Weekend-5-14

Dhaka Tribune
vol 5 Issue 14 | friDAY, jUly 28, 2017
12 Animal
abuse
15
Energy vs
ecology
20 Digital
destiny

CONTENTS
Volume 5 | Issue 14 | July 28, 2017
Editor
Zafar Sobhan
Features Editor
Sabrina Fatma Ahmad
Magazine Editor
Farina Noireet
Deputy Magazine Editors
Khan N Moushumi
Shuprova Tasneem
Weekend Tribune Team
Saudia Afrin
Mahmood Hossain
Moumita Ahmed
Tasfia Huda
Baizid Haque Joarder
Saqib Sarker
Mahmood Sadi
Sabiha Akond Rupa
Editor’s note
Dear Readers,
In our constant effort to bring our
readers current issues that warrant
discussion and awareness, this week,
we talk about issues concerning
animal rights, technology and the
environment.
The International Day for the
Conservation of the Mangrove
Ecosystem was July 26, and it is only
apt that we talk about the current
plight of the Sundarbans and the
environmental concerns surrounding
the implementation of the Rampal
coal power plant.
In keeping with the theme of
highlighting global concerns, we also
have an in-depth article on animal
rights, environment and sustainable
development.
On a lighter and sweeter note, our
cooking section this week includes
two decadent desserts featuring the
most delicious of duos – chocolate
and peanut butter.
Finally, we end with an article
that talks about what we have in
store for us as we enter the age of
technological utopia.
Wishing our readers a pleasant
weekend.
Farina Noireet
Contributors
Nazneen Ahmed
Jishnu Brahmaputra
Nimra Naeem
Farzana Romine
Cartoons
Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy
Priyo
Graphics
Md Mahbub Alam
Alamgir Hossain
Shahadat Hossain
Colour Specialist
Shekhar Mondal
Advertisement
Shahin Ahsan
Production
Masum Billah
Circulation
Masud Kabir Pavel
Website
dhakatribune.com/weekend
facebook.com/WeekendTrib
Email your letters to:
weekend@dhakatribune.com
News
2 News
3 Meanwhile
Features
4 Tailored | Men’s fashion
5 Event | Art Weekend
8 Tech | Google Pixel 2
9 Gaming | Retrospective
12 Spotlight | Animal abuse
15 Environment | Energy vs ecology
16 Gender debate | Science
17 Innovation | Into space
19 Energy | Environmental costs
20 Future | Digital destiny
Regulars
18 Stay in
On the cover
Roots of the mangrove
tree. The Sundarbans.
Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017
1

News | world at a glance This week
Global ransomware attacks on
the rise: Europol
Global ransomware attacks soared by over
11 percent in the 12 months to March,
Europol reported last Tuesday, but specialist
tools developed with its partners had helped
unlock some 28,000 encrypted devices.
“Ransomware has soared since 2012,
with criminals lured by the promise of profit
and ease of implementation,” the European
police agency said in a statement.
According to a report by cybersecurity
specialists Kaspersky Lab, the “total number
of users who encountered ransomware
between April 2016 and March 2017 rose by
11.4 percent compared to the previous 12
months, from 2,315,931 to 2,581,026 users
around the world”.
Europol and Kaspersky joined forces with
the Dutch police and others a year ago to
EU to threaten consequences if
Poland starts firing judges
The EU’s executive
will on Wednesday,
last week threaten
Poland with rapid
legal consequences
if it begins
dismissing judges
under powers
created in a judicial reform.
Polish President Andrzej Duda on last
Tuesday ratified a bill giving the justice
minister the power to hire and fire the
senior judges who head ordinary courts
as part of the Law and Justice (PiS) party’s
flagship policy.
The nationalist, eurosceptic PiS says the
powers are needed to streamline a slow
and outdated legal system and make judges
more accountable to the people.
Greece returns to debt markets
after three-year hiatus
Greece returned to the debt markets for
the first time in three years on last Tuesday,
with reports saying it was on track to raise
funds at a lower cost, marking a symbolic
victory for the beleaguered eurozone nation.
Initial transactions for the five-year
government bonds put the yield -- the
financing cost for the government or the
rate of return for investors -- at 4.875
percent.
That is slightly below the 4.95 percent in
Greece’s last auction of five-year bonds in
2014, which was reportedly the target the
establish the
“No More
Ransom”
initiative,
just months
before a
couple of
high-profile cyberattacks made headlines.
In May the WannaCry attack claimed
more than 300,000 business victims across
150 countries in its first few days, Europol
said.
The attack, using a type of malware that
encrypts files on an infected computer and
demands money to unlock them, crippled
“critical infrastructure and businesses,”
Europol said.
Photo: AFP
Critics say they will damage the
independence of the judiciary, which is
enshrined in the Polish constitution. They
point to other PiS measures to increase
government control over prosecutors, state
media and the Constitutional Tribunal.
The European Commission has already
mounted an unprecedented review of
the rule of law in Poland. The prospect of
politicians firing and replacing judges has
now prompted it to come close to triggering
an “Article 7” censure process.
Article 7 is designed to punish a member
state that refuses to respect the bloc’s
common law and values. The Commission
argues that this covers not providing citizens
with access to a court that is independent of
politicians.
Photo: AFP
Greek government had
set.
Greece currently has
no need to draw money
from the bond markets,
as it recently received
renewed support under
its international bailout that should take it
into next year.
However it is a psychological milestone,
demonstrating that Greece is back on the
road to weaning itself off bailout aid.
Photo: AFP
Local
DU to cancel
routes if
buses are
found
driving on
the wrong
side
The Dhaka University authorities will
suspend bus routes if any buses are
found running on the wrong side
of the road, in violation of traffic
regulations.
The decision was made during a
recent internal university meeting,
according to DU acting proctor AM
Amzad.
Amzad said: “We have instructed
the university’s transport section
to strictly follow traffic rules. If any
transport is found to be disobeying
the decision, action will be taken
and the route will be temporarily
suspended.”
“The DU authorites can’t stop a
route permanently, as thousands of
students are relying on the university
buses for transportation,” he added.
When asked about claims by bus
drivers that students pressure them
into travelling on the wrong way, Prof
Amzad said the drivers had been
told not to heed the students’ “illegal
demands” and to follow traffic rules.
The acting proctor further said that
DU authorities would stay in contact
with traffic sergeants to ensure the
correct routes were maintained.
Student reaction to the decision
has been mixed, with some claiming
that following proper traffic rules
would make it impossible to attend
classes and examinations on time.
Around 80 buses, including both
single and double-deckers, ply 21
routes in Dhaka to pick up students
of DU.
News: Dhaka Tribune
2
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017

