October 15, 2016 by DhakaTribune

SECOND EDITION

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Ashwin 30, 1423, Muharram 13, 1438

Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 167

www.dhakatribune.com

32 pages |

Price: Tk10

A new beginning Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Dhaka for a two-day visit yesterday to a rousing welcome, and the two nations have announced that their ties have been elevated to the level of Strategic Partnership, promising to open up new avenues of cooperation.  PAGE 4 COLUMN 1

RELATED STORIES ON PAGES 2 AND 3

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Sir Vidia in the house  PAGE 32

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News

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid in conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the state banquet in Bangabhaban yesterday

PID

Kachchi was the chow at Bangabhaban n Tribune Desk

President Abdul Hamid on Friday entertained visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping with Dhakai Kachchi Biriyani, Shami Kabab and Aloo-Bukhara chutney as he hosted dinner in honour of his Chinese counterpart at Bangabhaban. The Bangladesh President laid out 10 items on the menu for the

dinner held at the Darbar Hall of Bangbabhaban, reports UNB. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, former President and Prime Minister’s special envoy HM Ershad and entourage of the Chinese President, among others, attended the dinner. Poached giant king prawn and

cream of mushroom soup were served to the guests as starters while smoked Eel fish on crispy salad bed with a drizzle of light oyster sauce was there as Entrée. Chicken Tikka, Kachchi Biriyani with Shami Kabab served with minted house sauce and poppadum; Szechuan style shredded beef with onions, capsicum and mixed vegetables and plain rice were

served to the guests as main dishes. The high-profile guests got traditional malai chop, seasonal fresh fruits and petit fours as dessert. Prior to the dinner, a cultural programme was organised in honor of Xi Jinping at the Drabar Hall with artistes from Shilpakala Academy performing there. Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, State Minister for Foreign

Affairs M Shahriar Alam, Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque, President’s Military Secretary Major General Abul Hossain and the Press Secretary Joinal Abedin were present. Earlier, Xi Jinping had a meeting with Abdul Hamid at the Cabinet Hall of the presidential palace. The Chinese President also signed Visitor’s Book at the Bangabhaban. l

China, BD firms sign $13.6bn deals n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

Chinese President Xi Jinping joins Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President Abdul Hamid for a state banquet and a cultural programme at Bangabhaban yesterday PID

A total of 13 agreements of $13.6 billion were signed between Bangladesh and Chinese companies in the areas of infrastructure, construction, energy and transportation. Business people from the two countries signed the agreements at Bangladesh-China Business Forum in Dhaka yesterday. The Forum was organised on the occasion of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s official visit to Bangladesh. Of the 13 Chinese companies, two-thirds are state-owned while the rest are from the private sector. On the other hand, 11 companies of the Bangladesh side are from the private sector. The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) jointly organised the forum. During the signing ceremony, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmed and CCPIT Vice-Chairman Chen Zhou were present among others. “I do believe that the Chinese

president will offer $1 billion investment,” FBCCI President Matlub said. Chen Zhou said: “China and Bangladesh are close neighbours and major trade partner in South Asia. We will continue the cooperation in future.” He said that the Chinese investors were interested to invest in manufacturing sector such as textile, spare parts and accessories. “If the Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor is established, the trade and commerce of the two nations will see better future,” Tofail Ahsaid. In July-August period, Bangladesh export to China has seen a 25% rise compared to the same period a year ago. “Total export to China will increase to $2 billion by the next two to three years,” Tofail said. “I have already signed an agreement with the Chinese government on feasibility study of Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which will help materialise the home of $2 billion export,” the minister added. In the last fiscal, Bangladesh earned $808m from exporting goods to China, of which $341m came from the RMG sector. Bangladesh imported products worth $9.64bn during the same period. l

News

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Dhaka receives Xi with warmth n Agencies Bangladesh yesterday rolled out the red carpet as Chinese President Xi Jinping reached Dhaka on a historic two-day state visit, the first by a Chinese head of state in 30 years. Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid received his Chinese counterpart at the VVIP terminal of Dhaka airport at 11:36am, amid a booming 21-gun salute. A young girl accompanying President Hamid presented him with a bouquet. Xi Jinping moved to the saluting dais accompanied by his Bangladesh counterpart, and received guard of honor and inspected the guard. Senior cabinet members, PM’s advisers and senior officials were present on the presentation line. A 13-member high-profile delegation, including Chinese Foreign

Minister Wang Yi, Finance Minister Lou Jiwei, Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng, Governor of the People’s Bank of China Zhou Xiaochuan, accompanied the Chinese president. A ceremonial motorcade then escorted the Chinese leader to the Le Meridian Hotel amid tight security. The Chinese president will visit the National Martyrs Memorial this morning. He will also sign the visitors’ book and plant a sapling. President Xi will reach the airport straight from Savar and leave for Goa, India at 10am by a special VVIP flight. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will see him off at the airport. Dhaka and Beijing signed nearly three dozen agreements of cooperation yesterday. The visit has taken place three decades after then Chinese president Li Xiannian visited Bangladesh in March, 1986. l

Chinese President Xi Jinping, accompanied by Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid, receives a guard of honour from the armed forces personnel at Dhaka airport upon his arrival yesterday PID

of its own in Bangladesh, a country New Delhi considers its area of influence. China plans to finance around 25 projects, including a 1,320 megawatt (MW) power plant, and is also keen to build a deep sea port. “Xi’s visit will set a new milestone. Record amount of loan agreements will be signed during the visit, roughly $24bn,” he said. Among the proposed projects are highways and information technology development, he said.

“Our infrastructure needs are big, so we need huge loans.” China’s TBEA signed a power grid deal worth $1.6bn with Dhaka Power, following a pact that Jiangsu Etern’s consortium signed on Thursday to strengthen Bangladesh’s power grid network valued at $1.1bn. Beijing is especially keen to revive a plan to build a deep sea port in Sonadia which has been on hold for years, officials said. Zhao Gancheng, director of

$24bn loan will build power plants, seaport, railways n Reuters

China is set to sign off on loans worth over $24 billion to Bangladesh during President Xi Jinping’s visit on Friday, Dhaka’s biggest foreign credit line to date that will help it build power plants, a seaport and railways. Xi’s trip, the first by a Chinese president in 30 years, is aimed at boosting China’s involvement in infrastructure projects at a time when India is pushing investments

Khaleda urges Xi to continue assistance n Tribune Desk

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Hotel Le Meridien in Dhaka yesterday evening PID

South Asia Studies at Shanghai Institute for International Studies, said both India and China supported development in Bangladesh, and that it did not have to be one or the other. China is currently Bangladesh’s biggest trade partner with annual turnover of around $10bn which is heavily in favour of Beijing. Bangladesh has backed Xi’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative to boost trade and transport links across Asia and into Europe, seeing

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to continue their assistance for Bangladesh’s various activities, especially the development ones, and always stand by it. The BNP chief made the call during a meeting with the visiting Chinese President at a city hotel yesterday evening, reports UNB. During the 30 minute-meeting which kicked off at 5pm, Khaleda and Xi Jinping discussed various bilateral issues, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir while briefing reporters after the meeting. Quoting Khaleda, Fakhrul said the BNP chief mentioned her late husband and former president Ziaur Rahman, who had established Bangladesh’s diplomatic ties with China.

“Later, an overwhelming relation developed between the two countries that still continues,” Khaleda was quoted by Fakhrul as saying. The BNP chairperson also described China as Bangladesh’s important and genuine friend, Fakhrul said. During the meeting, he said, the Chinese president expressed the hope that Bangladesh would support the role China is playing in the geological field and the development activities it is carrying out. BNP Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mahbubur Rahman and Nazrul Islam Khan, chairperson’s advisers Reaz Rahman and Sabihuddin Ahmed were present at the meeting. The Chinese president arrived Dhaka yesterday morning on a historic state visit. l

it as an opportunity to lift growth. India has reservations about the plan, amid worries that it is an attempt to build a vast zone of Chinese influence. Beijing had proposed an economic corridor linking Bangladesh, Myanmar, China and northern India, but New Delhi did not seem keen on the idea, Zhao said. Xi visited Dhaka en route to a BRICS summit of the world’s leading emerging economies in Goa, India. l

Bangladeshi-born Rupa Huq UK shadow minister n Tribune Desk Dr Rupa Huq, a British Labour Party member of House of Commons, was picked as the shadow minister for Home Affairs by her party leader Jeremy Corbyn yesterday. The move made the Bangladeshi-born MP, elected from Ealing Central and Acton constituency, a Labour Party frontbencher in the British parliament. She bagged 22,002 votes in the May 7, 2015 UK General Elections. Rupa is also senior lecturer at the sociology department of Kingston University. Her ancestral home is in Pabna. “Honoured to take up a shadow ministerial position in Home Affairs on Labour frontbench,” Rupa tweeted after the news of her induction came out. She will be joining Shadow minister of education Angela Rayner’s team. l

News

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

A new beginning Xi met with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office, launching new vistas of cooperation that were hailed as a turning point in Bangladesh-China relationship. During the meeting, the heads of the two governments signed 26 agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on different projects, including boosting cooperation in counter-terrorism and infrastructure development and energy cooperation. Starting at 3:15pm yesterday, the meeting ended around 4:15pm. President Xi held a press briefing after meeting. He said China was ready to work with Bangladesh and extend more cooperation in big projects here. Afterward, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also took the podium and briefed journalists. She hoped that with cooperation from China, Bangladesh would be able to reach its goal to become a middle-income country by 2021. She expressed the hope that the friendship between the two countries would grow stronger in the coming days. Chinese President Xi Jinping in his briefing said Bangladesh-China relations were now at a new historical turning point and heading towards a promising future. “China-Bangladesh cooperation will deliver more fruits for the people of the two countries, and will contribute to peace and stability and development in the region,” he said. Xi said they had agreed to elevate China-Bangladesh relationship from a ‘Closer Comprehensive Partnership of Cooperation’ to a ‘Strategic Partnership of Cooperation.’ Both sides also agreed to increase high-level exchanges and strategic communication so that bilateral relations move ahead at even a higher level, he said. Terming his meeting with Prime Minister Hasina ‘warm and productive,’ the Chinese president said they reached agreements on a number of important issues. “We have agreed to jointly advance the road and belt initiative,” Xi said, adding that they had also agreed to launch a joint feasibility

study on China-Bangladesh Free Trade Agreement to strengthen trade and investment cooperation. The Chinese president laid emphasis on enhancing practical cooperation in key areas such as infrastructure, production capacity, energy and power, transportation, ICT and agriculture. He said China would continue to do its best in providing capital, technical and human resources to carry out close cooperation on projects to support economic and social development of Bangladesh. The two countries also agreed to designate the year 2017 as the year of ‘exchange and friendship’ between Bangladesh and China during which colorful events will be held to carry forward the friendship. They also laid emphasis on institutionalising cooperation on maritime affairs, counter-terrorism, advance the BCIM Economic Corridor and increase communication and coordination on international and regional issues. “China is ready to work with Bangladesh as friends and partners with trust and support to each other,” said the Chinese president. Prime Minister Hasina said: “Today, we have elevated our ‘Closer Comprehensive Partnership of Cooperation’ to a ‘Strategic Partnership for Cooperation’ and under this strategic partnership, we have agreed to work towards socio-economic advancement of the peoples of our two countries.” She said they reached a consensus on cooperation in key areas such as trade and investment, infrastructure, industry, power, and energy, information and communication technology and agriculture. They witnessed the signing of 27 agreements and MoUs of cooperation that cover, among others, trade, investment, blue economy, BCIM-EC, roads, and bridges, railways, power, maritime, ICT, Industrial production, capacity building and skill development.

Students, teachers, artists and cultural activists gather in a rally near National Museum in Shahbagh, Dhaka yesterday to demand arrest and punishment of the individuals who sent two death threats to environmental activist Prof Anu Muhammad, who is running a campaign against Rampal coal-fired power plant RAJIB DHAR

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Both leaders also unveiled the plaques of six projects adding that the signing of these instruments and the unveiling of these plaques created a platform for the two countries to cooperate at a higher plane. The prime minister said her government’s efforts today were aimed at attaining the goals of becoming a knowledge-based middle-income country by 2021 and eventually a developed country by 2041. She also said that they had very fruitful discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest. “We have reiterated our commitment to support the ‘One China Policy.’ We have agreed to work closely and support each other on regional and international issues of mutual interest.” Elaborating on the enhanced security cooperation agreed by the two leaders, Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque said the two countries would now work together to fight terrorism and militancy, particularly by capacity building and exchange of information and good practices. “A MoU on the issue has been signed after the talks,” he said.mDuring the talks, Shahidul said, the Chinese side hinted at making special investment in RMG and jute sectors. As part of a consensus on enhanced economic cooperation, the two countries inked a framework agreement on production capacity building after the talks, the foreign secretary said, adding that under the deal, the Chinese government would assist Bangladesh in tech-

nology transfer, capacity building, training and establishment of new entities. He said China would make an investment involving a huge amount in the ICT sector in Bangladesh to help materialise its vision of building Digital Bangladesh. Haque said during the talks the Chinese president highly appreciated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership and Bangladesh’s stunning achievement in different sectors under her able stewardship. The foreign secretary said the two leaders pledged to work together to implement the sustainable development goals. Maritime was a new area where the two countries agreed for collaboration and the two countries signed a MoU for cooperation on blue economy. Shahidul said the foreign ministers of the two countries signed another MoU to support the ‘One Belt One Road’, a connectivity initiative of the Chinese president. The foreign secretary said several other MoUs were signed in the private sector and that these would strengthen ties between the two nation’s private sectors particularly in the areas of trade and investment. Asked about the estimated financial value of the agreements and MoUs, he said: “You will have to wait a few days to know about the total financial involvement of the projects.” But he said the two leaders agreed that the development of the people of the two countries was most crucial for bilateral ties.

Without any elaboration, the foreign secretary said an agreement was signed on economic and technical cooperation and a framework agreement on road and tunnel. President Xi led a 13-member high powered Chinese delegation at the talks. They included two senior members of Politburo of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China Wang Huning and Li Zhanshu, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Minister of National Development and Reform Commission Xu Shaoshi, Finance Minister Lou Jiwei, Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng and Governor of the People’s Bank of China Zhou Xiaochuan. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led the Bangladesh side that comprised of Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, Minister for Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal. Upon his arrival at the Prime Minister’s Office around 3pm, Sheikh Hasina received Xi at the Tiger Gate of the PMO and then the two leaders held a tête-à-tête for about ten minutes. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Dhaka this morning on a historic state visit amid high hopes in Bangladesh that it will be the beginning of a historic new journey towards opening up a new horizon in bilateral relations. l

News

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Hasina talks straight with The Hindu n Tribune Desk In an exclusive interview with Indian daily The Hindu, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina clarified her administration’s position on several domestic and regional matters. Some of the highlights of the interview are below:

Pullout from Saarc Summit

When asked this year’s postponement of the Saarc summit mark the end of the eight-country alliance, she said: “No, as we said in our official statement on pulling out, we consider that the environment prevailing in the Saarc region at this particular time is not conducive to hold the Saarc summit. Bangladesh has certain sensitivities over the International Crimes Tribunal [ICT of Bangladesh], where Pakistan showed its dissatisfaction with our processes and even raised the issue in their parliament. They started interfering in our internal affairs by making unacceptable remarks. We felt hurt by this, as this is an internal matter for us, we are trying

war criminals in our country, and it isn’t their concern. There is a lot of pressure on me to cut off all diplomatic ties with Pakistan for their behaviour. But I have said the relations will remain, and we will have to resolve our problems.” With an attempt to further clarifying the issue, PM Hasina was asked whether the attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri military base had influenced in making the decision to pull out; she replied: “It was over the situation in Pakistan that we decided to pull out. The common people are the biggest sufferers of terrorism there. And that terror has gone everywhere, which is why many of us felt frustrated by Pakistan. India and Pakistan also have their bilateral problems, and I don’t want to comment about that. India pulled out because of the [Uri attack], but for Bangladesh the reason is totally different.”

villagers, and the home ministers are discussing this.”

