DT e-Paper 08 March 2017

SECOND EDITION
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017 | Falgun 24, 1423, Jamadi-us Sani 8, 1438 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 311 | www.dhakatribune.com | 24 pages | Price: Tk10
EXCLUSIVE
RASHID TALUKDER / PHOTO SOURCE: MUKTIJUDDHO E-ARCHIVE TRUST
CIA sensed Bangladesh
independence was inevitable › 2

2
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
DT
News
CIA sensed Bangladesh
independence was inevitable
The CIA recently made available online several thousand documents on Bangladesh’s pre- and
post-independence events. Today Dhaka Tribune publishes the CIA’s early predictions
about East Pakistan’s emancipation and observations about the strength and weakness of an
independent Bangladesh, the second of a series of exclusive stories
• Probir Kumar Sarker
As the chances of East Pakistan
getting separated from West Pakistan
increased sharply following
the December 1970 elections which
reflected the people’s resistance
against exploitation and dominance,
the CIA observed in early
March that Bangladesh’s future under
the rule of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s
Awami League would not be
a smooth journey either.
The report stated that an independent
East Pakistan would begin
with some assets, notably in the
political realm but also including
an ethnically homogenous population.
But it would “face economic
problems of staggering proportions
because of its dearth of natural resources,
its burgeoning population,
and its lack of capital, economic infrastructure,
and entrepreneurial
and technical skills.”
The dominant agricultural sector
– mostly dependent on jute –
could make little headway unless
flood waters were controlled, the
CIA said, adding that the process
would require considerable capital.
The intelligence memorandum
“East Pakistan: An Independent
Nation?” dated March 1, 1971 and
published online in January this
year gives a glimpse of erstwhile
East Pakistan’s strength and limitations,
from agriculture to industrial
growth and poor condition of the
Bangali army men.
The secret document was prepared
by the Office of Current Intelligence
and coordinated within the
Directorate of Intelligence.
Economic situation
The rapid population growth was
mentioned as the top economic
factor in the report estimating the
number of people to be 73-75 million
in East Pakistan, a land area
about the size of Florida or Arkansas,
with 90% rural population and
20% literacy rate.
Based on a conservative growth
rate, the CIA predicted that the
population would be 115m in 1985
and 180m in 2000.
The average per capita income
of East Pakistan was about $60, far
below that in West Pakistan and
Inspired by Bangabandhu’s historic speech on March 7, 1971, retired army personnel assembled at Outer Stadium in Dhaka to
prepare for the Liberation War
RASHID TALUKDER/ PHOTO SOURCE: MUKTIJUDDHO E-ARCHIVE TRUST
not much higher than the level
in 1948.
According to the 1961 census,
only 4.3% of the East Pakistani labour
force was engaged in manufacturing,
almost entirely in smallscale
industry.
Private enterprise was generally
very inefficient in East Pakistan,
where “numerous small, uneconomic
shops produce similar products,
using outdated methods and
without sufficient capital for expansion,”
the report said.
There had been little private
investment in East Pakistan in
comparison with the West wing,
accounting to about 25% of the national
total. Capital was largely in
the hands of a few wealthy families
who had migrated from Pakistan,
India and Myanmar.
Much of the managerial class
resident of East Pakistan was
“composed of Urdu-speaking Muslim
refugees [known as Biharis]
from India, who have never been
accepted by the Bangalis and who
would probably move to West Pakistan
if the East wing became independent.”
The CIA underscored the need
for more workers with technical
skills for the development of an independent
East Pakistan.
Jute was the main cash crop at
that time while 45% of the total industrial
workforce was engaged in
manufacturing jute products. But
jute products had already started
facing competition in the world
markets from synthetics, the report
said.
The agricultural sector used to
face massive setback due to annual
flooding and drought, while the
country was also subject to high
salinity and devastating cyclones.
The November 1970 cyclone killed
at least 500,000 people in coastal
areas.
East Pakistan was also facing
power shortages and frequent outages
due to lack of mineral resources.
Until 1970, the country had only
one gas field in Sylhet for power
generation and producing fertiliser.
“There are no easily exploitable
coal fields in East Pakistan …
hydroelectric power possibilities
in East Pakistan are limited.” A
nuclear power plant was set to be
constructed at Rooppur of Pabna
with the support of Belgium in five
years.
Lack of adequate transport system
was another reason behind
sluggish growth in East Pakistan.
Civil service and foreign ties
In 1965, there were 151 Bangalis in
the civil service out of a nationwide
total of 461, the CIA report
said, adding: “Under Mujibur Rahman,
however, a civil service might
not have as great a role to play.”
As of late 1970, only a few government
agencies drew as many as
half of their employees from East
Pakistan. Many Bangalis had held
lesser positions in the bureaucracy
below the elite civil service level.
In 1970, only 11 out of 53 Pakistani
heads of missions were Bangalis.
“Mujib is relatively well travelled
and has expressed himself on
certain foreign policy aspects. He
favours the restoration of trade ties
with India and the peaceful settlement
of outstanding disputes.
The CIA anticipated that the independence
of East Pakistan might
give rise to dreams among Bangalis
on both sides and concern in
New Delhi over the formation of a
“Greater Bengal.”
“The AL does not appear to be
particularly sympathetic to communist
China, and some AL leaders
seem suspicious of Chinese intentions,”
the CIA document reads.
The US is apparently held in
high esteem by several senior AL
leaders. At the same time, the report
stated, “there have been frequent
contacts between Soviet diplomats
and AL leaders, and Soviet
assistance after the cyclone of 1970
was substantial.” •
PAGE 1 PHOTO CAPTION
Flanked by Awami League leaders,
Bangabandhu holds a press
conference at his Dhanmondi 32
residence in Dhaka on March 3, 1971
after ‘talks’ with Yahya Khan and
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto failed

Arbovirus perform at Joy Bangla Concert 2017 yesterday in Dhaka’s Army Stadium
PM seeks Indonesia’s help
to send back Rohingyas
• BSS
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday
requested the Indonesian government
to play a role in sending back
the Rohingyas refugees to Myanmar.
“The Myanmar refugee issue is
a big problem for Bangladesh and
needs to be resolved,” she said at a
bilateral meeting with Indonesian
President Joko Widodo on the sidelines
of the IORA Leaders’ Summit.
Speaking to reporters after the
meeting, Foreign Secretary Md
Shahidul Haque said the Indonesian
foreign minister recently visited
Bangladesh and Myanmar over
the Myanmar refugee issue.
Prime Minister’s Principal
Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser
Chowdhury, Press Secretary Ihsanul
Karim, and Secretary on the
Maritime Unit of the Foreign Ministry
Rear Admiral (retd) M Khurshed
Alam attended the briefing.
The Rohingya issue was also
discussed during the meeting
between the prime minister and
President Widodo at Jakarta Convention
Centre on the fringe of the
summit yesterday, Shahidul said.
At the meeting, Hasina requested
the Indonesian government to play
a role in sending back the Rohingya
refugees now staying in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the two countries
also discussed cooperating on the
rail, pharmaceutical and energy
sectors, Shahidul added.
President Widodo said his country
made massive progress in railways
and wanted to contribute further
to Bangladesh’s rail sector.
In this connection, Sheikh Hasina
expressed satisfaction with Indonesia
supplying 250 rail carriages
to Bangladesh.
She highlighted Bangladesh’s
huge development in pharmaceuticals
and said Bangladesh now
exports medicines to over 70 countries,
including the United States
and European Union.
In this regard, the Indonesian
president underscored the need
for joint collaboration between the
two countries in pharmaceuticals.
Making note of Indonesia being
News 3
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
an LNG producer and exporter, the
foreign secretary said they also discussed
possible cooperation between
the two nations in the LNG sector.
President Widodo showed appreciation
for Bangladesh’s tremendous
socioeconomic development
under the leadership of
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The prime minister then invited
President Widodo to visit Bangladesh
at his convenience, which he
cordially accepted.
He told Sheikh Hasina that a
ministerial delegation would visit
Bangladesh within two months to
discuss the issue of his visit with
the Bangladesh officials.
“We hope the visit of the Indonesian
president to Bangladesh
would take place this year,” the foreign
secretary said.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood
Ali, PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Kamal
Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Foreign
Secretary M Shahidul Haque
and Bangladesh Ambassador to Indonesia
Major General Azmal Kabir
were present at the meeting. •
Obaidul: Communal
forces, next election
major challenges
• Mohammad Abu Bakar
Siddique
Awamil League General Secretary
Obaidul Quader yesterday said
communal forces and the next general
polls are the two major challenges
for the ruling party.
He said the communal forces
still existed and the Awami League
wanted to win the next parliamentary
election.
“They [communal forces] are
working undercover very actively in
the country and can launch sabotage
at any moment. It would be wrong to
think that there is no such evil forces
operating currently,” Obaidul said at
a party programme held at Dhaka’s
Engineers’ Institute marking the
46th anniversary of Bangabandhu’s
historic March 7 speech.
“We should not take them [communal
forces] lightly,” he said, adding
that the party had to remain
prepared to fight them.
He urged the party men to be
united and organised ahead of the
election.
On a separate note, he criticised
the party’s leaders and activists,
saying: “We need more activists,
but everyone wants to be a leader.
“Let us all become activists under
Verdict against two
Kishoreganj war crimes
accused any day
• Tribune Desk
The International Crimes Tribunal
will deliver its verdict any day in a
case filed against two Kishoreganj
men for their alleged crimes committed
during the 1971 Liberation War.
They are Syed Mohammad Hussain
alias Hossain and Muhammad
Moslem Pradhan of Kishoreganj
sadar upazila. Moslem is in jail and
Hossain on the run.
Yesterday, the three-member tribunal,
led by Justice Anwarul Haque,
DT
the leadership of Sheikh Hasina.”
Obaidul said that the AL-backed
candidates, in the upazila elections,
lost to the BNP-backed aspirants
because the ruling party had
more than one contestant.
According to him, Awami
League’s associate organisations
that have formed new committees
lately seem to be more motivated
than before.
He suggested that the affiliate
bodies should not form “pocket
committees” through controversial
selection process.
Referring to BNP Secretary General
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s
recent allegation that the AL forcibly
wanted the party to run for
the next polls, Obaidul said: “How
come would Awami League do that?
What is the benefit of doing so?
“The BNP has to contest in the
election out of its own courage since
it is related to the party’s existence.”
Obaidul also came down hard
on the BNP for not observing the
March 7 speech anniversary.
“Without marking the day, how
can BNP claim to be a party believing
in the spirit of Liberation War?”
he said, accusing the BNP of distorting
the country’s history every
time it took office. •
kept the verdict waiting to be delivered
as both prosecution and defence
had ended placing their arguments.
The trial began in May last year
after an investigation in the case
ended in September 2015.
Charges brought against the duo
include killing of 62 people, abduction
and detention of 11 people,
and burning down some 250 houses
in Nikli upazila during the war.
Of them, six charges, according
to the prosecution, were proved
beyond reasonable doubt.•
Patrol police come under bomb attack on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway
• Mohiuddin Molla, Comilla
A routine enforcement of speed
limits on the Dhaka-Chittagong
Highway took a drastic turn yesterday
morning when a police
patrol was attacked with crude
bombs by a pair of men.
The highway patrol was pursuing
a Shyamoli Paribahan bus
on main road from Dhaka to Chittagong
near Kutumbpur in Chandina,
Comilla.
According to OC Nasir Uddin
Mridha of Elliottganj Highway Police,
two passengers stepped out
when the bus was stopped.
“They shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’
and hurled two objects at the police,”
OC Nasir said.
The two objects were crude
bombs but they did not explode.
“The policemen chased and
drove the two men into a nearby
village. They hurled more bombs at
us, and we shot back,” said the OC.
Villagers rushed to the scene
and helped police apprehend the
two men.
One of the bombers, identified
as Hasan from Patiya, Chittagong,
was severely beaten up by the villagers
and was detained. His accomplice,
who identified himself
only as Jashim, was shot by the
police and arrested in a critical
condition.
The entire skirmish lasted nearly
20 minutes, following which police
recovered four crude bombs
and a machete.
“The pair are possibly JMB
militants based on their weapons
and modus operandi,” OC Nasir
Uddin said.
After the two were taken
away to Comilla Medical College
Hospital, senior police and
administrative officials in Comilla
visited the area.•

4
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
DT
News
‘Special cases’ in Child
Marriage Act to be
finalised on March 12
• SM Najmus Sakib
State Minister for Women
and Children’s Affairs Meher
Afroze Chumki said the exact
details of what would constitute
“special provisions” in the
controversial Child Marriage
Restraint Bill 2017 will be finalised
on March 12.
She made the comments
yesterday at a roundtable
marking International Women’s
Day at Bhorer Kagoj office
in Dhaka.
Claiming that the government
is women and child
friendly, she said they will not
pass a law that harms either of
them.
The minister said using the
special provision would need
to meet certain criteria such
as marriage of a minor would
need the consent and permission
of the court on a contextual
case by case basis.
“We will increase the jail
time for anyone found violating
or abusing this law and also
suspend the any marriage officiator
found guilty of conducting
illegal child marriages,” the
state minister added.
State Minister Chumki and
Editor of Bhorer Kagoj Shamol
Datta handed over honorary
crest to language movement
activist Rawshan Ara Bachchu,
who first broke the barricade of
Pakistani occupation in 1952.
Freedom fighter and women’s
rights activist Rokeya Kabir,
and Additional Inspector
General of Police Fatema Begum
were also honoured for
their contribution to the nation.
Director General of Family
Planning Association of
Bangladesh Dr Halida Hanum
Akhter, Vice-President of BNP
Selima Rahman, and Executive
Director of Prip Trust Aroma
Dutta, spoke at the event. •
Naripokkho to boycott
Women’s Day state events
• Afrose Jahan Chaity
Women rights body Naripokkho
announced yesterday it would
shun all International Women’s
Day state events being held today,
protesting the passage of
the Child Marriage Restraint Bill
2017 in parliament with a contentious
special provision.
In the letter, Naripokkho
also requested all NGOs and
organisations working on
women’s rights and human
rights to shun the state announced
events.
Expressing their disapproval
of the recently passed law,
the letter said: “Naripokkho
will boycott all programmes
where government representatives
will be present to celebrate
International Women’s
Day and requests everyone to
boycott them as well.”
On February 27, Bangladeshi
lawmakers passed the
child marriage prevention law
with a provision for allowing it
in “special circumstances.”
Earlier, Executive Director
of Bangladesh National Women
Lawyers’ Association Salma
Ali said: “On this Women’s
Day, our main agenda will be
child marriage, and we will observe
it as a ‘black day’ to protest
this new law.” •