. . . Meanwhile
Cat in the act. Dhalpur, Dhaka. Photo: Mahmud Hossain Opu
Say what
Florida drug dealer arrested after calling
police to report his cocaine stolen
A self-proclaimed drug dealer has been
arrested after he called police to say his
cocaine stash had been stolen in a burglary.
David Blackmon, 35, reportedly told
officers a thief had broken into his car and
stolen not only $50 (£39) in cash, but also a
quarter of an ounce of cocaine.
He described himself as a drug dealer,
police said in a Facebook post, and officers
from Okaloosa County sheriff’s office, in
Florida, found another bag of cocaine and a
rock of crack inside his car.
They also found a crack pipe, the post
said.
According to one officer’s report,
“Blackmon asked [that] if I knew the cocaine
was there, why did I let him keep talking”.
Following his arrest on Sunday, Mr
Blackmon, of Carson Drive, Walton Beach,
was charged with resisting arrest without
violence, cocaine possession and possessing
Photo
of
the week
drug paraphernalia.
He is awaiting a court hearing, according
to the website of the Okaloosa Department
of Corrections.•
News and photo: The Independent
Aries (Mar21-Apr19): Cultural activities could
inspire you this week. If you visit an exhibition
or concert, you might get ideas you can apply
to your own art or craft.
Taurus (Apr20-May20): You could
experience delays with financial matters
at the start of the week, but this phase is
temporary. Things should be back to normal
within a few days.
Gemini (May21-June20): The focus on your
sector of communication could inspire you
to share your message with the world. The
coming week is a great chance to make new
connections that might help you accomplish
your goal.
Cancer (June21-Jul22): Your financial picture
looks fairly dynamic this week. You might
be inspired to follow a plan that helps you
increase your income, whether that means
finding a new job, starting a business, or
asking for a raise.
Leo (Jul23-Aug22): This week could see you
taking dynamic action in the direction of your
dreams and enjoying the process immensely.
Later this week, these can be an opportunity
to get organised.
Virgo (Aug23-Sep22): Seeing things in
perspective and considering your priorities
can be very helpful in planning future goals.
This is also a good time to clear out any
emotional baggage that might be holding you
back.
Libra (Sep23-Oct22): Your social scene looks
particularly lively this week, with plenty to
keep you busy. You’ll very much enjoy mixing
and mingling with friends and meeting new
people.
Scorpio (Oct23-Nov21): You could find
yourself in the spotlight this week. You could
be encouraged to showcase your skills and
let others know what you can do.
Sagittarius (Nov22-Dec21): f you haven’t
been away in a while, the coming days could
see you booking a vacation, or heading out
for a trip. This is the time to embrace fresh
opportunities.
Capricorn (Dec22-Jan19): Your attention may
be drawn to financial matters and how you can
make your money work harder for you. You
could also be aware of deeper currents that
encourage you to work through issues that
have been on the back burner for some time.
Aquarius (Jan20-Feb18): Relationships of
all kinds could rise to the top of your list of
priorities as a powerful focus in your sector of
relating encourages greater interaction.
Pisces (Feb19-Mar20): The key to feeling good
may lie in taking a closer look at your everyday
routines and doing away with those that no
longer work for you. activities that you love to
do can make a positive difference. •
horoscopes
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 3

tailored | men’s fashion
Pool party
Wait for that weekend when it’s not raining and you can pull off this
go-to outfit
Mahmood Hossain
Spending quality time in the bathroom, while you’re tapping and swiping away on Snapchat, you’ll yearn for the sun to come back into the
picture. So many celebs and even your friends are out and about abroad, hitting up beaches during the summer. When you’re not pining for
that sunshine and find yourself away from the monsoon, you’ll feel right at home with this incredibly comfortable look.
Top
Cotton-twill or linen, full-sleeve shirt is
our pick for the only layer resting on your
shoulders. A shirt of this style in a blue hue
keeps in line with the seaside theme. The
stylistic approach is in your ability to roll up
your sleeves and have the top two buttons
unbuttoned. The modern day cut also allows
for a more flattering and relaxed collar
design. While a fitted shirt works in all other
cases, this isn’t one of them. Keep in mind,
it’s about feeling comfy and relaxed.
Middle
Keep the
rain away
and feel
free to wear
white. Be it
in pristine
white or offwhite,
fitted
shorts are
in favour for
the current
season.
The obvious is to keep these shorts’
appearances rare. The last thing you want
is a very worn out white pair of shorts. They
have to look ironed or straight out of the
store almost every time you decide to wear
them. And as for length, the hemline of
your shorts should drop right above your
knees. Whether you decide to tuck or untuck
your shirt into your shorts is up to you. But
be sure of one thing, just like bespoke or
tailored suits nowadays, belts are absolutely
unnecessary. If the shorts fit, no need for
belts. Simple.
Somewhere in between
A little jewellery never hurt anyone. Nothing
sounds more like an Italian summer
day like this look, added with quality
bracelets. Woven leather bracelets are
the preferred wrist wear nowadays, even
more than wristwatches. A contrasting
and complimenting colour scheme works
wonderfully in an outfit like this one. The
best accessory with all those characteristics
can be found in a well-made bracelet.
You can either sport one bracelet in thick
materials, or two thinner bracelets together
on one wrist.
Bottom
Sticking with the light and breezy look for
a weekend by the water, a beautiful pair
of white loafers are in order. You can play
around a little when it comes to options,
even sport suede if you like. If it’s sunny,
don’t be shy to rock the suede. Driving
shoes round off the look we’re looking
for here. However, opting out of these
for light coloured loafers without laces
can work too. With your sleeves rolled up,
fitted white shorts and sockless feet inside
driving shoes, your hours under the sun will
become a bit more enjoyable. •
4
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017

Event | Art Weekend
More than words
The third annual Art Weekend reviewed
Sabrina Fatma Ahmad
With two fairly successful events covered, the Art Weekend, a two day art exhibition hosted
by a number of embassies in Dhaka at the residences of the respective ambassadors, was
an event Weekend Tribune was eagerly looking forward to attending. Hosting this year’s
AW (held July 21-22) were the German Embassy, the Embassy of Denmark, and the Royal
Norwegian Embassy.
“There has never been a more important
time for an event like this” said German
Ambassador Dr Thomas Prinz, towering over
this writer’s not inconsiderable height as he
alluded to last year’s Gulshan attack. “There
are people who will try to scare you, tell you
“don’t do this, don’t go out, live in fear. How
do you stand up to them? You continue to
live your life, to make and enjoy art.”
Adorning the white walls of his residence
were photographs by Shamim Shorif Susom,
a young aviator and photographer, whose
stunning aerial shots of rural Bangladesh
resemble abstract paintings, bursting with
life and colour.
The Norwegian ambassador’s place is just
a hop, skip and jump away, and housed an
impressive collection of artwork rendered
by 13 students from the Fine Arts Institute
of the Khulna University. From sculptures
to lithographs to mixed media paintings,
all of the pieces were inspired by famed
Norwegian author and freedom of speech
advocate Henrik Ibsen.
“Ibsen’s messages remain relevant
today, even in our context” said Abu Kalam
Shamsuddin, one of the participating
Photo: Embassy of Denmark
Photo: Embassy of Denmark
artists. When asked about the most
memorable aspect of his group’s journey
from Khulna University to the ambassador’s
house in Dhaka, he laughed and replied
“Transporting all the artwork – particularly
the sculptures. We had our hands on our
hearts half the time.”
A rainy rickshaw ride away, the mood was
a festive one at the Danish ambassador’s
house. On the walls hung vibrant
watercolour paintings by indigenous artists
Lumbiny Dewan, Nomosta Rema and Shudip
Chakma. The ambassador’s beautiful wife
Ratanawadee Hemniti Winther welcomed
all visitors with a gracious smile. On
special display racks, diaphanous dresses
Photo: Royal Norwegian Embassy
in delicate muslins rendered by designer
Maria Sultana Mumu, and in one corner,
the Ambassador’s collection of guitars. “I
just put them up there too, because I like
music, and I’m entertaining everyone at
my gallery today,” said Ambassador Mikael
Hemniti Winther, with a smile. Sobering
up, he continued “Considering the unrest
and landslides happening down in the CHT,
it’s been a terrible year for the indigenous
community, coming after several terrible
years. It’s important to listen to them, to give
them a voice, and art is a good way to start
that conversation.”
From fashion to freedom of speech, from
aerial photographs to beautiful watercolour
paintings, this year’s Art Weekend was a
treat to the senses, and provided plenty of
food for thought. •
Photo: German Embassy
Photo: Embassy of Denmark
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 5

