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SECOND EDITION
People fly kites on the Coxs Bazar beach yesterday marking the start of a two-day National Kite Festival. Story on Page 3
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Pareshs death warrant 10 TRUCK ARMS HAUL Acquitted 38 were scapegoats to be sent to India
n Tushar Hayat, Chittagong
A conviction warrant of the trial court that awarded death sentence to 14 accused including an Indian separatist leader Paresh Barua in the 10-truck arms smuggling case will be sent to the foreign convicts home thorough the foreign ministry. Public prosecutor of the cases linked with the 10-truckloads arms haul Kamaluddin Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune: It is the legal procedure to send conviction warrant against the fugitives to their permanent address. As Paresh Barua is a foreign citizen we will have to send the conviction warrant through the ministry to his address in India, he added. Kamaluddin also said they had permanent address of Paresh Barua in the charge sheets of the cases, so they would also send another copy of conviction warrant by post. A Chittagong court on Thursday gave death sentence to Paresh Barua in the smuggling case and life term imprisonment in arms case linked with the seizure of 10 truckloads of weaponries supposed to go to the Indias separatist group United Liberation Front of
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The arms and smuggling cases filed in connection with the seizure of sensational 10-truckload arms can be referred as example of unhealthy practice how innocent people, mostly porters, are victimised to divert investigation with a view to save real culprits. Two cases one under Arms Act and the other for smuggling were filed in connection with the chilling recovery of weaponries at Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited (CUFL) jetty on April 2, 2004. After multiple investigations since 2004 to 2011, the number of ac-
cused in the arms case reached at 50 and in the smuggling case 52. In the verdict delivered on Thursday, the judge acquitted 36 accused of the arms case and 38 of the smuggling case. All those freed were initially implicated by the second investigation officer, AKM Kabiruddin, who submitted charge sheet in the arms case in 2004 during the BNP Jamaat-led four-party alliance government. They were also made accused by the third IO, Mir Nawsher Ali, who filed charge sheet in the smuggling case the same year. The charge sheet was almost identical with Kabiruddins except for
the inclusion of only a few names. The fifth and last IO, Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, after further investigation, accused 11 new persons including two former ministers, some military and civil officials who were in intelligence, and a leader of Indias separatist group United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa). Moniruzzaman kept all the names mentioned earlier by Kabiruddin and Nawsher. But only 14 people have been convicted by the court that awarded death sentence to them in the smuggling case and life-term imprisonment in the arms case.
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n Tribune Report
Executive Vice-President of Unilever South Asia Sanjiv Mehta, who is also the managing director and chief executive officer of Hindustan Unilever Limited, is set to arrive in Dhaka today on a three-day visit to Unilever Bangladesh Limited (UBL). During his visit, Mehta will be meeting with the UBL leadership team and managers to discuss the plans for the company in 2014. Mehta also previously served as chairman and managing director of the UBL, playing a critical role in turning around the business and creating many business leaders who are now working across Unilevers global organisation. Mehta has also served as the chairman of Unilever Philippines and Unilever North Africa and Middle East (NAME). During his tenure as the chairman of Unilever NAME, Mehta led 20 countries in the region, making significant contribution in accelerating both growth and profitability. This will be Mehtas first visit to UBL, since taking on the role of executive vice-president of Unilever South Asia. l
Amar Ekushey Book Fair begins today Arms case verdict a plot n to ruin BNPs image
Muktasree Chakma Sathi
The month-long Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela 2014 begins today. The fair will be held at its traditional Bangla Academy grounds, but organisers this year will be hoping for an increased number of participating publishers, as the venue of the fair has been extended up to Suhrawardy Udyan. This year, as part of new arrangements, the government sponsored publications have set up their stalls inside the Bangla Academy premises, while all the private publishing houses will operate at the adjacent Suhrawardy Udyan. Security has been beefed up at both the grounds, and proper arrangements for sanitation and drinking water has been made for the visitors, said the Bangla Academy officials at a press briefing yesterday. Director General of the academy Shamsuzzaman Khan said: As of now, everything might not be ideal; however we will try our best to maintain law and order. The book fair will remain open from 3pm to 9pm every day and from 11am to 9pm on holidays. On February 21, the International Mother Language Day and Martyrs Day, the fair will remain open from 8am to 9pm. The schedule for Shishu Prahar (childrens hour) would be announced soon, said fair organising committee Member Secretary Shahida Khatun. The academy will provide 30% discount while other publishers would
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Rizvi, who came out of jail a day before, alleged that those who had recovered the weaponries faced the trial. It is part of a conspiracy to uproot the party, he said. A Chittagong court on Thursday sentenced 14 people, including two ministers of the BNP-led four-party alliance government Motiur Rahman Nizami and Lutfozzaman Babar to death in the sensational arms smuggling case.
