Chhatra League also condemned the attack and demanded punishment for Badrul in their press statement.

They said SUST Chhatra League would stand by Khadiza and her family in this crisis.

On Kashmir, Bangladesh to support India defeated them and send them back in 1971, so we do not want to think about them now,” Asaduzzaman said when asked about the preparation taken by the government.

The recent unrest in Kashmir began after the death of Burhan Wani, a top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen group, in July this year that sparked violent protests, prompting the authorities to impose an indefinite curfew in most parts of Indian-administered Kashmir.

The curfew was lifted in August but schools, shops and most banks remain shut and mobile and internet services remain suspended. At least 68 civilians and two security officials died and more than 9,000 people injured in over 50 days of violence, according to official tallies.

The tension escalated last month after 18 Indian soldiers were killed in a raid by gunmen on an army base at Uri, Kashmir on September 18. In retaliation, India says it has carried out “surgical strikes” against suspected militants along the de-facto border with Pakistan in Kashmir on September 29. Pakistan, however, rejects the claims.

The Pakistan defence minister also threatened to launch nuclear attack against India.

The recent development in Kashmir is a much-talked issue in social

media among the Bangladeshis.

After the Uri attack, Hasina told her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi that Bangladesh “firmly stands beside India at this difficult hour.”

The home minister yesterday said that he had been asked by Indian journalists about Dhaka’s stance regarding the Kashmir issue during his recent visit to New Delhi.

In 2010, both the countries agreed that BSF would use non-lethal weapons, but the initiative has apparently failed “I replied that as a friendship atmosphere is prevailing between Bangladesh and India, and India used to help Bangladesh over different issues, Bangladesh will definitely remain beside India, if it is attacked.”

Regarding Bangladesh’s pulling out from the Saarc Summit in Pakistan, the home minister said: “We will not attend the event due to persistent intervention of Pakistan in our internal issue [war crimes trials].”

Saarc Chairperson Nepal postponed the Summit after four countries including Bangladesh refused

to join the event next month.

Border killing by BSF

Regarding the deaths of Bangladeshi citizens by Indian Border Security Force, Home Minister Asaduzzman said that the government was working to bring down border killings to zero.

“Some over-enthusiast BSF members are behind such killings.

“We do not want that a single person is killed along the border.

We always protested whenever a Bangladeshi citizen is killed by the BSF,” he told reporters. “We are trying to stop the killings mutually.”

The killings along Bangladesh-India border have been a commonplace despite different measures taken by the two countries. In 2010, both the countries agreed that BSF would use non-lethal weapons, but the initiative has apparently failed. The victims include cattle traders, trespassers and even innocent farmers.

According to rights group Ain o Salish Kendra, the BSF shot dead 21 Bangladeshis and tortured to death six others along the border from January to September. 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.

as cattle-smuggling and circulation of Fake Indian Currency Notes were discussed by the two sides.

Maj Gen Aziz said that his country had been cooperating with the BSF in curbing cattle-smuggling from India to Bangladesh.

Terming cattle smuggling an “organised crime,” the BSF chief said that they would be more active in registering FIRs and naming culprits therein, to further clamp down on this illegal activity, “worth hundreds of crores,” across the Indo-Bangla border. l

Sammilito Sangskritik Jote condemned the attack as well.

Socialist Student Front issued a statement yesterday evening condemning the vicious attack and demanding exemplary punishment for Badrul.

They expressed concern over the rise of violence against women everywhere due to a lack of justice and urged everyone to stand united to combat violence against women.

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad has also released a statement condemning the attack and demanded that Khadiza gets proper treatment. l

Saarc’s days All but one were returned to the Bangladesh authorities.

The home minister also said that the government was holding talks with India about working together to combat militancy and terrorism.

India has already expressed interest to extend assistance in this regard.

Asked about bringing back most-wanted criminals from India, Asaduzzaman said: “Bangladesh has an extradition treaty with India to exchange prisoners. Our foreign ministry is working on the issue.” l

By coining the term “pipeline diplomacy,” Chakravarty said that the three countries could expand pipeline to share petroleum resources.

Noting that terrorism is a common problem in the region, the former diplomat said: “I think Bangladesh and India will have to set up a better structure to fight terrorism.”

He added: “Every country has an army, but in Pakistan, the army has the country. India has no interest at all to carry out fight with Pakistan but it is Pakistan which insisted it.” l

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‘Tahmid will be interrogated, if needed’ n Mohammad Jamil Khan Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday said that the investigators had not got any information from Gulshan terror attack survivor Tahmid Hasib Khan, but he could be quizzed again in the case, if needed.

“Tahmid will be interrogated whenever needed. He has been set free under this condition,” the minister said in response to a question at his office.

“His bail [granted Sunday] is not in our hands. The court has granted him bail. Neither the law enforcers nor the Home Ministry has the right to point finger at the matter.”

The minister said that Tahmid was not shown arrested since the detectives had not got any exclu-

sive information about his direct involvement in the attack.

Monirul Islam, chief of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crimes unit, Monday said that Tahmid had been found not involved in the Holey Artisan Bakery attack on July 1. He got bail on Sunday.

But the police alleged that he had been reluctant to give information during the interrogation.

So far, the investigators have shown Hasnat Reza Karim, another survivor arrested in the case, and remanded him in custody.

About keeping the children of war criminals under vigilance, the home minister said that the government would take action against them if they fail to lead their life as common people and show respect

to the country’s legal system.

“We will definitely take action against them if anyone tries to break the law and helps their war criminal parents through misdeeds,” Asaduzzaman said.

On the fatal attack on college student in Sylhet Khadiza Akter Nargis, the minister said that they would take stern action against the perpetrator to ensure his punishment disregarding his identity.

On Monday evening, Khadiza, 23, a student of Government Women’s College in Sylhet, was stopped and hacked on her way back home

by Badrul Alam, 30, a top leader of Chhatra League’s Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) unit.

Asaduzzaman told reporters

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News that his ministry had decided to form an air wing of the Bangladesh Police force.

“We want to buy helicopters for the force, but the number of helicopters to be bought depends on the Finance Ministry,” he said.

The minister also said that they were working to strengthen the capacity of the DMP’s Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit that deals with militancy by increasing its manpower.

Moreover, the government will procure ships for the Coast Guard.

“Our sea boundary has increased. To ensure security in the Bay, the government has taken initiatives to buy four ships for the Coast Guard, two of which will reach us this year,” he said. l

Activists who support free thinking and freedom of speech form a human chain in Dhaka’s Shahbagh yesterday demanding the release of writers, publishers and student leaders held under Section 57. They also demanded immediate removal of the restriction put on Ishtishon blog RAJIB DHAR

Six charged over Jihad’s death n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against six people, including five engineers of Bangladesh Railway, in a case filed over the death of Jihad, 4, who died after falling into a deep well in the capital’s Shahjahanpur area in 2014.

The indicted are engineers Md Saiful Islam, Md Nasir Uddin, Dipak Kumar Bhowmik, Zafar Ahamed Shaki and Jahangir Alam and a contractor named Shafiqul Islam alias Abdus Salam.

Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of Dhaka Special Judges Court 5 framed the charges against the accused rejecting their discharge petitions.

All six accused were on bail when they appeared before the court during the proceedings. They pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after the court read out the charges against them. The court fixed October 18 for starting the deposition of prosecution witnesses.

According to the case, on December 26, 2014, Jihad died after falling into an abandoned shaft, 17 inches in diameter, near his house at Bangladesh Railway Colony in Shahjahanpur while playing.

His body was pulled out by volunteers the following day, around 15 minutes after the fire service called off a near 23-hour search.

On April 17, 2015, SI Abu Zafar, who was investigating the case, submitted a charge sheet against Jahangir and Salam. But on June 4, Jihad’s father filed a no-confidence petition against the investigation report.

Later, the court ordered further probe into his death. Following the court order, SI Mizanur Rahman of the Detective Branch of police submitted a charge sheet against the six accused on March 31, 2016. l

CHITTAGONG PORT CRISIS

Provision for fine on overload vehicles suspended for now Nesa Alo, Shohel n Jebun Mamun

New provision for fine on overload vehicles on Dhaka-Chittagong highway was suspended for temporarily till October 13.

The decision came at an inter-ministry meeting with Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader in the chair, held yesterday in the capital.

According to the new provision, maximum Tk12,000 is fined for overloading vehicles, which was earlier only Tk2000. Road Transport and Bridges Ministry imposed the new provision of fine on 8 August, this year putting slab on taking fine over excess weight beyond certain ceiling.

The highest ceiling is set at 44

tonnes weight for Prime Mover Trailer, according to the provision.

The meeting was attended

by Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Railway Minister Mujibul Haque, State Minister for LGRD Mashiur Rahman Ranga, Chittagong City Corporation Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, leaders of Prime Mover Trailer, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and Covered Van Association.

“We have taken decision to form a committee was taken unanimously at the meeting. The committee will hold a meeting on October 13 at 11am in the Secretariat to address the problem that Chittagong port

going through and will find out a solution considering all parties involve with it,” said Obaidul Quader after the meeting.

“During this time, new provision for fine on overload vehicles will remain suspended and rule of fine Tk2, 000 will continue,” he added.

In the open discussion, the leaders of Prime Mover Trailer alleged of practice of extortion in the name of fine.

BGMEA President Siddiqur Rahman said: “Vehicle owners called strike without discussing with them though they are the major stake holders.”

He demanded to government to compensate them as they faced huge loss for shipment failure during the strike.

He said: “Containers of garment

owners never exceed the certain limit, but they have to suffer huge loss due to strike.”

In response to his claim, MAN Siddique, Road Transport and Highways Division said: “It is seemed as common practice among garment owners that they loaded double volume of raw materials in one container causing over load.”

Obaidul Quader warned that overload vehicles will not be allowed as the condition of Meghna and Gomoti Bridge are vulnerable.

If one bridge collapsed then total connectivity between Dhaka-Chittagong will disrupt.

“We will have to be very cautious about overload until completing second Meghna bridge funded

by JICA”, said Quader.

He said: “Piling of the bridge

will be started on November and scheduled to be completed the construction in 2018.”

Earlier on 26 September, Chittagong Prime Mover-Trailer Owners-Workers Unity Council called an indefinite strike protesting alleged harassment, fines and assault on trailer operators at load control centres at Daudkandi and Meghna Bridge areas on the Dhaka-Chittagong highways.

Later on 30 September, council postponed their strike till October 4 in Chittagong, after a meeting with Iqbal Bahar, commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police.

Due to the strike, a total of 40,259 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers were stockpiled at the port yards exceeding its capacity of 36,357 TEUs. l

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

Govt to introduce new course on coal-based sectors n

Aminur Rahman Rasel

The government took an initiative to introduce coal-based power and coal-mining related courses and departments in five public universities of the country in a bid to create well-trained and skilled manpower in coal-based power and coal-mining sectors.

The government took the decision as it is going to build many mega coal-based power projects to generate electricity and extract indigenous coal from mining.

The five universities are- Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Chittagong University of Engineering and Tech-

nology (CUET), Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) and Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), said sources.

“There will be a meeting on October 13, to discuss about opening the new department in five universities in city’s Bidyut Bhaban and we invited Vice-Chancellors of the selected universities, Secretaries from several ministries and stake holders.”ATM Mostofa Kamal, deputy secretary of power division said.

He also said: “As the government is going to build many mega coalbased projects and we need skilled manpower for these projects in the

upcoming days, so to create our manpower skilled in these sectors government is going to introduce the course in universities.”

Professor Saiful Islam, Vice-Chancellor of BUET said: “I will attend the meeting and discuss about the importance of the courses. We will place our suggestions and recommendations in the meeting” The Power Division has prepared a road map to generate around 20,000MW of electricity from coalbased power plants by 2030. Of the targeted amount, around 11,250MW of electricity will be generated by using domestically produced coal, while the rest will be generated by using imported coal. l

Journalists press for ninth wage board n UNB Leaders of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) have warned of tough action programmes, including road blockade, if the ninth wage board for journalists and press employees is not announced by October 15.

At a meeting, they also voiced deep concern that the Information Ministry still did not form the ninth wage board despite the prime minister’s repeated directives to this end, and said it has demonstrated the ministry’s utter negligence and hostile attitude towards all media people, including journalists.

The meeting was held on Monday at the Jatiya Press Club with

BFUJ President Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul in the chair, said a press release yesterday.

The journalist leaders said the Information Ministry has no interest in ensuring the welfare of journalists and employees working in different media outlets.

They also said no demand, including the revival of the Newspaper Employees Services Condition Act, 1974 (amended), of journalists placed to the minister was met.

The BFUJ leaders observed that the media people are going through a hard socio-economic condition due to the unusual price hike of essentials following the announcement of the new pay scale for government officials and employees. l

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

4 die as building collapses in Rangamati n Ziaul Haque, Rangmati

Nasrul to discuss with two Indian state ministers n Aminur Rahman Rasel

Four people were killed and another sustained injuries when a two-storey building collapsed in the Kaptai Lake of Rangamati yesterday evening.

The deceased are Jahid Hossain, 40, his 10-year-old daughter Tithi Akhter, Habiba, 22, and Samadul, 7, said Momtasin Sagar, a resident medical officer of Rangamati General Hospital. The injured, Masum, is undergoing treatment at the hospital.

The building collapsed around 5:30pm near Mohila College Gate area of the town, locals said.

A joint force comprising fire fighters, army, navy and police launched a rescue operation to get the trapped people out of the rubble.

It is assumed that some 8-10 people were residing at the building, locals said. The causes behind the collapse could not be known immediately. l

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral resources Nasrul Hamid is all set to sit with two Indian state ministers to discuss bilateral issues between two countries.

The meetings will be held at separate offices of the Indian state ministers today, Senior Information Officer Mir Mohammad Aslam Uddin of the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

In his first meeting, the Bangladeshi state minister will sit with Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas State Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in the morning to discuss energy related core issues, including import of gas from Tripura, ONGC’s seismic survey and drilling in the Bay of Bengal, four-countries consortium on import of gas from Myanmar, Tapi gas pipeline, and supply of LNG from Indian Oil Company etc.

The meeting will also discuss on supply of re-gasification-LNG and LPG from Adani Group, establishment of LNG re-gasification unit by both countries through Petrobangla and Indian counterpart Petronet, finalisation of diesel trade deal between Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) and training to Bangladeshi energy sector etc.

Nasrul Hamid will also sit with Indian Power, Coal, Renewable Energy and Mineral Resources State Minister Piyush Goyal in the afternoon.

The meeting will review decisions taken at 11th Joint Steering Committee (JSC) meeting along with following updates on cross border power trade framework, import of 500MW electricity from Assam Thermal Power Project, import of electricity from Bhutan, signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) and Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA).

It will also finalise the date for a tripartite meeting of three countries – Bhutan, Bangladesh and India – to discuss the issue of electricity import from Bhutan.

Power Division secretary Monowar Islam will accompany the state minister along with other top officials of power and energy division.

On Sunday, a 19 member delegation, led by Nasrul Hamid, went to India. The team will return on October 8. l

Locals are seen trying to rescue the residents of a two-storey building that collapsed in Kaptai Lake yesterday PHOTO COURTESY: JISAN BAKHTEYAR

IGP: Keraniganj central jail at security risk n Mohammad Jamil Khan Keraniganj central jail, the prison was shifted just three months ago from Dhaka central jail has been facing some major security loophole, the chief of prison said.

The Inspector General of Prison Brig Gen Syed Iftekhar Uddin said: “The absence of boundary wall is disrupting the security of central jail. Due to whatever reasons, the boundary wall is incomplete – which should have been the first thing to be built.”

He made the observation while

side wall, to ensure security and we are also giving recommendation for it number of times to Public Works Department (PWD), the IG prison said.

In response, the PWD inform jail authority that a tender was already issued for constructing the boundary. Local’s agitation against the construction is problem for this as they want road in the east side.

Brig Gen Syed Iftekhar pulled up the Public Works Department for sloth progress of several development establishments – canteen, meeting cells and others – inside

talking with reporters after visiting the Keraniganj central jail yesterday.

The prison security chief said: “Notorious criminals would not keep in the central jail and. It is safe to keep them at Kashimpur jail.”