Govt mulling 20% pay hike
for civil servants
• Asif Showkat Kallol
The government is likely to
allocate an additional sum of
Tk12,600 crore annually as it is
mulling increasing salaries of 2.1
million public servants by 20%
every year.
The Finance Division (FD) has
estimated a total of 20% pay rise
following Finance Minister AMA
Muhith’s move to adjust salaries
of the government employees
every year due to inflation.
A recent Finance Ministry
memo contains instructions of
the minister who wants to take
decisions on hiking the civil
servants’ salaries and allowance
within December this year.
The FD’s implementation
wing will hold an inter-ministerial
meeting in this regard in the FD
auditorium on March 12. Finance,
commerce and planning ministers
will attend that meeting.
An FD official preferring to
be anonymous said: “Whereas
the national budget increases
by only 17% annually, a 20% increase
in salaries and allowance
for civil servants seems to be
unreasonable.” As the country’s
inflation rate has been hovering
around 5% in the last couple
of years, the Farashuddin Pay
Commission recommended
increasing salaries by 5-8% each
year, he further said. •
News 5
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
DT
TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY
Dhaka 33 19 Chittagong 30 22 Rajshahi 32 19 Rangpur 31 17 Khulna 31 20 Barisal 32 21 Sylhet 31 16
Cox’s Bazar 30 22
RAIN LIKELY
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8
DHAKA
TODAY
TOMORROW
SUN SETS 6:05PM
SUN RISES 6:14AM
YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW
33.2ºC
11.7ºC
Chuadanga
Tetulia
Source: Accuweather/UNB
PRAYER
TIMES
Fajr: 5:50am | Zohr: 1:15pm
Asr: 4:45pm | Magrib: 6:10pm
Esha: 8:00pm
Source: Islamic Foundation

6
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
DT
HC receives death
reference in Kunio
murder case
• Liakat Ali Badal, Rangpur
The death reference and documents
in Japanese citizen Hoshi
Kunio murder case has been sent
to the High Court.
The documents were received
at the section concerned of the
High Court around 10am Tuesday,
Aminur Rahman, reader to the
Rangpur Special Judge’s Court,
confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune.
On February 28, Rangpur Special
Judge Naresh Chandra Sarker
sentenced to death five members
of a new faction of Jama’atul Mujahideen
Bangladesh (JMB), within
60 working days of the trial proceedings.
The convicts are New JMB’s regional
commander Masud Rana,
military commander Eshak Ali,
Liton Mia, Ahsan Ullah Ansari Biplob
and Shakhawat Hossain. Biplob is on
the run while another accused Abu
Sayeed was found not guilty. The trial
began on November 15, 2016.
Special public prosecutor Rathish
Chandra Bhowmik, who
stood for the state in the trial, said
that they had urged the authorities
for speedy arrangement of the
death reference hearing.
Rangpur court sources added
that the four arrested convicts had
collected their copies of the trial
court verdict.
Defence lawyer Abul Hossain
said that his clients would file petitions
with the High Court against
the death penalty.
Kunio was gunned down in
Rangpur on October 3, 2015, barely
a week after the identical killing of
an Italian man in the capital’s Gulshan
area. •
News
Muggers
snatch Tk1.60
crore in Savar
• Nadim Hossain, Savar
Unidentified muggers snatched
Tk1.60 crore from the employees
of a garment factory in Savar while
the latter were transporting the
money yesterday.
Confirming the incident, RAB 4
Company Commander Maj Abdul
Hakim said that the employees of
Oboni Group were transporting
Tk1.60 crore in a microbus to another
factory of the group in the
afternoon.
As the microbus reached near
Nazim Nagar area, some miscreants
swooped on the vehicle, fired
blank shots and snatched away the
money.
Later, RAB and police officials
visited the spot. The money could
not be recovered until last night.
When contacted, the factory
authorities refused to comment on
the matter. •
JMB member gets
life in arms case
• Md Anwar Hossain
Choudhury,
Chapainawabganj
A member of banned militant outfit
JMB in Chapainawabganj was
given life-term rigorous imprisonment
yesterday in a case filed in
2009 for possessing illegal arms.
Convict Md Selim alias Harun
Mistri, 33, is the son of Md Durul
Huda from Johorpur Bokripara under
Narayanpur in Chapainawabganj.
Judge Md Ziaur Rahman of the
Special Tribunal 2, also an additional
district and sessions judge,
delivered the verdict in presence of
the convict.
Thirteen prosecution witnesses
gave statements in the case.
An active member of old JMB,
Selim was arrested during a drive
by a team of RAB 5 from Johurpur
Belpara village of Narayanpur on
July 7, 2009.
Based on his information, a pistol
and nine rounds of bullets were
recovered from the house of his
father-in-law Kamruzzaman of Johorpur
Bokripara. Later RAB filed
a case against him under section 19
(Ka) of the Arms Act with Chapainawabganj
sadar police.
Nababganj police Sub-Inspector
Md Shahin Akanda pressed charges
against him on August 6 the same
year. •

News 7
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
DT
CU professor’s
hanging body
found
• FM Mizanur Rahaman,
Chittagong
The hanging body of a mathematics
professor of Chittagong
University was found in his house
inside the campus yesterday
evening.
The deceased is Prof Abul Kalam
Azad, 63. His wife Shahanara
Begum is a professor of chemistry
department of the same university.
Family members were outside
during the incident.
The body was found hanging
from the ceiling in his bedroom
of the house.
“He used to live with his family
at Paharika Housing Estate of
the CU campus,” Proctor Ali Asgar
told the Dhaka Tribune.
CU police outpost’s In-Charge
Inspector Mokaddes said: “Family
members spotted the hanging
body through the window and
informed the police around 4pm.
Police later recovered the body.”
Prof Shahanara discovered
the hanging body first when she
returned home after classes,
and informed the university authorities
as well as police of the
matter.
Two of Prof Azad’s colleagues
said that he had been suffering
from depression due to various
diseases.
Prof Azad had served as the
chairman of mathematics department
and dean of the Science
Faculty. •
Hazaribagh
fire razes 80
shanties
• Tarek Mahmud
A massive fire broke out at a slum
in Hazaribagh area of Dhaka yesterday
and burnt at least 80 shanties
to ashes.
The Fire Service and Civil Defence
control room officials confirmed
to the Dhaka Tribune that
no casualty took place in this incident.
The fire broke out at Kalunagar
Miah Bari slum around 3:30am,
Palash Chandra Modok, inspector
of Fire Service and Civil Defence,
said.
“The fire originated from electric
short circuits in a shanty of
the slum,” he claimed.
Five fire fighting units rushed
to the spot and doused the fired
by 5:30am, the inspector said.
The fire caused damages
worth Tk10 lakh. Palash claimed
that they had managed to save
Tk20 lakh worth valuables of the
slum dwellers. •

DT
8
World
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
SOUTH ASIA
Pakistan temporarily
reopens its border with
Afghanistan
Thousands of stranded Afghans
and Pakistanis returned home on
Tuesday as Pakistan temporarily
reopened two main crossings that
had been closed last month after
a wave of militant attacks. The
Torkham and Chaman crossings
were to remain open through
Wednesday for nationals from both
countries with valid visas. AFP
INDIA
Note ban shrinks India’s
billionaire club
India’s richie rich club has shrunk by
11 people since the demonetisation
last November, while Mukesh Ambani
remains the richest Indian with
a net worth of $26bn, according to
Hurun Global Rich List India. Though
there has been a fall in number of billionaires
in the country since demonetisation,
the aggregate total wealth
of the ultra-rich people has increased
by 16%, the report said. TOI
CHINA
China vows resolute
measures after THAAD
deployment
China said Tuesday it would “resolutely”
defend its security interests
as the US began deploying the
THAAD missile-defence system in
South Korea that Beijing fears will
undermine its own military capabilities.
The US Pacific Command
said Monday its military had begun
deploying the THAAD system
to South Korea. AFP
ASIA PACIFIC
Japan approves changes to
century-old sex crime law
The Japanese government on Tuesday
took a major step to overhaul
century-old sex crime laws. The
Cabinet approved a bill to revise the
110-year-old law and wants parliament
to pass it as quickly as possible.
Under the revised law, the minimum
prison term for those convicted of
rape will be raised to five years from
the present three. AFP
MIDDLE EAST
Iran rejects US moves to
seize 9/11 compensation
money
Iran said Tuesday it was “completely
unfair” for US lawyers to try to
seize its overseas assets as compensation
for the victims of September
11, 2001. Since Iran rejects the
accusation and refuses to pay the
money, the lawyers are now trying
to access $1.6bn of Iranian money
frozen in a Luxembourg bank, according
to a report in The New York
Times on Monday. AFP
TI: 900m in Asia paid bribes last year
• AFP, Bangkok
Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May
May braces for second
defeat over Brexit bill
• AFP, London
ASIA CORRUPTION SURVEY
Forced to pay a bribe
Estimated percent of people who paid
a bribe to access a public service
in the past 12 months
900 million people paid bribes
across the region, according to
Transparency International
Pakistan
40
Source: Transparency International
Sri Lanka
15
Based on interviews by
Transparency International
with 22,000 people
India
69
REUTERS
British Prime Minister Theresa
May is facing a second defeat in
the House of Lords on whether to
give parliament the final say on
leaving the EU but her timetable
for triggering Brexit by the end of
the month remains on track.
The bill empowering May to
start the exit process has already
been held up by a week after
peers voted on March 1 for an
amendment guaranteeing the
rights of European citizens living
in Britain.
May is confident the bill will
pass in time to meet her deadline
of triggering Article 50 of the EU’s
Lisbon Treaty, which begins the
two-year withdrawal process, by
the end of March.
But a second defeat would be
blow to the Conservative leader,
potentially bind her hands in the
forthcoming negotiations, and
further delay the bill by setting
up a stand-off between the House
of Lords and the elected lower
House of Commons. •
Myanmar
40
Mongolia
20
Thailand
41
China
26
23
Indonesia
32
South Korea
3
Japan
Hong Kong
0.2
2
Vietnam
40
Malaysia
65
Cambodia
More than a quarter of people living
in Asia had to pay a bribe while trying
to access a public service in the
past year, a watchdog said Tuesday,
calling on governments to root out
endemic graft in the region.
The report by Berlin-based
Transparency International surveyed
more than 20,000 people in
16 countries spanning the Asia Pacific
region from Pakistan to Australia.
From the results they estimated
900 million people were forced
to fork over “tea money” at least
once in the previous 12 months.
Bribery rates were highest in India
and Vietnam, where nearly two
thirds of respondents said they
had to sweeten the deal to access
basic services like public education
and healthcare.
Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong
and Australia reported the lowest
incidences of bribery.
Police were the most common
demanders of kickbacks, according
to the survey, with just under a
third of people who had come into
contact with an officer in the past
year saying they had paid a bribe.
The poor are hit hardest by corruption
with 38% of respondents
saying they had to pay a bribe, the
highest in any income category.
Yet while poorer people were
more likely to be targeted in countries
like Thailand, India and Pakistan,
the reverse trend was found
in places like Vietnam, Myanmar
and Cambodia.
Corruption scandals have
rocked a number of governments
in Asia over the past year, dominating
news headlines and whipping
up protests. South Korea’s
President Park Geun-hye was impeached
by parliament in December
over a major influence-peddling
scandal that prompted
millions to take to the street for
months to call for her resignation.
Malaysia has also been seized
by a graft scandal since 2015, with
global investigators accusing Premier
Najib Razak and his associates
of misappropriating billions of
dollars through the state-backed
1MDB fund.
A report last year by a corruption
watchdog also detailed the
enormous wealth accumulated by
the family and friends of Cambodian
Prime Minister Hun Sen.
China, meanwhile, has been on
anti-corruption drive that has netted
more than one million officials,
while fellow communist country
Vietnam has also jailed a number
of former businessmen for graft in
its bloated state-run sector. •
Trump’s new travel ban raises
bar for legal challenges
• Reuters, New York/San
Francisco
The new, more narrowly tailored temporary
travel ban President Donald
Trump signed on Monday will be more
difficult to challenge successfully in
court, legal experts said.
They said that since his order no
longer covers legal residents or existing
visa holders, and makes waivers possible
for some business, diplomatic and
other travellers, challengers are likely
to have a harder time finding people in
the United States who can legally claim
they have been harmed, and thus have
so-called “standing” to sue.
Trump’s first executive order signed
on January 27 banned travellers from
seven Muslim-majority nations – Iran,
Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and
Yemen – for 90 days and halted refugee
admission for four months, barring
Syrian refugees indefinitely. Its hasty
implementation caused chaos and protests
at airports. The order was hit with
more than two dozen lawsuits, many
that claimed it discriminated against
Taiwan
6
Australia
4
Has corruption increased?
Percent of people who said
they believed corruption had
increased in their country or territory
China
Indonesia
Malaysia
Vietnam
South Korea
Hong Kong
India
Cambodia
Pakistan
Australia
Japan
Taiwan
Myanmar
Sri Lanka
Thailand
22
21
14
35
35
34
28
26
46
41
65
59
56
50
73
Immigration activists rally against the
Trump administration’s new ban in
Washington, DC on March 7 REUTERS
Muslims.
The new ban, which goes into effect
on March 16, removes Iraq and
adds categories of people who would
be exempt from the order. The Trump
administration said the executive order
is necessary for national security
reasons. •

