October 14, 2016

SECOND EDITION

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016 | Ashwin 29, 1423, Muharram 12, 1438 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 166 | www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages plus 24-page Weekend supplement | Price: Tk10

Chinese President Xi Jinping due today MAJOR PROJECTS

KEY AGENDA

Development of National ICT Infra-Network for Bangladesh Government (Phase III) $1bn Construction of tunnel under the River Karnaphuli $703mn

China to sign 25 assistance deals worth $20bn with Bangladesh

$40bn in loans and grants likely to be announced for Bangladesh

Dhaka-Chittagong railway project $3.03bn Expansion and Strengthening of the System Network of DPDC $2.04bn

Strengthening of cooperation in blue economy and deepsea port to be discussed

Padma Bridge rail link project $3.3bn Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway $1.39bn

Bangladesh to offer a special economic zone for Chinese investors

Sitakunda-Cox's Bazar marine drive expressway and coastal protection project $2.85bn

ITINERARY 3:10pm Official talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office and the signing ceremony of several agreements and MoUs.

Saturday early morning Placing of wreath at the National Memorial in Savar.

Economists and business leaders talk to Dhaka Tribune

Dhaka-Sylhet four-lane highway $1.6bn

MoU on “strengthening investment and production capacity cooperation” likely

11:40am Arrival at Dhaka airport, and start towards Le Méridien Dhaka, where he will reside.

Why it matters

6:30pm Meeting with President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban and joining a banquet there.

4:35pm Courtesy call by Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury at Le Méridien Dhaka.

10am Farewell by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as he leaves Dhaka for Goa, India to attend the eighth BRICS Summit.

Matlub Ahmed

Siddiqur Rahman

n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Nazneen Ahmed, Research Fellow, BIDS

The visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Bangladesh is mostly important in terms of economic gain and focus should be on the One Belt, One Road connectivity and investment in infrastructural development, Nazneen Ahmed, senior research fellow of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) told the Dhaka Tribune.

The One Belt, One Road Initiative is a development strategy and framework proposed by Chinese

Ahsan H Mansur

Nazneen Ahmed

President Xi Jinping that focuses on connectivity and cooperation among China and the rest of Eurasia. It consists of two main components, the land-based “Silk Road Economic Belt” (SREB) and oceangoing “Maritime Silk Road” (MSR).

There are many opportunities for Bangladesh in the implementation of one road connectivity. It will improve Bangladesh’s access to markets in neighbouring countries, said Nazneen.

Negotiations should focus on financing from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) on  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

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Zone for Chinese BCCCI chief: Investment to take investors to get centre stage in talks n foundation stone

to keep good relations with regional powers – both India and China while making efforts for the development of the country. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is following that policy. We don’t think any animosity will arise with a friendly neighbour like India due to such visit and investment plan from China. Our doors are open for all who come up with investment offers to our country.

Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong

Once ready in two years, the economic zone proposed exclusively for the Chinese investors at Anwara upazila of Chittagong will create direct employment opportunity for 75,000-1,00,000 Bangladeshis, officials say.

A feasibility study on the project and the acquisition of the 313.23 hectare land needed for the zone have already been completed.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to lay the foundation stone of the project, formally known as Anwara 2 Economic Zone, through a video conference in the capital today.

As per a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on June 16 this year, state-owned firm China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) was appointed to develop the site, which is 39km from the Chittagong Port, 28km from Chittagong city and 46km from Shah Amanat International Airport.

“The zone will accommodate 150-200 industrial units including ship-building, pharmaceuticals, electronics, agro-based, IT, chemical, power and textile and textile accessories,” Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury told the Dhaka Tribune.

“We hope that the first government-to-government initiative for establishing an exclusive economic zone will create a congenial business atmosphere for luring Chinese companies, generate employment and spur economic activities.

“As per the agreement, Chinese investors will get preference in the economic zone. Other local and foreign can also invest,” he said.

Of the proposed land for the economic zone, 117.8 hectares be-

long to the government. The Chittagong district administration is working to acquire the rest from private land owners.

The move to set up the zone was undertaken soon after Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China in 2014. In September last year, Ecnec approved the proposal for the Chinese economic and industrial zone.

“We have already handed over 291 acres of land to BEZA. Acquisition of the rest of the land from private land owners is under way.

The mammoth project has already commenced with the construction of the main road to the site,” said Goutam Baroi, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Anwara.

BEZA Executive Chairman Paban said that the establishment of the exclusive economic zone would be a milestone for Bangladesh and open up a new window of foreign investment opportunity for the country.

He said that it would take minimum two years to complete the project.

Business community leaders expressed optimism that economic activities in Chittagong would get a boost through the establishment of the exclusive industrial zone.

Moinuddin Ahmed, the first vice-president of BGMEA, told the Dhaka Tribune that the establishment of an exclusive economic zone in the region was the fulfilment of a long-felt demand.

“It will definitely help achieve our export target of $50 billion by the end of 2021.

“The high-tech industrialisation has led to a serious labourer crisis in China. Consequently, the cost of production has gone up due to wage hike. Perhaps China is now planning to relocate their labour-intensive industries to other low-wage countries like Bangladesh,” Moinuddin added. l

Khaleda, Xi meet today n Tribune Desk BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at 5pm today at a city hotel in Khilkhet area.

“BNP Chairperson will meet the Chinese President at the presidential suite of Le Meridian Hotel at 5pm tomorrow [today],” UNB quotes Khaleda Zia’s press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel as saying yesterday.

The Chinese President is scheduled to arrive here on Friday morn-

ing on a 22-hour state visit. The visit is taking place three decades after Chinese President Li Xiannian visited Bangladesh in March 1986.

A BNP leader close to Khaleda, seeking anonymity, revealed that a six-member BNP delegation, including party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mahbubur Rahman, Nazrul Islam Khan, chairperson’s advisers Reaz Rahman and Sabihuddin Ahmed, will accompany Khaleda. l

Investment and infrastructural development will be the centre of discussions between Bangladesh and China during the Chinese president’s visit, said Golam Dastagir Gazi, president of Bangladesh China Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In an interview with the Dhaka Tribune yesterday, he said implementation of the proposed Silk Road project would boost regional connectivity and reduce trade cost. Xi Jinping is due to arrive in Dhaka today.

What sectors in Bangladesh will be considered for Chinese investment – both government and private?

Industrialisation in Bangladesh is still at its initial stage. But investment opportunities here are ample. We need balanced investment in different fields including infrastructures like deep seaport, energy and garment backward linkage industry. Investment in technology sector can also be considered, though this might take time to create a ground in the sector.

What are the challenges?

Ensuring good infrastructures, adequate power and energy supplies as well as removing non-tariff barriers are the key issues while seeking investment from other countries.

How can Bangladesh reduce huge trade gap with China?

Golam Dastagir Gazi Bangladesh government has taken some initiatives to attract FDI from China. It has offered an exclusive economic zone for the Chinese investors. Since lots of investment have already been in power sector, our generation of electricity will go high.

Further, if we want to take relations with China to a new height, a favourable business environment will have to be created. Then we can see the rise of private investment here.

Do you see any impact of China’s big investment plan in and president’s visit to Bangladesh on regional relations?

The Bangladesh government seeks

China is offering us duty-free market access. But we cannot use the opportunity due to lack of exportable products. That is why Bangladeshi manufacturers and the government as well will have to concentrate on diversification of products. Focus should be given on manufacturing those products for which China depends on imports.

Final question, what do you expect from the Chinese president’s visit?

As the leader of the BCCCI, I am very much optimistic about the visit. I hope improvement of bilateral ties with China after this type of high-profile visit will help us enormously achieve our development goals. I urge the Chinese government to come up with low-cost funds and grants to take bilateral trade relations to a new height. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Why it matters infrastructure and energy transport since Bangladesh is a partner of the bank, Nazneen noted. For the One Belt, One Road project, Bangladesh should have coordination among all stakeholders to make it effective, she said.

On the other hand, discussions should be centred around how Bangladesh can penetrate the Chinese market with more products.

Ahsan H Mansur, Executive Director, PRI

Attracting investment in infrastructure, energy and sea port should be the key targets for Bangladesh from Chinese president’s visit, Policy Research Institute (PRI) Executive Director Ahsan H Mansur believes.

Establishing larger connectivity with neighbouring countries with the help of Chinese government is another key issue of the visit, which would help build economic cooperation in the region, he said.

Bangladesh should also give space to Chinese entrepreneurs who are relocating businesses from China to invest here. It would help Bangladesh bring foreign investment, the economist said.

Establishment of the proposed

Special Economic Zone should be expedited as China has pledged to provide $1billion for the purpose, he added.

However, Bangladesh has to ensure good governance and improve institutional capacity for attracting such big investments, Mansur said.

Abdul Matlub Ahmed, President, FBCCI

Bangladesh’s expectation from the Chinese president’s visit is investment in infrastructure and potential manufacturing sectors like jute, leathers and high end garments.

Matlub, the president of Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), said: “I think the topmost agenda of the discussion should focus on investment in infrastructure and energy, which is a must for Bangladesh just now to attract foreign investment here.”

On the other hand, Bangladeshi manufacturers have to diversify their export basket by considering exportable products for Chinese markets, he said. The visit promises to bring increased trade, he said. “A 100-member Chinese business delegation is already here,” he pointed out.

Siddiqur Rahman, President, BGMEA

People in the readymade garments sector want to be benefited by low cost funds for development of infrastructure and investment in textile backward linkage industry.

“Since China is a powerful economic partner of Bangladesh, I hope, from the president’s visit Bangladesh will see a huge low cost fund support from the country,” Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Siddiqur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune.

As a growing economy and the second largest RMG exporter in the world, there are lots of opportunities for investment in the backward linkage industry. Demands for spare parts for textile machinery and other materials would increase manifold in the years to come, said Siddiqur.

Bangladesh has set an export target of $50 billion by 2021 and to reach this target the demand of raw materials and backward linkage would see a greater rise., Siddiqur said.

“China also can invest on high value products as it would help us to shift from lower to medium products,” he added. l

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Chinese investment may close trade gap n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi China’s investment in RMG backward linkage, textile and technology can help Bangladesh reduce trade gap between two countries, trade analysts and business leaders have said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping lands in Dhaka today. The visit is expected to be accompanied by $40 billion in loans and grants to the country.

According to Bangladesh Bank provisional data, in the fiscal year 2015-16, Bangladesh imported products worth $9.64 billion from China against its export of $808 million. The total trade gap between two countries stood at over $8.8 billion.

In the last fiscal, Bangladesh sold China $341 million worth of clothing products.

“China’s investment in producing textile machinery and RMG backward linkage industry will

DHAKA’S TRADE GAP WITH BEIJING Year

Imports from China ($ million)

Exports to China ($ million)

6433 6324 7550 8233 9646

401 458 746 791 808

2011-12 2-12-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

Source: BB and EPB help Bangladesh reduce the trade gap as manufacturers will have machinery and raw materials, especially fabric and other related products for the RMG sector, at a more affordable price,” Exporters Association of Bangladesh (EAB) president Abdus Salam Murshedy told the Dhaka Tribune.

Currently, Bangladesh has to import 70% of the fabric for the woven sector and establishing factories in this field could help im-

25 project deals to be signed n Asif Showkat Kallol Bangladesh is set to sign agreements with China for a number of key projects worth billions of dollars during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s two-day official visit to Bangladesh, which begins today.

At least 25 projects involving more than $20 billion will be signed, includingDhaka-Sylhet four-lane highway, Padma Bridge rail link (phases I and II), Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway, marine drive expressway and coastal protection in Sitakunda, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar, according to sources at the Economic Relations Division under the Ministry of Finance.

The amount of loan and grants related to the deals may rise to as much as $40 billion, State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan told the Dhaka Tribune.

The two countries will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strengthening investment and production capacity during Xi’s visit, sources said.

Besides, they will sign cooperative deals regarding the Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by Xi in 2013, which focuses on improving infrastructure and boosting interconnection among countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.

China is the largest trading partner of Bangladesh and is involved with many mega projects in the country byproviding financial and technological support.

Of the projects to be signed during Xi’s visit, the cost of Dhaka-Sylhet four-lane highway is estimated at $1.6 billion, Padma Bridge rail link project at $3.3 billion, Dhaka-Chittagong railway project at $3.03 billion, Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway at $1.39 billion, Sitakunda-Cox’s Bazar marine drive expressway and coastal protection project at $2.85 billion, and Development of National ICT Infra-Network for Bangladesh Government (Phase III) at around $1 billion.

In addition, the cost of expansion and strengthening of power system network of Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd under the Power Division is estimated at $2.04 billion, and the construction of Karnaphuli tunnel in Chittagongat $703 million.

Several other projects are expected to be identified for future negotiations, said sources at the Economic Relations Division.

The countries are also in discussion on how they can work together for strengthening cooperation in blue economy and deep sea port.

Bangladesh will also offer a special economic zone for Chinese investors in Chittagong which may boost trade and investment between two nations.

It will be the first state visit of a Chinese president in Bangladesh in 30 years. The last visit was in 1986 when then Chinese president Li Xiannian visited Dhaka. l

porters by supplying from the local source, Salam said.

In the years to come, the demand for RMG raw materials will increase as the production capacity will also increase to meet $50 billion export target by 2021. To meet the growing demand, Bangladesh needs investment from home and abroad, he added.

“Investment in RMG backward linkage by China will help Bangladesh reduce trade gap at least

to some extent. But investment in technology and machinery production is not an easy feat,” AB Mirza Azizul Islam, former finance adviser of a caretaker government told the Dhaka Tribune.

Bangladesh has to concentrate on increasing exports to China and in this case, it has to look into the rules of origin and see if there is any problem that hampers export, said Islam.

“Meanwhile the government will have to ensure utility services,” he said.

“China should come with big investment plan here. They can relocate those sectors to Bangladesh that are not cost effective due to higher labour costs in China,” former FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune.

There will be a trade gap but Bangladesh has to reduce it by utilising the opportunities and trade advantages offered by China, said Nasir.

“Since China is the number one import destination for Bangladesh, we have to look into the market diversification as well as products to reduce trade gap,” he added.

“We should also focus on goods that China imports for their local consumption.”

In a recent comment, Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Ma Mingqiang said that the country may well be the top investing country in Bangladesh as the current relation between the two countries had reached an unprecedented level.

The trade analysts and business leaders urged the government to remove trade barriers and bottlenecks in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) here, which has remained sluggish.

According to BB statistics, net inflow of FDI from China increased by 5% to $52.37 million in FY16, which was $49.84 million in the previous fiscal. l

$13b loan to be sought for power 33kV distribution lines $1 BILLION 1,320-MW power plant at Asuganj $2 BILLION

$1 BILLION

Underground sub-stations

1,320 MW

coal-fired power plant at Payra

$2 BILLION

Single point mooring

10,000 MW

$500 MILLION

power generation hub at Matarbari

Power Plant in Mymenshingh

$5 BILLION

Power Grid Network Strengthening

$13.2m

$420m Solar Power Plant

$144m

n Aminur Rahman Rasel Bangladesh will seek around $13 billion credit support from China for 10 power and energy related projects during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The Chinese president is scheduled to reach Dhaka today in a twoday official visit from Cambodia.

The power division has already informed their expected loan amount to the Economic Relations Division (ERD) of the finance ministry, and the government is set to seek the amount from the Chinese president, said top government officials.

Mentionable, the power division recently submitted a list of 21 projects, for which the Chinese loan would be sought, to an inter-ministerial meeting, presided over by ERD additional secretary

Solar run irrigation

$204m

Abul Mansur M Faizullah. The meeting discussed the issue of Xi Jinping’s visit to Dhaka, and also finalised the list of power projects, said a power division official who took part in the meeting.

Informing that the power division expects Chinese loan support for at least 10 power projects, Power Division Secretary Monowar Islam told the Dhaka Tribune: “The projects will mainly focus on generation, transmission and distribution of power.”

The Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) and Dhaka Electricity Distribution Company (DESCO), meanwhile, have finalised a list of projects – including the construction of a number of underground sub-stations and 33KV distribution lines – for which $2bn loan would be sought, an energy division official said.

Bangladesh-China Power Com-

pany Ltd (BCPCL) – a 50-50 partnership between North-West Power Generation Company of Bangladesh and China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation – will set up a 1,320 MW coal-fired power plant, a $2bn project, at Payra in Patuakhali district.

BCPCL Managing Director AM Khurshedul Alam told the Dhaka Tribune that Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the plant from Ganabhaban through Video conference.

The government might also seek $2b loan for another coal-based 1,320-MW power plant at Ashuganj.

Moreover, the government might seek $5bn loan to set up a power generation hub at Matarbari in Moheskhali, Cox’s Bazar, aiming to generate 10,000 MW power by 2024.

The state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) will ask for $500m loan for a single point mooring (SPM) project, in order to handle crude oil from Kutubdia Island to Patenga in Chittagong.

In addition, $13.2m loan will be sought for a power grid network strengthening project to be implemented by Power Grid Company of Bangladesh.

The wish list to China also includes $420m loan for a 360MW Duel Fuel Combined Cycle Power Plant in Mymenshingh, $144m for a 100MW solar power plant in Bagerhat and $204m loan for the transformation of 5000 diesel run irrigation pumps to solar power run irrigation pumps across the country. l

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Construction of Karnaphuli tunnel begins today Mamun and Anwar n Shohel Hussain, Chittagong Construction of the much-awaited underwater multi-lane tunnel in Chittagong’s Karnaphuli River will be inaugurated today.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese President Xi Jinping will jointly lay the foundation of the project via videoconference at Ganabhaban, sources told the Dhaka Tribune.

Following the inauguration, a deal for the project’s funding will be signed between the two countries, the sources added.

Iftekhar Kabir, director of the project, said construction would begin in full swing right after the foundation laying ceremony. “The construction material and equipment are ready at the site.”

The project’s concept is based on the “One City Two Towns” mod-

el, inspired by the “One City Nine Towns” project in Shanghai, China.

When finished, the tunnel will connect Chittagong city with the other side of Karnaphuli River where a modern town will be developed by Chittagong Development Authority, sources said.

