DT e-Paper 13 May 2017

SECOND EDITION
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017 | Boishakh 30, 1424, Shaban 16, 1438 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 5, No 8 | www.dhakatribune.com | 24 pages plus Weekend and Sports supplements | Price: Tk10
Not his first
rape? › 2
How it all happened › 2
Police stations
ill-equipped for sexual
harassment cases › 3
Apan Jewellers owner
under Customs
Intelligence scanner › 3
DT
3
Sports Tribune
Statistical preview: The
Tigers enter the big stage
The
Irish
job
Shakib al Hasan – a rarity in
5 the current world of ODIs
SPORTS SUPPLEMENT
Statistical preview:
The Tigers enter
the big stage › 3
7
Is the IPL
scripted?
Shakib - a rarity in the
current world of ODIs › 5
Is the IPL scripted? › 7
IS claimed blast hits convoy of Pakistan
Senate deputy, 25 dead › 8
Women’s
representation
only 5% in
FBCCI › 3
Islami Bank
governing body
in turmoil › 5
COMEY FIRING
Donald Trump
contradicts
White House › 9

2
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
News
Not his first
rape?
Police say they have reason to believe
Shafaat Ahmed may have sexually
assaulted other women
• Tarek Mahmud, Arifur
Rahman Rabbi and
Md Sanaul Islam Tipu
Police believe Shafaat Ahmed, the
prime accused in the rape of two
university students in Dhaka’s Banani
in March, may have committed
sexual violence before.
Investigators told a Dhaka court
yesterday that Shafaat, son of Apan
Jewellers owner Dildar Ahmed,
may have sexually assaulted other
women in various upscale hotels in
the capital.
The court granted a six-day remand
for Shafaat and a five-day remand
for Shadman Sakif, his friend
who is accused of coaxing the victims
to come to the Raintree Hotel
in Banani, the scene of the crime.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s
Women Support and Investigation
Division Inspector Ismat Ara Emi
pleaded for 10-day remand for
each accused while she informed
the court that initial investigation
suggested that Shafaat had raped
many other women before.
ADC Asma Siddiqua Mili of the
Women Support and Investigation
Division said the background and
nature of the suspect give reasons to
suspect that they may have committed
crimes against women before.
The remand prayer described
how the two victims were raped by
the accused at the Raintree Hotel
and Restaurant on March 28.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate
Md Raihanul Islam granted the remand
pleas, after rejecting the bail
petitions of the two accused. When
the two accused were produced before
the court yesterday afternoon,
they were seen crying at the witness
stand as their lawyers tried to
console them, court sources said.
DMP senior officials said their
primary interrogation of Shafaat
and Shadman, and the victims’
statements pointed to the authenticity
of the allegations.
Shafaat and Shadman had been
arrested from Sylhet city’s Madina
Market area on Thursday night in
a joint drive of a Police Headquarters
special team, DMP Detective
Branch, DMP’s Women Support and
Investigation Division, Banani police
and Sylhet Metropolitan Police.
Officials who were on the drive
said the accused tried their best till
the last moment to evade arrest,
even going as far as to offer the police
officials Tk10 crore bribe to let
them go.
Police sources said in primary
interrogation, Shafaat and Shadman
said they along with Shafaat’s
bodyguard Azad and driver Billal
fled from Dhaka on May 5, staying
at several places in Gazipur, Narsingdi
and Sylhet. They kept their
mobile phones switched off.
On Monday, Shafaat phoned his
maternal uncle for a place to hide
after they were rejected from a resort
in Sylhet. In the meantime,
Billal and Azad left them and fled.
Shafaat’s uncle managed his London-expatriate
friend’s house at
Madina Market in the Sylhet city
for his nephew to hide, from where
the two were arrested. Both men
appeared to have had a haircut.
After the arrest the fathers of the
two accused refused to make any
comment.
Sahely Ferdous, assistant inspector
general (Media) of Police
Headquarters, told the Dhaka Tribune
that the headquarters special
team had located the duo using
technological tools.
On May 6, the two young women,
both university students,
lodged a rape case with Banani
police against Shafaat Ahmed, his
friends Nayeem Ashraf and Shadman
Sakif, Shafaat’s driver Billal
and his unnamed bodyguard.
After experiencing repeated
threats from the accused, the two
young women lodged complaints
with Banani police on May 4. Police
accepted the rape case 48 hours after
the incident.
The Banani rape: How it all happened
• Arifur Rahman Rabbi
Following the news of the Banani rape
case, the Dhaka Tribune reached out to
the plaintiffs to understand the extent of
their ordeal on March 28. Since police confirmed
the authenticity of their allegations
yesterday, this is the story of two young
women and one horrific night.
The setup
Having been friends with Shadman Sakif
for two years, one of the plaintiffs was
introduced to Shafaat Ahmed two weeks
before the incident. Shadman took them
to meet Shafaat at Picasso Restaurant
where he invited the two young women to
his birthday party at the Raintree Dhaka, a
hotel in Banani.
Arrival at the party
On the night of March 28, Shafaat kept
calling both the women incessantly. Trying
to convince them to come to the Raintree,
Shafaat kept saying they were his “special
friends” and he would not cut his birthday
cake without them.
The girls tried to avoid going, saying it
was late and they did not really want to go,
but Shafaat had already sent his car along
with his bodyguard to pick them up.
The girls were compelled to attend,
invited two other friends, a doctor and
another student, who arrived half an hour
later to the hotel.
‘The birthday party’
From both the plaintiffs’ accounts, it seems
as though the entire party was a setup.
When they arrived at the hotel rooftop
at 9pm, there were only Nayeem Ashraf,
Shafaat, his bodyguard, Shafaat’s driver
Billal, and two girls named Nazia and Tanzila.
When greeting Shafaat on his birthday,
he told the young women to stay at the
Shafaat Ahmed, left, and Shadman Sakif are escorted by police to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court yesterday,
where they were remanded for six days and five days, respectively
MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
room he booked for his birthday but they
refused and said they would go home after
the party.
The plaintiffs were talking with their
two other friends when they realised that
Nayeem and Shafaat kept disappearing
with the two girls for long periods of time
and then coming back.
The plaintiffs’ doctor friend said something
was amiss and he was not comfortable.
The whole group were just about
ready to leave when Nayeem called him in,
saying he wanted to talk to him in private.
DMP Joint Commissioner
(Crime) Krishna Pada Roy at a briefing
yesterday said they had found
evidence of Shafaat and Shadman’s
involvement in the rape of the two
women at a Banani hotel during
primary investigation.
The two were brought to Dhaka
yesterday morning and kept at
DMP’s DB Office for initial interrogation.
Krishna said the accused
had claimed to police that the sexual
encounter on March 28 night
was consensual.
The victims gave statements
before the investigators on Tuesday
and issued judicial statements
before a Dhaka court on Thursday
saying they were raped by the accused
and the rapists, being influential
men, had repeatedly threatened
them of consequences if they
went to the authorities.
The Women Support and Investigation
Division’s Victim Support
and Investigation Centre is now investigating
the case. A four-member
team, led by the DMP’s joint commissioner
(Crime) is also helping the IO.
Krishna said a separate
The attack
Things suddenly took a dark turn when
the doctor was confronted by Nayeem
and Shafaat’s bodyguard in the room. With
the gun pointed at his face, the doctor was
told to do exactly what they said. They
took his car keys and ordered him to get all
the girls down to the room.
Afraid of what might happen, the doctor
did what he was told and asked the girls
to come with him to the room. The minute
they got into the room, the doctor and the
other girl were locked into the living room
of the suite while the two plaintiffs where
locked into the bedroom.
Shafaat and Nayeem brought the
doctor into the bedroom and physically
assaulted him, forcing him to say things
like “I am a drug dealer and I brought these
girls here to rape them.”
The two men began raping the plaintiffs
while they made the doctor videotape
it three times. Because he was crying and
shaking, the videos were not coming out
the way Shafaat wanted, so he made his
driver Billal take over.
The two young women were mercilessly
beaten and raped; one of them was
gang-raped by Nayeem and Shafaat while
driver Billal videotaped the ordeal. She
was bleeding and screaming but the duo
did not stop.
three-member probe body, led by
DMP’s additional commissioner
(Crime), was formed to look into the
delay in accepting the case and the
allegation of harassing the victims.
The victims said police were
sure of the identities and whereabouts
of all the accused but delayed
arresting them because of
their influential families.
Nayeem is the managing director
of eMakers Bangladesh and
Shadman Sakif is one of the directors
of Regnum Group. Dhaka Tribune
found that the bodyguard’s
name is Abul Kalam Azad. Driver
Billal, bodyguard Azad and Shadman
were accused of assisting Shafaat
and Nayem during the rape.
Police are trying to arrest the
other accused, Joint Commissioner
Krishna said.
“No one is influencing our work.
We are trying to conclude the investigation
with fairness and by
collecting all kinds of evidence.
“Police are looking at this from
all aspects – forensic, forensic IT
and medical - alongside the regular
investigation,” he said. •
Every time they protested, the girls
were beaten. Shafaat kept boasting that
he was “accused in 20 murder cases and I
am untouchable” and he was “the biggest
smuggler in Bangladesh.”
One of the plaintiffs kept saying she
wanted to die and asked Shafaat and
Nayeem to end her misery, but they just
laughed at her.
One of the young women said the men
where high on yaba for three days straight.
Shadman Sakif left at midnight knowing
full well what was happening.
Their ordeal finally ended when one of
the plaintiffs could no longer walk and was
bleeding. They checked out of the hotel at
9am telling the girls if they said anything
the videos would be made public.
While dropping them home, Shafaat
told the girls they had full control over
them now, and they would have to be at
his beck and call or the rape videos would
be released online. •

