e_Paper_Wednesday_December 12, 2016

SECOND EDITION 

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2016 | Poush 14, 1423, Rabiul Awwal 27, 1438 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 240 | www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10 

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU 

‘New JMB’ planned suicide attack 

on Dhaka church › 2 

Horror for 

minority 

groups › 4 

‘Indo-Bangla border to 

be sealed completely 

by mid 2018’ › 5 

All set for first 

ever Zila Parisad 

polls today › 7 

Chunnu: No 

plan to revise 

RMG wage › 12

2 

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2016 

DT 

News 

LEAD STORY 

Police: ‘New JMB’ planned suicide 

attack on Dhaka church 

• Mohammad Jamil Khan and 

Kamrul Hasan 

Terrorist group ‘New Jamaatul Mujahideen 

Bangladesh (JMB)’ was 

plotting to attack a church in Dhaka 

on Christmas day, police have 

claimed. 

The group, many of whose 

members have been named by the 

Islamic State (IS) as its operatives 

in Bangladesh, was plotting this 

attack under the leadership of it’s 

new operational leader Moinul Islam 

alias Abu Musa. 

This information was gleaned 

from the latest raid on a New JMB 

raid in Dhaka’s Ashkona, a police 

Counter Terrorism and Transnational 

Crime (CTTC) unit officer 

told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. 

The raid took place on December 

24. 

Although the CTTC would not 

disclose details of Christmas day 

attack, a highly placed source in 

the force said that the documents 

they had received from the Ashkona 

safe house and statements of 

the surrendered female militants 

indicated that the attack would 

have taken place at Banani Church 

using at least one member of a female 

squad. 

CTTC chief Monirul Islam said 

Surjo Villa in Ashkona was being 

used by New JMB as a shelter 

home, where Musa used to live 

A file photo of Christians saying their prayers at Banani Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Dhaka 

with his wife Trisha Moni. 

“Four days back, Musa visited 

the shelter from where we found 19 

grenades, three suicide vests and 

Tk12 lakh in burnt notes,” he said. 

“We are suspecting their plan 

was to carry out massive violence 

Musa used Threema app to 

contact wife 

• Kamrul Hasan and Arifur 

Rahman Rabbi 

Musa, the current operational 

chief of New JMB, used the same 

android app as the Gulshan attackers 

to communicate with 

his wife inside the militant safe 

house in Ashkona. 

Investigators yesterday said 

they had found trace of the app 

Threema from the phones recovered 

inside the flat along with the 

group’s documents. 

Seeking anonymity, a Counter 

Terrorism and Transnational 

Crime (CTTC) unit senior official 

said Moinul Islam alias Abu Musa 

instructed his wife Trisha Moni 

to wear a suicide vest and blow 

herself up along with her fourmonth-old 

daughter through 

on Christmas.” 

Regarding Musa’s role, Monirul 

said by interrogating Musa’s wife 

Trisha and militant Maj Zahid’s 

wife Jebunnahr Shila, police had 

come to know that after the death 

of top leaders of the group, Musa 

Threema. 

Threema first came into light 

during the investigation of Gulshan 

Holey Artisan Bakery attack 

on July 1. The five attackers had 

installed and used the app on 

one of the hostage’s cell phone to 

communicate with the outside. 

Threema is a secure messaging 

service that provides end-to-end 

encryption and deletes messages 

from servers, leaving little trace 

and preserving anonymity. 

Later in August RAB found a 

merger of two major banned militant 

groups JMB and ABT and 

they were found using Threema 

for communication as well. Previously, 

militant groups were likely 

to use the Telegram app for communication. 

Social media is used for recruitment 

by the groups and they 

move new recruits to these secure 

apps as they move up the ranks. 

The sources said after police 

cordoned off the Ashkona den 

early Saturday, Trisha defied her 

husband’s instructions for the 

sake of her daughter’s life and 

surrendered to the police. 

Among those who used to visit 

the safe home, one was a bomb 

specialist and was engaged in 

bomb making there. 

CTTC chief Monirul Islam said 

they had received several names 

of those who used to visit the den 

often. 

They also received some other 

information from the female 

militants and the documents recovered 

there that needed to be 

analysed, he added. • 

RAJIB DHAR 

had become the operational chief. 

“We are trying to learn about 

their operational strength, funding 

and arms sources from Trisha and 

Shila,” he said. 

“We got some clues which are 

now being scrutinised but we will 

know everything clearly once Musa 

is arrested.” 

Monirul also said they had gotten 

the names and identities of 

previously unknown militants who 

used to visit the den in Ashkona 

from the two female militants during 

interrogation, but these names 

might be organisational. 

According to the Ashkona building’s 

owners, the militants rented 

the flat in September. 

New JMB launched its first attack 

on an establishment at Gulshan’s 

Holey Artisan Bakery on 

July 1, killing 22 people, 17 of whom 

were foreigners. 

The group has shelter homes 

and psychological training centres 

in different places, of which CTTC 

has busted two, one in Ashkona 

on December 24 and the other in 

Azimpur on September 10. In both 

places there were members of four 

militant families. 

A bomb disposal team of police’s 

CTTC unit led by Senior Assistant 

Commissioner (AC) Rahmatullah 

Chowdury visited the Ashkona Safe 

house again yesterday, two days after 

the operation, to ensure no evidence 

had been left behind. Police 

has cordoned off the building. 

The team during its last visit recovered 

another pistol magazine, 

some bullet shells and some other 

documents, said a member of the 

bomb disposal team. • 

ROOPPUR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT 

Govt disburses 

another Tk400cr 

• Asif Showkat Kallol 

The state exchequer has released 

another $50m (Tk400 crore) for 

construction of the main phase 

of the Rooppur Nuclear Power 

Plant, after the project was approved 

by the Executive Committee 

of National Economic 

Council (Ecnec), officials said. 

In a letter yesterday, the Finance 

Division directed the Ministry 

of Science and Technology 

to disburse the funds. 

Finance Minister AMA Muhith 

sought a report from the concerned 

authorities on allocation 

of the funds, as the cost for constructing 

Bangladesh’s first nuclear 

power plant has skyrocketed. 

Cost of the project has risen to 

$12.6bn from $3bn in the last two 

years, due to use of the state-ofthe-art 

technology available. 

He sought the report after the 

Tk400cr fund was approved in 

the last week of November. 

The government made the 

first disbursement of Tk400cr 

in September to back up a bank 

guarantee given to the Russian 

joint –stock company Atomstroyexport, 

a Russian state-owned 

nuclear power equipment and 

service export entity. 

According to sources, Ministry 

of Science and Technology 

strong-armed the Finance Division 

to disburse the first Tk400cr 

without prior Ecnec approval. •

News 3 


Female militants victims of 

husbands’ creed 

Investigators say the females of ‘New JMB’ join suicide squad over frustration, being used as slaves 

DT 

• Mohammad Jamil Khan and 

Kamrul Hasan 

Most female militants in Bangladesh 

have been forced into militancy 

and are victims of horrifying 

experiences within the militant 

groups, investigators said yesterday 

while briefing reporters on 

their investigations conducted 

over the last few months. 

Terming the inclusion of female 

militants in “suicide squads” as 

exceptional and unheard, Counter 

Terrorism and Transnational 

Crime (CTTC) unit chief Monirul 

Islam said this revelation has given 

new dimensions to militancy 

in Bangladesh. 

The issue of female militants’ 

participation in attacks came into 

light again after the CTTC’s raid in 

Dhaka’s Ashkona on December 24, 

where militant Sumon’s wife Shakira 

alias Tahira attempted a suicide 

attack on law enforcers. 

Monirul said the main role of female 

militants is generally to support 

the males in the groups, nurture 

their children and teach them 

about militancy. The males usually 

disallow their wives from participation 

in any outdoor activity, he 

added. 

“If a mother becomes a militant, 

it is easier to raise the child as a militant 

and give the best training,” he 

said. 

Based on recent investigations, 

it is being suspected that the female 

members are joining the suicide 

squads as a relief from the 

frustrations they endure while facing 

the hurdles of a militant’s family, 

the CTTC chief further said. 

It was found that most female 

The body of militant Rashedur Rahman Sumon’s wife Shakira alias Tahira lies on the ground after she committed suicide by 

detonating an explosive vest during CTTC’s Ashkona raid on December 24 

RAJIB DHAR 

militants were forced to stay back 

though their previous husbands 

have died and the current ones 

were in jail, he added. 

Investigation also found that a 

female is married again with a different 

militant after her husband 

dies or goes missing, Monirul said. 

This way, the females never 

get to leave militancy or the 

groups even if they want to an out, 

he added. 

He said some of them are not 

affected yet as they are busy with 

raising their child. 

Monirul said many young Muslim 

women from developed countries 

have been lured into the Middle 

East by militants with a promise 

of adventure. But the reality was 

that they were not treated as militants 

and allowed to join battles. Instead 

they were sexually exploited. 

“Many tried to flee from the 

conflict zones and were killed. 

“The same situation also prevails 

here. If a woman loses her 

husband, she is forced to get married 

with another militant immediately.” 

“New JMB follows Islamic State 

and it is trying to create the same 

situation for women in Bangladesh,” 

he added. 

When asked, Monirul said they 

have not found any female yet who 

has joined militancy willingly. 

Most of them joined militancy 

under the pressure of their husbands, 

he added. 

The CTTC chief said, Khadiza, 

wife of Tanvir Qadri, in her confessional 

statement said she had 

joined militancy, submitting to the 

pressure from her husband. She 

further stated that she got involved 

with militancy as she did not want 

to face the society alone since people 

already knew that her husband 

was involved with militancy. 

Quoting Khadiza, Monirul said 

she claimed that she hated militancy 

and that Marjan’s wife Afrin described 

her husband as an autocrat 

and dominating figure. Being a less 

educated women she was forced to 

join militancy. 

CTTC arrested JMB leader Tanvir 

Quadri alias Abdul Karim’s wife 

Abedatul Fatema alias Khadiza, 

35, Gulshan attack coordinator 

absconding Nurul Islam Marjan’s 

wife Afrin alias Priyoti, 25 and New 

JMB absconding top leader Basahruzzaman 

alias Choklet’s wife 

Shaila Afrin, 23 along with their 

10-month-old daughter Sabiha 

Jaman alias Ruhi from an Azimpur 

flat on September 10. Tanvir 

Qadri committed suicide at the 

Azimpur flat. 

Tanvir Kaderi’s son Afif Qadri 

alias Ador, 14, was killed during a 

gunfight in Ashkona. 

Besides, wife of Maj Murad 

alias Zahidul Islam’s wife Jebunnahar 

Islam Shila, 34, along 

with their 16-month daughter 

Mariam Binte Zahid and wife of 

absconding Moinul Islam alias 

Musa’s wife Trisha Moni along 

with their 4-month-old daughter 

Juaidia alias Fatiha surrendered 

before the police during the 

Saturday raid. 

Earlier, police also rescued Maj 

Zahid’s elder daughter Junaira alias 

Pinki, 8, and his son Tahreem 

Quadri alias Abeer alias Anik alias 

Rasel, 14. Tahreem Qadri is currently 

at juvenile home. • 

Migrant: Workforce on the move 

• Niloy Alam 

The migrant workers of Bangladesh 

consistently prove themselves as a 

crucial asset to the economy, and 

are one of the largest national migrant 

groups in the world. 

As of December 2016, worldwide 

migrants number 247m. The number 

in itself is a new world record 

displacing the 2015 record of 244m. 

The 247m migrants make up a 

paltry 3% of the global population, 

but they produce 10% of the global 

GDP. In 2015, they generated about 

$6.7tn in global GDP. The output 

is $6tn more than their projected 

output had they remained in their 

country of origin. 

But of the $6.7tn produced, the 

migrants and their countries where 

they send back remittance make 

very little, just 10% of the total output. 

The developed countries reap 

the benefits almost exclusively. 

In 2015, 7m people left Bangladesh 

for employment purposes, the 

fifth-highest number of migrants 

after India (16m), Mexico (12m), 

Russia (11m), and China (10m). In 

the 2015 fiscal year, the net Bangladeshi 

remittance amounted to 

a record-high $15.71bn, 2% of the 

global total $601bn. 

Bangladesh migrant workers 

prefer Gulf areas – namely the UAE, 

KSA, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman – and 

Southern Europe in Spain and Italy. 

Italy has a burgeoning Bangladeshi 

community, spurred on by 

the country’s relatively lax migration 

laws. Italy has appeared to be 

more lucrative compared to the 

harsh lifestyle proffered by Middle 

East destinations where manual 

labour is the leading form of employment 

for migrants. Reportedly, 

nearly 150,000 Bangladeshi 

migrants – illegal and legal – are 

living in Italy. 

A McKinsey Global Institute 

study states that between 2000 

and 2014, immigrants contributed 

40-80% of the labour force in their 

destination countries. 

Employment rates are slightly 

lower for immigrants than for locals 

in the top destinations, but this 

varies by skill level and by region of 

origin. The study collates extensive 

academic evidence to shows immigration 

does not have an adverse 

effect on local employment. 

Immigrants tend to earn 20- 

30% less than local workers. The 

McKinsey study suggests a 5-10% 

reduction in the wage gap can 

have a spiralling effect which can 

generate a further $800bn-$1tn 

annually. 

To sum up, migrants are now 

a vibrant and rapidly evolving 

workforce on the global stage. 

Neither their presence nor their 

contributions are overlooked. 

However, the ongoing refugee crisis 

has made it a point of debate, 

as illegal immigrants with goals to 

work could be jeopardised if immigration 

laws become strict. •

4 


DT 

News 

Horror for minority groups 

2016 

YEAR IN REVIEW 

• Arifur Rahman Rabbi 

Several incidents of organised violence 

against ethnic and religious 

minorities took place in 2016. 

Opportunistic groups have used 

religion as a political device creating 

an atmosphere of fear making 

hundreds of minorities leave Bangladesh 

in large numbers that experts 

say they have not seen since 

the Liberation War. 

Although the constitution protects 

religious freedom and ensures 

equal status and equal rights 

in the practice all religions, vestiges 

from the Pakistan era like the 

Vested Property Act has remained 

in the constitution and is repeatedly 

used to grab minority owned 

lands with coercion and violence. 

According to Ain O Salish Kendra 

(ASK) the reported number of 

incidents till November this year 

was 185 temples destroyed in the 

county and 180 homes ransacked 

and destroyed. 

ASK acting executive director 

Nur Khan told the Dhaka tribune 

that the communal violence has 

been an ongoing problem since Independence. 

The lack of political will to reform 

the police also plays a huge 

role in propagating violence. 

“We saw in several media reports 

how the police themselves 

set Santal homes on fire in Gaibandha. 

The police are not independent 

from political influence 

and they still operate under the 

guideline set during the British era 

which used them as riot police and 

not as community protectors and 

arbitrators of the law.” 

Prominent economist Dr Abul 

Barkat recently published a research 

that said in three decades 

there will be no more Hindus left in 

Bangladesh. 

According to the research, from 

1964 to 2013, around 11.3 million 

Hindus left Bangladesh due to religious 

persecution and discrimination, 

that means on an average 632 

Hindus left the country each day 

and 230,612 annually. 

Before the Liberation War, the 

daily rate of migration was 705 

while it was 512 during 1971-1981 

and 438 during 1981-1991. The 

number increased to 767 persons 

each day during 1991-2001 while 

around 774 persons left the country 

during 2001-2012, Barkat’s research 

says. 

The indigenous population has 

also been victim of communal and 

sexual violence this year with 24 

cases of violence against indigenous 

women reported till June. 

Kapaeeng Foundation says the 

Santals in Gobindaganj of Gaibandha under the open sky after they were evicted from their homes on November 6 

MEHEDI HASAN 

reported number of cases till June 

were: rape of four indigenous 

women, six reported rapes, three 

killed after rape and three more 

kidnapped. 

The foundation’s manager Hiron 

Mitra Chakma told the Dhaka Tribune: 

“Violence against minorities 

has increased in number this year 

but none of those cases has gone to 

trial and that lack of accountability 

lets people get away with rape and 

murder. 

“In particular, the ruling party or 

influential locals rape women and 

incite communal violence to grab 

lands owned by the minorities. 

When the minorities are frightened 

and leave, the influential locals 

can use the Vested Property Act to 

claim that land,” he added. 

Bangladesh Adivasi Forum General 

Secretary Sanjeeb Drong told 

the Dhaka Tribune: “It’s been 45 

years since we gained independence, 

but ethnic minorities are still 

far from asserting their civil, political, 

economic, social, cultural 

and human rights in this country. 

Instead violence such as murder, 

attacks, land grabbing, etc against 

ethnic minorities are increasing 

every year.” 

Nasirnagar 

On October 30, some 3,000 Muslims 

took part in the series of violent 

attacks on the Hindu localities 

of Nasirnagar in Brahmanbaria over 

an alleged defamatory post against 

Islam by a Hindu youth, Rasraj Das, 

on Facebook. 

The mob vandalised more than 

100 houses and 17 temples and 

around 100 people including women 

were injured in the attacks. 

It was later discovered that Rasraj’s 

account had been hacked. 

On November 6, Health Minister 

Mohammad Nasim said anti-liberation 

forces were behind the 

communal violence in Nasirnagar, 

Brahmanbaria at a press conference 

at the Awami League Dhanmondi 

office. 

When the local radical groups 

were using mosques to unite Muslims 

in Nasirnagar, a little known 

website “www.banglamail71.com” 

published a provocative content on 

the alleged blasphemous Facebook 

post shared from the timeline of 

Rasraj, to condemn the “arrest of 

six Muslims” for their involvement 

in the attacks and violent protests. 

The content, published as a 

news item, was originally posted 

by “Noyon Chatterjee,” a Facebook 

profile that has long been instigating 

hatred against Hindus in Bangladesh 

and India. Dhaka Tribune 

has learnt that the website is run by 

Chhatra Shibir activists. 

After the October 30 attacks in 

Nasirnagar, temples and Puja pavilions 

were vandalised and looted in 

at least seven other districts. 

Santals in Gobindaganj 

On November 6, over 1,000 Santal 

families were run out of their 

homes from Shahebganj Bagda 

farm, a property on which they 

claim historical ownership, by police, 

local political activists and the 

workers Rangpur Sugar Mill. The 

attackers set fire to their homes 

and at least three Santal men were 

shot dead. At least 30 people including 

17 indigenous men and 

eight law enforcers were injured in 

the conflict. 

It was later uncovered that a local 

politician had lured them into 

settling on the land and later taken 

part in the eviction. Rangpur Sugar 

Mills lays claim to the 1,842-acre 

land, the largest state property in 

Bangladesh and uses it for farming 

sugar cane and leasing out to local 

businesses. 

The Santal community took 

shelter under the open sky in 

neighbouring Santal villages. They 

stopped going out of these villages 

for fear of violence. 

Other major incidents 

On January 8, a mob of miscreants 

with the help of local police 

allegedly attacked on indigenous 

people in Shialpara area under 

Akkelpur upazila in Joypurhat with 

the motive to evict them from their 

ancestral lands. 

