DT e-Paper 01 July 2017

SECOND EDITION
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017 | Ashar 17, 1424, Shawwal 6, 1438 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 5, No 54 | www.dhakatribune.com | 24 pages plus 8-page sports supplement | Price: Tk10
MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
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Lest we forget
Police are still looking for five fugitives
A heartache that never goes away
Hasnat’s fate hangs in the balance
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2
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
News
A year after Gulshan attack, police
CTTC chief Monirul Islam says
militants are currently incapable
of another large-scale attack
• Arifur Rahman Rabbi
SPECIAL
Police are yet to finish the investigation
nearly a year after the Gulshan
restaurant attack shook Bangladesh.
Investigators insist that
they will be able to wrap up their
investigation once they capture
five absconding suspects.
Five terrorists took part in the
July 1 attack on Holey Artisan Bakery
and killed 20 hostages, mostly
foreigners, and shot dead two police
officers. Army commandos stormed
the restaurant the next morning
and neutralised the terrorists.
Eight suspects, including mastermind
Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury,
have been killed during anti-militant
operations, said Monirul
Islam, who heads police’s Counter-Terrorism
and Transnational
Crime (CTTC) Unit and also supervises
the case’s investigation.
Police arrested four suspects
and claimed that three of them –
Rakibul Islam Reagan, Jahangir
Alam alias Rajib alias Gandhi, Mizanur
Rahman alias Boro Mizan – had
told the court about their roles in
the attack.
Several aspects of the investigation into the terror attack at Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan 2 a year ago remain woefully
incomplete, though investigators are hopeful to wrap it up this year. The photo was taken on June 28
DHAKA TRIBUNE
The militants will
try to reunite but
they are very few in
number. We have
their details and are
trying to apprehend
them
A fourth suspect, Abul Hasnat
Reza Karim, was held as a hostage
with his family on the night of the
attack. Investigators have so far
failed to provide any evidence linking
Hasnat with the attack.
Five others are on the run and
police say at least three of them –
Sohel Mahfuz alias Hatkata Mahfuz,
Rashed alias Rash and Basharuzzaman
alias Abul Bashar alias
Chocolate – played big roles in the
Gulshan attack. The other two are
Hadisur Rahman Sagar and Chhoto
Mizan.
“Their names came up in confessions
and statements of several accused
and witnesses,” Monirul said.
“They are Tamim’s associates.”
Investigators have received
postmortem examination reports
of 20 victims on June 19 but are
yet to get autopsy reports of the
accused killed during various operations.
“The investigation has made
a headway,” the CTTC chief said.
“We hope to wrap up the investigation
within this year if we are able
to arrest one or two fugitives and
get the pending autopsy reports.”
Police claim that 22 people were
involved in the Holey Artisan attack.
Five attackers – Nibras Islam,
Rohan Imtiaz, Meer Saameh
Mubasser, Khairul Islam, Shafiqul
Islam – directly took part in it.
Later, Tamim and seven other
suspects – Abdur Rahim alias Sarwar
Jahan, Tanvir Kaderi, Major
(retd) Zahidul Islam alias Murad alias
Jahangir alias Julhas, Nurul Islam
Marjan, Abu Raihan Tarek, Abdullah
and Faridul Islam alias Akash –
were killed during operations.
Officials with knowledge of the
investigation said Sarwar was a top
leader of New JMB who supervised
the whole attack.
The attackers stayed at Tanvir’s
Bashundhara house. Ex-major Zahidul
and Tarek trained the attackers.
Abdullah and Faridul were also
involved.
How the attack was planned and
executed
CTTC chief Monirul said the attack
in the heart of Dhaka’s diplomatic
zone was planned at the end of
April 2016.
A heartache that never goes away
Abinta was killed along with 22 others, including 17
foreigners and two policemen, during the terror attack
at Holey Artisan Bakery on this day last year
• Afrose Jahan Chaity
SPECIAL
A year has passed since the Gulshan
terror attack which claimed
the lives of 24 people and though
the public at large has moved on
since, the lives of the victims’ family
members remain stuck on July
1, 2016.
Nineteen-year-old Abinta Kabir
was one of those whose untimely
death dealt a massive blow, not
just to those who knew her, but to
every Dhaka resident.
Abinta’s parents, Elegant Group
Chairman Ruba Ahmed and Ehsanul
Kabir, took six months to
relearn how to communicate with
each other, but have failed to recover
from the pain of losing their
only child. Her other family members
are equally unable to forget
their last moments spent with her.
In a book published by the Abinta
Kabir Foundation, entitled “An
Intimate Portrait of Abinta Kabir”,
Ruba writes: “Remembering my
baby is easy; I do it every moment.
But missing you is a heartache, that
never goes away.”
As Muslim devotees of the
country were preparing for Tarabi
on July 1 last year, three childhood
friends — Abinta, Faraaz Ayaaz
Hossain, 20, and Tarishi Jain, 19, –
met with a tragic end at the hands
of some militants who claimed to
have carried out the attack in the
name of Islam.
Recalling the day of the attack,
Abinta’s aunt told the Dhaka Tribune
that before leaving for the
Holey Artisan Bakery, Abinta had
gone to her grandparents’ house to
meet her grandmother and aunty
and had stayed for iftar.
She said: “Abinta had promised
her mother she would be back by
10pm. Her mother kept waiting,
but she never returned.”
Abinta was born in Dhaka and
grew up in Miami. She moved back
to Bangladesh at the age of 10.
“Abinta loved this city and the
love she had for Dhaka cannot be
put into words,” said Abinta’s aunt,
adding: “She might have been an
American passport holder but she
was a true Bangladeshi at heart.”
“Abinta was very soft hearted
and the pain of the people used to
bother her. The NGO, Abinta Kabir
Foundation, was her dream and
she was its main founder. We are

News
SATURDAY,
3
JULY 1, 2017
DT
are still looking for five fugitives
“They wanted to draw global attention
with an attack on Dhaka and
for this they decided to use militants
who were from Dhaka and
knew the city well,” he said.
Initially, three candidates, who
had killed people before, were selected
for the job. But the recruiters
were sceptical about the trio’s ability
to carry out a large-scale attack.
“So, they selected two others
from rural background who were
hardened criminals,” Monirul said.
The recruits were trained separately.
“They received 28-day special
training at a Gaibandha shoal.
Major Zahid, who died in Roopnagar,
was the chief trainer,” he added.
After training, they were brought
to Dhaka and kept at a house in
Bashundhara rented by Tanvir.
At that time, they had not fixed
their target but decided that it
would be somewhere in Gulshan or
Baridhara.
When looking for potential targets,
they came across Holey Artisan,
a poorly secured place frequented
by foreigners.
It was chosen three to four days
before the attack.
The attackers went to the upscale
restaurant by rickshaw and on
foot. They did not carry electronic
devices and used mobile phones of
the hostages, Monirul said.
They took photos with the victims
on mobile phones and sent
them to Tamim and Marjan, who
were at that time staying in Shewrapara.
FIVE GULSHAN ATTACKERS
MASTERMIND COORDINATOR CHIEF TRAINER FINANCIERS
Tamim Ahmed Chy
Nurul Islam Marjan
“We could not know where the photos
were sent since the planners, including
Tamim, were killed during
anti-terror raids,” the CTTC chief
added. “We could have found out
more if we could capture them alive.”
‘Gulshan attack cost Tk8-9 lakh’
Monirul noted that it was very difficult
to determine the amount of
money spent in any militant operation.
But for an attack that shook Bangladesh,
the expense was meagre – an
estimated Tk8 to 9 lakh, spent for
Zahidul Islam Murad
Rokon Uddin
buying sneakers, T-shirts, bags, firearms
and explosives, he said.
Last year, a number of people
from well-off families like Tanvir
joined militants.
Tanvir had a stable job and his wife
also worked for a multinational NGO.
They sold their apartments and cars
before joining militancy and donated
the money for militant activities.
“This is why the militants did
not need to collect fund from outside
sources,” Monirul noted.
“After thorough investigation,
we will be able to determine the
Tanvir Kaderi
amount of the fund and its sources,”
he added.
Firearms and explosives came
from India
Investigators said Sohel and Boro
Mizan supplied firearms and explosives
used in the Gulshan attack.
Boro Mizan is now in police custody.
It has been found out that the
AK-22 rifles used in the attack were
produced in a factory in India’s
Bihar. The small arms were also
brought from India.
Boro Mizan and Chhoto Mizan
brought these weapons to Bangladesh
through Chapainawabganj
border under Sohel’s supervision.
Arms and explosives were then
brought to Dhaka hidden in mango
baskets and were first taken to Tanvir’s
Bashundhara residence.
Arrested militant members said
grenades used in the attack were
made by Sohel at the Shewrapara
residence in Mirpur.
CTTC chief Monirul Islam said
Boro Mizan had divulged detailed
information on supplying firearms
and grenades in his confessional
statement.
“We will get more information
when we arrest Sohel and Sagar,”
he added.
‘Militants incapable of large scale
attack at the moment’
A series of anti-militancy operations
after the Gulshan attack destroyed
the militants’ network.
“The remaining militants were
trying to get organised again between
January and March and were
likely planning an attack during
Ramadan,” Monirul said.
“We were able to destroy the
militants’ capacity,” he said. “At
the moment, they have no power,
morale and strength and are incapable
to organise another Holey Artisan-like
attack,” he added.
“The militants will try to reunite
but they are very few in number.
We have their details and are trying
to apprehend them,” the CTTC
chief added. •
just doing what she wanted to
do. There is nothing else to look
forward to other than making her
dreams come true. Her dreams
are keeping us alive. The only
difference is, we cannot hug her
anymore.”
Describing how the foundation
came into being, she said:
“Abinta’s teacher told us she had
written about Bangladesh and
her hopes and dreams for the
country in some of her assignments.
We collected those and
are now doing whatever it takes
to make them come true.”
On November 18, 2015 Abinta
wrote in her freshman seminar
class paper at Emory University:
“I believe that I do have a responsibility
to the greater community
as a whole because I am a part of
a community where more than
half the people are suffering
from poverty and hunger. Coming
from Bangladesh, which is
a developing nation, I believe
that it is my responsibility as
a Bangladeshi to help those in
need. Furthermore, I think that
if I want my country to become
developed and prosperous then
I definitely need to take action.”
Stating that Abinta’s love for
Dhaka was reflected in her activities
and academic writing,
her relatives have criticised the
government’s move to not build
a memorial for the victims of the
worst terror attack in the history
of Bangladesh.
The Abinta Kabir Foundation
works to provide underprivileged
girls with schooling and
board and promotes education
and sports in general through
various scholarships. It also aims
to build old age homes and help
construct houses for people who
are not able to afford them.
The foundation has already
established five primary schools
in Natore earlier in February
this year. Each school has 30
children. It is also currently supporting
another school in Bashabho
which was on the verge of
shutting down after 20 years of
operations. The foundation has
taken over the responsibility of
running the school, which has
130 students, is handling its renovations
and paying out its dayto-day
expenses. •
How one Holey Artisan staff’s
caution saved lives
• Adil Sakhawat
SPECIAL
After an Italian citizen was murdered
on the streets inside the diplomatic
zone in Dhaka in late 2015,
the many foreigners who lived in
the area became concerned about
their safety.
Italian aid worker Ceasare Tavella
was shot dead on the evening
of September 28, 2015 by three men
riding on a motorcycle on Road 90
in Gulshan 2.
One of Holey’s former staff, a
foreigner, told the Dhaka Tribune
that since the Tavella murder, he
had been concerned about safety
in the area.
Diego Rossini, an Argentine chef
who was inside the Holey Artisan
Bakery during the attack and is
now working in Barcelona, said his
concern and caution saved his life.
Nine months after Tavella murder,
one of the worst terrorist attacks
in the nation’s history took
place at Holey Artisan Bakery in
Gulshan, Dhaka.
“After Tavella murder, I was
scared because so many foreigners,
diplomats, businessmen and Bangladeshi
upper class people used to
come to Holey and during that time
so many killings were happening in
Bangladesh. Two foreigners were
killed.”
Rossini escaped from the restaurant
jumping from the rooftop
after the restaurant was attacked
on the night of July 1 last year.
After the Tavella murder, Rossini
started to plan what he would
do if some kind of attack happened
at the restaurant.
“Holey was the obvious target,”
he said.
Rossini told the Dhaka Tribune in
a video call from Spain: “I was really
so tense about the incidents happening
at that time that when I was
on the rooftop one day I looked for
an escape route, in case any terrorist
attack happened. I talked to my other
foreigner colleagues as well.”
When the Holey attack happened,
Rossini and his other colleagues
including the foreigners
escaped the restaurant using that
route. He was the first person who
went to the rooftop and the others
followed him.
An Italian cheese maker named
Jack Bio who worked at the bakery
was among those who followed
Rossini to safety. His wife, who was
the maî·tre d’hô·tel at Holey Artisan,
was fortunately on leave that
day. The two left Bangladesh for Italy
two days after the attack.
When contacted, Bio said he
never felt threatened while working
at the restaurant.
He said through a social networking
site that he is now working
in Thailand.
“All the Italian community felt
super safe. I along with my wife
roamed around the city freely with
motorbikes,” he said. •

