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MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017 | Bhadra 13, 1424, Zil-Hajj 5, 1438 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 5, No 112 | 24 pages plus 8-page world supplement | Price: Tk10
Is this the final confrontation for the Rohingya? › 2
AFP
‘This is about
humanity’ › 3
ADIL SAKHAWAT
DT
World Tribune
16 years and counting...
Trump’s Afghan
strategy risks
the worst of
both worlds › 2
TRUMP’S AFGHAN
STRATEGY RISKS THE
2 WORST OF BOTH WORLDS
3
MERKEL ASSUMING
LEADERSHIP ROLE IN WORLD
OF ERRATIC STRONGMEN
7
SAUDI RENEWS
IRAQ TIES IN BID
TO DISTANCE IRAN
Merkel assuming
leadership role in
world of erratic
strongmen › 3

2
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
News
Is this the final confrontation for the Rohingya?
• Adil Sakhawat from
Naikhongchhari border
SPECIAL
Thousands of Rohingyas are waiting
at the border for shelter in
Bangladesh in a bid to flee from a
fresh spate of violence in Myanmar’s
Rakhine State.
Their houses were bombarded
and torched by the Myanmar army
in what they called the fight against
insurgency. The atrocities carried
out by Myanmar’s army are haunting
the Rohingya, triggering a fresh
exodus of refugees to Bangladesh.
Although the reports could not
be independently verified, the fleeing
Rohingya families carried consistent
accounts of brutal military
raids and the use of indiscriminate
force against Rohingya villages.
The latest outburst of violence
marks the intensification of a
long-simmering conflict between
Yangon and the Rohingya Muslims,
who are denied citizenship in the
predominantly Buddhist Southeast
Asian state. The UN has called the
Rohingya one of the most persecuted
people in the world.
The Rohingyas, including women
and children, have gathered just
on the other side of a small canal
lying on the international border
in Ghumdum area in Naikkhongchhori
area of Bandarban district.
A Dhaka Tribune correspondent
crossed the small canal to talk to
the Rohingyas on the afternoon of
August 25. From there, he learned
that many of the Rohingya men
were ready to join Arakan Rohingya
Salvation Army (ARSA) to fight
back to regain their rights.
An estimated 115 Rohingya men
have already left Bangladesh to
join the ARSA, said the Rohingyas
living in makeshift refugee camps.
They took their mobile phones
with them, but those were found
switched off till Saturday night.
On a visit to the Rohingya camp,
this correspondent found recruiters
collecting the names of those who
wanted to join the ARSA movement
and fight against the Myanmar army.
Some Rohingya men looked
anxiously and furiously towards
the other side of the canal as they
heard the sound of mortar shells
and gunshots in the villages adjacent
to the border.
They told Dhaka Tribune that
they were not here to enter Bangladesh
to flee Myanmar military atrocities;
they only wanted to push their
family members, including women,
children and elderly persons safely
through the Bangladesh border.
“We want to go back to our village
to join the fight against the
Myanmar military. Either the Myanmar
army personnel will die or
we. We cannot endure such atrocities
anymore. We are all members
of Harakat al-Yaqeen, (the former
name of ARSA),” said a Rohingya
man named Irfan.
Gunshots and mortar shells
have increased since August 25,
Timeline: Who are the Rohingya?
• Tribune Desk
8th Century: The Rohingya, a people of South
Asian origin, lived in an independent kingdom in
Arakan, now known as Rakhine state in modern-day
Myanmar.
9th to 14th Century: The Rohingya came into
contact with Arab traders and many converted
to Islam. Economic and cultural ties flourished
between Arakan and Bengal.
1784: The Burman King Bodawpaya conquered
Arakan and hundreds of thousands of refugees fled
to Bengal.
1790: Hiram Cox, a British diplomat sent to assist
refugees, established the town of Cox’s Bazar.
1824 to 1942: Britain captured Burma—now known
as Myanmar—and made it a province of British
India. Workers were brought to Burma from other
A member of Border Guard Bangladesh is seen patrolling along the Bangladeshi border in Cox’s Bazar amid a fresh influx of
Rohingyas from neighbouring Myanmar
ADIL SAKHAWAT
parts of British India for infrastructure projects.
1942: Japan invaded Burma, pushing out the British.
As the British retreated, Burmese nationalists
attacked Muslim communities who they thought
had benefited from British colonial rule.
1945: Britain liberated Burma from Japanese
occupation with help of Burmese nationalists led
by Aung San and Rohingya fighters. Rohingyas felt
betrayed as the British didn’t fulfill a promise of
autonomy for Arakan.
1948: Tensions increased between the government
of newly independent Burma and the Rohingya,
many of whom wanted Arakan to join Muslim-majority
Pakistan. The government retaliated by ostracizing
the Rohingya, including removing Rohingya
civil servants
1977: A military junta began Operation Nagamin, or
Dragon King, which they said was aimed at screening
said several BGB men patrolling the
Ghumdum border.
The Rohingya men waiting at
the border did not seem afraid of
those heavy firing and sound of the
mortars, rather they were motivated
to fight back.
Dhaka Tribune received an audio
clip of ARSA chief Ata Ullah
aka Abu Umar Al Junoni from the
ARSA followers and supporters.
Ata Ullah said: “I am not fighting
to grab power. If there are any Rohingya
brothers who are ready to
fight, please join us, please save
our mothers and sisters.”
Several Rohingyas sent pictures
of ARSA leaders and fighters to the
Dhaka Tribune, claiming they were
freedom fighters.
Dhaka Tribune could not contact
ARSA leaders directly as ARSA
followers said their leaders were in
the battle field.
Sources said ARSA was fighting
with a small team, but it was getting
larger as many Rohingyas were
joining them.
The Central Committee for
Counter Terrorism of Myanmar, in
a statement published on August
25, declared armed attackers and
ARSA as terrorist groups in accordance
with the Counter-Terrorism
Law of the country, China’s Xinhua
news agency reported.
But the ARSA followers and
members told Dhaka Tribune that
they started the movement as the
Myanmar military’s atrocities became
intolerable.
ARSA in its Twitter page claimed
they began the resistance as a defence
against the Myanmar military
and security forces.
ARSA supporters also said that
several Rohingyas had been killed
in Maungdaw, Rathedaung and
Buthidaung townships in the Rakhine
state, but there were no Buddhist
casualties during the crackdown.
the population for foreigners. More than 200,000
Rohingya fled to Bangladesh, amid allegations of
army abuses. The army denied any wrongdoing.
1978: Bangladesh struck a U.N.-brokered deal with
Burma for the repatriation of refugees, under which
most Rohingya returned.
1982: A new immigration law redefined people who
migrated during British rule as illegal immigrants.
The government applied this to all Rohingya.
1989: The army changed the name of Burma to
Myanmar.
1991: More than 250,000 Rohingya refugees fled
what they said was forced labour, rape and religious
persecution at the hands of the Myanmar army. The
army said it was trying to bring order to Rakhine.
1992 to 1997: Around 230,000 Rohingya returned
to Arakan, now known as Rakhine, under another
repatriation agreement.
Supporter claimed their leader
Ata Ullah and fighters were not targeting
the Rakhine people, rather
their target was the Myanmar military.
Humanitarian crisis
In many videos provided by several
Rohingyas, hundreds of Rohingyas
in Rathedaung were seen hiding in
the nearby forests and mountains
to escape the military atrocities.
They were afraid of further Myanmar
security forces’ raid in those
hideouts as well.
Rohingya homes were being
burned down by the state armed
forces and Rakhine extremists, Rohingyas
hiding in the mountains
said.
Most of the houses in Rathedaung,
Chein Khali, Chein Halivillages
were torched by the Myanmar
joint forces, said the terrified
Rohingyas.
“Our region is in total chaos now.
They have burnt down our homes
using fire, mortars. They have
seized our properties and forced
us to leave our homes. We have
become totally helpless. We don’t
know where we will go now,” said
one villager Zaydi Pyinover phone.
Myanmar military and joint security
forces are carrying out offensives
in many villages of Rakhine
state including Kwan Thi Pin,
MiHtaikChaungWa, Nat Chaung,
Taman Thar, Zee Pin Chaung, Lon
Doong, Zin Paing Nya, Ye Myet-
Taung, Kyi KanPyin, Tharay Kun
Baung, Pa Nyaung Pin Gyi, Padin,
Alay Than Kyaw, ThawanChaung,
ThinbawKwe, Udaung, MyintHlut,
Taung Bazaar, Phaung Daw Pyin.
Myanmar’s leader Nobel peace
prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi
has remained largely silent on the
plight of the Rohingya. Zaw Htay,
a spokesman at the president’s
office, had earlier denied reports
of atrocities. The Rohingyas were
destroying their own villages to
get international attention, he
claimed. •
2012: Rioting between Rohingya and Rakhine
Buddhists killed more than 100 people, mostly
Rohingya. Tens of thousands of people were driven
into Bangladesh. Nearly 150,000 were forced into
camps in Rakhine.
2016: Rohingya militant group Harakah al-Yaqin
attacked border guard posts, killing nine soldiers.
The army retaliated. More than 25,000 people fled
Rakhine to Bangladesh, bringing accounts of killing,
rape and arson. Aung San Suu Kyi’s government
denied the atrocities.
2017: A renewed military crackdown sent a fresh
wave of Rohingyas fleeing into Bangladesh. Many
Rohingya men vowed to fight back. More than 100
people were killed in a week of escalating clashes
between Myanmar troops, militias supporting the
government and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation
Army (ARSA), formerly known as Harakah al-Yaqin.