On February 26, around 4pm an 

indigenous woman was sexually 

assaulted in Ujobazar area of Sajek 

by police Constable Mohammad 

Sarowar Hossain of Baghaihat in 

Rangamati. Police has not taken 

any action against Sarowar. 

On February 21, a priest was 

killed and a devotee shot at, 

when miscreants attacked a Hindu 

temple in Debiganj upazila of 

Panchagarh. Deceased Jogeshwar 

Das Dhikari, 50, was the priest of 

Sri Sri Shantu Santo Gaurio monastery. 

The incident also injured 

Gopal Chandra Roy, 32, was rushed 

to Rangpur Medical College and 

Hospital. 

On March 28, in Shatkhira district, 

Ashasonhi upazila, more than 

100 Hindu families were attacked 

over a Union Parishad election. 

Nahar in Srimangal, 96 families 

of Khasiya punjis have been given 

notice of eviction. There has been 

postponed because of the protests. • 

Judicial, PBI 

probes start 

in attack on 

Santals 

• Tajul Islam Reza, 

Gaibandha 

A High Court-appointed judicial 

magistrate has started recording 

testimonies of the November 

6-7 violence witnesses 

in Gaibandha’s Gobindaganj 

upazila. 

On December 14, the HC ordered 

the chief judicial magistrate 

of Gaibandha to launch an 

investigation into the eviction 

drive and arson attack on Santals 

and Bangalees. The investigation 

would also have to look into 

any alleged police involvement 

on the aforementioned days. 

The court also asked the 

magistrate to submit the investigation 

report within 15 working 

days. 

Magistrate Md Shahidullah 

said: “I have started taking testimonies 

of the affected Santals 

and Bangalees and will send 

the report to the HC after completing 

the investigation.” 

Meanwhile, another investigation 

team led by Md Akhter 

Hossain, additional superintendent 

(Bogra) of the Police Bureau 

of Investigation (PBI), visited the 

crime scenes around 10am. 

ASP Akhter told reporters that 

they came to visit the area following 

the HC directive to investigate 

the cases filed by Swapan 

Murmu and Thomas Hembrom 

with Gobindaganj police station. 

At least three Santal men were 

killed and 27 people, including 

nine policemen, were injured 

following a clash between the 

local Santals and law enforcers 

aiding Rangpur Sugar Mill workers 

during the “eviction drive” in 

Gobindaganj on November 6. 

The tension escalated into 

violence when the sugar mill 

employees tried to take back 

the land occupied by the Santals, 

on which both parties 

had planted crops and claimed 

were rightfully theirs. 

Another case was filed by 

the police and the Rangpur 

Sugar Mill authorities against 

the Santals in which scores of 

Santals were arrested but later 

released on bail. 

In the wake of the communal 

attack, three human rights organisations 

filed separate writ petitions 

with the HC to intercede. •

News 5 


No justice yet for border killings 



• Kamrul hasan 

Border killings on the Bangladesh-India 

border are a testimony 

to denying the dignity of people. 

None of the border killings have 

been investigated or any perpetrators 

brought to justice. 

Both Bangladeshi and Indian 

human rights activists protest the 

killings on a regular basis. 

Despite the extrajudicial killings, 

not a single writ has been filed with 

the Indian Supreme Court in 2015. 

Experts are pointing towards 

the cattle trade on the border as 

the core reason behind the killings. 

Cattle traders and farmers frequently 

cross over the borders illegally, 

and are shot at by the Indian 

Border Security Force (BSF) 

The BSF often claims the deceased 

are smugglers or drug dealers. 

According to the Ain o Salish 

Kendra (ASK), as of November 

2015, at least 29 people have been 

killed by the BSF. 

In reply to a question at the parliament 

in June 2015, Home Minister 

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said 

a total of 591 Bangladeshi citizens 

were killed by BSF and Indian citizens 

in the last 10 years. 

“Analysing statistics of 10 years, 

it was found that the rate of Bangladeshi 

citizens killed in border areas 

has dropped and I hope that the rate 

will drop further,” Kamal added. 

However, security expert former 

Air Commodore (Rtd) Ishfaq 

Ilahi Choudhury said the number 

should come down to zero. 

Several meetings have been held 

where BSF was urged to use buckshot 

ammo (pellets) during these 

situations to avoid deaths. This practice, 

however, was not executed. 

In reply to a question, Koltaka-based 

rights group Banglar 

Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha 

(Masum) Secretary Kiriti Roy said 

illegal trespassers are seldom arrested 

because they bribe the border 

authorities. 

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) 

Director General Abul Hossain said 

BGB was taking steps to end border 

killings. 

However, PSR Anjaneyulu, Inspector 

General of BSF’s South 

Bengal Frontier at a press conference 

said BSF had taken initiatives 

to discourage killing civilians along 

the India-Bangladesh border. 

“We are trying to restrain our 

people so such incidents can be 

avoided,” he said while meeting 

with a group of Bangladeshi journalists 

at BSF Kolkata headquarters 

in late November. 

Felani trial yet to get on track 

The Felani murder trial has been in 

‘Indo-Bangla border to be sealed 

completely by mid 2018’ 

• Tribune Desk 

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh 

on Monday said the security of the 

more than 200-km-long Indo- 

Bangladesh border was a priority for 

the BJP government and that would 

be completely sealed in the next oneand-a-half 

years. 

“We are committed to sealing the 

223.7-km Indo-Bangladesh border and 

the process is on. It is expected to be 

completed within the next year and a 

half,” Singh said addressing BJP workers. 

“Bangladesh is our neighbouring 

country and we share a good and 

warm relation, which we will continue 

to pursue and remain committed to in 

the future,” he said. 

Felani’s body hanging from the barbed wire border fence at Kurigram in 2011 after being killed by the Indian Border Security Force 

Rajnath-singh 

PHOTO: INTERNET 

The Union minister, without 

referring to the issues of illegal 

migration and granting of citizenship 

to Hindu refugees, assured the people 

of Assam that BJP was committed to 

protect the interests of the indigenous 

population of the state as per Clause 6 

of the Assam Accord. 

“We are committed to Clause 6 

of the Assam Accord and will protect 

it even if we have to amend the 

Constitution,” he said. 

Referring to the updating of the 

National Register of Citizens (NRC) 

in Assam, Singh said the process is 

underway and the State government 

should complete it soon. 

The Union minister said the Centre 

will make no compromise on the issue of 

insurgency as he claimed that violence 

has considerably come down in the State. 

“If any people or group have any 

grievances, problems or issues, we 

are ready to talk to them. We are 

ready to embrace them and talk. But 

if there is violence, there will be no 

compromise,” he added. • 

FILE PHOTO 

limbo with the Indian Supreme court 

despite the two writs filed in 2015. 

The Indian SC accepted a writ 

challenging the verdict in the 

Felani murder case. 

The case was filed jointly by 

Felani’s father Nurul Islam and Kolkata-based 

human rights organisation 

Masum. 

Another petition filed by the 

victim’s father and Salma Ali, the 

executive director of Bangladesh 

National Woman Lawyers Association 

(BNWLA) against the first 

court verdict is also pending with 

the Indian Supreme Court. 

In August 2015, BSF chief DK 

Pathak said a new trial would be 

DT 

considered for the Felani murder 

case if her family was not satisfied 

with the lower court verdict that 

acquitted the self-confessed killer. 

This was not followed up in 2016. 

The international heat generated 

from the Felani murder led to 

speculations that the trial would be 

carried out quickly. 

Kurigram Public Prosecutor (PP) 

SM Abraham Lincoln said: “We are 

exhausted pleading for justice. No 

actions were taken to maintain international 

relations.” 

He said the BSF court twice 

acquitted the killer BSF member 

Amiya Ghosh who shot Felani on 7 

January 2011 claiming self-defence 

despite evidence to the contrary. 

“Trespassing is a crime, but this 

does not justify indiscriminate 

shooting. Rather they could arrest 

her and try her,” added PP Lincoln. 

He said a hearing date was announced, 

but it unfortunately fell on 

a holiday and was not rescheduled. 

The hearing suffered continuous 

delays like judicial bench restructuring 

in Bangladesh and dissolution 

of the bench in India. 

PP Lincoln says he hoped the 

case could be presided over by Justice 

Jagdish Singh Khehar who is 

set to be the chief justice in India. 

He hoped the Indian court would 

do justice to Felani’s family and 

compensate them for their loss. 

BNWLA executive director Salma 

Ali said justice for Felani’s murder 

would serve as an example for 

future border killings and discourage 

them. • 

EC REFORM PROPOSALS 

Workers’ Party meets 

president 

• Manik Miazee 

The Workers’ Party met with President Abdul Hamid with their 

proposals for the reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) at 

Bangabhaban yesterday. 

An 11-member delegation team led by party President Rashed 

Khan Menon, placed an eight-point proposal over the formation of 

the search committee and the new Election Commission. 

The party provided the names of the people who they expect to be 

in the search committee. 

“We were pleased to meet the president. We had a cordial discussion 

on the issue of the Election Commission,” said Rashed Khan 

Menon after the meeting. 

“We hope the president’s initiative on Election Commission reform 

issues will be successful,” Menon added. 

President Hamid initiated the formal talks with registered political 

parties over reconstituting the EC as the tenure of the current Election 

Commission expires in February. • 

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY 

Dhaka 29 14 Chittagong 27 18 Rajshahi 26 14 Rangpur 25 13 Khulna 28 14 Barisal 28 15 Sylhet 27 12 

Cox’s Bazar 27 17 

HAZY 

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28 

DHAKA 

TODAY 

TOMORROW 

SUN SETS 5:20PM 

SUN RISES 6:40AM 

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW 

29.2ºC 

11.3ºC 

Chandpur 

Tetulia 

Source: Accuweather/BSS 

PRAYER 

TIMES 

Fajr: 6:05am | Zohr: 1:15pm 

Asr: 4:15pm | Magrib: 5:30pm 

Esha: 7:30pm 

Source: Islamic Foundation

6 


DT 

News 

EC seeks positive 

response from voters 


The Election Commission is expecting 

that voters across Bangladesh 

will be positive in exercising 

their voting power in the Zila Parishad 

Polls. 

“Voters and candidates are 

aware of their rights. We are hoping 

that the election will be held 

in a credible manner. We expect 

positive response and responsibilities 

from both parties during the 

polls,” said Secretary of Election 

Commission Muhammad Abdullah 

while talking to journalists at the 

Election Commission Office, Dhaka, 

yesterday. 

The EC secretary also said the 

commission was firm to hold the 

first Zila Parishad election in free 

and peaceful way. 

Replying to a question, he said 

the Election Commission had 

imposed ban on the use mobile 

phones at polling centres considering 

all aspects. 

The Election Commission had 

already asked all field level election 

officials to maintain secrecy 

and credibility of the election, he 

added. 

“We have already taken actions 

against the people who violated 

electoral code of conduct,” he 

said. 

About the stay of presiding 

officer at centres during night, 

he said: “It is not mandatory for 

presiding officers to stay in the 

election centres during night like 

other national and local elections 

because the number of voters are 

less”. • 

Hundreds of polling 

centres identified risky 


People of Bangladesh are going to 

cast votes in Zila Parishad elections 

today, hundreds of polling centres 

remain in vulnerable state. 

Though Election Commission 

does not know the actual number 

of risky polling centres, sources 

at the commission said respective 

district election offices had been 

asked to take measures regarding 

risky polling centres. 

In Magura, all the polling centres 

have been identified as risky. 

Voters of the districts will cast their 

votes at 15 polling centres. 

Magura district administration 

said they had taken all preparations 

to avoid any kind of untoward 

incident during poll time. 

A total of 274 police personnel, 

225 Ansars, BGB and RAB personnel 

will work to make the election 

free and fair. 

Our Cox’s Bazar correspondent 

reports: All of the polling centres 

of the district remain in vulnerable 

state. Voters of the district will cast 

their votes at 15 polling centres. 

District election officer Md Mozammel 

Hossain told the Dhaka 

Tribune that they had identified all 

the voting centres risky and taken 

all possible measures to make voting 

peaceful. A total of 1,003 voters 

of the district will exercise their 

franchise in the election. • 

Tight security at all 

polling centres 

• Motiur Rahman, 

Manikganj 

Eight hundred members of different 

law enforcing agencies 

have been deployed in Manikganj 

polling centres for ensuring 

peaceful zila parishad elections 

today. 

“Around 550 police, three 

platoon Bangladesh Border 

Guard (BGB) men and Ansar 

members will be deployed at 

15 centres in seven upazilas of 

the district. The members of 

law enforcing agencies led by 

an officer-in-charge will be deployed 

at each polling centre,” 

said Mafujur Rahman, superintendent 

of Manikganj police, 

yesterday. 

Munir Hossain, the district 

election officer, said five candidates 

were contesting for the 

chairman post, 54 candidates 

for general membership in 15 

wards and 17 women candidates 

were vying for five reserved 

seats. 

There are a total of 888 voters 

of Manikganj zila parishad 

elections. Among them, 680 

are male voters and 208 are female 

voters. 

For the chairman post, ruling 

party-backed candidate 

Golam Mohiuddin, president 

of the district Awami League, 

is contesting with the symbol 

‘pineapple,’ while rebel candidate 

Ramjan Ali, vice president 

of the district Awami League 

and former mayor of Manikganj 

municipality, is vying 

with ‘mobile phone’ symbol. 

Individual candidates 

Mofijul Islam Khan, former 

lawmaker and presidium 

member of Gono Forum, Bajlul 

Haque Khan and Kazi Rafiqul 

Islam are taking part in the 

elections with butterfly, cupplate 

and palm tree symbols 

respectively. • 

BAF Contingent members are crossing immigration Lounge of Hazrat 

Shahjalal International Airport in order to depart Dhaka for Mali to join 

UN Peacekeeping Mission yesterday 

ISPR

News 7 


All set for first ever Zila Parisad polls today 

DT 

• Syed Samiul Basher Anik 

The first ever Zila Parsiad elections 

will be held today in 61 districts 

which are being boycotted by both 

BNP and Jatiya Party. 

Only elected representatives 

will be allowed to vote in the election 

this year. 

Incidents of violation of electoral 

code of conduct including 

influence by several lawmakers, 

coercion of voters, monetary transactions 

for votes were reported 

from many districts creating a 

tense situation in many districts. 

The Election Commission however, 

said that the election would 

be free and fair and various measures 

were taken to ensure peaceful 

atmosphere in the electoral areas. 

Police, RAB and BGB will be deployed, 

near the polling centres, 

so that voters can cast their votes 

peacefully, according to EC. 

Allegations of different kinds 

of voter coercion has been reported 

such as secret agreements like 

offering motorcycles for votes and 

Tk1lakh for a single vote was made 

in Meherpur, our correspondent reported 

yesterday. 

Although allegations have surfaced 

against both chairman and 

member candidates they have denied 

any wrongdoings. 

There are also allegations that 

One vote costs 

Tk100,000 

• Ashraful Islam, Meherpur 

Chairman candidates in Meherpur Zila 

Parishad elections were busy to lure 

the voters with money to win today's 

polls. A total of Tk100,000 including 

valuables were reportedly being 

offered for a vote. 

According to local sources, district 

unit Awami League became divided in 

four factions centering the polls. 

Advocate Mizan Ali achieved the 

Awami League nomination for the 

election. His symbol is tea-set. 

Golam Rasul, president of the district 

unit Awami League, is vying with the 

symbol of pineapple as rival candidate. 

On the other hand, Gangni upazila 

unit Awami League president Syduzzaman 

Khokan is vying in the polls and 

his symbol is palm tree. 

Mujib Nagar upazila unit Awami 

League president got optical symbol 

to compete the polls. 

A total of 269 voters will cast their 

votes to elect a chairman from the 

four AL candidates. 

Sources said there was hard 

competition among the candidates 

and they became busy to buy votes 

by offering cash and valuables to win 

the polls. 

VOTING TIME 

9:00AM TO 2:00PM 

Number of districts 

to have polls 

61 

some candidates are asking the 

voters to take pictures of their 

votes while many are asking to put 

“special signs” on the back of the 

ballot papers. 

Following the allegation, the EC 

have put a bar on voters to carry 

mobile phones inside the polling 

centres. 

Seeking anonymity, a voter said he 

had been offered a motorcycle. 

Another voter said he had been 

offered Tk100,000. 

A voter had denied the proposal as 

he was offered only Tk50,000. 

When contacted, the candidates 

denied the allegations of offering 

money or other things to the voters. 

Golam Rasul told the reporters in 

a press briefing yesterday that a voter 

demanded a motorcycle to him. 

“I alerted him and said the demand 

violated electoral code and conducts” 

he said. On the other hand, Mizan Ali 

said: “Buying and selling votes are one 

kind of crime and breaking the rules of 

electoral code and conducts.” 

He said during in his five-year tenure, 

there was no allegation against 

him. He is hopeful to win the race. 

Deputy Commissioner and 

Returning Officer Parimal Singh said 

the administration was trying to stop 

selling and buying votes in the polls. 

“If we get allegation, we will take 

immediate steps,” he said. 

It should be mentioned, four 

chairman candidates, 48 member 

candidates and 13 in woman reserve 

seats are vying in the district to win 

the race. • 

TOTAL POSTS 

1,281 

TOTAL VOTERS 

63,143 

Male: 48,343, Female: 14,800 

POSTS IN EACH DISTRICT 

1 Chairman 

General members 

15 and 

5 

Members in reserved 

seats for women 

VOTING BOOTHS AND CENTRES 

1,830 Booths of 915 Polling centres 

UNCONTESTED VICTORY 

Chairmen elected 

22 

unopposed 

WHO ARE THE VOTERS 

Elected representatives 

of city corporations, 

municipalities, upazila 

and union parishads of 

the respective districts 

ASMAUL HOQUE MAMUN/DT INFOGRAPHIC 

Voting in 3 

N’ganj wards 

suspended 

• Tanveer Hossain, 

Narayanganj 

Voting of the Zila Parishad polls in one 

to three No wards of the council, which 

is under Narayanganj city corporation, 

has been suspended over voter related 

complication. 

As the voters of the first ever such 

elections in Bangladesh consist of only 

elected representatives of union parishad, 

upzila parishad, municipality and city 

corporation, the previous councillors 

of the three wards remained the voters 

instead of the councillors, who was 

elected on December 22 city corporation 

polls. 

The returning officer of Narayanganj 

district council elections gave the 

suspension order after the Election 

Commission sent him a letter in this 

regard, said Jasim Uddin, assistant 

returning officer. 

However, the election is being held 

today in remaining seven wards of the 

district council. 

Mojibur Rahman, president of 

Shiddhirganj upazila Awami League, is 

the lone candidate for general member 

post in ward No one (one to nine No 

wards of the city corporation) of the 

council. • 

Even, the ruling Awami League 

secretary general Obaidul Quader 

could not deny allegations of monetary 

incentives being provided by 

some lawmakers to elect their preferred 

candidates. 