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With only one day to go, craftsmen give their last touch to decorate stalls at this years Amar Ekushey Book Fair inside the Bangla Academy premises yesterday RAJIB DHAR
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Protesters demanded exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the Maj Gen Manzoor murder case at a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday RAJIB DHAR
Demonic pir finally arrested for raping child n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong
The Chittagong police early yesterday nabbed a person, locally known as a pir (saint) from Mirsarai, for raping an eight-year-old girl. The arrestee, Hakim Bhandari, 54, resides in the port citys Madarbari area, said police. A police probe has found that Hakim earlier violated his step-mother, step-sister and one of his aunts. For the incidents, he was also punished in local arbitration. Pranab Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Sadarghat police station, said they had arrested Hakim at Mithachhara Bazar under Mirsarai upazila around 1:30am. He was hiding there after violating the child on January 28 at his Madarbari house. According to the police official, on that day, when the victim went to Hakims house who she addressed as grandfather, the so-called pir raped her. Later the victim went home and told her parents about the matter. She was taken to the One-stop Crisis Centre of Chittagong Medical College Hospital in critical condition, said the OC. Police arrested Hakim following preliminary investigation in a case filed by father of the victim with Sadarghat police. l
15-year-old gang-raped
n Our Correspondent, Madaripur
Holding her hostage at gunpoint, four men raped a 15-year-old SSC examinee on Thursday night at Noyanagar village under Badarpasha union of Rajoir upazila of the district. The victim was admitted to Madaripur Sadar Hospital. Police, hospital sources and the victims family said the victim left home on Thursday dawn to head to her tutors home. She was stopped on her way by four men, who took her hostage at gunpoint. They gagged her and took her to an adjacent wheat field where they gang-raped her. The perpetrators were later identified as Ferdaus Sheikh, Roman Mia and an unnamed person of Badarpasha village in the police case filed by the family. The victims family admitted her to Rajoir Upazila Hospital and later took her to Madaripur Sadar Hospital. Mother of the victim demanded exemplary punishment of the criminals. I am not sure whether my daughter now can sit for the exam. I want the perpetrators to be arrested as soon as possible, she said. Office-in-Charge of Rajoir police station Md Moniruzzaman said: A case has been lodged by the victims family. The criminals have gone into hiding after the incident. Additional Police Superintendent Uttam Kumar Paul said a special drive was going on to arrest the perpetrators. Medical Officer at Madaripur Sadar Hospital Siddiqur Rahman said: We have completed medical test of the victim and a medical report will be issued within two days. l
Assam (Ulfa) using Bangladeshs land. Paresh Barua is a top leader of Ulfa who looks after military wing of the group. He was fugitive and tried in absentia in the arms haul cases. The address of Paresh Baruas home in Assam of India in charge sheet is Father Dizen Barua, Mother Milik, Village Jeraichhakoli, Taraigaon, Chakun, Bhibrugar, Assam. Meanwhile, a police official in Chittagong, on condition of anonymity, said police might request Interpol to issue an arrest warrant to catch Paresh Barua. Inspector General of Police Hasan Mahmud Khandaker told the Dhaka Tribune over phone: We will act according to the direction of the court and we will follow all legal procedures and formalities. We will take all necessary steps to implement the verdict following all legal formalities. Another fugitive Nurul Amin, former additional secretary to the Industry ministry, has also been convicted and awarded death sentence in the smuggling case. Kamaluddin said they would send conviction warrant to the address of Nurul Amin mentioned in the charge sheet. He added that it is the duty of law enforcement agencies to take necessary steps for the fugitives. l
provide 25% discount on the prices of books. Wi-Fi facilities will be available at the fair. While asked about BNPs scheduled rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan today, the academy director general urged the political parties not to create any untoward situation at the fairgrounds. According to the organisers, 534 stalls have been allocated to 232 publishing houses at the Suhrawardy Udyan, among which 33 stalls will hold children books of 24 publishing houses. As many as 69 stalls will hold books of 43 other publishing houses on the academy premises. A little magazine corner with 55
publishing houses would be set up at the academy premises in memory of late poet Khondokar Ashraf Hossain, vice-chancellor of Jatiya Kabi Nazrul Islam University in Mymensingh and former professor of Dhaka University, said officials. Last year, the Bangla Academy premises held 274 institutions within the premises, creating a congested atmosphere for book lovers. This year should be different as Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor approved the proposal of extending the fair to Suhrawardy Udyan. According to the Bangla Academy officials, a total of 299 publishing houses, government, non-government and socio-cultural organisations are
participating in this years event. The academy, however, has failed to allot the stalls among participators by January 23 which is a breach of section 12.3 of the book fair rules and regulations. When asked, Shamsuzzaman said the publishers could not be allotted in due time because the decision of the extending fair ground was belated. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the fair at 3pm today while Assaduzzaman Noor is likely to speak at the programme. The Bangla Academy chief and Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman will also be present. Late Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman, who is also a language
movement hero, would be paid respect at the programme, said the organisers. The Bangla Academy Literary Award 2013 will be awarded to 11 personalities at the inaugural session. Celebrated mime artiste Partha Pratim Majumder would be awarded with an honorary fellowship. Later in the fair Chhittaranjan Saha Smrity Purashkar and Munier Chowdhury Smrity Purashkar will be awarded to the best publishers for quality publications of last year. The book fair was held for the first time in 1972 in an informal manner at the Bangla Academy premises. Later it was institutionalised in 1978. In 1984, the fair was named as the Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela. l