“The newly built central jail is an isolated establishment no boundary wall around the central jail which is established just beside the highway scythe and the security force is also limited here.”

Now it is mandatory to build a boundary wall around the jail premises soon, specially in the East

the jail premises.

“I think that it is because of lack of sincerity from their behalf,” he said.

Talking on prisoners monitoring, the IGP said: “We have only 700 jail security staffs for 7,000 prisoners and two first class officials but the central jail require 20 more first class officials here.

However, the new jail is not all about problems and the prisons’ chief highlighted that there have been several improvements including remarkable progress on solving the problems of prisoners. l

DMCH refutes recent allegations of negligence n Aminul Islam Babu Dhaka Medical College Hospital authorities yesterday claimed that the allegations recently brought against the hospital – a patient’s death by a ward boy and a child theft – were baseless.

On September 24, a 19-year-old patient named Biplob Mondol died as Sumon, a ward boy, allegedly administered an injection to him.

According to another allegation, an infant named Khadiza, youngest daughter of Nasima Begum and Bahadur Dhali, was stolen by a woman

problems, he said, adding that the main reason behind his death can be confirmed after the autopsy report.

Mizanur said: “Biplob’s relatives have already changed their view on this matter and are convinced that it was their misconception as they got emotional at that hour.”

However, the committee formed to investigate the matters, led by Assistant Director Khwaja Abdul Gafur, observed that the assigned doctor should have had taken care of the patient personally and a relative of the patient or a nurse should have been asked to hold the nebuliser

from in front of the gate of the hospital on September 22.

Khadiza’s father was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor at the hospital’s neurosurgery department for the past two and a half months.

DMCH Director General Brig Gen Mizanur Rahman, at a press briefing yesterday afternoon, said they had found no evidence that Sumon had administered any kind of injection to Biplob’s body.

It was primarily suspected that Biplob’s death was a result of his brain haemorrhage and breathing

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mask instead of the ward boy.

About the stolen infant, the DG refuted the claim, and said the hospital had nothing to do in this matter. “The theft took place in front of a pharmacy just outside the hospital gate. So the hospital cannot be held responsible for it,” he added.

He said that a woman had misled the elder sister of the infant and took away the baby. The mother of the infant also acknowledges this, he added.

However, he admitted that security should be improved on and around the hospital premises. l Khulna

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Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:52AM

36.2ºC Sylhet

23.2ºC Rangamati

Source: Accuweather/UNB

33

26

PRAYER TIMES

Sylhet

35

25

Cox’s Bazar

28

26

Fajr: 5:20am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 4:30pm | Magrib: 5:56pm Esha: 8:00pm Source: Islamic Foundation

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

BENAPOLE PORT FIRE

BOMB ATTACK IN NAVAL BASE

Smoke still coming out of rubble n Selim Reza, Benapole Normal activities have not begun yet at Shed No 23 under Benapol port as the wastage caused by fire has not been removed after three days of the incident.

According to port sources, workers of the wharehouse cannot load and unload goods, as smoke comes out from the rubble still and the chemical melts into water.

Already four committees have been formed to investigate the fire incident.

Soon after the incident, a 5-member probe committee has been formed headed by the port Assistant Director Abdul Jalil.

The committee will submit its report within three working days.

Later, the Customs department has constituted a five-member

committee, headed by additional commissioner of Benapole Customs house, Firojuddin, to investigate the incident. The committee will submit its report within 10 working days.

Another five-member committee has been formed by the port authorities, with its assistant director (operations) as its chief, to find out the cause of the fire. This committee, too, will submit its report within 10 working days.

A third three-member committee has been formed by the shipping and ports ministry, with its joint secretary as its chief. The committee will also submit its report within 10 working days.

The devastating fire broke out at the port on Sunday, the country’s largest land port, in Jessore causing massive damage. The fire

was brought under control after six hours of joint effort by Bangladeshi and Indian fire fighters.

The blaze erupted from an electric short circuit and burned down several Indian trucks and private cars.

A total of thirteen fire-fighting units, including units from India, rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control around 10am, said Jessore fire services and civil defence assistant director Parimal Kundu.

One of the fire-fighters sustained minor injuries while dousing the fire and received primary treatment at the local upazila health complex, he added.

Goods valued at some Tk100 crore at Shed No 23 and several Indian trucks parked in the area were gutted, said the president of Bena-

pole C&F Agents’ Association, Mafijur Rahman Sazon.

The fire also burned down part of Benapole port police station, said Benapole land port director Nitai Chandra Sen. However, arms, documents and various equipments could be removed from the police station.

Shipping minister Shahjahan Khan, local lawmaker Sheik Afil Uddin, Jessore deputy commissioner Dr Humaun Kabir and Benapole Customs commissioner Sawkat Hossain visited the affected area after the incident.

Safayet Hossain, joint secretary of the Shipping Ministry also head of the probe committees visited the spot yesterday.

He asked the committees to submit reports within two working days. l

X-ray machines of Sadar hospital out of order Islam Swapan, n Saiful Lakshmipur

Health services at Lakshmipur Sadar Hospitak are seriously hampered as two X-ray machines of the hospital have been out of order for more than two months due to shortage of X-ray films.

The patients of the district are forced to go to the different private clinics for medical tests which cost them a hefty sum of money.

According to hospital sources, two X-ray machines of Sadar Hospital are out of order due to lack of X-ray films from August 10 of the year.

On an average some 40-50 patients visit the hospital for X-Ray everyday, locals said.

Hossain Ali, 60, a resident of Sadar upazila, who have admitted at the hospital with chest pain, said: “Doctor advised me to complete X-ray test but the X-ray machines of the hospital are out of order.”

As the X-ray machines of the hospital are out of order Hossain Ali forced to go private clinic.

Ali said: “I have obtained X-ray at a private clinic with good amount of money as government hospital authority failed to provide the service.”

Like Ali, Aleya Begum, Khokon and many others are facing problems to get the services from the hospital every day, alleged local patients.

Civil Surgeon Dr Mostafa Khaled ahmed said: “We are trying to appoint contractor for X-ray films supply as the government has stopped the supplement.” l

Police yesterday arrested three people for their alleged involvement with a bomb explosion from Jamua village, Sirajganj DHAKA TRIBUNE

Two put on one-day remand Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong A court in Chittagong yesterday placed two accused of bomb attack in two mosques inside the naval base BNS Issa Khan of Bangladesh Navy in the city’s Patenga area last year.

The accused were navy’s former ball keepers Abdul Mannan and Ramjan Ali, said court sources.

Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP)’s Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) (prosecution) Nirmalendu Bikash Chawakrabarty told Dhaka Tribune that the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Abdul Kader passed one-day remand order against the duo after the hearing”.

“Earlier a court on Monday fixed Tuesday for hearing after the IO of the case produced them before the court with 10-day remand plea”, said ADC Nirmalendu.

At least six persons including military and civilians were critically injured in two bomb attacks in the mosques during Juma prayer inside the BNS Issa Khan Naval Base on December 18, 2015.

Ramjan and Mannan were arrested red handed from the spot in possession with the handmade grenades.

After nine months of the attack, a case was lodged with city’s EPZ police station on September 3, 2016 accusing five persons including Ramjan and Abdul Kader.

The bomb attack allegedly carried out by the banned Islamic militant outfit Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). l

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

Long-desired Kushtia land port yet to see the light Khoda Sobuj, n Kudrote Kushtia In a bid to boost trade with India, the government of Bangladesh had decided to establish a land port in Pragpur area, Daulatpur upazila, Kushtia a few years back, but the opening of the port is still a day dream to the people of the locality.

Consequently, local people, who had a long-cherished dream that their life would be upgraded after the set of the port, are frustrated after finding no progress in the development scheme.

They said if a land port was set

at Pragpur of the district, communication between Dhaka and Kolkata would be easier and faster, as the distance between Dhaka and Kolkata through Pragpur is only 250 kilometres, 100 kilometres less than Benapole land port, the largest land port of the country.

Along with this, the land port will also help eroson-affected locals to get jobs.

On October 1, 2011, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan visited Kushtia and talked with local administration about the possibility of opening a land port at Pragpur.

Following his visit, Mofidul Is-

lam, the then deputy secretary of Shipping Ministry visited the area on October 25 over the matter.

Following the reports of the deputy secretary, the government took a decision to establish six more land ports across the country, including the Pragpur, in 2012.

Raju Ahmed, a school teacher of Pragpur area, said: “A land port is very much essential in Pragpur area to boost trade between Bangladesh and India. It will also help to check smuggling.”

Citing about the importance of land port in the district, Kushtia district Awami League General Sec-

retary Asgar Ali said: “Pragpur land port will help to develop the live standard of locals. It will also make communication between Dhaka and Kolkata more easier and faster than Benapole land port. It will also help businessman to carry their goods with low cost than Benapole.”

Ashrafuzzaman Mukul, chairman of Pragpur union, said: “Local people have been waiting for a land port in the area for a long time though the opening of the land port is still a day dream to them.”

President of Kushtia Chamber of Commerce Robiul Islam said: “Local people have long been demand-

ing opening of land port at Pragpur area and also the local members of parliament (MPs) also raised the demand which the government has taken into consideration.”

Besides, Indian authorities have also very much interested about opening of a land port at Pragpur area and they met with Bangladeshi counterpart in this regard.

Rezaul Haque Chowdhury, MP of Kushtia-1 constituency said: “We already discussed the matter with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the regard and requested her to take measure to set up a port here as soon as possible.” l

BCL activist killed in Chittagong

Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong An activist of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the students' front of the ruling party Awami League, was killed by unidentified miscreants in Khulsi area, Chiitagong city yesterday.

Md Hasan, 18, son of Bacha Mia, an activist of the BCL Khulsi ward unit, went out of his house around 11pm on Monday. Since then, he had remained missing.

Sub-Inspector of Khulsi police station Samih Uddin said: “A minor boy spotted Hasan in unconscious state behind a house in Ispahani hill area in the morning and informed his family members about the matter. Being informed, Basir, elder brother of Hasan, took him to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where he died. l

4 ‘Hizbut Touhid’ members held n Tribune Desk Detectives in a drive arrested four suspected members, including two female members, of banned militant outfit Hizbut Touhid, from Ananda Bazar area of the town.

The arrestees were Moniruzzaman, 33, son of Hasen Ali of Sherpur district and his wife Sumaiya Akter, 24, Parul Akter, 30, wife of SM Abdul Hai of Nalitabari upazila, Sujan Hawlader, son of Anwarul Haq of Shariatpur.

Khan Md Abu Naser, Assistant police super, sadar circle said, being tipped off, a police team, led by DB inspector Abul Kayes, conducted a drive in Ananda bazaar area of the town and arrested the four on Monday night.

The had been living in a rented house belonging to one Mutalib in the area. l

Students of Nightingale Medical College and Hospital form a human chain yesterday in front of National Press Club pretesting the corruption of the college authority MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

JU teachers demand a new registered graduate election n JU Correspondent Teachers at Jahangirnagar University (JU) yesterday demanded elections to elect registered graduate as senate member of the university.

Arranging a press conference around 11am at the teachers’ lounge of new arts faculty building under the banner of ‘Shommilito Shikkhok Parishad, the teachers demanded declaration of the schedule of the polls within October 20.

With a view to bringing transparency in university’s recruit-

ing process, the teachers placed a number of their demands, including the elections. They also threatened that they would declare new course of action and launch movement if the demands are not fulfilled within the deadline.

The teachers alleged that the entire university had become a hostage of particular group of people while no initiatives are seen from the university authorities on account of some important issues.

Prof MA Mamun, a teacher of Physics department, said: “Some 25

registered graduate representatives have been expired for a long time and they are not serving the interest of the voters to whom they were committed as senate representatives. They are working now for a particular community and this situation cannot go on in the university.”

Although the authorities had promised to hold the polls in the next year, they seemed to be silent over the issue and are not taking initiatives, the teachers alleged.

The teachers also demanded appointment of female provost for fe-

male dormitories in the university.

Dean of JU Arts and Humanities Faculty Prof Mozammel Haque, history department teacher ATM Atikur Rahman, archeology department teacher Prof Syed Kamrul Ahsan, government and politics department teacher Shamsul Alam Selim, bangle department teacher Prof Shamima Sultana, mathematics department teacher Prof Md Sharif Uddin, Biochemesty and molecular science department teacher Prof Sohel Ahmed were present at the press conference. l

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Myanmar scraps law used by junta to silence dissent Myanmar has abolished one of the most authoritarian laws used by previous military regimes to silence political opponents. The law was introduced in 1950 as newly independent Myanmar struggled with nascent ethnic insurgencies but was then frequently used against activists after the military seized power in a 1962 coup. REUTERS

INDIA

India, Pakistan try to defuse tensions India and Pakistan traded fresh accusations of cross-border fire in Kashmir on Tuesday, a day after top officials discussed ways of de-escalating tensions over the disputed Himalayan region.The two sides have exchanged several rounds of fire over the past week.

Five civilians were wounded by cross-border fire on Monday. No casualties were reported from Tuesday’s exchange. AFP

CHINA

IMF warns over China’s dangerous debt load China’s dependence on debt is growing at a dangerous pace and it must act to head off a brewing crisis in the world’s second largest economy, the IMF warned Tuesday. The International Monetary Fund also said the country’s leaders should kick on with vital reforms or risk a painful correction, adding that Beijing’s unsustainably high growth goals were adding to the problem. AFP

ASIA PACIFIC

Indonesia air force holds its largest military exercise

Indonesia’s air force is holding its largest military exercise this week, near some of its islands in the South China Sea, officials said on Tuesday. President Joko Widodo in June launched an unprecedented campaign to bolster fishing, oil exploration and defence facilities around the Natuna island chain after a series of face-offs between the Indonesian navy and Chinese fishing boats. REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

‘Leading al-Qaeda figure killed in Syria’ A leading figure in al-Qaeda who became a prominent member of its Syrian Nusra Front offshoot was killed in a drone attack on Monday, the group and jihadist sources said.

They said Sheikh Abu al Faraj al Masri died when the vehicle in which he was travelling was hit in rebel-held Idlib in Syria’s northwest. AFP

Marshall Islands await nuke case verdict n Tribune International Desk As the Marshall Islands awaits an international court ruling Wednesday on whether its lawsuit against three nuclear powers can proceed, many in the western Pacific nation question the merit of the David-versus-Goliath legal battle, reports AFP. The country of 55,000 people is taking on India, Pakistan and Britain in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), arguing they have failed to comply with the 1968 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Initially the lawsuit was even more ambitious - also including China, France, Israel, North Korea, Russia and the United States none of which recognised the ICJ’s jurisdiction on the matter.

The Marshalls has a long, bitter history with nuclear weapons, making it one of the few nations that can argue with credibility before the ICJ about their impact.

The island nation was ground zero for 67 American nuclear weapons tests from 1946-58 at Bikini and Enewetak atolls, when it was under US administration.

The tests included the 1954 “Bravo” hydrogen bomb, the most powerful ever detonated by the United States, about 1,000 times bigger than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

They fed into an apocalyptic zeitgeist in Cold War popular culture, giving a name to the bikini swimsuit

and leading to the development of Japan’s Godzilla movie monster.

In “Godzilla”, the creature is awakened by a hydrogen bomb test, rising from a roiling sea to destroy Tokyo, in a walking, radiation-breathing analogy for nuclear disaster.

‘Sky turned blood red’

On the Marshall Islands, the impacts of the nuclear tests were all too real.

Numerous islanders were forcibly evacuated from ancestral lands and resettled, while thousands more were exposed to radioactive fallout.

“Several islands in my country were vaporised and others are estimated to remain uninhabitable for thousands of years,” Tony deBrum, a former Marshall Islands foreign minister, told an ICJ hearing earlier this year.

He recalled witnessing the Bravo test as a nine-year-old while fishing with his grandfather in an atoll, some 200km from the blast’s epicentre.

“The entire sky turned blood red,” he said. “Many died, or suffered birth defects never before seen and cancers as a result of contamination.”

DeBrum launched the Marshall’s ICJ action in 2014 with cooperation from the California-based Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.

