Magh 26, 1420

Rabius Saani 7, 1435

Regd. No. DA 6238
Vol 1 No 315 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION 16 pages plus 16-page Dhaka Art Summit special supplement | Price: Tk10

Dhaka Art Summit | THE EXHIBITIONISTS 7 | TIPS FOR DRY MOUTH 12 | NAT’L FILM AWARD ANNOUNCED 13 | SANGA’S STREAK CONTINUES

Polls local,
but agenda
national
BNP-backed candidates wooing
voters with war crimes trial,
Jan 5 poll issues
n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla
The upazilas might be key administra-
tive units of the country’s local govern-
ment, but when it comes down to their
elections, contenders hardly seem in-
terested in local issues.
With the first phase of the polls in
98 upazilas due in just about a few days
time, for the aspirants in the upazila
parishads electioneering is in full swing
in their respective localities.
The residents of many of these upazi-
las have said that instead of addressing
the local issues, especially development
and agriculture, the contenders, par-
ticularly those backed by or inclined to
the BNP, are trying to woo voters with
national issues like the war crimes tri-
als, the January 5 parliamentary elec-
tion, government’s oppression etc.
On the other hand, the Awami
League-backed candidates are trying
to convince people that they must be
voted in so that they can continue with
the development work without any
hindrance. Moreover, the ruling par-
ty backed candidates are also talking
about the difference between pro-lib-
eration versus anti-liberation forces.
Voters say these issues do not have
much direct impact on the economy and
society of rural areas. With contenders
spending all their energy on these na-
tional issues, voters fear that the upazila
parishads will remain weak even if the
best candidates are elected everywhere
in free, fair and credible elections.
The upazila parishad elections,
much like the city corporation polls, are
non-partisan contests, meaning that
 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1
The light and sound show begins at Lahbagh Fort after being inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the capital yesterday
Number of students decreasing
in public universities
n Mushfique Wadud
The number of students in public uni-
versities decreased in 2012 compared to
figures from 2011, while the number in
private universities increased during the
time, the University Grants Commission
annual report for 2012 has revealed.
The report said a drop in student
numbers at the National University
(NU) mainly contributed to the overall
decrease in students at public universi-
ties. The report for 2012 was submitted
to President Abdul Hamid last month.
Educationists said prolonged ses-
sion jams at the NU might have contrib-
uted to the slide, whilst violent student
politics in NU-affliated colleges might
have been another reason for the shift.
The UGC report said there was a 13%
decrease in the number of students at
public universities in 2012 than the pre-
vious year.
In 2011, the 34 public universities
had 2,170,472 students, while the num-
ber decreased to 1,890,543 in 2012.
On the other hand, there was a 12%
increase of students at the then 60 pri-
vate universities, with figures climbing
 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1
DHAKA TRIBUNE
60 politicians
on ACC radar
n Syed Samiul Basher Anik
The Anti-Corruption Commission is
scrutinising the wealth of around 60
lawmakers from the ninth parliament,
whose accumulations of unusual
amounts of wealth were inconsistent
with their known sources of income,
an ACC official has told the Dhaka
Tribune.
He said the commission had already
 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Dhaka city BNP to

see new faces soon
n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla
The BNP is likely to form a 21-member
Dhaka city unit convening committee
dissolving the existing one as it has failed
to play any vital role in the anti-govern-
ment campaign, said party insiders.
The committee is likely to come into
being in seven to 10 days. A number of
senior leaders, however, requested the
BNP chief to wait until Dhaka city unit
BNP Convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka
is released from jail.
“BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia
called a meeting of the Dhaka city BNP
leaders on Monday,” Abdus Salam,
member secretary of Dhaka city unit
BNP, told the Dhaka Tribune on Friday.
Rafiqul Islam Miah said: “Dhaka
city unit will be reshuffled soon to
intensify the movement. The par-
ty is working on it and devoted and
tested leaders will be evaluated
when the committee is reshuffled.
The chairperson is looking after the
whole process.”
Rafiqul also said a proposal to split
the Dhaka city unit – Dhaka city (North)
 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5
No justice in DU teacher
Nuban murder case
after 19 years
n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu and
Ashif Islam Shaon
Nearly 19 years have passed and the
family members of slain teacher
Nuban Ahmmed of Dhaka University’s
economics department are yet to get
justice as the court has kept changing
the verdict date.
At least ten judges of the First Ad-
ditional Metropolitan Sessions’ Judge
Court have heard the case so far
since the trial process began 12 years
back. The next date of the verdict
delivery has been set on February 9
for the 11th time.
The latest date has been fixed by two
judges – the immediate past judge of
the court Anisur Rahman and the cur-
rent Judge Zakia Pervin.
All of the three accused in the case
– a colleague AKM Morshed, Nuban’s
wife Kazi Sohana Naznin Lipi and her
alleged boyfriend Mahaiminur Rahman
Milton – are hiding abroad.
Tejgaon police rescued Nuban
Ahmmed on December 17, 1995 from
a road on the eastern side of the
parliament building after he had
been stabbed by unknown assailants
around 7pm.
He died at Dhaka Medical College
Hospital on December 26. After the
incident Nuban’s father-in-law Kazi
Shamsul Huda filed a case with the po-
lice station.
In the case statement he said that
Nuban went out of his Mohammadpur
house to the Colour Museum at Asad
Gate to clean up his camera’s lenses.
Later, unknown assailants hacked him
and dumped the body on a field to the
eastern side of the South Plaza of the
parliament building.
Nuban’swifeandfather-in-lawrushed
 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

INSIDE
News
3 Holding “political unrest” and “confusion regarding holding the fair”
as responsible, a number of participants in the Dhaka International
Trade Fair (DITF) this year have expressed disappointment over
decline in sales.

4 Environmental activists yesterday expressed concern at the rising

trend in air pollution across the country, which is a threat to public
health. They also urged the government to take the necessary
measures to contain the air pollution.

5 Most doctors at Sirajganj Sadar Hospital have allegedly been skipping

their duties regularly, despite recent directives from the health
minister to be diligent in serving the patients. Many doctors of
the hospital reportedly take unauthorised leave, while others
flout the rules and fail to follow the office hours.

International
9 Former Gujarat Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief
Rajinder Kumar has been charged with the murder
of a young college student and three serving
officers accused of conspiracy in staging the police
encounter in which she was killed.

Op-Ed
11 According to ASK, from January to September 2013,
868 women were raped in Bangladesh. Of these, 482
cases were filed, 102 were minors, and there were a total
of 207 incidents of gang rape. Another report highlighted
that almost 3,000 women were raped in Bangladesh in the
last four years. Among them, over 500 were killed after rape, and
about 300 women committed suicide after being raped.
2 DHAKA TRIBUNE
New Boeing 777 arrives to join Biman fleet Immediate
TWOKI MURDER
n Muhammad Zahidul Islam
A brand new Boeing 777-300ER air-
craft, named “Akash Pradip,” arrived in
Dhaka yesterday, as part of Biman Ban-
gladesh Airlines’ plans of increasing its
punctuality, which currently stands at
around 65% timely flights.
The new Boeing aircraft, the third
of its kind to be included in the Biman
fleet, arrived at the Hazrat Shahjalal
Airport at around 1pm; while the fourth
Boeing 777-300ER, named “Ranga Pro-
vath,” is expected to be delivered on
March 21.
Earlier, Biman Bangladesh Airlines
made a contract with Boeing for 11
aircrafts and the rest of the crafts will
come by 2019, sources said.
“The new craft ‘Akash Pradip’ will
make our task easier and also help to
increase the punctuality rate of Biman
certainly,” Mohammad Sha Newaz, di-
BNP postpones grass roots level tour 10 officials suspended over power cut
n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla
The BNP has postponed its coun-
try-wide tours to revamp the grass
roots in the wake of unwillingness of
some grass roots and central leaders,
said party insiders.
The party formed 56 teams headed
by its standing committee members,
advisers and vice-chairmen to rejuve-
nate the grass roots, but the party put
off the plan, fearing that this sort of
programme might create anarchy in
the ranks and files of the party, they
added.
“Tours of 56 committees have been
postponed,” Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, joint
secretary general of the party, told the
Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
He, however, denied saying the rea-
son for postponing the tours.
Shamimur Rahman Shamim, assis-
tant office secretary to BNP, said the
programme was postponed as the lo-
cal leaders were busy with the upazila
elections while many leaders were in
jail and many still on the run and trying
to secure bails. “The programme will
Number of students decreasing in public universities
 PAGE 1 COLUMN 5
to 314,640 in 2012 from 280,822 stu-
dents in 2011.
The number may have increased
further as the country currently has 78
private universities.
The NU-affiliated colleges faced the
biggest drop in number, with 381,638
students decreasing in 2012 compared
to the previous year.
In 2011, the NU had 1,650,088 stu-
dents, which decreased to 1,268,450 in
2012.
However, excluding the NU and
the Open University, the number of
students in 32 public universities re-
mained the same or increased slightly.
However, 197,278 students at 32 pub-
lic universities in 2012, was far smaller
in number than 314,640 students at the
60 private universities.
60 politicians on ACC's radar
 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6
collected newspaper reports and pre-
pared an initial list of people who will
be investigated.
“At this stage, the commission is for-
mally inquiring into the illegal wealth
of nine influential people, including
seven ruling party lawmakers and two
former lawmakers from the BNP. We
will gradually inquire into the other
dozens of candidates and their rela-
tives, who are suspected of accumu-
lating riches illegally,” said the official,
seeking anonymity.
On January 22, the ACC assigned its
officials to probe into the phenomenal
rise in wealth and assets of seven politi-
cians, including former health minister
AFM Ruhal Haq, former state minister
for housing and public works Abdul
Mannan Khan, former state minister
for water resources Mahbubur Rah-
man, and lawmakers Abdur Rahman
Badi of Cox’s Bazar 4, Aslamul Haque
of Dhaka 14, Enamul Haque of Rajsha-
hi 4 and Abdul Jabbar of Satkhira 2.
The commission is also inquiring
Polls local, but agenda national
 PAGE 1 COLUMN 2
political parties cannot directly take
part in them by nominating candi-
dates. But the support that the political
parties extend to certain candidates al-
ways plays key roles in the outcomes of
the polls.
With both Awami League and BNP
taking the upazila polls very seriously,
many voters say it was quite natural
that the local issues have been eclipsed
by the national issues.
After having boycotted last month’s
national election, BNP is looking to re-
arrest of
rector (marketing and sales) of Biman,
told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
He also said another craft due for
next month would help Biman to be es-
tablished as a standard carrier.
When contacted, Biman’s Chief Ex-
ecutive Officer Kevin Steele said the
fourth Boeing 777-300ER would be
delivered on March 21, while two more
Boeing 777-200ERs are being dry leased
from EgyptAir in the next two months.
Steele added that he expected Bi-
man to achieve 75-80% punctuality,
the same level as most major European
airlines, by next year.
Along with the Biman CEO, Civil
Aviation and Tourism Secretary Khur-
shed Alam also welcomed the new air-
craft at the airport.
Earlier on Thursday, Boeing, one of
the world’s leading aerospace compa-
ny, handed over its fourth generation
aircraft to Biman in Seattle.
start soon,” he added.
On February 4, BNP Chairperson
Khaleda Zia at a press conference said
it would take sometime to reorganise
the party as many leaders and activists
were either in jail or on the run while
many were killed.
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said
tours of 56 committees
had been postponed,
but he declined to
reveal the reason
However, on Thursday’s standing com-
mittee meeting, the party has decided
to focus on upazila polls rather than
waging any movement right now.
The party insiders said some se-
nior leaders conveyed BNP Chairper-
son Khaleda Zia that this was not the
time of reshuffling the grass roots
and rejuvenating them as they al-
ready proved their worth during the
movement.
Seeking anonymity, a standing com-
“Mainly a prolonged scheduling jam
in colleges under the National Univer-
sity is contributing to the decrease in
the number of students at the National
University and the increase at private
universities,” said UGC member Atful
Hye Shibly.
“When parents think that the ex-
pense of seven or eight years in colleges
affiliated with National University is al-
most the same as four years in private
universities, they prefer private univer-
sities, as they consider that their chil-
dren’s time can be saved,” he added.
When contacted, NU Pro Vice-Chan-
cellor Munaz Ahmed Noor told the
Dhaka Tribune that he did not think
NU had a sharp decrease in students,
adding that he had to check the facts.
He also said: “We do not have more
session jams than other public univer-
into the alleged illegal wealth of BNP
Student Affairs Secretary Shahid Uddin
Chowdhury Anee and Khulna City Ja-
maat-e-Islami chief Mia Golam Parwar.
“We will investigate their income
generated from personal businesses,
their wealth, and the wealth and assets
of their family members,” the ACC of-
ficial said.
The list of 60 politicians includes
the names of ruling party lawmakers Dr
Hasan Mahmud, Shahjahan Khan, Af-
sarul Amin, Abul Kalam Azad, Dipong-
kor Talukder, Shamsul Haque Tuku,
and Abdus Shahid, the official added.
“A three-member panel is now an-
alysing and scrutinising their docu-
ments. Along with the lawmakers,
some businessmen and government
officials will also be brought under the
investigation. If the initial inquiry finds
evidence of the amassing illegal wealth
by these people, the commission will
initiate formal inquiries against them,”
he said.
ACC sources said the commission
was now conducting a probe against
juvenate its grassroots by getting good
results in the upazila polls.
The ruling Awami League, on the
other hand, is taking these local elec-
tions as an opportunity to prove that
free polls are possible under non-care-
taker arrangements, and do not want to
let their arch-rival BNP get any political
points by winning these polls.
Jahiruddin, a voter of Gournadi up-
azila, expressed discontent with the
politicisation of local government bod-
ies. He said: “It will only deprive the
people of development in their areas.”
News
Debabrata Banik, chief engineer of
the national flag carrier who was on
“Akash Pradip” during the trip from Se-
attle to Dhaka, said: “It is a smooth and
the most modern craft so far in Biman’s
history.
“We had arranged test flights on
January 30 and 31 in the sky of Seattle.
Our pilots are so happy with this type
of craft,” he added.
Sources said “Akash Pradip” is ex-
pected to fly for Jeddah in Saudi Arabia
within the next 10 to 12 days.
“We have a plan to continue our ser-
vice with Akash Pradip in London and
Rome, also with Jeddah and Riyadh,”
Mohammad Sha Newaz told the Dhaka
Tribune over phone yesterday.
Biman sources said Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina is expected to join next
week’s induction programme of the
new aircraft, which will also bid fare-
well to the old DC-10.
mittee member told the Dhaka Tribune
the grass roots had done their best
during the movement, and so there
was no reason to revamp the grass
roots, rather it was necessary to reshuf-
fle the central leadership.
“If the central leaders go on tour
across the country, it will adverse-
ly affect the organisation, because in
the name of tours, central leaders and
their associates get involved with mis-
deeds,” he said.
The party member added that the
party’s ranks and files were rarely
heard by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia
as the central leaders barred her from
listening to them, fearing that their
musk would be unveiled if Khaleda lis-
tened to them.
The BNP leader, who was entrusted
with three districts, also said it was the
Dhaka city where they failed to wage
any movement.
“The grass roots kept the capital
isolated from the rest of the country
for about two months, but what the
city unit did…nothing. So, the city unit
should be reshuffled first.” l
sities, but we have taken measures to
reduce the problem.”
The UGC data also showed that there
has been a 153% increase in the number
of students at private universities since
2006.
The number of students at pri-
vate universities was 124,267 in 2006,
climbing to 314,640 in 2012.
Dhaka University Professor Syed
Manzoorul Islam, said violent politics
on the campus might be a reason why
some guardians preferred private uni-
versities.
“Many guardians who send their
children to private universities told me
that, despite the fact that the expenses
in private universities are beyond their
capacity, they choose the private uni-
versities because of violent politics at
public universities,” Manzoorul, who
at least 12 BNP leaders including its
Vice-Chairmen M Morshed Khan and
Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Standing
Committee member Moudud Ahmed,
and former state minister of education
ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon.
“We never said the inquiry will be
stopped after the completion of probe
against seven ruling party lawmakers,
against whom we are now conducting
inquiry. We made an attempt to trace
their wealth, and will decide on further
actions after observing the success of
the inquiry,” ACC Chairman M Bodiuz-
zaman said.
He added that the inquiry was most-
ly initiated based on media reports, but
the ACC would also try to collect infor-
mation from external sources. “If we
find allegations against any other law-
maker, we will also scrutinise those,”
he said.
Asked why the commission had
picked the seven lawmakers instead
of the many others who had amassed
unusual amounts of wealth, the
ACC chairman termed the move a
Danisur Rahman Limon of Baker-
ganj upazila said: “Preferring national
issues over local issues will only weak-
en the local government.”
Khalilur Rahman, Bakerganj upazila
unit secretary of BNP and a chairman
candidate in the upcoming elections,
said: “Although the local government
elections are supposedly non-political
and non-partisan, they are, in effect, not.
The Politicisation of local govern-
ment elections has meant that national
issues will be preferred over local is-
sues, because [the political] parties [in
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Earlier in 2012, Biman was delivered
two Boeing 777-300ERs named “Palki”
and “Arun Alo,” both powered by twin
engines and housing 419 seats.
Biman also has plans to procure four
Boeing 737-800s and two Boeing 787-
8s by 2019.
According to Biman, the Boeing 777-
300ER is 19% lighter than its closest
competitor, greatly reducing fuel re-
quirement.
Biman starts for Frankfurt
Biman Bangladesh Airlines is set to be-
gin two weekly flights from Dhaka to
Frankfurt from March 31.
The new service will be operated
with brand new Boeing 777-300 aircraft
in a two-class configuration of 384
seats in Economy and 35 in Business
Class, departing on Monday and Friday,
with a brief stop at Rome-Fumicino, ac-
cording to the Biman website. l
PM inaugurates Lalbagh Fort light and sound show
n Aminur Rahman Rasel
Ten officials of the Dhaka Power Dis-
tribution Company (DPDC) were sus-
pended yesterday for negligence of
duty leading to interruption in power
supply during the light and sound show
at the Lalbagh Fort yesterday evening.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inau-
gurated the show yesterday.
Nazrul Hasan, managing director
of DPDC, confirmed the news of sus-
pension of the 10 DPDC officials to the
Dhaka Tribune. The DPDC also formed
a three-member committee to investi-
gate the incident.
The suspended officials are com-
plaint supervisors Abdul Hakim for
Narinda and Lutfor Rahman for Swa-
mibagh; sub-assistant engineers Amir
Hossain, Sayeed Ahmed and Morshed-
ul Hoque for Narinda, and Md Rokibul
Hasan for Swamibagh; Executive En-
gineer Md Rokibul Islam for Narinda;
Md Fazlul Karim, executive engineer
also teaches at a private university, told
the Dhaka Tribune.
Former UGC chairman Nazrul Islam
said the session jams at the NU-affiliat-
ed colleges was the main reason for the
trend.
“I have found that many low-in-
come families are also sending their
children to private universities only to
avoid session jams,” he said.
He, however, said another reason
might be that certificates were easy to
obtain in some private universities.
Some students, however, said they
preferred the private universities be-
cause of the subjects being offered.
“I had a dream to study Pharmacy,
but I did not get the chance at Dhaka
University, and so I chose a private uni-
versity,” said Nazir Hossain, a private
university student. l
“beginning.”
“Our commission meeting has ini-
tially selected the seven people for in-
quiry, and assigned inquiry officers to
collect information and conduct probes
into it. If they attain success in tracing
unusual wealth of lawmakers, we will
gradually probe others,” he said.
After the Election Commission pub-
lished the candidates’ wealth state-
ments ahead of the 10th parliamentary
polls, media reports highlighted large
discrepancies with the information
they had provided for the ninth general
election in 2008.
According to an analysis by Shu-
shashoner Jonno Nagorik, the wealth
statements of poll candidates in the
parliamentary elections show an in-
crease of up to 32,985% in their income.
According to the affidavits submit-
ted to the Election Commission, the in-
comes of ministers increased by 243%
and their wealth by 247%, while the
income of state ministers increased by
464% and their wealth by 459%. l
Bangladesh] are national in nature, not
local or regional.”
Shah Alam Khan, the incumbent chair-
man of Gournadi upazila and the Awami
League-backed candidate, said: “The lo-
cal governments still heavily depend on
the national government, and are yet to be
empowered and made fully autonomous.
Therefore, local issues remain neglected
and national issues preferred.”
“The Awami League government is
now in power. So, if the Awami League-
backed candidates win the elections, de-
velopment will be bolstered. Voters will
killers demanded
n Our Correspondent, Narayanganj
The “Santras Nirmul Twoki Mancha”
(Twoki platform to eliminate terror-
ism) observed a token hunger strike in
Narayanganj town yesterday, demanding
immediate arrest and capital punishment
to the killers of Tanvir Muhammad Twoki.
People from all strata of life under the
platform took part in the hunger strike
held on the premise of Central Shaheed
Minar at Chashara of Narayanganj, mark-
ing 11-month into the killing of Twoki.   Narayanganj Press Club President
During the hunger strike, Convener
of the platform Rofiur Rabbi, also fa-
ther of Twoki, said everyone, including
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, knew
who had killed Twoki.
“The arrestee has already confessed
that Twoki was killed under leadership
in charge of grid 2 in Narinda; and ex-
ecutive engineers Md Ziaul Hasan for
Lalbagh and Md Mohib-ul-Alam for
Swamibagh.
BSS reports: Inaugurating the show,
Hasina expressed hope that it would be a
new attraction for the visitors of the his-
toric Lalbagh Fort. She said visitors would
be able to know about the centuries-old
history of Dhaka through the technolo-
gy-aided attractive presentation.
The preparations of the show cost
Tk2.83 crore.
Later, the premier along with the
audience enjoyed the spectacular light
and sound show that featured special
lighting effects onto the building’s fa-
cade synchronised with a recorded
script and music to dramatise the fort’s
history.
At a press conference, Cultural Af-
fairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor said
there would be two 30-minute shows
every day, except Sundays – one be-
tween Maghrib and Esha prayers and
Justice in DU teacher Nuban murder
 PAGE 1 COLUMN 3
to the hospital on hearing the news.
Three police officers investigated
the case and the last one, Mohammad
Aminul Islam, assistant police super-
intendent of the CID, submitted the
charge sheet on July 1, 2002 against
Nuban’s wife, Milton and Morshed.
According to the case dockets, the ac-
cused never appeared before the court.
As a suspect KM Alamgir, a residence
of Jajira of Shariyatpur, was arrested
but was dropped from the charge sheet.
After the killing, Nuban’s wife Lipi
married Milton and without her family’s
consent went to the USA and never came
back. Morshed managed a scholarship at
a US university and left the country.
Nuban’s father Dr Sirajul Islam was
a Dhaka University teacher. His father-
in-law Shamsul Huda, mother-in-law
Meherunnesa and seven others gave
deposition as prosecution witnesses.
Shamsul and his wife did not men-
Dhaka city BNP to see new faces soon
 PAGE 1 COLUMN 1
and Dhaka city (south) – into two or-
ganisational units has also been dis-
cussed but nothing has been finalised.
Rafiqul, who was behind bars during
the January 5 poll, held responsible the
Dhaka city unit for its failure to build up
any strong resistance in the capital.
Party sources said Khaleda might dis-
cuss the formation of the new commit-
tee on that day and Standing Committee
member ASM Hannan Shah was likely to
get charge of the city unit BNP but he was
unwilling to take it on grounds of illness.
A senior leader said if Hannan re-
fused to take the charge, Rafiqul Islam
Miah or Mirza Abbas might be given
the job while Abu Sayeed Khan Khokon
might become the member secretary.
The tenure of the convening com-
mittee will be one month during which
all thana and ward committees will be
restructured.
Standing Committee member Goyesh-
also have to decide whether they will vote
for the pro-liberation force or the anti-lib-
eration one,” Pankaj Kundu, the Awami
League-backed candidate in Magura Sa-
dar upazila, told the Dhaka Tribune.
However, Sazzad Hossain, the BNP-
backed candidate from the same upa-
zila, confidently said: “People have to
vote for [us to] restore democracy in
the country. People will say ‘no’ to the
[Awami League] government by mak-
ing the BNP-backed candidates victori-
ous in the upazila elections.”
Abul Kasem, an Awami League con-
of Nasim Osman’s son Azmeri Osman.
Nasim Osman and Shamim Osman
hold Narayanganj residents to hostage
through disappearance, killing and
criminal activities.
“If the law enforcers were able to re-
cover the money looted from a bank in
Kishoreganj within two days, why they
cannot complete the investigation into the
killing almost one year after the murder?”
he asked. He also demanded justice for all
the killings taken place in Narayanganj.
and Mancha Member Secretary Halim
Azad, former press club president Ma-
habubur Rahman Masum, district Na-
gorik Committee General Secretary Ab-
dur Rahman and district Sanskritik Jote
President Pradip Ghosh Babu, among
others, addressed the programme. l
another after Esha prayers – between
mid-November and mid-March.
Tickets for the show cost Tk20 in
addition to Tk10 entry fee for Ban-
gladeshis, Tk100 for visitors from the
Saarc countries and Tk200 for others,
he said.
He added that such shows would
be introduced in many of Bangladesh’s
448 archaeological sites, including
Paharpur Bouddha Vihara, Bagerhat
Shaatgombuj Masjid, Kantajee temple
and Mahasthangarh.
Eminent writer-poet Syed Shamsul
Haq has penned the Lalbagh Fort show
script recited by cultural personali-
ties Shimul Yousuff and Asaduzzaman
Noor.
The construction of Lalbagh Fort be-
gan in 1678 by Mughal Subedar Prince
Muhammad Azam Shah, son of Emper-
or Aurangzeb. Azam Shah later became
the emperor himself, but his succes-
sor Shaista Khan did not continue the
work. l
tion their daughter or the two others in
their deposition.
In reply to a defence’s question,
Shamsul said Nuban had regained
sense at hospital a few hours before he
died and “told me that Morshed knew
why and who was behind the attack.”
During cross-examination Me-
herunnesa said her daughter had been
in love with Milton which she had con-
tinued even after marrying Nuban.
Nuban’s sister Asfia Sabina told the
court that Nuban had been killed be-
cause of Lipi.
In his deposition, investigator Nurul
Islam said: “Lipi’s boyfriend Milton mas-
terminded the killing to marry Lipi who
helped him in the murder. Nuban’s col-
league Morshed knew all about the plot.”
Asked about the frequent change of
the verdict date, Chief Public Prosecu-
tor Abdullah Abu said: “I actually do
not know why this is happening. It is
not fair.” l
war Chnadra Roy, joint secretaries gener-
al Amanullah Aman, Mohammad Shah-
jahan, Barkatullah Bulu, Jubo Dal Chief
Moazzem Hossain Alal, central leaders
Abul Khayer Bhuyan, Asaduzzaman Ri-
pon, Habib-un-Nabi Sohel, Abdus Salam,
city leaders Salahuddin Ahmed, Abul
Bashar and MA Kayum might be in the
21-member committee, sources added.
The committee was formed on May
14, 2011 with Sadeque Hossain Khoka as
its convener and Abdus Salam as mem-
ber secretary. That committee was asked
to form the ward and thana committees
within six months but they failed.
Khaleda repeatedly asked the city
unit leaders to take to the street to
wage movement but they did not pay
any heed, rather they went into hiding
to avert arrest.
On Thursday night, Khaleda Zia held a
meeting of the party’s Standing Commit-
tee at her office and decided to reshuffle
the city BNP, said party insiders. l
tender from Sujanagar upazila in Pab-
na, said: “The planning minister and
junior home minister of the previous
cabinet were from Pabna. They carried
out massive development in the dis-
trict. We are trying to focus on those de-
velopment activities to woo the voters.”
Zakir Hossain, the BNP contender
from the same upazila, said: “People
have witnessed the Awami League’s
misrule and misdeeds over the last five
years. They are eagerly waiting to cast
their votes and give a bitter reply to the
Awami League.” l