World
Narendra Modi battles for hearts and
minds in Varanasi
• AFP, Varanasi
Varanasi boat owner Prabhu Sahani
backed Narendra Modi as his
MP in the 2014 general election.
But the Indian prime minister will
not be getting his vote when the
ancient city on the Ganges goes to
the polls again today.
Modi’s decision to stand in the
sacred Hindu city in Uttar Pradesh
rather than his home state of Gujarat
in 2014 paid off with an overwhelming
victory that he celebrated
with a prayer on the banks of
the Ganges.
Now his Hindu nationalist
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying
to consolidate its grip on power
by seizing control of India’s most
populous state, which stretches
from the high-rise outer edge of
the national capital in the west to
the city on the Ganges where Hindus
go for salvation in the east.
It faces stiff competition from
the locally ruling Samajwadi Party
(SP) in a state where caste, family
and religious affiliations run deep.
Leader and current chief minister
of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh
Yadav, has rejuvenated the SP’s
image since he toppled his ageing
father this year, forging an alliance
with the national opposition
Congress Party, and campaigning
alongside its equally youthful deputy
leader Rahul Gandhi.
Wednesday’s vote will be the
final stage of a bitter weeks-long
battle for the state that analysts
say is too close to call.
It is a key test of Modi nearly
three years after he came to office
pledging inclusive government and
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) holds a public hearing in the case
Ukraine v Russian Federation in the Hague on March 6
AFP
Russia denies Kiev’s
terrorism claims at UN court
• AFP, The Hague
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves during a roadshow in support of
state assembly election party candidates in Varanasi on March 4
AFP
Russia hit back Tuesday at claims
it is “sponsoring terrorism” in
war-torn eastern Ukraine, dismissing
Kiev’s accusations that it
is breaking treaties by supporting
pro-Moscow rebels as “neither
factual nor legal”.
“The Russian Federation complies
fully with its obligations
under (the) treaties that are now
relied upon by Ukraine,” in a case
before the UN’s top International
Court of Justice, Moscow’s representative
said.
“We see neither a legal nor factual
basis” for the measures asked
for by Ukraine, Roman Kolodkin,
legal director at Russia’s foreign
ministry, told the court in The
Hague.
Ukraine on Monday urged the
ICJ to order emergency measures
to bring stability to its eastern regions.
Nearly three years of conflict
have claimed about 10,000 lives
in eastern Ukraine – and led to
Russia’s seizure of Ukraine’s
southern peninsula of Crimea in
2014 – pushing ties between Moscow
and the West to their lowest
point since the Cold War. •
a “shining India” that would provide
jobs for a growing youth population.
‘Smart heritage city’
As voting day approached in Varanasi,
one of the world’s oldest cities,
the once putrid banks of the Ganges
were certainly shining brighter.
Locals said cleaners now came
four times a day to sweep the
ghats, where bodies are brought
to be cremated according to centuries-old
Hindu tradition.
Modern changing cabins have
sprung up along the river, although
most stood empty as ritual bathers
stripped off next to them in the
open, just as they have always done.
“You used to see dead bodies
of animals and sometimes even
people floating in the river. Now
that has decreased,” said boatman
Suresh Sahani, who planned to
vote BJP, as he touted for customers
in the hot sun.
Away from the river, however,
there were few signs of the “smart
heritage city” that Modi promised.
Work has begun on underground
cables to replace the tangle of electricity
wires that hang precariously
over the city’s narrow streets.
But for now that only worsens
the congestion, forcing honking
cars, rickshaws and bicycles into
an angry single lane of traffic that
is often brought to a standstill by
a stray cow.
Varanasi’s BJP Mayor Ram Gopal
Mohley blamed the state government
for the pace of progress,
saying hundreds of millions of
dollars had been provided from
federal coffers to develop the city’s
infrastructure. •
EU court: States can deny
visas to refugees
• AFP, Luxembourg
The EU’s top court ruled Tuesday that
states can deny short-term humanitarian
visas to people trying to enter to
claim asylum, in a case of a Syrian family
trying to come to Belgium.
The decision by the Luxembourg-based
European Court of Justice’s
decision was seen as a test case
for EU countries facing a surge in refugees
in the past two years, mainly from
Syria’s civil war.
In a surprise judgment, the court
ruled against the family from the besieged
city of Aleppo who had applied
for the humanitarian visas at the Belgian
embassy in the Lebanese capital
Beirut last October.
“Yesss! We won!” Belgium’s Immigration
Minister Theo Francken tweeted
after having argued that an unfavourable
ruling would have opened the
gates to uncontrolled immigration.
The court went against an earlier
recommendation by its chief lawyer
that the family ran the risk of inhumane
treatment if they stayed in Syria.
“Member States are not required,
under EU law, to grant a humanitarian
visa to persons who wish to enter their
territory with a view to applying for
asylum,” the court said.
“But they remain free to do so on
the basis of their national law,” it added.
The Orthodox Christian couple and
their three young children had challenged
the refusal of the Belgian immigration
office, citing the EU Charter of
Fundamental Rights and the European
Convention of Human Rights.
The father claimed to have been
abducted by an armed terrorist group,
then beaten and tortured, before being
release on payment of a ransom.
The family claimed more broadly
they risked persecution on account of
their religious beliefs.
The EU court ruled that the bloc’s
visa code was adopted on the basis of a
European treaty that allows for intended
stays of no more than three months.
“The Syrian family, however, submitted
applications for visas on humanitarian
grounds with a view to
applying for asylum in Belgium and,
accordingly, for a residence permit not
limited to 90 days,” it added.
It warned that allowing third-country
nationals to obtain entry visas to
obtain international protection in the
EU state of their choice “would undermine
the general structure” of the
bloc’s asylum system. Belgian Prime
Minister Charles Michel noted the victory
and said “our work goes on”. •
9
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
USA
Ben Carson: Slaves were
immigrants
DT
Ben Carson, the new secretary of
the US Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD), on
Monday referred to slaves brought
to the United States against their will
as “immigrants,” drawing quick condemnation
from civil rights groups
who cast his remarks as offensive. It
was Carson’s first address to the staff
at HUD. He was confirmed by the US
Senate last week. AFP
THE AMERICAS
Mass teachers strike in
Argentina
Thousands of teachers took to the
streets of Buenos Aires on Monday,
delaying the first day of school for
millions of children, as part of a
two-day national strike demanding
a wage increase to compensate
for sky-high inflation last year. The
strike poses a test for centre-right
President Mauricio Macri’s administration,
which is increasingly
clashing with the country’s powerful
unions ahead of legislative
elections in October. REUTERS
UK
Poll: UK public against
exiting EU without deal
British people are against the
prime minister’s plans to leave the
EU without a deal if parliament
rejects the agreement struck with
Brussels, according to a new poll
released on Tuesday. Only 25%
of British people would support
leaving the EU with no set future
relations in place. A total of 56%
favoured other options at odds
with May’s plans. AFP
EUROPE
Hungary to detain all
asylum-seekers
Hungary approved plans on Tuesday
to detain migrants in camps
on its border, state news agency
MTI said, a step which the UN said
violates EU law and will have a
“terrible physical and psychological
impact” on asylum seekers.
The measures, passed by parliament,
will also tighten controls on
Hungary’s border, which has been
a focal point of Europe’s migration
crisis since 2015. REUTERS
AFRICA
Fighting between Libyan
smugglers kills 22 migrants
Fighting between rival people-smuggling
gangs on Libya’s Mediterranean
coast has killed 22 people,
the International Organisation for
Migration said on Tuesday. The dead
were thought to be migrants rather
than smugglers because they were
sub-Saharan Africans, IOM spokesman
Joel Millman said. More than
100 people were wounded, he told a
news briefing in Geneva. REUTERS

DT
10
Business
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
CAPITAL MARKET SNAPSHOT: TUESDAY
DSE Broad Index 5,622.5 0.6% ▲ Index 1,307.4 0.4% ▲ 30 Index 2,031.7 0.7% ▲ Turnover in Mn Tk 11,275.6 17.3% ▲ Turnover in Mn Vol 311.7 23.0% ▲
CSE All Share Index 17,406.2 0.6% ▲ 30 Index 15,122.9 0.5% ▲ Selected Index 10,556.9 0.6% ▲ Turnover in Mn Tk 629.5 15.1% ▲ Turnover in Mn Vol 19.0 18.3% ▲
Study: 10% rise in women workforce
to raise Bangladesh GDP by 1%
• Tribune Business Desk
If Bangladesh can raise the participation
of women in labour force by 10%
within the next five years, it would
play a pivotal role in driving the GDP
growth by 1%, experts have said.
“Currently, the contribution
of women workforce in our GDP
growth is 34%,” said World Bank
lead economist Dr Zahid Hossain,
reports BSS.
He said the participation of
women in workforce would take
the country forward in attaining
higher GDP growth in line with
achieving the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Bangladesh Women Chamber
of Commerce and Industry (BWC-
CI) President Selima Ahmed said
without empowering the women,
Bangladesh cannot achieve SDGs
as gender equality is one of the key
components of the 17 goals.
“The chamber has already provided
training to over 35,000 women
and is working to impart training
to 9,000 more women in 120
upazilas across the country to make
them self-dependent,” she added.
Selima, also vice-chairperson of
the Nitol-Niloy Group, urged all to
give women proper support including
finance and training for achieving
the country’s development goals.
According to a Business Initiative
Leading Development (BUILD)
study report, women entrepreneurs
constitute about 10% of the
total business entrepreneurs in
Bangladesh whereas women in
advanced market economies own
more than 25% of all business.
“It is heartening to note that
despite many barriers, a new class
of women entrepreneurs has risen
in the country taking on the challenge
to work in a male-dominated,
Currently, the contribution of women workforce in Bangladesh GDP growth is 34%
competitive and complex economic
and business environment,” said
Ferdaus Ara Begum, Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of BUILD.
Not only have their entrepreneurship
improved their living conditions
and earned more respect for
their family and society, but also
contributed to business and export
growth, supplies, employment generation,
productivity and skills development,
added the CEO.
A survey data of Bangladesh
Bureau of Statistics (BBS) revealed
that women own only 2.8% of all
enterprises outside agriculture in
Bangladesh.
This figure exposed that while
progress is being made towards the
equality of women and men in the
decision-making level, women remain
under-represented.
Women entrepreneurs are mostly
engaged in manufacturing (54%)
such as fashion (textile) products,
boutique, handicrafts, printing etc.
Anis A Khan, chairman of Association
of Bankers, Bangladesh
(ABB), said participation of women
in all kinds of labour forces is essential
to sustain the development
of the country.
In the banking sector, he said
the role of women bankers is laudable
as they have dedication to the
work and they always maintain
their office time perfectly.
Khan, also managing director
SHEKHAR MONDAL
of the Mutual Trust Bank Limited,
said about 21% of the total employees
of his bank are women and
their performance is not less than
that of their male counterparts.
The Department of Youth Development
(DYD) Director General,
Anwarul Karim, said DYD is
working relentlessly to make the
youth, especially the young women,
self-reliant.
“DYD has already provided necessary
training for about 48 lakh youths
till July 2016, and of them, 20 lakh
have become self-reliant,” he added.
Around 30% of the total trained
youths are women and most of the
training modules of the department
are for women. •
Shirin urges
govt to make
internet safe
• Ishtiaq Husain
Jatiyo Sangshad Speaker Shirin
Sharmin Chaudhury emphasised
safe internet as online threats continue
to rise.
“Bangladesh is moving forward in
every aspect. A rural old woman can
now speak with her expatriate son
abroad from digital union centres set
up across the country,” she said.
Speaker added: “The government
has established 4,500 digital
union centres in the country. Digital
Bangladesh is today a reality.”
Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was
speaking as chief guest at the inauguration
of a two-day workshop at
Le Meridian hotel in Dhaka yesterday.
The two-day event was organised
by the Commonwealth Telecommunications
Organisation
in collaboration with Posts and
Telecommunication Division and
Bangladesh Telecommunication
Regulatory Commission.
“Every year around $4bn are
being stolen online by hackers. It’s
a big internet security threat not
only in Bangladesh but across the
globe,” Jatiya Sangsad Speaker said.
The workshop was attended by
representatives from Interpol, Intonational
Telecommunication Unit,
Association of Mobile Telecom Operators
of Bangladesh, Bangladesh
Police, Rapid Action Battalion and
Bangladesh Border Guard.
State Minister for Posts and Telecommunication
Tarana Halim
said the government will take “effective
measures” against the online
sites or Facebook pages spreading
threats of militancy.
CTO Secretary-General Shola
Taylor presented the keynote paper
on “Tackling Cybercrimes: A
global imperative for a safe internet.”
•
Govt allows sand export at Tk1 per cft
• Tribune Business Desk
The government has decided to allow
the export of sand to Singapore
and Maldives at Tk1 per cubic foot.
The decision was taken at a
meeting of the National Sand Corridor
Management Committee on
Monday with land minister Shamsur
Rahman Sharif in the chair.
Sharif said sand can be lifted experimentally
for six months initially
from the proposed site of Jamuna
river by keeping the flows normal
for river traffic and navigability.
If any adverse impact on the environment
is detected, the dredging
will be stopped, he added.
Earlier, Infrastructure Dredging
Limited applied to the Ministry of
Water resources seeking permission
for dredging Jamuna river and
exporting the sand to Singapore
and Maldives at its own cost initially
for a period of two years.
Later, the Land Ministry, Water
Resources Ministry and Shipping
Ministry discussed the proposal of
the company at a meeting of the National
Sand Corridor Management
Committee on October 18, 2016.
In the meeting, a five-member
team was formed to make recommendations
on the export rate of sand.
Shipping Minister Sahjahan
Khan, Water Resources Minister Anisul
Islam Mahmud and State Minister
for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury
attended the meeting. •