Cook your own way | Kitchen chronicles
the Blondie and the brownie
Farzana Romine
If you like peanut butter like me, then you will love these two recipes. The basic difference between blondie and brownie is that one is made
with rich dark chocolate and the other is mainly vanilla or white chocolate, or in this case peanut butter based. Both of these recipes are
simple and easy and you can make them in big batches for big parties. Your guests will love them.
Peanut
butter swirl
brownie
Ingredients:
• 8 tbsp butter
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the peanut butter topping:
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F/ 160°C.
1. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan
with parchment paper.
2. Put butter and chocolates in a heatproof
medium sized bowl set over a pan of
simmering water; stir until melted. Let it
cool slightly.
3. Mix together flour, baking powder, and
salt in a separate bowl, and set aside.
4. Add granulated sugar into the chocolate
mixture. Add eggs, and whisk until
mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla, then
add the flour mixture to this. Stir until
well incorporated.
5. For the swirl, stir together butter,
powdered sugar, peanut butter, salt, and
vanilla in a bowl until smooth.
6. Pour one-third of the batter into prepared
pan, and spread evenly. Place dollops
of the peanut butter filling, about one
inch apart on top of the batter. Drizzle
remaining batter on top, and gently
spread to fill pan. Place dollops of
remaining filling on top.
7. With a butter knife, gently swirl filling
into batter, running knife lengthwise and
crosswise through layers. Bake for 45
minutes, until a cake knife inserted into
brownie (avoid centre and edges) comes
out with a few crumbs but is not wet.
8. Leave to cool slightly in the pan, for about
15 minutes. Lift out the brownie; let it
cool completely on a wire rack before
cutting into squares.
6
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017

Peanut butter
blondie
Ingredients:
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• pinch of salt
• 1+1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C.
1. Line a 13X9 inch baking pan with
parchment paper. Butter the sides of the
pan.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until
light and fluffy. Now add the peanut
butter and beat well. Add the eggs and
vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Photos: Farzana Romine
3. In a bowl, mix the salt, flour and baking
powder. Now add this mixture of dry
ingredients in tothe butter mixture and
stir well, until fully combined. Add the
chocolate chips.
4. Spread this mixture in the baking tin
evenly.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until it’s
set and light brown. Allow it to cool
completely in the pan before cutting into
squares and serve.
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 7

Tech | Google Pixel 2
Google needs love too
This is what to expect or all we know so far of the upcoming Pixel
Mahmood Hossain
We’ve already discussed to death of what to expect from Apple’s flagships, but now it’s Google’s turn to show off the sequel to the
original Pixel. The Pixel and Pixel XL were huge hits from the point of release so it’s only natural to want more from the next stage of
evolution from a Google smartphone. While the date of release for the new Pixel phones are yet to be confirmed, we can only assume
we’ll see a launch date in October.
All-rounder
The obvious information to take without
diving too deep into speculations, is the
overall improvements to a new phone.
There will be a new camera, improved
chipsets and even have a water-resistant
body. The Pixel 2 will surely impress for a
pure Google Android experience, better
than its predecessor.
Give it a squeeze
One of the many rumours flying around is
how the Pixel 2 might take a page from HTC
U11. The phone might have a squeezable
frame, letting the user take advantage of
the pressure sensitive feature that allows
opening certain apps like the camera app.
Hoping to be a little more customisable,
you’ll be able to launch other apps of your
choice by squeezing your phone.
Big and slim
As usual, concept art and other images are
leaked to the market. The latest images
are of the next Pixel XL. They are basically
renderings of what the new XL may look
like. At first glance, you’ll be able to see
the 6-inch display with thinner bezels. It
looks a tad more rectangular with slightly
sharper corners. There can also be different
coloured variants in red, teal or the original
blue colour of the Pixel.
Ease or hurt the pocket
New gadgets of this calibre usually will cost
more than we’d like. At this moment, you’ll
be able to get the original, unlocked Pixel
for over Tk52,000. This means there will be
a significant price bump upward for a new
flagship. It’s a premium phone, therefore, it
will cost a premium price. But it also sounds
like there will be a more affordable option,
what insiders are calling, in the Pixel 2B. The
specs won’t be as great but it won’t cost you
an arm or a leg either. But look at the bright
side, it’ll cost $300 or $400 less than the
newest iPhone slated to release later this
year.
The brains
The latest software update from Google
is called the Android O. While it’s already
available for developers, the newest Android
update has yet to be rolled to the mass
market. It seems that the new Google Pixel
2 will be the first Android smartphone to
roll out the Android O straight from the
factory. This introduces a factory setting that
will allow users to experience the picturein-picture
apps for multitasking, new app
notifications and improved copy and paste
options.
It won’t be easy for this new version of
the Pixel. They’ll still have to fend off the
Samsung Galaxy S8, OnePlus 5 and the
LG G6. We won’t consider the new Apple
iPhone simply because they are of different
operating systems.
Only time will tell if the new Pixel can
impress us yet again as the premier pure
Android experience on a smartphone. •
8
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017