News
MONDAY,
3
AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
Panick-stricken Rohingyas stranded in no-man’s land
• Abdul Aziz, back from Bangladesh-
Myanmar border
SPECIAL
Rocked and displaced by the ongoing
atrocities by Myanmar’s army, Rohingya
refugees with nowhere to go are running
helter-skelter in “no man’s land” on the
Bangladesh-Myanmar border, with both
Border Guard Police (BGP) in Myanmar and
Border Guard Bangladesh stepping up vigil
on their respective sides.
Unable to bear the persistent persecution,
the Rohingya Muslims are feeling
homes in Myanmar’s Rakhine state leaving
behind their hard-earned valuables and
property. And, many are losing their beloved
ones when rushing to escape the brutalities,
a scene prevalent all over the border.
Visiting the Jolpaibania border point in
Bandarban’s Naikhongchhari upazila on
Saturday, the Dhaka Tribune correspondent
found over 500 refugees, including
women and children, stiff from sitting
squeezed up against one another in a bamboo
orchard owned by one Nurul Islam.
Among them is Moshtaque Ahmed, a
resident of Dekibonia village in Rakhine.
The 70-year old said: “I have four sons
and six daughters. Army men picked one
of my sons up. He will never return home
because I am sure that they have already
killed him.
“We fled to Bangladesh in terror of our
lives.”
A woman by the name of Rohina Akter
said a group of army men picked his husband
up, calling him a member of Rohingya
insurgent group Harakah al-Yaqin (Faith
Movement).
Claiming innocence for her husband,
she said: “My husband is not involved in
the group. They [army men] mercilessly
beat my husband before my eyes, inflicting
severe injuries on him.”
Speaking from the other side of the border,
Nurul Bashar and Mujibur Rahman
said a military helicopter arrived at Dekibonia
army and BGP camps on Saturday
around 2pm. After the helicopter departed
at 3pm, army personnel accompanied by
BGP and locals swooped on Rohingya-inhabited
Dekibonia, Chakkata, Fakirapara
and other adjacent villages, launching a
blanket attack on the villagers.
According to sources in Rakhine, security
forces have been indiscriminately firing
on the Rohingyas since the Friday incident.
In addition to setting fire to the Rohingyas’
property, they are targeting girls and
young women, said the sources, adding
that the Rakhine state will soon be cleansed
of Muslims if the persecution continues.
Narrating the brutalities, witnesses
said the army men shoot youths to death
after hanging them upside down. Some of
non-Muslim Rakhine youths have joined
the military forces in their campaign of assault
on the Muslim minority.
On Friday, at least 89 people including
a dozen security force members were
killed as Rohingya insurgents reportedly
besieged border posts in troubled Rakhine
state, prompting the army to launch a new
crackdown on the Rohingyas and thus triggering
a fresh exodus of refugees to Bangladesh.
Earlier, over 70,000 Rohingyas fled to
Bangladesh in the aftermath of the October
9, 2016 attacks on security posts, joining as
many as 500,000 estimated refugees who
have come to Bangladesh during decades
of persecution in their motherland.
The previous counterinsurgency operation
ceased in mid-February this year, ending
a four-month sweep that the UN said
may amount to crimes against humanity
and possibly ethnic cleansing. •
Thousands of non-Muslims
evacuated from Rakhine
• Reuters, Yangon
WORLD
Myanmar government has evacuated
at least 4,000 non-Muslim
villagers amid ongoing clashes in
northwestern Rakhine state, the
government said, while thousands
of Rohingya Muslims fled across
the border to Bangladesh.
The death toll from the violence
that erupted on Friday with coordinated
attacks by Rohingya insurgents
has climbed to 98, including
some 80 insurgents and 12 members
of the security forces, the government
said. The clashes, the worst
since at last October, have prompted
the government to evacuate staff
and thousands of non-Muslim villagers
from the area.
Fighting involving the military
and hundreds of Rohingya across
northwestern Rakhine continued on
Saturday with the fiercest clashes
taking place on the outskirts of the
major town of Maungdaw, according
to residents and the government.
The attacks marked a dramatic
escalation of a conflict that has simmered
in the region since last October,
when a similar but much smaller
Rohingya attack prompted a brutal
military operation beset by allegations
of serious human rights abuses.
The treatment of approximately
1.1 million Muslim Rohingya in mainly
Buddhist Myanmar has emerged
as the biggest challenge for national
leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi on
Friday condemned the raids in which
insurgents wielding guns, sticks and
homemade bombs assaulted 30 police
stations and an army base.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate
has been accused by some Western
critics of not speaking out for the
long-persecuted Muslim minority,
and of defending the army’s counteroffensive
after the October attacks.
Win Myat Aye, Myanmar’s minister
for social welfare, relief and
resettlement, told reporters late
on Saturday that 4,000 “ethnic villagers”
who had fled their villages
had been evacuated, referring to
non-Muslim residents of the area.
The ministry is arranging facilities
for non-Muslims in places
including Buddhist monasteries,
government offices and local police
stations in major cities.
“We are providing food to the
people cooperating with the state
government and local authorities,”
said Win Myat Aye.
He was unable to describe the
government’s plans to help Rohingya
civilians. •
‘This is about humanity’
• Adil Sakhawat, from
Naikhongchari border
SPECIAL
Thousands of Rohingya refugees
are stranded in no-man’s
land on the border, after violence
once again erupted in Myanmar.
The refugees, mostly women
and children who are not being allowed
to enter the country by the
Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB),
are stuck on the zero line, the demarcation
between the two countries
on the other side of a small
canal lying on the international
border in Ghumdum, Bandarban.
Villagers in Tumbru and
Ghumdum, who themselves
live a hand to mouth existence
have been extending a helping
hand, bringing them water, food
and polythene bags to build
makeshift huts with.
Bangladesh has sheltered
hundreds of thousands of undocumented
Rohingyas fleeing
persecution in their homeland
since the 1990s. Although locals
in the border areas insist they
don’t want more refugees to
come, they say they simply cannot
look away from the suffering
of the stranded families.
An elderly Rohingya refugee,
Sadek said: “Since we arrived
on Friday, the locals brought us
food, water and polythene bags
to make tents. The villagers
have been very kind.”
There are about 500 refugees
living next to the Tumbru Government
Primary School. Locals
there have let them come take
water from their tubewells.
Even a BGB member was
seen helping an injured boy
cross the Tumbru canal to get
some water.
Seeking anonymity, he told
the Dhaka Tribune: “This is
about humanity. You cannot
turn your back on people who
lost all their possessions over
night and are forced to live out
in the open like this.”
A woman with her 10-day
old baby, her mother and grandmother
fled the violence in
Maungdaw township in Rakhine
State has been living in polythene
huts since Friday.
Suraiya, said: “Bangladeshis
have been giving us food and
bags to make tents with since
we arrived on Friday. Without
their help we would be living
out in the open.”
The latest spate of violence
comes after years of conflict between
Yangon and the Rohingya
Muslims, who have been denied
citizenship. The UN has called
the Rohingya people one of the
most persecuted people in the
world.
Their houses were bombarded
and torched by the Myanmar
army on Friday in what they
called the fight against insurgency.
This has triggered a fresh exodus
of refugees into Bangladesh.
No international aid agency
could be reached for comments
on their aid distribution plan for
the Rohingya refugees.
On Saturday, the Bangladesh
authorities said they will no
longer allow anymore Rohingyas
to enter the country, since
it already hosts a 400,0000 of
them. •

4
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
News
Merkel has no regrets over refugee policy despite political cost
• Reuters, Berlin
WORLD
German Chancellor Angela Merkel
said she has no regrets about her
2015 decision to open the country’s
borders to hundreds of thousands of
refugees and added she will not be
deterred from campaigning by angry
hecklers.
In an interview with the Welt
am Sonntag newspaper on Sunday,
Merkel denied she had made any
mistakes with her open-door policy
even though the arrival of a million
refugees over the last two years
from Syria and Iraq opened deep
rifts in her conservative party and
depressed its support.
Four weeks before the September
24 election, an Emnid opinion
poll on Sunday showed Merkel’s
conservatives would win 38%, or
15 points ahead of the centre-left
Social Democrats (SPD). That is up
from 32% in February but well below
the 41.5% her party won in the
last election in 2013.
“I’d make all the important decisions
of 2015 the same way again,”
Merkel said. “It was an extraordinary
situation and I made my decision
based on what I thought was
right from a political and humanitarian
standpoint.
“Those kinds of extraordinary
situations happen every once in a
while in a country’s history,” she
added. “The head of government
has to act and I did.”
Her decision to open the borders
contributed to a surge in support for
the far-right Alternative for Germany
(AfD) party, which pollsters say
could win up to 10 percent in the
September election.
Merkel, seeing a fourth term, has
had to contend with loud and sustained
heckling from demonstrators
strongly opposed to her refugee policies
so far on the campaign trail.
The volume and intensity of the
protests have been especially strong
in her home region in formerly communist
eastern Germany. But the
63-year-chancellor said she would
not be kept away from areas where
animosity towards her runs high.
“We’re a democracy and everyone
can freely express themselves
in public the way they want,” she
said. “It’s important that we don’t
go out of our way to avoid certain areas
only because there are a bunch
of people screaming.”
Support for Merkel and her party
has recovered somewhat after the
influx of refugees slowed in 2016
to 280,000 and fell even further
to about 106,000 in the first seven
months of this year.
Merkel said it was unfair that
Greece and Italy were left on their
own carrying the full burden of the
refugee crisis “simply because of
their geography”. She added she
would not stop pushing for the fair
distribution of refugees across the
European Union. •

Flood situation shows signs
of improvement
News 5
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
• Abu Siddique
DISASTER
Relief
Rice
DAMAGE AT A GLANCE
Damage
Extent of loss
Affected districts 32
Deaths 140
Affected households 1,602,796
Affected people 7,869,215
Damaged houses 640,786
Cropland
588,378 hectares
Social infrastructure 4,678
(schools, mosques,
temples)
Roads
8,381km
Bridges/culverts 511
Embankments
598km
Tube wells 61,566
Flood situation shows the
signs of improvement as
water levels in almost all the
rivers have started to recede.
The catastrophic and
life-threatening deluge has
wrecked havoc almost all
over the country in the last
two weeks, leaving at least
140 people dead and countless
more marooned.
Speaking to the Dhaka
Tribune, Sazzad Hossain ,
executive engineer of Flood
Forecasting and Warning
Centre (FFWC), said: “As
water levels in most of the
rivers including Brahmaputra,
Ganges and Meghna
have been receding, the
flood situation is now noticeable
only in districts like
Rajbari, Faridpur, Madaripur
and Shariatpur.”
However, a FFWC bulletin
said yesterday that water
level is increasing in the Surma-Kushiyara
river though
it shows a downward trend
in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna
and Ganges-Padma rivers.
Bangladesh Meteorological
Department (BMD) said
many places in Rangpur, Barisal,
Chittagong and Sylhet
divisions and a few places in
Rajshahi, Khulna, Mymensingh
and Dhaka divisions
may experience heavy rainfall
in the next 48 hours.
Asked about this, Sazzad
Hossain said the flooding
would not worsen despite
the high possibility of
rainfall.
Under the influence of
the current floods, water is
flowing above the danger
mark at 17 of the 90 water
level measuring stations in
different rivers including
the Ganges, Brahmaputra
and Meghna, and water levels
rose at 30 points.
Water is flowing 11cm
above the danger mark at
Sirajganj points in the Jamuna
river, 80cm at Singra
points in the Gur, 31cm
at Baghabari points in the
Atrai, 94cm at Lakhpur
points in the Lakhya, 22cm
at Goalanda points in the
Padma and 24cm at Kanaighat
points in the Surma.
The BMD said the country
experienced heavy rainfall
in different parts in the
last 24 hours.
The met office recorded
108mm rainfall in Nakuagaon,
103mm rainfall in
Durgapur, 100mm in Sunamganj,
87mm in Kurigram,
80mm in Rangpur and
78mm in Dalia.
Damage and disaster aid
According to the Department
of Disaster Management,
7,869,215 people
along with 640,786 houses
in 32 districts have badly
been affected by the devastating
flooding.
The deluge also left over
DISASTER AID
Amount
26,451tonnes
Monetary aid
Tk85,070,000
Dry food
65,260 packs
Corrugated iron sheets 31,980
Flooding would not worsen despite
the high possibility of rainfall
588,378 hectares of cropland
damaged and destroyed
8,381km of road networks
across the country.
Asked about the causes
of deaths during the floods,
DDM officials said that being
swept away in flood waters,
snake bite, thunderbolt,
wall collapse, and mudslide
are among the major causes.
According to the DDM,
some 106,321 victims have
taken sanctuary at 355 shelters
erected by the government.
The government has allotted
26,451 tonnes of rice
and Tk85,070,000 as gratuitous
relief and 31,980 corrugated
iron sheets to repair
the damaged houses. •
TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY
Dhaka 33 27 Chittagong 33 27 Rajshahi 32 26 Rangpur 33 26 Khulna 32 26 Barisal 32 27 Sylhet 33 25
Cox’s Bazar 31 26
HEAVY RAIN LIKELY
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DHAKA
TODAY
TOMORROW
SUN SETS 6:21PM
SUN RISES 5:39AM
YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW
37.5ºC
24.0ºC
Rangamati
Rangamati
Source: Accuweather/UNB
PRAYER
TIMES
Fajr: 5:00am | Zohr: 1:15pm
Asr: 5:00pm | Magrib: 6:41pm
Esha: 8:30pm
Source: Islamic Foundation