Business leaders for forging
partnership in IORA region
• Tribune Business Desk
Business leaders of Indian Ocean
Rim Associations (IORA) countries
at a joint declaration agreed
to increase private sector’s role in
advancing economic growth and
sustainable development in IORA
countries through some joint actions,
reports BSS.
The Federation of Bangladesh
Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FBCCI) along with other member
countries including Australia,
Bangladesh, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia,
Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman,
Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa,
Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania,
Thailand, the United Arab Emirates
and Yemen made the declaration in
Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 6.
A joint declaration was published
at the summit. FBCCI President
Abdul Matlub Ahmad on
behalf of the apex trade body of
Bangladesh signed the declaration
while Abul Kasem Khan, DCCI
president, and Nihad Kabir, MCCI
president, were present.
At the summit, FBCCI urged the
IORA members to introduce IORA
‘Travel Card’ to encourage fruitful
communication among the member
countries. The apex trade body of
Bangladesh emphasised 50% preferential
discount on duty while importing
goods from IORA countries.
The FBCCI leaders also called for
steps to open branches of IORA in
all member countries and arrange
‘IORA Business Summit and Expo’.
The representatives also agreed
to strengthen collaboration and
partnership in expanding and diversifying
trade as well as investment
flows in prioritised sectors
involving SMEs.
According to the declaration,
the member countries will also
promote mutually beneficial trade
cooperation among IORA countries
by encouraging the governments
to eliminate trade barriers, refrain
from the use of non-tariff barriers
to trade, enhance trade in goods
and services and improve trade
facilitation in general within an
open, fair and rule-based international
trading system.
They called upon the governments,
chambers of commerce and
industry, business associations and
private sectors to take necessary
VISA and e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh sign a Memorandum of
Understanding yesterday in a bid to adopt more digital payments in the country in
a secure, faster and convenient way
Visa, e-CAB sign MoU to
boost digital payment
• Tribune Business Desk
The leading global payments technology
company, Visa, signs a Memorandum
of Understanding yesterday
in order to increase the adoption
of digital payments in the country.
The signing places Visa as the
e-CAB’s preferred partner in developing
digital payments in e-Commerce
sector.
Visa Group Country Manager
for India and South Asia TR Ramachandran
said Visa is committed
to working with its clients, merchants,
the government and partners
like e-CAB to drive the digital
payments adoption in Bangladesh.
“We are looking forward to
bringing our expertise to this partnership
in the hope that we can accelerate
the shift to electronic payments
ina secure, faster and more
convenient way.”
Md Abdul Wahed Tomal, general
secretary of e-CAB, termed the
new alliance a big step towards
growth and development of e-commerce
sector in the country.
He said: “The partnership will
help all players in the e-commerce
ecosystem.”
Visa and e-CAB’s immediate
focus will be sharing knowledge
and making best practices for the
development of digital commerce
and supporting Digital Bangladesh
initiatives. •
Business 11
measures to increase direct trade between
countries in the IORA region.
The declaration also said both
immediate and longer term development
challenges require correct
policy responses in order to
achieve a stronger, more equitable
and sustainable growth in IORA
countries.
A series of greater actions must
be taken to foster development and
transform countries into prosperous
societies.
In this regard, the business leaders
reaffirmed the important role of
private sector as a complementary
partner of the governments.
“We highlight the need to enhance
BLUE Economy as part of the
development platform and accord
all that is required to safeguard the
natural ecosystem for our future
generations,” the leaders said in
the declaration.
The declaration also stressed the
importance on building up closer
collaboration between private sectors
and the governments in various
forms, including investment,
capacity building, knowledge sharing
and innovation through ongoing
public-private dialogue. •
Asia markets mostly up but
caution reigns, dollar struggles
• AFP, Hong Kong
Investors in most Asian markets
built on the previous day’s advance
yesterday but with caution hanging
in the air the gains were limited by
concerns over Donald Trump’s lack
of detail on economic policy as well
as geopolitical risks.
Analysts said Trump’s weekend
Twitter outburst accusing his predecessor
Barack Obama of tapping
his phones during the election
campaign had also spooked investors,
while the dollar was unable to
break past 114 yen despite a US interest
rate hike all but certain.
While Trump’s speech to Congress
last week fired optimism
that he would press on with a
big-spending, tax-cutting programme,
he has provided nothing
in the way of colour since.
Adding to the sense of trepidation
were Trump’s claims about
Obama and his call for Congress to
investigate the unsubstantiated allegations,
as well as the leaking of
classified information linked to the
tycoon’s ties with Russia.
“After a spectacular performance
addressing the joint sitting of Congress
put the Trump presidency
back on track, the weekend tweets
reminded everyone that this Russian
question needs to be addressed
and answered,” Greg McKenna, chief
market strategist at CFD and FX provider
AxiTrader, said in a note.
“It also reminded investors that
there are distractions which could
slow down the execution and implementation
of the tax and infrastructure
spending plans they
have put so much faith in recently,”
McKenna said.
Staying away
US shares, which last week touched
record highs, started this week in
the red, with all three main indexes
down, while European markets
also retreated on profit-taking and
concerns about financial giant
Deutsche Bank.
Eyes now turn to the release Friday
of US jobs data, which will provide
fresh clues about the Federal
Reserve’s plans for monetary policy,
which comes after China unveils
economic figures Wednesday.
DT
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
Alliance announces six
more factories compliant
• Tribune Business Desk
The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker
Safety – a platform of north
American buyers – has announced
that another six RMG factories,
which supply products for its signatory
brands, have completed
Corrective Action Plans (CAPs).
As of yesterday, the number of
companies that completed CAPs
stood at 68.
In addition, the Alliance has
dropped seven new factories from
its compliant list, bringing the total
number of factories suspended to
134.
The new six compliant factories
include Envoy Design Ltd, Envoy
Fashion Ltd, Kenpark Bangladesh
(PVT) Ltd, Manta Apparels Ltd,
Mohara Asian Apparels Ltd and
Youngone (CEPZ) Ltd (Extension
Building).
“We commend these six factories
for prioritising remediation,
and in doing so, achieving a
substantially higher standard of
workplace safety,” Alliance Country
Director Jim Moriarty said in a
statement.
When factories commit to continuous
improvement, profound
change in Bangladesh’s garment
The market has yet
to figure out what
path beyond March
the Fed committee
will be taking
industry shifts from possibility to
reality, said the former US envoy in
Bangladesh.
The Alliance also continued to
uphold accountability measures
for factories that failed to prioritise
remediation.
In February, seven new factories
were suspended from the Alliance
compliant list, bringing the total
number of those suspended to 134,
added the statement.
The issue of safety came under
the spotlight following the deadliest
factory collapse at Rana Plaza
that killed over 1,135 people and
injured over 2,500 workers. The
incident raised question about the
workers safety and safer workplace.
In the face of huge pressure
from rights group and global trade
unions from home and abroad, the
global retailers formed Alliance
and Accord on Fire and Building
Safety in Bangladesh to improve
safety standards in the RMG sector.
The Alliance performs independent
inspections on structural,
electrical and fire safety of all
factories from which its members
source their products. Based on the
findings of inspection, it prescribes
CAPs for factories to declare them
compliant. •
Asian markets were mostly
higher, with Hong Kong adding
0.4%, Shanghai ending 0.3% up
and Sydney 0.3% higher while
Seoul put on 0.6 percent.
However Tokyo shed 0.2%, extending
Monday’s losses that came
after North Korea’s quadruple missile
launch, three of which landed
in Japanese-controlled waters,
stoking regional security fears.
Wellington, Manila and Jakarta
were also down.
Kiyoshi Ishigane, chief strategist
at Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset
Management, told Bloomberg
News: “We’re yet to see what the latest
non-farm payrolls data look like.
“Also the market has yet to figure
out what path beyond March the
(Fed policy committee) will be taking.
Ahead of major events in the
US like the Fed meeting, investors
tend to stay away from trading.”
The dollar remained wedged below
114 yen, with Fed boss Janet Yellen’s
near confirmation of a March
rate hike failing to fan fresh gains.
Analysts said the rise had been
cooked into prices already and there
was unlikely to be any near-term driver
to push the greenback to 115 yen.
In early European trade London
and Paris each put on 0.1% and
Frankfurt was flat. •

DT
12
Editorial
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
TODAY
Until we break
the shackles
We must move beyond the campaigns,
rallies, and talks, and show actions
PAGE 13
Not just a label
For any real progress to be made
towards equality, we need to engage
with the political, legal, and social
issues which create these barriers, and
focus on feminism that also engages
with ethnicity, social class, and other
factors affecting inequality
PAGE 14
The fight is far from over
MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
Ambassadors
for change
Ensuring girls and women can
live without fear of violence is a
fundamental step in the pursuit of nonviolence
PAGE 15
Be heard
Write to Dhaka Tribune
FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath,
Shukrabad, Dhaka-1207
Send us your Op-Ed articles:
opinion.dt@dhakatribune.com
www.dhakatribune.com
Join our Facebook community:
https://www.facebook.com/
DhakaTribune.
The views expressed in opinion
articles are those of the authors
alone and they are not the
official view of Dhaka Tribune
or its publisher.
On this International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate our women.
Bangladesh, as a country, has come a long way. We have
made much progress in various sectors of our economy,
from RMG to ICT, and have taken great strides towards
achieving middle-income status.
But all of this means nothing if the women in our country continue
to be left behind.
Sadly, our country still has a long way to go to ensure fair and
equitable treatment for women.
Women are subjected to various kinds of harassment on a daily
basis. Our streets, which should be open for all, are not safe for
women.
Incidents of rape and sexual harassment continue to litter the
news.
How can we speak of progress when half of the population is
subjected to such treatment?
Women have played significant roles in our history, and continue
to drive innovation and change. And with some of our most respected
leaders and representatives being women, including our honourable
prime minister, it is an even worse crime that that respect has not
borne fruit in our day to day lives.
The recent passing of the Marriage Act, which would allow children
to marry under “special provision,” is one example among many of
how women continue to get the shorter straw.
This International Women’s Day, let us not just work to celebrate
women and their rights, but to also change the way they are perceived
in the world.
No society in the 21st century can claim progress if its citizens
continue to subjugate women to an existence as bleak as the one we
see around us today.
Let us work together to make true gender equality a reality, not just
a dream.
This International
Women’s Day, let us not
just work to celebrate
women and their rights,
but to also change the
way they are perceived by
those amongst us

Opinion 13
Until we break the shackles
DT
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
The women’s rights movement is not a singular entity, but it must express itself as one voice
Enormous challenges still lie ahead for the women’s rights movement
BIGSTOCK
just passing laws and getting
maximum political leverage with
minimum effort on women’s and
children’s issues. Each government
put out its own record accolades,
so women and children, bundled
together, became easy targets.
This year marks another
colossal loss in the movement’s
efforts as parliament softened its
landmark law against underage
marriage, a move that has
slammed down and rolled back the
decades-long campaign to prevent
child marriage and curtail teenage
pregnancy and maternal and
infant mortality.
The new provision in the Child
Marriage Restraint Act, which
dates to 1929, allows girls under
the age of 18 to be married off in
“some circumstances.” The change
is inevitably political, and praised
enormously by Islamist groups.
This marks again the religious,
political, and social battles around
idea of plurality, but at the same
time, it has presented enormous
challenges and complexities.
In many ways, we have
continued to “raise awareness”
and we have continued to push
the debate further, within our own
understanding of what “women’s
rights” is, and within the complex
world of what we can relate to.
Due to our own experiences, our
work has been more often than
not, solely associated with the
aspirations, and the opportunities
of only a segment.
We have not worked on the
depth of women’s liberation
movements that challenge cultural
patterns of male domination
in the family and personal life
through strategies that raise the
consciousness of women of their
own oppression, often within the
context of class, religion, culture,
and more.
We must move beyond the
• Tahmina Shafique
Eight years ago, this week,
I wrote about 16-year-old
Rozina from Mahimaganj
of Gaibandha, who was
raped repeatedly, and burnt
in her home by the man she
addressed as nana (grandfather).
Her story is one of the countless
number of cases where violence
against women happens at home,
where one ought to be safe and
protected.
She later died of multiple
burn injuries at Gaibandha Sadar
Hospital. Rozina’s story made it
to the news that week, but later
become just a number, a case
forgotten in the pile of countless
incident reports.
Years later, as we celebrate
International Women’s Day, we are
talking about the same issues, the
same cases, and stories of real lives
that we will never know about.
All of these stories represent the
many facets of the women’s rights
movement and the complexities
of the women’s movement that
we continue to grapple with and
to fight against year after year
-- class, religion, culture, norms,
power, politics, and more.
The women’s rights movement
in Bangladesh has made great
strides in several ways, by
increasing awareness, by adopting
a global perspective on women’s
issues, and translating and
adapting that perspective into
ground level reality.
Historically, violence against
women has been a focal point
of the feminist movement in
Bangladesh. Violent crimes against
countless women and girls have
fuelled determination and faith in
the women’s movement that came
into prominence at the beginning
of the 20th century.
The movement over the past
decades has worked tirelessly
towards equal rights in marriage
and family (eg the dowry
prohibition act, but not in case of
guardianship of children), work,
and politics.
Despite numerous arguments,
there seems to be a disconnect
between the voice of the
movement, the voice of the
people, and the pronouncements
of the government of the day.
We seem to always go through
push and pull effect where,
despite all that has been achieved,
it will be null, because of specific,
political, anti-women agenda
of the day, which is a narrow,
regressive agenda. We could
talk about countless examples
that represent the complexity
of women’s rights issues in
Bangladesh.
On April 9, 1985, a young
woman, Shabmeher was brutally
tortured by Rahima (her shardarni)
in Tanbazaar in Narayanganj. A
section of the women‘s movement
filed a suit against the people
involved in the brothel (shardarni
and land-lady) and they were
convicted, but the land-lady was
exempted from the case.
Following Shabmeher‘s
death, several women’s rights
organisations pushed for rescue
of under-aged girls from different
brothels across the country. The
state also began to provide “the
prostitutes” an alternative place in
Mirpur.
Islamic groups started to
mobilise at the same time,
demanding eviction of occupants
from brothels in the name of
Islam.
Their demand was to build
madrasas and mosques in their
place, which, in reality was a landgrabbing
scheme.
The entire process of the
Shabmeher case revealed the
nature of sexual politics within
the women‘s movement in
Bangladesh.
It was a chilling representation
of one-sided, narrow, and
stereotypical perspectives around
women’s rights, while ignoring the
entire structural context under
which Shabmeher had to die.
The blame was placed onto
bariwalas and mashis, but it was
also necessary to address the
whole background and their status
as well. These women, apparently
powerful, were also equally
subjugated and were forced to
come into this business.
Moreover, Shabmeher’s
case was not just a story of sex
workers or brothels only, it was
a powerful representation of
how such instances are mirrored
within our own homes, between
husbands and wives, between
family members, every day across
Bangladesh.
Stepping backwards?
Since the early 80s, the tendency
of every government was that
of the trigger-happy kind --
We must move beyond the campaigns, rallies,
and talks, and show actions
women’s rights movement.
So to what extent has the
women’s rights movement been
successful, and to what extent
have generations contributed to
strengthening it? Hand on heart,
the unanimous answer is “not
much.” As we sit back and watch
every milestone roll back, there is
a need to reflect on where we have
failed, what we need to build on,
and how we can collectively bring
back the actual movement that is
missing now.
The reality of the day is that
there is no united women’s
movement in Bangladesh.
It just includes pockets of
NGO-driven activities, individual
feminist organisations, and oneoff
rallies and protests. There
has been a clear lack of feminist
discourse in Bangladesh -- one
which drives women’s rights
issues on structural, political
and national dimensions; one
that looks at systematic barriers
and constraints at all levels and
advocates for them through
strategic and unified positioning.
Our generation’s feminists
need to step up and take forward
the many gains and pains that
women’s rights activists have
paved for us. The strength of
our generation has been our
campaigns, rallies, and talks,
and show actions. Our rallies,
our campaigns, our one off
interventions have not saved
Rahima, or Yasmeen, or ourselves.
It has not spared or reached
anyone.
We must think radical and
begin a new era, one that
advocates for change in our
education system, change in our
mindsets, and our will to take the
risk to battle.
It is true that the women’s
rights movement is not a
monolithic entity, rather a
sum total of many different
understandings and persuasions.
But it must move to structural
and national issues, and more
importantly, it must be reiterated
as one voice.
To all those women out there
who paved the path for us, and to
all those who battle to break the
shackles, I sure hope we write a
history that we will remember. •
Tahmina Shafique works at an
international development organisation.
She works as an economist working on
economic development and women’s
empowerment across Asia and Africa.
She has also worked as a researcher and
writer. She can be reached at tahmina.
shafique@gmail.com.