The 3.4km tunnel will connect the proposed Asian Highway and Dhaka-Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway, reducing the distance between Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar by road.

The project, approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) in November last year, is estimated to cost Tk8,446.64 crore. Of the cost, Tk8,000 crore is alloted for the construction of the tunnel alone, of which Tk5,600 crore will be provided by the Chinese government and the rest will be paid by the Bangladesh government.

The Bridges Division had signed

a deal with Chinese firm China Communication Construction Company Ltd for the tunnel’s construction, which is expected to be finished by December 2020.

Vehicles will be required to pay toll to use the tunnel; pedestrians will not be allowed to enter it.

Business leaders, economists and communication experts have lauded the project, saying it would vastly improve the port city’s communication system as well as the overall economic activities in the region.

“A new city is expected to be developed in the southern part of Chittagong. More and more industrial units will be set up there and a huge employment opportunity will be created,” said Mahbubul Alam, vice-president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry and president of Chittagong Chamber of Com-

merce and Industry.

Eminent economist and former Bangladesh Economic Association president Dr Moinul Islam termed the project a good initiative and said it would enhance the capacity of Chittagong port authority.

“The tunnel will help establish connectivity between Chittagong and the proposed deep sea port in Sonadia as well,” he added.

Moinuddin Ahmed, first vice-president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said the tunnel would offer a new window of opportunities for the country.

“The tunnel under the Karnaphuli River will catalyse the overall business activities in the region. It will appear as a blessing for the garment manufacturers and exporters as it will establish better connectivity,” he said. l

Muhith calls visit huge deal n Asif Showkat Kallol

Finance Minister AMA Muhith considers the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Bangladesh and the possible investment deals as a “huge deal” for the country.

After his return from abroad yesterday, Muhith discussed with reporters the prospects of potential Chinese investments in Bangladesh.

Muhith said that Bangladesh submitted 25 investment proposals to the Chinese delegation worth $15-20 billion. The projects include Dhaka-Sylhet four-lane highway, Padma Bridge rail link (phases I and II), Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway, marine drive expressway and coastal protection in Sitakunda, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar, according to sources.

The other crucial projects include expansion and strengthening of power system network of DPDC and the construction of Karnaphuli tunnel in Chittagong at $703 million. Several other projects are expected to be identified for future negotiations, said sources at the Economic Relations Division (ERD).

Muhith added that the ERD would also provide the delegation with another list of mega investment proposals during the visit.

The minister, however, could not confirm how many of the proposals would be agreed upon.

Last April, Muhith said that the government was not interested in the Chinese investment proposals as “they are usually supplier’s credit tagged with harsh terms and conditions.” l

Former ambassador Farooq Sobhan, also president and CEO of Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, speaks at a seminar organised

by National Defence College in collaboration with Bangladesh Enterprise Institute and Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies yesterday at Mirpur Cantonment. Chief guest Farooq Sobhan in his speech discussed Bangladesh’s foreign policy implementation, limitations and possibilities. The seminar’s topic was Foreign Policy of Bangladesh: Roadmap to Realization of Vision 2041 PHOTO: ISPR

FM: Xi’s visit won’t affect Dhaka’s ties with others n Tribune Desk

Bangladesh on Thursday categorically said Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Dhaka visit will not have any negative impact on Bangladesh’s relations with other countries, including India, reports UNB. Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali referred to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s defined broad parameters of Bangladesh’s chosen foreign policy - ‘friendship to all, malice towards none’, and said, “We don’t want enmity with anybody.”

While talking to reporters at the Foreign Ministry, Ali said Bangladesh is fully committed to the policy. “We’ll proceed protecting the country’s interest and following our foreign policy. So, there’s no scope (of negative impact),” he said.

The minister said Bangladesh is achieving successes following the principle showed by Bangabandhu.

Quoting Chinese media, Indian media have said New Delhi needs not be “jealous” of Beijing and Dhaka’s increasing friendship but could use this as an opportunity to improve bilateral relations with China during the Brics Summit in Goa this weekend.

“India won’t need to be jealous of an increasingly close relationship between Beijing and Dhaka because the improvement of local infrastructure and the overall economic ecology in Bangladesh will create favourable external conditions for connecting with markets in India, China and Southeast Asia,” the Hindustan Times reported quoting Global Times. l

Another zone to be offered in Mirsarai n Adil Sakhawat

The government has proposed to Power Construction Corporation of China a 150-acre space in the Mirsarai economic zone for the construction of a power industry park and production of renewable energy.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed yesterday between Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) and Power Construction Corporation of China (Power China).

Mohammed Ayub, secretary of Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) Executive Board, and Xiong Lixin, executive vice pres-

ident of Power China, signed the MoU at the BEZA conference venue.

The MoU was signed regarding giving Power China land to manufacture components and sub-components or parts for any kinds of power plants in the economic zone in Mirsarai, Chittagong.

Power China proposed two projects: manufacturing components for power plants, and a 1000MW renewable solar energy plant.

For the latter project, another 2000 acres of land will be required.

After the signing ceremony, BEZA’s Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury said: “We have the MoU for providing them land in Mirsarai economic zone to manufacture

power plant components, but for another project (renewable solar energy), we require approval from the power division, about which we have advised them already.”

He added: “Power China wants this economic zone for their exclusive usage and restrict investment by other investors. We will discuss the terms before reaching a conclusion.”

BEZA will provide Power China the land after assessment. Experts will assess the full proposal and calculate the exact volume of land required for the project. After the power division’s approval, further discussions about the power plant will be held, added Paban.

BEZA has yet to officially an-

nounce the approximate Chinese investment in the projects.

But the local partner of Power China, Green Engineering and Development Limited (GEDL) has shed some light on the matter.

GEDL Chairman Nazmul Hoque told the Dhaka Tribune: “The investment for the Mirsarai economic zone will be around $2bn to $4bn.”

GEDL Managing Director Rana Khan added: “Power China has several ongoing projects in India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Pakistan. They manufacture the components and set up power plants in those countries as well.” l

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

PM: Combat disasters with courage n BSS Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the countrymen to combat natural disasters with courage and vowed to protect them from such calamities in future. “(Natural) disasters would come, but those will have to be tackled with courage… it’s my call to the people of Bangladesh to always remain ready for facing any situation,” she said.

She added: “We must take such steps so that the people of the country are not affected by the natural calamities in future.”

The premier was addressing the inaugural function of the International Day for Disaster Reduction at Osmani Memorial Hall in the capital yesterday morning.

The Disaster Management and Relief Ministry organised the event, where Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the ministry Dhirendra Devnath Shambhu were present as special guests.

This year’s theme of the International Day for Disaster Reduction is “Live to Tell”. However, Bangladesh has fixed its own theme “Tell Strategies to Reduce Disaster” keeping consistency with the international theme.

Pointing out that Bangladesh has earned (adequate) capability of combating any disaster, the prime

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits a stall at the inaugural function to observe International Day for Disaster Reduction 2016 at Osmani Memorial Hall in Dhaka yesterday BSS cyclone, tornado, river erosion.

“If we stay alert and take timely steps, it’s possible to face any disaster,” she said.

Mentioning that her government’s aim is to save the people from any calamity, Sheikh Hasina said the government has been implementing various programmes to achieve the goal.

“It’s my firm belief that if we continue our work, we would be able to protect the people from any

minister said the country faces not only natural disasters, it also tackles man-made disasters.

“It’s natural that cyclone, flood will come. But those will have to be faced with courage… by the grace of Almighty Allah, Bangladesh has earned that capability,” she said.

She said Bangladesh is disaster-prone country due to its geographical location and is marching forward by facing various risks of natural calamities like flood, drought,

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disaster Insha Allah,” she said.

While talking about the global warming, the premier said the impact of global warming falls on Bangladesh, though it’s not responsible for it. We will have to take various preparations to combat global warming.

The prime minister said her government has taken steps to build green belt across the country to save the people from tidal surge and other natural calamities. l

Khadiza breathes without life support n Tribune Desk The victim of a vicious hacking, Khadiza Akhter Nargis, has been taken off life support yesterday morning.

She was kept on life support at Square Hospital after a complex brain surgery.

A relative Abdul Quddus told the Bangla Tribune: “Her (Khadiza) condition has improved greatly. So we decided to take her off from life support.”

The decision was taken at 11am.

He added that doctors will decide if she should be put on life support again after observing her condition.

He also said: “Khadiza has improved very quickly. Her right hand and feet are showing motor response. But her left side of the body has yet to respond.”

“Doctors have told us that her neurological condition will be assessed after two weeks,” Quddus added.

Dr AM Rezaus Sattar, neurosurgeon at Square Hospital, told the Bangla Tribune on Wednesday night that Khadiza was taken off the ventilator machine for a few minutes on Wednesday.

He said: “Ventilation means to provide support for breathing, which we call life support. She was on continuous life support till now. We are putting her on life support periodically now. We hope to take her off life support entirely very soon.” l

Anu Muhammad gets death threats twice in a day n Muktasree Chakma Sathi

Prof Anu Muhammad, member secretary of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, has received death threat on his mobile phone.

One of the pioneer leaders of the “Save the Sundarbans” movement, Prof Anu received the death threat from 01629967551 around 1am yesterday. The text message reads: “Death keeps no calendar, and Ansatullah [sic] knows no time!”

It might be that the sender wanted to mean Ansarullah, a banned militant outfit responsible for the murder of a dozen of secular activists, bloggers and publishers, but wrote Ansatullah.

Anu, who teaches economics at Jahangirnagar University, confirmed the matter to the Dhaka Tribune.

However, he posted a status on

his Facebook page last night saying he had received a second threat while filing a general diary with Rampura police station.

He said he received the SMS from the same number at 8:43pm, which said: “Say ‘yes’ to Rampal, otherwise you must will [sic] be hacked to death incredibly by us!”

Asked whether he suspected anyone behind the threat, he answered: “I don’t know. It can be anyone.”

Anu recently came under fire of the ruling party leaders and activists for campaigning against the 1,320MW coal-based power plant in Rampal, near the Sundarbans mangrove forest, though the government claims that the project would not harm the Unesco World Heritage site.

Recently, the Unesco too raised objection against the project and urged the government to relocate it

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14

Dhaka

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to somewhere else.

Asked whether he sees any link 25

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 5:33PM

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Rangpur

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between the threats from the ruling party and the latest threat, Anu Khulna

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Barisal 30

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:56AM

35.2ºC Jessore

22.8ºC Netrokona

Source: Accuweather/UNB

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PRAYER TIMES

said: “There is one link. Both the groups are trying to spread panic in the society. Anyone, any group who is criticising the ruling party’s steps, are facing threats… anybody against extremism is also facing threats.”

According to media reports, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid in his Facebook post said the anti-Rampal activists were linked to Jamaat-e-Islami, the infamous anti-liberation party.

On the other hand, Awami League Publicity Secretary Hasan Mahmud, also a former environment minister, has warned that patriots might break the legs of the Save the Sundarbans activists if they went to the project area.

Earlier, the prime minister criticised the activists for taking stance against the India-Bangladesh joint venture project. l Sylhet

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Cox’s Bazar

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Fajr: 5:20am | Jumma: 1:15pm Asr: 4:30pm | Magrib: 5:50pm Esha: 7:45pm Source: Islamic Foundation

DT

News

6

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

Thousands suffer due to lack of bridge Shekor Vodro, n Himadri Sunamganj Nearly 4, 00,000 people in Dharmapasha and Tahirpur upazilas of Sunamganj district have been suffering for 45 years for want of a bridge over the Jadukata River in Tahirpur upazila.

According to locals, amid great risks of life, people of the Dharmapasha and Tahirpur upazilas’ have been crossing the river everyday by using tiny boat where only a bridge over the river can change the fate of 4, 00, 000 people.

Local alleged, they have been waiting for a bridge on the river for 45 years

and all these time they have crossed the river with boats and gone in Sunamganj town.

Kamruzzaman Kamrul, chairman of Tahirpur upazila parishad, said: “In absence of a bridge over the river, many people including businessmen are facing setback while communicating for their business purposes with district town.”

Abul Kasem, chairman of Borodal Uttar union, said: “Tahirpur is enriched with natural and mineral resources like mineral sand and limestone. There are also four tax offices in the upazila. Thousands of people related with these offices and resourc-

es are suffering due to lack of a bridge over the river.”

To ease the sufferings of the people of the area, local representatives have urged to concerned authorities to start the construction works as soon as possible.

Aftab Uddin, chairman of Badaghat union, said: “To ease sufferings of the locals and to boast the businesses of the area, LGRD authorities should start the construction works of the bridge over Jadukata River as soon as possible.”

Echoing Aftab Uddin, Anisul Haque, ex-chairman of Tahirpur upazila parishad, urged to the government to start the works immediately. l

Bangalis’ 24hr hartal on in CHT Uddin Majumder, n Jasim Khagrachhari A 24-hour long hartal enforced by five Bangali organisations in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) was going on peacefully yesterday with a demand to cancel CHT Land Dispute Resolution Act. Pickets of Parbatta Bangali Chhatra Parisad (PBCP), Parbatta Bangali Chhatra Aikya Parishad (PBCAP), Parbatta Chattagram Samo Adhikar Andolon (PCSAA), Parbatta Nagorik Parishad (PNP) and Parbatta Gono Parishad (PGP) jointly were picketing on the roads aiming to make hartal a success.

In the morning the leaders and activists of the organisations started picketing firing on a tire in front of Land Dispute Resolution Head Office in Khagrachhari and chanting slogans in support of the hartal.

No vehicles left for Dhaka

or Chittagong from Khagrachhari while most of the shops, business centers and private organisations remained shut down.

PBCP Central Unit Organising Secretary Mohammad Asad Ullah, its district unit President Mohammad Mainuddin termed the commission act as discriminatory and said Bangali people will have to face eviction threat if the act is not cancelled.

They also said they would go to a tougher movement if the government would not cancel the act immediately.

The first phase hartal called by the five organisations began around 6am yesterday and is scheduled to end around 6am on today.

They also declared they would go for second phase 24-hour long hartal on Sunday if the government would not cancel the controversial act, they added. l

UP member gunned down in Jessore Tauhid-Uz-Zaman, n Md Jessore An Awami League-backed Union Parishad (UP) member was shot to death at Godkhali Bazar in Jhikargachha upazila of Jessore district yesterday.

The deceased was - Rahazzan Sardar, 38, a member of Godikhali Union Parishad and also the secretary of Godkhali Flower Traders Welfare Society.

Mizanur Rahman Sardar, younger brother of the victim, said: “Six people, riding on two motorcycles, shot Rahazzan while he was shaving at a saloon in the bazar area yesterday morning, leaving him critically injured.”

Later, locals sent him to Jhikargachha Upazila Health Complex where on-duty doctors declared him dead.

Masud Karim, officer-in charge of Jhikargachha police station, said: “Being informed about the incident from locals police rushed in the spot.”

“Details regarding the murder can only be disclosed

after investigation,” added the OC. Earlier, on July 5, I this year, miscreants killed Rahazzan’s elder brother Hasan Sardar.

On the other hand, police recovered the body of a Jubo League (JL) activist from Kaliganga River in Kharakandi-Chhanarghat area in Keraniganj, Dhaka, in the morning.

The deceased was Masud Rana, 38, an employee of a private company and son of Abdul Kuddus.

Being informed, police recovered the body and sent it to Mitford Hospital morgue, said SI Muniruzzaman, in-charge of Kalatia police camp.

Family sources said Masud went out from house on Tuesday afternoon and did not return, reports BSS. Injuries marks were found on his eyes, the officer said.

Police arrested two persons for interrogation.

A case was filed in this connection. l

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

Female garment worker dies at work n Md Nadim Hossain, Savar

As part of the observance of International Disaster Reduction Day-2016, Barisal divisional commissioner douses fire at an fire prevention camp, organised by the Fire Service and Divisional Commissioner’s office. The photo was taken yesterday at Barisal Zilla School DHAKA TRIBUNE

A female worker of a readymade garment factory reportedly died in the factory during working hours at Jamgoron area in Ashulia upazila in Savar yesterday noon.

The deceased was Taslima, 23, a female worker of Windi Group Limited.

Fellow workers of the deceased blamed the factory authorities’ for her death.

Workers said: “Taslima was suffering from illness from yesterday noon and on stage of work she lost her sense. Her co-workers sent her to factory hospital where on-duty doctors suggested her to take rest.

Beside, Taslima was compelled to join the work as the authorities

Rice meant for poor misappropriated n Tribune Desk The government has taken an initiative to distribute rice for the ultra poor under which a card holder would get rice at Tk10 per kilogram for five months a year during the lean season.

But due to greedy behaviours of a section of ruling party men and lack of surveillance the generous foodaid programme is going in vein.

It is said that people of well-off section have got fair price cards instead of poor people where some dealers are selling rice in black market with higher price and some dealers are measuring rice in buckets instead of using digital machines in several districts.

In Habiganj, dealers are selling the allotted rice in the black market with higher price instead of distributing among the poor people, said our correspondent.

After not getting the allotted rice from the dealers, Sopna Begum, a resident of Nabiganj upazila, filed a case against two dealers with district court on October 4.

In her case statement, Sopna said, “Arobindo Roy, dealer of Timirpur village and Mojaheed Ahmed, dealer of Choto Alipur village, in the upazila, have sold the allotted rice in the black market instead of distributing the rice among the local poor people.”

After the case filing, the Senior Judicial Magistrate Court of the district has ordered to officer-in charge of Nabiganj police station to investigate the matters.

Our Netrokona correspondent reported, people of well-off section such as teachers, government employees, businessmen, local leaders have got fair price cards instead of poor people to avail the privilege.

Beside this, card holders also have been getting rice less in weight.

Md Raton Mia, assistant teacher of Beltali Government Primary School of Kalmakanda upazila, said: “I am government employee. I have found my name in the list but I did not apply for enlisting my name in the list.”

He urged to authorities concerned to take necessary measurements against the people who put

solvents name in the lists instead of needy people.

When contacted, Dr Abdur Rahim, additional deputy commissioner of Netrokona district said: “We are hearing about the listing mismanagement and we are working on it.”