6
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
News
NGOs realising loan from flood
victims defying PM’s order
• Ariful Islam, Kurigram
NATION
Non-government organisations
(NGOs) in Kurigram are allegedly forcing
local flood victims to repay their
loan installments, violating the prime
minister’s order barring harassment of
the loanees.
The premier, while visiting
flood-ravaged Jessore and Kurigram
on August 20, had directed the NGOs
engaged in providing microcredit not
to harass anybody in the name of realising
loans from them.
Aktarun, 40, from Badlipur village
in the district, said she had built a
house spending Tk20,000 that she had
taken from an NGO called Society for
Social Service (SSS) as loan.
But, the house has been completely
damaged in the recent flood with
most of the the furniture kept inside it
swept away, she said.
“Now, we are living under the open
sky during daytime and taking we take
shelter in a makeshift hut at night,”
Akhtarun added.
Despite the fact, the SSS is forcing
her to repay the installments, she
claimed.
“I had to lend Tk500 to repay the
latest installment to the NGO as I had
no other choice,” said Aktarun, who
is among hundreds of others who received
microcredit from several NGOs.
The loanees are not only grappling
with recovering the losses they incurred
in the flood, but also left under
growing pressure by the NGOs, including
Grameen Bank and Asha.
Jahera Begum of Jatrapur union under
Sadar upazila said she was given a
loan from Asha NGO to arrange medical
treatment for her husband.
“He died when the flood situation
worsened. We also lost our house. But,
the NGO still kept asking me repeatedly
to repay the loan,” she said.
The NGO workers have been visiting
their clients at night to give them
a remainder about their loan installments,
the victims said.
When asked, Jatrapur SSS Branch
Manager Hasan Ali admitted realising
loan installments, but denied forcing
anybody in this regard.
He said: “We are rather arranging
medical assistance for our clients and
giving them Tk1,000 as assistance.”
Panchgachhi Grameen Bank Branch
Manager said they were only collecting
their loan installments from them who
were willingly repaying the money.
About the matter, Kurigram’s Deputy
Commissioner (DC) Abu Saleh Md
Ferdaus Khan said: “We have already
written to all NGOs, asking them to
stop realising loan installments until
the flood situation improves completely.”
The DC said they take measures in
this regard, if the PM’s order is violated.
Around 500,000 people, mostly
farmers and day labourers, were affected
in nine upazilas of Kurigram,
where crops of 50,000 hectares of land
and hundreds of houses were damaged
in the flood. •
Britain’s opposition Labour party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, speaks to a
nurse during a visit to the Hope Centre in Bolton on August 17 REUTERS
Labour backs soft
Brexit, putting
pressure on May
• Reuters, London
WORLD
The opposition Labour Party
says it would keep Britain in
the European single market
and customs union for a transitional
period after Brexit,
offering a clear alternative to
the policies of British Prime
Minister Theresa May.
The centre-left party
would seek to maintain the
“same basic terms” with the
European Union, including
the free movement of people,
beyond March 2019 when
Britain is set to leave the bloc,
Labour’s Brexit spokesman
Keir Starmer said on Sunday.
Labour wanted to avoid a
damaging “cliff edge” for the
economy from an abrupt separation
in less than two years.
It would also aim to keep a
form of customs union with
the EU, and would possibly
agree a new relationship with
the single market, subject to
negotiations, Starmer added
in the Observer newspaper.
Senior ministers in May’s
Conservative government
have ruled out remaining in
the single market and customs
union during any transitional
phase following Brexit.
Starmer said following EU
rules for a period would allow
goods and services to continue
to flow between the EU
and Britain without tariffs,
customs checks or additional
red tape.
Starmer’s comments follow
months of uncertainty
and division on Labour’s position,
and are aimed at providing
a springboard for party
leader Jeremy Corbyn to potentially
defeat the Conservatives
in any new election.
May’s grip on power has
been weakened following a
botched early general election
in June in which she lost
her parliamentary majority,
making it harder for her government
to maintain a united
stance on Brexit.
No time limits
Labour recognised that a
transitional deal would not
provide long-term certainty,
Starmer said, and it would
not resolve the question of
migration, one of the key issues
for voters in the referendum
in 2016.
“That is why a transitional
period under Labour will be
as short as possible, but as
long as necessary,” he added.
The Conservatives said Labour’s
position was a “weak
attempt to kick the can down
the road”.
“Their leader can’t say they
would end unlimited freedom
of movement, they can’t decide
whether we are leaving
the single market and they
have no vision for what Britain
should look like outside
the EU,” a spokesman said.
“This week we will be
heading out to negotiate a
deal with the EU that avoids
unnecessary disruption to
people and businesses, and
allows the UK to grasp the
opportunities of Brexit. Labour
are still arguing from the
sidelines.”
Britain will return to Brexit
talks on Monday after it
sought to widen the debate
by publishing a series of papers
in the last two weeks on
subjects ranging from future
customs arrangements to
data. •

News
MONDAY,
1 dead in strong explosion at Mymensingh house
• Ashrafuddin Seizel, Mymensingh
MILITANCY
‘Bangalis left with heavy
hearts in August’
• Touhid Zaman, Jessore
NATION
Recalling the murder of Bangabandhu
and most of his family
members, and the murder
attempt on Sheikh Hasina, Jessore
3 MP Kazi Nabil Ahmed
has said the Bangali nation are
gripped by grief in August.
“They [Bangali people]
are left with heavy hearts in
this month when Bangabandhu
was murdered along with
most of his family members
back in 1975,” he said.
The lawmaker was addressing
a mass rally held in Jessore
town’s Chowrasta intersection
yesterday, which was organised
by the district unit Awami
League as part of its monthlong
programmes in commemoration
of Bangabandhu.
The rally also remembered
the victims of the August 21
grenade attack that was aimed
to kill Sheikh Hasina.
“Bangabandhu hoisted the
flag of an independent Bangladesh
in the world. He had
been killed for talking in favour
of the oppressed and to
stop economic growth of the
newborn and war-torn country,”
he said.
“People across the world
used to know Bangabandhu
very well in the ’70s, the way
the people of the ’90s would
know African leader Nelson
Mandela,” he added.
Nabil further said the government
under the leadership
of Hasina was working to build
a Sonar Bangla as dreamt by
Bangabandhu,.
As examples, the MP referred
to the country’s largest
IT park, to be inaugurated in
Jessore within two months, as
well as plans to spend Tk600
crore for dredging and beautification
of the Bhairab River.
The IT park will provide
employment for around
10,000 people, he added. •
Safer roads by 2020?
One person was killed after a bomb
detonated inside a suspected militant
den at Mymensingh’s Bhaluka
upazila yesterday.
The explosion took place at Habirbari
union’s Kashor area around 7pm
on Sunday, Bhaluka Model police
station Officer-in-Charge Mamunur
Rashid told the Dhaka tribune.
“The victim could be a militant,
but we are not sure yet. He’s yet to
be identified,” he said.
He also could not confirm whether
the bomb was intentionally detonated
or if it was an accident. “We, however,
suspect the blast occurred when
the victim was making a bomb.”
Quoting witnesses, the OC said
the man’s wife and two children
were injured in the blast and fled
the scene right after the explosion.
Mamunur added that the family
had said they were from Sirajganj
when they rented and moved
into one of the 12 rooms in the
semi-concrete house, owned by
one Azim Uddin and situated on
the west side of Master Bari in the
union, two days ago.
Police have detained Azim for
questioning as he could not provide
any information regarding his tenants.
7
AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
The house was later emptied
and cordoned off, said Mymensingh’s
Additional Superintendent of
Police Md Raihanul Islam.
Police were waiting for a bomb
disposal team from Dhaka before
continuing operations as they
feared there could be more bombs
inside the house. •
• Nawaz Farhin
EVENTS
Research findings for the most
cost effective strategic action
plan to mitigate the number
of road accidents and their severity
by 2020 were presented
yesterday by the Accident Research
Institute (ARI) of Bangladesh
University of Science
and Technology (Buet).
The findings were recommended
to be implemented
for all Development Project
Proposal (DPP) and the Technical
Assistance Project Proposal
(TPP), and will be handed over
to the government before being
released publicly.
ARI unveiled their findings
and recommendations at a
seminar titled “Strategic accident
reducing program (SARP):
joining hands of research and
realisation” organised at BUET
Council Bhaban.
Every year, 2,700 people
die in road accidents and
2,400 are injured, according to
data from police.
ARI suggests that the government
take up two DPP and a
TPP to meet the target for road
safety by 2020. ARI Director
Professor Dr Moazzem Hossain
outlined the details of the DPP
and TPP in his keynote speech.
The DPP 1 project stressed
on the need for speed limit
enforcement and emergency
management system for
safer highways in Bangladesh
while the DPP 2 focuses
on improved training for
drivers.
The TPP project focuses on
research and capacity development
through strengthening
the safety Lab Facilities of ARI.
At the event, Buet VC Prof
Dr Saiful Islam said: “The
standard for safety related cost
in a construction project can
be up to 25% but would only be
10% in these projects. The project
will cost Tk1,500cr.” •

8
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
News
Disbursement of green funds by commercial banks remained very low in 2016, said a BIBM report
BIBM: 50 banks disbursed only 0.5%
credit as green funds in 2016
• Shariful Islam
BUSINESS
More than 50 commercial banks
of the country have disbursed
only 0.5% of the their total credit
as green financing or sustainable
banking in 2016, according to a
study of the Bangladesh Institute
of Bank Management (BIBM).
The study report titled “Fund
Transfer Pricing of Commercial
Banks: Status and Measures for
Implementing in Banks of Bangladesh,”
was presented in Dhaka
yesterday.
The report said only seven banks
prepared the sustainable financing
report following the Global Reporting
Initiatives (GRI) guideline and
submitted it to the Bangladesh
Bank.
BIBM Associate Professor Mohammad
Alamgir presented the report
which said around 58% of the
banks follow no guideline when it
comes to fund transfer pricing.
“Some 58% of the banks are
found to have not been following
no guidelines in fund transfer between
banks while 96% of them
do the job through the age-old system
and only 4% use fund transfer
curve through online calculator,”
the report said.
It also said 62% of the banks
transfer pricing manually while
85% banks perform it with the help
of a committee.
“Only seven banks follow the
GRI guidelines, some 34 banks do
not follow and the rest of the banks
follow the guidelines partially,” the
report said.
Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor
Abu Hena Mohammad Razee
Hassan attended the function as
the chief guest.
He said: “It is a challenge for
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Bangladesh to retain development
and ensure a sustainable environment
and so the banks need to go
for green financing and prepare report
on sustainable banking.”
“In 2015, most of the banks
failed to submit their sustainable
banking reports to the central
bank,” Abu Hena said.
BIBM Director General Toufiq
Ahmed Choudhury said there was
no alternative to green financing to
ensure sustainable development
goals. He called for fixing a definite
rate on fund transfer.
BIBM Supernumerary Professor
Helal Ahmed Choudhury asked for
improving bankers’ skills to prepare
sustainable banking report.
The event was also attended,
among others, by BIBM Supernumerary
Professor Yeasin Ali and
Bangladesh Securities and Exchange
Commission Commissioner
Swapan Kumar Bala. •
No profits from
savings certificates for
gratuity fundholders
• Asif Showkat Kallol
BUSINESS
People with savings certificates
will most likely not profit from the
Savings Certificate Policy 2017 if
they are already benefiting from
gratuity funds.
The Ministry of Finance had directed
the Internal Resources Division
to form a committee to reduce
the abnormality that has arisen
over Sanchaypatra Rules 1977 and
Income Tax Law 1994. The seven-member
committee, headed by
the director general of the Department
of National Savings, recommended
that those who have gratuity
fund deposits should not receive
profits from savings certificates.
The committee found that five
institutions including banks, financial
institutions and an NGO
have been depositing their gratuity
funds in the Department of National
Savings for five years to benefit
from savings certificates.
Over the past five years, the five
in questions have deposited Tk40.1
crore in earnings, and was set to
earn Tk15.9 crore in profits. The
committee recommended the latter
profit be denied to the depositors.
Earlier, the government had
announced plans to set up investment
limits for potential buyers
of national savings certificates, in
addition to a two-tier profit rate.
Buyers could also be required to
disclose the sources of their funds
to the Department of National Savings.
Finance Division officials said
the government will not reduce the
interest rate of savings certificates
despite the finance minister’s repeated
assertions.
An official said: “We need to
change the profit rate on savings
certificates. But the finance minister
will have the last say.”
The government is
planning to borrow
massively from
savings instruments
A source at the government’s policy-making
level said decisions
that may affect the government’s
popularity are unlikely to be taken
before the election.
The government is also planning
to borrow massively from savings
instruments.
Big investors, especially corporate
houses, industrial entrepreneurs
and business groups who
have bought savings certificates in
unusually large volumes are being
identified for further business.
The interest rate on deposits is
3-4% in private banks and 4-5% in
state banks, while the interest rates
on savings certificates ranges from
10-11.25%.
In the 2016-17 financial year,
the government had a target of
selling Tk19,610 crore in savings
certificates. But it ended up selling
Tk52,327cr worth of certificates, a
167% increase from the previous
fiscal year. •
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9
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT

10
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
News
Harvey claims second fatality, threatens
catastrophic floods in US
• Reuters, Texas
WORLD
A second person was killed on Saturday
as Harvey, the most powerful storm to
hit Texas in more than 50 years, roared
inland, knocking out power to more
than 200,000 people and threatening
catastrophic flooding.
The second fatality was an elderly
woman who was killed as she drove
through flooded streets on Houston’s
west side on Saturday night, a Houston
police officer said.
“It appeared that her vehicle went
into high water and she drowned as a result,”
said Sergeant Colin Howard of the
Houston police department. The victim
was not immediately identified.
Authorities have urged residents to
stay off the streets of Houston and other
southeast Texas cities as rain falling
at up to 5 inches per hour flooded roads
and major intersections.
On Friday night, a man died in a house
fire in the town of Rockport, 48km north
of Corpus Christi. Another dozen people
in the area suffered injuries like broken
bones, another official said.
Harvey slammed into Texas late
Friday as a Category 4 hurricane with
winds of 209kmph, making it the strongest
storm to hit the state since 1961.
It has since lingered over Houston,
dumping amounts of rain that threaten
to break the record established nearly
40 years ago when Alvin, Texas, was
deluged by 43 inches of rain in 24 hours
from July 24-25, 1979.
The storm ripped off roofs, snapped
trees, triggered tornadoes and flash
floods and cut off power to nearly
230,000 people, mostly in the Houston
area, on Saturday night. Houston police
officials said officers were evacuating
two flooded apartment complexes.
The National Weather Service issued
a flash flood emergency alert for the area
around William P Hobby Airport, and
the airport said on Twitter that the arrivals
section was flooded.
Oil and gas production was largely
halted in the state, prompting price
hikes at the pumps.
“There are a number of stranded people
on our streets, calling 911, exhausting
needed resources. You can help by staying
off the streets,” Houston Mayor Sylvester
Turner said on Twitter. •
Bangladeshi Tiger IT
to ensure security of
vehicles in Nepal
• Shohel Mamun
TECH
Tiger IT, a Bangladesh-based
global production and identity
management solutions
leader, has opened a new
factory for producing digital
retro-reflective number
plates at Kathmandu, Nepal.
These number plates will be
installed in vehicles in Nepal
– to protect them from being
stolen, and keep a tab on their
location, identification information,
etc.
Nepal Physical Infrastructure
and Transport Minister
Bir Bahadur Balayar inaugurated
the factory on August
21. The minister along with
other high officials made
number plates for themselves
at the inauguration.
‘It was challenging for us to build a
factory in Nepal as a foreign vendor
because of its political crisis’
Tiger IT will produce around
2,500,000 high security digital
number plates that will
be installed in vehicles within
five years at the cost of $43.7
million – making this one of
the top technology projects in
Nepal.
Nepal Department of
Transport Management
(DoTM) has signed a deal with
Decatur-Tiger IT, a joint venture
consortium to implement
the project on May 30, 2016.
Many renowned international
vendors participated in
its tendering process in January
2016, and Decatur-Tiger
IT was selected as the most
compliant and innovative
solution.
Previously, the Bangladeshi
IT giant provided nearly
3,100,000 digital registration
number plates to Bangladesh
Road Transport Authority
(BRTA) under a joint venture
with Bangladesh Machine
Tools Factory. Tiger IT provided
solutions for national
identity cards and voter registration
in Bangladesh in 2008.
They also provided smart
license card solution to the
BRTA.
“It is a great achievement
for us to get such a project.
We have successfully provided
digital number plates to
the Bangladesh transport authorities
which has helped us
to get this project,” said Rajib
Choudhury, assistant general
manager of Tiger IT.
“We will provide nearly
2,500,000 digital number
plates with radio-frequency
identification (RFID) tags
within five years which will
strengthen security and monitoring
system in Nepal’s transportation
process,” he added.
However, establishing a
factory in Nepal was not an
easy task because of the country’s
political unrest.
“It was challenging for us
to build a factory in Nepal as a
foreign vendor because of its
political crisis. Meanwhile, we
are required to train the staff
for smooth operation,” said
Goutam Bhattacharya, chief
operating officer of Tiger IT, in
Delhi, India.
He told the Dhaka Tribune:
“We have installed latest technology
in our factory to provide
world standard service.
No one can duplicate these
number plates because of the
unique serial numbers in the
stickers.”
“We can provide specific
data on transport movement
to the government that can
help them draft a proper plan
for maintaining smooth traffic
management,” he added.
The Nepal government had
earlier provided its people machine
readable passports which
were also made by Tiger IT.
After its establishment in
2000, Tiger IT has become
popular by producing an identification
software. In the last
17 years, they have worked
in around 18 countries of the
world. They currently have offices
in the US, UK and Poland
apart from Dhaka.
Through their new project,
each vehicle owner in Nepal
will get two embossed digital
plates with an RFID stickers.
The consortium has already
started producing the
number plates.
Michel Goffin, president of
Decatur Industries, told the
Dhaka Tribune: “The digital
number plates will have microchips
that could identify
the vehicles, obtain information
of their location, maintain
their digital records, and
even protect them from being
stolen.” •

News 11
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
EC starts printing smart NID cards on its own
DT
• Bilkis Irani
CURRENT AFFAIRS
The Election Commission (EC) has
cancelled an agreement with French
company ‘Oberthur Technologies’
and started printing smart national
identity (NID) cards on its own.
The EC’s Acting Secretary
Helaluddin Ahmed confirmed this
while talking to reporters at the
commission secretariat in Agargoan,
Dhaka yesterday.
He said the contract between the
EC and the French company to print
smart NID cards came to an end on
June 30, and it was not renewed.
“We have not engaged any other
company in this regard since we
started printing smart NID cards
using our 10 machines and own
manpower,” he added.
According to him, the EC was going
to procure iris scanners and biometric
machines to help print and
distribute the smart cards soon.
“It has been decided that one iris
scanner and one biometric machine
will be procured for each upazila,”
he said, adding, the EC had 7.5
million blank smart cards in stock,
which will gradually be printed.
When asked if any action will be
taken against the companies which
failed to complete the work as per
the agreement with the EC, he said:
“We will discuss the matter with
our lawyers and then decide the
next course of action.”
In 2011, the EC started the smart
NID project called Identification System
for Enhancing Excess with the
financial help of the World Bank.
On 14 January, 2015, EC made an
agreement with Oberthur Technologies
to create 9 crore smart card
within 18 months.
But the French company failed
to do so within the deadline. According
to the agreement, the EC
had to distribute smart cards within
June 2016 among the people.
However, the time of the project
was extended to 18 months up to December
2017, on the condition of not
increasing the agreed expenditure.
Draft of constituency
re-demarcation ready
Meanwhile, the EC in its meeting
yesterday proposed a new law to
re-demarcate all parliamentary
constituencies with equal numbers
of voters.
In this regard, a draft setting
boundaries of the constituencies
anew for the general elections has
been drawn up. This was placed in
the meeting.
But the meeting did not fix any
rules for the act, Helaluddin said,
adding, the new parliamentary
seats are being re-demarcated mainly
based on population, number of
voters and administrative structure.
He said the draft will be sent
to the Law Ministry after final approvals
by all election commissioners
and a law expert in a week.
When asked whether the opinion
of political parties will be ignored,
Helaluddin said: “We are
primarily sending this [draft act]
to the Law Ministry, which will be
finalised after holding a series of
dialogues with all political parties.”
The secretary said the EC was
considering reducing the number
of constituencies in urban areas,
while it planned to increase the
number of parliamentary seats in
the rural areas. •
PDB signs power purchase
deal with Intraco
• Aminur Rahman Rasel
POWER
The state-owned Power Development
Board (PDB) yesterday
signed a 20-year power
purchase deal with local company
Intraco Solar Power Ltd
yesterday.
The signing came 16
months after a letter of intent
was submitted to Intraco that
will construct a 30MW gridtied
solar plant at Gangachara
in Rangpur.
‘Such investments
will help boost
the capacity of
power sector.
The government
encourages
private sector
investment
in power and will
continue to do so’
According to the deal, PDB
would purchase power from
the solar company at the rate of
$0.16 or equivalent to Tk12.80
per unit for the next 20 years.
The country has been witnessing
a slow progress in
renewable energy generation
due to procrastination.
In order to fulfill its target,
the government wants to raise
the ratio of renewable energy
to 10% of the total power generation
by 2020.
PDB Secretary Mina Masud
Uzzaman and Intraco Solar
Power Limited Managing Director
Mohammed Riyadh Ali
signed the power purchase
agreement (PPA) on behalf of
their respective sides at the
Biduyt Bhaban in the capital.
According to the deal, the
company would supply electricity
to the national grid
within 13 months from the
date of deal signed.
Intraco has bought a 143.3-
acre of land in Gangachara
upazila of Rangpur for the
project, said Riyadh.
Speaking at the contract
signing ceremony State Minister
for Power, Energy and
Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid
said the government will
continue to provide incentives
for expansion of renewable
energy generation.
“The government is trying
to produce and increase the
use of green and clean energy
despite the fact that they are
comparatively costly.”
Some organisations and
companies have already got
approval for the purpose,
added the junior minister.
Nasrul welcomed financing
from the government-owned
non-bank financial institution
– Infrastructure Development
Company Limited – and
other local leasing companies
in solar power or renewable
energy projects.
He also said: “Such investments
will help boost the capacity
of power sector. The
government encourages private
sector investment in power
and will continue to do so.”
The programme was also
addressed by Power Division
Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus
and PDB Chairman Khaled
Mahmood. •

DT
12
Editorial
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
TODAY
This Eid, be kind
to your cow
REUTERS
In times when religious duties are
forgotten, the sole driving force is the
law
PAGE 13
Bangladesh needs to get tough
with Myanmar
The right person for
the right job
In order to implement a successful
business strategy, organisations large
and small must ensure that they have
the right people in the right places
PAGE 14
For far too long have we had to watch silently as the Myanmar
army carried out its ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya in their
own homeland.
For far too long have we as a publication spoken out on
this issue, only to see no action being taken to resolve it.
Let no one say that this is an internal matter for Yangon. As a
nation directly affected by Myanmar’s Rohingya problem, we urge the
Bangladesh government to take up this cause, if not for humanitarian
reasons, then definitely for the sake of regional prosperity and
stability.
While there is no doubt that our country has done more than it can
in providing aid and refuge to the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya
fleeing persecution, this is no longer a viable long-term solution.
Our nations signed two agreements on the repatriation of the
Rohingya to Myanmar -- one in 1978 and the other in 1992 -- under
which many Rohingyas returned home. It’s clear that the Myanmar
government’s current intransigence begs for tougher diplomatic
action to be taken.
The repatriation deals prove two things: That Rohingyas are
Myanmar citizens and that bilateral talks between the two nations
can yield results.
This has gone on long enough. Bangladesh can no longer afford to
sit on the sidelines.
This has gone on long
enough. Bangladesh
can no longer afford to
sit on the sidelines
A safety net for
those who need it
Political instability, lack of reliable
access to electricity, limited access
to finance, and corruption are major
challenges to business
Be heard
Write to Dhaka Tribune
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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.
PAGE 15
Clean water for everyone
While the recent rains have caused flooding on a scale
that has worsened the lives of many in the country,
what is worse is the diseases that have subsequently
spread in the flood-hit districts.
It is rather concerning that over a thousand people have been
affected by diarrhoea, dysntery, eczema, and other related diseases
since the flood waters have started to recede.
Flooding has been a major roadblock on our path to progress, and
if such diseases are allowed to spread without proper governmental
intervention, countless will suffer, and many could die.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact safe drinking water has
been in short supply and sanitation has been dismal.
Not only do we need to tackle the flood situation in a sustainable
manner, but we also have to make sure that people have easy access
to clean water and adequate medical treatment.
Many have already lost their homes and their lives to the floods
this year.
We must also ensure that no more lives are lost in this way, and
at the hands of the diseases these floods have caused.
If diseases are allowed
to spread without
proper intervention,
countless will suffer,
and many could die