Gaming | Retrospective
Top 5 classic video games
Part 2
Jishnu Brahmaputra
1: Cadillacs and Dinosaurs –
Capcom, 1993
The number one spot is taken by the
number one game in the history of
Bangladesh. This is a game that has
less of a cult following and more of an
unofficial national pedestal. This game is
so ridiculously coveted that the names of
Jack Tenrec, Hannah Dundee, Mustapha
Cairo, and Mess O’Bradovich are etched into
the minds of the gaming population of the
country. In fact, it could be said that every
single type of character, move, weaponand
pickup in this game are remembered and
remembered fondly. From the mostlyharmless
punches from Ferris to the flying
kicks from Thug, from Hammer T dropping
a suspiciously undigested doughnut upon
death to Skinner shooting you into a ‘woahawh!’-inducing
death, we all remember it
as if it was yesterday. Everyone has their
legendary stories when it comes to this
game, and an unspoken decree states that
a person reaches an elevated state of being
when they finish the game without dying
(and without exploiting the glitches on some
arcade machines such as unlimited bullets
on guns). Everyone has countless memories
with this side-scrolling beat-em-up which
can be played with up to three players,
and there isn’t a Bangladeshi gamer worth
a dime that hasn’t played this absolute
masterpiece!
As this highly-debatable and probably
infuriating list draws to a close, let us
have an imaginary toast with our mugs of
health pickups. A toast to all the countless
‘unproductive’ hours we have spent on
having some good clean fun at the expense
of nobody’s suffering. Here’s to all the
dropkicks by Mustapha, the overtakes by
Ford Indigos and the BFG blasts; to jumping
on the stone horse to bring it to life, the
Megabombs dropped and the civilians shot
(whoops); pulling off the 24-hit Razor Ramon
Combo, and seeing the expression on your
friend’s face as you rip off his leg and beat
him to death with it while the screen shows
a bloody ‘Fatality’. Here’s to gaming.
2: Need for Speed 2 SE – EA,
1997
Though NFS 3 was a better game overall,
NFS 2 was by far more popular. Don’t let
the previous statement take anything away
from this blindingly fun game, though; it
is every bit as deserving of praise. With a
slew of some of the hottest contemporary
supercars, a reasonably-balanced tier
system for those cars and (mostly) brilliantly
designed tracks, the game provided hours
of unadulterated fun for anyone who
functioned like a normal human being.
3: Doom 2 – ID Software,
1994
The granddaddy of all modern FPS games
– sure, Wolfenstein 3D pioneered the 3D
genre, but it didn’t have elevations or such a
wide variety of weapons, enemies and just
plain fun. ID software’s brainchild was a helland-industrial
themed gold mine for more
mature audiences with lots of gratuitous
gore, scary demons, frighteningly powerful
cyborgs and a riveting soundtrack. Although
I admit that Quake, released a couple of
years later was a far better game in almost
every way, Doom paved the way for Quake
to exist and was exponentially more popular
(to the point of being on school computers,
such was its ubiquity).
4: Prince of Persia 2: The
Shadow and the Flame
– Broderbund
Software, 1993.
This side-scrolling
game about a
Persian-pauperturned-prince
trying
to save his beloved
princess from the
evil Jaffar might seem
simple at first, but its
wide range of puzzles
and riddles make it stand in a
league of its own. Bear in mind that these
were days when internet connections were
extremely rare and walkthroughs for video
games were virtually unheard of. In fact,
some of the puzzles were so difficult and
so few clues were offered that it took some
players outright years to finish the game,
after they abandoned it out of frustration
and a failure to make progress (myself
included). The skeleton on the bridge, the
magic horse and of course, the eponymous
shadow-and-flame business are all etched
into the minds of anyone who has finished
this gem.
5: Raptor: Call of the
shadows – Apogee/Cygnus,
1994
With one of the best soundtracks in the
history of video games, Raptor had great
graphics, fairly scaling (and never annoyingly
unfair) skill levels, truly – and there’s no
other word for it – awesome weapons and
a no-bullshit-kill-or-be-killed storyline (or
lack thereof). Most people think of it as a
very easy game, but trust me; try the Elite
skill level or, for a little challenge, prove that
you’re better than yours truly by starting
in Tango Sector on Elite and finishing the
game without buying ANY phase shields. I
personally do it by playing only five to six
waves of Tango Sector and finishing Outer
Regions without having played a single level
of Bravo (yes, without phase shields). •
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 9

10 WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017
Photo Story | Mango Chronicles

Mango madness
Chapai Nawabganj
is considered to be
the mango capital
of Bangladesh.
Covered with
mango orchards,
this summer fruit is
known to actually
sustain the local
economy during
this season. This
week, we bring you
some snapshots
from the wholesale
mango market at
Kansat, Chapai
Nawabganj, as well
as the journey from
orchard to market
from all over the
district, especially
Shibganj, Bholahat
and Gamostapur
upazilas.
Photos: Noor Ahmed Gelal
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 11

spotlight | Animal Abuse
Animal Rights,
Environment
and
Sustainable
Development
Animals throughout the world are in grave trouble
Photo: Bigstock
Nazneen Ahmed
In Bangladesh, Chittagong city went ahead with its dog culling plans, despite a High Court ruling against this practice. There have been
numerous occasions of wild animals, such as Bengal tigers, leopards and fishing cats, being killed by mobs when spotted in human territories.
Deaths have also occurred when authorities failed to provide adequate care or mishandled animals when they were caught.
On the global level, animals suffer in
laboratory experiments, are forced
to perform in circuses and are bred
inhumanely in pet shops. In farms across
China and Vietnam, bears are raised in
‘crush cages’ to extract bile from their
gall bladders for traditional medicine that
have no scientific basis. Open holes are
made in their abdomens and metal tubes
are permanently implanted. The pain is
so unbearable that some bears try to kill
themselves by punching the infected area.
Starved and dehydrated, thousands of bears
suffer this torture for as long as they survive
– around 20 years.
Animals are being trafficked for the illegal
exotic pet trade, traditional medicine, and
unauthorised zoos and farms. In 2016, a
global assessment by the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime revealed that
animal trafficking has escalated into
transnational organised crime in which
all regions of the world were more or less
involved, either as a source, transit or
destination country.
The fur industry spread across China,
US and Europe is another sector where
gross animal abuses have been reported.
Crammed in small cages, minks, foxes,
and raccoons are bred in such deplorable
conditions that they become insane and
were found to self-mutilate – biting their
skin and limbs. Their deaths are anything
but humane - they are even skinned alive to
cut down costs.
12
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017

These are just a few snapshots of the larger
picture. The massive - and underreported
- abuse, exploitation and extinction of nonhuman
animals by our human species pose
serious ethical and philosophical questions.
Now is the time to revisit the moral status
that we have attributed to non-humans and
nature for centuries.
Philosophical origin of
animal rights
While religion has been influential in
determining moral status regarding animals,
it is largely the philosophy of the West that
has shaped the paradigm. Aristotle wrote
that nature existed only for human use and
as animals do not have the power to reason,
they are suitable for exploitation. However,
Pythagoras viewed animals as kindred
souls, promoted a vegetarian lifestyle and
explicitly forbade animal exploitation. In the
East, ancient Jain and Buddhist philosophies
recognised animal suffering and put a
strong emphasis on ahimsa or non-violence
towards all living beings. Confucianism
believed in the oneness of nature and
humans.
Dr Sultan Hafeez Rahman, a reputed
economist associated with founding of the
Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary in Chittagong,
reminds us the root cause of today’s cruelty
to animals: “The 500-year long history of
plundering nature and destroying species
has its roots in the Man versus Nature
paradigm that was born in the modern
era and derived its legitimacy from the
Industrial Revolution.”
The Qur’an makes it clear that animals
are equally important to God as humans
are: There is not an animal on earth, nor
a creature flying on two wings, but they
are communities like you; we have not
ignored anything in the Book and all [living
things] will return to their Lord [Surah Al-
An’am:38]. There are numerous Hadiths
that forbid beating animals, forcing them to
carry excessively heavy loads, slaughtering
animals in front of one another, sharpening
knives in front of sacrificial animals, to
mention a few. A moving account of
kindness to animals is available in Sahih
Bukhari [Vol.4, Book 54, No. 538], where a
sexual worker was pardoned because she
gave water to a thirsty dog.
Animals and environmental
conservation
Sadly, we remain largely unaware of how
our consumption causes suffering and
threatens animals through deforestation,
overhunting, and overfishing. When we
buy foreign breeds of pets instead of
adopting local breeds, we sustain the
farms that breed these animals in horrific
When we are empathetic
for the sufferings of
animals, we change our
behaviour and become
responsible tourists and
consumers
conditions. By buying exotic animals as pets
and purchasing commodities made from
wild animals, we contribute to the illegal
wildlife trade. Irresponsible consumption
also undermines biodiversity conservation
efforts of millions of dollars and leads to
greater negative environmental footprints,
of consumers and manufacturers.
Industrial fishing for tropical tuna and
sharks makes use of unsustainable fishing
gears namely, Fish Aggregating Devices
(FADs) and long-lines. These generate a
large amount of by-catch - unwanted marine
creatures that are caught, die and are
discarded. WWF puts forward a shocking
estimate: around 38 million tonnes or 40
percent of annual global marine catch is bycatch.
Each year, thousands of small whales,
dolphins, endangered loggerhead turtles
and critically endangered leatherback turtles
are killed. This also threatens 26 species of
sea birds, including 17 albatross species,
with extinction.
Such levels of wastage of marine lives are
emptying our oceans, threatening future
revenues and livelihoods and raising serious
questions of sustainability and animal
welfare.
Animals and sustainable
development
Aside from the fact that there is a moral
obligation to refrain from treating animals
with cruelty, why has protecting animal
rights become important in the age of
sustainable development?
Estimates from the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD), UNEP and the International Police
Organization (INTERPOL) place the cost of
environmental crime, including illegal wild
animal trade, to be up to USD 258 billion
annually, which is almost twice the amount
of the USD 132 billion of development aid
disbursed globally in 2015. This means that
environmental crime is not only affecting
animals but also stealing revenue streams
from governments of developing nations
and limiting their ability to meet the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
When we are empathetic for the
sufferings of animals, we change our
behaviour and become responsible tourists
and consumers. By rejecting commodities
that are made from exotic animals or
through ecosystem destruction, boycotting
industries that compromise animal welfare
standards, avoiding entertainment that
exploits animals, we, as consumers, are
well-placed to demand sustainability in
supply chains and thus pave the path for
sustainable development.
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 13