“While the Election Commission 

has fixed a strict amount each 

candidate can spend some people 

are not following that rule, we 

should have overcome such bad 

practices by now,” the minister told 

reporters at the secretariat. 

He, however, said necessary actions 

would be taken against those 

in violation of electoral code of 

conduct. 

Election Commission on Monday 

requested the Speaker Shirin 

Sharmin Chowdhury to take necessary 

steps to keep the lawmakers 

away from their areas and to make 

sure they do not violating electoral 

code. 

The Election Commission on 

Monday also requested the lawmakers 

to leave the constituencies 

and warned that actions would be 

taken against if they did not comply. 

On the other hand, major political 

party BNP has boycotted the 

election saying that the election 

process of the Zila Parishad goes 

against the constitution because of 

lack of direct participation of voters. 

However, party insiders says 

BNP is not participating in the polls 

as most of its local government 

representatives are either behind 

bars or on the run. 

BNP standing committee member 

Nazrul Islam Khan yesterday 

termed the zila parishad election 

as a joke: “The Zila Parishad elections 

is a joke just like the January 

5 elections.” 

Meanwhile, BNP standing committee 

member Mahbubur Rahman 

said people have no interest in the 

poll as the right to vote has been 

taken away from people. 

This election cannot bring anything 

except looting, according to 

the BNP standing committee member. 

The voting will start at 9:00am 

and will continue uninterrupted at 

2:00pm while over 63,000 voters 

are expected to cast their votes in 

the elections of 61 districts for 1,281 

posts. 

Only the elected representatives 

of different tier of local government- 

city corporations, municipalities, 

upazila and union parishads 

of the respective districts - will 

be able to vote in a chairman, 15 

general members and five members 

in reserved seats for women in 

each district. 

22 candidates- all from ruling 

Awami League- has already elected 

uncontested. The districts are - 

Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Jaipurhat, 

Naogaon, Natore, Sirajganj, 

Kushtia, Jessore, Bagerhat, 

Jhalakati, Bhola, Netrakona, 

Kishoreganj, Gazipur, Tangail, 

Munshiganj, Dhaka, Narayanganj, 

Faridpur, Habiganj, Feni and 

Chittagong. • 

Obaidul acknowledges 

allegations of 

corruption in polls 

• Shohel Mamun 

Roads Transport and Bridges Minister 

Obaidul Quader yesterday said the allegations 

of rampant corruption of some 

lawmakers in their districts before 

the Zila Parisad elections could not be 

denied at his secretariat office. 

Except the ruling 

party Awami League 

no others big parties 

are participating 

including the BNP's 

in the election 

The Awami League general secretary 

said: “The Election Commission has 

fixed a strict amount each candidate 

can spend some people are not following 

that rule, we should have overcome 

such bad practices by now.” 

Election Commission on Monday 

requested the Speaker Shirin Sharmin 

Chowdhury to take necessary steps 

to keep the lawmakers away from 

their areas and to make sure they do 

not violating electoral code and also 

requested the lawmakers to leave the 

constituencies and warned that actions 

would be taken against if they did not 

comply. 

Quader said “Those found in 

violation of the electoral code will be 

punished. I requested the lawmakers 

to leave their constituency and honour 

the electoral code of conduct.” 

Zila Parishad election will be held 

today in 61 districts, except three hill 

track districts. 

The voting will start from the 9am 

to 2 Pm for the post of chairman, member 

and member (reserved) while only 

elected representatives of local government 

bodies like city corporation, 

Union Parishad are allow to vote in this 

election, as per the Zila Parishad Act. 

Except the ruling party Awami 

League no others big parties are 

participating including the BNP's in the 

election. 

Already 22 Awami League chairman 

candidates has already been elected 

unopposed and 124 candidates 

are vying for seats in the rest of the 

districts. •

DT 

8 

World 


SOUTH ASIA 

Toxic liquor kills 24 more 

in Pakistan 

Twenty-four people, mostly Christians, 

were killed and dozens more 

sickened after consuming toxic 

liquor on Christmas Eve in central 

Pakistan, police said Tuesday, the latest 

case of deadly alchohol poisoning 

in the conservative Muslim country. 

The incident happened in a Christian 

colony in Toba Tek Singh city, 338km 

south of Islamabad. REUTERS 

INDIA 

India intervenes in 

Norway child abuse row 

India’s foreign minister on Tuesday 

urged Norway to return a fiveyear-old 

boy to his Indian-origin 

parents after authorities took the 

child into their custody over suspected 

abuse. Sushma Swaraj said 

India’s ambassador would meet 

the Norwegian authorities later 

Tuesday to discuss the case, promising 

to take a “firm stand”. AP 

CHINA 

China jails nine villagers 

after land protests 

Chinese authorities handed down 

prison sentences to nine protesters 

in a fishing village that’s 

received international attention 

for its demonstrations against land 

seizures, state media reported 

Tuesday. The villagers in Wukan 

were given sentences on Monday 

ranging from two to 10 years for offenses 

that included illegal assembly, 

blocking traffic and disrupting 

public order. AP 

ASIA PACIFIC 

Thai police put pressure 

on controversial Buddhist 

temple 

Thai police put more pressure 

Tuesday on a wealthy, politically 

influential Buddhist temple where 

the leader is wanted for alleged 

money laundering and related 

crimes involving millions of dollars 

of embezzled funds. At dawn about 

400 police moved to surround 

the Dhammakaya temple north of 

Bangkok to remove a fence said to be 

blocking public property. REUTERS 

MIDDLE EAST 

Saudi jailed for call to end 

male control over women 

A Saudi man has been jailed for one 

year for calling for an end to the 

Muslim kingdom’s guardianship 

system that gives men wide controls 

over women, local media said Tuesday. 

The man, who was also fined 

$8,000 by a court in the eastern 

city of Dammam, was convicted 

of “inciting to end guardianship of 

women” in statements he posted on 

Twitter and in public posters. AFP 

UN resolution: Israel accuses 

Obama administration 

• Tribune International Desk 

The White House orchestrated a 

“gang-up” against Israel on last 

week’s UN settlement vote, its 

ambassador to Washington said 

Monday in the latest sign of fury 

between the longtime allies. 

Ambassador Ron Dermer said 

in an interview with CNN that the 

Israeli government plans to show 

evidence of the alleged US maneuvering 

in due time. 

Moreover, Israel has reportedly 

suspended all working ties with the 

embassies of 12 UN Security Council 

members following the passing 

of a UN resolution declaring the 

country’s settlements on Palestinian 

territories illegal. Prime Minister 

Benjamin Netanyahu has called for 

Israel’s foreign ministry to temporarily 

limit working ties with the 

members who voted in favour of 

Friday’s resolution. 

The 12 countries are- Britain, 

France, Russia, China, Japan, 

Ukraine, Angola, Egypt, Uruguay, 

Spain, Senegal and New Zealand. 

US led UN ‘gang-up’ 

Israel has escalated its already furious 

war with the outgoing US administration, 

claiming that it has 

“rather hard” evidence that Barack 

Obama was behind a critical UN 

security council resolution criticising 

Israeli settlement building, and 

threatening to hand over the material 

to Donald Trump. 

The claims have emerged in 

interviews given by close Netanyahu 

allies to US media outlets on 

Monday after the Obama administration 

denied in categorical terms 

the claims originally made by Netanyahu 

himself. 

Doubling down on the claim a 

few hours later the controversial 

Israeli ambassador to Washington, 

Ron Dermer, went even further 

suggesting it had gathered evidence 

that it would present to the 

incoming Trump administration. 

Reducing ties with nations over 

UN vote 

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday 

the country was “reducing” 

ties with nations that voted for last 

week’s UN Security Council resolution 

demanding a halt to settlement 

building in Palestinian territory. 

Refuting reports that ties 

had been suspended, the ministry’s 

spokesperson Emmanuel 

Nahshon said that Israel was 

“temporarily reducing” visits and 

work with embassies. 

Israel has already called back 

its ambassadors to New Zealand 

and Senegal for consultations, and 

cancelled aid programmes with 

the African state. 

On Tuesday, Israel informed 

Angola it would be freezing its aid 

programme there, Nahshon said. 

Israeli media have reported that 

Netanyahu, who also serves as foreign 

minister, has asked officials to 

visit the countries that voted for 

the resolution as little as possible 

for now. • 

Q&A 

What UN resolution means for US and Israel 

The United Nations Security Council on 

Friday passed a resolution condemning 

Israel’s settlements in the West Bank 

and East Jerusalem. The United States 

abstained on the resolution, allowing 

it to pass, rather than vetoing it – as it 

usually does with resolutions it sees as 

overly critical of Israel. 

Here are some key questions about 

the vote at the UN- 

What are the immediate effects 

of the UN resolution? 

The resolution may have no immediate 

practical effects on Israel, the Israeli-Palestinian 

conflict, or the peace 

process. That’s because the resolution 

is non-binding, effectively creating 

guidelines and recommendations. 

Israel is concerned about exactly 

that type of action. Specifically, Israel is 

worried about a resolution that would 

set conditions for negotiations. Such a 

resolution would issue parameters for 

some of the most sensitive issues in 

the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including 

borders, the status of Jerusalem as a 

contested capital, Palestinian refugees, 

US President Barack Obama meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 

This file photo taken on December 09 shows Israeli settlement of Qadumim 

and a time-limit for negotiations. 

What are the long-term effects? 

The biggest blow is to Israel’s settlement 

enterprise in the West Bank and 

East Jerusalem. This resolution has 

left little room for negotiation about 

the legality of the settlements, stating 

that Israel’s settlements have “no legal 

validity and constitutes a flagrant violation 

under international law.” 

When it comes to borders, the resolution 

does leave an opening for negotiations, 

saying there will be no changes to 

AFP 

the June 4, 1967 “other than those agreed 

by the parties through negotiations.” 

Will Donald Trump be able to 

repeal the resolution? 

Theoretically, yes, the incoming administration 

could repeal this resolution. 

Trump would have to introduce a new 

resolution that revokes this one entirely. 

Then he would need at least nine 

countries to vote for it and ensure that 

none of the Security Council’s other permanent 

members – Russia, UK, France, 

and China – vetoed it. Realistically, that 

is incredibly unlikely to happen. 

REUTERS 

Will the US and Israel take 

diplomatic action against the UN? 

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham 

has threatened to cut US money to the 

United Nations over this resolution. 

The US currently provides 22% of the 

UN’s budget. Israel has already cut 

funding to five different UN organisations, 

totaling nearly $8m, Netanyahu 

announced. Netanyahu said Israel 

would reevaluate its relationships with 

UN representatives in Israel. 

Is this the first time an American 

president has taken action? 

No. In fact, it’s not all that uncommon. 

In 1988, Ronald Reagan began dialogue 

with the PLO before the end of his second 

term. In 2000, Bill Clinton laid out his 

vision for peace, now known as the “Clinton 

Parameters.” And in 2008, George W 

Bush’s envoy voted in favour of Security 

Council resolution 1850, which called for 

a renewal of the peace process. • 

Sources: AFP, CNN

World 

Trump: UN just a club for people to 

have a good time 

• Tribune International Desk 

Donald Trump is questioning the 

effectiveness of the United Nations, 

saying it’s just a club for 

people to “have a good time,” after 

the UN Security Council voted last 

week to condemn Israeli settlements 

in the West Bank and east 

Jerusalem, reports the Associated 

Press. 

The president-elect wrote Monday 

on Twitter that the UN has 

“such great potential,” but it has 

become “just a club for people to 

get together, talk and have a good 

time. So sad!” 

On Friday, Trump warned, “As 

to the UN, things will be different 

after Jan. 20th,” referring to the 

day he takes office. 

The decision by the Obama 

administration to abstain from 

Friday’s UN vote brushed aside 

Trump’s demands that the US exercise 

its veto and provided a climax 

to years of icy relations with 

Israel’s leadership. 

That was only one subject on 

which Trump tweeted Monday. In 

an evening post, he wrote that he 

believes his election as president 

has boosted the economy. 

Trump also used social media 

to complain anew about criticism 

of the Donald J Trump Foundation. 

In one post, he said, “The DJT 

Foundation, unlike most foundations, 

never paid fees, rent, salaries 

or any expenses. 100 % of the 

money goes to wonderful charities.” 

He also tweeted that “I gave 

millions of dollars to DJT Foundation, 

raised or received millions 

more. ALL of which is given to 

charity, and media won’t report.” 

Trump had said Saturday that 

he wanted to dissolve his charitable 

foundation amid efforts to 

eliminate any conflicts of interest 

before he takes office next month. 

Trump’s tweet Monday about 

the UN ignores much of the work 

that goes on in the 193-member 

global organisation. 

This year the UN Security 

Council has approved over 70 

legally binding resolutions, including 

new sanctions on North 

Korea and measures tackling 

conflicts and authorizing the 

UN’s far-flung peacekeeping operations 

around the world. The 

General Assembly has also approved 

dozens of resolutions on 

issues, like the role of diamonds 

in fuelling conflicts; condemned 

human rights abuses in Iran and 

North Korea; and authorized 

an investigation of alleged war 

crimes in Syria. • 

Who’s behind the massacres in Congo’s Beni region? 

• AFP, Beni, DR Congo 

Share of global reserves 

Cobalt 47% 

Coltan 80% 

Industrial diamonds 20% 

Sources: 

ipisresearch, 

congoresearch, 

UNHCR, ICCN, 

IRD, USGS, 

FAO, GRIP, 

UNDP 

CONGO 

REP. 

KINSHASA 

ANGOLA 

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 

DR CONGO 

Congo River 

Kananga 

Kisangani 

The official explanation for a twoyear 

wave of massacres in a restive 

corner of DR Congo centres on a 

shadowy rebel group accused of 

having ties to the global jihadist 

underground. 

But some basic details about 

the alleged killers of more than 

700 victims – the latest over the 

Christmas weekend – haven’t quite 

convinced observers and experts. 

The truth, they say, is more 

complicated and may lead all the 

way to the halls of power in the 

vast, mineral-rich and chronically 

unstable central African nation. 

UN experts, referring to the 

claimed jihadist links in past reports, 

have simply stated: “There 

is no proof of this allegation.” 

But that has not stopped the 

Democratic Republic of Congo’s 

leadership and the UN peacekeeping 

mission Monusco from blaming 

the bloodbath around the town 

of Beni, in the country’s strife-torn 

northeast, on the Allied Democratic 

Forces (ADF). 

Secrecy shrouds the group, 

which is dominated by hardline 

Ugandan Muslims who were initially 

focused on overthrowing Uganda’s 

President Yoweri Museveni. 

The group went on to absorb other 

rebel factions into its ranks and 

started carrying out attacks in 1995. 

Gradually pushed westwards by the 

Ugandan army, the ADF relocated 

most of its activities to DR Congo. 

When the Beni massacres started 

in October 2014, with most of 

the victims hacked to death, the 

ADF was quickly branded the culprit 

by both Congolese authorities 

and Monusco. 

Army troops involved? 

Many ADF recruits – who were 

drawn this year from Tanzania, 

Burundi, Kenya and as far as Somalia 

– were not hardcore ideologues 

but young Muslims lured 

by the promise of going to study in 

Saudi Arabia, an intelligence agent 

and civil society source said. 

Meanwhile, the ADF has not 

claimed any of the Beni massacres, 

and no experts working on DR 

Congo have found a link between 

Donald Trump 

Mbuji-Mayi 

ZAMBIA 

250 km 

S. SUDAN 

Lubumbashi 

THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO 

A continent-country abounding in natural riches and human crises 

UGANDA 

Goma 

Bukavu 

RWANDA 

BURUNDI 

Lake 

Tanganyika 

TANZANIA 

1,100 minerals and 

precious metals, including 

Gold Diamonds Coltan 

Pewter Copper, cobalt 

the group and the global jihadist 

underground. 

A group run by US researcher 

Jason Stearns published a report 

in March claiming several distinct 

groups “appear to be involved in 

the massacres”, including soldiers 

from the regular army. 

It said members of the Congolese 

army, former rebels from the 

RCD-K/ML group – who held the 

area during the 1998-2003 Second 

Congo War – and local militias were 

all involved in the mass killings. 

‘Why these horrible killings?’ 

In an interview, Beni’s Mayor 

Bwanakawa Nyonyi said he believes 

the massacres are carried 

5 

2.3 million km 2 of land 

80 x the size of former 

colonial power Belgium 

Huge hydraulic power 

potential 

Congo River, 4,700 km 

Africa’s 2 nd longest river 

Lake Tanganyika, 18,880 km 2 

Africa’s largest freshwater 

reserve. As big as Belgium 

Exceptional 

biodiversity 

natural World Heritage Sites 

152 million hectares of forest 

11,000 plant species 

more than 1,000 bird species 

and 400 species of mammal 

REUTERS 

But the country endured 

2 regional wars and the east 

is controlled by armed militia 

Raia Mutomboki (DRC) 

Mai-Mai (DRC) 

ADF (Ugandan) 

FDLR (Rwandan Hutu) 

FNL (Burundian) 

Of its 71 million 

people, nearly 2 mln 

are internal refugees 

88% live in 

abject poverty 

and fewer than 10% 

have access to electricity 

and drinking water 

And it natural 

heritage 

is endangered, 

particularly its 

iconic Great Apes 

Mountain gorillas 

out by a nebulous group, with 

politically-motivated “Congolese 

hands” behind them. He refused 

to say more about the suspects or 

their motives. 

In explaining the violence, 

some have cited struggles for control 

of trafficking in various industries 

like timber, agricultural produce 

or minerals in a region with 

extremely rich potential. 

A group of UN experts has repeatedly 

questioned whether the 

Congolese military was involved 

in the trafficking in various industries 

or in some massacres. The 

group has also incriminated local 

militias in some killings that were 

allegedly linked to land disputes. • 

9 


USA 

Trump taps Bossert for 

counter-terrorism post 

DT 

US President-elect Donald Trump 

on Tuesday announced that 

Thomas Bossert, former deputy 

homeland security adviser to President 

George W Bush, would be his 

White House adviser on security 

and counter-terrorism issues, 

according to a statement. As assistant 

to the president for homeland 

security and counter-terrorism, 

Bossert would be Trump’s top 

counter-terrorism chief. REUTERS 

THE AMERICAS 

Argentine finance 

minister sacked 

Argentine President Mauricio Macri 

sacked his Finance Minister Alfonso 

Prat-Gay on Monday, shaking up 

his economic team amid a stubborn 

recession that has made his centerright 

reforms deeply unpopular. 

Nicolas Dujovne, a respected 

economist, will take over as finance 

minister. Luis Caputo, who previously 

served Prat-Gay as budget 

secretary, will take over the newly 

created budget ministry. AFP 

UK 

Netanyahu snubs May 

over UN settlements vote 

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin 

Netanyahu, has apparently snubbed 

Theresa May over the UK’s support 

of a highly critical UN resolution 

condemning Israeli settlement building. 