14
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
DT
Opinion
Not just a label
Feminism needs to represent all women
• Shuprova Tasneem
is one
of the most hotly
contested ideas of
“Feminism”
the modern age,
and the debates around said word
become even more intense in the
run-up to International Women’s
Day.
As is the case with such things,
the loudest and most privileged
voices filter through the ruckus.
Can a feminist like Emma Watson
do a topless photo shoot? Can you
be a feminist in a sexist industry
like Bollywood? Should feminists
wear makeup? Do feminists
believe in marriage? Why can’t you
just be a humanist?
As a Bangladeshi feminist,
writer, and relisher of politically
charged arguments, there are
two aspects of such debates that
I find wildly frustrating -- the fact
that so much of our discussions
on feminism still fixates on the
female body, and so often when
we talk of feminism, it seems to
be on-the-surface discussions of
feminism as a label.
I’m not here to tell you these
arguments are inconsequential.
Far from it -- the way women’s
bodies are viewed in public places,
and the constant infringement on
their personal space, bordering on
abuse, is a very real problem.
This brings me to my next point
-- who really are the “feminists?”
These days it seems to be about
everybody, from Justin Trudeau to
Malala Yousafzai, but what do we
actually want?
We spend so much time
explaining that feminists are not
man-haters but people who are
fighting structural inequalities,
and that feminism is as much
about men as it is about women
because of the traditional
gendered roles it fights, that we
completely miss out on telling
people that we aren’t all made of
the same mould.
You can be feminists and differ
vastly on your ideas of political
governance, or you can identify as
or more strongly with people from
your racial or cultural group.
There is no global sisterhood
of women who all agree on
everything, and none of us can
bear the burden of representing all
womanhood.
Your position of privilege, not
only in terms of sex but race,
nationality, and social class, all
play a huge role in the level of
prejudice that is aimed at you
during your lifetime, and shape
the battles you fight.
After living in a country where
marital rape is still legal, where if
you’re not Muslim, your marriage
and divorce do not actually
For any real progress to be made towards
equality, we need to engage with the political,
legal, and social issues that create these
barriers, and focus on feminism which also
engages with ethnicity, social class, and other
factors affecting inequality
There is no global sisterhood that agrees on everything
BIGSTOCK
The fact that women always have
to think twice about what they are
wearing before leaving the house
is a problem.
But by fixating only on these
problems, we trap ourselves into
the same patriarchal process of
thought that dictates that the
female body is somehow more
real and worldly, more carnal, and
more open to be used as symbols
of modesty or impure lust.
What’s worse, so many
feminists walk into this trap,
using other women’s bodies as
a battleground for their fight for
equality.
come under the purview of the
law, where character evidence
is still used in rape trials and the
latest laws allow child marriage
under special circumstances -- if
your main concern is whether
models should be selling their
bodies in the modern age, and
your main source of pride is the
achievements of an elite, Western
woman like Hillary Clinton, then
maybe it’s time you check to what
extent your ideas are being filtered
through to you through the lenses
of Western media.
These are only a few of the
very real gendered prejudices that
are not only ingrained into our
societies, but that make our justice
system structurally unjust.
Only last week, sex workers
were not allowed to congregate
and demand their rights in
Shahbagh.
The violence against women
from minority groups is a daily
reality in Bangladesh.
But so often when there is a
debate about feminism, it is the
same old tired argument about
women, their clothes, and their
bodies.
More people are angry about
Trump’s abuses against women
than the abuse that occurs next
door.
Again, this is not an attempt to
belittle certain feminist issues in
favour of others.
One of the reasons feminism
can be so tricky is because it lifts
the veil between the public and
private -- traditional gender roles
affect people throughout their
lives, whether you’re the little
boy being told to “man up” or the
working mother struggling with
the additional unpaid care work
that is thrust upon her.
But for any real progress to
be made towards equality, we
need to engage with the political,
legal, and social issues which
create these barriers, and focus on
feminism that also engages with
ethnicity, social class, and other
factors affecting inequality.
We can’t simply stick on the
label of “feminist” and protest
from our positions of privilege
the oppressions that affect us
personally -- we need feminism to
be much more inclusive if it is to
truly reach the people who need it
the most. •
Shuprova Tasneem is Deputy Magazine
Editor, Dhaka Tribune.

Ambassadors for change
Opinion 15
Gender-based violence undermines the progress Bangladesh has made
DT
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
• HE Julia Niblett, HE Wanja Campos da Nobrega, HE Hajah Masurai Binti Haji Masri, HE Benoît-Pierre Laramée, HE Sophie Aubert, HE Nur Ashikin Mohd Taib, HE Leoni
Margaretha Cuelenaere, HE Sidsel Bleken, HE Yasoja Gunasekera, HE Johan Frisell, HE Alison Mary Blake, HE Marcia Bernicat, Ms Janina Jaruzelski, Ms Christine Hunter,
Country Representative, Mr Iori Kato, Ms Christa Räder
No country can afford
gender-based violence
(GBV). In Bangladesh,
the costs of GBV are
estimated at 2.1% of the country’s
GDP.
Each day, violence stops a girl
from going to school and prevents
a woman from taking a job,
compromising their future and the
economic and social development
of their communities. Survivors
are left to deal with physical
injuries and emotional scars, while
social and legal services struggle
to respond.
Can Bangladesh continue
its much-heralded progress
toward middle-income status
if its economy is robbed of the
invaluable resource of half its
population?
Achieving gender equality is
a top priority for Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina. Bangladesh
has made remarkable progress
in improving the lives of
women and girls. Primary and
secondary schools enroll as
many girls as boys. Maternal and
infant mortality have declined
dramatically, and women form
the backbone of the country’s
economic development.
The ready-made garment
(RMG) industry, Bangladesh’s
largest export sector, employs
four million Bangladeshis, the
majority of whom are women.
The percentage of females in the
sector is waning, however, and as
this industry undertakes structural
transformations, the role and
place of women in the Bangladesh
economy must become a priority
for policies and programs.
The creation and expansion
of micro-finance that prioritises
women entrepreneurs has
increased female participation in
economic activities and is among
Bangladesh’s most significant
contributions to increased global
prosperity. Gender-based violence
undermines this progress.
More than 80% of currentlymarried
Bangladeshi women
are abused at least once during
their lifetime, either by suffering
physical, sexual, emotional, or
financial abuse, or controlling
behaviour. Approximately twothirds
of married women report
having experienced violence by a
spouse within the past year.
Bangladesh’s high rate of child,
early, and forced marriage puts
millions of girls at increased risk
for physical and sexual violence.
Ending gender-based violence should be the highest priority
Few victims report these incidents
because they do not know their
rights under Bangladeshi law,
or fear reprisal, stigma, or an
unhelpful response from law
enforcement.
Fear of violence in the
workplace or the street restricts
women’s mobility and limits their
opportunities to earn an income.
Working women who experience
violence at home lose income due
to days off and may face costs to
access services. Eliminating GBV
promotes Bangladesh’s economic
progress.
Ending GBV is a simple matter
of right and wrong; ensuring girls
and women can live without fear
of violence is a fundamental step
in the pursuit of non-violence, not
only for girls and women, but for
boys and men as well. Stopping
the cycle of violence requires
raising awareness and engagement
at all levels of society. Change can
start with local initiatives.
One example is the SHOKHI
project -- financed by the
Netherlands Embassy and
implemented by a consortium of
Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services
Trust (BLAST), Bangladesh
Women’s Health Coalition, Marie
Stopes Bangladesh, and WE
CAN Bangladesh -- that trains
Ensuring girls and women can live without fear of violence is a
fundamental step in the pursuit of non-violence. Stopping the
cycle of violence requires raising awareness and engagement
at all levels of society
women living in 15 Dhaka slums
on ways to earn money for their
families, linking them to potential
employers through job fairs and
referrals.
Australia and the UK are
supporting the World Food
Program to develop livelihoods for
vulnerable women in Cox’s Bazar
district, where women’s self-help
groups are starting bank accounts
with savings contributed by each
participant, and individual women
can buy start-up assets and receive
entrepreneurial training.
Changing the mindset and
putting in place the economic
fundamentals and necessary
institutions to accelerate growth
and reduce poverty, leaving no one
behind, will be a key part of the
formula to achieve middle income
status. Improving the social status
and rights of women and girls is a
crucial part of this transformation.
Each of us can take simple steps
to accelerate this transformation
by refusing to tolerate or excuse
GBV, and by offering help to
those experiencing abuse. We,
the Ambassadors for Change
representing the governments
of Australia, Brazil, Canada,
Malaysia, the Netherlands,
Norway, Sri Lanka, Sweden, the
UK, and the United States, as well
as UN Women, the United Nations
Population Fund, the United
States Agency for International
Development, and the World Food
Program, call upon each of you
to stand with us, our Bangladeshi
sisters and male allies to end
gender-based violence once and
for all! •
HE Julia Niblett is High Commissioner
of Australia to Bangladesh. HE Wanja
Campos da Nobrega is Ambassador of
Brazil to Bangladesh. HE Hajah Masurai
Binti Haji Masri is High Commissioner
of Brunei Darussalam to Bangladesh.
MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
HE Benoît-Pierre Laramée is High
Commissioner of Canada to Bangladesh.
HE Sophie Aubert is Ambassador of
France to Bangladesh. HE Nur Ashikin
Mohd Taib is High Commissioner
of Malaysia to Bangladesh. HE
Leoni Margaretha Cuelenaere is
Ambassador of the Kingdom of
the Netherlands to Bangladesh.
HE Sidsel Bleken is Ambassador of
Norway to Bangladesh. HE Yasoja
Gunasekera is High Commissioner of
Sri Lanka to Bangladesh. HE Johan
Frisell is Ambassador of Sweden to
Bangladesh. HE Alison Mary Blake
is High Commissioner of the United
Kingdom to Bangladesh. HE Marcia
Bernicat is Ambassador of the United
States to Bangladesh. Ms Janina
Jaruzelski is USAID Bangladesh Mission
Director. Ms Christine Hunter is Country
Representative, UN Women. Mr Iori
Kato is Acting Country Representative,
United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA). Ms Christa Räder is Country
Director, World Food Program (WFP).

16
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
DT
Downtime
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Tracking system (5)
5 Seeks charity (4)
8 Entertained (6)
9 Sports (5)
10 Cadence (4)
11 Cosy retreats (5)
12 Rounded vase (3)
15 Weeps convulsively (4)
18 Rends (5)
21 Meshed fabric (3)
22 Implement (4)
24 Wading bird (4)
25 Mature person (5)
28 Against (6)
29 Untruths (4)
30 Pays attention (5)
DOWN
1 Highly seasoned stew (6)
2 Water storage (3)
3 Prayer ending (4)
4 Trick (4)
5 Girdles (5)
6 American inventor (6)
7 Become firm (3)
13 In the case of (2)
14 Indigenous (6)
16 Have reality (2)
17 Social standing (6)
19 Flowers (5)
20 As stated (2)
23 Scourge (4)
24 Sick (3)
26 Owing (3)
27 Employ (3)
CODE-CRACKER
How to solve: Each number in our
CODE-CRACKER grid represents a
different letter of the alphabet. For
example, today 19 represents N so fill N
every time the figure 19 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

What's on
17
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
DT
EVENTS AROUND TOWN TODAY
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
MOVIE
STAR Cineplex
Where Bashundhara City, Dhaka
What Movie showtime (March 8)
XXX: Return of Xander Cage (3D):
1:40pm, 6:40pm
La La Land (2D): 1:50pm, 4:30pm
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
(3D): 4:00pm
Bhubon Majhi (2D): 1:30pm, 4:20pm, 6:50pm
Split (2D): 1:40pm, 4:50pm, 7:10pm
Logan (2D): 1:20pm, 2:00pm, 4:10pm, 4:30pm, 7:00pm, 7:20pm, 7:30pm
Freedom Women’s Carnival
When 10am-7pm
Where Kalabagan Krira Chakra
Field
What Games, music, photo
booths and more to celebrate
women
NSU International Women’s Day
2017
When 10am-6pm
Where North South University,
Bashundhara, Dhaka
What Panel discussions by
successful female professionals,
poster competition and cultural
event
IWD Rally and Meeting
When 10am-12pm
Where National Press Club,
Dhaka
What Hosted by Bangladesh
Institute of Labour Studies
EXHIBITON
London 1971:
Unsung heroes
of Bangladesh’s
Liberation War
When 10am-5pm
Where British Council
Bangladesh, 5 Fuller
Road, Dhaka
What Photo exhibition
featuring more than
40 rare photographs
brought together by
Ujjal Das. Open and
free to the public, and
will run for the whole
month.
International Women’s
Day Celebrations
When 9am-2pm
Where BCC Bhaban,
Agargaon, Dhaka
What Panel discussions,
talks and networking
opportunities organised by
Women Techmakers
Women’s Day Special – High Tea
Event
When 4pm-7pm
Where The Raintree Dhaka, Plot
49, Rd 27, Block K, Banani
What An elegant soiree at BDT
1499+ especially for Women’s Day
Men for Women
When 4pm-6pm
Where Central level, BNNRC and
Kanastara Foundation, Shahbag,
Dhaka
What Sensitising community
through community radio
stations
UPCOMING
HerStory: Women Trailblazers
When March 11-24
Where EMK Center, Hs 16, Dhanmondi, Dhaka
What Exhibition dedicated to outstanding women in Bangladesh over the
past century
SheSpeaksUp..
When 2:30pm
Where Bangladesh
Medical College
Auditorium, Dhaka
What Awareness
programme and seminar
organised by Bangladesh
Medical Students’
Society