Police stations ill-equipped
for sexual harassment cases
News 3
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
Women’s representation
only 5% in FBCCI
DT
• Arifur Rahman Rabbi
On February 1 this year, a
nine-year-old girl was raped
in Rampura. When her father,
a security guard, went to
lodge a rape case at the Rampura
police station, he found
that the station did not have
a desk to deal with cases of
sexual harassment or abuse
against women or children.
When questioned by the
Dhaka Tribune about this,
Rampura police station Officer-in-Charge
Proloy Kumar
Shah said there was no specific
desk or department to
deal with such cases because
the station had limited space.
“We have appointed women
police officials to provide
support in such cases,” he
explained.
Although some police stations
in the Dhaka metropolitan
area have separate desks
to deal with such cases most
police stations countrywide
do not, despite direct instructions
from the Police
Headquarters to set up a separate
desk at each station for
issues relating to women and
children.
At different programmes,
the Inspector General of
Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul
Haque and the Dhaka Metropolitan
Police (DMP) Commissioner
Asaduzzaman Mia
said they had asked the district
police superintendents
and metropolitan area deputy
commissioners to set up such
desks at every police station.
According to Police Headquarters’
instructions, the
authorities have to assign a
Apan Jewellers owner Dildar under
Customs Intelligence scanner
• Tarek Mahmud
The Customs Intelligence and
Investigation Directorate has
asked the central bank to provide
information on transactions
made by Apan Jewellers’
owner Dildar Ahmed.
Dildar’s son Shafaat
Ahmed and two others have
been accused of raping two
university students at a Banani
hotel in March. Shafaat,
who went into hiding after
the case was filed last week,
was arrested in Sylhet on
Thursday.
“We will try to find out
how Dildar collected the gold
he is selling, despite the fact
separate official, preferably a
sub-inspector and, if possible,
a female one, to be in charge
of a desk which will deal with
sexual harassment and abuse
of children and women.
In 2011, the High Court
issued a directive asking the
authorities concerned to set
up a separate cell or team
in every police station to
deal with and work on the
prevention of sexual harassment
and abuse.
There was no
specific desk or
department to
deal with such
cases because
the station had
limited space
In spite of that, six years have
passed and the majority of
the police stations still have
not taken up the initiative.
When visiting several police
stations, including the
Motijheel, Paltan, Khilgaon,
Rampura, Shabagh, Dhanmondi,
Demra, Mirpur Model,
Shah Ali, Tejgaon I/A, Lalbagh,
Chawk Bazar police stations,
this correspondent found that
none had any desk allocated
to working on cases relating to
women and children.
When questioned about
this, police officials said most
police stations did not have
a desk specifically assigned
to working on cases relating
that there has been no gold
import for 10 years,” CIID Director
General Moinul Khan
said on Friday.
Moinul said they had
written to the Bangladesh
Bank on Thursday to seek
detailed information, adding
that a committee has been
formed to check Apan Jewellers’
transactions.
CIID sources said the Customs
Intelligence decided
to investigate Dildar after
social media users raised allegations
of gold smuggling
against him. He owns gold
shops at Uttara, Gulshan and
Mouchak in Dhaka.
CIID chief Moinul said
to women and children, but
usually assigned female police
officials to handle such
cases on a case-by-case basis.
However, DMP Deputy
Commissioner (Media)
Masudur Rahman claimed
that they had set up help
desks for women and children
at every police station
in line with the Police Headquarters’
instructions.
“If there these desks have
not been set up in every police
station, then we will look
into it,” he added.
“Most court directives go
unheeded, just like this one,”
human rights activist Nur
Khan Liton told the Dhaka
Tribune.
According to him, women
and children often do not
want to file complaints when
they are sexually or socially
harassed because the police
stations have failed to provide
them with the basic resources
needed for them to
comfortably come forward
with their issues.
He added that in cases of
sexual harassment or abuse
in Bangladesh, most often,
women bear the brunt of the
blame.
“Not only are they the victims
of the act itself, when
they go to file complaints,
they are further victimised
by comments from and negligence
on the part of the
police,” explained Liton, the
former executive director of
Ain O Salish Kendra.
“Many will come forward
to file complaints if the government
strictly enforces the
directives,” he added. •
allegations of Dildar being
involved in murky business
transactions were old. They
resurfaced recently in the
mainstream and social media.
“We will also check whether
the diamonds being sold in
his shops are real, and if they
are being traded transparently
and if a duty has been paid
properly,” he added.
“We will try to find out
how he became so rich,” he
said.
Shafaat was reportedly
outspoken while threatening
the alleged rape victims, admitting
that his father used
to collect gold from seized
consignments. •
• Ibrahim Hossain Ovi
There are only three female members in the current
60-member board of directors of the Federation
of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and
Industry (FBCCI), making women’s representation
in the apex trade body a mere 5%.
The three directors – Monowara Hakim Ali,
Naaz Farhana Ahmed and Hasina Newaaz – represent
different chapters of women’s chamber of
commerce and industry in Bangladesh.
Having such a small presence of female
leaders in the top trade body in the country is
disappointing, especially when the government,
the opposition and the parliament of Bangladesh
are all led by women, said several female
entrepreneurs.
There are several reasons as to why the number
of women in the FBCCI board of directors is
still so meagre, said female business leaders.
“Becoming a part of the FBCCI is difficult for
women, especially when they take part in the
direct election for the board membership,” said
Monowara, who represents Chittagong Women’s
Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the
FBCCI board.
Besides, male entrepreneurs do not regard
their female peers as equals, which is another
major reason behind the absence of female leaders
in the FBCCI, said Selima Ahmad, president of
Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and
Industry and a former FBCCI director.
“Men do not consider women as their equal, or
believe that women are equally capable when it
comes to business,” she told the Dhaka Tribune.
Most leading chambers and associations
do not have women’s representation in their
boards, except for Metropolitan Chamber of
Commence (MCCI). The MCCI has set an example
by electing female president several times.
On the other hand, the Dhaka Chamber of
Commerce and Industry has never had a female
president or vice-president since its inception.
Other trade bodies have similar problems too.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and
Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh
Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association
(BKMEA), two leading trade bodies in the
RMG sector of the country, do not have women
in their current boards of directors. The BGMEA,
however, has had two female directors in the past.
“I contested for directorship in the BGMEA
and won. But the BGMEA, as an association, did
not select a woman to represent them in the
FBCCI,” said Vidiya Amrit Khan, former director
of the BGMEA.
“Being a representative of a sector where
80% of the workers are women, what progress
can we achieve if the BGMEA does not nominate
women?” she asked.
The election for new board of directors of the
FBCCI for the term 2017-19 is scheduled on Sunday.
Only two women are taking part in the election.
“Despite being capable, it is always a challenge
for women to compete on such a platform because
of our society’s mindset,” said Shomi Kaiser,
candidate in Sunday’s election and a member of
e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh.
“But there has been a lot of changes; we are
getting more positive response. We need more
of this,” she added.
“I think the time has come to rethink the
idea of leadership in business as our sons and
daughters are entering the world of business
equally,” said former BGMEA president Abdus
Salam Murshedy. “Opportunities should be equal
for both the parts of the new generation.”
“The more women engage in business, the
more businesses will develop. To encourage
women, the government and other stakeholders
should train women to build their capacity,” said
Selima Ahmad. •

4
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
News
‘Street Food Market’ at Four Points
• Tribune Desk
Sheraton Dhaka hotel’s Four Points
in Gulshan will hold a “Street Food
Market” from today till May 20
at its signature restaurant, The
Eatery.
Chefs at the restaurant
will present live cooking
demonstrations for the dishes
requested by patrons.
Street Food Market will present
street food from countries such as
the United States, Mexico, Italy,
Japan, China, Thailand, and India.
At the Italian station, patrons
can savour pizza, risotto, cheese
bread, freshly baked focaccia,
lentils, and many more dishes.
Pasta and carbonara will be cooked
live.
Burritos, a taco bar, grilled corn
with lime and parmesan, and beef
and chicken nachos are waiting at
the Mexican station.
Patrons can taste authentic Thai
cuisine with Pad Thai, Sang Choi
Bao of Sichuan lamb with smoked
eggplant nahmprik, and whole
grilled snapper with coriander soy.
Lovers of Japanese foods can try
sushi, sashimi, Tasmanian salmon
tempura, chicken teriyaki, fried
rice, chicken gyoz, prawn ceviche,
silken tofu with wasabi pepper
sauce, or grilled prawns with
Kombu butter.
The seafood station will offer
lobster, prawns, crab, squid and
tuna.
The street fest will also offer
American hot dogs, Indian dosas,
Chinese Sichuan steak tartar with
shaved fried garlic, black pepper
mud crabs, salt and pepper squid,
and sweet and sour lamb ribs.
A fresh juice bar, candy bar and
a dessert station will be on offer as
well.
Valued at Tk3,542 per patron,
reservations for dinner can be
made by calling +88801966662152
or +880 9 609444555. •
Prof Dr HM Jahirul
Haque appointed
as ULAB VC
• Tribune Report
President Abdul Hamid, chancellor
of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh,
appointed Prof Dr HM Jahirul
Haque as vice chancellor on
May 11. Dr Jahirul joined ULAB in
2004 as professor and head of the
Computer Science and Engineering
department.
He served as director of Academic
Affairs, dean of the School
of Science and Engineering, and
pro VC in his tenure at ULAB.
Prior to joining the university, he
was head of Computer Science and
Engineering at Leading University in
Sylhet. Dr Jahirul has a PhD from a
top university in Ukraine, where he
also started his teaching career. •

Islami Bank governing
body in turmoil
• Tribune Desk
The governing body of Islami
Bank Bangladesh Limited,
which is just in its fifth month,
is gripped by suspicion and
disbelief, intensifying an internal
conflict.
Reconstituted on January
5 this year, the governing
body now appears to be on the
verge of being dissolved, reports
Bangla Tribune.
The intra-bank row became
even clearer after the bank’s
Vice-Chairman Prof Syed Ahsanul
Alam, who is well known
as a government-backed figure,
decided to resign on Thursday.
“After taking charge, we
tried to make the bank acceptable
to all. But, it feels that the
governing body is no longer
controllable,” he said.
“To make the bank questionable,
2.9 million copies of
calender have been published
without mentioning its theme
– Shariah-based banking. Many
other things are also happening
without the consent of the
governing body. These are the
reasons why I have taken the
decision [to resign],” he said.
The vice-chairman in a Facebook
status, posted the same
day, mentioned that a handful
of high officials, who have sedition
cases and arrest warrants
against them, are working in the
bank’s top-level management.
“They want to split the governing
body first, which they
fully disobeyed later. They refuse
to carry out orders issued
by different boards that do not
support their agenda. They
facilitate the employees, who
are active in anti-government
activities, with better posting,
helping them do politics against
the state. They also do not comply
with the intelligence reports
suggesting not to transfer such
officials and employees outside
Dhaka,” he wrote.
When contacted, Islami
Bank Director Maj Gen (retd)
Engr Abdul Matin said: “I also
heard that Syed Ahsanul Alam
is mulling resignation. We took
charge of the bank at a certain
stage. He must have been mentally
hurt somehow. But, he
cannot resign without the permission
from the higher authorities.
We have a governing body
meeting on Sunday, where the
matter will be discussed.
“Those who are in the governing
body want to contribute
to the bank. We do not want to
take anything from here.”
Though the bank started
seeing changes in its top management
from early this year,
an initiative was taken to establish
control over it back in
2010. As part of the move, the
authorities concerned wrote to
the Saudi Arabian government
through the Bangladesh Embassy
in Riyadh for its consent
over removing pro-Jamaat-e-Islami
directors and employees
from the bank. Afterwards,
some pro-government local investors
started buying shares
of the bank from the former
entrepreneurs with foreign
stakeholders and organisational
investors selling their shares.
In the latest reshuffle, the
governing body was reconstituted
with former secretary,
Arastu Khan, as its chairman,
who replaced Engr Mostafa Anwar.
The then managing director
Mohammad Abdul Mannan
was forced to stand down, and
then replaced by Union Bank
MD Md Abdul Hamid Mia.
The directors loyal to Jamaat
were removed from the
governing body before the
major changes. •
News 5
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY
Dhaka 36 27 Chittagong 33 27 Rajshahi 38 27 Rangpur 33 24 Khulna 38 27 Barisal 37 27 Sylhet 32 23
Cox’s Bazar 33 27
RAIN LIKELY
SATURDAY, MAY 13
DHAKA
TODAY
TOMORROW
SUN SETS 6:33PM
SUN RISES 5:17AM
YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW
36.7ºC
21.8ºC
Bhola
Tarash
Source: Accuweather/UNB
PRAYER
TIMES
Fajr: 4:50am | Zohr: 1:15pm
Asr: 5:15pm | Magrib: 6:38pm
Esha: 8:30pm
Source: Islamic Foundation

6
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
News
Mirakkel’s Rony faces ICT case
• M Kamal Mridha, Natore
Abu Hena Rony, winner of Zee
Bangla’s popular comedy show
Mirakkel Challenger, has been sued
for posting a derogatory comment
about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
on Facebook.
Hafizur Rahman Sabuj, joint
secretary of Awami Jubo League’s
Singra upazila unit in Natore, filed
the case under the ICT Act on
Thursday night.
According to the case, Rony had
been making derogatory remarks
about the prime minister since long.
After a photo of the prime minister
taking a stroll on the sea beach
in Cox’s Bazar went viral recently,
Rony put up the comment on Facebook
profile mocking the photo.
His post caused outrage in social
media, following which Rony later
deleted the post.
“The prime minister has a personal
life. No one should be allowed
to mock her for having a personal
moment,” said Hafizur Rahman.
Singra police station OC Abdullah
Al Mamun confirmed the matter.
“Further action will be taken
after investigation,” he said. •
Man admits he raped a woman,
her daughter for years
• Mohammed Serajul Islam,
Sylhet
A youth made confessional statement
yesterday in a case filed for
spreading video contents of raping
a neighbour woman and her
daughter for several years.
The Second Sylhet Judicial Magistrate
Court Judge Sharmin Khanam
Nila recorded the statement of
Nimar Ahmed, 24, son of Abdul
Khaleque of Lamadela village in
Jaintiapur, from 3-8pm and sent
him to jail.
He started exploiting the woman
four years ago, and after two
years trapped her daughter to establish
physical relation with him.
Jaintapur police station OC
Shafiul Kabir told reporters that
Nimar had confessed to forcing the
two victims to have sexual relations
with him and spreading videos
of his sexual exploitation on the
internet and among locals.
He was arrested from his house
Wednesday night along with a memory
card containing the relevant video
contents from his possession. •