BRICS- Bimstec summit

“Terror is now a global problem, I’m trying to take some different steps to fight it. I am reaching out to teachers in schools and colleges to spread awareness about it. Next I’m telling parents to watch where their children go, whom they meet. We are asking clerics in mosques and madrassas to teach that Islam is a religion of peace, and ensure that none speak of violence. With awareness and a social movement against extremism, we can prevent our children from becoming terrorists.”

Countering terrorism

When asked about how the country was countering terrorism postHoley Artisan attack, Hasina said:

Border management and killings

When asked about whether she would discuss border management during her visit, she acknowledged it as a “big problem” and pointed out that it was solved after 45 years. She added: “As far as border killings are concerned, our border forces on both sides, the BSF [India’s Border Security Force] and the BGB [Border Guard Bangladesh] have agreed to jointly investigate the incidents where BSF personnel have shot and killed innocent Bangladeshi

The PM also remarked on her future India visit for BRICS- Bimstec summit this week and what she would like to achieve from it. She said: “The problem in our region for all of us is almost the same; we have one common enemy and that is poverty, which we must fight to eradicate. With neighbouring countries we may have many problems, but I believe it can always be solved. India and Bangladesh have done it, like we agreed to a Ganges water treaty. As far as Brics is concerned, we have expectations that Brics leaders will extend a supporting hand to Bimstec with its New Development Bank at affordable terms.” This interview took place at Hasina’s residence, Gonobhaban, prior to her visit to India where she is going to attend BRICS- Bimstec outreach, ‘involving nations surrounding the Bay of Bengal,’ on October 15 and 16. l

Home boss: No beef between RAB, police n Tribune Desk Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal reassured that there was no conflict between police and RAB. “RAB is a part of the police department,” he told journalists while visiting an art competition at Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka yesterday. He said, “There was no misunderstanding between the two forces. It is almost like two siblings having minor problems.” In recent reports in the media, allegations emerged that some members of the police force had hindered

the elite force personnel in discharging their duties. Later, Director General of RAB Benzir Ahmed wrote to to the Home Ministry about the matter. On Thursday IGP Shahidul Hoque echoed the same. “If RAB wants to make a complaint against the police, it will have to complain to me (IGP) not directly to the home minister.” According to reports, the RAB DG wrote in the letter that if no action was taken in this regard immediately, major untoward incident may take place between the two forces. This might also taint the image of the police department. l

A nurse tends to one of the workers of a steel mill in Narayanganj, who were injured in a blast at the mill, at Dhaka Medical College Hospital yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

N’ganj steel mill blast burns four n Tanveer Hossain, Narayanganj Four workers were burnt in a blast at a steel mill in Fatulla upazila Narayanganj district yesterday. The injured were Fazlul Haque, 55, Abdul Khalek, 65, Nayan, 25, and Monir Hossain, 45.

Sub-Inspector Bachchu Mia confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune. Quoting the doctor, he said: “The injured sustained 10% to 30% burn in the blast. One of the injured named Fazlul is in critical condition.” l

Factory Supervisor Mehedi Hasan said the blast took place while they were melting iron around 7:30am. Later, the injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 8:15am. DMCH police outpost In-Charge

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15

Dhaka

Chittagong

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 5:32PM

Rangpur

Khulna

Barisal 30

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:57AM

33.7ºC Chuadanga

21.8ºC Tetulia

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES

Sylhet

Cox’s Bazar

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

News

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Robber leader killed in gunfight n UNB A suspected leader of an inter-district robber gang was killed in a ‘gunfight’ between his cohorts and police at Brahmangaon village in Sarail upazila early yesterday The deceased was Manik Mia. Rupak Kumar Saha, officer-incharge of Sarail police station, said a team of police arrested Manik Mia, leader of an inter-district robber gang, from Sarail upazila on Wednesday night. Later, police along with Manik Mia conducted a drive in the village to recover arms on Thursday night. Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the associates of Manik opened fire on police, prompting them to retaliate, triggering a gunfight early in the morning. At one stage, Manik was caught in the line of fire and sustained bullet injuries. He was rushed to Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead. Five policemen, including sub-inspectors Alim and Amzad, were injured in the gunfight. Police also recovered two pipe guns, two rounds of bullets and some sharp weapons from the spot. l

Stalker stops girl from going to school n Md Ibrahim, Chandpur A minor schoolgirl of Koralia Road in the district town has been away from her school for the last six months for fear of harassment by a local youth. Talking to local journalists recently, the girl’s mother said her daughter, a Class-VII student of Lady Protima Mitra Girl’s School in Koralia Road of the town, stopped going to school six months ago as Hanif, 22, son of Abdur Rahim Charu Gazi of the same area, used to

harass her on her way to and from school. The youth also tried to violate the girl several times as she refused his love proposal, the mother alleged. Finally, the girl stopped going to school for fear of harassment, she said. The girl’s mother also alleged that Hanif threatened the family with dire consequences if the girl is married off to other. “Hanif along with his associates have also been throwing brick chips on our tin-shed house for the

last several days,” she said. Meanwhile, additional deputy commissioner of the district M Abdul Hai met the victim’s family members and asked Chandpur Model police station to arrest the alleged stalker. On October 12, Hanif and his father gave an undertaking at the police station not to harass the girl in future. But yesterday some youths threatened the family members to evict from the area, said the mother of the girl. l

Wild elephants kill 3 in Sherpur n SA Shahriar Milton, Sherpur

Three people were killed in an attack by wild elephants in Jhenaigati border area in Sherpur district yesterday. The deceased were Ahetonnesa, 40, wife of Sunnat Ali, Kala Johur, 55, son of Samiul Haque of Panbor village and Abdul Hye, 42, son of Shah Mahmud of Gurucharan Dhudnoi village of the upazila. Jhenaigati Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Selim Reza confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune. “The elephants attacked the people when they tried to stop the elephants from destroying the crops, leaving three people dead on the spot,” he said. l

Syedpur railway gets 10 new coaches Taieyb Ali Sarker, n Md Nilphamari

Ten new passenger coaches have been imported from Indonesia and sent to Syedpur Railway Workshop. The modern coaches reached the workshop on Tuesday and the railway workers are now conducting inspection to prepare the

coaches for trial run, sources said. Shawkat Jamil, divisional traffic officer of Bangladesh Railway (BR) West Zone (Rajshahi), said: “BR imported the coaches under a bilateral agreement between Bangladesh and Indonesia. Among the coaches one is AC berth, three are AC chair and rest six are Shovon chair.” BR sources said, the coaches were

made for Bangladesh by PT Inka (Persero). PT Inka is a state-owned train manufacturer, the first fully integrated rolling stock and automotive manufacturer in Southeast Asia. Workers at the workshop told the Dhaka Tribune that these coaches are better and more qualitative than the Indian coaches. Divisional Caretaker of Saidpur

Railway Workshop, Nur Ahmed Hossain, said: “After completing the inspection works, we will hand over the coaches to Railway traffic department for test runs.” The ADB is funding the railway to purchase these coaches from Indonesia. BR will buy total 100 meter gauge and 50 broad gauge coaches within February 2017. l

News

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Karnaphuli River in dire straits n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong

The Karnaphuli River, known as the lifeline of Chittagong, is now under threat from unabated dumping of toxic industrial and household waste. Untreated toxic effluent is discharged from 300-400 mills and factories as well as many households on both banks of the river. According to the report, the main causes behind the river pollution are dumping of untreated human and household waste, absence of sewerage treatment plants, untreated toxic effluent released from mills and factories, untreated liquid waste from dyeing, washing, tannery and paper mills, crude oil sludge and bilge water from vessels, oil leakage from oil tanker collisions, accidents, absence of oil-water separator in the power plants, and absence or inactivity of ETP. The deplorable scenario was revealed through a report prepared by the Department of Environment, Chittagong (DoEC). DoEC Assistant Director Md Bodrul Huda told the Dhaka Tribune the report was submitted to the director general of the DoE on July 7 of this year. “The report pinpointed the sources and extent of pollution. We also placed eight recommendations to improve the conditions,” said Huda. “So far, we have fined different industries with Tk3.45 corer for polluting Karnaphuli River and realised Tk57.42 lakh in total,” he said.

Unabated dumping of toxic industrial and household waste is posing a serious threat to the aquatic ecosystem of Karnaphuli River, the life line of Chittagong. The photo was taken yesterday at Karnaphuli Chaktai area RABIN CHOWDHURY The report discovered that thousands of cubic metres of untreated waste find its way into the river every day as the ETPs (Effluent Treatment Plant) on most occasions remain non-functional ETPs in most of the industrial units. The report identifies Karnaphuli Paper Mill (KPM) as the largest polluter since the state-owned enterprise has been discharging untreated toxic waste without setting up ETP since 1953.

In 2015, KPM was fined Tk1.8 corer for discharging untreated chemical wastes and posing a serious threat to the aquatic ecology. The next largest polluters are Chittagong Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (CWasa) and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC). The other polluters of the river are Asian Paper Mill, MEB Paper & Board Mill, Riff Leather, Madina Tannery, TK Chemical, FMC Paints & Chemical, Ambia Pulp and Pa-

per Mills, Mostafa Paper Products, heavy industries at Kalurghat, dyeing factories including Desh Denim and Four H Dyeing & Printing. The river has lost 20-25 freshwater species and 10 brackish water species from its 140 fish species. Gangetic dolphins (locally known as Shushuk) have become a rare sight as they are already an endangered species. Around 15-20 corer litres of polluted water released from

Aman planting in full swing in Northern region n Tribune Desk Farmers of northern region have engaged their full efforts in transplanted Aman farming everywhere amid favourable weather conditions. “The prevailing weather remains favourable and helps the farmers complete transplantation of T-Aman seedlings this season timely,” said Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Fazlur Rahman. He said the farmers had cultivated aman paddy on around 3.95 lakh hectares of land out of target 3.72 lakh hectares in Rajshahi, Naogaon, Natore and Chapainawabganj districts during the current season. Fazlur Rahman said most of the farming fields now wore an eye-catching look. In some areas, harvesting of the short-duration varieties especially Brridhan-48 and zinc-enriched Brridhan-62 was started creating job opportunities for many unemployed people.

The frequent moderates to heavy rainfalls have made the farmers busy in transplanting the seedlings everywhere and the concerned government departments including the DAE provided all necessary assistances to the farmers.

Though there is adequate rainwater, the Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities is ready to provide supplementary irrigation if required “Though there is adequate rainwater, the Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities (BMDA) is ready to provide supplementary irrigation if required,” DAE officials said.

In addition, the farmers are keeping thousands of their shallow tube wells ready for supplementary irrigation if any drought situation begins during the transplantation and farming period of the major cereal crop in the region, they said. The farmers cultivate more than 29 high yielding, two hybrid and nine local and indigenous varieties during the Aman season and more or less 15 of those are very much popular among the farmers, said ATM Rafiqul Islam, Deputy Manager (Agriculture) of Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities (BMDA). He said the farmers always hope for a better yield from Aman cultivation, as the cultivation of Aman paddy requires less cost compared to other crops because rain water comes as the bounty of nature, reports BSS. Farmers Shafiqul Islam, Rashed Alamgir and many others today told BSS that they are not facing any problem in plantation of T-Aman

seedlings as the frequent seasonal rainfall are helping them a lot. They expected 0-that farmers would get bumper production this time.”Though there is adequate rainwater, the BMDA is ready to provide supplementary irrigation if required,” Agriculturist Rafique said. Dev Dulal Dhali, Deputy Director of DAE, informed that the cultivation of paddy at the Barind region is costly. Still many of farmers were cultivating paddy as the government was purchasing paddy at a higher rate from the farmers to recoup their loss. He said prospect of T-Aman is now very bright thanks to rain for the last fewmonths. He also said the department has supplied high quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticidesand other agriculture inputs at free of cost among the farmers. Besides, Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank, Janata bank and other commercial banks, local NGOs inthe region are distributing shortterm loan to farmers of the district for cultivation of Aman paddy. l

households and untreated human waste of 60 lakh city dwellers find its way into Karnaphuli every day. Chittagong WASA has yet to set up an ETP after 53 years of establishment. The CCC and the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) are reported to have inadequate waste management systems. The oil pollution in the river increases from tanker collisions. The report cited an accident from July which spilled 1,500-2,000 litres of diesel oil when two oil tankers collided. About 76,000 litres of furnace oil spilled into the river when a freight train derailed at Boalkhali upazila in Chittagong last June. The accidents take a heavy toll on the Karnaphuli as power plants still lack oil-water separating equipments. Huda further added: “We collect water samples twice a month from two points of Karnaphuli River. We analyse the samples based on the parameters stipulated by Environment Conservation Rules-1997. The sample analysis shows that the water quality remains comparatively up to the mark during monsoon but the level of salinity rises alarmingly during winter.” The recommendations placed by the DoEC for checking pollution include finalising Oil Spill Management Plan, forming a Karnaphuli River Study Cell under the DoEC and bringing all polluter industries under one umbrella through Central effluent treatment Plant (CETP). l

Female RMG worker killed n Nadim Hossain, Savar

A female garment worker was found slaughtered yesterday in Bypail area of Ashulia outskirts of Dhaka. The deceased was Fatema Akhter, 18, wife of Majnu Miah, hailing from Madarganj upazila in Jamalpur district. Mohasinul Kadir, officer-incharge of Ashulia police station, said Fatema along with her husband had been living in a rented house owned by Monir Hossain in Paschimpara of the area for the last one month. As Fatema was not coming out of her room even it was 10 am, neighbours went to the room and found its door open. Later, they entered the room only to see her lying slaughtered on the floor. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy. Fatema’s husband went into hiding after the incident. l

8 World

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Pakistani student and teacher accused of blasphemy A Pakistani teenager and his religious teacher have been accused of blasphemy, after the student was allegedly caught burning pages of the holy Quran. When asked what he was doing, he said his teacher had told him that burning was the correct way to dispose of old Qurans. -AFP

INDIA

1 killed, 4 soldiers injured as militants attack convoy in Srinagar One personnel of Indian paramilitary force was killed and four others injured on Friday evening when militants attacked their convoy in Zakura area on the outskirts of Srinagar. “They were returning to their camp after performing their law and order duties when they were fired upon injuring eight personnel. One has succumbed to his injuries,” said SJM Gilani, Inspector general of police in Kashmir. -HT

CHINA

China supports Philippines’ drug war Beijing on Friday expressed support for a bloody crackdown on illegal drugs in the Philippines overseen by President Rodrigo Duterte. The crackdown has left more than 3,700 people dead since July, according to official data, prompting condemnation from western nations, the UN and the International Criminal Court, among others. -AFP

ASIA PACIFIC

Japan in new row with Unesco over Nanjing issue Unesco found itself in a collision course with Japan on Friday. Japan is holding back more than $40m in funding, following a protest against listing documents related to the Nanjing massacre. Foreign minister Fumio Kishida said Japan has suspended this year’s contribution totalling $42m, but denied any direct link to the Nanjing incident that still hangs over frosty diplomatic relations between Tokyo and Beijing. -HT

MIDDLE EAST

Yemen funeral bombing kills 4 At least 4 people were killed Friday when a bomb exploded during the funeral of an army officer in Yemen’s Marib province. The explosion struck a tent during the memorial ceremony for Gen Abdelrab Sheddadi, who himself died this week during clashes with Iran-backed rebels. -AFP

INSIGHT

South Asian tensions to dominate BRICS summit n Reuters, New Delhi India will take its drive to isolate Pakistan and rally the international community against cross-border militancy to a summit of emerging market powers this weekend, when it hosts BRICS nations in the western state of Goa. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the gathering of leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa offers an opportunity to highlight the threat he sees to Indian security from recent frontier clashes with Pakistan. But across the summit table at a resort hotel, Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to have much interest in casting Beijing’s alliance with Pakistan into doubt. The final summit declaration is expected to repeat earlier condemnations of “terrorism in all its forms”, say diplomats and analysts, but avoid levelling blame over tensions between the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals. Such discussions will make security a dominant issue at the eighth annual summit of the group, even as leaders also address core themes such as the global economy, financial cooperation and mutual trade. “We will be looking at the global economic and political situation, and obviously terrorism is a very important part of that,” Amar Sinha, the Indian foreign ministry official responsible for the BRICS file, told a pre-summit briefing.