the grassroots BNP and to wage movement again, he added. The BNP leader said their activists were getting panicky, and the situation was such that the party sympathisers dared not say anything about BNP publicly. However, Abdullah Al Noman, BNP vice-chairman, claimed that the party leaders and activists started overcoming their frustration and moving forward. Organisational tour will kick off soon and specific directives will be issued to the grassroots leaders and activists. The BNP has already alleged that the extrajudicial killings are on the rise and the government is using law en-
forcers for the purpose in the name of joint-forces operation. The party has already claimed that more than 30 BNP men were killed in gunfight and over 150 leaders and activists abducted. On Thursday night, three BNP activists were killed. The party formed four citizen committees to investigate into the abductions and killings. After getting reports on them, BNP Chief Khaleda Zia will hold a press conference to talk in detail about that. BNP leaders and activists at grass roots level also said it would not be possible within the shortest possible time to compel the government to realise the demand for mid-term poll as their pri-
ority was to ensure safety of the leaders and activists at the present time. Mojibur Rahman, general secretary of Kaliakoir municipality BNP, said it was proven that none would be able to last long, fighting against the state mechanism. The way the government uses the law enforcers is dreadful. And at the same time mass upsurge is not possible now in the country. We are now busy with securing of bail for our leaders and activists and soon we will revamp the grassroots BNP and involve more people in our movement, said Mojibur. The BNP leader continued under the circumstances they wanted a clear di-
rective from the party high command on what to do and demanded that the party chairperson go on the districts tour in order to mobilise public opinion in their favour. Since the January 5 poll, BNP is yet to hold a meeting of its standing committee, the highest policy making body. Saiful Islam, Chhatra Dal president of Daganbhuiyan upazila under Feni district, said they were at a loss and did not know what directives they would give to their activists as their central leaders were yet to give them any directions. Khaleda would hold meetings with the district and upazila unit leaders, he hoped, adding that even she might call a meeting for the grassroots BNP. l
Of the 14, only three were made accused in the charge sheets submitted by Kabiruddin and Nawsher. Moniruzzaman said those who were acquitted had not been involved with the arms smuggling. They were hired porters, boatmen, day labourers and workers. They were brought to unload the boxes of arms from two fishing trawlers at the jetty and carry those to the trucks parked there. These people were not aware of anything about the arms, he said. Some people from villages in the jetty area were made accused who rushed to the spot to watch the incident out of curiosity. He, however, could not say why those ordinary people had been made accused in the initial investigations
done by two of his former colleagues at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Police. As I knew that there were involved in the arms smuggling, I did not try to prove their offence. The previous investigations were carried out to conclude the probe making them accusing in the cases, he said adding that he would not know most of the acquitted accused. During his investigation, none of the stalwart witnesses or accused brought any allegation against the 38 ordinary people. Marium Begum alias Badani, an elected member of ward two under Boirag union of Anwara upazila, was one of the 16 people from her locality who were made later acquitted. She told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: Still I do not know why I and
other 15 from my locality were made accused. We are innocent. Three months after the recovery of arms, I came to know that I was an accused in the cases along with 15 others of my area. Marium said she had to suffer a lot during this period. But I am happy now as I was acquitted, she said. IO Moniruzzaman said: I conducted the investigation only on seven points. These [acquitted] accused were not part of my investigation. The seven points were: who brought the arms from abroad, for which country the arms were brought; to whom those arms were going to be delivered; by which vessel the arms were brought to Bangladesh from abroad; how the CUFL jetty was used for unloading the arms though it was reserved only for fertiliser export; how two police ser-
geants took away two arms from the jetty (later recovered by RAB) and in which country arms were manufactured. Kabiruddin and Nawshers investigations were flawed and there were no findings about the seven issues. So the trial court had ordered further investigation during 2007-08 caretaker regime. Only arms smuggler Hafizur Rahman Hafiz, Deen Mohammad and Hazi Abdus Sobhan have been convicted and awarded death sentence from the list of charge sheets submitted by the second and the third IO as their involvement with the smuggling was proved. The 11 other convicted include former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and industries minister Motiur Rahman Nizami. l
During the haul on April 2, 2004, Nizami was the industries minister while Babar the state minister for home affairs. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, a key ally of the BNPled 19-party alliance, yesterday called a countrywide daylong hartal for Monday protesting the death sentence of party chief Nizami. The High Court granted Rizvi six months bail in three separate violence-related cases on Monday. He was released from Dhaka Central Jail on Thursday night. Several party leaders and activists yesterday welcomed him at the office with bouquets. The BNP leader claimed that the ruling government had no mandate of the people as it came to power through a voter-less election on January 5. The provision of a non-partisan
caretaker government system was scrapped by the prime minister to stay in power permanently, he said adding that the government had turned many districts into mass killing fields through extrajudicial killings. We want to tell the government that if anyone has committed any offence, bring him in the book. Do not kill people without any trial. Stop it immediately. Otherwise, there will be no option except for waging tougher movement to overcome the confrontational situation of the country, he said. Talking about the partys recent nonstop agitation programmes, Rizvi said: Our movement was against the one-party rule which the Hasina-led Awami League government has established in the country. Our demonstration was for the people of the country. We fought for restoring good governance. l