His actions prompted the International Peace Bureau to nom-

MARSHALL ISLANDS Enewetak

Utrik

Bikini Rongelap

67 US nuclear weapons tests from 1946-1958 at Bikini and Enewetak atolls Tests included the 1954 15-megaton “Bravo” hydrogen bomb at Bikini atoll

Rakak Chain

Kwajalein Ralik Chain

MAJURO Jaluit

100 km

inate him in January for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize, which is yet to be awarded.

Yet critics argue the ICJ action is a distraction and the islanders’ real fight is with Washington, which carried out the tests in their backyard.

They contend the case has no relationship to victims’ claims for increased compensation, better health care and clean-ups to make sites habitable again.

Official criticism has been muted recently to avoid undermining deBrum’s Nobel nomination.

But his successor as foreign minister, John Silk, made his views clear before an election last November when voters ousted 40 percent of the parliament, including deBrum.

Labelling the action “unauthorised” and “a publicity stunt”, he

Mili

said the focus should remain on petitioning the US Congress for increased compensation.

“What do these lawsuits have to do with resolving the legacy of the US nuclear testing programme?” he asked.

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation argues that the Marshalls is taking a broader perspective in trying to re-start nuclear disarmament talks that have stalled over the past 20 years.

“The Republic of the Marshall Islands acts for the seven billion of us who live on this planet to end the nuclear weapons threat hanging over all humanity,” its website says.

“Everyone has a stake in this.”

The ICJ, the UN’s top court, will decide on Wednesday whether it believes the case should go to a full hearing. l

Russia suspends plutonium deal with US n Reuters, Moscow Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday suspended a treaty with Washington on cleaning up weapons-grade plutonium, signalling he is willing to use nuclear disarmament as a new bargaining chip in disputes with the United States over Ukraine and Syria.

Starting in the last years of the Cold War, Russia and the United States signed a series of accords to reduce the size of their nuclear arsenals, agreements that have so far survived intact despite a souring of US-Russian relations under Putin.

But on Monday, Putin issued a decree suspending an agreement, concluded in 2000, which bound the two sides to dispose of surplus plutonium originally intended for use in nuclear weapons.

The Kremlin said it was taking that action in response to unfriendly acts by Washington.

The plutonium accord is not the cornerstone of post Cold War US-Russia disarmament, and the practical implications from the

suspension will be limited. But the suspension, and the linkage to disagreements on other issues, carries powerful symbolism.

US Secretary of State John Kerry last week warned that Washington could halt diplomacy with Russia over the conflict in Syria unless Russia took immediate steps to stop the violence there.

Western diplomats say an end to the Syria talks would leave Moscow without a way to disentangle itself from its military operation in Syria. The operation was intended to last a few months but has now just entered its second year.

List of grievances

As well as issuing the decree ordering the suspension of the plutonium cleanup deal, Putin submitted a draft law on the suspension to parliament.

That draft linked the suspension to a laundry list of Russian grievances toward the United States.

It said conditions for resuming work under the plutonium deal

Plutonium goes into the warheads of nuclear missiles like these Russian Topols AFP included Washington lifting sanctions imposed on Russia over its role in the Ukraine conflict, paying compensation to Moscow for the sanctions, and reducing the US military presence in eastern Europe to the levels they were 16 years ago.

Any of those steps would involve a complete U-turn in long-standing US policy.

The 2010 agreement, signed

by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and then-US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, called on each side to dispose of 34 tonnes of plutonium by burning it in nu-

clear reactors.

Clinton said at the time that there was enough of the material to make almost 17,000 nuclear weapons. Both sides back then viewed the deal as a sign of increased cooperation between the two former Cold War adversaries.

Russian officials alleged on Monday that Washington had failed to honour its side of the agreement. The Kremlin decree stated that, despite the suspension, Russia’s surplus weapons-grade plutonium would not be put to military use. l

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

US VP candidates get debate spotlight n Tribune International Desk Donald Trump can swallow an entire news cycle with a single tweet.

Hillary Clinton’s been on a first-name basis with the country for three decades.

Mike Pence and Tim Kaine? Not so much.

Tuesday night’s (Bangladesh time Wednesday morning) vice presidential debate pits a former radio host who’s described himself as “Rush Limbaugh on decaf” (Pence) against a harmonica-playing former missionary whose awshucks style has spawned a thousand dad jokes (Kaine), reports The Associated Press.

Barring the unexpected, their 90-minute faceoff is unlikely to alter the trajectory of the presidential race.

But don’t hit the snooze button just yet. Debate history suggests there’s still the potential for some memorable moments.

Some things to watch for in Tuesday’s debate at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia.

Say who?

Pence and Kaine have campaigned full tilt for more than two months now, but plenty of people still don’t have a feel for them. In a recent Associated Press-GfK poll, more than half of registered voters said they didn’t know enough about Kaine to venture an opinion about him, and about 44% said the same for Pence. This is their big moment to show they’re qualified to be next in line to the president.

Scout motto

Trump may disdain traditional debate prep, but Kaine and Pence both have embraced the Scout motto: Be prepared. Each must be

Democratic US vice presidential candidate Senator Tim Kaine waves with his presidential running-mate Hillary Clinton, left.

Republican US presidential nominee Donald Trump greets vice presidential nominee Mike Pence, right REUTERS ready to defend his own record, skewer his opponent and do the same for the top of the ticket.

The mission

Pence and Kaine have to decide whether to focus more on one another or on Trump and Clinton.

Watch how they toggle between the two tasks. Look for Pence, who calls Clinton “the most dishonest person ever to seek the presidency,” to zero in on lines of attack that Trump hardly touched in the first debate, such as questions about whether Clinton played favourites as secretary of state with donors to the Clinton Foundation.

Kaine will try to act as a character witness for Clinton and go after Trump, of whom the senator says his “only recognized passion in his life has been for himself.”

Defending the indefensible

Pence will have the added herculean task of explaining away the steady stream of insults, barbs and inflammatory comments delivered by his running mate, including the latest contretemps over a beauty queen whom Trump has shamed for gaining weight. Pence has had plenty of practice in recent weeks.

Expect him to employ a strategy of praising Trump for his unscripted style as a “bold truth teller” without arguing the merits of the GOP

nominee’s specific comments.

The tax man

Pence could well be asked about Trump’s tax strategy after The New York Times reported over the weekend that the billionaire businessman lost so much money in a single year that he could have avoided any federal income tax liability for 18 years. With an audience of millions, will Pence echo Trump’s claims that he used the tax laws “brilliantly?” or try some other tack?

Threading the needle

Both candidates may need to navigate areas where they have policy differences with their running mates; Pence more so than Kaine. Pence, for example, says it’s clear that human activity is affecting the climate while Trump has called global warming a hoax.

Kaine holds that US military operations against the Islamic State group have not been properly approved by Congress, a point of disagreement with Clinton.

Amen corner

Expect both Pence, an evangelical, and Kaine, a former Catholic missionary, to showcase their religious backgrounds in an effort to appeal to different constituencies. Pence likes to say of himself: “I’m a Christian, a con-

servative and a Republican — in that order.” Kaine often brings up his time as a missionary in Honduras, working in a few lines of Spanish along the way to reach out to Hispanics.

Too clever?

Past vice presidential debates have provided some memorable lines.

Republican Bob Dole’s cutting quip in 1976 about all the Americans killed in “Democrat wars” did him no good. Democrat Lloyd Bentsen’s 1988 putdown of Republican Dan Quayle with his “You’re no Jack Kennedy” line still singes. Third-party candidate James Stockdale’s rambling 1992 opening questions of “Who am I? Why am I here?” captured a candidate who was clearly out of his element. Four years ago, Vice President Joe Biden’s denunciations of Republican Paul Ryan’s budget math as “a bunch of malarkey” showed considerably more spark than did President Barack Obama’s leaden performance against rival Mitt Romney in the leadoff presidential debate.

Moderation

CBS News’ Elaine Quijano will be under the microscope as moderator, especially since Trump has complained that NBC’s Lester Holt, the moderator of last week’s debate, was too tough on him. l

FACTBOX

How are cities acting on climate change?

The number of cities reporting on their efforts to tackle global warming has jumped 70% to 533 across 89 countries since a new climate change agreement was adopted late last year, according to the group gathering the data.

London-based climate research group CDP said more cities are now doing an inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions with a view to managing them, amid growing awareness of climate risks.

In 2016, four in 10 cities are measuring their emissions, compared with one in 10 five years ago, CDP said in a report released on Tuesday.

Last December, some 195 nations reached a deal to limit global temperature rise to “well below” 2° C by shifting away from fossil fuel use this century.

Here are some facts and figures from the report, which also breaks down the cities’ environmental data by region: Ü 190 cities have set city-level emissions reduction targets, and are taking more than 3,000 actions to limit emissions. Ü The activities set to generate the biggest emissions reductions are improvements to energy efficiency, including by retrofit-

ting buildings, infrastructure for non-motorised transport, and producing low or zero-carbon energy supplies. Ü 44% of the cities disclosing data have an action plan to curb their emissions. Ü 89% of cities view climate change as a risk to their city, reporting nearly 1,500 actions to adapt to its impacts. Those measures include educating communities, warning and evacuation systems, and flood mapping. Ü The top climate-related hazards they face include extreme temperatures, storms, floods, water scar-

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World

city and insects. Ü Cities said these climate hazards increase risks to already vulnerable people, and boost demand for public services, including health, as cases of disease rise. Ü In Africa, just three of the 46 cities reporting have an emissions reduction target, and only 17% have a plan to curb emissions.

But 93% view climate change as a significant risk, and nearly twothirds have, or are working on, a plan to adapt to its impacts. l

Source: THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION

USA

Trump tumbles on rich list, down $800m The Republican nominee’s fortune fell $800m last year sending him tumbling 35 spots on a list of richest Americans, Forbes said Tuesday.

The business magazine said Trump is worth $3.7bn -- down from an estimated $4.5bn in March -- and just over a third of the $10bn that Trump has bragged of amassing.

Trump, who has made his fabulous wealth a key selling point in his bid for the White House, plummeted to number 156 on Forbes’ annual list of the richest 400 Americans. AFP

THE AMERICAS

Deadly hurricane Matthew slams ashore in Haiti The fiercest storm in the Caribbean in nearly a decade hit the southwestern peninsula of Haiti on Tuesday with winds of 230km per hour and tidal waves that killed at least one person besides damage to houses and buildings. The centre of the violent Category 4 storm was near the city of Los Ingleses, lashing coastal towns with strong gusts. REUTERS

UK

‘Britain will continue to block EU army ‘ Britain will continue blocking a EU army as long as it remains a member of the bloc as the new force would undermine Nato military alliance, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said on Tuesday.

France and Germany hope that Britain’s vote to leave the EU, as well as London’s need for goodwill in its exit negotiations, will leave the path open for common defence proposals. AFP

EUROPE

Germany: US and western allies to meet on Syria Senior officials from the US, UK, France, Italy and Germany are to meet in Berlin on Wednesday to try to find ways to resolve the conflict in Syria, a German foreign ministry official said. In a difficult situation, the goal is to look for suggestions about how to stem the violence in Syria and return to a political process. REUTERS

AFRICA

6,000 migrants plucked from sea, 22 dead About 6,055 migrants were rescued and 22 found dead on the perilous sea route to Europe on Monday, one of the highest numbers in a single day, Italian and Libyan officials said. Libyan officials said 11 migrant bodies had washed up on a beach east of the capital, Tripoli, and another two migrants had died when a boat sank off the western city of Sabratha. REUTERS

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

Turkey suspends thousands of police, shuts down TV station n Reuters, Ankara/Istanbul Turkish authorities suspended nearly 13,000 police officers, detained dozens of air force officers and shut down a TV station on Tuesday, widening a state-ordered clampdown against perceived enemies in the wake of July’s failed coup.

The police headquarters said 12,801 officers, including 2,523 chiefs, had been suspended because of their suspected links to USbased cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the attempt to overthrow the government.

Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, denies any link to the putsch which has shaken the country and led to the deaths of

more than 240 people.

The suspensions came hours after deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus announced that the cabinet had approved a 90-day extension to a state of emergency, renewing President Tayyip Erdogan’s powers to govern by decree at least until January.

The emergency measures, if approved by parliament, mean Erdogan can take decisions without oversight of the Constitutional Court, Turkey’s highest legal body.

As well as suspending around five percent of the entire police force, the authorities detained 33 air force officers in raids across the country, the private Dogan news agency reported, and the transmission of TV station IMC was cut

following accusations of spreading “terrorist propaganda”.

State-run Anadolu Agency said 37 people working in the Interior Ministry’s headquarters had also been removed from their posts, although no explanation was given.

Since July 15, Erdogan has taken unprecedented steps to rid state institutions of staff deemed disloyal or potential enemies. About 100,000 people in the military, civil service, police, judiciary and universities have been sacked or suspended from their jobs, and 32,000 have been arrested.

The government says its aim is to rid institutions of links to Gulen, whose organisation it calls a terrorist network. Gulen, a former ally of Erdogan, denies any involvement

in the coup attempt.

One of the police officers suspended on Tuesday, a 26-year-old man, committed suicide by shooting himself in the head in a park in the Mediterranean city of Mersin, Dogan reported.

Syria operations

The relentless crackdown has caused consternation among Turkey’s Western allies and human rights groups, who fear Erdogan is using the unsuccessful coup as a pretext to curtail any dissent, while at the same time intensifying his moves against suspected Kurdish militant sympathisers.

In August, Turkish forces launched an offensive into northern Syria in support of rebels fight-

ing against Islamic State, creating a security corridor along the Turkey-Syria border that also appears designed to push Kurdish militia away.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim warned on Tuesday that the YPG Kurdish militia, which is backed by the United States, was filling a vacuum left by Islamic State and said Turkish forces were prepared to go after Kurdish fighters in the same way.

“We know how to cleanse the PYD/YPG, just as we cleansed Daesh from Jarablus,” he said, referring to Islamic State.

Ankara fears Kurdish militants fighting for greater autonomy in Turkey could benefit from turmoil in the region. l

Government bans newspaper in Kashmir, fearing anti-India violence n Tribune International Desk Authorities in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have banned the publication of a local newspaper, saying that its contents could incite violence in the troubled region, reports The Associated Press.

The English daily “Kashmir Reader” did not publish for the second straight day on Tuesday, following a government order over the weekend for its owner to halt publication.

The order, handed down by police officials to the newspaper’s office, said the paper’s contents are “of such nature that can easily cause incitement of acts of violence and disturbance of public tranquillity in the state.”

Kashmir is witnessing its largest protests against Indian rule in recent years, sparked by the July 8 killing of a popular rebel commander by Indian soldiers. The protests, and a sweeping security crackdown, have all but paralysed life in the Himalayan region.

According to the state government, it sent the newspaper a notice a week ago questioning some items it had published, saying they could disturb public order.

However, Hilal Mir, the newspaper’s editor, said that his paper was not given any prior notice or an opportunity to explain its stand.

Rights group Amnesty International said the ban was a “setback to free speech” and called on authorities to revoke the order.

The “order does not specif-

ically mention any news items in Kashmir Reader that incited violence,” said Aakar Patel, who heads the Indian chapter of Amnesty International.

“This vaguely-worded shutdown order suggests that the newspaper is being targeted for its reporting.”

In July, the government shut down printing presses and temporarily banned newspapers from publishing for three days in a sweeping information blackout after days of anti-India protests. The officials had said the government action was aimed at saving lives and strengthening peace efforts.

Local newspaper editors had denounced that ban.

On Tuesday, Kashmir’s most widely circulated newspaper, “Greater Kashmir,” said in a front-page editorial that the latest ban shows that the government is willing to “take extreme measures” to muzzle the press.

More than 80 civilians have been killed and thousands injured in violence related to the ongoing protests, with government forces firing bullets and shotgun pellets at rock-throwing protesters. Two policemen have also been killed and hundreds of government forces have been injured in the clashes.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan but claimed by both in its entirety. Most people in the Indian-controlled portion favour independence or a merger with Pakistan. A militant uprising and subsequent Indian military crackdown have killed more than 68,000 people since 1989. l

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

WTO: Global apparel consumption falls n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

Global consumption of apparel products has slipped by 7.92% in 2015 to $445 billion since 2008 economic recession.