Reports in the Israeli media said 

Netanyahu had told ministers at his 

weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday 

that he did not intend to meet May 

in Davos at the forthcoming World 

Economic Forum. THE GUARDIAN 

EUROPE 

Romania’s first female, 

Muslim PM rejected 

Romania’s president sparked 

fresh political turmoil Tuesday 

after rejecting a proposal by the 

election-winning leftist party to 

name the EU country’s first female 

and first Muslim prime minister. 

Klaus Iohannis gave no reasons for 

his rejection of Sevil Shhaideh, put 

forward by the Social Democrats, 

but there was speculation that it 

may be due to her Syrian husband’s 

background. AFP 

AFRICA 

Somalia swears in new 

MPs amid vote criticism 

Somalia on Tuesday swore in new 

lawmakers after weeks of voting 

in a complex political process seen 

as its most democratic election in 

nearly five decades, despite significant 

flaws. The vote for president 

has been put off several times as a 

result of delays in the election of 

lawmakers due to clan disputes, 

accusations of fraud, and organisational 

challenges. REUTERS

10 


DT 

World 

INSIGHT 

South Korea ruling party split could 

provide opening for UN chief Ban 

• Reuters, Seoul 

A South Korean ruling party faction 

said on Tuesday it would form a 

new party, and key members said 

they hoped outgoing UN Secretary-General 

Ban Ki-moon would 

join it to launch a widely expected 

bid to become president. 

If Ban joined the new party, it 

would give him a conservative platform 

while distancing himself from 

the ruling Saenuri Party of President 

Park Geun-hye, which has become 

tainted by a corruption scandal that 

led to a parliamentary impeachment 

vote against her this month. 

The 29 lawmakers defecting 

from Park’s Saenuri Party were 

among those who supported the 

parliamentary motion to impeach 

her over the influence-peddling 

scandal, which was passed overwhelmingly 

on December 9. 

Some analysts expect the new 

party to become the country’s main 

conservative force and further defections 

to it from Park’s party were 

likely, especially if Ban joined. 

“We are hoping Secretary-General 

Ban Ki-moon will join the New 

Conservative Party for Reform, and 

if he joins, it will be right that he 

would compete in a fair primary,” 

Yoo Seong-min, a member of the 

new party and a possible presidential 

contender, told TV station SBS, using 

the new party’s tentative name. 

In a Realmeter poll released on 

Monday, 23.3% of respondents supported 

Ban, just ahead of the liberal 

Democratic Party’s Moon Jae-in, at 

23.1%. 

The defections cut the number 

of seats held by Saenuri to fewer 

than 100 in the 300-member chamber. 

The Saenuri unexpectedly lost 

its majority in April parliamentary 

elections. 

Ban, 72, has not declared an intention 

to run for president, only 

saying he would devote himself to 

the country after his tenure ends 

this month after 10 years. 

Nevertheless, he had until recently 

been widely expected to 

run for the top job as a member of 

Park’s party. 

Joining forces? 

Ban could opt to form his own 

group, with the intention of later 

joining forces with the new conservative 

party, saving him from 

having to run in the new party’s 

primary contest, Kim said, an arrangement 

which is not unusual in 

Korean politics. 

“Everyone remaining in the party 

is calculating what their next 

move should be,” Kim said. 

“Saenuri has lost its identity and 

the new party will take the lead 

among conservatives.” 

The Constitutional Court has 

up to 180 days to uphold or overturn 

the impeachment vote against 

Park, who has been stripped of her 

powers in the meantime. 

If Park’s impeachment is upheld, 

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon 

a presidential election will be held in 

60 days. An election for the five-year 

single-term presidency is currently 

scheduled for December 20, 2017. 

The head of the minority People’s 

Party, which holds 38 seats in 

parliament, has also said it would 

welcome Ban. 

Over the years, South Korean 

parties have often broken up and 

REUTERS 

reformed in new guises. 

Ban has been coy about his 

plans, other than saying he will return 

to South Korea on Jan. 15. 

“I will devote my whole body to 

work hard if what I have seen and experienced 

as the UN secretary-general 

helps develop the Republic of 

Korea,” Ban told Korean media last 

week at the United Nations. • 

Taiwan warns of 

growing threats 

from China 

• AFP, Taipei 

Taiwan’s defence minister warned 

Tuesday that enemy threats were 

growing daily after China’s aircraft 

carrier and a flotilla of other warships 

passed south of the island in 

an exercise as tensions rise. 

After sailing south of Taiwan 

itself, the Liaoning and five other 

warships on Monday passed the 

Taiwan-administered Dongsha Islands 

in the South China Sea also 

claimed by Beijing, according to 

Taiwan’s defence ministry. 

The naval drills are seen as a show 

of strength by Beijing as its relations 

worsen with Taiwan and the United 

States, following a protocol-breaking 

telephone conversation between Taiwanese 

President Tsai Ing-wen and 

US President-elect Donald Trump. 

Chinese media had earlier reported 

that the carrier was headed 

for the Pacific on exercise for the 

first time along with its escort ships. 

It was the latest in a series of recent 

exercises staged by China, after 

its military aircraft passed near 

Taiwan on December 10 for the second 

time in less than a month. 

Taiwan’s defence minister Feng 

Shih-kuan said Tuesday, during a 

promotion ceremony for generals, 

that threats from the enemy were 

growing daily. 

Ties between Taiwan and China 

have turned increasingly frosty 

since Tsai’s election victory in 

January. Beijing has cut off official 

communication with her government, 

which took office in May, after 

it refused to publicly accept the 

“one China” concept. • 

FACTBOX 

Black boxes: A treasure trove of data for air crash probes 

Authorities announced Tuesday 

that one of the black boxes of a Syria-bound 

Russian military plane that 

crashed into the Black Sea with 92 

people onboard on Christmas Day, has 

been found at a depth of 17 metres, 

some 1.6km from the shore. 

After finding possible survivors and 

victim remains, the first priority of aircrash 

investigators is to locate the black 

boxes, a duo of data recorders that can 

hold vital clues on why an aircraft went 

down. 

Despite their name, the boxes that 

hold a plane’s flight data and cockpit 

voice recordings are actually bright orange 

with white reflective strips to make 

them easier to spot among debris. 

Made of hard-to-destroy materials, 

all commercial planes are obliged to 

have them on board. 

According to experts, black boxes explain 

the causes of nearly 90% of plane 

crashes. 

BLACK BOXES (FLIGHT RECORDERS) 

CVR 

Casing 

Can withstand 

1 hour at 1,100°C 

1 month 

immersed in water 

at a depth 

of 6,000 metres 

FDR 

Flight Data Recorder 

Records technical flight 

data including temperature, 

speed, altitude and trajectory 

25 hours of recording time 

Source: BEA 

Cockpit Voice Recorder 

Records conversations 

between crew members 

and with air traffic control 

2 hours of recording time 

Underwater 

locator beacon 

Emits ultrasonic 

pulse on immersion 

for up to 90 days. 

Pinger detectible 

2 km from surface 

The gadget was developed in the 

1950s by an Australian scientist, David 

Ronald de Mey Warren, who helped 

probe a crash of a De Havilland Comet – 

the first commercial jetliner. 

The first box he designed, inspired by 

a miniature voice recorder he saw at a 

trade fair, worked with magnetic recording 

tape – nowadays they are digitised. 

Not indestructible 

Each black box comprises two units: a 

digital flight data recorder (FDR) to record 

the plane’s speed, altitude and direction, 

and the cockpit voice recorder 

(CVR) to note conversations of the pilots 

and ground or cabin crew as well as any 

alarms, engine noise, explosions, pops 

or thuds. 

The FDR can hold about 25 hours of 

information, the CVR some two hours. 

The FDR and CVR can be housed in 

separate boxes – usually kept at the back 

of the aircraft where they are more likely 

to survive a crash – or combined into 

one. 

Mandatory since the 1960s on commercial 

flights, black boxes are encased 

in hardened steel or titanium boxes designed 

to survive high-speed impact and 

pressure, intense post-crash heat, or 

lengthy underwater submersion. 

Each device is made to resist heat 

up to 1,100°C for an hour and 10 hours 

smouldering at a lower 260 C, or to survive 

underwater as deep as 6,100 metres. 

But they are not indestructible and 

are often badly damaged. 

Analysing black box data can take 

days or even weeks, depending on their 

state. 

Each box is fitted with an acoustic 

location beacon or “pinger”, which can 

emit a signal for up to a month. 

One device weighs about five to 

10kg, and is the size of a shoe box. • 

Source: AFP

World 

Turkey opens first trial of July 15 coup suspects 

• Reuters, Silivri, Turkey 

The first trial related to Turkey’s 

failed coup on July started on Tuesday, 

with 29 police officers facing 

charges of disobeying orders on the 

July night rogue soldiers attempted 

to overthrow the government and 

killed some 240 people. 

Since the failed coup, more than 

100,000 people have been sacked or 

suspended in a widespread crackdown 

targeting the military, police, 

civil service and private sector. Some 

40,000 people have been arrested. 

Security was tight at the courthouse 

in Silivri, west of Istanbul, 

including a heavy police presence. 

Reporters were not allowed to bring 

cameras and other equipment into 

the building. 

The police officers are charged 

with disobeying orders to defend 

President Tayyip Erdogan’s palace 

in Istanbul on the night of the July 

15 coup, state-run Anadolu Agency 

said. Lawyers for the 29 defendants 

could not immediately be reached 

to say whether they would deny the 

charges. 

During the attempted coup, 

rogue soldiers commandeered 

tanks, helicopters and warplanes in 

Istanbul and Ankara and attacked 

parliament and other institutions. 

Prosecutors are seeking three life 

11 


DT 

sentences for 21 of the policemen 

and sentences of between 7-1/2 to 15 

years in prison for the other eight, 

Anadolu said. 

While Tuesday’s trial is the first 

related to the coup, it does not include 

the alleged ringleaders, who 

are due to go on trial, probably next 

year, in Ankara. •

14 


DT 

Basic Bank to 

get Tk2600cr 

bonds in 

installments 

• Asif Shawkat Kallol 

Finance Minister AMA Muhith 

has refused to hand over 

Tk2600cr bonds to the Basic 

Bank in one go. 

The minister came up with 

the decision at a meeting of 

the governing body of Climate 

Change Trust Fund held at the 

Ministry of Environment and 

Forest yesterday. 

The minister said: “We 

cannot provide Tk2600cr to 

the bank in cash but we will 

provide it in bonds. And finance 

ministry will provide 

the bonds in different slots of 

Tk500cr and Tk600cr.” 

“We cannot stop providing 

support to the bank even if it is 

bankrupt,” he added. 

Muhith said the ministry 

had to provide funds in this regard 

as the government decided 

to keep the Basic Bank operational 

despite its bankruptcy. 

Last year, Basic Bank received 

Tk2300cr in aid from 

the finance ministry. • 

Business 

Oil steadies above $55 ahead of 

supply cut deal 

• Reuters 

Oil steadied above $55 a barrel yesterday, 

drawing support from expectations 

of tighter supply once 

the first output cut deal between 

OPEC and non-OPEC producers in 

15 years takes effect on Sunday. 

Jan 1 is the official start of the 

deal agreed by the Organisation 

of Petroleum Exporting Countries 

and several non-OPEC producers 

to lower production by almost 1.8 

million barrels per day (bpd). 

Brent crude LCOc1 was unchanged 

at $55.16 a barrel at 1128 

GMT (6:28 am ET). The global 

benchmark reached $57.89 on Dec 

12, the highest since July 2015. US 

crude CLc1 gained 15 cents to $53.17. 

There was no trading on Monday 

after the Christmas holiday, and 

volume was expected to be light 

on Tuesday. Crude may struggle to 

rally much further before evidence 

is available of OPEC’s compliance 

with the cuts, analysts said. 

“To go above $60 is going to be 

difficult. We’re already close to 

the top rather than the bottom of 

the range right now,” said Olivier 

Jakob, oil analyst at Petromatrix. 

“From January, we’ll start to 

A PetroChina gasoline-station attendant pumps fuel into a car in Beijing 

have a better idea about the level of 

OPEC production. That is going to 

be more and more of a focus.” 

Major OPEC members such as 

Saudi Arabia and Iraq have informed 

customers of lower supplies. But 

Libya and Nigeria - which are exempt 

from reductions because conflict 

has curbed their output - have 

been increasing production. 

Libyan output was 622,000 bpd 

on Monday, up slightly from levels 

recorded before an armed faction 

agreed to lift a two-year blockade 

REUTERS 

on major western pipelines on Dec 

14, the National Oil Corporation 

(NOC) said. 

While the outright price of crude 

is being supported by the prospect 

of lower supplies, the impact in the 

physical market will probably differ 

according to the type of crude. 

Price differentials for lighter 

crudes could weaken once the supply 

cut comes into force as producers 

are expected to trim back output 

of their heavier grades, analysts at 

JBC Energy said in a report. • 

‘Monte dei Paschi 

bailout must be 

carefully weighed’ 

• Reuters 

European Central Bank policymaker 

Jens Weidmann said plans for a 

state bailout of Italian bank Monte 

dei Paschi di Siena should be 

weighed carefully as many questions 

remain to be answered, according 

to German newspaper Bild. 

“For the measures planned by 

the Italian government the bank 

has to be financially healthy at its 

core. The money cannot be used 

to cover losses that are already expected,” 

Bild quoted Weidmann as 

saying in a summary of an article 

due to be published today. He said 

there must be a risk of severe economic 

turbulence, adding: “All this 

must be carefully examined.” 

The Italian government approved 

a decree on Friday to bail 

out Monte dei Paschi after the 

world’s oldest bank failed to win 

investor backing for a desperately 

needed capital increase. 

Monte dei Paschi emerged as 

the weakest of some 51 European 

banks subjected to stress tests 

earlier this year by the ECB. It was 

given until the end of the year to 

sort out its problems or face being 

wound down. •

Business 15 

DT 


CORPORATE NEWS 

British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) secure first position in 

ICSB National Award for Corporate Governance Excellence 2015 in 

Manufacturing Companies Category for practicing good governance 

for 3rd time in a row. BATB Chairman Golam Mainuddin and Managing 

Director Shehzad Munim received the award from Prime Minister’s 

Advisor Dr Mashiur Rahman at a grand ceremony held at Grand Ballroom, 

Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the city recently. 

Southeast Bank Limited has recently opened its 128th branch at Pirujali 

Road, Manipur Bazar in Gazipur, said a press release. The bank’s AMD, 

Muhammad Shahjahan inaugurated the branch . 

Pubali Bank Limited has recently opened its 449th branch at Shibchar 

in Madaripur, said a press release. Member of parliament, Noor-E- 

Alam Chowdhury inaugurated the branch at the presence of the bank’s 

director, Syed Moazzem Hussain . 

S.A.M. Hossain has been elected 

as Vice Chairman of Standard 

Bank Limited. SAM Hossain has 

recently been elected as vice 

chairperson of Standard Bank 

Limited, said a press release. He is 

the chairperson of Victor Group . 

Md Monzur Mofiz has recently 

joined Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited 

as a deputy managing director, 

said a press release. Prior to his 

joining, Mofiz was working as 

SEVP of City Bank Limited. He has 

overall 23 years of experience.

16 


DT 

Event 

Model UN summit held in Dhaka 

• Aaqib Md Shatil 

“We need to work together; 

after all, it is United Nations, 

not divided nations” - Anika 

Anwar, an eleventh grader from 

Adamjee Cantonment College, 

who was representing Angola in 

the Historical Crisis Committee, 

a specialised committee of the 

just concluded Dhaka University 

National Model UN 2016 

conference, was found encouraging 

her fellow delegates to come 

together to find a way out to the 

crisis they were given to work with. 

Like every other year since 

2012, Dhaka University Model 

UN Association (DUNMUN) 

organised the prestigious MUN 

of the country, Dhaka University 

National Model UN conference. 

It was the fifth session of the first 

ever university-based Model UN 

conference in Bangladesh. 

With the theme, “Embarking 

SDG implementation for peaceful 

coexistence,” the conference 

was aimed at extracting out the 

best possible ways to embark 

the implementation of the 17 

sustainable development goals 

with a view to achieving peaceful 

coexistence. 

A simulation of the UN 

General Assembly, the summit 

is driven by the urge to provide 

solutions for the problem the 

delegates are given. Each of the 

committee discusses the agenda, 

make arguments on behalf of 

their country and come up with 

a resolution that includes the 

solution to the problem. Thus, 

unlike most of the seminars or 

conferences, Model UN not only 

discusses the problems, but also 

strives to find a solution to these 

problems. 

This year, DUNMUN Secretariat 

received thousands of delegate 

applications from 151 institutions 

across the globe, and among 

them, only 500 were selected as 

delegates. 

DUNMUN 2016 had 10 

committees that were tasked to 

discuss a total of 43 agendas in 

four days. Around 500 delegates, 

from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, 

Somalia, and Sierra Leone came 

together at the University of 

Dhaka to express their views 

on SDG implementation for 

peaceful coexistence, on behalf 

of their assigned countries from 

December 19 to December 22. 

While arguing, the delegates, 

mostly students from different 

universities of the world, 

came forward with exclusive 

information, perspectives and 

expressed their views on the 

respective agenda. 

While discussing in the UNICEF 

PHOTO: COURTESY 

A simulation of the UN General Assembly, the summit is 

driven by the urge to provide solutions for the problem the 

delegates are given 

committee, the delegate of 

Germany, Mrittunjoy Das, opined, 

“It is a grave misconception 

that all child labour is forced.” 

“Rather,” he added, “the 

definition of child is subjective 

from one country to another.” 

On the other hand, the 

delegate of Russia contradicted 

this statement and urged all the 

PHOTO: COURTESY 

nations to ensure education for 

all to stop child labour. 

Tanjim Ul Islam, who was a 

delegate in NATO, recalled his 

experience of DUNMUN 2016 

saying: “I got to learn many 

important things throughout 

the sessions. It was an excellent 

opportunity to brush up on my 

diplomacy and teamwork skills.” 

However, DUNMUN was not 

all about debates and arguments, 

rather, this year it had three 

cultural nights. Popular musical 

band Arbovirus rocked the night 

of December 21 in the DUNMUN 

Concert along with Ganpoka. 

The closing ceremony of the 

conference was held on December 

22 after the closing plenary 

session, which was presided 

over by Plenary President 

Wahiduzzaman Siddique. Closing 

and Award Giving Ceremony was 

attended by State Minister for the 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Md 

Shahriar Alam, MP. 

The minister appreciated the 

initiative saying that he is very 

happy to see so many future 

diplomats under one roof during 

his speech as the chief guest. He 

thanked the President of UNYSAB 

Mohammad Mamun Mia and 

Secretary General of DUNMUN 

2016, Mr Ashabul Mahmud for 

giving him the opportunity to 

address such an enthusiastic 

crowd. 

