e_Paper 11-12-2016

SECOND EDITION
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016 | Agrahayan 27, 1423, Rabiul Awwal 10, 1438 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 224 | www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10
Ruling party blamed for Korail fire › 2
Biochar: An eco-friendly
fertiliser › 32
PM: Migration is about the
prosperity of all people › 5
Workers dogged by dust and disease › 3

2
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
News
LEAD STORY
Ruling party blamed for Korail fire
• Abu Hayat Mahmud
The recent fire in Gulshan’s Korail
slum was not an accident, the affected
dwellers claim, alleging that
it was a deliberate act perpetrated by
the ruling party men to evict them.
The perpetrators include some
opportunist leaders of the Awami
League and its associate bodies
who are to be blamed for the devastating
fire that razed over 500 shanties
affecting around 1,000 families
on December 4 – the second fire incident
in nine months.
The victims claim that they will
be evicted from the land as the government
wants to establish an ICT
village here, referring to previous
eviction attempts by different government
agencies with the help of
the ruling party supporters.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, a
CBA leader in Korail slum said that
some of the culprits were involved
with HM Ershad’s Jatiya Party and
the BNP.
“They have always been acting
against the interests of the slum
people to free the land considering
that they will get flats in the
rehabilitation project proposed by
the government,” the leader said,
seeking anonymity, but refused
to name the leaders of the Awami
League, BNP and Jatiya Party.
He said: “All the slum leaders
are involved with the three political
parties and linked to each other.
All of them are collecting money
from the tenants. They have made
a lot of money and own properties
outside the slum. Their main agenda
is to motivate the slum people
leave the place.
“I have no doubt that the government
will be free the land very
soon.”
During a visit to the slum Thursday,
at least a dozen people of the
slum echoed the CBA leader while
talking to the Dhaka Tribune. However,
they referred this reporter to
talk to freedom fighter Md Idris
Khan, a leader of the local Awami
League and Korail bazar committee,
as they say he knows many
things about the latest fire and the
government plans.
Idris owns 24 tin-shed rooms in
Boubazar area in the Korail slum,
but all of his establishments were
burnt to ashes during the fire.
When contacted, the 62-yearold
denied his involvement with
politics and the bazaar committee.
“The latest fire was a conspiracy; it
was not an accident.
“The government does not want us
to live here. They have plans to establish
an ICT park; they recently banned
boats in Gulshan Lake and blocked all
the connecting roads to the slum; repeated
attempts were made to evict
the slum dwellers since 2012.”
He claimed that the same gang
If anyone lives in an abandoned land 10 to 12
years, he or she becomes an owner of the land.
We have been living here for more than 30
years. Where will we go now? Should we go to
the jungle?
Korail slum dwellers sit in despair after their houses were burnt to ashes last Sunday
had torched the slum for the second
time this year.
The Korail slum houses thousands
of poor people engaged in
different sectors including garments,
transportation, construction,
land development, waste
management and small industries.
But the government never took any
effective step to ensure better living
for these people.
“Had the government arranged
any alternative to our livelihood
and residence, we would have believed
that the government is sympathetic
towards us. I think the
government should clear its stance
about us.” Idris said.
Reply to another query Idris Ali
denied the government proposal
for rehabilitation in any other alternative
place.
“If anyone lives in an abandoned
land 10 to 12 years, he or she
becomes an owner of the land. We
have been living here for more than
30 years. Where will we go now?
Should we go to the jungle?
“For instance, the government
wants us to shift us Gazipur. But
will we do there? Will we cut trees
and sell those in the market? No, it
is not possible,” he said.
Origin of fire still unclear
The slum dwellers gave conflicting
information about the source of
fire. Some claimed that the fire had
started from a gas stove at a local
shop. Another group of locals alleged
that it had originated from a
shop named Samad Bedding Store
on Boubazar Road, owned by Samad
Khan, a businessman hailing
from Gopalganj.
According to another version,
Rakib, the owner of a studio in the
same area, went to Samad’s shop
smoking a cigarette on that day.
He left the shop immediately after
throwing the cigarette in a sack full
of cotton – causing the fire. Samad
was in his village home on that day.
Rakib, however, refuted the allegation
when contacted. The law
enforcers have not arrested anyone
in connection with the fire.
Fire Service and Civil Defence
Deputy Director Showkat Hassan
binned the allegations that the ruling
party men had been behind the
fire to help the government evict
the slum dwellers.
“Some people are spreading
rumours against the government.
This is rubbish ... Had there been
any conspiracy or plot, the fire
would have originated from multiple
points. Why will the government
commit such a criminal act?
“The fire originated from a bedding
store,” he claimed.
Also chief of the tree-member investigation
committee to look into
the fire, Showkat said that they would
submit the report by tomorrow.
Ban on boats was the beginning?
The residents of Korail slum have
been in fear of eviction since hearing
that the government was planning
to recover the land to beef up
security in the wake of the July 1
Gulshan terror attack.
The ICT Division has plans to set
up a high-tech park under the Private
Sector Development Support Project
in the 19-hectare land of the slum.
The slum people have gone
through several eviction attempts
by the government in the form of
disconnection of utility services.
The World Bank and the Department
for International Development
(DFID) are funding the hightech
park project.
According to the 2011 census,
around 40,700 people lived in Korail,
the biggest slum in Dhaka.
A report of the Economic Empowerment
of the Poorest (EEP)
ABU HAYAT MAHMUD
published in 2012 shows that more
than 20,000 families reside in Korail.
The previous fire incident of
March destroyed over 50 shanties
and injured several people.
‘Korail fire pre-planned’
A senior leader of the Communist
Party of Bangladesh (CPB) alleged
that the fire at Korail slum was part
of a conspiracy to evict the dwellers.
During a visit to the slum on
Thursday, CPB Adviser Manzurul
Ahsan Khan told the Dhaka Tribune
that the local criminals backed by the
ruling party had set fire to the slum.
“Such conspiracies will not
be successful. If the government
wants to shift the slum people,
they should arrange rehabilitation
first. And the police must find the
criminals and take legal action
against them,” he added.
Addressing the ruling Awami
League leaders, Gonoforum President
Dr Kamal Hossain said: “Now stop
plundering using the party name. Try
to work for the poor and slum people.”
The veteran politician said that
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman had always been a friend
of the poor. “You [AL leaders and
supporters] should follow his path.
“I took stand in favour of the
slum people during the tenure of
the government of HM Ershad. If
the incumbent government takes
further attempt to evict the Korail
people without rehabilitation, I
will take further legal steps against
any illegal action of the government,”
Dr Kamal said. •

CHILD LABOUR AT SYLHET STONE QUARRIES
News 3
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
Workers dogged by dust and disease
DT
• Mohammad Jamil Khan, back
from Sylhet
In front of the small tin-shed office
of Joydul Stone Crusher on the
bank of Piyan River, 45-year-old
Mohon Miah sat under the shed
and vacantly looked on as some
young boys wearing masks worked
hard under the sun.
Suddenly, one of the boys fell to
the ground while carrying a heavy
load up from the bank. Tears rolled
down Mohon Mia’s face at the sight.
He explained to this correspondent
that two of the boys working at
the quarry were his. Akram, 12, and
Sagor, 16, had started out that same
day after the family had gone three
days without any income.
Why was he letting his sons
work even though he seemed
strong enough?
“I am not doing this because it
suits my fancy,” Mohon replied angrily.
“My neck swells if I try to pick
up anything heavy because I have
been carrying stones since my
childhood. Besides I have some
breathing problems,” he explained.
This is not a unique case in
Sylhet’s stone quarries. All over
Jaflong and Bholaganj, which are
stone quarry areas, a majority of
locals are employed in the industry
and face short and long-term occupational
health hazards throughout
their lives.
According to the register of
Gowainghat Health Complex, at
least 10,000 patients take treatment
from the complex every
month, 90% of whom come with
scabies, diarrhoea, pneumonia,
asthma and Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
The stone extraction industry
in this border region in Sylhet
employed about 500,000 people
until recently. The numbers have
Child workers at a stone quarry in Jaflong, Sylhet
dropped since a government ban
on extraction.
Dr Rehan Uddin, in-charge of
Gowainghat Health Complex, told
the Dhaka Tribune that the dust
created during stone crushing was
one of the chief sources of health
problems for locals.
“The stone workers develop
COPD or Asthma due to the heavy
dust problem.
“Besides, we receive a huge
number of child patients, suffering
mostly from pneumonia and diarrhoea,”
he said, adding that at least
60% of the complex’s patients were
below 18.
For some of the patients these
conditions are fatal. Dr Rehan said
of the 13 patients who died in their
hospital last year, four died for
COPD and seven others from water-borne
diseases.
He could not produce the numbers
for deaths in the previous
years, having joined the complex
recently.
Besides, almost 90% of the people
suffering from illnesses do not
seek proper treatment for their ailments.
A study on the stone quarries
conducted in 2014 by Assistant Professor
Assraf Seddiky of Sylhet’s
Shahjalal University of Science and
Technology shows that of the stone
quarry workers, 28.34% seek treatment
from traditional healers such
DHAKA TRIBUNE
as ‘Kabiraj’ or ‘Jharphuk’ while
57.50% go to local medicine stores
and hack doctors.
Assraf Seddiky told the Dhaka
Tribune that most of the people
in this area were living in a highly
hazardous environment.
“They drink the water from the
same river where their sewage is
also being dumped,” he said.
The air in the locality is filled
with heavy dust, resulting in
lung infections. This and the water-borne
diseases resulted in a
number of deaths, he said.
Another big problem in the area
was malnutrition, said Assraf.
“When I conducted this study,
98% of the workers I interviewed
told me they only take one meal a
day.”
In Mamar Bazar, a commercial
area in Jaflong at the entrance of the
stone quarry, this correspondent
found at least 18 medicine stores.
Most of the stone quarry workers
live around this place. Almost each
medicine store had a large number
of customers, who were buying diarrhoea
and cold medicines without
any prescription.
Jaflong is at least 20km away
from Gowainghat where the health
complex is located.
The visit was organised by
Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum
(BSAF), funded by Terre des
Hommes.
Md Makbul, owner of Makbul
Pharmacy, told the Dhaka Tribune
that as the stone extraction is off
now there were fewer customers at
his store.
“We are getting 30 patients daily
now-a-days, of whom 10 come to
us for different kinds of pain while
about three or four children come
with diarrhoea or a cold.
“They are so poor they have no
money to see a doctor, but we try
to serve them by providing medicine,”
he said.
Is he qualified to prescribe medicine
to people?
“We don’t know much but we
provide treatment and they feel
better and can get back to their
work, that’s it,” replied the man.
Dr MA Halim, owner of Jaflong
Pharmacy, said most of the people
in the area suffered from water-borne
diseases and dust-related
problems.
“Almost half of the patents are
below 18 and about one-third are
children. If the government does
not think about alternative employment
for the people in this
area, it will be difficult to stop this
practice,” he added. •
‘Power sector needs better governance’
• Aminur Rahman Rasel
Bangladesh needs to improve the
governance of its power and energy
sector, said Singaporean energy expert
Siaw Kiang Chou at a seminar
in Dhaka.
The executive director of the
Energy Studies Institute at National
University of Singapore,
also a professor at the university’s
department of mechanical engineering,
made the remark while
speaking at the seminar titled “International
Best Practices in Power
and Energy Sector: Lessons for
South Asia and Bangladesh” on the
last day of Power and Energy Week
2016 yesterday.
The seminar, held at a city hotel,
was organised by the Institute for
Policy, Advocacy and Governance.
Addressing the seminar, Chou
said there were lots of opportunities
in Bangladesh to work on
renewable energy, but the sector
had not expanded to the extent yet
where the opportunities could be
properly utilised.
Reasons behind this issue must be
found out and the government should
pay attention in this regard, he said.
He said in order to increase energy
efficiency by 50%, Bangladesh
would have to increase the number
of combined cycle power plants.
Ravi Segal, managing director
of General Electric India who also
spoke at the seminar, said in order
to reach the government’s goal of
100% electrification by 2021, Bangladesh
needed to adopt best international
practices, strengthening
regional power-sharing arrangements
to achieve energy security
and sustainable energy in future.
He further said huge investment
was required for the construction
of power plants in Bangladesh, and
exchanging power regionally would
also be a good option for the country.
Meanwhile, during the closing ceremony
of Power and Energy Week,
State Minister for Power, Energy and
Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said
in the future Bangladesh would be a
power and energy saving country. •
CID: 23 foreigners behind BB heist
• Arifur Rahman Rabbi
Officials of Criminal Investigating
Department (CID) have identified some
23 foreigners who reportedly worked as
field operators in the Bangladesh Bank
digital heist.
Shah Alam, additional deputy
commissioner of CID (organised crime),
made the disclosure while addressing
a programme at Police Convention
Centre in Dhaka yesterday evening.
He said the 23 foreigners had
collected the heist money from a casino
in the Philippines and handed it over to
the mastermind.
“The mastermind did not take the
money directly from the casino as they
took help from the field operators,” said
the CID official.
“We are now trying to identify
the mastermind,” said Shah
Alam, coordinator of the BB heist
investigation.
The hackers managed to transfer
$81 million, via an account at the New
York Federal Reserve, to four accounts
opened with fake names at a branch of
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp in the
Philippines.
The central bank has already
recovered $15.25m from the Philippines’
anti-money laundering council and
$20m from Sri Lanka, nine months after
computer hackers stole $81m from the
central bank’s account. •

4
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
News
NHRC Chair: 2016 worst for human rights
violations all over the world
• Mahadi Al Hasnat
In terms of human rights violations,
the year 2016 is considered to be the
worst since the second world war,
Chairman of the National Human
Rights Commission (NHRC) Kazi
Reazul Haque said yesterday at a
programme in Daffodil International
University (DIU).
“Human rights are being violated
all over the world. In 2016,
we have globally experienced the
most human rights violations, on
account of the incidents in Syria,
Iraq, and Palestine as well as Bangladesh,
among others,” said Kazi
Reazul Haque, as the chief guest at
the programme.
The programme, titled Commemoration
of Human Rights Day,
was jointly organized by the United
Nations Information Center (UNIC)
and DIU In order to mark International
Human Rights Day.
Trustee Board Chairman of DIU
and the Daffodil Group Md Sabur
Khan, UNIC Officer in-Charge M
Moniruzzaman and Human Rights
Officer of the UNRC Office Md Zaid
Hossain also spoke at the event,
with DIU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr
Yousuf M Islam as chair.
The NHRC chairman defined
human rights as that which allows
someone to lead one’s life with dignity
as he said: “A person is born along
with some basic rights which cannot
be snatched by someone else, and
these rights are called human rights.”
He added that he did not believe
that the state was responsible for
human rights violations, but rather
it was a section of self-interested
individuals with power who were
responsible for the abuse.
Commenting on the breach of
human rights by influential individuals,
Rezaul said: “When lawmakers,
authorities, policemen
and influential people violate human
rights we cannot let them go,
because that is not the objective
of our constitution. The country’s
constitution repeatedly emphasises
the importance of human rights in
different articles, but we are losing
sight of this important aspect.”
He also cited the violence against
Nasirnagar’s Hindu population and
the Santal eviction as examples of
incidents where minority human
rights were senselessly violated.
“Without any fault of their own,
these people were tortured and
their homes and temples were vandalised,”
he said.
UNIC Officer in-Charge M Moniruzzaman
said: “In order to secure
the human rights of refugees and
migrants, we have launched a campaign
entitled “TOGETHER”, a UN
System-wide initiative led by the
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
which will be implemented in partnership
with members states, the
private sectors and civil society.”
UNRC Office Human Rights Officer
Md Zaid Hossain criticised the
growing influence of corporations
in state affairs, as private institutions
may be willing to subvert human
rights to advance their corporate
agendas.
Zaid said: “The corporate world,
a non-state actor, is dominating the
state nowadays. After the establishment
of theUN, it was supposed to
be that states will protect, respect
and ensure human rights. Instead, it
is seen that states themselves conduct
business and, sometimes, they
are bound to corporate offices.”
The programme also included
a seminar, poetry recitation and a
drama production by the students
of DIU. Notable Bangladeshi poets
Mohammad Samad, Ruby Rahman
and Shihab Sarker were present and
recited poetry. •
Constable found
dead in Dhaka
• Arifur Rahman Rabbi
Police recovered the body of a police
constable from Postogola Bridge in
Jurain of Dhaka yesterday evening.
The deceased police constable
was - Saddam Hossain, 22, who
attached to the Public Order Management
department of police in
Mirpur, said police.
Officer-in-charge of South
Keraniganj Police Station Monirul
Islam told the Dhaka tribune that
being informed police recovered
the dead body of Saddam from Postogola
Bridge in the evening and
sent it to Dhaka Medical College
Hospital for autopsy.
Later, we identified him as police
constable Saddam after seeing
his identity card in his pocket.
Monirul said: “Saddam was on
off-duty. There was no injury mark
on his body.”
We are into the investigation
and the case filed procedure also
underway, the OC added. •
CJ for dropping Article 116
from Constitution
• UNB
Chief Justice SK Sinha yesterday
called for dropping Article 116 from
the Constitution immediately.
“The Articles 116 and 116 (A) of
our Constitution are conflicting to
the principles of the Constitution.
So, I call for removing the Article
116,” he said.
The Chief Justice came up
with the remark while speaking
as the chief guest at a function on
Supreme Court Bar Association
(SCBA) premises.
It has become difficult to establish
the rule of law in the country
due to the existence of the Article
in the constitution, Sinha said.
About the control and discipline
of subordinate courts, the Article
116 of the present constitution stipulates:
“The control (including the
Case filed over death of youth
in Shahjahanpur slum fire
• Arifur Rahman Rabbi
A young man has been burnt to
death as fire erupted in a slum of the
Shahjahanpur area in Dhaka, on early
Saturday. Later, the family of the
deceased filed a murder case with
the local police station.
The deceased was identified as
rickshaw-puller Md Shipon, 30, son
of Kitab Ali, from the Araihajar area
in Narayanganj district, police say.
Firefighters recovered the
charred body of Shipon from the
power of posting, promotion and
grant of leave) and discipline of
persons employed in the judicial
service and magistrates exercising
judicial functions shall vest in the
president and shall be exercised by
him in consultation with the Supreme
Court.”
However, as per the constitution
of 1972, the control (including
the power of posting, promotion
and grant of leave) and discipline
of persons employed in the judicial
service was completely exercised
by the Supreme Court.
So, the Supreme Court alone
cannot promote and transfer the
judges of all courts and tribunals
subordinate to it, SK Sinha said,
adding that judges cannot be appointed
against vacant posts of
many district courts due to the dual
system. •
house after dousing the flames,
said Abdul Mabud, acting officerin-charge
(OC) of Shahjahanpur police
station.
“We are investigating the incident
for any sign of foul play,” added
the OC.
Ataur Rahman, duty officer of
the Fire Service and Civil Defence
control room, said the fire broke
out in a shanty of the slum around
3:53am. Two firefighting units
rushed to the spot and extinguished
the blaze within 25 minutes. •
Md Nazmul Quaunine, high commissioner of Bangladesh to UK, and his wife are being taken to the Buckingham Palace on a
royal carriage to present his letter of credence on December 9
COURTESY
Bangladesh HC to UK presents
credentials to Queen Elizabeth II
• Tribune Desk
Bangladesh High Commissioner to
UK Md Nazmul Quaunine presented
his credentials to Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II at the Buckingham
Palace today.
High Commissioner, Quaunine,
joined the London Mission as High
Commissioner on 28 October, 2016.
Marshal of the Diplomatic corps
Alistair Harrison, CMG, CVO came
to the Chancery to take the High
Commissioner for the Credential
Ceremony at the Buckingham Palace.
Vice Marshal of the Diplomatic
Corps Julian Evans along with other
senior officials of the palace and
foreign office welcomed the High
Commissioner.
Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps
introduced the High Commissioner
and his wife to the Queen. The
High Commissioner then formally
presented the Letter of Credence
and the Letter of Recall of his predecessor
to the Queen.
The High Commissioner conveyed
the warm greetings of President
Md Abdul Hamid and the
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to
the Queen.
High Commissioner Quaunine
said he would work to further
strengthen ties between
Bangladesh and Britain. During
the occasion, High Commissioner
introduced his officials to the
Queen. They are TM Jobaer,
minister consular, Nadeem Qadir,
minister press, Muhammad Zulqar
Nain, assistant high commissioner,
Birmingham, Ferdousi Shahiar,
assistant high commissioner,
Manchester. •