Traders disappointed
with low sale at DITF
n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi
Holding “political unrest” and “con-
fusion regarding holding the fair” re-
sponsible, a number of participants
of the Dhaka International Trade Fair
(DITF) this year, have expressed disap-
pointment over a decline in sales.
This year, there was uncertainty over
the holding of the fair, and eventually
it was postponed by 10 days because of
political instability in the country.
The participants said they could not
achieve their estimated sales target as
the presence of visitors remained less
than expectated.
The revenue collection from VAT
(value added tax) also declined by
12.79% compared to last year. The
government collected Tk86.71lakh
from VAT in the first 27 days last year,
however, this year it came down to
Tk75.68lakh, said a customs officer
seeking anonymity.
7 Bangladeshis
held in UAE for
Migrants to pay more to
killing compatriots fly Malaysian airlines
n Rabiul Islam n Rabiul Islam ditional Director General Jabed Ahmed
said.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities
have arrested seven Bangladeshi mi-
grant workers for their involvement in
killing two compatriots in a scuffle over
a pair of shoes.
“The UAE authorities have detained
seven Bangladeshis in a week following
the killing of two Bangladeshis by their
fellow workers,” AKM Mizanur Rah-
man, first secretary of the Bangladesh
labour wing in the UAE told the Dhaka
Tribune over the phone yesterday.
He said more were to be arrested in
this regard, as the investigating agencies
were trying to trace all those involved in
the incident.
On January 31, two Bangladeshi mi-
grant workers were stabbed to death
and three were seriously injured as they
engaged in an argument with fellow
workers over the ownership of a pair of
shoes at a labour camp in the Sharjah in-
dustrial area. All of them were construc-
tion workers hailing from Comilla.
The conditions of the three injured
– Abdus Salam, Mohammad Saddam
Hossain and Nazmul Haque – are now
stable. They are receiving treatment at
the Kuwaiti Hospital in Sarjhah.
The UAE, which used to be one of the
largest labour recruiting countries for
Bangladesh, put restrictions on hiring
manpower from Bangladesh in August,
2012, alleging that Bangladeshi migrant
workers’ were involved in criminal ac-
tivities. l
Finance Minister AMA Muhith speaks to the organisers in front of a painting displayed in the three-day Dhaka Art Summit exhibition at
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy yesterday
BNP-Jamaat splits over Sylhet upazila poll
n Our Correspondent, Sylhet
An apparent split has surfaced between
the BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Isla-
mi over the choosing of a single can-
didate to participate in the upcoming
upazila poll in the district.
The Sylhet BNP is also clearly divided
into two camps reagrding the formation
of its Sadar upazila convener committee.
The leaders said such confrontation
DHAKA TRIBUNE
“We have been able to reach 60% of
our sales target. People were not able to
purchase because the country’s econo-
my is down, having been badly hit by po-
litical unrest,” said MD Yasin Majumdar,
Sales Manager of Electro Mart Limited.
Rafiqul Islam, an executive of Ifad
Multi Products Limited said: “We did
not get the desired response from vis-
itors, and have achieved only 70% of
the sales target.”
The visitor turnout could have been
be better if there had been no political
instability, he said.
Talking to different participants at
the fair, it was learnt that a good num-
ber of stall and pavilion owners were
facing difficulties in recouping their
trade expenses.
“Compared to last year, sales have de-
clined by 50% this year. I have to pay my
staff, incurring losses,” said Abdul Man-
nan, a sales executive at Opi Fashion.
Moreover, the visitors’ turnout de-
Each Malaysia-bound migrant has to
pay Tk5,000 extra to travel by Malay-
sian airlines, as Biman Bangladesh Air-
lines fails to maintain its flight schedule.
A migrant needs Tk18,000 to travel
to Malaysia by Biman while they require
Tk23,000 to fly to Malaysia by Malay-
sian Airlines.
In the wake of Biman’s flight disrup-
tion, the Bureau of Manpower, Employ-
ment and Training (BMET) has started
sending the Malaysia-bound migrant
workers by Malaysian air.
Officials at BMET said a batch of
over 100 migrant labourers had to wait
for four days to travel to Malaysia, as
Biman failed to operate its flight in
time.
The employers in Malaysia felt irri-
tated as they could not receive the mi-
grant workers at a specific time at their
airports in Malaysia.
“We were embarrassed as the Malay-
sian employers were annoyed because
of flight disruption to Bangladesh Bi-
man,” a senior official at BMET told the
Dhaka Tribune over the phone yester-
day, preferring not to be named.
The official also said if the migrants
had flown by Biman Bangladesh air-
lines, the national flag carrier would
have earned revenues and the workers
would have to paid less.
“We wanted to send our workers by
our airline, but Biman Bangladesh failed
to operate its flights in time,” BMET ad-
and division within the party might af-
fect the upazila election.
The first phase of the upazila elec-
tions will be held on February 19 in 12
upazilas in Sylhet division.
In Jaintapur upazila under Sylhet
district, Jamaat leader Jainal Abedin
has got the support of the 19-party al-
liance led by the BNP.
The former main opposition BNP
has picked nine candidates of its own
News
clined further yesterday in the wake of
the inauguration of the Ekushey Book
Fair, opined a number of traders.
“Before the inauguration of the Ek-
ushey Book Fair, a good number of vis-
itors, particularly students, attended
the fair, but now we see fewer visitors
as the book fair has attracted most of
them,” said MD Ashraful, a sales exec-
utive at the Polar Ice-cream pavilion.
Although most of the stall owners
failed to reach their targets, some stalls
including those selling crockery, home
appliances, and plastic products, had
good sales results.
“Our sales have increased by around
20% compared to previous year,” Rony,
an executive of Bengal Plastic said.
However, he said the sale could
have been better if there had been no
political unrest and doubt about hold-
ing the fair.
The 19th DITF started on January 11
and will end on February 10. l
He also said the Malaysian employ-
ers were reluctant to receive workers af-
ter 8pm, but the aircraft of Biman lands
at airports in Malaysia around 1am.
The workers could not stay at the air-
port for a long time, and it was a great
problem for them, he added.
A senior official of the Ministry of
Civil Aviation and Tourism said two air-
craft remained grounded, creating prob-
lems in maintaining flight schedules.
“We are trying to improve the situ-
ation as one aircraft (Boeing 777) will
be added to the fleet,” the official said,
seeking anonymity.
The government is sending workers
to Malaysia under a government-to-gov-
ernment arrangement, with a low mi-
gration cost.
A migrant worker needs only around
Tk33,000 to go to Malaysia while ear-
lier, the worker had to pay around
Tk2,00,000 to Tk3,00,000.
A migrant gets wages of around
Tk20,000 a month.
An assistant director of BMET said a
total of 715 visas had recently been re-
ceived from Malaysia.
Aspiring workers had beensent mes-
sages telling them to come to BMET
with passports, added the official.
A total of 2,390 workers have gone to
Malaysia under the government-to-gov-
ernment system after an agreement be-
tween the two governments in Novem-
ber 2012. l
RAJIB DHAR
in nine of a total of 19 upazilas.
It has also chosen its own candi-
dates in two other upazilas – Chhatok
and Doara.
At Biswanat upazilla in Sylhet, Ja-
maat chose one of its leaders Nizam Ud-
din Chowdhury as the candidate, while
BNP mulled over picking its own candi-
date, thus ultimately leading to chaos
between the BNP-Jamaat alliance.
The central BNP administration se-
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Employees of Brac Bank Ltd take part in a marathon race in the capital’s Hatirjheel area
yesterday morning
CHHATRA LEAGUE-SHIBIR CLASH IN CU
No headway in student killing probe
n FM Mizanur Rahaman
Police are yet to make any significant
progress in the investigation into the
killing of a Chittagong University stu-
dent at the university’s Shah Amanat
Hall, even after 26 days since the kill-
ing.
Mamun Hossain, a fourth year stu-
dent of the Soil Science Department,
was killed on January 12 during a fierce
clash between Bangladesh Chhatra
League, the student wing of the rul-
ing party, and Islami Chhatra Shibir,
the student wing of Islamist outfit Ja-
maat-e-Islami. The clash also left 25
others injured.
Campus sources said though activ-
ists of the both groups involved in the
clash, were roaming free on the cam-
pus, police had yet to trace them.
Following the incident, Shah
Innovative robots rock National
Robotics Festival ‘14
n Ashif Islam Shaon
Young engineering students show-
cased their creativity in robotics yes-
terday, hoping to introduce new tech-
nologies to improve people’s daily
lives.
The young innovators displayed
their creations at the one-day Nation-
al Robotics Festival 2014, organised by
the Engineering Students’ Association
of Bangladesh, at the National Sports
Council auditorium in the capital.
Around 15 prototype robots, each
with a distinct use for domestic, in-
dustrial or military applications, were
presented at the fair by students from
different public and private universi-
ties across the country.
“Our Agrobot is for technolo-
gy-based farming. We have designed a
grip to hold harvested crop and there
is also a blade to reap the crops. Solar
energy can be used to power it,” said
Nazifa Rumman, a student of the Mil-
itary Institute of Science and Technol-
ogy (MIST).
lected former Pourasava mayor Iqbal
Ahmed as its sole candidate in Jokiganj
upazila, while the party’s local unit op-
posed the decision.
The local BNP activists are working
for another leader Saifuddin Ahmed.
The same scenario occurred in Com-
panyganj upazila, where the BNP nom-
inated Ali Ahmad as its candidate while
its activists chose upazila BNP Organis-
ing Secretary Sahab Uddin. l
MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
Amanat Hall Provost Prof Mohammed
Abul Mansur filed a case with Hathaz-
ari police station accusing unidentified
people.
On the other hand, slain Mamun’s
father, Mowlana Muhammad Rafi Ud-
din, filed another case with the CMM
court, accusing 34 named and more
than 150 unnamed Chhatra League
leaders and activists, as police alleged-
ly refused to lodge the case.
While talking to the Dhaka Tribune,
CU unit Chhatra Shibir President Mo-
stafizur Rahman alleged: “Police re-
fused to file the case as Mamun’s father
mentioned the names of Alamgir Tipu
and Diaz Irfan Chowdhury, organising
secretary and joint secretary of the CU
unit Chhatra League respectively, as
the prime accused.”
Sub-Inspector Sentu Mia of Hath-
azari police station brushed aside the
Several hundred visitors, especially
youngsters, crammed in the venue to
see the robots in action.
The MIST group also displayed a spy
robot which can target and shoot.
The robot has a laser targeting sys-
tem, and can be used for sounding an
alarm, firing bullets or launching mis-
siles.
“In future we will add arms on it.
There will be cameras added for sur-
veillance work,” said a MIST student.
There was also surrogate robot,
which can be controlled by voice.
“Imagine, you need to clean an area
contaminated with hazardous materi-
als. You just send the robot and act like
you are picking up the waste.
The robot, following your body
movement, will act the same,” ex-
plained one of the inventors Abdullah
Hil Kafi.
The group from Ahsanullah Univer-
sity of Science and Technology show-
cased a robot controlled by two smart
phones.
Students of Bangladesh University
3
BNP: PM provokes
extrajudicial
killings
n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla
The BNP alleged that Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina’s statement had insti-
gated extrajudicial killing across the
country.
A few days back in parliament
Sheikh Hasina said “everyone had the
right to self-defence.”
She made the comment after a num-
ber of activists of the ruling party’s stu-
dent wing launched an armed attack on
other students at Rajshahi University
on Sunday.
“Opposition leaders and activists
are being killed without any trial every-
day. Such a statement by the premier
will instigate violence and provoke
extrajudicial killings,” Mirza Fakhrul
Islam Alamgir, acting secretary general
of the party, said.
He said one day the premier and her
government would be held responsi-
ble for such killings. BNP Chairperson
Khaleda Zia, in her address to the na-
tion, also demanded the United Nations
take effective steps to stop such killings.
Addressing a discussion at Nayapal-
tan, Fakhrul, on Thursday, alleged that
a BNP activist’s body was found in Sir-
ajganj, after he was picked up by law
enforcers from the High Court area of
the capital.
“A few days earlier, RAB picked up
a BNP leader of Lakshmipur. He was
killed without any trial. Those who
were arrested on charges of attacking
Asaduzzaman Noor’s motorcade in
Nilphamari were also killed without
any trial,” Fakhrul added.
The spokesperson of the party said
they never believed in terrorism and
vengeance. Rather it was the Awami
League that was involved in criminal ac-
tivities across the country, he added. l
allegation, saying that one case was
already filed and police had attached a
copy of the deceased’s father’s allega-
tion with it.
Nurul Hakim, investigating officer
in the case, said police had already
started the investigation, adding
that, as the accused were unnamed,
it was troublesome to find the real cul-
prits.
Following the clash, CU authorities,
in an emergency meeting, formed a
probe committee consisting of three
members, and headed by Prof Mohiud-
din of the Forestry and Environmental
Science Institute.
“The probe committee has already
taken statements from eyewitnesses,
injured students and hall staff who
witnessed the clash,” said Mohammed
Ohidul Alam, a member of the probe
committee. l
of Engineering and Technology (Buet),
showed an industrial robot. The robot
can keep an eye on the machines in a
factory.
“It happens now and then that ma-
chines get heated up and catch fire.
These robots can detect if any machine
in a room is getting overheated. It will
rush to it and spray water or chemicals
to avert a fire,” said the BUET team
leader.
Most of the participants said their
projects were actually prototypes and
cost from Tk 3000 to Tk 15000.
“Yes, if they get funding, the pro-
jects can be implemented on a larger
scale, and be used for daily tasks,” said
M Kaykobad, a BUET teacher and one
of the initiators of the fest.
There was also a poster-making
competition for young school and col-
lege students.
The National Robotics Festival is a
continuation of the “Robi-Prothom Alo
Global Robotics Challenge,” which was
held in February last year in associa-
tion with IIT Kanpur. l
4 DHAKA TRIBUNE
Environmentalists
concerned about
rise in air pollution
n Abu Bakar Siddique
Environmental activists yesterday ex-
pressed concern at the rising trend in
air pollution across the country, which
is a threat to public health.
They also urged the government to
take the necessary measures to contain
the air pollution.
The environmentalists advocated
measures including putting a stop to
conventional brick fields, and imposition
of ban on importing low quality coal, and
banning reconditioned vehicles more
than 16-year-old – all major contributors
to the country’s air pollution.
The environmentalists made their
views known at a rally, jointly organised
by 13 environmental groups, in front of
the National Press Club led by the Ban-
gladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa).
In his address, Bapa General Secre-
tary Dr Abdul Matin said: “The situation
has got worse due to the government’s
poor initiatives and poor implementa-
tion the existing mechanism related to
the control of air pollution.”
A study conducted by the Depart-
ment for International Development
(DFID) in 2000 on the causes of illness
and deaths in Bangladesh, says the
airborne diseases are one of the major
causes of death for Bangladeshi people.
Ganajagaran Mancha vows to
free country from Razakars
n Arif Ahmed
Educationist, Journalists, cultural ac-
tivists and prominent personalities of
the country on Friday hoped the Ga-
najagaran Mancha would continue its
movement to uphold the interest of
common people.
They were speaking at a rally titled
Jagaran Rally organised by the Ganaja-
garan Mancha at Shahabag on the occa-
sion of its first anniversary.
Convener of the Mancha Imran H
Sarkar read out a report on activities and
movement of the platform in one year.
Imran said: “Since the beginning the
platform has been driven by the will of
people of the country. We have never
planned anything at our will.”
Criticising those who have tried to
resist the movement of the platform
Imran said: “A quarter has always
tried to destroy our movement; they
launched attack on us and killed many
of our men but they failed. None can
WEATHER
Weather likely to
remain dry with
partly cloudy sky
n UNB
Weather may remain dry with tempo-
rary partly cloudy sky over the country
until 6pm today.
Moderate to thick fog might occur
over the river basins and light to mod-
erate fog elsewhere over the country
during midnight till morning, Met Of-
fice said.
Night and day temperature may
remain nearly unchanged over the
country.
The sun sets in the capital at 5:49pm
today and rises at 6:35am tomorrow.
Country’s highest temperature 31.0
degrees Celsius was recorded in Cox’s
Bazar and lowest 09.4 degrees in Sri-
mangal yesterday.
Highest and lowest temperatures re-
corded in some major cities yesterday
were:
City
Dhaka
High
29.0
Low
15.2
Chittagong
Rajshahi
28.8
28.7
17.0
11.2
Rangpur 27.0 13.0
Khulna 30.2 15.2
Barisal 29.4 14.0
Sylhet 28.4 13.5
Cox’s Bazar 31.0 17.0
PRAYER TIMES
Fajar 5:21am
Sunrise 6:37am
Zohr 12:12am
Asr 4:11pm
Magrib 5:47pm
Esha 7:04pm
Source: IslamicFinder.org
Of the deaths, most are related to
chronic cough, respiratory problem,
bronchitis, pneumonia and cancer.
Dr Matin added that the air pollution
would adversely affect human health if
the government failed to stop the cur-
rent trend in air pollution,
The Bapa general secretary called
upon the government to rein in the im-
port of reconditioned old cars into the
country as they were one of the major
contributors to the country’s air pollu-
tion especially in the capital.
Zakir Hossain, executive director of
Nagorik Uddyog, said the government
should formulate a national policy to
check the ongoing trend in air pollu-
tion, for the sake of people’s lives.
He said setting up new brick fields
using conventional methods had led to
the rise in air pollution.
The rights activist advocated the re-
moval of old vehicles from the capital
to reduce the level of air pollution.
Bangladesh is the ninth most-pol-
luted country in the world according
to the statistics of the global Environ-
mental Performance Index for 2014,
published last month.
It has also been listed as the country
with the most polluted air quality in
the world; the survey was conducted
using data from 178 countries. l
stop us, we will continue to do what we
are doing until Bangladesh turns into
a non-communal, Razakar and Jamat-
Shibir free country.”
Youths have proved
that our country is not a
property of any political
party and groups, it’s
a country of every
liberation fighter and
citizen inspired by the
liberation war
Prominent Journalist and writer Abed
khan termed the Ganagajaran move-
ment a movement of youths not any
political party or any group.
“Youths have proved through the
Ganajagaran Mancha that our country
is not a property of any political party
and groups, it’s a country of every lib-
10th Rajpunna Schoolgirl dies of suspected Nipah virus
begins today
n she suffered from a high fever and
Our Correspondent, Rajbari
n Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari A schoolgirl died Thursday night sup- when her condition was deteriorating, collectedDrtheNurul
The 10th Rajpunna, a traditional land
revenue collection ceremony of the
Khagrachhari Mong circle in the Chit-
tagong Hill Tracts, will be observed
today.
On this day the Mong king collects
revenues from local leaders such as
Headmen and Karbaris (village chief)
in line with the age-old tradition.
Former Principal of Khagrachhari
Government College Dr Sudin Kumar
Chakma said: “The traditional Mong
King, known locally as the Mong Raja,
organises the Rajpunna every year to
collect land revenue.”
“The programme is set to start
in the afternoon, in the district’s
Modhupur, with prayers. The palace
of the Mong king has been decorated
with flowers, leaves, colorful clothes,
papers and lighting on this occassion,”
he said.
People of all ages within the Mong
community wake up early in the morn-
ing, clad themselves in colorful garb
and join in on the programme, Dr Su-
din added.
Educationist and former professor
of Khagrachhari Government College
Modhu Mongal Chakma said the in-
digenous people attend the function
carrying leaves and flowers in hands.
Some play the drums while some per-
form traditional songs and dances to
welcome the Raja and other respected
guests at the function.
Mong Raja of Khagrachhari Mong
Kingdom Saching Prue Chowdhury
would enter being escorted by his per-
sonal security guards and then hoist
the national flag.
A number of people, including tour-
ists, government officials, politicians
and civil society leaders are expected
to attend the function. l
News
A tailback issues on the Bangabandhu Bridge after an army truck collided with a bridge pillar on its way to Bogra cantonment
eration fighter and citizen inspired by
the liberation war”.
Barrister Turin Afroz, prosecutor of
the International Crime Tribunal, said
the year 2013 was a successful year for
the ICT as it declared nine verdicts on
war criminals the same year”.
Air Vice Marshal A K khandar said:
“The youths have risen and they will
be able to make Bangladesh what they
wished through the Ganagajaran Man-
cha”.
Cultural activists Nasiruddin Yousuf
Bacchu said: “The Ganajagaran started
its journey demanding punishment to
war criminals but now it has spread its
wings to various issues including pro-
testing communal attack and banning
Jamat-Shibir.”
Meanwhile, the Ganajagaran Man-
cha on Friday morning organised a
drawing competition where disabled
and distressed children took part.
A documentary on Spartacus was
also screened at night. l
breathing problems. On Wednesday,
posedly of Nipah virus in Kumrakandi
village of Rajbari’s Goalondo upazila.
The dead, Bithi Akter, 9, was a class
II student at Goalondo Model Gov-
ernment Primary School and was the
daughter of Akkas Ali Sheikh, a rick-
shaw-puller.
According to Bithi’s father, she ate
an unclean plum from the roadside
when she was returning home from
school on Tuesday. The same night,
A young girl finishes her art work and helps another during an art competition, marking the Sign-Language Day on the Social Welfare
Department premises in the capital’s Agargaon yesterday
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Family wants trace of
BNP leader Omar Faruk
Half-day hartal in Lakshmipur today
n Our Correspondent, Lakshmipur theyAtalso denied of arresting him.”
the press briefing, tearful Faruk’s
Family members of the BNP leader
Omar Faruk yesterday urged the author-
ity concerned to trace him immediately.
Omar Faruk, chairman of Hazirpara
union under Lakshmipur Sadar upazila
and Organising Secretary of the BNP
Sadar upazila (east) unit, has remained
missing since RAB members picked
him up in Katgar area under Patenga
police station in Chittagong city early
onWednesday.
Family members of Omar made the
appeal at a press conference held at
Lakshmipur Press Club.
Parvin Akter, wife of Faruk, read a writ-
ten statement at the press conference.
“Patenga police told me that that
they did not arrest him,” she said add-
ing that they also did not allow her to
file a general diary in this regard.
“Later, we contacted RAB-7, but
When contacted, Civil Surgeon of
Rajbari
girl’s medical history and
her family admitted her to Goalondo
Upazila Health Complex at night.
Describing the night, her father said
Bithi had started to lose consciousness
every now and then and seemed con-
fused. On Thursday morning, seeing
Bithi’s condition the emergency doctor at
the health complex referred her to Farid-
pur Medical College Hospital, he added.
She was admitted to FMCH in the
evening but at night she died.
daughter Farhana Akter Pomi said,
“Please let us talk with our father at
least once over phone.”
Faruk’s son, Imam Hossain Imon,
said he would not sit for SSC examina-
tion if he did not get back his father.
They also expressed their hope that
the government would return their father.
When contacted, Rab-7 denied the
allegation, saying they had not conduct
any drive in Katgar recently.
Meanwhile, the local BNP unit has
called an eight-hour hartal in the dis-
trict for Saturday, protesting the deten-
tion of Omar Faruk by members of the
elite forces. The shutdown call came in
a press release signed-off on by the dis-
trict BNP Vice-President Saidul Islam
Bhuiyan at noon.
The shutdown will remain in force
from 6am till 2pm. l
Amin said they had
blood and cough samples to analyse.
The samples were sent to Dhaka’s Insti-
tute of Epidemiology, Disease Control
and Research (IEDCR) for a lab-test to
identify the disease, he added.
“We suspect the girl was attacked
by the Nipah Virus since she ate a plum
which might have been infected after a
bat had bitten it.”
Another Nipa Virus attack took place
in the same upazila in 2005. l
NASHIRUL ISLAM
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Army personnel
killed in road
accident
n Our correspondent, Sirajganj
A sergeant of Bangladesh Army died in
a road accident yesterday on the Bang-
abandhu Multipurpose Bridge.
The deceased is Probhat Kumer, 35,
a staff sergeant of the engineering bat-
talion 6 at the Bogra cantonment.
Mujahid Uddin, a maintenance of-
ficer and traffic manager of the Bang-
abandhu Bridge confirmed the incident.
He said while returning from ijtema, a
truck of Bangladesh Army collided with
14 no pillar of the Bangabandhu Bridge
on its way to the Bogra cantonment.
The accident left Sergeant Probhat
critically injured who was driving the
truck. He was admitted to the Brigadier
Medical camp nearby. Later he died
while being transferred to Dhaka by a
helicopter of the army, said Mujahid.
Vehicle movement remained sus-
pended for three hours on the lane be-
cause of the accident, creating a grid-
lock on both ends of the bridge. l
3 policemen hurt
while intercepting
fake law enforcers
n Our Correspondent, Gazipur
Three policemen were injured when
a group of robbers, in the guise of law
enforcers, were intercepted in the early
hours of yesterday in Zirani Bazar un-
der the district’s sadar upazila.
The policemen were injured when
the disguised robbers hurled crude
bombs at them, trying to escape the
house of Shahjahan Dealer.
Two of the robbers were also injured
along with the policemen.
According to Shahjahan, a group of
10-12 people had entered forcibly and
wanted to search the house. Later,
without saying anything, they opened
the wardrobe and attempted to loot
money and ornaments. Shahjahan said
he had warned the local Chakrabarty
police outpost by that time.
After the police came and started to
question the robbers, some members
of the group, who were standing at a
distance from the house, hurled crude
bombs at the police, he added. l
One held for raping
RMG worker
n Our Correspondent, Narayanganj
Police arrested a young man in
Pilkuni Bazar area of Narayanganj yes-
terday on charges of raping a garment
worker.
The arrestee Sujon, 26, son of Mo-
jibur Mollah of Pilkuni Bazar of Fatul-
lah of Sadar Upazila was arrested after
victim's uncle filed a case with Fatullah
Model police station.
According to the case, the victim
and Sujon had love affair and taking the
he raped her several times after prom-
ising her that he would marry her later.
But later he refused to marry her. l