Chittagong special tribunal
without judge for 3 months
• Anwar Hussain,
Chittagong
The Chittagong Speedy Trial
Tribunal has been without
a judge for more than three
months, halting the trial proceedings
of over 150 cases.
Since February 2, when
Judge Mohitul Haque Enam
Chowdhury was transferred
to the Sylhet Women and Children
Repression Prevention
Tribunal, the court bench has
remained empty.
The absence of a judge has
left several cases pending in 11
districts under the Chittagong
division, causing the litigants
immense suffering since long.
The district and sessions
judge has been in charge of
the tribunal. However, it is not
possible for the acting judge
to hear the pending cases.
According to tribunal
sources, at least 15 gazetted
and 80 non-gazetted cases
have remained pending with
the tribunal. Stay orders were
given in trials of 15 other cases.
As many as 30 sensational
murder cases, including the
murders of BNP leader Jamal
Uddin and former additional
district judge Sayeed, are now
pending with the tribunal.
There are also 15 pending
cases against members of
banned Islamist outfits Hizb
ut-Tahrir and Ansarullah
Bangla Team.
The detained, however,
are being produced before
the court on mandatory trial
dates.
Chittagong Divisional
Outrage after father, son
killed in Khagrachhari
• Jasim Majumder,
Khagrachhari
A man and his son – both ruling
party leaders – have been
killed allegedly by rivals in
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila.
The deceased are former
president of Khagrachhari
Union Krishak League Chiranjoy
Tripura, 60, and his
son Karna Bikash Tripura, 35.
Karna was a member of the
district unit Chhatra League.
Chiranjoy’s wife Bhablakshi
Tripura and Karna’s wife
Bijli Tripura were also critically
injured during the attack
carried out with firearms and
sharp weapons around 9pm
Case filed over police-AL
men clash in Natore
• M Kamal Mridha, Natore
A case has been lodged against
267 Awami League men, including
Gurudaspur upazila
Awami League Secretary and
Municipality Mayor Shah
Newaz, over a clash between
the ruling party men and law
enforcers on Thursday.
Gurudaspur police station
Sub-Inspector Saiduzzaman
filed the case against 67 named
and 200 unidentified individuals
on Thursday night.
Police have so far arrested
Aminul Islam Rois, 22, son
of Abdus Samad of Khamar
Nachkoir Khowarpara, and
Monirul Islam Mithu, 22, son
of Zan Mohammad Sheikh of
Chanchkoir Bazar.
The duo were produced
before a court yesterday. Police
said they were working to
identify and arrest the other
accused from video footage
of the clash.
On Thursday, a monthly
co-ordination was arranged
at the upazila hall room.
Around 9am, Mayor Shah
Speedy Trial Tribunal’s special
public prosecutor Mohammad
Aiyub Khan told the
Dhaka Tribune that a good
number of sensational cases
had been stalled due to the
absence of a judge.
“The case proceedings of
the tribunal have now been
limited to merely deferring
the hearing dates. We cannot
record depositions in sensational
murder cases. Many
witnesses travel from different
districts, only to have to
return without giving depositions,”
Aiyub said.
He further explained:
“Most of the cases awaiting
disposal are militancy-related
ones. We have already notified
the authorities concerned
to appoint a judge without
further delay.” •
on Thursday, Superintendent
of Police Ali Ahmed Khan said.
Karna was killed on the
spot while the others were
rushed to Khagrachhari Sadar
Hospital where Chiranjoy
succumbed to his injuries.
He claimed that Khagrachhari
Sadar Union Parishad’s
Ward 5 Member Kalibandhu
Tripura had directed his son
and associates to carry out
an attack. “Land dispute and
establishing supremacy in
the area could be behind the
killing.”
“The bodies will be handed
over to the family after an
autopsy,” the SP said.
Meanwhile, a faction of Khagrachhari
district unit Awami
League brought out a protest
procession yesterday morning
protesting the killings.
Education and Human
Resource Affairs Secretary
Md Didarul Alam led the procession.
He blamed the other
fraction, led by district unit
President Kujendra Lal Tripura,
for the attack, and demanded
arrest of the killers
and masterminds.
When contacted, Kujendra
Lal Tripura refuted the
allegations against him. “The
killers are not my party supporters,”
he said, urging the
law enforcers to arrest the
killers and bring them to
Newaz arrived along with 200
of his supporters.
When the group attempted
to enter the venue, they
were blocked by the police.
A fight ensued wherein the
mayor’s men attacked the law
enforcers and attempted to
snatch their weapons. In retaliation,
police fired bullets
and charged batons on them.
Five policemen, including
SI Tarikul Islam and SI Saifuzzaman,
and more than five
Awami League men were also
injured. •
News 7
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT

DT
8
World
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
IS claimed blast hits convoy of Pakistan
Senate deputy, 25 dead
• Reuters, Islamabad
Myanmar army chief
compares Rohingya
crackdown to
Northern Ireland
• AFP, Yangon
Myanmar’s army chief defended
his military’s violent crackdown on
Rohingya Muslims by comparing it
to Britain’s campaign to tackle sectarian
conflict in Northern Ireland,
according to a statement released
by his office Friday.
On Thursday Myanmar’s army
chief Min Aung Hlaing compared the
crackdown to Britain’s operations in
Northern Ireland in a meeting with
Jonathan Powell, a former top British
negotiator in the peace process.
After the “terrorist attack... the
Tatmadaw (Myanmar military)
helped the police take security
measures,” the army commander
said, according to a statement released
on Friday.
“Such occurrence was similar to
that of Northern Ireland.”
He also used the meeting to denounce
any claim to citizenship by
the more than one million Rohingya
Muslims who live in Rakhine.
Stripped of citizenship by Myanmar’s
former military leaders in 1982,
the Rohingya, who have lived in Rakhine
for generations, are loathed
by many in the Buddhist-majority
country who claim they are illegal
immigrants from Bangladesh and
refer to them as “Bengalis”.
The military campaign has left
hundreds of Rohingya dead and
forced some 75,000 to flee across
the border to Bangladesh, bringing
harrowing accounts of rape, torture
and mass killings by soldiers. •
Pakistani security officials examine the site of a powerful explosion in Mastung
district, east of provincial capital Quetta on May 12, 2017
AFP
A bomb exploded next to a convoy
of the deputy chairman of the
Pakistan Senate on Friday in the
violence-plagued province of Baluchistan,
killing at least 25 people,
officials said.
Islamic State claimed it had
carried out the deadly attack. The
group’s Amaq news agency said a
bomber wearing an explosive vest
was responsible for the attack.
At least 35 people were wounded
in the blast near the town of
Mastung, 50km from the provincial
capital of Quetta. Television
footage showed a vehicle mangled
by the blast.
Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri,
the deputy chairman of the upper
house of parliament, told the reporters
minutes after the explosion
he believed he was the target and
Iran’s Rouhani faces hardline rivals
in final TV debate
• Reuters, Ankara
President Hassan Rouhani will defend
his efforts to open up Iran to
the world on Friday in a final televised
debate against the hardline
challengers who aim to topple him
in an increasingly acrimonious
election next week.
Rouhani, swept into office in a
landslide four years ago on promises
to reduce Iran’s international
isolation, is seeking a second term
after negotiating an agreement
with world powers to curb Iran’s
nuclear programme in return for
lifting sanctions.
Normally measured in his public
speeches, he has taken the
gloves off in recent days, accusing
his opponents of human rights
abuses and openly voicing the
grievances of reformers who say
they have been oppressed since
the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
He faces five challengers, led
by two prominent hardline frontrunners
who say he has sold Iran’s
interests too cheaply to the West
and allowed the economy to decay
through mismanagement. The first
round is on May 19, with a run-off
a week later if no candidate wins
more than 50% of the vote.
Although Iran’s political system
puts ultimate power in the hands
of an unelected supreme leader,
and all candidates are vetted by the
conservative clergy, elections are
nevertheless hard-fought contests
that can bring dramatic change.
he had sustained minor injuries.
Haideri is a member of Jamiat
In two earlier, bruising debates,
the main challengers, cleric Ebrahim
Raisi and Tehran Mayor Mohammad
Baqer Qalibaf, tore into Rouhani’s
economic record, arguing that he
failed to bring Iranians a better life
despite the lifting of sanctions.
Rouhani’s biggest worry is that
some of the voters who carried him
to a single-round victory in 2013
will stay home, disillusioned that
the lifting of sanctions has brought
few economic benefits and the pace
of social change has been slow.
‘Crossing red lines’
Although Rouhani won more than
three times as many votes as his closest
challenger four years ago, he only
narrowly avoided a second round
e Ulema Islam, a right-wing Sunni
Islamist political party that is part
of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s
coalition government.
Security in Pakistan has improved
since a crackdown on militancy
began in 2014, but a fresh
wave of attacks that left more than
100 people dead in February has
increased pressure on Sharif’s government.
Mastung police official Ghazanfar
Ali Shah said the convoy appeared
to have been hit by a suicide
bomber, adding Haideri’s driver
was among those killed.
The senator, who is being treated
in hospital, was on his way back
to Quetta after distributing graduation
certificates to students who
had graduated from a madrassa, or
religious academy.
Iranian President and presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani speaks during a
campaign rally in Tehran on May 9, 2017
AFP
with just over half the total votes.
If he sheds just a bit of that support
now, he could face a dangerous second
round against a single opponent
who unites the hardline faction.
Iran’s ultimate authority
Khamenei has warned the public
against protests like those
that broke out after the disputed
election of 2009, when reformers
disputed the victory of hardliner
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The powerful Revolutionary
Guards force, its affiliated volunteer
Basij militia and many Friday
prayer leaders have thrown their
support behind Raisi, a veteran
jurist whose name has also been
mentioned as a future supreme
leader. •
Separatist militants in Baluchistan
have waged a campaign
against the central government for
decades, demanding a greater share
of the gas-rich province’s resources.
Taliban and other Islamist militants
also operate in the province,
which shares borders with Afghanistan
and Iran. A US drone strike
killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar
Mansour last year in Baluchistan.
The province was rocked by a
series of attacks late last year that
claimed over 180 lives and raised
concerns about a growing militant
presence.
A judicial report released after
an attack on the province’s lawyers
left more than 70 dead criticised
security provisions in the region
and called for increased clampdowns
on extremists. •
Myanmar police
make arrests after
Buddhist extremist,
Muslim scuffle
• Reuters, Yangon
Myanmar police have arrested two
radical Buddhist nationalists and
are seeking several more after they
clashed with Muslims in Yangon,
underscoring the authorities’ growing
concern over rising religious
tensions.
The arrests came after nationalists
led by the Patriotic Monks Union
(PMU) raided flats on Tuesday in a
Yangon district with a large Muslim
population, igniting scuffles that
were only broken up when police
fired shots into the air. Two weeks
ago, the same people had forced the
closure of two Muslim schools.
Leaders of the nationalist PMU
said they were acting independently
of the Ma Ba Tha, a larger radical
Buddhist and anti-Muslim organisation
that counts among its leaders
the firebrand monk Wirathu, who
once called himself “Myanmar’s Bin
Laden”.
Ma Ba Tha holds its nationwide
congress in Yangon, a city of more
than 5 million that has been a focus
of foreign investment since a former
military government ceded power
in 2012, in two weeks and is expecting
about 10,000 monks to attend.
Tensions between majority
Buddhists and Myanmar’s Muslim
minority have simmered since
scores were killed and tens of thousands
displaced in inter-communal
clashes accompanying the onset of
the country’s democratic transition
in 2012 and 2013. •