DT
18
Sports
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
Lucky Mendis ton
propels Sri Lanka
• Ali Shahriyar Amin from Galle
Host Sri Lanka yesterday made a good start
in the first Test against visiting side Bangladesh,
riding on an unbeaten 166 from top-order
batsman Kusal Mendis. At stumps on day
one at Galle International Stadium, the home
side posted 321 runs losing four wickets.
Mendis brilliant 166 comprised 18 fours
and two sixes. Middle-order batsman Asela
Gunaratne provided valuable support, scoring
85 from 134 balls with seven boundaries.
Mendis and Gunaratne added 196 runs for
the fourth wicket partnership after the Bangladesh
pacers bowled economically in the
morning session. Bangladesh conceded 61
runs in the first session, taking two wickets.
But after lunch, the Lankans scripted a
strong comeback and went on to register a
commanding total on the board at the end of
the day.
Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Subashish
Roy and Mehedi Hasan Miraz all took
a wicket apiece.
Earlier, Lanka captain Rangana Herath
won the toss and elected to bat first. It was a
good toss to win as the host are on the verge
of a big total when play resumes today.
Bangladesh made three changes to their
playing XI from the Hyderabad Test with
Liton Kumar Das, Subashish and Mustafizur
included in place of Sabbir Rahman, Taijul
Islam and Kamrul Islam Rabbi respectively.
Mustafizur opened the bowling for Bangladesh,
alongside Taskin, as Sri Lanka's
opening batsmen Upul Tharanga and Dimuth
Karunaratne started cautiously.
However, it was Subashish who initiated
the first breakthrough in the sixth over. Tharanga
was cleaned up by the right-arm paceman
for four.
In the very next ball, new batsman Mendis
edged one and Liton took a brilliant catch
diving low to his right. But Bangladesh’s celebration
proved to be premature as it was discovered
that Subashish had overstepped and
the delivery was duly declared a no ball.
Mendis utilised his luck perfectly, scoring
a brilliant hundred.
Bangladesh's pace bowling trio Mustafizur,
Taskin and Subashish bowled well in the
pre-lunch session but were unable to break
the Lankan resistance. Taskin and Subashish
especially bowled with good pace and
bounce.
Off-spinner Miraz took the second wicket
in the 23rd over. Opener Karunaratne tried to
cut a delivery that was outside the off-stump
only to drag it onto the stumps. He made 30
runs off 72 deliveries.
All eyes were on Mustafizur as the leftarm
pacer made his Test return after August,
2015. He finished the day with figures of 15-
3-50-1. He took the vital wicket of Dinesh
Chandimal (five). Chandimal had scored an
undefeated 190 against Bangladesh during
the two-day practice match. Chandimal tried
to slash hard against Mustafizur but managed
to get a thick outside edge. Miraz took
a magnificent catch at gully.
Bangladesh will look to restrict the
Lankans as early as possible in the second
day as the wicket will deteriorate as the game
wears on. •
Bangladesh’s Taskin Ahmed celebrates dismissing Sri Lanka’s Asela Gunaratne during the first day of the opening Test match at Galle International Cricket
Stadium in Galle yesterday
AFP
Miraz: Not much help for spinners
• Ali Shahriyar Amin from
Galle
Bangladesh off-spinner Mehedi
Hasan Miraz admitted that
the wicket of Kusal Mendis that
came off a no ball proved to be
costly for the visiting side in the
end but he believes the Tigers
can come back strongly today by
picking up quick wickets.
“Our start was very good; our
bowlers bowled very well at the
beginning, especially Subashish
Roy. Taskin [Ahmed] and
Mustafizur [Rahman] also started
very well. But then, although
we did well, there was a partnership.
So, hopefully we can make
a good comeback [today],” Miraz
told the media in the post-day
press conference at Galle International
Stadium.
“And as for the dismissal (of
Mendis), I can only say it was bad
luck. We all tried our best and no
one bowls a no ball on purpose,
it happens. But still, Mendis handled
it well afterwards,” he said.
It was a bit of surprise during
the toss as Bangladesh picked
three pacers in their starting XI
while host Sri Lanka included as
many spinners.
However, the Bangladesh pacers
bowled well in the morning
session and Miraz informed that
the spinners were not getting
help from the first day wicket.
“There was really not much
purchase from the wicket for
the spinners. I bowled, Shakib
[al Hasan] bhai did too and
there was not much help. Their
batsmen played well, especially
Mendis. If he had gotten out,
things would have been different,”
said Miraz.
The Bangladesh slow bowlers
bowled 38 overs as opposed to
the pacers, who sent down 50.
“On this wicket, spinners cannot
easily take wickets unless
the batsmen make mistakes. But
the pacers have more chances of
taking wickets if they bowl in the
right areas. So it is an advantage
for the spinners and pacers to be
bowling in tandem,” he said.
Bangladesh will be looking to
bounce back right away in the
second morning as Sri Lanka
have already scored 321 runs for
four wickets.
“Already they have lost four
top-order batsmen. They have
two main batsmen left. So hopefully,
if we can get those two at
the crease, their lower-order
batsmen will come to the middle.
And the lower-order batsmen
will not be able to score
many runs on this wicket. So our
target will be to check the runs
and get wickets in the morning
[today],” he said.
1ST TEST, DAY 1
SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS R B
Karunaratne b Miraz 30 76
Tharanga b Subashish 4 14
Mendis not out 166 242
Chandimal c Miraz b Mustafizur 5 54
Gunaratne b Taskin 85 134
Dickwella not out 14 13
Extras (lb 9, w 3, nb 5) 17
Total (4 wickets; 88 overs) 321
Fall Of Wickets
1-15 (Tharanga), 2-60 (Karunaratne), 3-92
(Chandimal), 4-288 (Gunaratne)
Bowling
Mustafizur 15-3-50-1, Taskin 16-3-48-1,
Subashish 16-3-58-1, Miraz 12-0-66-1,
Shakib 24-3-71-0, Soumya 3-0-9-0,
Mahmudullah 2-0-10-0
Toss: Sri Lanka
Weather was a challenge for
Bangladesh as Galle is generally
hot and humid.
“The weather is supposed to
be a little hot, but the weather
we played in recently has been
a bit colder than here, so it will
take a little time to acclimatise.
But in Tests, there will obviously
be partnership, and the
fourth-wicket partnership was
big. Now our target is to get them
out as soon as possible,” said
Miraz.
Miraz went on to express
delight after finally getting
the chance to play along with
Mustafizur in Tests. These two
had played together in the U-16
and U-19 levels.
“He (Mustafizur) bowled
really well in the beginning. He
also bowled in good areas. It
feels really good to be playing
with him, because I always
wanted that. He has come back
into the Test side after a long
time and bowled well, which
is a good sign. When he played
his first series after injury in
New Zealand, he seemed a
little shaky. But now I think his
fitness is very good and he is
bowling in good areas,” Miraz
concluded. •

Sports 19
DT
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
Mendis makes
most of ladyluck
• Ali Shahriyar Amin
from Galle
Sri Lanka's unbeaten centurion
Kusal Mendis said he only rode his
luck against Bangladesh when he
was reprieved off a Subashish Roy
no-ball during day one of the first
Test at Galle International Cricket
Stadium yesterday.
He was let off in the very first
ball he faced and duly took advantage,
going on to score 166 runs as
the Lankans ended the day on a resounding
321/4 in 88 overs.
“I may have played a false stroke
the first ball I faced. I play that way
naturally. After I played that shot,
I got a second opportunity to do
justice to my team. I took that advantage.
I provided the team what
they required from me,” an elated
Mendis told the assembled media
personnel in the post-day press
conference.
“They (Bangladesh) bowled very
well in the first two sessions. They
had a plan and stuck to it. That’s
why we couldn’t score too many
runs in the first one and a half sessions.
Dimuth [Karunaratne] spoke
to me a lot after I played that first
shot. He told me to leave the balls
you cannot play. Asela [Gunaratne]
also told me the same.
“Everyone who came to the
wicket spoke to me. Initially it was
difficult to go for runs. Later on
(it became easy) because we had
wickets in hand. We went for the
runs,” he said.
Whereas Bangladesh played
three pacers - Taskin Ahmed, Subashish
and Mustafizur Rahman
- in their starting XI, the Lankans
picked as many spinners.
Regarding this decision, Mendis
said, “It is a batsman-oriented
wicket so it is not surprising that
we are playing three spinners and
they are playing three fast bowlers.
Against Australia (last year), the
wicket turned a lot but batting on
this wicket is easy.
“So it is essential to play an additional
bowler for either side because
if two batsmen get set, the
bowlers won’t have too much pressure.
It’s not a big issue playing an
extra bowler.” •
Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis plays a shot during the first day of their opening Test
against Bangladesh in Galle yesterday
AFP
MOMENTS OF THE DAY
Subashish’s costly no ball
Subashish Roy drew first blood for Bangladesh
when the right-arm pacer picked up
the key wicket of the experienced Upul Tharanga
in the sixth over. It could have been
a great start for the Tigers as the paceman
went on to take the wicket of Kusal Mendis
in the very next ball. But TV replays showed
that Subashish had overstepped and the
delivery was called a no ball. The frustration
only grew for Bangladesh as Mendis scored
an unbeaten 166 at stumps. The top-order
batsman anchored the innings for the Lankans
and stitched together a vital 196-run
partnership alongside Asela Gunaratne for
the fourth wicket, thus taking the momentum
away from Bangladesh.
Liton’s wicket-keeping
It was a memorable day for Liton Kumar Das
as he officially took charge of wicket-keeping
from Test skipper Mushfiqur Rahim
yesterday. The keeper was impressive as
he grabbed some good bouncers from the
Bangladesh pacer bowlers. The catch he
took off the bowling of Subashish was brilliant,
but it was eventually called a no ball.
On the other hand, it was must have been a
different scenario for Musfiq, who is playing
the Test as a specialist batsman. Mushfiq
fielded at various close-in positions on day
one - cover, mid off and mid on.
ALI SHAHRIYAR AMIN FROM GALLE
Bangladesh lose to Oman, face Egypt in last eight
• Shishir Hoque
Bangladesh badly felt the absence
of a proven finisher as they conceded
a 3-2 defeat against Oman
in their final Pool A match in the
second round of the World Hockey
League at Maulana Bhasani Hockey
Stadium yesterday.
The misfiring host went ahead
twice in the game, thanks to goals
from Mamunur Rahman Chayan
and Romman Sarkar, but a devastating
display in the second quarter
put them behind. They created
a number of chances in the latter
half, but there was no experienced
finisher inside the circle to execute
them.
Bangladesh's recent results
against Oman are not that great
but at the same time, it was the former's
first defeat at home against
the middle eastern nation. The defeat
ensured Bangladesh finished
third in Pool A, thus setting up a
clash against 20th-ranked Egypt
in the quarter-finals, scheduled for
tomorrow.
Oman meanwhile, will face
Ghana in the last eight.
Bangladesh got their first penalty
corner in the eighth minute.
Bangladesh’s Ashraful Islam tries to shield the ball from an Oman player during their Hockey World League Round 2 group
stage game at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium in Dhaka yesterday
MD MANIK
HOCKEY WORLD
LEAGUE ROUND 2
Malaysia 11-1 Fiji
China 5-1 Sri Lanka
Egypt 1 (4)-1 (2) Ghana
BANGLADESH 2 - 3 OMAN
Chayan 9, Romman 17 Jandal 14,
Hasani 24, Batashi 25
QUARTER-FINALS
Malaysia v Sri Lanka
Egypt v Bangladesh
Oman v Ghana
China v Fiji
Ashraful Islam's final hit earned
another penalty corner immediately.
This time around, in the
ninth minute, Imran Hasan Pintu
stopped Milon Hossain's push before
Chayan's powerful grounder
hit the back-board.
Oman equalised from a penalty
stroke a minute before the first
quarter when Asim Gope brought
down Ashraf Nasseri inside the
circle. Goalkeeper Asim Gope was
replaced by Zahid Hossain but Mohammed
Bait Jandal made no mistake
in scoring from the spot.
Romman put the home side
ahead again two minutes into the
second quarter following a brilliant
buildup between himself and Russel
Mahmud Jimmy. Jimmy delivered a
spectacular pass between the legs of
an Oman defender, setting up Romman
who beat the opponent custodian
with an angular shot.
Bangladesh then experienced
some bad moments in the second
quarter where Oman netted two
quick goals to take control of the
game. A minute after Muhanna al
Hasani restored parity, the same
player set up the next goal with a
pass towards an unmarked Khalid
al Batashi, who slotted home from
close range in the 25th minute.
In the third quarter, Arshad
Hossain was unlucky to see his
two-yard tap-in go wide following
a fierce cross by Romman from the
left side.
The home side went close to scoring
three times within a minute in
the middle of the final quarter. But,
Oman netminder Noufali Fahad
saved Mainul Islam Kaushik and
Sarwar Hossain's shots while Kamruzzaman
Rana's strike went wide.
They had the final opportunity to
score from their last penalty corner
three minutes before the end of stipulated
time but it also went wide.
Along with lack of control in
midfield, the home side's players
were struggling for the majority of
the tie inside the opposition circle
while their finishing left a lot to be
desired. They felt the absence of
forwards like Pushkor Khisa Mimo
and Hasan Jubayer Niloy, who are
proven and experienced finishers
inside the d-box. •