Among dozens of MUN 

conferences, on the question 

what made DUNMUN different 

from others, Tanjim Ferdous, 

the Chairperson of UNICEF 

said: “DUNMUN is the most 

consistent, well planed and wellorganised 

Model UN conference in 

Bangladesh.”•

Project 

17 


DT 

A future investment 

Save the Children’s campaign to ensure sufficient, equitable and efficient investment in children 

• Afroza Sharmin 

To ensure all rights of children 

in the country, the Government 

has to take measures to the 

maximum extent of its available 

resources – as specified in Article 

4 of the UN Convention on the 

Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In 

doing so, the Government must 

ensure sufficient, equitable and 

efficient public investment in 

children. As UNCRC suggests, the 

state should produce a budget 

for children, and make children 

visible in Government’s allocation 

and spending of resources. The 

Government must also involve 

children in the budget decision 

making process. 

The ‘UN Committee on the 

Rights of the Child’ adopted 

General Comment No. 19 on public 

budgeting for the realisation of 

children’s rights in June 2016, 

which is the first UN document 

that provides detailed guidance to 

states on the issue of investing in 

children. 

Save the Children in Bangladesh 

has initiated high level discussion 

around the General Comment 

and the issue of investment in 

children by organising a seminar 

titled ‘UNCRC General Comment 

on public budgeting for the 

realisation of children’s rights 

and Bangladesh’s Progress’ 

on December 26 at CIRDAP 

International Conference Center, 

Dhaka. The State Minister of 

Finance, M A Mannan, addressed 

the seminar as chief guest 

while Rasheda K Chowdhury, 

former Advisor to the Caretaker 

Government and Executive 

Director, CAMPE, was the special 

guest. Mohammad Muslim 

Chowdhury, Additional Secretary, 

Ministry of Finance, and Tahmina 

Begum NDC, Joint Secretary, 

Ministry of Women and Children 

Affairs, also spoke as special 

guests at the event. Dr Ishtiaq 

Mannan, Deputy Country Director 

of Save the Children in Bangladesh 

chaired the seminar. Ashiq Iqbal, 

Public Finance Advisor of Save the 

Children in Bangladesh made the 

keynote presentation. 

The General Comment 19 

relates to all rights recognised 

in the UNCRC including those of 

health and nutrition, education, 

protection and social protection. 

While the General Comment 

speaks about state responsibilities 

to invest in children in relation 

to the UNCRC, it will also help 

the Government deliver on 

commitments made to children 

in the Sustainable Development 

Goals (SDGs), noted the 

discussants of the seminar. 

Therefore, it is important that 

the guidelines are incorporated 

in the budget-making process of 

the government. But at the same 

time, it is also important that 

the civil society engages in its 

implementation, as emphasised 

by the General Comment itself. 

In Bangladesh, the 

Government, for the second 

time, has prepared the ‘Child 

Budget’ in FY 2015-16. The 

discussants recognised the Child 

Budget as a milestone towards 

public investment upholding the 

principle of best interest of the 

child, making children visible in 

the national budget. However, 

it was also stressed that detail 

allocations included in the 

Child Budget are yet to be made 

public which is critical to ensure 

transparency and civil society 

engagement in implementation 

tracking. Save the Children noted 

that about 15% of the national 

budget for the current fiscal 

year is allocated for children 

either directly or indirectly, and 

significantly higher social sector 

allocation per capita has been 

made compared to last year, 

which is a positive move from a 

child rights perspective. 

Speakers emphasised that child 

participation must be ensured 

in the budget decision making 

process. Save the Children made 

specific call to the government 

to hold pre-budget consultation 

with children and organisations 

working for them which is already 

happening with other professional 

groups every year. To note, the 

General Comment explicitly calls 

on the governments to ensure 

The ‘UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’ adopted General 

Comment No. 19 on public budgeting for the realisation of children’s 

rights in June 2016, which is the first UN document that provides 

detailed guidance to states on the issue of investing in children 

child participation in the budget 

making process, particularly the 

vulnerable children who find 

it difficult to make their voices 

heard. 

The General Comment 

particularly emphasises on the 

principle of non-discrimination 

and calls upon the Government 

to identify excluded groups, 

assess how resource allocation 

Photo: Courtesy 

differentially impacts them and 

take budgetary measures to 

address them. Save the Children 

suggested that disaggregated 

budget information by geographic 

locations is as critical as age 

and gender specific ones to this 

end. It was suggested that the 

Government should not only 

bring back the ‘District Budget’ 

reporting, but should aim at 

disaggregation of the budget 

further down the line at the 

Upazila level, and if possible at the 

Union level. 

Through the ‘Every Last 

Child’ global campaign, Save 

the Children calls on the to 

Government and decision makers 

for fair finance and accountability 

to children in Bangladesh. 

With such an aim, Save the 

Children is engaging with the 

Government, national and 

international organisations and 

the civil society to discuss the 

General Comment on public 

budgeting for the realisation 

of child rights which will be 

instrumental in the country’s 

journey ahead with the 

sustainable development 

agenda.•

18 


DT 

Feature 

| exhibition | 

Colour & Click 

• Sabiha Akond Rupa 

On a winter afternoon, the 

exclusive beauty salon, Divine 

Beauty Lounge arranged a unique 

portrait exhibition. Makeup 

maestro, Bapon Rahman 

collaborated with young talented 

photographer, Anwar Hossain 

Enam, for the first time. The 

photographer’s ingenious eyes 

have captured not just the beauty 

| companies | 

of makeover, but the soul of his 

subjects as well. 

Divine Beauty Lounge believes 

that, “Every single face is a 

canvas.” Bapon Rahman, the 

man who has been painting on 

live canvas for the last 25 years, 

presented his wide range of 

makeovers through this portrait 

exhibition. He has used colours 

to embrace beauty at its finest, 

forgetting the limits. “We are 

usually accustomed to seeing the 

typical and traditional look on a 

bride, but I have tried to create 

something different,” said Bapon 

Rahman. 

Sangeeta Khan, the managing 

partner of Divine Beauty 

Lounge, said, “Bapon Rahman 

is a multi-talented artist. He 

isn’t only a make-up artist but 

also has been creating different 

looks with make-up. The young 

photographer, Anwar Hossain 

Enam’s photographs also speak 

his talent. Divine Beauty Lounge 

brought out their talents through 

this exhibition.” 

The two-day long portrait 

exhibition was inaugurated by the 

beauty expert, Kaniz Almas Khan 

and the famous photographer, 

Chanchal Mahmud, on December 

17 at the gallery of Bay’s 

Edgewater. At the inauguration 

ceremony, Divine Beauty Lounge 

also introduced internationally 

renowned model, Priya Jannatul, 

as the brand ambassador who will 

be representing the beauty salon 

all over the country. • 

Photos: Courtesy 

Top five companies hiring in December 

Looking forward to kick start 

your career in Bangladesh with an 

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BRAC 

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Bangladesh. RMBL shall be 

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19 


DT 

| ceremony | 

‘Sailors passing out parade’ held at BNS Titumir, Khulna 

The New Entry Sailors Passing out 

Parade- 2016 of Bangladesh Navy 

was held at BNS Titumir parade 

ground, Khulna on Tuesday, 

December 27. The Chief of Naval 

Staff Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed 

was present as the chief guest 

during the parade. Later he 

gave out prizes among the best 

performers. 

New Sailor Md 

Tusharuzzaman, OD/UT got the 

‘CNS Trophy’ for his best all round 

performance among 783 sailors. 

Injamul Haque Polash, DE/MA-2/ 

UT was presented ‘Comkhul 

Padak’ and Abdullah Al Mamun, 

RO (G)-2/UT has received the 

‘Titumir Padak’. 

In his address, the CNS 

mentioned the great contribution 

of the Father of the Nation, 

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur 

Rahman with gratitude in 

development of Bangladesh Navy. 

He urged the new entry sailors 

to build themselves as dynamic 

members of the institution. He 

also recalled the sacrifices of 

naval soldiers in our liberation 

war and thanked the present 

government for its wholehearted 

support in the development of 

Navy, specially the new inclusion 

of two submarines in naval power. 

Among others, Assistant 

Chief of Naval Staff (Material), 

Commodore Commanding 

Khulna, Civil and military high 

officials of Khulna and Jessore, 

local dignitaries and guardians 

of the newly entered sailors were 

present on the occasion.• 

Photo: ISPR 

| awareness | 

Introducing Gamma Probe in the 

treatment of early breast cancer for the 

first time in Bangladesh 

For the treatment of early 

breast cancer, Gamma probe is 

very much essential and only 

available in Apollo Hospitals, 

Dhaka. During an operation, this 

instrument is used to identify 

suspected lymph nodes in the 

armpit, loaded with cancer 

cells, which is usually their 

first destination. In order to 

confirm the spread of cancer 

cells in a particular lymph 

node that is being removed 

and sent for the frozen section 

(histopathological section 

during surgery), if the cancer 

cells are not found, further 

excision of armpit tissues is not 

required or done. Therefore, 

patients can avoid major postoperative 

morbidities like upper 

limb swelling, continuous pain, 

infection, etc, which they may 

have to bear throughout their 

lives, in various intensities. 

Basically, to avoid unnecessary 

armpit surgery and its 

complications, gamma probe is 


very essential. 

Recently, Sharmin, who is a 

43 year-old lady from Chittagong 

with breast cancer, underwent 

this surgery at Apollo Hospitals 

in Dhaka. The very next day, she 

was discharged with complete 

recovery. Apollo Hospitals, 

Dhaka’s well-known General, 

Laparoscopic and G I Surgical 

Oncologist Dr Mohammad Farid 

Hossain, is doing this procedure 

regularly and successfully. • 

| recruitment | 

Radisson Blu Dhaka recruits 

Chef Jed Archdeacon as 

new Executive Chef 

Chef Jed Archdeacon was head 

hunted from Australia, and flown 

in all the way to bring inspiration 

and his expert knowledge to 

the already well established 

restaurant outlets of Radisson 

Blu Dhaka Water Garden such as 

Sublime, Water Garden Brasserie, 

Spice & Rice and ChitChat. He 

started his career as a chef in 

his hometown in Perth, Western 

Australia, where he worked 

under the guidance of the world 

renowned Chef Cheong Liew, 

at his signature restaurants in 


both Hilton Perth and 

Adelaide. Chef Jed left 

Australia on a culinary 

journey that had landed 

him working for some 

of the top luxury hotels 

and resorts throughout 

Asia and the Middle 

East. He headed the 

culinary operations 

for companies like 

Ritz Carlton, Hilton, 

Viceroy, Six Senses, 

COMO hotels, just to 

name a few; in exotic 

locations such as 

Maldives, China, Bhutan 

and Thailand. Chef 

Jed’s classical European 

training, accompanied 

by his exposure to 

Asian cuisines, gives 

him a well-rounded 

and open minded 

approach in heading up the 

Culinary Operations here at 

Radisson Blu Dhaka. Being wellversed 

in culinary art, Chef Jed 

Archdeacon possesses a natural 

flair for meticulous execution, 

spotlessness and an eye for detail. 

“I am excited to have Chef Jed 

join Radisson Blu Dhaka Water 

Garden,” says General Manager 

Mr Christoph Voegeli. We look 

forward to work with him and 

take our already popular restaurants 

to the next level. •

DT 

20 

Editorial 


TODAY 

A radical change 

Young people start developing extreme 

views when they find that, in the name 

of upholding/safeguarding human 

rights, a charade is being played out 

PAGE 21 

The Russian 

interference 

Would it be worth it to retaliate against 

an issue such as hacking at this point? 

By now it would be too little too late for 

Obama 

PAGE 22 

RAJIB DHAR 

A terror-free Bangladesh 

We need to do 

something 

If the irksome reiterated statement of 

children being the ‘future of the nation’ 

is something we can bank on, we need 

to create a system that allows them to 

be the ‘backbone of our country’ 

PAGE 23 

Be heard 

Write to Dhaka Tribune 

FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, 

Shukrabad, Dhaka-1207 

Send us your Op-Ed articles: 

opinion.dt@dhakatribune.com 

www.dhakatribune.com 

Join our Facebook community: 

https://www.facebook.com/ 

DhakaTribune. 

The views expressed in opinion 

articles are those of the authors 

alone and they are not the 

official view of Dhaka Tribune 

or its publisher. 

The year 2017 is almost here, and with it comes hope for a 

Bangladesh that is well and truly free of terror. 

The case of Jebunnahar, the country’s first female 

suicide bomber, is only the latest reminder for us that 

terror did not end with the incident at Holey Artisan Bakery in July. 

To that end, the government’s effective response in tackling 

terrorism has been reassuring. The multiple successful raids 

carried out across the country this year have gone a long way 

towards making the citizenry feel safe. 

Starting with the Kallayanpur raids to the Narayanganj bust 

earlier this year, and with this recent raid of an Ashkona terrorist 

den on December 24, the law enforcement has done its job in 

keeping the nation secure. 

However, the job does not end there. 

The next few days are going to be crucial for our law 

enforcement and intelligence agencies. 

With New Year’s Eve only couple of days away, it is natural to 

suspect that terrorists would see this as an opportunity to wreak 

havoc over the denizens of the country’s capital city. 

The government has shown that it is equal to the challenge so 

far, and we are confident that they have matters well under control 

as far as the next few days are concerned. 

This year has been particularly grueling for us, and the country 

is eagerly looking forward to the coming year being free of terror. 

But for that we need to come together as a nation, simply relying 

on the government to do its part will not do. 

The new year is almost upon us. Our law enforcers are doing 

their job. Let’s do our part to keep Bangladesh terror-free. 

The new year is almost 

upon us. Our law 

enforcers are doing their 

job. Let’s do our part to 

keep Bangladesh terrorfree

A radical change 

Opinion 21 

Radicalism is nothing but a byproduct of misinformation coming back to haunt us 

DT 


SERPENT 

IN EDEN 

• Towheed Feroze 

As a journalist, I often 

come across young 

people who are eager to 

listen to my views on 

global events which often cannot 

be explained unequivocally. 

During the invasion of Iraq and 

then Libya, the common questions 

were around the justification of 

these actions. 

While the powers involved 

in intervening in these states 

delivered relentless rhetoric about 

“restoration of democracy” and 

human rights, common educated 

youngsters here asked to what 

extent it was right to forcefully go 

into another country and settle 

someone else’s problems. 

I could only smile dryly and 

give a diplomatic answer, which 

was possibly opaque. 

Years later, both these countries 

are in turmoil -- the so-called 

“intervention” did little to improve 

the socio-political conditions 

of the people there. One has 

become the breeding ground for 

ultra-radicals wreaking havoc 

worldwide, whereas the other has 

descended into anarchy. 

Trust me, one of my aunts 

is Libyan, and she has left her 

country to reside in the UK. 

According to her, the unsolicited 

interference has totally 

destabilised her country. 

The point here is that, as we 

talk about the sudden increase 

political events happening in other 

parts of the world. 

Once, we had to rely on what 

the news agencies fed us. Today, 

there is no chance for any news 

outlet to provide a skewed version 

of a political event and get away 

with it. Yes, there are efforts to 

exploit social media to spread false 

news but just as fast the fabricated 

news spreads, they are discovered/ 

debunked even faster. 

Given that the world is in the 

hands of the young educated 

mind, pulling the wool over the 

eyes is so much more difficult. 

I will possibly not be wrong to 

state that countless young people 

feel a sense of indignation at how 

some former imperial nations have 

continuously tried to hoodwink 

others into playing along with 

their nefarious schemes. 

The young people who once 

asked me for my opinion on 

certain global events do not ask 

anymore, simply because they 

now understand, quite clearly, the 

hypocrisy that motivates major 

global episodes. 

While this turns many cynical, 

many others, maybe a handful, 

become enraged, thus deciding to 

harbour extreme views. 

A news feature in a widelycirculated 

daily newspaper 

recently wrote referring to 

radicalisation of young minds, 

that the education system needs 

to be overhauled plus the liberal 

mindset needs to be inculcated. 

As far as my understanding of 

the liberal mind goes, someone 

with an open attitude will 

obviously ask questions expecting 

to get clear answers. Surely, 

we do not want another set of 

The youth today have a different thinking process 

BIGSTOCK 

Young people start developing extreme views when they find that 

in the name of upholding/safeguarding human rights, a charade 

is being played out. Most learn to accept it as the real world while 

others want to strike back 

of people with extreme views 

everywhere, most times we try to 

think within a localised scenario, 

not taking into account global 

events which have, over the years, 

impacted the viewpoints of the 

young. 

In the last one decade, 

the world has opened up to 

the growing youth due to the 

proliferation of the internet. While 

this has brought societies closer, 

it has also opened up platforms 

for critical discussion, touching 

indoctrinated and benign minds in 

the name of a liberal outlook. 

In the Bangladeshi context, 

the youth of today are a far 

different breed from the youth 

of the 70s, who, growing up in 

the post-independence setting of 

social depredation and austerity, 

concentrated mostly on getting 

a job and staying in a servile 

position without raising critical 

questions. 

In a progressing Bangladesh, 

and in a world where other, 

hitherto struggling countries are 

also developing fast, a new line of 

young people is emerging. 

These people have totally 

shed that post-colonial hangover, 

asking direct questions, expecting 

unequivocal answers. 

I feel that when they do not get 

satisfactory answers, they turn 

rebellious. Some may take the path 

towards extremism while others 

may not get involved in radical 

acts but may still hold very scarred 

views about the state of affairs. 

Perhaps a survey should be 

done to find out if the youth 

of today feel whether justice or 

injustice takes the upper hand at 

the end of 2016. 

Coming to the latest 

humanitarian suffering in 

Myanmar and Syria, if we try to 

make a comparison between these 

two states with Libya and Iraq, the 

common question may be: If an 

intervention could be engineered 

and emphatically endorsed then, 

why can’t any solid action be 

taken now in these two states 

where countless are suffering 

inconceivably? 

I know, a very naïve question, 

but then, the young minds will ask 

it and sorry to say, I do not have 

the answer to satisfy them. 

Tell me if I am wrong: Young 

people start developing extreme 

views when they find that in the 

name of upholding/safeguarding 

human rights, a charade is being 

played out. Most learn to accept it 

as the real world while others want 

to strike back. 

Radicalism is but a byproduct 

of years of misleading information 

coming back to haunt us. 

When the suggestion of 

“positive counselling” is 

mentioned, are we to believe 

that it aims to stop young people 

from thinking deeply about global 

events? Of course, we need to 

resort to constructive discussions 

with the young everywhere, but 

those who chalk out dubious 

foreign policies will need some 

sessions with the shrink too. 

Hope for a better time ahead 

for those facing trauma in Syria, 

Myanmar, and others places. 

Happy holidays to my readers. • 

Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently 

working in the development sector.

22 


DT 

Opinion 

The Russian interference 

America needs to be assertive now more than ever ... but it won’t be 

Telling Putin to ‘cut it out’ won’t be enough 

REUTERS 

• Azeem Ibrahim 

So what will Obama do 

about reports of alleged 

Russian hacking attempts 

to interfere in the US 

elections? 

In short, the most likely answer 

is that he will do nothing. 

Of course, interference with the 

US election process would have 

been, at any other time in history, 

a cause for war. So any sitting 

US president must at least talk 

tough. But Obama does not have 

the time to mount anything like 

a measured response. And he is 

most likely to judge that it would 

serve nobody to lash out blindly. 