egenerate.”
In short, animal rights and welfare,
directly or indirectly, are increasingly being
recognised across the globe.
Capuchin monkey of Peru held captive
There are inspiring examples of industries
and retailers which were forced to limit their
environmental footprint: Mattel, the world’s
largest toy company and manufacturer of
Barbie dolls, the food chain KFC, Nestle´,
Procter and Gamble, Kraft, Danone and
Unilever used to purchase their packaging
paper from the Indonesian paper giant
Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), which collected
pulp by rampant destruction of Indonesian
rainforests. Confronted with worldwide
protests by consumers and environmental
activists, these companies cancelled their
contracts with APP, thus dropping rainforest
deforestation from their supply chains.
Top sportswear and fashion brands, such
as Benetton, Adidas, H&M, Puma, Valentino,
Levi’s, and Marks and Spencer, to name
but a few, have committed to working with
their suppliers in the textile supply chain to
stop discharging hazardous chemicals into
oceans and seas. UK supermarket chain
Tesco and US retailer Walmart are being
forced to remove unsustainably-caught tuna
from their suppliers.
Acknowledging that animal welfare
has ethical, economic, and environmental
implications, the Food and Agricultural
Organisation (FAO) has provided technical
guidelines on a range of animal welfare
issues, such as humane management
of dog population through neutering,
compassionate handling, transport
and slaughter of livestock, emergency
interventions for livestock during natural
disasters.
In the World Conservation Congress in
Photo:Claudia Galvez-Durand Besnard/SERFOR/Mongabay
2016, IUCN member countries expressed
their support for nature’s rights to exist
through their resolution “the rights of
nature as a fundamental and absolute key
element in all IUCN’s areas of intervention
and decision making.” Ecuador has included
nature’s right to exist in its constitution.
Bolivia enacted the Law of the Rights of
Mother Earth, which not only ensures
nature’s right to exist but also guarantees
that nature can take legal action against
its tormentors. France has changed the
legislative status of animals: no longer
termed as ‘objects’, animals have officially
been recognised as “living, sentient beings,”
thereby allowing their sufferings to get
addressed. Admiringly, Bangladesh has also
taken the right step forward by approving
the draft Animal Welfare Act 2016 to punish
animal offenders.
The most landmark recognition of animal
rights can be felt in target 12.8 of the SDG,
which explicitly requires people to adopt
lifestyles that are “in harmony with nature.”
The central aim here is to create a society
that learns to preserve nature and animals
based on their inherent value, irrespective
of whether they serve humans or not. To
advance the implementation of this target,
in 2016 the United Nations released a report
in which experts from multiple disciplines
recommended to “include the rights of
Nature in our governance systems, not by
advancing its interests within the capital
system as resources to be exploited, but by
recognizing the fundamental legal rights of
ecosystems and species to exist, thrive and
Compassion above all
The discussion should not be about whether
animals feel pain, but rather about selfreflection.
If we humans are capable of
feelings, then with all our rationality and
emotions, why have we failed to distinguish
between kindness and cruelty?
There is a tendency to believe that if one
cares for animals, then they are ignoring
humans or not considering humans
as important. Compassion knows no
discrimination on grounds of race, religion
or species. A nation does not need to be
‘developed’ in order to be compassionate.
No matter which economic activity we
pursue, it must have an ethical foundation,
one of which is to protect the vital interests
of animals. For how long do economists
and policy makers expect to achieve
environmental conservation without valuing
animal lives? Without teaching ethics
and nurturing virtues like tolerance and
compassion?
Personally speaking, I have known the
meaning of injustice from animals – millions
of them, losing their forest homes and
giving away their lives and their babies’
lives through no fault of their own. It is
their sufferings that are not covered by
the media, not discussed among the civil
society, academia and politicians that have
taught me the meaning of injustice. It is their
silent, pleading eyes – and not econometrics
or statistics – that showed me the scale of
brutality, the depth of despair.
I am hopeful though that someday
mankind will awaken to a new paradigm
and during my lifetime I will get to see a
United Nations Declaration of Animal Rights.
I derive my hopes from Jawaharlal Nehru’s
speech delivered 70 years ago: “A moment
comes which comes but rarely in history,
when we step out from the old to the new,
when an age ends and when the soul of a
nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.”
I have found an utterance on behalf of
animals, amid the silence of animals. •
The author is a staff member of
BRAC Institute of Governance and
Development, BRAC University. The
views expressed in this article are
those of the author alone and do not
represent those of the institution she
serves.
14
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017