4
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
News
Hasnat’s fate hangs in the balance
• Arifur Rahman Rabbi
SPECIAL
Hasnat Karim went to Gushan’s
Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1,
2016 with his wife and two children
to celebrate his daughter’s birthday.
He and his family members
were taken hostage when armed
terrorists barged into the upscale
restaurant around 9pm.
The terrorists, however, let
the family go before commandos
stormed the restaurant the next
morning.
A month after the incident,
Hasnat was detained for questioning
and later shown arrested in the
Gulshan terror attack case.
He is still behind bars.
Police have so far failed to produce
concrete evidence against
Hasnat to link him with the incident.
Investigators insist that nothing
can be said about him before
the investigation is finished.
Hasnat’s family maintains that
he is innocent.
Counter Terrorism and Transnational
Crime (CTTC) Unit chief
Monirul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune
that they were investigating
Hasnat with priority.
Sources say after the attack several
pictures of Hasnat and Tahmid
Hasib Khan with one of the
terrorists on the rooftop emerged,
taking the social media by storm
and many speculated that the two
could be involved in the attack.
Hasnat and Tahmid have been
interrogated several times.
Then, on the evening of August
3, 2016, Hasnat was arrested from
the street in front of Gulshan Aarong
as a suspect under Section 54.
He was later exonerated on October
5.
Police escort Hasnat Karim, a former teacher of North South University and one of the prime accused in the Dhaka terror
attack, from a Dhaka court on October 5, 2016
RAJIB DHAR
During interrogation, Hasnat
said that he had gone to Holey Artisan
for dinner to celebrate his
daughter’s birthday with his family,
a source with knowledge of the
matter said.
Investigators later confirmed
that it was indeed the birthday of
Hasnat’s daughter and looked into
reports that he was sacked from his
job at North South University for his
alleged communication with banned
militant outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir.
However, investigators found
that Hasnat had quit his job voluntarily.
When asked, Hasnat told them
that he had left his job to assist his
father’s business.
What Hasnat’s family says
Hasnat’s wife Sharmina Parveen
said her husband was innocent,
pointing out that no evidence has
been found against him. She urged
the authorities to release Hasnat.
On the evening of
August 3, 2016,
Hasnat was arrested
from the street in
front of Gulshan
Aarong as a suspect
under Section 54. He
was later exonerated
on October 5
She had previously said that the
family had been held hostage at
gunpoint and Hasnat was forced to
obey the attackers’ commands.
“After the attack, Hasnat, and a
gentleman by the name of Tahmid
were arrested for questioning for
their suspected involvement in the
attack,” she said.
Tahmid was later released and
charges against him were dropped.
“Although Hasnat is innocent
and despite the fact that no evidence
has been produced to justify
his detention, he still remains in
[police] custody,” she noted.
She pointed out that Hasnat was
not charged even a year after the
incident.
“Hasnat’s father has died during
this period and his medical conditions
have exacerbated to the extent
that there are now well-founded
and justifiable concerns for his
physical and mental well-being,”
she said. •
Abinta Kabir’s memory lives on in Natore
• M Kamal Mridha, Natore
SPECIAL
The memory of Abinta Kabir, the
19-year-old woman whose life was
brutally cut short during the terror
attack on Holey Artisan Bakery in
Gulshan, Dhaka a year ago, lives
on through the work of the foundation
in her name in Natore.
The Abinta Kabir Foundation
has recently set up five elementary
schools in the district’s Singra
upazila, earning a lot of appreciation
from the local community.
The school has been established
in the Niguin Uttarpara, Niguin
Ghunpara, Patkol, Haripur and
Bamilal areas of Singra. Launched
in February this year, each school
is providing elementary-level education
to 30 students below the
age of six.
These unique, one-room
schools have simple arrangement,
with a blackboard and mats for
students to sit on during the lessons.
The walls are decorated with
the children’s artworks and speak
a lot of the joy of learning they experience.
Palli Kalyan Shikkha Society
(PKSS), an NGO, has taken the
responsibility of running the
schools’ operations on behalf of
the Abinta Kabir Foundation.
Besides carrying out all the expenses for the
school’s management, the foundation also
provides all classroom materials, i.e. exercise
books, pencils and pens
Besides carrying out all the
expenses for the school’s management,
the foundation also provides
all classroom materials, i.e.
exercise books, pencils and pens.
The usual school hours are
9am-11am, but students are not
allowed to leave the classroom unless
the day’s work is completed,
said Rubia Khatun, a teacher of
Abanti Kabir Foundation School in
Niguin Uttarpara.
“Like every other elementary
school, the children get regular
lessons on Bangla, English, maths,
drawing and general knowledge
here. But our top priority is to ensure
that learning is a joyful experience
for them,” she added.
The school in Niguin Uttarpara,
a simple one-room structure
with tin roof and tin walls, was established
on a small piece of land
leased out by Rubia’s eldest son
Raju.
Before joining this new initiative,
she worked at a Brac pre-primary
school for long.
Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune,
Mahi, a student of the school, said
she enjoyed the time in the classroom
a lot.
“I feel sad on the days I don’t go
to school,” she said.
Mahi’s mother Mamata said her
daughter was very attentive in her
studies at school, and the parents
feel that the teachers take great
care in teaching the students.
She further said the parents
would appreciate it if the school
upgraded to primary level and
provided education up to Class V.
Asked about Mamata’s suggestion,
PKSS Executive Director
Daisy Ahmed said she had already
conveyed the message to the
foundation. •

News 5
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
Remembering the victims
Five terrorists took part in the July 1 attack on Holey Artisan Bakery and killed 20 hostages, mostly
foreigners, and shot dead two police officers
THREE BANGLADESHIS
FARAAZ AYAAZ HOSSAIN was
the son of Eskayef CEO Simeen
Hossain and Muhammad Waquer
Bin Hossain, and also the grandson
of Transcom Group chairman
Latifur Rahman. He was a 2016
graduate of Oxford College at
Emory University and a student at
Emory’s Goizueta Business School.
ABINTA KABIR, daughter of
Elegant Group chairman Ruba
Ahmed. She was from Miami in
Florida and was a second year student
at Emory University’s Oxford
College campus in USA. She was
in Dhaka for visiting relatives and
friend.
DT
ISHRAT AKHOND was working
with ZXY International FZCO. She
was also involved in creative and
cultural organisations including
the Institute of Asian Creatives,
Institute of Art and Culture and
Dhaka Art Centre. Ishrat was a
Bangladeshi arts promoter and
trustee of the Institute of Asian
Creatives (IAC).
TWO BANGLADESHI POLICEMEN TWO HOLEY ARTISAN STAFF SOLE INDIAN
NATIONAL
RABIUL KARIM, hailed from
Manikganj district of Bangladesh, was
the senior assistant commissioner of
Detective Branch of Police. He joined
in the police force on June 2012 just
after his graduation in Bangla from
Jahangirnagar University.
SAIFUL CHOUKIDAR was the assistant
pizza chef at Holey Artisan Bakery. Prior
to Holey Bakery, He worked in hospitals
and had a small business in his village.
After the commando operation, police
released photos of Saiful and identified
him as one of the “attacker”. He was also
named as an accused in a case filed over
the terror attack.
NINE ITALIAN NATIONALS
ADELE PUGLISI was a
quality control manager
of Artsana Chicco that had
factory in Dhaka. She was
set to return to Catania,
Sicily on any day.
SALAUDDIN AHMED hailed from
Gopalganj district of Bangladesh,
was officer in charge of Banani Police
Station. He joined in the forces in 1991
as a sub inspector.
All of them were entrepreneurs or working in the textile sector in Bangladesh
MARCO TONDAT was
from Cordovado in the
Province of Pordenone in
the Italian region. He was
an entrepreneur of the
textile industry.
ZAKIR HOSSAIN SHAON was a kitchen
assistant at Holey Bakery. He was
detained from the Gulshan café attack
spot in an injured state under suspicion
of having connection with militancy, but
later died in custody.
MARIA RIVOLI was from
Bergamo area of northern
Italy. She was on a business
trip to Dhaka when the
attack took place.
TARISHI JAIN was the sole Indian
national killed in the attack. Tarishi was
the daughter of Shri Sanjeev Jain of
India. She passed out from American
School Dhaka and was a student of the
University of California at Berkeley.
SEVEN JAPANESE
NATIONALS
All of them were working on a
government aid project in Dhaka,
representing three Tokyo-based
consulting companies.
CLAUDIA MARIA D’ANTONA
was an entrepreneur living in
Bangladesh for nearly twenty
years with her husband. She was
from Turin and was the managing
director of Fedo Trading Ltd,
an Italian RMG buying house
having operation in Bangladesh.
SIMONA MONTI was from
Rieti area in Italy and was a graduate
from University of Rome.
She had been working for a
Dhaka based buying house. She
was 5-months pregnant with a
boy and was to return soon to
Italy for a medical checkup.
NADIA BENEDETTI, was
from Viterbo of Lazio region of
central Italy. She was the managing
director for a Bangladeshi
branch of a British firm
StudioTex Limited, a company
based in London and interests
in Bangladesh. The company
had operations in Bangladesh
for over 15 years.
VINCENZO D’ALLESTRO
was swiss-born, lived in
Accera, southern Italy.
CRISTIAN ROSSI was
from Pordenone province
of Italy. He was director of
a company active in the apparel
sector in Bangladesh
and China.
CLAUDIO CAPPELLI was
from Vedano al Lambro
under Monza and Brianza
in the Italian region Lombardy.
Claudio was working
for a Dhaka-based buying
house.
KOYO OGASAWARA
(Katahira & Engineers International)
MAKOTO OKAMURA
(Almec Corp.)
YUKO SAKAI
(Almec Corp.)
RUI SHIMODAIRA
(Almec Corp.)
HIROSHI TANAKA
(Oriental Consultants Global)
NOBUHIRO KUROSAKI
(Oriental Consultants Global)
HIDEKI HASHIMOTO
(Oriental Consultants Global)
TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY
LIGHT OR MODERATE
RAIN LIKELY
SATURDAY, JULY 1
Dhaka 34 27 Chittagong 32 28 Rajshahi 34 26 Rangpur 31 25 Khulna 34 27 Barisal 34 27 Sylhet 32 24
DHAKA
TODAY
TOMORROW
SUN SETS 6:50PM
SUN RISES 5:15AM
YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW
35.5ºC
23.5ºC
Rajshahi
Rangamati
Source: Accuweather/UNB
PRAYER
TIMES
Cox’s Bazar 30 26
Fajr: 3:56am | Zohr: 1:15pm
Asr: 5:15pm | Magrib: 7:03pm
Esha: 8:45pm
Source: Islamic Foundation

6
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
News
Ishrat Akhond: A friend, a healer, a mentor
• Mahadi Al Hasnat
SPECIAL
There was something extra ordinary
warm and benevolent about
Ishrat Akhond.
This was a quality that endeared
her to all shortly after meeting her;
a quality fondly remembered by
her close family and friends as they
commemorate her life ahead of her
first death anniversary.
Ishrat, an art provocateur and
philanthropist who was passionate
about promoting children and
young people, was among the 24
killed in the Gulshan terror attack
at Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1,
2016.
“She was a beautiful flower…
her positive spirit still encourages
others to do something good for
society,” said artist Pijush Kanti
Sarkar, one of the victim’s close
friends.
Pijush, who teaches at Aga Khan
School in Dhaka, added: “She was
one of the few people in the world
who found light, beauty and positivity
in everything.”
Ishrat’s friends who spoke to
the Dhaka Tribune all had the same
thing to say about her: Irrespective
of her friendly, affectionate
demeanour and her positive glow,
Ishrat was one tough lady.
Ashim Halder, a young artist
who used to work with Ishrat told
the Dhaka Tribune: “She was also
strong, independent and full of
dreams and aspirations. She stood
for justice and was never one to be
afraid of speaking her mind.”
Ishrat worked as a director of
marketing and events for Westin
Hotels and as a director of human
resources for a European apparel
buying company, ZXY International
FZCO. She had studied management
at York University in Toronto
and subsequently at the Australian
Institute of Management in Sydney.
Those who knew her would undoubtedly agree
that the she carried joy in her heart and was
always ready to heal a broken heart. Ishrat apu
loved people and found solace in inspiring,
encouraging and guiding those around her
She was one of the most influential
business women in the
country and was a member of the
Bangladesh-German Chamber of
Commerce – a bilateral business
organisation promoting trade between
the two countries – election
committee, a status which spoke
volumes regarding her caliber as a
business woman.
A friend, a healer
Her cousin, Priyanka Khan Hamid
said: “Though we were connected
by blood, our relationship was
far more soulful. Those who knew
her would undoubtedly agree that
the she carried joy in her heart and
was always ready to heal a broken
heart. Ishrat apu loved people and
found solace in inspiring, encouraging
and guiding those around
her.”
Priyanka recalled that she
would often asked her how she
managed to be so happy and smile
all the time, even through all the
challenges that life threw at her
and said to that Ishrat would pleasantly
reply, “I am happy because
life is beautiful.”
“Unfortunately, the world
gave in to brutality and took
away that one person who appreciated
the gift of life,” Priyanka
lamented.
An inspiration for young artists
Ishrat was also an art lover who
had big dreams for Bangladesh’s
arts and culture and how to bring it
more global recognition.
She wanted to create a market
for artwork with a view to promoting
young artists in Bangladesh.
With the Institute of Asian Creatives
(IAC), she provided a platform
in which young artists could exhibit
their artwork easily.
Dhaka University Fine Arts
ex-student Sinthia Arefin said:
“I had worked with Ishrat apu in
many exhibitions. She was very
close to me and used to inspire me
to become a world renowned artist
someday.”
Sinthia is on that very path at
the moment. After completing her
BFA and MFA in Bangladesh, she
has been studying visual arts in
London. She says Ishrat used to
check in on her and her work regularly.
“She used to introduce me to all
of her friends, art collectors, diplomats
as her star artist,” Sinthia
recalled to the Dhaka Tribune, adding:
“Even a few days before she
was brutally killed, we had a talk
about my present style of work.
She was very appreciative of my
art.”
Rumi Noman, another of
Ishrat’s close friends, said even
though most of the galleries in the
country tend to exhibit artwork by
prominent and established artists,
Ishrat’s initiative was to promote
young artists.
“She invited foreigners to the
exhibitions and sold artwork by
young, local artists. This brought
recognition for many,” explained
Noman.
Her demise was a great loss both
for art and artists throughout the
country. According to her friends
and colleagues, she took part in a
number of exhibitions abroad to introduce
Bangladeshi artwork into
the international arena.
“Ishrat’s untimely death is an
irreplaceable loss both for art and
artists, especially since very few
people nowadays come forward to
promote the country’s younger artists,”
said Aga Khan School teacher
Pijush.
Living with hope for a better world
Extremely shocked and traumatized
by the terrorist attack which
snatched Ishrat from them, her
friends and family members do
not want to see Bangladesh riddled
with such death and chaos anymore.
They think Ishrat’s soft heart in
this cruel world was her strength
and feel that she sacrificed her life
to make this world a better place.
“Today we grieve with hope…
hope for a better world. The world
was unfit for you, Ishrat apu, and I
hope you have found your ‘beautiful
world’,” said Ishrat’s cousin
Priyanka.
“Ishrat Akhond may not be in
our lives today, but she will always
be in our hearts,” she said, adding:
“Her message, now our message, to
the world: please wake up before
humanity dies.” •