Sirajganj doctors skip work,
ignore office hours n Kailash Sarkar
Emergency wards hardly have attending doctors,
increasing suffering of patients
n Our Correspondent, Sirajganj ernment hospital are between 8am and Residential Medical Officer Faridul
2:30pm, some of the unscrupulous Islam, who came in at the hospital af-
Most doctors at Sirajganj Sadar Hospi-
tal have allegedly been skipping their
duties regularly, despite recent direc-
tives from the health minister to be dil-
igent in serving the patients.
Many doctors of the hospital report-
edly take unauthorised leave, while
others flout the rules and fail to follow
the office hours.
On Saturday, Health Minister Mo-
hammed Nasim made a visit to the hos-
pital, urging the doctors to concentrate
on providing healthcare services in-
stead of focusing on party-politics. He
made the call while placing the founda-
tion stone for expanding the hospital’s
beds from 150 to 250.
However, the minister’s request was
ignored as most doctors returned to
their ill practices within days.
Although the office hours for a gov-
Three of a family
among four killed
in Gazipur road
accident
n Our Correspondent, Gazipur
Four people, including three people of
a family, were killed and three others
injured as a CNG-run auto rickshaw
collided head on with a human haulier
at Jamirarchar in Kapasia upazila.
Three of the deceased were identi-
fied as Parvin Akther, 35, wife of Rafiqul
Islam of Hazi Kha village in Narsingdi,
her son auto rickshaw driver Faruq, 25,
and one of their relatives Jasimuddin,
30, while identity of a mentally retard-
ed person could not be known imme-
diately.
Quoting witnesses, police said the
Gazipur-bound human haulier from
Kapasia crashed into the auto rickshaw
while trying to give side to a mental-
ly retarded person at about 10pm on
Thursday, leaving seven people criti-
cally injured.
The injured were taken to upa-
zila health complex where doctors
declared Jashim and the mentally re-
tarded person dead on the spot, said
Sub-Inspector of Kapasia police station
Nazmul Huda.
Two other injured people suc-
cumbed to their injuries at Narsingdi
Hospital yesterday afternoon.
The other injured – Khokon Mia,
his wife Farida Parveen, 35, and their
daughter Merry, 2, were taken to Dhaka
Medical College Hospital. l
Secoend death
anniversary of
MR Khan today
n Tribune Report
The second death anniversary of the
country’s first ENT-micro surgeon Dr
M Masudur Rahman Khan will be ob-
served today.
To mark the anniversary, the
MARKS Group and his family members
will organise milad mahfil, Khatme Qu-
ran and distribution of food among the
poor.
The milad mahfil will be held after
Johr prayers at the MARKS Group’s
prayer room in the capital as well as his
ancestral home in Magura.
All his friends and well-wishers
have been requested to attend the pro-
gramme for seeking salvation of his de-
parted soul.
Prof Dr MR Khan was founder chair-
man of MARKS Group, MARKS Hos-
pital, MARKS Dental College, MARKS
Medical College, MARKS Institute of
Medical Technology and Sarc Cancer
Hospital in Dhaka, and founder of GK
Ideal School and College at Kamlapur
in Sreepur upazila of Magura. l
doctors allegedly visit the hospital only
to sign the attendance sheets.
During a visit to the hospital at 10am
yesterday, the Dhaka Tribune found only
Senior Consultant of surgery depart-
ment Abdul Kuddus, Assistant Registrar
of gynecology department Dr Zinnat
Farzana Keka, and medical officers Dr
Zarin Taslim Noshin and Dr Shariful Is-
lam present among a total of 31 doctors.
No doctors were present in the
emergency, ENT, medicine, pathology,
dental and outdoor departments.
Some patients were forced to return
home, after finding no doctor in the de-
partments.
Several more doctors came in as the
day progressed, although the atten-
dance register showed names of absent
doctors who had signed the book on
previous occasions.
A human chain was formed on Jahangirnagar University campus yesterday with a call to protect birds
Bird Fair 2014 held at JU
n JU Correspondent
Jahangirnagar University (JU) yester-
day hosted its one-day Bird Fair 2014
with a view to raising awareness of bird
conservation.
Organised by the university’s Zool-
ogy department, the fair was attended
by hundreds of bird lovers from across
the country, who thronged on the cam-
pus during the morning, watching mi-
gratory birds.
JU acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. MA
Matin, inaugurated the programme in
front of the Zahir Raihan auditorium,
while additional secretary of the Environ-
ment and Forest ministry Dr Arup Chow-
dhury presided over the programme.
Dramatic increase of Tobacco
cultivation in Lalmonirhat
n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat
Lalmonirhat has been swamped with to-
bacco cultivation this year, after farmers
of the district were encouraged by at-
tractive offers from tobacco companies.
At least nine tobacco companies have
been working to encourage farmers to
cultivate tobacco on their lands. Tobac-
co companies have been offering inter-
est free loans to encourage local farmers
to cultivate tobacco instead of paddy.
Sazzadur Rahman, a farmer at
Baninagar village of Kaliganj upazila, said
he had cultivated tobacco on six bighas
of land for the first time, after getting an
interest free loan from a tobacco compa-
ny. “I also got tobacco seed and fertiliser
from the company,” he said, adding that
the company also guaranteed to buy to-
bacco from him at a set price.
Mofazul Islam, another farmer from
the same village, said: “I got a shirt, a
lungi from a tobacco company’s repre-
sentatives, and my son got money to
buy books for class.”
Naser Ali, a farmer in Awliarhat vil-
lage of Patgram upazila, said: “Repre-
DHAKA TRIBUNE News
ter 11am, said: “On the one hand it is
winter morning and on the other hand
many doctors are on leave.”
He added that some doctors were
taking part in ongoing trainings at the
civil surgeon’s office.
When asked about the trend of ab-
sence, Swadhinata Chikitsak Parish-
ad Sirajganj unit President Dr Abdur
Razzak said it was more important to
publish news reports on the hospital’s
poor drainage system and lack of safe-
ty tanks, instead of investigating the
number of absent doctors.
Dr Jahurul Haque Raza, president
of Bangladesh Medical Association’s
Sirajganj unit, expressed hopes that all
the doctors would stay present at the
hospital, adding that the BMA would
not take responsibility for the doctors
who ignored their duties. l
“About 11 percent of the different
species of birds are now on the
verge of extinction, due to rampant
deforestation and environmental
pollution. We can raise awareness
through such fairs so that people
will be encouraged to protect birds,”
said Prof MA Matin during the
inauguration.
Additional Secretary Dr Arup Chow-
dhury said that government had passed
the ‘Wildlife Conservation Act-2012’ to
conserve wildlife, forests and the eco-
system.
Dr Arup also thanked the Zoolo-
gy Department for arranging the fair,
adding that people have started loving
birds through because of the combined
sentatives of the tobacco companies
have provided cash advances to farm-
ers preparing to cultivate tobacco on
their lands.”
Seeking anonymity, many represen-
tatives of different tobacco companies
said they helped provide seeds and fer-
tiliser to tobacco growers so as to moti-
vate them to continue to grow tobacco.
This year around 23,000 registered
farmers grew tobacco in their lands,
whereas the number was 13,000 in 2013
and only 8,000 in 2012. Sources said
many unregistered farmers also grow
tobacco on their lands.
The Department of Agriculture Ex-
tension officials in Lalmonirhat said to-
bacco was cultivated on around 25,000
hectares land in 2013, a figure expected
to double this year.
Hamidur Rahman, agriculture officer
at Aditmari upazila, expressed concerns
that tobacco cultivation was increasing
at an alarming rate, threatening paddy
cultivation in the region. He added add-
ing tobacco cultivation would decrease
if companies stoped providing attrac-
tive offers to the farmers. l
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Forteen held for car
lifting, cheating
The Detective Branch of police has ar-
rested 14 members of three different
gangs for their alleged involvement
with car theft
Members of the intelligence team
also recovered six stolen vehicles from
the gang-members.
Krishnapado Roy, deputy commis-
sioner of the DB’s South Division, at a
press conference said that one of their
teams had arrested five members of a
gang of car thieves in Chittagong and Bari-
sal, recovering two stolen microbuses.
DB officials said one of the recov-
ered microbuses had been stolen from
the capital’s Paltan area on December
12, while another had been taken from
Demra on December 28.
The detained car thieves were iden-
tified as Shameem Ahmed, Mizanur
Rahman, Saiful Islam, Khalil Miah and
Alamgir Hossain.
The DC said another DB team arrest-
ed seven members of another gang at
Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College
Hospital in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla-
nagar, seizing four CNG-run auto-rick-
shaws, 110 pieces of sedative tablets
efforts of the government, media and
Jahangirnagar University.
Chief Forest Conservator Dr Topon
Kumar De, read a keynote paper at the
programme.
Meanwhile, a drawing competition,
a quiz competition, a bird literature
exhibition, displays of different pre-
served species, and a debating compe-
tition were also held during the fair.
Bangladesh Bird Club President
Enam-ul Haque, Aranyak Founda-
tion Executive Director Farid Uddin
Ahmed, Convener of the fair Prof. Dr
Mustafa Firoz, and Zoology Depart-
ment Chairperson Prof. Dr Sazeda Be-
gum were present at the inauguration
programme. l
A farmer looks at her tobacco plants as she has cultivated tobacco instead of paddy for the first time
and one flask. Of those vehicles, two
were recovered from Sher-e-Bangla
Nagar and two others from Kamran-
girchar in the capital, he said.
The detained seven car thieves were
identified as Md Sumon, Al-Amin, Ab-
dus Salam, Mizanur Rahman, Jasim
Uddin, Ameer Hossain and Shahadat
Hossain.
According to DB personnel, the de-
tainees were doping their drivers with
sedatives before snatching their vehicles.
The managing director of a fake com-
pany and its manager, used to cheat
people and embezzle money, were ar-
rested in the capital’s Jatrabari area.
The arrested were identified as Ab-
dullah Al Helal, 38, and Azizul Huq
alias Sona Miah alias Siraj, 35.
DB sources said they had been
cheating people by introducing them-
selves as the MD and manager of or-
ganisations including Talukder Group,
SB Group, Saqura Foods and Sheraton
Group.
They had been misappropriating
money from people by pretending to
give those people jobs as the sales man-
agers, sales representatives, area man-
agers and various other jobs. l
Impersonator fails to
save real accused
n Our Correspondent, Gaibandha
A drug trader could not escape police
arrest despite sending a hired one to po-
lice custody making him a fake accused
in his place in exchange of money.
According to sources, the police
held drug trader one Ashraful Islam
with 109 bottles of phensidyl in 2008.
Later, Ashraful got bail from the
court. He was supposed to attend the
senior judicial magistrate court on Jan-
uary 27.
But, Ashraful Islam produced a Sazu
Miah as the accused in the court in
place of him in exchange of Tk 17,000
5
Highway robbers
loot 14 trucks,
10 injured
n Our Correspondent, Natore
A least 10 people were injured when a
gang of robbers looted 14 trucks on the
Natore-Pabna Highway at Koyenbazar
in Baraigram upazila in the early hours
of yesterday.
Baraigram police said a gang of 20-25
robbers barricaded the Natore-Pabna
highway at Koyenbazar, by felling trees
at around 4:00am. Soon, 14 trucks got
stuck on the highway and the drivers,
helpers and passengers of the trucks
were dragged to a nearby field and
robbed.
The robbers also assaulted some of
the victims when they refused to give
in to their demands, leaving 10 peo-
ple injured. Later, locals rushed to the
scene after the victims cried for help.
However, the robbers managed to flee.
Victims said the robbers stole their
cash, mobile phones and other valu-
ables. A government owned covered
van was also reportedly looted during
the heist.
Ibrahim Hossein, officer in charge of
Baraigram police, said: “We are trying to
arrest the robbers and the barricade was
removed from the road,” he added. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
in collusion with lawyer and his men.
Ashraful also assured Sazu saying
that no jail term would be given to him
and the court would give him bail as all
arrangement had been completed for it.
But, the judicial magistrate of the
court sentenced him to five years’ jail
on charge of drug trading.
Police Super Mofazzel Hossain con-
firmed the incident and said Ashraful
was sent to jail following the previ-
ous phensidyl case. HE said initiatives
were taken to file another criminal case
against Ashraful, Sazu and the lawyer
with the court for their alleged involve-
ment in the forgery. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
6 DHAKA TRIBUNE
Amra: Carrying the light of hope
n Ishrat Jahan
O
n Tuesday, Oporajeo, one of
Amra’s beneficiares, inaugu-
rated a primary school to for
the children of its garment
factory, which is run and co-owned by
victims of the Rana Plaza disaster.
Amra took the responsibility for 37
children of the affected families, sup-
porting their academic activities. Amra
has provided them with everything
needed for their studies – admission
and exam fees and uniforms.
Amidst the chaos that submerged
Bangladesh in a state of conflict and
wreckage last April, a number of jour-
nalists decided that spreading the news
about Rana Plaza was not enough.
Amra – a voluntary organization of
journalists, businessmen and individu-
als, has been working tirelessly since
March 2013 to support the poor and
distressed, who are victimized by natu-
ral calamities, accidents and the relent-
less political violence.
So when the Rana Plaza disaster
happened, Amra, by then already es-
Digital farmer’s market
Amar Desh Amar Gram connects food producers with urban buyers online
F
n Ahsan Sajid
ishermen all the way in
Mongla are selling their
catch thousands of miles
away in Dhaka.
Farmers from around the
country are supplying directly to city
markets.
Women in villages are earning a sta-
ble income selling home-grown veg-
etables and handmade nakshi kathas
across the country and abroad.
And all this has been made possible
by Amar Desh Amar Gram (ADAG), a
project that has revolutionised the ru-
ral market system in Bangladesh.
The concept, uniquely Bangladeshi,
directly connects rural producers with
the consumers around the world – un-
like popular e-commerce sites Amazon
and eBay, which act as warehouses.
AMAR DESH AMAR GRAM.COM
Breaking the technological divide
Today with their website amard-
esheshop.com, more than 5,500 rural
producers are earning a higher income
through the virtual marketplace than
they did through more traditional
value chains, thus facilitating better
economic opportunities for rural Bang-
ladesh – which makes up 80% of Bang-
ladesh’s population – by cutting out the
middle man.
The project makes computers and
the internet accessible to the lowest
tablished, was quick to respond to the
tragedy and played an instrumental
role in the rescue operations there.
“We were one of the first few groups
to send out a call for help through
social media. We received a huge re-
sponse and our volunteers engaged
themselves in the rescue work and
at hospitals to support the injured
and their families,” says Shayantanee
Twisha, currently a news presenter
at Independent TV and one of the key
members of Amra.
Yet Amra was one step ahead of
the massive crowd who had gath-
ered to take part in the rescue op-
erations. Shayantanee shares Amra’s
unique part in making a better life for
the victims.
“We predicted that three to five
months from this disaster, people will
no longer stand beside these victims
or contribute towards anything that
would ensure a better future for them
in the long run. Hence, we began to
help the victims in a different man-
ner. Amra selected the 15 most affect-
ed families from a list prepared after
Feature
income groups in rural areas in the far-
thest corners of the country, creating
opportunities previously not available
to them.
Izlal Moin Husain, one of the direc-
tors at ADAG, describes the function of
the e-centres as being more than online
marketplaces.
“Primarily, each centre offers the
same services to the rural community
– specifically the rural youth.
“The role of each centre is to pro-
vide basic computer training and form
a community, along with familiarising
people outside the ‘privileged’ periph-
ery with the concept of e-commerce
and the role technology can play in em-
powering citizens in the areas of trade,
culture, health, information, educa-
tion and news.”
In short, they are acclimatising
Bangladesh to the concept of a Digital
Bangladesh.
The project is dedicated to minimis-
ing the digital gap between rural and
city life by creating this online market
place, providing practical and demand-
based technical education to the rural
youth, and creating a number of in-
come opportunities.   Izlal explains: “The rural entrepre-
The rural farmers and producers use
amardesheshop.com through e-cen-
tres set up by ADAG. Nine such centres
have been set up since the pilot project
in Mithekhali, Mongla was implement-
ed in 2010, but ADAG’s aim is to operate
64 e-centres – one for each district, and
eventually 480 centres covering 480
upazillas.
Employment, empowerment,
ecommerce
The project, however, is much more
ambitious than that. It seeks to em-
power, and create a new generation
of entrepreneurs from the rural youth
who will endeavour towards self-em-
ployment. It also seeks to reduce the
rate of rural-urban migration by cre-
ating self-sustainability for the rural
communities.
Users of the e-centres, particularly
rural women who face additional road-
blocks, are using them for trading and
the ability to work from home and
generate income through direct sales
empowerment.
COURTESY
scrutiny, bought them milking cows,
rickshaws and set up small shops that
could become a sustaining livelihood.”
Amra was the only organisation that
extended a helping hand to salvage the
broken and brunt houses of the Hindu
community, ugly remnants of the com-
munal attacks of Jamaat-Shibir, after
Sayedee’s verdict had been passed last
March 2013.
“One cannot imagine the amount
of devastation the communal attacks
had left behind after Sayedee’s ver-
dict. We decided to come together and
help these people. Our research team
is extremely efficient which helped us
chalk out areas where help was most
required . Bashkhali (Chittagong), Koi-
ra (Khulna) and Sundarganj are few of
the most affected areas,” Shayantanee
says, recalling the first operation by
Amra after the communal attacks.
Amra has distributed money and
aid worth over Tk10 lakh among the
victims confronted by the violent com-
munal attacks in March and the devas-
tating tornado in Brahmanbaria simul-
taneously in the same month. l
Saturday, February 8, 2014
neurs, after a week of training, take
matter into their own hands and run
the show from each centre. Our role
is to provide a platform and inspire
the people into self-empowerment.
How they use the technology for their
own well-being is solely dependent
on them.
“This is the only way we found for
a project of such magnitude to be sus-
tainable in the long run. Power to the
people – that is our sole responsibility.”
A holistic system
The lack of proper communication
and proper distribution, due to a sys-
tem with entrenched problems such as
corruption, exclusion of women, lack
of market information and infrastruc-
ture, the poor law and order situation,
collection of illegal tolls among other
factors, causes huge losses for the rural
community. For instance, 40% of the
vegetables grown in Bangladesh every
year rot, and are thrown out. ADAG’s
system hopes to comb through some of
these knots.
The art of cooperation
n Rubaiya Murshed
I
t was December 23, just the
first day of our conference in
Pakistan.
The South Asian Economic
Students Meet (SAESM) is an eco-
nomic competition, held in a differ-
ent South Asian country every year.
But that day, the World Bank had
suddenly decided to hold their pol-
icy competition. We were exasper-
ated. With no idea about our team-
mates and literally no time, what
did they expect us to do?
At breakfast, we were given a
list of team members. We’d have to
give a 5 minute presentation based
on the topic ‘Economic competi-
tiveness through regional co-oper-
ation,’ having only one 30 minutes
meeting to prepare.
Evening arrived and the team
met. We hailed from different coun-
tries and didn’t know each other at
all. I was in group one. Thankfully,
Abir, my fellow Bangladeshi and
only friend there, was on my team.
We had no idea what the situ-
ation would be at the end of the
evening. Would it end with making
new friends? Or would it end in acri-
mony and a poor presentation?
Our Indian, Pakistani, Nepali,
Afghan, Sri Lankan and Bhutanese
teammates turned out to be great. It
took no time at all for us to become
Izlal describes ADAG’s network:
“One of the main problems with not
only the agriculture industry but even
the handicrafts industry is that of syn-
dication. The producers are cheated
with very low pay, while the middle-
man hikes up the price leaving the con-
sumers to burden the cost. Our system
links the producers straight to the con-
sumers and vice versa. Hence both par-
ties are satisfied.”
Every e-centre employee goes
through a rigorous training process.
They are trained only once they believe
in the motivation and vision of ADAG.
Izlal adds: “One noteworthy thing to
mention here is that we have a precon-
ceived notion that rural people will not
be privy to ICT based innovation. This
The project received a number of
national and international awards,
including:
l ICT Summit Eurasia Awards 2012
in Jury’s Special Prize
friends and work as a team. It was
magical how we all just ‘clicked,’
and how were all excitedly shar-
ing ideas, contemplating creative
methods while having such fun.
There was laughter, but we were
united by a passion for what we
were doing: exploring how coordi-
nation between our countries could
make development programmes
more efficient.
We were immersed in our ideas,
and our racket caught the attention
of a World Bank organiser who came
tby o ask us how we were doing.
We ended up blurting out to
him that with our fourteen heads
sprouting so many innovative ideas
in just half an hour, we were sure
we would have come up with some-
thing worthy of a Nobel Prize if we
had enough time!
We decided to try an innovative
approach in presenting our ideas.
We started by imagining a hypo-
thetical situation where students
at a conference were staying in
two rooms: the dark room and the
happy room.
The students in the dark room
were un-cooperative, egoistical and
there was a negative, dampening
atmosphere. On the other hand, the
happy room students were helpful,
cooperative. A harmonious atmos-
phere thrived there.
We portrayed a situation where
COURTESY
AMAR DESH AMAR GRAM.COM
can be regarded as a completely a paro-
chial view. Bangladesh has been bless-
ed with intelligent people who can pick
up things with stupendous prowess in
a very short amount of time.”
Recognition
In 2012, ADAG was the merit winner
of the WITSA Global ICT Awards, the
same award was won in 2010 by the
Obama administration for their Open
Government Initiative.
This, Izlal says, is just the tip of the
iceberg for ADAG. The torchbearers are
gearing up to solve bigger social chal-
lenges through this project: gender dis-
crimination, unemployment, poverty,
and to create direct access to the market
for rural economies for fair trading. l
l Manthan Award South Asia 2011
for Digital Inclusion for Develop-
ment
l National Digital Innovation
Award 2011 for e-commerce, Busi-
ness and Finance.
the students of each room had, like
us, suddenly been told to present a
five minute idea on a given topic.
In our thought experiment, we
imagined that the dark-room stu-
dents were so competitive and self-
ish that they ended up not perform-
ing as a team. The students of the
happy room pooled their talents,
uniting to put up a sensational per-
formance.
We related the room scenarios
to the possible relations between
our countries, and ended our five
minutes by joining hands and ask-
ing: “Which room do you want
to be in?”
That evening, we won the World
Bank Policy Competition. Our team-
work and the sight of us having fun,
like long lost friends, helped eve-
ryone get the message of unity we
were trying to convey.
That evening, besides leaving me
with great memories, got me think-
ing about how uniting for the great-
er good is really what our countries
need right now. And how this is
something that has been left to our
generation to pursue.
My stay in Pakistan was remark-
able. In trying times when the past
compels us to hoist up emotions
that our nation was founded on, it’s
natural that a trip to the land once
known to be our enemy would be a
journey dreaded and feared.
I continued on in Pakistan as part
of a Bangladesh team competing in
Pakistan for the 2013 South Asian
Economic Students Meet, where
our hosts had arranged an amazing
retreat; we travelled around Islama-
bad, Harappa and visited the old
parts of Lahore.
The breath-taking scenery on the
way to Islamabad, feeling on top of
the world in Monal and visiting Tur-
ab Sir’s home and being fed Pakistani
delicacies prepared by his mother
were unparalleled experiences.
It left us wishing we had more
days to explore Pakistan and left us
knowing that we would probably
never taste better kebabs for the
rest of our lives. l