Not just a ‘jolly partner’

Where Modi and Xi may see eye to eye, at least privately, is in a shared desire for Islamabad to restrain Islamist militants who, in Beijing’s view, pose a threat to China’s plans to build a $46bn trade corridor that runs through Pakistan to the Arabian Sea. “Contrary to the public messaging in Islamabad, China is not the perpetual jolly partner when it comes to its relations with Pakistan,” said Michael Kugelman, a senior programme associate at the Wilson Centre in Washington which focuses on South Asia. “With China’s investments and economic assets growing in Pakistan, it’s only natural that it would worry. All militants, whether ‘good’ or ‘bad’ as characterised by Pakistan, threaten stability and by extension China’s economic interests.” In addition to launching what it described as cross-border “surgical

A security personnel stands guard outside one of the venues of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit, in Benaulim in the western state of Goa, India on October 14 REUTERS strikes” against suspected militants in Pakistan, in response to a September 18 attack on an army base that killed 19 Indian soldiers, New Delhi has mounted a diplomatic offensive to isolate Islamabad. Pakistan has denied any part in the attack on the Uri army base, near the de facto border that runs through the disputed territory of Kashmir. It also denies any “surgical strikes” took place, saying there was only border firing that is relatively common along the frontier. Islamabad says India has exploited the incident to divert attention from its own security crackdown on protests sparked by the killing of a popular separatist militant leader. More than 80 civilians have been killed and thousands wounded in India’s part of Kashmir, and a widespread curfew has been imposed.

Expressions of support

After the Uri attack, India quickly won expressions of support from the West and from Russia, whose President Vladimir Putin will also hold a bilateral summit with Modi in Goa. China, for its part, has shown

public restraint. Zhao Gancheng, director of South Asia studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, said that China and Pakistan were paying close attention to security threats to the trade corridor. “If Pakistan’s security situation does not improve, it will obstruct some of these projects - especially infrastructure ones,” said Zhao. “In this sense, cooperation on counter-terrorism is very close.” India has already engineered the collapse of a South Asian regional summit to have been hosted by Pakistan, and the Goa gathering will also feature an outreach session to countries from the Bay of Bengal region that could emerge as an alternative focus of regional cooperation.

Working groups

BRICS leaders will support plans agreed by their national security advisers to create three working groups to cooperate on cyber security, counter-terrorism and energy security, said Sinha, the Indian foreign ministry official. But diplomats and analysts say that India’s long-held ambition of joining the Nuclear Suppliers

Group, a club of nuclear-trading nations, is unlikely to progress at Goa with China yet to soften its blocking stance. And, despite concerns about militancy within Pakistan, China has rebuffed India’s calls for the United Nations to designate Maulana Masood Azhar, leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed group that India blames for recent cross-border attacks, as a terrorist. China recently extended a socalled “hold” on the designation by a further three months. That reflects an evolving rivalry between the world’s two most populous nations in which, under Modi, India is seeking to close huge economic and military gaps and is shifting away from traditional non-alignment and seeking a closer partnership with the US. At the same time, China is expanding its economic and strategic reach into the Indian Ocean region, with Xi visiting Bangladesh on Friday en route to Goa where he is expected to sign loans worth $24bn. “Overall, it will be an awkward summit,” said Shashank Joshi, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London. l

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Terrified residents flee Rakhine state as Myanmar crackdown widens n Tribune International Desk Towns and villages across northern Rakhine state were deserted on Friday, as terrified residents fled a deadly military crackdown on foot and by air, fearing Myanmar’s restive western state could once again be ripped apart by violence, reports AFP. Local officials believe hundreds of people from the area, home to many from the persecuted Muslim Rohingya minority, spent months planning attacks on police posts along the Bangladesh border that sparked the crisis this week. Twenty-six civilians have died in the ensuing military lockdown, state media reported -- rights groups say the army is gunning down unarmed Muslims on the streets but the army say troops are defending themselves against attack. Law enforcement said 50 “violent attackers” tried several times to overrun a security office on Thursday but were repelled by police and soldiers. Families have been streaming out of Maungdaw on foot, their worldly possessions stuffed into carrier bags and plastic buckets or strapped to the front of bicycle rickshaws. Around 180 teachers, workers and residents were also airlifted out of the region at the epicentre of the crisis, while hundreds of government staff have poured into the state capital Sittwe. Journalists said Maungdaw town and nearby villages were like ghost towns, with shops shuttered and armed police on patrol. Many of those fleeing are local Buddhists, who make up the majority of the country but account for less than 10 percent of the population in northern Rakhine, where most people are Muslim Rohingya. Long-simmering animosity between the two groups erupted into communal violence in 2012 that ripped the impoverished state apart, leaving more than 100 dead and driving tens of thousands of Rohingya into squalid displacement camps. “Many Rakhines are going back to Sittwe,” said a resident of Buthidaung, a town close to Maungdaw, too scared to give his name. “We are also afraid here because the attackers ran away with guns.” A journalist reported seeing clouds of smoke billowing from a village Thursday near charred remains of two dozen bamboo houses that the military said had been torched by “terrorists”.

World USA

US eases Cuba trade and travel restrictions The US on Friday announced new measures to further ease trade, travel and financial restrictions on Cuba. The changes, will allow export to Cuba of some US consumer goods sold online and let US firms improve Cuban infrastructure for humanitarian purposes. They also lift limits on the amount of Cuban rum and cigars US travellers can bring home for personal use. -REUTERS

THE AMERICAS

UN chief to visit hurricanehit Haiti UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will travel to Haiti on Saturday to visit areas devastated by Hurricane Matthew as a UN funding appeal for the Caribbean nation drew few donors. UN has launched a flash appeal for $120m to help Haiti cope with its worst humanitarian crisis since the 2010 earthquake. Only $6.1m has been raised so far, equal to 5% of the total appeal, said UN spokesman Dujarric. - AFP

British FM eyes ‘military options’ in Syria

Armed military troops and police force travel in trucks through Maungdaw, located in Rakhine State, on October 14, 2016 as the government announced that terror groups were behind the series of attacks Towns and villages across northern Rakhine state were deserted on October 14, as terrified residents fled a deadly military crackdown on foot and by air, fearing Myanmar’s restive western state could once again be ripped apart by violence AFP

Myanmar

CHINA

Maungdaw NAYPYIDAW RAKHINE

150 km

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation issued a statement calling for calm, after receiving “disturbing reports of extra-judicial killings of Rohingya Muslims, burning of houses, and arbitrary arrests by security forces”.

Jihadist videos

Rakhine state government spokes-

man Min Aung said a group of 200300 border-post assailants had spent months plotting the raids, which were originally intended to hit as many as seven targets. It is not clear who carried out Sunday’s border-post assaults, though local officials have publically pointed the finger at Rohingya insurgents and others have privately blamed Bangladeshi groups across the border. The military said late Thursday troops had captured a fifth suspect, along with a gun, ammunition and flags featuring the logo of the RSO, a Rohingya militant group long considered defunct. A journalist in the village where they were said to be found was prevented from investigating by soldiers, who said they were concerned attackers had laid landmines after a blast on the first day. The RSO vigorously denied involvement in a statement. But videos showing armed men speaking the Rohingya language calling for jihad that have been circulating on social media have raised concerns some others from the persecuted minority may be turning toward militancy.

“The videos appear to be entirely authentic,” Anthony Davis, a security analyst with IHS-Jane’s, told said. He noted the speaker in the first video uses the Chittagong dialect of Bengali spoken by the Rohingya, while the old guns and swords they carry match the kind authorities claim were used in the border post raids. “The footage shows what appear to be a rabble of typical Rohingya youths -- poorly dressed, ill-equipped and apparently untrained.” Matthew Smith, chief executive of activist group Fortify Rights, said the videos appear to show Rohingya located in the Myanmar-Bangladesh border areas -- though where exactly is unclear. An aide of Myanmar’s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, refused to confirm whether the video was real, but said the government “doesn’t feel worried” about it. The Nobel laureate has faced international criticism for not doing more to help the Rohingya, and on Wednesday she vowed to follow the rule of law when investigating the border guard attacks. l

Britain should consider military options in Syria but they are still a distant prospect and could only happen in a coalition with the United States, foreign minister Boris Johnson said Thursday. “It is right now we should be looking again at the more kinetic, military options,” said Johnson, who is due to host talks on the conflict with other Western powers on Sunday. -AFP

EUROPE

Italy to send troops to Nato mission in Latvia Italy will send about 140 troops to join a Nato mission in Latvia set up to boost defences against a possible Russian attack, Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Friday. The Western defence alliance agreed in July to deploy military forces in the Baltic states and eastern Poland for the first time and increase air and sea patrols. -REUTERS

AFRICA

30 killed in Central African Republic fighting 30 people were killed and 57 others wounded during an attack on refugees by Seleka militia in the north of Central African Republic on Wednesday. Avenging what they said was the recent murder of four young Muslims in the remote town of dirt roads and thatched mud huts, armed Seleka stabbed and hacked to death refugees who had fled previous violence in the region and set fire to buildings. -REUTERS

World

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

ANALYSIS

Bhumibol’s death brings uncertainty in Obama’s Asia pivot n Reuters, Washington, DC The death of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Thursday adds a new layer of uncertainty to US President Barack Obama’s faltering “pivot” to Asia less than a month before the November 8 US presidential elections. The king was important in cementing the long-standing alliance between the United States and Thailand after World War II, in a reign that spanned the Vietnam War and development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), which Washington still considers vital to maintaining its influence in the region. King Bhumibol’s death coincides with faltering momentum in Obama’s signature policy of rebal-

lowing a 2014 military coup seen as a means to maintain stability during the king’s long illness. Thailand is expected to turn further inward during a prolonged mourning period and potentially politically fragile royal succession. King Bhumibol’s son, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, who is expected to become Thailand’s new king, lacks the strong connection to the US of his father, who was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Obama’s former top Asia adviser, Evan Medeiros, now at the Eurasia Group, said the mourning process would likely slow a return to democratic

The Thai national flag flutters at half mast at the Ministry of Defence following the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in Bangkok, Thailand on October 14 REUTERS ancing the US diplomatic and security focus to the Asia-Pacific region in the face of China’s rapid rise. The main economic pillar of the rebalance, the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, is languishing in the US Congress with no guarantee that Obama will be able to push it through before leaving the presidency to Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, both of whom say they oppose the deal. Obama’s efforts to boost security ties with Southeast Asia have come in response to China’s pursuit of territorial claims in the South China Sea, a vital strategic waterway. However, a torrent of anti-American rhetoric from new Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has cast doubt on the US military relationship with Manila just months after Washington reached an agreement on rotating access to bases in the country. Other Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, are focused on internal political issues and are avoiding playing any leadership role in Asean, while even traditionally reliable regional ally Australia is treading carefully to avoid jeopardising its economic ties with Beijing. Thailand was already occupying a back seat in regional affairs fol-

government and Prince Vajiralongkorn was a source of “profound uncertainty.” Much has changed Murray Hiebert of Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said much had changed since Obama announced his pivot policy in 2011. “The king’s death adds to uncertainty in Southeast Asia, a region in considerable flux already. This makes the US rebalance to Asia more difficult because the situation in so many countries is that of ‘wait and see.’ King Bhumibol’s death means Washington finds itself having to rely even more on former foe Vietnam for any kind of strategic ballast in the region. “The Vietnamese are providing the dynamism when it comes to strategic thinking,” US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius said in Washington on Tuesday. “Indonesia is very internally focused right

now ... Thailand is very internally focused, and Malaysia has a rolling political crisis,” he continued. “I don’t know exactly what direction the Philippines is headed; Singapore has a lot of strategic thinkers but it’s a city state; I don’t

think you can really count on Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar to provide the strategic engine for Asean.” There appears little prospect for now, however, that Vietnam would be willing to open its doors further to the US military should the deal

with the Philippines run into problems, given past animosities and concerns about China. “The Vietnamese have been very measured in the pace at which they have expanded the security relationship.” l

Why it matters: Homegrown extremism n Tribune International Desk Radical Islamic militancy that has sustained itself for decades overseas has inspired a series of attacks on US soil in the last year and a half. The culprits typically have no ties to foreign terrorist organizations, no explicit directions from overseas and no formal training, unlike the operatives of 9/11. Instead, they’ve blended into American society and skated beneath the radar of federal investigators grappling with a frenetic threat landscape and hundreds of investigations across the country. The bombing in Manhattan in September that injured more than two-dozen people crystallised the concerns- A handwritten journal found with Ahmad Khan Rahami, the Afghan-born US citizen accused in the explosion, praised terrorists like Osama bin Laden and warned the sounds of bombs would be heard in the streets, prosecutors allege. Before that was the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, with 49 killed. In December 2015, a husband-wife duo killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California. A July 2015 shooting at military sites in Chattanooga, Tennessee, killed four Marines and one Navy sailor. Death counts mount. While more people die in traffic accidents, the fear of seemingly random attacks has shaken the American psyche. Some Americans have turned inward. They think twice about attending large events. They view others suspiciously on public transit.

Where they stand

Hillary Clinton says Muslim-Americans may be the best defence against extremism in their communities. She says they can prevent young people from joining jihadis and notify law enforcement when they hear of planned attacks or suspected radicalisation. Clinton would prohibit people on terrorist watch lists from being able to purchase weapons. She also wants wider use of programmes to identify signs of radicalisation

and counter jihadi ideology, though the success of such initiatives isn’t established. Donald Trump had proposed a freeze on foreign Muslims entering the US, though that would have done little to stop radicalised American citizens. Now, instead, he’s proposed a hold on immigration from areas of the world with a history of extremist violence against the US and allies.