The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem having just
passed on July 26, we delve a little into the current plight of the Sundarbans.
Mahmood Sadi
Environment | Energy Vs Ecology
Sundarban and Rampal:
an unfortunate co-relation
I last went to the Sundarbans on a three-day
trip in the third week of November, 2015.
The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral
Resources took a group of journalists there
on a launch-trip from Khulna to Hiran Point
shed light on the scenario surrounding the
construction of the ‘infamous’ Rampal power
plant.
Dubbing that much-hyped trip
“purposeless”, the environmentalists and
academicians said it would change neither
their stance nor that of the government.
Fast forward 19 months, the
environmentalists and the government are
still locking horns on the same issue. While
the coal based 1200 MW power plant is
well on course to be finished by December
2019, environmentalists and activists are
still hoping that the construction of the plant
will eventually be stopped for the sake of
protecting the largest mangrove forest in the
world.
An unfortunate co-relation
For the last few years, instead of Royal Bengal
Tiger or Sundari trees, the word ‘Rampal’ has
become more synonymous with Sundarban.
This is because a large part of the
population including a good number of
environmentalists and academics strongly
believe that the construction of a coal-based
plant of such a large scale would be a deathknell
for Sundarban.
They have cited enough reasons and
presented enough evidence to back their
stance but the government seems to be
adamant about not giving any heed to
their concerns. Interestingly, the facts
and logic presented by the government in
favour of Rampal also seem to be based
on firm ground and thus subject to rational
consideration.
The disagreement between the two
resembles a classical situation in where an
unstoppable force meets an immovable
object. But in this case, the government
obviously has the upper hand, mobilising
necessary power to finish their tasks.
Nonetheless, this stalemate along with several
social media movements have somehow
made Rampal an unwanted synonym of
Sundarban.
A positive step after the WHC
session
After the construction of the power plant
in Rampal had begun, many other large
industries started buying lands near the areas
as they had anticipated that the whole area
would turn into a massive industrial zone with
the presence of a mega power plant.
This was one of the fears expressed by the
environmentalists that the government would
not be able to control the development frenzy
surrounding the plant. Apparently, after the
latest meeting of World Heritage Committee
(WHC) in Krakow, Poland, where a high level
Bangladesh delegation attended under the
leadership of Dr Tawfique-E-Elahi Chowdhury,
the Energy Advisor to the Prime Minister, the
government has at least decided to put a cap
on that development frenzy.
The government now declares that it will
not allow the construction of any large-scale
project near the Sundarbans, obviously except
the coal-powered Rampal power plant, before
conducting a strategic environmental impact
assessment report (SEIA).
The SEIA would be prepared and submitted
at the 42nd session of the WHC of Unesco
in December 2018 and after getting the
observations and comments of WHC, the
government will move forward with any
further development plan near Sundarban.
A ‘counter-plan’ by the
government?
The government is also now planning to
take up a Tk840 crore project to protect
the Sundarbans. The Ministry of Forest and
Environment has prepared the Detailed
Project Plan (DPP) and sent it to the Planning
Commission, for review.
Under the Tk840 crore project, which will
be implemented within 2016-2021, a number
of programmes will be undertaken. These
include biodiversity conservation, alternative
livelihood programme, and installation
of digital monitoring and smart patrolling
systems.
As part of the alternative livelihood
programme, employment opportunities
Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain
will be created for around 100,000 people
of the area, in two phases. Besides, a
regular vigilance committee, comprising
law enforcement personnel and influential
persons from the area, will be created, to
ensure the protection of the forest, said the
project document.
Environmentalists seem to
differ, as usual
Prof Anu Muhammad from Sundarban
Protection Committee who has been the front
runner of the protesters against the plant
however terms this project as nothing but
eyewash.
“There is no need of spending Tk840 crore
and there is no need for spending billions of
dollars to implement Rampal power plant
near the forest. The best way to protect
Sundarbans is to leave it alone.”
Anu Muhammad said that the project
money will be misused. “Who is giving money
for implementing the project? If you look
at the project proposal, you will see that a
large portion of it will come from the donor
agencies. That money will be used for the
foreign trips of the bureaucrats.”
“Under the project, employment will be
created for 100,000 people. How about
the millions of people who will lose their
livelihood due to destruction of the forest?
The entire population of the coastal area will
be affected.”
“We have repeatedly urged the government
to stop this controversial project. But, the
government is paying no heed to these
demands. I believe, this Sundarbans
protection project is just a hoax that the
government is trying to play with its people,”
he said. •
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 15

Gender Debate | Science
The myth of blue brains
and pink brains
Problems faced by women in tech
Weekend Tribune Desk
Tech is an industry desperate for talent. Yet, despite having women representing 40 to 45
percent of college graduates each year, we have very few of them joining the tech-related
workforce—whether it’s in IT, computing or engineering.
“I grew up listening to others say ‘Girls don’t score as high in science and math as boys,’
or ‘Science and technology is not for girls,’ so despite always having a keen interest to study
Computer Science in college, I chose Human Resource Management and Marketing instead,”
says Farhana Akhter, 26.
Starting early—a learning
space for women
Farhana is not the only girl who ended up
studying something entirely different than
what she had initially planned.
A report published in 2008 by Professor
Shamima K Choudhury, Department
of Physics, University of Dhaka, titled
“Challenges of Women in Science:
Bangladesh Perspectives” indicates that
more women than men with Science or
Engineering degrees opt into other fields
of study during the transition to graduate
school.
The report also highlights that women
only make up nine to 11 percent of the total
number of students enrolled in Computer
Science or Engineering departments
in University of Dhaka, Jahangir Nagar
University and BUET.
Ishita Akhter, 22, took Computer Science
in her A-Levels and that’s where she drew
the line. “Everyone thought I’m better
off studying something else like Fashion
Designing, or International Business.” She
says besides friends, peers and family
members, even some of her teachers
suggested she choose something “a little
less complex.”
“How many times have you not raised
your hand to ask a simple question during
lectures, thinking others may judge you
as ‘stupid’? Multiply that anxiety by 10
when you are thinking of girls sitting in a
Computer Science class,” adds Ishita, who
believes girls need a judgment-free space
to learn coding skills and new programming
languages from scratch.
Not enough role models
In the male-dominated tech industry, how
many girls actually consider computer
science or engineering as a potential college
major?
“When we think of a role model who
may represent the Computer Science
department of a university, we generally
picture a quiet guy in thick glasses, carrying
his laptop. No one would imagine a girl
in his place, representing the department
where guys mostly enroll in,” says Ashik, 24,
a Computer Science graduate, who sincerely
hopes to extinguish the gender disparity in
the tech world.
“It would be entirely wrong to say there
isn’t a single female idol in the tech industry
that one could reap inspiration from. Allison
Korczynski, electronic engineer at Microsoft
or Brine Lee, the first female engineer at
Instagram are some really great examples
but we are yet to see renowned female
engineers or IT professionals in the country,”
says Ashik.
But in order to create these role models
in Bangladesh, the problems women
face in tech need to be identified and
acknowledged. Promoting a corporate
culture where all employees are equally
respected, regardless of their gender is the
need of the hour.
The corporate world
Urmi Ahmed, head of HR in an IT firm,
says she mostly has men coming in
for programming, graphic designing,
developing, or software engineer positions
at her company. “IT is still an incredibly
male-dominated field.”
“Many of my friends and family members
still embrace the age-old cultural biases
and have mixed feelings about women
working in IT.” says Farhana. She believes
cultural expectations influence the gender
division to such a great extent that it results
in women pursuing careers in other fields,
even if they have studied or express interest
Photo: Bigstock
in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering
and Math).
Nuzhat Binte Arif is a product designer
at Grameen Intel Social Business Limited,
and thinks there is definitely an unconscious
bias, forcing women in tech to spend
longer trying to prove that they know what
they’re talking about. “It’s tiring and boring,
frankly, but we just have to keep at it for
now. There is also the culture of omitting
women’s achievements. Society does it,
and sometimes we do it ourselves because
there’s a perceived notion that we should be
humble.” But this makes it difficult for young
girls looking for role models and mentors
and ultimately creates a lonely environment
for the few who try to make it into the
industry.
“I think we need to encourage young
girls to learn more about tech, make it
interesting for them, and make it so that it’s
not ‘scary’ or ‘something that boys are good
at.’ We also need to create awareness that
the tech industry is huge. It’s not just about
programming. There are so many aspects
to it like design, user research, hardware,
management, software, testing, etc.”
Nuzhat believes that the industry could
benefit hugely from employing women, who
are a large portion of the customer base and
could provide invaluable input on how the
‘other half’ of the population thinks. •
16 WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017