World
9
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
Trump contradicts White House on
reasons for Comey firing
• Tribune Desk
Contradicting previous White
House explanations, US President
Donald Trump has declared he
had planned to fire FBI Director
James Comey all along, regardless
of whether top Justice Department
officials recommended the stunning
step. His assertions came as
Comey’s temporary replacement
joined in, contradicting other administration
statements on the
snowballing controversy.
In an interview with NBC News,
Trump also said he’d asked Comey
point-blank if he was under investigation
and was assured three
times he was not. Trump showed
no concern that the request might
be viewed as interference in an active
FBI probe into his 2016 campaign’s
possible ties to Russia’s
election meddling.
Former FBI Director James Comey walks at his home in McLeanon May 10, 2017 AP
“I said, ‘If it’s possible, would
you let me know, am I under investigation?’
He said you are not under
investigation,” Trump said.
The New York Times late
Thursday cited two unnamed
Comey associates who recounted
his tale of a January dinner with
the president in which Trump
asked for a pledge of loyalty.
Comey declined, instead offering
“honesty.” When Trump then
pressed for “honest loyalty,” Comey
told the president, “You will have
that,” said the associates, who told
the newspaper they agreed to keep
the story confidential while Comey
was FBI director.
Trump and Comey’s relationship
was strained early on, in part
because of the president’s explosive
and unsubstantiated claims
that Barack Obama wiretapped
Trump Tower.
‘Better hope there are no tapes’
Meanwhile Trump warned sacked
FBI chief on Friday not to “leak”
details of their conversations to
the media, and suggested they may
have been recorded.
“James Comey better hope that
there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations
before he starts leaking to
the press!” Trump wrote in one of
a series of early morning tweets assailing
critics and the media over
their response to Comey’s ouster. •
India cool on Beijing
summit as ‘Silk
Road’ stirs unease
• Reuters, New Delhi
India is likely to be represented by
local embassy staff or academics
this weekend at a major gathering
of leaders and ministers on China’s
“Silk Road” initiative, reflecting
deep unease in New Delhi about
the far-reaching project.
India’s main objection to China’s
plan to build ports, railways and
power links across Asia and on to
Europe is that the $57bn China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC),
runs through disputed Kashmir.
The broader worry for India is that
the “Belt and Road” initiative involving
hundreds of billions of dollars
over the coming decades will cement
China’s dominance over Asia, including
India’s neighbourhood.
Leaders of 29 countries plus senior
delegates from other nations
gather in Beijing for a two-day summit
starting on Sunday to map out a
project that is seen as broad on ambition
but short on specifics. •
Spontaneous protests wrong-foot
police, loosening India’s grip on Kashmir
• Reuters, Pulwama
Images of students confronting police on campuses
have come to symbolise Kashmiri protests
against Indian rule as much as gun-toting
militants in fatigues, in what security officials
and separatist leaders say is a dangerous new
phase of the conflict.
The sharp rise in violence in recent weeks is
more spontaneous than before, complicating
the task of Indian security forces trained largely
in counter-insurgency and poorly equipped
to contain broader unrest.
A political stalemate in India’s only Muslim-majority
state is a further hurdle to resolving
the long-running Kashmir dispute, as is
rising Hindu nationalism in some parts of India
since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came
to power in 2014.
When security forces entered a college last
month in Pulwama, 30-km south of Kashmir’s
summer capital of Srinagar, hundreds of students
threw stones at their vehicles before
fighting pitched battles inside college corridors
and bathrooms.
Within days, widespread protests forced
most colleges and secondary schools in Indian-controlled
Kashmir to close. Teenaged girls
took to the streets for the first time in years. At
least 100 protesters were wounded.
A local police chief said security forces were
steering clear of campuses to avoid provoking
more violence.
Police were appealing to parents to ensure
children “do not indulge” in violence, Kashmir
inspector general of police SJM Gillani
said, adding that most areas were back under
control.
Delhi demands end to violence
India’s former spy chief, AS Dulat, said the
Kashmir situation “has never been so bad”.
Still, New Delhi has stuck to its tough line,
Kashmiri students throw stones during clashes
with Indian forces in Srinagar on May 11, 2017 AFP
demanding an end to violence before talking
with separatists. “All these activities of stone
pelting have to stop. Then will the government
consider talking,” said KS Dhatwalia, a home
ministry spokesman.
‘India losing Kashmir’
Shabir Ahmad, a doctor, said he began supporting
militants and protesters after his
brother-in-law, 21, was shot dead in Chadoora
amid a stand-off with security forces. “India
is losing Kashmir because of its own doing,”
the 35-year-old said at his family home, sitting
next to his grieving mother-in-law.
Some Kashmiris warn that rising nationalist
sentiment across parts of India, led by Modi’s
hardline Hindu supporters, is deepening their
sense of estrangement.
Modi last month asked Kashmiri youngsters
to choose between “tourism and terrorism”,
comments that angered locals.
Several Kashmiris living in ‘mainland’ India
have returned home after facing discrimination,
including student Hashim Sofi, 27, who
arrived at his hostel room in Rajasthan state
to a T-shirt with “Kashmiri dog” scribbled on
the front.
“They are saying that all Kashmiris are terrorists,”
he said by telephone. •

DT
10
Editorial
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
TODAY
I am also a rapist
Whenever we witness a sexual offence,
we tell the victim off and make room for
the offender go scot-free by advising the
victim to let it go
PAGE 11
A note and a hacking
I hope Bangladesh doesn’t give
further ammunition to such mobs by
commingling further the public business
of governance with the private business
of one’s faith
PAGE 12
A good time for a drive
BIGSTOCK
A powerful engine
The role private equity firms play in
improving performance of companies
in all sectors increases productivity
and competitiveness, and promotes an
important governance innovation
PAGE 13
Be heard
Write to Dhaka Tribune
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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.
That Bangladesh is blessed with natural, scenic beauty,
and, in is many areas a veritable tropical haven, is not
disputed by anyone.
But also generally agreed upon is the fact that a lot
more needs to be done to improve on the gifts endowed by nature
and make them suitable for tourism.
A milestone in our country’s progress to that end was
marked when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated
the Marine Drive stretching from Cox’s Bazar all the way to Teknaf.
The initiative for constructing this 80km drive was also
spearheaded by the PM, who, with her actions, has shown a keen
understanding of the importance of dynamic and diversified
development.
But while it is another great achievement for Bangladesh
among many in recent years, it needs to be complemented with
better facilities, services, and destination management if we are to
recoup the large amount of money invested on it.
In that regard, it seems that the Marine Drive has opened at a
very propitious time.
Earlier in March, Bangladesh asked for technical assistance
from France and Canada to boost our ailing tourism industry.
Excellent partners no doubt, given that France, being the top
tourist destination in the world, knows a thing or two about the
industry.
With their support, especially in terms of capacity-building and
training skilled human resources, we can go a long way.
However, our administration must pull its own weight too in
that regard.
We hope that with the help of these two countries and with
significant improvement on our part, our Marine Drive will soon
become a thriving tourist destination, rivaling those in other
countries and drawing as many visitors if not more.
A lot more needs to be
done to improve on
the gifts endowed by
nature and make them
suitable for tourism

Opinion 11
DT
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
I am also a
rapist
It is shameful that men stand by while
women get assaulted
LARGER
THAN LIFE
want to receive the rape complaint
as a case. After long tribulations,
the two women could file their
case to the police.
• Ekram Kabir
On May 7, a few
Bangladeshi newspapers
published a report saying
that a total of 144 female
children had been raped in the first
three months of this year. At the
same time, the reports gave the
statistics of the past few years.
In 2016, some 446; in 2015,
some 521; in 2014, some 199; in
2013, some 170; in 2012, some
86 female children became rape
victims.
These statistics, however, don’t
include the women who were not
children by definition. We wonder
what would be the number if we
included them.
The rapist in us all
Can you imagine? 48 children
every month! What a valiant race
we men of Bangladesh are.
Given this scenario in violating
our womenfolk, if we had the
Flaw enforcement
Why? Because the alleged
rapists were sons of influential
businessmen of the country! The
attitude that was shown by the
police was not at all acceptable.
When a law-enforcing authority
doesn’t want to help a rape victim,
it shows that they are also equally
responsible in this gruesome
crime.
Then we heard that the alleged
rapists had fled the country. This
must be a joke! With the help of
latest technology and devices,
our law enforcers are chasing
radical criminals, but they could
find three criminals who have,
reportedly, escaped?
We’d like to know whether
the law enforcers couldn’t really
find them, or it was due to their
nonchalance that the criminals
could flee in the first place.
The second disturbing aspect
was how the TV journalists had
dealt with this incidence.
A section of television reporters
We are failing to protect women and girls
BIGSTOCK
Whenever we witness a sexual offence, we tell
the victim off and make room for the offender
go scot-free by advising the victim to let it go
statistics of rape since 1972, every
man in this country would be
responsible for at least one rape on
average.
That means, I myself am also
responsible for rape crime in this
independent country.
The recent alleged rape of two
university students has given rise
to an inextinguishable anger in
me, leading me to be ashamed of
myself to be born as a man in this
country.
Some men will continue to
commit the most heinous crimes
and all of us males, have to
shoulder the responsibility of
those.
In the recent case, the first
annoying aspect, to my mind, was
that the police, who are believed
to be the rescuers, didn’t even
went to the victims’ residences
and literally asked: “Is this the
house of the dhorshita?”
We, the common people, felt
dumbfounded by watching how
they handled it on air. We all know
how sensitive it is when dealing
with a rape victim.
OK, we understand that the
reporters didn’t have an idea about
how to deal with that situation,
but what were the experienced
editors doing back in the office?
Why go ga-ga over these two
rapes? Why doesn’t our media
talk about all those 48 female
children who have been raped by
our men? Is it because most of the
journalists are men?
No one to help
Let me cite an example for why
I hold all men, including myself,
responsible for the violations that
take place in our country.
One day, a lady friend of mine
was travelling to her workplace on
a bus. She didn’t happen to find a
seat in the bus, and was standing
while travelling.
There were also other people,
men and women, standing inside
the vehicle.
Suddenly, my friend felt
something hard on her buttocks.
She didn’t understand what it was
and tried to find out what it was.
To her horror, she found out
that it was an erect male genital
being pressed on her body. A
man standing behind her had an
erection and was rubbing it on her
body.
Understanding that, she
became furious and attacked the
man and loudly told everyone in
the bus what the man was doing.
She sought help from the fellow
passengers, but not a single person
had helped her.
No one in the bus came forward
to help her, as she was fighting a
sexual offender. Rather, the men
inside the bus were asking her to
let it go.
See? That’s what I am trying to
say.
When we men witness any
violation, we don’t protest, we
don’t even lodge a complaint;
whenever we witness a sexual
offence, we tell the victim off and
make room for the offender go
scot-free by advising the victim to
let it go.
As if nothing has happened.
What an achievement for the
men of Bangladesh as fathers,
brothers, and sons.
This is exactly what the dads
of the recent alleged rapists said.
They, like their sons, didn’t feel
what those two girls were feeling.
I’m also a father of two sons.
What would I do if my sons
commit such a crime?
I, as a man, would try to save
my boys. But what does that make
me?
Obviously, a rapist.
One who protects a rapist is a
rapist. •
Ekram Kabir is a fiction writer.