This “measured approach” has 

been Obama’s hallmark modus 

operandi in foreign affairs. And 

indeed, it was just the approach he 

promised he would take while he 

was campaigning for office. After 

the years of misguided military 

adventurism under President 

Bush, the American people 

welcomed this kind of approach 

enthusiastically. 

It is sad to say, however, that 

this approach has been as much 

a failure as the “bull in a china 

shop” approach of Bush. In the 

early years, the new language 

from the Leader of the Free World 

was welcomed everywhere. The 

promised reset of policy in the 

Middle East sounded like just what 

the world needed. It was enough 

to win him the Nobel Peace Prize. 

But vision is not enough. In 

the brutal and chaotic world of 

geopolitical struggles, one must 

be willing to put force behind 

one’s vision. Even, as it turns 

out, when that vision is a deeply 

humanitarian one whose primary 

aim is long-term stability and 

peace. 

The red line 

This truth was ultimately revealed 

during the early days of the Syrian 

civil war. The single-most notable 

error that Obama made during 

his entire administration was to 

draw a red line over the use of 

chemical weapons against civilians 

by Assad, and then failing to 

intervene to enforce that red line 

when the regime finally crossed it. 

An American President had 

promised war over a humanitarian 

crisis where most of the rest of 

the world would have agreed 

intervention was needed, and then 

he failed to deliver. For the first 

time perhaps since World War II, 

America would no longer be able 

to wield the credible threat of 

force as a diplomatic weapon. 

This, combined with Obama’s 

ever-consuming concern 

about being drawn into the 

conflicts which undermined his 

Would it be worth it to retaliate against an issue such as hacking at this 

point? By now it would be too little too late for Obama. It would be the 

strop of someone who knows he has lost. A man of vision, ambition, 

and intelligence, yes 

predecessors, gave America’s rivals 

just the signal they were looking 

for: They could act with impunity 

in whatever they designated 

as their “spheres of interest.” 

America would not be drawn out. 

And the world has been a freefor-all 

ever since. Pax Americana 

crumbled. Would it be worth it 

to retaliate against an issue such 

as hacking at this point? By now 

it would be too little too late for 

Obama. It would be the strop of 

someone who knows he has lost. 

A man of vision, ambition, and 

intelligence, yes. 

But also a man who, for all 

his conviction that he is “on the 

right side of history,” has been 

repudiated by world events, 

and repudiated by American 

democracy. The incoming 

president is the opposite of 

everything he has stood for. 

Nevertheless, a retaliation 

is necessary. America needs 

to reassert itself on the world 

stage, and it needs, more than 

anything else, to signal that when 

it threatens reprisals it means 

business. It needs to overwhelm 

and cripple Russia’s hacker 

networks and get on the ground in 

Syria to effect a stable and lasting 

federalisation. 

Telling Putin to “cut it out” 

won’t do anything. Forcing Putin 

to back down will. 

Shame that America has just 

elected an ill-suited person for 

the job: A “tough-talking” reality 

TV star who, by all accounts, 

loves Putin more than he loves 

democracy and the institutions 

who put him in the chair of the 

most powerful man on Earth. • 

Azeem Ibrahim is Senior Fellow at 

the Centre for Global Policy, Fellow at 

Mansfield College, University of Oxford 

and Research Professor at the Strategic 

Studies Institute, US Army War College. 

He tweets @AzeemIbrahim. This article 

was previously published in Al Arabiya 

News.

Opinion 23 

We need to do something 

before the frustration festers 

To see the change that we want to see in Bangladesh, we need to facilitate it first 

DT 


Change won’t occur from the comfort of one’s home 

If the irksome reiterated statement of children being the ‘future of the 

nation’ is something we can bank on, we need to create a system that 

allows them to be the ‘backbone of our country’ 

• Luba Khalili 

If there’s one thing that 

Bangladesh does not lack in, 

it has got to be the amount of 

people pointing out what’s 

wrong with this country. 

Opinion sections of all 

newspapers, talk shows on local 

TV, casual banter between uncles, 

friends, the cha wala, what have 

you -- all conversations flock to the 

same topic of debate. 

This is wrong, that is wrong: 

The government, corruption, 

police, bribery, population, slums, 

NGOs, academics, reporters, the 

petty bourgeois, your neighbour. 

Add to the list our favorite 

nouns, and we have ourselves 

a fairly convincing -- and most 

likely justified -- debunking of 

development. 

Now, whether we are the way 

we are because we complain too 

much, or because of the structural 

violence we’ve endured from 

hundreds of years of colonisation 

and oppression of the masses in 

various forms, the concerns laid 

out aren’t all a pretense. 

In fact, most people are just too 

tired of being stuck in traffic for 

unnecessarily long hours, broken 

roads, unavailable and unfit public 

transits … the list goes on. 

And as much as I would like to 

harp on about how far we’ve come 

as a nation since independence 

-- which is another issue itself for 

possibly another day -- I can’t help 

but hop on the bandwagon of the 

pedantic, and point out the sad 

truth: The list keeps going on. 

So, if one were to think and 

play the blame game a little bit 

more, perhaps the folks who sit in 

the central secretariat in Ramna 

should be the ones to point our 

fingers at. I mean, if the one body 

of authority looming over this tiny 

country, squeezed in between 

a “frenemy,” responsible for 

carrying out the task of providing 

the basics to its (albeit deluged) 

population, can’t do a proper job -- 

then maybe it’s time to change the 

BIGSTOCK 

constituents, and maybe even the 

framework of polity itself. 

Maybe it is time for the older 

generations to finally step off of 

their thrones and we can have a 

body of governance not falling 

asleep during national assemblies. 

But none of this blaming and 

shifting around the puzzle pieces 

actually point to a problem rooted 

deeper in the Bangladeshi society. 

If the younger generation 

were to step up onto a platform 

where change could be brought, 

we would need the means to do 

so, and of course, incentives, 

to toil away for a vision of what 

Bangladesh could actually be. 

And while that could very well 

be arranged, there’s another issue 

that keeps us away from moving 

up: We lack a culture of moving 

out. 

While most people are expected 

to live with their parents until, 

at least, they get married -- and 

for women, there’s a chance of 

moving out after marriage -- that 

doesn’t happen until they’re at 

least, say, 25 years old? From even 

a glance at Dhaka, people do not 

live on their own until they’re well 

into their 30s. 

This creates a culture of being 

tethered to familial comfort, and 

frankly, a sense of comfort that 

began from childhood and lasts 

that long could transform, rather 

subtly and sinisterly, into a lack of 

accountability. Towards ourselves, 

our careers, and, perhaps, to our 

nation. Most of us lose a good 

eight to 10 years of our adult 

lives not paying rent -- and thus 

not experiencing the struggle of 

making ends meet, not worrying 

about how we’ll eat and so on. 

Our realisation of responsibility 

doesn’t really hit until much later, 

and by that time, the vigour and 

drive that a twentysomething 

would have, fizzles out. 

Then it becomes about coming 

home from the nine-to-five job, 

taking care of the parents, maybe 

looking for a new apartment with 

the spouse and kids? 

I understand the privileged 

lenses that I’ve got on when 

making the claims that moving 

out of ones parents’ house is not 

a custom we traditionally have, 

and that people don’t struggle to 

make ends meet -- and the peers 

that I’ve seen come to the capital 

to study are examples of that. But 

if it is indeed the privilege that I 

am speaking of, that opportunity 

needs to be taken advantage of. 

And there are methods 

available to facilitate this madness. 

From allowing young people 

to be able to find part-time jobs 

so they can pay rent, to making 

apartments affordable and 

landlords approachable -- this list, 

too, goes on. 

But the first step is to really 

believe that change is possible. 

Let’s face it, if the irksome 

reiterated statement of children 

being “the future of the nation” 

is something we can bank on, we 

need to create a system that allows 

them to be “the backbone of our 

country.” 

Mollycoddling sons and 

assuming that daughters only 

belong in their father’s house and 

then the husband’s, are customs 

which are lethal for the changes 

that we would like to see in 

Bangladesh, whether in 10 years 

or 200. • 

Luba Khalili is a Sub-Editor at the Dhaka 

Tribune.

DT 

24 

Sport 


TOP STORIES 

Bangladesh seal 

volleyball title 

Bangladesh clinched the 

Bangabandhu Asian Senior 

Men’s Central Zone International 

Volleyball Championship after 

beating Kyrgyzstan 3-0 in the final 

at Shaheed Sohrawardi Indoor 

Stadium yesterday. PAGE 25 

Azhar shines on 

gloomy day 

Azhar Ali shone in gloomy 

conditions with a patient century 

to guide Pakistan to 310 for six in 

the second Test against Australia 

but both sides were left frustrated 

at the end of a rain-blighted 

second day in Melbourne. PAGE 26 

‘Not obsessed with 

winning Ballon d’Or’ 

Barcelona’s Brazilian star Neymar 

says winning the Ballon d’Or is one 

of his goals but he will not lose 

any sleep if he never takes home 

football’s top individual award. 

“If I don’t win the Ballon d’or, its 

okay,” he said. PAGE 27 

Contest in BD 

domestic cricket 

Much like the international scene, 

the domestic arena in Bangladesh 

was filled with incidents 

throughout the year 2016. And 

with the year drawing to a close, 

Dhaka Tribune assessed the 

domestic scene. PAGE 28 

Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah relaxes in Nelson, New Zealand yesterday while captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza and Tamim 

Iqbal go through their cell phones 

DHAKA TRIBUNE 

Bangladesh look to stay 

alive in ODI series 

• Tribune Report 

Following a rather comprehensive 

77-run defeat in the first ODI, 

visiting Bangladesh will look to 

remain alive in the three-match 

series when Mashrafe bin Mortaza 

and his troop take on New 

Zealand in the second and penultimate 

game at Saxton Oval 

in Nelson tomorrow. The match 

starts at 4am (Bangladesh standard 

time) and Channel 9 will telecast 

it live. 

Mushfiqur Rahim is likely to 

miss the second game after the 

wicketkeeper-batsman suffered 

a hamstring injury while batting 

during the first match at Hagley 

Oval in Christchurch. Nurul 

Hasan is expected to replace him. 

The visitors will definitely try to 

correct their mistakes from the first 

game where they displayed some 

sloppy fielding and below-par 

bowling. New Zealand managed to 

post a huge total of 341/7 from their 

fifty overs, riding on a magnificent 

hundred from Tom Latham and 

Colin Munro, who scored a quickfire 

87-run knock. 

Fast bowling sensation 

Mustafizur Rahman returned to 

international cricket after five 

months due to shoulder surgery 

and picked up two wickets giving 

away 62 runs. However, all the 

other bowlers were expensive. 

Shakib al Hasan did bag three 

wickets but conceded 69 runs 

from his 10 overs. 

Mashrafe also had a poor outing 

with the ball and will definitely 

look for improvement from his 

fellow bowlers with the pitch in 

Nelson expected to assist the fast 

bowlers. 

Bangladesh ended their chase 

on 264/9 in 44.5 overs and the 

failure of their top-order was the 

major reason behind their defeat. 

Imrul Kayes was dismissed after 

scoring 16 while Soumya Sarkar 

continued his poor run, making 

just one. The in-form Mahmudullah, 

meanwhile, departed without 

troubling the scorers. 

Tamim Iqbal scored a quiet 

ODI HEAD-TO-HEAD 

38 off 59 balls while Shakib and 

Mosaddek Hossain struck fifties, 

but it was not enough for the visitors. 

The Bangladesh top-order 

need to fire on a pitch which is 

expected to offer runs. 

With that said, it will once 

again be a tough ask for Bangladesh 

as Kane Williamson and his 

charges will look to exploit the 

home conditions and try to seal 

the series. 

Kiwi pacermen Lockie Ferguson 

and James Neesham, who 

had a good outing in the first ODI, 

will once again play big roles for 

the home side while Trent Boult, 

who remained wicketless in 

Christchurch, will definitely want 

to make his mark in the series. • 

NEW ZEALAND 

BANGLADESH 

4 Ranking 7 

26 Matches 26 

18 Wins 8 

8 Losses 18 

69 Win % 31 

341/7 Highest total 309/6 

162 Lowest total 77 

Ross Taylor (638) Most runs Shakib al Hasan (411) 

Tom Latham (137) High score Mahmudullah (128*) 

Kyle Mills (33) Most wickets Shakib al Hasan (31) 

Daniel Vettori (5/7) Best bowling Rubel Hossain (6/26) 

Possible to 

win in Nelson, 

says Tamim 

• Fazlul Bari from Nelson, 

New Zealand 

Having lost the first one-day international 

in the ongoing threematch 

series against hosts New 

Zealand, the visiting Bangladesh 

side are on their guard for the second 

game at Saxton Oval in Nelson, 

to be held early tomorrow morning. 

Losing the game will see the 

Kiwis ride to series victory with a 

game to spare while a win for the 

Tigers will turn the third game into 

a series-decider. 

Bangladesh opening batsman 

Tamim Iqbal said his side are fully 

aware of the stakes and are determined 

to keep alive their chances 

in the series. Bangladesh will take 

confidence from their winning 

memories against Scotland during 

the 2015 50-over World Cup 

that happens to be the Tigers’ only 

game in the venue. 

“We know the importance of 

this game. It will decide the series 

due to which we will look to do 

whatever is needed. I believe it is 

possible to win in Nelson with our 

strength. And at the same time, 

we have experience of this venue. 

Most of the players in the team 

have played here and have played 

well,” Tamim told the media in Nelson 

yesterday. 

We know the 

importance of this 

game. It will decide 

the series so we will 

look to do whatever 

is needed. I believe it 

is possible to win in 

Nelson 

Bangladesh lost the first ODI at 

Hagley Oval in Christchurch by 77 

runs after failing to chase down 

their target of 342 runs. Chasing 

the target, Bangladesh had scored 

264 in 44.5 overs before being 

dismissed. Left-handed batsman 

Tamim believes the first game experience 

has given the Tigers an 

idea of their limitations. 

“What we have learned from 

Christchurch is that we have a good 

chance if we can restrict them to 

280 or 300 runs on the board. We 

have enough strength to chase 

those many runs with ease. In Nelson, 

we had chased down 319 runs 

against Scotland, winning by six 

wickets. So I believe we know what 

our job is and what can be done,” 

said Tamim. •

Feni Soccer staring 

at relegation 


Feni Soccer Club are on the brink 

of getting relegated from the topflight 

for the first time in history 

after conceding a 2-1 defeat against 

Team BJMC in a crucial Bangladesh 

Premier League encounter at Bangabandhu 

National Stadium yesterday. 

The result has turned the relegation 

fight into a two-horse battle 

between Uttar Baridhara Club and 

Soccer Club. The latter though are 

in a more threatening situation. 

BJMC, on the other hand, confirmed 

their stay in the premier 

league for one more season, along 

with Mohammedan Sporting Club. 

RESULTS 

Feni SC 1-2 Team BJMC 

Shahran 13 Illiasu 46, Baybeck 50 

Rahmatganj 2-3 Brothers Union 

Zunapiyo 3, 44 - P Jitu 28 – P, Abbas 34, 

Mannaf 58 

With only one more round left 

to play, the Feni outfit remained at 

the bottom of the points table with 

only 15 points while Baridhara have 

two more points. Feni will face 

Muktijoddha Sangsad KC while 

Baridhara will lock horns with 

Mohammedan in their last-round 

games. 

Shahran Howlader put Feni 

ahead in the 13th minute after 

Mahbubul Islam Himu’s penalty 

shot was blocked by the goalkeeper. 

Shahran poked home on the rebound. 

BJMC however, came back to 

the game after resumption. Inform 

Nigerian midfielder Samson 

Illiasu snatched the ball from the 

opponent’s terrain and placed 

home from inside the box. 

Feni’s fortunes worsened when 

Cameroonian defender Baybeck 

Esaie’s header found the back of 

the net following a free-kick from 

substitute Abdullah Parvez, who 

made an immediate impact after 

coming off the bench. 

Feni must win their last match 

against Muktijoddha if they are to 

harbour any hopes of avoiding the 

drop. They first took part in the 

second edition of the Bangladesh 

League in 2009 and always managed 

to avoid relegation in the subsequent 

seven seasons. 

Meanwhile in the day’s other 

match at the same venue, Rahmatganj 

MFS continued to struggle as 

they suffered their fifth defeat in 

seven matches after going down 

3-2 against Brothers Union. 

Brothers moved to fourth with 

30 points while Rahmatganj remained 

sixth with 27 points. 

In-form Congolese forward Siyo 

Zunapiyo gave the Old Dhaka outfit 

the lead in just the third minute before 

Brothers midfielder Imtiaz Sultan 

Jitu equalised in the 28th minute 

from a penalty after goalkeeper 

Al Amin brought down Roni. 

This time, Ghanaian defender 

Abbas Inussah put the Gopibag 

outfit ahead in the 34th minute 

with a glancing header before Zunapiyo 

netted again from another 

penalty at the stroke of the first 

half to put things level. In the process, 

Zunapiyo bagged his 11th 

league goal this season. 

However, Mannaf Rabby sealed 

victory for Brothers with a brilliant 

strike in the 58th minute.• 

Sport 25 

DT 


Bangladesh volleyball players celebrate after winning the Bangabandhu Asian Senior Men’s Central Zone International 

Volleyball Championship yesterday 

DHAKA TRIBUNE 

Bangladesh seal volleyball title 


Bangladesh clinched the Bangabandhu 

Asian Senior Men’s Central 

Zone International Volleyball 

Championship after beating Kyrgyzstan 

3-0 in the final at Shaheed 

Sohrawardi Indoor Stadium in Mirpur 

yesterday. 

The Bangladesh Volleyball 

Federation informed that this is 

the first time Bangladesh have 

emerged as the champion in any 

international tournament in its 45 

years of history. 

Last edition’s champion Turkmenistan 

didn’t take part this year. 

The home side won the first set 

by 25-22 points but had to work 

harder in the second set where 

they won by 25-23 points. The 

game stopped when the scoreline 

was 7-6 in favour of Bangladesh in 

the third set after one of the Kyrgyzstan 

players got injured. 

Kyrgyzstan side came to Bangladesh 

with eight players. Two of 

them were previously injured and 

according to rules and regulations, 

teams can’t play with only five 

players. The hosts were declared 

the winner in the final set as well. 

Kyrgyzstan were the favourites 

to win the tournament in the absence 

of Turkmenistan and in their 

pursuit of the title got off to a fine 

start. They won all of their four 

group stage matches. They also 

beat Bangladesh in the group stage. 

A total of five countries participated 

in the tournament. Bangladesh 

defeated Afghanistan 3-1, 

outplayed Nepal 3-0 and beat Maldives 

by the same margin in their 

last group stage match. They lost to 

Kyrgyzstan 3-2 in their third group 

stage match. 

Bangladesh’s Harsit Biswas was 

adjudged player of the tournament 

while Sayeed al Zabir was named 

man of the final. 