News 5
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
Police fear militant threat again
DT
• Arifur Rahman Rabbi
Law enforcers are concerned that
a militant threat may be on the horizon
following the recent spate of
high profile missing persons cases.
Over the last 10 days, nine
youths have gone missing in similar
circumstances throughout the
country. All the missing are either
studying or working in renowned
institutions, or are part of privileged
society. Coincidentally, this
matches the profile of the youths
responsible for the terrorist attack
on the Holey Artisan Bakery.
Among the nine, two were
fourth year students of Pabna Medical
College – Tanvir Ahmed Tonoy
and Jakir Hossain Biplob, missing
since November 30 and December
1. Of the others, North South University
students Safayet Hossain,
24, and Zayen Hossain Khan Pavel,
23; and Sobuj alias Sujon, 25, and
Mehedi Hasan, 27, also went missing
on December 1. They were last
seen dining together at a restaurant
in Banani. Sayeed Anwar Khan,
a Banani resident, has remained
missing since December 5, while
Care Medical College student Imran
Farhat, a resident of the Dhaka
Cantonment area, disappeared on
November 29. Finally, Ahsan Habib,
an employee of the National
Curriculum and Textbook Board
(NCTB), has been untracable since
December 6.
Among the Gulshan attackers,
almost all were part of similarly
privileged society and all disappeared
willingly. Of the deceased
militants, Nibras Islam was a
student of Monash University in
Malaysia, Rohan Imtiaz was a student
of Scholastica School, Meer
Saameh Mubasher was an 'O' Level
candidate at Sunnydale School,
Shafiqul Islam Ujjal graduated
from the Bogra Government Azizul
Haque College and Khairul Islam
Payel was a Madrasha student.
Meanwhile the Solakiya attaker
Abir Rahman was a BBA student at
North South University.
Security experts said that the
attack on the Holey restaurant
has created an atmosphere of fear
in people's minds whenever the
question of missing youths rears
up. After law enforcement drives
in the wake of the attack, the Rapid
action Battalion (RAB) published
a missing persons list with 69
youths.
Following the anti-millitancy
drives, during which a number of
militant leaders were either captured
or killed, Law enforcement
officials claimed that the militant
organisation was weakening.
However, security experts
claimed that the radicalisation process
was not stopped, despite this
weakening of the organisation. As
such, law enforceers must remain
vigilant for radicalised individuals
who may emerge in the future.
Monirul Islam, additional commissioner
and chief of the counter
terrorism and transnational crime
unit (CTTC) told the Dhaka Tribune:
“In recent days, militant outfits
have become weak organizationally
and there is no possibility
of a den remaining in Dhaka.”
However, militancy is neither
established nor removeable in a
single day, and therefore caution
and vigilance is paramount, he
added.
“We are collecting information
on the missing to find out what
happened to them” Monirul said.
Security expert Brig Gen (retd)
M Shakhawat Hossain told the
Dhaka Tribune that despite facing
major crackdown, militant groups
are still active and continue to recruit.
“These people need to be located,
whether they are still in
the country or are being trained
abroad.
“Bangladesh's internal security
will remain on a knife's edge
if these missing people can't be
found.”
While talking to the Dhaka Tribune,
another security expert Maj
Gen (retd) Abdur Rashid said the
current trend of missing youths is
similar to what happened before
the Holey Artisan attack.
“So doubts will remain on
whether they are militants or
simply left their houses for other
reasons till they are found or
located.” •
Shehzar Doja’s
‘Drift’ hits the
shelves
• Esha Aurora
People need some form of art
to fulfil a natural longing for
catharsis of the human condition,
said Shehzar Doja at the
launch of his poetry collection
yesterday.
The book which marks the
debut for the up and coming
poet, titled Drift and printed
by UPL Books and Monsoon
Letters, first generated some
hype at the Dhaka Lit Fest in
November.
The country is experiencing
a literary revival by young
Bangladeshis seeking a bigger
platform online and on print,
which Shehzar hopes will
change the level of accessibility
of art.
“We need some form of art
to self realise and self actualise
in Bangladesh,” said Shehzar,
adding that poetry was exactly
that for him.
Drift is edited by Sudeep
Sen, the editorial director of
Art Arks and the editor of Atlas
Magazine.
Monsoon Letters founder
Rubana Huq, Kazi Anis Ahmed
the publisher of Dhaka Tribune
and eminent educationist Syed
Manzurul Huq attended the
event among others. •
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with delegates of the 9th Summit of the Global Forum on Migration and Development at the
Bangabandhu International Conference Centre yesterday
BSS
PM: Migration is about the
prosperity of all people
• Tribune Desk
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
urged the international community
for a responsible response to
migrants and refugees and see the
transformative potential of migration
by introducing a framework
for governance of migration.
She made the call while inaugurating
the ninth GFMD (Global
Forum on Migration and Development)
summit held yesterday at
Bangabandhu International Conference
Centre in the city.
Some 466 representatives from
125 countries has come to attend
the three day long summit that will
end on 12 December. The summit
started with the concept “Migration
that works for Sustainable Development
for All: Towards a Transformative
Migration Agenda”.
“We need to ensure that each
migrant moves and works in dignity
and safety,” said the premier.
Migration is no longer about
“us” and “them”, it is about prosperity
and well-being of all people,
all states.
She said, people move for so any
purposes, just not for work. In a
globalized world, people will continue
to move in large numbers.
Therefore, the challenge is how we
can facilitate safe, orderly and regular
movement of people more.
Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, foreign
minister of Bangladesh, delivered
the welcome speech while
Expatriate Welfare Minister Nurul
Islam, minister for expatriates welfare
and LGRD Minister Khandker
Mosharraf Hossain were present at
the function. •
Anisul: Govt to
enact Digital
Security Act
• Kamrul Hasan
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
Minister Anisul Huq yesterday
said the government was enacting
the digital security law to put an end
to the criticism garnered by Section
57 of the Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) Act.
He made the remark following a
comment over Section 57 by speakers
at a seminar on Human Rights
Day 2016, organised by National
Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
at CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka.
He said the ICT Act was implemented
in 2006 to legalise electronic
signature in the country, and later
Section 57 was added as an amendment
in 2013. But as Section 57 is
faced with severe criticism around
the country, the government is enacting
a new law which would leave
no scope for any criticism.
About disappearances caused by
law enforcement, he said the government
would take strict actions
against extra-judicial killings or oppressive
activities by law enforcers
if sufficient information is provided.
The government is committed
to establishing the rule of law in the
country, and extra-judicial killing is
an obstacle in the way of achieving
that goal, the minister added.
Barrister M Amir-Ul Islam
presented a keynote paper in the
seminar.•
TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY
Dhaka 28 15 Chittagong 29 19 Rajshahi 27 13 Rangpur 27 12 Khulna 28 14 Barisal 28 16 Sylhet 28 11
Cox’s Bazar 30 21
DRY WEATHER
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11
DHAKA
TODAY
TOMORROW
SUN SETS 5:12PM
SUN RISES 6:31AM
YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW
31.6ºC
10.7ºC
Sitakunda
Ishwardi
Source: Accuweather/UNB
PRAYER
TIMES
Fajr: 5:50am | Zohr: 1:15pm
Asr: 4:00pm | Magrib: 5:22pm
Esha: 7:30pm
Source: Islamic Foundation

6
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
News
PRIMARY EDUCATION
Children of 4 former enclaves still in trouble
• Moajjem Hossain,
Lalmonirhat
Children of four former enclaves in
Lalmonirhat’s Patgram upazila will
have to wait another year to get rid
of their sufferings of attaining primary
schools in distant areas due
to the delay in construction work
of the schools in their localities.
However, the district administration
office claimed in their report
on the developmental work in
former enclaves that the construction
work of the schools had been
completed.
The report was sent to Prime
Minister’s Office around three
National Vitamin A+ campaign begins
• Tribune Desk
National Vitamin A + Campaign-2016
began across the country
yesterday to prevent childhood
blindness and reduce child mortality
and strengthen immunity.
In Sylhet
Our correspondent said the National
Vitamin A + Campaign began in
the city and 12 upazilas of the district
in the morning.
Sylhet City Corporation (SCC)
and Civil Surgeon Office launched
the campaign setting target to administer
vitamin A + capsules to
more than 5 lakh children under
five years of age.
The campaign began around
8am in 99 centres. A total of 2,563
outreach vaccination centres were
set up by Sylhet Civil Surgeon office.
Sylhet City Corporation (SCC)
set up 90 centres including 120 permanent
ones in its all 30 wards to
carry out the programme.
Over 3,220 supervisors in the 13
upazilas of the district would supervise
the A+ campaign at their
respective jurisdictions in the Sylhet
city and district.
A total of 2,563 vaccination centres
will be set up by Sylhet Civil
Surgeon office.
Besides 8660 volunteers and
health workers in 13 upazilas in
the district will carry out the drive
in next four days from July 16 as a
follow up programme through visiting
doorsteps of the households
to cover up dropped out children,
civil surgeon office sources said.
SCC sources said several mobile
teams consisting of 278 members
in Sylhet city and 899 members in
the district have been engaged to
feed oral vaccines to the children
at rail, bus and steamer stations as
well as other places.
months ago, reports our correspondent.
Bashkanta Government Primary
School at former enclave in Jongra
union and Bhotbari Government
Primary School, Latamari Government
Primary School and Panishala
Government Primary School in former
enclaves of Sreerampur union
are still under construction, according
to the upazila engineer’s office.
Among 55 former enclaves in
Patgram, the four have got the nod
of the Primary and Mass Education
Ministry for setting up the schools
in each of them, according to the
district administration office.
Firozul Alam Sarker, acting
A child receives vitamin A+ capsule from a health worker during a nationwide ‘Vitamin-A plus-2016’ campaign in Barisal city
yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE
In Barisal
The campaign began in several areas
including Mehediganj, Muladi
and Hizla upazilas of the district
in the morning, reports our correspondent.
A+ campaign was inaugurated
around 9am at Dakkin Alekandar
Jumir Khan Road in the city.
More than 3.50 lakh children under
five years of age will be administered
vitamin A + capsules under
the campaign.
Waheduzzaman, executive officer
of Barisal City Corporation,
inaugurated the programme.
In Nilphamari
Our correspondent said National
Vitamin A + Campaign started in
660 centres of six upazilas, four
municipalities and 60 union councils
of the district.
A campaign was held in the
morning around 8am at Sadar
upazila health complex. Magistrate
Anwar Imam inaugurated the
function where among others Civil
primary education officer of the
upazila, said it would not be possible
to start the schools next year,
as the construction work of the
schools and recruitment of teachers
had not been completed yet.
About the reasons behind the
delay, Abu Tayab, LGED engineer
for Patgram, said Tk2 crore 60 lakh
was allocated towards the end of
fiscal 2015-2016 for setting up the
schools.
Later, the delay was made
during selecting the sites for the
schools, in calling tenders and recruiting
conductor, he said.
Besides, monsoon and brick
crisis contributed to further delay,
Surgeon Dr Abdul Rashid, Mayor
Dewan Kamal Ahmed, Dr Abdul
Majid and Health Officer Abdul
Kadir were present.
More than 2.90 lakh children
under five years of age will be administered
vitamin A + capsules
under the campaign in the district.
In Rajshahi
National Vitamin A + Campaign began
in the city and nine upazilas of
the district in the morning.
More than 3.53 lakh children under
five years of age will be administered
vitamin A + capsules under
the campaign.
The campaign began around
8am in 2,240 centres. A total of
1,744 outreach vaccination centres
were set up by Rajshahi Civil Surgeon
office.
Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC)
set up 384 centres in 30 wards to
carry out the programme.
Over 1,152 volunteers and health
added Tayab.
Deputy Commissioner of the
district Abul Foyez Mohammad
Alauddin Khan told the Dhaka
Tribune that the construction work
of the schools was going on.
The survey on school-going
children in the former enclaves in
Sadar upazila, Hatibandha upazila
and Patgram had been done and
their admission at other existing
primary schools in the adjacent localities
had been ensured, he said.
They were also provided with
free textbooks and stipends, he
added.
There are two former enclaves
in Sadar upazila and Hatibandha
workers of RCC were engaged for
giving vitamin A + capsules to the
children aged from zero to 5 years
in the city corporation areas, reports
BSS.
Besides, 5,486 volunteers and
622 health workers and family welfare
assistants are carrying out the
works in nine upazilas of the district.
RCC Acting Mayor Nizamul
Azim launched the campaign
through administering capsule to a
baby in city bhaban premises. RCC
Ward Councilor Nazma Begum and
Chief Health Officer Dr Anzuman
Ara Begum and Divisional Coordinator
of World Health Organization
Dr Md Kamruzzaman were present
on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Divisional Director
of Health Dr Ashish Kumar Shaha
and Civil Surgeon Dr Ferdous Nilufar
inaugurated the district level
campaign at Premtali area under
Godagari upazila. •
each.
Foyez said a proposal under the
project titled ‘1500 schools in the
villages without any school’ had
been sent to the ministry for building
schools in former enclaves ‘Bhitorkuti’
in Sadar upazila and ‘Uttar
Gotamari’ in Hatibandha.
Bangladesh and India exchanged
a total of 162 enclaves on
August 1 last year with the land
boundary agreement after seven
decades of legal limbo.
Through the land swap, 111 Indian
enclaves of 17,160 acres became
Bangladeshi territory. Similarly, 51
Bangladesh enclaves of 7,110 acres
became Indian territory. •
Three picked up
in Moulvibazar
• Saiful Islam, Srimangal
A group of armed-people identifying
themselves as Rapid Action
Battalion (RAB) members allegedly
picked up three people from Amani
village in Kulaura upazila of
Moulvibazar.
The missing persons are Alkhas
Mia, 35, a resident of the village, his
younger brother Faisal Ahmed, 17,
and Ansar Ali, a resident of Bhaluka
upazila of Mymensingh.
Aftab Mia, elder brother of
Alkhas Mia, said few days ago Ansar
came to their house as a guest and
stayed there. On Thursday morning,
a team of around 10-12 armed persons
in plain clothes entered their
house identifying themselves as
RAB members and picked them up.
He said: “The plainclothes people
told us that Ansar was wanted
in a case. They were taking Alkhas
and Faisal for primary interrogation.
But the trio remained missing
since the day.”
He also alleged that RAB and
police could not inform them anything
about the trio’s whereabouts
when they visited Srimangal RAB-9
camp and Kulaura police station.
The RAB, however, denied the
allegation claiming that they did
not pick up anyone.
When contacted, Srimangal
RAB-9 camp Captain Assistant Superintendent
of Police Main Uddin
Chowdhury said: “We did not carry
out any drive at Amani village on
Thursday.”
He told that miscreants posing
them as RAB might have been abducted
the trio over previous enmity.
Abdul Malik, chairman of Tilagaon
union, said he knew about
the incident and advised victim’s
family to GD with police station.
Shamsudoha, officer-in-charge
of Kulaura police station, said: “We
do not know anything about the incident.”
•

BCL leader Diaz’s body exhumed for
the second time
• FM Mizanur Rahaman,
Chittagong
The body of Chhatra League central
committee assistant secretary
was exhumed for the second autopsy
yesterday morning as per a
Chittagong court order.
Members of Criminal Investigation
Department (CID) led by
Assistant Superintendent of Police
(ASP) Ohidur Rahman exhumed
the body of Diaz Irfan Chowdhury
from Chittagong University graveyard
around 7:30am, said campus
6-hr hartal in
Rajshahi City
today
• Abdullah Al Dulal, Rajshahi
Citizen Rights Protection Sangram
Parishad called a 6-hour hartal in
Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC)
area today demanding withdrawn
of increased holding taxes, trade
license fees and signboard fees.
Citizen Rights Protection Sangram
Parishad convener Enamul
Haque made the announcement in
a press conference yesterday.
He alleged that RCC authorities
have been collecting extra
taxes, holding and signboard fees
for long. Though local inhabitants
urged the authorities to withdraw
the increased fees several times,
RCC authorities did not hear their
demands.
In this case, we are compelled
to call a 6-hour hartal from 6am
to 12pm to fulfill our demands, he
said.
He also urged all people of the
city to success the hartal. •
Fakhrul demands army deployment
• Tanveer Hossain, Narayanganj
BNP Secretary General Mirza
Fakhrul Islam Alamgir demanded
army deployment in Narayanganj
City Corporation (NCC) polls,
scheduled on December 22.
The BNP leader came up with
his demand yesterday while
he was campaigning for party
candidate Shakhawat Hossain in
Narayanganj.
Fakhrul said: “Nobody is safe
under this government which has
trampled democracy and basic
rights.”
He also said: “The people
are being denied the right to
vote. The future of the national
election depends on this (NCC)
election.”
Last week, most of mayoral
sources.
Earlier, the court of Judicial
Magistrate Shiplu Kumar Dey directed
the CID to exhume the body
of Diaz after Investigation Officer
ASP Ohidur sought order for conducting
a second postmortem.
The court also asked authorities
concerned to form a three-member
committee headed by chief of forensic
department at Dhaka Medical
College Hospital and conduct
the second autopsy, court sources
said.
ASP Ohidur Rahman told the
candidates sought army
deployment during a discussion
with Election Commissioner Jabed
Ali, for a fair election.
Meanwhile, after meeting law
enforcement agencies, Chief
Election Commissioner Kazi
Rakibuddin Ahmad said there was
no need to deploy the army in the
NCC polls.
Ruling Awami League candidate
News 7
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
Dhaka Tribune: “The body of Diaz
was exhumed in presence of assistant
commissioner (land) of Hathazari,
his family members and a
team of Hathazari police.”
“The body was later taken to
DMCH in Dhaka to perform the
autopsy and its report will be produced
before the court as early as
possible”, added ASP Ohidur.
Diaz, former joint secretary of
Chittagong University BCL unit, was
found dead in his flat located near
CU Gate 2 area on November 20.
After the incident, his family
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir joins an election campaign event for the party’s Mayoral Candidate
Sakhawat Hossain for NCC at Narayanganj’s Mid Town area yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Selina Hayat Ivy is believed to be
the favourite candidate. She had
won the maiden NCC polls in 2012
to become the first woman to hold
the city corporation mayor’s office
in Bangladesh.
Fakhrul went to the city BNP
office in the morning and interacted
with the media. He accompanied
party candidate Shakhawat and
activists of the BNP-led 20-party
alliance as they paraded through
key roads in the city.
The BNP secretary general said
he hoped the people would make
the “right decision” and vote for
the BNP candidate.
BNP-backed mayoral candidate
Shakhawat Hossain alleged that
Narayanganj constituency 4
Lawmaker and Awami League
leader Shamim Osman violated
and fellow BCL men claimed that
it was a preplanned murder by his
rivals. However, the first postmortem
reports published on November
23 stated that Diaz had committed
suicide by hanging himself.
Rejecting the autopsy report,
Diaz’s mother Jaheda Amin Chowdhury,
an employee of the of CU,
filed a murder case on the following
day with a Chittagong court
against ten individuals including
an assistant proctor of Chittagong
University and the current president
of Chhatra League CU unit. •
election code and conducts
praying votes for Ivy. Earlier, on
Friday, Shamim Osman in a press
briefing prayed vote for Ivy, a
competent mayoral candidate of
boat, electoral symbol of the ruling
party Awami League.
Shakhawat Hossain came up
with these allegations while he
was talking to reporters during
electioneering.
However, NCC Election Returning
Officer Nuruzzaman Talukder
said no one had complained to him
yet.
Besides these, Awami Leaguebacked
mayoral candidate Selina
Hayat Ivy thanked Shamim Osman
for presenting her a Sari.
Ivy said: “Thanks to elder
brother Shamim Osman for the
gift.” •
DT
Bir Shreshtha
Ruhul Amin
remembered
• Md Hedait Hossain Molla,
Khulna Ranajit Chandra Kuri ,
Noakhali
The 45th death anniversary of Bir
Shreshtha Ruhul Amin, one of the
seven greatest heroes of the Liberation
War, was observed in Khulna
and Noakhali districs with a befitting
manner.
Bangladesh Navy Khalishpur
headquarters (BNS Titumir) and
Rupsha Press Club chalked out various
programmes including recitation
from the holy Quran, placing
wreaths at the martyr’s graveyard,
discussion, milad mahfil, badminton
tournament and prize distribution.
On December 10,1971, just six
days before the victory, Ruhul Amin,
Engine Room Artificer of Bangladesh
Naval Ship (BNS) Palash, was
killed by collaborators of Pakistan
army, after his warship came under
Indian Air Force attack mistakenly
in Rupsha River, Khulna.
Earlier, BNS Palash was captured
at Mongla Port from the
Pakistani occupation forces after
a fierce gun battle. The ship BNS
Palash was heading for their last
destination Khulna with a view to
conquer the industrial city.
As the ship reached near the
Shipyard area, a fighter plane
hurled bombs targeting BNS Palash.
Bir Bikrom Mohibullah, a staff of
the ship, was killed on the spot and
the remaining naval staff jumped
into the river.
Everybody could manage to escape
from the clutches of collaborators
excepting Ruhul Amin who
in fact managed to escape the Pak
bombing, but couldn’t evade the
arrest of the local collaborators
while lying on the bank of East
Rupsha.
The death anniversary of Ruhul
Amin was observed at his native
village Baghchapra in Sonaimuri
upazila of Noakhali.
The day’s programme started
around 9am with reciting of Fateha
arranged by Bir Sreshtho Ruhul
Amin Orphanage Committee.
Around 10 am, floral wreaths
were offered at the statue of Bir
Ereshtho Ruhul Amin. •