Body clock for better health
Your body clock makes you predictably alert in the daytime, sleepy at night and hungry when you habitually
eat. It controls cell division, bone growth, and other basic body maintenance. Scientists have managed to
pinpoint the best times for working up a sweat, enjoying a drink, using your brainpower or even making love
n Dr Mohammad Sayem
It is surprising that
your body follows a
clock, whether or not
you wear a watch on
your wrist. Your abil-
HEALTH ity to get a good night’s
FLASH sleep, your blood pres-
sure, and your stamina
during exercise – just about every bio-
logical process sticks to some kind of
daily or seasonal rhythm. Our body
clock is the best daily planner. Research
shows being healthier means keeping
in sync with your body’s natural 24-
hour clock. Here we offer our guide to
help you control your internal rhythm.
Eat breakfast within an hour of rising
The reason to eat soon after waking
is that a full night’s sleep also means
eight hours without food for your body,
so, in a bid to conserve energy, your
levels of leptin and insulin drop dra-
matically.
These two blood-sugar hormones
affect how fast your body turns food
into fuel and low levels make you feel
sluggish. Eating triggers a rise in leptin
and insulin, which tells your body that
the overnight fast isn’t a famine and
boosts your energy levels.
Get your dental treatment
in the afternoon
The pain-killing effect of dental an-
aesthesia lasts longer in the afternoon
than it does in the morning. In one
study, lignocaine kept nerves numb
up to five times longer when it was
FOOD THERAPY
Intake of citrus fruits prevents
kidney stones
More than a million Americans get kid-
ney stones which causes a lot of pain.
It can be reduced with the intake of
citrate juice like lemonade or oranges
that prevents the development of the
calcium oxalates stones and also low-
ers urine acidity. But not all juices
include the same outcome. Diluted
lemon juice or lemonade is preferred
for patient with calcium stone. A
study said three cups of orange juice
a day did the job better. According to
that study consumption of apples and
cranberry are good for some stones
but bad for others and opposite effects
observed in grapefruit. A cup of grape-
Cancer suppressing power
of mushrooms
Studies show that some of the exotic
mushroom varieties - shiitake, maita-
ke, reishi, oyster, and enoki - do much
more than just taste good. They boost
immune activity, lower blood fats, and
slow or even stop the growth of cancer
cells. It is the beta glucans (a type of
sugar molecule) found in these fungi
that are responsible for these healing
effects. In one study of cancer patients,
beta glucans were found to suppress
tumour growth and ease the effects
of radiation and chemotherapy. In
the kitchen, choose cooked over raw.
Heat breaks down the mushroom’s cell
structures, releasing nutrients. Raw,
What does the ‘Lite’ mean?
Why Olive oil is better than other oil?
Olive oil contains the same amount of
fat as other oils. The type of fat found
in oils varies — olive oil contains pre-
dominantly monounsaturated fat.
These healthy fats can help control
cholesterol levels if they replace sat-
urated fats in the diet. Olive oil also
supplies beneficial anti-oxidants. But
if you are watching your weight, the
amount of all fat in your diet should be
controlled, including the use of oils. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
BIGSTOCK
fruit juice increased the risks of stone
formation in kidney as much as 44%. l
BIGSTOCK
the mushroom can pass through your
gut intact. And some types, such as por-
tobello and crimini, contain hydrazines
- potential carcinogens - which are only
destroyed by cooking or drying. l
Seeing the word “lite” on a product
may automatically trigger a response
to purchase that product. More of-
ten than not people are buying these
products because they believe that
“lite” products are low in fat. This
word can be quite deceiving consider-
ing it can have other meanings. For ex-
ample, ‘lite’ oil means light in colour
and ‘lite’ dry biscuits can mean light in
salt. The fat and kilo joule content of
these products is usually the same as
the regular product. l
BIGSTOCK
| Dr Sajol Ashfaq
Prescription
injected in the early afternoon com-
pared to the early morning.
Check your blood pressure
at morning and night
As a general rule, blood pressure fluc-
tuates throughout the day – it hits
its lowest point around bedtime and
its highest when you wake up in the
morning. If you’re keeping an eye on
your blood pressure to help your doctor
decide whether you need medication,
you could get an inaccurate picture by
taking your reading just once a day. If
you’re measuring it yourself, it’s best
to do it in the morning and evening.
Be sure to do it at the same times each
day – don’t bounce around. Taking the
two readings could make the difference
between your doctor prescribing blood
pressure drugs and advising you to
stick with diet and exercise.
Weigh yourself on Wednesday
and Saturday
For those trying to lose weight, ex-
perts have long suggested stepping on
the scales at least once a week – that’s
the habit of most members of the Na-
tional Weight Control Registry in the
US, every one of whom has taken off at
least 13 kilos and kept it off for a year
or more.
A new study from the Washing-
ton University School of Medicine
said, during the end of the week like
Wednesday, dieters will find their
weight at their lowest and after holi-
days on Saturday, they will find their
weight much higher because of the
overeating on holidays and then
Tips for controlling dry mouth
n Prescription Desk
The best way to treat
your dry mouth de-
pends on what’s caus-
ing it. There are some
things you can do that
SELF CARE will relieve dry mouth
temporarily, but the
best long-term remedy for dry mouth
is to address its cause.
To relieve your dry mouth
 Chew sugar-free gum or suck on
sugar-free hard candies.
 Limit your caffeine intake. Caf-
feine can make your mouth drier.
 Don’t use mouthwashes that con-
tain alcohol because they can be
drying.
Stop all tobacco use if you smoke

or chew tobacco.
Sip water regularly.

 Try over-the-counter saliva sub-
stitutes. Look for ones contain-
ing carboxymethylcellulose or
hydroxyethyl cellulose, such as
Biotene Oral Balance.
 Avoid using over-the-counter an-
tihistamines and decongestants
because they can make your
symptoms worse.
 Breathe through your nose, not If you frequently have a dry mouth,
your mouth. steps to protect your oral health may
 Add moisture to the air at night also help your condition. If these steps
with a room humidifier. don’t improve your dry mouth, talk to
your doctor or dentist. It could be that
Saliva is important to maintaining medications or another condition is
the health of your teeth and mouth. the cause.
Drinking water during meals hamper digestion
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Drinking water with meals can also lead to acid
reflux and heart burn
Saturday, February 8, 2014
again try to get back in line for the rest
of the week.
Exercise in the evening
If you want to get fit faster, a late-day
workout is the most efficient way to go.
Researchers show that strength and en-
durance increase by about 5 percent be-
tween 4 pm and 8 pm, compared with
morning hours, so you can push your-
self harder. Your muscles are warmer
too, which will help you avoid injury.
Have dinner earlier
Recent research supports the folk wis-
dom that eating at night is more tend-
ing to add the kilograms. In one study,
researchers found eating more at night
time can gain much weight. If you think
you’re doing everything right with your
diet but you’re not losing weight, try
having dinner an hour earlier. It won’t
hurt, and it might help.
Go to sleep before 12
A study found going to bed with in 12
am will help to sleep well and feel re-
freshed on the following morning when
the 24-hour cycle starts all over again.
Make love at early morning
There’s a biological reason that men
are so revved up for sex after a night’s
sleep. At early morning, testosterone
level rises in a peak level. Testosterone
is a leading contributor to sexual feel-
ings in men. When a man has higher
testosterone and is well-rested, he
has more energy during sex. That en-
ergy will help him last longer in love
making. l
BIGSTOCK
Medications are one of the most
common causes of dry mouth.
Long-term relief from your dry
mouth may mean stopping or chang-
ing your medication or its dosage,
or addressing underlying health
issues. l
n Prescription Desk
Whether you
are thirsty or
not, downing
glasses of water
along with your
DID YOU meals may not
KNOW? be the best time
to quench your
thirst. Researchers warn, drink-
ing water during meals severely
hampers your stomach’s diges-
tive powers and causes insulin
levels to fluctuate significantly.
They have a good explanation
for why you should not drink wa-
ter during your meal. Most peo-
ple have water along with their
meals. The usual theory is wash-
ing down the food while eating.
People have no idea how wrong
7
QUICK TIPS
Avoid salty junk
food
BIGSTOCK
The more salt you consume, the higher
your blood pressure rises. One in three
American adults has high blood pres-
sure, a major risk factor for stroke,
kidney failure, and heart attack. Read
the labels of sodium content of such
packed food. Choose the unsalted
fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Most of
us should keep sodium intake below
2,300 milligrams a day. If you have
high blood pressure or are over 50, cut
back to 1,500 milligrams. l
Laser vision
Have you ever wondered what it would
be like to have near perfect vision with-
out the use of corrective lenses? Have
you ever been jealous of a friend with
20/20 vision? If you answered yes, you
might want to consider laser vision cor-
rection. Perfect vision may be in your
future. l
Breast Implant
Breast implants may be able to give
you the breasts that you have always
wanted. Ask your doctor about the
advantages and disadvantages of the
new saline breast implants. Explore all
of your options with a qualified plastic
surgeon. l
Liposuction for
body shaping
Do you have excess skin around your
stomach area from having children,
weight gain or weight loss, surgery, or
from aging and gravity? Liposuction
or abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) may
be able to help you tighten and firm
this area. Whether you have been liv-
ing with this problem for months or
for years, it is possible to achieve great
results with these procedures. Your
doctor will decide which technique is
correct for your particular case. l
| Compiled by: Shirsho Saaeadat
this practice is and how difficult
this can be for their digestion.
Our stomachs have a knack of
knowing when you will eat and
starts releasing digestive juices
immediately.
If you start drinking water at
the same time, actually you are
diluting the digestive juices be-
ing released to digest your food,
thereby hindering them from
breaking down food.
Research shows that sipping
a little water during meals isn’t
a cause for concern but drink-
ing a glass or two may interfere
with digestion. It is best to drink
fluids before and two hours after
meals as this helps in absorption
of nutrients. Drinking water with
meals can also lead to acid reflux
and heart burn. l
8 DHAKA TRIBUNE
Angela Merkel: EU US apologises to EU for leaked barb
expletive ‘absolutely n
unacceptable’
n AFP, Berlin
German Chancellor Angela Merkel sees
as “absolutely unacceptable” a top US
diplomat’s use of the f-word in com-
menting on the EU’s handling of the
Ukraine crisis, her spokeswoman said
Friday.
“The chancellor considers this
statement absolutely unacceptable ...
and wants to emphasise again that (EU
foreign policy chief Catherine) Ashton
is doing an outstanding job,” Merkel’s
spokeswoman said.
“The European Union will continue
with its intensive efforts to calm the
situation in Ukraine.”
Washington’s new top diplomat for
Europe, Victoria Nuland, apologised
Thursday for her comments.
In the recording Nuland and US am-
bassador to Kiev, Geoff Pyatt, discuss
frankly which opposition figures should
go into the new Ukrainian government.
“That would be great I think to help
glue this thing and have the UN glue it
and you know, fuck the EU,” Nuland
says, in apparent frustration at policy
differences.
At least 30 Tuaregs
killed in northern
Mali: official
n AFP, Bamako
Armed men from the ethnic Peul com-
munity have massacred at least 30 Tu-
aregs in a revenge attack in northern
Mali, an elected regional official said
Friday.
Oumar Maiga told AFP the Peul had
carried out the attack on Thursday in
Tamkoutat, 80 kilometres (50 miles)
north of the city of Gao, “to retaliate
against the kidnapping” of one of their
own people.
“Our relatives were killed in cold
blood, at least 30 people are dead,” for-
mer regional lawmaker Assarid Ag Im-
barcaouane said, while a source in the
security forces said those slain includ-
ed a woman and child.
“A few injured” people survived,
added the source, reached from
Bamako.
The Tuaregs had been on their way
back from a market in two vehicles
which were stopped and attacked by
the Peul, the security source said. “One
of the vehicles was burned.”
Apart from cattle rustling, the Peul
and the Tuaregs accuse each other of
carrying out hold-ups in the remote
desert north of Mali.
A contingent of Malian troops ar-
rived in the region on Friday to provide
greater security for locals, the defence
ministry announced. l
Vatican says ‘grave
limits’ in UN sex
abuse report
n AFP, Vatican City
The Vatican on Friday criticised a
damning UN report on the Catholic
Church’s handling of child sex abuse
cases, saying it had “grave limits” and
accusing UN committee members of
following “prejudiced” views.
“The recommendations published
by the committee appear to present...
grave limits,” spokesman Federico
Lombardi said in a statement on Vati-
can Radio’s website, defending the ef-
forts made to stamp out abuse.
“More attention was devoted to well-
known non-governmental organisations
that are prejudiced against the Catholic
Church and the Holy See than to the po-
sitions of the Holy See,” Lombardi said.
“It makes one think the report was
already written or already well ad-
vanced before the hearing” of the UN
Committee on the Rights of the Child in
Geneva in which delegates last month
grilled a Vatican delegation.
The Church was denounced by the
UN committee for failing to stamp out
predatory priests, and urged to hand
over known and suspected abusers for
prosecution. Lombardi said that the
position of the Holy See, which has re-
peatedly said it is not legally responsi-
ble for the actions of individual priests,
was not understood.
“Do they not understand or not
want to understand? In both cases, one
has the right to be surprised,” he said.
He said the remarks in the commit-
tee’s report “appear to go beyond its
competences and interfere in the doc-
trinal and moral positions of the Cath-
olic Church.” l
International
The clip went viral after somehow be-
ing intercepted and uploaded onto You-
Tube accompanied by Russian captions.
The US State Department was left
fuming after the leak, pointing the fin-
ger at Russia for allegedly bugging the
diplomats’ phones.
Merkel’s spokeswoman Christiane
Wirtz, asked whether a US apology had
been received, told the Berlin press
conference that “contact was made
with the chancellery”, without provid-
ing further details.
A German foreign ministry spokes-
man touched on the suspicion that
Russia was behind the leak to take a
swipe at the United States for its own
sweeping surveillance, including al-
legedly of Merkel’s mobile phone.
“This shows you that eavesdropping
is stupid,” he said.
Washington and Brussels have en-
gaged in a diplomatic standoff with
Kiev and Moscow over mass protests
that erupted in Ukraine in November
when President Viktor Yanukovych re-
jected a pact with the EU in favour of
closer ties with former Soviet master
Russia. l
Members of the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) lynch a man suspected of being a former Seleka rebel
South African general
election set for May 7
n AFP, Johannesburg
President Jacob Zuma announced Fri-
day that South Africa will hold its fifth
democratic general election on May 7, a
vote which promises to be the sternest
test yet of the ruling ANC.
The vote -- which will elect a new
parliament, and in turn the president
-- will see the favoured African Nation-
al Congress face a phalanx of insurgent
opposition parties who have fastened
on to widespread popular unease.
The ANC is the strong favourite to
win the polls but pervasive inequality,
joblessness, corruption and govern-
ment incompetence have all sullied the
party’s image.
Some predict its electoral support
will fall below 60 percent.
UN poised to evacuate
civilians from Homs
n AFP, Homs
Scores of trapped civilians awaited
evacuation Friday from besieged reb-
el-held areas of Syria’s third city Homs
as Damascus finally confirmed it will
join new peace talks next week.
The evacuation is part of a surprise
deal struck by the United Nations with
Damascus on Thursday after months of
negotiations that will also see desper-
ately needed aid delivered to the rebel
enclave during a “humanitarian pause”
in fighting.
The first consignment of food and
medicine will reach the hundreds of
civilians who have been under army
blockade for more than 600 days be-
fore Saturday, Homs governor Talal
Barazi told AFP.
The relief supplies had been held
up in a UN warehouse in a govern-
Agencies
Washington’s new top diplomat for
Europe, Victoria Nuland, has apolo-
gised to EU counterparts after she was
caught cursing the European response
to the crisis in Kiev.
US officials, while not denying such
a conversation took place, didn’t go
into details about the apology, and
pointed the finger at Russia for alleged-
ly bugging the diplomats’ phones.
A video, titled the “Marionettes of
Maidan” referencing the centre of pro-
tests in Kiev, was published on You-
Tube on February 4th, and shows pho-
tos of Nuland and the US ambassador
to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt.
In the audio, voices resembling
those of Nuland and Pyatt discuss in-
ternational efforts to resolve Ukraine’s
ongoing political crisis.
At one point, the Nuland voice co-
lourfully suggests that the EU’s posi-
tion should be ignored.
“F--- the EU,” the female voice said.
A US State Department official,
speaking on condition of anonymity
because he was not authorised to pub-
licly discuss the matter, told the Asso-
ciated Press news agency that it sounds
like an authentic recording of a call that
occurred last week.
Nuland refused to comment on the
video during a press conference fol-
lowing talks with the opposition and
Zuma himself heads into the elec-
tion as the ANC’s presidential candi-
date, with his own standing significant-
ly reduced.
He has been beset by a litany of
scandals, crowned by the revelation
that $20 million of taxpayers’ money
was used to refurbish his rural home-
stead.
This will also be the first election
since the death of Nelson Mandela, the
nation’s founding father, the country’s
first democratically elected president
and the ANC’s talismanic leader.
“These are historic elections as they
take place during the 20th anniversary
of our freedom from apartheid bond-
age,” Zuma said, foreshadowing a cam-
paign that is expected to focus heavily
on ANC’s past glories. l
ment-held area of Homs just kilome-
tres (miles) away from the rebel-held
Old City while the negotiations for re-
lief access dragged on.
At least 1,200 children, women and el-
derly people are among some 2,500 civil-
ians who have been trapped under siege,
surviving on little but olives, the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights says.
Barazi told AFP that a joint team
from the provincial government, the
United Nations and the Red Crescent
was already in the Old City to oversee
the evacuation but that it was running
late because of logistical hitches.
“According to our advice from the
UN, the number of people expected
to leave today (Friday) is nearly 200,”
Barazi said.
“It will take us another two hours
or more before the first civilians begin
coming out,” he said. l
US State Department Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
Victoria Nuland (R) and US ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey R. Pyatt (L) arrive to hold a
press conference at the US Embassy in Kiev
President Vikto Yanukovych.
“I will not comment on a private dip-
lomatic conversation,” she said. “It was
pretty impressive tradecraft. (The) au-
dio quality was very good,” she added.
A spokeswoman for German Chan-
cellor Angela Merkel said she sees Nu-
AFP
Spain denies firing rubber bullets at migrants
n AFP, Madrid
Officials in Spain on Friday denied se-
curity forces had fired rubber bullets
at migrants trying to swim to Spanish
soil, after nine Africans drowned in the
attempt.
The nine, including one woman,
drowned on Thursday while trying to
reach the Spanish territory of Ceuta
from a beach in neighbouring Morocco.
Other migrants tried to storm through a
land checkpoint.
Spanish media cited migrants alleg-
ing that police fired into the sea where
the Africans were swimming, as Moroc-
can and Spanish security forces tried to
repel them from Ceuta.
Spanish authorities said police in
Ceuta used rubber bullets to ward off
the migrants but that they fired them
in the air and did not target anyone di-
rectly.
“We did not use anti-riot equipment
Top Russian novelist ‘targeted in
gay propaganda probe’
n AFP, Moscow
One of Russia’s most respected novelists,
Lyudmila Ulitskaya, claimed Friday she is
part of an investigation into alleged “gay
propaganda” over a series of children’s
books she compiled.
Russia’s controversial law banning
promotion of LGBT relationships to minors
has prompted criticism from international
leaders and athletes ahead of the Sochi
Winter Olympics that open Friday.
Ulitskaya, along with more than 200
writers including Salman Rushdie and
Margaret Atwood, signed an open letter in
Britain’s Guardian newspaper on Thursday,
attacking the anti-gay legislation.
In a statement sent to AFP, she said the
powerful Investigative Committee, which
probes serious crimes, had summoned the
author of a book about gay families which
Saturday, February 8, 2014
AFP
land’s comments as “absolutely unac-
ceptable”.
“The chancellor considers this
statement absolutely unacceptable ...
and wants to emphasise again that (EU
foreign policy chief Catherine) Ashton
is doing an outstanding job,” she said.
Mob lynches Muslim in
convoy fleeing strife-
torn C African capital
n AFP, Bangui
A mob lynched a Muslim on Friday
after he fell off a crowded lorry taking
frightened civilians out of the strife-
torn capital of the Central African Re-
public, witnesses said.
A large convoy of lorries and taxis
packed with Muslims fleeing Christian
vigilantes headed north from Bangui
under a slew of insults from angry resi-
dents, locals said.
The mob set on the victim after he
fell off one of the lorries and hacked to
pieces his body, which still lay by the
side of the road by late morning, an
AFP photographer saw.
Christian “anti-balaka” vigilan-
tes tried to attack a second vehicle in
when the immigrants were in the wa-
ter,” said the head of the Spanish gov-
ernment’s delegation in Ceuta, Francis-
co Antonio Gonzalez, speaking on the
radio on Friday.
Spain’s opposition Socialist Party
called on Interior Minister Jorge Fer-
nandez Diaz to appear in parliament to
answer questions on the deaths of the
nine migrants.
In Morocco the head of the Northern
Human Rights Observatory, Mohamed
Benaissa, told AFP on Thursday that
several migrants were hurt as Spanish
police tried to repel them. He said most
of the migrants were from Cameroon.
The Spanish government delegation
said late Thursday that “rubber bullets
were fired in the air, over a six-metre
fence, never against people”, by Span-
ish police to ward off the migrants try-
ing to cross by land.
Morocco, under pressure from
Spain, is trying to stem a stream of
was part of a series she had compiled.
The book, “The Family in Our Country
and Others” by Vera Timenchik, received
complaints from readers. It was released in
2006 as part of a series called “Lyudmila
Ulitskaya’s Children’s Project”.
The author told Ulitskaya that the
investigators would also like to speak with
her, said the decorated novelist, who was
nominated for the Booker prize in 2009.
“I’ve been abroad for the last month-
and-a-half and I will go to see them as soon
as I return to Moscow,” she said of the
summons. “I am ready to take responsibility
and defend my point of view wherever
necessary, including at the Investigative
Committee.” However, the Investigative
Committee denied the existence of any
probe or sending any summons to Ulitskaya.
“Ulitskaya was not summoned in any
capacity to any branch of the Investigative
State Department spokeswoman
Jen Psaki said on Thursday that Nuland
“has been in contact with her EU coun-
terparts and of course has apologised
for these reported comments”.’ But
Psaki did not reveal to whom Nuland
apologised on Thursday.
The leaked phone call appears to
reveal US frustration with the EU over
handling Ukraine, which is torn be-
tween leaning to the European Union
and its past master Russia.
US officials pointed out that an aide
to Russian deputy prime minister, Dmit-
ry Rogozin, was among the first to tweet
about the video that contains audio sub-
titled in Russian of the alleged call.
In the tweet, posted some seven
hours before existence of the video
became widely known on Thursday,
Loskutov, said: “Sort of controversial
judgment from Assistant Secretary of
State Victoria Nuland speaking about
the EU.”
White House spokesman Jay Carney
pointed to the tweet and Russia’s clear
interest in what has become a struggle
between pro-Moscow and pro-Western
camps in the former Soviet Republic,
but declined to comment on the source
of the audio.
“I would say that since the video
was first noted and tweeted out by the
Russian government, I think it says
something about Russia’s role,” Carney
told a news conference. l
the convoy, but they dispersed when
troops from an African peacekeeping
force, MISCA, fired warning shots, an
AFP reporter saw.
Muslim Central Africans and for-
eigners have been fleeing Bangui for
several months to escape killings, loot-
ing and harassment by armed militias
drawn from the Christian majority in
the city.
On Wednesday, uniformed troops
of the Central African army (FACA)
attacked a Muslim man just after
a military ceremony in the capital,
stabbing and stoning him in a
murderous incident that led the United
Nations and France to demand justice
and exemplary punishment for the
culprits. l
sub-Saharan African migrants, who
head to its northern shores in a desper-
ate quest to reach mainland Europe.
Ceuta and Spain’s other north Afri-
can enclave, Melilla, have the European
Union’s only land borders with Africa.
Hundreds of migrants headed out
from the Moroccan town of Fnideq in
a mass attempt to cross or circumvent
the six-metre (20-foot) fences that
mark the land border with Ceuta on
Thursday, officials on both sides said.
Gonzalez said the migrants were
“very violent” and threw rocks at the
Moroccan and Spanish security forces.
A spokeswoman in Spain for the
United Nations refugee watchdog UN-
HCR, Maria Jesus Vega, expressed “dis-
may and great sadness” at the deaths.
“It worries us that people who need
international protection and are risk-
ing their lives to get to safe countries,
are losing their lives trying to enter the
countries of the European Union.” l
Committee and a check... is not and has not
been carried out by the Investigative Com-
mittee,” its press service told the Interfax
news agency.
Ulitskaya told AFP in an e-mailed
response: “I hope that the grievances
that were expressed to the author Vera
Timenchik... who was summoned to the
Investigative Committee in January have
been lifted.” The book in question is already
being examined by prosecutors in the pro-
vincial city of Ulyanovsk after a complaint
from a member of staff at a children’s
library, Gazeta.ru news site reported Thurs-
day, citing prosecutors.
“Everything depends on an expert eval-
uation,” a senior aide to prosecutors said.
Ulitskaya has publicly supported the
opposition movement against President
Vladimir Putin along with detective novelist
Boris Akunin. l