Meanwhile in the third-place 

deciding match, Maldives defeated 

Nepal 3-1. • 

Walton Dhaka Tribune 

World T20 quiz draw held 

(L-R) Dhaka Tribune news editor Ahmed Ali, Bangladesh women’s cricket team captain Rumana Ahmed, Bangladesh Cricket 

Board director Ahmed Sazzadul Alam Bobby, Dhaka Tribune editor Zafar Sobhan, Bangladesh women’s cricket team assistant 

coach Ashique Majumder and Walton deputy director Firoj Alam were present during the draw ceremony of the 2016 Walton 

Dhaka Tribune World T20 quiz at the capital’s Panthapath yesterday 

MEHEDI HASAN 


The Walton Dhaka Tribune 2016 

World Twenty20 quiz draw ceremony 

was held at the Dhaka Tribune 

premises yesterday. 

Ahmed Sazzadul Alam Bobby, 

director, Bangladesh Cricket 

Board, Zafar Sobhan, editor, Dhaka 

Tribune, Ahmed Ali, news editor, 

Dhaka Tribune, Romana Ahmed, 

captain, Bangladesh women’s 

cricket team, Ashique Majumder, 

assistant coach, Bangladesh 

women’s cricket team and Firoj 

Alam, deputy director, Walton, 

were present among others in the 

programme. 

1st round 1st prize winner: Rahena 

Akter 

1st round 2nd prize winner: 

Bristy Akter 

1st round 3rd prize winner: 

Sukanta Chy 

1st round 4th prize winners: Jahidul, 

Jamiya, Mohammad Hasan 

1st round 5th prize winners: 

Kalyani Chy, Subrata Chy, Manna, 

Borsha and Mohammad Entaz 

Sheikh 

2nd round 1st prize winner: Jannatul 

Nayem 

2nd round 2nd prize winner: 

Shahnaj Akter 

2nd round 3rd prize winner: 

Omar Faruk 

2nd round 4th prize winner: 

Mohammad Entaz Sheikh, Mohammad 

Ruman, Johee 

2nd round 5th prize winner: Jahanara 

Beauty, Tania, Nazmul, Farid, 

Mobaseru. •

DT 

26 


Sport 

Manchester United winger Henrikh Mkhitaryan scores with a ‘scorpion’ volley against Sunderland during their Premier League match at Old Trafford on Monday REUTERS 

Mkhitaryan: ‘Scorpion’ volley was instinctive 

• AFP, Manchester 

Henrikh Mkhitaryan said his spectacular 

‘scorpion kick’ volley in 

Manchester United’s 3-1 victory 

over Sunderland on Monday had 

been a matter of instinct taking 

over. 

The Armenian playmaker sealed 

victory at Old Trafford by diving 

De Silva defies 

South African 

pace attack 

• AFP, Port Elizabeth 

Dhananjaya de Silva kept Sri Lanka’s 

hopes alive with a defiant 

innings on the second day of the 

first Test against South Africa at St 

George’s Park yesterday. 

De Silva made 43 not out as Sri 

Lanka struggled to 181 for seven – 

still 105 runs behind South Africa’s 

first innings total of 286 – before 

bad light ended play. 

South African new ball bowlers 

Vernon Philander and Kyle Abbott 

put the Sri Lankan batsmen under 

pressure in seam-friendly conditions, 

with the first three wickets 

falling for 22 runs. 

It looked as though a full-scale 

collapse was possible but Sri Lankan 

captain Angelo Mathews made 

a solid 39 before De Silva came out 

to bat at number seven and played 

an impressive innings, with assistance 

from Dinesh Chandimal and 

Rangana Herath.• 

1ST TEST, DAY 2 

SOUTH AFRICA 286 in 98.5 overs 

(Duminy 63, Lakmal 5/63) lead SRI 

LANKA 181/7 in 57 overs (D De Silva 

43*, Philander 3/35) by 105 runs 

beneath Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s rightwing 

cross and flicking the ball past 

goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with 

his right heel. The goal, reminiscent 

of former Colombia goalkeeper 

Rene Higuita’s famous ‘scorpion 

kick’ save against England in 1995, 

was allowed to stand despite an apparent 

offside. 

“I was expecting the ball in front 

of me, but I was already in front, 

so I got it behind me,” Mkhitaryan 

told MUTV. 

“So the only thing I could do, it 

was a chance to hit it with the backheel. 

I did it and I succeeded.” 

“I have to watch back on TV because 

I didn’t yet, but it looked for 

me phenomenal,” said Mourinho, 

whose side drew level on points 

Azhar shines with 

century on gloomy 

Melbourne day 

• Reuters, Melbourne 

Opening batsman Azhar Ali shone 

in gloomy conditions with a 

patient, unbeaten century to guide 

Pakistan to 310 for six in the second 

Test against Australia yesterday 

but both sides were left frustrated 

at the end of a rain-blighted second 

day in Melbourne. 

Azhar was 139 not out with tailender 

Mohammad Amir on 28 as 

a rain-shower cut short another 

stop-start day at the Melbourne 

Cricket Ground. 

After 39 overs were lost on the 

opening day, the weather wiped 

out the entire middle session, limiting 

Australia to two wickets while 

crimping Pakistan’s hopes of forcing 

a result to keep the three-match 

series alive after the tourists lost 

the opener in Brisbane by 39 runs. 

Rain aside, Azhar added to Australia’s 

torment as he summoned 

all his powers of concentration to 

shrug off the delays and survive 

287 balls. 

He and Amir are likely to come 

out with all guns blazing in the 

morning to add quick runs and 

then send Australia in to bat. 

“The decision has to be taken by 

the captain and coach in the morning 

how we have to play,” paceman 

Wahab Riaz told reporters.• 

2ND TEST, DAY 2 

PAKISTAN FIRST INNINGS R B 

(142-4 overnight) 

S. Aslam c Smith b Lyon 9 41 

A. Ali not out 139 287 

B. Azam c Smith b Hazlewood 23 43 

Y. Khan b Bird 21 59 

Misbah-ul-Haq c Maddinson b Bird 11 13 

A. Shafiq c Smith b Bird 50 123 

S. Ahmed c Renshaw b Hazlewood 10 20 

M. Amir not out 28 23 

Extras (b4, lb9, w5, nb1) 19 

Total (6 wickets, 101.2 overs) 310 

Fall of wickets 

1-18 (Aslam), 2-60 (Azam), 3-111 (Khan), 

4-125 (Misbah-ul-Haq), 5-240 (Shafiq), 

6-268 (Sarfraz) 

Bowling 

Starc 23.2-6-77-0 (1w), Hazlewood 26-11- 

33-2, Bird 29-5-91-3 (1nb), Lyon 17-1-69-1, 

Smith 3-0-9-0, Maddinson 3-0-18-0 

with fifth-place Tottenham in the 

Premier League table. 

“It was a great moment and for 

him important because he was going 

up and up, and then the injury 

comes. He was out of two matches 

and he’s back. And to be back not 

just (with) the goal, I think he also 

brought quality with his performance. 

I am obviously happy.”• 

Ibra won’t leave 

Utd a failure, 

vows Mourinho 

• AFP, Manchester 

Manchester United manager Jose 

Mourinho is looking forward to 

working with Zlatan Ibrahimovic 

again next season after declaring 

the striker’s contract extension will 

be a formality. 

Ibrahimovic 35, arrived from 

Paris Saint-Germain in July on a 

one-year deal with an option for a 

further year. 

After Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored 

once and made two goals in United’s 

3-1 Boxing Day win over Sunderland, 

Mourinho said the clause 

had not been activated yet, but 

would be. 

“I am not really surprised because 

he is a very intelligent guy 

and a proud man,” Mourinho said. 

“He decided to come to Manchester 

United and to the Premier 

League, to a club with the level of 

expectation of Manchester United, 

in the most difficult league in the 

world for a striker. 

“When we contacted him and he 

said, yes, he will come, I was sure 

that he was not coming here to 

leave the Premier League without 

proving himself. 

“To leave the Premier League 

having failed at Manchester United? 

No way."• 

Pakistan opening batsman Azhar Ali avoids a bouncer from Australia pacer Mitchell 

Starc (not pictured) on day two of their second Test in Melbourne yesterday AFP

Sport 27 

DT 


Ton-up Raqibul stars for Dhaka in NCL 


The fifth round of the ongoing 18th 

National Cricket League began yesterday 

where Raqibul Hasan struck 

a century to guide Dhaka to 303/4 

against Khulna. 

Dhaka Metro posted 255/7 

against Barisal while in tier two, 

Sylhet struggled with the bat, ending 

the first day on 203/6 against 

Rangpur while Chittagong registered 

277/8 against Rajshahi. 

Dhaka v Khulna, Fatullah 

At Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, 

Dhaka made a good start after 

being asked to bat first, adding 69 

runs for the opening wicket with 

Abdul Mazid scoring 24 and Joyraj 

Sheikh making 45. Bangladesh under-19 

skipper Saif Hasan was not 

out on 89 as he, alongside Raqibul, 

put up 180 runs for the third wicket, 

thus laying the foundation for 

a big total. Right-hander Raqibul 

struck his 10th first-class hundred, 

smashing 13 fours and a six in his 

137-ball 111, before being finally 

dismissed by veteran left-arm spinner 

Abdur Razzak, who picked up 

two wickets for Khulna. 

Saif will resume the second day 

for Dhaka today. 

Dhaka Metro v Barisal, BKSP-3 

Taking first guard in Savar, Dhaka 

Metro batters were unable to convert 

their starts into big knocks, 

losing wickets at regular intervals. 

Mehedi Maruf was the top-scorer 

with 56 while Mehrab Hossain Jr 

remained unbeaten on 48. Mohammad 

Ashraful was dismissed after 

scoring 20 as left-arm spinner Monir 

Hossain and Salman Hossain picked 

up two wickets each for Barisal. 

Sylhet v Rangpur, Sylhet 

Electing to bat at Sylhet International 

Stadium, the home side 

were in all sorts of trouble against 

Rangpur. Sylhet kept losing wickets 

in clusters with Jaker Ali the 

only exception with an undefeated 

63. Left-arm spinner Sohrawardi 

Shuvo took three wickets for the 

bowling side. 

Chittagong v Rajshahi, Chittagong 

At Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, 

Tasamul Haque remained 

not out on 89 and kept alive Chittagong’s 

hopes of posting a challenging 

total against Rajshahi. Irfan 

Sukkur was the highest scorer with 

90, blasting 12 fours in his 156-ball 

knock while Nafees Iqbal scored 

50. Left-arm spinner Saqlain Sajib 

was the pick of the bowlers with 

four wickets while Farhad Reza 

bagged three. • 

18TH NCL, RD 5, 

DAY 1 

DHAKA METROPOLIS 255/7 in 96 

overs (Maruf 56, Monir 3/51)DHAKA 

303/4 in 82 overs (Raqibul 111, Saif 89) 

CHITTAGONG 277/8 in 88.2 overs 

(Irfan 90, Saqlain 4/44) SYLHET 203/6 

in 86 overs (Jaker 63, Sohrawardi 3/58) 

Green light for 

Russell’s black 

bat in Big Bash 

• Reuters, Sydney 

West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell 

was given the all-clear to use 

his black bat in Australia’s Twenty20 

Big Bash League yesterday after 

it was initially banned for leaving 

marks on the ball. 

Russell was banned from using 

the distinctive bat after it discoloured 

the white ball during the 

derby between his Sydney Thunder 

and the Sydney Sixers last week. 

Cricket Australia reversed the 

ruling yesterday after assurances 

that the bat had been modified 

with the addition of a “clear laminate 

cover” to prevent the problem 

recurring.• 

Neymar says not obsessed 

with winning Ballon d’Or 

• AFP, Madrid 

Barcelona’s Brazilian star 

Neymar says winning the 

Ballon d’Or is one of his goals 

but he will not lose any sleep 

if he never takes home football’s 

top individual award. 

“If I don’t win the Ballon 

d’or, its okay,” he said in 

an interview posted on the 

La Liga website on Monday 

when asked if he was disappointed 

that he was not 

named as one of three finalists 

for the prize this year. 

“I don’t play football to 

win the Ballon d’Or, I play 

football to be happy because 

I love it, because I want to 

play football. Unfortunately 

only one person can win it,” 

he added. 

“Of course it is one of my 

goals winning the Ballon d’Or 

but I won’t die if I don’t.” 

The Ballon d’Or has passed 

back and forth between Real 

Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo 

and Barcelona’s Argentine 

playmaker Lionel Messi for the 

last nine years since Brazilian 

Kaka won the 2007 award. 

Neymar was a finalist for 

the prize for the first time last 

year before losing out to Messi 

who won the accolade for 

the fifth time. Ronaldo was 

rewarded with the 2016 Ballon 

d’Or earlier this month for 

helping Real win the Champions 

League and leading Portugal 

to Euro 2016 glory. 

Since moving to Barcelona 

from Brazilian side Santos in 

2013, Neymar has won two 

league titles, two domestic 

cups, the Spanish Super Cup, 

the Champions League and 

the Club World Cup. 

Playing alongside Messi, 

the club’s record goalscorer, 

and Luis Suarez, who finished 

top scorer in La Liga last 

season, the 24-year-old has 

established himself as one of 

the world’s top players. The 

strike trio scored 131 goals between 

them last season.• 

DAY’S WATCH 

CRICKET 

STAR SPORTS 2 

5:28 AM (Wednesday) 

Pakistan tour of Australia 

2nd Test, Day 3 

TEN 1 HD 

2:00 PM 

Sri Lanka tour of South Africa 

1st Test, Day 3 

STAR SPORTS 2 

2:08 PM 

KFC T20 Big Bash League 2016/17 

Sydney Thunder v Brisbane Heat 

FOOTBALL 

STAR SPORTS SELECT HD 1 

1:35 AM 

Premier League 2016/17 

Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur 

City face series of ‘finals’, 

says Guardiola 

• AFP 

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes that 

every game in the second half of the season will be like a 

cup final for his title hopefuls. 

An impressive and hard-earned 3-0 win at Hull kept 

pace with leaders Chelsea after Antonio Conte’s side beat 

Bournemouth earlier on Monday. 

The Catalan admitted that the pressure was on following 

that result altough a Yaya Toure penalty, a tap-in 

from substitute Kelechi Iheanacho and an own goal from 

Curtis Davies ensured he eventually enjoyed his first 

Boxing Day in English football with a comfortable win. 

“Sometimes you play before, sometimes you play later,” 

said Guardiola. “But it doesn’t matter whether you are 

seven points or 10 points behind when one team has won 

12 in a row. We have one game to finish the first half of the 

season and then the second starts and it’s like a final for 

us if we want to be there until the end of the season.”•

28 


DT 

Sport 

Contest heats up in Bangladesh domestic cricket 

• Minhaz Uddin Khan 

Much like the international scene, 

the domestic arena in Bangladesh 

was filled with incidents throughout 

the year 2016. 

And with the year drawing to a 

close, Dhaka Tribune assessed the 

domestic scene and reviewed three 

competitions – Bangladesh Premier 

League Twenty20, Dhaka Premier 

League and National Cricket 

League – which had their share of 

moments in 2016. 

Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 

For some unexplained reasons, the 

BPL T20 this season saw the teams 

sign their icons ahead of the players’ 

draft, held in September. After 

much talks between the BPL governing 

council and the franchises, 

the seven icon cricketers went 

to their desired sides with Dhaka 

Dynamites making the most noise 

signing ace all-rounder Shakib al 

Hasan. Dhaka were also garnering 

maximum attentions for their 

signings of foreign cricketers like 

Dwayne Bravo, Kumar Sangakkara, 

Andre Russell and Evin Lewis. 

Dhaka met their ambition defeating 

Rajshahi Kings in the final, that 

too by a convincing margin of 56 

runs. 

Rajshahi might have lost the 

grand finale but were content with 

their display. They often relied on 

team effort and were brilliantly led 

by captain Darren Sammy. 

However, if one were to take a 

look at the points table then one 

thing will become evident – none 

of the teams dominated, especially 

in the round robin stage. And perhaps, 

this season’s most incredible 

MOST RUNS 

BPL T20 2016 

Dhaka Dynamites players celebrate after winning the BPL 4 title 

story was that of a moderate side 

like Khulna Titans, who made it to 

the playoffs before eventually finishing 

third. 

Led by icon and skipper 

Mahmudullah, Khulna enjoyed a 

brilliant run, despite not boasting a 

star-studded line-up. Even though 

their batting made them suffer 

throughout the tournament, their 

bowlers put in herculean efforts 

with Shafiul Islam and Junaid Khan 

leading from the front. 

The power-packed Chittagong 

Vikings shone brightly but faded 

away in the business stages of the 

competition while teams like Barisal 

Bulls and defending champion 

Comilla Victorians promised much 

but produced little. 

Chittagong started with a win 

Player Mat Inns Runs HS Ave 100 50 

Tamim Iqbal (Chittagong) 13 13 476 75 43.27 0 6 

MOST WICKETS 

Player Mat Overs Mdns Runs Wkts BBI Econ 

Dwayne Bravo (Dhaka) 13 44.2 0 335 21 3/10 7.55 

DPL 2016 

MOST RUNS 


Raqibul Hasan (Doleshwar) 16 16 719 100 65.36 1 5 

MOST WICKETS 


Chaturanga de Silva (Victoria) 14 119.3 6 567 30 6/35 4.74 

NCL 2016 (ROUND 5 ONGOING) 

MOST RUNS 


Yasir Ali (Chittagong) 5* 9 379 95 47.37 0 4 

MOST WICKETS 


Sohrawardi Shuvo (Rangpur) 5* 134.2 25 351 22 7/45 2.61 

only to lose their next five matches. 

However, the port city outfit 

bounced back strongly to finish 

fourth after losing the Eliminator 

against Rajshahi. 

In contrast, Comilla made a horrific 

start and only started winning 

in the latter stages of the competition. 

Not surprisingly, those victories 

were not enough to sustain 

their title defence. 

Rangpur Riders scripted a scintillating 

beginning but inconsistent 

performance and team indiscipline 

affected them greatly as the tournament 

wore on. 

Dhaka Premier League (DPL) 

Abahani Limited lifted the DPL title 

for the 18th time following an incomplete 

last game of the season, 

against Prime Doleshwar Sporting 

Club. The umpires had walked off 

this game at BKSP citing sudden 

illness. A four-member committee 

later investigated the issue and recommended 

a no-result which later 

got approved by the Bangladesh 

Cricket Board. 

The umpires staging a walk-out 

from the game was one of among 

many occasions where fingers were 

raised towards champion Abahani. 

With that said, competitiveness 

among the teams was something 

different compared to the last 

two decades. All six Super League 

teams this year had their chances 

of claiming the championship. 

Despite payment issues, Victoria 

Sporting Club were impressive 

throughout the competition while 

Spectators thronged the stadiums in their thousands on the occasion of the fourth edition of the BPL 

MD MANIK 

the likes of Legends of Rupganj and 

Prime Doleshwar were also among 

the consistent performers. 