DT
8
World
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
SOUTH ASIA
Anti-terror police officer
shot dead in Pakistan
An anti-terror police officer was shot
dead by unidentified gunmen on a
motorbike in Pakistan’s northwestern
city of Peshawar on Saturday.
Riaz Ul Islam was walking with his
son to a mosque near his home when
he was shot, Mohammad Sajjad
Khan, a senior police official said. Islam
was a deputy superintendent of
police in the city’s Counter Terrorism
Department, Khan said. AFP
INDIA
Building collapse in India
kills nine
Nine people died after an under-construction
building
collapsed in southern India but a
four-year-old boy and his mother
were pulled alive from the rubble,
police said Saturday. The seven-storey
building where labourers
and their families lived in the
basement came crashing down late
Thursday in Hyderabad, the state
capital of Telangana. AFP
CHINA
China halts North Korean
coal imports
China announced Saturday that it
was suspending coal imports from
North Korea for three weeks, in line
with the latest United Nations sanctions
against the hermit state. “After
the adoption of UN Security Council
resolution 2321... China is suspending
North Korean coal imports,” the
government said in a statement.
The three-week suspension starts
Sunday and ends on December 31,
according to the statement. AFP
ASIA PACIFIC
Malaysia police kill key
Abu Sayyaf militant
Malaysian security forces have
killed a key member of a Philippine
Islamist militant group in a
shootout in waters off Sabah in
Borneo, the Philippine military
said Saturday. Abu Sayyaf leader,
Abraham Hamid, had led the
kidnapping of several foreigners
from a tourist resort in the volatile
southern Philippines last year, two
of whom were later beheaded. AFP
MIDDLE EAST
Suicide bomb kills 40
Yemeni troops
A suicide bomber killed at least 40
Yemeni soldiers and wounded at
least 70 others at a base in the city
of Aden, a local security official
said, in another major attack on
forces allied to a Saudi-led military
campaign. The attacker blew himself
up as the troops were waiting
to collect their salaries, the government
sources added. REUTERS
US allies in Europe caution Trump
on Syria strategy
• Reuters, Washington, DC /
Paris
CIA: Russia interfered to help Trump win election
• AFP, Washington, DC
A secret CIA assessment has found
that Russia sought to tip last month’s
US presidential election in Donald
Trump’s favour, The Washington
Post reported Friday, a conclusion
that drew an extraordinary rebuke
from the president-elect’s camp.
“These are the same people that
said Saddam Hussein had weapons
of mass destruction,” Trump’s
transition team said, launching a
broadside against the spy agency.
The Washington Post report
comes after President Barack Obama
ordered a review of all cyberattacks
that took place during the
2016 election cycle, amid growing
calls from Congress for more information
on the extent of Russian
interference in the campaign.
The newspaper cited officials
briefed on the matter as saying
that individuals with connections
to Moscow provided anti-secrecy
website WikiLeaks with emails
hacked from the Democratic National
Committee, Democratic
nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign
chief and others.
Those emails were steadily
leaked out via WikiLeaks in the
THE CONFLICT IN SYRIA
1
2
3
4
December 9
Aleppo
Regime forces have retaken 85%
of the rebel bastion in the east of the
city. At least 80,000 civilians have fled
since the start of the offensive
on November 15.
Idlib
The only region still in the hands of
the rebels, along with a few areas
in Aleppo, Damascus and in the south
of the country
Palmyra
Advances made by IS group near
the city, from which they were ejected
by regime forces in 2015.
Raqa
Status quo. The Kurdish-Arab alliance
(SDF) retook the area from IS group
during the 1 st stage of the offensive.
Sources: ISW, AFP
Key US allies in Europe are quietly
expressing concern over President-elect
Donald Trump’s approach
to Syria, warning that his
pledge to work more closely with
Russia, Damascus’ main backer,
will do little to diminish the terrorist
threat emanating from Syria.
The diplomatic persuasion
campaign has taken on new importance
in recent days as the Syrian
army, backed by Russia, Iran and
Shia militias, appears poised to
retake all of Aleppo city in a major
defeat for Western-backed rebels.
Moscow and Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad are expected to
cast Aleppo’s fall as the end of a
revolt against Assad that began in
March 2011, although Western analysts
predict the civil war, which
has killed more than 300,000 people
and made more than half of
Syrians homeless, will continue,
perhaps for years.
Western diplomats, who described
discussions with Trump
advisers on condition of anonymity,
said their message was that a
US alliance with Russia, and by extension
Assad, to crush groups like
Islamic State will backfire.
France has been the target of
coordinated attacks claimed by Islamic
State. Western capitals fear
that a prolonged conflict will exacerbate
mass refugee flows in which
radicalised individuals might hide.
A political solution in Syria,
months before the election, damaging
Clinton’s White House run.
The Russians’ aim was to help
Donald Trump win and not just
undermine the US electoral process,
the paper reported.
CIA agents told the lawmakers
it was “quite clear” that electing
Trump was Russia’s goal, according
to officials who spoke to the
Post, citing growing evidence from
multiple sources.
Russian hackers did not limit
their hits to the Democrats, according
to The New York Times.
The Times also questioned when
Russia started supporting Trump.
Question marks
However, some questions remain
unanswered and the CIA’s assessment
fell short of a formal US assessment
produced by all 17 intelligence
agencies, the newspaper said.
For example, intelligence
agents don’t have proof that Russian
officials directed the identified
individuals to supply WikiLeaks
with the hacked Democratic
emails.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
has denied links with Russia’s
government.
Latakia
LEBANON
Aleppo
1
2
Idlib
Homs
DAMASCUS
Kobane
as envisioned by Western powers,
would involve a transition in
which Assad eventually left power.
Assad, from the minority Alawite
sect, cannot unite Syria and quash
extremists after nearly six years of
warfare, they argue.
In a rare public speech in London
on Thursday, Alex Younger,
3
Palmyra
JORDAN
4
Raqa
Hasakeh
Deir
Ezzor
IRAQ
Areas controlled by
IS group
Syrian regime
and allies
Rebels
Kurds
100 km
chief of Britain’s MI-6 intelligence
agency, said, “we cannot be safe
from the threats that emanate
from (Syria) unless the civil war is
brought to an end. And brought to
an end in a way that recognizes the
interests of more than a minority
of its people and their international
backers.” •
The lobby of the CIA Headquarters Building in Langley, Virginia
REUTERS
Those individuals were “one
step” removed from the Russian
government, which is consistent
with past practices by Moscow to
use “middlemen” in sensitive intelligence
operations to preserve
plausible deniability, the report
said.
“I’ll be the first one to come out
and point at Russia if there’s clear
evidence, but there is no clear evidence
— even now,” said California
Republican congressman Devin
Nunes, the chair of the House Intelligence
Committee and a member
of the Trump transition team.
At the White House, Deputy
Press Secretary Eric Schultz said
Obama called for the cyberattacks
review earlier this week to ensure
“the integrity of our elections.”
Obama wants the report completed
before his term ends on
January 20.
Trump dismissed those findings
in an interview published Wednesday
by Time magazine for its “Person
of the Year” award. Asked if the
intelligence was politicised, Trump
answered: “I think so.” •

World
Diplomats call on Myanmar to let
aid into Rakhine State
• Reuters, Yangon
Several Western countries urged
Myanmar on Friday to expand humanitarian
aid access to its troubled
Rakhine State, where at least
86 people have been killed and
22,000 have fled to Bangladesh
since the beginning of an army operation
in the area.
The pressure on the government
of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung
San Suu Kyi over the crisis in the
northwestern state is growing and
the United Nations has called on
Suu Kyi to go to the state to reassure
civilians they would be protected.
Out of more than 150,000 people
who had been getting aid before
the onset of the violence,
only about 20,000 people have
got any since October 9, under a
partial resumption of deliveries,
but some 130,000 have not been
reached, the United Nations said.
Diplomats say decisions on aid
deliveries, seemingly approved
by top government officials in the
capital, Naypyitaw, often get overturned
or delayed by military-controlled
officials in Rakhine State.
“We are concerned by delays
and urge all Myanmar authorities
to overcome the obstacles
that have so far prevented a full
resumption, noting that tens of
thousands of people who need
humanitarian aid, including children
with acute malnutrition,
have been without it now for nearly
two months,” envoys of several
countries including France, the
Netherlands, Spain, Turkey and
United States said in a statement.
The statement suggests that
some diplomats - who have pressured
Myanmar to reopen aid access
for weeks - are losing patience
with the military and government
and are running out of options to
influence their behaviour. •
It’s Trump’s war soon: Afghan future is cloudy
• Tribune International Desk
Afghanistan has fallen so far from
Americans’ consciousness that
some may have forgotten it’s
called the forgotten war, reports
the Associated Press.
During the presidential campaign,
neither Trump nor Democrat
Hillary Clinton offered new
ideas for breaking the battlefield
stalemate. They hardly mentioned
the country, let alone a
strategy.
And yet, the war that began as
America’s response to 9/11 grinds
on as nearly 10,000 US troops
train and advise the Afghan army
and police, hopeful that at some
point the Afghans can stand on
their own against the Taliban - or
better, that peace talks will end
the insurgency.
A look at the war Trump inherits
from President Barack Obama,
what US troops are doing and why
the outlook is so clouded.
Rohingya Muslim children stand in U Shey Kya village outside Maungdaw in Rakhine state, Myanmar on October 27
AFGHANISTAN’S MOUNTING CIVILIAN CASUALITIES
Record high in first half of 2016 since counting began
5,000 total casualties
4,000
3,000
Injuries
Deaths
1,440
1,052
2009
Source: UNAMA
1,990
1,281
2010
2,341
1,575
1,979
2,577
1,159 1,344
2011 2012 2013
January - June
3,208 3,367 3,565
1,686 1,615 1,601
2014
2015
2016
The US mission
While Obama was a longtime critic
of the Iraq war, he always cast the
Afghanistan fight as vital.
Shortly after taking office in
2009, Obama looked to fix what he
saw as US failures in Afghanistan
and Pakistan. He tripled troop levels
in Afghanistan, but the surge
did not force the Taliban to the negotiating
table. Pakistan remains a
sanctuary for the Taliban.
In December 2014, the US ended
its combat role in Afghanistan,
but there will be at least 8,400
troops there when Trump takes
office.
American troops and their
coalition partners perform two
tasks: The first, Operation Resolute
Support, is to train and advise
Afghan forces fighting the
Taliban. The second, Operation
Freedom’s Sentinel, is to hunt
down and kill al-Qaeda militants,
as well as those affiliated
with the Islamic State and other
groups using the country as a
hideout and potential launching
pad for attacks.
The US performs its counterterror
work in Afghanistan in two
ways. First, it goes after al-Qaeda
and Islamic State operatives as a
US-only mission. General John
Nicholson, the top US commander
in the country, said last week that
US special operations forces have
conducted 350 such missions in
2016 - an average of nearly one per
day. These killed or captured nearly
50 leaders and other members
REUTERS
of al-Qaeda, he said.
Secondly, US forces operate
with Afghan special forces in
hunting Islamic State fighters;
these operations have killed the
top 12 IS leaders in Afghanistan,
Nicholson said.
Trump’s war
Trump will not have an easy time
disentangling the US military from
Afghanistan, short of an unlikely
decision to simply walk away. He
has said little about the country
but has called broadly for an end
to “nation-building” efforts.
Michael Flynn, the retired
Army lieutenant general who will
be Trump’s national security adviser,
sees Afghanistan as part of a
broader war the US must fight for
generations.
“We defeated al-Qaeda and the
Iranians in Iraq, and the Taliban
and their allies in Afghanistan.
Nonetheless, they kept fighting
and we went away,” he wrote in
his 2016 book, “Field of Fight.”
‘’Let’s face it: Right now we’re losing,
and I’m talking about a very
big war, not just Syria, Iraq and
Afghanistan. We’re in a world war
against a messianic mass movement
of evil people, most of them
inspired by a totalitarian ideology:
radical Islam.” •
9
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
USA
US judge rejects bid to
stop election recount
DT
A US judge in Wisconsin on Friday
rejected a request by President-elect
Donald Trump supporters
to stop a recount of election
votes while the Michigan Supreme
Court denied an appeal by Green
Party candidate Jill Stein to restart
the state’s recount. Even if the recounts
were carried out, they would
be extremely unlikely to change the
outcome of Trump’s win over Democrat
Hillary Clinton. REUTERS
THE AMERICAS
Mexico quietly marks 10
years of drug war
Ten years after Mexican troops were
unleashed against drug cartels,
the country will mark the anniversary
without fanfare on Sunday.
President Enrique Pena Nieto,
who inherited the drug war when
he took office in December 2012,
has promised his countrymen and
women a “Mexico in peace.” AFP
UK
Lawyers seek to launch
fresh Brexit challenge in
Irish courts
A group of British and Irish
lawyers are seeking to challenge
Britain’s decision to leave the EU
in the Irish High Court to try to
establish if Brexit can be reversed
once divorce talks have been triggered.
The lawyers hope the court
in Dublin will ask the European
Court of Justice, the EU’s highest
court, to determine whether Article
50 can be revoked. AFP
EUROPE
France seeks to extend
state of emergency
The French government will
propose extending the country’s
state of emergency until July 15,
2017 due to presidential and parliament
elections in spring next year,
Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve
said on Saturday. The socialist
government imposed the state of
emergency - which gives police extended
powers to search and arrest
- in November last year following
the attacks on Paris. REUTERS
AFRICA
Nigeria suicide attacks toll
reaches 56
Two female suicide bombers
on Friday killed 56 people and
wounded 33 others when they
detonated their explosives in a
crowded market in Nigeria’s restive
northeast. The army had earlier
put the death toll at 30. While
there was no immediate claim
of responsibility, the blasts bore
all the hallmarks of Boko Haram,
which regularly uses women and
young girls to carry out suicide
attacks. REUTERS

10
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
World
EXPLAINER
What next after the downfall of Islamic
State in Libyan Sirte?
• Tribune International Desk
The Islamic State group this week
lost the city of Sirte, its only foothold
in Libya, essentially ending its
ambition to expand its self-styled
“caliphate” into the North African
nation, at least for now, reports the
Associated Press.
But that victory only opens the
door for Libya’s multiple armed factions
to turn on each other in a new
showdown. It could be over control
of oil, the North African nation’s
only real source of revenue.
Here are some issues at stake:
The Islamic State group’s fate
The loss of Sirte, on Libya’s long
Mediterranean coast, is a significant
reversal of how things looked
in the summer of 2015 when IS
took the city. With Libya in chaos,
it appeared there was nothing to
stop the group from expanding and
building a stronghold just across the
Mediterranean Sea from Europe.
The neighbouring city of Misrata,
home to some of Libya’s strongest
militias, led the fight to drive
out IS, feeling threatened by the
extremists next door. Misrata militias
launched an offensive and in
August the United States joined in
with airstrikes. In months of tough
fighting, more than 700 Misrata
fighters were killed and 3,200 were
wounded. This week, the last IS positions
were taken.
It is feared that potentially hundreds
of IS fighters will find refuge
in Libya’s lawless south and regroup,
able to carry out attacks and
re-emerge as player at any time.
Al-Qaeda-linked extremists already
have bases in Libya’s vast desert regions,
building ties with local tribes.
A fighter of Libyan forces holds a Libyan flag as he celebrates after forces finished
clearing Ghiza Bahriya, the final district of the former Islamic State stronghold of
Sirte, Libya December 6
REUTERS
East v West
With IS out of the way for the moment,
Libya’s rival domestic powers
are face to face with each other.
The powerhouse in the east is
Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, who
commands the Libyan National
Army, composed of Gadhafi-era officers,
remains of the national military
and civilians-turned-fighters.
The force is backed and armed by
neighbouring Egypt, which sees
Hifter as its ally in a fight against Islamic
militants.
Hifter’s army backs Libya’s last
elected parliament, which was driven
out of Tripoli in 2015 when Islamist-leaning
militias and the Misrata
militias took over the capital in a
blitz. The parliament is now based
in the eastern city of Tobruk, and
the interim government based on it
is in the nearby city of Beida.
After two years of fighting, Hifter’s
forces are nearing victory over
Islamic militants in Benghazi, Libya’s
second largest city. The militants,
under an umbrella group
called the Benghazi Shura Council,
were allied with Islamic State group
fighters in the eastern city, along
with fighters from Ansar al-Shariah,
the al-Qaeda-affiliated group
blamed in the deadly 2012 attack
on a US diplomatic mission in Benghazi.
In the west, Hifter’s strongest
rivals are the militias of Misrata,
where the general is seen as aspiring
to become another Gadhafi. The
Misrata militias are believed to receive
arms from Turkey.
The oil
This is the prize Hifter and the Misrata
militias may battle for.
Hifter currently holds it. A few
months ago, his forces took over oil
terminals in the east, driving out a
militia led by a commander named
Ibrahim Jedran. Jedran’s fighters
and some anti-Hifter Benghazi militias
have been trying unsuccessfully
to take the facility back.
The capture gave Hifter considerable
leverage. Libya’s Gadhafi-era
production reached 1.6m barrels
a day, but in the post- 2011 chaos
it collapsed, costing it more than
$100bn in lost profits the past three
years. The industry is rebuilding,
now producing 600,000 barrels a
day and aiming to rapidly increase.
The United States and UN have
called on Hifter to hand over the facilities
to the Presidency Council. •
INSIGHT
How Iran closed the Mosul horseshoe and changed Iraq war
• Reuters, Baghdad/Erbil
Members of the Iraqi Army fire towards Islamic State militant positions at the
south of Mosul, Iraq on December 10
REUTERS
In the early days of the assault on
Islamic State in Mosul, Iran successfully
pressed Iraq to change its battle
plan and seal off the city, an intervention
which has since shaped
the tortuous course of the conflict,
sources briefed on the plan say.
The original campaign strategy
called for Iraqi forces to close in
around Mosul in a horseshoe formation,
blocking three fronts but leaving
open the fourth - to the west of
the city leading to Islamic State territory
in neighbouring Syria.
That model, used to recapture
several Iraqi cities from the ultra-hardline
militants in the last
two years, would have left fighters
and civilians a clear route of escape
and could have made the Mosul
battle quicker and simpler.
But Tehran, anxious that retreating
fighters would sweep back into
Syria just as Iran’s ally President
Bashar al-Assad was gaining the
upper hand in his country’s fiveyear
civil war, wanted Islamic State
crushed and eliminated in Mosul.
The sources say Iran lobbied for
Iranian-backed Popular Mobilisation
fighters to be sent to the western
front to seal off the link between
Mosul and Raqqa, the two main cities
of Islamic State’s self-declared
cross-border caliphate.
That link is now broken. For the
first time in Iraq’s two-and-halfyear,
Western-backed drive to defeat
Islamic State, several thousand
militants have little choice but to
fight to the death, and 1 million remaining
Mosul citizens have no escape
from the front lines creeping
ever closer to the city centre.
Iraqi army commanders have repeatedly
said that the presence of
civilians on the battlefield has complicated
and slowed their sevenweek-old
operation, restricting air
strikes and the use of heavy weapons
in populated areas.
They considered a change in strategy
to allow civilians out, but rejected
the idea because they feared that
fleeing residents could be massacred
by the militants, who have executed
civilians to prevent them from
escaping other battles. Authorities
and aid groups would also struggle
to deal with a mass exodus.
Russian pressure
Iran was not the only country pressing
for the escape to be closed west
of Mosul. Russia, another powerful
Assad ally, also wanted to block any
possible movement of militants into
Syria, said Hashemi. The Russian defence
ministry did not immediately
respond to a request for comment.
One of Assad’s biggest enemies,
France, was also concerned that hundreds
of fighters linked to attacks in
Paris and Brussels might escape. The
French have contributed ground and
air support to the Mosul campaign.
A week after the campaign was
launched, French President Francois
Hollande said any flow of people
out of Mosul would include
“terrorists who will try to go further,
to Raqqa in particular”.
Still, the battle plan did not foresee
closing the road to the west of Mosul
until Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi
agreed in late October to despatch the
Popular Mobilisation militias.
“The government agreed to
Iran’s request, thinking that it
would take a long time for the
Hashid to get to the road to Syria,
and during that time the escape
route would be open and the battle
would still proceed as planned,”
Hashemi said.
The Hashid move to cut the western
corridor was announced on October
28, 11 days after the start of
the wider Mosul campaign. Fighters
made swift progress, sweeping up
from a base south of Mosul to seal off
the western route out of the city. •