News
SATURDAY,
7
JULY 1, 2017
DT
Police yet to prove terrorist ties of two
Holey Artisan staff
• Adil Sakhawat
SPECIAL
A year has passed since five terrorists
attacked Holey Artisan Bakery
in Gulshan, Dhaka, killing 20 foreign
and local patrons of the cafe
and two policemen. There were
two other people who were victims
of the attack, and both were employees
at the cafe.
Saiful Islam Choukider, 40, a pizza
chef in Holey Artisan, was killed
during the attack, but it is not confired
whether he was killed by the
terrorists when they stormed the
bakery on the night of July 1, 2016,
or by the security force when they
conducted Operation Thunderbolt
to end the terror siege next morning.
The other employee, kitchen
assistant Zakir Hossain Shaon, 18,
was detained by law enforcement
personnel outside the cafe during
the terror siege. He died a week later
at Dhaka Medical College Hospital
(DMCH) in police custody.
Police initially said Saiful was
one of the terrorists, but later the
Holey Artisan management and
staff identified him. Shaon was detained
on suspicion of being linked
with the attackers.
Till date, police have not provided
any evidence supporting their
claim in either case, nor have they
retracted their claims.
Because of this uncertainty, the
families of Saiful and Shaon have
not been able to process and grieve
their losses properly.
“I was shocked when I heard
that they had named my husband
one of the attackers,” Saiful’s wife
Sonia Akhter told the Dhaka Tribune.
“If he really was a terrorist,
why have police still not been able
to find any evidence of that?”
Zakir Hossain Shaon
In addition, the law enforcement
officials buried Saiful without
ever informing his family, Sonia
said.
“We kept asking them [police]
to let us have his body, but they did
not pay any heed to our plea,” she
told the Dhaka Tribune.
Shaon’s mother Maksuda Begum
blames the law enforcement
agencies for her son’s death.
“They tortured my son to death.
I will never forgive them. I do not
have the ability to take them to
court, but every staff member of
Holey Artisan knows my son was
innocent. He was only trying to
escape the hostage situation,” she
told the Dhaka Tribune.
The Dhaka Tribune tried to
reach Inspector Humayun Kabir of
the Counter-Terrorism and Transnational
Crimes unit of police, the
investigation officer of the terror
attack case, for a comment on this
matter, but he could not be reached
despite several attempts.
Saiful Islam Choukider
A man liked by all
“Ask anyone in this area about Saiful,
they will tell you how well-behaved
he was,” said an irate Sonia
while speaking to the Dhaka Tribune
at her home in Naria upazila,
Shariatpur.
His neighbour Selim Sarker said:
“You cannot imagine how good a
person Saiful was. I will never believe
that he was linked with the
terrorists.”
Aminul Islam Suhin, chef in
the new premises of Holey Artisan
Bakery, said he was shocked to
hear that police suspected Saiful to
be a terrorist.
“Saiful Bhai was the most senior
member of our staff and very
friendly and cooperative. Even on
the day of the attack, we were taking
a smoking break when he spoke
to his wife over phone,” Suhin recalled.
“He told his wife that he
was going to go home for Eid in two
days, and asked to buy Eid clothes
for their two daughters.
“How can a man who just shared
his Eid plans with me be a terrorist?”
Suhin asked.
In a family of five, Saiful was the
main breadwinner. His third child,
a son, was born three months after
he was killed.
“An innocent man has been accused
of being a terrorist. What will
I tell my children when they learn
of this fact?” Sonia asked.
‘Police killed my son’
“My son just tried to escape the
hostage situation like many other
employees of Holey Artisan. But he
fell into the hands of law enforcement
officials,” said Shaon’s mother
Maksuda Begum.
Shaon, the eldest son in his family,
came from an impoverished
family. He had joined Holey Artisan
to help his parents.
Dhaka Tribune photographer
Mahmud Hossain Opu was present
at the spot when law enforcement
officials detained Shaon.
“The photographers were not
allowed to go past the police barricade
around Holey Artisan that
night,” said Opu. “We waited behind
the barricade. Around the
time of sehri, we saw Shaon being
brought out to the streets by the
SWAT personnel. I specifically remember
that he came out from one
side of the bakery; he was the first
person to come out. He was walking
normally, but seemed terrified.
He had no shirts on and had blood
stains on him. It seemed he was
shot with rubber bullet.”
Opu said the SWAT members took
Shaon to the United Hospital in an
autorickshaw. “We were barred from
taking his pictures. A SWAT member
even hit me with his helmet when I
tried to take Shaon’s picture.”
Shaon’s mother and brother
Abdullah found him in the United
Hospital the next night, but they
were not allowed to meet him.
Maksuda said when she went to
the hospital the next morning, she
was informed that Shaon had been
taken in by the Detective Branch
(DB) of police for questioning.
“His colleagues who visited him
told me he was in good condition
at United Hospital. But when later
I found him at the DMCH after the
DB’s interrogation, my son did not
even recognise me and his father.
He kept saying: ‘Please, do not torture
me,’” Maksuda told the Dhaka
Tribune.
One of Shaon’s colleagues,
seeking anonymity, said: “When
I met him at the hospital, I shook
his hand asked if he was okay. He
smiled and said yes. But later, I saw
on television that he died. I cannot
fathom how he died with so many
bruises on his body when only a
few days ago I had seen him with
no bruises.” •
July 1, 2016, is a night that will be etched in the memory of Bangladesh forever. The
senseless slaughter at the Holey Artisan Bakery not only stole the lives of some of the
nation’s young and brightest, but also sent shockwaves through the country that are still
being felt today
PHOTOS: MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU AND RAJIB DHAR

8
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
Bangladeshi money
in Swiss banks
jumps by 19%
• Asif Showkat Kallol
ECONOMY
The Swiss National Bank published
a series of annual reports on Thursday
which revealed that deposits
by Bangladeshi citizens have gone
up remarkably.
The report for the year 2016 disclosed
that there has been a 19%
increase in deposits since 2015.
The total deposit by Bangladeshi
citizens in various Swiss banks totalled
Tk5,566cr in 2016, which was
Tk4,417 in 2015.
Overall, the United Kingdom has
the biggest deposits in Swiss banks.
In South Asia, Pakistan leads with
the largest deposits, followed by
India whose deposits are down by
more than half, with Bangladesh in
third position.
Trump and Putin to hold first
meeting next week
• Reuters, Washington, DC
WORLD
US President Donald Trump will
meet with Russian President
Vladimir Putin next week at a
summit in Germany that brings
two world leaders whose political
fortunes have become intertwined
face-to-face for the first time.
Both the Kremlin and the White
House announced on Thursday
that the pair will meet on the sidelines
of the July 7-8 summit of G20
nations in Hamburg.
Trump’s national security adviser
HR McMaster downplayed the
significance of the meeting, one of
nine such side meetings for the US
president over two days.
The meeting will be fraught
with difficulties for Trump.
There are speculations that foreign
deposits usually increase prior
to national elections out of fear and
concern. Swiss banks, with their
strict confidentiality, have also
proven to be a safe haven for those
looking to conceal their wealth.
Subhankar Saha, executive director
of Bangladesh Bank, told
reporters that Bangladesh Bank is
unaware of what the Swiss central
bank based the report on.
He said that the Bangladeshi
central bank works diligently to
prevent money laundering.
An anonymous Bangladesh Bank
official, when asked about the deposits,
said that the central bank
could not clarify the nature of the
deposits. But the official also said
that many deposit their valuables in
these banks and the money is usually
siphoned from Bangladesh. •
Allegations that Russia interfered
in the US presidential election
last year and colluded with
the Republican’s campaign have
6,000
5,500
5,000
4,500
4,000
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
News
1319cr
2073cr
Protestors hold a banner in front of the townhall during a demonstration against
the upcoming G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany June 26, 2017
REUTERS
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
overshadowed the businessman’s
unexpected victory and dogged his
first five months in office.
Syria friction
Trump raised Russian hackles this
week when the White House said
it appeared the Syrian military was
preparing to conduct a chemical
weapons attack and warned that
Assad and his forces would “pay a
heavy price” if it did so.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov warned on Wednesday that
Moscow would respond proportionately
if the United States took
measures against Syrian government
forces.
But Lavrov added that it would
“probably not be right” if Putin and
Trump did not talk at the G20 summit
of world economic powers. •
1340cr
Bangladeshi deposits in Swiss Banks (in crore)
Myanmar will refuse entry
to UN investigators probing
Rohingya abuses
• Reuters, Yangon
WORLD
2014cr
3273cr
Myanmar will refuse entry to members
of a United Nations probe focusing
on allegations of killings,
rape and torture by security forces
against Rohingya Muslims, an official
said on Friday.
The government led by Nobel
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi had already
said it would not cooperate
with a mission set up after a Human
Rights Council resolution was
adopted in March.
“If they are going to send someone
with regards to the fact-finding
mission, then there’s no reason for
us to let them come,” said Kyaw
Zeya, permanent secretary at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the
capital, Naypyitaw.
“Our missions worldwide are
advised accordingly,” he said, explaining
that visas to enter Myanmar
would not be issued to the
mission’s appointees or staff.
Suu Kyi, who came to power last
year amid a transition from military
rule, leads Myanmar through
the specially created position of
“State Counsellor”, but is also minister
of foreign affairs.
Although she does not oversee
the military, Suu Kyi has been
criticised for failing to stand up for
the more than 1 million stateless
Rohingya Muslims in the western
4452cr
5566cr
4417cr
state of Rakhine.
She said during a trip to Sweden
this month the UN mission “would
have created greater hostility between
the different communities”.
The majority in Rakhine are ethnic
Rakhine Buddhists who, like many
in Buddhist-majority Myanmar,
see the Rohingya as illegal immigrants
from Bangladesh.
Some 75,000 Rohingya fled
northwestern Rakhine state to
Bangladesh late last year after the
Myanmar army carried out a security
operation in response to attacks
by Rohingya insurgents that
killed nine border police.
A UN report in February, based
on interviews with some of the
Rohingya refugees, said the
response involved mass killings
and gang rapes of Rohingya, and
“very likely” amounted to crimes
against humanity and possibly
ethnic cleansing.
Myanmar, along with neighbours
China and India, dissociated itself
from the March resolution brought
by the European Union, which
called for a mission to look into the
allegations in Rakhine as well as
reports of abuses in ethnic conflicts
in the north of the country.
Myanmar insists that a domestic
investigation - headed by former
lieutenant general and Vice
President Myint Swe - is sufficient
to look into the allegations in
Rakhine. •