Opinion 13
This Eid, be kind to your cow
Even sacrificial animals deserve humane treatment
DT
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
• Aiman R Khan
Eid-ul-Azha is just around
the corner and, once
again, the “moos” and
“mehs” are being heard
from every corner of Dhaka.
Parades of men with cows of
different shapes and sizes ply the
streets, flaunting their purchase
eagerly waiting for passersby to
ask that desired question.
While asking people “how
much did it cost?” we also need
to ask ourselves “what are it’s
rights?”
Rights and wrongs
In a country like ours, advocating
the rights of the helpless is
considered a hobby for those
who can afford the time. Hence,
shouting for a cow or a goat to be
treated like any other living things
is a far cry here.
In Bangladesh, despite being
pious and faithful, our actions
defeat the sole purpose of this
religious occasion.
Every year at the time of Eid-ul-
Azha, there is a huge demand for
cows in cattle markets. To meet
demands, they are imported from
neighbouring countries, while
some arrive in Bangladesh through
illegal means.
Cattle smuggling is rampant
over at the India-Bangladesh
border.
Every day, almost 300-500 cows
are smuggled over the border in
inhumane and degrading ways.
Most of them are tied with ropes
and hurled from narrow exits
within the border.
As a result, many cows die in
transit, mostly out of suffocation.
What does religion say?
In Islam, it is forbidden to treat
an animal cruelly or to kill it
except when needed for food
(also known as Zabiha). Zabiha is
the prescribed rule for slaughter
in Islamic law. The rule ensures
minimum suffering to animals
when slaughtering them for
food. Among the many laws, two
suggest:
1. Usage of sharp knife so that
it is done swiftly, not allowing the
animal to feel any pain
2. Cutting the throat, windpipe,
and blood vessels, keeping the
spinal cord intact, to minimise
pain
Islamic law clearly recognises
animal rights as it is an obligation
for all Muslims to be kind to
animals. Even while handling
a cow which is about to be
sacrificed, Islamic law tells you to
be merciful and try to make it easy
Animals have rights too
for them.
But in reality, that is hardly the
case.
Cows arrive in Bangladesh
bruised, suffocated, and
punctured by the barbed border
fence. They get crammed in trucks
and sent all the way to Dhaka.
Some of them get sick on the long
journey while many die due to the
congested space.
Even after they make it to a
customer’s house, they are kept
tied-up for hours until the moment
of sacrifice.
They die writhing in pain, for
the sacrificing is often not done
properly. In times when religious
duties are forgotten, the sole
driving force is the law.
What does the law say?
It is the fear of sanctions that
has the power to instill the idea
of animal rights in us. The only
law that talks about animal rights
in Bangladesh is the Cruelty to
Animals Act, 1920, which has a
provision for a Tk100 fine or an
imprisonment of three months,
or both, to anyone found guilty of
torturing an animal.
Section 4 of the act states
if any person: (a) Overdrives,
unnecessarily beats, or otherwise
In times when religious duties are forgotten, the sole driving force
is the law
ill-treats any animal, or (b) binds,
keeps, or carries any animal in
such a manner or position as to
subject the animal to unnecessary
pain or suffering, or (c) offers,
exposes, or has in his possession,
for sale, any live animal which
is suffering pain by reason of
mutilation, starvation, thirst,
overcrowding, or other illtreatment,
or any dead animal
for which there is reason to
believe to have been killed in
an unnecessarily cruel manner
-- then one shall be punished for
every offense with a fine which
may extend to Tk100 or with
imprisonment for a term which
may extend to three months, or
with both.
In addition to this existing law,
something new is on its way.
As per the draft of a proposed
new Animal Welfare Act, 2016, any
person killing or badly injuring
an animal would have to face two
years’ imprisonment or a Tk50,000
fine, or both.
This surely is good news for all
the animals in our country.
Such a law will not only curb
the abuse that our stray dogs and
other animals go through almost
every day, but also regulate the
treatment of cattle in Bangladesh.
While PETA is busy trying to
stop cows and livestock from
being ill-treated at dairy farms, we
are tossing them over fences like
badminton.
But recent developments
suggest that the cause for animal
rights is progressing in this part of
the world.
Effective enforcement of such
strict liability would ensure that
even the cows that are to be
sacrificed during Eid-ul-Azha
gets fair treatment. This way, we
can retain the holiness that this
occasion requires. •
Aiman R Khan is a trainee lawyer, Dhaka
Judge Court.
MEHEDI HASAN

14
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
Opinion
The right person for the right job
Our organasations need to start relying on effective staffing in order to succeed
Placement matters
In order to implement a successful business strategy, organisations, large
and small, must ensure that they have the right people in the right places
• Tahsin Kabir
Bangladesh is known as
a developing country
throughout the world.
Our population is
increasing at an outrageous rate,
and the unemployment situation
is nothing short of a crisis.
About 160 million people live in
this country but most of them live
under the poverty line.
“Population is our valuable
asset” is a canned line that no one
from top level management of any
organisation would disagree with
-- we cannot even think of running
a company without ensuring
human resource management.
If we look at it from a
Bangladeshi perspective, most
multi-national companies, banks,
and government-run institutions
have recently gone all-out to
ensure effective staffing practices
to improve worker productivity.
However, in the private sector,
most organisations -- including
joint ventures, off-shoring, and
buying houses -- are still not
involved in effective staffing
practices due to a lack of
knowledge, lack of professionals,
lack of planning, the list goes on.
Effective staffing is the practice
of putting the right person in the
right place. It is an important
part of every manager’s
responsibilities. In Bangladesh,
most multi-national organisations
find it necessary to establish a
specialist division. The degree of
change that organisations are now
facing has never been greater.
In order to implement a
successful business strategy,
organisations, large and small,
must ensure that they have the
right people in the right places.
Inefficient staffing is holding
our industries and businesses
back. One of the common issues
people face in the job market in
Bangladesh is the lack of clarity
in job roles and duties when
companies put out vacancies.
Do you know your KSA?
Another common issue is how
recruiters take interviews for a
specific position.
Even after confirming candidates
for a position, they hire others
internally without informing the
ones already hired. It is a total
waste of time and money not only
for the organisation but definitely
for the candidates.
Such practices are common
because of the recruiter’s lack
of knowledge about their own
organisation’s objectives, what
responsibilities one has to perform
for a position, and what kind of
knowledge, skill, and attitude
(KSA) are required for that
position.
In Bangladesh, most people
are, unfortunately, not in the
right place within their respective
organisations. Questions need
to be raised about such blatant
misuse of human resources.
A simple solution would be
to improve recruiters’ ability to
match job seekers’ KSA with a job
position.
Make smart moves
These issues can be resolved with
strategic staffing plans. But, before
we go for the solutions, there
should be some sort of training for
HR employees to communicate
essential information about their
organisation’s objectives and
strategies.
If we fail to attract and bring the
right people on-board due to a lack
of effective staffing practices and
plans, employers will eventually
move to outsourcing to fill up the
skill gap. In fact, outsourcing has
already become a matter of some
concern, but HR professionals in
our country have somehow failed
to realise this matter.
HR’s responsibilities are not
only to act as a service department
but also to add value in making
BIGSTOCK
strategic decisions which can lead
the organisation to success.
We need to address these
issues collectively and objectively,
something our foreign competitors
have been doing for ages. •
Tahsin Kabir is a freelance contributor.

Opinion 15
A safety net for those who need it
Better jobs can go a long way
DT
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
Ending poverty requires skilled labour as well as job availability
• Shazia Omar
Over the past decade,
Bangladesh has achieved
strong economic growth
and impressive poverty
reduction. Despite this progress,
poverty and vulnerability remain a
great challenge.
A rapid demographic transition,
which provides a window of
opportunity to utilise young
workers before the country faces
the issue of population ageing,
highlights the need for urgent
policy intervention.
In light of such dynamic
changes in Bangladesh, a
comprehensive social protection
and labour system is needed
which includes measures that
strengthen resilience among the
poor and vulnerable by mitigating
shocks to their well-being such
as unemployment or life-cycle
changes including old age;
improve equity by alleviating
poverty and destitution through
appropriate support systems; and
promote opportunities by building
human capital and facilitating
access to higher earnings and
better livelihoods, especially
through employment.
Several obstacles hinder the
country’s ability to create more
decent and inclusive jobs. The
Bangladesh Enterprise Survey
(2013) suggests that political
instability, lack of reliable access
to electricity, limited access to
finance, and corruption are major
challenges to business.
Access to training opportunities
in the labour market is also very
limited. Currently, more than
3,000 Technical and Vocational
Education and Training (TVET)
institutions provide skills
training in the country, and the
government is making efforts to
strengthen the small but growing
sector. However, entry to TVET
institutions requires completion of
grade 8 and those who are unable
to complete secondary education,
mostly the poor, do not have
access to this skills training.
Moreover, the TVET system
falls short of placing their trainees
in jobs with low demand for TVET
graduates from the employer side
resulting in poor placement rates.
Thus, TVET graduates, despite
having mid-level education,
remain unemployed or engaged in
low quality jobs.
The mismatches between the
labour market-relevant skills that
employers demand and the type of
skills trained and fostered through
TVET are considered key factors
behind the poor TVET sector
performance.
Bangladesh’s current situation
calls for policy measures designed
to not only reduce poverty and
vulnerability but to ensure that
the benefits of strong economic
growth are widely shared.
Three broad policy tools are
discussed below.
Safety nets
Safety nets are very useful in
poverty reduction and prevention
but their cost-effectiveness
often suffers because of a few
overarching issues. Fortunately,
the issues can be corrected.
The first issue is weak targeting:
Most safety net programs aim to
BIGSTOCK
provide assistance to the poor and
ultra-poor, but it is unclear how
program administrators define,
identify, and verify the poor.
Weak targeting results in
substantial inclusion errors where
the actual poor are left out and the
non-poor are able to participate.
Inclusion errors have even
increased over time: The overall
rate of inclusion among the nonpoor
increased from 44% in 2005
to 60% in 2010 (World Bank, 2013).
The second issue is the
fragmentation of safety net
programs.
There are currently 140 safety
net programs provided by multiple
ministries, some duplicative
with overlapping coverage and
objectives. Programs that have
similar or duplicative objectives
could be consolidated or
harmonised.
The final issue is efficiency,
which is associated with weak
administrative capacity, in
addition to inefficiencies
stemming from targeting and
fragmentation, as well as delays in
delivery.
Microfinance
As of 2011, there were more than
576 registered MFIs with more
than 35 million active members
and over 15 million active
borrowers -- an eight-fold increase
since 1995.
It is debatable whether
Bangladesh’s microfinance
sector is oversaturated and
whether it pushes the poor to
over-indebtedness with its overcommercialised
practices.
However, it seems apparent
that relatively easy access
to microfinance brings both
opportunities and risks.
The challenges include high
transaction costs, high interest
rates, and weak linkages between
microfinance and productive
labour market activities such as
entrepreneurship.
Labour market interventions
The demand for a better trained
workforce is greater than ever
in the highly competitive global
market. However, the existing
Technical Vocational Education
Training (TVET) sector is not
adequately equipped to step up to
the challenge.
The limited availability of
labour market interventions
limits the potential benefits of
existing ones; for example, safety
net beneficiaries have very few
linkages to pursue skills training
The Bangladesh
Enterprise Survey
(2013) suggests that
political instability,
lack of reliable access
to electricity, limited
access to finance,
and corruption are
major challenges to
business
opportunities to strengthen
employability. An unemployed
youth looking for wage-based
employment has little support
available to assist him/her in the
job search.
Agricultural workers using
outdated technology and
experiencing diminishing yields
have little scope to improve
productivity.
Poor rural workers planning
seasonal migration do not know
where to start other than relying
on middlemen. Also, there is a
lack of evidence-based analytics
to support in the planning of such
programs.
Policy Recommendations
Some of the challenges that
social protection and labour
market interventions need to
address are widespread poverty
and vulnerability, lack of jobs for
youths, gender inequality in the
labour market, and vulnerability of
migrant labour.
To address these challenges, we
need to improve existing programs
through consolidation. The
National Social Security Strategy
(2015) delineates five thematic
clusters of ministries for such
consolidation and harmonisation.
We also need a unified targeting
system that enables various
programs to identify the poor, and
significantly improves targeting
accuracy and program efficiency.
We need to improve program
efficiency by improving
administrative capacity and by
modernising systems, developing
more efficient delivery mechanism
(such as e-payments), modern
storage facilities (for food), and
technology for dynamic MIS.
Finally, monitoring is an
essential management tool for
dynamic information so that
appropriate action can be taken
to improve or modify a program’s
implementation. Evaluation is also
critical to identify impact and best
practices.
It is necessary to explore
and utilise various other policy
instruments.
For example, voluntary
insurance and savings
mechanisms may be explored, the
multipronged graduation approach
seems effective, programs which
promote youth employment
through skills development and
entrepreneurship are necessary,
programs to promote female
labour force participation are
critical.
Potential programs for
migration as an employment
strategy need to make migration
more remunerative, affordable,
inclusive, and safe.
While the medium to longterm
jobs strategies will help
the country move forward in
achieving its goal as a middleincome
country by 2021, shortterm
action plans specifically
targeting the poor and vulnerable
to improve their earnings
opportunities must be in place,
particularly for economic growth,
to be more inclusive. •
Shazia Omar is a poverty activist
and a writer, currently working as a
consultant at the Social Security Policy
Support Project. The article is based
on the Bangladesh Social Protection
and Labor Review: Towards Smart
Social Protection and Jobs for the Poor,
Bangladesh Development Series Paper
No. 33, World Bank, March 2016.