Manikganj correspondent of the Dhaka tribune alleged that nearly 500 ultra poor families cannot withdraw their rice as dealer cannot release rice from the food store due to oppose of local Awami Leader.

Locals said, a dealer of rice-aid programme cannot withdraw rice as Md Afsar Ali, general secretary of Manikganj Sadar upazila AL unit, has been resisting the dealer to take rice from the food store.

Muhammad Shahadat Khondoker, upazila nirbahi officer of Sadar upazila, confirmed the incident.

In Satkhira, people from upper class have got the cards where the poor were deprived from getting the cards, claimed our corrospondent.

Monira Parveen, upazila nirbahi officer of Satkhira Sadar upazila, said: “We will take steps against the misdistribution of cards after a

meeting with local union members and chairmen.”

In Munshiganj, eight dealer centres in Gazaria upazila are measuring rice in buckets instead of using digital machines. They also have been distributing 25kg of rice to a person instead of 30kg, said the Dhaka Tribune correspondent.

Locals alleged that the local representatives have practised nepotism when they made the distribution list. There have been complaints about poor families not getting rice even if they were enlisted due to lack of supervision in the ground level and less rice being sold.

Golam Kabir, the upazila food regulator, said, “There is no field level monitoring, it is not true.

Every dealer centre has a tag officer.

There has been no complaint made against any irregularity. I don’t know anything about customers being given less rice or buckets being used to measure rice. If this is the case, necessary measures will be taken against the dealers.

“There was no due rice returned in September,” added food regulator. l

did not grand her leave.

After few minutes of joining the work, Taslima again went unconscious.

Later, workers sent him to Women and Children Hospital at the area where on-duty doctors declared her dead.

After spreading Taslima’s dead news, workers of the factory brought out demonstration against the authorities, forced the authorities to shut down the factory for Thursday.

Mostafizur Rahman, director of Ashulia Industrial Police, said: “Being informed police rushed in and brought the situation under control.

“Additional policemen were deployed at the area to avoid awkward situation,” he added. l

19 fishermen sent to jail for violating Ilish ban n MdTariqul Islam, Barguna A mobile court yesterday awarded one month jail to 19 fishermen each for violating government ban on fishing Ilish Fish during its breeding time in the district.

During a drive in the Bishkhali River, the members of the coast guard arrested them from Laldia and Zintola area.

Coast Guard officer Lt Hasanur Rahman said they had held 20 fisherman from two trawlers owned one Zakir Peda and one Mosta Farazi with three lakh meters net.

Later, they were produced before the mobile court led by Patharghata UNO M Rabiul Islam.

He awarded them with one month imprisonment except one boy considering his tender age, Rahman added. l

Bhabodaha anti-water logging committee stages demo Hedait Hossain Molla, n Md Khulna Leaders and activists of Bhabodaha Water Drainage Action Committee yesterday held a human chain and demonstrated in front of Water Development Board in Khulna city demanding for taking immediate steps to solve water logging problems permanently in Bhabodaha, Jessore.

The committee convenor Ranjit Baowali presided the function where

among others Rabiul Alam, JSD central leader, Zillur Rahman Bhitu, Workers’ Party secretary, Hachinur Rahman, coordinator of Bangladesh Socialist Party (Marxist), Abul Hossen, president of Bangladesh Communist Party, Taslimur Rahman, secretary of United Communist League, Boikuntha Roy, the committee secretary spoke on the occasion.

Later they submitted a memorandum with 16 points to the Water Development Board authorities through Engineer Zulfikar Ali Howladar.

According to previous reports of the Dhaka Tribune, the large area is similar with longterm water logging as drainage channels of several rivers of the area have been silted up.

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

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

Debasis Mondal, 40, a resident of Monirampur upazila, who used to work as a daily labourer said, “Now the people of the area is ruining their lives with help of government and other organisations.”

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

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

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

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

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

DT

8 World

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Maldives quits Commonwealth The Maldives angrily quit the Commonwealth on Thursday after years of wrangling over its human rights record since the toppling of its first democratically-elected leader four years ago. Maldives said it had been treated unjustly and unfairly by the bloc, a voluntary association of more than 50 countries. AFP

INDIA

India, Russia to sign antimissile deal Russian President Vladimir Putin will seal a deal with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an upcoming visit to deliver Moscow’s most advanced air defence system. “An agreement on the delivery of S-400 ‘Triumph’ anti-missile defence systems and other deals will be signed as a result of the talks,” Russian news agencies quoted Putin aide Yuri Ushakov as saying, without specifying a time frame. TOI

CHINA

China vows better veterans treatment China’s defence ministry vowed Thursday to improve living standards for military veterans after thousands of disgruntled ex-soldiers gathered outside army offices in Beijing for a rare protest this week.

China has laid off more than a million troops since the 1980s and vowed last year to cut 300,000 more from its standing army of more than two million personnel. REUTERS

ANALYSIS

What’s ahead for Thailand after King Bhumibol’s death? n Reuters, Bangkok King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died peacefully on Thursday, was the world’s longest-reigning monarch, credited with restoring the influence of Thailand’s royalty during 70 years on the throne and earning the devotion of many of his subjects.

For the majority of the country’s 68 million people, the king was a pillar of stability in rapidly changing times - Thailand embraced industrialisation during his reign but also saw its parliamentary democracy punctuated by 10 military coups, the most recent in May 2014.

King Bhumibol, who ascended the throne on June 9, 1946, was seen as a force for unity, and there have long been concerns that the political tensions that have riven Thailand over the past decade could worsen after his death.

That may be less likely under the regime of the leader of the most recent coup, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. The former general has held a tight grip on power since toppling the remnants of Thailand’s last democratic gov-

ernment in 2014.

Thailand has been divided for years between the royalist establishment and the red-shirted supporters of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup.

Politics

Though officially above politics, he first started to speak out on political issues in the 1960s against the backdrop of a creeping communist insurgency.

In 1973, he intervened personally after bloodshed in Bangkok when students demonstrated against military rule. He nominated a new prime minister, diffusing the political tension.

The king’s image as a political truce-maker peaked after bloody clashes in 1992 between pro-democracy protesters and the army.

He summoned the protagonists, a former general leading the protests and an army-chief-turnedprime minister, and with the two prostrate before him, ordered them to desist.

His intervention led to the subsequent collapse of military rule.

The king retreated from active

THAILAND’S KING BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ

ASIA PACIFIC

The world’s longest-serving monarch died on Thursday

Australia, East Timor discuss maritime boundary

Key dates Dec 5, 1927

Australia and East Timor aim for an agreement over the disputed maritime boundary in resource-rich waters between their countries, a court said on Thursday, signalling a deal could be reached by next September. Confidential meetings between the two countries have been very productive and would continue next year, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said in a statement. REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

US hits Yemen Houthi insurgents with cruise The US has retaliated against Houthi rebels after two failed missile attacks on a US destroyer this week. The cruise missile strikes in Houthi-controlled areas mark the first direct US military strike on the insurgents. The US military launched cruise missiles at three coastal radar sites in retaliation for failed missile strikes on a US destroyer this week. AFP

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US

Jun 9, 1946

Takes royal throne after elder brother, King Ananda, mysteriously dies

April 28, 1950

Marries Queen Sirikit, a distant cousin and ambassador’s daughter

May 5, 1950

Formal coronation after finishing studies in Switzerland

May 1992

Summons the junta leader and pro-democracy group head to the palace and tries to reconcile the two camps

Jun 2006

Celebration of diamond jubilee ascension to the throne

Sept 2009

Admitted to hospital for treatment of respiratory condition

Apr-May 2010

Remains silent about a military crackdown on pro-Thaksin "Red Shirt" supporters

Aug 2013

Leaves hospital and moves to coastal seaside town of Hua Hin

Aug 2014

Readmitted to hospital, undergoes operation to remove gall bladder in October

Jun 7, 2016

Undergoes heart operation to widen arteries, according to palace

Jun 9, 2016

70th anniversary of ascension to the throne

Oct 13, 2016

Dies after a long illness

A well-wisher holds a picture of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej outside the Siriraj hospital where he is residing in Bangkok on October 13 REUTERS political intervention after the events of 1992 in favour of influence wielded through a network of ageing generals, judges and bureaucrats on his Privy Council of advisers who helped oversee what some academics view as a “managed democracy”, in which the military remained prominent.

The army avoided direct intervention in politics from 1992 until the 2006 coup against Thaksin, a populist telecoms billionaire the military said was corrupt and disloyal to the monarch.

Revered by many

Grand Palace, December 2011, AFP Photo/ Royal Household

The king was seen as semi-divine by many ordinary Thais, an image bolstered by Thailand’s education and legal systems.

“The King shall be enthroned in a position of revered worship and shall not be violated,” states the constitution.

Thailand has lese-majeste laws that impose long prison terms for insulting the monarchy. The laws have been enforced harshly as the establishment sought to control new, less deferential political forces and as dissent has found avenues of expression through social media.

Prayuth is a staunch royalist and under his government there has been a surge in prosecutions and tougher sentences for lese-majeste.

King Bhumibol himself said in a 2005 speech that he was open to criticism and those jailed for offending him should be released,

but that did not stem the rising number of cases in the troubled years since.

Economic disruption unlikely

Thailand is unlikely to face major economic disruption after the death of revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, although many people in the country will be grief stricken, some risk analysts and diplomats said.

The government might postpone to 2018 a general election scheduled for next year, and Thai stocks and the baht currency are likely to be volatile immediately after the king’s death, the Eurasia Group of risk analysts said in a report issued before the announcement of the king’s death.

Overall, the impact on the investment environment will be “relatively minor” and limited to what is likely to be an initial mourning period of 100 days, it added.

King Bhumibol was widely loved and most Thais have known no other monarch. Although his health had been poor for years, many will be shocked and deeply saddened by his death and will wear black and make offerings at Buddhist temples.

A royal cremation is likely to take months to prepare, according to palace tradition and two royal funerals over recent decades. Mourning rituals in temples are likely to be observed for many months, perhaps even years, if recent royal funeral rites are repeated. l

9

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

Money in politics: Why it matters n Tribune International Desk Voters are disgusted with the way political races are paid for — disproportionately by big-money donors, including those who stand to gain or lose from government decisions. The rules even allow donors to hide their identities by giving to politically active nonprofit groups that don’t file detailed public paperwork about their finances.

The system leaves everyday Americans fearing their voices are being drowned out by these moneyed interests.

Outside groups that face no contribution limits account for about one-third of that total. Money has been pouring into those groups ever since the 2010 Supreme Court decision in a case known as Citizens United. That ruling and subsequent court decisions and regulatory changes made it clear to wealthy donors that they can give as much as they’d like, so long as the candidates themselves aren’t controlling how that money gets spent.

It’s enough to make some candidates say they want to throw the whole system out and start fresh.

BANKROLLING CLINTON AND TRUMP Individual donors

Source of contributions

Total: $377.19m

1.20

289.28

Total: $166.03m

As of Sept 20

Personal contributions

86.71

Personal contributions

54.04

Individual donors

Party/Political Action Committee*/others

74.95

37.03

Party/Political Action Committee*/others

Size of contributions As of Aug 31

200

150

100

50

0

$200 and less $200.01 - $499 $500 - $999 $1,000 - $1,999 $2,000 and up $ million

0

50

100

*Pools funds to support political candidates

Where they stand

Both presidential candidates talk a good game when it comes to money in politics, but both fail to back their words with action.

Clinton, a Democrat, says she’d like to get “unaccountable money out of politics.” She has vowed to “overturn” Citizens United — something she cannot directly do as president — either by nominating Supreme Court justices who would rule differently or proposing a constitutional amendment to undo it.

Republican Donald Trump has denounced “corrupt” outside groups and disparaged his rivals as “puppets” of big donors. Yet he has not proposed any policies that would change the campaign finance system.

Meanwhile, Clinton and Trump have both sought out major donors in this costly presidential race. Each flouts the $2,700-per-donor contribution limit by partnering with their respective parties, which can accept far more money than the candidates can on their own. And both benefit from multimillion-dollar super PACs and their even more controversial cousins, groups that don’t disclose their donors at all.

Why it matters

Concern about money in politics has been on vivid display throughout the 2016 race.

In the primaries, Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders used un-

150

200

Source: Federal Election Commission

conventional methods to highlight their stated aversion to the influence of wealthy donors. Sanders, a Vermont senator, fuelled his upstart bid with small contributions made mostly online by millions of supporters. It was a crowd-sourcing antidote to big money in politics.

Trump, a businessman who says he has billions of dollars at his disposal, was able to largely eschew donors during the GOP primary by writing his own checks. In all, he has put more than $50m into his presidential bid. In the general election, he’s been stingier with his own money. He’s better than Clinton at raising “Sanders-style” money, but he also now pursues the same major donors he once dismissed. l

ANALYSIS

The civil-military chasm deepens in Pakistan n Tribune International Desk On October 6, Cyril Almeida, a senior Pakistani journalist, published an article in the English-language daily Dawn entitled “Act against militants or face international isolation, civilians tell military.” The article narrated an intense scene of heated debate between the country’s top civil and military leaders, held a few days ago.

So far, the Pakistani government has rejected the story three times by calling it “amalgamation of fiction and fabrication.” In addition to its rejections, the government has put Almeida’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL), barring him from foreign travel. Dawn, meanwhile, continues to defend the story by arguing that the published material was fact-checked and cross-checked with multiple sources to ensure its credibility.

The vivid details reported in the story reflect a deepening division between the civil and military leadership that has further grown aggravated in the wake of the Kashmir crisis and growing international pressure on Pakistan for its inability to take on all ter-

Lt Gen Raheel Sharif in a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif rorists after the Uri attacks.

Moreover, the reported content in Dawn’s story and other events that have unfolded in the last few weeks also highlight the Pakistani civilian government’s efforts to push back against the military to gain some space in the country’s defence policy and foreign affairs.

The story further points towards some of the military’s policies that run parallel to the civilian government: According to Dawn, the prime minister has instructed the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) chief that “fresh attempts be made to conclude the Pathankot investigation and restart the stalled Mumbai attacks-related trials in a Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court.” However,

DAWN

it’s unlikely that in the coming days and weeks there will be any credible action against India-focused militant groups. In fact, it’s already clear where the fallout of the civilian government’s push against the military is likely to go: the government’s multiple denials of Dawn’s report and a travel ban on the story’s author are not moves made by the Sharif’s government independently; rather, the reaction from the government suggests the military pushing the civilian government to do its biding.

The message is clear

DT

World

The establishment may have tolerated the government’s questioning behind closed doors, but it has neither appreciated nor approved the

disclosure of details that perhaps, according to the former, undermine its position and control. Since Dawn’s report became public, the international media has been trying to read into the story, which has clearly annoyed the military establishment. For the military, the government’s demand of “non-interference” in civilian law enforcement agencies work and action against certain militant groups means giving in to New Delhi’s pressure regardless of domestic implications.

On the other hand, the government’s repeated attempts to reject Dawn’s story also reflect its weakened position vis-a-vis the military, where the government has been forced into taking swift action against the author of the report — a move that is by all means unjustified.

Caught in the crosshairs is the country’s media, that has been made a scapegoat in this latest phase of the power struggle between Pakistan’s military and civilian forces. l

[This is an excerpt of The Diplomat article, which can be found at http://bit. ly/2e8kBDf]

USA

Women accuse Trump of inappropriate groping A barrage of accusations that Donald Trump groped or inappropriately kissed women rocked the race for the White House Wednesday. Claims by at least 5 women in accounts reported by The New York Times, NBC, People Magazine and other outlets came to light after Trump said in Sunday’s presidential debate with his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton that he had never sexually assaulted women. AFP

THE AMERICAS

Colombians take to streets again to support peace deal Thousands of farmers, indigenous activists and students marched in cities across Colombia on Wednesday to demand a peace deal between the government and leftist rebels not be scuttled. It’s the second time in a week that Colombians are taking to the streets to support the accord signed last month with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and now hanging by a thread. AP

UK

Brexit battle hits High Court The battle over Brexit reached the High Court on Thursday in a legal challenge to Prime Minister Theresa May’s right to start negotiations for Britain to leave the EU without a vote in parliament. The move could delay Brexit if successful and set up an unprecedented constitutional face-off between the courts and the government. AFP

EUROPE

Nearly 1,300 minors at Calais Jungle camp Nearly 1,300 minors are among thousands of migrants living in squalid conditions at the Jungle migrant camp soon to be demolished in northern France, a charity said Wednesday. The figure is a steep jump from the 861 minors the group France Terre d’Asile counted at the sprawling site in late August, its director Pierre Henry noted. AFP

AFRICA

Boko Haram frees 21 kidnapped Chibok girls Boko Haram has freed 21 of more than 200 girls kidnapped by the jihadist group in April 2014 in the northern Nigerian town of Chibok, the government said on Thursday. Their release came after the International Red Cross and the Swiss government brokered a deal with Boko Haram and negotiations would continue to bring home the rest of the girls, a presidency statement said. REUTERS

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World

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

INSIGHT

IS rigs Mosul with bombs as offensive nears n Reuters, Erbil/Baghdad

Islamic State militants have placed booby traps across the city of Mosul, dug tunnels and recruited children as spies in anticipation of an offensive to dislodge the jihadists from their Iraqi stronghold, Iraqis and US officials said.

Mosul, home to up to 1.5 million people, has been the headquarters of Islamic State’s self-declared caliphate in northern Iraq since 2014 and the militants are making complex preparations to prevent Iraqi security forces, backed by a US-led coalition, taking it back.

The battle for the city, expected later this month, will help shape the future of Iraq and the legacy of US President Barack Obama. Even if Islamic State is driven out, there is a real danger of sectarian strife, especially if civilian casualties are high in a mainly Sunni city wary of the Shia led Iraqi government and the Shia militias it depends on.

The jihadists, who swept into Mosul almost unopposed two years ago as Iraqi forces fled, have rigged its five bridges with explosives, prepared car bombs and suicide attackers and stepped up surveillance, according to four residents who spoke via telephone or social media.

“They are digging in to fight for Mosul. They are more cautious, shaving their beards to blend in with the population and constantly moving their headquarters around,” said former finance and foreign minister Hoshiyar Zebari, Zebari, a senior member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party with access to intelligence on Islamic State movements in Mosul, and Colonel John Dorrian, a spokesman for the US-led coalition, both said the group was moving men and equipment through underground tunnels.