News
9
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
EU start to examine whether UK is likely to reverse Brexit
• Tribune Desk
WORLD
Ambassadors from larger EU states
have started to review whether the
UK will reverse its Brexit decision in
light of the election result, despite
many concluding no foreseeable
political scenario exists for abandoning
it, the Guardian reports.
Splits in Theresa May’s cabinet
have emerged this week as senior
figures set out alternative timetables
for Brexit while the German
finance minister, Wolfgang Schauble,
suggested the UK might realise
at some point it “made a mistake.”
But the diplomats say senior UK
civil servants have given no sign
to them of an imminent change to
May’s red lines on leaving the single
US-based CFA Institute names Lutfey
Siddiqi as an inaugural member
• Tribune Desk
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Bangladesh-born, Lutfey Siddiqi,
has been named as one
of the five inaugural members
of the advisory board
of a content council,”Future
of Finance”, in Chartered Financial
Analyst (CFA) Institute.
The US-based Institute
made the announcement this
week.
Lutfey, who has been declared
a commercially important
person (CIP) by the
government of Bangladesh
since 2009, is a former board
member of CFA Singapore.
market, the custom’s union and the
jurisdiction of the European court
of justice. They are expressing private
impatience at the inability of
the British government to set out a
more detailed plan for Brexit more
than a year after the referendum.
The chancellor, Philip Hammond,
said this week in Berlin that
the UK would not seek to remain
members of the EU single market or
the customs union but also called
for early discussions on a lengthy
transition period. He said the UK
might want to negotiate a deal that
was equivalent to being in the single
market or the customs union
without taking that legal form.
One ambassador at the heart of
the talks said there was no guarantee
the EU would even accept a transition,
referring to a statement by the
Lutfey Siddiqi
He is a visiting professor-in-practice
at London
School of Economics (LSE)
where he is also a governor
German parliament votes
to fine social media over
hate speech
An EU flag flies above Parliament Square during a Unite for Europe march, in
London, Britain March 25, 2017
REUTERS
European council president, Donald
Tusk, that there were only two options
open to Britain: hard Brexit or
continued EU membership.
The UK Treasury is desperate
and advisory board member
of the Systemic Risk Centre.
His list of credentials does
not end here, he is an adjunct
professor at the National University
of Singapore (NUS),
a member of the World Economic
Forum Council on
Long-term Investing and
Infrastructure, the Bretton
Woods Committee and advisory
board of the Official
Monetary and Financial Institutions
Forum (OMFIF).
Previously, he was a managing
director at Union Bank
of Switzerland (UBS).
Earlier, he ran business
lines across Asia-Pacific as
the managing director for
UBS and Barclays. •
to reduce the levels of uncertainty
about a future relationship, but
this, EU diplomats say, is one of
their strongest negotiating hands
and talks on a possible transition
DT
may not begin until next year.
An EU-based diplomat said the
onus remained on the UK to come
up with a plan. He cited a recent
speech by the former UK ambassador
to the EU Lord Kerr, who said:
“It is odd, if we want a deep and special
relationship with the EU, not to
have proposed one. A year after the
referendum, we have still put forward
no plan, suggestion, outline
or proposal for how one might in
future organise cooperation”.
The ambassadors do recognise,
however, that softer Brexit solutions
are likely to come back under
discussion in coming months as the
UK government’s apparent willingness
before the general election
to leave without a deal had faded.
These options include membership
of the European Economic Area. •
• Reuters, Berlin
WORLD
The German parliament on
Friday approved a plan to fine
social media networks up to
€50m if they fail to remove
hateful postings promptly, despite
concerns the law could
limit free expression.
Germany has some of the
world’s toughest laws covering
defamation, public incitement
to commit crimes
and threats of violence, with
prison sentences for Holocaust
denial or inciting hatred
against minorities. But few
online cases are prosecuted.
The law gives social media
networks 24 hours to delete or
block obviously criminal content
and seven days to deal
with less clear-cut cases, with
an obligation to report back to
the person who filed the complaint
about how they handled
the case. Failure to comply
could see a company fined
up to €50m, and the company’s
chief representative in
Germany fined up to €5m.
It also made clear that a fine
would not necessarily be imposed
after just one infraction,
but only after a company systematically
refused to act or
does not set up a proper complaint
management system. •

DT
10
Editorial
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
TODAY
In search of good TV
The existence of too many channels is
having a negative impact on the minds
of the audience, compelling them to
turn to other means of entertainment on
broadcast media
PAGE 11
REUTERS
The right to know
The act was introduced with the
purpose of establishing good
governance, democracy, and the
practical realisation of human rights
through the free flow of information
IS has not fallen
PAGE 12
Despite the amateurish nature of some
recent attempts, cadres of militants who
trained and fought with IS in Iraq and
Syria have returned to Europe and are
now able to train and radicalise others
PAGE 13
A date which will live in
infamy
One year ago, on July 1, 2016, five terrorists
stormed into Holey Artisan Bakery and
killed 28 people.
Life in Bangladesh has not been the same
since.
That the attack took place in the month of
Ramadan just days from Eid, shows the extent of the
evil that lies in the souls of those who kill in the name
of God.
Holey was a most terrible reminder of the fact
that violent extremism not only lives, but has been
thriving in Bangladesh, and things boil down to a
battle between us and them.
On the anniversary of that attack, let us pledge to
make sure nothing like this ever happens again.
Terror is a threat to
development
Let us pledge to make
sure nothing like this
ever happens again
Be heard
Write to Dhaka Tribune
FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath,
Shukrabad, Dhaka-1207
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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.
Zero tolerance.
That is the policy the government should
have against terror, and Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina is right to make it clear Bangladesh will
not stand for militant activities which threaten the
country’s development, stability, and peace.
Certainly the economy has taken a hit since Holey
Artisan.
Most visibly, dining establishments are suffering
due to lower patronage, particularly from foreigners.
The number of tourists visiting Bangladesh has
fallen precipitously, and there have been costly delays
in Japan-aided projects due to security concerns.
If we are serious at all about meeting our
development goals, then, it is of the greatest
importance to root out terror from the land.
It is of the greatest
importance to root out
terror from the land

In search of good TV
Our TV producers are putting quantity over quality
Opinion 11
DT
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
Too many channels to choose from
LARGER
THAN LIFE
• Ekram Kabir
My good friend writer
Shakoor Majid is
a diligent mediawatcher.
He always reads other writers’
works and watches dramas both at
the theatre as well as on television.
He was trying to follow all the
TV shows and dramas during this
Eid holiday when, one evening,
while watching a tele-film, it
occurred to him that the plot and
theme of the film were very similar
to those of a drama serial he
watched long ago on TV.
According to Shakoor, incidents
such as this are bound to happen.
He opines that about 5,000 TV
dramas were created since the
tele-boom in Bangladesh about 17
years ago.
That’s an amazing figure as far
as TV content is concerned. 5,000
dramas! Do we even have that
many script writers?
Even if we do, do they have that
many different stories to tell?
If they did, that would be
an amazing feat, but my friend
doesn’t seem to think they do; he
thinks there are not that many
stories among the minds of the
limited number of writers of this
country’s entertainment industry.
I, although, barely watch these
shows, strongly support his view.
But the fact that I barely watch
them actually says a lot about the
quality and content of Bangladeshi
TV.
I wish I could sit before the TV
set and spend some time watching
some quality programs that would
take me away from the hullaballoo
of our mechanised dotcom
schedule, but when I do, I find the
programs lacking in content and
quality.
Programs are outdated
It seems to me that our TV
producers aren’t choosing the right
kind of content writers to cater
to our ever-changing lives and
lifestyle.
Change? You may ask. Yes,
your life and style may change,
but how could your hunger for
entertainment change with those?
News is news; dramas are
dramas which have always been
so since the era of the Greeks
and Romans; and a program is
a program since the time the
popular program Ittiyadi came out
with flying colours on BTV.
At least that’s what my friend,
a radio broadcaster, RJ Kibria,
told me during the just-ended Eid
vacation.
He was watching Ittiyadi on
the day after Eid day and found
the program to be, as he put it,
“extremely boring and outdated”
for this generation.
He said the same set of people
was acting in various “educative”
and “sermonising” dramatic
episodes, making satiric comments
about the wrongs of society as well
as the establishment.
There was, he said, “nothing
new” in the producer’s approach
or style. He was performing the
same thing as he was offering 27
years ago.
I heard similar comments about
the age-old program that although
it has been there for a long time, it
is now failing to retain viewership.
There’s a need for the maker to
think differently if he wants to
keep it on air, they say.
The existence of too many channels is having a negative impact on
the minds of the audience, compelling them to turn to other means of
entertainment on broadcast media
Too many options
Having said that, I feel that the
number of TV channels is also
a factor in terms of making
the experience of watching TV
disappointing.
I tried it myself: If you flick
from channels one to 25, you may
not feel like settling on any one of
them.
The sheer number confuses and
overwhelms me and I don’t know
which is broadcasting what.
I came to know about Ittiyadi
from a newspaper advertisement.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t know
about it.
I can imagine that some viewers
tend to avoid watching TV because
it’s so difficult to concentrate on
one channel when there are so
many options.
I feel that the TV content
providers or the channel
authorities would do well to think
of a single platform for marketing
what they want to offer. The
viewers will go to that platform
and choose the program of their
choice. It may be an OTT (overthe-top)
model of providing TV
content.
Otherwise, the existence of too
many channels is having a negative
impact on the minds of the
audience, compelling them to turn
to other means of entertainment
on broadcast media.
I have mentioned only two
kinds of programs here, but
there are several such shows and
programs that require serious
attention of the makers.
Producers should be able to
create or market their content in
such a way that we, the common
viewers, can watch them in one
single go.
Watching one drama should be
a single journey; we don’t want to
watch several dramas on several
channels at the same time. I hope
producers start thinking about
these issues. •
Ekram Kabir is a fiction writer.
BIGSTOCK

12
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
Opinion
The right to know
Is there something the government isn’t tell you?
Information is a fundamental right
BIGSTOCK
training on Right to Information
Act, 2009.
But a problem remains, because
the designated officers are only
required to take the courses
voluntarily, which might in the
long run prove itself to be futile
as many may not be interested to
take these courses.
In 2015, in an event organised
by Information Commission and
Dnet, an Android application and
video was launched to empower
and enlighten citizens -- but due to
lack of campaign and government
effort, it didn’t have any significant
impact.
Moreover, there are several
other factors the government and
the concerned authority should
emphasise on to ensure the proper
utilisation of this great part of
legislation such as:
(a) Creating awareness among
the citizens about the effectiveness
of this act through advance
campaign and interactive methods
• Syed Fazlul Mahdi
Article 39 of the
Constitution of
Bangladesh ensures the
freedom of speech of
every human being.
This right speaks to the
fundamental right of every citizen
to seek, receive, and impart
information and ideas through any
form of media -- which has been
enshrined in Article 19 of the both
Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights
(ICCPR).
The initiative
With that in mind, the government
enacted the Right to Information
Act (RTI) in 2009. The act was
introduced with the purpose of
establishing good governance,
democracy, transparency,
accountability of all public,
autonomous, statutory, and
private organisations, and the
practical realisation of human
rights through the free flow of
information.
Though the act is considered
a milestone for the Bangladeshi
legal system, it experienced ups
and downs regarding its proper
implementation and functionality,
whereas a similar law enforced
in India under the name RTI Act,
2005 remains a role model for the
whole world in terms of ensuring
the right to information for
citizens.
Section 4 of the RTI Act of
Bangladesh states that: “Every
citizen shall have the right to
information from the authority,
and the authority shall, on
demand from a citizen, be
bound to provide him with
the information” and the term
“authority” has been clarified as
any type of government institution
or organisation, any private
organisation financed by grants
from government funds, NGOs,
or private organisations funded
by foreign aid, or any other type
of organisation or body operating
within the domestic sphere.
This means ordinary citizens
can seek information from various
private organisations including
international NGOs working in
domestic arenas financed by outer
sources.
There are some exceptions
made -- mentioned in the act
regarding the organisations and
institutions which are involved in
“state security and intelligence,”
unless the information sought
pertains to human rights
violation and corruption.
The procedure prescribed for
requesting information from any
of these authorities has also been
mentioned in Section 8 of the said
act.
Unsatisfactory results
Despite the detail in the Act which
is supposed to provide information
on demand to the citizens, it had
rather dismal implementation. The
commission formed under RTI Act,
2009 has recorded 1,778 cases of
which 1,085 have been dissolved
over time.
The act was introduced with the purpose of establishing good
governance, democracy, and the practical realisation of human rights
through the free flow of information
The number is abysmally
unsatisfying when compared to
our neighbour’s statistics. The
RTI Act, which was enacted in
October 2005 in India, has seen
over 17.5 million cases till October
2016. Every day around 4,800
applications are filed to access
information from the government
across India.
Ratings and points
Other South Asian neighbours
are also comparatively gaining
momentum on the issue of Right
to Information as Sri Lanka
recently passed its RTI Act on June
14, 2016 and astonishingly jumped
to the third position of the Global
RTI Rating with 131 points whereas
India stands at fifth position with
128 points.
The rating has been carried
out by Access Info Europe (AIE)
and the Centre for Law and
Democracy (CLD) where the
grounds for the rating are: Right
of access, scope, requesting
procedures, exceptions and
refusals, appeals, sanctions and
protections, and promotional
measures -- and all the criteria
amounts to an aggregate of 150
points.
Except for Bhutan (which is
yet to pass an RTI Act), all the
other South Asian countries have
enacted Right to Information laws.
Bangladesh stands at 24th position
having 107 points. Pakistan with
66 points remains in the 91st
position, which is the lowest in the
region.
It can easily be pointed
out that we still need time for
improvements and assurance of
proper implementation of the act,
but it is evident from the numbers
that the knowledge about this act
is particularly less among mass
people.
There is still hope
Among the imperatives that we
must abide by, in order to actualise
the goals of the RTI Act, 2009,
many of them are already under
progress. For example, according
to Cabinet Secretary Mohammad
Shafiul Alam, the “designated
officers” appointed in compliance
with the provision of Section 10 in
each of the “information providing
units,” can now receive online
in different parts of the society,
(b) guaranteeing the presence
of designated officers in every
institution as mentioned in the
act, (c) facilitating the digitalisation
of information in everybody
that is covered under the act and a
shared country -- wide database of
such information as stated in the
act, (d) ensuring sufficient number
of community e-centres for the
proper dissemination of information
in remote places, (e) strong
and easily accessible web services
which are immune to cyber-attacks,
(f) increased cooperation
among different ministries to
facilitate the information sharing
mechanism, (g) reinvigorating
government initiatives to explore
scopes for public-private partnership
to further facilitate the RTI
mechanism.
And lastly, most importantly,
changing the attitude and sense of
cooperation among the concerned
authorities and responsible officers
towards the conscious citizens
who are seeking information, as
their fundamental right. •
Syed Fazlul Mahdi is a student of law.