The developed countries witnessed the consumption fall in the wake of gloomy economic situation.

According to World Trade Organisation (WTO) data, global consumption of RMG products came down to $445 billion, which was $483.28 billion in previous year.

After the economic recession in 2008, the global consumption of clothing products witnessed a decline by 13.23% to $315.51 billion in 2009, which was $363.62 billion a year ago.

The slower consumption of apparel products comes as a challenge to leading RMG exporting countries as they have already seen negative growth except Bangladesh.

China, the number one exporter accounting for 39.26% global market share, has seen a 6.37% decline in its exports to world market in 2015 followed by Turkey and Indonesia.

According to the World Trade Statistical Review 2016 released in August by WTO, Bangladesh global market share in clothing products rose to 5.9% to $26.15 billion in 2015, which was 5.1% in the previous year.

GLOBAL RMG PRODUCTS CONSUMPTION TREND IN$BILLION

500

400

459.66 363.62

417.72

419.52

2011

2012

483.28 445.00

351.46 315.51

300

200

100

0 Source: WTO

2008

2009

However, Bangladesh apparel export in the last fiscal year was $28 billion.

“Economic ups and downs in the developed countries has cast shadow on employment. As a result, consumption of clothing products has declined,” Khondaker Golam Moazzem, additional research director of Centre for Pol-

2010

icy Dialogue (CPD), told the Dhaka Tribune.

Appreciated dollar exchange rate in supplier countries may be another reason behind the downswing of global consumption, added Moazzem.

China’s export is falling because of order shifting by the buyers while China itself is turning to

2013

2014

2015

quality and higher labour cost that is also pushing the production cost up, said Moazzem.

The negative growth of the second biggest economy of the world is a boon for Bangladesh as the largest manufacturer is shifting its business to high end and technology. This shifting can be landing in Bangladesh.

China shifting is a big opportunity for Bangladesh and to cash in on the situation, the government and the manufacturer platform has to identify those relocating their business and build network with them, said Moazzem.

He observed that Bangladesh will a see a great rise in RMG sourcing if it completes the whole inspection process.

“Bangladesh is safe. This is because of combined efforts of owners and workers as well as the government policy support for exploring new markets. Improvement of workers safety has acted as catalyst for having more orders with boosted confidence,” Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) senior vice-president Faruq Hassan told the Dhaka Tribune.

Talking on the China shifting, Faruq said Bangladeshi manufacturers are ready to receive buyers, who are relocating business.

“We have 35 years of experience, strong foothold in backward linkage industry and capacity to carry out a large volume of orders with plenty of skilled workers.”

He suggested that the government has to come up with policy support in ensuring uninterrupted gas and electricity supply to facilitate timely shipment to buyers. l

IFC, VF Corp to help textile sector DSEX hits 11-month high n Tribune Business Desk International Finance Corporation and VF Corporation are working together to enhance the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of the textile wet processing sector in Bangladesh by reducing excessive groundwater extraction and surface water pollution, energy and chemical use.

The project will be carried out

by IFC’s Bangladesh Partnership for Cleaner Textile (PaCT) programme, said IFC in a press release.

VF Corporation joins 12 other brands in the PaCT family bringing the total partner brands to 13.

The programme has contributed to water and energy savings of 14.4 billion liters and 1.23 million MWh per year, respectively, reduced GHG emission by 188,000 tonnes carbon-di-oxide equivalent per year and resource saving worth US$10 million annually in 162 partner factories.

In addition to the PaCT project, VF Corporation is also partnering with IFC in the Vietnam Improvement Project (VIP).

“Resource efficiency is a core

facet of VF’s Responsible Sourcing programme. Through investments and continuous support from VF, we aim to assist our strategic suppliers in reducing their water, energy, waste, and chemical use, while simultaneously reducing the cost of production,” said Brad van Voorhees, senior manager of Environmental Practices and Sustainable Operations at VF. IFC Program Manager for PaCT Mohan Seneviratne said, “Water is a key input in the textile sector and large quantities are consumed in the direct operations and supply chain. Current groundwater abstraction rates in Bangladesh are close to their limit and growth projection of $50 billion by 2021 can only be achieved with the development of sustainable water supplies, effluent treatment facilities and resource efficient practices. We welcome VF Corporation joining PaCT to partner with us in this mission” In Bangladesh, IFC is providing both investment and advisory support and working along with other stakeholders, to help the garments sector become globally competitive and safe for its employees.

As part of this move, PaCT will engage with VF Corporation’s supplier factories in three waysawareness building, basic cleaner production (CP) assessment and in-depth CP assessment.

Major activities will include factory-level advice on basic CP measures, technical assessment of resource efficient textile processing, facilitating implementation through user groups, strengthening corporate water and energy management systems, and investment facilitation in technologies with significant water sustainability benefits.

IFC promotes sustainable growth and private sector development in Bangladesh by investing in critical infrastructure; boosting financial inclusion; enhancing textiles competitiveness and supporting reforms to make doing business easier for private sector.

IFC committed $635m in Bangladesh, in own and mobilised funds across 13 projects, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016. IFC’s committed portfolio in Bangladesh as of that date was about $1 billion in 47 projects. l

n Tribune Business Desk

Stocks closed higher amid persistent volatility yesterday with key index DSEC hitting more than 11-month high.

The market was lifted by mainly food & allied, telecommunications, power and banks.

The trading moved between negative and positive throughout the session as investors played both sides of the fence.

The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange DSEX rose over 17 points or 0.4% to 4,708—its highest since October 14 last year.

The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, gained marginally over 6 points or 0.4% to 1,784.

The DSE Shariah Index DSES also rose 5 points or 0.5% to 1,129.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX moved up 48 points to 8,809.

Trading activities declined marginally as the DSE turnover was Tk562 crore, down about 6% compared to previous session.

The large cap sectors showed mixed performance with food & allied leading the way soaring 1.7%, followed by telecommunications 1.3%, power 1% and banks 0.7%. l

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

Ecnec okays procurement MG passenger coaches for Tk927cr n

Tribune Business Desk

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) yesterday approved the procurement of 200 MG (metre gauge) passenger coaches for Bangladesh Railway at a cost of Tk927.52 crore to provide modern, safe and improved passenger services to the commuters.

The procurement approval came at the regular ECNEC meeting held at the NEC conference room with Ecnec chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said: “The main objectives of the project is to ensure modern, safe and improved journey to the passengers through procurement of some 200 MG passenger coaches, replacing old passenger coaches, meeting up the demand of passenger coaches, introducing new trains to meet the demand of commuters, and thus boosting the revenue of the Bangladesh Railway.”

Under the project, some 200 passenger coaches will be procured including 28 MG stainless steel air conditioned sleeper coaches, some 35 MG stainless steel air con-

ditioned chair cars, some 96 MG stainless steel Shovan carriages, some 26 MG stainless steel Shovan carriages with pantry and guard brakes, some 15 MG stainless steel composite power cars.

Bangladesh Railway under the Ministry of Railways will implement the project by June 2020.

Of the total project cost, the government will provide Tk214 crore while the rest of over Tk713 crore will come as project assistance from the Chinese government.

The project is one of the eight projects approved by the Ecnec with an estimated cost of over Tk3,488 crore. Of the total approved project cost, over Tk1,440 crore will come from the state exchequer, over Tk20 crore from the project related organization’s own fund while the rest of around Tk2,028 crore as project assistance.

ECNEC also approved a project titled ‘Upgrading Shyamganj-Jaria-Birishiri-Durgapur District Highway into National Highway’ at an estimated cost of over Tk316 crore to upgrade the existing 36.53 kilometer long Shyamganj-Jaria-Birishiri-Durgapur district highway into national highway.

The Roads and Highways Department under the Ministry of

Roads and Highways Division will implement the project to be implemented at Durgapur and Purbadhala upazilas.

The minister stated that ceramic, red sand and coal is transported through this highway linking the Birishiri-Bijoypur land port road and inter district border road side by side many tourists use this highway for the attraction of tourist spots like Birishiri, Durgapur and Kolmakanda.

Once the project is implemented, it would be possible to transport the Agri-products and natural products to different parts of the country safely and easily which will ultimately improve the socio-economic conditions of the country and thus help alleviating poverty.

The main operations of the project include some 82.59 hectare land acquisition, 4.60 lakh cubic meter earth work in road embankment, some 32.63 kilometer flexible pavement construction, some 32.63 kilometer surfacing and construction of some 6 box culverts.

The Ecnec meeting also gave nod to the establishment of Patuakhali Medical College and Hospital at an estimated cost of Tk584.46 crore with the help of Indian fresh

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Business

Line of Credit (LoC). Of the total project cost, over Tk316 crore will come from the state exchequer while around Tk268 crore from the Indian Line of Credit.

The Department of Health under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will implement the project by June 2020.

Under the project, a five-storied hospital building will be built with a 10-storied foundation, constructing five-storey academic building having eight-storey foundation, constructing hostel building for the students, constructing residential building for the physicians, teachers, and officials and employees.

Mostafa Kamal said: “Attending the meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has suggested the authorities concerned to set up a Medical College and Hospital in Sunamganj and University.”

The other projects approved at the meeting include Rural Electrification Upgradation Project (Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, and Barisal Division), 3rd revised, with around Tk1,400 crore, construction of residential building for judicial officials in city’s Azimpur with over Tk96 crore and Sureshwar canal re-excavation and drainage with Tk59 crore. l

ADP spending improves in first three months n Tribune Business Desk The pace of the spending on annual development programme has improved in first three months of the current fiscal year.

The government agencies spent 8.74% of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) outlay during July-September period of the current financial year, according to the Planning Minister.

In the same period of last fiscal year, they had spent 7% or Tk6,800 crore of the total original ADP outlay of Tk1tn.

Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, after the Ecnec meeting yesterday in Dhaka, said the government agencies spent Tk10,700 crore of the Tk1,23,345 crore ADP in the first three months of this fiscal year.

The minister declined to gove more details about the ADP implementation status by the ministries and divisions.

Different agencies of the government work for implementing development projects under the ADP every year.

Meanwhile, the government agencies implemented only 0.56% of its total ADP outlay in the first month and 3.86% in first two months of the Tk1,23,345 crore ADP in the FY17.

The government allocated Tk1,23,345 crore this fiscal for implementing some 1,365 projects. l

Chinese firms selected for China-funded power projects n Asif Showkat Kallol Chinese firms are likely to get the jobs of constructing two power sector development projects under government-to-government deal.

The projects are Expansion and Strengthening of Power System of Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd (DPDC) and Power Grid Network Strengthening Project of the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB).

According to the proposal, the cost of the two projects will be $2.7bn and the Chinese consultant firm CCCE-ETERN-FEPTC will be appointed for the Power Grid Network Strengthening Project of the PGCB. Besides, the Chinese consultant firm TBEA Company Ltd will be appointed for implementing the Expansion and Strengthening of Power System Network Project of the DPDC. The Power Division’s proposal on awarding the jobs will be placed today at the meeting of the cabinet committee on public purchase for approval, officials said. l

Imran Karim, managing director of Confidence Group, receives TOYP 2016 (Ten Outstanding Young Person of Bangladesh) award for his outstanding contribution in entrepreneurial accomplishment. Junior Chamber International (JCI) Bangladesh awarded him at a city hotel on October 1. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam handed over the award to MD of Confidence Group COURTESY

Business

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

New fine imposed on overloaded lorries suspended until Oct 13 n Tribune Business Desk The new provision of fine on overloaded vehicles on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway has been suspended until October 13.

The decision was taken at an inter-ministerial meeting in Dhaka yesterday with Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader in the chair.

According to the new provision, an amount of up to Tk12,000 is fined for overloading, that was earlier Tk2,000.

Earlier, the Prime Mover-Trailer Owners-Workers Oikya Parishad has postponed a strike at the Chittagong port that was called protesting “harassment in the name collecting fine.”

The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges imposed the new provision of fine on 8 August this year putting slabs of fine for load beyond the permitted limit.

Under the new rules, the highest permissible load for vehicles on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway is 44 tonne for the prime movers-trailers.

The meeting was attended

by Shipping Minister Shahja-

han Khan, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Railway Minister Mujibul Haque, State Minister for LGRD Mashiur Rahman Ranga, Chittagong City Corporation Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin and representatives from Prime Mover-Trailer Oikya Parishad, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and Bangladesh Truck and Covered Van Owners Association.

A decision of forming a committee was taken unanimously at the meeting, said Obaidul Quader.

He said the committee will hold a meeting on October 13 at the Secretariat in Dhaka to discuss the crisis that Chittagong port is going through and find a way-out involving all parties.

“Until then, the new provision of fine will remain suspended and fine will be taken as per the previous system of Tk2,000,” Obaidul Quader said.

Leaders of Prime-Mover Trailers Parishad has accused officials of extortion on the highway in the name of taking fine. l

Three-day SATRC meet begins n Tribune Business Desk A three-day meeting of South Asian Telecommunication Regulators Council (SATRC) began at Le Meridian hotel in the city yesterday.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq inaugurated the meeting as chief guest while State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam was present as special guest.

Post and Telecommunication Secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury and BTRC Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood also spoke at the opening session, which was chaired by SATRC President RS Sharma, also the Chairman of Indian Telecom Regulatory Authority. Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Law Minister called upon the South Asian countries to introduce region-based mobile financial services

(MFS) to boost regional trade.

The law minister said: “The daily transaction through mobile financial services is approximately 10 times higher than the daily revenue of entire mobile industry (around Taka 60 crore per day).”

“With this, I want to request the members of this forum to interconnect MFS within the region, hence promoting the trade and commerce among the people of the region,” he added.

Speaking as special guest, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said: “Although we have more mobile connection penetration, we are still lagging behind the developed countries due to our main dependence on voice call.”

To achieve the desired goal as like as developed countries, huge investment in telecommunication sector is needed, he noted. l

Hard Brexit fears push pound down n AFP, London

The pound slumped to a 31-year low against the dollar yesterday on concerns over the timing and terms of Britain’s planned exit from the European Union, traders said.

Britain’s currency also struck a fresh three-year low point against the

euro, while the drops helped pushed London’s benchmark FTSE 100 stocks index up to a 16-month high beyond 7,000 points at the open.

While the British economy has showed signs of improvement in the months since the shock vote to leave the EU, there are concerns about the wider long-term impact of the bloc

losing its second-biggest economy.

British Prime Minister Theresa May announced at the weekend that her government would start the process of leaving the EU within the next six months - possibly leading to Britain severing ties with the single market.

The pound on Tuesday struck $1.2740 - its lowest level since 1985. l

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

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Youth

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

A light in the dark Engaging youth for the prevention of violent extremism through education

n

V

G M Shoeb

iolent extremism has become one of the biggest threats that the world is currently facing. It affects the security, well-being and peaceful way of life of many individuals living in both developed and developing countries. Yet to date, the challenge has been tackled mainly from an interventionist perspective – countering violent extremism with military and security measures. From 2001 to 2017, the United States government alone will have spent approximately US $1.78 trillion to fight terrorism. The European Union’s spending is estimated to have increased from 5.7 million Euro in 2002 to 93.5 million in 2009. Yet governments are painfully aware that there will not be sufficient resources to protect everyone from the terrorist attacks perpetrated by radicalised individuals.

Creating a global conversation Against this backdrop, UNESCO MGIEP initiated an online conversation with nearly 5,000 people from all over the world to share experiences and ideas related to the role of education in preventing violent extremism.

They heard from a diverse group of young people including those affecting change in conflict zones and those who have been changed forever by conflicts and violence in their communities. Forty-three young people from around the globe including United Kingdom, India, Sri Lanka, Peru, France, Lebanon, Burundi, Bolivia, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Macedonia, Indonesia, USA, Benin, Italy, Kenya, Hong Kong, Germany, Libya, Democratic

Republic of Congo, Mali, Mexico, Afghanistan, Morocco, Egypt and Bangladesh convened in New Delhi to transform these conversations into an action plan.