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a fresh initiative. Barrister Khandaker Reza-E Raquib, legal adviser to BTRC, said: We also found legality of ICABs claim and requested the telecom regulator for inviting a fresh EOI. Earlier, on the basis of previous EOI, the telecom watchdog made a shortlist of Request for Proposals (RFP) from six international audit firms and disqualified five other firms. According to BTRC high officials, audit firms needs to find out the actual revenue generated and the calculation procedure to make the payment to BTRC, NBR or other agencies for a particular or whole licensing period and reconcile those with the operators financial statements. They also need to analyse audit reports to discover understatements, misstatements or manipulation of any facts. The regulator will also examine suspicious invoicing by the operators for importing hardware or software, according to BTRC officials. On the basis of the audit reports, the regulator will take action against any operator, if found guilty, said the officials. Following the audit of mobile operators, all the private land phone operators, internet service providers, international gateways, inter-connectivity exchanges, international internet gateways, and WiMax operators, among others, would come under the audit process. On May 2011, the telecom regulator appointed a firm that audited the largest mobile operator, Grameenphone, and submitted a report in October. It claimed that Tk3,034 crore in revenue had remained unpaid. The High Court ruling in the same year that declared illegal the appointment of audit firms by the telecom regulator in opening audits was also upheld by the Supreme Court on December 9 last year. BTRC had sent an audit firm to the second largest operator, Banglalink, but it could not complete their task. l
Children participate in an art competition on the Mirpurs Jalladkhana premises, celebrating the eviction of Pakistani forces from Mirpur, in the capital yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE
n Kailash Sarkar
Movement of trains on Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Chittagong routes resumed yesterday afternoon after threeand-half hours of the disruption in train communications following the derailing of a cargo train at Jatrapur in Ashuganj, Brammhanbaria in the morning. Dhakas railway communications with Chittagong and Sylhet remained suspended from 10:30am when a Chittagong-bound cargo train derailed outside the Ashuganj railway station. Witnesses said at least four wheels of a train compartment got derailed, blocking the railway tracks. Following the accident, several trains, including Chittagong-bound Mohanagar Provati and several other intercity trains were stuck at different places on the tracks, causing suffering to several thousand passengers. Immediately after the incident, a salvation train from Akhaura rushed to the spot to rescue the derailed train and was able to remove the derailed train and restore the communications system around 2pm. Ashuganj railway station Manager Abdullah Al Faruq confirmed the restoration of the railway communications system. l
Kites of various names were flown on the first day, including Pocket, Stunt, Dragon, Series, Train, Butterfly, Snake, Airplane, etc
Hasanul Haque Inu said the event would uphold the traditional practice of kite flying. These kites, coming in various shapes and designs, present a valuable source of entertainment for the spectators. But more than that, they help us revisit our childhood. BKF General Secretary Shahjahan Mridha Benu spoke in the same vein: In our childhood, we used to fly kite but unfortunately its popularity is on the decline. Through this event, we are trying to revive this traditional sport which is at once easy to play and environment-friendly. Kites of various names were flown on the first day, including Pocket, Stunt, Dragon, Series, Train, Butterfly, Snake, Airplane, etc. In addition, lanterns were flown away in the evening. l
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BISHWA IJTEMA
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A total of 200 examinees across the country will take part in the finale
Addressing as the chief guest, Professor Dr M Samser Ali of Open University said educational institutions have a significant role to motivate students to study science. Later, a colourful rally was brought out that paraded through different roads and ended at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital. Earlier in the 44th International Physics Olympiad held in Copenhagen, Denmark in July last year, five students represented Bangladesh of whom three were from Chittagong A total of 200 examinees across the country will take part in the finale to be held at the University of Dhaka on February 28. Ziauddin Ahmed, Bir Uttam, principal of Presidency International School and also head of organising committee, Chittagong district presided over the programme while Dr AKM Mominul Haque Miazi, Dr Md Nasim Hasan, Professor Najiba Siddique, Dr Arun Kumar Deb. Dr Kamrul Huda, among others, were present. l
Thousands of devotees join the Jumma prayers of the second phase of Biswa Ijtema, which ended yesterday at the bank of Turag in Tongi
WEATHER
The system will also work to ensure service delivery to the people in the least possible time, saving both time and labour in the process
Earlier, State minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid announced that the power division will become paperless within a year. On January 23, a meeting was held in this regard over the implementation of the system. The meeting decided the division
PRAYER TIMES
Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha 5:22am 6:39am 12:12am 4:09pm 5:45pm 7:02pm
Source: IslamicFinder.org
Speakers at a discussion, organised by a platform against militancy, condemn the recent attacks on minority communities across the country at the Liberation War Museum in the capital yesterday RAJIB DHAR
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Maowa-Kaorakandi ferry service resumes after 10 hours n Our Correspondent, Munshiganj
Ferry service on the Maowa-Kaorakandi route resumed yesterday morning after a 10-hour long disruption. The service resumed at 10am after it was halted around midnight because of poor visibility due to dense fog. Four ferries were stuck in the Padma River during the time with more than 400 vehicles stuck on both sides of the river. Shekhor Chandra Roy, assistant manager of BIWTC, said as the signal lights of the vessels were not visible because of the fog the fourferries had to anchor in the river to avoid accidents. l
A front view of dilipidated Dhaka Deputy Commissioners Office in Old Dhakas Narinda that has developed several cracks
RAJIB DHAR
Astronomer Dr Deepen Bhattecharjee said it was our civic duty to save the Coxs Bazar sea beach by making it environment-friendly
money, Tk2 crore has been dedicated for protecting the nature of Coxs Bazar district. Dr AR Khan, the president of Bangladesh Kite Federation, urged