16
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
Downtime
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Climb (5)
6 Bath (3)
7 Confined to an area (5)
10 Make amends (5)
12 Absent (4)
13 Underwater worker (5)
15 Dash (4)
16 Large tank (3)
18 Acceptance (3)
20 Docile (4)
22 Colour scheme (5)
23 Deep mud (4)
25 Sample (5)
27 Cavalry weapon (5)
28 Vast age (3)
29 Prescribed amounts (5)
DOWN
1 Astral (6)
2 Incision (3)
3 Dwellings (6)
4 Lift (7)
5 Jurisprudence (3)
8 Vehicle (3)
9 Molten rock (4)
11 No score (3)
14 Made into a statute (7)
16 Stanzas (6)
17 Symbols (6)
19 Wicked (4)
21 Extinct bird (3)
22 Lair (3)
24 Uncooked (3)
26 Digit (3)
CODE-CRACKER
How to solve: Each number in our
CODE-CRACKER grid represents a
different letter of the alphabet. For
example, today 1 represents I so fill I
every time the figure 1 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

MoneyGram gives out prizes
after campaign
Biz Info
17
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
AB Bank distributes relief in
Moulvibazar
• Features Desk
MoneyGram, a global provider
of innovative money transfer
services, arranged a ceremony on
August 24 to give away prizes to
winners in a campaign launched
earlier this year. The campaign is
based on transactions during the
month of Ramadan. A total of 30
• Features Desk
ACI Motors, one of the successful
business associates of ACI
Ltd and the sole distributor of
Yamaha motor bikes and its spare
parts in Bangladesh, arranged
a five day long Mega Service
Camp at the International City
Convention in Bashundhara.
On August 21 the free service
campaign was inaugurated by
Shubrata Ranjan Das, the chief
business officer of ACI Motors
Ltd.
The five-day-long camp ended
on August 25 after providing
free service and troubleshooting
winners were given prizes from
the first phase of the campaign.
Agent banks for MoneyGram
were also present at the
ceremony and handed over the
prizes to the winners. Prizes
for the second phase of the
campaign ending on August 30,
will be distributed after Eid-ul-
Adha to 20 the winners.
to Yamaha bike owners. The
free service included washing,
fuel injector cleaning, etc. Bike
owners tested their bikes with
the help of Yamaha Diagnostic
tools. Apart from this, all original
Yamaha spare parts, engine oil
and helmets were available at
“Bangladesh has always
been an important market for
MoneyGram. We understand the
bond between families that work
so hard to bring a smile on the
faces of their loved ones back
home,” said Sheshagiri Malliah
(Sukesh), head of MoneyGram’s
India and the Subcontinent
division.•
Free service campaign for Yamaha
bikes held
discounted prices.
On the last day of the
campaign, a new club “R15
Biker Bash” was launched. The
managing director of ACI Motors
Dr F H Ansarey and the chief
business officer Shubrat Ranjan
Das inaugurated the club.•
• Features Desk
In the wake of the devastating
flood, AB Bank Limited recently
distributed relief materials to
the flood affected people in
Moulvibazar, a press release from
AB Bank said. The president and
managing director of the bank
Moshiur Rahman Chowdhury
and the DC of Moulvibazar Md
Tofayel Islam distributed the relief
materials. •
EEE day celebrated at UIU
BSMRMU holds 14th Syndicate Meeting
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman Maritime University,
Bangladesh held its 14th
syndicate meeting at the
temporary campus located at
Pallabi, in the capital recently.
The meeting was presided over
by the vice-chancellor of the
university, Rear Admiral A S M
Abdul Baten and attended by
the syndicate members of the
university.
Various important matters of
the university were discussed
and decisions were taken on
several important matters
of concern. Mentionable
are, approval of manpower
recruitment, approval of
updating the program curriculum
of LLM Maritime Law, apprising
about the proposed MoU signing
with University of Hawaii,
Hilo, United States, and other
decisions on different important
issues were taken as well.•
Department of Electrical and
Electronic Engineering (EEE), UIU
observed “EEE DAY 2017” at UIU
Campus, recently. The program
was inaugurated by Prof Dr M
Rezwan Khan, vice-chancellor,
United International University.
The day-long program included
various competitions based on
robo-soccer, story-writing, mobile
photography, research paper
and idea generation. In the first
half of the day, employers from
different companies presented
their views regarding the current
job-trend and then, some of the
alumni shared their experiences
in their job fields. A number of
hardware and/or software projects
were presented in the afternoon
session, followed by an awardgiving
ceremony held late in
the afternoon which rewarded
the successful participants in
the various competitions and
recognised some faculty members
as well as some clubs for their
outstanding achievements. The
program also included festive and
joyous cultural activities. •

DT
18
Sports
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
Tigers script brilliant
fightback after
posting 260
• Minhaz Uddin Khan
Bangladesh spinners Shakib al Hasan and Mehedi
Hasan Miraz kept the Australia batsmen at bay
after what was a dreadful day for the batters of
both the sides.
The spin duo dismissed three Australia batsmen
for 18 runs as the visitor batted out nine overs
in reply to Bangladesh’s 260 in the first innings.
The tourist trail by 242 runs with seven wickets
in hand as the umpire removed the bails to
signal the end of day one of the first Test match
in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
The Mirpur track was expected to help the
spinners but only as the game progresses.
But purchase for the spinners came early
upon the freshly done wickets, as nine of the 13
wickets to fall on the day went to the slow bowlers,
turning it into a spinner’s paradise.
Bangladesh went out to field with their chins
down only to get revived as Shakib and Miraz removed
three Aussie batsmen in quick succession.
Off-spinner Miraz was a bowler to look forward
to, provided one is supporting Bangladesh.
The former Bangladesh U-19 captain was epic
for the Tigers when they last played a Test in
Mirpur, against England last year.
Miraz did not take long to repeat the heroics
as he dismissed vice-captain David Warner in
the third over of the innings.
Miraz was introduced to the attack in just the
second over, and right from the word go, the offie
attacked the visiting batsmen, and the results
came soon.
The youngster pinned Warner (eight) in front
of the stumps as Australia were reeling on nine
for one.
Warner would have walked back to the dressing
a ball early if the TV umpire had not overturned
umpire Aleem Dar’s LBW decision.
Left-hander Usman Khawaja fell next, courtesy
a run-out.
With opener Matt Renshaw at the other end,
Khawaja looked for a single only to change his
mind halfway while taking the run.
Captain Mushfiqur Rahim chased the ball and
threw it towards the stumps as Soumya Sarkar
grabbed the ball and dismantled the wicket with
Khawaja still to reach home.
With only 11 balls remaining in the day’s play,
Australia sent nightwatchman Nathan Lyon but
this move backfired too.
Shakib in the last ball of the over removed
Lyon for nought to leave Australia tottering on
14 for three.
Bangladesh ending the day with a lot of momentum
in their side could not however, erase
the faults with the bat.
Minus the efforts from opener Tamim Iqbal
and Shakib, the host failed to justify their decision
of batting first.
They crumbled against Australia spinners to
end their first innings in 78.5 overs.
As the series approached, the Tigers exhibited
confidence of putting up a fight over a side that they
have never played a Test against in the last 11 years.
But as far as batting is concerned, Bangladesh
failed to back up their words.
Overnight rain over Mirpur forced the wickets
to be covered and when the game started
yesterday morning, pacer Pat Cummins initiated
a triple blow, accounting for the wicket of opener
Soumya for eight.
Left-hander Imrul Kayes and middle-order
batsman Sabbir Rahman soon followed Soumya
to the dressing room without adding a single run
to the board. Tamim and Shakib took charge of
the drowning ship and both scored a fifty in their
respective 50th Test.
The two experienced campaigners added 155
for the fourth wicket to pull Bangladesh from 10
for three to 165 for four.
Tamim played the role of the anchor, only hitting
the ball when the opportunity arose.
Off the 71 runs the left-hander scored, the
first 16 came off 70-odd balls.
Tamim was dismissed after he tried to cut the
delivery only to top edge off part-time spinner
Glenn Maxwell.
Shakib stood at the wicket for another eight
overs, scoring 84, featuring 11 boundaries, before
Lyon removed him.
Nasir Hossain, who is playing his first Test for
Bangladesh since 2015, chipped in with 23 while
Mushfiq and Miraz added 18 each. •
1ST TEST, DAY 1
BANGLADESH 1ST INNINGS R B
Tamim c Warner b Maxwell 71 144
Soumya c Handscomb b Cummins 8 8
Imrul c Wade b Cummins 0 6
Sabbir c Wade b Cummins 0 1
Shakib c Smith b Lyon 84 133
Mushfiq lbw b Agar 18 50
Nasir lbw b Agar 23 61
Miraz c Handscomb b Lyon 18 38
Taijul lbw b Lyon 4 10
Shafiul c Hazlewood b Agar 13 17
Mustafizur not out 0 7
Extras (b 15, lb 3, nb 2, w 1) 21
Total all out (78.5 Overs) 260
Bowling
Hazlewood 15-5-39-0, Cummins 16-1-63-3, Lyon 30-6-79-
3, Agar 12.5-2-46-3, Maxwell 5-0-15-1
Fall Of Wickets
1-10 (Soumya), 2-10 (Imrul), 3-10 (Sabbir), 4-165 (Tamim),
5-188 (Shakib), 6-198 (Mushfiq), 7-240 (Miraz), 8-246
(Nasir), 9-246 (Taijul), 10-260 (Shafiul)
AUSTRALIA 1ST INNINGS R B
Warner lbw b Miraz 8 15
Renshaw not out 6 25
Khawaja run out (Soumya) 1 2
Lyon lbw b Shakib 0 5
Smith not out 3 7
Extras 0
Total (Nine Overs) 18/3
Yet to bat: Handscomb, Maxwell, Wade, Agar, Cummins,
Hazlewood
Bowling
Shafiul 2-0-8-0, Miraz 4-2-7-1, Shakib 3-1-3-1
Fall Of Wickets
1-9 (Warner), 2-14 (Khawaja), 3-14 (Lyon)
Australia trail by 242 runs
Toss: Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal goes
big during day one of
their first Test against
Australia in Mirpur
yesterday
MD MANIK