Opinion
13
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
IS has not fallen
The caliphate may be crumbling, but IS still inspires terror
• Mohamad Bazzi
Iraqi officials
have declared that Islamic
State’s caliphate is finished.
On June 29, after months of
urban warfare and US air strikes,
Iraqi forces say they are on the
verge of expelling the militants
from their last holdouts in Mosul.
“Their fictitious state has
fallen,” an Iraqi general told
state TV after troops captured a
symbolically important mosque
in Mosul’s old city. In Syria,
US-backed rebels are moving
quickly through the eastern city of
Raqqa, another capital of the selfproclaimed
caliphate.
With the imminent fall of the
last two urban centres under
Islamic State’s control in Syria and
Iraq, the group has now lost much
of its territory.
On June 21, the militants
destroyed the historic Grand
Mosque of al-Nuri, where three
years ago, as Islamic State swept
across northern Iraq, the group’s
leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,
declared a caliphate at Friday
prayers.
A symbol of the fall
The ruined mosque’s capture by
Iraqi forces marks the most public
symbol of the caliphate’s fall, but
it does not mean the end of IS or
its reign of violence.
The severe loss of territory in
Syria and Iraq means that routes
for foreign jihadists to reach
the self-declared caliphate have
contracted.
But the group still has the
capability to attract recruits,
secure weapons, raise funds
through theft and extortion, and
dispatch sympathisers to carry out
attacks abroad.
As it gets weaker on the ground,
IS has less to lose by unleashing
attacks outside of Syria and Iraq.
In recent months, the jihadist
group has quickly claimed
responsibility for a spate of attacks
on civilians in Europe, especially
in Britain and France.
On March 22, a driver mowed
down pedestrians on Westminster
Bridge in London, killing five
people before being shot by
security forces as he tried to break
into Parliament.
Two months later, a suicide
bomber killed 22 in an attack on a
concert arena in Manchester.
And on June 3, three assailants
sped across London Bridge
in a white van, ramming into
pedestrians.
They then emerged from the
van with hunting knives and began
Very much alive, very much active
stabbing people in nearby Borough
Market.
The attackers killed eight
people and wounded dozens
before police shot them.
Dealing with the loss of leadership
IS has already adjusted to the
imminent loss of its physical
caliphate in Syria and Iraq, and to
the potential loss of its top leaders.
In mid-June, Russian
officials said they believed that
they had killed Baghdadi in an
airstrike that targeted a gathering
of senior jihadists outside Raqqa.
The claim has not been
confirmed, and Baghdadi was
erroneously reported killed in the
past.
But continued fighting and new
attacks underscore that the group
must have contingency plans in
place to deal with the loss of its
senior leadership.
Indeed, it’s clear that IS is
already adopting the methods of a
“leaderless jihad,” a strategy that
al-Qaeda tried to use with less
success.
For more than a year, IS has
inspired “lone wolf” attackers to
act in its name, especially in the
West.
These radicalised individuals
are heeding the call of IS leaders to
use whatever methods they have
at their disposal -- trucks, cars,
knives, and axes -- to carry out
attacks that amplify the group’s
reach. While IS has organised
assaults that required months of
Despite the amateurish nature of some recent attempts, cadres of
militants who trained and fought with IS in Iraq and Syria have returned
to Europe and are now able to train and radicalise others
training and planning -- such as
the coordinated November 2015
attacks in central Paris, which
killed 130 people -- it has moved
steadily toward inspiring loosely
coordinated and sometimes
haphazard attacks by selfradicalised
perpetrators.
These attacks allow IS’s leaders
to create an illusion of strength
to make up for their battlefield
losses.
They also signal that the
group would revert to its roots
as a jihadist insurgency, bent on
large and small-scale attacks that
instill fear but do little to help the
militants keep control of territory
in Syria and Iraq.
That’s not to say the loss of
territory hasn’t weakened the
group and caused some of its
operations to fail.
On June 19, a 31-year-old man
rammed into a French police van
on the Champs-Elysees in Paris
with an improvised car bomb.
The explosives failed to denote
and the assailant was killed. A day
later, a Moroccan national tried
unsuccessfully to set off a suitcase
bomb packed with nails and gas
canisters inside the central train
station in Brussels. Security forces
killed the man.
During the Muslim holy month
of Ramadan in 2016, IS urged its
sympathisers to carry out a spate
of bombings, mass shootings,
and stabbings across Europe, the
Middle East, and Asia.
While the group called for a
similar campaign during Ramadan
this year, which ended on June 25,
there were far fewer successful
attacks.
Lone wolves
Despite the amateurish nature of
some recent attempts, cadres of
militants who trained and fought
with IS in Iraq and Syria have
returned to Europe and are now
able to train and radicalise others.
“Several dozen people directed
by [IS] may be currently present in
Europe with a capability to commit
terrorist attacks,” the European
Union’s law enforcement
agency, Europol, warned in a
REUTERS
report released in December.
It added that the group “has
proven to be very effective in
inspiring people to commit
terrorist acts and in setting attacks
in motion themselves.”
Islamic State’s leaders realise
that they are losing their “capitals”
in Mosul and Raqqa.
That means the group has
squandered the caliphate that
distinguished it from other
jihadist movements, and helped
it dominate headlines and attract
new recruits.
By relying on lone wolf attacks
by individuals who are selfradicalised
-- and, in some cases,
are mentally unstable -- IS is able
to project a greater reach than it
actually has. And it can continue
to spread fear, even as its caliphate
crumbles. •
Mohamad Bazzi is a journalism professor
at New York University and former
Middle East bureau chief at Newsday.
He is writing a book on the proxy wars
between Saudi Arabia and Iran. This
article first appeared in Reuters.

14
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
Kids
tutorial
Step by step drawing

Kids
15
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
SPORTS STAR
The Fizz
Born: September 6, 1995 (21 years)
Height: 5ft 11in
Bowling style: Left-arm fast medium
Teams: Bangladesh, Dhaka Dynamites, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sussex
Bowling statistics:
Matches Wickets Econ rate Best-bowling figures
Tests 4 12 2.75 4/37
ODI 22 44 4.89 6/43
T20Is 17 27 6.16 5/22
Something you didn’t know about the Fizz
Mustafizur’s family played a big role in shaping his career. His elder
brother Mokhlesur Rahman used to ferry him on his bike everyday to
the training ground, which was about 40kms away from his house.•
MOVIE
5 must watch animated
movies
The Lego Batman Movie
If you’ve already seen The Lego
Movie and played the Lego
Batman game, you will have
a fair idea of what this movie
will be like. If you haven’t,
expect a crazy amount of
laughs and a great few hours of
entertainment.
in the third installment of the
super villain film series. Gru
and his wife Lucy must prevent
80’s child celeb Balthazar Bratt
from causing catastrophe
around the world.
TRIVIA
6 facts about the harmonica
1. The simplest of musical instruments, the harmonica is also called the Mouth Organ or French Harp.
2. It was invented in Berlin by Friedrich Buschmann.
3. It produces sounds by employing reeds inside it.
4. The reeds are set in a small, narrow case of wood or metal.
5. For each reed there is a hole, through which the musician draws or blows in air with the mouth.
6. This produces sounds of two octaves and can be used to play a tune.
Captain Underpants
The story of Captain
Underpants is how two
pranksters, George and
Harold, hypnotise their
grumpy Principal when
they are threatened with
separation. They convince him
into thinking of himself as a
superhero named “Captain
Underpants,” and hilarity
ensues.
Despicable Me 3
Gru and his minions are back
Cars 3
In a line of new generation
race cars, the legend Lightning
McQueen is left behind. With
assistance from a technician,
Lightning McQueen must work
hard and prove himself as the
best racing car in the world.
The Boss Baby
On what he thought was just
another regular day, the strange
Boss Baby arrives at seven
year old Tim’s place in a taxi,
dressed in a suit and carrying a
briefcase. Caught in the middle
of instant sibling rivalry, Tim
soon realises that Boss Baby
is actually a spy. Now Tim
must help him and stop the
disastrous battle between
puppies and babies. •
MYTHICAL CREATURE
Underwater
mystery
The Loch Ness monster (or Nessi) has been a
mystery for many years. Some people believe
that she exists and that she lives in a huge
lake in Scotland, while others say that she
is not real and that the tale of the Loch Ness
monster is only a myth.
The lake where she lives is called the Loch
Ness, which is how the gargantuan monster
got its name.
Nessi looks like a large dinosaur with a
long and flexible neck. People believe that
she has been sleeping in the lake for millions
of years, while the earth went through the Ice
Age.•

16
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
Downtime
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Automaton (5)
4 Separate (4)
7 Spanish dance (6)
8 Exclusive story (5)
10 Self-satisfied (4)
11 Infatuate (5)
12 Day before (3)
14 Slender support (4)
17 Periods of time (4)
19 Lyric poem (3)
20 Company of lions (5)
23 Conceal (4)
25 Sample (5)
26 Precious metal (6)
27 Fasting period (4)
28 Measuring
instrument (5)
DOWN
1 Uttered gratingly (6)
2 Musical instrument (4)
3 Spinning toys (4)
4 Nuisances (5)
5 Limb (3)
6 Disturbed (6)
9 Follow orders (4)
13 Traveller’s bag (6)
15 Digits (4)
16 Shooting star (6)
18 Kind of wheat (5)
21 Article (4)
22 Venture (4)
24 Clamour (3)
CODE-CRACKER
How to solve: Each number in our
CODE-CRACKER grid represents a
different letter of the alphabet. For
example, today 9 represents H so fill H
every time the figure 9 appears.
You have two letters in the control
grid to start you off. Enter them in the
appropriate squares in the main grid, then
use your knowledge of words to work out
which letters go in the missing squares.
Some letters of the alphabet may not be
used.
As you get the letters, fill in the other
squares with the same number in the
main grid, and the control grid. Check
off the list of alphabetical letters as you
identify them.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
CALVIN AND HOBBES
SUDOKU
How to solve: Fill in the blank spaces with the
numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must
contain all nine digits with no number repeating.
PEANUTS
YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS
CODE-CRACKER
CROSSWORD
DILBERT
SUDOKU

What’s on
17
SATURDAY, JULY 1 , 2017
DT
EVENTS AROUND TOWN TODAY
TRAVEL
MOVIE
FOOD
STAR CINEPLEX
Where Bashundhara City, Dhaka
What Movie Showtime (July 1)
BDCYCLISTS JOSSHILA SATURDAY 179
When 6-10am
Where Panthapath/Green Road Junction, Dhaka
What Group ride from Dhaka to Rupgonj of 55+km. Not
recommended for beginners.
EID SPECIAL DINNER BUFFET PARTY
When 7:30-11pm
Where Kabab Junction Ltd, 804-841 Ring Road, Adabar,
Dhaka
What Dinner buffet with 30+ items for Tk 499 per person. To
book, call 01781 333888.
EID TRAVEL TOUR
When 8am-8pm
Where Smriti Shoudho, Baaliyati and Pakuria Zamindar Bari
What Day long trip organised by Trip Bangladesh. Tk1050 per
person. To know more, call 01974 407040.
MUSIC
Pirates of the Caribbean 5 (3D):
10:50am, 3pm, 7:30pm
The Mummy (3D): 11:00am,
1:45pm, 4:20pm, 7pm
Cars 3 (3D): 11:25am, 2:05pm,
4:35pm
Transformers 5 (3D): 11:15am,
1:40pm, 4:20pm, 6:50pm, 7:10pm
Nabab (2D): 11:10am, 4:40pm
Boss 2 (2D): 1:50pm, 7:20pm
Despicable Me 3 (3D): 1:20pm,
5:30pm
Wonder Woman (3D): 11am,
1:45pm, 4:30pm, 7:15pm
CARNIVAL
AN EVENING OF CLASSICAL MUSIC BY SILPI PAUL
When 6:30-8:30pm
Where Sufia Kamal Auditorium, Bangladesh National
Museum, Shahbag, Dhaka
What Classical music by Silpi Paul from Kolkata. Hosted by
Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre. Free admission.
BLOCKBUSTER CINEMAS
Where: Jamuna Future Park
What: Movie showtime (July 1)
PROJECT SHOISHOB 2017
When 9am-2pm
Where Lalmatia Block D Field, Dhaka
What A carnival organised for street children by Be-team.
Will involve gift distribution, henna and face painting, game
stalls and more.
UPCOMING
CONFERENCE
BANGLADESH MODEL UN 2017
When 9am-8pm
Where Udayan Higher Secondary School, Fuller Road, Dhaka
What Ninth session of the Bangladesh Model UN, taking
place from July 1 to 4.
Transformers: The Last Knight
(3D): 11:30am, 2:20pm, 4:25pm,
5:05pm, 7:20pm, 7:50pm
Power Rangers (2D): 11:45am
Rajneeti (2D): 12:30pm, 3:30pm,
6:40pm, 7:30pm
Fast and Furious 8 (3D): 2:20pm
The Mummy (3D): 12pm, 2:30pm,
5pm, 5:25pm, 7:30pm
Wonder Woman (3D): 11:30am,
2:30pm, 8:05pm
Baywatch (2D): 12pm, 2:30pm, 5pm
Despicable Me 3 (3D): 12:15pm,
2:20pm, 5:20pm, 7:30pm
THE ARMEEN MUSA BAND LIVE ON DESH TV
When 10pm
Where Desh TV Live
What The Armeen Musa Band performing on television
after more than two years. Featuring Scionara Shehry, Avita
Maheen, Deepti Huq and Ahnaf Khan Anik.