everyone to save nature, social and family atmosphere. Astronomer Dr Deepen Bhattecharjee said it was our civic duty to save the Coxs Bazar sea beach by making it environment-friendly. Among others Shahjahan Mrdiha, the general secretary of Bangladesh Kite Federation and Ruhul Amin, member of Bangladesh Tourist Board also spoke at the discussion while Sharif Jamil, the joint general secretary of Bapa, moderated the discussion. The discussion was organised to mark the beginning of a two-day long kite festival on the worlds longest sea beach at Coxs Bazar which was inaugurated by Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu. l
Four teenagers on two motorbikes were racing against each other that led to a collision. Badhan Rana, 16, one of the bikers 16, died at Hatirjheel
The deceased were identified as Md Harun and Md Mohsin, said Santahar police outpost SI Mizanur Rahman. He also said an unnamed person also sustained severe injuries and was rushed to hospital, reports our correspondent. SI Mizanur Rahman said, A speeding motorbike was heading towards Bogra at around 3pm. The motorbike collided with a three-wheeler and fell under a tractor. Two passengers died on the spot while other one sustained severe injuries. l
The photo taken yesterday shows that the front side of the shops have already been completed
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Feature
COURTESY
ur kids can beat a university graduate any day at building a robot, claims Shams Jaber, as he moves among children and robots. Shams and his team, an eccentric mix of six engineering and business undergraduates in their final year at BRAC University, have been holding robotics classes for the past three months. They teach children how to build robots and familiarise them with complex concepts of wiring and circuitry. Every Saturday, an empty room in one of the many high-rises in the urban maze of Niketon is filled with the hustle and bustle of seven eager children rummaging through boxes of wires and half-made robots. I arrived at their door, sceptical of what lay on the other side. I expected an ordinary classroom, with the typical austere white-washed walls and wooden benches. Instead, I found a room with colourful walls with graffiti of Gandhi and Galileo. Equipment was strewn across the tables evidence of impatient little artists at work. The kids kept teachers Shams Jaber and Maisun Ibn Monowar busy from the moment they came in, demanding new projects to work on, or searching for their half-made robots. These students spend weekdays in educational environments, governed by rules, and under constant supervision. Then they come to this class, where the only rule is: Let your imagination flow. The school started out with 15 chil-
Worlds Next Education System (WNES) leads the way in bringing robotics technology to the new generation dren, but only seven remain all of and listen to theories and explana- development and electronics along n Ishrat Jahan whom show a strong passion for robot- tions, while they seldom want to with robotics. Our present batch has alics. They undertake a variety of projects, like building and programming a pathfinding robot. Usually children are reluctant to do their homework or pay attention in class, but our students surprise us with their enthusiasm to learn. Nine-yearold Abrar cries when his father doesnt allow him to take his projects and electronic kits home, Shams says. A confident and serious twelveyear-old named Fahim walks into class and instantly picks up bits of wire and batteries, pouring all of his concentration into his muse for the day: the circuit board. Asked why he chose to come here, he shrugs and says: I just like doing this class. He finds nothing unusual about building a robot from scratch at such a young age. Maisun Ibn Monowar and Probal Barman, engineering students at BRAC, are the helping hands behind the success of these kids, making lessons easier for them to learn, and simplifying the more intricate details of programming and circuit development. Maisun says: In any other school or class you would depend on books and theories to get you through the course, but with robotics you cant go far without practical classes. Instead of teaching them complex methods through theories, we just show them how to do it. The kids basically play around with wiring and breadboards. We just show them the how-to-play. Its not easy. At more complex levels, we need the kids to sit down move away from their worktables. In such situations, you have to sit ready started working on building a cell phone, says Shams.
Despite the schools practical approach, learning some theories is important to understanding critical concepts COURTESY and igure out how to keep the kids interested while teaching them the critical concepts. Working that out is both exhilarating and exhausting. But it is worth the hard work, says Maisun. Shams says WNES was started with the intention of creating an education system that thrives on imagination, and does not reduce itself to standardised learning. The classes for robotics are meant to be the stepping stones to their larger, innovative enterprise. We plan to expand into a fullfledged engineering school, offering a wide range of subjects with the flexible and interactive approach to teaching that is missing in todays education system. For our new batch of students this February, we are offering game WNESs current batch of seven kids have enrolled as participants in BRAC University Robotics Clubs competition, Path Finder Robot Contest 3, an inter-university competition where teams compete against one another to create the best line-follower robot. Participating with experienced university graduates shows the level of expertise the kids have achieved at such a young age. When I look back to my school days, studies were not a good memory. I find the traditional system of memorising and following the book to be suffocating. I wanted to change that. So last February, I decided to do something about it. The robotics classes are the first of many such programmes to come. l
Khiyo performing their controversial version of the national anthem, Amar Shonar Bangla
COURTESY
COURTESY
hini belongs to a musical family. She was trained by her mother Hiron Alam and aunts Jannat Ara and Ferdous Ara, the latter being a leading Bangladeshi
I love to listen to Tagores Amar Shonar Bangla; it reminds me of the mango trees in my nanas yard
exponent ofNazrul Sangeet. So it comes as no surprise when she says: I am not at all a fan of auto-tuning. You should be able to sing. If you cannot sing it, you probably should not record your voice. Born
in the United Kingdom, she was raised in London until the age of nine. After the passing of her mother, she moved to Dhaka and lived here till she was 17. In her teenage years she saw singing as a pastime rather than a prospective career, but four years ago she decided to pursue music ahead of all else.