Sports
19
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
Tamim, Shakib rise again for Bangladesh in hour of need
• Ali Shahriyar Bappa
The poster boys of Bangladesh cricket,
Tamim Iqbal and Shakib al Hasan yet
again played memorable knocks, and
under pressure, during the hour for
their country.
These two players produced many
brilliant moments for the Tigers across
all three formats and once again,
their experience were required when
Bangladesh faced an early hiccup in the
first half an hour of play during day one
of their first Test against Australia.
It was a horrible start for the Bangladesh
top-order.
The home side lost three quick
wickets within the first four overs.
Aussie pacer Pat Cummins was
bowling a fiery spell, ripping through
the Tigers top-order.
Left-handers Soumya Sarkar and
Imrul Kayes and right-handed batsman
Sabbir Rahman surrendered abruptly
and Bangladesh were hobbling.
The host needed two of their most
experienced players to come out and
rescue them and that is exactly what
happened.
Tamim and Shakib took charge and
eased the pressure that was created in
the morning by the Australian bowling
attack.
The Tigers collapsed from such
situation many times in Test history
but the way these senior batsmen took
authority and controled the opposition
was really refreshing to see.
Such matured batting amid a difficult
situation poses glimpse of hope for
the future and also indicates that Bangladesh
are improving in the longest
format, which is also the toughest.
Before the series started, Tamim
said quite a few times that Bangladesh
have to win crucial duels during the
tense moments of the game.
And when Bangladesh were
wobbling on 10 runs for three wickets
in four overs, the Tamim-Shakib pair
definitely won a small battle against
the charged up and confident Aussie
opening bowling duo Josh Hazlewood
and Pat Cummins.
Tamim and Shakib formed a 155-run
partnership for the fourth wicket, thus
laying a good platform for the rest of
the batting line-up.
That partnership proved vital in the
context of the match as Bangladesh
could easily have lost their way in the
very first day of the Test, and that
would have set the tone for the remainder
of the series as well.
Eventually, Tamim got out after scoring
71 while Shakib was dismissed for 84.
Those two should have carried their
innings further after being well set but
both of them failed to convert their
innings into a big hundred.
During their 50-Test journey, Shakib
and Tamim were unable to convert a
promising innings into a century quite
a few times.
Shakib got out 10 times between
80-99 during his 93 Test innings while
Tamim was dismissed the same number
of times between 70-99 in his 95
innings.
Much was said prior to the series
regarding the potential threat of
off-spinner Nathan Lyon but Tamim
made merry off his bowling and played
aggressively.
The southpaw smashed three sixes
and one four against Lyon and did not
let him settle in the first session.
The partnership between these
two was good to see as both the senior
players showed their maturity and
experience during a difficult time.
But one of them at least, or both,
should have carried their innings, which
the world-class players usually do when
they get well set in the middle.
With that said, overall, composed
and measured knocks from Tamim
and Shakib can well and truly turn the
match in favour of the home side. So
will it prove to be a match-saving partnership?
Only time will tell. •
Shakib: We’re in driving seat but must maintain focus
• Ali Shahriyar Bappa
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al
Hasan believes they are in the driving
seat after day one of their first
Test match against Australia in Mirpur’s
Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium
yesterday.
The host were bundled out for
260 but rocked the visiting side
with three quick wickets within
nine overs.
The left-hander formed a brilliant
partnership with Tamim Iqbal
when Bangladesh were struggling,
having lost the top-order batsman
in quick succession.
Shakib though admitted Bangladesh
need to focus on day two and
claim the remaining seven wickets
quickly to pile more pressure on
Australia.
“It was quite challenging to bat
out there. I think Tamim and I applied
ourselves. It was an important
partnership. We may be in the
driving seat but we need to take
seven more wickets. They have
some batting left too, so we have
to focus well. Every day gives you
a new situation in Test cricket,”
Shakib told the media after the
day’s play.
“Our plan is to bowl in the right
areas on day two. Taking wicket is a
matter of luck but if we bowl well,
Tamim and Shakib take a run during their 155-run partnership
we will have things under control,”
he said.
Tamim and Shakib are both
playing their 50th Test and Shakib
informed that his partnership with
the Chittagong cricketer was vital.
“We don’t really talk that much.
We just kept batting, as long as possible.
The job was slightly easier for
us since we are quite experienced
now and played together for a long
time. This is our 50th Test. We were
batting well in the second session
but those two deliveries which
kicked on us cost us our wicket,”
said the 30-year old all-rounder.
Shakib also praised the middleand
lower-order for their valuable
contribution as he said that they
were targeting a total around 250 at
one stage.
“It was turning from the start.
We felt that it was going to be tough
for them too. We wanted to get to
250, which we were able to do. I
think Nasir [Hossain], [Mehedi
Hasan] Miraz and Shafiul [Islam]
added important runs,” said Shakib.
Shakib explained that Australia
captain Steven Smith is the biggest
threat currently facing Bangladesh
right now in the first innings.
He said Bangladesh need to
check him early in order to restrict
Australia.
“Smith is our biggest challenge.
Shakib al Hasan plays a shot on
way to his 22nd half century
MD MANIK
MD MANIK
He is among the top batsmen in the
world. His record speaks for itself.
He made runs in India so bowling
to him is a major challenge,” informed
Shakib.
“There will be pressure. Australia
haven’t really done well recently in
these conditions. Bangladesh wickets
are different than those in India
and Sri Lanka. So regardless of how
much they have trained, it is not going
to be easy,” he concluded. •

20
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
Sports
PLAYS OF THE DAY
BANGLADESH v AUSTRALIA
1ST TEST, DAY 1,
MIRPUR, SBNS
Terrible start for Tigers
It was a horrible start for Bangladesh as
they were wobbling within four overs after
losing opener Soumya Sarker (eight),
No 3 batsman Imrul Kayes (nought) and
right-hander Sabbir Rahman (nought).
Definitely not a good start for Bangladesh
after captain Mushfiqur Rahim won
the toss and elected to bat. Soumya’s dismissal
was kind of causal while Imrul got
out chasing a wide delivery. Sabbir was
beaten due to a relatively good delivery.
But Bangladesh were shaky against a
good pace attack. Thanks to Tamim Iqbal-
Shakib al Hasan’s brilliant partnership,
the Tigers recovered their composure.
Otherwise, the host could have been on
the back foot in the very first day.
Tamim charges Lyon
It was predicted before the Test match
that the wicket could be spin friendly.
And the spinners did get some help from
the pitch on day one. After surviving Pat
Cummins’ fiery spell, the main threat
was supposed to come from the experienced
off-spinner Nathan Lyon. But
Tamim and Shakib handled Lyon well,
particularly the former, who was aggressive
against the offie. Tamim charged
down the ground against Lyon on several
occasions and smashed three sixes
and one four. At the end of the day, Lyon
praised these two and informed that he
was impressed by the way the fourth
wicket duo batted against him.
Mysterious weather
The weather was a big concern ahead
of the first Test as there was heavy rainfall
on the eve of the game. But the day
started brightly in the morning. Weather
was initially overcast in Mirpur but suddenly,
the sun shone through, which is
quite unlikely in this part of the world.
The weather behaved somewhat like in
England where sunshine and rain within
a few minutes are regular occurance.
Finally, the rain arrived in the 67th over
and play stopped for nearly half an hour.
But surprisingly, just after the rain break,
the sun’s rays came scorching down. It
looked like it never rained!
Bad start for Aussies as well
Bangladesh were all out for 260 in the
79th over. That means there was still
nine-10 overs of game time remaining.
But that short period of time proved very
handy for the host as they picked up three
Australian wickets in just nine overs. The
dangerous David Warner and top-order
batsman Usman Khawaja’s wickets were
extremely valuable, along with nightwatchman
Lyon’s dismissal. Australia
were under pressure during that short period
of time as Shakib and off-spinner Mehedi
Hasan Miraz bowled wicket to wicket
and gave no room to the Aussies. And
the result? Australia were three down for
18 after day one. Game on then. •
Ali Shahriyar Bappa
Pat Cummins bowls as Tamim looks on
Lyon: Mirpur Test evenly balanced
• Minhaz Uddin Khan
Australia off-spinner Nathan
Lyon believes the first Test match
against Bangladesh at the end of
day one is finely balanced.
The Aussie bowlers had done
enough to restrict Bangladesh
for 260 runs in their first innings
only to see an early failure with
the bat.
Bangladesh ended the day on
a high note as the home side dismissed
three Australia batsmen
with only 18 runs on the board
from nine overs.
“It’s in the balance to be fair.
You can probably look at Bangladesh
who have the momentum at
the moment. To lose the toss and
bowl a team out for 260 or under
300 is always a good result for a
bowling team. It’s not ideal losing
three wickets but that’s the game.
You’ve got to give them credit,
they batted well and they bowled
well,” Lyon told the media during
the post-day press conference in
Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National
Stadium yesterday.
“Now it’s our chance to fight
back and really test ourselves in
these conditions. We’ve got two
very good batsmen (at the crease),
one’s the No 1 batter in the world
(captain Steve Smith) and (opener)
Matt Renshaw is a very talented
young cricketer. We’ve got
two very good batters there at the
moment, we’ve just got to work
hard, bat long partnerships but
there are no demons in that pitch
yet so it’s a good opportunity for
our batters,” he said.
Bangladesh were in a similar
situation to Australia as the host
Mayweather silences
McGregor
• Reuters
A ruthless Floyd Mayweather
scored a 10th round technical
knockout over mixed martial
arts champion Conor McGregor
on Saturday, the American
cementing his legacy as an alltime
boxing great with his 50th
win in as many fights.
Mayweather, who had guaranteed
an early finish to the 12
round contest, made good on
his promise when he pinned a
brave-but-limited McGregor on
the ropes and mercilessly hammered
the Irishman before referee
Robert Byrd stepped in to
halt the bout.
The fight, which Mayweather
insisted would be his last,
sends the 40-year-old into
his second retirement with a
unblemished 50-0 record to
surpass heavyweight legend
Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 mark
for most wins without a loss or
draw. •
lost top-order batsmen Soumya
Sarkar, Imrul Kayes and Sabbir
Rahman with only 10 runs on the
board within four overs.
But the two experienced men
in the camp, opening batsman
Tamim Iqbal and all-rounder
Shakib al Hasan, handled the
pressure and took control of the
debacle as the fourth wicket duo
added 155 to the board to boost
the innings.
“I think the two guys (Tamim
and Shakib) batted very brave.
They took the game on, which
you have to do in these types of
conditions. I think on this wicket,
if you bat well in partnerships and
bat together, you can score runs.
I’m going to sit here and give them
credit. They’re two good players
and they played some incredible
shots out there and took the game
MD MANIK
on. Hats off to them. It’s now our
opportunity to take the game on
in our first innings and see where
we get to,” said the 29-year old.
On the day, the spinners from
both sides took nine out of the 13
wickets to fall.
The wicket worked wonders
to aid the spinners and Lyon said
the visitor are not surprised.
“The wicket was interesting,
there was obviously a lot of spin
for a day one wicket but it was a
sub-continental wicket. We were
expecting something like that. I
know talking to big Josh [Hazlewood]
and Paddy (Pat Cummins),
it’s probably on the slower side
for a wicket we’re used to. But it’s
the same for both teams. The best
team (are) going to have to adapt
to the condition as soon as possible,”
he concluded. •

Sports
21
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
Mohammedan,
Sheikh Russel
post victories
• Tribune Report
Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited
registered their second win
in the Bangladesh Premier League
after beating Team BJMC comfortably
3-1 at Bangabandhu National
Stadium yesterday. Meanwhile in
the day’s other match at the same
venue, Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra
beat Farashganj Sporting Club 2-1.
Nkwocha Kingsley Chigozie was
the star of the day netting a brace.
The Nigerian striker put the Black
and Whites ahead with only 13
minutes into the clock.
After skipping past a couple of
defenders, the Nigerian took a shot
from the top of the box that hit the
back of the net. Nkwocha doubled
the lead in the 45th minute after
fine work from Toklis Ahmed.
Toklis drifted past his marker
through the left side before feeding
the ball at the middle of six-yard
box where Nkwocha was ready to
tap home with ease.
Samson Iliasu extended the lead
in the 78th minute with a volley from
the middle of the box, giving BJMC
goalkeeper Arifuzzaman Hemel no
chance. BJMC scored a consolation
through Yoko Samnick in the 79th
minute. The Cameroonian midfielder
broke into the penalty area, skipped
past the onrushing Mohammedan
keeper Mamun Khan before calmly
pushing the ball past the goal-line.
The other match between Sheikh
Russel and Farashganj was the last
match of the sixth round. The Old
Dhaka outfit went ahead in the 31st
minute. Farashganj midfielder Mohammad
Afzal Hossain’s initial effort
was blocked by Sheikh Russel
custodian Maksudur Rahman before
Nigerian defender Eleta Benjamin
Junior sent the rebound into his
own net. Sheikh Russel equalised
in the 57th minute and it was Eleta
who made amend for his own goal.
Mohammad Zulfiqar netted the
winner for Sheikh Russel 10 minutes
from the final whistle. •
12th Saff Championship
DAY’S WATCH
to be held next year
CRICKET
9:50AM
STAR SPORTS SELECT
HD 1
Australia Tour of Bangladesh 2017
1st Test, Day 2
3:58PM
STAR SPORTS SELECT
2
West Indies Tour of England 2017
2nd Test, Day 4
TENNIS
8:45PM
STAR SPORTS SELECT
HD 1
US Open Tennis 2017
Chelsea’s Pedro attemts an overhead kick during their EPL match against Everton in London yesterday. Chelsea won 2-0
thanks to goals from Cesc Fabregas and Alvaro Morata
REUTERS
• Tribune Report
The 12th edition of south Asia’s biggest
football event, the Saff Championship
will be held in September
next year, announced the Saff congress
in Kathmandu, Nepal yesterday.
Bangladesh early this year were
confirmed as the host nation when
it was initially decided that the
tournament would be held in December
this year. But later the event
was pushed back to May next year.
The latest date of the tournament
has been set from September
4-15, 2018.
Excluding Afghanistan, a total
of seven countries will be taking
part in the Championship.
The draw of the event was also
finalised for March 4, 2018, a day
after Saff’s elective congress in
Dhaka.
Meanwhile, the Saff audit report
was also approved in the meeting.
Apart from the Championship,
the meeting also announced their
projected programme for the year
of 2018, which includes the hosting
of Saff U-15 Women’s Championship,
Saff U-18 Women’s Championship,
Saff Women’s Championship
and Saff U-15 Championship. •
Condolence
The BCB and other sports
organisations of the country
expressed deep bereavement
at the tragic demise of Shamsul
Islam, father of former
Bangladesh captain Khaled
Mashud.
Shamsul, the ex-national
footballer, passed away after
a drowning accident in Rajshahi
yesterday at the age of
73.
Condolences and heartfelt
sympathies were extended
by members of the Bangladesh
sports fraternity to the
family of the departed. •
Murray pulls out of US
Open due to hip injury
• Reuters
Britain’s world No 2 Andy Murray
pulled out of the U.S. Open on Saturday,
citing a hip injury.
The Scot, who had not played
since Wimbledon, said he had tried
everything to be fit for the final
grand slam of the year, which starts
today.
“I tried obviously resting, rehabbing
to try and get myself ready
here,” an emotional Murray told a
news conference at Flushing Meadows.
“I was actually practising OK
the last few days but it’s too sore
SAFF U-15 CHAMPIONSHIP
Bangladesh
thrash Bhutan
to finish third
• Tribune Report
Bangladesh U-15 football team
handed Bhutan a massive 8-0 defeat
in the third-place deciding
match of the inaugural Saff U-15
Championship at Halchowk Stadium
in Kathmandu, Nepal yesterday.
The junior Bengal Tigers in red
and green, who were earlier ruled
out of the title race after losing to
host Nepal in the semi-finals, were
more organised and aggressive in
their last match of the event to register
the tournament’s biggest margin
of win, as well as third place.
In-form Miraj Molla and Raja
Sheikh netted a brace apiece in the
29th and 58th and 20th and 46th
minute respectively while striker
Faysal Ahmed Fahim, Mohammad
Akash, Yeasin Arafat and Arif Hossain
added one each in the 18th,
69th, 79th and 90th minute.
Meanwhile, India clinched the
title after beating Nepal 2-1 in the
grand finale on the same day. •
for me to win the tournament, and
ultimately that’s what I was here to
try and do.”
The three-time grand slam
winner, who won the U.S. Open in
2012, has been struggling with the
injury for much of the summer.
He was suffering during his
French Open semi-final defeat by
Stanislas Wawrinka in June and had
to pull out of two exhibition matches
in the run-up to Wimbledon.
It was clearly a big problem during
his home grand slam tournament,
when he bowed out, clearly
in pain, in the quarter-finals, to
Sam Querrey. •