Former Gujarat spy chief
charged with murder
Ishrat Jahan’s mother Shamima Kauser (L-front) and sister Nusrat (2-L) have always insisted she was innocent
n Agencies
Former Gujarat Intelligence Bureau (IB)
chief Rajinder Kumar has been charged
with the murder of a young college stu-
dent and three serving officers accused
of conspiracy in staging the police en-
counter in which she was killed.
Ishrat Jahan, 19, was killed by the
police in an alleged fake encounter
about 10 years ago.
Media reports said India’s premier
investigating agency, the Central Bu-
reau of Investigation (CBI), had also ac-
cused Kumar and the three serving IB
officers - P Mittal, MK Sinha and Rajiv
Wankhede - of conspiracy and illegal
confinement.
The CBI has alleged that Kumar
provided the weapons used by the
Gujarat cops to kill Ishrat and three
Top China filmmaker
pays $1.2 million fine
over children
n AFP, Beijing
China’s best-known film director Zhang
Yimou has paid 7.5 million yuan ($1.2
million) for violating the one-child pol-
icy, officials said Friday, closing a case
that had attracted widespread atten-
tion.
Following months of rumours that
he had fathered up to seven children
with different women, Zhang admit-
ted in December he has two sons and
a daughter with his current wife, Chen
Ting, all from before they were mar-
ried. He also has a daughter with a pre-
vious wife.
The family-planning law, imple-
mented in the late 1970s in a bid to pre-
vent over-population, restricts most
parents to one child.
Critics say the law is enforced un-
evenly and sometimes aggressively,
‘Sex strike’ against leading Tokyo governor candidate
n AFP, Tokyo
Women in Tokyo are threatening a sex
boycott against any man who votes for
the front-runner in this weekend’s gu-
bernatorial election, in protest at his
claim that menstruation makes women
unfit for government.
A Twitter campaign group based in
the capital which bills itself as “The as-
sociation of women who will not have
sex with men who vote for (Yoichi) Ma-
suzoe,” has garnered almost 3,000 fol-
lowers since it launched last week.
Although the founders have not
identified themselves, in their profile
they said: “We have stood up to pre-
vent Mr. Masuzoe, who makes such
insulting remarks against women...We
won’t have sex with men who will vote
for Mr. Masuzoe.”
Masuzoe, 65, a former political sci-
entist who became a celebrity through
TV talk shows before getting involved
in politics in 2001, is widely seen as an
establishment figure in a country where
gender roles remain very distinct.
In 1989, he told a men’s magazine
that it would not be proper to have
women at the highest level of govern-
ment because their menstrual cycle
makes them irrational.
“Women are not normal when they
are having a period... You can’t possibly
DHAKA TRIBUNE International
others and an AK-56 that, the agency
alleges, was planted at the scene of
the shooting to portray the victims as
terrorists.
Ishrat Jahan was killed along with
three men on the outskirts of Ahmed-
abad on 15 June, 2004, by Gujarat
crime branch officers who claimed
they had been told by the IB that the
four were terrorists who planned to
assassinate Narendra Modi, the state’s
chief minister who is now running for
prime minister.
But nowhere does the 200-odd page
charge-sheet mention a motive for the
alleged involvement of these officers, a
fact that is expected to exacerbate fric-
tion between the IB and the CBI.
The Intelligence Bureau has said
that though its officers had alerted the
Gujarat police to the possibility that
with wealthy and well-connected fam-
ilies better able to pay fines levied for
extra children.
“The Binhu district family planning
bureau received through bank transfer
Chen Ting and Zhang Yimou’s payment
of 7,487,854 yuan,” the district govern-
ment said through its verified social
media account.
The district is part of Chen’s home-
town of eastern Wuxi city.
The case took nine teams more than
six months to investigate and the cou-
ple’s unwillingness to cooperate was
said to have hampered the probes, Bin-
hu authorities said earlier.
They added that the penalty was
based largely on the couple’s income
in the years before each child was born.
The director has said his income
varies, and in one year only totalled
$450 - under 3,000 yuan. l
let them make critical decisions about
the country (during their period) such
as whether or not to go to war,” he said.
Masuzoe has the backing of the con-
A woman walks in front of a board displaying candidates for the Tokyo gubernatorial election in Tokyo
AFP
Ishrat and the others could be affiliated
to the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, its
officers did not authorise or participate
in the killing.
The IB had vehemently objected to
Kumar’s interrogation by the CBI in the
case last year, arguing that it would af-
fect the morale down the ranks of the
IB and also that it would set a danger-
ous precedent because its members of-
ten work undercover and have sources
that would dry up if its officers were
entangled in police cases. The home
ministry had backed the IB.
In its first charge-sheet in July last
year, the CBI accused seven senior po-
licemen of murdering Ishrat and the
others “in cold blood”. Amid the ten-
sion with the IB, it did not name Ku-
mar, who was then serving. He retired
about a month later. l
Myanmar politicians dodge
‘assassination’ in Malaysia
n AFP, Kuala Lumpur
Two Myanmar politicians from a west-
ern state riven by deadly communal
violence narrowly escaped a suspected
assassination bid during a visit to Ma-
laysia this week, a report said Friday.
Malaysia’s state-run Bernama news
agency quoted police as saying the pair,
Aye Maung and Aye Thar Aung, were
fired upon by a shooter aboard a motor-
cycle in a busy shopping area of the capi-
tal Kuala Lumpur late Wednesday night.
Several shots were fired at a car car-
rying them and several companions,
but no one was injured, said the report.
The two politicians are from the
Arakan National Party, which rep-
resents the mostly Buddhist Rakhine,
the largest ethnic group in Myanmar’s
western Rakhine state.
The state has been torn by several
episodes of violence since 2012 be-
tween Buddhists and Muslims that
left scores dead and displaced 140,000
servative ruling party of hawkish Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe and is seen as like-
ly to pip his nearest rival, former prime
minister Moriyoshi Hosokawa who is
Another gang rape
reported in eastern India
n Agencies
Police have arrested seven people for
allegedly raping a co-worker’s wife and
aunt in India’s West Bengal state, re-
ports say.
A rash of rapes in India has sparked
widespread outrage over chronic sexu-
al violence and government failures to
protect women.
Police officer Sanjay Singh said
the seven suspects were detained on
Wednesday within hours of the crime
on Tuesday night in Mukti Rachak, a
village 25 miles (40 kilometers) north
of the provincial capital, Kolkata.
The victims were also cut by blades
and are currently being treated in a hos-
pital. The suspects allegedly raped the
women after a fight with their co-worker
Pakistan Taliban negotiator
pulls out of talks
n AFP, Islamabad
Pakistan’s fledgling peace talks with
the Taliban suffered a fresh blow Fri-
day as a negotiator for the militants
said he would take no further part until
the agenda included the imposition of
Islamic sharia law.
The intervention from firebrand
cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz comes a day
after teams representing the govern-
ment and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP) held a preliminary round of talks
in Islamabad.
There has been widespread scepti-
cism about the chances of the peace ini-
tiative achieving a lasting solution to the
TTP’s bloody seven-year insurgency.
Aziz, the chief cleric at Islamabad’s
radical Red Mosque, said Pakistan’s
constitution should be replaced by the
Koran and the hadith, or sayings of the
Prophet Mohammad.
“That should be the law in Pakistan
people -- many from the stateless Ro-
hingya Muslim minority. The situation
remains tense.
Thousands of Rohingya have fled to
Muslim-majority Malaysia and other
countries over the years to escape what
they call persecution by Myanmar’s
‘There was no attack
from the Rohingya.
We’re still trying to live
in peace and harmony’
Buddhist-dominated government.
The shooter and an accomplice driv-
ing the bike escaped, said the report,
adding the incident was “suspected to
have been an assassination attempt”.
Police have launched an investiga-
tion, it said. Exiled Rohingya in Malay-
sia have staged a number of angry pro-
tests in recent years alleging Buddhist
standing on an anti-nuclear platform.
All 16 candidates in the poll are
men, with many of them aged in their
60s or older.
AFP
Saturday, February 8, 2014
over a road building project, Singh said.
The incident came weeks after a
woman was allegedly gang raped in the
state on the orders of village elders for
having an affair.
The fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old
woman on a bus in New Delhi in De-
cember 2012 triggered nationwide pro-
tests.
The outrage spurred the govern-
ment to adopt more stringent laws
that doubled prison terms for rape to
20 years and criminalised voyeurism,
stalking, acid attacks and the traffick-
ing of women. Fast-track courts have
been created for rape cases.
Four attackers in the New Delhi
case were sentenced to death and a ju-
venile was sent to a reform centre for
three years. l
and until the committee brings this point
on the agenda I won’t be part of negotia-
tions,” he told reporters on Friday.
He said he would remain part of
the TTP’s three-man delegation led
by fellow cleric Maulana Sami-ul-Haq,
unless told otherwise, but would not
come to the negotiating table.
“I won’t participate in talks until
they include a clause about the impo-
sition of Islamic law,” he said.
On Thursday, the government and
TTP negotiators, including Aziz, issued
a joint statement agreeing to work
within the framework of Pakistan’s
constitution. Aziz’s move threatens
to further undermine the talks -- the
government side has already voiced
doubts about the composition and au-
thority of the TTP’s representatives.
The government delegation skipped
an initial meeting on Tuesday citing
confusion over the militants’ team af-
ter two members pulled out. l
aggression in their homeland, particu-
larly since the 2012 violence.
Aye Maung, a member of parlia-
ment, is former chairman of an earlier
Rakhine party that has been accused
by Human Rights Watch of encourag-
ing violence against Rohingya.
He is also a member of a commis-
sion set up by Myanmar’s government
to investigate the Rakhine sectarian vi-
olence. Its findings have been criticised
by Rohingya activists as biased.
Malaysian police confirmed to AFP
that the visitors were shot at, but de-
clined to give details. Zaw Htay, direc-
tor of Myanmar President Thein Sein’s
office, said in a posting on his Facebook
page that the politicians were among a
group of six people who arrived in Ma-
laysia on January 30 on a private visit.
They returned to Yangon today.
Mohammad Sadek, a leader of Ro-
hingya living in Malaysia, said he did
not think Rohingya exiles were behind
the attack. l
But Masuzoe’s comments about
women, as well as other controversial
remarks on taxing the elderly, have
triggered a backlash.
Another website was launched on
Wednesday by a group of women also
seeking to prevent Masuzoe from be-
coming Tokyo governor -- that site has
drawn 75,000 hits per day and 2,800
people have signed its petition.
“Masuzoe is an enemy of women...
He doesn’t love Japan. He loves only
himself,” said one comment on the site,
by a woman who identified herself as
Etsuko Sato.
On the Twitter campaign feed, a
post by manatowar3 said: “I’m an old
man. But I cannot tolerate him (Masu-
zoe) from a man’s point of view.”
Despite high levels of education,
many women in Japan leave career
jobs when they have children, and so-
cial pressures to play the homemaker
remain strong.
There are very few women in senior
political positions -- Abe’s 19-member
cabinet has only two -- and company
boards are overwhelmingly male.
Speaking in Davos last month, Abe
pledged that by 2020, 30 percent of
leading positions would be occupied
by women. However, most indepen-
dent observers suggest this target is
unlikely to be met. l
9
Pakistan treason
court summons
Musharraf on
February 18
n AFP, Islamabad
A court trying Pakistan’s former mili-
tary ruler Pervez Musharraf for treason
Friday ordered him to appear on Febru-
ary 18, the latest postponement in the
long-delayed case.
The 70-year-old is facing treason
charges, which can carry the death penal-
ty, over his imposition of a state of emer-
gency in 2007 while he was president.
He was first ordered before the tribu-
nal on December 24 but has yet to put
in an appearance, with bomb scares and
health problems keeping him away.
The former general has been in a
military hospital since falling ill with
heart trouble while travelling to court
on January 2.
On January 31 the court refused to
grant him permission to go abroad for
medical treatment and ordered him to
appear on Friday.
But at Friday’s hearing Judge
Faisal Arab accepted a request from
Musharraf’s lawyers that he be excused
until February 18.
The next hearing in the case will be
on February 10, but Musharraf is not re-
quired to attend.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Shar-
if was the man Musharraf ousted from
power in his 1999 coup, and his lawyers
have said the treason case is an attempt
to settle old scores through the courts
They have also challenged the civil-
ian court’s right to try a former army
chief, saying he is entitled to be dealt
with by a military tribunal.
In addition to treason, Musharraf
faces an array of other criminal charges
dating back to his 1999-2008 rule, in-
cluding for the murder of former prime
minister Benazir Bhutto in December
2007.
So far, nothing has come of rumours
that a backroom deal would be struck
to get Musharraf out of the country be-
fore trial, to avoid a destabilising clash
between the government and the pow-
erful armed forces. l
Indonesia grants
parole to Australian
drug convict Corby
n AFP, Kerobokan
Australian drug trafficker Schapelle
Corby was granted parole by Indone-
sian authorities Friday as mobs of jour-
nalists camped outside her Bali prison
and a bidding war heated up for her
first post-jail interview.
Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin
announced that Corby, whose case
has attracted huge public sympathy
and media attention in Australia, was
among a batch of prisoners whose pa-
role applications had been finalised.
The justice ministry added in a state-
ment that “Corby has been approved to
receive parole” as she had fulfilled the
requirements as set out in the law.
Syamsuddin refused to comment
when asked when Corby, who was arrest-
ed at the airport on the resort island of
Bali with marijuana stashed in her surfing
gear in 2004, might walk out of prison.
However, it is expected to be in the
coming days once she has completed
some final administrative steps. l
Hong Kong police
dismantle ‘biggest’
WWII bomb
n AFP, Hong Kong
Hong Kong police on Friday successful-
ly dismantled the largest World War II
bomb yet found in the city after its dis-
covery on a construction site prompted
the evacuation of 2,260 people.
The nearly one-tonne US Navy
ANM66 bomb was discovered by build-
ing workers late Thursday in the Happy
Valley district, near the city’s famous
downtown racing track.
“It was the biggest bomb ever found
in Hong Kong,” a police spokeswoman
told AFP.
Bomb disposal experts took 15 hours to
remove the live explosives from the bomb,
which was unearthed close to a Sikh tem-
ple, hotels and residential housing.
“It has taken a longer time because
of... technical problems when drilling
holes into the bomb and because of the
large amount of explosives inside it,”
senior bomb disposal officer Yuen Hon-
wing told reporters.
Nearby buildings would have col-
lapsed if the bomb had gone off, police
said.
“Because the explosive inside was
very sensitive, we had to cut the shell
in a low-temperature environment, so
the process took longer than expected,”
Yeun said. l
10 DHAKA TRIBUNE Editorial Saturday, February 8, 2014

www.dhakatribune.com Letters to the Editor

Stopping begging LETTER OF THE DAY

helps everyone Love the art /hate the artist

W
February 5
Time to ban student
e commend the policy move to more strictly enforce the
country’s laws against begging. If we were to only like art by people who’d never done anything wrong, we’d have no art to like. Out would
politics?
February 3
In Dhaka, the practice is cynically encouraged by go Wagner the anti-Semite, Picasso the misogynist, Caravaggio the murderer, Flaubert the pederast,
criminal syndicates who are notorious for ruthlessly controlling Polanski the rapist. So, to answer the question of the moment – can we love the art and hate the artist? Nazmul Khair
and exploiting beggars across the city. Coordinated action is Yes, we can. Indeed. It should have been banned at least 10
needed to shut down their activities. The Social Welfare Minister But, would doing so legitimise the cycle of abuse? If we want to be a society that doesn’t stand for the years ago.
is right to promise tough action to arrest people who exploit suffering of the weak, then do we also have an obligation to not stand for the art of the abusive?
beggars and drive people into begging. Not necessarily. The test of a first-rate intelligence, said a great artist, is the ability to hold two opposing Arch Bishop
Stopping begging can also bring other positive benefits and ideas in mind at the same time. We’re a wonderfully rationalising species, so we can both celebrate Woody It can never be banned: The parties depend on
aid moves to provide dignity to the lives of people in need. It Allen’s movies and punish Woody Allen’s actions. it for muscle power and the “civil society,” and
will make it easier for authorities and NGOs to deliver welfare It goes without saying that abuse is wrong. That being unsaid, there’s a subtle question that arises journalists are still writing about the “glorious
programmes which can when we begin punishing artists who do bad things, punishing creative people who can’t deal with the heritage of student politics.”
help people find useful strictures of society. And that is – will we lose the gift of their creativity?
work and training. Yes, probably.
City residents can But we will make different art, better art. The kind of art a first-rate civilisation can be proud of.
also benefit far beyond It will make it easier Mohammad N Miraly Urban planners see no hope
just the immediate for authorities and of jam-free city
difference of a reduction
in the nuisance of being
NGOs to deliver welfare February 3

approached for money. programmes which can Why you should read Babul Sarwar
For a start less money
will end up in the pockets
help people find useful January 29
Make two more capital cities, one in the north
and the other in the south – decentralise asap!
of syndicates. work and training ‘Time has come,’ threat to As a lifelong lover of books and reading, I readily
Moreover experience Satkhira Hindus endorse the writer’s attitudes to daily reading. His Parveen
in cities such as New York January 30 feelings are totally in sync with mine. Fortunately, Get rid of the capital from Dhaka.
suggests that localised I became hooked on reading very early, at around
initiatives to curb minor forms of anti-social behaviour which Vijay Tulshibagwale the age of six, or seven. School textbooks and Abdul Moonim Biswas
may have previously been ignored, such as begging, broken A shocking news. the unpleasantness of other “assigned” reading Parveen: That’s the best plan to reduce traffic
windows and graffiti within a neighbourhood, can have a huge throughout my school years never managed in our city.
Breadbitten
positive impact. This extends to reducing far more serious to dim or squash the powerful appeal to me of
Vijay Tulshibagwale: It’s not really, which makes
forms of crimes within an area and improving the city’s overall voluntary, regular reading of diverse formats and
this matter all the more sad.
economic viability. content.
By the same token, it is still necessary to fund initiatives that I reckon a lot of young people have actually LETTER OF
assist and rehabilitate former beggars. As neighborhoods and been discouraged and lapsed from a reading THE WEEK
taxpayers can benefit economically by reducing begging, there habit owing to the onerous routines associated
is a case for targeted local levies on businesses and residents in Babar-Nizami, 12 to die for with studying textbooks, and teacher-assigned
areas where begging is reduced. Such funds should be earmarked arms smuggling reading in school, and later in college/university. Driving school in
to help fund rehabilitation programmes and necessary social January 30 It’s well-known how young adults who have each district
welfare. They deserve a tough sentence for what they somehow managed to seek out independent February 4
did. I doubt anyone would feel sorry for them. reading experiences that were outside of
Odvoot Ek Aguntuk academic requirements and completely The AL-led government has a special respon-

Police must apply law

according to their own choices have clearly
discovered the profound power and joys of
reading. And it can be anything at all, from a
Be Heard
uniformly
quality newspaper, to varied magazines (even
Write to us at: ones on specialist interests), to of course books
Dhaka Tribune of different genres.
sibility to improve their economic conditions.
Different measures can be taken to raise their
income level.
This includes properly setting up and run-
ning driving schools in the 64 district towns
and cities across the nation.

F
FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath Libraries have clearly been a godsend for Once properly trained, skilled drivers will
our cases have been filed, and a BCL activist arrested, Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207 book-lovers everywhere. As have quality book- ensure safer transport, and help reduce fatal
for the Chhatra League’s role in the violence at Rajshahi Email us at: letters@dhakatribune.com stores. For very many years now, I actually buy, accidents that take place every day. A large
University on Sunday which led to the closure of its Send us your Op-Ed articles: rather than borrow, an overwhelming majority number of such trained drivers can also get the
campus. Nearly all the attackers, however, still remain at large. opinion@dhakatribune.com of the books and other reading material I read. opportunity to work abroad and earn valuable
This is despite the fact that photographs have been widely Visit our website: www.dhakatribune.com Owning the books I love means I get to keep them foreign exchange for our economy, and thus
published of many BCL cadres openly wielding weapons and Come join our Facebook community: forever. :) raise their standards of living.
attacking unarmed students. https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune Ronnie Md Ashraf Hossain
No Chhatra League men were included in the initial list of
224 students whose names are mentioned in six different cases,
which have been filed with the Motihar police station in relation
to the RU campus violence. These six cases included two cases
filed by the Chhatra CALVIN AND HOBBES
League itself.
The implication
has been drawn by
some observers that
BCL members at RU
are immune from
They should make clear
investigation and that they will apply the
prosecution. We hope
there is no truth to this
law without favoritism
perception. or fear
No one photographed
with arms should still be
walking around at large.
The police must
investigate the
highly public evidence and circumstances, which includes
readily identifiable individuals breaking the law in newspaper
photographs. They should make clear that they will apply the law
without favoritism or fear and pursue the individuals concerned.
There should not be any selective application on their part, PEANUTS
where some are caught but more influential ones are allowed to
escape.
This is especially important given that police elsewhere are
arresting students with links to illegal weapons. At Bangla College
dormitory in Mirpur, 42 people were arrested, and 10 remain in
custody when a gun and several machetes and iron rods were
found in a dormitory.
Law enforcers must take action against anyone who breaks the
law. They must apply the law uniformly everywhere.

CROSSWORD SUDOKU YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS DOWN Crossword
1 Storehouse (5) 1 Free from (6)
5 Satellite (4) 2 Light blow (3)
8 Incarnation of a god (6) 3 Egg-shaped (4) How to solve
9 Essential (5) 4 Story (4) Sudoku:
10 Utter gratingly (4) 5 Swamp (5) Fill in the
11 Smallest amount (5) 6 Public speaker (6) blank spaces
12 Little devil (3) 7 Pinch (3) with the
15 Fireplace shelves (4) 13 Myself (2) numbers
18 Exploits (5) 14 Read attentively (6) 1 – 9. Every
Sudoku
21 Corded fabric (3) 16 Have existence (2) row, column
22 Building division (4) 17 Playing cards suit (6) and 3 x 3 box
24 Avoid (4) 19 Giver (5) must contain
25 Lubricated (5) 20 Accordingly (2) all nine digits
28 Comfort in sorrow (6) 23 Water-filled trench around with no num-
29 Jetty (4) castle (4) ber repeating.
30 Swarms (5) 24 Plant juice (3)
26 Frozen treat (3)
27 Sheltered side (3)