Musical genes
S o -
It was 2009 by the time she started singing for theatre productions. Her big moment was performing at the Tara Arts Christmas pantomime in London. Pantomime is a Christmas tradition in London; they are light-hearted plays, usually based on childrens fairy tales. Sohinis challenge was to compose a Bollywood-style score to accompany a production of Cinderella. Pantomimes have a very particular aesthetic: singing, dancing, comedy, and music; its all very English. But this was Bollywood-style Cinderella; it was set in India. Cinderella and her mother wore kameez and lehenga. We [the singers] were on stage and the characters acted out the lines that we sang. You have to remember that the lyrics were in English, and we had to sync them with popular Bollywood tunes. For example, we used the tune of Pahela Nasha to accompany a love scenewriting English lyrics to go with it. You have to change voices; so versatility is a must, says Sohini. She met Oliver Weeks while doing a show in London. Oliver, who
was already involved in a band called Parapar with seasoned singer Moushumi Bhowmick from Calcutta offered to jam with Sohini. Sohini formed the band Khiyo with Oliver in 2007. The other band members are Ben Hillyard and Derek Scurll. Sohini is also the lead singer of the band Lokkhi Terra, an Afro-CubanBengali band led by Kishon Khan, aBangladeshi-bornBritishjazzpianist and composer. London is a place where you find people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and where language is not a barrier. I studied in Texas, so I have Latin friends. I was influenced by their music. When working with Kishon, I tried to find similarities between Bangla and Cuban music, she says.
much more organic than that. It has to flow naturally and touch the soul. The band is currently working on its first album, which is expected to hit the market in July this year. The album will contain a few Nazrul Sangeet numbers, and songs from Tagore and Lalon.
Sonar Bangla
When asked about her musical preferences, Sohini mentions patriotic songs. She says: Maybe its because I live abroad. The patriotic songs remind me of my country, my nanas place. I do not need
my eyes closed. It reminds me of my country; it reminds me of the mango trees in my nanas yard. The ebullient vocalist wants to embrace traditional music on an international platform, and makes the suggestion that other contemporary musicians do so too. We have moved away from playing local instruments. I like it better with our own instruments that are indigenous to this part of the world, like the sarod, flute and dhol. We have amazing players of these across the country.
True fusion
Banding together
Sohini rues the way the term fusion has become cheapened. What it has become now is you just tack on two lines of a raga [a melodic mode used in Indian classical music] to western beats, play some rap over it and call it a fusion. Ideally it should not be instant. What happens with us is my band members and I sit together with food, and start eating and playing. It is like you sit with your set of musical knowledge, next to a person who has his own set of knowledge. For example, I sing a Bangla song and tell Oli [Khiyos guitarist] to play. I come up with what I have acquired so far and so does he. Then we look for the commonalities between both, and see if they work together or not. If it does then we expand. This is how we try out several songs. It is not just about a number of beats matching together, its
Sohini with bandmate Oliver Weeks at London School of Sound a special occasion to listen to such songs because they resonate in my memory. Moreover, I love to listen to Tagores Amar Shonar Bangla, which is also the national anthem, lying down with
COURTESY
Rock-metal is fine; but exploring Salil Chowdhury and Sachin Dev Burman is not a bad idea either. I am not suggesting a rock version of Burman, but I like to think about its influence. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Prescription
Calcium
Essential for strong bones and teeth, calcium also helps with enzyme and muscle functions, and blood clotting. Dairy food is the best source of calcium, but some baby cereals are also fortified with calcium. According to the most recent Australian Nutrition Survey, 70% of children dont meet their recommended daily intake for calcium. Babies aged 7-12 months are estimated to need around 270mg of calcium a day if theyre breast-fed, and 350mg if theyre bottle fed. Milk, yoghurt, cheese, green leafy vegetables, tofu, sardines, and salmon are the best sources.
QUICK TIPS
Iron
CHILD HEALTH
n Prescription Desk
When it comes to protecting yourself and your family from foodborne illness, one of your most effective tools is the kitchen DID YOU refrigerator. In fact, KNOW? at room temperature, the numbers of bacteria that cause foodborne sickness can double every 20 minutes! Chilling foods to proper temperatures is one of the best ways to slow the growth of these bacteria. To ensure that your refrigerator is doing its job, its important to keep its temperature at 40F (4C) or below; the freezer should be at 0F (-17C). Whether youre dealing with leftovers or just-purchased foods, its important to get foods that need refrigeration into your fridge quickly. Leaving perishable foods out for two hours or more allows bacteria to multiply rapidly, and can put you at serious risk of contracting foodborne illness. Groceries: When you get home from the grocery store, put your refrigerated items away as quickly as possible. Never allow raw meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or produce that requires refrigeration to sit at room temperature for more
Zinc
Zinc helps cell growth and repair, and helps maintain a healthy immune system. It is also necessary for brain cognition and development. Baby formulas generally contain zinc and some cereals are fortified with it. Zinc is often found in the same foods that contain iron, so if your baby is getting enough iron, theyre usually getting enough zinc too. Look for eggs, fish, milk and cheese.
healthy eating patterns that are associated with decreased risk of chronic conditions and diseases in adulthood. Inadequate intake of nutrients can impair growth and development in children. Unfortunately, the foods and snacks that taste the best are usually the worst for our bodies, and a child left to their own whim will almost always choose
six months of life. But after that, human milk alone wont provide an adequate source. Once you introduce solids around six months, choose first foods like rice cereals that are fortified with iron. Lean red meat is also a great source, and can be pureed for babies around seven-nine months old. Other useful foods include baked beans, green, leafy vegetables, and fish.