Why it matters

The threat is real. The FBI has said counter-terrorism agents have open investigations across the country. Director James Comey said in May there are north of 1,000 cases in which agents are trying to evaluate a subject’s level of radicalisation and potential for violence. Since late 2013, more than 110 people in about 35 judicial districts have been charged with trying to join foreign militants overseas, plotting violence domestically or otherwise supporting the IS, according to John Carlin, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The number of Americans seeking to travel to Syria to fight alongside IS has slowed to a near trickle, through that’s not necessarily comforting. The IS has been using social media to exhort supporters already in the US to commit violence locally with guns, bombs or any easily accessible arms. Tracking would-be jihadis is especially challenging. Even as investigators express confidence in their ability to detect and thwart a spectacular 9/11-style plot, there’s simply no way to identify the untold number of Americans inspired by IS. Its supporters need not receive training or vetting to be adopted by IS. A simple public pledge of support, as attackers in San Bernardino and Orlando did, is often sufficient. Law enforcement has a difficult job tracking would-be militants and stopping them before they attack. But it also is tasked with taking down the network of people promoting radical Islam. The debate over how to respond is framed by those calling for more investigative powers for law enforcement and the intelligence community, on the one hand, and those trying to protect citizens’ right to privacy. l

World

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Heritage

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Bountiful Barisal To see the foundations of the British Empire, see Barisal

n Tim Steel

he prosaic, online references today to this ancient city add something of an air of mystery to the city, once known, even in Europe, as Bacola. Perhaps no other significant metropolis in Bangladesh receives such a cursory online coverage, and a rich history and heritage largely ignored. And this despite an extraordinarily rich architectural heritage, not unlike that of that other ancient city of Bangladesh, Rajshahi. The wealth of such visible heritage around the bustling centre of the city pays mute testimony to that heritage. Well has it been written: â&#x20AC;&#x153;He that has eyes to see, let him see,â&#x20AC;? when applied to any visit to Barisal.

Perhaps more interesting still, is sufficient evidence, today, in those early period mosques and temples, and of both Buddhist and Christian places of worship, too, that social cohesion was also strong

The streets have been narrowed as more modern developments burgeon before one of the richest collections of merchant mansions and public buildings to be found anywhere in the country; there are few streets, or lanes, that do not reveal to seeking sight municipal and residential magnificence. And the ruins of palaces around the city district, such as Ulania, Lakutia, and Madhubpasha,

together with a magnificent diversity of ancient temples and mosques, even the early 20th century Oxford Mission Church, the largest such in Bangladesh, bear their own testimony to the immense bounty at the foundations of such visible local affluence. Even the colonial splendour of schools, colleges, legal and administrative buildings represent

a significant past. Once the centre of the famous British colonial territory of Bakerganj, it seems very likely, in the days of the East India Company, and particularly the Raj, that a crossing to Chandpur from the extensive quays and moorings that denote an ancient place of trade, of Barisal, almost certainly contributed to it as a continuing, flourishing mercantile centre.

Which would of course provide some explanation of those lavish, if, in many cases, semi-ruinous mansions, in and around the city. It is, anyway, interesting to note that the Bakerganj District was founded by the East India Company some four years before the Battle of Buxar finally created the environment in which the Mughal regime felt the need to concede control of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to the Company. 1760, as it happens, was also the year that the Company was conceded Chittagong, and the lands south, to the Naf River. That this city and its location were of significant importance to the Company seems unquestionable. Sad that with evidently distinguished places of education thereabouts, it seems that none have attempted to thoroughly

The ruins of palaces around the city district, even the early 20th century Oxford Mission Church, the largest such in Bangladesh, bear their own testimony to the immense bounty at the foundations of such visible local affluence

research and record such a rich and colourful history. Located effectively on one of the main distributary waterways of the great Ganges, it is probably safe to assume that its history dates back for millennia; indeed, a location close to nearby Gopalganj is postulated as the ancient recorded capital of the Kingdom of Gangaridai. That kingdom, we have every reason to believe, existed in these deltaic lands from at least the 4th century BCE, the time of Alexander the Great, to the 2nd century CE/AD, when the Kingdom is marked on Ptolemy’s famous map. It may very well prove, if the day ever comes for serious exploration of this heritage, that deep beneath the alluvium of the area lies evidence of a past that reaches back thousands of years. The apparently endless, flat, swampy lands of these deltaic plains have, for centuries, been significant rice-producing areas, certainly from the earliest times when exports of rice to other parts of the Indian sub-continent and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Without much doubt, those cargoes shipped from the ancient port of Barisal. No doubt, also, perhaps, together with cargoes of the jute that is also extensively cropped in the region as that, too, became a major cash export crop from the 18th century. This agricultural bounty accounts for at least some of the wealth reflected in the merchant mansions of the city, and the zaminder palaces of the district. It is that wealth of architectural

heritage, in mosques, temples, churches, public and private buildings that provides the most tangible clue to, not only that commercial wealth of the area, but also the significance of public and religious activity. Certainly, Barisal was amongst the points of departure across the waters of the delta for travellers and traders on the Grand Trunk Road, the millennia old route that, eventually, reached from Kabul in Afghanistan to Chittagong. That Chandpur represented a hub for, especially, such as rail travel to the spread of Raj controlled territories into what is now north east India, there is no doubt, but whether reached by water from the Hoogly, or by land, there is little doubt that Barisal played its own part in such transit; as indeed it continues to do so today, as a major station on the water route, still plied by the famous “ferry” craft to the Sundarbans. Such points of transit, of course, also derive wealth from such travellers. Even beyond the tangible evidence of wealth, we have environmental, historic, and documentary evidence. The famous Durga Sagar, the largest artificial lake in southern Bangladesh, of course, represents

late 18th century wealth and power of the local zamindari, as do the numerous zaminder palaces in the area. But, one of the earliest documentary descriptions of life in Barisal, in the late 16th century, firmly established both the significance of the location, and the evident affluence of its inhabitants. It is clear that even lower social classes displayed some of that affluence. Ralph Fitch, the English merchant, a leatherworker of London, who, in the mid 1580s, in the course of extensive travels in the region, visited “Bacola,” paints a vivid word picture of the city. He had, according to his published journal, already been in Cooch Bihar, and his description of the “citie Bottia,” in today’s Bhutan, stands as one of the clearest pieces of evidence of the Southern Silk Road trade route, with his mentions of “merchants which come out of China, and say out of Muscouia and Tartarie ... Come to buy musk, agates, silk, pepper, and saffron like the saffron of Persia.” Indeed, it has even been suggested that he himself may possibly even have penetrated to Lhasa in Tibet. He was not, therefore, liable to be easily impressed by Barisal, which he so

Heritage

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

evidently was. “From Chatigan in Bengal, I came to Bacola; the king whereof (almost certainly the famous Pratapaditya) is a Gentile (Hindu), a man very well disposed and delighted much to shoot in a gun. His country is very great and fruitful, and hath store of rice, much cotton cloth, and cloth of silk. The houses are very fair and high built, the streets large, and people naked, except a little cloth about their waist. The women wear a great store of silver hoops about their necks and arms, and their legs are ringed with silver and copper, and rings made from elephants’ teeth.” In Fitch’s commentary we may accept that, quite apart from his description of the tall buildings, broad streets, and lavishly decorated residents, which must denote the wealth of a flourishing centre of trade, his references also support the view of a flourishing agricultural and manufacturing economy. Indeed, Pratpaditya’s wealth was almost legendary! Perhaps more interesting still, is sufficient evidence, today, in those early period mosques and temples, and of both Buddhist and Christian places of worship, too, that social cohesion was also strong. As the

18th century French philosopher observed: “Peace is the natural consequence of trade!” From Barisal, Fitch travelled on, giving us a much more comprehensive glimpse of the wealth and trade of the environment within which the port city lay. Passing through “Serrepore,” probably close to Dhaka, he arrived in “Sinnergan” (Sonargaon), and, even there, it seems, he found little more than had already so impressed him at Barisal. His travels, of course, resulted in a report on his return to London that was significantly responsible for consolidating the chartering of the East India Company; we can have no doubt that his report must have reflected the potential for trading wealth in the region. And there can, also, be little doubt that the evident affluence of Barisal was amongst the evidence he provided to Queen Elizabeth to justify the development of the trade that was to prove, in the ensuing two centuries, the foundation of, still, the greatest empire the world has seen: The British Empire. l Tim Steel is a communications, marketing and tourism consultant.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Climate Change

The river that eats up land and homes n Rafiqul Islam

iyara Begum once had a happy life in Garuhara village by the Brahmaputra River in northern Bangladesh, but worsening erosion of the river banks has displaced her family seven times. Now Piyara, 30, has taken shelter in Panchgachi village, 8 kilometres away in the same subdistrict of Kurigram Sadar. “I am always concerned about where Piyara and her three children are living, and how she manages her family expenses, as she has lost everything due to erosion,” said her uncle, Abdul Majid, who still lives in Garuhara village. The loss of Piyara’s home is taking a toll on her mental and physical health, he added. Riverbank erosion is a common problem along the mighty Brahmaputra during the monsoon, but scientists say climate change is making the phenomenon worse by contributing to higher levels of flooding and siltation. According to villagers in Garuhara, about 200 families have been displaced by erosion there in the last two years. Majid fears that if the trend continues, the whole of the village will go underwater, rendering about 1,000 families homeless. But some of those who want to escape that prospect cannot because they are unable to turn their assets into the cash they need to pay for their move. Abdul Malek, 45, a farmer in Garuhara, had 0.4 acres of agricultural land on the bank of the Brahmaputra, but the river washed away half his plot during the monsoon last year. “My family had no problem in the past as we cultivated crops on the land to meet our food demand. But now we are facing trouble,” he said. Malek and his family are planning to migrate to another part of the country after selling their homestead, but they cannot find a buyer because the property is at high risk of erosion. Other families in Garuhara village who also want to sell up and leave are trapped there for the same reason.

Erosion rates rising

The Brahmaputra is a transboundary river, originating in southwestern Tibet, flowing through the Himalayas, India’s Assam State and Bangladesh, and out into the Bay of Bengal. Climate change has contributed to rapid siltation of the river in recent years, which is intensifying bank erosion during the monsoon,

Locals look at the erosion left by the river Jamuna, in Sariakandi, near Bogra town, 250km northwest of the capital

Riverbank erosion works like a silent cancer and can be more devastating than storms or floods because it takes everything people own, including their land

Bangladesh Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. A 2014 study from the International Union for Conservation of Nature showed that the flow of the Brahmaputra is influenced strongly by the melting of snow and ice upstream, mainly in the eastern Himalaya mountains. This century, as temperatures rise, the river is likely to see an overall increase in flows throughout the year, driven by more rainfall, higher snow melt rates, and expanded run-off areas, the study said. Every year, the river carries silt from the Himalayas and deposits it downstream in Bangladesh, creating myriad islands known as chars. When floods occur upstream on the Brahmaputra, amid more intense bursts of heavy rainfall linked to climate change, the silted-up river has less capacity to carry the huge volume of water, accelerating bank erosion.

Maminul Haque Sarker of the Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS), a Dhaka-based think tank, said the erosion rate has increased at some points of the river in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, and Sirajganj districts. A 2015 CEGIS study put the annual rate of erosion along the Brahmaputra at around 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) in recent years. Bangladesh’s major rivers combined consume several thousand hectares of floodplain annually, destroying homes and infrastructure and leaving people landless and homeless.

Silent cancer

A 2013 study by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit at the University of Dhaka and the UK-based Sussex Centre for Migration Research estimated that riverbank erosion displaces 50,000 to 200,000 people in Bangladesh every year. Those displaced by erosion become isolated from their

families and wider social networks, and most have no scope to return to their roots. Majid from Garuhara village said many of his neighbours and relatives have already left for other parts of the country and do not see each other even once a year. Minister Mahmud said riverbank erosion works like a silent cancer and can be more devastating than storms or floods because it takes everything people own, including their land. “People have the chance to return to a normal life if they are hit by a cyclone or flood,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “If people once become displaced due to bank erosion, it is quite impossible to return to normal life.” CEGIS deputy executive director Fida A Khan said people often have family cemeteries or other religious monuments on the riverbanks that are claimed by erosion. Those structures may not be worth much economically, but have high social value, he added. Jahera Begum, 45, another

REUTERS

victim of riverbank erosion, had a homestead in Balchipara village in Kurigram Sadar sub-district, but the river washed away all the village land during last year’s monsoon, uprooting about 100 families. “My husband has already gone to Feni district seeking work. I am temporarily taking shelter in my relatives’ house at Garuhara,” said Jahera, who is planning to head to Feni or even Dhaka soon. Bank erosion has not only claimed all her family’s belongings, but has left them facing an uncertain future, she said grimly. l Rafiqul Islam is a freelance contributor to the Thomson Reuters Foundation, writing on climate change issues from Dhaka, contributing stories on climate change issues. This piece was originally published by Thomas Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, which can be found here: http://news.trust.org/climate. This page has been developed in collaboration with the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) and its partners, Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) and International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). This page represents the views and experiences of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of Dhaka Tribune or ICCCAD or its partners.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

FILL THE GAPS I’m ill

Do you know how to talk about being ill? Try to fill in the gaps in the sentences, using the words at the top. earache

Ouch

sore

headache

temperature

tummyache

1. If something hurts you say “ __________ !” 2. If your head hurts you have a __________ . 3. If your stomach hurts you have a stomachache or __________ . 4. If your ear hurts you have __________ . 5. If your throat hurts you have a __________ throat. 6. If you are very hot you have a high __________ . uch!” Answers ou say “O y s . t e h c thing hur e a heada e 1. If some s you hav machach head hurt have a sto 2. If your hurts you stomach 3. If your ache. earache. or tummy you have roat. ear hurts e a sore th e. 4. If your s you hav t r mperatur throat hu e a high te 5. If your t you hav re very ho 6. If you a Find lots more fun things to do at www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglishkids

Learn English

Dhaka Lit Fest

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Note from the directors We are delighted to welcome 60 international writers and poets, representing more than 18 countries, to join Bangladeshi writers and artists, for the 6th edition of the Dhaka Lit Fest. At a time when many understandably shy away from a city like Dhaka, we are thrilled to have the support of all those who are planning to come out this November. At the same time, we are also very grateful to Bangladeshi writers, publishers, activists who fight daily, at times with grave risk, to keep open the space for free thought and discourse. We also thank the authorities who provide the high degree of security that has now become de rigueur for events of its kind. DLF is the upshot of many souls from home and abroad, who come together only for three days, but thanks to months of preparation.

From left, Kazi Anis Ahmed, Sada Saaz and Ahsan Akbar As always, we embrace diversity and pluralism, actively engaging in other cultures and literatures, as well as celebrating our own. This is the first time we will have the pleasure of hosting winners of the Nobel, the Man International and the Pulitzer prizes in a single event in Dhaka. As a tribute to the recently deceased writer Syed Shamsul Haq, we will be staging a play, Neel Dangshan, adapted from his classic novel of the same name. Dialogues will range from literature to politics, science to culture, and we will welcome alternative perspectives and counter-narratives. We strive always to showcase upcoming voices alongside established ones, and certainly to hold up the best of our culture and literature for the world to know in a spirit of mutuality and collaboration. We welcome all lovers of literature and art, free and respectful debate and discourse to join us in the charming lawns and halls of the haloed Bangla Academy. Along with the artists, it is the attendants who make the festival vibrant, alive and worth everyone’s effort! So, please join us on Nov 17-19 and bring your friends too!