“You see a fighter go in one place and pop up in another,” said Dorrian. “The entrances are always exposed and those are a priority target.”

Islamic State fighters have put up concrete embankments and are using concrete T-walls to block points of entry for the attacking force, he said. Mosul residents said the militants have also dug a two metre by two metre trench around the perimeter of the city to be filled with burning oil to make air strikes more difficult.

Aid groups have expressed concern over the prospect that many civilians could be killed in the fighting. About 200,000 people are expected to flee within the first two weeks of fighting, said Lise Grande, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Iraq.

'Future terrorists'

Reuters was unable to directly verify the reports of Islamic State’s battle preparations. This story is based on interviews with US and Iraqi officials such as Zebari and Dorrian and phone interviews with civilians in Mosul.

The planned coalition attack is part of a concerted assault that has reclaimed territory from IS in Syria, Iraq and Libya.

The militants have recently lost control of the Iraqi cities of Falluja and Ramadi and are threatening to execute anyone discussing “liberation” in Mosul, according to residents and Sunni militia forces who spoke to relatives there.

One resident said children as young as eight, sometimes armed with pistols and knives, have been deployed across the city to monitor and inform on the population. The children recruit other children for the same task.

“It’s a really heartbreaking scene to see Mosul’s kids becoming future terrorists. I taught my seven-yearold son all about autism to pretend he’s mentally ill to avoid being recruited by Dae’sh,” the resident said

by WhatsApp, using an Arab acronym for Islamic State.

“They are desperate and they could force even children to fight once government troops are at the doors of Mosul.”

Other residents say they have begun using older mobile phones which cannot carry applications like Viber, WhatsApp or Facebook messenger, because Islamic State fighters are highly sensitive to the use of smart phones which make it easier to pass information about their operations to security forces.

Jihadists sit on the rooftops of tall buildings on the edge of Mosul with night-vision binoculars to watch for anyone trying to escape and fighters are making holes in the streets with jackhammers to place improvised explosive devices.

“It would make it like hell if they placed bombs in each hole,” one of the residents said.

Sectarian fears

The campaign could either increase the chances of a unified Iraq or break it up if sectarian clashes follow as various groups compete for influence in the country’s second largest city, Iraqi officials say.

Iraq descended into civil war, mainly between Shia and Sunnis, after a US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, and some Sunni Arab tribal leaders and former members of Saddam’s Baath Party support Islamic State.

Before a single shot has been fired, Iraqi security forces have been working in Mosul to sway community leaders away from the

In this file photo, a fighter of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) holds an ISIL flag and a weapon on a street in the city of Mosul on June 23, 2014 REUTERS

group, a Western diplomat said.

Zebari said there were signs of a nascent resistance movement in the city, where some residents have spray painted “wanted” signs on the houses of Islamic State fighters and commanders, risking death.

The jihadists have started bringing women along for surprise house searches so they can check that female residents, who are not allowed to mix with men outside the family, are not hiding anything from the group.

They are desperate, they look afraid , this is the first time they use their women in searching houses,” a Mosul resident, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, told Reuters over social media.

“Two days ago, I rushed to my house door after hearing repeated knocks and when I opened the door I saw three women in Islamic hijab showing only their eyes with three Dae’sh fighters behind them,” the resident said.

All the residents said the group was using cranes to lower fighters beneath bridges in the city to place explosives there.

“They carry out the booby trapping of the bridges during the night to avoid air strikes,” said one.

Some Islamic State leaders and fighters have been leaving for the town of Tal Afar, also under Islamic State control, or further on across the Syrian border, US officials said.

The security forces have been buoyed by victories against the group in Falluja and Ramadi, but face an additional challenge as Iraqi officials squabble over the composition of the fighting force for Mosul, Iraqi officials said.

The primary goal is to keep Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias out of Mosul to avoid sectarian clashes in a Sunni-majority city.

Shia militias will be allowed to take the lead in operations to retake Hawija, a nearby town controlled

by Islamic State, officials said.

They hope that driving Islamic State from Mosul will debilitate the group, although it could still threaten Iraq.

“They could go underground and carry out terrorist acts,” Zebari said. “But not as an organised movement.” l

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

Scottish leader unveils new independence plan n AFP, UK

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Thursday unveiled plans for a new independence referendum in case her demands for more autonomy and for Scotland to stay in Europe’s single market are not met.

Sturgeon said she would publish a draft referendum bill next week, accusing the British government of pushing for a “hard Brexit” and stirring up “xenophobia” with proposals to cut EU immigration.

“I can confirm today that the independence referendum bill will be published for consultation next

week” in the Scottish parliament, Sturgeon told delegates at her Scottish National Party’s annual conference.

“I am determined that Scotland will have the ability to reconsider the question of independence and to do so before the UK leaves the EU if that is necessary to protect our

country’s interest.”

Scotland, which has a semi-autonomous status within Britain, voted by 55% in favour of staying in the United Kingdom in an independence vote in 2014.

In the EU membership referendum earlier this year Scotland voted by 62% in favour of remaining

part of the bloc while Britain as a whole voted to leave.

Reacting to Sturgeon’s announcement, a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May’s office said: “This issue was addressed in 2014. We should focus on working together on the best deal for the UK”. l

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

TOP STORIES Disappointing China trade data spurs fears recovery may be faltering China’s September exports fell 10% from a year earlier, far worse than expected, while imports unexpectedly shrank after picking up in August, suggesting signs of steadying in the world’s secondlargest economy may be shortlived. PAGE 13

India’s FM warns against rising protectionism Finance Minister Arun Jaitley warned yesterday against the dangers of protectionist tendencies in developed economies spreading to other parts of the world and hurting global growth. PAGE 14

China overtakes US again as world’s top crude importer China imported record volumes of crude oil last month, eclipsing the United States as the world’s top buyer of foreign oil as Beijing’s state reserves shipped in cheap crude to fill new storage tanks. PAGE 15

Capital market snapshot: Thursday DSE Broad Index

4,701.3

0.3% ▲

Index

1,123.6

0.2% ▲

30 Index

1,767.6

0.4% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

4,079.2

-9.1% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

120.5 -22.7% ▼

CSE All Share Index 14,437.8

0.2% ▲

30 Index

13,042.2

0.1% ▲

8,787.3

0.2% ▲

Selected Index Turnover in Mn Tk

208.3 -22.8% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

7.6 -24.8% ▼

Govt to pay £3.3m fine for Sonali Bank UK n Asif Showkat Kallol Bangladesh government will pay £3.3m that the British regulator fined Sonali Bank in the United Kingdom for its failure to prevent money laundering, said Finance Minister AMA Muhith.

“We will have to pay the fine within the stipulated time. Sonali Bank already appealed to the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), but failed to avoid the fine,” he told journalists in Dhaka on his return from abroad yesterday.

The UK operations of Bangladesh’s biggest bank, Sonali Bank have been banned from accepting deposits from any new customers for 24 weeks, reports BBC Online.

The bank’s top anti-money laundering official, Steven Smith, has been banned from any similar job in banking. But its main business, remitting cash to people in Bangladesh, is unaffected.

The FCA said the bank had failed to put anti-money laundering controls in place.

Bangladesh government has 51% ownership in the bank. An FCA investigation found that the bank’s failure to operate proper controls against potential money

Finance Minister AMA Muhith

DHAKA TRIBUNE

‘Sonali Bank failed to maintain adequate anti-money laundering systems between 20 August 2010 and 21 July 2014’ laundering had taken place despite previous warnings from the regulator as long ago as 2010.

“Sonali Bank failed to maintain adequate anti-money laundering (AML) systems between 20 Au-

gust 2010 and 21 July 2014,” said the FCA regulator.

Sonali Bank currently has three UK branches – in London, Birmingham and Bradford – which are aimed at serving the expatriate

Bangladeshi community.

When asked “How did it happen and who are responsible?”, Muhith replied: “We are taking care of it, and the board of the bank will decide actions in this regard.”

However, the confidential reports of the Bangladesh government during 2010-2014 period praised the UK operations of the Sonali Bank. The reports suggest that the government high-ups wanted to launch full operations of the bank in the UK. Official sources claimed Bank and Financial Institutions Division has taken reform initiatives for Sonali Bank UK, which will be carried out till December.

Sonali Bank UK has weaknesses in its governance and assessment of wealth and money. The government plans to appoint efficient workforces and make guild-lines for the UK operations.

Officials said the steps will help the bank solve its existing problems.

According to the data, the FCA fined Berkeley Bank £72m, Lloyds Bank £117m, the Bank of New York £126m over the last three years and the total amount reached £2bn. l

SAES begins on Saturday in Dhaka focusing on cross-cutting issues n Tribune Business Desk A two-day 9th South Asia Economic Summit (SAES) will begin from Saturday in Dhaka with a focus on a set of cross-cutting issues.

The local think tank Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) with other premier South Asian think tanks is hosting the event under the theme ‘Reimagining South Asia in 2030’.

Over 60 participants, including ministers, high-level policymakers, leading experts and academics, trade and industry leaders, representatives of civil society and at grass roots level, and development partners, from the region and beyond will take part in the event.

The summit will discuss a set of cross-cutting issues in the areas of trades, business, investment, climate change and politics to raise the volume of intra-regional trade in the highly potential but untapped sub-continent, according

to organisers.

The objective of SAES is to identify and address challenges for attaining sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030.

CPD Executive Director Professor Mustafizur Rahman talked about the event in details in the city yesterday.

He said the recent government-level developments in the region have hurt progress of the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), leaving immense potentials in that area untapped.

“It does not mean that the importance of the forum comes to an end. We think here is the opportunity for Track-2 initiative beyond the government process to contribute. That is why the upcoming summit is very important,” he said.

Asked whether SAARC will be neutralised through giving more

focus on other forums, he said it is the world of variable geometrics where regional, sub-regional and cross regional cooperation are equally important.

CPD Research Director and convener of the summit preparatory committee Dr Fahmida Khatun said South Asia has been the second fastest developing region after East Asia and the area’s

economic growth is forecasted to gradually accelerate from 7.1% in 2016 to 7.3% in 2017.

Responding to a query, Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, CPD additional research director, said the importance of SAARC will not come to an end if it engages in another regional forum like BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) l

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

Disappointing China trade data spurs fears recovery may be faltering n Reuters China’s September exports fell 10% from a year earlier, far worse than expected, while imports unexpectedly shrank after picking up in August, suggesting signs of steadying in the world’s second-largest economy may be short-lived.

The disappointing trade figures pointed to weaker demand both at home and aboard, and deepened concerns over the latest depreciation in China’s yuan currency CNY, which hit a fresh six-year low against a firming US dollar yesterday.

“This comes on the heels of weak South Korean trade data, and it definitely make us worry about to what extent global demand is improving,” said Luis Kujis, head of Asia economics at Oxford Economics in Hong Kong.

Asian stocks tumbled to threeweek lows and US stock futures and Treasury yields fell after the data, while copper prices in London slipped.

China’s exports had been expected to fall 3%, slightly worse than in August, as global demand for Asian goods remains stubbornly weak despite heading into what is usually the peak year-end shopping season.

Container boxes are seen at the Yangshan Deep Water Port, part of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, in Shanghai, China September 24, 2016 REUTERS Weaker demand for Chinese goods was seen in nearly all of its major markets in the US, Europe and much of Asia.

Imports shrank 1.9%, dashing hopes for a second rise in a row.

Imports had unexpectedly grown 1.5% in August, the first expansion in nearly two years, on stronger demand for coal and commodities such as iron ore which are feeding a construction boom.

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That left China with a trade surplus of $41.99bn for the month, the lowest in six months, the General Administration of Customs said yesterday. Analysts had expected it to expand slightly to $53bn. l

Stocks edge up n Tribune Business Desk Stocks closed marginally higher amid extreme volatility yesterday.

The trading began higher but dipped in the mid-session before ending marginally higher.

The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange DSEX rose nearly 11 points or 0.3% to 4,701.

The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, gained over 7 points to 1,767.

The DSE Shariah Index DSES move only up only about 2 points to 1,123. The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX was up 13 points to 8,787.

The overall market performance was mixed where sell pressure were evident in engineering sector that lost more than 1%.

However, rise in some selective large cap stocks helped market close positive.

Among large cap sectors, telecommunications rallied over 1%, power almost 1%, food & allied 0.7% and non-banking financial institutions 0.3%.

Banks remained flat at 0.09%.

Pharmaceutical sector was marginally down 0.4%.

DSE turnover stood at around Tk400 crore, down more than 9% over the previous session’s value.

Out of total 322 companies traded on DSE, 134 moved up, 130 down while 58 remained unchanged.

Summit Power was the most-traded share with a turnover worth over Tk25 crore. l

Global startup competition due on Oct 19 in Dhaka

State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak speaks at a press conference in the capital yesterday on global seed-stage startup competition beginning on October 19 in Dhaka.

n Ishtiaq Husain Seedstars World, the global seedstage startup competition for emerging markets and fast-growing startups, is going to be held on October 19 in Dhaka.

In line with its mission to place the spotlight on entrepreneurs from emerging markets, Seedstars World is travelling to more than 65 countries this year to identify the

best seed-stage entrepreneurs and provide them with an opportunity to win up to $1 million and build network with investors and mentors from around the world.

The organisers came up with this disclosure at a press conference held at the Janata Tower Software Technology Park in the capital yesterday.

Seedstars is a Swiss-based group of companies which has the goal of

impacting people’s lives in emerging markets through technology and entrepreneurship.

Seedstars, Dhaka, is being organised in conjunction with the Digital World 2016 by BetterStories and ICT Division.

Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister of ICT Division, also spoke at the press conference.

Shyam Sunder Sikder, secretary to the ICT Division, Hosne Ara Begum, managing director of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, Faisal Kabir, manager (Innovation & Ecosystem), White-board; Nick Feneck, Asian Representative of Seedstars World; Minhaz Anwar, managing director BetterStories, were, among others, present at the conference.

Nick Feneck from Seedstars said up to eight of the best Seed stage startups in Bangladesh will be invited to pitch for the opportunity to compete at the Seedstars Summit, that annually takes place in Switzerland.

The winning startup from Seedstars Dhaka will also participate in the regional summit due to take place in Bangkok early December. l

Social Islami Bank Limited has recently held its 376th board meeting, said a press release. The bank’s chairperson, Major Dr Md Rezaul Haque (retired) presided over the meeting

China’s ranks of super-rich rise despite economic slowdown n AFP, Beijing More Chinese joined the ranks of the super-rich this year, a survey showed yesterday, bringing the total to an all-time high despite dragging growth in the world’s second-largest economy.

A total of 2,056 people have a net worth of two billion yuan ($297m) or more, Shanghai-based luxury magazine publisher Hurun Report said in its Richest People in China report, up from 1,877 last year.

That rise defied the grinding slowdown in China’s economic miracle, which saw growth slip to

6.9% in 2015 - its lowest rate in a quarter of a century - and which has slowed further this year.

Property and entertainment mogul Wang Jianlin, 62, chairman of conglomerate Wanda Group, was tipped the richest man in China with a fortune of $32.1bn, down two percent from a year ago, the survey said.

He was followed by e-commerce and financial services giant Alibaba’s founder Jack Ma, whose wealth was estimated to have surged 41% to $30.6bn on the back of a boom in the company’s market capitalisation and a round of investment valuing affiliate Ant Financial at $60bn, it said. l

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

India’s FM warns against rising protectionism n Reuters Finance Minister Arun Jaitley warned yesterday against the dangers of protectionist tendencies in developed economies spreading to other parts of the world and hurting global growth.

Arun Jaitley’s comments came days after the International Monetary Fund urged policymakers to support global growth by resisting protectionist forces.

‘If developing countries see a trend of protectionism, the spillover impact on the policies in other parts of the world would be adverse’ Growing frustration with persistently low growth rates, stagnant wages and diminishing job security has sparked a popular uprising in Europe and the United States against free trade and globalisation, which critics blame for worsening income and social inequities.

Addressing a gathering of finance officials of the BRICS group of emerging nations, Jaitley singled out Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, as well as aggressive criticism of trade deals in the US

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addresses a gathering at a seminar in Mumbai presidential election.

“Part of the developed world is moving towards protectionism,” Jaitley said. “If developing countries see a trend of protectionism, the spillover impact on the policies in other parts of the world would be adverse.”

After its June vote to leave the European Union, Britain last week signalled capping immigration.

Free trade has also become a political taboo in the United States, with Republican presidential candidate

Donald Trump championing an “America First” policy.

Protectionist rhetoric has already rattled financial markets, which some investors say could depress an already weak and fragile world economy.

Underscoring their concern, the World Trade Organisation last month slashed its global trade volume growth forecast to the slowest pace since 2007, saying it expected it to rise just 1.7% this year, down from the 2.8% it forecast in April.

REUTERS

Jaitley, however, expressed hope that economic needs would prevent countries such as the US from following through on pledges to renegotiate trade deals and enact punitive tariffs.

“The tenor of the debate is more protectionist during elections and much less when you get back to business as usual,” he said. “Therefore we have to keep our fingers crossed this time and hope for that the tenor of free trade returns back once the heat of the election is over.” l

Chevron confirms is in discussions for potential Bangladesh sale

n Reuters Chevron Corp confirmed that the company is in “commercial discussions” regarding its Bangladesh assets, as the second-largest US energy company moves forward with plans to sell assets amid a prolonged slump in energy prices.

However, Chevron stressed that no decision has been made to sell its assets in the country. “We will only proceed if we can realize attractive value for Chevron,” it said in a statement on Thursday.

The San Ramon, California-based company disclosed in October last year plans to sell about $10bn of assets by 2017.

In July, Chevron posted its biggest quarterly loss since 2001, hurt by the slump in crude prices and refining income.

Bloomberg earlier reported that Chevron is seeking about $2bn from the sale of natural gas assets in Bangladesh, citing people familiar with the matter.

The Bangladesh assets sale has drawn interest from suitors including Indian and Chinese oil producers, Bloomberg reported.