World
11
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
45,000 left homeless after Indonesia quake
• Tribune International Desk
At least 45,000 people have been
displaced by the powerful earthquake
that hit Indonesia’s Aceh
province, authorities said Saturday,
as the government and aid agencies
pooled efforts to meet the basic survival
needs of shaken communities,
reports the Associate Press.
The estimate of the number of
homeless people continues to grow
while relief efforts fan out across
the three districts near the epicentre
of Wednesday’s magnitude 6.5
quake, National Disaster Mitigation
Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo
Nugroho told a press conference.
At least 100 people were killed
and hundreds injured in the quake,
which also destroyed or damaged
more than 11,000 buildings, mostly
homes but also several hundred
mosques and schools. The displaced
are staying in temporary
shelters and mosques or with relatives.
On Saturday, sniffer dogs were
again used in the search for bodies
and possible survivors in the devastated
town of Meureudu, where a
market filled with shop houses was
largely flattened. Four other locations
in Pidie Jaya are also the focus
of search efforts. •
Ban Ki-Moon: Next
S Korea president?
• Tribune International Desk
Fresh off impeachment, South
Korean President Park Geun-hye’s
days in office may be
numbered.
Park was suspended as
president following a parliamentary
impeachment vote
Friday. She will be formally removed
from office if six of the
Constitutional Court’s nine
justices support her impeachment
in a review that could
take up to six months, reports
the Associated Press.
The chances of the court reinstating
Park are considered
low, and if she’s unseated, the
country must hold a presidential
election within 60 days.
A look at the contenders:
Ban Ki-Moon
A career diplomat, Ban has
been seen as a future South
Korean president ever since
the UN made him secretary
general in October 2006.
He could be the best hope
for conservatives to win back
the Blue House - South Korea’s
presidential office - after
Park’s collapse complicated
politics for her party.
Ban will step down as UN
chief at the end of the year after
two five-year terms. Questioned
on the matter countless
times, Ban has never officially
declared an ambition to run for
South Korean president. But he
has never denied interest either.
In a visit to South Korea in
May, Ban told reporters that
he would “think hard about
what to do as a citizen” after
he returns home on January 1.
Local media saw this as a clear
hint at a presidential bid.
If he does make a run for
the Blue House, Ban could
represent Park’s ailing Saenuri
Party, which is likely to regroup
soon around anti-Park
reformists. Or he could be the
face of a new party created by
defectors from Saenuri and
the liberal opposition.
Ban’s supporters point to
his credibility as an internationally
known and respected
diplomat and say he would
show more imagination and
skill in dealing with nuclear-armed
North Korea than
the rigid Park. His detractors
point to his lack of domestic
experience and argue that he
did an unremarkable job in a
high-profile post.
Lee Jae-Myung
Lee, the outspoken mayor of
Seongnam city and member
of the main opposition Democratic
Party, entered the year
as a fringe presidential contender.
But he has enjoyed a
meteoric rise in popularity in
recent months amid rage over
the Park scandal.
Lee, a factory worker and
human rights lawyer before
entering politics, brands himself
as an anti-establishment
figure and has a habit of firing
off diatribes on Facebook and
Twitter. He doesn’t mind comparisons
to Trump, although
he says he would prefer to be
a “successful Bernie Sanders.”
Lee calls for stronger policies
to reduce the widening
gap between rich and poor
and help blue-collar families.
He also endorses breaking up
the “chaebol” - the large, family-owned
conglomerates that
dominate the country’s economy.
They have been long
accused of hurting competition
and breeding a culture
of corruption through bribery
of politicians for favours. The
message has won him many
fans in recent weeks.
Moon Jae-In
While Ban and Lee have been
hogging headlines, opinion
polls show it’s actually Moon,
the liberal runner-up to Park
in the 2012 election, who’s the
favourite.
Moon, a former human rights
lawyer and aide to late liberal
President Roh Moo-hyun,
pledges to fight income inequality,
strengthen social welfare
systems and push business reforms
to curb chaebol excesses
and create a level playing field
for smaller companies. •

DT
12
Business
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
CAPITAL MARKET SNAPSHOT: PAST WEEK
DSE Broad Index 4,892.8 1.4% ▲ Index 1,161.4 1.0% ▲ 30 Index 1,795.7 0.4% ▲ Turnover in Mn Tk 43,506.3 20.8% ▲ Turnover in Mn Vol 1,357.3 7.9% ▲
CSE All Share Index 15,071.3 1.6% ▲ 30 Index 13,406.6 1.2% ▲ Selected Index 9,151.7 1.4% ▲ Turnover in Mn Tk 2,613.4 18.1% ▲ Turnover in Mn Vol 99.2 5.7% ▲
Consensus on decent jobs in Bali
• Ibrahim Hossain Ovi, back
from Bali, Indonesia
Governments, employers and
workers agreed to promote decent
work for inclusive economic
growth and reduce inequality to
ensure social justice in the Asia Pacific
and Arab states.
The tripartite consensus on decent
work for ensuring social justice
through an inclusive growth
was declared at 16th Asia and the
Pacific Regional Meeting held in
Bali, Indonesia last week.
Representatives including ministers
from about 35 countries
throughout Asia, the Pacific and
the Arab states joined the event to
discuss issues affecting employment
and the world. The ILO and
the United Nations specialised
agency dealing with work-related
issues jointly hosted the meeting.
About 400 people, including more
than 20 ministers, attended the
meeting.
The meeting concluded with a
23-point declaration termed “Bali
Declaration” that emphasised developing
policies for more decent
jobs through macro-economic policy
frameworks for inclusive growth
and an enabling environment for
sustainable enterprises and entrepreneurship.
“Governments, employers and
workers in the region agree that
action to promote decent work
fosters inclusive growth and social
justice, stimulates economic dynamism
and innovation and drives
sustainable development,” according
to the Bali Declaration.
Building and strengthening labour
market institutions that enable
the realisation of decent work
for all are key to addressing the
challenges faced by constituents,
it added.
The Bali declaration lauded the
Malaysia keen to invest in
manufacturing sector
• Ishtiaq Husain
Around 20 Malaysian companies have shown
their interest to invest in Bangladesh mainly
in manufacturing industries.
Md Alamgir Jalil, president, Bangladesh-Malaysia
Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(BMCCI), came up with the disclosure
yesterday at a press conference held at Pan
Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.
Alamgir said big conglomerates in Malaysia
expressed their interest to invest in manufacturing
industries, infrastructure, furniture
and IT sectors at the Bangladesh trade and
investment summit 2016 held on December
2016 at Kuala Lumpur.
The summit focused on trade and investment
practices, opportunities and challenges
for major stakeholders – both private and public.
“We have projected that Bangladesh is the
ultimate favourable investment destination.
Over 200 investors and businessmen were
BALI KEY DECLARATION
● Developing policies for more decent jobs
● Realising fundamental principles and rights at work
● Responding impact of technological
innovation on employers and workers
● Accelerating action to eliminate child-forced labour
● Reversing widening inequalities and the
incidence of low-paid work
● Closing gender gaps in opportunity and
treatment at work
● Enhancing International standard labour
migration policies
● Recognising the potential of Global Supply Chains
● Addressing decent work deficits
● Extending social protection by sustainable
social security systems
● Strengthening social dialogue for unionism
and collective bargaining
● Strengthening labour market institutions
● Building resilience to combat crisis conflicts
and disasters
PHOTO: RAJIB DHAR
region’s progress in some areas, including
remarkable economic progress,
but also noted that growth is
slowing down.
While not evenly spread, incomes
have increased on average.
Labour productivity has also increased.
The incidence of extreme poverty
declined and social protection
present in the summit,” said Alamgir.
They have shown huge interest to relocate
their sunset industries and also agreed
to evaluate the direct investment, added the
business leader.
Two MoUs have been signed for joint venture
investment on real state and solar energy.
Bangladesh’s export is expected to increase by
10%-15%.
To promote bilateral trade, BMCCI is going
to organise fair to Showcase Malaysian products
on September 21-23 in cooperation with
Malaysia High Commission in Bangladesh.
Malaysian High Commissioner Nur Ashikin
Mohd Taib said Bangladesh’s achievements
in different sectors are remarkable compared
with the global standard.
BMCCI former president Syed Moazzem
Hossain, general secretary Sabbir Ahmed
Khan and organising committee chairman
Syed Nurul Islamk, among others, spoke at
the press conference. •
coverage was expanded, it said.
Income inequality has increased.
Youth unemployment is
persistently high. Child and forced
labour still exist. Many workers
face significant decent work deficits.
The gap between rich and poor
is widening, said the declaration.
The declaration called for steps
to close gender gaps in opportunity
and treatment at work through
measures to break down barriers
to women labour force participation
and advancement, promotion
of equal pay for work of equal value,
extended maternity protection
measures and enabling women and
men to balance work and care responsibilities.
In the coming year, the attention
should be given on the impact
of technological innovation on employers
and workers, accelerating
action to eliminate child labour
and forced labour.
Extending social protection,
including by establishing sustainable
social security systems, and
by establishing, maintaining and
upgrading social protection floors
comprising basic social security
guarantees based on the Social Protection
Floors Recommendation,
2012.
The tripartite constituents of
the meeting requested the ILO to
provide support including building
capacity of constituents to effectively
contribute to decent work for
sustainable and inclusive development
through enhanced social dialogue
and collective bargaining.
They also sought data-driven
and evidence-based research to
inform improved labour and employment
policy development,
technical advice to strengthen
labour market institutions and
strengthening capacity building
programmes for employers’ and
workers’ organisations. •

Business 13
DT
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
‘Weak infrastructure, poor business
climate discouraging investors’
• SM Najmus Sakib
Weak infrastructure and poor business
environment are still critical
problems for Bangladesh to attract
both domestic investment and foreign
direct investment (FDI), say
economists.
“Bangladesh secured 176 position
among 190 countries in the
World Bank’s doing business ranking
2017 due to weak infrastructure
and poor business environment
which attract less investment both
from home and abroad,” they observed
at a press conference organised
by the South Asian Network
on Economic Modeling (SANEM),
a research organisation, held at SA-
NEM office in the city yesterday.
Presenting his paper on “What
needs to be done to make Special
Economic Zones (SEZs) successful
and to attract large Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) to Bangladesh”
Dr Selim Raihan, executive director
of SANEM, disclosed a set of
recommendations to make Special
Economic Zones successful
in the country in response to the
government initiative of establishing
100 SEZs across the country by
2030.
He pointed out that the culture
of prolongation and land-related
complexity in implementing any
project which is also main obstacle
to do well in world business. Bangladesh
can follow and analyze how
India, Chain and Japan deal with
their SEZs and lead world economy
from the front.
Possibility of investment in
Bangladesh is high and these countries
also showed their interest to
work with Bangladesh to cooperate
in introducing SEZs across the
country to meet investment there,
he added.
Referring to SANEM research,
he said: “Bangladesh has set up
goal of achieving US$50 million
by 2021 and to achieve the goal
Bangladesh needs to pay attention
in its ports, connect roads and
transport facilities and uninterrupted
electricity to upgrade immediately.”
He also mentioned that the tannery
industry relocation in Savar
to take the industry to grab investment
from foreign country and its
own interest and Bay of Bengal and
its resources would attract foreign
investors if Bangladesh could represent
it positively.
“The standards of infrastructure
and business environment within
SEZs have to be up to the global
marks. Delays in implementation
and unsatisfactory delivery of services
would make the SEZs unsuccessful,”
reads the SANEM study.
The research also recommended:
“There is a need for strong
commitments from the political
elites in Bangladesh for necessary
economic and institutional reforms
towards realising the bright
prospects of SEZs. In this context,
political stability and avoidance of
economic policy reversal can ensure
the success of the SEZs.”
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
plays an important role in the longrun
economic growth of an economy,
and in a ranking using the
average of latest 5 years (2011-2015)
FDI-GDP data for 179 countries,
Bangladesh appeared to be 149th
with the FDI-GDP ratio of only
1.4%, it further added. •
Aman Cotton on
ways to stocklist
• Tribune Business Desk
Aman Cotton mulls over getting
listed on the stock market to
raise capital in a bid to expand
business by doubling its production
capacity.
The company will collect a
fund of Tk80 crore from the share
market offloading share through
book-building method.
Of the total fund, Tk49.37 crore
will be spent on new machinery
to increase productivity from 18
tonnes to 43 tonnes.
Tariqul Islam, director of Aman
Cotto, said only 60% of the total
cotton demand is produced in
Bangladesh.
He hoped that there will be no
demand crisis if production is increased.
So there is no risk of declining
sale of cotton, he assured.
Earlier on July 24, Aman Cotton
held roadshow for going to IPO (Initial
Public Offering) in the share
market. •
Bangladesh Bank
for cash incentives
to merchant ship
business
State Minister of Finance MA Mannan speaks at a seminar titled ‘Transfer Pricing: a new era of transparency and risk.’ Ernst
and Young, one of the Big 4 accounting firms in the world, organised the event on Thursday in Dhaka
Seminar on transfer pricing discusses
key issues that business faces
• Tribune Business Desk
A seminar on “Transfer Pricing:
A new Era of Transparency and
Risk” was held at The Westin hotel,
Dhaka on Thursday, said a press release.
Ernst and Young, one of the Big
4 accounting firms in the world, organised
the seminar.
The discussions were held on
the key issues arising out of the
introduction of transfer pricing by
the National Board of Revenue,
Bangladesh recently.
State Minister of Finance MA
Mannan was present as the chief
guest and NBR Member (International
Taxes) Chowdhury Amir
Hossain attended the event as the
special guest.
BASF Chairman and Managing
Director Sujan Saha
and GlaxoSmithKline Bangladesh
Finance Director Zinnia
Huq spoke about the business perspective.
They highlighted the key issues
facing the business community in
Bangladesh. •
• Asif Showkat Kallol
Bangladesh Bank has recommended
the government giving
cash incentives to the business of
ocean-going ships carrying Bangladesh
flag.
In a recent letter to Bank and
Financial Institutions Division, the
central bank said the cash incentives
against foreign currency earnings
by the business at a rate fixed
by the government.
Bangladesh Bank also advised
bringing the ocean-going ship business
under the revised Industrial
Policy 2016.
According to official data, the
number of Bangladesh ocean-going
merchant ships declined sharply to
less than 30 now from 72 in 2013.
Image crisis and double taxation
in various international ports have
been blamed for the decline.
The foreign currency earnings
from the business have dropped to
$8,000 a year from $40,000. This
drop has affected the country’s remittance
inflow as a large number
of employees including cadets and
seafarers became jobless, officials
said.
According to Department of
Shipping sources, under this situation
the investors are turning their
back from Bangladesh’s ocean-going
ship business.
About 12,000 unemployed
skilled sailors are waiting for jobs
in the sector, said the sources.
While Bangladesh’s 5.45% of
foreign trades depend on the country’s
flag carrying ships, the rest of
the trades rely mainly on foreign
ships.
The country’s 95% of imports
and exports are done through sea.
According to Bangladesh Bank
letter, the ocean-going ships
carrying Bangladesh flag should
receive financial benefits from the
government like container ship
owners. Container ship owners receive
cash incentives from the government.
Bank interest rate facilities and
delay in registration and lack of
flag protection are also factors
responsible for dwindling number
of merchant ships in Bangladesh,
sources in Department of Shipping
said.
Sources also said India, Malaysia,
Indonesia, Singapore and Kuwait
enjoy 100% flag protection
from their respective countries
while Bangladesh ship owners enjoy
only 40% such protection. •

14
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
Business
Growth paths diverge in
eurozone’s top economies
• AFP, Paris
Growth paths in top eurozone economies
Germany and France are headed in different
directions, central bank data showed Friday,
raising the prospect of tension between the
two powerhouses.
France’s central bank Friday trimmed its
growth forecasts for 2016 to 2018 citing a
worsening of the global economy and Brexit,
while Germany’s Bundesbank lifted its outlook.
The diverging projections in the eurozone’s
two top economies came a day after
the European Central Bank extended measures
to underpin the bloc’s economy as it
grapples with political uncertainties.
Germany and neighbouring France both
hold crunch elections in 2017.
The EU must also negotiate with Britain
on its looming exit, as well as navigate Italy’s
future after the resignation of Italian Prime
Minister Matteo Renzi.
Revising its GDP growth forecasts down,
the Bank of France said in a statement that it
was “mainly due to the deterioration in the
international environment”.
No wriggle room
“The projection is thus particularly affected
by less favourable foreign demand prospects..,
notably as a result of the impact of
Brexit on the UK economy and of its dissemination
to the euro area economies.”
The French central bank revised its 2016
and 2017 growth forecast down to 1.3%, having
previously expected growth of 1.4% this
year and 1.5% next year. •