The first international conference on the Prevention of Violent Extremism through Education: Taking Action (PVE-E) was co-organized by UNESCO and the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP), on September 19-20, 2016. Over 220 participants from around 70 countries including ministers of education, senior education policy-makers, experts and youth activists in the field, came together to build a common understanding about how education systems can appropriately and effectively prevent violent extremism.

UNESCO’s work in this area is being undertaken within the framework of its ongoing efforts to promote Global Citizenship Education (GCED) and support country implementation of Target 4.7 of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 on Education.

At the conference, UNESCO MGIEP also hosted its first Talking Across Generations on Education (TAGeDelhi) event on September 21, International Day of Peace, in which 30 selected youth delegates from around the world engaged in a forthright dialogue on the prevention of violent extremism through education. The goal of the conference was to build a common understanding among senior education policy makers from around the world about the educational interventions and approaches that are needed to ensure that education systems contribute appropriately and effectively to the prevention of violent extremism. This writer

was the only Bangladeshi youth to have been selected to participate in this prestigious conference.

The United Nations Global Counter Terrorism Strategy, which has been in existence for over a decade, was reviewed at TAGeDelhi to reinforce prevention measures. The plan of Action Against Violent Extremism report released by the UN SecretaryGeneral in Executive Board at its 197th session made a decision on UNESCO’s role in promoting education as a tool to prevent violent extremism, highlighting the crucial role that education can and should play to prevent violent extremism through building resilience in the minds of the young.

What role can education play?

Violent extremists are not born, but are created through the engineering and implementation of heinous strategies. But why do people engage in such actions and what can education do to prevent this from happening?

Education imparted in schools can play a very pivotal role in combating violent extremism, which is a result of many factors like marginalisation, discrimination, poverty etc.

This was constantly highlighted at the conference. Discussing what entails the real reasons behind impressionable minds taking to extremism, Soo-Hyang Choi, director, Division for Inclusion, Peace and Sustainable Development, UNESCO Headquarters, said that apart from alienation, the prospect of stable employment, earning money and strong leadership in a well-structured environment were some of the ‘push and pull’ factors for rising xenophobia.

Taking the plenary session further, George Godia, Ambassador of Kenya to UNESCO, said that schools must impart education that is relevant to employable sectors. “Labour skills must form an important part of curriculum as it increases job prospects, and in the process, protects youth from getting waylaid by extremists.”

Governments are painfully aware that there will not be sufficient resources to protect everyone from the terrorist attacks perpetrated by radicalised individuals

The conference also made five recommendations proposed in the UNESCO guide, namely developing education policies for inclusion and diversity, promoting safe and supportive school environments, building resilience and fostering constructive engagement, identifying students at risk and building partnerships.

It was also recommended that the youth delegates form a Global Youth Council to promote education as a tool to prevent violence and to build peaceful and sustainable societies as a way forward. l

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

Aga Khan Award for two architects n Mahmood Sadi Being nominated for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture - one of the highest recognitions in the field of architecture - is nothing new for Kashef Mahboob Chowdhury.

In 2010, he was shortlisted for designing the Chandgaon Mosque in Chittagong.

This year, Kashef’s design of the Friendship Center near the district town of Gaibandha was again shortlisted for one of the highest echelons in the field of architecture. This time, he won it.

And that’s not all; another acclaimed Bangladeshi architect, Marina Tabassum, also won the

Both Kashef Chowdhury and Marina Tabassum bring glory for Bangladesh through their work. Their works represent the architectural elements of Bangladesh to the outside world

Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2016 for her design of the Baitur Rauf Mosque, in the Uttara area of the capital.

Announcing the recipient’s names in a simple ceremony held at the gallery of Bay’s Edgewater in Gulshan, Asaduzzaman Noor, minister of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh said, “This is a great occasion for Bangladesh. Two architects from the country have been able to grab the highest award in architecture in the same year,” he said.

The ceremony, jointly organised by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh, was attended by renowned architects and other important personalities from different sectors of society.

Munir M Miraly, AKDN resident diplomatic representative, said that this prestigious award is presented once every three years, and that the award was established by the Aga Khan in 1977 to “identify and encourage building concepts that successfully addressed the needs and aspirations of communities in which Muslims have a significant presence.”

He added that this year, the names of six winning projects were announced on Monday in the United Arab Emirates city of Al Ain, and “on this occasion, we would love to share the news with the Bangladeshi people as two

of their architects have won the awards.”

Architect Jalal Ahmed, secretary general of Institute of Architects of Bangladesh (IAB) said, “Both Kashef Chowdhury and Marina Tabassum bring glory for Bangladesh through their work. Their works represent the architectural elements of Bangladesh to the outside world,” he said.

Architect Kashef Mahboob was not present but in a video presented on the occasion, he said that he got his inspiration for the design of the Friendship Center from the ancient Buddhist establishment Mahasthangarh (3rd century BC) located in Bogra.

“As in construction, so in conception - the complex of the Centre rise and exist as an echo of ruins, alive with the memory of the remains of Mahasthan, some sixty kilometers away.

Constructed and finished primarily of one material - local hand-made bricks - the spaces are woven out of pavilions, courtyards, pools and greens; corridors and shadows.”

He said that simplicity is the intent, and monastic is the feel of the whole establishment. The design of the Friendship Center relies on natural ventilation and cooling, being facilitated by courtyards and pools and the earth covering on roofs. An extensive network of septic tanks and soak wells also ensure that the sewage does not mix with flood water.

The access to the building from the earthen bundh is organised via two entrance stairs at opposite ends. The programme is then organised around a series of pavilions, courtyards and reflecting pools. Aga Khan Trust for Culture/Rajesh Vora

The quality of space and architecture in this project proves that with the use of local materials and dedicated craftsmen, and an attempt towards spirituality through light can span the distance between here and infinity, between today and eternity Aga Khan Trust for Culture/Rajesh Vora

The ‘Ka’ Block contains the reception pavilion, offices, library, training/conference rooms and pavilions, a prayer space and a small ‘cha-shop’ Aga Khan Trust for Culture/Rajesh Vora

Meanwhile, Marina Tabassum, who was present during the occasion, said that her design of the Baitur Rauf Mosque was a bold testament to her belief that a mosque is an embodiment of the spiritual and cultural aspect of a community, not just some domes and minarets.

“Designing Baitur Rauf Mosque was a challenge as it didn’t have

traditional mosque-like structures.

People often asked what sort of structure was that, and we had to explain. The problem is that we have lost the rich glory of mosquebuilding in Bangladesh. I think a mosque needs to be inspirational and spiritual enough to generate respect and create a divine feeling, otherwise it loses its purpose,” she said. l

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

British Council’s customer service week commences

n

Features Desk

Themed ‘You Speak, We Listen’, the Customer Service Week organised by the British Council commenced on Monday, October 3, 2016, at the British Council office at Fuller Road, Dhaka. The fourday celebration is set to continue till October 6, 2016.

Customer Service Week (CSW)

is an international event devoted to recognising the importance of customer service and to honouring the people who serve and support customers every day. Celebrated annually during the first full week in October, this year the week will be observed across all the British Council offices in the South Asia region from October 3 to 6. Participants include leading

financial, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, retailing, hospitality, communications, not-for-profit and educational organisations, as well as government agencies and others.

What unites them is their deep commitment to quality customer care.

The British Council celebrates this week because it provides a

unique opportunity for service and support professionals around the globe to join in a celebration of the important role that customer service plays in the organisation.

The core goals of the CSW are - to boost morale, motivation and teamwork; to reward frontline colleagues for the important work they do all year long; to raise awareness of the importance of customer service amongst staff; and most importantly, to remind customers of the organisation’s commitment to customer satisfaction.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Annisul Huq, Honourable Mayor, Dhaka North City Corporation. Jim Scarth, Deputy Director, British Council Bangladesh and Deep Adhikari, Examinations Director, British Council Bangladesh also attended the inauguration ceremony.

Zunayed Ahmed, Head of Customer Services, British Council Bangladesh, said, “Customer satisfaction is the main focus of all our services. The reason behind the resounding success of British Council’s operations across the globe including Bangladesh, is a league of highly competent

and motivated employees who dedicate themselves providing top-notch services to our customers. The Customer Service week is an attempt by us to recognise the value of our customers and to appreciate the hard work of our employees.”

Being a cultural relations organisation, the British Council caters to a variety of needs of its customers. The CSW is the British Council’s attempt at celebrating the diversity of its customer base, and winning and retaining its most important asset – ‘the customer’.

The British Council’s Customer Service team in Bangladesh is responsible for first contact representation of all activities carried out by the Council in the country. The main objectives of Bangladesh Customer Service is to ensure that the customers get smooth access and quality support through all five channels – phone, emails, face to face, social media, and live chat.

This year, there will be live streaming sessions on British Council’s Facebook page for customers. On October 3, 2016, the live session covered common mistakes in IELTS writing from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. l

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

| fashion |

| workshop |

Aarong Puja 2016 Collection Preview

Workshop on Project Design Advance for Rural Infrastructure Maintenance Programme

Aarong launched its Puja 2016 collection at an event for My Aarong Rewards Card (MARC) members and the Media at its Wari outlet on Saturday, October 1. Attendees were able to pre-order outfits showcased

by Aarong models from its Puja

campaign.

This season’s Puja collection theme is inspired by the colours of the festival infused with vibrant hues and floral motifs in cottons, muslin, and half silk.

Shalwar kameezes and sarees not only come in traditional reds and

whites, but also in green, yellow and magenta. Men’s panjabi and dhotis sets paired with vests are the latest trends of the season.

Puja gift boxes are also available which consist of an assortment of traditional Puja items. l

| event |

Arabian themed buffet prize giving ceremony held at Radisson Blu Chittagong Bay View

The much anticipated Arabian Themed buffet Prize Giving Ceremony commenced with much fanfare at Radisson Blu Chittagong Bay View on October 1, 2016 with many prominent guests. Robin Edwards, general manager and Takhrin Khan, assistant manager public relations, welcomed everyone at

the ceremony, and praised the week-long event that was held from September 11 to 17, 2016.

The festival was co-partnered

by Regent Airways, and D G M (admin & HR) Ahmed Rafiq Imtiaz from Regent Airways was present at the event.

A raffle draw was held with the presence of Regent Airways

management. Four winners were given a complimentary couple buffet dinner at the Exchange Restaurant of Radisson Blu Chittagong Bay View, and the grand winner Shahriar Kabir Akash received a couple a free round trip from Chittagong to Bangkok and back. l

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Biz Info

An inception workshop on Project Design Advance (PPA) for Rural Infrastructure Maintenance Programme (RIMP) was held at LGED-REDEC conference room, LGED Headquarters, Agargaon, on Monday, October 3, 2016. Md Abul Kalam Azad, additional chief engineer, LGED, inaugurated the

workshop as chief guest. Md Ali Akhtar Hossain, project director, RIMP, delivered the welcome speech and Randall Jones, ADB mission leader, and Krishna Sharan Chakhun, team leader, PDA for RIMP were present as special guests. l

| meeting |

General members meeting held at JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan

JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan organised its sixth General Members meeting on September 23, 2016 at Nordic Hotel, Banani.

Issues related to community development projects and upcoming events were discussed.

It was also announced that JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan has started a partnership with international organisation ‘Let’s Do It!’ with the objective of syncing with

the world clean-up goal, a project that was inaugurated on September 20, 2016. The meeting chairperson JCI Dhaka cosmopolitan president Arman A Khan, national president Shakawat Hossain Mamun, national EVP Ahmed A Rahman, national committee chair, Sakib Ahmed, and general members of JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan were present at the programme. l

DT

20 Editorial

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

TODAY

A bridge between Dhaka and Washington Terrorism is a societal disease, and lawenforcement actions can only counter the symptoms; these will not address the root cause PAGE 21

Let’s not forget, the polluter pays MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Climate change is going to get worse, and all of us will be impacted PAGE 22

R

Your life > My life What we feel is the sting of irony, of how you, despite being part of the minority in the city still, can and will always make unreasonable claims.

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.

Victims, not criminals ising numbers of children are being forced into criminal activities by gangs and syndicates every year.

Street children, the most economically and legally vulnerable group in our society, are the ones most likely to be snatched up for criminal purposes.

Furthermore, many of these children tend to be completely oblivious to their own involvement, as well as the extent of the dangers they are being subjected to, not to mention illegality.

The numbers are sobering -- out of the approximately 40 million children in the country, children being defined as those between ages 5 and 17, some 1.3 million children are engaged in hazardous jobs, with 70% of those children involved in criminal activity.

Those who use children for their own criminal agendas, often harming or even killing them in the process, should be shown no mercy by the law.

These individuals belong behind bars.

Certainly, there are few things more despicable than the deliberate and systematic exploitation of children, which often involves getting them addicted to drugs. Using a combination of coercion, intimidation, and manipulation, these minors are then used to aid in drug peddling, picketing, mugging, human trafficking, and many other types of criminal activities.

Street children are our “invisible population,” which is why their plight is ignored so often. Criminals also know that dead or missing street children are less likely to be noticed, and hence less likely to be traced back to the syndicate.

It is National Child Rights Week. Let us use this occasion to find a way to stop this terrible exploitation of our child population. For that, shelter and education provided by the government would go a long way.

In the longer term, the problem of poverty needs to be addressed, which makes children so vulnerable in the first place.

Those who use children for their own criminal agendas should be shown no mercy by the law

DT

21

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

A bridge between Dhaka and Washington How Bangladesh can receive effective counter-terrorism assistance from US

n Tamim Choudhury

H

aving completed the fifth US Bangladesh security dialogue, Dhaka must leverage its relations with Washington to properly strengthen counterterrorism assistance.

Whereas Dhaka has sought enhanced training, equipment, and logistics for anti-terrorism, below are a few specific measures that the government should ask for, in case they have not been mentioned in the October 2 meeting.

As the State Department’s top-tier officials have expressed support for Dhaka, this is the perfect time to build on the progress, instead of waiting any further.

First, Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism and transnational crime (CTTC) unit should be upgraded into a topnotch law-enforcement team, using the US counter-terrorism partnership fund.

Bangladesh is already approved to participate in this funding program. It should be used to further train special weapons and tactics alongside bomb disposal police officers in the unit.

Updated methods for investigation techniques, crimescene management, evidence collection and analysis should be provided.

The US State Department’s Diplomatic Security Bureau has previously trained Bangladeshi police officers.

This can be extended with the Federal Bureau of Investigation training police managers on human intelligence and data collected from interrogations and conversations.

Evidence collected through coercion is often thrown out by courts. To support due process in terrorism cases, the police must understand how detrimental confessions through torture can be for convicting terror suspects.

Moreover, community policing can make the public comfortable enough to share valuable information.

Terrorism is a societal problem, and requires public support.

As CTTC has authority extending the capital and is on the forefront of anti-terrorism, this is currently the best lawenforcement agency to receive this training and any related equipment.

Otherwise, RAB would have been the preferred agency, as

The US can be a good ally in the fight against terrorism this paramilitary unit has battled terrorists and criminals across the nation for years.

However, due to its egregious human rights violations, the US suspended its training in 2014. The Leahy law prohibits US assistance to foreign security organisations that have committed human rights violations.

If Bangladesh wants RAB to regain training right now, it can ask for the US defense secretary to provide a waiver, due to extraordinary circumstances. This is a big ask, but as Washington is keen on engaging with the entire security system of Bangladesh for anti-terrorism, it may be considered.

Next, Bangladesh should receive increased signals intelligence cooperation. The New York Times reported that, although the US had warned of upcoming Islamic State attacks based on intercepted electronic communications September of last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina complained that actionable intelligence was not shared with Dhaka.

Soon thereafter, two foreigners were shot, with IS taking credit. In lieu of not possessing all government cooperation agreements, one cannot know for sure the extent of existing cooperation, but it seems that there are gaps in the information sharing.

One proposed action is

PMO

Terrorism is a societal disease, and law-enforcement actions can only counter the symptoms; these will not address the root cause.

Bangladesh needs an academic-level study on the radicalisation process -- a study that is valued by the US as well the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC designating the defense attaché as the prime liaison with the National Security Agency. The attaché can start a linkup between America’s signals collection agency and Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Forces Intelligence.