DT
20
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
India captain Virat Kohli celebrates the dismissal of Australia’s Matthew Wade day
four of the second Test in Bangalore yesterday
AFP
Sports
India level Australia
series, Kohli fumes
• AFP, Bangalore
Shahriar replicates Tushar,
blasts double in BCL
An irate Virat Kohli accused Australia
of repeatedly overstepping
the mark yesterday after India
stunned the visitors by 75 runs in
an ill-tempered second Test to level
the series 1-1.
The Indian captain was furious
at opposite number Steve Smith for
seeking guidance from the dressing
room over his dismissal, something
the rules forbid, during a thrilling
encounter in Bangalore.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin
grabbed six wickets as Australia,
needing 188 for victory,
collapsed to just 112 half-an-hour
into the final session on day four
after tempers frayed between the
world's top two sides.
The umpires had to cool the
players down after Kohli was enraged
by Smith looking over to
his backroom staff as he decided
whether or not to go for a review
after being ruled out lbw off Umesh
Yadav following a low delivery.
Smith, who scored 28 during
Australia's chase, admitted to the
mistake but insisted it had been a
one-off.
"It was a bit of brain fade on my
behalf and yeah, I shouldn't have
done that," he told reporters. "I
think it was the first time it's happened,"
he added.
The controversy added spice to
what was a thrilling see-saw battle
between the old foes.
Ashwin recorded figures of 6-41
as he bagged his 25th five-wicket
haul in his 47th Test. When he took
the final wicket of Nathan Lyon,
caught and bowled for two, India's
players celebrated wildly.
Cheteshwar Pujara (92) and
Ajinkya Rahane (52) put on a crucial
118-run partnership for India's
fifth wicket before the Australian
bowlers struck back in the morning
session.
But the tourists capitulated during
their run chase after starting
briskly to leave the series perfectly
poised heading in to the third Test,
of the four-match series, in Ranchi
from March 16.
Australia were scoring at over
four runs an over but became rattled
as Ashwin got into his groove,
trapping a dangerous-looking David
Warner lbw for 17.
"This afternoon didn't go to
plan," said Smith.
"Ashwin did what he's done so
well over here for a very long time
- hit good areas and challenged our
batters, and we weren't up to it today.
"But I'm proud of the way the
boys have competed over the last
four days."
Shaun Marsh became Yadav's
first lbw victim as he tried to pad
away an in-swinging delivery but
was given out.
The batsmen decided not to
waste their single remaining review
but TV replays suggested the
ball would have missed the off
stump by quite a distance.
Australian pace bowler Josh Hazlewood
claimed career-best figures
of 6-67 to help bowl out India
for 274 before lunch. •
2ND TEST, DAY 4
INDIA 1ST INNINGS 189 IN 71.2 OVERS
(Rahul 90, Lyon 8/50)
AUSTRALIA 1ST INNINGS 276 IN 122.4
OVERS (Shaun 66, Jadeja 6/63)
INDIA 2ND INNINGS OVERNIGHT 213/4
IN 72 OVERS R B
Pujara c Mitchell b Hazlewood 92 221
Rahane lbw b Starc 52 134
Nair b Starc 0 1
Saha not out 20 37
Ashwin b Hazlewood 4 3
Umesh c Warner b Hazlewood 1 5
Ishant c Shaun b O’Keefe 6 28
Extras (b 11, w 4) 15
Total (all out; 97.1 overs) 274
Fall Of Wickets
5-238 (Rahane), 6-238 (Nair), 7-242
(Pujara), 8-246 (Ashwin), 9-258 (Umesh),
10-274 (Ishant)
Bowling
Starc 16-1-74-2, Hazlewood 24-5-67-6,
Lyon 33-4-82-0, O’Keefe 21.1-3-36-2,
Mitchell 3-0-4-0
AUSTRALIA 2ND INNINGS R B
Warner lbw b Ashwin 17 25
Renshaw c Saha b Ishant 5 12
Smith lbw b Umesh 28 48
Shaun lbw b Umesh 9 19
Handscomb c Saha b Ashwin 24 67
Mitchell c Nair b Ashwin 13 16
Wade c Saha b Ashwin 0 5
Starc b Ashwin 1 6
O’Keefe b Jadeja 2 10
Lyon c & b Ashwin 2 6
Hazlewood not out 0 0
Extras (b 8, lb 2, w 1) 11
Total (all out; 35.4 overs) 112
Fall Of Wickets
1-22 (Renshaw), 2-42 (Warner), 3-67
(Shaun), 4-74 (Smith), 5-101 (Mitchell),
6-101 (Wade), 7-103 (Starc), 8-110 (O’Keefe),
9-110 (Handscomb), 10-112 (Lyon)
Bowling
Ishant 6-1-28-1, Ashwin 12.4-4-41-6,
Umesh 9-2-30-2, Jadeja 8-5-3-1
India won by 75 runs
MOM: Lokesh Rahul
• Tribune Report
Alongside Tushar Imran, South
Zone middle-order batsman
Shahriar Nafees also scored a double
century to take his side to a
mammoth total in the first innings
against Central Zone in the Bangladesh
Cricket League's sixth and
final round yesterday.
Shahriar added an unbeaten 207
as South declared their innings on
749 runs for eight wickets.
In the other game, league leader
North Zone are well on track for a
win as they lead by 397 runs with
four East Zone wickets remaining
in the second innings.
South v Central, BKSP 3
Left-handed batsman Shahriar
hammered 207 to put South on top
against Central. Shahriar’s double
ton is the second of the innings
after Tushar's 217. Shahriar faced
5TH BCL, RD 6, DAY 3
SOUTH ZONE 749/8d in 199.2 overs
(Tushar 217, Shahriar 207*, Mithun 131)
lead CENTRAL ZONE 184/3 in 72 overs
(Shadman 63*, Saif 50, Marshall 37) by
565 runs
NORTH ZONE 374 & 239/6 in 68
overs (Shanto 91*, Nasir 63, Junaid 40)
lead EAST ZONE 216 in 69.5 overs
(Saifuddin 40, Shafiul 6/70, Farhad
3/38) by 397 runs
298 balls in his knock and struck 18
boundaries and five over-boundaries.
Following South's declaration,
Central batted out 72 overs in the
day, scoring 184 for three. Opening
batsman Shadman Islam was unbeaten
on 63. Saif Hasan added 50
runs to the tally.
South Zone veteran Abdur Razzak
picked up two wickets.
North v East, Fatullah
Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s unbeaten
91 propelled North to a 397-
run lead with four wickets remaining
in the second innings at Khan
Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium.
At stumps, North made 239 and
will no doubt have one eye on victory
when play resumes today.
Earlier, East, resuming their
first innings on 192 for seven, went
on to score 216 before losing all of
their wickets.
North pacer Shafiul Islam
bagged six wickets to lead the
bowling attack.
Later, North started their second
innings with a 158-run lead. Shanto’s
91 off 155 balls and Nasir Hossain’s
63 off 84 deliveries stretched
their lead forther. East pacers Abu
Jayed and Mohammad Saifuddin
picked up two wickets each. •
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard in action against West Ham during their EPL match at
London Stadium on Monday. Chelsea won 2-1 to extend their lead to 10 points AP

Sports
21
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
DT
Pakistan plan
to host World
XI this year
• AFP, Karachi
World cricket's governing
body plans to send a team of international
players to Pakistan in September
as part of efforts to revive
home fixtures disrupted by a deadly
militant attack in 2009, officials
said yesterday.
The announcement comes days
after the final of the Pakistan Super
League was held in Lahore without
incident.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman
Shaharyar Khan said the PSL event,
which featured foreigners and was
hailed by fans as a unifying force,
had paved the way for the return of
international matches.
"I have received a letter from
Giles Clarke, the head of a (International
Cricket Council) task force
on Pakistan, who has praised the
successful staging of PSL final and
has promised to bring a World XI in
September," Khan told AFP.
The Guardian had earlier quoted
Clarke, who is also the president
of the England and Wales Cricket
Board, as saying: "The terrorists
cannot win and cricket must not
give up on Pakistan."
No major international team has
toured Pakistan since Islamist militants
attacked a bus carrying Sri
Lankan cricketers in 2009, killing
eight people and wounding nine
including six visiting cricketers.
Visits by minnows Afghanistan
and Zimbabwe did little to calm the
nerves of bigger opponents.
Khan added: "Clarke had come
to Pakistan in January this year and
was impressed with the security arrangements
which we showed him
for future matches."
Sunday's PSL final was held
amid security that resembled a military
operation. •
DAY’S WATCH
CRICKET
TEN 3
10:15AM
Bangladesh Tour of Sri Lanka
1st Test, Day 2
FOOTBALL
TEN 1
1:45AM
UEFA Champions League
Dortmund v Benfica
TEN 2
1:45AM
UEFA Champions League
Barcelona v PSG
SONY SIX
11:00PM
Spanish La Liga
Deportivo La Coruna v Real Betis
STAR SPORTS SELECT HD 2
2:00AM
English Premier League
Manchester City v Stoke City
Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi, Brazilian striker Neymar and Argentinian defender Javier Mascherano take
part in a training session at the Sports Center FC Barcelona Joan Gamper in Sant Joan Despi, near Barcelona yesterday AFP
Barca can hit PSG for six, insists Enrique
• AFP, Barcelona
Outgoing Barcelona boss Luis Enrique
claimed his side have the firepower
to stick six goals past Paris
Saint-Germain as they attempt to
make Champions League history
by overturning a 4-0 first leg deficit
today.
"If they can score four goals
against us, we can score six," said
Enrique yesterday.
"We have nothing to lose and a
lot to win."
The fierce criticism that came
Enrique's way after their humiliation
in Paris three weeks ago
has eased after he announced last
week that he will step down after
three seasons as coach at the end
of the campaign.
Rather than show any ill-effects
from Enrique's decision, optimism
in the Catalan capital of a stunning
fightback has soared after thrashing
Sporting Gijon and Celta Vigo
6-1 and 5-0 respectively in their last
two outings.
"Despite the fact that the result
from the first leg is very one-sided,
we are only halfway through the
tie," added an uncharacteristically
buoyant Enrique.
"In 95 minutes, an infinite
amount of things can happen.
"I am convinced that at some
point we will be close to qualifying.
"That isn't to say we will do
it, but that we will be close. And,
when you are close, our confidence
will soar and theirs could start to
diminish."
No team in the history of the
Champions League has ever turned
MAX Group has sponsored a 25 KV Solar Power System at Army Golf Club. State
Minister for Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Nasrul Hamid,
inaugurated the Solar Power System and Flood Lighting of Army Golf Club driving
range recently. Army Chief Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq and Max Group
chairman Ghulam Mohammed Alomgir were also present
COURTESY
around a four-goal deficit.
However, the statistics back up
Enrique's confidence.
The results from more than a
third of his home games as Barca
coach would be good enough to at
least force the game to extra time.
That record includes all three of
Barca's Champions League games
this season as they dismantled
Celtic (7-0), Manchester City (4-0)
and Borussia Moenchengladbach
(4-0) by a combined score of 15-0.
Luis Suarez was also bullish as
he claimed if there is one team capable
of mounting a historic comeback
it is Barcelona.
"We are aware that it is a difficult
situation to turn the tie around, but
in football nothing is impossible,"
said Suarez.
"We have to be convinced that
Malaga sack
Romero, appoint
Michel as coach
• AFP, Madrid
La Liga strugglers Malaga sacked
coach Marcelo Romero yesterday
and replaced him with former Marseille
boss Michel who takes over
immediately, the club said.
Former Spain winger Michel, 53,
has been without a club since he
was dismissed by Marseille in April
last year. His appointment will run
for the rest of this season and next
season, the club said.
Michel, six times Spanish champion
during his playing days with
Real Madrid from 1982-1996, had
previous spells coaching Greece's
Olympiakos and Sevilla.
The popular former player Romero,
though dismissed as head coach,
was kept on the coaching staff, the
club's Qatari backers said. •
we can do it. If there is a team that
can score four goals, I think it is
Barcelona but with our philosophy
of how to play and controlling the
game."
However, the Uruguayan striker
pleaded for patience from an expectant
near 100,000 fans at the
Camp Nou.
An away goal for PSG would
mean Barca would have to score
at least six to have any chance of
reaching the quarter-finals for a
10th straight season.
"We are aware that the game
lasts 94 or 95 minutes and we have
to be ambitious but also patient,”
said Suarez
"We hope that the fans understand
and we are the first ones that
want to make history, but we have
to play with a cool head." •
Smaller bats, sendingsoff
among new laws
• AFP, London
Cricket's law-makers are to limit
bat-sizes and introduce sendings-off
among a new batch of rules
which will take effect this year,
they said.
Bats will be measured with a
"bat gauge" to make sure they don't
exceed 108mm (4.25 inches) in
width, 67mm in depth and 40mm
at the edges, the Marylebone Cricket
Club announced.
Umpires will also be able to send
players from the field - temporarily
or permanently - for serious offences
like acts of violence in the
first new Code of Laws issued since
2000.
A steady rise in bat sizes has
been blamed for making cricket
easier for batsmen and harder for
bowlers, disturbing the "balance
between bat and ball".
"The bat size issue has been heavily
scrutinised and discussed in recent
years," John Stephenson, MCC
head of cricket, said in a statement.
"We believe the maximum dimensions
we have set will help redress
the balance between bat and
ball, while still allowing the explosive,
big hitting we all enjoy."
Under the new laws, umpires
can also crack down on poor behaviour
by issuing warnings,
awarding penalty runs and even
sending players off. •