Business 15
DT
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
Pakistan bourse to
sell 40% stake
• AFP, Karachi
CORPORATE NEWS
Pakistan’s main bourse is to
sell a 40% stake next week, a
company official said Friday,
citing Chinese and British consortia
as among the prospective
buyers.
At least 17 entities have expressed
an interest in the Pakistan
Stock Exchange (PSX),
whose benchmark stock index
was one of the best performing
indices worldwide in 2016,
gaining 38% so far.
The PSX is currently owned
by more than 300 Pakistani
brokers. •
Rupayan Housing Estate Ltd has recently handed over its 67th project
named Rupayan Trade Centre, said a press release. The company’s
Md, Captain PJ Ullah (retired) handed over the project document to
SK Sahriar Panna, joint secretary of Rupayan Trade Centre Owners’
Association
Mercantile Bank Limited has recently donated 25,000 pieces of
blankets to prime minister’s relief fund for distributing among cold
affected people of the country, said a press release. The bank’s
chairperson, Shahidul Ahsan handed over the blankets Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina
NCC Bank Ltd has recently donated blankets to prime minister’s relief
fund for distribution among cold stricken people, said a press release.
The bank’s chairperson, Abdus Salam handed over a token blanket to
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Meghna Bank has recently opened its 35th branch at Ananda Bazar in
Chandpur, said a press release. The bank’s chairperson, HN Ashequr
Rahman was present on the occasion

16
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
Career
Nice guys
finish
last
The popularity
trap in
management
Photo: Bigstock
• Sabrina Fatma Ahmad
The last few years
have seen a start-up
boom in Bangladesh.
New businesses are
popping up like soap bubbles as
dynamic young minds bring their
innovative ideas into fruition.
A lot of these new enterprises
are created between friends or
family members who pool their
resources to get something going.
This – and a general evolution
of workplaces on a larger scale
– means that the work culture
at large is undergoing dramatic
shifts.
Many, if not most private
companies are moving away
from strict hierarchies, and
the traditional image of the
inaccessible, authoritarian
boss and the employee that’s
(figuratively) chained to a
desk. Today’s management is
supposed to be more flexible
and approachable, while today’s
employees put a premium on
job satisfaction, a larger factor
to which is the workplace
atmosphere. This is never more
true than in the case of the
smaller businesses and start-ups.
Now, this presents an
interesting conundrum for the
management in these scenarios.
They’re hard-pressed to provide
a convivial atmosphere, and
there’s a certain amount of social
pressure as well to “get along”
with their colleagues. And of
course, most people would
actually want to avoid conflict
and be well-liked.
But as with everything else,
there is something called being
“too” nice. Here are three ways
that being a people pleaser can
backfire on a boss.
Countdown to meltdown
There’s a difference between
being an empathetic boss and
being a pushover. If you’re
constantly green-lighting leaves
and saying “yes” when you’re
really feeling “no”, then you’re
probably the latter, and when you
find yourself shouldering the bulk
of the work while your underlings
are out chilling, there will come a
point when you a) burn yourself
Remember that your team is actually counting
on you for direction and motivation
out and b) start resenting your
team, and really c) loathing
yourself.
Slam the brakes on that
slippery slope by learning how to
say no. Go with your gut instincts;
if you’re getting a bad feeling
about what your employee is
asking, you should probably not
acquiesce to their demands. It is
important to manage your energy,
and delegate and distribute the
workload so that it’s manageable
for everyone.
Off that pedestal
A big problem with being
understanding to the point of
bending over backwards is that
you lose respect of your crew. The
occasional thoughtful gesture
is appreciated, as is cutting
someone slack when they’re
really in the thick of it, but if your
default is to agree to everything,
and to hand out compliments
like flyers, at best they become
mundane and your people take
you for granted, and at worst, you
lose their loyalty.
If your team has become
used to saying yes to every raise
and leave, the one time you are
compelled to say no, they are far
likelier to react with resentment
and animosity. Similarly, if you’re
always praising the work even
if it’s mediocre, the one time
someone messes something up
and gets their knuckles rapped,
they’re more likely to take it
personally.
Even if it’s hard, remember
that your team is actually
counting on you for direction and
motivation. They need you to be
strict on them, to work them hard
so they can get better, so even if
it’s a little lonely, start holding
your people accountable for their
work, keep your evaluations
honest, and they’ll eventually
thank you for it.
Something in the air
Another important aspect of
leadership lies in setting an
example for your subordinates
to follow. Your behaviour will
influence that of your team in
many subtle ways. So if they
see a boss who tends to sweep
problems under the rug and
avoids conflicts, they will be
less likely to confide in you a
potentially contentious situation
arises.
Needless to say, over time,
this breeds resentments and
unresolved conflicts fester,
turning the atmosphere toxic, and
probably may even lead to you
losing good people.
Keep the air clean by having
those difficult conversations
as and when the need arises. If
you remain assertive, polite and
positive, you’ll smooth those
troubled waters over without too
many tears.•

Feature
17
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
CMED: An amazing start-up in
the healthcare sector
• SD Asia Desk
Both developed and in
emerging markets have
their share of problems in
the health care system,
varying in degrees of complexity.
The unavailability of healthcare
centres, doctors or healthcare
professionals is more severe in a
country like Bangladesh. Assuring
proper healthcare for everyone is
still a big challenge, exacerbated
by our large population. Very
few start-ups are working in the
healthcare sector in Bangladesh.
CMED is a rare exception in trying
to tackle this problem.
Non-communicable diseases
(NCD) like diabetes, hypertension
etc. are a major social burden
globally. They usually remain
unchecked until major health
issues are diagnosed. These
diseases are primarily diagnosed
through routine health check-ups.
Sufferings from these diseases are
lifelong, but their consequences
are preventable through regular
health monitoring. With the
growing population and diversity
of health problems; a smart,
automated and secured cloud
proven helpful in supporting
the rural health care system.
However, a digital health care
system requires huge data storage
and fast data transmission with
security. For this, a cloud-based
health-monitoring system can
be an alternative solution. CMED
is addressing these problems
through their integrated smart
medical devices available as a
mobile app.
CMED is a smart health
monitoring system for regular
health tracking. It uses smart
medical sensors connected to a
smart phone for measurement
of vital signs and store data in
a secure cloud server. Users get
instant feedback about their
health status via the app. CMED
can also generate health records
that may help doctors to minimise
diagnostic time and to provide
better treatment to patients.
Unlike the existing devices,
CMED’s devices keep automatic
records of the user’s data. These
devices also suggest the users
to see doctors immediately
when their health condition is at
risk. At present, CMED devices
can monitor blood pressure,
system, users would be able to
significantly reduce diagnostic
time, follow up cost, and cost of
hospitalisation. Also, community
health workers can play a vital
role in providing preventative
health care in the rural areas by
using CMED.
Based on the health
information, the system is
able to suggest health status
as “healthy”, “alarming” and
“emergency”. In case of alarming
and emergency health conditions,
the system will connect the
patient to a doctor for medical
advice and also provide guidance
for the next steps. The system
will perform regular health
monitoring and create awareness
on health. However, if the
main system fails to diagnose a
unique problem, it will suggest
and contact a specialist doctor
for a further consultation, who
will check patient’s data from
the cloud database and provide
suggestions. The privacy and
confidentiality of patient’s health
information will be secured by an
efficient security protocol named
Identity-Based Encryption.
CMED has been selected as a
based regular health monitoring
system is an appropriate solution
for developing countries like
Bangladesh. Particularly in
remote areas of a developing
country, where healthcare
facilities are neglected, telehealth
monitoring systems have
blood glucose, pulse, blood
oxygen saturation (SPO2), body
temperature, weight, height and
body mass index (BMI). CMED is
designed to reduce the risk of life
threatening diseases like stroke,
heart attack, etc. Moreover, with
the regular health monitoring
top five start-up of GP Accelerator
program. We spoke to Dr.
Khondaker A. Mamun, Founder
of CMED to find out more about
CMED and his journey at GP
Accelerator.
‘We applied to GP Accelerator
to learn more about start-up
culture, to get mentorship and to
make a successful business which
can make positive impact on
preventive healthcare’ he said.
While asked about the team,
Dr Mamun, who is a biomedical
scientist and university professor
said, ‘CMED has a balanced team.
We are a team of scientist, tech
guys, healthcare professional and
experienced business people. We
are trying to improve our system
every day. With the help of our
team members and mentors, we
are tweaking our business model
now. Our ultimate goal is to
improve the healthcare condition
of people of Bangladesh and
make an impact in our society’.
CMED is working on
changing the archaic health
checkup system of the country.
According to Kaiser Habib,
Operation in charge of CMED,
“With this system, people with
disability, people suffering from
complication from old age and
newborns can get easy health
check-up. Continuous periodical
health monitoring can easily
detect and notify the doctors and
family members of any abnormal
health conditions. Families
can buy our solution at a onetime
device cost which comes
with a free app. We provide
free monthly subscription
for a limited time and our
customers can later avail our
digital healthcare services on
subscription basis’’.
CMED has set an ambitious
business target to achieve in
the short term. When asked
about CMED’s future plan, Dr.
Mamun said, “We have signed
two contracts for B2B service so
far but there are more than 10
companies in the pipeline. We
want to make a strong presence in
the market within next 6 months
but our intention is to make
CMED as a brand in preventive
healthcare in Bangladesh”.
CMED also won the prize from
ICT Division, Bangladesh and
SEEDSTARS Bangladesh session
2016. •

18
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
Feature
Cycle and Motor Cycle rally to stop the violence and
oppression against women
the Shahid Minar. The message
of this street theatre was about
stopping violence and oppression
against women and to express
respect and love towards women.
The exploitation and
oppression of women is a serious
violation of human rights and
has a negative impact on the
economy.
In a survey conducted by the
Bangladesh Statistical Bureau
(BBS), it was disclosed that 80.2
percent of the women are the
victims of violence or oppression
perpetrated by their husbands.
But the rate of this violence is
lower than that of the previous
years. It was 87.1 percent in the
year 2011. Bangladesh Statistical
Bureau (BBS) prepared this
report based on the information
between 2011 till 2015. Currently
80.2 percent of married women
are the victims of some degree of
violence or oppression.
The rally was one event in a
fight to end such oppression that
Colors FM 101.6 is committed to
continuing. •
Colors FM 101.6 has been
organising several programs and
events to inspire and empower
women. There is currently
a 16-day global campaign to
stop violence and oppression
against women. Inspired by
this international movement,
Colors FM 101.6 has been
broadcasting several types of
programs between November
15 – December 10, 2016. The first
Cycle and Motor Cycle rally of
Women took place as a part of
this campaign.
We know that 1 among every
3 women around the world is a
victim of violence. The awful
and painful fact is that the
perpetrators of this violence are
people these women know, they
love or trust. And that violence
takes place at their own house
or “safe” place. This violence
knows no class boundaries, so
women irrespective of their
social backgrounds are victims,
be they out on the street, at
their places of work, in public
vehicles, at school; just about
everywhere.
And that is the reason why
the women have protested the
violence and oppression to the
women through the rally of twowheelers.
The rally, kicked off from
Manik Mia Avenue at 7.30
a.m. and ended at the Shahid
Minar after passing through
Farmgate, Kawran Bazaar, Bangla
Motor, Shahbag, and the Dhaka
University area.
A mime performance was
organised once the rally reached
Metlife launches 'collab':
The insurance tech accelerator
US$100,000 contract for winning start-up to implement their solution
• Features Desk
LumenLab, MetLife’s
Singapore-based
innovation center, has
announced the launch of
Collab – a three-month program
that supports “product ready”
start-ups as they tackle the
business needs of tomorrow.
Through this unique forum,
insurance technology relevant
start-ups can share their
solution and win an opportunity
to bring it alive at MetLife.
“Collab is first-and-foremost
a market place for start-ups
to meet, share ideas and
build solutions. Our goal is to
tackle the real problems facing
our customers and leverage
technology to drive business
efficiency. As the speed of
innovation increases and
disruptions become the norm,
we are excited to tackle these
challenges together with the
help of the start-up community,”
said Zia Zaman, LumenLab CEO
and Chief Innovation Officer of
MetLife Asia.
The program is now open
for applications and is calling
for innovative solutions in
customer engagement, claims
process, insurance business
model and the sales process. In
addition to MetLife, expert
providers and co-sponsors
including amazon web services,
Microsoft BizSpark, Wavemaker
Partners and Oliver Wyman
will work together to create
a comprehensive support
structure for the start-ups.
Collab will select eight start-ups
from the global open application
process, which will be evaluated
through a rigorous multi-phase
selection process in preparation
for a demo day on May 19th,
2017. The successful finalist will
receive a US$100,000 contract
to implement a pilot within
MetLife. Anyone clicking on
http://www.lumenlab.sg/ may
learn more about “Collab”.
“At MetLife, we are focused
on reshaping the way we do
business and the way in which
we engage with our customers.
We’re one of the leaders in our
industry to invest in innovation
through digital and technology
and we see Collab as a natural
extension. This is a great
opportunity for dynamic startups
to bring to scale original
and ground-breaking ideas that
challenge the old style insurance
business ways and play a part
in moving the industry into
the new digital era,” said Chris
Townsend, President of MetLife
Asia.
MetLife has built a strong
track record by being a first
mover in digital innovation.
LumenLab was first launched
in July 2015, and has focused
on developing disruptive new
business models in the areas
of health, ageing, and wealth.
Using Collab, LumenLab
aims to build upon its goal
of helping customers lead
richer, more fulfilling lives by
collaborating with start-ups
and entrepreneurs to uncover
breakthrough solutions to
address real business problems.
Those interested can learn
more and apply at collab.
lumenlab.sg. Applications
deadline is January 29, 2017. •

Biz Info
19
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
| talk |
The Dylan Debate at ULAB
| workshop |
Training on E-file implementation
held at BRRI in Gazipur
The Department of English &
Humanities of ULAB organised
the Dylan Debate recently over
the motion “Bob Dylan does
not deserve the Nobel Prize in
literature.” The professors Syed
Manzoorul Islam, Firdous Azim
and Hasan Al Zayed teamed up
defending the motion against
Professors Kaiser Haq, Fakrul
Alam and the renowned musician
Maqsoodul Huq. The chief guest
at the program was the Swedish
Ambassador Johan Frisell, who
also presided over the debate. The
session was followed by a musical
performance by Professor Imran
Rahman, the Vice- Chancellor
(Acting) of ULAB, Maqsoodul
Haque, Kaiser Kabir, Shahbaz
Khan Pilu, Ihsanul Haque, Bappi
Rahman, Reazur Rahman, and
Foad Nasser Babu.
The panelists engaged in
an animated and passionate
argument over why Bob Dylan’s
work should or should not be
considered as literature. That also
brought in the basic question,
“what is literature?” While
defenders of the motion dubbed
Dylan as a “wonderful performer
with heart, but lacking the soul,”
the contenders drew attention
to the history of the Nobel Prize
which often made “audacious
moves” to promote writers
and thinkers of novel tradition.
Photo: FARZNA AKTER
The adjudicator applauded the
panelists on both sides, and
announced the contenders of
the debate as winners, which,
was decided by the audience as
well. The results in the pre-polls
remained unchanged when
counted in the post-polls.
This program was also
attended by Juditha Ohlmacher,
member of the Board of Trustees
ULAB, the Professor Shamsad
Murtoza, Head, Department of
English, ULAB, and distinguished
guests from various walks of life.
All the panelists, musicians and
the chief guest were presented
with crests. •
Director General of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) Dr. Bhaggho Rani
Bonik speaks as the chief guest in a day long training on E-file implementation
held at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) in Gazipur on Saturday.
| dining |
ICHI is Dhaka’s newest addition
in awe-inspiring cuisine, offering
an authentic Japanese menu.
Come and indulge in a first class
Japanese dining experience.
Ichi is located at Chandiwala
Mansion, House 32 ( 2nd Floor),
Road11, Block G, Banani, Dhaka,
Bangladesh
•Our correspondent, Gazipur
A day long training on E-file
implementation was held at
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute
(BRRI) in Gazipur on Saturday.
More than 60 participants,
including divisional heads,
section heads and officers of the
institute were participated in
this training programme with
technical assistance by the Access
to Information (A to I) programme
of the prime minister’s office.
Director General of Bangladesh
Rice Research Institute (BRRI) Dr.
Bhaggho Rani Bonik, Director
(Research) Dr. Mohammed Ansar
Ali, Director (Administration and
Common Service) Dr. Mohammed
Shahjahan Kabir, Deputy Director
(Administration and Common
Service) Emran Hossain,
consultant of A2I programme
Mohammed Khorshed Alam Khan
spoke at the programme. •
| seminar |
“Smart Grid, Digital Bangladesh and Internet of things”
Back in 2009, Bangladesh’s power
generation capacity was only
5000 megawatts. Over the span
of just seven years, the capacity
has tripled. However, in order
to maintain the pace of national
development, there is no other
way other than increasing power
generation. The people, along with
the government have played their
required roles to make this goal a
reality.
To take this success to
the next level, the Ministry
of Power, Energy & Mineral
Resources (MPEMR) organised
– “Power and Energy Week
2016” from the December 7-10,
2016. Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina inaugurated the four
day-long event at International
Convention City Bashundhara,
Dhaka (ICCB).
MPEMR arranged several
seminars and case study
presentations with the assistance
of the Mighty Bite for the “Power
and Energy Week 2016”. One
such seminar held on December
8 was titled “Smart Grid, Digital
Bangladesh and Internet of
things”.
Bangladeshi-Canadian, Nameer
Rahman, currently working as
energy policy advisor for the
Government of Canada was
present as the keynote speaker.
Architect Yeafesh Osman,
State Minister for Science
and Technology, and Zunaid
Ahmed Palak, State Minister for
Information and Communication
Technology were present as
panellists.
In this era of Information
Technology all devices have
become smart ones. Air
conditioning units switch
themselves off when you fall
asleep, washing machines use
electricity based on your needs,
lights in your home only turn
on when people are around,
devices can be controlled with
your smartphone. All these smart
devices have come together to
create the “internet of things”.
On the other hand, the “smart
grid” is the ideal digital platform
for power generation. Through the
digitisation of the whole system,
system loss and production costs
have been minimised, which
has in turn ensured the highest
utilisation of power. Developed
countries have been using this
method for several years. This
is a significant step of Digital
Bangladesh towards taking
Bangladesh to the next level of
development.
The whole seminar was
streamed live on Facebook. For
footage of the seminar, please visit
fb/BDPowerEnergyWeek. •

DT
20
Editorial
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
TODAY
Build bridges
instead of
burning them
We have to understand that Bangladesh
does not want another mass arrival of
Rohingya Muslims into this country due
to cogent reasons
PAGE 21
Connected and
addicted
Researchers found that students who
have severe internet addiction have
poor academic performance and mental
health problems
PAGE 22
What is going on?
BIGSTOCK
Efficiency over
democracy?
Referendums fuel convenience and
this one was almost hijacked by voices
accustomed to business-as-usual
rehearsals of the dangers of populism
PAGE 23
Be heard
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Every day, according to news reports, it seems as though
more and more youths are going missing.
It is high time that the authorities got to the bottom
of this.
After the July 1 attack at Holey Artisan Bakery, questions still
remain as to what led to seemingly normal young men to be so
radicalised and conduct such a horrendous massacre.
And if the pattern of missing youths continues, it is only a
matter of time before we might see a repeat of the tragedy that
befell us no more than five months ago.
Not only do the authorities need to figure this out, they need
to do so fast. This alarming trend must be properly investigated,
and answers must be provided to the questions raised.
What exactly is going on here? What is convincing so many
young men to tread the path of militancy?
And how many exactly have gone missing?
We need answers.
It is also imperative that we figure out a way to bring our boys
back.
There must be a long-term plan in place which tackles these
questions: How many are missing and how do we bring them
back?
But this, too, is not enough.
We cannot afford to continue to lose young men with bright
futures to the path of violence.
A holistic approach to the current security situation of the
nation is required. Only then can the government confidently
fight the war against terrorism and establish peace and safety in
the country.
What is convincing so
many young men to tread
the path of militancy?