12
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
Opinion
A note and a hacking
The ire directed at Ahmadiyyas is nothing new
Hefazat is no friend of the Ahmadiyya community
I hope Bangladesh doesn’t give further ammunition to such mobs
by commingling further the public business of governance with the
private business of one’s faith
• Esam Sohail
Last week, my mom found
a long-lost childhood
memento and sent me a
copy: It was an autograph
of the late Nobel laureate Dr Abdus
Salam, who had run into my aunt
in Brunei and was very kind to
scribble out a note for her nephew
who admired that phenomenal
icon of theoretical physics.
Tonight as I write this, a
Mymensingh imam by the name
of Mostafizur Rahman was hacked
near close to death by radical
terrorists.
Sadly, there is a string which
ties Professor Abdus Salam
and Imam Mostafizur Rahman
together: Their shared affiliation
with the Ahmadiyya Muslim sect
that is hated with a murderous
zeal by radical Islamists of all
stripes.
This hatred, written into the
Constitution of Pakistan in 1973,
resulted in the “civil death” of
Pakistan’s first Nobel Laureate
long before his natural death.
Today, despite occasional paeans
to the father of modern theoretical
physics by some Pakistani leaders,
his very tombstone dare not
mention his deep faith under the
pain of criminal prosecution.
Ahmaddiyyas and apostasy
Long before he died in 1996,
Pakistan’s lawmakers -- at the
behest of radical Islamist parties
-- had declared Ahmadiyyas
“non-Muslim” and proscribed
them, under the penalty of
imprisonment, from publicly
reciting the kalma, using
Assalamualaikum as greetings, or
calling their mosques anything but
“worship centres.”
Much worse was to follow.
The irony, of course, is that
Ahmadiyya Muslims were in
the vanguard of the Pakistan
movement of the 1940s while
Islamist parties like Jamaat were
rabidly opposed to it; Pakistan’s
SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN
first foreign minister and her
foremost champion in the
international forums of the early
days was none other than Sir
Zafaraullah Khan, an Ahmadiyya
Muslim himself.
Today, in technical terms
of the law, were this column
to be published in Pakistan, I
and the editor would be subject
to blasphemy charges for the
grave offense of using the term
“Ahmadiyya Muslim”.
Agitation in Bangladesh
Unfortunately, that is what
many Islamist parties have been
agitating in Bangladesh for, as
well.
Their agitation, highlighted by
the Hefazat-e-Islam movement’s
10 point charter a few years ago,
has expressly demanded that
“Qadiyanis” (a derogatory term for
Ahmadiyya Muslims) be declared
non-Muslim and purged from their
jobs and businesses. The attack on
Imam Mostafizur Rahman seems
just another effort to underline, in
a gruesome fashion, that demand.
In mature pluralist societies,
the religious affiliation of an
individual matters very little in
terms of social hierarchies, career
opportunities, and personal safety.
In countries where religion
is imprinted into the DNA of
social life, it becomes -- literally
sometimes -- a matter of life and
death. Juxtapose Muslim societies
into the scene, and the concept of
blasphemy and apostasy becomes
an additional factor of fear for
those who are considered cast out
from the folds of Islam.
The fundamentalist ire at
Ahmadiyya Muslims is almost
as old as the sect’s history itself.
Partially driven by theological
differences and partially by the
envy of their disproportionate
success in several fields in life,
the Ahmadiyyas have been at
the receiving end of several
bloody pogroms in Pakistan
starting with the infamous 1953
Lahore riots that brought down
the government of Khwaja
Nazimuddin.
Small-scale incidents have
happened in India and Bangladesh
too. Pakistan has, of course, used
its considerable influence in the
Gulf to have Saudi Arabia and her
neighbours declare Ahmadiyyas
“non-Muslim” with all the
attendant discrimination and
persecution.
I am afraid that that Pakistani-
Arab trend is heading to
Bangladesh now.
Though the Ahmadiyya Muslim
community is considerably smaller
in Bangladesh and stands out
less obviously than in Pakistan,
it is worrisome that too many
politicians are giving a wink and
a nudge to the radicals of Hefazat
and its fellow travellers of hate.
At what point will there be
nefarious compromises whereby
the safety and security of this
small but patriotic sect be
bargained away for a few more
days in power or a few votes?
The idea that some parliament
or cabinet decides who is a
Muslim or Christian or Hindu is a
laughable one to me, because I sit
in a country where the church or
temple I go to has nothing to do
with the business of governance.
But for most Muslim-majority
countries, that luxury of laughter
at such a preposterous thought
is simply not an option: People
get hurt, killed, and reduced
to destitution for offending
sensibilities of religious mobs.
I hope Bangladesh doesn’t give
further ammunition to such mobs
by commingling further the public
business of governance with the
private business of one’s faith.
Mixing religion with government
rarely ends well for either. •
Esam Sohail is an educational research
analyst and college lecturer of social
sciences. He writes from Kansas, USA.

A powerful engine
Private equity can play a major role in funding growth
Opinion 13
DT
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
• Mamun Rashid
Smart investing makes a difference
The role private equity firms play in improving performance of
companies in all sectors increases productivity and competitiveness,
and promotes an important governance innovation that is valueadded
in its own right
In recent years, alternative
investment asset classes, such
as private equity, have become
increasingly important pools
of capital in the global financial
system.
A few years ago, we read in the
newspaper that an international
private equity firm called Aureos
Capital bought an equity stake
in the Apollo Hospitals, Dhaka.
There were some subsequent
investments in retail, electronics,
and pharma industries too.
A few private equity firms such
as Terra Partners and Brummer &
Partners have already made their
mark in Bangladesh.
I am aware of few other private
equity firms in UAE, India, and
the US that have also made
investments in Bangladesh’s
e-commerce, apparel, and pharma
companies.
Few others from Singapore
and Hong Kong are also looking
at large financial investment in
Bangladeshi pharma and textiles
companies.
Companies with strong
governance, like Summit Power,
got incorporated at Singapore
and brought in private equity
investment there against their
Bangladesh held assets, as
regulations are more favourable in
the developed countries.
Private equity firms look for
companies in which they believe
they can unleash value. The
private equity ownership structure
is likely to foster a climate in
which companies can do what is
necessary to promote growth and
profitability over the long run.
Private equity firms generally
take a longer-term perspective
on companies, and recognise
that the end result can be either a
favourable or a loss situation.
While private equity fund
investment is a highly risky
business and capital is likely to be
locked in for long periods of time
or even lost, a potential net return
of as high as 40% compensates for
the risk taken by successful funds.
Types of private equity investment
There are various types of private
equity investments: Venture
capital, leveraged buy-out (LBO),
special situations etc.
Private equity firms seek capital
from investors to put together the
funds, and the fund managers of
private equity funds also invest
in their own vehicles, typically
providing between 15% of the
overall capital. Oftentimes, private
BIGSTOCK
equity fund managers will employ
the services of external placement
agents, in order to raise capital for
their vehicles.
LBOs have generated a
growing portion of private
equity investments by value
and increased their share of
investments to more than twothirds.
By contrast, the share of
early stage or venture capital
investment has declined in recent
period.
The regional breakdown of
private equity activity shows
that North America accounted
for 40% of global private equity
investments and 52% of funds
raised, Europe 43% share of
investments and 38% funds raised.
On the other hand, Asia-
Pacific’s share of investments is
11%, while its share of funds was at
around 8%.
At a juncture
Most Bangladeshi large corporates
are at a critical juncture to take
their next big leap. With economic
fundamentals improving, as well
as the political environment, due
to recent steps by the government,
regulatory framework evolving,
and open dialogues between
private and public sectors taking
place, this seems to be a good time
for private equity investors to look
out for opportunities.
Local companies that are being
led by visionary entrepreneurs
and are thriving to become big
operators could seek private
equity investments.
Developing a pragmatic
business strategy, attracting
new capital, and engaging
creative managerial talents could
potentially unleash the value of a
corporate.
Reputed private equity firms
additionally help improve the
corporate governance level and
prepare the company for public
listing at a suitable time. While
listing provides an exit for the
private equity fund, it presents a
better-run listed company in the
stock exchanges.
Although dividend repatriation
has always been fairly easy,
capital repatriation for investors
in Bangladesh has proven to be
challenging in some cases in the
past.
When these private equity
funds come in with an investment
tenure of five to 10 years in a
market, they want the comfort
of some certainty regarding the
repatriation.
New regulations
However, new regulations in
Bangladesh have been more
facilitative and have sorted out the
issues related to valuation, which
were shoe-pinching in the near
past.
This will prove to be a blessing
for the private corporations in
Bangladesh.
Private equity has proven
itself to be a powerful engine
for creating economic value for
investors, retirees, workers, and
institutional investors.
The role private equity firms
play in improving performance of
companies in all sectors increases
productivity and competitiveness,
and promotes an important
governance innovation that is
value-added in its own right.
Private equity is not to be
feared, it needs to be better
understood, and a better
operational framework needs to
be developed for them so that
opportunities are not mishandled.
In a country like Bangladesh,
where there is an acute shortage
of capital, management capability,
and corporate governance, private
equity firms can play a significant
role in developing the market as
well as local entrepreneurship. •
Mamun Rashid is a banker and economic
analyst.

14
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
Kids
colour it

Kids
15
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
ANIMAL KINGDOM
5 compelling facts about
animals that you didn’t
know
Say what?
• Khan N Moushumi
Years and years of research has brought to light fascinating facts about the wonderful creatures in the animal
kingdom. Let’s get to know them a little better today.
GOATS PICK UP ACCENTS
Just like us, the accent and tone in goats can change which they
usually pick up from their peers. A British study discovered that their
behaviours also change over time, and get in sync with that of their social
surroundings.
ELEPHANTS ARE SOCIAL BUTTERFLIES
A comprehensive study published in 2016 shows that elephants socially bond, mingle and get engaged in social
activities with their family and peers a lot more than other animals. Social status is of top priority when it comes
to elephants. Greeting ceremonies, funerals, parties, you name it, they’ve got it going.
THE IMMORTAL JELLYFISH
Scientists have found that Turritopsis Dohrnii (a species of small jellyfish)
are capable of living an eternal life, by transforming themselves back into
their juvenile polyp state once they have reached adulthood. Contracting
their bodies, retracting their tentacles, and sinking to the ocean floor to
start the cycle all over again—not just once—this is something that they
can do over and over again. Let’s all take a moment and pray that we
come back as an immortal jellyfish in our next life. Fingers crossed.
COWS HAVE BEST FRIENDS
When 27-year-old Krista McLennan measured the heart rates and cortisol levels of cows to see how they deal
with being isolated from their herds for her PhD at Northampton University, she discovered that cows have best
friends and they become stressed when they are isolated from them.
Farmers, if you are worried about milk yield, the key is to keeping your cows happy, and let them be while
they hang out with their homies.
PENGUINS PROPOSE TO THEIR OTHER HALF
When little Pongo met Pengy, he knew it was love at first sight. He
searched the entire beach for the perfect pebble to propose to Pengy
with and finally found it. He mustered the courage to go ahead with the
proposal and placed the pebble at her feet as a symbol of his affection.
It was a yes! She picked it up, and soon they tied the knot and lived
happily ever after.
It’s not a sequence from an animated film, it is actually how penguins
propose to each other. It can get pretty romantic, we tell ya. •

16
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
Downtime
CROSSWORD
CODE-CRACKER
ACROSS
1 Serpent (3)
3 Subjects of conversation
(6)
8 Jump rope (4)
9 Fastener (3)
10 Good name (6)
11 Become less (6)
14 Ship’s hinder part (5)
17 Heavenly body (5)
20 Henhouses (6)
24 Combined (6)
26 Prohibit (3)
27 Tidy (4)
28 Uses money (6)
29 Tree (3)
DOWN
1 Inflamed swelling (4)
2 Snakes (4)
3 Weary (4)
4 Lays bare (5)
5 Accustom (5)
6 Incision (3)
7 Beer tankard (5)
12 Self (3)
13 Prosecute (3)
15 Also (3)
16 Decay (3)
17 Associations (5)
18 American State (5)
19 Tendency (5)
21 Lyric poems (4)
22 Location (4)
23 Counterfeit (4)
25 Forty Winks (3)
How to solve: Each number in our
CODE-CRACKER grid represents a
different letter of the alphabet. For
example, today 21 represents V so fill V
every time the figure 21 appears.
You have one letter 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
THURSDAY’S SOLUTIONS
CODE-CRACKER
CROSSWORD
DILBERT
SUDOKU