22
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
DT
Showtime
Joy Bangla
Concert 2017
A jubilant commemoration of history
• Saqib Sarker
Joy Bangla concert is back again
this year to commemorate
the historic March 7 speech of
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman. Organised by Young
Bangla and Center for Research
and Information, the concert
is being arranged for the third
time this year. Keeping with the
tradition from the previous years,
nine leading bands participating in
the show were set to perform their
own rendition of ‘Shadhin Bangla
Betar Kendra’ songs along with
their own materials.
Prominent heavy metal band
Cryptic Fate was performing at the
time of writing this report. The
Recreating y et another 90’s song
crowd sang along with the band and
greeted every song with deafening
cheers. With 60,000 expected
attendance, the huge Army Stadium
was nearly filled at half past four
with approximately 10,000 more
waiting outside in the queue.
People patiently waited long
hours before getting in. Some
were disheartened and left after
standing cramped in the long
line that started from the main
entrance of the stadium and went
down to the Navy Headquarters,
where the line was turned back
towards the stadium and another
long row was created parallel to
the main line.
Robin from Jahangirnagar
University came with nine friends
to see the show. “We are waiting
for 3 hours in the line,” said a tired
but smiling Robin. Back inside
the packed stadium, people were
enjoying the show and celebrating
the joyous gathering by taking a
lot of photos. Audience members
in the gallery and in the field were
seen taking selfies with friends
and family. Two grandchildren of
PHOTOS: COURTESY
Bangabandhu, Saima Wazed Putul
and Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby,
were seen enjoying Cryptic Fate’s
performance from their reserved
space in the front row.
Cryptic Fate ended their
performance with the fiery
“Akromon”, a song about the
guerrilla attacks by the freedom
fighters in 1971. The concert was
set to go on until 10pm with
performances from Chirkutt,
Spandan, Lalon, Shunno,
Arbovirus, Nemesis, Shironamhin
and Warfaze. •
Kalikaprasad dies in a car accident
• Showtime Desk
• Showtime Desk
Every 90s kid knows the song “Tu
Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast.” The
Mohra number was responsible
for making the film one of the
greatest hits of Akshay Kumar and
Raveena Tandon. Now, producer
Jayantilal Gada seems to have
taken a page out of the Dharma
playbook by recreating “Tu Cheez
Badi Hai Mast Mast” from Rajiv
Rai’s 1994 film Mohra, in director
duo Abbas-Mustan’s upcoming
romantic thriller, The Machine.
Recently, this remix has created
a storm on social media, just
after the video was released on
YouTube.
Recreating the chart busters
from 1990s’ films is quite popular
nowadays. The year started
with Dharma Productions
rejigging “Humma Humma” - the
immensely popular song of Mani
Ratnam’s 1995 film Bombay, which
featured again in Shaad Ali’s Ok
Jaanu.
The trend continued in
Shashank Khaitan’s Badrinath Ki
Dulhania, with “Tamma Tamma
Again,” in order to pay tribute to
the original song of the 1990 film
Thanedar. The Times of India
reported that Advani showed
the first cut of this new version
to Tandon, and the two even
did signature steps of the song
together.
The Machine will mark
Mustafa’s acting debut, and is
slated to release on March 17.•
Acclaimed folk singer and
renowned Bengali Folk Band -
Dohar’s frontman, Kalikaprasad
was killed in a car accident
yesterday.
According to the police, the
singer was returning to Kolkata
with five other members of
Dohar, and the car fell into a
ditch at Gurap in the Hoogly
district, which resulted in
Bhattacharjee’s death and left
five others critically wounded.
Burdwan Medical College
declared the singer dead on
arrival.
Kalikaprasad Bhattacharjee,
who was in his mid 40’s, was
acclaimed for his work on
Jaatishwar (2014), Moner Manush
(2010), and the most recent
Bhuban Majhi (2017).
Chief minister of West Bengal,
Mamata Banerjee expressed
shock and grief about the mishap.
“Shocked at the tragic demise of
Kalikaprasad Bhattacharjee of
Dohar. His passing is a big loss
to Bengali music,” she tweeted
after learning about the accident.
In another tweet, Banerjee
wrote, “Kalikaprasad’s demise
is a personal loss. He was a close
friend. Condolences to his family
and fans.”
The singer and composer
came to Bangladesh a few days
ago, and joined the premiere of
Fakhrul Arefeen Khan’s Bhubon
Majhi, where Bhattacharjee
worked as a music composer.
The director of the film has
now dedicated the movie to the
deceased musician. In a Facebook
status Khan wrote, “Today I have
given Bhubon Majhi to you Kalika
Bhai.” •

Showtime
23
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
DT
Palki and Aparajita set to
air 400th episode
Varun’s awkward
moment
• Showtime Desk
Two of Deepto TV’s drama series,
Palki and Aparajita, are set to air
their 400th episode today. These
shows came on air doing the early
days of Deepto TV.
The story of Palki revolves around
an ordinary girl whose life suddenly
takes a complete turn, when she is
faced with dire situations within her
household, and even comes face to
face with death.
On the other hand, Aparajita
is based on a novel written by
Ashapoorna Devi. The drama depicts
a strong woman who constantly
fights against all odds, in order
to save her brothers and sisters.
Aparajita will be aired at 6:30pm
today, followed by Palki at 7pm. •
• Showtime Desk
Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt
recently made a guest appearance
on Sony TV’s musical talent show,
Indian Idol 9. They laughed, had
fun and then an incident made
Varun’s appearance impossible to
forget.
Varun and Alia were playing
matchmakers for all the
contestants. Malvika Sundar was
the last contestant, and she sang
the number “Bolna” from Kapoor
And Sons. After Malvika Sundar’s
performance, Varun asked her
about the qualities she looked for
in a man. Malvika told him that the
guy has to be a die-hard romantic
like Shah Rukh Khan, and most
importantly should know the
famous Kuthu dance of Chennai.
Varun Dhawan then joined
Malvika to do the traditional dance
form of Madras, and in the process
his trousers were ripped. Even
though the chemistry between
the two was fabulous throughout
their performance, it was quite
hilarious as well.
Varun, who had never
experimented with the dance form
was willing to give it a go, and
joined Malvika on stage.
Varun laughed and hurriedly
tried to find a corner, and the host
Karan Wahi dashed to his rescue,
hauling him over his shoulder and
carrying him off the stage. “An
unfazed Varun quickly changed
into another pair of pants in his
vanity van and returned to the
stage with the torn ones dangling
from his neck. Making light of
the incident, he announced that
he wanted to auction them. But
before anyone could bid for them,
the actor threw the pants into the
audience and completed the kuthu
dance with Malvika. •
Beauty and the Beast facing trouble in Russia
• Showtime Desk
Beauty and the Beast creators
have created uproar after it
was revealed that the liveaction
remake would feature
an exclusively gay moment for
the first time in Disney history.
“LeFou is somebody who
on one day wants to be Gaston
and on another day wants to
kiss Gaston,” Condon said.
Since his announcement,
Russian MPs and Christianrun
cinemas in America have
threatened to boycott the
film because of its inclusion
of a gay character. Christian
owners of a cinema in rural
Alabama said they would
only show “family-orientated
films” so its customers
were “free to come watch
wholesome movies without
worrying about sex, nudity,
homosexuality, and foul
language.”
Meanwhile Russian
Culture Minister Vladimir
Medinsky is facing mounting
pressure to assess whether
the film violates the country’s
controversial ‘gay propaganda’
law which prohibits children
from material “advocating for
a denial of traditional family
values.”
One thing that seems to
have been overlooked by
critics of the film’s gay subplot,
however, is the films
main storyline that sees Belle,
the protagonist, fall in love
with a buffalo.
The studio’s ‘first’ LGBT
character was monumental,
but the amount of controversy
surrounding the character
has forced the Beauty and the
Beast director to comment on
the public meltdown saying
it’s “all been overblown.”
Bill Condon, who also
directed Dreamgirls and two
of The Twilight Saga movies,
recently sat down with a
reporter to speak about the
huge amount of attention
surrounding the scene.
LeFou, Disney’s first openly
gay character, is played
by actor Josh Gad, who is
best known for voicing the
beloved snowman Olaf in the
blockbuster cartoon Frozen.
The movie has been at
the centre of huge public
debate since the scene was
announced.•

24
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017
DT
Back Page
PM SEEKS INDONESIA’S HELP
TO SEND BACK ROHINGYAS PAGE 3
TI: 900M IN ASIA PAID
BRIBES IN 2016 PAGE 8
LUCKY MENDIS TON
PROPELS SL PAGE 18
Brave, bold and change-making women
Speak up, be
bold, be the
change
• Afrose Jahan Chaity, Nawaz
Farhin and Esha Aurora
This year, Women’s Day will be a
call on the masses or on oneself to
help forge a better working world –
a more gender inclusive world, being
bold for a change.
The history of Women’s Day is
directly tied to this institutional discrimination
against women, when
in 1908 women began to strike for
better wages in New York City, US,
and the following year the day was
celebrated as Women’s Day.
It was officially ratified by the
United Nations in 1977.
Women are still trying to break
the glass ceiling, something that
prevents them from professional
advancement in many cases,
which is why this year’s theme is so
important. To be bold for change.
Nasrin Sultana broke that barrier
back in 1984 by joining the fire fighting
services. The Dhaka Tribune
asked her about what it is like being
the change you want in the world.
“When I am in uniform, I get mistaken
for a man but I have never let
my gender define my ability to do
my job. I love what I do,” she said.
Evidently women law enforcers
are known to be less corrupt.
Bangladesh has recently introduced
women traffic police.
Bus driver Shawon Ali says he is
more afraid of women police. “I am
very scared of them, they do not
take bribes and they will file a case
if I break the law.”
According to Bangladesh Bureau
of Statistics, 17% women are working
in formal industries and 30.4%
are working in the informal industry.
Fulfilling gender equality means
the 30.4% of our working women
need equity in gender parity and
a society that views women as humans
first and gender second.
Even though times have changed
and women’s mental and physical
faculties are no longer questioned
based on their gender, the world
still have a long way to go before it
can achieve gender equality, which
is why we need women to push the
barriers even more. •
NASRIN SULTANA, 48
Warehouse inspector,
Fire Services & Civil Defence
Nasrin is a recipient of the President
Award for her courageous
service to people in disaster prone
areas, fire victims, and fire control.
35 fire fighters work under
her command at the Lalbagk Fire
Station.
Who is your biggest supporter?
My elder sister Hasina Begum who
gave me the courage to pursue my
career.
What is the biggest obstacle for
you?
I do not see any barriers. My job is
risky but there is no space for excuses
in my job as a woman. I am a fire
fighter first and a woman second.
Why this profession?
Having the ability to save someone’s
life is what made me become
a fire fighter in 1984. There is also
this sense of adventure which
makes every day different and
unique.
How do you balance professional
and personal life?
My husband Yousof Ali is my support
system, without him I would
not be able to balance my personal
and professional life. We have two
sons and they all know that my work
comes before everything else. They
are the secret behind my success.
FAHMIDA MOHSIN, 33
Lieutenant Commander,
Bangladesh Navy
Staff officer of Information and
Technology Department of Bangladesh
Navy and a mother of twins.
Who is your biggest supporter?
My parents, they were both very
supportive of my career choice. I
saw my mother balancing a job and
maintaining a family and realised
that I could do that too. My father
taught me to believe in myself and
have courage.
What is your biggest obstacle?
It is having to spend so much time
away from home. I have to be on
call 24 hours a day and spend up
to nine months at sea with mostly
male colleagues. My supervisors
are supportive and I have not experienced
any gender discrimination.
Why this profession?
The orderliness of men in naval
uniforms made me want to join the
Navy. I also graduated with an electrical
engineering degree from Buet.
How do you balance professional
and personal life?
With the support of family. When
my twins were only a year old I had
to go to India for three months. My
husband who is also a naval officer
and my in-laws took care of our
children. Without them I would
not be able to balance my career
and personal life.
NAZIA AFRIN, 27
Flight Lieutenant,
Bangladesh Air Force
The first woman pilot to fly the Basic
Trainer Transport Aircraft L410.
Who is your biggest supporter?
My father (retd) Group Captain Ilyas
Akhand.
What is your biggest obstacle?
I refused to let anything get in the
way of me becoming a pilot. I focused
on the goal and did not stop
until I made it.
Why this profession?
I grew up dreaming to be a pilot
just like my father.
How do you balance professional
and personal life?
I have strict divisions between my
personal and professional life.
SADIA BINTE SIDDIQUE, 23
Flight Lieutenant,
Bangladesh Air Force
She has been flying the helicopter
known as Bell 212 for last two years
which is mostly used for rescue
and medical evacuation.
Who is your biggest supporter?
Coming from Barisal, one would
not particularly have aspirations
like mine but I had very progressively
minded parents who supported
my career choice wholeheartedly.
What is your biggest obstacle?
Men who think women should
only be a housewife. It is a choice
but women should be able to make
any kind of career choices she
wants and believes she can do.
Why this profession?
Being a pilot is exceptional. We
also have very few female pilots in
the force. I love the challenge and
the adventure of being a pilot.
How do you balance professional
and personal life?
Strict division between work and
leisure time.
PARBATI ROY, 29
Lecturer,
North South University
Parbati comes from the indigenous
Chakma community.
Who is your biggest supporter?
My mother. My aunt, my mother
and a family friend supported
me during my higher education
at Dhaka University which led
to a scholarship in Australia that
changed my life.
What is the biggest obstacle for
you?
Overcoming parental disapproval
and work place discrimination. My
father was so conservative that he
did not want me to come to Dhaka
for higher studies. I had to break
that barrier and prove independence.
At my old work place, I did
not get support because of being
an indigenous woman.
Why this profession?
I found more security and safety in
the teaching profession.
How do you balance professional
and personal life?
With support from my mother and
husband.
AFROSA HASAN BINDIYA, 25
Hair and makeup artist,
Deepto TV
The transgendered woman has
been working in the makeup industry
for the past 12 years.
Who is your biggest supporter?
My mother and sister.
What is the biggest obstacle for you?
People’s judgement. My father
made me move out of our house
because of the gossip I generated in
our building. When I was in school
kids treated me different but I
slowly grew to accept who I was.
Why this profession?
When I first moved in with the
transgender community, I felt I
had finally found my home. I was
happy. But I realised that there was
no respect in the work that we do.
I went back home and overcame
many obstacles to find a Pakistani
beautician, Naznin Khan, who
trained me and now I am self-sufficient
financially.
How do you balance professional
and personal life?
With the support of my mother
and boyfriend. •
Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower,
8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207. Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com