DT
18
Sports
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
Australia pay row misses deadline
• AFP, Sydney
Matured Mehedi ready to prove his worth
• Mazhar Uddin
He was part of the age level sides
alongside Shakib al Hasan, Mushfiqur
Rahim and other national
stars of the Bangladesh team.
However, Mehedi Hasan Siddique,
also known as Mehedi
Maruf, somehow lost his way in the
middle with his fellow Bangladesh
Krira Shikkha Protishthan teammates
Shakib and Mushfiq going
on to represent the country just after
the 2006 U-19 World Cup where
Mehedi also participated.
Mehedi though remained committed
and continued to push his
limits as the right-handed top-order
batsman mostly opened the
innings during his age-level phase
and also in the domestic circuit.
His friends may have become
experienced campaigners in the international
circuit but the 29-year
old was not able to make his international
debut. With that said, Mehedi
by this time has now become
one of the prominent and consistent
performers in the domestic circuit
across all three formats.
The right-hander was the fourth
Cricket Australia said it had failed
to strike a new pay deal with the
players’ union ahead of yesterday’s
deadline, leaving players unemployed
and threatening fixtures
including this year’s Ashes series.
CA said there was no prospect
of a new Memorandum of Understanding
being resolved with the
Australian Cricketers’ Association
before the current deal expires at
midnight local time (1400 GMT).
The impasse, following weeks of
acrimonious dispute, throws into
question the immediate future of
almost 230 men and women players
at domestic and international
level, most of whom are now out of
contract.
“Cricket Australia acknowledged
that a new Memorandum of
Understanding will not be agreed
before 1 July,” the statement read.
“And repeated its call for the
Australian Cricketers’ Association
to come to the negotiating table and
show genuine flexibility in the best
interests of the players and the game.
“CA has been disappointed by
the ACA’s unwillingness to consider
the sensible and necessary
change CA has proposed to the
fixed share of revenue player payments
model.”
Along with the players, fixtures
are also at risk including Australia’s
Test tour to Bangladesh from August,
the one-day international series
in India in September and the
home Ashes series against England
later this year.
CA and the players’ union have
hit an impasse after the board attempted
to scrap the 20-year-old
arrangement of giving players a
fixed share of revenues, in favour
of dividing surpluses among elite
Along with the
players, fixtures are
also at risk including
Australia’s Test tour
to Bangladesh from
August, the one-day
international series
in India in September
and the home Ashes
series against England
later this year
players and offering a pay rise.
Leading players have hit out at
the move to scrap revenue-sharing,
with Australia batsman David
Warner insisting they “won’t
budge” and threatening strike action
during the Ashes.
Following the missed deadline,
players who are on multi-year contracts
that go beyond yesterday
will continue to be paid, and will be
required to play and train normally
as before.
The Australia A tour to South Africa
in July is the first in the firing
line, with its fate unknown if a new
accord is not struck.
Players were due to assemble in
Brisbane for training on Monday
ahead of the South Africa trip. The
first tour match is supposed to start
on July 12.
Reports said CA could hand outof-contract
stars like Glenn Maxwell
and Usman Khawaja tour contracts
to play the series, although
there is also the possibility of a
boycott.
Australia’s women’s team are
currently competing in the World
Cup in England, but they have a
special contract that will run until
the tournament is complete.
The ACA board and executive
are set to hold a meeting in Sydney
tomorrow where they will consider
the players’ response to the lapse
of the agreement.
CA’s updated offer, made last
Friday, was rejected by the ACA
which remains staunchly opposed
to any move away from a revenue-sharing
model.
The players’ union released its
own proposal last March under
which the definition of revenue is
broadened and players receive a
smaller (22.5%) share.
That was outrightly rejected by
CA. •
highest run-getter in the recently
concluded Dhaka Premier Division
Cricket League 2016-17 season with
630 runs at an average of 45, including
two hundreds and as many
fifties.
He also scored heavily in the
National Cricket League, the firstclass
longer-version competition
of the country, but it was in the
fourth edition of the Bangladesh
Premier League T20 tournament
for Dhaka Dynamites which really
brought him to the limelight. He
was the sixth highest run-scorer of
the tournament with 347 runs at a
staggering strike rate of 135.54, including
two fifties.
Mehedi was instrumental behind
Dhaka’s title win with his explosive
batting while opening the
innings. He was later part of the
Bangladesh team which toured
New Zealand last year as he finally
got the feeling of being in the national
team.
He will be touring Australia today
with the High Performance Squad
and according to the 29-year old,
he is not taking the pressure of only
playing for the national team. Rather,
he is looking to improve his game.
“To be honest, I used to take a
lot of pressure earlier that I have to
play for the national team as a few
of my BKSP mates were called into
the Bangladesh team. But recently,
I have spoken with [Nazmul Abedeen]
Fahim Sir. And after that, I
am only focusing on my game rather
than taking any extra pressure
of playing for the national team,
which has helped me immensely,”
Mehedi told Dhaka Tribune before
What’s the sticking point? -
At the heart of the dispute is the revenue-sharing
model that has underpinned
previous agreements over the
past two decades and under which
players receive around 25% of Cricket
Australia’s agreed cricket-related income.
CA, seeking greater flexibility in
using its resources, wants to scrap the
arrangement and has instead offered
to share surplus income among international
players. The Australian Cricketers’
Association remains staunchly
opposed, insisting the surplus should
be shared among players at all levels in
the pipeline.
What happens if there’s no
agreement?
From July 1 most of Australia’s elite
male and female cricketers will be
unemployed, jeopardising upcoming
tours to Bangladesh and India. The
ODI tour of India in September and
October is a potential money-spinner
for CA given the financial reliance of
all nations on the BCCI’s revenues.
Ultimately the stand-off could affect
cricket’s showpiece - England’s Ashes
tour of Australia later in the year. This
creates uncertainty for broadcasters,
sponsors, players and administrators.
Is the Ashes series under threat?
The Australian government has said
they would be prepared to step in to
departing for Australia with the HP
squad yesterday.
“I was part of the Bangladesh
team which toured New Zealand
and realised there that I also need
a little bit of luck to represent my
country, which is ultimately not
in my hand. So I am only focusing
on the things which are in my control,”
he said.
He added that the year 2017 will
be very crucial for him and that he
is looking forward to utilising the
What happens next?
mediate between CA and the ACA if
the pay dispute threatens the popular
and lucrative Ashes Test series from
November to January. Senior players
have warned the Ashes series could be
compromised if CA declines to meet
their requests. In turn CA has threatened
players with an Ashes ban should
they take part in any kind of “disapproved
cricket” beyond the expiry of
the current MoU.
What do the players say?
Australia’s vice-captain David Warner
has been an outspoken critic of CA’s
moves. Warner said the nation’s top
players are prepared to go unemployed
in order to retain the fixed revenue
percentage model. Warner says
the players are committed to ensuring
all cricketers share in the game’s profits,
not just an elite few.
Why is CA playing hardball?
Discontent is simmering on the
CA board about the revenue-sharing
model. The body has undergone
sweeping reforms of its governance
and financial structures since former
Rio Tinto managing director David
Peever became chairman. Peever is
an outspoken advocate of direct employer-employee
relations and critic of
“third-party” negotiations, hence CA’s
more hard-line approach to the protracted
dispute.
upcoming Australia tour.
“I think I have matured a lot in
the past three-four years as I have
started to understand my game.
Previously I had no idea what I was
doing in the middle. I have started
to learn a lot and the results are
also visible. The Australia tour will
be very crucial for me to continue
what I was doing. I think my maturity
makes me a better batsman and
I think I am ready to play anywhere
as I have the experience behind
me,” he said.
Meanwhile, the tag of an explosive
batsman has overshadowed the
overall ability of the right-hander to
play big knocks. He informed that
he is capable of playing big innings
while the hard-hitting ability is just
one of his many strengths.
“Well I think it started after the
BPL last season where I struck a
few quick knocks and big sixes. But
I think I have the ability to play big
innings as I try to play according to
the situation. But yes, I think this is
one of my advantages which most
of the batsmen lack and I think I try
to utilise this whenever I get the
opportunity,” said Mehedi. •

Sports 19
DT
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
1ST ODI
SRI LANKA R B
N. Dickwella c Burl b Chatara 10 13
M. Gunathilaka c Ervine b Williams 60 77
B. Mendis c and b Cremer 86 80
W. Tharanga not out 79 73
A. Mathews b Mire 43 30
D. Gunaratne c Waller b Chatara 28 26
L. Madushanka not out 1 1
Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 6) 9
Total (5 wickets; 50 overs) 316
Fall of wickets
1-16, 2-133, 3-180, 4-254, 3-310
Bowling
Chatara 9-1-49-2 (1w), Tiripano 6-0-45-0,
Williams 9-0-57-1, Cremer 10-0-57-1, Mire
7-0-47-1 (2w), Raza 9-0-58-0(2w)
ZIMBABWE R B
H. Masak’za c Dickwella b Malinga 5 16
S. Mire c and b Gunaratne 112 96
C. Ervine c Tharanga b Dananjaya 18 23
S. Williams b Gunaratne 65 69
S. Raza not out 67 56
M. Waller not out 40 29
Extras (lb 5, w 9, nb 1) 15
Total (4 wickets, 47.4 overs) 322
Fall of wickets
1-12, 2-46, 3-207, 4-220
Bowling
Malinga 9-0-51-1, Pradeep 9-1-52-0,
Dananjaya 10-0-61-1. Aponso 8.4-0-77-0,
Gunathilaka 2-0-13-0, Madushanka 2-0-
18-0, Gunaratne 7-0-45-2
Zimbabwe won by six wickets
Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza reacts after their victory in the first ODI against Sri
Lanka in Galle yesterday
AFP
Zimabwe thrash Sri
Lanka in one day battle
• AFP, Galle
Solomon Mire smashed his maiden
one-day century yesterday to take
Zimbabwe to a historic six wicket
win over Sri Lanka and pile pressure
on the beleaguered Asian nation.
Mire hit 112 off 96 balls as Zimbabwe
reached 322-4 to pass Sri
Lanka’s 316-5 with more than two
overs to spare. It was the first time
in more than 200 one day internationals
in Sri Lanka that a visiting
team has scored more than a 300
run target to get a victory.
Sri Lanka have been criticised in
recent days by the country’s sports
minister for being overweight and
unfit. Captain Angelo Mathews
also laid into his players after the
defeat.
Mire, known for his quickfire
hitting, was twice dropped as Sri
Lanka virtually gave the game
away.
Sikandar Raza hit an unbeaten
67 and Sean Williams 65 as Zimbabwe
stunned the home side in the
first one-day international to be
held in Galle for 17 years.
The day did not start badly for
the home side. Kusal Mendis blasted
86 off 80 balls as Sri Lanka plundered
runs off the Zimbabwe attack
on a slow pitch.
Upul Tharanga hit 79 and
Danushka Gunathilaka 60 after
Mathews won the toss and chose
to bat.
From there, Zimbabwe, one of
the minnows of world cricket, went
off script.
Mire, who also bowled seven
overs before coming out as opening
batsman, hit 14 fours and his
third-wicket stand of 161 with Williams
put the African side well on
the way to victory.
Raza claimed the winning runs
with a six to compound the humiliation.
Raza praised Zimbabwe’s selectors
for keeping faith with the
squad.
Zimbabwe captain Graeme
Cremer said the win was a huge
confidence booster. •
Aftab: National players should not practise on concrete pitches
Former Bangladesh right-hander Aftab Ahmed is often considered the most attacking Tigers batsman of his generation. He has
played 16 Tests, 85 ODIs and 11 T20Is for the Tigers. He was the coach of Mohammedan in the Dhaka Premier League 2016-17
season and also operates a cricket academy in his hometown of Chittagong. In an exclusive interview with Ali Shahriyar Amin of
Dhaka Tribune, Aftab shared some thoughts regarding his playing career, cricket academy, future plans and Bangladesh cricket,
among other topics. Here is the second half of the interview where Aftab shared plans about his second innings of cricket.
You retired in 2014. What are you
doing at the moment?
Since retirement, I am working
with Mohammedan for the last
two years as coach. I have a cricket
academy in Chittagong. Besides
that, I have plans to establish an
academy outside Chittagong, like
in Cox’s Bazar, or somewhere in
that side. I have plans to complete
level two coaching training. I want
to complete that and get involved
with BCB in near future.
Tell us something about your
academy...
Its name is Aftab Ahmed cricket
academy. It’s going good. At first,
I thought I might face difficulties
collecting students as there are
many academies around. But after
two years, the academy has almost
800 students right now. To add to
that, among the 22 players of the
spin hunt programme, my academy
had three spinners. This is my
academy’s achievement.
Share us your future plans as
coach...
Definitely I have plans to become
coach. Players who have played
cricket for the long-term in domestic
cricket or in the national team,
like me or Talha Jubair or Rajin
Saleh, whatever we do outside, our
passion remains cricket.
How difficult it is for a player to
script a return to the national team
after being dropped?
I believe when a player gets
dropped from the national team, it
is the most difficult thing for him to
return. It is even tougher than getting
a call-up from the U-19 level.
We had many talented players. But
those players got dropped and after
that, were totally detached from
the BCB. As for me, I batted on concrete
pitches against lower-level
bowlers for many days after being
dropped. A national player should
not practise on concrete. But I had
no other options because I had
fewer facilities. There was no proper
gym. There was a lack of opportunity
for match-practice as well.
So I think BCB should look after it.
Has the scenario changed now?
I think the situation has not changed
completely yet. I believe it is getting
more and more difficult to return to
the national team these days. You
see, back in our time, there were
not many players who were ready
to play for the national team. So a
(File photo) Aftab Ahmed in his cricket academy in Chittagong
player got considered a few months
later after being dropped. But now,
national team competition is so intense.
We have many quality players
who are in the pipe-line. Look at
Nasir Hossain. We are unable to give
him a place in the national team
after dropping him. He has a good
international record. He is scoring
tons of runs, still, he is out of the
side. And as for facilities, I don’t
think he is getting all the help. So it
must be difficult for him.
ESPNCRICINFO
Do you think the BCB should do
more to look after the discards?
Yes, definitely. Recently as a coach,
I have seen some players struggling
with a few things while batting. So
I suggested them to bat in front of
a bowling machine in order to improve.
But they informed that they
are not allowed to use the bowling
machine. It is unfortunate. Those
players have played for the national
team. They are ex-national players.
If they perform well then they can
get call-up to the national team any
time. Still they have plenty of time
to revive their national career. But
they have no opportunity of practising
in front of bowling machine.
So BCB should look after that.
Chittagong used to produce a
lot of players. But ever since
yourself, Nafees Iqbal, Tamim and
Nazimuddin, there has been a lack
of representatives from the port
city. Why is it so?
The four of us played Premier
Division Cricket a lot, starting
from 2002. But players these days
are not able to take the pressure
of Premier Division Cricket. Often
Chittagong players progress until
First Division Cricket before stopping.
Unfortunately, our players
are not reaching the next level, like
the DPL. There is a huge difference
between Premier League and First
Division. When these players get
into first-class cricket, then they
have to face DPL or national team
bowlers. They can’t take the pressure
and fail to perform.
Another problem is seasonal
practice. I had a First Division
team last year. During those eight
months, 15 players of that team
probably came to practice for only
10 days. It’s impossible to become
a player after just practising for just
one month in a year.
There is one solution. Our divisional
team should concentrate on
their regional players with longterm
planning. The squad should
be announced at least three months
before the tournament starts. And
those players, let’s say 30 of them,
should practice under divisional
coaches to prepare themselves for
the season. Players will thus be
benefited and their skill and fitness
will improve automatically. •