Chevron, through its units in Bangladesh, produces natural gas and condensate from three fields in the northeast of the country, according to its website.

“We don’t have much information about the sale of Bangladesh’s asset as the discussions are going on in our head office at a very high level,” an official at Chevron in Bangladesh said on Thursday. l

Modi hosts BRICS leaders as bloc beset by economic woes n AFP, New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi will look to reinvigorate the BRICS group of emerging nations at a summit this weekend with India seen as a bright spot in a bloc whose clout has been undermined by economic woes.

BRICS - a club made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - was formed in 2011 with the aim of using its growing economic and political influence to challenge Western hegemony.

The nations, with a joint estimated GDP of $16tn, set up their own bank in parallel to the Washington-based International Monetary Fund and World Bank and hold summits rivalling the G7 forum.

But the countries, accounting for 53% of world population, have been hit by falling global demand and lower commodity prices, while several have also been mired in corruption scandals.

Russia and Brazil have fallen into recession recently, South Africa only just managed to avoid the same fate last month while China’s economy - the recent engine of world growth - has slowed sharply.

India by contrast is now the world’s fastest-growing major economy in an otherwise gloomy environment and its GDP is expected to grow 7.6% in 2016–17.

Indian foreign ministry official Amar Sinha said the leaders would debate “global growth prospects, the role of BRICS in leading this global growth and our contributions to it”.

He also confirmed regional security and climate change were on the agenda while Russia is expecting talks on Syria.

President Vladimir Putin’s office said in a statement that “international terrorism and the Syria peace process” would be discussed as Moscow faces international anger over its airstrikes in support of the Assad regime.

China’s Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong meanwhile said the leaders would “exchange in-depth views on BRICS cooperation and other global and regional issues”, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Some of the more substantive talks are expected at bilaterals on the sidelines of the summit in the tourist state of Goa, with Modi expected to separately meet China’s President Xi Jinping and Putin.

Brazil’s new President Michel Temer, who replaced impeached Dilma Rousseff, will look to such meetings to boost trade ties and help drag his country out of its worst recession in half a century.

The summit comes amid some scepticism about the future of BRICS, especially given India’s efforts to reach out to the US and Europe since Modi - a one-time pariah of the West - came to power in 2014.

‘Reduced potency’

Eswar Prasad, professor of trade

and economics at Cornell University in the United States, said BRICS had been weakened by its collective burdens.

“The economic troubles faced by many members of the BRICS group have reduced its potency and influence in the world economy,” he told AFP. Prasad said BRICS needed to focus on a global issue such as pushing back against mounting anti-globalisation rhetoric to stay relevant.

“Given its sheer size and continued significant contribution to global growth, this group could have some clout if it acted in concert in dealing with issues of global governance and the international monetary system.”

Geethanjali Nataraj, currently at the Brookings Institute India, agreed the summit needed to focus on areas of common concern, warning India against pursuing contentious issues with regional rival China.

“India needs to tread with cau-

tion and avoid all controversial issues that would lead to friction,” Nataraj wrote in the Financial Express.

India will also be looking for BRICS to condemn recent cross-border attacks blamed on militants in Pakistan that have spiked tensions between the neighbours, according to local media.

Analysts however are sceptical of India’s chances of securing a joint condemnation given China’s strong diplomatic support for Pakistan and Russia’s efforts to forge closer defence ties with Islamabad.

Taking place at the same time in Goa is a meeting of heads of a seven-nation grouping called BIMSTEC loosely based around the Bay of Bengal.

Myanmar’s Aung Sang Suu Kyi, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as well as the leaders of Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal are set to attend for talks focused on trade. l

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

China overtakes US again as world’s top crude importer n Reuters China imported record volumes of crude oil last month, eclipsing the United States as the world’s top buyer of foreign oil as Beijing’s state reserves shipped in cheap crude to fill new storage tanks.

September’s crude imports rose 18% from a year earlier to 33.06 million tonnes or 8.04 million barrels per day (bpd) on daily basis, customs data showed.

The buying outpaced the US four-week average assessed by the US Energy Information Administration of 7.98 million bpd at the end of September.

It marked the second time this year - but the third month in the past twelve - that China’s imports have overtaken the United States, and reflected contracts signed in July when renewed selling pressure pushed crude below $42 a barrel. Oil has since recovered to around $50 a barrel.

The shipments also arrived as Chinese refineries entered the final stretch of their annual main-

A general view of a crude oil importing port in Qingdao, Shandong province tenance season, which typically takes place in the third quarter.

With US plants’ repair work extending into this month, the world’s largest economy could retake pole position in October, analysts said.

China’s strategic reserve is preparing to start filling late this year newly-built storage tanks that can take some 19 million barrels of crude, or about three days worth of imports, traders said.

REUTERS

“The increase was mainly driven by stocking activities at some reserve sites,” said Harry Liu, associate director of oil markets with IHS Energy, who said August and September volumes were higher

than he expected.

That contrasts with earlier in the year when China’s independent refiners known as “teapots” were the driving force behind the imports.

Analysts from BMI research expected China’s crude imports to remain elevated for the rest of the year due to falling production, expanding storage capacity and a seasonal uptick in demand over the winter months.

Over the first nine months, import volumes rose 14% to 284 million tonnes, or 7.55 million bpd, according to the data. On a cumulative basis, the United States is still the biggest importer with more than 8 million bpd of imports.

China’s refined fuel exports in September rose 21.1% from a year ago to 4.3 million tonnes, near the record high 4.57 million tonnes notched in July and well up on August’s 3.7 million tonnes.

The month-on-month gain rekindled worries of a supply glut in fuel products and might weigh on oil demand in the fourth quarter, analysts said. l

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FRI DAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

‘I want to make the pain go away’ An appeal for 13 yr old cancer patient Rayhan

n Shuprova Tasneem A public hospital in Dhaka can be a noisy place. The rattle of gurneys being pushed from one corridor to another, voices of tired nurses explaining tests and medication to patients, attendants shouting at visitors to make sure they use hand sanitiser before entering a ward, the clink of cutlery while meals are lovingly prepared by worried families, and much more.

And of course, the cries of children suffering from various ailments, and sometimes even the welcome sound of a high-spirited laugh from one well on his/her way to recovery.

However, the Paediatric Hemotology and Oncology Department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), despite being full of noisy children, can often fall into a eerie sort of silence. This ward is home to the children who have come to this hospital with cancer. And it has been 13 year old Rayhan’s home for the last few months.

A simple childhood, interrupted

Rayhan Alam hails from Rupganj

in Narayanganj, and until recently, he was living with his parents and younger brother in his village.

Rayhan does not come from a well-off family - his father Shobuj Alam works as a tea-seller at one of the local tongs (street tea stores) in their locality. His mother, Shabana Khatun, is a housewife who has also been suffering from health problems of her own – a malfunctioning duodenal bulb that constantly creates pains in her stomach.

Despite the often meagre conditions of their household, Rayhan and his eight year old brother both go to school. In fact, before Rayhan began his treatment, he had attained an A+ in the Primary School Certificate (PSC) last year, and was awarded a talent pool scholarship from the Education Board as a result.

However, both boys have now had to drop out of their education.

In August, Rayhan was diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that affects blood cells called lymphocytes, which are an important part of the immune system and helps fight infections. Since then, his condition has been getting worse, and he now needs on average,

four to five bags of blood every day. While the good news is that Rayhan’s cancer is curable, the bad news is that it will be a huge financial burden – one that is becoming increasingly more difficult to bear.

A growing financial burden

While Rayhan’s father and brother have gone back to their village and are desperately looking round to gather the resources needed for his treatment, his mother is constantly by his side. A simple and soft-spoken woman, she keeps her eyes fixed on her boy’s face as she tells us her story.

“It’s been very difficult for us, as you can imagine. Rayhan has had two cycles of chemotherapy already, and it has been very hard on him. I used to have a gold chain that I sold first to cover the money of his treatment, and then we sold our cow. That was all we had, that and the little cart his father sells tea and biscuits from – so we had to take loans from different people, begging for whatever they would give. I don’t know how or when we will pay it back, I just want him to get better.”

What she doesn’t mention that the treatment for her own illness

has been completely stopped, while they battle with her son’s.

While the doctor’s diagnosis is free at public hospitals, the treatment required is not. Till now, the total cost incurred for Rayhan’s treatment is BDT 300,000. Chemotherapy does not come cheap, and apart from the cost of medicine, there is also the cost of injections, which can cost Rayhan’s parents up to BDT 10,000 everyday.

However, a minimum of BDT 1,000,000 is required to continue the treatment, since Rayhan still needs four sessions of chemotherapy to be able to properly fight the cancer.

Coming together to support Rayhan

While Rayhan’s family try to come to terms with the misfortune that has befallen them, a small group of dedicated volunteers, who work with cancer children at BSMMU, have tried to stand with them in these trying times.

Part of a social action project titled ‘For a Bit of Smile’, these youngsters from different backgrounds have been trying to spend time with the children at this ward, and raise funds for

them through their personal connections. However, they have only managed to raise a meagre BDT 20,000 for Rayhan so far – not even close to the amount needed.

While one of the volunteers speak to Rayhan’s mother in hushed tones and try to comfort her, Rayhan only looks on. He has already vomited blood today, has a high fever and is getting increasingly restless. What looks like bed sores are already forming on his back, and he is being fed through a nasal tube – eating solid food has become too painful at this point.

When asked how he is feeling today, Rayhan struggles to speak, but tells us that being in the hospital here has only strengthened his resolve to become a doctor one day.

“I’ve seen a lot of kids in pain here, and I am in a lot of pain too. I want to make it all go away one day.” l

To donate for Rayhan’s treatment, contact the volunteers Sumaiya Akter (01921216260) or Rumon Hossain (01515622264).

19

DT

Writing

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

| fiction |

The Death of Abdul Aziz Part 2 of 3 n Sadia Afrin Abdul Aziz’s wife comes to visit him after two weeks of his admission to the hospital. She would have come to meet him sooner, but the doctors did not allow it. They sit face to face in a small room, door bearing a sign “VISITING ROOM” in bold white letters on a black background on a tin plate. This color combination reminds Abdul Aziz of prison and it makes him moody. His wife smiles bravely, and then starts crying which amuses him enough to make him forget about the sign.

He tries to console her, saying he will get out of this place very soon, only he does not believe this.

Actually, he is waiting to die which he feels will happen any minute. Abdul Aziz’s wife is crying because she has noticed that he has become thin and his face looks gaunt. Only his eyes look brightly alive. He was never too heavy but losing weight has made him appear youthful. She talks to the doctor about her husband’s health, and is told that it is a side effect of

one of the pills that he has been prescribed. She goes home feeling a great weight over her shoulders, not knowing what to do next.

The stern nurse, who showed Abdul Aziz his room the first day, comes in everyday to give him his pills. One day, a tall male nurse comes instead, and without Abdul Aziz asking anything, informs him that the woman’s elder daughter died giving birth so she had to leave her job to take care of her grandchildren and if Abdul Aziz needs anything, to ask him for it. Abdul Aziz likes this person’s simple, easy-going manner. There is a bell on the bed side table to ring for attendants, although he never uses it.

Now Abdul Aziz thinks he may call the male nurse, just to talk about things. He is becoming restless every day, Abdul Aziz. He feels light, feather light and yet something is keeping him here.

By now he imagines there are no organs inside him, nothing but the thing that has been eating him.

For the last few days, he has felt it lying still in some part of his

chest, completely motionless. This is making him panic, because it is not what was supposed to happen, according to his intuition. Abdul Aziz keeps pacing in his small room, hoping somehow it will wear him down and finish him.

He has made a friend, the tall male nurse who is called Nosu, only Nosu. Abdul Aziz had asked for his full name, but the man laughed and repeated that his name is Nosu. Nosu tells him, like a close friend gossiping to another friend, that he believes these treatments are hoaxes. He says these doctors prescribe pills so that the patients can sleep all day or sit still. What good does this do, he asks Abdul

Aziz who only nods at this rhetorical question. Nosu says he knows Abdul Aziz does not feel good and is not getting the proper treatment to which Abdul Aziz again nods while staring at the floor.

His wife comes again to meet him, pleads him to get better.

He does not say much to her; he doesn’t talk much these days. Even when Nosu comes, he can stay for only five to seven minutes and does most of the talking Abdul Aziz shakes his head. Nosu talks about his frustrations, expresses anguish about the fact that there is nothing that makes him fulfilled.

Abdul Aziz feels sympathy for him, but he is too worried about himself

to make Nosu feel better about his concerns.

Six months have passed, and Abdul Aziz feels he and the thing have reached an impasse. He has almost resigned to his fate and come to accept that he might have to die some other time in some other way. He feels disappointed, and suspects he may have been wrong. All this he tells his doctor, the one with head full of grey and white hair. When he talks about these things the doctor scribbles in his notepad with a serene smile before looking up and asking if he thinks he should be released from the hospital. Abdul Aziz nods slowly, staring at the floor. l

Many of the characters appear sporadically in photographs, many of whom are people who lost their lives. There is a melancholic aura about these pictures, which somewhat captures the sense of loss the author and his co-fighters must have felt and probably feels to this day.

The sense of guilt probably haunts any warrior who lost a comrade in battle. The book is filled with amazing stories. The author’s ability to humanise even the enemy has been praised in the blurbs and in the foreword by Professor Sonia Amin.

This is a book of triumph and defeat, conquer and resistance, and most of all the book is about the story of a small teenage kid who won this country back from brutal oppressors. This is certainly one of the most accessible and interesting books on the liberation

war.

First published in April 2016 by Howlader Prokashoni, the book is over 215 pages in length, excluding photos.

The Guerillas of Dhaka is available at Pathak Shomabesh (Nilkhet), Bookworm (Old Airport Road, Tejgaon), Boi Bichitra (Gulshan) and can also be ordered online at Rokomari.com l

| book review |

The Guerillas of Dhaka n Saqib Sarker War is hell. But at the same time it has the strange intoxicating power of uniting a people against a common enemy. The unprecedented solidarity with countrymen, the sense of a common destiny, the hypnotizing magnetism of inflated self-image in the nationalist aspiration – all help create a reality that is not possible outside of war.

The Guerillas of Dhaka by Colonel Towficur Rahman (Retd.) is the personal account of a teenage boy who woke up on the morning of 17 December 1971 to discover that his country has won its freedom from its occupiers, a victory he helped achieve. The Guerillas of Dhaka tells this story.

Whether it is judged against the strict standards of academia or for pure historical integrity,

recollection of war is difficult. It is now well known that the trauma and confusion of war can distort memory. But Colonel Towficur Rahman has been vigilant and took particular care so that the book doesn’t fall into the pit of lazy recounting.

The author took preparation for writing this book for over a decade. He met with hundreds of his co-fighters in an attempt to ensure that his memories of the events are accurate and verifiable.

The strength of the book is in its strong narration and carefully kept chronology of the events.

The author starts the book by a haunting description of his experience of the early morning of 25 March, after the Pakistan military carried out the brutal ‘Operation Searchlight’. The military operation was designed, as was apparent immediately and

afterwards, to strike terror among the people of the country.

The book reads like a novel. The author takes the decision to join resistance against the Pakistani military. He relates how he and his friends were desperately looking for ways to join the Mukti Bahini and how no information was available and then how one day they found out that Manik Bhai from Naya Paltan had gone to fight in the war. “We were told to wait for Manik Bhai to return from Agartala so that he could instruct us on how to get to the training camp safely” .

The following chapters chronicle the incredible journey of the teenage author travelling to join the resistance force to how they crossed border and their training in Melaghar. The chapters are filled with vivid details without being excessive.

DT

20 Editorial

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

TODAY

Waiting for Godot in South Asia Certainly, Mr Modi has a habit of playing to his right-wing on issues related to Pakistan. This also seems to be the case on India’s relationships with other neighbours, primarily Bangladesh PAGE 21

The mess in the attic While the children of post-modernity may not all articulate their unease in the same way (or at all), they do not feel it any less. They can feel the old truths slipping away, the strength of custom, tradition, family, community, religion -- all fading into the background

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PAGE 22

China shows the way All hands on deck Now we must move from words to deeds and put Paris into action. We need all hands on deck -- every part of society must be mobilised to reduce emissions and help communities adapt to inevitable climate impacts 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.

W

ith greater cooperation between China and Bangladesh, the possibilities are endless.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival in Dhaka today ushers in a new era of friendship -- one that will lead Bangladesh into a future of greater productivity and growth.

There is so much for Bangladesh to gain through greater ties with one of the world’s largest economies, and greatest military powers. The main issues on the table are infrastructure, productivity, anti-terrorism, energy, and connectivity, but President Xi’s visit is just the beginning.

There is reason to be optimistic about the deals that are to be signed between China and Bangladesh regarding the Belt and Road Initiative.

These deals will take connectivity between the two nations and infrastructural development to new levels.

In the past, China has been a major provider of assistance for megaprojects in Bangladesh, such as the Padma Bridge, responsible for over $1.42 billion in accumulated direct investment, and the creation of 76,000 jobs.

For the longest time, Bangladesh has looked to China as a model for sustainable growth. The dynamism of the Chinese export sector is something Bangladesh should aspire to, and has already made tremendous strides towards, particularly with the RMG industry.

As living standards rise in China, and the volume of trade increases, Bangladesh stands to make massive gains as a major trading partner.

It has been 30 years since a Chinese president has visited Bangladesh.

President Xi’s long-awaited visit is a chance to realise some of Bangladesh’s long-term plans by taking the China-Bangladesh relationship to new heights.

We hope this relationship goes from strength to strength in the years to come.

We hope this relationship goes from strength to strength in the years to come

DT

21

Opinion

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

Waiting for Godot in South Asia Pakistan can no longer control the monsters that it has created

A more aggressive attitude from Pakistan

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leaders act early.

Interestingly enough, Western leaders may have both historical scenarios in mind when dealing with these periodic PakistanIndia crises. They may fear that Pakistani and Indian leaders will be pushed to, and over, the brink by media and public hysteria, and they may also fear that one side or the other will resort to a preemptive strike.