Opinion 21
DT
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
Build bridges instead of burning them
Bangladesh alone cannot be expected to shoulder the problem of the Rohingyas
How many more refugees can Bangladesh afford to keep?
P O S T
BREAKFAST
• Muhammad Zamir
Fresh violence has broken
out once again between
Myanmar’s Rohingya
and Rakhine people. The
world has, however, restricted
itself only to verbal expressions of
concern regarding this latest round
of ethnic cleansing carried out
by Myanmar’s law enforcement
authorities. They have not come
forward to actively stop these
atrocities
In this regard, The New
York Times has observed that
“Myanmar has long persecuted
the country’s Rohingya Muslim
minority, denying it basic rights to
citizenship, to marry, to worship,
and to an education.” Reuters
has also reported that more than
1,000 homes have been razed in
Rohingya villages in Myanmar
during the military “counterinsurgency”
lock-down there
and analysis of satellite images
from November 10, 17, and 18 by
the Human Rights Watch have
revealed burning of houses.
Latest figures indicate that
up to 30,000 people have been
displaced in Myanmar’s Rakhine
state -- half of them over the
course of the second and third
weeks of November.
The latest situation has
emerged after a series of attacks
on the border police on October
9 in Maungdaw Township, a
predominantly Muslim area in
Myanmar’s Rakhine state, which
left some officials dead. The
attackers supposedly fled the
bloody scene with a hoard of
weapons stolen from the police
armory.
The Myanmar president’s
office subsequently alleged that
a previously unknown Rohingya
Muslim group called Aqa Mul
Mujahidin was responsible for the
attacks. Muslim Rohingyas have
strongly denied any knowledge or
involvement in any of the attacks.
State Councillor Aung San Suu
Kyi has suggested caution over
the certainty of the claims being
made by both sides. The displaced
Rakhine belonging to the Buddhist
community has, however, reached
its own dangerous conclusions and
have indicated that this incident
will usher in the start of another
bloody, sectarian conflict.
In the meantime, the
Maungdaw Rohingya Muslim
population has been prohibited
from leaving the area.
Chris Leya from the Arakan
Project, an advocacy group with
a network of sources across the
area, has mentioned: “In the first
week [of the operation], we know
the army was burning villages,
burning houses, shooting people
on sight, looting, and arresting
people too. We have also had a
report of a number of women
having been raped.” In the
meantime, the government has
acknowledged using helicopter
gunships in support of ground
troops in the operations.
It may be noted here that
nearly 140,000 Rohingya have
been living as internally displaced
people (IDP) in dire conditions in
camps on the outskirts of Sittwe
since the last spate of riots in 2012,
which left more than 100 dead.
Civil society activists have
REUTERS
alleged that the state capital
does not offer Rohingya IDPs the
same security as the Buddhist
Rakhine who also fled Maungdaw.
Media reports have also indicated
that humanitarian assistance
to the Rohingya IDP camps was
temporarily suspended after the
attacks in Maungdaw.
The already complex
humanitarian crisis is being
further exacerbated through
rumours of unfair aid distribution.
This is fuelling suspicions between
the Rohingya and Rakhine
communities.
Many within the Buddhist
community are claiming that the
NGOs are only supporting the
Rohingya Muslim community
(Bengali people). This complaint
was made recently by Rakhine
camp chairman U Soe Naing, who
also referred to the Rohingya
as illegal immigrants from
neighbouring Bangladesh.
Commenting on this situation,
Innocent Sauti of the World Food
Program (WFP) has observed that
they are ready to assist everybody,
but the regional government
has turned down their offer to
assist the Buddhist Rakhine IDPs
sheltering in Sittwe, claiming
that the monasteries already
have ample supplies. WFP has
also emphasised that “we are not
getting involved in the politics.
WFP is committed to giving
people food, irrespective of their
background or religion.”
In the meantime, the UN special
rapporteur on Myanmar, Mr
Yanghee Lee, and the UN Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs have expressed concern in
the way the Myanmar government
is handling the issue. This was
also strong criticism of Suu Kyi’s
comment that the Myanmar
government was responding to the
evolving situation based on “the
rule of law.”
It may be recalled that
this September the Obama
administration eased remaining
economic sanctions on Myanmar
because of assertions by Suu Kyi
that the Myanmar government was
focusing “on bringing respect for
the human rights of its people.”
That decision now appears to
have been premature.
The scenario within this
sub-region continues to be a
source of concern for Bangladesh
which is already hosting nearly
32,000 documented Rohingya
Muslim refugees in different
camps located in the Cox’s Bazar
area. It is also known that more
than 400,000 Rohingya Muslim
We have to
understand that
Bangladesh does not
want another mass
arrival of Rohingya
Muslims into this
country due to
cogent reasons
refugees who entered Bangladesh
over the past two decades
have managed through various
means to assimilate themselves
clandestinely, within the local
Bangladeshi population.
The UNHCR has once again
urged the Bangladesh government
to keep its border with Myanmar
open to allow safe passage for the
Rohingyas fleeing persecution
in Myanmar. The Bangladeshi
Border Guards and its Coast Guard
have been following government
instructions in this regard. They
have been humane in looking
after terrified migrants before
persuading them to return to
Myanmar’s side of the border.
Despite this, the print and
electronic media have indicated
that more than 10,000 Rohingya
Muslim refugees have managed to
evade the Border Guards and have
taken shelter within Bangladesh.
We have to understand that
Bangladesh does not want another
mass arrival of Rohingya Muslims
into this country due to cogent
reasons. Since 1978, we have
had several such unfortunate
experiences. Fresh arrivals of
thousands more will only affect
the gradual improvement in
bilateral relations.
It is this dynamic that
persuaded our Foreign Ministry
to summon the Myanmar
ambassador and express serious
concern about the evolving
situation and demand that
Myanmar “ensure integrity of its
border” to stop this illegal influx.
Another meeting on this very
issue has also been convened
in Cox’s Bazar between
representatives from the
Bangladesh Border Guards (BGB)
and the Myanmar Border Police on
working out common modalities
to stop such infiltration into
Bangladesh.
A densely populated country
like Bangladesh must not be left to
shoulder this recurring problem by
itself. The Bangladesh government
has been trying its best to be
constructive in this regard.
We are trying to address the
potential of greater connectivity
with Myanmar through the
implementation of the BICM
Corridor and BIMSTEC.
Our prime minister has met
Aung San Suu Kyi twice in recent
months -- in New York and in Goa
-- and has reiterated that there is
prospect for improving bilateral
engagement in trade, energy,
and the exploitation of maritime
resources.
Consequently, we think that
time has now come for the EU,
the USA, Canada, and Australia,
their civil society (so aware
of human rights), the United
Nations, the ICRC, and the OIC
to take a more pro-active stance
and actively engage with the new
civilian government and control
the evolving human disaster in
Myanmar.
We also need to understand
that, with the armed assailants
still at large, the threat of intercommunal
bloodshed continues to
loom large over Rakhine State. The
sensitivity of the situation is being
further exacerbated with rumours,
escalating uncertainty.
This is making the prospect of
meaningful reconciliation that
much harder to achieve. •
Muhammad Zamir, a former
Ambassador and Chief Information
Commissioner, is an analyst specialised
in foreign affairs, right to information,
and good governance.

22
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
Opinion
Connected and addicted
Internet addiction is no laughing matter
A blessing or a curse?
BIGSTOCK
Students who don’t have
any siblings are also found to
be more at risk of developing a
severe internet addiction. These
students could be lonely and get
easily bored, and there may not
be anyone at home to relate to
after school. Therefore the parents
should give more time to their
single child to reduce the duration
of internet use.
The more relationships you
have in real life, the less you
will need the internet for social
interaction. Grade nine students
are found to be more addicted
compared to grade ten students.
It may be because the grade nine
students have less academic
involvement than grade ten
students. Besides these, we found
that students from Bangla medium
schools are more addicted to the
internet compared to English
medium students.
Therefore, the schools should
give importance to the students of
Bangla medium studies by creating
an effective atmosphere conducive
to learning without the use of the
• Ahmed Hossain, Dilshad
Afrin, and Fazle Rabbi
Nowadays, the most
readily available
media to students is
the internet, which in
the name of academic and other
purposes have compelled them
to use it more. This media has
not only become a good source of
information regarding knowledge
but also for other purposes like
social communication, gaming,
entertainment, and so on.
Students’ nature being more
tilted to this enjoyment has
enhanced the use of the internet.
School students, especially the
secondary level students, appear
to be the population at risk in
having internet addiction due to
the variability in developing their
cognitive control and boundarysetting
skills.
Researchers found that
students who have severe internet
addiction have poor academic
performance and mental health
problems. Loneliness, staying
up late, tiredness, and missing
morning classes are also correlated
with internet-caused impairment.
The use of the internet on
school campuses and in society
has increased dramatically in
recent years. Younger students
are more interested in the newest
technology; they use the internet
more often than other age groups.
Excessive use of internet
among the students, who are
not yet psychologically matured
enough and are trying to adapt to
their social environment, has put
them at risk of internet addiction.
Heavier recreational internet use
is correlated highly with impaired
academic performance, anxiety,
and feelings of depression.
The Department of Public
Health from North South
University conducted a study with
279 secondary students from two
private schools of Chittagong.
It appears that 2.51% of the
students have behaviour of severe
internet addiction, and 64.87%
are at risk of developing such
behaviour.
The students’ internet
addiction was assessed through
the Orman test, which consists
of nine questions and provide
classifications of severe, moderate,
and no internet addiction.
This is an increasing concern
for the health and well-being
of the students. It should be
considered as a public health
issue in Bangladesh. Though it
is unknown, a lot of crime is also
found to be internet-related.
The number of internet users
in Bangladesh has now crossed 60
million -- according to the 2016
statistics of telecoms regulator
-- of which 35% are secondary
and higher secondary students.
The average size of a secondary
school class in Bangladesh being
approximately 50 students
indicates that there may be some
students in every classroom who
Researchers found that students who have severe internet addiction
have poor academic performance and mental health problems.
Loneliness, staying up late, tiredness, and missing morning classes are
also correlated with internet-caused impairment
are struggling with moderate to
severe internet addiction.
To promote the best possible
outcomes for students, there is a
great need for early identification
of the factors that are associated
with internet addiction. Internet
addiction among students needs
attention as one of the major
public health issues in Bangladesh.
Addicts commonly have negative
influences on their daily routine,
academic performance, and
relationships, as opposed to noninternet
addicts.
Therefore, a preventive
measure against internet
addiction should be taken by
considering a few factors to
guarantee better quality and more
equitable student performance.
In our research, we found that the
prevalence of internet addiction
for female students is higher than
male students. It may be because
female students have fewer
opportunities for involvement in
co-curricular activities.
internet.
The complications caused by
internet addiction are becoming
more common in society.
Hence, there is an urgent need
to address and respond to the
reality of internet addiction and,
subsequently, prevent its rapid
expansion.
In Bangladesh, the
government along with other
health care organisations need
to take action. Policy changes
and environmentally safe
interventions for students are
required to improve physical
activity. Finally, the students
need to view the computer
and the internet as a valuable
supplemental tool, rather than an
end-all solution. •
Dr Ahmed Hossain is an Associate
Professor at Department of Public
Health, North South University. Dilshad
Afrin and Fazle Rabbi are MPH students
at Department of Public Health, North
South University.

Opinion
23
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
Efficiency over democracy?
The Italian referendum would have been disastrous if populist movements had taken power
• Mahmood Sadaat Ruhul
Referendums are, to put
it kindly, instruments
of political expedience.
They condense complex
and multi-faceted economic
and social issues into Yes or No
questions. A binary so crude that
it would not be out of place in a
tyrant’s war chest.
Plebiscite campaigns are run
on advertising muscle, celebrity
endorsements, and appeals to
prejudice. The latter of which
most horrifyingly manifested
itself when Labour MP Jo Cox was
murdered by a white supremacist
during the Brexit campaign.
The last few years especially
have proven the absurdity of the
exercise in the West, most recently
with the Italian constitutional
referendum.
This is by no means a slight
towards direct democracy, nor a
criticism of the voters supposedly
easily swayed by political theatre.
Rather, it is the natural corollary of
so-called liberal democracies that
wash their hands of voters the day
after the end of election season.
There can be no popular
democratic deliberation in a
system that disenfranchises
voters.
It is not reasonable to expect
constituents, who have been
ignored by the political class, to
be fully engaged in a mid-term
referendum where the issues
are convoluted and emotionally
charged and the options so few.
As Beppe Grillo, the leader
of Italy’s populist Five Star
Movement (MS5), told a crowd
of “No” supporters during the
referendum campaign: “Vote with
your guts, not with your brain.”
Moral panic against the recent
surge of far-right populism in
the United States and in Europe
is not without reason. History
does not afford us the luxury to
ignore fascist and xenophobic
movements.
But the same old rhetoric and
solutions offered as panacea by
centrist and moderate voices
do show an uncanny lack of
awareness.
The failed constitutional
reforms proposed by Matteo Renzi
are a ground zero demonstration
of this tried and tested but goneare-the-days
approach.
The international community
and the liberal press declared a
kind of Pyrrhic victory on the
morning after December 4. The
good news was that the Greensbacked
candidate Van der Bellen
had won over his far-right antiimmigration
opponent in the
Austrian presidential election.
The more concerning
development, however, were the
exit polls in Italy that showed
a clear repudiation (in the final
results, almost 60% voted “no”)
of the constitutional agenda set
forth by Renzi. Almost instantly
the markets went into panic, and
the Euro dropped to a 21-month
low against the dollar, although,
more importantly, it has bounced
back since.
The headlines were swift and
blunt: “The Death Of The Euro,”
“Italy’s Populists Claim Victory in
Referendum, But Chaos Looms,”
among others.
The content of the referendum
even prior to the vote had been
obfuscated by the twin narratives
of the failure of the European
project and rise of ultra-nationalist
parties continent-wide.
Lega Nord, a party with roots
in secessionism, and the Five Star
Movement were only happy to
play along.
Renzi had done himself no
favours by signing onto unpopular
legislation such the Jobs Act that
Referendums fuel convenience and this one
was almost hijacked by voices accustomed to
business-as-usual rehearsals of the dangers of
populism and the need for financial stability
made it easier for employers to fire
workers and offered corporations
tax breaks in an attempt to reverse
widespread unemployment.
The measures were greeted
with disgust by workers, and even
some left-wing members within
Renzi’s Democratic Party opposed
the law.
This culminated in massive
street protests led by Italy’s largest
trade union, the CGIL.
This anger amongst the Italian
population over widespread
unemployment reared its head
during the referendum.
As Bloomberg news reported,
the no-vote won heavily in
regions, especially in the south,
with rampant unemployment.
Renzi, by promising to resign
if he lost, had essentially turned
the vote into a popularity contest,
Italian PM Matteo Renzi has turned the Italian referendum into nothing more than a popularity contest
and his anti-labour and austerity
policies, mandated by the EU,
almost assured defeat.
This meant that opposition
was not only restricted to the
opportunistic right, but rather
large parts of the Italian left,
including communist remnants in
the Democratic Party who voted
no.
As for the constitutional
reforms that had almost taken a
backseat to rhetoric and talking
points, a closer look proves that
they were an attempt by Renzi to
strengthen the executive power
of the head of government at
the expense of the legislature
to streamline the passing of
unpopular and contentious laws.
The reforms, had they passed,
would’ve dismantled Italy’s
system of “perfect bicameralism”
that enshrined equal
responsibilities to both houses of
parliament.
The proposals included
reducing the number of senators
and the power they had while also
curtailing the influence of regional
governments.
A majority bonus system that
would have given extra seats to a
party if they were short of a ruling
majority was also to be introduced.
Renzi said that the measures
were to reduce the cost of public
institutions and ensure more
efficient governance.
Constitutional experts argued
that the Italian Constitution of
1948 had enshrined a system of
checks and balances, and was an
anti-fascist compromise between
Christian Democrats, Communists,
and Socialists.
It was drafted to prevent the
same conditions that led to the rise
of Mussolini.
The new reforms would have
made the executive branch
stronger than ever and might
have proven disastrous if populist
movements such as the MS5,
which is hovering near the top of
polls for the next general election,
had taken power.
Referendums fuel convenience
and this one was almost hijacked
by voices accustomed to businessas-usual
rehearsals of the dangers
REUTERS
of populism and the need for
financial stability.
The details, though, as almost
always, are more complex and any
argument about the lesser-evil
could have proved catastrophic in
the long term.
The Italian population
overwhelmingly voted “no” for a
variety of reasons, some of which
had more to do with Renzi than
the constitution, but in the end
the results were a victory for those
who feared more authoritarian
powers for current and future
governments.
The recapitalisation of Italy’s
banks and removing bureaucratic
clutter can still be pursued in a
country that is weighed down by
billions in bad loans.
Constitutional reforms without
consensus from across the
political spectrum is no way to
do it, however. It has often been
reported that Italy has had 63
governments in 70 years. That
much is undeniable.
But as Italian voters
demonstrated in their numbers,
any attempt to unilaterally push
through reforms that prioritise
efficiency over democratic
representation and debate is
doomed to fail.
Mahmood Sadaat Ruhul is a freelance
contributor.