V.S. Naipaul with a lion cub

Photo: Khadija Bradlow

V.S. Naipaul was born in Trinidad in 1932. He went to England on a scholarship in 1950. After four years at University College, Oxford, he began to write, and since then has followed no other profession. He was knighted in 1989, was awarded the David Cohen British Literature Prize in 1993, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001. He holds honorary doctorates from Cambridge University and Columbia University in New York, and honorary degrees from the universities of Cambridge, London, and Oxford. He lives in Wiltshire, England. l Amy Sackville’s first novel, The

Still Point (Portobello, 2010) was awarded the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for a work of literature by a writer under 35, and was also long-listed for the Orange Prize for Fiction and the Dylan Thomas Prize. Her second novel, Orkney, was published by Granta Books in 2013, and won a Somerset Maugham Award in 2014. She lives in London and teaches Creative Writing at the University of Kent. l

Alex Preston is an award-

– Kazi Anis Ahmed, Sadaf Saaz, Ahsan Akbar Directors, Dhaka Lit Fest

Nayanika

Mookherjee

is the research director and reader in the Anthropology department at Durham University, UK. In Oct 2014 she was awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman (for overseas Indians) award at the House of Lords for her social anthropological work on gendered violence during wars. She has published extensively on anthropology of violence, ethics and aesthetics. Her book: The Spectral Wound: Sexual Violence, Public Memories and the Bangladesh War (2015, Duke University Press) was shortlisted for the BBC’s Thinking Allowed and Best Ethnography Award. l

Vijay Seshadri was born in Bangalore in 1954

and moved to America at the age of five. He is the author of the poetry books Wild Kingdom, The Long Meadow, The Disappearances, and 3 Sections, as well as many essays, reviews, and memoir fragments. His work has been widely published, anthologized and recognized with many honours, most recently the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and, in 2015, the Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He studied at Oberlin College and Columbia University, and currently teaches at Sarah Lawrence College, where he held the Michele Tolela Myers Chair. l

Barkha Dutt is consulting editor

with NDTV, India’s premier news network. She is one of India’s best-known journalists and the youngest to receive the Padma Shri award. In her 23-year career, she has covered several conflict zones, including Kashmir, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Egypt and Libya, and interviewed a range of personalities around the world including Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Nawaz Sharif, Bill and Melinda Gates, Tony Blair, Aung San Suu Kyi, Hamid Karzai, Malala Yousafzai, Kailash Satyarthi, the Dalai. l

winning novelist and journalist who appears regularly on BBC television and radio. He writes for GQ, Harper’s Bazaar and Town & Country Magazine as well as for the Observer’s New Review. He teaches Creative Writing at the University of Kent. His next book, about birds in literature, will be published by Little, Brown in May 2017. l

Dhaka Lit Fest

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

The DLF this year will have 60 fiction writers, poets, journalists and publishers from around the world converge with local artists and authors in many panels. Here we present readers with a few of them. Stay tuned to Dhaka Tribune and the November issue of Arts & Letters to get more updates. For the full list of authors, visit dhakalitfest.com. Deborah

Smith’s

translations from the Korean include two novels by Han Kang, The Vegetarian (winner of the 2016 International Man Booker Prize) and Human Acts; and two by Bae Suah, A Greater Music and Recitation. In 2015 Deborah completed a PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, on contemporary Korean literature and founded Tilted Axis, a non-profit press focusing on contemporary and cutting-edge Asian fiction in translation. Their debut title was Panty by Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay, translated from the Bengali by Arunava Sinha. In 2016 Deborah won the Arts Foundation Award for Literary Translation. Twitter: @londonkoreanist. l

Evie Wyld is an Anglo-Australian

author. She has published three books, Everything is Teeth (2015), All the Birds, Singing (2013), and After the Fire a Still Small Voice (2009). She has won several awards including Australia’s Miles Franklin Award in 2014. In 2013 she was listed as one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists. She works and lives in South London where she helps run Review bookshop. l

Anthony McGowan has written two literary thrillers, Stag Hunt and Mortal Coil, and seven young-adult novels, Hellbent, Henry Tumour, The Knife That Killed Me (made into a highly acclaimed film in 2014), The Fall, Brock, Hello Darkness and Pike. He has also written widely for younger children. He will have three new books out in 2017: Everybody Hurts—a young adult novel cowritten with Jo Nadin; a picture book, I Killed Santa, illustrated by the UK children’s laureate, Chris Riddell; and The Art of Failing, described by Nick Hornby as “It’s eccentric, charming, maddening, and very, very funny. It also comes much closer to describing the reality of the writing life than anything you’ll find in the Paris Review.” l

Bee Rowlatt is a writer and journalist. Her current book In Search of Mary was inspired by the life of Mary Wollstonecraft. It was on the Independent’s Best Biographies list . It was featured on BBC Meet the Author and Public Radio International’s The World, and described by Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen as “terrific—quite unlike anything I’ve read before.” Bee writes a feminism blog for the BBC. She co-wrote Talking about Jane Austen in Baghdad and is one of the writers in Virago’s Fifty Shades of Feminism. Her public speaking appearances include 5x15, the Southbank Women of the World festival, Hay Festival, and British Council literary events in Iraq, Norway, India, Mexico, Russia and Palestine. She is a regular guest on BBC Woman’s Hour and has reported for BBC World Service, Newsnight, and BBC2. www.beerowlatt.com Twitter: @BeeRowlatt l

Photo: Poeloft Bakker

Sangeeta Bandyopadhay went to Carmel Convent School in Durgapur and later to Bagbazar Multipurpose Girls’ School, where she was first exposed to the immense joys of Bengali literature, and Ghokale Memorial College. To learn Bengali language she began reading Bengali literature. This can be considered the turning point of her life; as she read she also thought of writing. Her first novel, Sankhini, was published in Desh Patrika 13 years ago and is still high up on the best seller charts. Bandyopadhay has written nine novels and 60 short stories, and is currently trying to become a full time writer. Her Bengali novel Ruh, was translated into English as Abandon, while two more Bengali novels, Panty and Sanmohan, were published as Panty and Hypnosis. Panty was published in June 2016 by UK publisher Tilted Axis, and has fascinated UK readers. l

Photo: Pat Phetthong

Tim

Chador Wangmo is a celebrated Bhutanese author of nine children’s books and two novels. She started her writing career with illustrated folktales for children. A teacher turned writer, she dedicates her entire time to writing. She is currently working on her first-ever superhero book, which is scheduled to be released in 2017. Wangmo also volunteers for social causes. She has successfully conducted a Summer Exposure Tour for twenty children from a very remote village in the summer of 2016. Since this project was a huge success, the Rotary Club of Thimphu, which was the major sponsor for the project, has decided to conduct such projects every year. l

Prabda Yoon is a writer, translator, graphic designer, publisher and filmmaker based in Bangkok, Thailand. His story collection, Kwam Na Ja Pen (“Probability”), won the S.E.A. Write Award in 2002. He runs the publishing house Typhoon Studio, co-founded the independent bookshop Bookmoby Readers’ Cafe, and serves the Thai publishing industry as Vice President of International Affairs in the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT). Prabda is also the current President of the Asia Pacific Publishers Association (APPA). l

Cope is an adventurer, author and film-maker with a special interest in the traditional cultures of Central Asia and Russia. Tim’s most renowned journey was a three-year, 6,000-mile journey by horse from Mongolia to Hungary on the trail of Genghis Khan—a quest to understand the horseback nomads of the great Eurasian steppe. Tim is the author of Off the Rails: Moscow to Beijing on Recumbent Bikes (Penguin Books 2003), and On the Trail of Genghis Khan: An Epic Journey Through the Lands of the Nomads (Bloomsbury Worldwide Sep 2013). He is also the creator of several documentary films, including the award-winning series, The Trail of Genghis Khan, commissioned by ABC Australia and ZDF/Arte in Europe. www.timcopejourneys.com twitter: @timcopejourneys l

Kids

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

fiction

The Instability Part 6 of The Magical Christmas Ring n Nusaiba Zyen I wasn’t feeling good at all that they were stealing other people’s presents. I did not want it to be like this, that only my family and I would be happy because we only had received our presents. No. I wanted everyone to be happy. So I tried thinking of a quick plan that would compel those thieves to quit stealing other people’s presents. And a few seconds later, I had just the right idea. I could control about six robots with all six remotes and then take the presents back. I grabbed the remotes and tested to see if I could handle controlling all of them. And with a bit of finger-tapping practice, I had nailed it. I opened the wooden door carefully and slowly as it was creaking. I then tied the sack on the third robot’s metal wrist. I had seen the girls heading to the

shed, hunting for me. “There she is!” said one girl with short, blonde hair. I started tapping the remote controllers. The robots started to move forward, marching heavily. Then their eyes started to glow a fierce red. I had pressed all the record buttons of all six remotes and started to say something that would drive those thieves away. “Behold! We are the Christmas Guardians! We have been watching every step of yours. You have been stealing other people’s presents. Now hand it over or else, we shall destroy you with our Fire-Ball Bazooka! Hand it over NOW! And beware of us if you dare to try and rob other people’s presents! Muahahahahahahahaha!” The girls shrieked in fear. They handed the robots the sack they had and sprinted away like wolves. “Good jobs robots!” I said. “You’re next!” they shouted.

A cold shudder went up my spine. I realised then that those robots were actually unstable! I got very angry. I mean, who would buy or invent unstable robots? I thought of making a run for it, but then it was too late. All six of them were surrounding me. I was fully trapped. The robots’ eyes turned a blazing red, as did their faces. I was trapped. I did not know what to do. Suddenly, a huge snowstorm started. The robots shrieked. I thought they’d freeze or die, but they suddenly melted into a pool. I thought that I was dreaming, and pinched my arm to be sure, but it turned out to be true. I was overwhelmingly happy. But it wasn’t over yet. The robots had the power to re-form, and they had grown larger in size. They started shooting fireballs at me. I flipped back and they missed. I noticed that they weren’t fading away anymore. I stopped thinking

about all of that and started to sprint. I gave a front-roll under one of the robots’ legs when it stood in front of me. Luckily, the robots had lost their visual on me because of the snowstorm. So they started to shoot laser-beams everywhere possible. The laser beams were tarnishing, wrecking and destroying everything. I saw

another tool-shed beside a big mansion. The shed was pretty huge. I ran towards it and prayed for nothing unstable to be in there. I opened the door and locked it. Inside, I saw many guns to destroy powerful things. I had heard of those before so I did not have to read the manual.l

Illustration: Bigstock

colour it

Illustration: Bigstock

Biz Info

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

| event |

Seedstars World to find the best startup in Bangladesh Seedstars World, the global seed-stage startup competition for emerging markets and fast-growing startup scenes, is returning to Dhaka on October 19, 2016. 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 USD 1 million and network with investors and mentors from around the world. Seedstars Dhaka is being organized in conjunction to the Digital World 2016 by BetterStories and ICT Division. Further support is provided by Digital Bangladesh Initiative, Digital World 2016, ICT Division, Bangladesh Computer Council, International Trade Centre, Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, White-board, BD Venture, LICT, CBI Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EMK Center etc. In addition Seedstars World has partnered with TRECC to bring the “Transforming Education Prize” which will award the best startup in the education space from around the world with a prize of over USD 50,000. A lively ‘Meet the Press’ session was held to inform the press and media about this year’s Seedstars World 2016 competition at the Janata Tower Software Technology Park. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister of ICT Division presided

over the event as the Chief Guest of the press conference. Shyam Sunder Sikder, Secretary of ICT division attended the event as a Special Guest. Also present were: Hosne Ara Begum, Managing Director, Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, Faisal Kabir, Manager (Innovation & Ecosystem), White-board; Nick Feneck, Asian Representative of Seedstars World; Minhaz Anwar, Managing Director BetterStories and Shahriar

Rahman, Program Lead, Seedstars World. Up to 8 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 and gain from the Regional Summit, due to take place in Bangkok in early December.

The companies selected to pitch at the Seedstars Dhaka event need to be less than 2 years old, have raised less than USD 500,000 in funding and have built a minimum viable product, ideally with existing traction. The Seedstars World team is searching for one additional criterion - the startup’s regional and global scalability. With a strong network of international partners such as Inmarsat, INADEM, Standard Bank

and Deloitte, Seedstars World is looking for smart startups that solve regional issues and develop profitable products for the global market, to support their regional businesses and growth. Participants can register for the competition here: http://bit. do/sswdhaka and find details about the main event here: http:// www.seedstarsworld.com/event/ seedstars-dhaka-2016/ l

| meals |

| appointment |

World food at Lake Terrace

Shahid Uddin Akbar selected as new APTN Chair

Because food, like a loving touch or a soothing voice, has the ability to comfort and heal, Lake Terrace brings you flavours from all around the world. This October, let your World Tour begin at Lake Terrace by indulging in their eclectic meals.

The all-inclusive Eclectic Carte (BDT 1,300) includes: Entrée: Grilled Squid (6 pcs) Main: Lebanese Chicken with sides of capsicum fried rice and zesty baby garlic potatoes Dessert: Sizzling Brownie

Refreshment: Lemon Shock For reservations, call +8801618377223 For further details, Visit https:www.facebook.com/ laketerrace l

The executive committee of Asia Pacific Telecentre Network (APTN) voted Shahid Uddin Akbar as the new chairman for the next three years, and Bangladesh Institute of ICT in Development (BIID) will be the host organisation for this regional network. APTN is a regional network of ICT4D practitioners and organisations comprising membership of eight countries, namely Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Srilanka and Thailand. APTN was initiated by UNESCAP and Telecentre.org Foundation to promote ICT4D, focusing on telecentres in Asia Pacific region. Shahid Uddin Akbar is the chief executive officer of BIID and past national president, JCI Bangladesh, and is also serving

many different organisations in various capacities. APTN will foster collaborative initiatives among member countries and beyond for knowledge sharing, expert support and expanding networks as priority activities. l

20 Editorial

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

INSIDE

The times they are a-changin’ Dylan and Nobel? Initially I thought my sleep deprived-brain was playing tricks and some person named Bob has won the Nobel, and my mind probably erased the surname after it with that of Dylan, a sort of a wish fulfillment PAGE 21

The mess in the attic Are we content with producing sophisticated calculators and managers, or do we want our calculators and managers to be sophisticated human beings too? PAGE 22

BIGSTOCK

The right to peaceful protest

It’s a TV channel jungle out there The Bangladeshi audience is having quite a lot of trouble to remember the names of TV channels for a particular reason. Are any of the channels offering anything to remember? Both in terms of news and program, most broadcast almost similar content 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.

he right to assemble peacefully in protest is truly one of the cornerstones of liberty. It is, then, disheartening to hear an influential ruling party leader and a former minister’s threat to protesters about having their legs broken for taking a stand against the controversial 3,200MW project. This is not the first time Rampal protesters have had to fear for their physical safety. A consistent pattern can be observed of party goons engaging in hooliganism and injuring protesters. What’s worse, the student wing of our ruling party tends to be backed up by the police in these crackdowns. It is a sad commentary on our society that citizens cannot take to the streets for a legitimate cause without fear of bodily harm. No less than 50 people were hurt at the recent protest at the Shaheed Minar, and they were attacked as soon as the rally had started. Can there be any justification for using excessive force against ordinary citizens who voice some legitimate concerns about the construction of a power plant which, according to experts, could indeed be detrimental to the environment? Can setting indisciplined goons loose on protesters ever result in a constructive outcome? It is a matter of great regret that we have been unable to solve the problem even after so many undesirable events of people getting hurt. Citizens deserve to have their voices heard, and the government should be at the service of the very citizens that are getting hurt on the streets. Violence is not the way to deal with disagreement. This culture of heavyhandedness must end. We need to be more civilised.