It is difficult to follow from Washington the ins and outs and up and downs of the crisis through our own media. But my impression is that this is a one-sided crisis. At least in Pakistan, the government and the military seem to be making some effort to stay cool and downplay the problem.

India was quite explicit in claiming where its surgical strike had hit inside Pakistani Kashmir, how many militants were killed, etc. In other words, it was maximising the impact of the attack. The Pakistani spokespersons seemed to minimise it by saying simply that

n William Milam

W

henever I wonder whether PakistanIndia relations will ever normalise, my mind wanders to Samuel Beckett’s celebrated absurdist play Waiting for Godot. As most readers will know, it is a play about two nondescript men waiting for somebody, or something, called Godot, who never makes an appearance during the play, and is clearly unlikely to ever come.

One critic described the play as two acts, in which nothing happens, while the audience sits glued to its seat, waiting for something to happen. As unlikely as it seems, this play was a sensation when it debuted in 1953, and it is what brought Beckett his fame.

And while the play clearly has no connection to the Pakistan-India rivalry given its provenance and timing, it seems to me a perfect metaphor for this impenetrable impediment to normalcy and development in the sub-continent.

We all wait for a time when relations will get better between the two countries, and that time never comes. Generations come and go; we hope that each new generation will change the mindset -- yet new generations carry on the hostility.

Periods of passive hostility are interspersed with periods of active hostility. In the latter periods, ag-

Certainly, Mr Modi has a habit of playing to his right-wing on issues related to Pakistan. This also seems to be the case on India’s relationships with other neighbours, primarily Bangladesh

gressive rhetoric escalates, and we fear that action will escalate along with the words.

We seem to have entered a period of active hostility, with what is being described as an attack of a well-known anti-Indian proxy, the Jaish-e-Mohammad, on an Indian military outpost in the village of Uri inside IndiaAdministered Kashmir (about 65km inside the Line of Control), and the retaliatory “surgical” strike claimed by India across the LoC on Thursday, September 29.

Increasingly bellicose rhetoric has dominated the news since.

There is always the worry during such periods of hostility that the bellicosity will spin out of control and escalate to more serious warfare between these two nuclear powers.

In fact, there is always at least one minister in the Pakistan government who will remind the world, aiming his comments at India, that Pakistan looks upon its nuclear arsenal as its ultimate deterrent to Indian “aggression.”

I am certain that an enormous amount of communication is going on between Washington/ London and Islamabad/Delhi, primarily pushing hard for both sides to “cool it.” The enormous risk of escalation to the slippery slope of unsheathing nukes is, in my experience, never far from the minds of US policy-makers in these situations.

In this scenario, a different historical analogy is, perhaps, apposite. Western policy-makers, often bipolar by nature, remember two historical lessons about war.

One: The lesson of World War I is that media hysteria can drive public passion -- as in 1914, when the Western world slipped almost accidentally into a gigantic war over an incident that mattered little to any of their national interests.

Or two: The lessons of World War II are that when leaders are too timid and inclined to appease an aggressive neighbour, this can lead to a far worse war and millions more deaths than if

fire had been exchanged across the Line of Control, with the loss of two Pakistani lives. Since Thursday, Pakistani reporters have been taken to the scene of two of those alleged surgical strikes, and it appears that they did not see any evidence that they had actually taken place.

This crisis shall too probably pass, particularly if Pakistan remains cool and unprovocative as it seem to have done over the past two weeks. Relations will probably recede into another period of passive hostility.

What I find worrisome, however, is what seems to be coming out of it: A more aggressive attitude toward Pakistan from Indian leaders which implies that relations are worsening.

I read in the media of new and more toxic threats that Indian leaders have uttered since the crisis began with the raid on Uri, not only mucking around more in Balochistan, but in particular threatening to withdraw from the Indus Waters Treaty, or to

take other measures which imply unilaterally reducing water flows to Pakistan.

These threats to its lifeblood will do nothing to mitigate the Pakistani perception that India remains a threat to its existence.

In fact, such comments will revive a mindset that many of us had hoped was fading with a generational change.

Many of my Pakistani friends date this trend to the arrival of Mr Modi and the BJP to power.

Certainly, Mr Modi has a habit of playing to his right-wing on issues related to Pakistan. This also seems to be the case on India’s relationships with other neighbours, primarily Bangladesh.

Otherwise why would India, a proud democracy as it claims, be so supportive of the Awami League government’s assault on human rights and its authoritarian behaviour?

On the other hand, given that these crises usually start with an attack by a Pakistani extremist group on India, one cannot absolve Pakistan of all responsibility for the nasty turn this relationship took.

The ISI’s cozy relationship with these groups cannot be ignored, even though whether the ISI is connected to their attacks is open to question. This murky issue will continue to poison Pakistan’s external relations.

Pakistan is trapped in an absurd situation. It can no longer control the monsters it created as proxies to harass India when it was believed to be its existential enemy. These monsters continue to attack India (with or without the ISI involvement). The monsters are too strong for Pakistan to eliminate. Their attacks are rendering India a greater existential threat, eliminating any hope that peace and normalised relations with India are possible.

But they are key to a Pakistan that will succeed, not fail.

Failure was what drove Beckett, and what he wrote about. But he believed that one should never quit trying to succeed. His novel, The Unnamable, ends with the words: “You must go on. I can’t go on. I’ll go on.” So must Pakistan go on and try to succeed, and this means, somehow, it must immobilise and then unempower the proxies. l William Milam is a Senior Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC, and a former US diplomat who was Ambassador to Pakistan and Bangladesh.

DT

22

Long-Form

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

The mess in the attic A new world with new evils. This is the first part of a two-part long form should not be mistaken for a positivist; I am only talking about our very general “feel” for physical reality that gets us through the day, and serves us perfectly well for almost everything we ever do in our time on this Earth).

The social world

How has our cognition of the world evolved over time?

n Shehzad M Arifeen

F

or a long, long time, we had been collectively convinced that education -- mass, secular, quality public education -- would go a long way towards curing many of our social ills. Over the years, as our public institutions crumbled under the weight of political violence, we managed to stay convinced that the problem wasn’t education in itself, we just had to get it “right.”

Then came July 2016, and the attack on Holey Artisan.

Overnight, whatever faith in our books and classrooms we had still held on to got ripped apart, as if the machetes had gone to work on more than human flesh.

This, I believe, is a mistake.

I remember having a conversation with a friend last winter (I think; all I can actually say for sure is that it was wedding season) about religion. Dhaka was still Dhaka, and Kakoli to Gulshan-1 did not yet mean a tworickshaw trip.

He was trying to convince me, I believe, that ancient scripture was still (and would always be) valid, and to make his point he said something to the effect of “sure, we have better technology now, but besides that, society hasn’t

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changed much -- people are still the same.”

If a statement like that were out of the ordinary, it would be easy enough to be dismissive. But it’s not, is it? It’s something we’ve all heard, many times over. It’s something many of us might even have said once or twice, frustrated with and desensitised by a world that seems to be doing everything it can to not get fixed.

It is also a statement that is almost blatantly wrong: The average human being born in the 21st century will have a life unimaginably better, in every material sense, than one born only a few centuries ago.

And yet, a statement like that is jarring to far too few. It is perfectly acceptable to laugh at astrology -- the worst charge you will hear is that of insensitivity. I can laugh shamelessly at the man who tried to convince me once, for example, that “acupressure” therapy (like acupuncture but without the punctures) has been known to cure both cancer and AIDS. When it comes to the physical world at least, we seem to have a working conception of causality that seems to be quite serviceable under most circumstances (and I think I should note here that I am speaking very “lightly.” I am not talking metaphysics, and certainly

When it comes to the human, social world, however, our ability to understand things seems to break down completely, and requires almost painful, vigilant construction and maintenance.

Let’s try a simple test: A woman is walking down the street at night.

She gets mugged, resists, and gets shot. She dies. How many people do you know who will say that the woman “deserved” to die? Not many, I would think (and hope).

No matter what we are taught about being careful on the streets and at night, and not openly displaying our possessions, nobody would actually say that she deserved to get murdered.

But what if, this had been a case of rape? How many people do you know who, even if they would not admit it openly any more, believe, even to some extent, that a woman who is sexually harassed or even

community, religion -- all fading into the background. Old hierarchies toppling, new ones emerging. The supply chain taking the place of kinship ties, scientific marvels and monstrosities, the crushing weight of global capital.

A new world without a centre, and yet a world with new wars, new hungers, new poverty, new suffering, new evils. What an ungodly mess.

Into this wild abyss, to echo Milton, enters the son of an upper-middle to upper class Dhaka family, “moderately” religious, educated, with a dash of toxic, unquestioned masculinity, and a hint of ambition and concern for the world. He starts his undergraduate education at a private university in the capital.

He has decent grades, has a relatively enjoyable college life, dates college-going women -nothing really out of the ordinary.

But he craves meaning. Substance.

Unlike his public university counterparts, politics as a path towards becoming part of something greater is not an option for him. He has thought of, or might have even worked for, charities, voluntary organisations,

just class positions. What they both lack is a relatively stable, encompassing, coherent way of interpreting the human world.

All cognition is schematic and metaphorical. We think in terms of metaphor, and organise our thoughts in terms of a multitude of perceptual schemata.

We are genetically programmed with a set of primitive schemata to understand the physical world, but our “default” schemata for understanding the social world have not evolved much beyond wilderness survival tools. When these inadequately prepared perceptual lenses meet a world without a stable centre, without meaning, without purpose, without truth, they shatter; and must be pieced back together every time. And what pieces them back may not be the most desirable of glues. l The second part of this long-form will be published tomorrow.

Shehzad M Arifeen is a lecturer of economics at a leading private university in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This article was fitsr published on ergodotorg. wordpress.com

While the children of post-modernity may not all articulate their unease in the same way (or at all), they do not feel it any less. They can feel the old truths slipping away, the strength of custom, tradition, family, community, religion -- all fading into the background assaulted often “deserves” it? Far too many. But why exactly do we see these two cases differently?

Why does bringing sexuality into the picture shift our focus from the violator to what it is that is being violated? Why are we so damn confused?

Our intuitions about the human world, especially when it comes to other human beings, have nowhere near the same “solidity” that our intuitions about the natural world do. And where, once upon a time, our perceptions of social reality at least “felt” certain, we know now that we were wrong.

Even the most conservative of souls think twice about saying quite a number of things, and while the children of postmodernity may not all articulate their unease in the same way (or at all), they do not feel it any less.

They can feel the old truths slipping away, the strength of custom, tradition, family,

or NGOs, and yet, something seems missing.

These things are too slow, too small, too frustrating. He craves a simple, large truth, a single diagnosis and cure -- and he gets it. A new Final Solution of a different kind, but just as destructive and violent as every Final Solution always is. The rest, as they say, is history.

This young man’s actions shock the world, but no one as much as another private university student. This young man (and there is a reason I’m sticking to men in this narrative) could have been described in almost exactly the same way. The only difference is his disgust and disbelief at the actions of one so like himself.

He does not understand why the world suddenly looks like this, and how he can stop these things from happening.

What these two men have in common, I propose, is more than

DT

23

Opinion

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

All hands on deck COP7 and COP22 are landmark negotiations in addressing global health and climate change

n Shaila Mahmud

T

he year 2016 may become a milestone for safeguarding the interest of the Earth and its people as the two most important UN conferences -- COP22 (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and COP7 (WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) -- to address climate change and public health will commence on the same day, from November 7 in Delhi and Marrakesh, respectively.

The two accords are important instruments for both people and governments to take back power from the hands of the industries responsible for global warming and tobacco epidemics.

Two milestone accords in the history of reducing global warming and detrimental diseases Last year’s historical Paris Agreement, adopted in COP21, is the first universally binding

surfacing, larger tobacco firms formed together the Tobacco Industry Research Council (TIRC), to deny the harmful effects of tobacco and confuse the public.

It wormed its way into the United Nations’ World Health Organisation and infiltrated WHO’s conferences, wreaking havocs and slowing down any progress to control tobacco consumption and production.

Realising conflict of interest between both the parties, WHO finally undertook the legally binding treaty, known as WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) to “call for a limitation in the interactions between law-makers and the tobacco industry” under Article 5.3.

However, even today, the Big Tobacco has been constantly looking for ways to penetrate the forthcoming COP7 at Delhi.

According to a press release by the International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA), its president, François van der Merwe, appealed

Every part of society must be mobilised to reduce emissions

Now we must move from words to deeds and put Paris into action.

We need all hands on deck -- every part of society must be mobilised to reduce emissions and help communities adapt to inevitable climate impacts climate change agreement to keep global warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius and also the first UN agreement that will enter into force in less than a year on November 4, this year.

Likewise, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) embodies the most effective tobacco control policies from across the globe into international law to protect public health and restrict Big Tobacco.

Because of the prospects of these agreements, Big Tobacco and Big Oil and its friends, have long been infiltrating the UN negotiations to impede any progress to curb their activities of emission and tobacco production.

Luckily, in both bodies, WHO’s FCTC and the UNFCCC, alliances of governments are finding ways to drive these industries out of the talks for good, and hold them accountable for the damages they caused.

Infiltration of Big Tobacco and Big Oil in FCTC and the UNFCCC

In the 1950s, when the fatal consequences of smoking was just

the national governments to include tobacco growers from all of the tobacco growing countries to the COP. As he said: “Measures impacting tobacco cultivation and tobacco farmers cannot be decided only by health officials and activists, and requires the participation of tobacco growers and other stakeholders, including related ministries.”

Similarly, The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) report indicates that the Big Oil knew about greenhouse effect from the beginning of 1977, whereas the world only became aware of the scientific facts of climate change 10 years, after the big polluters.

The Big Oil purposefully kept the information a secret and spread climate disinformation for many years like the tobacco industries did to mislead people about the side effects of tobacco.

Corporate lobby groups associated with polluting industries -- from ExxonMobil to Peabody Coal -- are granted access as observer organisation, and have been infiltrating ways to arrange

closed-door meetings with highlevel delegates and promoting their interests to block any success in reducing global warming.

The UNFCCC has so far welcomed the corporate groups affiliated with big polluters in the UNFCCC negotiations.

In fact, UNFCCC body has not mentioned about “banning the fossil fuel lobbyists” from climate talks and climate change decisions in its landmark Paris Agreement.

However, in Lima at COP20, a report by 350.org suggests that climate activists presented the UNFCCC secretariat a document with over 53,000 signatures calling for fossil fuel corporations and their lobbyists to be banned from the UN Climate Talk.

Why kicking out Big Tobacco and Big Oil is necessary

According to the WHO fact sheet report, tobacco epidemics kill around 6 million people a year; more than 5 million of these deaths are the result of direct tobacco use, while more than 600,000 are the result of nonsmokers being exposed to second-

hand smoke.

Globally, tobacco use killed 100 million people in the 20th century, much more than all deaths in World Wars I and II combined.

The facts suggest that tobaccorelated deaths will number around 1 billion in the 21st century, if current smoking patterns are not ceased.

The scenario is not so much different for damages caused by climate change because of global warming from burning fossil fuels -- in the name of power generation.

The most comprehensive report ever on the human impact of climate change shows that about 300,000 people die every year because of climate change and about 3 million people are affected from either direct or indirect impacts of global warming.

Why COP7 and COP22 are negotiations of interest

The WHO FCTC is the world’s first public health treaty that provides a new legal dimension for international cooperation in combating the tobacco epidemic and is considered to be one of the most widely embraced treaties in the history of WHO and the UN. The governing body comprised of 180 parties, which regularly reviews the implementation of the convention and takes action to promote its effectiveness in controlling tobacco.

WHO’s report on Article 5.3 of the treaty states that Interpol’s

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application for observer status was rejected in the sixth session of the COP because of its partnership with Philip Morris International, an American global cigarette and tobacco company, which accounts for 15.6% of the international cigarette market outside the US. Thus, this year everyone is waiting for new progress to rein in the Big Tobacco and its associations from the convention.

This year, world’s most substantial anti-tobacco treaty, the WHOFCTC, will review the implementation of the treaty so far and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.

The 22nd session of the COP is going to be the first meeting of the world climate envoys, after the successful Paris Agreement comes into effect this fall. As suggested

by UN Secretary General, Ban Kimoon: “Now we must move from words to deeds and put Paris into action.

We need all hands on deck -- every part of society must be mobilised to reduce emissions and help communities adapt to inevitable climate impacts.”

Thus, the world is waiting for the two UN conferences to open new “possibilities” and institutionalise “effective policies” to protect the environment and our health from the tobacco and fossil fuel giants. l Shaila Mahmud is a researcher and writer working in the field of climate change and development.

DT

24 Sport

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

TOP STORIES

Bangladesh, England now shift focus Following an exciting ODI series, the Tigers and England will now turn their attention to the Test leg of the bilateral series, starting with the first two-day practice match between BCB XI and the visiting side today. PAGE 25

Both men, women lose to India in finals India emerged as the champions in the men’s category of the International Handball Federation Trophy after beating hosts Bangladesh 46-25 in the final at Shaheed M Mansur Ali Handball Stadium yesterday. PAGE 26

England captain Jos Buttler is all smiles with the ODI series trophy following their four-wicket win in the deciding game at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Wednesday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Buttler elated, Mashrafe regrets mistakes n Mazhar Uddin

South Africa sweep Australia 5-0 David Warner hit a magnificent century for Australia but could not prevent South Africa from completing a clean sweep by winning the fifth and final oneday international by 31 runs at Newlands on Wednesday. PAGE 27

Messi absence marrs Argentina hopes Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, having reversed his decision to quit international soccer with a view to playing at another World Cup, could miss out on Russia 2018 if Argentina continue their downward spiral in the ongoing South American qualifiers. PAGE 28

brilliant comeback in the second game to level the series and keep their hopes alive of registering their seventh consecutive ODI series win at home, courtesy a magnificent all-round display by skipper Mashrafe bin Mortaza.

He first scored a blistering 29ball 44 to help the home side to a challenging total of 238/8 where apart from Mahmudullah, who scored the highest 75, none of the other batters posted any significant score.

The Narail Express also had a superb start with the ball as he removed both the English openers before breaking the dangerous looking last-wicket partnership.