DT
24
Sport
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
TOP STORIES
DT BPL XI
TAMIM IQBAL
Runs: 476;
Average: 43.27
Spirit key behind
Rajshahi resurgence
Rajshahi Kings, one among two
franchises in the money-spinning
BPL T20 2016-17 season with new
ownership, finished runners-up
following their defeat against the
star-studded Dhaka Dynamites in
the final in Mirpur. PAGE 25
MEHEDI MARUF
Runs: 347;
Average: 26.69
MOHAMMAD
MITHUN
Runs: 320;
Average: 45.71
Abahani top despite
firing blank
Ten-man Abahani Limited
remained at the top of the
Bangladesh Premier League with
a six-point lead despite being held
to a goalless draw by Sheikh Russel
Krira Chakra at Bangabandhu
National Stadium yesterday. PAGE 26
Sublime Kohli, Vijay
put India ahead
India captain Virat Kohli
maintained his red-hot form
as he and Murali Vijay struck
fine centuries to help the hosts
overtake England on day three of
the fourth Test at the Wankhede
Stadium yesterday. PAGE 27
Messi double brings
Barca relief
Messi struck twice as Barcelona
recorded their first win in four
games to close to within three
points of Real Madrid at the top of
La Liga with a 3-0 win at Osasuna.
Barca should have killed the game
off in the first half. PAGE 28
Dhaka justify favourites tag
• Ali Shahriyar Bappa
MOST RUNS
Player Inns Runs HS Ave SR
Sangakkara 13 370 66 28.46 115.62
Maruf 14 347 75* 26.69 135.54
Mosaddek 13 304 59* 33.77 124.08
Shakib 13 226 41* 20.54 126.25
Nasir 10 195 43 19.5 115.38
MOST WICKETS
Player Inns Wkts BBI Ave Econ
Bravo 13 21 3/10 15.95 7.55
Shahid 8 15 3/21 12.46 6.88
Shakib 14 13 2/11 26.3 6.84
Jayed 8 9 3/20 14.11 5.25
Sanjamul 9 6 2/17 19.5 5.85
Dhaka Dynamites produced clinical
performances throughout
the Bangladesh Premier League
Twenty20 2016-17 season and
emerged as the champions by
defeating Rajshahi Kings in the
final in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla
National Stadium last Friday.
Pressure was right there from the
beginning of the tournament for
Dhaka as they were considered
the main contenders for the title.
The capital city outfit eventually
held their nerves and played consistent
cricket to clinch the title in
some style.
One of the main challenges for
Dhaka was to maintain their consistent
performance as there were
many stars in the team. But credit
goes to captain Shakib al Hasan
and coach Khaled Mahmud as
they managed the team quite
professionally to achieve success.
Only four overseas players
were allowed to play and the
Dhaka squad had big names like
Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene,
Dwayne Bravo, Ravi
Bopara, Seekkuge Prasanna, Andre
Russell (who joined later in
the tournament) and Evin Lewis,
among others. Sometimes
too many in-form players or star
cricketers can cause selection
dilemma and distract the team
from the goal of becoming champions.
It was a challenge for the
team management to find the
right combination and rotate the
players to taste success. But Dhaka
managed it professionally and
achieved their desired result. For
example, it was a tough call to
drop Sri Lankan legendary batsman
Jayawardene for a string
of matches. Jayawardene could
play only two matches due to
team combination. Jayawardene
instead helped the team with his
experience and knowledge and in
the end Dhaka benefited a lot.
Dhaka played 14 matches in
BPL 4and lost only four. Batsmen
and bowlers performed pretty
consistently in the entire tournament
to clinch the title. Shakib
was impressive with his captaincy
and youngsters like Mosaddek
Hossain and Abu Jayed Rahi
played well. In-form paceman
Mohammad Shahid was unfortunate
to be ruled out during the
middle stages of the tournament
due to injury. But Jayed bowled
admirably, making up hor Shahid’s
absence. Things got heated
up in the middle in the first
qualifier against Khulna Titans
as Shakib and Jayed got involved
in a bust-up with on-field umpire
Khalid Mahmood. Later, Shakib
was fined 20 percent of his match
fee. That was probably the lowest
point for Dhaka in the tournament.
But ultimately, they were
dominant with both bat and ball
in the majority of the matches
and ended the tournament in
grand fashion.
Local players
Opening batsman Mehedi Maruf
played impressively throughout
the tournament scoring 347 runs
in 14 innings with a highest score
of 75 not out. Middle-order batter
Mosaddek was also in form, making
304 runs in 13 innings. Shakib
scored 226 runs in 13 innings and
took 13 wickets. Probably a bit
more was expected from Shakib
as he is one of the best all-rounders
in the world but in the end the
title win will satisfy the fans. Shahid
was in superb form bagging
15 wickets in eight innings before
being injured. All-rounder Nasir
Hossain was disappointing with
the bat as he scored only 195 runs
in 10 innings.
Foreign Players
Lankan great Sangakkara was
solid as usual with the willow
and also performed well behind
the stumps. Windies all-rounder
Bravo was magnificent with his
death-over bowling and finished
as the highest wicket taker of
the tournament with 21 wickets.
Another all-rounder Russel also
played his part and struck a vital
46-run knock against Khulna
in the first qualifier. West Indian
Lewis played only three matches
but played two good innings and
ended with 131 runs.•
MUSHFIQUR
RAHIM
Runs: 341;
Average: 37.88
MAHMUDULLAH
Runs: 396; Average:
33.00, Wickets: 10,
Economy Rate: 7.41
SHAKIB AL HASAN
Runs: 226; Average:
20.54, Wickets: 13,
Economy Rate: 6.84
MOHAMMAD NABI
Runs: 230; Average:
32.85, Wickets: 19,
Economy Rate: 6.47
DARREN SAMMY (C)
Runs: 276; Average:
30.66, Wickets: 6,
Economy Rate: 9.11
DWAYNE BRAVO
Runs: 104; Average:
20.80, Wickets: 21,
Economy Rate: 7.55
MOHAMMAD
SHAHID
Wickets: 15,
Economy Rate: 6.88
JUNAID KHAN
Wickets: 20,
Economy Rate: 6.09

Sport 25
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
Team spirit key behind Rajshahi resurgence
DT
• Ali Shahriyar Bappa
Rajshahi Kings, one among two
franchises in the money-spinning
Bangladesh Premier League
Twenty20 2016-17 season with new
ownership, finished runners-up
following their defeat against the
star-studded Dhaka Dynamites in
the final in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla
National Stadium last Friday. But
the Rajshahi players should hold
their head high as they played
some memorable cricket throughout
the tournament, showing great
team spirit to overcome difficulties
and snatching wins from the jaws
of defeat during the month-long
competition.
Captain Darren Sammy, the twotime
World T20 winning captain of
the West Indies, played a fantastic
role, inspiring the team, be it with
his captaincy, batting or bowling,
whenever it was needed. Sammy
always said in the post- or prematch
press conferences that he
wants to play passionate cricket.
HIGHEST TEAM TOTAL
Dhaka 194/5 v Comilla
LOWEST TEAM TOTAL
Khulna 44 all out v Rangpur
HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL SCORE
Sabbir Rahman (Rajshahi) 122
HIGHEST STRIKE RATE
Darren Sammy (Rajshahi) 174.68
HIGHEST AVERAGE
Mohammad Mithun (Rangpur) 45.71
MOST FIFTIES
Tamim Iqbal (Chittagong) 6
MOST SIXES
Mehedi Maruf (Dhaka) 20
BEST BOWLING FIGURE
Afif Hossain (Rajshahi) 4-1-21-5
BEST ECONOMY RATE
Abu Jayed (Dhaka) 5.25
BEST STRIKE RATE
Mohammad Shahid (Dhaka) 10.8
MOST DISMISSALS
Kumar Sangakkara (Dhaka) 18
MOST CATCHES
Farhad Reza (Rajshahi) 9
He said he always asks his players
to play with passion. Sammy also
successfully transferred the motto
of “never-say-die” attitude upon
his team mates. And the players
did exactly what the captain demanded.
In some matches, Rajshahi
were in trouble and on the verge
of defeat, but from such situations,
Rajshahi managed to bounce back
to win in style.
In a couple of matches, they were
close to winning but failed. With
that said, their fighting spirit was
clearly evident and that’s the main
reason why Rajshahi reached the
final in the end. When the tournament
got underway, Rajshahi managed
to win only one out of their
first five matches. At that stage, they
were at the bottom of the points table.
But the team members believed
MOST RUNS
Player Mat Inns Runs HS Ave SR 50
Tamim Iqbal (Chittagong) 13 13 476 75 43.27 115.81 6
Mahmudullah (Khulna) 14 14 396 62 33.00 118.20 2
Sabbir Rahman (Rajshahi) 15 15 377 122 26.92 117.81 0
Kumar Sangakkara (Dhaka) 13 13 370 66 28.46 115.62 2
Mohammad Shahzad (Rangpur) 11 11 350 80* 38.88 110.06 2
Mehedi Maruf (Dhaka) 14 14 347 75* 26.69 135.54 2
Mushfiqur Rahim (Barisal) 12 12 341 81* 37.88 134.78 2
Marlon Samuels (Comilla) 8 8 334 69* 66.80 116.78 3
Mominul Haque (Rajshahi) 15 15 331 64 22.06 108.16 3
Mohammad Mithun (Rangpur) 12 12 320 64* 45.71 117.64 2
in themselves and won seven out of
their next nine matches to reach the
grand finale.
There are many positives for Rajshahi
to take out from this year’s
BPL. Sabbir Rahman’s century
against Barisal Bulls was the only
hundred of the tournament. Unfortunately,
Rajshahi lost that match
but Sabbir’s 122-run innings off
just 61 balls is regarded one of the
best T20 innings by a Bangladesh
batsman. Youngster Mehedi Hasan
Miraz was impressive with the ball
throughout the tournament. Another
youngster Afif Hossain surprised
everyone by claiming the best debut
bowling figure in T20 history
(5-21), against Chittagong Vikings.
In the Eliminator, Sammy played an
outstanding innings to lift his team
from the brink of defeat. Samit Patel’s
two man-of-the-match performances
against Dhaka in the round
robin stage were also memorable
for Rajshahi. So there are several
positives for Rajshahi from the
tournament which will help them
to proceed forward next year.
Local players
Sabbir’s century was the best innings
of the tournament. The
right-hander scored 377 runs in 15
innings at an average of 26.92. But
the top-order batsmen should have
been more consistent. Mominul
Haque was in form with the bat and
proved his credential in this format
with 331 runs in 15 innings. With
the ball, Miraz was impressive from
the very beginning while Afif also
bowled well, especially in the latter
parts of the innings. Paceman Abul
MOST WICKETS
Hasan Raju picked up five wickets
in their first match but later lost
his place in the playing XI having
taken 12 wickets in 10 innings.
All-rounder Farhad Reza was also
impressive, bagging 14 wickets.
Foreign players
English all-rounder Patel was in
good form. He scored 288 runs and
took 11 wickets. Sammy’s captaincy
was impressive while he also led
the team from the front with the
bat. Sammy scored 276 runs in 14
runs at a staggering strike rate of
174.68. New Zealand all-rounder
James Franklin scored some valuable
runs for Rajshahi in the latter
stages of the tournament. West
Indies pacer Kesrick Williams was
productive with the ball, especially
in the playoffs. But Pakistan batsman
Umar Akmal flopped with the
willow. The highly-rated batsman
managed to score only 106 runs in
nine innings and was eventually
dropped from the playing XI.•
MOST RUNS
Player Inns Runs HS Ave SR
Sabbir 15 377 122 26.92 117.81
Mominul 15 331 64 22.06 108.16
Patel 14 288 75 24 113.83
Sammy 14 276 71* 30.66 174.68
Franklin 6 162 63* 54 143.36
MOST WICKETS
Player Inns Wkts BBI Ave Econ
Farhad 15 14 3/28 27.21 7.47
Abul 10 12 5/28 23.91 8.78
Miraz 15 12 2/12 29 7.40
Patel 13 11 3/19 20 6.11
Williams 5 8 4/11 14.12 5.65
Player Mat Inns Wkts BBI Ave Econ SR
Darren Bravo (Dhaka) 13 13 21 3/10 15.95 7.55 12.6
Junaid Khan (Khulna) 14 14 20 4/23 16.05 6.09 15.8
Mohammad Nabi (Chittagong) 13 13 19 4/24 15.00 6.47 13.8
Shafiul Islam (Khulna) 13 12 18 4/17 18.38 7.78 14.1
Shahid Afridi (Rangpur) 11 11 17 4/12 14.94 6.35 14.1
Mohammad Shahid (Dhaka) 8 8 15 3/21 12.46 6.88 10.8
Rubel Hossain (Rangpur) 12 12 15 3/25 21.06 7.34 17.2
Taskin Ahmed (Chittagong) 11 11 15 5/31 21.26 8.11 15.7
Farhad Reza (Rajshahi) 15 15 14 3/28 27.21 7.47 21.8
Arafat Sunny (Rangpur) 12 11 13 3/0 14.76 6.29 14.0

DT
26
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
Sport
BFF outlines four-year calendar, emphasis on youth football
• Shishir Hoque
Placing utmost emphasis on the development
of youth football in the
country, Bangladesh Football Federation
yesterday unveiled a longterm
plan with a four-year calendar
filled with domestic competitions
and youth football activities.
The much talked about “master
plan” will be effective from
January, 2017 and the football federation
has termed its new plan
“phase three”, mentioning that the
first two phases have already been
conducted during the eight-year
reign of current president Kazi Salahuddin.
With the motto of “One Game,
One Vision, One Dream”, the latest
plan firmly focuses on “engaging
and enriching the next generation”
but it has no definite mention of
its plan with the country’s sole
football academy in Sylhet that
has been out of activity for quite a
while now.
The BFF has set its focus on
eight “key technical pillars’ including
player development, coach
education and development, competitions,
referee development,
medical and sports science, professional
clubs and leagues, women’s
football and grass-root levels.
With the unveiling of the annual
calendar for the next four seasons,
the plan revealed key areas, activities
and targets for 2017 and 2018.
The key areas and activities for
next year includes residency programmes
of under-14, 16, 18 and 19
youth tournaments involving premier
league and second-tier clubs,
grass-roots level coach education
and development programmes,
different division and district competitions
of U-12, 14, 16 and 18 boys
and girls’ age groups and school
football festivals. The majority of
the activities are the same as 2018.
According to the annual calendar
of four years, the professional
football season will kick off
in May with the Federation Cup.
Bangladesh Premier League and
Bangladesh Championship League
will be held simultaneously from
June-October, followed by the season-ending
tournament, the Independence
Cup, in November.
The First Division League will
run from May-July, the second division
from January-March and the
third division from August-November.
The U-16 Pioneer Football Tournament
will be held in April-May.
The BFF also included
Bangabandhu Gold
Cup and Sheikh Kamal
International Club Cup
in the calendar for four
years
Among youth tournaments, the
National U-18 District Championship,
formerly known as Sohrawardi
Cup, will take place at the start
of the year in February and March,
along with the National District
School Championship and the U-16
Divisional Age-Group Tournament.
The District Football Association
will be given six months time from
April-September to complete the
District Club Football League. U-18
divisional age-level tournaments
will be held in September and October.
An U-18 youth competition
will be held in the last two months
of the year.
U-14, 16 and 19 National Women’s
Football Championship will be
held in April, August and October
respectively followed by the National
Women’s Championship in
November.
The BFF also included Bangabandhu
Gold Cup and Sheikh Kamal
International Club Cup in the
calendar for four years. These two
international tournaments have
been hosted and organised by the
football federation.
Admitting the limitations and
struggles of domestic clubs, BFF
boss Salahuddin, while unveiling
the plan, said, “We prepared the
plan after discussing with all key
stakeholders of the country’s football,
including clubs and DFA officials.
We had to sit for three-four
executive committee meetings before
finalising it.”
He added, “Different new youth
tournaments have been added to
the calendar and it will be permanent
in the next four years. What’s
new, you ask me? We are fixing the
time of all football activity. We are
taking firm steps and I promise, it
will be followed strictly.”
Meanwhile, BFF technical and
strategical director Paul Smalley
said, “Youth development is key
priority. Giving responsibility to
the clubs for their young players
development, grass-root and
school football are the other key
priorities. Coach development and
women’s football are also key priorities.”
He continued, “We got to be
extremely serious for the development
of league players. But we got
to find players. We have to make
sure the way we identify and recruit
the best players, both male
and female. We will be quite visible
throughout Bangladesh to make
sure we have the best players.” •
Action from the Bangladesh Premier League game between Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club (yellow) and
Brothers Union at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday
COURTESY
Abahani top despite firing blank
• Tribune Report
Ten-man Abahani Limited
remained at the top of the
Bangladesh Premier League
with a six-point lead despite
being held to a goalless
draw by Sheikh Russel Krira
Chakra at Bangabandhu National
Stadium yesterday.
The Sky Blues were reduced
to 10 men in the 35th
minute and it was one of
their best performers this
season - Lee Andrew Tuck.
Tuck was dismissed for a foul
on Cameroonian Jean Jules
Ikanga.
It was Tuck who created
the first chance of the game
with only four minutes into
the clock when his through
pass found Nigerian Sunday
Chizoba but the latter’s effort
was saved by the Sheikh Russel
goalkeeper for a corner.
The Sky Blues kept their
defence solid and also piled
pressure on the opponent’s
terrain, despite playing with
10 men. The four-time professional
league winners
could have taken the lead
near the hour mark when national
midfielder Emon Babu
hit the woodwork from the
edge of the box.
Abahani are the only side
in the league who are yet to
lose a single match. They
now have 43 points from
19 matches, six more than
second-placed Chittagong
Abahani, who have played a
game less. Sheikh Russel remained
eighth with 21 points.
Meanwhile in the other
game of the day at the same
venue, holders Sheikh Jamal
Dhanmondi Club slumped
out of the title race with three
more rounds left to play after
playing out a goalless draw
against Brothers Union.•

Sport 27
DT
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
QUICK BYTES
Siddikur 28th
ahead of HK Open
final round
Premier Bangladesh golfer Siddikur
Rahman continued to shine in the
USB Hong Kong Open as he finished
the third and penultimate round
yesterday at Hong Kong Golf Club
at 28th position, tied alongside
10 others. Siddikur carded a par
score of 70 in the third round of the
$2,000,000 tournament to take his
overall aggregate to three-under-par
207, eight shots behind joint leaders
Sam Brazel of Australia and Rafa
Cabrera Bello of Spain. The 32-year
old Bangladesh golfer hit three
birdies against as many bogeys in the
penultimate round.
–TRIBUNE REPORT
DAY’S WATCH
CRICKET
STAR SPORTS 1
10:00AM
England Tour of India
4th Test, Day 4
STAR SPORTS 2
Women’s Big Bash League T20
5:13AM
Perth Scorchers v Hobart Hurricanes
9:15AM
Sydney Sixers v Brisbane Heat
FOOTBALL
TEN 1
05:30PM
Sky Bet EFL 2016/17
Derby County v Nottingham Forest
TEN 2
French Ligue 1 2016/17
8:00PM
Olympic Lyon v Stade Rennais
10:00PM
Saint-Etienne v Guingamp
1:35AM
PSG v Nice
TEN 3
12:00PM
A-League 2016/17
Brisbane Roar v Adelaide United
STAR SPORTS 1
7:20PM
Indian Super League 2016
Semi Final 2 Leg 1: Kerala v Delhi
SONY SIX
Spanish La Liga
4:30PM
Eibar v Alaves
08:40PM
Celta Vigo v Sevilla
11:30PM
Espanyol v Sporting Gijon
1:40AM
Real Betis v Athletic Bilbao
SONY ESPN
Italian Serie A
5:30PM
Cagliari v Napoli
8:00PM
Torino v Juventus
1:30AM
Inter Milan v Genoa
India’s captain Virat Kohli plays a shot against England during the third day of the fourth Test at the Wankhede stadium in
Mumbai yesterday
REUTERS
Sublime Kohli, Vijay put India
ahead against England
• Reuters, Mumbai
India captain Virat Kohli maintained
his red-hot form as he and Murali Vijay
struck fine centuries to help the
hosts overtake England on day three
of the fourth Test at the Wankhede
Stadium yesterday.
The hosts, leading 2-0 in the
five-match series, reached 451 for
seven at the close, 51 runs ahead of
the touring side.
Captain Kohli was unbeaten on
147 at stumps with Jayant Yadav on
30 not out. The 28-year-old Kohli
brought up his 15th Test hundred and
second of the series and celebrated
with a leap in the air, bringing the
22,000 crowd at the stadium overlooking
the Arabian Sea to their feet.
Kohli batted majestically, rarely
looked in trouble, and hit 17 fours
with sublime stroke-making.
He shared crucial stands with
the lower-order batsmen - 57 with
Ravindra Jadeja for the seventh
wicket and an unbroken 87 with
Yadav.
Vijay and Kohli, who also passed
1,000 Test runs in 2016 and 4,000
in his career, added 116 for the
third wicket before the former was
out for 136, hitting a full toss from
Adil Rashid straight back to the
leg-spinner.
England successfully reviewed
the umpire’s not out decision
to dismiss Karun Nair lbw for 13
off Moeen Ali before part-time
off-spinner Joe Root picked up the
Djokovic has not worked
hard enough, says Becker
• Reuters, Belgrade
Novak Djokovic lost his
momentum in the second
half of last season and
was toppled as the world
number one by Andy Murray
because his work-rate
dropped, the Serbian’s
former coach Boris Becker
said on Wednesday.
Speaking a day after the
two terminated their cooperation
by mutual consent,
German Becker said
Djokovic’s need to spend
more time with his family
had derailed him on the
court.
“He didn’t spend as
much time on the practice
court in the last six
months as he should have
and he knows that,” said
Becker, who helped Djokovic
to six grand slam titles
after they teamed up
in December 2013.
“Success like this
doesn’t happen by pushing
a button. Success like
this doesn’t just happen
by showing up at a tournament.
You have to work
your bottom off because
the opposition does the
same,” he told Sky News.
“The profession of a
tennis player is probably
the most selfish one in
sports because it has to
be about you and he is the
first to say he is a family
man, so of course his wife
and the rest of his family
had to take back seats.
Having completed a
career slam when he won
his maiden French Open
title in June, Djokovic suffered
an astonishing loss
of form.
He crashed out of Wimbledon
in the third round
to American Sam Querrey
and made a first-round
exit at the Rio Olympics.
Djokovic then lost the
U.S. Open final to Swiss
Stan Wawrinka.•
wickets of Parthiv Patel and Ravichandran
Ashwin in four balls.
India, who were comfortably
placed on 262-2, were reduced
to 307-6 before Kohli and Jadeja
propped them up. Jadeja was out
to Rashid for 25.
The hosts could have been in
more trouble if Rashid had held on
to a return catch from Kohli, then
on 68. Root also dropped Yadav
on eight off James Anderson, compounding
England’s problems.
Yadav was reprieved again on
28 when replays showed he had
edged Moeen to wicketkeeper Jonny
Bairstow down the leg side but
England did not have any reviews
left to challenge the umpire’s not
out decision. •
4TH TEST, DAY 3
ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS
400 (K. Jennings 112, J. Buttler 76; R.
Ashwin 6-112)
INDIA 1ST INNINGS R B
(overnight 146-1; M. Vijay not out 70, C.
Pujara not out 47)
M. Vijay c & b Rashid 136 282
C. Pujara b Ball 47 104
V. Kohli not out 147 241
K. Nair lbw b Ali 13 18
P. Patel c Bairstow b Root 15 31
R. Ashwin c Jennings b Root 0 3
R. Jadeja c Buttler b Rashid 25 46
J. Yadav not out 30 86
Extras (b5, lb7, w2) 14
Total (7 wickets, 142 overs) 451
Fall of wickets
1-39 (Rahul), 2-146 (Pujara), 3-262
(Vijay), 4-279 (Nair), 5-305 (Patel), 6-307
(Ashwin), 7-364 (Jadeja)
Bowling
Anderson 15-5-43-0, Woakes 8-2-34-0, Ali
45-5-139-2 Rashid 44-5-152-2, Ball 14-5-
29-1, Stokes 8-2-24-0, Root 8-2-18-2
Trio joint top
of Premier Div
Chess
• Tribune Report
Sheikh Russel Memorial Sporting
Club, Saif Sporting Club and Bangladesh
Navy Chess team are jointly
leading the points table of the Premier
Division Chess League 2016
after the end of the fifth round at
National Sports Council Tower Auditorium
yesterday.
Reigning champions Sheikh
Russel outplayed Titas Club 4-0.
Their three Grandmasters Boris
Grachev, Ziaur Rahman and Amonatov
Farrukh and International
Master Abu Sufian Shakil beat Candidate
Master Sohel Chowdhury,
Fide Masters Mohammad Saif
Uddin Lavlu, Mohammed Abdul
Malek and Shafiq Ahmed of Titas
respectively.•