National Cricket League (NCL) 

The 18th edition of the divisional 

first-class cricket tournament is 

still ongoing. The competition that 

got suspended mid-season in October 

this year due to bad weather 

and was later shelved to allow the 

fourth edition of BPL to take place 

has completed round four and is 

currently holding its fifth round. 

Khulna are leading tier one with 

36 points, followed by Dhaka with 

27 points. In tier two, Rajshahi and 

Rangpur are battling for promotion 

to the upper tier. With 46 points 

each, Rangpur and Rajshahi are 

jointly number one. • 

MD MANIK

Downtime 

29 


DT 

CROSSWORD 

CODE-CRACKER 

ACROSS 

1 Spruce (6) 

4 Part of the body (3) 

7 Ooze out (5) 

8 Misleading appearance 

(6) 

11 Depressed (3) 

12 Love god (4) 

13 Soothe (4) 

15 Reposes (5) 

16 Person under age (5) 

20 Pastry item (4) 

23 Innermost part (4) 

24 Offer (3) 

25 Worships (6) 

26 Danger signal (5) 

27 Precious stone (3) 

28 Distinctive flag (6) 

DOWN 

1 Postpone (5) 

2 Pasty composition (7) 

3 Stagger (4) 

4 Ship's frame (4) 

5 Object of worship (4) 

6 Church seat (3) 

9 Part of the verb 

‘to be’ (3) 

10 Long-leaved lettuce (3) 

14 Mythical animal (7) 

17 And not (3) 

18 Metal-bearing rock (3) 

19 Plant secretion (5) 

20 Roofing item (4) 

21 First man (4) 

22 Stop up (4) 

24 Container (3) 

How to solve: Each number in our 

CODE-CRACKER grid represents a 

different letter of the alphabet. For 

example, today 15 represents B so fill B 

every time the figure 15 appears. 

You have two letters in the control 

grid to start you off. Enter them in the 

appropriate squares in the main grid, then 

use your knowledge of words to work out 

which letters go in the missing squares. 

Some letters of the alphabet may not be 

used. 

As you get the letters, fill in the other 

squares with the same number in the 

main grid, and the control grid. Check 

off the list of alphabetical letters as you 

identify them. 

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 

CALVIN AND HOBBES 

SUDOKU 

How to solve: Fill in the blank spaces with the 

numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must 

contain all nine digits with no number repeating. 

PEANUTS 

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS 

CODE-CRACKER 

CROSSWORD 

DILBERT 

SUDOKU

30 


DT 

Showtime 

Promising new faces of Bollywood 

• Showtime Desk 

We are already seeing her in the 

trailer of Saala Khadoos. The girl 

looks super promising, and is a 

perfect fit in the film along with 

her khadoos – R Madhavan. 

Sayesha Saigal 

She is the daughter of the 80s 

actor, Sumeet Saigal and his first 

wife and actress Shaheen Banu, 

niece of Saira Banu. Interestingly 

Sayesha’s mother Shaheen, was 

also Salman Khan’s first girlfriend. 

Talking about Sayesha, the 

18-year-old debutant has been 

seen alongside the talented Ajay 

Devgn, in Shivaay. She has also 

done a Telugu film – Akhil: The 

Power of Jua. The teaser of the film 

was released by Salman Khan. 

Saiyami Kher 

Saiyami marked her debut 

opposite Harshvardhan Kapoor, 

in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s 

Mirzya. Though she has mostly 

been modelling, and also been 

featured on the Kingfisher 

calendar once, acting runs in her 

blood as she happens to be the 

niece of Shabana Azmi and Tanvi 

Azmi. Her mother Uttara Mhatre 

Kher, was Miss India in the ‘80s 

and her grandmother, Usha Kiran 

was a leading actress. No wonder, 

all eyes will be on the actress this 

year. 

Aparshakti Khurrana 

Ayushmann Khurrana’s brother 

Aparshakti Khurrana, made 

his Bollywood debut with 

Aamir Khan’s Dangal. He is an 

established Radio Jockey in Delhi 

and has done theatre in the past. 

Pooja Hegde 

Pooja is a popular actress in the 

Telugu and Tamil film industry, 

and in Bollywood, Pooja shared 

screen alongside Hrithik Roshan in 

Mohenjodaro. 

Shriya Pilgaonkar 

Sachin and Supriya Pilgaonkar’s 

daughter, Shriya Pilgaonkar has 

been seen in Shah Rukh Khan’s 

film – Fan. Though her role is 

small, it is substantial in the film. 

Shriya started acting in 2013. Her 

debut film was her father’s Marathi 

film Ekulti Ek. Shriya has also been 

a French Film Un Plus helmed 

by Claude Lelouche – the Oscarwinning 

director. 

Harshvardhan Kapoor 

Anil Kapoor’s son and Sonam 

Kapoor’s brother, Harshwardhan 

Kapoor is the most talked about 

debutant of 2016. The 25-yearold 

made his debut in Rakyesh 

Omprekash Mehra’s epic love story 

Mirzya. Interestingly, it is Sonam 

who has convinced Harshvardhan 

to give acting a try. 

Fatima Sana Shaikh 

Fatima will be seen playing one of 

Aamir’s daughters in his upcoming 

film, Dangal. Interestingly, Fatima 

was also a child artist and was seen 

playing Kamal Hassan’s daughter 

in the film Chachi 420. Later, she 

was also seen in Shah Rukh-Juhi 

Chawla starrer, One 2 Ka 4. 

Sanya Malhotra 

Sanya Malhotra has also appeared 

as Aamir Khan’s daughter in the 

film Dangal. A Delhi girl, Sanya has 

been seen along with Fatima Sana 

Shaikh in Dangal. 

Gautam Gulati 

The Bigg Boss 8 winner essayed 

the role of Ravi Shastri in Ekta 

Kapoor’s film Azhar – a biopic on 

the life of former Indian cricketer 

Mohammed Azharuddin. • 

Photos: SOCIAL MEDIA 

Shama Sikander battles 

bipolar disorder 


The beautiful actress Shama 

Sikander revealed that it was her 

ex Alexx O’Neil who first suspected 

that she had bipolar disorder, and 

needed help. He advised her to 

seek medical intervention, but 

Shama was so frustrated that she 

wanted to give up. The actress has 

opened up for the first time, about 

her battle with the bipolar disorder 

a few months ago, around the time 

when her short film Sexaholic was 

released. She revealed how she 

felt hopeless, directionless and 

extremely gloomy during that 

time. 

Shama, in a recent interview, 

revealed that she had even 

attempted suicide five years back, 

when she thought she couldn’t 

handle her emotions. She also 

ignored her ex-boyfriend, Alexx 

O’Neil’s advice that she should see 

a doctor. In these five years, Shama 

has learnt to control her emotions 

in a positive way. Now, she thinks 

it can be an example to others, for 

not ending one’s own life for any 

reason. • 

Source: Bollywood Goss ip

Showtime 

Dhaka International Film Festival to kick off 

31 


WHAT TO WATCH 

DT 


The 15th edition of Dhaka 

International Film Festival (DIFF) 

is to begin from January 12, in the 

capital. Organised by Rainbow 

Film Society (RFS), the nineday 

festival, which is one of the 

country’s most prestigious in it's 

nature, has wrapped up it’s initial 

preparation and is all set to kick 

off. 

Ahmed Muztaba Zamal, the 

festival director, announced 

details of the event in a press 

conference held on Monday, 

in the capital. According to the 

festival director, a total of 188 

films from 67 counties will be 

showcased in the edition in seven 

competitive and one retrospective 

section. 

In the Asian Competition 

section, 23 feature films, 

produced in 2015-16 in the Asian 

countries, will be showcased 

while six awards will be given in 

this section towards the end of 

the festival, including Best Film, 

Best Director, Best Actor, Best 

Actress, Best Cinematographer 

and Best Screenplay. 

In the Retrospective section, 

five films by the recently 

deceased legendary Iranian 

filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami 

will be screened, which includes 

Close-Up, Taste of Cherry, The 

Wind Will Carry Us, The Certified 

Copy and Like Someone In Love. 

The Cinema of the World 

section will feature 25 films, of 

which one will be chosen for an 

Audience Award. 

In the Children’s Films section, 

ten films including Charlie 

Chaplin’s The Kid and The Circus 

will be screened. Entry of this 

section will be free for all student 

and children. 

Featuring 22 

films, the Spiritual 

Films section will be 

organised in association 

with the Italy-based 

Religion Today Film 

Festival. 

39 films will be 

screened in the Women 

Filmmakers section, 

while 48 will be 

screened in the Short 

and Independent Films 

section. 

Remembering Sanjib Chowdhury 

• Showtime desk 

When music lovers of Bangladesh 

Photo: Sadat A Shameem 

talk about the band Dalchut, 

Sanjib Chowdhury is the person 

who is remembered every time. 

Lastly, Nordic Films, organised 

with the help of Norwegian 

International Film Festival, 

will feature 10 films from the 

Scandinavian countries. 

The selected films will be 

showcased in five venues, 

including Shawkat Osman 

Memorial Auditorium of Central 

Public Library, Bangladesh 

National Museum, Alliance 

Française de Dhaka, Edward 

M Kennedy Centre, and Star 

Cineplex. 

This time, 85 film personalities 

from around the world will attend 

the festival. 

Sanjib Chowdhury is a journalist, 

lyricist, singer and motivator, who 

inspired young hearts with his 

words, till date. “Ami tomakei bole 

debo,” “Shada Moyla” - these are 

the evergreen songs, which have 

been making Sanjib Chowdhury 

very popular among his fans. 

December 25, was Late Sanjib 

Chowdhury’s birthday, and on 

this occasion, Dhaka University 

Band Society arranged a musical 

evening for him for the fifth time. 

In front of TSC, the organisation 

decorated the venue with Sanjib 

Chowdhury’s photos and flowers, 

a musical event was arranged. 

Dalchut, Joy Shahriar - Parvez 

Brotherhood Project, Tarun, 

Chitkar, Meghdol, Paridhi, 

Ghunpoka and many others 

performed and remembered 

Sanjib Chowdhury. Lyricist 

During the 15th DIFF, RFS 

in cooperation with National 

Museum will organise the 7th 

Dhaka Cine Workshop, from 

January 5 to 20, 2017, for the 

aspiring young filmmakers, film 

critics and journalists. Conducted 

by Iranian filmmaker-crtic Majid 

Movasseghi, the production based 

workshop is an opportunity for 

those who are interested in this 

field to learn. 

Woman filmmakers, actors and 

personalities from all over the 

world will attend an international 

conference titled ‘Women in 

Cinema,’ which is going to be 

held at the Gallery of the Alliance 

Francaise de Dhaka, on January 13 

and 14, during the festival. 

Meanwhile, an art exhibition 

featuring artworks by the Iranian 

artist-film activist Sarah Hojjati 

will be held first time during the 

festival, at Gallery Shilpangan in 

Dhanmondi, from January 8-20. 

The press conference was 

attended by festival director 

Ahmed Muztaba Zamal, and 

organising committee members 

Haider Rizvi, M Hamid, Nazmul 

Ahsan Khalimullah and Rabiul 

Hossain. • 

Photos: Courtesy 

Russell O’neel was seen at the 

stage with Dalchut, who wrote 

several songs for the band. 

The place where the event was 

arranged, has been named Sanjib 

Chottor. 

Chowdhury was born at 

Baniachang upazila, in Habiganj, 

on December 25, 1964. He 

graduated from the journalism 

department of Dhaka University, 

and organised various cultural 

programs, even taught his 

classmates how to sing, during 

his time at the university. During 

the mass movement in the 90s, 

his poems gained popularity as 

he was known among his Dhaka 

University colleagues as Sanjibda 

or Brother Sanjib. 

On November 19, 2007, he 

died at the Intensive Care Unit of 

Apollo Hospital in Dhaka.• 

Kingsman: The Secret Service 

Star Movies 9:30pm 

A spy organization recruits 

an unrefined, but promising 

street kid into the agency’s 

ultra-competitive training 

program, just as a global threat 

emerges from a twisted tech 

genius. 

Cast: Colin Firth, Taron 

Egerton, Samuel L Jackson 

The Matrix 

HBO 7:00pm 

A computer hacker learns from 

mysterious rebels about the 

true nature of his reality and 

his role in the war against its 

controllers. 

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence 

Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss 

Captain Phillips 

WB 9:00pm 

The true story of Captain 

Richard Phillips and the 2009 

hijacking by Somali pirates 

of the US-flagged MV Maersk 

Alabama, the first American 

cargo ship to be hijacked in 

two hundred years. 

Cast: Tom Hanks, Barkhad 

Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman 

Jack Reacher 

Zee Studio 6:50pm 

A homicide investigator digs 

deeper into a case involving 

a trained military sniper who 

shot five random victims. 

Cast: Tom Cruise, Rosamund 

Pike, Richard Jenkins 

Eight Below 

Movies Now 11:20pm 

Brutal cold forces two 

Antarctic explorers to leave 

their team of sled dogs behind 

as they fend for their survival. 

Cast: Paul Walker, Jason Biggs, 

Bru ce Greenwood

32 


DT 

UN RESOLUTION: ISRAEL ACCUSES 

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PAGE 8 

Back Page 

36 BANKS HAVE NO GOOD 

BORROWERS! PAGE 12 

TIGERS LOOK TO STAY 

ALIVE IN ODI SERIES PAGE 24 

Fund crunch couldn’t dent planning 



• Abu Siddique 

2016 has been a frustrating year 

for Bangladesh in terms of gathering 

funds to tackle climate change, 

however the country has decided 

to proceed with planning to develop 

relevant initiatives. 

Rather than make progress in 

the pursuit of funds, Bangladesh 

lost $50m from development partners 

in the Bangladesh Climate 

Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF) 

due to unwillingness and mistrust 

among fund managers, providers 

and the government. 

Regardless of this lack of funds, 

Bangladesh made progress in terms 

of the climate vulnerability assessment 

and reviewed the Bangladesh 

Climate Change Strategy and Action 

Plan (BCCSAP). 

In addition to the loss at BCCRF, 

the state sourced Bangladesh Climate 

Change Trust Fund (BCCTF) has seen 

a limited allocation of Tk100crore in 

each of the last three fiscal years. 

Furthermore, the international 

Green Climate Fund (GCF) began 

releasing finances from 2015, but 

Deal in offing to prevent deaths like Banga Bahadur’s 



• Abu Siddique 

The miserable death of a strayed elephant 

in the Brahmaputra Char in full 

monsoon amid Forest Department’s 

desparate rescue measures was one 

of the major incidents in the country’s 

wildlife protection efforts this year. 

Following a saga that stretched over 

two countries, hundreds of kilometres 

and almost two months, the elephant 

that was lovingly given the name Banga 

Bahadur died on August 16. 

In June, the four-tonne elephant was 

swept down the Brahmaputra by flood 

waters from Assam. He entered Bangladesh 

through Roumari and travelled 

through Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogra 

and Sirajganj before reaching Jamalpur. 

Banga Bahadur was presumably 

trying to get back to his herd and swam 

across the Brahmaputra twice. But 

Devastation at Dublar Char in 2007 following cyclone Sidr 

Bangladesh is yet to receive any 

money this year despite having 

submitted a number of projects 

through development partners. 

This lack of funding is underpinned 

by a reluctance from the 

strong currents kept taking him further 

downstream. Repeated efforts, from 

both Bangladesh and India, to facilitate 

his return home, ended in failure. 

Several other elephants have died 

in the country in elephant-human conflicts 

along Bangladesh-India border. 

However, the good news is a proposed 

agreement to keep the border 

between Bangladesh and India open to 

let elephants move freely may soon see 

the light of day. 

Forest Department Deputy Conservator 

Md Shahab Uddin said they had 

already gotten approval from Home 

Ministry to sit with their Indian counterparts 

to make the deal. 

“Now we are waiting for approval 

from Foreign Ministry. Then we will have 

a final meeting on how the agreement 

will be signed,” he told the Dhaka Tribune. 

In January this year, the Indian home 

ministry agreed to sign a deal with 

Bangladesh to allow a cross-border 

natural elephant corridor so that wild 

elephant movement is easier and safer. 

The natural routes for elephants 

developed countries most responsible 

for greenhouse gas emissions, 

demonstrated by the failure to establish 

a clear road map for funding 

at this years climate conference, in 

Marrakech. 

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN 

Banga Bahadur lies dead in a shoal in Sharishabari in Jamalpur on August 16 

DHAKA TRIBUNE 

across the Bangladesh-India border are 

currently all blocked by a fence put up 

by India, causing wild elephants to stray 

from the track and end up in human 

habitats, often resulting in confrontations. 

According to the Forest Department, 

at least 226 people and 62 elephants 

have been killed in such conflicts 

in the last 13 years. 

In addition, elephant attacks destroy 

homes and crop fields in areas near the 

border. Being a flagship or umbrella 

species, elephants are considered the 

M Zakir Hossain Khan, a climate 

finance analyst, said: “The indecisive 

attitude of the global leaders 

has made the vulnerable nations 

like Bangladesh more vulnerable.” 

The climate vulnerability assessment 

across Bangladesh will 

be conducted in coordination with 

German development agency GIZ, 

to provide a baseline for adaptation 

measures instituted in the future. 

On the other hand, the changes 

made to the BCCSAP were primarily 

to update the plans to bring them 

in line with revised priorities in 

2016. The creation of the BCCSAP 

in 2009 marked Bangladesh as the 

first country in the world to adopt 

a self-designed scheme for tackling 

climate change. It has also been included 

in the 7th 5-year-plan. 

Meanwhile, the government has 

also taken measures to ensure direct 

access to the GCP by nominating six 

organisations as part of the National 

Implementing Entity (NIE). 

Of the six, the Palli Karma-Sahayak 

Foundation (PKSF) and the 

Infrastructure Development Company 

Ltd (IDCOL) have successfully 

submitted applications to the GCP 

for accreditation as NIE. 

The Bangladesh Climate Change 

Trust is in the final stage of submitting 

the application. 

If the accreditations of the NIEs 

are approved, Bangladesh will not 

have to rely on multilateral implementing 

entities like UNDP for access 

to funds, said M Zakir Hossain 

Khan. • 

symbol of a healthy ecosystem, but 

they are currently critically endangered 

in Bangladesh. 

21 new species found 

Twenty-one new wildlife mammal 

species have been found in Bangladesh 

in the last 15 years, according to new 

Red List done by International Union 

for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 

Bangladesh. 

But the study also found that three 

mammals no longer exist in Bangladesh: 

grey wolf, striped hyena and the sloth 

bear. 

The Forest Department in collaboration 

with USAID-funded Bengal Tiger 

Conservation Activity Project will take a 

density census of the Royal Bengal Tiger 

through camera trapping at the end of 

this year in Sundarbans. 

According to the latest study titled 

“Tiger Abundance in Bangladesh Sundarbans” 

that was held between 2013 and 

2014, the current number of Bengal Tigers 

in Bangladesh has dropped to 106 

from 440 in 2008. • 

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 

8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207. Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com

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