He ended up with bowling figures of 4/29 as Bangladesh won the game by 34 runs. But it was the visitors who played some good cricket to win the third and final ODI. Bangladesh posted a fighting 277/6, riding on Mushfiqur Rahim’s unbeaten 67.

It has been an eventful threematch ODI series between Bangladesh and England as the visitors clinched the series-deciding game by four wickets at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Wednesday.

The excitement reached its peak both on and off the field after the visitors staged a dramatic comeback to win the first ODI by 21 runs. Bangladesh went on to lose their last six wickets adding only 17 runs in pursuit of 310, eventually being bundled out for 288 with 13 balls to spare.

At one stage, the Tigers were cruising to their target riding on a magnificent hundred from Imrul Kayes and a quick-fire 79 off 55 balls by Shakib al Hasan. But they somehow managed to make a mess of their chase to suffer a heart-breaking defeat.

However, Bangladesh made a

have come,” he said.

On the other hand, England captain Jos Buttler informed that he is delighted to win his maiden series as skipper and said it will help them ahead of the upcoming away series against India.

“Yeah I think in the coming days we will reflect on it more. I don’t think we can underestimate what we have achieved here. It’s a tough place to come. It’s been a fantastic tour. The crowd has been fantastic. We have been looked after brilliantly. It’s always great to win. We are a pretty young and inexperienced team. We will learn a lot from here,” said Buttler.

Imrul was the highest run scorer of the series with 169 runs while Ben Stokes top-scored for England with 148 runs.

The tourists’ leg-spinner Adil Rashid was the leading wicket taker with 10 scalps while Mashrafe was the most successful Tigers bowler with eight dismissals.l

The English batsmen though utilised the conditions perfectly situation as the dew factor prevented the Tigers spinners from gripping the ball. Sam Billings and Ben Duckett struck fifties as England won with 13 balls in hand.

And according to Mashrafe, if Bangladesh had been able to win the first game, the series outcome could well have been different.

“With this (third) match, to be honest, I have no complaints. Yes, when 30 to 31 overs were left, we couldn’t use that over, we couldn’t utilise it properly and otherwise, the way it was turning on the wicket it was a bit unplayable,” Mashrafe told the media after the third ODI. “Actually with regards to this match, we have nothing left, but if you look at the series, we could have been more calculative in the first match. So yeah, if we could have finished the first match calculatedly then this day wouldn’t

MOST RUNS

MOST WICKETS

PLAYERS

MATCHES

RUNS

HS

AVE

SR

100

50

PLAYERS

MATCHES

WKS

BBI

AVE

ER

SR

Imrul Kayes

3

169

112

56.33

86.66

1

0

Adil Rashid

3

10

4/43

14.5

5

17.4

Ben Stokes

3

148

101

74

96.73

1

0

Mashrafe bin Mortaza

3

8

4/29

16.5

4.6

21.5

Jos Buttler

3

145

63

48.33

119.83

0

2

Jake Ball

3

7

5/51

19.85

5.38

22.1

Ben Duckett

3

123

63

41

80.92

0

2

Shafiul Islam

3

4

2/50

39.25

5.85

40.2

Mahmudullah

3

106

75

35.33

87.6

0

1

Taskin Ahmed

3

3

3/47

43.66

5.69

46

25

DT

Sport

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

Bangladesh, England focus now shift to Test leg Shahriyar Bappa, n Ali from Chittagong Following an exciting ODI series, the Tigers and England will now turn their attention to the Test leg of the bilateral series, starting with the first two-day practice match between Bangladesh Cricket Board XI and the visiting side today.

Sabbir Rahman will lead the BCB XI side in the first two-dayer, to be held at MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong, while Soumya Sarkar will skipper the team in the second practice game. Among the ODI squad, Mosaddek Hossain, Sabbir and Soumya have been included for the practice match.

Soumya was dropped from the ODI playing XI against England due to bad form. The left-hander has played three Test matches so far with the last of his five-dayers coming against India in 2015. The southpaw therefore, will be desperate for some runs in order to earn a Test recall.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan will be under the spotlight as well as he can be included in the Test squad as a second choice stumper.

Youngsters Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Mosaddek, Nurul, opening batsman Shadman Islam and paceman Ebadat Hossain will get to play both the practice matches.

On the eve of the first two-dayer, England practised yesterday at MA Aziz Stadium and all eyes are expected to be on newcomers Haseeb Hameed, Ben Duckett and all-rounder Zafar Ansari.

Should Hameed open with captain Alastair Cook in the five-day format or will England try Duckett as the other opener? This is the question on everyone’s lips.

Duckett scored two half-centuries against the hosts in the just-concluded ODI series and bagged bagful of runs in the summer for his English county side Northamptonshire. The decision on the England opening pair will be made after the practice matches.

Gareth Batty, the 39-year old Surrey spinner, will be another to watch out for as he has returned to the Test squad after a long gap of 11 years. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid had a decent ODI series against the Tigers and can be another option for England.

During practice, Hameed batted for a long time in the nets while England pacers Stuart Broad and Steven Finn and spin duo Batty and Ansari chanced their arm around.

Meanwhile, England Test skipper Cook has returned home for the birth of his second child. He came earlier to Bangladesh for practice before returning home. He will miss both the two-day warm-up matches

before rejoining the squad in time for the first Test, beginning this Thursday at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in the port city.

Weather has been the biggest concern in the last few days. But despite the rain threat, the third ODI between the two teams was duly completed.

And it seems the weather is improving as it did not rain yesterday while the sun was at its brightest all day long.

But there is a slight chance of rain today. The drainage system of the stadium is not as effective compared to ZACS or Mirpur’s Sher-eBangla National Stadium. So if rain intervenes then the playing time will be largely reduced.

Cricket is returning after three years at MA Aziz Stadium. The last time a practice match was arranged here was against New Zealand but it was abandoned due to rain. Security has been beefed up around the stadium ahead of the practice match.

BCB XI squad for first warm-up

Soumya Sarkar, Shahriar Nafees, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Sabbir Rahman (C), Mosaddek Hossain, Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury, Nurul Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Abu Jayed Chowdhury, Ebadat Hossain and Shadman Islam. l

England off-spinner Gareth Batty bowls while left-arm spinner Zafar Ansari looks on during training in Chittagong yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Mashrafe ninth best ODI bowler n Mazhar Uddin

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza reacts during the third ODI against England MI MANIK

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza rose to a career-best ninth position in the ICC’s latest ODI bowlers’ rankings after his 12 wickets in six matches against Afghanistan and England recently.

The news comes as a double cause for joy as the 33-year old paceman became the leading Bangladesh wicket-taker in the 50-over format following his two-wicket haul against England in the third ODI on Wednesday. With 216 wickets, Mashrafe leapfrogged Shakib al Hasan, who has one less.

Previously, his best ranking was 10th back in 2009 after a successful series against Zimbabwe.

The Tigers skipper has been in brilliant form with the ball lately, giving his side important breakthroughs.

In the meantime, Shakib dropped two places to sixth in the ODI bowlers’ rankings. However, the champion cricketer still leads the ODI all-rounders’ list with 391 rating points.

Mushfiqur Rahim, meanwhile, is still at the top 20 ODI batsmen’s rankings but he dropped one place to 19th while Tamim Iqbal jumped one place to 22nd.

Mahmudullah rose six places to 42nd in the ODI batsmen’s rankings.

As far as the ODI teams’ rankings are concerned, Bangladesh remain at seventh with 95 (-3) points but lost three crucial points after their

2-1 defeat against England. Pakistan (89-2) are at eighth, overtaking the West Indies, who are ninth with 88-6 rating points.

Australia are at the top of the ODI teams’ rankings with 118 (-6) rating points while South Africa (116+6) and New Zealand (113) are second and third respectively with India, England and Sri Lanka at fourth, fifth and sixth. l

ICC ODI TEAM RANKINGS

ICC ODI ALL-ROUNDERS’ RANKINGS RATINGS

ICC ODI BANGLADESH BATSMEN’S RANKINGS RATINGS

PLAYERS

19

650

Mushfiqur Rahim

22

620

Tamim Iqbal

34

592

Shakib al Hasan

42

558

Mahmudullah

53

536

Nasir Hossain

ICC ODI BOWLERS’ RANKINGS

TEAMS

M

PTS

RAT

1

Australia

51

6023

118

1

391

NAMES Shakib al Hasan (BAN)

1

RATINGS 731

NAMES Trent Boult (NZ)

2

South Africa

52

6024

116

2

352

Angelo Mathews (SL)

2

725

Sunil Narine (WI)

3

New Zealand

41

4631

113

3

332

Mohammad Nabi (AFG)

3

712

Imran Tahir (SA)

4

India

48

5278

110

4

315

James Faulkner (AUS)

4

690

Mitchell Starc (AUS)

5

England

54

5804

107

5

299

Mitchell Marsh (AUS)

5

675

Matt Henry (NZ)

6

Sri Lanka

56

5657

101

6

259

Ravindra Jadeja (IND)

6

660

Shakib al Hasan (BAN)

7

Bangladesh

30

2840

95

7

255

Moeen Ali (ENG)

7

655

Adil Rashid (ENG)

8

Pakistan

51

4555

89

8

252

Corey Anderson (NZ)

8

628

Kagiso Rabada (SA)

9

West Indies

33

2919

88

9

247

Glenn Maxwell (AUS)

9

623

Mashrafe (BAN)

10 Afghanistan

26

1341

52

10

244

Ben Stokes (ENG)

10

619

Mohammad Nabi (AFG)

DT

26

Sport

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

INT’L HANDBALL FEDERATION TROPHY

Both men, women lose to India in finals n Tribune Report

Action from the men’s final of the IHF Trophy between hosts Bangladesh and India in Dhaka yesterday

COURTESY

India emerged as the champions in the men’s category of the International Handball Federation Trophy after beating hosts Bangladesh 4625 in the final at Shaheed M Mansur Ali National Handball Stadium yesterday.

Bangladesh started evenly against India but the visitors gradually drove themselves to the driving seat with their technical and tactical game-play. Bangladesh attackers also wasted a good number of opportunities and at the end of the first half, India were leading 20-10.

Bangladesh failed to rise to the occasion and the second half saw India taking full control to finish the match as the champions.

Meanwhile, the Indian women’s team also became the winners following their 48-29 victory over the home side in the final. The tourists

were leading 26-7 in the first half.

Shifa and Rahima bagged eight goals each for Bangladesh. Monika was the highest scorer with eight goals for the victors.

In the meantime, Pakistan finished third in both the men’s and women’s categories. In the thirdplace decider of the men’s section, Pakistan beat Nepal 42-14. The winners led the first half 18-7.

Junaid Mohammad of Pakistan scored the highest goals netting six. KC Chandra of Nepal found the back of the net five times.

Pakistan women also followed their male team to finish third in the women’s category after registering a 34-16 victory over Sri Lanka. Pakistan led the first half 22-7.

Zahra Nisar netted the highest 12 goals for Pakistan followed

by Sehar Iqbal, who netted eight.

Sandya of Sri Lanka scored eight times. l

5000 ODI runs for Tamim Nadal considers slashing schedule Shahriyar Bappa n Ali from Chittagong

Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal entered the record books of Bangladesh cricket when he became the first Tigers batsman to reach the 5000-run club in ODIs during the third and final game against England at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Wednesday.

Tamim required 38 runs to reach the milestone. The Chittagong lad eventually made 45 from 68 balls, featuring five sweetly-timed boundaries.

The local crowd was cheering the southpaw’s name loudly when he was on 37 and he duly responded, smashing a beautiful four off paceman Chris Woakes to reach the landmark. It was a genuine bouncer from Woakes but Tamim nailed it perfectly, executing a delightful pull shot.

Following the milestone, the ZACS crowd erupted in celebration

as one of their own wrote his name on the record books.

The left-hander’s promising innings came to an end when he tried to clear the in-field off the bowling of leg-spinner Adil Rashid only to find James Vince at cover.

Tamim reached the milestone in his 158th innings. He scored his first 1000 runs in his 37th innings, 2000 in 70th, 3000 in 102nd and 4000 in 137th.

He has scored seven centuries and 33 fifties in the ODI format. He struck one century each against Afghanistan, England, Ireland, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe and two against Pakistan.

His highest score of 154 came against Zimbabwe in 2009. Five among his seven hundreds were scored at home with the other two coming abroad (against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe).

After Wednesday, his runs tally stands at 5007 runs with an average of 32.30 and a strike rate of 78.10. l

MOST RUNS IN ODIS BY BANGLADESH BATSMEN PLAYERS

MATCHES

RUNS

HS

AVE

SR

100

50

Tamim Iqbal

159

5007

154

32.3

Shakib al Hasan

163

4566

134*

34.85

78.1

7

33

80.79

6

31

Mushfiqur Rahim

164

4076

117

31.59

76.3

4

23

Mohammad Ashraful

175

3468

109

22.37

70.11

3

20

Mahmudullah

131

2854

128*

33.97

74.8

2

16

n AFP, Shanghai

Rafael Nadal said he may call an early halt to his season and hit the practice courts instead as he bids to halt a slide in his form and results in time for next season.

The 30-year-old, a 14-time Grand Slam champion, bore a worried look after he was soundly beaten 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) by Viktor Troicki in his first match at the Shanghai Masters.

It extended a difficult run for the Spanish left-hander who hasn’t reached a final since he won his second title of the year in Barcelona in April.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next couple of weeks. It’s something that I need to think about”, said the world number five on Wednesday.

“I cannot say now what I’m going to do during the next month.

I’m not sure about my calendar.

I’m not sure about the things that I need to do to try to be 100 percent ready for next year.”

The last events of the season include the Swiss Indoors, the Paris Masters and the ATP World Tour Finals in London. But Nadal said more tournaments may not be what he needs.

“Sometimes keeping (on) competing is not the solution. Sometimes the solution is to practise and

stop and have a process of training.

And maybe that’s an opportunity to do it,” he said.

“I’m not sure about that. Maybe I’m going to play in Basel in two weeks. So it’s not the day and not the moment to analyse all these kind of things.”

Nadal’s first ever defeat to Troicki, ranked 31st, came less than a week after his dispiriting straightsets loss to Grigor Dimitrov in the China Open quarter-finals.

Signs are growing of a steady decline for the one-time clay court king, who won his first Slam title

aged 17 but hasn’t added to his tally of majors since the 2014 French Open.

Nadal said he badly needed to work on his once-formidable forehand, and the speed of movement which made him a brick wall for so many opponents.

“Every time that I hit the forehand, I need to create pain for the opponent, something that is not happening today,” he said.

“Maybe because I had an injury on the wrist and I am scared. Maybe because I still have some limitation in there.” l

Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return against Viktor Troicki of Serbia during their men’s singles match at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday AFP

27

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Sport

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

QUICK BYTES NCL 4th, 5th, 6th rounds deferred The fourth round of the ongoing 18th National Cricket League, originally scheduled to get underway today, has been deferred due to the prevailing inclement weather. The fifth and sixth rounds of the country’s premier first-class competition have also been pushed back. The Bangladesh Cricket Board announced this in a press release on Tuesday.

Barisal currently lead the tier with 23 points, closely followed by Khulna, who have four less points. Rajshahi, meanwhile, are at the summit of tier two with 33 points while Rangpur are second with 28 points.

–TRIBUNE REPORT

Siddikur 16th after Macao Open first round Ace Bangladesh golfer Siddikur Rahman began his Venetian Macao Open campaign in impressive style, carding two-under-par 69 to find himself tied for 16th place along with 12 others. At the Macau Golf and Country Club yesterday, Siddikur traded two bogeys against four birdies in the first round of the $1,100,000 tournament.

–TRIBUNE REPORT

DAY’S WATCH FOOTBALL TEN 1

10:30PM French Ligue 1 2016/17 Toulouse v Monaco 12:45AM Bet EFL 2016/17 Cardiff City v Bristol City

TEN 2 2:50PM A-League 2016/17 Adelaide United v Western Sydney Wanderers FC 12:45AM French Ligue 1 2016/17 Nice v Olympic Lyon

South Africa sweep Australia despite Warner heroics n AFP, Le Cap David Warner hit a magnificent century for Australia but could not prevent South Africa from completing a clean sweep by winning the fifth and final one-day international by 31 runs at Newlands on Wednesday.

Warner hit 173 off 136 balls but received scant support from his teammates as Australia, chasing South Africa’s 327 for eight, were bowled out for 296.

South Africa won all five matches in the series, the first time Australia have suffered such a beating in a five-game bilateral series. Australia will retain their number one ranking in one-day internationals, however, with South Africa two points behind in second place.

Rilee Rossouw hit 122 and JP Duminy made 73 as South Africa piled up the third-highest total in a one-day international at Newlands, making them firm favourites on a ground where the highest success-

ful run chase was 258.

Warner was dropped by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock off Kagiso Rabada when he had 11. He went on to play a thrilling innings, hitting 24 fours, and Australia remained

5TH ODI SOUTH AFRICA 327/8 in 50 overs (Rossouw 122, Duminy 73, Mennie 3/49) beat AUSTRALIA 296 in 48.2 overs (Warner 173, Tahir 2/42, Abbott 2/48) by 31 runs in with a chance of victory until he was ninth out with the total on 288, run out by a throw from the point boundary by Imran Tahir, desperate for a risky second run in order to keep the strike.

Leg-spinner Tahir had earlier taken two wickets in his first over, ending an opening stand of 72 between Warner and Aaron Finch, then bowling Smith two balls later.

South African captain Faf du Plessis paid tribute to Warner. l

South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw plays a shot during the fifth and final ODI against Australia at Newlands, Cape Town on Wednesday REUTERS

What happened in South Africa may not have much bearing on the Test series, with conditions and playing personnel being very different.

Only three of the Australian one-day squad – captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh – are likely starters in the Test series, which starts in Perth on November 3.

Nine of South Africa’s one-day winners are in the Test squad, however, including Steyn, whose five one-day wickets came at a cost

of 50.80 runs each, while he leaked runs at a shade under seven an over.

Fellow fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, also expected to play a key role in the Tests, was marginally worse.

He also took five wickets, but at an average of 52.80 in conceding 7.33 runs an over.

South African captain Faf du Plessis said both fast bowlers were aware they had performed below expectations but said he expected both to step up in Australia, especially Steyn.