NSA headquarters are in Maryland and an ongoing dialogue with the Bangladesh Embassy, which is close in proximity, can lead to greater trust-building measures among intelligence services in the two nations.

Terrorism is a societal disease, and law-enforcement actions can only counter the symptoms; these will not address the root cause.

Bangladesh needs an academic-level study on the radicalisation process -- a study that is valued by the US as well.

To fully comprehend the drivers of terrorism, the government should retain Professor Ali Riaz from Illinois State University as its counter-terrorism consultant.

Professor Riaz is considered a Bangladesh expert, having

testified for US Congress on Dhaka’s political situation. In a recent study, he pinpointed that, contrary to public perception, a significant number of Bangladeshi Islamist militants are well-educated, middle-class individuals.

He explained that in the absence of a systemic, evidencebased study on militants, anecdotal evidence has shaped the narrative of poverty, unemployment, and madrasa education creating militants in the land.

He is keen on studying the drivers behind the radicalisation process and the Bangladesh government should engage this academic, and discuss this proposed study with the US. It will look favourable to the US, as it manifests a long-term commitment to solving the problem.

Christine Fair, a South Asian specialist at Georgetown University, commented on Voice of America that even after receiving counter-terrorism assistance from

the US, results have been mixed for Bangladesh.

With an anti-terrorism strategy that combines intelligence enhancement and identification of root causes, Bangladesh can prove otherwise.

The nation has already turned a corner after the abysmal attack on July 1; several suspected militants have been killed or detained in joint-forces operations, including the elimination of the alleged mastermind.

As the US delegation has appreciated Bangladesh’s recent counter-terrorism measures -especially launching the CTTC unit -- and has recognised shared threats, the aforementioned proposals are likely to receive greater attention from Washington.

With continued progress through wise national security policies that are rapidly executed, mutual benefits can be earned in the path to global peace. l Tamim Choudhury is a Texas-based Communications Analyst.

22

DT

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

Let’s not forget, the polluter pays The fossil fuel industry brought us to this predicament

How much money will make up for this pollution?

REUTERS

n Meraz Mostafa

C

limate change is going to cost a lot of money.

A 2009 study estimates that even if nations fulfill their promise in addressing climate change, the damages incurred could still reach up to $245 trillion from the year 2000 to 2200. If countries don’t take any climate action, costs could jump to a massive $1,275tn.

That’s either $1.2tn to $6.4tn a year, more than the entire economy of most countries.

While these figures are at best educated approximations, the point remains that the destruction caused by climate change will likely be expensive, especially for poorer countries like Bangladesh.

This is why we need to make those most responsible pay -- the fossil fuel industry.

Now, I know previous executive secretary of the UN climate talks, Christiana Figueres, said last year that we should stop playing the blame game with this industry.

And maybe she’s right, at least from a diplomatic perspective.

After all, she achieved what no one else had in bringing countries together to agree to the first ever international climate treaty.

But by the same token, it would

Climate change is going to get worse, and all of us will be impacted.

It’s unfair that our country should have to foot the bill for something it contributed very little to. It’s unfair that a country already struggling should further have to bear the damages caused by climate change be an error to just let fossil fuels companies get away innocent.

This is not just because a 2013 Carbon Majors study found that just 90 fossil fuel companies are responsible for 63% of greenhouse gas already emitted by humans.

It is also because these companies knew about the role their industry had in causing climate change as early as the 1970s, revealed by investigative research done by InsideClimate News last year. But instead of acting responsibly, many companies invested into spreading climate denial, which indirectly slowed down international climate negotiations.

And they did this without regard of the world’s poor and most vulnerable who are now set to face some of the worst impacts of climate change.

This is why the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines

recently sent 47 fossil fuel companies, including Chevron, BP, and Shell, a 60-page document detailing how their actions violate basic human rights, including the right to “life, food, water, sanitation, adequate housing, and to self determination.”

We should not forget that in 2013 the Philippines was hit by one of the deadliest tropical cyclones ever recorded, Typhoon Haiyan (also called Typhoon Yolanda).

Never before had the Philippines experienced such a devastating climatic disaster that took more than 6,000 lives with storm surges almost as high as a two-storey building.

No amount of money from fossil fuel companies will ever make up for this, and for the millions that are and will be affected by climate change. But there are still losses and damages the fossil fuel industry should pay for.

The costs of rebuilding houses, finding new places to live, repairing infrastructure, these are all burdens the fossil fuel industry could be made to bear.

There is even a precedent for making multinational companies pay for the harm they knowingly caused. Similar to Big Oil, Big Tobacco lied for decades about the negative health impacts of smoking, and finally in 2006, they were made to pay $10 billion in fines.

However, instead of a onetime fine, perhaps a carbon levy imposed on major fossil fuel companies would be the best way to go, as argued by the Carbon Majors study previously mentioned.

Unlike a carbon tax, this would involve a much larger on-going fine, which would go directly towards those impacted negatively by climate change. The paper

calculates that even a levy of $2 per tonne of CO2 emitted would result in $50bn a year.

That is five times more than what the tobacco industry had to pay, and this is just for one year (even though the tobacco industry should also be made to pay more).

The added benefit of a levy is that it would force a societal shift to renewable energy at a much faster pace.

Bangladesh is suffering from climate change. Right now, most of the consequences are in small coastal villages that cannot be reached by car, and not many people outside the country have heard about. But climate change is going to get worse, and all of us will be impacted.

It’s unfair that our country should have to foot the bill for something it contributed very little to. It’s unfair that a country already struggling to meet the needs of all its people should further have to bear the damages caused by climate change.

The fossil fuel industry played a big part in bringing us to this current predicament. It is only fair that they should have to pay. l

Meraz Mostafa works in climate change and development in Bangladesh.

DT

23

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

Your life > My life The minority with a superiority complex

Privilege behind the wheels

n Nusmila Lohani

D

ear license plate number Dhaka Metro-x, 120003, I understand that sitting in an airconditioned car, with hands on a leather steering wheel, swerving the machinery with ease, may, possibly, make you feel invincible.

With that big of a car, in that capsule of luxury and comfort, it may be too difficult to have wheels on the ground as it may lead you to think that you are driving in some parallel universe, elevated from Dhaka city roads.

I can only imagine how distressing it is to be honked back to reality by those dingy, small vehicles -- to realise you are just a part of a very mediocre crowd, attempting to whoosh through the green traffic signal, with everyone else at your tail. To add insult to injury, it must be even more distressing to realise that you too must toil and push the miles-long traffic.

Your grand armour of a car has to sit quietly in congestion with every other low-tier brand car, three-wheeled dreary CNG, and sometimes even with those peasant-run, flimsy things called “rickshaws,” is it? -- and all those trucks, buses, pick-up vans, etc; all the more outdated excuses for vehicles.

I know it must be hard, even difficult, to contain all that diesel-filled adrenaline and

BIGSTOCK

What we feel is the sting of irony, of how you, despite being part of the minority in the city still, can and will always make unreasonable claims.

And we, the majority, at the poorer end of the spectrum, have to make way, adjust, and give exactly what you claim ecstatic joy within your elite temperament. It must be harder for you than every other driver on the road to manoeuvre through the back-breaking traffic, sitting comfortably in your car seat.

Maybe it is all that restraint and delusional belief that makes you feel superior, and why shouldn’t you feel superior to all of us?

Maybe it is that superiority, that you have to keep in check being stuck at a red light, that makes you constantly honk your way through all the other vehicles when the traffic turns green.

Why do you have to test your patience even more, and move along with the traffic flow like us?

I can understand your frustration, which may lead you to that overwhelming urge to blaze past us.

So when you did just that last night at Bijoy Sharani traffic signal, I didn’t blame you. Honest.

However, I can’t really say the same about all the other passengers and drivers at the signal, who may have muttered a little prayer for your place in a special corner in hell. Because

there is something obnoxious about that mighty sound of persistence and arrogance, the sound of you honking away relentlessly till every vehicle is forced to move over an inch on the already crammed road just to make way for you, Pajero.

There is something that makes us, the everyday middle class and lower-middle class, feel something toxic when you cut your restraint some slack, and claim the roads for yourself in sheer bravado.

Your brand precedes you, a representation of the elite class.

What we feel is the sting of irony, of how you, despite being part of the minority in the city still, can and will always make unreasonable claims. And we, the majority, at the poorer end of the spectrum, have to make way, adjust, and give exactly what you claim.

If we are to take the philosophy of majoritarianism into account, and look at how things are run in this city -- it is astounding to deduce that only “the richer” contradict this system. The majority wins in all cases when it

comes to religion or sex, so one can assume, ceteris paribus, that the middle-class can win cases when it comes to the road, traffic, and the way being paved for them.

But that’s not how you roll, is it?

It isn’t just you really, but almost every other person under the same umbrella of elite class makes the same claims. You never really bother with the inconvenience that you cause us when you park your embodiment of privilege and wealth in front of schools or shopping malls.

I’m quite sure you are aware of the trail of us waiting on you to make some common sense decisions, like making sure your passengers exit the vehicle quickly, like no, you don’t have to waddle around the car to open the passenger doors, a part of your elite etiquette, I am sure.

I wouldn’t make unreasonable claims like you do every day, and attempt at suggesting that you stretch out that etiquette of yours to us.

We do not ask for royal treatment, we only ask for common courtesy from your end.

Because it shouldn’t be difficult to acknowledge our presence (the middle class), more than 33% of the urban population.

When all minority groups stand to be subjected to discrimination and marginalisation, you are a rich exception. Amounting to only around 2.7% of the Dhakaurban population, we, sometimes foolishly expect you to stay within your lane, and move along like a privileged but also civilised individual.

You must know that privilege is one of the more sought out things in this country. Think about it, it is only that which lets an individual prosper and excel in any given sphere of work or life in Dhaka.

Without it, we (not you) remain confined to our pre-destined fate of lesser glossy lifestyles.

And so, I’m sure that you thoroughly love basking in your privilege, and unfortunately never really bat an eye for us or how we have to suffer the brunt of your lavish cars and superiority complex. Speaking of privilege and superiority complexes, I repeat, it really isn’t just you. You must remember that road accident which critically injured four people or so last year, caused by a drunk teenage driver, part of the #ClassyKidsOfDhaka.

So there is a lot of you on the road, honking away, or blocking traffic, because your privilege, the brand that you drive, is overwhelming. Stretching my empathy muscles, I can imagine how it’s not your fault but the fault of those around you and the culture of privilege that, together, allows you to become an inconvenience to all of us, the majority on the road, and also always fashionably get away.

So this is to tell you, dear *insert expensive car name* driver, attempt to stick to your lane. We know how grand your life is because privilege is what has you, be it by inheritance or paycheck, to driving that topnotch machine.

Attempt to have some restraints, some sort of control over your overwhelmed muscles and adrenaline gushing through your fuel pipes. Attempt, for your sake, because who knows when the ones on the road will want to play their “majority” card and honk you over to one of those mediocre road accidents, or death.

Sincerely, The middle class l Nusmila Lohani is a sub-editor at the Dhaka Tribune.

DT

24 Sport

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

TOP STORIES

WHAT THEY SAID IMRUL KAYES BCB XI

It’s not an international match, but the atmosphere was similar. I needed an innings like this after a long time. It is definitely a big confidence boost to score a century against a team like this.

Competition for places in the Bangladesh team is very high. You have to do something extraordinary to stay in the team, you can’t stay if your performance is average. I played the first ODI (against Afghanistan) but was left out for the next two and I felt that maybe I needed to do something better, for which reason this innings feels really good.

Mindset was very important. In other matches recently, my mindset was to stay at the wicket.

I was positive from the start, the first ball connected well. In the last two days the coach (Chandika Hathurusingha) gave me some very good advice, which helped.

Nazmul clears stance on 2019 WC place Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan yesterday said his statement regarding Bangladesh playing directly in the 2019 World Cup is based on the current FTP of the International Cricket Council. PAGE 25

CHRIS WOAKES

Sajib wants to follow in Siddikur’s footsteps

England

Like the country’s golfing icon Siddikur Rahman, Mohammad Sajib Ali also got to know what golf actually is as caddy of Kurmitola Golf Course. He was only 11 or 12 years old when he started carrying the players’ bags. PAGE 26

Bangladesh Cricket Board XI opening batsman Imrul Kayes plays a sweep shot against England during their practice match at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

‘Accounts freeze ruined BCCI image’ The reputation of the Indian cricket board has been ruined by the freezing of its bank accounts, its president Anurag Thakur said, after a Supreme Court-appointed panel blocked it from making two payments to its state units. PAGE 27

Sharapova can play again in April Maria Sharapova said she could not wait to return to tennis next April after the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced her two-year drugs ban by nine months yesterday. Sharapova hailed it as one of the happiest days of her career. PAGE 28

It was hot. As I mentioned we have only been out here for a few days. Testing conditions, a day game is always going to be tough when the sun is at its hottest. But we came through it, a few guys did get cramps and I suppose it’s because we have only been here for a few days. We will be better for the fact that we’ve been out here and played the full 50 overs in the heat. We are really pleased with how it’s gone.

The first game will be day-night so hopefully it won’t be as hot. Acclimatisation is something we have to do and hopefully we will have gotten it right come Friday. l

Imrul hundred in vain n Mazhar Uddin Visiting England had a good outing with the bat after Bangladesh Cricket Board XI opening batsman Imrul Kayes struck a magnificent hundred in the practice match at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah yesterday.

Imrul’s century though came in a losing cause as interim England ODI captain Jos Butler and Moeen Ali struck fifties to ensure a four-wicket win.

BCB XI posted a huge 309/9 in 50 overs and despite losing a few early wickets, England managed to come back strong and eventually reached their target with four wickets and 23 balls to spare to begin their month-long tour on a positive note.

Fast bowler Ebadat Hossain was the only bright spot with the ball for the BCB XI as he dismissed both the English openers Jason Roy (28) and James Vince (48), ending up with bowling figures of 2/26 from his five overs.

However, fellow paceman Al Amin Hossain, who was called up for the first two ODIs against England, went for 64 runs from his nine overs. Al Amin only picked up the wicket of Ben Stokes (11).

At one stage, the visitors were 170/5 but skipper Buttler and Moeen ensured there would be no more hiccups, adding 139 runs for the sixth wicket. Moeen was dismissed just one run short from the winning stroke, scoring 70 off just 51 balls while Buttler remained unbeaten on 80 off 64 balls.

Earlier, opting to bat first, BCB XI lost opener Soumya Sarkar (seven) early. The left-hander has been going through a rough patch recently and once again failed with the willow after trying to slice paceman Chris Woakes only to edge it to wicket-keeper Buttler.

But Imrul looked in terrific touch as he played some delightful strokes all over the ground and alongside youngster Nazmul Hossain Shanto, added 85 runs for the

second wicket. Shanto was looking good before coming down the track to leg-spinner Adil Rashid when he totally misjudged a googly and was stumped after scoring 36 off 42 balls.

The left-handed Imrul reached his fifty from 46 balls and continued his aggressive approach as the Meherpur cricketer paired with Mushfiqur Rahim, who was included in the BCB XI side at the last moment. The third-wicket partnership added 71 runs as the home side were heading towards a big total.

Mushfiq, who is desperate to score some runs ahead of the three ODIs against the visitors, also looked compact and played some gorgeous strokes to start the proceedings.

On the other hand, Imrul was in no mood to lose the opportunity as he kept charging the English bowlers and smashed a magnificent hundred off just 81 balls.

In the process, he announced himself as the biggest contender

to open the innings along with Tamim Iqbal in the upcoming ODIs after being dropped from the playing XI for the second and third ODI against Afghanistan recently.

He smashed two sixes off pacer David Willey after reaching his hundred but was eventually dismissed following a fine 91-ball 121, featuring 11 fours and half a dozen sixes.