Innovation | Into space
BRAC ONNESHA –
Bangladesh’s first
nano satellite
Tasfia Huda
BRAC Onnesha is a cubeSat developed, built
and tested in Kyushu Institute of Technology
by three Bangladeshi post graduate
students – Abdulla Hil Kafi, Raihana Shams
Islam Antara and Maisun Ibn Monowar. On
February 8, BRAC University became the first
Bangladeshi educational institution to get
its very own nano satellite, developed and
assembled by three of its students, using
the technology and facilities of a Japanese
university.
BRAC Onnesha is shaped as a cube of
10cm edge, capable of completing one orbit
400 kilometres above the ground in 90
minutes and passing over Bangladesh four
to six times a day.
CubeSat is a standard for satellites,
developed by Professors Bob Twiggs and
Jordi Puig-Suari. The exterior shape of the
satellite is well defined by the standard,
which allows developers to seek cheap and
frequent launch opportunities.
On June 4, the nano satellite was
launched by SpaceX, FALCON 9 Rocket by its
CRS-11 mission to ISS from Kennedy Space
Centre in Florida, USA. The ground station
has been set up on the rooftop of Building-4
of BRAC University at Mohakhali in the
capital.
This week, Weekend Tribune sat down
with one of the students, who worked
relentlessly on designing Bangladesh’s first
nano satellite – Maisun Ibn Monowar, and
he spoke to us about the features of BRAC
Onnesha and its missions in space.
Origin of BRAC Onnesha:
BIRDS Project
BIRDS Project or “Joint Global Multi National
Project” is a cubeSat constellation project
under the leadership of Professor Mengu
Cho of Kyushu Institute of Technology. In
June 2015, an MOU was signed between
BRACU and KyuTech. On February 8,
2017 the satellite was handed over to
BRAC University, and the very next day,
the satellite was handed over to Japan
Aerospace Agency [JAXA] for launch. On
June 4, 2017 the satellite was launched as a
cargo to the International Space Station. The
satellite was deployed on July 7, 2017 as the
first candidate.
Missions
During its two months of operation time,
BRAC Onnesha will perform six missions in
total.
Capturing the image of homeland
country
Monitoring natural resources is one of
the most used applications of satellite
technology. The main mission of BIRDS
satellites is to capture the pictures of its
homeland country, and send it back to the
country’s ground station.
Work as a Digi-Singer
BRAC Onnesha will broadcast our national
anthem from space. This mission aims to
motivate the young enthusiastic minds for
a career in space engineering. Anyone with
a UHF receiver can receive and listen to our
national anthem, played from space.
SEL detection
Single Event Latchup or SEL is a
phenomenon related to a harsh space
environment. Due to galactic cosmic
radiation, microprocessors sometimes
experience internal short circuits. This
disrupts satellite operation. BIRDS
constellation aims to map SEL events and
provide a statistical database for interested
audience.
Atmospheric drag measurement
By using data from all five of the
cubeSats, BIRDS project aims to measure
atmospheric drag more reliably by
observing the decay rate of satellites. This
data will provide more indepth data for
our atmosphere and its effect on CubeSat
mission.
Precise satellite position detection
system
In addition to five countries building
satellites, Taiwan and Thailand are also
participating in the BIRDS project by
sharing their ground station. Seven ground
station in total help to track the satellite
without using any GPS.
Ground station network
A ground station network can effectively
increase the communication window. •
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 17

stay in
Clues
Mini cryptics
ACROSS
1 Hot animal eats needle
(6)
6 Choose without first
vote in (5)
7 Separate a movie role
(5)
8 Call again concerning
clock face (6)
DOWN
2 Clan die out in northern
country (7)
3 A tinier change for idleness
(7)
4 Batman’s home has deli
meat(6)
5 Not just note in remodelled
ruin (6)
Sudoku
Use the numbers 1-9 to complete
each of the 3x3 square grids such that
each horizontal and vertical line also
contains all of the digits from 1-9
DIY Leaf art
Noshin Tasnuba
Get your hands on the prettiest
leaves of various shapes and
sizes that you can find around
you, and decorate your room
to enjoy fall color year-round in
framed artwork.
diy
Last week’s solutions
Solved it? Email answers to weekend@dhakatribune.com and win one free
month of the Dhaka Tribune.
Last week’s solutions
You will need:
• Leaves of different shapes and
sizes
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of glycerin
• Flat pan
• Card stock
• White frame
• Water colour (choose fall
inspired colours like orange,
green and yellow)
ACROSS
1 Nothing returns after French
sea wizard (6)
6 Look back, as in relaxes (5)
7 Monkey medic makes cloth
cover (5)
8 Identity in one direction is most
broad (6)
DOWN
2 Gem confused mere lad (7)
3 Takes on board and lets sin
change (7)
4 More inquisitive on rise anew (6)
5 Field commercial in cat language
(6)
Solved it? Email answers to weekend@dhakatribune.com and
win one free month of the Dhaka Tribune.
Directions:
Mix the water and glycerin in a
flat pan and submerge the leaves
in a single layer. Leave the leaves
to soak in the mixture for about
two to three hours. (Glycerin
preserved leaves aren’t brittle
like the normal ones)
Cut out card stock to put as the
background of your artwork. Drain
the leaves and let them dry for
sometime.
Use water colours to paint
the back side of the leaves to
make the veins look more visible.
Carefully lay the leaves, painted
side down in the middle of the
card stock.
Gently press a paper towel on top
of the leaves to press the paint
onto the paper. Attach the card
stock to the frame you chose and
hang in your desired place.•
18 WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017