The victim may be wounded, but her honour is intact
Too often, too brutal
A
n Tahmina Shafique
ccording to ASK, from Jan-
uary to September 2013,
868 women were raped in
Bangladesh. Of these, 482
cases were filed, 102 were
minors, and there were a total of 207
incidents of gang rape.
Another report highlighted that
almost 3,000 women were raped in
Bangladesh in the last four years.
Among them, over 500 were killed
after rape, and about 300 women
committed suicide after being raped.
In many cases, victims were not able
to file a case for fear of further har-
assment by the rapists, or they were
forced to withdraw cases because of
threats by influential figures in society
and even by some political leaders.
There are heinous stories, jarring
statistics, and the ones that we never
even hear of. Violence against women
in Bangladesh is nothing new. Wom-
en’s rights and human rights groups
have been pushing for an end to this
epidemic. Numerous discussions are
ongoing in legal, policy and social
levels.
So despite all of this and national
outrage, you cannot help but question,
what is wrong? When does rape ever
end? Some may say that these stories
are perhaps coming out in the open
more often now, as opposed to the
time when rape was strictly a private
matter and was not talked about as
much as it is now.
Whatever the case may be, the reali-
ty is right before our eyes, and there
is no more room for denial. Violence
against women is happening. In broad
daylight. All around us. In massive
numbers. In light speed. At unbelieva-
ble levels of brutality.
Of course the paradigm of this
violence, which has been existent
since time unknown, will not change
We need new ideas
n MH Bari
A
bout 31% of our population
lives below the poverty line.
The low literacy rate, extensive
nepotism, corruption, unscrupulous
trade unionism, poor governance, in-
efficient bureaucracy, unemployment,
loan defaults, and black market are all
problems that need to be overcome.
But who is supposed to take the
initiative for this? It is the political
leaders of the country. But it is an iro-
ny of fate that we lack such dedicated,
patriotic, and benevolent leaders who
could steer the country.
The performance of the two major
political parties of the country is far
behind people’s expectations. Due
to their failure, the problems are
increasing day by day. Politicians as
well as political parties, particularly
in advanced democratic countries,
generally try to outdo their opponents
through argument. But the political
culture in Bangladesh is totally differ-
ent. Here we see political vendetta.
The parliament is the symbol of our
national pride and dignity. It is very
sad that the citadel of our democracy
is giving up its sacred responsibilities.
Regardless of what one says, the
truth is, there is hardly any political
leader in the country who has any real
DHAKA TRIBUNE
overnight. But, one does wonder how,
following the recent national and
global outrage, these atrocities still
continue unhindered. While there
are and will be a plethora of legal and
technical arguments with regards to
rape that needs to be put forward and
looked into, this is also the time to
look closer at the society we live in. A
society which is really “rape-enabling.”
There are heinous stories, jarring statistics, and the
ones that we never even hear of. Violence against
women in Bangladesh is nothing new
This “rape-enabling” society is one
where women and men accept sexual
violence as normal and interminable.
In their acceptance, they endorse the
notion that violence against women is
common and it is “ought to happen.”
As a result, the unjust institution of
patriarchy that condones and upholds
a rape culture, which dehumanises
women, lives on strong, and tends to
go unexamined and greatly unchal-
lenged.
The truth remains that this rape-en-
abling society and rape culture will
persist until societal values and atti-
tudes change. No amount of legal and
technical tweaks will be able to solve
this issue. It is time for us to accept
that it is the massive, colossal force in
our mindsets, within our communities
which needs to turn over a new leaf.
As a society, we also need to stop
victim-blaming games. When rape
takes place, it is not the honour of
a woman that is lost. A woman is
wounded and she does not emerge
unscathed, never that. But her honour
contact with the people at large. The
so-called connection to the people is
mostly just coercion, intimidation, and
muscle flexing.
Collectively, the parties have inflict-
ed grievous injuries to this country,
and to the millions belonging to the
lower middle class, now a vanishing
class, and the very poor.
A third force is
necessary. People will
definitely welcome any
move in that direction
Even though we live in a so-called
democratic society, political parties
seldom practice democracy. Party
chiefs take the ultimate decisions,
and are never elected democratically.
This practice frustrates intellectuals
who are actively involved in politics.
As a result, educated people are losing
interest in party politics.
It is quite immature to expect that
too many opinions of “senior leaders,”
other than the prime minister’s, will be
Op-Ed
is intact and it is not the end of her
life. When the female victim no longer
loses her honour as a result of rape,
we can speak out louder about gender
violence which has been considered
a shameful and private matter for
centuries in “public” and demand for
more changes.
In some sense, the overall outrage
shown by India, Bangladesh and
across South Asia, has shown us one
thing this time. In the case of recent
rape cases, and specifically the Delhi
case that led to global outrage, the
woman was not “dishonoured” by
her family or the society. Contrary to
similar situations she was in fact held
in respect both privately and publicly.
Unlike past events, justifications
of these acts were not entertained
by society and the victim blame
game, in this rare instance, took a
back seat. We can already see that
this “blame, shame game” is leaving,
and we must stand on this shift and
ensure it properly permeates our
understanding. Never again, must
we allow justifications for rape,
justifications for violence that we have
allowed in the past, time and again, as
a collective society.
There is thus a need to take a closer
look at the changing patterns and
how our attitudes can change with
that. Over the past several decades,
women’s rights have expanded.
Women are claiming their subjectivity,
taken into account, if they do not satisfy
the ambitions of the party. We have seen
over the last 42 years that the main-
stream party lawmakers have remarka-
bly failed to serve the goals of our nation.
The only way to rectify such a sit-
uation is to clean it up from the head
of the governance, and in that, we
need someone with a sufficiently good
reputation and experience.
Eminent citizens of the country
who have the credentials to command
such respect from the people should
come forward. It was about time
someone like that stood up and gave
the people some respite from “bad or
worse” choices that many feel present-
ly limited to.
During the election campaigns, they
promise many things to the voters.
When they come to rule, they forget
their promises. Now, the situation in
Bangladesh is very frustrating. The
much discussed 10th parliamentary
election was held amidst unprece-
dented violence and one of the lowest
voter turnouts in memory.
It is nothing but a mockery of
democracy. We may call it constitu-
tional, but the election is questionable
where 153 MPs out of 300 were elected
unopposed. The unethical general
election will not bring any positive
change to the country’s governance
Saturday, February 8, 2014
BIGSTOCK
asserting their own identity as
opposed to being someone’s wife,
daughter or sister. And with the
opening up of the market, massive
expansion of certain sectors and the
economy, women are more visible in
the factories and workplaces. That
women are entering traditionally male
bastions of power has challenged the
sense of superiority and entitlement
of the traditional Bangladeshi
men. While, we have progressed
immensely in terms of being within
the workforce, unfortunately, the
mindset of accepting women within
this workforce and learning to respect
women within this context is yet to
come about.
As a society, as the free and united
nation that we claim ourselves to be,
we must have the courage to look
within ourselves, and strive to stand
against these value systems that has
brought us where we are today.
It is also important to recognise that
none of this will automatically dis-
appear, and in fact violence will only
keep increasing – history has given us
that clear indication of what’s in store.
But, history has also taught us one
more lesson. That we must struggle
and the fight must go on. Justice does
prevail and societies do transform,
even if it is a long way.
In toiling for this change, it is impor-
tant to remember, striking the foun-
dation of patriarchy, the foundation of
an unjust system requires that inner
metamorphosis and strength. There are
no more excuses to continue nourish-
ing this diseased foundation. The time
is now, to begin that fight, to strike at
the core of this foundation. l
Tahmina Shafique works for an international
management consultancy company. She is
one of the core organising members of One
Billion Rising Bangladesh, and a part of VDAY
Dhaka.
and democracy.
A questionable government will
lose its foreign friends, except India,
for its oppression of the opposition,
human rights violations, and divisive
policies. Most of all, the spirit of our
liberation war has been diluted by
such one-sided polls.
The present political, economic,
and social condition of our country of
is quite grave. If we do not resolve it
now, coming generations will suffer
more than we are suffering now. There
is no security in society. Much of it
is the result of the conflict between
the political parties and the unabated
crime committed by party men.
It is my firm belief that a civil
revolution, or as I call it, a Bengali Re-
naissance, has to happen now. People
want different types of politics. They
want prudent, sagacious, and honest
persons in politics, but there seems
to be no room for good people in our
political arena. In the backdrop of
our conventional politics, the emer-
gence of a third force is necessary. The
majority of the people will definitely
welcome any move in that direction.
We should all be united in making a
new political force. l
MH Bari works in the global marketing of
seafood from Bangladesh.
Working with vision
n Parvin Sultana
I
n Bangladesh, various obstacles
and stigmas surrounding disability
are prevailing, which hamper the
rights of the blind and other disa-
bled people. Stigmas are the main
hindrance to establishing rights of
disabled people.
People, including parents of disa-
bled children, lack awareness about
the disability. Hence, disabled children
are being deprived of an education,
proper treatment, rehabilitation, and
other necessary support.
Childhood visual impairment is
a major public health problem in
Bangladesh. According to Child Sight
Foundation (CSF), there are several
factors that contribute to childhood
blindness. These are: Lack of infor-
mation, lack of knowledge, proximity,
economic constraint, illiteracy, wrong
beliefs, wrong treatment, and unscien-
tific interventions.
Information on child eye health and
service provisions is yet to be dissem-
inated on a mass scale. Due to the lack
of necessary information, most of the
time people do not know how to go
about any problem.
The economic constraint is one of
the major hindrances to accessing ser-
vices. The cost of treating cataracts in
children, for example, is much higher
than it is for adults.
Cultural constructs surrounding
blindness regard it as a divine curse,
and these beliefs have gone to the
point of no return. This leads to a with-
drawal in care, making the child being
perceived as an even greater burden.
Sometimes people take refuge in
faith-healing and traditional healers,
which lead to infections, and often,
absolute blindness.
We should bring specialised ser-
vices closer to the children who need
them. Steps should be taken to help
blind children in Bangladesh move
from a life of dependence and isolation
to a life of confidence and self-reli-
ance.
Identifying blind children who are
not currently enrolled in a special
education school or an existing
rehabilitation program is challenging.
The stigma and prejudice surrounding
them in Bangladesh often compels
parents to keep their children at home,
hidden from the public eye.
CSF partners with local community
volunteers and trains them to become
“key informants” to identify these
children. Individuals, well-known
within the community, including
teachers, social workers, communi-
ty leaders, and religious leaders are
recruited to become key informants.
Since 2001, over 15,000 children have
been identified using this method.
Identified children are then referred
for screening, examination, and treat-
ment by an ophthalmologist.
Key informants distribute informa-
tion about upcoming eye examina-
tion camps during their community
rounds, and encourage parents to
bring their children to the camp for
examination.
Due to the lack of information,
however, parents are sometimes
hesitant to commit the time and
energy necessary to rehabilitate their
children. Families are often unaware
of the capabilities of their visually
impaired children, and may feel that
their child is unable to contribute to
regular operations of the household or
participate in normal activities.
Many parents are afraid that their
child will be ostracised or stigmatised
in the community, and therefore prefer
to keep them at home rather than send
them to school. Furthermore, most
parents do not know that national
policies in Bangladesh require school
to admit all children into classrooms,
regardless of disability.
11
When parents have a blind child,
they do not know how to teach or
support the child, or if the child is
able to work around the house, or go
to school. As a result, the child often
stays at home with nothing to do, not
learning how to bathe or do other basic
things. In reality, blind children are
quite able to do these things.
We should work with parents to in-
crease their knowledge, reassure them
of their child’s abilities, and reinforce
the message that blind children are
fully able to participate in everyday
life at home, school, and the surround-
ing community.
People take refuge
in faith-healing and
traditional healers,
which lead to
infections, and often,
absolute blindness
Forming close relationships and
being accepted by other children in
the community is vital to a visually
impaired child’s self-esteem,
educational progress, and success. To
foster a smooth transition between
home-based rehabilitative care and
enrolment in the school system, CSF
designed the Inclusive Children’s Club
(ICC), a social and educational outlet
that allows visually impaired and blind
children to interact with their sighted
peers in a positive and supportive
environment.
The ICC cultivates a sense of be-
longing, reduces stigma and fear, and
helps mainstream the child back into
the community of children. Commu-
nity children that attend the club learn
about blindness, as well as other sub-
jects such as history, art, and music.
There is a national policy in Bangla-
desh stating that disabled children have a
fundamental right to education, and must
be granted access to schools. But this
policy has not been publicised enough.
We should reach further into the
social network of the family and com-
munity, contacting neighbours and
relatives, and inviting them to partake
in the rehabilitative process as well.
This creates a support circle around
the child, increasing the probability of
success.
Many teachers believe that blind
children are incapable of learning in
a classroom alongside their sighted
peers. Teachers in Bangladesh are
often not motivated to take the time to
attend teachers’ training for children
with disabilities.
We should work with teachers
and school principals to change their
attitudes and opinions about inclusive
education by coordinating introduc-
tions to visually impaired students,
teacher training, and information
about national policies in Bangladesh
on the rights of children.
Despite the fact that there is a
national inclusive education policy in
Bangladesh stating that the education
system should admit all children re-
gardless of ability, it is rarely enforced
or communicated within the educa-
tion system. Parents, district officials,
and school administrators are often
unaware that this policy exists.
We should work with all concerned
to implement national disability laws
within the education system. All rights
bodies should emphasise on inclu-
sive education as a basic right for all
children regardless of their ability, and
actively lobby the Department of Ed-
ucation to adopt this philosophy and
move towards a more human rights-
based approach. l
Parvin Sultana is a freelance journalist.
BIGSTOCK
12 DHAKA TRIBUNE Entertainment Saturday, February 8, 2014

DHAKA ART SUMMIT

Dhaka Art Summit 2014 takes off and theatre activist and has been included in
international group shows in India and Japan.

Shilpakala Academy on February 7, 2014 with in the Sunil Sigdel

presence of art lovers, exhibitors, curators, collectors and Nepalese artist Sunil Sigdel showcased his
critiques from the South Asia and beyond. experimental performance titled My Blood, Your
Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Cultural Script & Bull Tongue at the Dhaka Art Summit.
Affairs Minster Asaduzzaman Noorand Dr Gowher Rizvi, The piece was a combination of sound and
International Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister, graced visuals. In the twenty minutes long performance,
the affair as chief guests. Sunil explored how the Nepalese government
Farooq Sobhan, chairman of the organising and the British government are manipulating
committee of DAS, articulated the motive behind Gurkha soldiers as a “live product” and how
organising the biennale at Dhaka while Nadia Samdani, illiteracy and unemployment are acting as the
president of the Samdani Art Foundation, warmly driving force for young people into risking their
My Blood, your Script & Bull Tongue
welcomed the distinguished local and international lives in foreign lands.
by Sunil Sigdel, Nepal
delegates of the art festival. QUAMRUL ABEDIN Sunil creates soothing explosive sound of
An initiative of the Samdani Art Foundation and matchsticks and then he coats blood on his

Experimental performances grace the

Sound & silence by Rahul Anand,Bangladesh
QUAMRUL ABEDIN
n Hasan Mansoor Chatak
A three day long biennale, the Dhaka Art Summit 2014
unveiled its curtains at the National Art Museum of
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the second Dhaka Art
Summit 2014 will present a panoramic survey of artists
from South Asian countries including Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan
and Sri Lanka.
Dhaka Art Summit 2014 will include solo projects,
curated exhibitions, an ambitious public art project, a
series of discussions, performances, experimental film
screenings and presentations by 33 local and international
galleries. Representatives from Tate Modern, The British
Museum, Centre Pompidou and Solomon R Guggenheim
Museum, among many others, will participate in the talks
programme. l
opening day of DAS
Rahul Anand
Rahul Ananad’s performance Sound in Silence is
an experimental piece of work which combines
music, acting and visual art. the piece was
showcased in the second edition of Dhaka Art
Summit yesterday. The forty minutes long perfor-
mance explores the concept of co-existence of
emptiness and fulfillment through sound and the
absence of sound, the reciprocity of continuity
and above all, the balance of these two.
Rahul spreads a lot of red roses and green
betel leaf on the stage for the visual performance
and then he started to play the violin from one
end of a long white fabric, travels the length of
the fabric playing music and then mutes it on the
other end. The white fabric was used symbolically
to represent the path of life and the music repre-
sented life. The rose petals and betel leaves were
the elements that allures man into temptation.
Rahul Anand is a musician, performance artist
face and body with the sticks. The performance
reflects the hardest parts of the Gurkha soldiers’
lives before joining the British Army. The world
knows only of the Gurkhas’ brave stories, but
no one has looked into the reality behind this
bravery. During the First & Second World War,
more than 251,000 Nepalese Gurkhas fought and
60,000 lost their lives.
Sunil Sigdel’s work explores the socio-political
crisis of Nepal, as well as the other parts of the
globe. He has exhibited extensively in Nepal and
abroad and has participated in several workshops
and residencies in Nepal, Scotland, India, Taiwan,
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Denmark and Pakistan. l

Photo exhibition by RPS on at Drik Gallery

National Film Award announced
n AFrose Jahan Chaity
Noted actor and film personality Khalil
Ullah Khan has been selected for life-
time award while the government
has announced the names of 24 ar-
tistes and others for the National Film
Award-2012 in recognition of their out-
standing contribution to the country’s
film industry.
Eminent writer-director, the late
Humayun Ahmed, was named as best
director while best screen play went to
his last film Ghetu Putro Komola. The
film also bags the awards for best mu-
sic director, best child artiste, best cin-
ematographer, best editor, best art di-
rector, best makeup and best costume
directior. With eight awards in total,
Ghetu Putro Komola is the film that
won the highest number of awards in
the National Film Award 2012.
Following suit is Redwan Roni’s
Chorabali, which scored five awards.
Protagonist of the film Joya Ahsan
won best actress, while Shahiduz-
zaman Selim won best villain. Noted
actor ATM Shamsuzzaman won the
award for best supporting actor for his
role in the film Chorabali. The film also
won the award for best dialogue.
Celebrated actor Joya Ahsan told
the Dhaka Tribune: “I feel honoured
to have won the award for the second
time. It just feels wonderful, I won it
for my role in Chorabali which is a
commercial film.”
“Dhallywood king,” Shakib Khan
got the best actor award for his out-
standing performance in the film Kho-
dar Pore Maa. This is the second time
that the actor has won the National
Award, he said: “Winning a National
award is always very special to me, no
matter how many times I win, it never
loses its charm.
This is the second time I have won
this award and I feel very honoured. It
is an example that it does not matter
whether it is an art film or commercial,
a good film is always appreciated. It is
Best Film: Uttorer Sur
Best Actress: Jaya Ahsan
also about an actor’s ability to deliver a
good performance.”
Uttorer Sur, produced by Faridur
Reza Sagor, is directed by Shahnewaz
Kakoli, who won the award for best
story writer. The film won three more
awards including best film. Lucy
Thripti Gomez was named best sup-
porting actress. Uttorer Sur is the debut
film of Shahnewaz Kakoli. The delight-
ed winner told the Dhaka Tribune: “It
was unexpected. This was my first film
and I cannot imagine that I have won
n Entertainment Desk
A photo exhibition, titled Words in Si-
lence, a tribute to Faisal Kabir Raktim,
organised by the Rajshahi Photograph-
ic Society (RPS), is now on at the Drik
Gallery, situated in Dhanmondi, Dha-
ka. The exhibit consists of 100 photo-
graphs of 90 photographers from all
over Bangladesh and 10 by Faisal Kabir
Raktim to whom the exhibition has
been dedicated to.
The exhibition started on February
6, Thursday and will continue until
8pm today. It was formally opened by
famous ornithologist and photogra-
pher Inam al Haque. Renowned pho-
tojournalist Pavel Rahman and other
acclaimed photographers were also
present at the event.
The event was coordinated by Ad- Jerónimos Monastery, Lisbon MAHDIN MAHBOOB
vocate Rashedun Nabi and Majeda
Akhter. RPS Chairperson Farid Akhter and classmates of Rajshahi Collegiate Russo and others were also present in
Porag, Advisor Advocate Mohsin Khan, School, including Towsif Islam, Md the event.
Rajshahi Collegiate School Alumni As- Redwan Rakib Mugdho, Md Rakibul The exhibition featured vibrant and
sociation General Secretary M Hannan, Islam, Md Mahmud Islam and Md Ma- colourful photographs from everyday
Barendra College Prinicipal Alamgir- munur Rahman. lives, from both amateur and profes-
Malek, Raktim’s father Md Shamsul RPS Vice-chairperson Tanvirul Ho- sional photographers. It was dedicat-
Kabir and Md Towsif Islam spoke on sain, General Secretary M K Ferdous ed to Faisal Kabir Raktim, a young and
the occasion. Ahmed Sumit, Assistant General Sec- promising photographer who died an
The exhibition was primarily or- retary Nasir Anwar Ovi, Organising untimely death last year when he was
ganised by few of Raktim’s friends Secretary Sheikh Md Atiqur Rahman only 24 years old. l
ON Shemonty Monjari performs at IGCC
TV
Best Actor: Shakib Khan
n Entertainment Desk
MOVIE A musical evening is arranged by Indira
the best film award. I was glad and left Gandhi Cultural Centre at their Gulshan
inspired after winning this honour. My 5:25pmFox Movies Premium premises today at 6:30pm. Promising
responsibility towards society and my Dredd singer Shemonty Monjari will entertain
work has increased.” 7:03pmWB the audience with her melodious ren-
The awards for best male and fe- The Blind Side dition of Tagore’s songs.
male playback singer went to celebrat- Shemonty started her musical jour-
ed singer Runa Laila for the film Tumi ney at an early age. She trained in
Asbe Bole and Palash for the film Kho- DRAMA Rabindra sangeet at the prestigious
dar Pore Maa. Chhayanaut Sangeet Vidyayatan in She also achieved first class first po-
Composer Milton Khandaker and 8:00pm Sony Dhaka, where she completed her 8 sition in the national competition on
lyricist Emon Saha have won awards Aadalat years’ course in Rabindra Sangeet Rabindra sangeet arranged by Jatiyo
for their works in Khodar Pore Maa 8:30pm Star Plus and achieved first class first position Rabindrasangeet Sammilon Parishad
and Pita. l Meri Bhabi in the final certificate examination. in 2011. l

Lego movie gets positive reviews TODAY IN DHAKA

n Entertainment Desk Film

The Hobbit: The Desolation of
Critics all over are raving about new Smaug, Thor: The Dark World,
The Lego Movie. It is assumed that it Pacific Rim in 3D, The Conjuring,
will be the first big blockbuster of the The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,
year 2014 in the box office. In a box Escape Plan
office market where Frozen has domi- Time: 10am – 10pm
nated the family slate for over 11 weeks Star Cineplex, Level 8
(with an honorable mention for The Bashundhara City
Nut Job), The Lego Movie looks primed Panthapath
to walk away with 2014′s biggest open-
ing to date. Exhibition
Similar to the Lego Star Wars “brick- 2nd Dhaka Art Summit
film” shorts and Bionicle direct-to-vid- Time: 11am – 7pm
eo films, The Lego Movie employs CG Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy,
animation to mimic the appearance Shegun Bagicha
of a world made entirely out of Lego
bricks and populated by the tradition- Ways of Seeing
al yellow mini-figures. This approach Time: 12pm – 8pm
lacks the tactile pleasures of stop-mo- Bengal Art Lounge
tion, but nonetheless creates a slick, 60 Gulshan Avenue, Gulshan 1
vivid aesthetic. In a city that operates
like clockwork, cheerful but lonely Gravity-Free World
construction worker Emmet (Chris Time: 12pm – 8pm
Pratt) goes about his days unnoticed by Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts
those around him. Soon, however, he House 42
stumbles into a big adventure, acciden- Road 16 (New) / 27 (old), Dhanmondi
Watch out for Travelers Story tonight at 9:10pm on Channel 9. The host of the tally fulfilling the prophecy of a wizard
show is also a radio jockey for ABC radio, Maria. In this fun filled travel show, the (Morgan Freeman) at odds with Lord Fair
audience will get an exclusive insight on “Virgo,” that is a five-star cruise ship of the Business (Will Ferrell, doing a mixture Amar Ekushey Boi Mela - 2014
Star Cruise Superstar line. Travelers Story will also feature a cruise from Singapore of Mugatu and Megamind), a dystopi- Time: 3pm – 9pm
to Phuket and Langkawi. Another attractive aspect of the show is a detailed view an overlord determined to maintain by the mysterious Wyldstyle (Eliza- go-set themes, while a class of remain- Bangla Academy Compound
into the world of movie magic, Resort World Sentosa’s Universal Studios the rigid borders between Lego realms beth Banks), Emmet journeys between ing “Master Builders” unite to destroy Dhaka University
and quash creative building. Rescued worlds that correspond to familiar Le- the villain’s secret, relic weapon. l