And according to chief selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu, Imrul’s ton will help him to get into the playing XI in the first ODI against England, scheduled to be held this Friday at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. l

BRIEF SCORE BCB XI 309/9 in 50 overs (Imrul 121, Mushfiq 51, Nasir 46, Woakes 3/52, Stokes 2/36) lost to ENGLAND XI 313/6 in 46.1 overs (Buttler 80*, Moeen 70, Vince 48, Ebadat 2/26, Sanjamul 1/23) by four wickets

25

DT

Sport

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

BCB chief clears stance on 2019 World Cup place

Journo allegedly abused in Fatullah n Tribune Report An unpleasant incident took place yesterday during the practice match between the BCB XI and England when the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s security coordinator allegedly physically abused one of the reporters after he reported the security fault during Afghanistan’s third ODI against the Tigers.

n Tribune Report

Ali, the BCB security official pulled Azam’s shirt and dragged him to one side Atif Azam, senior sports reporter of English daily New Age, filed a news report on Monday after a fan named Mehedi ran onto the field to hug Bangladesh limited-over captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza.

The person in question, Mohammad Ali, former cricketer-turned-BCB security official pulled Azam’s shirt and dragged him to one side.

Azam duly asked Ali to read the article first before reacting in such a violent manner. The incident happened minutes after the BCB president Nazmul Hasan’s press briefing at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah.

The three sports journalists associations of the country immediately condemned the incident and asked for proper action against Ali.l

England Test captain Alastair Cook bats in the nets at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

DMP assures full proof security n Ali Shahriyar Bappa Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah ensured that the England cricket team will be provided the highest security during their tour of Bangladesh.

England have already arrived in Bangladesh and played their first practice match against the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI in Fatullah yesterday.

“We have undertaken the highest measures to ensure security for both England and Bangladesh teams. DMP, Detective Branch and other security forces are working jointly to ensure security,” said Asaduzzaman during a press briefing in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium yesterday.

“All the areas in and around the stadium are under CCTV surveillance. Every spectator will be searched when they

enter the stadium area. Tickets are machine-readable. So there is no chance of black marketing.

“We have taken our best possible measures to ensure the security. We have no threat related to the series but we are fully aware about the security concerns. We are providing world-class security and hope we will continue it in future as well.

“Security personnel will be present inside the galleries and stadium areas during match time. Law enforcers and BCB will work jointly so that people can enjoy the cricket and the event ends peacefully,” he added.

The DMP commissioner also urged general people to co-operate with the law enforcers regarding the security measures.

England will play three ODIs and two Test matches in Bangladesh.l

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan yesterday said his statement regarding Bangladesh playing directly in the 2019 World Cup is based on the current Future Tours Programme of the International Cricket Council.

“I am confident that we would be among the top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings by the cut-off date of September 30, 2017. I believe by this time our position will not get worse. If anything, we can improve our position,” Nazmul told the media in Fatullah.

“According to our calculations, we will not go down in the rankings. Because in accordance with the ICC’s FTP, we are all set to play directly in the World Cup. If we play really bad in those tournaments, then only our place might come under threat. But if our recent performances are anything to go by, we can certainly be hopeful,” he said.

Meanwhile, when queried, the ICC said, “As explained a number of times in various team rankings releases, hosts England plus the other seven highest-ranked sides

on the ICC ODI team rankings as on 30 September 2017 will qualify automatically for the ICC CWC 2019.

“The bottom four sides on the ICC ODI team rankings plus six sides from the World Cricket League will play in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 and the top two sides from this event will complete the 10-team line-up for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.”

Bangladesh are currently at sixth position in the current ICC ODI rankings with 95 rating points.

West Indies are lying at seventh position with 88 points and Pakistan are eighth with the same number of points. The latest ODI rankings were released on Sunday.

Bangladesh will play three ODIs against New Zealand in December this year before contesting a tri-nation series alongside Ireland and New Zealand in May 2017.

Pakistan will play six ODIs against Australia in December this year.

On the other hand, the West Indies will play three ODIs against England in March next year and five ODIs against the same opposition five months later.l

Rajshahi thrash Chittagong in NCL n Tribune Report Dhaka Metro v Barisal (tier one)

Barisal are on the verge of registering their first win of the season as they imposed the follow-on on Dhaka Metropolis on day three in the second round of the 18th National Cricket League yesterday. Dhaka Metro at stumps on day three trailed by 41 runs with nine wickets remaining in their second innings.

Dhaka Metro resumed their first innings on their overnight score of 145 for three but the innings saw only another 100 runs added to the tally as Barisal bowlers put in a disciplined performance. Four Barisal bowlers bagged two wickets each to end Dhaka Metro’s first innings for 245 and thus imposing the follow-on.

At stumps, Dhaka had posted 133 runs on the board for the loss of a wicket.

Khulna v Dhaka (tier one)

Wet outfield in Bogra’s Shaheed Chandu Stadium forced the game towards a draw as even the third ended without a ball being bowled.

Chittagong v Rajshahi (tier two)

Rajshahi bowlers aided their side as they posted their first win of the season, thrashing Chittagong by an innings and 242 runs.

Rajshahi came out on the day with 482 runs on the board in their first innings with five wickets remaining. The side, with contributions from the lower order, stretched the innings to 558 for nine and declared with a 417-run lead. Hamidul Islam scored 92 while Muktar Ali added 60 to the board.

Chittagong’s poor show with the bat continued even in the second innings as they were skittled out for only 175 runs.

Yasir Ali Chowdhury was unbeaten on 78 while Mamun Hossain, Muktar and Habibur Rahman picked up three wickets each for Rajshahi.

ing their first innings on 216 for 6 but this was only pushed to 247 before the side lost all their wickets, adding only 30 runs. Wicketkeeper-batsman Zakir Hossain scored 112.

Sylhet bowlers however, ensured Rangpur batsmen would face a difficult time in the second innings as they were restricted to 183 runs. l

Rangpur v Sylhet (tier two)

CHITTAGONG 141 & 175 (Yasir 78*, Habibur 3/27, Mamun 3/33) lost to RAJSHAHI 558 (Mizanur 144, Jahurul 131, Hamidul 92) by an innings and 242 runs

Chasing 154 runs, Sylhet needed another 75 runs to record their first win of the tournament. At the end of day three, Sylhet had 79 runs on the board losing seven wickets.

Rangpur spinner Sohrawardi Shuvo led the show as he picked up six wickets.

The day started with Sylhet resum-

18TH NCL, RD 2, DAY 3 TIER ONE BARISAL 419 (Gazi 142, Sayeem 98, Ashraful 4/62) lead DHAKA METROPOLIS 245 (Shamsur 49, Marshall 41, Monir 2/29) & 133/1 (Shadman 65*, Shamsur 44, Monir 1/15) by 41 runs KHULNA 172/1 v DHAKA

TIER TWO

RANGPUR 217 & 183 (Sajedul 44*, Shahanur 4/44, Jayed 2/25) lead SYLHET 247 (Zakir 112, Sanjit 3/55, Sajedul 2/26) & 79/7 (Imtiaz 26, Kapali 18*, Sohrawardi 6/38) by 75 runs

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

Sajib wants to follow in Siddikur’s footsteps n Tribune Report

but it was in the Bhutan Amateur Golf Championship where I won my first title. I played my first Asian Tour event in the Bangladesh Open in 2014. I finished 53rd there.

I took part in the next edition last year where I missed the cut. I was placed second behind Siddikur in the PGTI event, BTI Open, last year which was an important event for me as I only turned professional.

Like the country’s golfing icon Siddikur Rahman, Mohammad Sajib Ali also got to know what golf actually is as caddy of Kurmitola Golf Course.

He was only 11 or 12 years old when he started carrying the players’ bags in order to support his family before emerging in the amateur golfing arena as a player himself. He became one of the leading amateur golfers, playing in around 20 different countries in the last nine years.

He came to the limelight during the Bhutan Amateur Golf Championship in 2014 where he won both the titles of team and individual category. Since then, he has come on in leaps and bounds.

The 28-year old golfer talked with Dhaka Tribune regarding his career, ambition and how he got into the game of golf in a country where people rarely choose golf as a playing career.

What have you learned most from watching ace Bangladesh golfer Siddikur?

One day I was watching Siddikur practise and hitting accurate shots most of the time. I asked myself – how did he get so accurate so often? He told me to always make a focus point and concentrate on it. I had been struggling with my accuracy and after some days I realised what Siddikur meant. I also learned a lot from a Scottish coach who guided nine of us in a golf school, titled RNA, for four years. My most favourite golfer is Phil Mickelson because of his brilliant short-game.

How did you get into the game of golf?

My father Azmat Ali was a caddy master at Kurmitola Golf Club and after he passed away, there was no one who would earn and run the family. One of my father’s colleagues, caddy Siraj, brought me to the golf course from the school. I started working there and used to earn Tk25 daily. Though it was in 2000, still the money was very little considering the demand of my family. My mother once asked me why was I doing this. So, there was

Where do you want to see yourself in future? always determination in me to get something out of this game.

How did you get the opportunity to emerge as a golfer?

It’s been some years I have been a ball-boy, or you can say caddy, at Kurmitola. The interest grew more in 2007. I saw everyone playing,

including Siddikur Rahman, who had been doing great at the that time. I told my boss that I wanted to play. They supported me, gave encouragement and I started practising. I qualified for an amateur golf tournament in India and performed well there. It boosted my confidence. I got Bay Development

English players urged to snub Bangladesh Premier League n AFP, London The Professional Cricketers’ Association wants English players to snub the 2016 Bangladesh Premier League over security fears.

PCA chief executive David Leatherdale believes the absence of any details on security measures to be put in place for the tournament means it would be wise for players to stay at home.

Samit Patel, Ravi Bopara, Tymal Mills, Rikki Wessels, Josh Cobb and Richard Gleeson are among the England-qualified players who were in line to join the latest edition of the BPL, which starts in November.

Leatherdale has also taken account of current Foreign and Commonwealth Office information.

England’s Test and one-day international tour of Bangladesh received the go-ahead only after a fact-finding mission by the nation-

al team’s security expert Reg Dickason, accompanied by Leatherdale, concluded it should do so, in the aftermath of July’s deadly terror attack on a Dhaka cafe.

The political landscape in Bangladesh is volatile and needs to be constantly monitored Even then, England’s one-day captain Eoin Morgan and opening batsman Alex Hales have opted out of the trip.

“It remains unclear whether a similar level of security will be provided for the Bangladesh Premier League, which will involve a number of teams playing at different venues around the country,” Leatherdale said yesterday.

“The political and security landscape in Bangladesh is volatile and needs to be constantly monitored in the lead-up to the event.

“The latest advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is that there is a heightened risk of further terrorist attacks against westerners - and visitors to the country should remain vigilant, monitor local and social media and follow any specific advice from local security authorities to avoid certain areas.

“In those circumstances the PCA is advising its members not to travel to Bangladesh to play in the BPL. “However, those who do decide to travel as individuals do so at their own risk - and, as in previous years, will be required to sign a disclaimer to that effect before they receive a No Objection Certificate from the England and Wales Cricket Board.” l

as sponsor to support me in 2010. I started playing regularly.

Tell us briefly about your career.....

From 2009-2015, I played in many amateur golf tournaments abroad, in around 20 different countries.

My first PGTI (Professional Golf Tour of India) event was in 2011

I want to play in the PGTI events regularly in the next two years.

Then, if I can perform well there my target will be to play in the Asian Tour. Even after that, if I get better results, then PGI Tour is my goal. Now I want to play in the next PGTI event from December 24-28 and I have to go through qualification round, which will be held in Bangalore in the same month. l

Test players must provide excitement - Kohli n AFP, Kolkata India must play exciting Test cricket to entertain the crowds, skipper Virat Kohli said after defeating New Zealand, amid waning interest in the game’s longest form.

India regained the top spot in the world rankings in Tests and sealed the three-match series against New Zealand with a comprehensive 178run victory in Kolkata on Monday.

The series against the Black Caps marks the start of a packed programme of international cricket for India who also host England, Bangladesh and Australia later this season.

Kohli said players needed to interact with the crowd during Tests, in a similar fashion to the high-energy, limited-overs games.

“You saw how engaged the crowd was, they like to see exciting cricket, and we have to provide it,” Kohli said after winning the second match in Kolkata to take an unas-

sailable 2-0 lead in the series.

“You have to interact with them, you have to make sure they are a part of the whole thing. You feed off their energy. It happens so much in limited overs, so why not in Test cricket?”

The comments come as Test cricket struggles to find an audience in the Twenty20 era, prompting last year’s introduction of daynight Tests played under lights with a pink ball in Australia.

Former cricket greats including Shane Warne and some cricket board chiefs have also flagged slashing the format from five to four days.

But controversial plans to create a two-tier Test system have been scrapped by cricket’s world governing body after India’s powerful board led a backlash.

Kohli’s comments came as the third Test between India and New Zealand was thrown into doubt yesterday. l

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Accounts freeze ruined BCCI reputation, says Thakur n Reuters, Mumbai The reputation of the Indian cricket board has been ruined by the freezing of its bank accounts, its president Anurag Thakur said yesterday, after a Supreme Court-appointed panel blocked it from making two payments to its state units.

The panel asked two banks to halt the disbursements after the board ignored some of the panel recommendations for reforming the world’s richest cricket board, which has been criticised for a perceived lack of transparency.

Thakur said the board would take a decision by the evening on the fate of the ongoing home series against New Zealand, which still has a Test and five one-dayers left.

“Without the funds how do we play? How can we function, how can we make payments to the players and the various stakeholders?”

Thakur told Reuters yesterday.

“We don’t even take money from the gov-

ernment and it’s our own funds. Our accounts have been frozen without even communicating with us.

“Is this how you treat the world’s richest cricket body which has run the sport so efficiently? It has completely destroyed our hardearned reputation.”

Sources in the Bank of Maharashtra and Yes Bank, who operate the BCCI accounts, confirmed the accounts were frozen on Monday night as they waited for more clarity from the panel which was formed last year to assess BCCI operations.

The banks have now lifted the ban on the accounts after former chief justice RM Lodha, the head of the panel, clarified the BCCI is otherwise free to use its funds for routine expenditure.

A New Zealand Cricket spokesman said they had heard nothing from the BCCI and were preparing to play the third Test at Indore from Saturday. l

Spain’s Rafael Nadal plays against Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi in the China Open yesterday

DAY’S WATCH FOOTBALL STAR SPORTS 1 7:30PM Indian Super League Kerala v Kolkata

CRICKET TEN 2 5:30PM Australia Tour of South Africa 3rd ODI

TEN 3 5:00PM West Indies Tour of Pakistan 3rd ODI

BASKETBALL SONY SIX

12:30AM NBA Global Games Barcelona v Oklahoma City

REUTERS

Nair in India squad after Dhawan ruled out n Reuters

India opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the third Test against New Zealand with a broken hand and replaced in the squad by the uncapped Karun Nair.

Dhawan had sustained a “minor fracture” on his left hand, the team said in a statement. His place in the team could go to Gautam Gambhir, who was drafted into the squad for the first time in two years after opener Lokesh Rahul suffered a hamstring strain during the first Test win in Kanpur.

The hosts completed a 178-run victory in Kolkata on Monday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the threematch series.

The third Test is scheduled to start in Indore from Saturday but has been thrown into some confusion by a local media report that the Indian board had cancelled the remainder of the tour due to financial problems. l

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Allardyce sacking not our issue, says Rooney n Reuters, London

Captain Wayne Rooney wearily flat-batted questions about the dismissal of Sam Allardyce and seemed equally unconcerned about the arrival of stand-in boss Gareth Southgate yesterday as he discussed England’s upcoming

World Cup qualifiers.

“It’s not something we can be concerned about,” Rooney told reporters when asked about Allardyce’s sacking last week after one game in charge following a newspaper sting.

“As a group we need to stick together and concentrate on the foot-

ball and I am sure there will be no problem doing that. The other side is not our issue,” Rooney added.

“I’m sure it’s been a tough couple of weeks for the FA but the players have concentrated on club football and we have to focus on the games and training.”

When pressed for his thoughts

Sharapova can play again in April after ban reduced n Reuters, Geneva Maria Sharapova said she could not wait to return to tennis next April after the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced the former world number one’s two-year drugs ban by nine months yesterday.

Hailing one of the happiest days of her career, the Russian said she had learned a lesson from the “tough months” behind her and hoped the International Tennis Federation and anti-doping authorities had also.