Why are both Pakistan and Bangladesh making the wrong energy choices?
Nimra Naeem
energy | Environmental Costs
Treading in dangerous waters
With the energy demand growing due to population explosions in South Asia, energy shortage is one of the biggest concerns our governments
have to face. For Pakistan, overcoming the energy crisis is one of the biggest challenges which the present government aims to resolve in its
tenure, even if it comes at huge environmental costs. Under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, investments have been made in several
energy projects in Pakistan including wind, solar and coal projects. The biggest investments have been made in setting up coal based power
plants in Sahiwal, Gwadar and Port Qasim.
Photos: Bigstock
From renewables to fossil:
going in the wrong direction
The share of coal in Pakistan’s energy mixup
has been low up till now, as Pakistan
relies more on thermal, natural gas and
hydro to meet its energy needs. The country
has recently taken initiatives to increase
energy production using renewables.
Being a major sugar producer, Pakistan
has an annual capacity to produce 30-40
million tons of sugar. The sugarcane waste
that the industry produces is known as
Bagasse which has a potential to produce
an estimated 2000 MW of energy. It can be
produced at a very low cost, because there
is no fuel required for transportation as the
sugar mills can generate electricity using inhouse
Bagasse co-generation power plants.
The “Framework for Power Co-generation
through Bagasse” will allow sugar producers
to supply surplus electricity to the national
grid. It is one of the cleanest forms of energy
generation for Pakistan. Meanwhile, many
rural homes in the country have electricity
thanks to initiatives taken to provide low
cost solar energy in rural Pakistan. Now
with the coal power plants backed by
Chinese investments, Pakistan is treading in
dangerous waters.
The Sahiwal power plant will require 4.48
million tons of sub-bituminous coal per
annum, which is imported from Indonesia.
Similarly, the Port Qasim Power project
would require an estimated 4.66 million
tons of coal per annum, also imported from
Indonesia and South Africa. The imported
coal is considered to be a cleaner form of
coal compared to local coal, which holds a
high amount of sulfur. So Pakistan has little
choice other than taking up higher import
costs in order to incur less environmental
costs. Even if the plants are based on clean
coal technology the amount of emissions
can only be decreased, but is not a long
term solution in reducing emissions, the way
renewables can.
It is possible to invest in
renewable energy instead
Unfortunately Bangladesh seems to be
suffering from the same illusion as Pakistan.
As environmental activists in Bangladesh
protest against the Rampal coal power
plant, the government assures its citizens
that the plant uses clean coal technology
which will curb the emissions. However,
estimates by Greenpeace suggest a totally
different picture, claiming that the plant
would be the biggest source of air pollution
in the country. Moreover, the plant is being
constructed on the world’s largest mangrove
forest, declared as a UN World heritage
site. However supporters of the plant claim
that this is just a controversy created by
the activists, justifying the land’s proximity
to River Poshur as an ideal location for the
plant. But considering the huge risks of coal
spills in the area which could contaminate
the water and threaten the existence of
endangered species, the concerns of the
activists seem valid. Bangladesh too would
be importing coal from either Australia or
India, either way, increasing its costs.
Pakistan and Bangladesh are amongst
the countries most vulnerable to climate
change, largely in part due to emissions
generated by large industrialised countries.
Isn’t it better, if instead of incurring
huge costs setting up coal power plants,
they divert the money into renewable
energy? An interesting survey conducted
in northern Pakistan showed 81 percent
of respondents showing high interest in
solar home systems. However, a significant
majority (around 60 percent) also expected
the government to provide incentives for
them to use the system. If more incentives
are provided to the sector, the prices of
renewables would come down in developing
countries and be market competitive, and
more consumers would opt for renewables.
But the first step is for us to realise that
clean coal is not a viable long-term solution.
There are very few success stories when it
comes to clean coal technology, and those
too after huge costs were incurred in setting
up the infrastructure in richer countries.
However, a trip to the remote areas of
Pakistan will reveal the changes that clean
and affordable solar energy has been able
to make in people’s lives. These stories are
the real success stories, often pushed to
the sidelines, maybe because they aren’t as
exciting, but these are the stories we need
to talk about. •
WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 19

Future | Digital Destiny
IoT: the coming technotopia
Amazing things that the IoT will make possible
Saqib Sarker
Imagine writing an article in the late 70s explaining how a new thing called the Internet will soon change everything about everything. The IoT
or the “Internet of things” is an equally revolutionary force that is going to become a reality very soon. More precisely, its all encompassing
impact is going to become a reality in the near future, as the IoT already exists.
Explaining what the IoT is can be confusing. In the simplest term, the IoT works by connecting every object that can be connected to the
Internet and to each other. You may think this is not an especially unthinkable idea, seeing we are already familiar with our mobile phones, TVs
and a number of other things being connected to the Internet.
Goodbye muggles
To help you imagine what it would be like,
think about a wizard casting a spell to make
the things on your desktop animated and
able to obey your command, kind of like
how Harry Potter does things. After the spell
is cast, your water bottle comes to life and
decides it is running low in water and then
walks away to fill itself up. It comes back to
your desk full of water.
With the IoT, the bottle will do the
exact same work, minus sprouting flexible
plastic limbs and walking on them. It will
be connected to the Internet and/or other
devices and when it needs filling up, it
will send a signal to a carrier device which
will bring water to your desk and fill up
the bottle. Whether or not it achieves the
end result, ie filling up the bottle with the
help of a moving device, is not particularly
important. The point is, the IoT will
essentially give life to inanimate objects.
Smart home
Discussions about the IoT have been going
on for a while now and experts are trying to
grasp how this will impact our lives, as more
and more devices start to join the IoT.
Imagine getting close to your home and
your lift will know it has to come pick you
up. And then walking into your apartment
to have your coffee ready and water heater
started just in time for your usual shower
time. It is unknown at this point if this will
improve conjugal life, but it sure will make
life chore-less.
Note however, this is not sci-fi, and the
technology already exists, only not quite
implementable on a mass scale. Cisco,
for instance, controls the core functions
of its 300 buildings worldwide, including
climate, electricity use and security, from
four locations. The company foresees a day
when an executive driving into the garage
will automatically signal the lift to come pick
him up and turn on the lights in his office,
reports Alec Scott in The Globe and Mail.
Apple, the US tech giant, has already
announced ‘HomeKit’, a software framework
that will allow users to set up their iPhone
to configure, communicate with, and
control smart-home appliances. HomeKit
let’s users set single command prompts
called “scenes”. “So you can create a scene
named “Leaving Home” that turns off the
lights, locks your doors, and lowers the
thermostat,” the Apple website informs.
Smart cities
The possibilities of the IoT are exciting,
but will be truly astounding when ‘smart
cities’ will materialise. Currently, the IoT is
being used to reduce gridlock. Smart LED
streetlights in San Diego turn on only when
a pedestrian or vehicle approaches; the city
recently replaced 3000 old street lamps with
sensor-equipped ones to save an estimated
$250,000 annually.
In the UK, a special type of street lamps
is being tested with the goal of deterring
hooliganism. These lamps turn extra-bright
when they detect specific types of commotion
like banging and hollering, and then start to
transmit a live video feed to the cloud.
It’s not difficult to imagine how things like
these will evolve to create the future smart
city where everything from law enforcement
Photo: Bigstock
to commuting will be automated and the
technologies will be so seamless, they will
appear alive.
‘No accidents’ by design
The automotive industry has been
developing smart vehicles for a long while
now. Technology is already in place for safe
self-driven cars. But with the fully developed
and implemented IoT, it is going to deliver
the ultimate smart cars that will do a lot
more than auto-piloting.
The research firm Gartner has estimated
that, by 2020, there will be 250 million
connected cars on the world’s roads,
with many of them capable of driving
themselves. When the technology will be
finally implemented in the public sector it
will bring about the much fantasized future
smart city that sci-fi writers and futurologists
have been predicting. Imagine getting into
a bus and it will know exactly where to
drop you off. And with all the vehicles able
to drive themselves, traffic jam will be a
thing of the past. Cisco’s Smart, Connected
Vehicles division has projected that
autonomous cars could eliminate as many
as 85 percent of head-on collisions. So, it
will be finally possible to almost completely
eliminate traffic accidents.•
20 WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017