Violence is not the way to deal with disagreement. This culture of heavyhandedness must end

Opinion

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

The times they are a-changin’ Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize win surprised many, but it’s a sign of the changing times

The great lyricist broadened the frontiers of literature

REUTERS

n SM Shahrukh

t was late Thursday afternoon, and I was in dire need of some shut-eye. I drew the curtains and turned off my reading lamp and, as I often do, I switched on the TV with CNN on very low volume with the sleep timer set to 30 minutes. As my eyelids grew heavy and I was drifting off to slumberland, the pictures on the screen showed news of world financial markets and the inevitable presence of “Orange” with sleazy stories of sexual misconduct, sickening by now, that my tired eyes noticed the words “Nobel” and “Bob” and maybe, “Dylan.” Bob Dylan and Nobel? Initially I thought my sleep deprivedbrain was playing tricks and some person named Bob has won the Nobel, and my mind probably erased the surname after it with that of Dylan, a sort of a wish fulfillment; always loved Bob Dylan’s songs. I sat up, still, to check and realised that it indeed was him who has just won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Pretty soon I started seeing a few posts on Facebook about grumblings at the choice, and now, as I write this, late at night, many have voiced their discontents about the decision of the Nobel committee. I wonder why. He is

Dylan and Nobel? Initially I thought my sleep deprived-brain was playing tricks and some person named Bob has won the Nobel, and my mind probably erased the surname after it with that of Dylan, a sort of a wish fulfillment not a writer of novels? He is just a folk-rock singer? Well, I have a few lines for the naysayers from the man himself. Dylan admonishes conformism, directed at regressive thinking: Come mothers and fathers Throughout the land And don’t criticise What you can’t understand Your sons and your daughters Are beyond your command Your old road is Rapidly agin’ Please get out of the new one If you can’t lend your hand For the times they are a-changin The permanent secretary of Swedish Academy, Sara Danius, said that it had “not been a difficult decision” but she feared that some would not like the choice. Still she hoped that the news would be received with great joy and compared Dylan’s work with those of Homer and Sappho. Dylan is a singer-songwriter, a

poet, a man who spoke of change. Wasn’t Rabindranth Tagore a singer-songwriter too, besides his contribution to other branches of literature? I am not comparing their respective greatness, but greats they are, and will remain.

Change was in the air

Bob Dylan hit the scene during the early sixties when he came to New York with his acoustic guitar and harmonica and words that proved quite divisive from the very beginning. During the time of rising tension of the Cold War, the Bay of Pigs, the Vietnam War not far from becoming America’s first defeat in an armed conflict, with huge loss of life, with young people being drafted into armed service and landing in a totally alien land from the soda pop and ice-cream shops of small town USA. The time was ripe for Dylan to sing of existence and against the chains of conformism. It was time

to sing for change from the age-old institutions run by “old fogeys” and death in a battle was glorified with “the anthem and the flag.” He could feel the change in the air especially for the disgruntled and disillusioned young people and he wrote songs and sang for them to goad them to clamour for change. Dylan did not stay restricted to the acoustic, but embraced the electric sound of the guitar from the mid-sixties onwards. Something that made him popular with the blooming counter-culture of the times. But his lyrics remained scathing always and his songs were on the lips of many iconic figures of the “drug-addled” yet still change-seeking young minds. Dylan was not immune from the drug culture, and some of his albums, most notably, “Another Side of Bob Dylan,” was eventually deemed by Dylan himself as a deviation from his regular. Still, that album contained songs likes “Chimes of

Freedom,” “My Back Pages,” and “MotorpsychoNitemare.” Dylan went into a hiatus from touring and performing after 1966. Two events triggered it mainly: His marriage to Sara Lownds in November 1965, and a motorcycle accident in July1966 after the tour. He was also being criticised for going electric. He cancelled tours and engagements and sort of withdrew within himself and his young family. However, he started performing one-offs from 1969 but it took George Harrison to bring him out in The Concert for Bangladesh in 1971. It took a lot of coaxing from Harrison for Dylan to perform -Harrison needed Dylan on the bill to draw crowds. I regularly listen to his rendition that night of “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” which revives my memories as a young boy of almost seven of that harrowing year for all Bengalis. He sang with tremendous passion and empathy for people “under the foot of olive drab.” Dylan always wrote and sang for the downtrodden, the homeless, the oppressed, and the people who needed to be brought to the limelight where a select few were stealing it all. Manash “Firaq” Bhattacharjee wrote in The Wire after Dylan’s winning of the Nobel: “The exciting aspect of granting the Nobel to Dylan is not only the way it elevates the literary merit of popular culture, but also the political significance it holds for our times. National economies are grappling with a deep crisis. Wars are being threatened and fought in the name of national interest and paranoia, trying to sinisterly drive away attention from the limits of neo-liberal promises. If a nation’s unfulfilled greed can be replaced by the language of war, it calls for introspection regarding where the world is heading with its ecological and human disasters.” Salman Rushdie expressed his feelings: “The frontiers of literature keep widening, and it’s exciting that the Nobel Prize recognises that. I intend to spend the day playing Mr Tambourine Man, Love Minus Zero/No Limit, Like a Rolling Stone, Idiot Wind, Jokerman, Tangled Up in Blue and It’s a Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall.” Maybe, I’ll do the same, not for a day but for the rest of my life. l SM Shahrukh is a freelance contributor.

Long-Form

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

The mess in the attic We cannot afford to ignore the humanities. This is the concluding part of yesterday’s long-form

n Shehzad M Arifeen

he problem starts early. In school, children who do well in math or science are called “bright,” while those who are good at geography or history have good “general knowledge” (note the adjective). And while “general knowledge” is useful and fun when it comes to quiz contests and debate tournaments, and is important to be “well-rounded,” it is certainly not to be taken too seriously. A child who spends her time studying chemistry is “studious,” one who spends her time studying philosophy or poetry “reads a lot” (which after a certain age turns inevitably into “bookish”), and should eventually grow out of it (she can keep it as a “hobby” though). All of this creates an environment where the vast majority of those children who

one lone case, anthropology. You can study a thousand different kinds of engineering, major in anything that can be labelled as a department in a corporation, but if you want to study humanity and society, if you are interested in our species’ history or the wonders of human culture -- these are your only options. And sure, most universities require all students to take a few social science and humanities courses as “general education” requirements, but these are woefully inadequate -- partly because they are normally treated as just a few more boxes to tick. Without any meaningful structure to help piece together what can only be called an avalanche of information that attacks us every day, these students are left with an understanding of society with all the nuance of a Transformers

Our education system fails to provide a structure of critique

We have to take a long, hard, and collective look at what exactly we mean by education, what it is that we hope our schools and universities will achieve, and ask ourselves: Are we content with producing sophisticated calculators and managers, or do we want our calculators and managers to be sophisticated human beings too?

might have made wonderful contributions to some field end up studying something they don’t even remotely enjoy. What is worse, because this is so pervasive, most of us never even know it -- we don’t even realise that we might actually be able to enjoy what we study. Things don’t really get better -definitely not for those who decide to study in one of the local private universities (and yes, there are people who choose this, and don’t just end up there because they didn’t get into a public institution or weren’t allowed/couldn’t afford/ didn’t want to go abroad).

Higher learning

What is there to study in these places anyway? Until very recently, anyone who wanted to study the humanities or the social sciences (except law) would basically have to choose between English or economics (and the problems with the latter deserves an entire article -- another day). Today, we can see some journalism, media studies, and in

movie. They are assaulted by war, poverty, hunger, disease, murder, rape, abuse, slavery, financial crises, corporations more powerful than nation-states, ecological destruction, the threat of nuclear annihilation or irreversible climate change. With even the most simplistic and general of introductions to centuries of progressive, radical and emancipatory philosophy, literature, social, economic, political, historical, and cultural theory from all over the world, these students might have ended up as activists, writers, or aspiring academics.

What are the options?

Without even an awareness of such possibilities, however, what are young people disillusioned by modernity supposed to do? How does one frame their critique of modern civilisation without such rich and powerful systems of critique available to them? Isn’t moralising the only other option? Isn’t it easiest to chalk it all up

to human greed and sinfulness? And if someone comes along who can integrate this latent emotive discontent into a broader cosmic narrative of human fallibility and sin, based on a belief system that already dominates in one form or another, why shouldn’t young people gravitate towards this false prophet? Having failed to provide them the means to understand, how dare we despair and rage at what they have had to resort to? An uncle who lives in New York commented, in the context of the systematic killing spree leading up to the attack on Holey Artisan, that Bangladeshis should stop “making such a fuss” and focus on “building things,” because our country is not “open-minded enough” (how on earth does a country become open-minded? By building better trains?). Like the comment I started this article with, this is a regrettably common sentiment under different disguises. This is why STEM subjects are treated the way they are. This is why someone who doesn’t enjoy math is expected

to just “suck it up,” at least until their first year in university (if not longer), but it is perfectly acceptable to not enjoy history, not study it at all after school, and complain loudly if made to. We have deluded ourselves into thinking that we can build and calculate our way out of anything. But if there is anything we can learn from the convergence of catastrophes we have seen this year (and there is a lot), it is that this is simply not true. There comes a time when a better way to distribute electricity isn’t what we need. There are problems that linear algebra cannot solve. How many must suffer and die before we recognise that whatever we can make, we can easily unmake? That a single idea can mobilise people into destroying the work of a thousand engineers? That the only way to fight a bad idea is with a better idea? Ironically, I am writing this at a time when writing about the importance of education has become thoroughly passé -- the post-Gulshan attack narrative has become distinctly a-educational (if not anti-educational); something to the effect of “we used to think that they brainwashed the uneducated -- now we know that education doesn’t matter.” On the contrary, it seems to me that education matters even more now. Most importantly, we have to take a long, hard, and collective look at what exactly we mean by education, what it is that we

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hope our schools and universities will achieve, and ask ourselves: Are we content with producing sophisticated calculators and managers, or do we want our calculators and managers to be sophisticated human beings too?

Understanding human beings

None of this implies, of course, that the knowledge of science, technology, and mathematics is any less important. What I am merely trying to suggest is that perhaps, if we had devoted a bit more of our time and resources to understanding how human beings work, we would be a little less intent on hurting each other. We are often told that we need to study so much math and science because they are so “important” for the modern world. And I will freely admit that knowing arithmetic might be more useful, given the choice, than the history of Imperial Japan or the subtleties of post-structuralism. But we don’t stop there. We seem to think that understanding calculus really is more important than understanding humanity. If this is how highly we think of ourselves, our history, politics, and culture, why are we surprised at how easily we are led to the slaughterhouse? l 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.

Opinion

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

It’s a TV channel jungle out there Let’s go for quality over quantity

LARGER THAN LIFE n Ekram Kabir

ecently, I became a part of a television report and it was broadcast during their afternoon bulletin. In the evening, one of my friends told me that he watched my clip on TV. I intentionally asked him: “Which TV?” He replied: “I don’t know; don’t remember; in one of the TV channels. How can I remember the name of the channel when there’s a jungle out there?” I wasn’t surprised by his statement, which I’ve heard several times from many other people. So, here’s the question: “Are the audience failing to remember the names of the TV channels they’re watching?” The answer, however, should be given by the experts. I can only highlight a few factors that are commonly discussed by the people around me. If the audience, such as my friend, is taken into consideration, there’s certainly a concern for the TV channels, and its work and existence. If we run a survey, the true picture of the TV channels is likely to be unearthed as to how they exist at the top of people’s minds. The number of TV channels now stands at, perhaps, more than 23. As a homogenous audience, do we need that many channels to watch? The Bangladeshi audience is having quite a lot of trouble to remember the names of TV channels for a particular reason. Are any of the channels offering anything to remember? Both in terms of news and program, most broadcast almost similar content. One cannot say that a news channel is offering its content in such a way that the people would remember it. Yes, some are known for their political inclination and some are known for their talk-shows, but still one cannot say that a program on a TV channel is quite unique, and the audience remembers it and looks forward to watch it.

Let’s think about quality over quantity Some are, of course, trying understand the audience’s mind and how to make a difference. For example, a program channel is usually known for its morning musical sessions. Then again, the music programs don’t have much of a variety; after a while, watching the same faces becomes monotonous. Some channels have news analysis shows on which the journalists come and talk about the news. Is there anything new in those programs? The journalists would always, unsurprisingly, be able to talk about news and events. So why don’t the channels invite people from other professions to analyse the news? That would be more interesting to watch. People say that there are very few good watchable programs on Bangladeshi channels. One of the exceptions have done very well with a show on agriculture, but then again this particular program is a legacy of what the anchor used to do on the state-owned channel, BTV. There’s very little research done for creating interesting programs. A news TV channel wanted to produce good programs, but

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The Bangladeshi audience is having quite a lot of trouble to remember the names of TV channels for a particular reason. Are any of the channels offering anything to remember? Both in terms of news and program, most broadcast almost similar content

instead has become famous for a foreign historical drama serial. I’ve watched a channel in India named “Care World TV” specialised on healthcare. It provides 24/7 news and programs on health. They have quite a number of talk-shows, which are also on health issues. I thought it was a fantastic idea for focusing on people’s health and beauty. Why don’t we do something like that? We could focus on sports, we could make a children’s TV channel, we could create a channel only for education, and we could have an entertainment channel. Why do we have to remain confined to news and talk shows? There’s of course one channel that has been making a difference in the field of music, kudos to them.

Finally, we need to have a business model in terms of initiating a TV station. I have my doubts on whether our entrepreneurs have any business model in mind, as to hop onto the television business. Business-wise, it’s a small market and the only source of revenue is TV commercials and, sometimes, SMS service. The amount of TVC budget of the business houses would not increase with the increase of the number of TV channels. And that budget would also come down due to the digital revolution. We need to consider the market before we launch a product. The time has come to think about quality over quantity. l Ekram Kabir is a fiction writer.

24 Sport

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Soumya ready for captaincy challenge

TOP STORIES

Shahriyar Bappa n Ali from Chittagong

‘Bangladesh Tests will be challenging’ Gareth Batty, the 39-year old England spinner is pleased with the security arrangement provided to the visitors and believes the two Test matches will be a challenge for them against the Tigers in their home conditions. PAGE 25

Siddikur continues to shine in Macau Premier Bangladesh golfer Siddikur Rahman continued to shine in the Venetian Macao Open as he carded four-under-par 67 in the second round yesterday to rise to joint seventh position, tied alongside three others. PAGE 26

Bangladesh batsman Mominul Haque bats during training while Test captain and wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim looks on in Chittagong yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Azhar lights up D/N Test Azhar Ali became the first batsman to score a century in a day-night Test off a pink ball as he helped Pakistan dominate West Indies in Dubai. Ali’s unbeaten 194 guided his side to 279-1 after the opening day of the first Test. PAGE 27

Messi returns as Barca battle ‘virus’ Argentina’s pain is Barcelona’s gain as Lionel Messi returns for the Spanish champions when Deportivo la Coruna visit the Camp Nou today after being sidelined for three weeks with a groin injury. Messi recently returned to the side. PAGE 28

Taskin in line for Test call-up Shahriyar Bappa n Ali from Chittagong Bangladesh fast bowling sensation Taskin Ahmed has been included in the second and final two-day practice match against England which begins at MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong tomorrow. Taskin was recently cleared by the International Cricket Council and displayed impressive performances against Afghanistan and England in the ODIs. The time has now come for Taskin to prove himself in the longer format of the game. Taskin played his last longer-version game in 2013 for Walton Central Zone. Since then, he has been struggling with his fitness and as a result, was not considered for four-day matches in the next three years. Now he is fit and bowling with real pace and the Tigers thinktank is considering giving him a chance to cement his place in the

Test squad. “Taskin was unfit in the last few years for the longer version of the game. That’s why he was not considered. But now he is fit and after consulting with the team physio (Baizidul Islam), we have decided to give Taskin a chance in the two-day match,” national team selector Habibul Bashar said. The Test squad for the twomatch England series will be announced tomorrow. Pacer Mohammad Shahid, who was a regular fixture in the last few matches, has been injured for the last few months and is still recovering from a side-strain injury. The other available options from the recent ODI squads are Al Amin Hossian, Rubel Hossain and Shafiul Islam. Al-Amin and Rubel are not in their best rhythm and Shafiul played the last of his eight Tests three years ago. Pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman is still recov-

ering from his lengthy lay off and expected to be fit in late December. So there is a high chance of giving Taskin his much awaited Test cap. While in the spin department, Taijul Islam is the obvious choice. Ace all-rounder Shakib al Hasan will lead the attack. In the batting line-up, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib are likely to get the nod. The No 7 spot will be up for grabs. Shuvagata Hom can be an option as he has been playing as an all rounder in that position in the last few matches. Youngster Mosaddek Hossain is also vying for the same spot. The team management is also considering wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan as an alternative. If Bangladesh play a specialist stumper then skipper Mushfiq’s burden will lessen as he is one of the main batsman of the side. l

Left-handed opening batsman Soumya Sarkar has been elected captain for the second and final twoday practice match against England, scheduled to start tomorrow. And on the eve of the warm-up game, Soumya vowed to come back to scoring touch soon. The southpaw also expressed confidence that the role of captaincy will not hamper his focus on batting. “I am working hard on my batting. Every player faces some bad patch during his career. It came early in my career. But I think if I can overcome this situation soon, then it could be beneficial for me. I could learn a lot of things during this period of hardship and I believe it will help me in the long run,” Soumya told the media at MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong after practice yesterday. “Obviously, it’s a great feeling to captain the side. I think I will enjoy the new role. I have to lead from the front and also guide my team mates. There was always a dream of becoming captain in my mind. Now I got the chance and I want to prove myself. I believe I will enjoy my time as captain,” said Soumya. Soumya was dropped from the playing XI in the just-concluded England ODI series and in his place, opener Imrul Kayes played brilliantly. Soumya admitted it will be a challenging task to get back in the squad but said he is ready to take up the challenge. “Actually, the total national team is a challenge in itself. You have to play really well to hold onto your spot in the team. I think every match is a challenge for me when I play for my country. Because there are many talented openers out there who are playing well. Generally I challenge myself to do better than the previous match. That’s how I prepared myself for the game,” he said. “I will try to start from the beginning. I will play my natural game in the practice match and hope I will be able to bat just like I did when I started my international career,” he added. Soumya played the last of his three Tests against India last year.