“In so many ways, I feel like something I love was taken away from me and it will feel really good to have it back,” the 29-year-old fivetimes grand slam champion said in a message to fans on her facebook page.

“Tennis is my passion and I have missed it. I am counting the days until I can return

to the court.”

Sharapova was handed the original ban, backdated to start on Jan. 26, 2016, by the ITF following her positive test for the drug meldonium.

The arbitration panel ruled yesterday that she had committed an anti-doping rule violation for which “she bore some degree of fault”.

It added that the decision to reduce the ban concerned solely “the degree of fault that can be imputed to the player for her failure to make sure that the substance contained in a product that she had been taking over a long period remained in compliance with the anti-doping rules.”

Sharapova had called the ITF’s original ruling “unfairly harsh” as an independent tribunal had found that she had not intentionally violated anti-doping rules.

She admitted taking meldonium during the season’s opening grand slam in Melbourne but said she had been unaware that it had been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Meldonium was added to WADA’s list of banned substances at the start of the year after mounting evidence that it boosted blood flow and enhanced athletic performance.

“I have learned from this, and I hope the ITF has as well,” said Sharapova, adding that she had always taken responsibility for not knowing the over-the-counter supplement she had taken for 10 years was no longer allowed.

The player said other federations had been much better at notifying their athletes of the rule change, especially in Eastern Europe where meldonium, or mildronate, was taken by millions of people.l

on Allardyce, Rooney said: “It’s a shame. I think everyone could see how excited Sam was for the job and he showed that to the players.

I am sure he deeply regrets it but that was a decision for the FA to take.”

Gareth Southgate has been put in charge for the next four games,

including Saturday’s home match against Malta and the away game against Slovenia on Tuesday.

Southgate, like Allardyce, has said that Rooney will continue as captain, describing him as the “outstanding leader in the group” despite him losing his place in the Manchester United starting team.l

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Thespian (5) 4 Narrate (4) 7 Optical illusion (6) 8 Sports (5) 10 Fertile soil (4) 11 Joint (5) 12 Do wrong (3) 14 Slender support (4) 17 Prophet (4) 19 Metal-bearing rock (3) 20 Live coal (5) 23 Location (4) 25 Mountain nymph (5) 26 Naval hero (6) 27 Liquor dregs (4) 28 Lukewarm (5)

DOWN 1 Rows (6) 2 Augury (4) 3 Hazard (4) 4 Stories (5) 5 Self (3) 6 Guide (6) 9 Female horse (4) 13 Purify (6) 15 Rent (4) 16 Repaired (6) 18 Staggers (5) 21 Footwear (4) 22 Sea eagle (4) 24 Golf mound (3)

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 2 represents V so fill V every time the figure 2 appears.

You have two letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters go in the missing squares.

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

As you get the letters, fill in the other squares with the same number in the main grid, and the control grid. Check off the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU How to solve: Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no number repeating.

PEANUTS

SATURDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

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Showtime

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

‘Matir Projar Deshe’ at Chicago

Festival next year in January hopefully. Actors of the film are Jayana Chatterjee, Rokeya Prachi, Sheuli Akhter, and many more. The team of Matir Projar Deshe is hopeful about their participation. The festival is going to be held from October 5th to 10th, 2016.

The Chicago South Asian Film Festival, presented by Zee Cinema, is one of the largest multicultural events in the heartland of America, and is dedicated to advancing diversity in Chicagoland through cinema, conversation, and culture. The festival was founded in 2010, by the Chicago South Asian Arts Council, a non-profit organisation that

aims to promote creativity and culture through art.

CSAFF is held in late September in Downtown Chicago, and screens premiere films, hosts exceptional talent, and organises panel discussions, opportunities for filmmakers and film lovers to connect, musical performances, industry workshops, tributes to major artists and awards galas.

The festival supports films from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Tibet.

Films from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam have also received a platform at the CSAFF. All of our films are spoken or subtitled in English. l

n Showtime Desk With 14 different films of different languages, Bangladeshi film Matir Projar Deshe (Kingdom of Clay Subjects), is set to compete in Chicago South Asian Film Festival this year. This is the only Bangladeshi movie which has gotten a chance to participate in this festival. Addressing different social stigmas, Matir Projar Deshe is the story of 10-year-old Jamal and his struggle to find his identity and place in his world, the village.

Matir Projar Deshe, directed by Imtiaz Ahmed Bijon will compete with 15 other movies in the same category. Bijon informs, this movie will be shown at the Dhaka Film

India’s looking for a new MasterChef

n Showtime Desk The hunt for the world’s best cook has started on October 1, 2016, airing every weekend from 8pm to 9pm. This year, the show has got Chefs Vikas Khanna and Kunal Kapur back together on the judges’ panel, along with Chef Zorawar Kalra. The earlier season featured Chefs Vikas Khanna and Sanjeev Kapoor along with Chef Ranveer Brar.

The initial rounds consist of a large number of contestants from across India, individually auditioning by presenting a dish before the three judges to gain one of 50 semi-final spots. The semi-finalists then compete to gain a spot in Top 12, showcasing there food knowledge and preparation skills. The 12 chefs further compete for the title and to have their own cookery show, the chance to have their

own cook book published, and a cash prize. Last year, Nikita Gandhi became the winner, with Neha Deepak Shah as the first runner-up, and Bhakti Arora as the second runner-up.

MasterChef India is an Indian cooking reality show, based on the original British MasterChef.

It started in India with its first season in 2010, hosted by the Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar.

Since then, both the chefs, Vikas and Kunal have become an integral part of the show.

This season, restauranteur and food lover Zorawar Kalra, joins the duo as the third judge.

We asked what Zorawar will bring to the show, and Kunal replied, “Zorawar brings in the common man perspective. His restaurants are very popular with the aam-admi. I think his voice is the voice of a common, who wants to eat a good food.”l

WHAT TO WATCH Zookeeper HBO 2:37pm A group of zoo animals decide to break their code of silence in order to help their lovable zoo keeper find love, without opting to leave his current job for something more illustrious.

Cast: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb, Steffiana De La Cruz, Donnie Wahlberg Edge of Tomorrow Movies Now 4pm A soldier fighting aliens gets to relive the same day over and over again, the day restarting every time he dies.

Cast: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson, Jonas Armstrong, Tony Way, Kick Gurry

Mission: Impossible Zee Studio HD 4:10pm An American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.

Cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Beart

Due Date WB 9pm High-strung father-to-be Peter Highman is forced to hitch a ride with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay on a road trip in order to make it to his child’s birth on time.

Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan, Juliette Lewis, Jamie Foxx

Predator Star Movies 3:14pm A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura

Mamo starts working for a new flick n Showtime Desk Zakia Bari Mamo, who recently embraced success for Chuye Dile Mon, started working on a new film, Swapna Bari. Last Saturday, the National Award winning actress joined the filming which took place in the capital’s Bangla Motor area.

Anisur Rahman Milon, donned the male lead in the film, alongside the actress.

Earlier, the actor duo worked together in another film titled Prem Korbo Tomar Sathe which was released in theatres years back.

The film’s story revolves around a couple who rent a house to live together.

Afterwards, strange things start to happen around the house, and they find out there is some mystery behind all of this.

Some hard truths come to light as the couple face the horror of death.

Talking about her new endeavour, Mamo said, “Though my new flick Swapna Bari looks like a thriller, the audience can also expect some romance in it. The are some surprising things for the audience. Hope, the audience will watch the film with an open mind, as it’s the first of its kind.”

After wrapping up her first big screen venture, Mamo took hiatus of nearly seven years.

During the period, the actress shunned polished herself up for the big screen. Taneem Rahman Angshu is directing Swapna Bari. l

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Lady Gaga to perform in dive Bars promoting her new album n Showtime Desk It’s old news that Lady Gaga will be performing at the 2017 Super Bowl Halftime Show, one of the biggest gigs on the planet. However the singer recently revealed that she is set to debut her new album in a more intimate way.

The American Horror Story actress announced a tour, Bud Light x Lady Gaga Dive Bar, on October 2, which is a mini-tour scheduled for October that will take Gaga to the kinds of places that gave her a start.

Lady Gaga said announcing the tour, “My first performances were in Dive Bars in New York City and around the country, so working with Bud Light to go back to my roots to perform songs from my new album,

Joanne, is such an exciting way to connect with my fans and share this music with them for the first time.”

Meanwhile, the Perfect Illusion singer also tweeted: “Can’t wait to sing new songs from my album #JOANNE for you on my #DiveBarTour with @ budlight! First show Oct 5!” l

Liam slams Noel

n Showtime Desk The feud between the Gallagher brothers has become almost as famous as the songs they penned in Oasis.

At the premiere of the band’s new documentary, Supersonic, it seems that the younger one, Liam Gallagher refused to bury the hatchet as he kept his ongoing argument with brother Noel alive.

Pointing to the failure of Noel as the guitarist failed to make a show at the screening, which took place in London’s Leicester Square, Liam said, “This probably ain’t f***ing A-list enough for him.”

Liam made sure to point out that Noel had avoided the show while he rocked up the special screening of the documentary.

When asked whether he was disappointed that Noel had decided to stay away, the singer responded by saying, “No, he does what he does and I do what I do. I guess he’ll be there if it wins an award though, won’t he?”

Liam continued his rant with a withering sign-off, sniping: “If it gets a BAFTA or whatever award he’ll be there won’t he with his f***ing shandy mates!”

Liam will be releasing a solo record next summer, but surprisingly admitted that he’d rather be back rocking with Oasis. He said, “The thought of being solo doesn’t do it for me but I’ve gotta pay the bills. I’m doing it through gritted teeth because I’d much rather be in a band.” l

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016

WTO: GLOBAL APPAREL CONSUMPTION FALLS PAGE 12

IMRUL HUNDRED IN VAIN PAGE 24

‘MATIR PROJAR DESHE’ AT CHICAGO PAGE 30

Bangladeshi IS supporter charged with murder plot in US n Tribune Desk A Bangladeshi citizen has been charged with plotting to kill a member of the US military on behalf of international terrorist group Islamic State.

Nelash Mohamed Das, 24, of Maryland’s Hyattsville, made an initial appearance in court on Monday and was ordered detained until a hearing on Thursday, reports Reuters.

In July, Nelash told a confidential informant working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation that he wanted to kill a service member, the US Justice Department said in a press release.

The informant provided Nelash with false information about a member of the military and led him to believe IS would pay about $80,000 to conduct the attack. Nelash was taken into custody by FBI agents on September 30 as he and the informant arrived at the residence of the target to carry out the attack, the statement said.

He will face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, if con-

victed. He was admitted to the United States in 1995 and is a legal permanent resident.

Meanwhile, the Washington Examiner reports that the 24-year-old man first came under the FBI’s radar last September for declaring his support for IS on social media and praising terrorist attacks in Paris, France, and San Bernardino, California.

“Our goal is to catch dangerous suspects before they strike, while respecting constitutional rights,” US Attorney Rod Rosenstein for the District of Maryland said in a statement. “That is what the American people expect of the Justice Department, and that is what we aim to deliver.”

Nelash tweeted the name of an individual who planned to join the US military last October, telling his followers this person “aspires to kill Muslims.” The individual’s personal information was also posted on social media to give anyone interested in attacking the potential victim the means to do so.

Nelash’s arrest follows the murder of four Bangladeshis in the US

including an imam and a freedom fighter in possible hate crimes in just two months.

In August 2013, a New York court sentenced Bangladeshi national Quazi Mohammed Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis to 30 years in prison for attempting to bomb the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Road to jail

Nelash in January tweeted a picture of an AK47 assault rifle with the phrase, “This is more than just a gun. This is a ticket to Jannah,” a reference to the Quran’s post-life paradise.

By April, the FBI was aware that the suspect attended a Handgun Qualification License class at a firing range in Prince George’s County, Md. He had told a classmate he wanted to purchase a Glock 9mm handgun and an AK47. Nelash regularly practised shooting at the range and also submitted his fingerprints to get a license.

After meeting an undercover FBI agent in May, Nelash allegedly told the informant he had relationships with IS members overseas and wanted to kill a specific US

service member whose personal information had been hacked and published online.

The undercover agent said he had connections to IS and could get Nelash two guns.

He later gave Nelash guns that the FBI had rendered inactive, but Nelash was unaware of that at the time.

In late September, Nelash and the FBI agent drove to a firearms store in Virginia. Nelash purchased ammunition for his 9mm and 0.40 caliber firearms. The agent had given Nelash information about the military member he had wanted to kill, but the information was inaccurate in order to protect the person’s life while leading on the suspect.

Nelash and the informant made it all the way to where the FBI had told him the service member lived.

Nelash allegedly loaded his guns with the ammunition and sent a text to someone he thought was a member of IS saying, “I’m ready.”

He got out of the vehicle and federal agents approached him. Nelash ran, but was apprehended by the FBI. l

Science of ‘exotic’ states of matter lands Nobel physics prize n Reuters British-born scientists David Thouless, Duncan Haldane and Michael Kosterlitz won the 2016 Nobel Prize for Physics yesterday for their studies of unusual states of matter, which may open up new applications in electronics.

Their discoveries, using advanced mathematics, had boosted research in condensed matter physics and raised hopes for uses in new generations of electronics and superconductors or future quantum computers, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said.

“Thanks to their pioneering work, the hunt is now on for new and exotic phases of matter,” the academy said in a statement awarding the SEK8m ($937,000) prize.

“Many people are hopeful of future applications in both materials science and electronics.”

Thouless was awarded half the prize with the other half divided between Haldane and Kosterlitz.

Nils Martensson, acting chairman

of the Nobel Committee for Physics, told a news conference the winners had discovered a set of totally unexpected regularities in the behaviour of matter.

“This has paved the way for designing new materials with

novel properties and there is great hope that this will be important for many future technologies,” he said.

Physics is the second of this year’s crop of Nobels and comes after Japan’s Yoshinori Ohsumi was awarded the prize for medicine on Monday.

As Nobel physics laureates, the trio of researchers join the ranks of some of the greatest names in science, including Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr and Marie Curie.

The prizes were first awarded in 1901 to honour achievements in science, literature and peace in accordance with the will of the Swedish dynamite inventor and business tycoon Alfred Nobel, who left much of his wealth to establish the award. l

Negligent doctor declares baby ‘dead’ n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong A baby was declared dead before being found alive two hours later in Chittagong yesterday.

Her mother Ridwana Kawsar gave birth around 1am yesterday at Centre for Specialised Care & Research (CSCR) Private Ltd. The premature baby is now undergoing treatment at the Neonatal Incentive Care Unit (NICU) of Max Hospital & Diagnostic Ltd. Ridwana who is also a medical practitioner said: “I was at the delivery room when I heard Dr Shahena Akter shouting my newborn baby was trying to breathe and her heart was beating. But two hours later, I was given her death certificate along with her body in a box.

To my shock when I opened the box, I found my daughter alive and her heart was beating.

“What pains me most is that the on-duty doctor without even properly checking declared my daughter dead. She told me that the baby was not breathing at all.”

Dr Shahin Akter, the on-duty doctor of Max Hospital & Diagnostic Ltd, said: “The newborn was struggling to breathe when she was admitted to the hospital at 5:30am on Tuesday. The situation began to improve when we resuscitated the newborn.”

Nurul Azam, husband of Ridwana Kawsar, is also a physician now at Cox’s Bazar Zila Sadar Hospital.

Dr Basu Bandhu Barua, executive director of Max Hospital & Diagnostic Ltd, told the Dhaka Tribune that the infant was born prematurely.

“Premature babies suffer from various types of complications like breathing problem. The newborn which weighs only 500 gram was given continuous positive pressure ventilation for acute respiratory distress. Besides, IV saline and antibiotics were given to the newborn which is placed on a radiant warmer,” said Dr Basu, a paediatric specialist.

On the other hand, the CSCR authorities formed a committee to investigate the incident. Dr Jamal Ahmed, managing director of the CSCR Private Ltd, said: “This is a very serious matter. None of the hospital staff who was on-duty at that time can avoid his or her responsibility in this regard. We will take all necessary action if anybody is found guilty.” l

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