DT
28
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
Sport
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi fights for the ball with Osasuna’s Alex Berenguer during their Spanish La Liga Santander match at El Sadar, Pamplona yesterday
Messi double brings Barca relief
• AFP, Madrid
Lionel Messi struck twice as Barcelona
recorded their first win in four
La Liga games to close to within
three points of Real Madrid at the
top of La Liga with a 3-0 win at
Osasuna.
Barca should have killed the
game off in the first half as Luis
Suarez and Messi missed two big
chances each against La Liga’s bottom
side.
However, Suarez rounded off a
Blatter blasts Infantino
over lack of respect
• AFP, London
Disgraced former FIFA president
Sepp Blatter accused his successor
Gianni Infantino of showing a lack
of respect for him in an interview
with the BBC.
The 80-year-old - who on Monday
lost his appeal at the Court of
Arbitration for Sport over a six year
ban from football for a two million
Swiss franc ($2 million/1.8 million
euro) payment to then UEFA boss
Michel Platini - said Infantino had
dropped by his house once since he
was elected in February and Blatter
had raised matters he thought
should be dealt with.
fine team move to break the deadlock
just before the hour before
Messi’s double in the final 17 minutes
moved him ahead of Cristiano
Ronaldo as La Liga’s top scorer
with 11 for the season.
Barca were in desperate need
of a lift after conceding in the last
minute to Real in last weekend’s El
Clasico.
The Catalans’ upturn in performance
since captain Andres Iniesta’s
return from a six-week injury
layoff continued in the first half at
“I am definitely not a happy
man (with) what happened with
FIFA,” Blatter told the BBC.
“I have never seen in any company
that the new president... was
not paying respect to the old president.
After his election we had a
very good contact and he stopped
at my house and we had a chat. I
told him I have a list of questions
that should be solved in Fifa which
has not been solved before.
“(Infantino) said ‘I will work on
that’ and he never came back.”
Blatter said Infantino, who was
UEFA secretary-general under Platini,
had not returned his phone
calls since that meeting.•
Osasuna, but Barca were in danger
of paying for their profligacy in
front of goal.
A brilliant pass from Messi freed
Suarez inside the area just eight
minutes in, but the Uruguayan
pulled his shot inches wide of the
far post. Suarez then hit the woodwork
as he spun inside the area.
Barca created fewer chances
in the second half, but were more
clinical.
Sergio Busquets and Messi combined
to release Jordi Alba on the
REUTERS
left and his low cross was rolled
into an unguarded net by Suarez
despite Osasuna calls for offside.
The second goal came about in
similar fashion 13 minutes later as
Alba again got to the by-line and his
cross was volleyed home by Messi
at the near post.
And Messi didn’t need any help
for his second in stoppage time as
he wriggled clear of three Osasuna
defenders and left Perez on the
floor before lifting the ball high into
the net.•
Unfair that
inferior teams
are higher than
United, says
Mourinho
• Reuters
Manchester United manager Jose
Mourinho has labelled it unfair
that teams he believes are inferior
to his side are higher in the Premier
League table.
United, who have drawn six
of their 14 league matches, are in
sixth position going into today’s
home game with fifth-placed Tottenham
Hotspur, 13 points adrift
of Mourinho’s former club Chelsea
who are top of the table.
“I find it unfair,” the Portuguese
told Sky Sports on Friday.
“I find that we should have many
more points than we have because
when you look at the table it looks
like other teams are better than us
which in my opinion is not true.
“In so many draws we deserved
victories. If you could transform
these draws into victories we
would be very close to the top.
“I am just a bit disappointed...
because I see teams in the Premier
League that are not comparable to
us in terms of the quality of their
game and they have many more
points than us.”
Mourinho, who won the Premier
League three times in two spells
with Chelsea and also lifted Champions
League trophy with Porto in
2004 and Inter Milan in 2010, said
he was maintaining United’s tradition
for an attacking style of play.•
FIXTURES
Chelsea v West Brom
Man United v Tottenham
Southampton v Middlesbrough
Liverpool v West Ham
Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil heads to score against Stoke City during their Premier League match at Emirates Stadium yesterday.
Arsenal won 3-1
REUTERS

Downtime
29
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
CROSSWORD
CODE-CRACKER
ACROSS
1 Disguise (4)
4 Small fish (5)
9 Perform (3)
11 Eternal city (4)
12 Fruit (5)
13 Level (4)
14 Marshes (4)
15 Motif (5)
19 Presentation (5)
21 Serpents (4)
25 Single entry (4)
26 Fruit of the oak (5)
28 Body of water (4)
29 Indicate assent (3)
30 Use money (5)
31 Wagers (4)
DOWN
1 Atlas contents (4)
2 Top card (3)
3 Begin (5)
5 Like better (6)
6 Wander (4)
7 So be it! (4)
8 Time in grammar (5)
10 Mouse-like animal (5)
16 Hurry (6)
17 Long-tailed parrot (5)
18 Tugs (5)
20 Male honeybee (5)
22 Break suddenly (4)
23 Fish (4)
24 Extremities (4)
27 Decay (3)
How to solve: Each number in our
CODE-CRACKER grid represents a
different letter of the alphabet. For
example, today 3 represents D so fill D
every time the figure 3 appears.
You have two letters in the control
grid to start you off. Enter them in the
appropriate squares in the main grid, then
use your knowledge of words to work out
which letters go in the missing squares.
Some letters of the alphabet may not be
used.
As you get the letters, fill in the other
squares with the same number in the
main grid, and the control grid. Check
off the list of alphabetical letters as you
identify them.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
CALVIN AND HOBBES
SUDOKU
How to solve: Fill in the blank spaces with the
numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must
contain all nine digits with no number repeating.
PEANUTS
YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS
CODE-CRACKER
CROSSWORD
DILBERT
SUDOKU

30
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
Showtime
Wedding song of the year goes viral
• Showtime Desk
This has been a breakthrough year
for the young fusion and hip-hop
artist Pritok Hassan. Almost all
his music videos have gone viral
so far. His newest one, which was
released a few days back, is no
exception. It is titled “Beainshab”.
The song is a treat to watch.
Protik Hasan collaborated with
the composer Pritom himself for
the lyrics, which is about a funny
exchange of words between guests
in deshi weddings. Naumi, along
with Protik, provided vocals for
the track. Along with the catchy
beats, the video is an entertaining
watch, directed by Taneem
Rahman Angshu.
The video starts with a
funny scene between sports
commentator Chowdhury
Jafarullah Sharafat and celebrity
chef Keka Keka Ferdousi, where
they talk about food. Soon after,
actor Zahin Hasan, along with
Pritom, and other models lip-sync
throughout the video, while giving
out funny expressions in hilarious
wedding scenarios.
So far the video is available on
bioscope.com and it is going viral
in its own rights. So far there are
over 22,000 views. It is indeed
a great song, which people can
dance to during the wedding
season. Don’t be surprised if you
hear it in a wedding this winter,
just dance along and have fun. •
Gaan Friendz receive the
Silver Play Button
Jen’s apology
• Showtime Desk
Jennifer Lawrence has
apologised for causing an uproar
by joking about scratching
her butt with some sacred
Hawaiian stones while filming
for The Hunger Games: Catching
Fire. The incident left many
wondering about those sacred
rocks.
The Oscar winning actress,
26, got into hot water when she
talked about the incident on The
Graham Norton Show Friday,
and told a story about trying to
relieve an itchy posterior during
the shooting of the film.
Lawrence meant to be funny,
but it was no laughing matter
to many native Hawaiians, who
consider some of the locations
used by the filmmakers on
Oahu’s north shore to be have
great spiritual importance, right
down to the stones on the beach.
When Lawrence figured that
she’d caused real upset, she
gave a public apology. “I meant
absolutely no disrespect to the
Hawaiian people,” the actress
wrote on Facebook. “I really
thought that I was being selfdeprecating
about the fact that I
was ‘the curse,’ but I understand
the way it was perceived was
not funny and I apologise if I
offended anyone.” •
• Showtime Desk
YouTube musical comedy duo,
Gaan Friendz, got the Silver Play
Button last week. It is one of the
three YouTube Creator Rewards,
which are given to YouTubers
solely based on the number of
subscribers. Silver Play Buttons are
given to the content creators when
the have 100,000 subscribers or
more. Gaan Friendz are the third
Bangladeshi channel to achieve
this feat. Salman Muqtadir and
Bhai Brothers have done so before
them.
Tamim Mridha and Shouvik
Ahmed, the two members of the
duo posted the news on their
Facebook page, followed by a live
video. So far, the channel has over
147,000 subscribers, 8,000,000
views and only nine videos to their
credit. One can say that they have
achieved the feat relatively faster
than the others, given that their
oldest video was uploaded back in
May 2015. •

Showtime
31
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
Host T.J. Miller arrested two days
before show
• Showtime Desk
According to the Los Angeles
police, Actor/comedian T.J. Miller,
star of Silicon Valley and Office
Christmas Party, was arrested on
Friday, after he was accused of
battery by a car-service driver.
Miller is scheduled to host
the Critics’ Choice Awards in
Santa Monica on Sunday. Officer
Drake Madison of LAPD said
that Miller was arrested around
1am on Friday. The accusing
driver wanted the actor to be
booked under a citizen’s arrest.
The officer didn’t give additional
details about what led to the
dispute between the driver and
Miller.
According to TMZ, Miller
and the driver quarrelled about
President-elect Donald Trump,
and Miller allegedly hit the
chauffeur on the head when
they arrived at Miller’s house.
Earlier this year, the Silicon Valley
actor had been ranting about the
President-elect on Twitter, calling
him a “lunatic” and a “madman”.
Madison on the other hand,
said that Miller was released on
his own recognisance and was
ordered to appear in court on
January 9.
Joey Berlin, president of the
organisation that presents the
Critics’ Choice Awards, says Miller
will remain the host for Sunday’s
show. “We look forward to seeing
what he’s going to do on Sunday,”
Berlin said.
Miller is widely known for his role
as Erlich Bachman in the quirky
Silicon Valley, in which he plays
the owner of a home that serves
as a headquarter for new startup
companies. He stars in the
comedy Office Christmas Party, as
a fun-loving worker who throws
a wild, R-rated holiday party to
save their tech company. The
film released this past Friday. The
movie also stars Jason Bateman,
Olivia Munn and Kate McKinnon.
In an interview with USA
TODAY, Miller said he had been
enjoying life, while promoting a
comedy “during the apocalypse,”
meaning just before Trump takes
office as the next President of the
United States.
“Family is not for arguing
and fighting this year,” he said
in the interview. “It’s for getting
together and remembering what’s
great about America, which is
film and laughter. We’ve always
had the best sense of humor
in the world — you hear that,
England?”•
WHAT TO WATCH
Stealth
Star Movies 9:30pm
Deeply ensconced in a topsecret
military program, three
pilots struggle to bring an
artificial intelligence program
under control before it
initiates the next world war.
Cast: Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel,
Jamie Foxx
Ocean’s Thirteen
HBO 7:13pm
Danny Ocean rounds up the
boys for a third heist, after
casino owner Willy Bank
double-crosses one of the
original eleven, Reuben
Tishkoff.
Cast: George Clooney, Brad
Pitt, Matt Damon
Due Date
WB 4:28pm
High-strung father-to-be Peter
Highman is forced to hitch a
ride with aspiring actor Ethan
Tremblay on a road trip in
order to make it to his child’s
birth on time.
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Zack
Galifianakis
Jumanji
Zee Studio 9:30pm
When two kids find and
play a magical board game,
they release a man trapped
for decades in it and a host
of dangers that can only be
stopped by finishing the game.
Cast: Robin Williams, Kirsten
Dunst, Bonnie Hunt
Fast 8: The Fate of the Furious
• Showtime Desk
Two days before the Fast 8 trailer
released online, Universal has
revealed in a teaser trailer the
film’s title - Fate of the Furious.
The Fate of the Furious stars
Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson,
Jason Statham, Michelle
Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris
“Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie
Emmanuel, Elsa Pataky and
Kurt Russell. New to the Fast
franchise are Charlize Theron,
Scott Eastwood and Helen
Mirren.
Fast 8 hits theatres this April.
The ninth and tenth instalments
are already booked for April 2019
and April 2021. •
Creed
Movies Now 9:30pm
The former World
Heavyweight Champion Rocky
Balboa serves as a trainer and
mentor to Adonis Johnson,
the son of his late friend and
former rival Apollo Creed.
Cast: Michael B. Jordan,
Sylvester Stallone, Tessa
Thompson •

32
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
DT
CONSENSUS ON DECENT
WORK IN BALI PAGE 12
Back Page
TEAM DHAKA JUSTIFY
FAVOURITES TAG PAGE 24
WEDDING SONG OF THE
YEAR GOES VIRAL PAGE 30
Biochar: An eco-friendly fertiliser
• Abu Siddique
The newest innovation in biomass
cooking stoves will revolutionise
rural cooking as it makes an
eco-friendly byproduct which can
be used as fertiliser.
This byproduct is known as
bio-char, which is the environment-friendly
alternative to the
regular char (charcoal) produced by
stoves in rural Bangladesh.
These stoves are called top-lit
updraft gasifer (TLUD) which are
experimentally being used under
a project by Bangladesh Bio-Char
Initiative called Akha.
In Manikganj, Monkhusi Halder
has been using them for a few
months and she sells the bio-char
to farmers as fertiliser, making
some extra cash along with dinner.
“I have been using this stove for
the last few months and sold 75kgs
of bio-char for Tk10 per kg, reducing
the cost of fuel,” Monkhusi told
the Dhaka Tribune while using her
Akha stove.
Khorshed Ali, a farmer in Manikganj,
was visibly excited about
the new bio-char fertiliser.
Having used it for some time
now: “I have been cultivating aubergine,
cabbage and cauliflowers
with this bio-char and it helps produce
the same amount of crops as
Bio-char could significantly change the
approach to agriculture in Bangladesh as food
poisoning from fertiliser is one of the biggest
concerns of daily consumers
regular chemical fertiliser does.”
This could significantly change
the approach to agriculture in
Bangladesh as food poisoning from
fertiliser is one of the biggest concerns
of daily consumers.
Khorshed, hopeful about biochar’s
prospects, said if it yielded
the same result this year, he would
switch over to it permanently as it
was also cost-effective.
Programme officer of the initiative,
Krishna Kumar Shingha, said
Akha uses clean-burning fuel and it
is also fuel-efficient and produces a
constant heat without stoking.
He explained how it works:
“The stove produces a different
type of byproduct which can easily
be used as a fertiliser because of
the burning process of the stove.
This is how it only burns the gas of
the biomass but not all the matter.”
However, what really sets the
Akha apart from other biomass stoves
is its ability to make char at the same
time as cooking. Producing char
maximises the utility of the wood,
because we can get more energy if we
burn the char as charcoal, or we can
increase agricultural productivity if
we use the char as bio-char.
Apart from this, the soil quality
improvement testing is being conducted
by Bangabandhu Agricultural
University along with some
other institutions to see the effects
of the bio-char on the top soil.
However, the major difference
between the traditional and biochar
producing stove is that it only
burns wood.
Regarding the shortfall, Krishna
Singha said: “Since we are in the
experimental phase, the TULD only
burns wood, but we are trying to
add a list of biomass cooking materials
the stove can use.”
The Akha is a semi-permanent
installation that can be easily disassembled
and moved. The essential
components are a fuel cylinder (reaction
chamber) and a gas burner
on top that supports a cooking pot.
There is also the base that contains
an air flow regulator, and a
trap-door grate for removing char
from the bottom of the fuel cylinder.
The operator loads the fuel cylinder
with small pieces of wood,
then lights the fuel at the top.
The Akha works by burning a
batch of fuel from top to bottom,
using a small amount of air supplied
through the grate at the bottom
of the fuel cylinder. •
The environment-friendly TLUD stoves, left, produce a byproduct named
bio-char which can be the eco-friendly and cheaper alternative to the
chemical fertilisers currently used in food production around the country
ABU SIDDIQUE
CEC: No need to deploy
army in N’ganj city polls
• SM Najmus Sakib
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi
Rakibuddin Ahmad has ruled out any
possibility of army deployment in
Narayanganj during the upcoming city
corporation polls, as the law and order
situation is normal there.
“Presently, no such situation
has arisen that requires the army
deployment during the polls,” he said
yesterday while talking to reporters
at National Economic Council (NEC)
in Agargaon, Dhaka after a meeting
with officials of the Ministry of Home
Affairs and law enforcement agencies
over Narayanganj city and district
council elections.
Several issues regarding the
elections, scheduled on December 22,
were discussed at the meeting.
The chief election commissioner
said the law enforcement agencies
were well aware of current law and order
situation and they were capable of
dealing with any unexpected situation
during the elections.
“Police, Rapid Action Battalion
(RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh
(BGB) will be on duty during the polls
and, if necessary, actions will be taken
immediately upon any information of
electoral rule violation, election manipulation
and vote rigging,” he said.
Selina Hayat Ivy, the ruling
party-backed candidate, and Shakhawat
Hossain Khan, the BNP-backed
candidate, are going to contest with
their respective party symbols for the
mayoral position of Narayanganj City
Corporation. •
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,
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