Squad for second practice match

Soumya Sarkar (C), Abdul Majid, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Tanbir Haydar Khan, Mosaddek Hossain, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Nurul Hasan, Al Amin Hossain, Abu Haider Rony, Shubashish Roy, Ebadat Hossain and Shadman Islam. l

Sport

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

‘Bangladesh Tests will be challenging’

BCB XI, England two-dayer called off in Chittagong n Ali Shahriyar Bappa

Shahriyar Bappa n Ali from Chittagong

from Chittagong

The opening day’s play of the first two-day practice match between Bangladesh Cricket Board XI and England was called off due to wet outfield at MA Aziz Stadium yesterday. It has been raining in the last few days here in the port city. The match was scheduled to start at 10am local time. England team officials and head coach Trevor Bayliss arrived at the venue at around 9:45am and inspected the outfield. Later, play was called off due to wet outfield. National manager, grounds and facilities, Sayed Abdul Baten said a 45-overs per side match will be played today, provided rain do not intervene again. “The first day’s play has been called off. England decided to practise at ZACS in the afternoon session. BCB XI will practice in the afternoon session at MA Aziz Stadium. We will arrange a 45-overs per side match [today] provided it do not rain again,” Baten said.

BCB XI team

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

England XI team

Moeen Ali, Zafar Ansari, Jonny Bairstow (WK), Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Gareth Batty, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Ben Duckett, Steven Finn, Haseeb Hameed, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes. l

England off-spinner Gareth Batty warms up during training at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Eva lifts national chess title n Tribune Report Women’s Fide Master Nazrana Khan Eva clinched the National Women’s Chess Championship title after 16 years despite being held to a draw in the final round at the Bangladesh Chess Federation hallroom yesterday. Eva needed a draw in the 11th and last round of the tournament’s 36th edition and the woman from Manikganj drew with Aahelee Sarkar of Mohila Daba Samity to become the champion for the second time. Eva, who has been taking part in the competition since 1996 and

won the national women’s chess title back in 2000, earned 9.5 points after the end of 11 rounds. Last year’s runners-up WFM Sharmin Sultana Shirin of Narayanganj finished second again this year with nine points. Eighteen-time national women’s champion Women’s International Master Rani Hamid of Golden Sporting Club became third with 8.5 points. Aahelee placed fourth with seven points to achieve his best position in her career. WFMs Zakia Sultana and Samiha Sharmin Shimmi finished fifth and sixth respectively. l

Gareth Batty, the 39-year old England off-spinner is pleased with the security arrangement provided to the visiting side and believes the two-match Test series will be a challenge for them against the Tigers in their home conditions. “The security arrangement has been fantastic. It’s amazing. It’s kind of regal. We have been very fortunate what Bangladesh have put on for us regarding security,” Batty told the media at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong yesterday. “Bangladesh are a very good team in their own country. The conditions are quite challenging at times. It’s a great challenge for us. But I believe, considering the skill we have in our squad, we can achieve a favourable result for England,” he added. Batty has been recalled to the Test team after almost 11 years. The veteran spinner thinks England have improved significantly in the recent past and said he has to work hard to justify his Test recall. “It’s brilliant for me to become a part of the England team again. It’s a different group of players compared to the last Test I have played for England. Some part of the management has remained same, while some part of it changed. But there are lot of improvements in the squad and our cricket,” said the Surrey cricketer. “There is a wonderful vibe present in the team at the moment, which is one thing I have noticed first. England players have been magnificent in the last two years. It’s a privilege to become involved

with this team. But I have to do a lot of hard work to push myself to be back in the playing 11,” he added. Spin could be crucial in the Bangladeshi conditions and Batty is of the opinion that the upcoming two Test matches will be good opportunity for the English spinners to learn from and handle the challenge positively. “It is positive that spin could play an important part for the team. In England, pacers always get favourable conditions. It is nice to see that spin could be crucial for the team. It’s a real challenge for the spinners to prove that they can win the game for England as well,” he said. England will face a selection dilemma ahead of their first Test as both Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett are favourites to open the innings alongside skipper Alastair Cook. But England assistant coach Paul Farbrace hinted that both of them could play in the first Test. “It’s a bit of a shootout but they (Hameed and Duckett) could end up both playing,” Farbrace said. “There’s no reason why Duckett couldn’t bat in the middle order, there are places going. He has come in, and settled so well - better than any of us could have expected. His calmness around the game has shown he has the temperament. He has shown it straight away,” he added. The opening day of the first two-day practice match between the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI and the visitors was called off due to wet outfield at MA Aziz Stadium yesterday. Later, the tourists went to ZACS, the venue for the first Test, in the afternoon for training. The full squad took part in an intense practice session there for a few hours.l

Ctg Abahani bring in Chencho n Tribune Report

Chittagong Abahani are all set to sign Chencho Gyeltshen for the second half of the ongoing premier league season following the Bhutanese striker’s recent displays

Chencho scored two goals against Bangladesh in the AFC Qualifiers against Bangladesh in the Asian Cup Qualifiers Play-off matches. The 20-year-old centre-forward is reported to have agreed personal terms with the Chittagong outfit and scheduled to land in Dhaka today. The second players’ transfer

window ahead of the second phase of the premier league will open this Friday and close on October 31 and between this time, Chencho will officially sign the contract. It was learnt that newly-promoted premier league club Uttar Baridhara first approached the Bhutan all-time top-scorer with an offer believed to be around $2,000 per month. Chittagong Abahani tabled a better offer and got their player. The deal could run till the end of season which means for around two months. Chencho represented Bhutan in different age-level teams from Under-12 to U-19 and has now become one of the key players in the senior side. He scored two goals against Bangladesh in the Asian Cup Qualifiers Play-off second leg on Monday. l

Sport

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Siddikur continues to shine in Macau n Tribune Report

Djoker hoping Kyrgios can stop spoiling his gifts n Reuters, Shanghai

Premier Bangladesh golfer Siddikur Rahman continued to shine in the Venetian Macao Open as he carded four-under-par 67 in the second round yesterday to rise to joint seventh position, tied alongside three others. The 31-year old golfer from Madaripur traded six birdies against two bogeys in the $1,100,000 tournament and now trails early leaders Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe, Kalem Richardson of Australia, Indians Chikkarangappa S and Anirban Lahiri and Sutijet Kooratanapisan of Thailand by only two shots. Siddikur maintained his good run at Macau Golf and Country Club as he had struck two-under-par 69 in the opening round, hitting four birdies and half as many bogeys. l

World number one Novak Djokovic hopes Nick Kyrgios can learn some “life lessons” after the Australian was fined by the ATP Tour for breaching its code of conduct during a contentious defeat at the Shanghai Masters. The Australian was beaten 6-3 6-1 by Mischa Zverev in a second-round match on Wednesday in which he put in a series of half-hearted serves and appeared to be walking off court before the unseeded German had completed his shot. The 21-year-old, who has had a number of scrapes with tennis authorities over his behaviour in the past, also clashed with spectators before being booed off the court and was subsequently fined $16,500 by the ATP for his behaviour.l

Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays against Mischa Zverev of Germany during the Shanghai Masters yesterday

REUTERS

Hughes family walk out Farbrace backs Morgan return n AFP, Sydney

The family of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes walked out of the inquest into his death yesterday, with his father calling the Sydney Cricket Ground an “unsafe workplace”. Hughes, who played 26 Tests, was 25 years old when he died from bleeding on the brain in November 2014 after being hit on the base of the skull by a ball during a domestic

Sheffield Shield match in Sydney. The five-day inquest, which wrapped yesterday, has looked into whether he was targeted with short balls or “sledged” with unsettling comments from opponents, but has also exposed tensions between Hughes’ family and the cricket community. Hughes’ father Greg wrote that he was concerned about the amount of short-pitch bowling to his son. l

n AFP, Chittagong

Eoin Morgan will return as captain of England’s limited overs side in India next year despite skipping the ongoing tour of Bangladesh over safety fears, according to assistant coach Paul Farbrace. Some commentators have queried whether Morgan should resume the captaincy after he and opener Alex Hales decided not to

MSC finally open account n Tribune Report Mohammedan Sporting Club finally registered their first victory in the Bangladesh Premier League this season after beating reigning champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club 1-0 in their 10th match at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Tawhidul Alam Sabuj put Mohammedan ahead three minutes into the second half, smashing home after Nzekou Patrice’s corner was headed down by Shahadat Hossain Shahed inside the box. Sheikh Jamal goalkeeper Mazharul Islam Hemel produced an outstanding save to deny a powerful free-kick of Senegalese defender Yaya Sy in the 19th minute. A fullstretched Hemel dived to his right to rescue Sheikh Jamal on that occasion. Mohammedan are ninth with nine points from 10 matches while Sheikh Jamal

are joint top with Rahmatganj with 19 points each. Rahmatganj though are ahead on goal difference. In the day’s other match at the same venue, struggling

RESULTS Mohammedan

1-0

Sk Jamal

1-0

SkRussel

Sabuj 48

Arambagh Tyson 37

Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra continued their poor form as they conceded yet another defeat, this time against Arambagh Krira Sangha, who edged past them 1-0. Brazilian midfielder Thiago Tyson netted the all-important goal in the first half to help Arambagh post their

third victory in the league this season while it was Sheikh Russel’s seventh defeat in 10 matches. Sheikh Russel had earned their first win in their previous match against Mohammedan. Sheikh Russel remained second from bottom in the table with only five points while Arambagh, who had to start without their firstchoice custodian Mitul Hasan due to suspension, moved to sixth place with 14 points. Pappu Hossain replaced Mitul between the bars. Thiago Tyson gave Arambagh the breakthrough with a brilliant strike in the 37th minute. Following a lovely flick from Mohammad Abdullah, the Brazilian took little time outside the penalty area before unleashing an amazing left-footer that deflected off Monaem Khan Raju to sneak past Sheikh Russel netminder Zia. l

travel to Bangladesh in the wake of an attack on a cafe in Dhaka in July that killed 18 foreigners. In Morgan’s absence, Jos Buttler led the ODI side to an impressive 2-1 victory in a contest which ended on Wednesday - making England the first side to win a 50over series in Bangladesh in seven attempts. Despite winning plaudits for his captaincy, Buttler has insisted

he is only keeping the seat warm for Morgan who has presided over a sharp improvement in England’s limited overs cricket in the last 18 months. Farbrace said Morgan is “100 percent” sure to return to the role next January when England are due to play a series of ODI and T20 matches against India. “He will definitely be captain in India,” Farbrace told reporters.l

Sport

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali plays a shot on the opening day of their first day-night Test against the West Indies at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday AFP

Azhar lights up D/N Test n AFP, Dubai Pakistan continued to accumulate runs on the second day of the first day-night Test against West Indies as opener Azhar Ali approached his double hundred in Dubai yesterday. Ali was unbeaten on 194 at the break and with him debutant Babar Azam was 23 not out as West Indian bowlers once again were left to chase

DAY 2, AT TEA PAKISTAN 391/2 in 120 overs (Azhar 194*, Sami 90, Shafiq 67) v WEST INDIES

the pink ball on a flat Dubai stadium pitch. Ali had another lifeline when Jermaine Blackwood dropped a regulation catch off spinner Roston Chase in the slip when the Pakistani opener was batting on 190. Ali, also dropped on 38 by Leon Johsnon off paceman Miguel Cummins on Thursday, is six short of the double hundred after batting a marathon 487 minutes, hitting 17 boundaries and a six. The lapse further hit the hapless West Indian bowling hard as they found no life out of the pitch and struggled. l

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Sport

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Barca begin Cup defence n AFP, Madrid

Lionel Messi gestures during a training session at Sports Centre FC Barcelona Joan Gamper in Sant Joan Despi, Spain yesterday

Barcelona begin their defence of the Copa del Rey against Hercules next month, whilst Real Madrid face a trip north to Leon to take on Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa. Hercules have suffered two relegations in the past six seasons to fall to Spanish football’s third tier, but caused a major shock in beating Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Barca side 2-0 at the Camp Nou in their last season in the top flight in September 2010. Madrid, meanwhile, are looking to restore their pride in the competition after being thrown out for fielding an ineligible player in their first game of last season’s competition at Cadiz. Russian international Denis Cheryshev scored the opening goal of the game, but was suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards when on loan at Villarreal the previous season.l

in the table. However, they trail leaders Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid by just two points and can go temporarily at least to the top of the table with victory before the sides from the capital kick-off later today. Real face the toughest task on paper of the title contenders as they travel to Real Betis aiming to snap a streak of four draws in a row. Zinedine Zidane’s men also having a mounting injury crisis as captain Sergio Ramos is set to be sidelined for up to six weeks by a knee sprain suffered in Spain’s 2-0 win at Albania in midweek. Luka Modric is also out for the

rest of the month due to knee surgery, whilst influential holding midfielder Casemiro is missing due to a fractured fibia. Atletico were the form team before the international break with six wins and a draw at the Camp Nou in their last seven games taking Diego Simeone’s men to the top of the table on goal difference. By contrast, winless Granada travel to the capital with just two points so far this season and having already sacked coach Paco Jemez. The Andalusians have turned to Lucas Alcaraz for his third spell in charge of the club to lead them to safety. l