Every cell that divides in a babys rapidly growing body requires B12, one of the eight B-group vitamins. B12 is also essential for normal nerve cell function. It is only found in products of animal origin. Good sources include dairy products and eggs, while some soya formulas and cereals are fortified with the vitamin.
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Fat
Babies need enough fat in their diet for proper growth and development, but its important to make sure theyre getting the right types of fat and cholesterol. Children under two should have full-fat dairy products including milk and cheese. l
HEALTH NEWS
BIGSTOCK
Vitamin B12
than two hours; the limit is one hour if the air temperature is above 90F (32C). Also, keep in mind that your car is probably even hotter than typical room temperature, so its important not to leave groceries in your car longer than absolutely necessary, and never more than 2 hours (or 1 hour on a hot day). Leftovers:These need to be refrigerated or frozen within two hours, as well. Despite what some people believe, putting hot food in the refrigerator doesnt harm the appliance. To help hot food cool faster, divide leftovers into smaller containers before putting them in the refrigerator. Doggie bags and take-out foods: Again, the two-hour rule applies to carry-home foods. Leftovers from takeout or restaurant meals need to go into the refrigerator within two hours at most. If you cant get home within two hours after eating out, dont request a doggie bag. Marinated foods:Always keep food in the refrigerator while its marinating. Bacteria can multiply rapidly in foods left to marinate at room temperature. Also, remember this tip for marinating safely: Never reuse marinating liquid as a sauce unless you bring it to a rapid boil first. l
The most heart-healthy diet is a plantbased diet where junk food is minimum. That means loading up on fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and protein. In fact, dietary guidelines recommend that half of each meal should be composed of fruits and vegetables. Research has found that people who eat more than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, had about 20% lower risk of heart disease and stroke than people who ate less than three servings per day.
liver calories. People who are likely to reduce their weight always prefer low calorie food. Studies have shown that a diet full of empty calories increases the risk of obesity and diabetes. Look for foods dense in nutrients, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, eggs, beans, and peas, and unsalted nuts and seeds. Lean meats and poultry, along with fat-free and low-fat milk, are good choices as well.
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All of you know that gout is a disease of painful joints caused by higher level of uric acid in blood. Its usually found in the form of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is added
BIGSTOCK
Tomatoes are the most concentrated food source of lycopene, although apricots, guava, watermelon, papaya, and pink grapefruit are also significant sources of this pigment. American cancer society suggested lycopene as potent natural anti cancer diet
cessed. Tomato and tomato products such as juice, soup, sauce, and paste should be included as part of a diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables. Studies that looked at lycopene levels in the blood found that levels were higher after people ate cooked tomatoes than after they ate raw tomatoes or drank tomato juice. This suggests that lycopene in cooked tomato products such as tomato sauce or paste may be more readily absorbed by the body than lycopene in raw tomatoes. Eating lycopene-rich vegetables and fruits together with a small amount of oil or fat (for example, salad oil or cheese on pizza) increase the amount of lycopene absorbed by the intestines. Lycopene is also available in soft-gel capsule and liquid supplements Multiple studies have demonstrated higher consumption of tomato products producing higher levels of lycopene. Nutritionists note that heating the tomato with olive oil or consuming products like tomato paste or sauce actually makes the lycopene more absorbable. Source: American Cancer Society, Harvard Medical School health publications
stairs without a problem, but suddenly youre short of breath after one flight or have chest pressure, its time to call your doctor ASAP. Never assume its because youre out of shape; it can be a heart attack! Doctors say: Time is muscle, meaning the quicker you get treatment for possible troubles, the less likely you are to have permanent damage to your heart muscle. It is only a matter of minutes before an oxygenstarved muscle begins to deteriorate. That is why it is imperative for someone experiencing a heart attack to get immediate medical intervention. Minutes are muscle when it comes to a heart attack because the heart is being deprived of the oxygen it needs to function. The faster oxygen supply is restored to the heart, the less damage the heart will suffer.
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effects in humans have been shown. So, dont heat plastic bottles by filling them with hot liquid or putting them in the microwave or dishwasher.