What’s on
17
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
EVENTS AROUND TOWN TODAY
MUSIC
MOVIE
TALK
STAR CINEPLEX
Where Bashundhara City, Dhaka
What Movie showtime (May 13)
AN EVENING OF NAZRUL GEETI AND RABINDRA
SANGEET
When 6:30pm-8:30pm
Where Kobi Sufia Kamal Auditorium, Bangladesh National
Museum, Shahbag, Dhaka
What Nazrul Geeti by Dr Pradip Kumar Nandi and Rabindra
Sangeet by Joyanta Acharjee. Organised by Indira Gandhi
Culture Centre. Free admission
JAZZ EVENING BY IMRAN AHMED TRIO
When 7-9pm
Where EMK Center, Midas Center Building, Hs 5, Rd 16,
Dhanmondi, Dhaka
What EMK Happy Hour presents a jazz evening. Tickets
Tk100.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
(3D): 11:20am, 2pm, 4:40pm,
7:30pm
Smurfs: The Lost Village (3D):
11:30am, 1:30pm, 5pm
Fast & Furious 8 (3D): 11:10am,
2:10pm, 4:30pm, 7pm,
Fast & Furious 8 (2D): 10:50am,
1:35pm
One (2D): 4:20pm, 7:20pm
Beauty and the Beast (3D):
11:00am, 1:50pm, 7:10pm
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
(3D): 10:50am, 1:40pm, 3:50pm,
4:30pm, 6:50pm, 7:20pm
BLOCKBUSTER CINEMAS
Where Jamuna Future Park, Dhaka
What Movie showtime (May 6)
CHAMPIONING CHANGE: CELEBRATING
LEADERSHIP AND MOTHERHOOD
When 11am-1pm
Where Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium, Faculty of
Social Sciences, University of Dhaka
What Panel featuring eminent speakers commemorating
powerful leaders and mothers who break gender stereotypes
DIGITAL MARKETING MASTERMIND
When 2:30-6:30pm
Where Sel Centre, Panthapath, Dhaka
What Organised by Youth School for Social Entrepreneurs.
Registration fee Tk300. For details, call 01964 020205
CARNIVAL
BIGGEST EID CARNIVAL OF THE YEAR: PRE-EID
SHOW 2017
When 9am-10pm
Where Lakeshore Hotel & Apartments, Rd 41, Hs 46, Gulshan
2, Dhaka
What A UC Events and The Platform collaboration
JATRA BIROTI LIVE PERFORMANCES
When 7pm
Where Jatra Biroti, 60 Kemal Ataturk Avenue, Dhaka
What Open mic night. Entry Tk300
RALLY
DANCE
SRIJON CHONDE, ANONDE
When 7pm
Where Jatiyo Natyoshala, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy,
Dhaka
What Special dance programme organised by Bangladesh
Shilpakala Academy
Rings (2D): 2:50pm, 5:05pm
Tumi Robe Nirobe (2D): 1pm, 3pm,
5pm, 7pm
The Shack (2D): 12:10pm, 7:25pm
Power Rangers (2D): 11:40am,
2:15pm, 4:55pm, 7:30pm
Fast and Furious 8 (3D): 11:30am,
2:15pm, 5pm, 7:45pm
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (3D):
11:30am, 2:15pm, 5pm, 7:45pm
SAVE LIVES #SLOWDOWN MOTOR BIKE RALLY
When 10am-3pm
Where Manik Mia Avenue, Dhaka
What Organised by BRAC to celebrate UN Global Road Safety
Week

DT
18
Sports
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah plays a shot during their tri-series opener against Ireland in Dublin yesterday
Bangladesh 157/4 as
rain intervenes
• Tribune Report
Bangladesh were in a spot of bother,
batting on 157 runs for the loss
of four wickets in 31.1 overs when
rain cancelled play in their tri-nation
series opener against Ireland
at Malahide in Dublin yesterday.
The Tigers lost the all-important
toss and were asked to bat on
a pitch that was covered with green
grass, giving the Irish fast bowlers
some swing and bounce.
However, prior to the game, the
home side suffered a setback as the
experienced Ed Joyce was ruled
out with an injured back.
All-rounder Shakib al Hasan led
the visiting side in place of regular
skipper Mashrafe bin Mortaza, who
sat out the game due to one-match
ban.
The Tigers did not make the
best of starts and at one stage, were
struggling on 70/4 inside 15 overs.
Opening batsman Soumya
Sarker was the first to depart for
five off the bowling of medium
Shakib al Hasan led
the visiting side in
place of Mashrafe
bin Mortaza, who sat
out the game due to
one-match ban
SCORECARD
BANGLADESH R B
Tamim not out 64 88
Soumya c Niall b Chase 5 7
Sabbir c Murtagh b Chase 0 3
Mushfiq c Wilson b McCarthy 13 17
Shakib c Niall b Chase 14 16
Mahmudullah not out 43 56
Extras (lb 3, w 15) 18
Total (4 wickets; 31.1 overs) 157
Fall Of Wickets
1-8 (Soumya), 2-9 (Sabbir), 3-47 (Mushfiq),
4-70 (Shakib)
Bowling
Murtagh 7.1-1-23-0, Chase 6-0-33-3, McCarthy
6-0-43-1, Kevin 2-0-12-0, Thompson
4-0-19-0, Dockrell 6-0-24-0
pacer Peter Chase. Soon after, No 3
batsman Sabbir Rahman (nought)
was dismissed when he tried to
play a careless shot only to present
an easy catch to the third man
fielder.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur
Rahim was out after scoring
13 while Chase picked up his third
wicket, that of Shakib for 14, to
make things difficult for the touring
side.
But in-form opener Tamim Iqbal
held the ship from the other end
and smashed his 35th fifty as he,
alongside Mahmudullah, added 87
runs for the unbroken fifth wicket
partnership to bring Bangladesh
right back into the game.
Tamim remained not out on 64
off 88 balls with eight fours while
Mahmudullah was unbeaten on
43 off deliveries, featuring four
boundaries and a six.
Chase was the pick of the bowlers,
taking 3/33 from his six overs
while Barry MacCarthy picked up
one for the bowling side. •
COURTESY
Kapil backs India to defend
Champions Trophy title
• AFP, New Delhi
Cricket legend Kapil Dev is backing
India to win a new Champions
Trophy title next month, saying the
team has the ability to go the distance
in the 50-over tournament.
India, who beat host England in
the 2013 final, have retained eight
players from that successful campaign
including skipper Virat Kohli.
Senior players like former captain
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who
lifted the trophy at Edgbaston,
and premier spinner Ravichandran
Ashwin feature in the 15-man Indian
squad to go to England and
Wales. India edged past England 2-1
during their one-day international
series in January, with the players
continuing their good showing in
Tests and Twenty20 matches.
“The way they are playing, yes,
definitely...I believe we have the
team and the ability,” Kapil said of
India’s chances of defending their
title in the tournament starting
June 1.
As long as India stay clear of injuries
“I don’t see any reason why
we can’t win the event,” Kapil said.
“I know the opposition is very
very tough in England. The good
part is that we won last time when
we played there and that is an advantage,”
Kapil told reporters at
the unveiling of a wax work figure
of himself in New Delhi.
The legendary all-rounder also
billed India as favourite in their
much-anticipated clash with
arch-rival Pakistan on June 4 in Birmingham,
saying they “look much
better on paper”.
But the 1983 World Cup-winning
captain added that England will be
the team to beat in the eight-team
tournament with home conditions
giving the Eoin Morgan-led side
the edge.
England have undergone a major
overhaul since their unceremonious
exit in the group stages of the
2015 World Cup.
“You can’t rule out any team but
England will be very very tough
playing in England and their team
is quite good. They know the conditions
better than anybody else,”
said Kapil.
Kapil, 58, lauded India’s impact
players like Ashwin and Dhoni. •

Sports 19
DT
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
Infantino slams
Fifa ‘fake news’
• AFP, Manama
Gianni Infantino slammed “fake
news” and “alternative facts” surrounding
Fifa and insisted football’s
scandal-ridden governing
body had changed in an impassioned
speech to its annual congress
in Bahrain on Thursday.
Fifteen months after being
elected as president to bring forward
wholesale change to a disgraced
organisation, Infantino also
claimed Fifa’s corruption crisis
was over and would never happen
again.
Despite this, the main controversy
surrounding Fifa this week
has been the decision to remove
the two men responsible for rooting
out corruption in the world
game - Hans-Joachim Eckert and
Cornel Borbely.
Congress backed the recommendation
of the all-powerful Fifa
Council, chaired by Infantino, to
replace them with the former president
of the European Court of Justice
Vassilios Skouris of Greece and
Colombia’s Maria Claudia Rojas.
But Infantino denied this had
put back any anti-corruption agenda.
“Fifa has changed now, this is
a new Fifa and we are new people
here and we act with facts, not with
words,” he told Congress.
Infantino then invoked American
President Donald Trump:
“Fake news, alternative facts, these
terms did not exist until some time
ago, they have become en vogue.
“There’s a lot of fake news and
alternative facts about Fifa circulating
- Fifa-bashing has become a
national sport, especially in some
countries.”
Asked afterwards to give an
example of fake news, Infantino
responded: “Generally, it’s my feeling.”
•
Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini scores their first goal during their Europa League semi-final second leg against Celta Vigo at Old Trafford on Thursday
Man Utd, Ajax squeeze into Europa League final
• AFP, Manchester
Manchester United survived a sizeable
scare to reach their first Europa
League final after a nervy 1-1
draw with Celta Vigo on Thursday
completed a 2-1 aggregate victory.
Jose Mourinho’s side will play a
youthful Ajax team in the final at
Stockholm’s Friends Arena on May
24, when they can complete their
trophy collection and - perhaps
more importantly - book a place in
next season’s Champions League.
Ajax advanced to their first European
final in 21 years despite a 3-1
defeat to Lyon in France, the Dutch
side progressing 5-4 on aggregate.
RESULTS
Man United 1-1 Celta Vigo
Fellaini 17 Roncaglia 85
Man United won 2-1 on aggregate
Lyon 3-1 Ajax
Lacazette 45-P, 45+1, Dolberg 27
Ghezzal 81
Ajax won 5-4 on aggregate
Marouane Fellaini’s 17th-minute
header put United 2-0 up on
aggregate, but Celta hit back late
on through Facundo Roncaglia,
who was then sent off along with
United’s Eric Bailly following a centre-circle
shoving contest.
Mourinho will have to do without
influential centre-back Bailly,
REUTERS
whose suspension leaves Chris
Smalling, Phil Jones and Daley
Blind as United’s only available
central defenders.
With Mourinho having abandoned
hope of a top-four finish in
the Premier League, after his side
fell four points off the Champions
League berths, United’s season
would have been over had they
gone out. Instead they have a
chance to add a second big trophy
to the League Cup won in February
and allow Mourinho to end a complicated
maiden campaign as manager
by winning the fourth major
European honour of his career.
Appearing in their first European
semi-final, Eduardo Berizzo’s
Celta gave United several uncomfortable
moments and there was
panic in the hosts’ box during the
fraught closing stages.
Both managers reverted to the
teams that had started last week’s
first leg, which meant a United
return for Paul Pogba, whose
world-record transfer from Juventus
is being investigated by FIFA.
United started shakily, with
Blind looking particularly uncertain,
and there were early murmurs
of concern around Old Trafford
when Iago Aspas cut in from the
right and obliged Sergio Romero to
tip his rasping shot over. •
Action from the Marcel-BSJC Media Cup Football semi-final between Dhaka Tribune and SA TV in Dhaka yesterday COURTESY
MARCEL-BSJC MEDIA CUP FOOTBALL
Dhaka Tribune, Channel i
face off in final
• Tribune Report
Dhaka Tribune will lock horns with
Channel i in the grand finale of the
Marcel-BSJC Media Cup Football
(six-a-side) Tournament 2017 at M
Mansur Ali Handball Stadium in
Motijheel today. The match begins
at 10am.
In the sixth and penultimate day
of the indoor football competition,
DT dominated SA TV but were
unable to convert their authority
into goals in the first half of the
semi-final.
Tribune though finally broke the
deadlock in the second half, courtesy
player of the match Mohammad
Shahriar Real. Atikur Rahman scored
the second goal to give DT breathing
space, and, a place in the final.
Tribune are not only unbeaten
in the tournament but are yet to
concede a goal in four matches.
In the other last four clash,
Channel i edged RTV 2-1.
Ruhul gave RTV the lead but
Channel i scripted a brilliant comeback
with Arif named man of the
match for his brace.
FM Iqbal bin Anwar Don,
operative director, head of sports
and welfare, Walton, was present
as chief guest during the semis
and distributed prizes among the
winners. •