Messi returns as Barca, Madrid battle ‘FIFA virus’ n AFP, Madrid Argentina’s pain is Barcelona’s gain as Lionel Messi returns for the Spanish champions when Deportivo la Coruna visit the Camp Nou today after being sidelined for three weeks with a groin injury. Messi missed Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Paraguay as La Albiceleste’s struggles without the five-time World Player of the Year continued, putting at risk their place at the 2018 World Cup. However, international breaks have traditionally caused Barca trouble too with lethargic perfor-

mances on their return to La Liga action coming to be known as the “FIFA virus.” Barca boss Luis Enrique paid a heavy price for leaving Messi and Luis Suarez on the bench for a shock 2-1 home defeat to Alaves after September’s international break. However, with a blockbuster

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Sevilla Deportivo Granada Real Madrid

Champions League clash against former Barca coach Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City to come on Wednesday, Enrique could roll the dice with his selection once more. Messi is expected to be eased back into action as a second-half substitute. Meanwhile, Suarez could make way for Paco Alcacer having played twice for Uruguay in the past week. Neymar will definitely start as he returned to the Catalan capital early due to his suspension for Brazil’s 2-0 win at Venezuela on Tuesday. A 4-3 defeat to Celta Vigo two weeks ago leaves Barca only fourth

Friends reunited as Guardiola and Koeman face off n AFP, Manchester Former Barcelona team-mates Pep Guardiola and Ronald Koeman are reunited at Eastlands today as Manchester City and Everton square up for the first time in the Premier League this season. And Everton manager Koeman is relishing the chance to pit his wits against his City counterpart, who was just setting off on his glorious playing career with the Catalan club when Koeman signed for Barca in 1989. “I have all good memories of Pep,” said Koeman. “We have a really strong friendship. Now it’s a bit easier because he’s living in Manchester and I live close to Man-

chester. “Sometimes we have time for dinner and to talk about football and life. We have spent many hours together talking football. “He was really interested in how we play in Holland. I see a lot of that in teams managed by Pep, about Barca and Dutch football and

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I like that because it’s the most difficult way to win – play offensive football. “Sometimes it’s a risky way to win titles. Most other managers win titles but not with that football. “The surprising thing with Pep was when he was manager of Barca I saw the best Barca team in every aspect of football. “The standard there was, and is, always high but he made it 200 per cent better in every aspect. “I know the people of Holland really enjoyed watching Barca and then Bayern Munich because it’s a different way of football. “We like to see a team play attractive football, to dominate.” l

New Derby County manager Steve McClaren poses with the club shirt after being unveiled at iPro Stadium yesterday REUTERS

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)

Downtime

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

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

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Showtime

Abeer Y Hoque breathes life into The Lovers and the Leavers

n Showtime Desk “I push and I pull, I watch and I wait, I tire of being the one who wants, I don’t have the courage to speak up and take it, I don’t have the wisdom to know it’s not mine, but I know this much that what’s over isn’t a failure.” -“Love Letter,” an excerpt from The Lovers and the Leavers Abeer Y Hoque is a multifaceted talent with the essence of a renaissance artist. Her portfolio

includes numerous mediums like poems, photos and books. She was born in Nigeria with Bangladeshi ancestry, and currently resides in the United States. In 2007, she received the Fulbright Scholarship and has previously published a book of travel photographs and poems, The Long Way Home. Her fiction from 2015, The Lovers and the Leavers, was well received by readers. From then on, she collaborated with film-maker Josh Steinbauer and drone artists Dragon Turtle

Oyshee to release new song for New Years Eve n Showtime Desk Oyshee is better known as a talented folk-rock fusion artist. However, she is all set to release a soft rock track which celebrates the ushering of a new year. The track stands as proof of Oyshee’s versatility as a singer. The song “Nilimaya” is written by Faisal Rabbikin and composed by JK Majlis. It will be released on December 31. “The song sounds completely different from my regular ones. I liked it the moment I

heard the demo music and fell in love with it after I gave my voice to it. It’s a New Year’s gift for all of my fans and followers,” said Oyshee. She has recently released her solo album Haowa under the label CMV. l

to visualise her books. The collaboration resulted in a series of stunning short films accompanied by excerpts from the book. The narrator’s words are mesmerising to say the least. And the beautiful visuals which accompany the narration seem to breath life into each of the words. These tales of loss and sorrow are a treat to the ears and eyes and present intriguing thoughts. You can check them out on Vimeo. l

WHAT TO WATCH Jackson, Mark Strong, Taron Egerton, Michael Caine, Sophie Cookson

Shaolin Soccer HBO,06:36PM Sing is a Shaolin monk who is a master of martial arts. But there being no need for his skills in modern times, Sing along with other monks, earns his living by doing menial jobs. A soccer coach comes up with a new idea – to train Sing to play soccer. The coach believes that it would be too easy and successful as Sing is already trained in martial arts. Will it work? Cast: Stephen Chow, Man Tat Ng, Wei Zhao, Yin Tse, Hui Li

Kingsman: The Secret Service Star Movies, 6:10 PM Kingsman: The Secret Service is based on an acclaimed comic book The Secret Service by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons. This films tells a story of a man named Gary Unwin, a street kid living in South London. When an agent from a spy organisation recognises potential in the youth and hires him as a trainee for a secret service mission, they have to stop a global threat to change the climate problem. Cast: Colin Firth, Samuel L

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me WB, 5:25 PM Austin Powers is a British spy

who’s on his honeymoon when he finds out that his wife is actually a fembot who’s controlled by Dr Evil. Dr Evil is back from space and has used a time machine to go to the late 60s to steal Austin’s libido. Austin finds himself impotent.

Now he has the task of going back in time and getting his libido back and also to foil Dr Evil’s latest plan of shattering the earth with a laser gun placed on the moon Cast: Mike Myers, Michael McCullers Casino Royale Sony PIX, 7:56 PM After making his first governmentsanctioned kill, James Bond is given double-0 status. Now armed with a license to kill, Bond’s first mission is to bring down Le Chiffre, a shady financier who funds terrorist organisations. In order to bankrupt him, Bond must beat Le Chiffre in a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale. Accompanying him is Vesper Lynd, a British Treasury official whose job is to watch over the government’s money. Although

adversaries at first, the two survive a series of attacks by Le Chiffre and his henchmen and eventually a romance develops. Cast: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Giancarlo Giannini, Jeffrey Wright, Judi Dench. l

Rooted in soil – a solo art exhibition

Showtime

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

Rowling: Fantastic Beasts’ sequel written, three more plotted nShowtime Desk

nShowtime Desk A solo art exhibition titled, "Rooted in Soil” by Kamruzzaman Shadhin has begun at La Galerie and Galerie Zoom, Alliance Française de Dhaka. The inaugural ceremony of this exhibition was held on Friday, October 14, 2016. Asaduzzaman Noor, minister of Cultural Affairs, Sophie Aubert, ambassador of France

to Bangladesh, Faruque Hassan, managing director, Giant Group, and Mustafa Zaman, artist, critic and editor of Depart, were among the distinguished guests present during the opening ceremony. Kamruzzaman Shadhin is a visual artist born and based in Bangladesh, working in the mediums of installation, video and performance art. His work mostly focuses on environmental and social

issues. His art projects are often created through public participation and are exhibited in public spaces where the main audiences are the general public and surrounding communities. He is the founder of Gidree Bawlee Foundation of Arts – a non-profit organisation working for creating scopes for cultural and artistic exchange between artists and communities through collaborative approaches. Shadhin is also a founder member of ‘Chhobir Haat’. The exhibition will be open to all till Saturday, October 29, 2016. Visiting Hours: Monday to Thursday from 3:00pm to 9:00pm, Friday and Saturday (9:00am to12:00pm and 5:00pm to 8:00pm). Closed on Sunday. l

Tommy Ford dies at 52 nShowtime Desk Actor Tommy Ford, best known for his role as Tommy in the 1990s hit sitcom Martin, has died in Atlanta at the age of 52, a spokeswoman for his family said. No cause of death was announced, and the family released a statement on Wednesday asking for privacy. “It is with great sadness that we announce the untimely passing of our beloved son, father, brother, husband, and friend Tommy Mykhal Ford,” the statement read. “On behalf of the family, we would like to thank everyone for their love, support and prayers. Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming. Please respect the privacy of the Ford family during our time of grief.” The actor had been

documenting his recovery from knee replacement surgery on social media, shortly before his death. The Los Angeles native was a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Fine Arts Acting Program, according to the actor’s site. His first role on television was as Lamar Collins on A Different World. He would go on to have other parts in television and films, including the 1989 Eddie Murphy movie Harlem Nights. But his role as Tommy Strawn, straight man to Martin Lawrence’s jokester character on Martin, made Ford a star. Lawrence mourned the loss of his friend, joining the flood of fans who paid tribute to him on Twitter. “We were friends way b4 the Martin show & showed tru

friendship on-screen,” Lawrence tweeted. “You brought a lot of love 2 the world & you’ll be greatly missed.” After Martin ended in 1997, Ford continued working in television, appearing on popular series such as New York Undercover, The Parkers and House. He was the Pope of Comedy on TV One’s show Who’s Got Jokes! Ford also produced and starred in a film short titled The Club and did some directing. In addition to his career in Hollywood, Ford wrote children’s books and founded Be Still and Know Inc., a nonprofit organisation dedicated to building better communities for disadvantaged youth. l Source: CNN

The magic of Harry Potter is showing no signs of slowing down as J K Rowling announced plans on Thursday for five films in the spinoff franchise Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them. The first film—a prequel to the Harry Potter books and movies starring Daniel Radcliffe—is due to be released in November. It stars Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne as magical explorer Newt Scamander, who travels to New York to uncover a world of witchcraft and wizardry in the US. Rowling, who makes her debut as a screenwriter with the movie, made the announcement at a special event held in London on Thursday. “We always knew it was going to be more than one movie, and we said a trilogy as a place-holder. But I’ve done the plotting properly and I’m pretty sure it’s going to be five movies,” she said. Redmayne teased that Rowling “has the most extraordinary imagination of our generation and she has created something entirely different. That world is spilling out

of her head in a unique way.” Fantastic Beasts is directed by David Yates, who helmed the final four Harry Potter movies. He is expected to return for the sequel. On Twitter last Thursday night, Rowling defended stretching the spinoff series to five instalments. She tweeted to one fan: “I think, when you realise what story we’re *really* telling, you’ll understand that it can’t possibly fit in one movie!” Rowling is also behind the recently launched Harry Potter stage play, Cursed Child, which is set some 19 years after the final Potter story, The Deathly Hallows. Rowling co-wrote the West End production with screenwriter Jack Thorne and theatre director John Tiffany. l Source: Newsweek

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

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ABEER Y HOQUE BREATHES LIFE INTO THE LOVERS AND THE LEAVERS PAGE 30

Sir Vidia in the house n Tribune Desk Dhaka Lit Fest directors have announced that Nobel Laureate VS Naipaul will attend this year’s festival. DLF, the country’s biggest international literary congregation, will be held in November at the grounds of Bangla Academy. “We are absolutely delighted to announce Sir Vidia’s visit to Dhaka next month, which he has more than once told me he keenly desires. At a time when many writers are shying away from coming to Bangladesh, Sir Vidia will be opening this year’s edition of Dhaka Lit Fest, and we are extremely honoured and grateful for his support,” said Ahsan Akbar, one of the DLF directors.

This year the international line-up will also boast Man Booker International winner Deborah Smith and Pulitzer winner Vijay Seshadri. Other international guests include Alex Preston, Anjum Hasan, Evie Wyld, Amy Sackville and Tim Cope, among many others. Authors from over a dozen countries, including Hyeonseo Lee of N. Korea and Ali Bader of Iraq, will be featured. Every genre will be strongly represented, including journalists Barkha Dutt, Justin Rowlatt and Bee Rowlatt. According to the directors, this year the DLF will pay a special tribute to Syed Shamsul Haq, the versatile Bangladeshi author, by staging his novel, Neel Dangshan (Blue Venom).

Like the previous years, promoting Bangla literature through quality translations will be a focus. A landmark translation of Bishad Shindhu by Fakrul Alam and The Book of Dhaka published by UK’s Comma Press, featuring ten Bangladeshi authors, will be launched while the Dhaka Translation Center will present new translations of Rizia Rahman, Imdadul Haq Milon and Moinul Ahsan Saber. Bangali authors from within and outside the country, iconic as well as upcoming voices, will as always take pride of place throughout the three days. l For more news on DLF 2016, see pages 16-17.

Hazaribagh still waiting to be free n Abu Hayat Mahmud With its miserable state of streets and outdated waste management along with poor drainage and sewerage systems, the tannery industry at Hazaribagh area in the capital has made the environment hazardous and unlivable for the people of the entire locality. The Hazaribagh thana, situated at the south-west part of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), is one of the top ten mostly polluted localities in the world, according to an international study. At least 160,000 people have become victims of air pollution here due to the use of toxic chemicals, mainly chromium, at the factories, says a report published in November, 2013, jointly by Green Cross Switzerland and Blacksmith Institute. Residents of Hazaribagh and Jigatola, suffering from the severe environmental hazards created by the tannery factories for several decades, alleged that even after repeated attempts, they had failed to get the attention of the concerned government agencies and ministry – namely DSCC, Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) and Ministry of Industries – to the miserable environmental condition of the area. Mohammad Alamgir, a resident of Kalunagar area in Hazaribag, said: “No initiative has been taken

Kalunagar road in Hazaribagh very recently by the city corporation (DSCC) to repair the dilapidated roads and upgrade the poor drainage and waste management since years.” “The roads have decayed almost totally as a consequence of random movements of heavily loaded trucks of the tannery industries. During construction of most of the roads, the issue of regular movements of heavy vehicles was not at all considered,” he assumed. “For year after year, we are hearing that the government has ordered the shifting of all the tannery factories of Hazaribagh outside Dhaka. But when will it be done and when will we get a fresh environment?” Alamgir asked frustratingly.

Aleya Begum, a resident of Bhagalpur area, also called Companyghat by locals, of the same locality, said: “We hoped that the new mayor and local councilors will take immediate step for development of existing outdated drainage and waste management and reconstruction of the local streets, but since the election, during the last one and a half years, Mayor Sayeed Khokon has nothing in this regard.” Complaining that during monsoon time, they annually face various agonising skin diseases due to the effect of toxic tannery water, she said, “The drains of the area are always brimming with tannery wastes, at times it overflow

ABU HAYAT MAHMUD

to streets and our houses, causing health hazards as well as engulfing the area with an unbearable stench,” she added. During a recent visit to Hazaribagh and Jigatola, this correspondent found the local streets totally dilapidated while the narrow-mouthed drains were full of overflowing toxic wastes; the expected outcome of an unplanned tannery industry set up at the heart of a densely populated megacity. Almost all the streets and alleys of Hazaribagh and Jigatola are completely dilapidated. The main road at Kalunagar area stretching from the Hazaribagh culvert to the flood protection dam looks like a

muddy earthen village path. The DSCC’s waste management department has put a waste container just beside the main gate of the Institute of Leather Engineering and Technology (ILET). ILET students alleged that they perpetually face tremendous health risks due to the tannery industry. Expressing anger over the inactivity of the DSCC mayor and local councilors, dwellers of the area said although Mayor Sayeed Khokon had visited Hazaribagh and Jigatola after being elected, he took no step to solve our endless problems. Contacted, a former DSCC official, informing that the drains of the area were constructed about 100 years ago, said, “We once tried to widen the drains of the area, but it created difficulties as the roads became cracked because of the digging.” Contacted, DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune: “The industry minister has already directed the tannery owners to immediately shift all factories to Hemayetpur, the government allocated zone for tannery industry. Once the industry is fully shifted, we will take elaborate project for Hazaribagh.” Khokon, however, said he will talk to the city corporation’s engineering department to repair, for the time being, the dilapidated roads immediately.l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207. Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com