20
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
Sports
Bournemouth
sign Ake from
Chelsea for
club record fee
• Reuters
Bournemouth have signed Netherlands
defender Nathan Ake from
Premier League champions Chelsea
for an undisclosed club record
fee, the south coast club confirmed
yesterday.
The 22-year-old made just 17
appearances for Chelsea since joining
in 2011 and spent the first half
of last season on loan at Bournemouth,
where he scored three
goals in 12 appearances, before being
recalled by the London club in
January.
“I had a great time here last season
so I’m really happy to be back,”
Ake told Bournemouth’s website
(www.afcb.co.uk) of a move British
media reported to be for a fee of
20m pounds ($26.01m).
“It’s an exciting challenge...this
is a new step and the right place for
me to develop even more. With the
help of the manager here I know I
can keep improving and become a
better player.”
Ake previously completed loan
spells at Watford and Championship
side Reading.
“I am delighted that we have
completed the signing of Nathan
on a permanent basis,” Bournemouth
manager Eddie Howe said.
“Nathan is an outstanding
young player with a fantastic attitude
and a great desire to learn and
develop.
“He has a very bright future
ahead of him and I’m very pleased
to say that future is here.” •
Germany’s Leon Goretzka nets against Mexico during their Confederations Cup semi-final in Sochi on Thursday
Rapid-fire Goretzka puts Germany in Confed Cup final
• AFP, Sochi
RESULT
Germany 4-1 Mexico
Goretzka 6, 8, Werner 59, Fabian 89
Younis 90+1
Germany booked their place in the
Confederations Cup final as Leon
Goretzka scored twice in a devastating
opening spell to Thursday’s
4-1 semi-final win over Mexico.
Attacking midfielder Goretzka
ran riot in Sochi with goals
on six and eight minutes before
Timo Werner and substitute Amin
Younes netted in the second half.
Marco Fabian scored Mexico’s
stunning consolation in the 89th
minute with a thunderbolt freekick
from long range.
World champions Germany will
face Chile in tomorrow’s final in St
Petersburg while Mexico play Portugal
in Moscow’s third-place playo
ff .
The Germans drew 1-1 with Copa
America champion Chile when the
teams met last Thursday in Kazan.
Goretzka and Werner are now
Pogba: Terror attacks not Islam
• AFP, London
The world’s most expensive footballer
Paul Pogba says the four terror
attacks that have killed dozens
and left scores injured in England
this year have nothing to do with
religion.
The 24-year-old Manchester
United star - who is Muslim and
went on a pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest
site in Mecca after the end of
the season - told the latest issue of
Esquire magazine people must not
give in to terror.
The French international - who
also lost his father Fassou in May
- was inspirational in the Europa
League final that took place two
days after a suicide bomber blew
himself up at the end of a pop concert
at the Manchester Arena.
United beat Ajax 2-0 with Pogba,
who scored the second, dedicating
the victory to the 22 victims and
the scores who were injured.
“It’s a very difficult moment but
you cannot give up. We can’t let
them get in our heads - we have to
fight for it,” he said.
“Sad things happen in life but
you cannot stop living. You cannot
kill a human being. To kill a human
being - it’s something crazy, so I
don’t want to put religion on it.
“This is not Islam and everybody
knows that. I won’t be the
only one saying that.”
Pogba, who also won the League
Cup in his first season back at United,
said he drew his sense of fun
from his father, who died aged 79.
“When you lose someone you
love, you don’t think the same
way,” he said.
“That’s why I say I enjoy life, because
it goes very fast.
“I remember when I was talking
to my dad and now he’s not here.
He was a very strong man, very
stubborn as well. He fought, but at
his age it’s not easy. Every time you
had time with him you were laughing.
Very clever as well, because
he was a professor. You have to remember
the happy things.”
On the footballing side Pogba
said that criticism of his performances
in not living up to the
weight of being the most expensive
player in the sport was water off a
duck’s back.
“After one week, I forgot,” said
Pogba, who United paid £89.3m
($114m) in August 2016 from Italian
club Juventus.
“It’s people that reminded me.
“Because, at the end of the day,
when you die, the most expensive
and the less expensive, they go in
the same grave. So I don’t even
think about it.”
Pogba, who also dismissed the
sniping at the overall performances
of Jose Mourinho’s side saying they
may not always have played well
but they still won three trophies,
admitted his first spell at United
aged just 16 he hadn’t been able
to settle due to not understanding
then manager Alex Ferguson. •
the tournament’s joint top-scorers
with three goals a-piece in Russia.
Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio
said the result was not a fair
reflection. His side had twice as
many shots as the Germans, but
could not take their chances.
Germany head coach Joachim
Loew pulled a surprise before kickoff
by naming 20-year-old Benjamin
Henrichs on the right wing
for only his third international and
first start in Russia.
The bold move paid off as Henrichs
pounced on an early mistake
REUTERS
and his pass found Goretzka sprinting
towards the box.
The Schalke forward took the
ball in his stride and stroked his
shot past Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo
Ochoa on six minutes.
Goretzka struck again soon after
when Werner’s pass split the Mexican
defence open and he drove
home. The early goals sparked life
into comeback kings Mexico, who
fought back in all three group stage
matches to beat New Zealand and
Russia after scrambling a draw
with Portugal. •
Zidane’s son
Enzo leaves
Real for Alaves
• Reuters, Madrid
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane’s
22-year-old son Enzo has
left the European champion to join
Alaves.
The former France under-19
midfielder, who came through the
Real’s academy, has signed a threeyear
deal with the La Liga side, who
came ninth last season.
He scored on his only first-team
appearance for Real in their King’s
Cup win over Cultural Leonesa last
season.
Enzo played 78 games for Real
Castilla, the club’s reserve team,
scoring seven goals.
“Deportivo Alaves wants to
welcome Enzo Zidane and wishes
him the best of luck for the new
season,” said a statement on the
Alaves official website (www.deportivoalaves.com).
•

Sports
21
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
Murray
determined
to make
Wimbledon
• AFP, London
Wimbledon titleholder Andy Murray
said he hopes to be fighting fit
for his first round match on Monday
after he negotiated a 90 minute
practice session at the All England
Club on Friday.
The 30-year-old Scot - who is
top seed for the first time in his
career at Wimbledon - is battling a
niggling hip problem which forced
him to withdraw from playing a
couple of exhibition matches this
week.
However, whilst some in the
media who watched the session
said he was limping and grimacing
Murray himself said nothing had
changed regarding his participation
at the Grand Slam which he
has won twice.
“I hope so, that’s the plan,” said
Murray in answer to his turning out
for his first round match with Russian-born
Kazakh lucky loser Alexander
Bublik on Monday.
“I’m practising again later. I just
had a light practice this morning to
see how I feel and I’ll practise again
later.”
Murray’s coach Ivan Lendl also
struck a defiant note as to both his
preparation - his only competitive
outing saw him beaten by journeyman
Australian Jordan Thompson
in the first round of Queen’s last
week - and his fitness to defend the
title.
“Not at all. Unlike before Paris, he
is hitting the ball really well. Practice
has gone well,” said Lendl. •
DAY’S WATCH
HOCKEY
STAR SPORTS 2
3:00 PM
FIH Women’s Hockey World League
Semi Finals 2017
CRICKET
STAR SPORTS SELECT HD 1
3:58 PM
Royal London One Day Cup 2017
Final: Nottinghamshire v Surrey
MOTO GP
SONY ESPN
4:30 PM
Moto GP 2017: Qualifying
Grand Prix Deutschland
Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki returns to Britain's Heather Watson during their Aegon Championship semi-final in Eastbourne yesterday
Wozniacki douses British hopes at Eastbourne
• AFP, Eastbourne
Caroline Wozniacki extinguished
British hopes at the Eastbourne
pre-Wimbledon event yesterday,
knocking out Heather Watson to
reach the final after a back injury
forced Johanna Konta to withdraw.
Seventh-ranked Konta, who suffered
a nasty fall in Thursday’s win
over world number one Angelique
Kerber, pulled out of her semi-final
against Karolina Pliskova before
Wozniacki accounted for Watson
6-2, 3-6, 7-5 at Devonshire Park.
Konta banged her head and back
heavily after a horror tumble during
her quarter-final victory over
Kerber and has been diagnosed
with a thoracic spine injury.
The 26-year-old is Britain’s best
hope of ending a long wait for a
women’s Grand Slam champion
that dates back to Virginia Wade
winning the 1977 Wimbledon singles
title.
Konta, who won the prestigious
Miami tournament earlier this season,
had originally been passed fit
to play yesterday but decided to
pull out to avoid risking further
damage.
“The most important thing for
me is to look after my health in general,”
said Konta, who because of the
backlog of matches at Eastbourne
had to play twice on Thursday.
“We made the decision based on
the fact I’m still quite sore through
my thoracic spine. Next week is
AFP
Wimbledon but I make decisions
for my health.
“I didn’t sleep too well but I
heard that’s normal. It just didn’t
feel quite right. The most important
thing is I rest well for the next
24 hours and then we’ll see.”
Konta will hope the pain diminishes
over the weekend as she
is due to play Taiwan’s Hsieh Suwei,
who she lost to in her Roland
Garros opener, in the first round at
Wimbledon on Monday.
Watson has dropped to 126th in
the rankings but put up a stiff challenge
against former world number
one Wozniacki.
However, the Briton was broken
as she sought to force a final set
tie-break, sending 2009 champion
Wozniacki through to a second
Eastbourne final.
As for Konta, her participation
at Wimbledon next week remains
uncertain as she concentrates on
regaining full health.
“Right now my priority is to look
after myself, quite honestly,” said
Konta. “I’m looking to just make
sure that I’m in a good place physically
and health-wise to be able to
compete next week, but more importantly
just to be in a good place
health-wise.”
Three-time Wimbledon champion
Novak Djokovic faces Russia’s
Daniil Medvedev for a place in
the men’s final later, while second
seed Gael Monfils takes on fellow
Frenchman Richard Gasquet. •
Root says ready to lead after bedding in under Cook
• Reuters, London
Joe Root does not admit to being a
natural leader but England’s new
Test captain says the time spent
as Alastair Cook’s understudy has
groomed him for the responsibility.
The elegant right-hander has
established himself as one of the
premier batsmen of his generation
across all formats, putting him
among such luminaries as India’s
Virat Kohli and New Zealander
Kane Williamson.
The 26-year-old can also expect
to take on the illustrious duo in
tactical battles after joining them
as a Test captain of their respective
national sides, making his debut in
the role in England’s home series
against South Africa starting on
Thursday.
“I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily a
natural leader but becoming more
senior within the side and being
vice-captain over the last few years
will definitely help in that respect,”
said England’s batting mainstay.
While he can always draw on
Cook’s experience after spending
four years in an England side led by
the Essex opener, Root is also keen
to possess the grit of Nasser Hussain
and the positive leadership of
Michael Vaughan.
“A balance of those two and
someone like Mike Brearley...the
way he was able to manage so many
big characters, all in one dressing
room, and get the best out of them,
turn a series around against Australia
(in 1981)...” he said.
The Yorkshireman said he would
be thorough in preparation but
would always trust his instinct. •