20
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
Stop buying
kids, Hoeness
warns Leipzig
• AFP, Berlin
Bayern Munich’s president Uli Hoeness
has told rival RB Leipzig to
“stop buying kids!” if they want to
run the champions closer next season,
with Germany’s top clubs to
clash today.
Second-placed Leipzig capped
their first year in Germany’s top
flight by qualifying directly for next
season’s Champions League while
today’s visitor Bayern are already
confirmed as German champion.
RB briefly kept Bayern off the
top of the Bundesliga for three
weeks last November with a transfer
policy of signing raw, young talent
- all five signings in the last year
are 21 or younger. But Hoeness says
RB need more experience to make
a sustained challenge to Bayern’s
domination of the Bundesliga.
“I can’t imagine that you can
manage it by playing three times a
week with just young people,” Hoeness
told Sport1.
“I am quite sure that Leipzig
won’t be able to continue on their
path if they play like that in the
Champions League.”
Hoeness says he has already
personally told Leipzig’s billionaire
backer, Red Bull’s co-founder Dietrich
Mateschitz, that RB can only
break Bayern’s monopoly of the
Bundesliga with more experience
in their ranks.
“I told him: ‘dear Mr Mateschitz,
when you sign older players, you
will be a very serious opponent for
us’.”
Second-placed RB host 2016/17
Bundesliga winner Bayern at Leipzig’s
Red Bull Arena with the champion
10 points clear. Carlo Ancelotti’s
Bayern thumped Leipzig 3-0 in
Munich when the teams met in the
Bundesliga last December. •
Sports
Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez shoots at goal during their Premier League match against Southampton at St Mary’s on Wednesday
Wenger aims to silence critics with Euro push
• AFP, Stoke-on-Trent
There is nothing Arsene Wenger
relishes more than confounding his
doubters and the Arsenal manager
will know today whether he has
a strong chance of doing so once
again.
Wenger’s side travel to Stoke
City having boosted their chances
of qualifying for the Champions
League - a task that looked a lost
cause just a few weeks ago - by
winning 2-0 at Southampton on
Wednesday.
That left Arsenal in fifth place in
the Premier League, three points
behind Manchester City in the slot
directly above.
City will have played their home
game with Leicester City by the
time Arsenal kick off at Stoke, but a
Gunners victory is sure to stoke up
the pressure on Liverpool, who are
currently in third.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are four
points better off than Arsenal, but
crucially have played one fixture
more than City and the Gunners,
and are at West Ham tomorrow.
But while Wenger cannot wait to
say “told you so” to his critics Gunners
defender Shkodran Mustafi is
still concerned his team may have
left it a little too late.
“I wish we found that before,”
he said of Arsenal’s recent revival.
“But now we have three games
and we have to give everything to
try and get everything out of all the
games. Hopefully at the end we’ll
reach our goals.”
EPL FIXTURES
Bournemouth v Burnley
Man City v Leicester
Middlesbrough v Southampton
Stoke v Arsenal
Sunderland v Swansea
Arsenal will finish the campaign
with home games against relegated
Sunderland and then Everton,
but first they must focus on ending
REUTERS
their poor run at Stoke.
Although they have not won
there since 2010, losing on four of
their eight visits, Wenger’s men
will be hopeful of ending that sorry
sequence so long as Alexis Sanchez
is in the team.
The Chile star scored at Southampton
to being his Premier
League goal tally for the season to
20, and 14 of those have been in
away games.
“I think it will give us hope, because
if we keep the pressure on
the other teams, maybe they will
have an unlucky game or drop
points somewhere,” Arsenal goalkeeper
Petr Cech said. •
Guardiola sharpens knife for clear out
• AFP
Pep Guardiola says he has made
his mind up on the futures of Manchester
City’s seven out-of-contract
players, but added that they
will have to wait until the end of
the season to find out. Yaya Toure,
Gael Clichy, Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary
Sagna, Willy Caballero, Jesus Navas
and Tosin Adarabioyo have yet
to discover if Guardiola will keep
them on for next season.
However, Pep made it clear that
he wants focus on the final three
matches of the season, starting
with today’s home game against
Leicester City, as his side try to secure
Champions League qualification.
Asked if he had spoken to any
of the seven players about their futures,
Guardiola said: “No.”
He did, however, make clear
that their fates have been sealed,
adding: “It does not depend if they
play the last three games.
“The decision is already made.
We are going to communicate after
the season. I know in my mind.”
Toure, who has been impressive
since regaining his place in November
after an early-season fall-out
with Guardiola, celebrates his 34th
birthday today. The midfielder
memorably got involved in a public
controversy three years ago when
his agent Dimitri Seluk accused the
club’s owners of not showing him
enough respect on his birthday.
Guardiola joked that there
would be no such problem this
time, saying: “We’ll get him as big a
cake as possible. We are going to do
that. But after the game.”
Sergio Aguero and John Stones
could both play a part against
Leicester, having returned to training
after recovering from injury.
Top scorer Aguero missed last
Saturday’s 5-0 win over Crystal
Palace with a groin injury, while
centre-back Stones has not played
for more than a month because of a
muscle problem. Guardiola admitted
that City have not done as well
as he expected this season, but believes
the club are making progress
– and is confident that they can get
the seven points from three games
needed to make certain of a place in
next season’s Champions League.
He said: “I enjoyed it. I expected
us to fight until the end in the table,
especially in the Premier League,
because in the Champions League
we were not ready to compete.” •
Surgeon says Zlatan will
play for ‘many years’
• AFP, Hong Kong
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will continue
playing for “many years”, the surgeon
who operated on the 35-yearold
Manchester United striker’s
knee has said.
Swede Ibrahimovic underwent
surgery last week in the United
States after suffering major knee
ligament damage.
“Fixed, done and stronger”, he
declared after the operation carried
out by Hong Kong-born Freddie Fu
and Volker Musahl.
And Fu, in an interview with
Thursday’s South China Morning
Post, gave his football A-list patient
a glowing assessment.
“He’s so healthy, so strong,
biologically, bone morphology,
everything, is absolutely very
healthy.
“He can still play for many
years.”
Fu, chairman of the department
of orthopaedic surgery at the University
of Pittsburgh Medical Centre,
has carried out over 20,000
knee operations.
But he said Ibrahimovic was
“one of the top athletes I’ve ever
touched, he is in superb shape.”
Ibrahimovic faces a long period
of rehabilitation and with his United
contract due to expire at the end
of the season, his future at the club
is in doubt. •

Sports
21
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
Murray, Djokovic and Nadal back
Pique’s ‘World Cup’ plans
• Reuters
Spanish footballer Gerard Pique’s
idea of a week-long men’s tennis
world tournament rivalling the Davis
Cup has received support from
leading players Andy Murray, Rafa
Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Pique was at the Madrid Open
earlier this week, reportedly to
discuss a 16-team knockout tournament
with ATP Tour chief Chris
Kermode. It would potentially replace
the former World Team Cup
event on the ATP calendar that was
played from 1975 to 2012 ahead of
Roland Garros.
The current Davis Cup format,
featuring three-day matches
spread over weekends in February,
April, September and November,
has led to withdrawals from the
sport’s biggest names in order to
Redknapp signs
one-year deal
at Birmingham
• Reuters
Harry Redknapp has signed a oneyear
deal to stay on at Championship
side Birmingham City after
helping them escape relegation,
the club said yesterday.
Redknapp, who at 70 is the oldest
manager in English football, led
Birmingham to two wins in their
final two games to end the season
in 19th position, two points clear of
the relegation zone.
He took over from Gianfranco
Zola in April and was initially given
the role until the end of the season. •
DAY’S WATCH
focus on grand slam preparations.
“I think that it’s a really exciting
idea. If it comes off, I think it
would be a very, very good thing
for tennis,” Murray, a 2015 Davis
Cup winner with Great Britain, told
reporters.
“I think there’s still a lot of
things that need to be worked out
before it potentially happens, but
I think it would be a very good
thing.”
Nadal also came out in support
of his compatriot’s initiative.
“I know from a long time there
was a group (with Pique) that
wants to create a World Cup that
would be a great and very interesting
tournament to compete in,” the
14-time grand slam champion said.
Despite several absentees, the
International Tennis Federation
has been reluctant on changing the
format of the Davis Cup, with players
also having to make themselves
available for at least four matches
in a four-year cycle to qualify for
the Olympics.
World number two Novak Djokovic,
however, warned Pique in his
dealing with the “complex” structure
of the sport’s governing bodies.
“The tennis world is complex...
there are many different governing
bodies and many different associations
that have the control over
certain aspects of the game or tournaments,”
the 29-year-old Serbian
said.
“The schedule is also quite complicated.”
The new world tournament
could also compete with Roger
Federer-led Laver Cup which
will be played for the first time in
Prague from Sept. 22-24. •
Nishikori injury sends Djokovic
through, Halep rolls on
• AFP, Madrid
Novak Djokovic moved into the
semi-finals of the Madrid Masters
yesterday without hitting a ball as
Kei Nishikori withdrew citing the
recurrence of a wrist injury, tournament
organisers said.
The world number eight missed
the Barcelona Open late last month
due to the injury.
Nishikori is now also a major
doubt for the Rome Masters next
week with 10 days to go until the
start of the French Open.
“I will plan to play Rome, but
we’ll see.” said the Japanese.
“I cannot promise to play or pull
out right now.
“(The) French is more important.”
Djokovic will either renew his
rivalry with Rafael Nadal or face
Belgium’s David Goffin in the last
four today.
In the Women’s Madrid Open
defending champion Simona Halep
cruised back into the final for the
third time in four years with a 6-2,
6-3 over Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova.
Halep also thrashed the world
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal returns a ball to Australian Nick Kyrgios at the
ATP Madrid Open in Madrid on Thursday
AFP
number 22 two weeks ago in Stuttgart
and there was never any danger
of an upset as the Romanian
reeled off five straight games to
close out the opening set.
Sevastova hinted at a fightback
early in the second as she got out
to a 3-0 lead.
But Halep, who is also into the
semi-finals of the women’s doubles
with compatriot Irina-Camelia
Begu, showed no signs of lacking
in energy as she bounced back
in emphatic fashion to win the last
six games for the loss of just 14
points. •
Spurs duo
Pochettino, Son
scoop awards
• Reuters
Tottenham Hotspur bagged a double
award yesterday as Mauricio
Pochettino was named Premier
League manager of the month for
April while winger Son Heung-min
picked up the players’ prize for the
second time this season.
Pochettino last month led Spurs
to victories over Burnley, Swansea
City, Watford, Bournemouth, Crystal
Palace and North London rival
Arsenal. Son scored five goals during
that run, which closed the gap
on leaders Chelsea. •
FOOTBALL
TEN 1
8:00PM
Spanish La Liga Santander
Espanyol v Valencia
STAR SPORTS HD 1
6:46PM
German Bundesliga
Werder Bremen v Hoffenheim
STAR SPORTS HD 2
8:00PM
English Premier League
Middlesbrough v Southampton
STAR SPORTS HD 4
7:15PM
German Bundesliga
Augsburg v Borussia Dortmund
STAR SPORTS SELECT HD 1
English Premier League
5:30PM
Manchester City v Leicester City
8:00PM
Sunderland v Swansea City
10:30PM
Stoke City v Arsenal
STAR SPORTS SELECT
HD 2
7:15PM
German Bundesliga
Leipzig v Bayern Munich
CRICKET
TEN 3
8:00PM
Pakistan Tour of West Indies
3rd Test, Day 4
SONY SIX
Indian Premier League
4:30PM
Gujarat v Hyderabad
8:30PM
Kolkata v Mumbai