Sport
Did you know?
Sangakkara’s match-
tally of 424 runs
against Bangladesh in
Chittagong is the third
highest in Tests after
Graham Gooch’s 456
and Mark Taylor’s 426
SCORECARD, DAY 4
Sri Lanka 1st innings: 587
Sangakkara 319, Jayawardene 72, A.
Mendis 47, Shakib 5-148
Bangladesh 1st innings
(overnight 409-8)
Mahmudullah c Silva b Mendis
Al-Amin Hossain b Mendis
Abdur Razzak not out
Extras: (b8, lb1, nb21)
Total (all out, 119.5 overs)
Fall of wickets
1-0 (Iqbal), 2-232 (Rahman), 3-252
(Haque), 4-259 (Kayes), 5-319 (Rahim),
6-350 (Al Hasan), 7-396 (Nasir Hos-
sain), 8-396 (Gazi), 9-409 (Mahmudul-
lah), 10-426 (Al-Amin Hossain)
Bowling
Lakmal 25-6-70-1, Pradeep 15-2-96-0
(nb13), Mendis 29.5-3-99-6 (nb8),
Perera 39-4-119-3, Mathews 11-1-33-0
Sri Lanka 2nd innings
Karunaratne c Nasir b Mahmudullah 15
Silva lbw b Mahmudullah 29
Sangakkara b Gazi 105
Jayawardene lbw b Shakib 11
Chandimal not out 100
Mathews not out 43
Extras: (lb2) 2 Sri Lankan ace Kumar Sangakkara plays a scoop shot during his century against Bangladesh at ZACS yesterday
Total (for 4 wickets declared, 75.5 overs) 305
Fall of wickets
1-36 (Karunaratne), 2-49 (Silva), 3-78
(Jayawardene), 4-223 (Sangakkara).
Bowling
Al-Amin 7-1-31-0, Gazi 18.5-1-87-1,
Shakib 22-2-80-1, Mahmudullah
18-4-46-2, Mominul 7-0-46-0, Nasir
3-0-13-0
Bangladesh 2nd innings
Tamim Iqbal not out
Shamsur Rahman not out
Extras: (b1)
Total (for no loss, eight overs)
Bowling
Lakmal 3-0-9-0, Perera 4-3-1-0,
Mendis 1-0-1-0
Bangladesh need 455 more runs to
win with 10 wickets in hand
Swimming coaches
face salary cuts
The six coaches of Bangladesh Swim-
ming Federation have not been paid
their salaries from last year’s SwimSafe
program where they taught 700 home-
less and underprivileged children un-
der Centre for Injury Prevention and
Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB). The
situation is likely to reach a conclusion
at an executive meeting today.
The relationship between the
coaches and federation has been get-
ting worse since few members of the
new committee decided to make a
change in a continuous process of ref-
erees’ payment. If the new system gets
approved, the referees will earn less
money than before and most of them
are likely to not teach homeless chil-
dren swimming again.
Under the banner of SwimSafe,
CIPRB in collaboration with Bangla-
desh Swimming Federation has been
teaching poor street children at both
the swimming complexes in Dhaka
since 2005. The coaches used to get
50% of the money provided by CIPRB,
a non-government organization and
Kaushal anticipates win
Bangladesh will be chasing 467 for vic-
tory on the last day of the second Test
on a wicket that has started taking
turn and Sri Lankan opener Kaushal
Silva seemed confident that the visi-
tors would be able to bowl the Tigers
out and claim a 2-0 series win yester-
day at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury
Stadium.
“I think maybe first hour tomorrow,
if we can get two quick wickets, it will
be good for us. The ball has started to
spin a bit, if we can get two quick wick-
ets, it will be good for us.
“Yes we can bowl them out as I said,
it has started to spin a bit and not like
the first innings. It has started to spin
more I think it will definitely be diffi-
cult for the Bangladesh batsmen. We
have to be more patient and consistent
30
9 B match of the 118th IFA Shield at the
11
30
426
Sanga does it again, Tigers set 467
It was yet another
feather in the cap for
Lankan batting mae-
stro Kumar Sangak-
7 kara as he followed up his first innings
4 triple century with another ton in the
1 second innings to take the visitors to
12 305/4 declared, after Ajantha Mendis
bowled Bangladesh out with career best
figures of 6/99 for 426 on the fourth day
of the second Test match at the Zahur
Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium yesterday.
Bangladesh were left with a target
of 467 to win the match and level the
the rest went to the federation. Now,
the new committee proposed to pay
the referees on a monthly basis, which
is around Tk8,000-10,000 a month.
The SwimSafe program is one of
very few earning sources for the swim-
ming coaches of Bangladesh and it was
learnt that if the new payment system
is implemented, most of them could
leave the job.
Today, the 4th executive committee
meeting will take place at the national
swimming complex where one of the
issues is coaches’ salary process for
SwimSafe.
“Earlier, the coaches used to get the
half the money CIPRB provided for the
teaching program. It was a continuous
process since 2005. Tomorrow (Satur-
day) in the executive committee meet-
ing we will discuss about it whether
the coaches will get their money like
previous system or in a monthly basis,”
said Bangladesh Swimming Federation
joint-secretary Amirul Islam yesterday.
In the last year, CIPRB and federation
taught swimming to 700 children, 300
less than they expected. CIPRB provided
Tk10,00 to federation for every child. l
in our line and length and set a field ac-
cording to our bowlers, especially for
our spinners,” said Silva.
Sri Lanka delayed their declaration
and Silva explained that they wanted
to be sure they had enough runs on the
board, “We wanted to get at least 450
on the board and then we know that
they are out of reach of our target and
we can put pressure and attack more. It
will be a good challenging score for us
to defend.”
Asked if the recent defeat they sus-
tained against Pakistan recently, in
which the sub-continent side chased
down 301 on the last day at breakneck
speed played a part in the decision,
Silva said, “Not actually I guess, what
has happened has happened you can’t
get it back. You have to think positive-
ly. Those two sessions went against us
against Pakistan, but that won’t hap-
series, or to bat out time and salvage a
draw. They finished the day at 12/0.
Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka wrapped
up the Bangladesh innings at 426 early
in the morning by taking the last two
wickets. Mahmudullah could not add
to his overnight 30 as he was snapped
up at short leg off Mendis and Al-Amin
was bowled by the same bowler.
In the visitors’ second innings, it
was Mahmudullah who removed both
openers - Dimuth Karunaratne for 15
who was well caught by Nasir Hossain at
slip and Kaushal Silva, who was trapped
LBW for 29 – to leave Sri Lanka 49/2.
This brought together the danger
What’s at stake at the ICC meeting?
The sport arena of the country will go
through several anxious hours today
as the crucial meeting of International
Cricket Council regarding the proposed
revamp takes place in Singapore.
The reason behind the worries re-
mains in the procedure as Bangladesh
Cricket Board never openly talked
about its stance and its president
Nazmul Hasan, who flew to Singapore
three days back, also never opened his
mouth about Bangladesh’s stance.
The ICC had said it had
reached  unanimous agreement on the
outline of a plan to give cricket’s three
most financially powerful nations In-
dia, Australia and England a greater
say in running the world game. How-
ever, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South
Africa have continued to object ahead
of a hastily convened ICC meeting that
may go to a vote to implement the new
proposals.
The restructuring of the ICC re-
quires consent of eight of the 10 mem-
ber Boards and it remains to be seen
whether the dissenting Boards remain
adamant or agree to the changes. Dur-
ing the ICC Board meeting last month
pen all the time. Cricket is such a game,
you never know what will happen. We
don’t think about what has happened
we just concentrate on the particular
moment.”
Silva went on to heap praise on
Kumar Sangakkara, who had a sensa-
tional match with a triple hundred and
another hundred, and Mahela Jayawar-
dene, who scored double hundred in
the first Test.
“They are two legends of the game,
they have been in the team for nearly
two decades. It’s a great experience
for all the youngsters in the team,
sometimes it’s fun because out of
the field. They just act like normal
human beings. It’s really good to have
them in the side, and their ideas on
the field are really helping us and it’s
a good thing that these two are in the
team,” said Silva. l
0 3 6
DAYS TO GO
pair of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela
Jayawardene but Shakib al Hasan was
able to remove the latter with a well-
disguised arm ball that trapped the
right hander LBW to leave Sri Lanka a
little shaky at 78/3. However, Sangak-
kara and Chandimal then went on to
take the game away from the Tigers.
It was another master class from the
elegant left-hander as he became just the
second man to score a triple hundred and
a hundred in the same Test, after Graham
Gooch who achieved the feat against In-
dia at Lords in 1990. He had some luck
along the way as he was dropped on 36
by Nasir Hossain of Shakib’s bowling but
in Dubai, a final decision on the pro-
posal was deferred due to a lack of una-
nimity among the member boards.
The revamp plan focuses on the es-
tablishment of an Executive Committee
(ExCo) and Financial and Commercial
Affairs Committee (F&CA) to provide
leadership at an operational level, with
five members, including BCCI, Cricket
Australia and England and Wales Crick-
et Board representatives.
The “ICC Surplus”, which
is available for equal
distribution amongst
the Full Members has
been greatly reduced by
the inclusion of the new
“Contribution Cost”
Lord Woolf a former Lord Chief Justice
of England and Wales who provided
report for the restructuring the ICC
said, “It seems to be entirely motivated
by money”.
With new additions such as a “Con-
tribution Cost” being thrown into the
mix, the Big 3 have ensured that they
pocket the lion’s share of all revenue
BFF president Kazi Salahuddin welcomes US ambassador Dan Mozena at the BFF artificial turf yesterday
Saturday, February 8, 2014
14 Vidic to leave MU
at end of season
MUMIT M
was otherwise as masterful as he had
been in the first innings.
Sangakkara brought up his hundred
with a six over mid-wicket off Sohag
Gazi to take his tally of tons to 35 –
moving ahead of Sunil Gavaskar and
Brian Lara’s mark of 34 to fifth most,
behind Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques
Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41) and Ra-
hul Dravid (36).
Sangakkara was out the ball after
reaching three figures when he missed
a paddle sweep and was bowled by
Gazi. He scored 424 runs in the match
– the third most after Gooch’s 456 and
Mark Taylor’s 426. Meanwhile, Chan-
generated – leaving Boards such as ours
only scraps. The “ICC Surplus”, which is
available for equal distribution amongst
the Full Members has been greatly
reduced by the inclusion of the new
“Contribution Cost”. It is this “Contri-
bution Cost” that has skewed the distri-
bution of funds greatly in favour of the
Cricket Boards of India, England and
Australia. Taking the Gross Revenue
at US$2,500,000,000, a full 32% of the
Gross Revenue has been removed from
the equal distribution model, and has
instead been dealt with separately, in
the manner as is set out above.
Assuming the Gross Revenue of
the ICC is US$3.5 billion, according to
the new proposed finance distribution
model, the BCB would stand to gain only
US$106 million as opposed to the sum of
US$159 million through the current dis-
tribution model – a difference of a whop-
ping US$ 53,000,000! While the BCCI,
ECB and CA enjoy a surplus of US$691.5
million, 93 million and 26.5 million re-
spectively, which coincidently makes
them the  only  Full Members to benefit
from the new distribution model.
Bangladesh would be hoping its po-
sition will be safeguarded and secure in
the meeting. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE 13
15 Why was Mushfiq
fielding?
Do-or-die for
Sheikh Jamal
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club will
take on Mohun Bagan in a crucial group
Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata today and
a draw will not be enough for the Ban-
gladesh Premier League side to prog-
ress to the last four. Star Jolsha is likely
to telecast the match live at 3.30pm.
It will be a do-or-die match for the
Dhanmondi outfits as they must beat
the Kolkata giants in their third and fi-
nal group match today to move to the
next round. With one win and one loss,
Jamal now have three points while Mo-
hun Bagan has four.
Jamal, the Federation Cup cham-
pions, is likely to field the same
squad that beat Sikkim United 3-1 last
Wednesday, with Haitian striker Wed-
son Anselme scoring a brace.
“The team is in good shape and ev-
eryone is fit. The spirit is high after the
victory in the last game. We are prepared
to face Mohun Bagan,” said Jamal man-
ager Anwarul Karim Helal yesterday. l
dimal, who had been out of sorts with
the bat, found his touch and reached
his third hundred – all of them com-
ing against Bangladesh – before An-
gelo Matthews declared the innings
at 305/4, leaving Bangladesh eight
overs to face in the day and 467 runs to
win. The highest successful run chase
in Test history is 418 by West Indies
against India in 2003.
The eight overs Bangladesh batted
were not without incident. Tamim sur-
vived a close LBW shout off Dilruwan
Perera, but the Tigers openers were
able to survive the period to finish the
day at 12 for no loss. l
Mozena looks
forward to
help football
The ambassador of United States to
Bangladesh Dan W.Mozena hoped that
the United States would come forward
to assist the Bangladesh football devel-
opment in the future.
The ambassador was the chief guest
at the concluding ceremony of the
Sports United program where two for-
mer US World Cup footballers, Tony
Sanneh and Linda Hamilton, conduct-
ed a four-day program with budding
male and woman footballers.
“Tony and Linda are the two US sports
envoys with whom US feels proud, they
arrived here to share the experience and
also to know about Bangladesh. Football
is a game that shows to win gracefully
and also to lose in a graceful way, this
program build bridges among two na-
tions and we will try to assist Bangladesh
in the process,” said Mozena.
BFF president Kazi Salahuddin urged
the ambassador to chalk out a long term
program that will assist the develop-
ment of the game in the country. Tony
Sanneh and Linda Hamilton also ex-
pressed happiness and hoped their ad-
vice would help Bangladeshi football. l
COURTESY
14 DHAKA TRIBUNE Sport Saturday, February 8, 2014

Sacked Laudrup seeking legal advice
Michael Laudrup is seeking legal advice after being sacked by Premier
League club Swansea City, the Dane said on Thursday. He released a state-
ment via the League Managers’ Association which said he was told of his
dismissal on Tuesday by a brief letter. “I am deeply disappointed to have
been dismissed as manager of Swansea City,” Laudrup said. “I am, of course,
taking legal advice and the LMA have already written to the club asking for a
proper explanation as to why I was summarily dismissed.” –Reuters
Injured Hummels to miss two weeks
Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels will be sidelined for another two
weeks after injuring his right foot in a friendly against Fortuna Duesseldorf,
Borussia Dortmund said on their website on Thursday. Dortmund said that
Hummels, 25, suffered a mid-foot sprain in Tuesday’s match and that he would
be out of action for about two weeks. The Germany international had been
out since November due to an ankle injury and only returned to Dortmund’s
lineup for a 2-1 Bundesliga win over Braunschweig on Friday. –Reuters
Ronaldo red card referee ‘suspended’
The referee who sent Cristiano Ronaldo off in Real Madrid’s draw at Athletic Bil-
bao on Sunday has been suspended and banned from taking charge of any other
Real matches this season, according to reports in Spain. Ronaldo was shown a red
card in the 75th minute of the match after raising his hand to Bilbao captain Carlos
Gurpegi and confronting Ander Iturraspe. Spanish radio station Cadena Cope has
reported that Spain’s refereeing technical committee has dropped referee Miguel
Ángel Ayza Gámez for a month in the wake of his performance. –Agencies

SCORECARD, DAY 2 Bayern wait on

New Zealand 1st innings
(overnight 329-4)
Ribery for Arsenal
P. Fulton lbw Khan
H. Rutherford c Rahane b I. Sharma
13
6
after buttocks op
K. Williamson c Dhoni b Khan
R. Taylor c Jadeja b I. Sharma
113
3 n AFP, Berlin
B. McCullum c Jadeja b I. Sharma 224 France’s Franck Ribery has undergone
C. Anderson lbw I. Sharma 77 surgery for bruised buttocks with Bay-
B. Watling c Dhawan b I. Sharma 1 ern Munich hoping he will be fit for
T. Southee b Shami 28 their Champions League clash at Arse-
I. Sodhi c R. Sharma b I. Sharma 23 nal in less than a fortnight.
N. Wagner c Kohli b Jadeja 0 “Hopefully, he can play in London,”
T. Boult not out 1 said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola with
Extras: (b1, lb5, w5, nb3) 14 defending champions Bayern travel-
Total: (all out; 121.4 overs) 503 ling to Arsenal for the last 16, first-leg
Bowling clash on February 19. Franck is impor-
tant, I hope he can train as soon as pos-
Shami 28-6-95-1 (2w), Khan 30-2-132-2
(1w), I. Sharma 33.4-4-134-6 (2w, 3nb), sible and we are waiting on him.”
Jadeja 26-1-120-1, Kohli 1-0-4-0, R. Bayern’s media director Markus Ho-
Sharma 3-0-12-0 erwick said the 30-year-old had taken
a “knock to the buttocks” and went
India 1st innings under the knife on Thursday, ruling
S. Dhawan c Williamson b Boult 0 him out of Saturday’s league match at
M. Vijay b Wagner 26 Nuremberg with Bayern 13 points clear.
C. Pujara c Watling b Boult 1 Neither Hoerwick, nor Guardiola
V. Kohli c Fulton b Southee 4 could answer how Ribery picked up the
R. Sharma not out 67 injury, but the winger will stay in a Mu-
A. Rahane not out 23 nich clinic over the weekend and will
Extras: (b5, lb1, nb3) 9 be examined again on Monday.
Total: (four wickets, 39 overs) 130 “Then we will know then if he can
return to the team or will be out for
Bowling
longer,” added Hoerwick.
Boult 10-1-20-2 (2nb), Southee 12-3-27- There was some good news for Guar-
1, Anderson 2-0-9-0, Wagner 7-0-46-1
diola with Germany midfielder Bastian
(1nb), Sodhi 6-0-13-0, Williamson
New Zealand's Brendon McCullum (C) is congratulated by some players of the Indian team after scoring 224 runs on day two of the first Test at Eden Schweinsteiger having returned to
2-0-9-0 CAPTAIN FANTASTIC Park in Auckland yesterday REUTERS training this week after a knee injury. l

India struggle in reply to

New Zealand’s 503
n AFP, Auckland
India were struggling at 130-4 after day
two of the first Test against New Zea-
land, who posted a daunting 503-run
first innings built on a double century
by Brendon McCullum.
In a dramatic start to India’s reply,
New Zealand claimed the prized scalps
of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli
in a withering burst from Tim Southee
and Trent Boult that reduced the tour-
ists to three down for only 10 runs.
When Rohit Sharma (not out 67) and
Ajinkya Rahane (not out 23) began to re-
build the innings as spin was introduced
in fading light, New Zealand orches-
trated an early end to the day’s play by
threating to bring the pace attack back.
Pujara, who averages 66.25, went for
one and Shikhar Dhawan a duck as both
fell in the opening over when they edged
good-length deliveries from Boult.
Kohli’s sole scoring shot was a four
off Boult before a sharply rising bounc-
er from Southee nicked his glove and
popped into the hands of Peter Fulton
at second slip. Kohli was reluctant to
leave and indicated the ball hit his hel-
met but replays showed it deflected
from the helmet to the glove and then
to Fulton.
By tea, India were limping at 45-3
but the situation become more dire
after the resumption of play, when a
swinging Neil Wagner delivery beat
Murali Vijay (26) and broke the bails.
Ishant Sharma was the pick of the
Indian bowlers with six for 134 while
Zaheer Khan finished with two for 132.l
Gunners set for Liverpool test
n Reuters, London
League leaders Arse-
nal face the first ma-
jor obstacle of their
tough February assault
course when they trav-
el to Anfield on Saturday for the first of
two meetings with Liverpool over suc-
cessive weekends.
The chances of Arsene Wenger’s
side ending their nine-year wait for a
trophy will be clearer by the end of a
gruelling month. With a home Premier
League game against Manchester Unit-
ed, an FA Cup tie with Liverpool and a
Champions League last-16 tie against
Bayern Munich to follow Saturday’s
clash, a poor run could see them fall by
the wayside in three competitions.
They lead the league by just two
points from Manchester City, who travel
to Norwich City, and Chelsea, who are at
home to Newcastle United, and defeat
at Anfield could see them slip to third.
The Londoners, however, are a team
in form, have not lost on their last six
Premier League visits to Anfield and
could be boosted as they seek a third
successive win there by the return of
Jack Wilshere after injury.
Manchester City, who missed the
chance to knock Arsenal off the sum-
mit on Monday, when they lost 1-0 at
home to Chelsea, travel to Norwich,
who they beat 7-0 in November.
They will be eager to rebound im-
mediately after losing their perfect
home league record as well as their 20-
game unbeaten streak.
Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho fooled FIXTURES
no-one on Monday when he described Aston Villa v West Ham
his side, who could be top by the end Chelsea v Newcastle
of the weekend, as “a little horse that Crystal Palace v West Brom
needed milk” in a race with the “two
Liverpool v Arsenal
big horses” of Arsenal and City.
Eleven clubs are entwined in the Norwich v Man City
battle to avoid the drop. Southampton v Stoke
Swansea City, who are 12th, but with- Sunderland v Hull
out a manager after parting company Swansea v Cardiff
with Michael Laudrup on Tuesday, are
only two points clear of the drop zone West Ham will be without banned
which currently has West Ham United, striker Andy Carroll for their visit to er-
Cardiff City and Fulham in its clutches. ratic Aston Villa, who are still not safe
Fulham have lost their last four despite sitting in 10th spot.
league matches and were abject in Cardiff travel to Swansea for what is
their 1-0 extra-time defeat to League always a fiercely-fought South Wales
One (third tier) strugglers Sheffield derby, hoping to twist the knife even
United in an FA Cup fourth round re- further into the Swans following Lau-
play at Craven Cottage on Tuesday. drup’s departure. l

Madrid lose Ronaldo ban appeal Pele saddened by

n AFP, Madrid
Gareth Bale is set to return
to the Real Madrid side
for this weekend’s match
against Villarreal, but
Cristiano Ronaldo will not
play after losing an appeal
against a three-match ban.
The Spanish Football Federation
(RFEF) confirmed on Friday that they
had upheld Ronaldo’s ban following
his red card in last weekend’s 1-1 draw
with Athletic Bilbao in La Liga.
The sending-off came after a clash
with Athletic midfielder Ander Itur-
raspe 15 minutes from the end of the
game at San Mames.
In a statement, the RFEF said that the
decision to show the red card was “in
line with the application of the rules”.
Referee Ayza Gamez’s report after
the match also accused Ronaldo of in-
sulting the officials, stating that, “after
being sent off and while he was leaving
the field, (he) slapped his own face sev-
eral times with the palm of his hand in
FIXTURES
Valencia v Real Betis
Vallecano v Malaga
Real Madrid v Villarreal
Almeria v Atletico Madrid
the direction of the fourth official”.
The suspension only applies to
league games, meaning the Ballon d’Or
winner was able to play against Atleti-
co Madrid in the 3-0 Copa del Rey semi-
final, first-leg win on Wednesday.
He will sit out Saturday’s meeting
with Villarreal at the Santiago Berna-
beu while also missing games against
Getafe and Elche.
That means the return of Bale after
three games on the sidelines with a leg
knock is a timely boost for Madrid, who
come into the weekend three points
behind league leaders Atletico.
“He will start. He’s fine, he has no
problem,” said coach Carlo Ancelotti at
a press conference on Friday. “He is in
good physical condition.”
The 24-year-old suffered the injury
against Granada two weeks ago and
missed the Copa del Rey quarter-final
against Espanyol while also missing the
matches against Athletic and Atletico.
The Italian also indicated that he
might rotate his squad to keep legs
fresh for the meeting with a Villarreal
side who lie in fifth place in the table. l
World Cup delays
n AFP, Sao Paulo
Brazilian legend Pele has revealed he
is saddened by the delays in his home-
land surrounding preparations for the
World Cup.
“It is sad as this was an opportunity
for Brazil not just in terms of football,”
said Pele.
“The Confederations Cup, the world
Cup and the Olympics were an oppor-
tunity to attract tourists and bring in
revenue.
“But unfortunately we are a bit be-
hind the pump,” Pele said in an inter-
view published Thursday in O Estado
de Sao Paulo daily.
“It is difficult to say why this is hap-
pening because we had time,” said
Brazilian football legend Pele waves to fans during the inauguration of the first store in Pele, alluding to delays in stadium con-
Brazil of Swiss watch maker Hublot in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday REUTERS struction. l

Vidic to leave United Neville, Giggs eye

at end of season
n AFP, London
Manchester United captain Nemanja
Vidic is to leave the English Premier
League champions at the end of the sea-
son, in a move the Serbia defender hopes
will end speculation about his future.
“I have decided that I will move on
at the end of this season,” he said in a
statement on the club’s official website.
“It’s the last year of my contract and I
have had eight wonderful years here.”
British press reports suggested the
32-year-old had not been offered an ex-
tension to his current Old Trafford con-
tract and Vidic, who insisted he did not
want to play for another club in England.
“I want to challenge myself again
and try to make the best of myself in the
coming years,” Vidic explained. “I’m
not considering staying in England as
the only club I ever wanted to play for
here is United and I was lucky enough
to be part of this for so many years.” l
move for minnows
Salford City n AFP, Berlin
n Reuters, London Strugglers Nuremberg
have hauled themselves
While David Beckham has launched
plans for a glamourous new club in Mi-
ami, his old Manchester United team
mates Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs are
preparing to invest in Salford City in
the eighth tier of English soccer.
Neville is in talks with the humble
Northern Premier League Division One
North club with Giggs also likely to
be involved in plans to transform the
minor league outfit, according to the
Manchester Evening News.
Salford City could become a hub for
talented local youngsters, who would
remain in the area with a view to being
groomed for a seamless move into the
professional game. l
Nuremberg out to topple Bayern
out of the Bundesliga’s
relegation places, but
their new-found form
faces the acid test on Sat-
urday against runaway league leaders
Bayern Munich.
The Franconians became the last
team in a major European league to
pick up their first win of the season
only a fortnight ago with a 4-0 win at
home to Hoffenheim.
Dutch coach Gertjan Verbeek then
steered Nuremberg to a convincing 3-1
win at Hertha Berlin last Sunday and
15th in the table, but halting record-
breaking Bayern’s 44-match unbeaten
league run is an altogether different
proposition.
Swiss striker Josip Drmic has scored
at Hamburg in the German Cup next
Wednesday, then host Freiburg in the
four goals in the last two matches and
said while Bayern have swept aside all
league before their Champions League
last 16, first-leg away match at Arsenal
comers, “we believe we can beat them”. on February 19.
As league leaders, Bayern are 31 In the pack chasing Bayern,
points ahead of Nuremberg and while Sami Hyypia’s second-placed Bayer
the Franconians have won just two of Leverkusen are at fifth-placed Borussia
their 19 games so far, Pep Guardiola’s Moenchengladbach on Friday, with the
Bayern have won all bar two of theirs, hosts looking for their first home win
dropping just four points. over the Werkself in 25 years.
Bayern have an away quarter-final Successive defeats have seen Glad-
bach drop from third to fifth, but
FIXTURES Leverkusen have also struggled with last
VfL Wolfsburg v Mainz 05 Saturday’s 2-1 win over Stuttgart breaking
Bremen v Dortmund a three-match losing streak against oppo-
Nuremberg v Bayern Munich nents in the bottom-half of the table.
Freiburg v Hoffenheim Third-placed Borussia Dortmund
Frankfurt v Braunschweig travel to Werder Bremen looking
to close the four-point gap behind
Hamburg v Hertha Berlin
Leverkusen. l