Steyn key as rivals gear up for Tests n AFP, Le Cap Dale Steyn may have taken a pounding during South Africa’s one-day international series sweep over Australia, but he remains key to his country’s hopes when they take on their long-time rivals in a Test series next month.

Just four days after completing an historic 5-0 victory in a one-day series, South Africa’s cricketers will board a flight to Perth on Sunday for an even bigger challenge – three Test matches in Australia.

STAR SPORTS 1

Refined pink ball provides renewed optimism

7:20PM Indian Super League Kochi v Mumbai

SONY ESPN 12:40AM Spanish La Liga Las Palmas v Espanyol

n AFP, Dubai

CRICKET TEN 3 5:30PM West Indies Tour of Pakistan 1st Test, Day 2

KABADDI STAR SPORTS 2 Kabaddi World Cup 8:20PM England v Argentina 9:40PM USA v Poland

Du Plessis admitted, though, that Steyn’s fitness would be crucial.

Now 33, the long-time number one bowler in Test cricket suffered groin and, more recently, shoulder injuries that severely restricted his appearances last season.

Australian vice-captain Warner was among those who benefitted from Steyn’s struggles in the oneday games.

Warner top-scored in the series with 386 runs at an average of 77.20. l

Pakistani batsman Sami Aslam plays a shot on the opening day of their first daynight Test against the West Indies in the Gulf Emirate yesterday AFP

Pakistan and West Indies went into the second ever day-night Test today in Dubai with the manufacturers of the format’s pink ball confident it is now more durable and visible.

Australia and New Zealand featured in the inaugural day-night Test match at Adelaide in November last year - the first in the 140year history of Test cricket.

That was a significant departure from the traditional red ball used in Test cricket since 1876, but the trial

did not pass off without its problems.

The contest was a low-scoring affair with Australia clinching a nail-biting three-wicket victory inside three days -- the highest individual score 66 by Australian wicket-keeper Peter Nevill.

And most of the players complained of difficulty in seeing the pink ball, particularly during the twilight hours.

Shannon Gill, a spokesperson for the Kookaburra sports equipment company, admitted there was initially a problem but said it has since been addressed. l

DT

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Sport

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

Messi absence marrs Argentina hopes n Reuters Lionel Messi, having reversed his decision to quit international soccer with a view to playing at another World Cup, could miss out on Russia 2018 if Argentina continue their downward spiral.

Argentina played poorly in their last three qualifiers without the injured Messi and languish in fifth place in the South American group with Paraguay and Chile hot on their tails.

Only four countries are guaranteed a place at the finals.

Midfield general Javier Mascherano was under no illusions when he said: “It’s clear the team need to react, and it’s not their attitude there’s plenty of that - but in terms of their game.”

Unable to compensate for Messi’s absence despite a pool of players with big reputations in European club football, Argentina were jeered and whistled by their fans after Tuesday’s humiliating 1-0 home defeat by Paraguay in Cordoba.

It is the first time Argentina have lost two home matches in a qualifying campaign, having also started on the wrong foot with a 2-0 defeat by Ecuador in Buenos Aires

‘Bigger World Cup is complete insanity’ n Reuters, Berlin FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s proposal for a bigger World Cup is complete insanity, putting more pressure on already stretched players and risking damage to the sport’s showcase event, Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke told Reuters yesterday.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino proposed this month increasing the World Cup to 48 teams up from the current 32. A decision will be taken in January, but FIFA is discussing it this week.

“I am totally against it. It is complete insanity,” Watzke told Reuters in an interview. “The World Cup is the biggest thing in football and should not be played around with.”

He said players were already playing too many games, in several competitions simultaneously.

“Players are already permanently stretched too thin. For FIFA this may not be important at all but we as a club have to go against it,” Watzke said.

“What will happen next? The next FIFA President proposes 84 clubs?” he asked. l

a year ago.

“We lost (on Tuesday) because the team never found answers in either of the two matches,” said Mascherano, referring to both the Paraguay defeat and last week’s 2-2 draw with Peru in Lima. “The (poor) football ends up affecting your state of mind. I’m very worried.”

Argentina face a tough double-header next month, playing away to a fast-improving Brazil before hosting Colombia. l

Messi back in Barcelona training

n AFP, Barcelona

Global superstar Lionel Messi returned to training with Barcelona on Wednesday following three weeks out with a groin injury.

France international defender Samuel Umtiti also returned to training.

“Both Leo Messi and Samuel Umtiti, despite neither yet being declared fit for selection as they battle to recover from injury, were able to join the rest of the team for the workout,” said the statement accompanied by a photo showing Argentine Messi at training. l

Argentinian legend Diego Armando Maradona vies with compatriot Juan Sebastian Veron during the ‘Match of Peace - United for Peace’ charity match promoted by Schools for Encounter Foundation at Olympic Stadium in Rome on Wednesday AFP

Cantona: United can be champions under Mourinho n AFP, Lisbon Former Manchester United great Eric Cantona has backed Jose Mourinho’s squad to get back to challenging for top honours, three years since they last won the Pre-

mier League.

“It’s just the beginning. Manchester can still be champions. Jose Mourinho is a successful manager at a successful club which this year has succesful players,” the former French international said in an inter-

view published Wednesday in Portuguese daily newspaper Publico.

“But this is an extremely difficult championship, full of great teams and great managers like (Manchester City coach) Pep Guardiola,” he added.

Since Alex Ferguson retired after winning the league in 2013, Manchester United have finished seventh, fourth and fifth, their only major trophy during that time being last season’s FA Cup. The club kicked off their league campaign this season with three straight wins under Mourinho, but slumped to back-to-back defeats against Manchester City and Watford.

They are in sixth place in the English Premier League table with 12 points after seven matches.

After the international break, Manchester United travel to Liverpool on October 17.

Cantona, 50, won four league titles with united prior to retiring in 1997 at the end of a colourful career in which he became a cult figure at Old Trafford. He now lives in Lisbon.l

Liverpool, Man United warn fans ahead of clash n Reuters Liverpool and Manchester United have warned fans that they will be removed from Anfield and could face criminal charges if found engaging in “offensive or discriminatory behaviour” in Monday’s Premier League clash.

The English clubs were fined by UEFA earlier this year over a variety of charges, including illicit chanting, during their Europa League last-16 tie in March. The clubs were fined 40,000 euros each.

“There is great rivalry between our fans and we ask all supporters to be respectful and help eradicate all forms of offensive and discriminatory behaviour from the game,” the clubs said in a joint statement.

“If any supporters are found to be engaged in any form of offensive or discriminatory behaviour by stewards or via CCTV then they will be immediately removed from the stadium, risk arrest, prosecution and be reported in accordance with the club’s ground regulations.”

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp expects Monday’s clash to be a thriller. l

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Wander (4) 3 Male deer (4) 7 Greek letter (3) 8 Long-piled fabric (5) 11 Rodents (4) 12 Depart (5) 13 Watchful (5) 15 Climbing (4) 18 Old stringed instrument (4) 19 Tears (5) 20 Approaches (5) 21 Conceal (4) 23 Paris subway (5) 24 United (3) 25 Look after (4) 26 Petty quarrel (4)

DOWN 1 Annul (6) 2 Talisman (6) 4 Beverage (3) 5 Wait on (6) 6 Fuel (3) 9 Calm (6) 10 Headwear (3) 11 Venerate (6) 14 Relating to the wolf (6) 16 Part of the foot (6) 17 Protection on a journey (6) 19 Male sheep (3) 21 Pungent (3) 22 Lair (3)

29

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Downtime

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 17 represents R so fill R every time the figure 17 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

DT

30

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

Showtime

Poet Hasan Hafiz turns 62

Bob Dylan becomes a Nobel Laureate

n Nirmal Chakrabarty 15th october is the 62nd birth anniversary of the eminent poet and journalist Hasan Hafiz. He was born on October 15, 1955 in Elahinagar village at Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj. He began his journalistic career 40 years ago as the Dhaka University Correspondent of now defunct Dainik Bangla. A popular poet and journalist of the 1970s, Hasan later worked for Dainik Janakantha, Boishakhi Television and Dainik Amar Desh. He was the Bangladesh Correspondent of weekly (now fortnightly) Desh of Kolkata. He is now working for fortnightly Anannya.

Hasan Hafiz has authored and edited a total of 142 books, including 48 poetry books (one published from Kolkata). Some of his poems were translated in English, French, Hindi, Urdu, Persian and Arabic. In recognition of his contribution to literature and journalism, he

n Showtime Desk was accorded several awards.

Of the awards Sreegyan Autish Dipankar Gold Medal, DUCSU Sahitya Puraskar, Agrani Bank Shishusahitya Puraskar, Souhardya Kabita Utsab Sammanana of Kolkata, Jatiya Press Club Lekhok Sammanana and Dhaka Reporters Unity Lekhok Sammanana need special mention.

He is the General Secretary of UN recognized organisation Bangladesh Paribesh Sangbadik Forum (FEJB) and life member of Bangla Academy. Little magazine ÔDaag’ (Edited by poet Mizanur Rahman Belal) will publish a special issue on Hasan Hafiz marking his birth anniversary. l

Ishana plays two characters in Ananta Hira’s Raatrer Chaya n Nirmal Chakrabarty Bangladeshi Model and Actress Mounita Khan Ishana has played two roles, in the characters of mother and daughter, in the same TV drama Raatrer chaya.

This is the first time Ishana has acted in a dual role. This is also her first work with the prominent actor Tariq Anam Khan.

Directed by Ananta Hira, the shooting for the TV drama has been completed recently.

“It is a great experience for me. I was very nervous at first about playing two characters.

And I was also nervous about acting with Tariq Anam Khan. I have played the role of his wife,” Ishana said.

Ishana has recently acted in the dramas Shopno vomor and Dream of Life. She has also acted in a number of TV dramas including Tumi Ashbey Boley, Khelaghor, Shantee Odhidaptor, which are currently being broadcast on various TV channels. l

His songs may not be on your playlist right now, but he was the biggest thing in the music world when your grandparents were young, wild and free. Bob Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, is without a doubt one of the most influential artists in the 20th and 21st centuries. “There is not a bigger giant in the history of American music,” said President Obama.

He is still relevant and popular amongst younger music enthusiasts compared to his contemporaries. His interest in folk music grew during his university years. In 1961, when he moved to New York, his skills as a harmonica player caught the attention of Columbia records.

The self titled folk and blues album received mixed reviews.

He, nevertheless, received praises from his peers for his poetic lyrics.

In the 1960s he joined the Civil Rights movement and gained notoriety for his politically charged songs. Around time

his album The Times They Are a-Changin’ reached the Top 20 charts. His international fame kept growing with every release.

After becoming disillusioned with the protest movement, Dylan started to change his musical style.

His folk fans felt betrayed as he was trying to move towards rock and electric sounds. Around that time he released the song ‘Like a Rolling Stone’, which is now considered “the most influential song of all time.”

After a motorcycle accident during the late 60s he we went into a hiatus. Throughout the 80’s he kept changing his sound and image and stayed relevant in pop culture.

Dylan’s songs have been covered by many famous artists including Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton.

Throughout his career he has experimented on various media.

He has recorded 37 albums, penned 7 books, published 6 art books and acted in movies.

The Nobel prize has been awarded to Dylan “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” l

Ar Tarar Golpoo

n Showtime Desk Tara is an actress and Mamun is a professional photographer.

They came to know each while shooting for a TV serial.

The two fall in love but a complicated situation forces Tara to choose between Mamun and her career. Tara, who had a tough life and found solace in her

relationship with Mamun, faces tremendous dilemma and must decide what she will give up.

This is the story of Ar Tarar Golpoo. Written and directed by Shikhor Shahoniat, the key roles are played by Sumaya Shimu, Naeem, and Rokia Parci.

The drama will be aired on Friday, 14 October, at 9:05pm on NTV. l

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

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'Skibkhan on the mic' nRayan Quddus His body of work is a tad bit baffling. He started out with gangsta rap and now writes about social issues. Skibkhan is one of the first rappers in Bangladesh. He started his career as a rapper with his group Deshi MCs nearly a decade ago. With explicit language and style Deshi MCs’ lyrics generated some outrage, particularly amongst the elderly citizens. Skibkhan, Nevertheless, gained a cult following, which mostly consists of young adults and school going youth. This week the man himself sat down with Showtime for an interview.

When you started rapping there rap music was unknown in the mainstream. How did you get into hip hop music?

My family was very enthusiastic about music; you can say my upbringings were culturally nourished. As a matter of fact, when I was a kid, we had a set of Akai speakers, a tabla and a harmonium at my house. I

learned to play a bit of those classical instruments and played them for a short while. This was before iPods and Mp3 players.

Walkmans and cassette tapes were the thing back then. And I used to listen to some western songs, like Limp Bizkit, Eminem, and the greats like Tupac and Biggie. So around that time I started building some interest about rapping. Then later, I saw Eminem in 8 Mile and it motivated me more. After that I started following an online forum, curated by the members of Stoic Bliss. And this was before Facebook. In that forum I came across a lot of Bengali hip hop enthusiasts, who were mostly

expats. But as time passed by, I met SHAQ, XPLOSIVE, and MC MUGZ and gradually formed Deshi Mcs. You started off with gangsta rap which had graphic content, and now you make songs which are more socially aware with cleaner language. Why this radical shift in tone?

Gangsta rap was a huge influence back then and I talked about what I saw. We (Deshi MCs) did whatever we felt like and I enjoyed it. Then after a while I realised that there were some kids following me. And as a human being I wanted to spread a more positive message, I still do. On the other hand I keep experimenting with music, every now and then.

I’ve worked with Fuad bhai and Mila in the past, which was a very good gig for me. And recently I worked with Shahrar Nizam on a track called, Deshi. To be frank, I enjoyed working with them all, but none of those songs are closer to my heart than my old single, "Keno Ei Poth Nile." Till

this day I think that was probably my rawest work. When I do a song, the songwriting is the most important part of my art. And since I don’t make releases that often, I try to make every thing count. For instance, in my most recent single, "Baagher Bachcha," I tried to aware the masses about my country’s problem in a benevolent way.

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Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Leslie Bibb

When I do a song, the songwriting is the most important part of my art

Do you have any upcoming songs that are politically motivated, with anti-establishment sentiments?

I want to make it very clear- I am NOT anti-establishment, I simply want accountability and transparency. I want things to be right. I don’t want to put those labels on me. As an artist I try to give people a little joy and still make them think about our problems. And yes I have some things coming out very soon, and this is the first time I am letting any newspaper know about it first-hand. I am making a song titled "Shob Chup," which is filled with historical and economic references of our nation and its heritage. I haven’t decided the exact date of release, but it will be soon. I hope it will be thoughtprovoking for my listeners. It will be a treat I hope. So keep your ears open. l

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Zookeeper HBO 7:29 A group of zoo animals decide to break their code of silence in order to help their lovable zoo keeper find love.

Cast: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb l

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016

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Dylan wins literature Nobel n Reuters, Stockholm Bob Dylan, regarded as the voice of a generation for his influential songs from the 1960s onwards, has won the Nobel Prize for Literature in a surprise decision that made him the only singer-songwriter to win the award.

The 75-year-old Dylan - who won the prize for "having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition" - now finds himself in the company of Winston Churchill, Thomas Mann and Rudyard Kipling as Nobel laureates.

The announcement was met with gasps in Stockholm's stately Royal Academy hall, followed - unusually - by some laughter.

Dylan's songs, such as "Blowin' in the Wind", "The Times They Are a-Changin'", "Subterranean Home-

sick Blues" and "Like a Rolling Stone" captured a spirit of rebellion, dissent and independence.

More than 50 years on, Dylan is still writing songs and is often on tour, performing his dense poetic lyrics, sung in a sometimes rasping voice.

Awarding the SEK8m ($930,000) prize, the Swedish

Academy said: "Dylan has the status of an icon. His influence on contemporary music is profound."

Dylan's spokesman, Elliott Mintz, declined immediate comment when reached by phone, citing the early hour in Los Angeles, where it was 3am at the time of the announcement. Dylan was due to give a concert in Las Vegas on Thursday evening. l

Ü Dylan began his career as an acoustic singer-songwriter specialising in protest songs such as “Blowin’ In The Wind”. His first album was the eponymous “Bob Dylan” released in 1962. Ü Dylan has generally eschewed praise, including from critics and fans labelling him an artist, a poet or the voice of his generation.

He has variously described himself as a trapeze artist, an “ashtray bender”, a “rabbit catcher” and a “dog smoother”. Ü Dylan’s most famous songs include “Subterranean Homesick Blues”, “Mr Tambourine Man”, “Just Like A Woman”, “Lay, Lady Lay”, “Tangled Up in Blue” and “Maggie’s Farm”. Ü Famous lyrics include “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows”, “’Come in,’ she said, ‘I’ll give you shelter from the storm’,”, “The ladder of the law has no top and no bottom”, and “I saw ten thousand talkers whose tongues were all broken/I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children ... And it’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall.”

‘SKIBKHAN ON THE MIC’ PAGE 31

Thai King Bhumibol dies n Reuters, Bangkok Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was the world’s longest-reigning monarch, died in hospital yesterday, the palace said in an announcement. He was 88.

King Bhumibol reigned for seven decades after ascending the throne in 1946. His loss is being deeply mourned in Thailand, where he was regarded as a pillar of stability during decades of political upheaval and rapid development.

The palace did not give a reason for his death but he has been sick in hospital with various ailments for much of the past year.

“His Majesty has passed away at Siriraj Hospital peacefully,” the palace said, adding he died at 15:52 local time.

His son, the 63-year old Crown

Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, is expected to become Thailand’s new king.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chanocha addressed the nation shortly after the announcement of the king’s death to say that the government would inform parliament of the choice.

Prayuth did not identify the heir but King Bhumibol designated prince Vajiralongkorn the heir apparent when he invested him as the crown prince in 1972.

“The government will inform the National Legislative Assembly that His Majesty the King has already designated his heir,” said Prayuth.

Anxiety about the king’s health and the succession formed the backdrop to over a decade of political upheaval in Thailand that has included two coups. l

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