22
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
Showtime
Russell Brand ties the knot
with girlfriend
Sultan Suleiman
returns on Deepto TV
• Showtime Desk
Russell Brand has tied the knot
with his long-term girlfriend
Laura Gallacher in a small
ceremony with close friends.
The English comedian wed
Laura, who is the mother of
their daughter Mabel, at the
Remenham Church near their
home in Henley-on-Thames,
Oxfordshire. Followed by the
ceremony, they boarded the
New Orleans steamer to take the
wedding party to the reception,
which was Indian-themed.
A source close to the comedian
told The Sun, “They wanted a
very small, personal affair with
their daughter Mabel, family and
close friends rather than a circus.
It was a lovely occasion. Mabel
was guest of honour.”
Jonathan Ross, Noel Gallagher,
David Baddiel and Laura’s sister
Kirsty Gallacher were among the
guests at the service.
Earlier, speaking of
fatherhood, Russell said: “It’s the
most wonderful thing. To have
something outside of yourself
that’s more important than you,
other than West Ham United.”
Russell had spoken of his
excitement before his daughter
is born, “I feel lit up by the idea.
I’m very excited about becoming
a dad and I’m preparing myself.
I am just getting ready to be
with a new little person and see
what it is they want. [Laura is]
decorating the nursery.”
“Around domestic issues, my
vote is often secondary … Or
the vote of my gender at least,
so I will just wait to see what is
determined,” he added. •
Monpura stars reunite for TV play
• Showtime Desk
Monpura stars Chanchal
Chowdhury, Farhana Mili and
Fazlur Rahman Babu have
reunited in a special single
episode TV play titled Happy
Family.
Written by Brindabon Das
and directed by Dipu Hazra,
the family drama will be aired
on GTV at 6pm on the day of
Eid-ul-Adha. The play also casts
Shahnaz Khushi, Masud Rana
Mithu, Dibya Joyti, Soumya
Joyti and Mahmud Belal, among
others.
The story revolves around
two families who have an
acrimonious relation between
them. Every morning the two
families end up getting into a
nasty brawl which continues
till night. However, they try
to convince their neighbours
that they are living quite
harmoniously. •
• Showtime Desk
Much to the delight of the
Bangladeshi fans of Sultan
Suleiman, Deepto TV is set to air
the sixth season of the popular
dubbed TV series starting from
Eid day. Episodes will air twice at
7.30pm and 10pm everyday, from
Saturday to Thursday.
Written by Meral Okay and
Yılmaz Şahin, the Turkish
historical fiction television series
is based on the life of Ottoman
Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent,
the longest-reigning Sultan of the
Ottoman Empire, and his wife
Hurrem Sultan, a slave girl who
became a Sultan.
The series also focuses on the
relationships among the members
of the imperial household,
especially romantic entanglements
and rivalries. The main plot lines
involve the animosity between
Hurrem Sultan and Mahidevran
Sultan, Hurrem’s rise as Suleiman’s
favourite, her fall out with
Suleiman after giving birth to a
daughter and her eventual return
to grace among other numerous
sub-plots. •
Emraan Hashmi slams
grandiose award shows
• Showtime Desk
Famous Bollywood actor Emraan
Hashmi slammed grand Bollywood
award ceremonies saying that he
believes these awards just don’t
hold any value, Hindustan Times
reports.
The 38-year old actor, who has
a reputation as a straight talker,
questioned the merit of these
larger-than-life award programs,
categorising award shows among
things that are “not okay’ in his
book. “You are okay with a few
things, and you’re not okay with
some things, award ceremonies
belong to the later category. No
disrespect to people who are
happy with them, of course,
because award shows are great
for TRPs. However, the merit is
questionable,” Emraan said.
Emraan also revealed that
there was indeed a point in his
career when he wanted to be a
part of these shows. “I did go to
a couple of award ceremonies
when I had just begun my career
in the industry. When you are a
newcomer, it’s natural that you
want to explore every avenue that
this profession has to offer.”
Emraan will be seen next in the
upcoming thriller Baadshaho. •

Showtime
23
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
Dhaka Attack on the big screen
• Showtime Desk
After the release of the first
teaser on July 26, Dipankar
Dipon’s police action thriller,
Dhaka Attack created quite
a buzz among the local filmgoers.
Starring Arifin Shuvo
and Mahiya Mahi, the film’s
ambitious attempt at showcasing
militancy and terrorism in
Bangladesh was lauded by the
audience.
The second teaser of the
film released after a month
on Saturday, and is seemingly
keeping the hype alive. Unlike
the first one, the second teaser
comes with the sounds of
blazing guns while giving hints
of a story full of tensions and
twists.
Since it’s release on Saturday,
the teaser has received nearly
a hundred thousand views on
Youtube as of today. Social
media outlets were seen abuzz
with discussion and anticipation
for the film. Many praised the
cinematography and editing of
the scenes.
Dhaka Attack, which is said
to be the first cop-action thriller
of Dhallywood, features a total
238 characters in the film. With
Arifin Shuvo and Mahiya Mahi
in the leading roles, Dhaka
Attack boasts a heavyweight cast
including Syed Hasan Imam,
Alamgir, Afzal Hossain, Laila
Hasan, ABM Suman, Shatabdi
Wadud and Nawshaba, among
others.
Shuvo plays a daredevil cop
with the bomb disposal unit
in the film, while Mahi dons
the role of a journalist. After
a long hiatus, Afzal Hossain is
returning to the silver screen
with Dhaka Attack, playing the
role of the Police Commissioner,
while Shatabdi Wadud portrays
another police high-up.
To make the adrenalinepumping
story more realistic
to the audience, the film also
features a number of real life
cops in the film. The creative
team comprised of director
Dipankar Dipon and writer
Sunny Sanwar jam-packed the
film with explosions, racing
cars, and a small homage to Alan
Moore’s Watchmen with a smiley
button.
Earlier, renowned director
Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has
announced plans to make a film
on the ramifications of the July
attack. But it seems that has
been beaten to the punch with
the action film Dhaka Attack.
The director claimed the film
was of international standards as
it used high-definition cameras
that have never been used
in Bangladeshi films. He also
referred to the contribution of
Indian singer Arijit Singh to the
film’s soundtrack.
Dhaka Attack is slated to be
released on September 6.•
WHAT TO WATCH
Red 2
3:56pm, WB
Retired CIA agent Frank Moses
reunites his unlikely team of
elite operatives for a global
quest to track down a missing
portable nuclear device.
Cast: Bruce Willis, John
Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker,
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Byunghun
Lee, Anthony Hopkins
The Accountant
5:30pm, HBO
As a math savant uncooks the
books for a new client, the
Treasury Department closes in
on his activities, and the body
count starts to rise.
Cast: Ben Affleck, Anna
Kendrick, J K Simmons, Jon
Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor,
Cynthia Addai-Robinson, John
Lithgow
Habib-Tanjin Tisha’s
romantic escapade
• Showtime Desk
There have been rumours
swirling in the air that
Habib is in love with
model-actress Tanjin
Tisha. However, both the
singer and the actress were
mum about the matter
even when Habib’s ex-wife
blamed Tanjin Tisha for
her separation with the
singer.
On August 27, Sunday,
Tanjin Tisha posted a
picture of her along with
Habib which represents
that the actress and
the singer had been in
a romantic escapade
together. The picture
shows Habib taking a
selfie with the actress
together on a motorbike,
which many confirm the
early rumours about their
relationship, though both
are yet to comment on the
matter.
Tisha’s friends and
peers congratulated her on
the post.
Earlier in July, Habib
denied Tanjin Tisha’s
involvement in the
separation with his ex-wife
Rehan but refused to say
anything further about the
nature of his relationship
with Tisha. He wrote,
“This is not true because
it’s not a unilateral matter
[divorce]. My relationship
with Tanjin Tisha is strictly
my personal matter, and
I am not bound to say
anything in this regard.”•
The Conjuring
9:30pm, Movies Now
Paranormal investigators Ed
and Lorraine Warren work
to help a family terrorsised
by a dark presence in their
farmhouse.
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick
Wilson, Ron Livingston, Lili
Taylor, Shanley Caswell, Hayley
McFarland
Captain America: Civil War
9:30pm, Star Movies
Political interference in the
Avengers’ activities causes a rift
between former allies Captain
America and Iron Man.
Cast: Chris Evans, Robert
Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson,
Sebastian Stan, Anthony
Mackie •

24
MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
DT
Back Page
NGOS REALISING LOAN FROM
FLOOD VICTIMS DEFYING
PM’S ORDER › 6
DHAKA ATTACK
ON THE BIG
SCREEN › 23
Report: 27m
Bangladeshis
at risk of sealevel
rise by
2050
• Tribune Desk
STUDY
Some 27 million people are “predicted
to be at risk” of sea-level rise
in Bangladesh by 2050, says a Dhaka-based
international non-government
organisation.
Brac disclosed the information in
its Annual Report 2016, reports UNB.
The report said: “Climate change
is a concern now affecting every
one of us and Bangladesh is one of
the most vulnerable to its effects.”
Two-thirds of Bangladesh is
less than five metres above sea
level, and floods are increasingly
destroying homes, crop lands and
damaging infrastructures.
Approximately 10,000 hectares
of land are being lost every year due
to riverbank erosion, Brac said mentioning
that arable lands have been
shrinking by 1% annually while the
population is growing by 1.2%.
This is creating a rise in demand
for food, while increasingly unpredictable
weather conditions pose a
growing challenge to farmers trying
to meet those demands, reads
the Annual Report a copy of which
obtained by UNB.
Brac said they support communities
to build resilience, respond to
disasters and rebuild. “Beyond our
work on the ground, we advocate
on a national level for collaborative
approaches and coordinate with local
governments on our activities.”
Focusing on employable skills
for decent work, the report said
some 2.2 million young people enter
Bangladesh’s workforce every
year but three out of every four
business leaders report that skilled
workers are scarce.
According to the Brac, more
than 7555,000 people left for overseas
jobs in 2016.
Economic migrants face several
challenges including the high fees
charged by recruitment agencies,
lack of information on migration ,
risks, exploitation and abuse, the
report added. •
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