QUICK BYTES
School hockey
Palong Tulsar Gurudas High School,
Police Lines High School and SM Model
High School posted victories in their
respective matches of the First Security
Islami Bank National School Hockey
Tournament at Madaripur Stadium yes-
terday. Palong Tulsar Gurudas thrashed
Faridpur High School 6-1, Police Lines
High School outplayed Angkur School
& College 5-1 while SM Model High
School edged past Manikganj High
School 1-0. Meanwhile in the day’s
other match, Moyjuddin High School,
Faridpur drew with Madaripur Public
Institution.
–Tribune Desk
Pato quits Corinthians
after fan attack
Alexandre Pato has quit Brazil’s
Corinthians for Sao Paulo following a
weekend attack on players by dozens of
disgruntled fans, a spokesman said late
Wednesday. Former AC Milan striker
Pato, a mooted target in recent months
for Tottenham, was one of three players
singled out for violent attacks by fans
who invaded the club’s training centre
last Saturday. “The clubs, Corinthians
and Sao Paulo, have signed the contract
and it just remains for the players to
sign,” the Corinthians spokesman said.
The 24-year-old now heads across the
city to join Sao Paulo with Jadson going
the other way. Corinthians will continue
to pay part of Pato’s salary and he will
neither be eligible to play against his
former side nor for the remainder of
the Sao Paulo state league. That lack of
action will likely end his lingering hopes
of making the cut for the World Cup.
Pato has barely featured for his country
in recent months – though he did score
in September’s friendly thrashing of
Australia.
–AFP
Woods confirms he’ll
skip WGC Match Play
Tiger Woods made it official on Thurs-
day, confirming on his website that he’ll
skip the WGC Match Play Champion-
ship this month. The world number one
announced that his next tournament
will be the US PGA Tour’s Honda Classic
in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Febru-
ary 27-March 2. After that he’ll play
the World Golf Championships Cadillac
Championship at Doral near Miami, and
the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay
Hill in Orlando – in both of which he is
the defending champion. The WGC-
Cadillac is March 6-9, and the Palmer
Invitational is March 20-23. That will
then give Woods some time off before
he tackles the first major of the year,
the Masters at Augusta National April
10-13. “The Honda Classic is close to
my home, and I want to support it
whenever I can,” Woods said.
–AFP
DAY’S WATCH
BTV & Maasranga TV
9:30AM
Bangladesh v Sri Lanka
2nd Test, Day 5
Sony Six
3:30AM (Sunday)
India’s Tour of New Zealand
1st Test, Day 4
Rugby Six Nation 2014, ROUND 2
08:00 PM
Ireland v Wales
10:30 PM
Scotland v England
Star Sports HD1
3:30PM & 8:40PM
Hockey India League
Star Sports HD2
2:40PM
Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic
Games Day 1
11:30PM
English Premier League
Swansea City v Cardiff City
1:45AM
Italian Serie A
Napoli v AC Milan
Star Sports 4
English Premier League
6:45PM
Liverpool v Arsenal
9:00PM
Chelsea v Newcastle
La Liga
1:00AM
Real Madrid v Villarreal
3:00AM
Almeria v Atletico Madrid
Ten Action
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10:00PM
Olympique Marseille v SC Bastiais
1:00AM
AC Ajaccio v Stade Rennais
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Jurgensen asks for
discipline from batsmen
Bangladesh’s coach Shane Jurgensen
expressed disappointment at how cen-
turions Imrul Kayes and Shamsur Rah-
man threw away their wickets, felt the
Tigers’ batsmen could learn from the
two great Sri Lankan batsmen Sangak-
kara and Jaywardene and was critical
of the umpiring after the fourth day of
the second Test yesterday.
“We need to be patient and bat the
whole day. We have to learn from two
greats, and we have to do it. We have
a young team, and we don’t do it con-
sistently enough. Be patient, rotate
the strike and do the basics well,” said
Jurgensen, adding, “The exact word is
intent. On this wicket, you can’t block
and survive and at the same time,
look to hit balls that are on a length on
middle-stump. If it gets difficult, we
have to get through those. As a batting
group, get down the other end.”
A notable feature of Bangladesh’s
batsmen is a tendency to hit out in
pressure situations, often leading to
what looks like irresponsible shot se-
lection leading to loss of wickets, as
Sri Lanka question
‘illegal’ ICC revamp
Sri Lanka have insisted plans for whole-
sale reform of the International Cricket
Council are in conflict with the organ-
isation’s “fundamental principles”.
Last month the ICC said it had
reached “unanimous agreement” on
the outline of a plan to give the sport’s
most financially powerful nations -- In-
dia, England and Australia -- a greater
say in running the world game.
Sri Lanka, together with Pakistan
and South Africa, had already object-
ed to the proposals when they were
leaked ahead of an ICC board meeting
in Dubai.
Soon after the talks, it became clear
several countries still had concerns
ahead of Saturday’s follow-up meeting
in Singapore, which could see a vote on
implementing the plans.
In a letter seen by AFP in London,
Sri Lanka Cricket board president Jay-
antha Dharmadasa has written to the
ICC’s head of legal affairs, Iain Higgins,
warning the reforms are “not valid” in
law.
No-shows hit Fed Cup teams
Defending champions Italy will field
a weakened side against the United
States in Cleveland in the first round of
the 2014 Fed Cup this weekend.
Deprived of top singles players Sara
Errani and Flavia Pennetta, the Ital-
ians, Fed Cup winners three times in
the last five years, will instead look to
40th world ranked Karin Knapp and
84th ranked Camilia Giorgi.
The Americans too, however, are
without their top players in world num-
ber one Serena Williams and Sloane
Stephens, with youngsters Madison
Keys, Alison Riske, Christina McHale
and Lauren Davis being selected.
The dearth of top players in Cleve-
land is symptomatic of the problems
facing the Fed Cup, held in close prox-
imity to the Australian Open, with only
one player ranked in the world top 10 -
Germany’s Angelique Kerber - in action
for her country.
Opening the way timewise will be
the tie between Australia and Russia in
Sport
opposed to working the ball around for
singles and twos, and Jurgensen was
looking to change the approach.
“It is something we are continuing
to work on. We have couple of 500s
in the last 12-18 months. It is happen-
ing a lot more, but we have to work on
the critical moments of the game. We
are not quite assessing those times.
We lose wickets in patches. We get out
around breaks. We lack that polish, the
experience,” he said.
Meanwhile, the home side were on
the receiving end of some poor um-
piring decisions, most noticeably, the
caught behind decision that removed
Nasir Hossain and Jurgensen was not
slow to point it out.
“I think there is no doubt that some
decisions haven’t gone our way. It is a bit
disappointing. We need to look forward,
have some sort of a plan to come around
it. I have seen it for over two years now.
Unfortunately, things don’t go our way.
“It really affects the players. When
there is a 50-50 call, as a batter, you are
worried about getting hit on the pads. It is
trust. It gets missed when we have a Test
series. It doesn’t help. When we have
Why was Mushfiq fielding?
Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim
will be out of action for a period after
sustaining a fracture to the little finger
of his left hand on the first day of the
ongoing Test against Sri Lanka.
Mushfiq, who incurred the injury in
taking a ball from paceman Al-Amin,
was excluded from the T20 series
against Sri Lanka and has also not been
confirmed for the ODI series.
Mushfiq did not take his usual place
behind the stumps on the second day,
as part-time keeper Shamsur Rahman
– who missed a number of chances –
deputized. However, the captain did
bat with Bangladesh in trouble and
scored 20.
The letter, sent to the ICC’s Dubai
headquarters on February 5, states that
one of the objects for which the ICC
was established was to regulate and
promote the game worldwide “in co-
operation with its members”.
However, Dharmadasa argued the
proposed changes take away power
from the 10 full members and vest it
“in an inordinately disproportionate
manner in just three full members,
namely the boards of India, England
and Australia”.
“The purported resolutions also
have the effect of taking a dispropor-
tionately large share of the funding
available from the ICC and distributing
it among these three full members,”
Dharmadasa added.
“This is contrary to the equal rev-
enue share model that is enshrined in
the constitution.”
The other major proposed change
is the end of the current Future Tours
Programme, designed to give all 10
leading countries a regular diet of in-
ternational cricket, and a return to ‘bi-
lateral’ series. l
Hobart, Tasmania, but again the Rus-
sians, losing finalists last year, have
been shorn of their big names.
Maria Sharapova, currently in So-
chi for the Winter Olympics, has opted
out and instead the Russians, who last
won the Fed Cup in 2008, have gone
with four almost unknown players, the
(L-R) Slovakia's team Matej Liptak, Jana Cepelova, Magdalena Rybarikova, Daniela
Hantuchova, Dominika Cibulkova; Germany's team Angelique Kerber, Andrea Petkovic,
Julia Georges, Anna-Lena Gronefeld, captain Barbara Rittner pose after official match
draw in Bratislava yesterday
Saturday, February 8, 2014
a young team, we need to handle those
situations better. We might have had
some decisions that didn’t go our way,
but sometimes we play shots, should Na-
sir have played that with four overs to go?
It was a questionable decision but why
are we playing that type of shot at critical
times of the day,” the Australian said.
However the 37-year old is still
hopeful as he said that Bangladesh
needs to bat the whole day and needs
to come out strong, “It hasn’t quite
gone to plan from the toss in the first
Test. We need to come out strong and
bat the whole day. We have done it in
the first innings when we batted for a
day and a bit. We have had a good start,
Tamim and Shuvo have looked good.”
Looking back, Jurgensen pinpointed
Bangladesh’s inability to hold the fort
on the third day as a crucial point in the
game. “A lot of the things haven’t quite
gone for us. We lost wickets at crucial
times, but we also got a bad one last
night. If we were 5 or 6 wickets down,
we could have pushed on today. Things
would have been different, and we
could have put a lot more pressure on
Sri Lanka,” he said. l
After the third day Vibhav Singh
the physio of the Bangladesh team
informed that Mushfiq is unlikely to
keep wickets when the Tigers came
out to field, “I will see how Razzak bats
in the first innings tomorrow, see how
he turns while running. I will assess
Mushfiqur on a day-to-day basis, but
he is unlikely to keep wickets tomor-
row.” He said on Thursday.
Though Mushfiq did not keep, he
did take the field as captain. At one
point on the fourth day, the physio
came onto the field to spray his finger,
which was causing him pain whenever
he grabbed the ball.
The question is why did Mushfiq
field if there are concerns about his in-
jury and he has been left out of the T20
Kirsten rules
himself out of
England running
South African Gary Kirsten has said he
does not want to be considered for the
job of England team director because
of personal reasons.
The 46-year-old had been tipped by
many as a potential replacement for
Andy Flower, who resigned last week
to allow the team to rebuild after their
disastrous tour of Australia, where
they lost the Test series 5-0.
The England and Wales Cricket
Board (ECB) are said to be looking for
someone who can lead the team in all
three formats of the game, but former
batsman Kirsten said his personal situ-
ation meant he could not be the man
for the job.
“It would have been a great chal-
lenge, it’s a high-profile sport. When-
ever I’ve toured England I’ve always
been amazed by the following,” he told
Sky Sports.
“It’s a pressurised sport and I think
Andy Flower over many years did an
exceptional job. l
highest ranked of whom is 18-year-old
Victoria Kan, the world number 158.
The Australians, at least are able to call
on top player Samantha Stosur, backed
by Casey Dellacqua and Ashleigh Barty.
“We haven’t had a home tie for a
while so it’s nice to be able to play in
Australia,” said Dellacqua. “We have
AFP
Sri Lanka batsman Dinesh Chandimal celebrates his century against Bangladesh during
the fourth day of their second Test at ZACS yesterday
series, keeping in mind big events like
the Asia Cup and T20 World Champion-
ship are just around the corner. A pos-
sible reason is stand-in captain Tamim
Iqbal’s defensive tactics on the second
day, which allowed Sangakkara to
add 182 runs with the last three wick-
ets, were ineffective and Mushfiq was
needed to run strategy.
With Tamim leading, at one point
most of the fielders were on the bound-
ary, allowing Sangakkara to ease his
way to a triple hundred. Tamim’s deci-
sion to not pressure the Sri Lankan star
raised eyebrows in many quarters.
Tamim had previously served as
Shakib al Hasan’s vice-captain but his
lack of experience at leading the side
on the field showed. l
Perth Scorchers players celebrate winning the Big Bash League after the final against
Hobart Hurricanes in Perth yesterday
Scorchers clinch Big Bash title
The third time was a charm for the
Perth Scorchers as they claimed their
first BBL title with a dominant 39-run
win over the Hobart Hurricanes at their
home ground.
The Scorchers victory was set up by
some extraordinary hitting from the
Marsh brothers. Shaun, who was not
deemed fit to fly to South Africa for
Australia’s Test tour, produced an un-
beaten 63 from just 43 balls whilst his
younger brother Mitchell belted 37 off
12 to power the Scorchers to a match-
got some experience of playing down
in Hobart so looking forward to that tie.
“I really like the pace (of the court)
there. Hobart is a great city. It’s really
nice and the people are lovely so i think
it’s a great spot for us to play Russia.
The strongest team lineup looks to be
for Slovakia who have Australian Open
runner-up Dominika Cibulkova and the
veteran Daniela Hantuchova in harness
for the tie against Germany in Bratislava.
The Slovakians will be out to go at
least one better than last year when
they held a 2-0 lead over Russia in the
semi-finals before losing 3-2.
World number nine Kerber heads
the German challenge and she has
strong backing from Andrea Petkovic
and Julia Goerges as they target a first
Fed Cup title win since 1992. l
FIXTURES
US v Italy in Cleveland
Spain v Czech in Seville
Slovakia v Germany in Bratislava
Australia v Russia in Hobart
15
MUMIT M
Nadal withdraws from
Buenos Aires event
World number one Rafael Nadal has
withdrawn from next week’s ATP tour-
nament in Buenos Aires because of a
lingering back injury, the Spaniard an-
nounced on Thursday.
“I wanted to make an announce-
ment that really fills me with sadness.
I will not be able to play in the tourna-
ment in Buenos Aires,” Nadal said.
“Since I came back from the Austra-
lian Open with my back injury I have
not been able to train.
“It is impossible for me to prepare
properly for a tournament as important
as Buenos Aires, so very unfortunately
I have to take this decision.” l
winning total.
Jason Behrendorff and Man of the
Match Brad Hogg both bowled su-
perbly, picking up two wickets each to
ensure the Hurricanes fell well short of
their target. l
BRIEF SCORE
Perth Scorchers 4 for 191
Shaun Marsh 63, Simmons 45
Hobart Hurricanes 7 for 152
Bailey 58, Hogg 2-17, Thomas 2-23,
Behrendorff 2-24
Perth Scorchers won by 39 runs
Usha continue
winning, Abahani
squash Ajax
Usha Krira Chakra continued their win-
ning streak in the Green Delta Insur-
ance Premier Division Hockey League
by crushing Sadharon Bima 4-0 in the
super league at the Bangabandhu Na-
tional Stadium yesterday.
Penalty corner specialist Mamunur
Rahman Chayan scored twice from
penalty corners while Krishna Kumar
added two more from the field.
Meanwhile, Pakistani midfielder
Abdul Hashim Khan slammed a hat-
trick as Abahani Limited humbled Ajax
Sporting Club 13-1 in the day’s first
match at the same venue.
Along with Hashim’s hattrick, an-
other Pakistani Kashif Ali netted three
goals while Puskor Khiso Mimo and
Romman Sarkar added two each for the
Sky Blues. Ameer Shahzada, Musa Mia
and Hasan Jubaer Niloy also scored one
apiece. Md Rahat Sarowar netted the
consolation for Ajax. l
16
Free treatment for FFs
at public hospitals
n Moniruzzaman Uzzal
The health ministry has recently in-
structed all public and semi-public
hospitals across the country to provide
free medical services to freedom fight-
ers and their family members.
In an emergency circular on January
28, the ministry issued directives for
each hospital to keep a dedicated cabin
reserved for freedom fighters and their
relatives, as well as providing them all
available medicines and examination
facilities free-of-cost.
The instructions also called for hos-
pital authorities to arrange ambulance
transport for the freedom fighters who
were unable to come to the hospital be-
cause of their illness.
The circular, signed by the minis-
try’s Senior Assistant Secretary Nurun-
nahar, said it was a moral obligation
to ensure the medical services for the
freedom fighters, as their devotion and
sacrifice paved the way for Bangla-
desh’s independence.
Sources said Health Minister Mo-
hammed Nasim also instructed minis-
try officials to monitor and supervise
whether the instructions were being
Jute packaging law drive to be delayed
n Mohosinul Karim
Despite finalising the rules and regula-
tions to implement the Jute Packaging
Act 2010, which came into effect last
year, the authorities have no immediate
plans to enforce the law meant to protect
the environment, an official source said.
On the other hand, the jute and tex-
tile ministry plans to run a campaign to
create public awareness about the law
in the first phase of an implementation
programme.
A drive to enforce the law and punish
offenders would begin in a second phase.
“It would not be possible to imple-
ment the law hurriedly as most people
are unaware of it. If we try to enforce
the law in the first phase, we might
fail,” Jute and Textile Secretary Phani
Bhoushon Choudhury told the Dhaka
Tribune recently.
The secretary said the ministry
would begin a campaign soon through
posters, leaflets and TV advertisements
to inform the public about the law and
A team of Canadians touches the finishing line in a token rickshaw race in front of the Canadian High Commission at Baridhara in the
capital yesterday. The race was organised by the Acid Survivors Foundation
Two Android apps on Language Movement
n Faisal Mahmud
Honouring our glorious Language
Movement, two software companies
have released two mobile apps for the
Android platform.
The Ethics Advanced Technology
Limited (EATL) has developed and re-
leased an app named 21 Amar based on
February 21, the Language Movement
Day that later became the International
Mother Language Day.
The Surjomukhi Limited, anoth-
er software company, created an app
called Hatekhori to teach kids Bangla
alphabet through innovative anima-
tions and graphics.
Rumon Khan, assistant manager
of EATL marketing, told the Dhaka
Tribune that through their app users
would be able to learn the glorious his-
tory of the 1952 Language Movement.
The app has a rich collection of text
and rare photographs of our Language
Movement, and histories about the
context of the cultural and political re-
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.
DHAKA TRIBUNE
followed or not.
Seeking anonymity, a senior health
ministry official said no government
could prepare a genuine list of freedom
fighters since the country’s indepen-
dence in 1971.
Different governments have so far
referred to different figures of freedom
fighters, with former state minister for
liberation war affairs Tajul Islam telling
the immediate past parliament that the
country had 125,000 living freedom
fighters.
Monthly honorariums and quotas in
government services are among some
of the government benefits enjoyed
by the country’s freedom fighters and
their children.
Several senior officials of the Di-
rectorate General of Health Ser-
vices (DGHS) said freedom fighters
are denied easy access to public and
semi-public healthcare services, de-
spite having played a significant role in
earning the country its independence.
They said most freedom fighters
were suffering from ageing complica-
tions and various non-communicable
diseases like cancer, diabetes, kidney
failure, diseases of the liver, heart etc.
the penalties for violators.
But it might take some time to actu-
ally enforce the law, he added.
“Finally, an enforcement drive
would be conducted under the mobile
court act. The home and public admin-
istration ministries will help us do it,”
Phani Bhoushon said. “Plastic bag man-
ufacturers would be brought to book
during the drive to remove illegal plas-
tic bags from the market,” he added.
Three years after passing the law
that made mandatory the use of jute
packaging for six essential items, the
government finally began implement-
ing the law from January 1, 2013.
The secretary said, “It would be pos-
sible to eradicate illegal plastic bags,
which are destroying the environment,
after conducting the campaign and the
drive. It will help the authorities to en-
sure the use of jute packaging for six
essential products.”
The products include paddy, rice,
wheat, maize, sugar and fertilisers.
Phoni Bhoushon said the consump-
volt of the 50s, the beginning of move-
ment. It also contains brief biographies
of the language martyrs.
The app has embedded popular
songs on the theme of Language Move-
ment – Ora amar mukher bhasha kaira
nite chay, Amar bhaiyer rokte rangano
ekushey February, Moder gorob moder
asha – with lyrics.
Users could also watch video docu-
mentaries on the Language Movement
through Youtube links in the applica-
tion, said Rumon.
App developer Subrata Kumar Mo-
hanto told the Dhaka Tribune that he had
also incorporated the facility to share
wallpapers, pictures and other contents
of the app by using the social network.
Fida Haq, CEO of the Surjomukhi
Limited that has developed the app
Hatekhori, said: “In our childhood, we
used to learn Bangla alphabet with the
help of slate and ‘khori’ [white chalk].
But those days are gone now.”
Little children of these days were
more eager to play with gadgets such as
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Back Page
Many freedom fighters do not have
enough money to avail necessary
high-level medical attention, and are
forced to face disappointment when
they seek free healthcare from public
hospitals.
A separate circular was reportedly
issued earlier to ensure healthcare for
freedom fighters.
The Dhaka Tribune has learned that
the Dhaka Medical College Hospital
authorities keep one cabin (two single
beds) reserved for freedom fighters;
but a recommendation letter from the
Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust is required
to receive treatment at the cabin.
However, the hospital provides free
medical examination if the freedom
fighters can show papers to confirm
their identity.
Dr Musfiqur Rahman, deputy direc-
tor of the DMCH, told the Dhaka Tribune
that cabins could not be provided for all
freedom fighters, as there were only a
limited number of beds compared to the
number of freedom fighters.
Other hospitals also have similar
facilities, but freedom fighters or their
family members allegedly fail to avail
them easily. l
tion of locally produced and environ-
ment-friendly jute packaging was like-
ly to increase with the implementation
of the law.
As a result, farmers would get en-
couraged to produce more jute for finan-
cial gains, he said. The demand for jute
would also go up in the global market.
According to ministry data, around
400 million jute bags and sacks would
be required annually for packaging the
six essential products.
The state-owned Bangladesh Jute
Mills Corporation (BJMC) would be
able to provide 50 percent of the total
requirement, while private jute mills
would supply the rest.
The mandatory jute packaging act
was enacted in October 2010. The rules
under the law were framed last June to
promote the use of jute bags in place of
synthetic or plastic ones.
According to the law, if the listed
essential products are not packaged in
jute bags or sacks, the people involved
would be fined or jailed. l
MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
mobile phones and tabs, he said. “Con-
sidering that fact, many western compa-
nies have developed educational apps. I
wanted to do the same for our country by
developing an app which will help chil-
dren learn Bangla alphabet through fun.”
The app has options to teach children
the basic alphabet, creating words using
those alphabets and, finally, construct-
ing sentences with those words. The
whole process is accompanied by beau-
tiful illustrations suitable for children.
“Four developers have relentlessly
worked for a year to develop the app. It
is our homage to the glorious Language
Movement.” l
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Thousands of book lovers throng the Ekushey Book Fair yesterday, the first weekend since the book fair began
Visitors, buyers throng the fair
173 new books published
n Ahmed Zayeef
A popular
destination on
a public holiday,
the Amar
Ekushey Book
AMAR EKUSHEY
Fair assumed
a festive look
B O O K FA I R 2 0 1 4 yesterday as
thousands of
visitors from all over the country walked
into the fair.
The area from Doel Chattar to TSC was
abuzz with visitors queuing up in front
of the Bangla Academy premises. The
entrance of Suhrawardi Udyan, the other
beholder of the fair this year, also remained
crowded.
Shoriful Islam, a class 11 student of
Junab Ali College in Comilla came to
the fair with his friend Forhad Hossain.
With packets full of books in both hands,
Shoriful said: “I along with six of my friends
have opened a youth club together back in
my village, called the Social Work House.
We have planned to build a library there for
young people. So we have come here to
College girl set
on fire by stalker
n Our Correspondent, Dinajpur
A college girl was set on fire, allegedly
by a stalker, yesterday in Hakimpur un-
der Dinajpur.
The girl, Joli Akter Tuli, had complet-
ed her HSC at Mangalbari Degree Col-
lege in Joypurhat, and the stalker, Abu
Sayem, was a married man. Both were
residents of the Joypurhat sadar area.
Sayem used to tease the girl on the
streets, and also threatened to kidnap
her. According to family sources, she
was at her maternal uncle’s house at
Chandipur under Hakimpur, for safety.
Police sources said the alleged stalk-
er poured petrol through the tin-shed
roof of her uncle’s house yesterday at
dawn, and then set it on fire.
The girl received major burn injuries
on her body. She was sent to Joypurhat
Adhunik Hospital, and later transferred
to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Her maternal grandmother also re-
ceived burn injuries in the attack. l
buy books for the library.”
Both of them came to the fair from
Potnoi village of Chandina upazila under
Comilla district.
“We have collected money from the
villagers. We have bought novels, poetry
and religious books. If we can collect more
money then we will visit the fair again,” he
added.
A total of 173 new books came in yester-
day, the seventh day of the fair, including
Mohit Kamals “Poth vroshto ghurnir
krishno gohobor” from Bidya Prokash and
Biswajit Ghos’s “Oshesh Rabindranath”
from Nandonik publishers.
A total of 463 books have been pub-
lished during the first week of the fair until
yesterday.
According to the previous announce-
ment of Bangla Academy, the fair opened
at 11am. Although the number of visitors
remained sparse during the first few hours,
by evening the air inside the fair premises
became heavy with presence of a large
number people.
Helal Uddin who came to the fair with
his family was finding it difficult to move
amid the crowd. However, he said: “As it is
Mousumi to miss SSC exam
n Our Correspondent, Kurigram
Mousumi looks at her right hand and
cries out loud saying that she would
not be able to sit for the SSC examina-
tions this year.
Rehana Akhter, elder sister to Mou-
sumi Akhter, 15, made the comment to
the Dhaka Tribune while describing the
present condition of her sister.
Unidentified miscreants hacked
Mousumi’s father Sultan Ali, 60, moth-
er Hajera Begum, 45, her nieces Ani-
ka, 7, and Rumana Pervin, 15, to death
on the midnight of January 14. Mousu-
mi was also left gravely injured in the
attack.
Mousumi, an SSC examinee from
Dholdanga High School, who is under-
going treatment at Rangpur Medical
College Hospital, cannot take part in
the examination scheduled to begin
from February 9 as she has yet to fully
recover.
Doctors said Mousumi was not in a
condition to take examinations.
US military funds Mission
Impossible ‘vanishing’ tech
n BBC
The US military is funding a project to
develop electronics that can self-de-
struct like the secret messages in the
Mission Impossible TV show.
Darpa, the US Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency, has awarded
computing giant IBM a $3.5m (£2.1m)
contract to work on its Vanishing
Programmable Resources (VAPR)
project.
It is looking to develop a class of
“transient” electronics that can be de-
stroyed by remote control.
The kit could be used in combat
zones.
IBM’s proposal involves the use of a
radio frequency trigger that could shat-
ter a glass coating on a silicon chip and
turn it into powder.
“A trigger, such as a fuse or a reactive
metal layer will be used to initiate shat-
DHAKA TRIBUNE
a public holyday, all of us came together.
This is a great opportunity to hang out.”
Syed Zakir Hossain, publisher of Ador
Prokashoni said: “We became frustrated
to see thin presence of visitors at the
beginning of the fair. We thought as the
area has been extended this year it might
take a while for the fair to gain momentum.
However, seeing such huge presence of
visitors today we feels relieved.”
Noted author Imdadul Haq Milon who
came to the fair yesterday for the first time
this year, said: “I am overwhelmed to see-
ing presence of thousands of readers.”
A discussion titled “Gonotontrer tin
shotru: durniti, shamprodaikota, dhormio”
was held at the central stage with Mejor
General (retd) Abdur Rashid and Masuda
Vatti as keynote speakers.
Presided over by Professor Borhan
Uddin Khan Jahangir, the programme
was attended by Professor Imtiaz Ahmed,
and Mejor General (retd) Mohammod Ali
Shikder among others.
Yesterday a painting competition for
children was also held at the Bangla Acad-
emy premises, participated by 691 children
in three sections. l
Dr Shahnur Alam, who is overseeing
Mousumi’s recovery, told the Dhaka
Tribune that she received serious inju-
ries to her head, shoulders and hands,
adding that the fingers on her right
hand were cut and the trauma on her
head was rather serious.
Rehana Akhter said, considering
Mousumi’s current physical and psy-
chological condition, they had not yet
informed her about the deaths of her
other family members.
Rakib Ahmed, Mousumi’s brother-
in-law, said the law enforcers were yet
to identify the killers, and expressed
concern: “We don’t feel secure.”
Headmaster of Dholdanga High
School Riazul Islam told the Dhaka Tri-
bune that Mousumi is a talented stu-
dent and that the teachers hoped she
would perform well.
He also said: “All examinees
except Mousumi have taken their
admit cards. We look at her admit
card and think that what a tragic life
she’s had!” l
tering, in at least one location, on the
glass substrate,” the US government
said in its grant award notice.
Darpa wants to develop large distrib-
uted networks of sensors that can col-
lect and transmit data for a limited pe-
riod and then be destroyed instantly to
prevent them falling into enemy hands.
VAPR tech could also have applica-
tions in medical diagnosis and treat-
ment, Darpa believes, if sensors can be
developed that the body can reabsorb.
The Pentagon’s research arm also
granted $2.1m to Xerox company, Palo
Alto Research Center (Parc) – a spe-
cialist in bioinformatics and large-area
electronics.
Its proposed solution is similar to
IBM’s and relies on the materials being
engineered under stress, so that when
an electrical signal is received, the cir-
cuit crumbles into dust instantly as the
stress is released. l