22
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
Showtime
Nawazuddin Siddiqui's rise to stardom
• Showtime Desk
Over the years, actor Nawazuddin
Siddiqui has managed to secure
a place in the hearts of millions
of fans thanks to powerful
performances in films like Gangs of
Wasseypur, Badlapur, Manjhi and
Bajrangi Bhaijaan. His memorable
performance in Kahaani almost
over-powered that of Parambrata,
one of the lead actors in the film.
However, the road for the
43-year-old wasn’t all that
smooth. Tough times awaited
the actor when he left his village
Muzaffarnagar to move to Delhi
and try his luck in theatre. Born
in a farmer’s family in the small
village under Budhana district
in Uttar Pradesh, Siddiqui had to
struggle a lot since childhood. The
fact that he grew up among nine
siblings in a lawless area managed
by goons did not stop him from
completing his education. He
attained a degree in science from
Haridwar and started working as a
chemist. Soon enough, his passion
for the arts made him leave home
for the capital.
Siddiqui started out working
as a watchman for a brief period
before joining the National School
of Drama (NSD). After graduating
with a degree in acting, he set his
eyes on Bollywood. Siddiqui’s
first Bollywood appearance was
a 61-second role in the 1999 hit
Sarfarosh. The actor was paid a
meager Rs 500 for a day’s work.
Siddiqui’s luck turned for the
better only after director Anurag
Kashyap spotted him much later,
during a time he was almost
giving up on his acting career.
Kashyap offered him a meaty
role in the controversial film
Black Friday, and the actor never
had to look back as he kept on
giving delightful performances in
critically acclaimed movies like
Paan Singh Tomar, Dev D, Peepli
Live, Kahaani, and New York.
However, it was Anurag Kashyap’s
epic gangster drama series, Gangs
of Wasseypur, that propelled
Siddiqui towards stardom.
Since then, his exploits in
Talaash, Kick, Badlapur, Manjhi,
Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Raees have
been well-recieved by audiences
and critics alike.
His recent interview with a
leading news agency in India
revealed yet another unknown
fact about the actor. Siddiqui
revealed that, as a kid, he used to
dance at weddings with his friends
to collect the money thrown at
baraatis (friends and families of
the groom). He said, “Me and
my friends used to attend all the
weddings in our area to collect
money. By the end of the day,
we would manage to collect two
to three rupees, which was quite
a hefty amount for us at that
time.”
The versatile actor will be
displaying his dancing skills in
Munna Michael alongside Tiger
Shroff, who is better known for
his suave dance moves. On the
contrary, Siddiqui admitted that he
prefers being away from dancing
since childhood and this is why
he almost said no to the director.
Siddiqui said, “When director
Sabbir Khan told me about this
role, I told him that I can’t do it.
But in the end, he convinced me
to take up the film and made sure
that I follow his vision.”
When asked whether he gave
Tiger any acting tips, the actor
replied, “No I haven’t. He is
capable and talented enough to do
things on his own and there was
no need for me to help him with
acting.”
Set to release on July 21,
Munna Michael is being
produced by Viki Rajani and
Eros International. •
WHAT TO WATCH
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most
Wanted
2:55 pm, Zee Studio
Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman
are still fighting to get home to
their beloved Big Apple. Their
journey takes them through
Europe where they find the
perfect cover: a traveling
circus, which they reinvent -
Madagascar style.
Voices: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock,
David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett
Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen
The Dark Knight Rises
5:41 pm, HBO
Eight years after the Joker’s reign
of anarchy, the Dark Knight,
with the help of the enigmatic
Catwoman, is forced from his exile
to save Gotham City, now on the
edge of total annihilation, from
the brutal guerrilla terrorist Bane.
Cast: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman,
Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt,
Anne Hathaway
300
7:25 pm, Movies Now
King Leonidas of Sparta and a
force of 300 men fight the Persians
at Thermopylae in 480 B.C.
Cast: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey,
David Wenham, Dominic West,
Vincent Regan, Rodrigo Santoro
Elysium
9:30 pm, Star Movies
In the year 2154, the very wealthy
live on a man-made space station
while the rest of the population
resides on a ruined Earth. A man
takes on a mission that could bring
equality to the polarised worlds.
Cast: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster,
Maxwell Perry Cotton, Sharlto
Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna
The Descent: Part 2
3:17 pm, WB
Refusing to believe her
story about cave-dwelling
monsters, the sole survivor
of a spelunking exploration
gone horribly wrong is forced
to follow the authorities back
into the caves where something
awaits.
Cast: Shauna Macdonald,
Natalie Mendoza, Douglas
Hodge, Axelle Carolyn, Gavan
O’Herlihy •

Showtime
23
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
Doob wins Kommersant
Weekend Prize in Moscow
Remembering Sudhin Das
• Showtime Desk
Filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar
Farooki’s Doob: No Bed of Roses
has won the Kommersant
Weekend Prize at the 39th
Moscow International Film
Festival. The film was screened
at the October cinema hall in
Moscow last Wednesday. Russian
film critic Andrei Plakhov handed
over the prestigious award to
Farooki at the same venue on
Thursday.
Doob is a joint venture
between Bangladesh and India
and was filmed towards the end
of 2016.
Controversy regarding it has
followed ever since. Rumours
started making rounds about the
story of the movie being centred
around the life of late author
Humayun Ahmed. It quickly
caught on after actress Rokeya
Prachy alleged in an interview
that the script does look like as
if it is based on the life of the
legendary writer.
Meher Afroz Shaon, the widow
of the late author, sent an official
objection letter against the movie
to Bangladesh Film Censor Board
on February 13. Shaon demanded
a thorough diagnosis of the
movie and lawful action, if links
Nabila returns as Hridi
to the author’s personal life is
substantiated.
The Information Ministry
then asked Bangladesh Film
Development Corporation (BFDC)
to revoke the “no objection
certificate” granted to the film
on February 15, as reported by
Variety magazine.
However, the team of Doob
is hoping to release the movie
in Bangladesh very soon and
let the audience know the story
of the film for themselves, the
director informed the media after
receiving the award.
The film has been produced by
Abdul Aziz and Irrfan Khan under
the banner of Jaaz Multimedia
and Irrfan Khan Films. Doob
stars Bollywood star Irrfan
Khan, Kolkata’s Parno Mittra,
Bangladesh’s Nusrat Imrose Tisha
and Rokeya Prachy. •
• Showtime Desk
Tributes have been pouring in
for prominent Nazrul exponent
Sudhin Das, who died at a city
hospital on Tuesday at the age of
87 due to complications. People
from all walks of life gathered
yesterday at the capital’s Central
Shaheed Minar to pay respect
to the legendary singer and
researcher.
Organised by Sammilita
Sangskritik Jote, the tribute
took place from 11am to 1pm
and included his colleagues,
well-wishers, eminent
cultural personalities and top
government officials, including
the likes of singer Subir Nandi,
Fokir Alamgir, theatre activist
Ramendu Majumdar and others.
A number of literary and cultural
organisations, including Nazrul
Institute and Udichi, also paid
tribute to the Ekushey Padak
winner artist.
Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury,
principal secretary to the prime
minister, paid tribute to the
artist on behalf of prime minister
Sheikh Hasina, while AAMS Arefin
Siddique paid tribute on behalf of
the University of Dhaka.
Sudhin Das’ body was later
cremated at the Postagola
cremation ground.
Born in Comilla town’s
Talpukur in 1930, Sudhin Das
is often marked as one of the
frontrunners of the Bangla music
scene who immersed himself in
music during his graduate years.
He enrolled as a regular Nazrul
Sangeet performer at Pakistan
Betar in 1948.
After the death of National
Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, he
started setting down the original
notations of Nazrul’s songs from
gramophone records with the help
of his wife Neelima Das, who is
also a prominent Nazrul Sangeet
artist.
The Nazrul Institute has
published 16 books with the
original notations of Nazrul
Sangeet of Sudhin till date, while
Nazrul Academy has published
five others. He is also credited for
his contribution to Lalongeeti. •
• Showtime Desk
Actor and model, Masuma Rahman
Nabila, who garnered plaudits
for her brilliant portrayal of the
character Hridi in the celebrated
Bangladeshi crime thriller Aynabaji,
is returning with her signature role.
However, this time the
sensational actor will be seen
in a TV drama titled March
Mashe Shooting, helmed by the
Aynabaji director, Amitabh Reza
Chowdhury himself.
To keep the hype up, Nabila
refused to expose much about her
mysterious character in the drama
when contacted. “Just wait for a
while. The story of Hridi will be
revealed on July 1 at 8 pm on three
TV channels simultaneously,” she
said.
“The Hridi in this drama is quite
different from that of Aynabaji.
That’s all I am going to say about
my role until the drama airs.”
“Aynabaji was my first film,
which has showered me with love.
I’ve returned to acting after two
years and that too under Amitabh
Reza Chowdhury’s direction. I
hope this one will also meet the
viewers’ expectations,” she added.
“The story of March Mashe
Shooting revolves around an actor
(Apurbo), who goes to a village to
shoot his drama on the Liberation
War. However, things become
interesting when an old person
suddenly comes up to him while
shooting and slaps him in the
face. The story takes a twisting
turn from this point onwards,”
director Amitabh Reza Chowdhury
said while talking about the story
behind the anticipated project. •

24
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2017
DT
BANGLADESHI MONEY IN
SWISS BANKS JUMPS BY 19% › 8
Back Page
AUSTRALIA PAY ROW
MISSES DEADLINE › 18
DOOB WINS KOMMERSANT
WEEKEND PRIZE IN MOSCOW › 23
Global award-nominee
Bangladeshi teacher encourages
nomination of fellow teachers
Sheikh Hasina graces
cover of book on
female global leaders
• Tribune Desk
CURRENT AFFAIRS
SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been featured
distinctively in a book unveiled in the
USA on Tuesday, as one of the 18 current national
leaders of the world that are women.
The prime minister’s photo, along with six other
world leaders, was printed on the cover-page
of the book “Women Presidents and Prime Ministers,”
said a press release from the Bangladesh
Embassy in Washington as reported by BSS.
Leading US rights activist and educator
Richard O’Brien authored the book, which was
unveiled at the Woman’s National Democratic
Club (WNDC) in Washington DC. Foreign diplomats,
women leaders and representatives
from civil society were in attendance.
The author dedicated three pages to characterise
Sheikh Hasina’s dedication and struggle
for the restoration of democracy and voting
rights, attempts on her life, and historic
achievements of the three-time prime minister
of Bangladesh.
O’Brien praised the Bangladesh premier for
dedicating herself to making Bangladesh “more
stable, more democratic and less violent” referring
to her remark that “When I [Sheikh Hasina]
have been able to establish Bangladesh as
a poverty-free country, a hunger-free country,
perhaps then I may say I am proud.”
The book referred to her family background,
saying “her father Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman was the founding father of the modern
Bangladesh state and its first President,”
and narrated the carnage of August 15, 1975,
when “only Sheikh Hasina and her sister
(Sheikh Rehana) survived.”
O’Brien recalled that Sheikh Hasina returned
home from exile in 1981, when she
stood against election fraud and oppression
as she was elected to lead the Awami League,
but faced torture and repression and was put
under house arrest in the 1980s.
He said that despite being repressed by the
government of the time, Sheikh Hasina remained
so powerful that, in 1990, a coup leader
stepped down at her insistence- referring to
the fall of Ershad regime.
In 2004, the author said, she was targeted
in an assassination attempt in Dhaka that
killed a number of people. She was in 2007
arrested but released in time to stand for election
in 2008.
Despite obstacles, he said, Sheikh Hasina
and her administration accomplished a number
of tasks, including the enacting of the
Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord in 1997,
the banning of the use of landmines and helping
chair the Micro-credit summit.
O’Brien also pointed out Sheikh Hasina’s
international recognition for promoting peace
and democracy, as the Bangladesh premier
has previously been given the Mother Teresa
and Gandhi Awards. •
• Aditi Khanna
CURRENT AFFAIRS
A Bangladeshi teacher, Shahanaj Parvin, who has
been nominated for a $1 million Global Teacher
Prize last year, has urged parents and students
across the country to nominate other inspirational
teachers so that their profiles can be
upheld in the future sessions of the competition.
Shahanaj, a teacher at Upazila Sadar Model
Government Primary School in Sherpur, Bogra,
made it to the Top 50 shortlist of the Varkey
Foundation Global Teacher Prize in 2017. Now,
she wants other teachers from Bangladesh to
be recognised for their hard work and contributions.
She raised the concern for young children in
today’s world who have to grow up amid “the
rise of populism, the threat of terrorism, growing
inequality, refugee crisis, rapid technological
change and a growing environmental threat.”
She emphasied on the need of good teachers
who can “foster great minds” otherwise, she
opined, “we will never [sic] tackle the world’s
problems.”
“If teachers aren’t respected, children won’t
listen to them, parents won’t back them, and the
most talented individuals will continue to disregard
teaching as a fulfilling career option. Over
time, this will weaken teaching, damage learning
opportunities for millions and ultimately weaken
society as uninformed choices can give way to
populism and extremism,” she added.
Shahanaj was born in a remote Bangladeshi
village to two primary school teachers. From an
early age, she felt girls were discouraged from
receiving education but she persevered, coming
second in the national education board for her
secondary exams, and later completing a Masters
degree in Islamic history and culture.
Many children in Bangladesh drop out of school
in order to financially support their families.
However, Shahanaj’s contribution, teaching
methods that emphasised technology and
multimedia applications, has vastly reduced the
dropout rate.
Besides regularly conducting training workshops
for new teachers, the school teacher has
also published a research paper on why students
generally fail to achieve a standard primary
education.
The Global Teacher Prize was set up to
recognise, from across the globe, one exceptional
teacher who has made an outstanding
contribution to the profession as well as played
an important role in society.
The top 50 teachers were shortlisted from
over 20,000 nominations and applications from
179 countries from around the world. The shortlist
has representatives from 37 countries.
Canadian teacher, Maggie MacDonnell, has
won the $1 million top award for the Global
Teacher Prize at the fifth Global Education and
Skills Forum held at Atlantis, The Palm hotel in
Dubai on March 19 this year. •
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