22
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
Showtime
Maa Amar Maa on Mother’s day
WHAT TO WATCH
The Avengers
6:21 pm, Star Movies
Earth’s mightiest heroes must
come together and learn to fight
as a team if they are to stop the
mischievous Loki and his alien
army from enslaving humanity.
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris
Evans, Steve Rogers, Mark
Ruffalo, Bruce Banner, Chris
Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson,
Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston
Mission: Impossible - Rogue
Nation
9:30 pm, HBO
Ethan and team take on their
most impossible mission yet,
eradicating the Syndicate - an
International rogue organisation
as highly skilled as they
are, committed to destroying
the IMF.
Cast: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg,
Jeremy Renner,
The Bank Job
11:30 pm, Zee Studio
Martine offers Terry a lead on
a foolproof bank hit on London’s
Baker Street. She targets
a roomful of safe deposit boxes
worth millions in cash and
jewelry. But Terry and his crew
don’t realise the boxes also
contain a treasure trove of dirty
secrets - secrets that will thrust
them into a deadly web of corruption
and illicit scandal.
Cast: Jason Statham, Saffron
Burrows, Richard Lintern, Stephen
Campbell Moore, James
Faulkner, Daniel Mays
• Showtime Desk
Singer Masud Opu’s Mother’s day
project “Maa Amar Maa” will be
released on May 14. The song has
been penned by journo turned
lyricist Nazmul Haque Emon
while Closeup One star Sabbir
Zaman has composed the track.
“This is my first ever work
on mothers. I don’t know
how successful I’ve been in
representing our innermost
feelings about our mothers with
Sabbir bhai’s composition and
my tune, but I devoted myself
and tried my best to bring it out.
I hope the audience will like
it,” said Masud Opu about the
project.
The voice and visual
recording of the pop track was
recently completed at a studio in
Moghbazar and was helmed by
director Talha Bin Parvez. The
music video will be released on
Youtube and other social media
platforms during the first hour of
Mother’s day. •
WALL-E
2:00 pm, Movies Now
In the distant future, a small
waste-collecting robot inadvertently
embarks on a space journey
that will ultimately decide
the fate of mankind.
Voices Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight,
Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, Mac-
InTalk
Harry Potter and the Prisoner
of Azkaban
3:24 pm, WB
It’s Harry’s third year at Hogwarts;
not only does he have
a new “Defense Against the
Dark Arts” teacher, but there is
also trouble brewing. Convicted
murderer Sirius Black has
escaped the Wizards’ Prison and
is coming after Harry.
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert
Grint, Emma Watson, Michael
Gambon, Gary Oldman •
Downton Abbey
stepping into the
silver screen
• Showtime desk
Big news for the lovers of high
living and posh accents. The
Sun has recently reported that
a Downton Abbey film is in the
making. The filming is scheduled
to start during September this
year.
The historical period drama
series depicted the Crawley family
and their household in Yorkshire
in the early 1900s and ran for six
seasons. The show was a critical
success and garnered a huge fan
following over the course of its run.
Rumours of turning it into a film
have been circulating since 2015.
However, not everyone in
the series is entirely keen to
return to Downton, with the
legendary Dame Maggie Smith
speaking earlier this year about
the possibility of a film. She said,
“I just think it’s squeezing it dry,
do you know what I mean? I don’t
know what it could possibly be.
It was so meandering... Anyway
that’s not my problem. That’s the
Lord’s problem.”
The Lord in question is Julian
Fellowes, the show’s creator who
was apparently so eager for a film
that he started writing it even
before it was shown the green
signal.
Julian Fellowes is will be
teaming up with producers
Carnival Films to make the
eagerly-anticipated film.•

Showtime
23
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
Mila ties the knot
• Showtime Desk
Popular singer Tashbiha Binte
Shahid Mila has tied the knot with
Parvez Sanjari, a pilot working
for US-Bangla airlines, last night.
Mila confirmed the news in an
interview, prior to the ceremony.
“Our relationship is more than
10 years old now and we are going
to get married tonight (Friday)
after the Ish’a prayer. A ceremony
will take place at DOHS-Baridhara,
in our home, which will include
members of both families. But
there will be a grand post-marriage
ceremony to be held later,” the
singer added.
Mila rose to fame with her
debut solo album, Fele Asha back
in 2006. Her second solo album,
Fuad featuring Mila Chapter-2
was released in 2008. The singer
released her third album Redefined
in 2009 and was lauded by
listeners for her efforts. •
Pants that are ruling Bollywood
King Arthur: Legend of
the Sword in Star Cineplex
• Showtime Desk
Bollywood divas have always been
among the first ones to set fashion
trends. Beauties from the industry
are known to dedicate themselves
to trying to present their style in
new and attractive ways. They
are in love with the idea of mixing
eastern patterns with western
cuts, wearing crop tops with sarees
or a blouse with skirts and more.
However, a new trend seems
to be on the rise and is being
endorsed by leading Bollywood
beauties. They have achieved
a new dimension by infusing
a western twist on traditional
gararas. Garara is basically a
Pakistani-style bottom which
come with kurtis.
These B-town beauties are
using the Garara style and
incorporating it with chic trousers
and denim pants, wearing them
with suitable tops and are looking
absolutely stunning in the
process. •
• Showtime Desk
Director of the Sherlock Holmes
franchise, Guy Ritchie’s latest
venture King Arthur: Legend of the
Sword has been released all over
the world at 3,600 halls yesterday,
including Star Cineplex in Dhaka.
Written by Ritchie, Joby Harold
and Lionel Wigram, the fantasy
film is loosely based on Arthurian
legends and stars Charlie Hunnam
as the title character, with Àstrid
Bergès-Frisbey, Djimon Hounsou,
Aidan Gillen, Jude Law and Eric
Bana in supporting roles.
King Arthur: Legend of the
Sword narrates the story of Arthur.
Robbed of his birthright, Arthur
comes up the hard way in the back
alleys of the city. But once he pulls
the sword from the stone, he is
forced to acknowledge his true
legacy – whether he likes it or not.
David Beckham, who stars as a
Blackleg leader in the film, looked
like he had a good time on the sets
after he recently posted a picture
on Instagram, where his followers
got to see the prosthetics applied
on his face for the character.
However, prior to his cameo
in King Arthur: Legend of the
Sword, the ex-Manchester United
footballer was seen in a number
of films and documentaries,
including Beckham: For the Love
of the Game (2016), The Man from
U.N.C.L.E. (2015) where he stars as
a Projectionist, as The Stranger in
Outlaws (2015), and in The Class of
92 (2013).•

24
SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017
DT
MIRAKKEL’S RONY
FACES ICT CASE › 6
Back Page
BANGLADESH 157/4 AS
RAIN INTERVENES › 18
MAA AMAR MAA ON
MOTHER’S DAY › 22
Operation Sun Devil ends in Rajshahi
• Tarek Mahmud, Abdullah Al
Dulal, Rajshahi
In-laws forced New JMB’s Zahurul into militancy
• Abdullah Al Dulal, Rajshahi
Law enforcers are seen preparing to carry out a raid, named Operation Sun Devil, on a militant hideout in Godagari upazila of
Rajshahi on Thursday, May 11, where militants had hacked a firefighter to death and then blew themselves up AZAHAR UDDIN
Operation Sun Devil in Rajshahi
was officially ended yesterday, after
five of a militant family hacked
a firefighter to death and detonated
suicide vests on Thursday before a
surviving militant surrendered.
Announcing the completion
of the operation at press briefing
held at 1:30pm, Rajshahi Range
Additional DIG Nisarul Arif said:
“Two senior militants – Sajjad and
Ashraful – were staying at the hideout.
Ashraful, hailing from Chapainawabganj,
is a BSC engineer.
Sajjad is a local. His son Al-Amin
alias Hamza was also a militant.”
The DIG added that fake police
uniforms, gunpowder, explosives
and a pistol were recovered from
the hideout.
Earlier on Thursday, Godagari
police station OC Hibzur Alam
Munshi said that police had cordoned
off the building in the Benipur
area of the upazila around 3am.
Subsequently, at around 8:30am
on the day, Gunfire and explosions
were heard as five militants
charged out from the hideout and
The son-in-law of one of the militants
who blew themselves up during a
drive in Rajshahi on Thursday was
influenced by his in-laws to join New
JMB, his brother has claimed.
Minarul Islam said his brother Zahurul
Islam - arrested five months
ago - was never involved in militancy
until he got married, when he started
to become distant from his family.
On Thursday, Zahurul’s in-laws
– Sazzad, his wife Beli, their sons Al
Amin alias Hamza and Soheb, and
daughter Karima – and another militant
named Ashraful, an engineer
from Chapainawabganj, detonated
suicide vests when police surrounded
their hideout in Benipur village.
Zahurul’s wife and Sazzad’s
daughter Sumaiya surrendered with
her two children later in the morning.
Minarul said Zahurul married Sumaiya
10 years ago.
“The newly-weds stayed with Zahurul’s
family in Diar Manikchak village
in the district’s Godagari upazila
for six weeks, before they moved in
with Sumaiya’s family in Machmara
village,” said Minarul, who is iman of
Benipur Jame Mosque.
slashed firefighter Abdul Motin to
death before blowing themselves
up with suicide vests.
OC Hizbur later informed that
the five deceased militants were
house owner Sajjad, his wife Beli,
Around a year before his arrest, Zahurul
built a madrasa in Machmara.
“My brother went to madrasa; he
studied until Dakhil. But he was never
involved with militancy before. His
in-laws led him astray and got him involved
in it,” he said.
Before killing themselves, the militants
hacked a firefighter named Abdul
Matin to death. Four police members
were also injured in the blast.
Law enforcers concluded the raid,
named Operation Sun Devil, yesterday
and recovered 11 bombs, one
pistol, two rounds of bullets and one
magazine from the militant hideout.
Sazzad’s family refuse to
take bodies
Sazzad’s mother and uncle
have refused to take his
and his family’s bodies for
burial, said Nisarul Arif,
deputy inspector general
of police in Rajshahi Range.
“They [Sazzad’s mother
and uncle] said those who
got involved in militant activities
were enemies of the
state. So they will not take
his and his family’s bodies,”
said the DIG at a press
conference yesterday.
Their bodies will be
handed over to Quantum
Foundation for burial after
the post-mortem examinations,
he added. •
their sons Al-Amin, 30, and Soheb,
25, and daughter Karima, 18.
However, Sajjad’s other daughter
Sumaiya surrendered to law enforcement
officials with her sevenyear-old
son and one-month-old
PM cautions ministries
against taking on new
development projects
• Asif Showkat Kallol
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has
said all ministries should avoid
taking on new projects which will
not be well received by the public
and thus have a negative impact on
the upcoming national election.
Sources said she made the comment
when meeting with Finance
Minister AMA Muhith on Thursday
evening regarding the budget
outline for the next fiscal year.
The ministries should rather
focus on the proper implementation
of ongoing projects, said the prime
minister.
She further asked Muhith to
settle the proposed VAT law conflict
with businessmen, including with
National Board of Revenue (NBR)
Chairman Md Nojibur Rahman.
On Sunday, the NBR chairman
will present next year’s revenue
earning targets to the prime
minister. According to Ministry
of Planning sources, during the
presentation, the NBR will also put
forward a new proposal regarding
the VAT law wherein the VAT rate
has been set at 13% instead of the
daughter at around 11am, having
hidden in a paddy field near the
house instead of participating in
the attack, the OC said.
Sumaiya was taken away from
the area in a police van around
11:15am.
A 12-member bomb disposal
unit arrived at the location from
Dhaka around 7:30pm, but Rajshahi
Range DIG Masudur Rahman
announced that the operation had
been postponed at 8pm, as low visibility
rendered attempts to enter
the house dangerous.
Operation Sun Devil was then
resumed at 8:30am yesterday.
According to OC Hizbur, Law enforcement
officials recovered fake
police uniforms, 11 improvised
explosive devices, one pistol, two
bullets and one magazine from the
militant hideout around 11:30am.
Family members of the deceased
militants have refused to
take the bodies. •
currently proposed 15%.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith
will place the budget in parliament
in July.
In the budget outline presented
to the prime minister on Thursday,
the total amount of the new budget
is an estimated Tk400,250 crore,
which is 28.2% higher than the
current year’s revised budget of
Tk317,180 crore.
The revenue target for the
next fiscal year has been set at
Tk271,260 crore, which is 28.86%
higher than the current revised
target of Tk210,500 crore. The
proposed budget also sets NBR’s
revenue collection at Tk248,000
crore.
The outline also allocates
Tk150,000 crore for the Annual
Development Programme in the
next fiscal year, an amount which is
nearly 35.5% more than this year’s
Tk119,296 crore.
The Finance Division has also
recommended a fiscal deficit
against GDP of above 5% for the
next fiscal year and predicted next
year’s GDP growth to be about 7.5%
with an inflation rate of 5.8%. •
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