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faster. Here the researchers looked at the effect of key chemicals found in tea on the mental performance. One of the active ingredients in tea an amino acid called L-theanine significantly improved the accuracy of
| Dr Mohammad Sayem
BIGSTOCK
BIGSTOCK
Iron is needed for brain development, and is also involved in various bodily functions such as transporting oxygen through blood. Babies store iron while in the womb, and usually have enough to get them through the first
DHAKA TRIBUNE
International
n Agencies
A Ukrainian anti-government activist who disappeared a week ago has appeared on television, his face badly beaten and with wounds to his hands, saying his abductors had crucified him. Dmytro Bulatov, 35, who was one of the leaders of anti-government protest motorcades called Automaidan, was taken to hospital after he appeared on Ukrainian TV 5th channel. They crucified me. They punctured my hands, he said on Friday, pointing to marks on the backs of his hands. They cut off my ear, slashed my face. Theres not a single alive spot on my body. But I am alive, thank God, he said. The spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, called for an investigation into claims of torture in Ukraine. Bulatov was reported missing on January 23. He was involved in several motorcade protests in which scores of cars would drive to the homes of Ukrainian leaders. In the biggest such protest, about 2,000 cars drove to the country residence of Yanukovich at Mezhyhirya, outside the capital Kiev, on December 29. They came within 300 metres of his residence before being stopped by security roadblocks. Traffic police have begun to try to identify participants in the automaidan protests and protest groups say that about 20 people so far have been detained for questioning. Bulatovs reappearance came two
AFP
Thursday went on indefinite sick leave, also signed legislation scrapping draconian anti-protest laws passed earlier this month which radicalised the twomonth protest movement. The laws had made the occupation of public buildings punishable by up to five years in prison, outlawed protest convoys of more than five cars and imposed a ban on protesters wearing masks or helmets. The measures seen as a concession to the protest movement are unlikely to placate opposition leaders, who are gearing up to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry and other senior foreign officials in Germany this weekend. l
Syria will not make any concessions Russia backs Syria on in Geneva talks: minister chemical weapons plan
n Agencies
Russia has backed Syria as acting in good faith to eliminate its chemical weapons, after the US accused the government of Bashar al-Assad of stalling the plan due to end in June. Mikhail Ulyanov, a Russian diplomat, was quoted by the Interfax news agency on Friday as saying that there was no need for additional pressure on Damascus over the destruction of its stockpiles. We see that the Syrians are approaching the fulfilment of their obligations seriously and in good faith, he said. The comment came after the US said just four% of Syrias declared chemical stock has been eliminated. Efforts to remove these materials from Syria have seriously languished and stalled, said ambassador Robert Mikulak in a statement to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on Thursday. Syria must immediately take the necessary actions to comply with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, Executive Council decisions, and UN Security Council Resolution 2118, said Mikulak, the US permanent representative to the OPCW. Timelines adopted last year required that 100% of priority one chemicals be eliminated by December 31, 2013, while the deadline for removing priority two chemicals is Feburary 5. That deadline will also not be met. The Syrian government has attributed the delays to security concerns, saying it needs additional equipment to ensure their safe transportation - a claim Mikulak rejected. Syrias requests for equipment and open-ended delaying of the removal operation could ultimately jeopardise the carefully timed and coordinated multi-state removal and destruction effort, he said. During a visit to Poland on Thursday, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel also criticised Syrian efforts, saying he has asked his Russian counterpart to put pressure on Damascus to comply with the deal. I do not know what the Syrian governments motives are - if this is incompetence - or why they are behind in delivering these materials, Hagel told reporters in Warsaw, the capital. They need to fix this. Meanwhile, peace talks between the Syrian government and the opposition continued on Thursday, with UN mediator Lakhdar Brahimi reporting little progress. In an afternoon update to the media in Geneva, Switzerland, Brahimi said he hoped the two sides would draw some lessons from the first round of talks, scheduled to end on Friday, in hopes of becoming better organised for the next round. Terrorism was among the topics discussed on Thursday, Brahimi said, although there was no agreement on how to deal with it. We had tense moments and also rather promising moments, he said. Opposition delegation spokesman Louay Safi told reporters that the two sides had spoken about stopping the violence in Syria, noting the opposition presented evidence of government massacres within residential neighbourhoods. l
Syrias Foreign Minister and head of the Syrian government delegation Walid Muallem (C) arrives to give a press briefing with the Syrian governement delegation on peace talks at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva AFP
n AFP, Geneva
Damascus will make no concessions in peace talks with the opposition, Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi said as a week of negotiations were wrapping up in Geneva. Neither in this round, nor in the next will they (the opposition and their allies) obtain any concessions from the Syrian delegation, Zohbi told a group of pro-regime demonstrators outside the UNs European headquarters in the
Swiss city. Several hundred demonstrators cheered, waving Syrian flags in all sizes and giant pictures of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, shouting Bashar forever! They will not obtain any concessions, Israel has not been able to obtain any concession (from the Syrian regime) in half a century, terrorism has not been able to obtain any concession over the past three years, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the plotters in Lebanon have not managed to
obtain any concession through force, he shouted. They will not get through politics what they couldnt get through force, he insisted, to thundering applause. Delegations from Assads regime and the opposition National Coalition have been locked in talks for the past week in the biggest diplomatic push yet to end a near nearly three-year civil war that has left more than 130,000 dead and forced millions from their homes. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
International
9
Indias top court stays execution of Delhi car bomber n AFP, New Delhi
Indias Supreme Court on Friday stayed the execution of a Sikh militant convicted over a car bombing two decades ago, after his wife said he had developed mental illness while languishing on death row. The Supreme Court announced it would review a plea for clemency for Devender Pal Singh Bhullar, who was convicted over a car bombing in the Indian capital that killed nine people and injured more than 20 in 1993. We want to know the present condition of Devender Pal Singh Bhullar, Chief Justice Palanisamy Sathasivam told the court in New Delhi. Bhullars case is the first to be taken up by the Supreme Court since its landmark ruling earlier this month that places new restrictions on executing prisoners in the worlds biggest democracy. The top court commuted the death sentences of 15 convicts on January 21, announcing that inordinate and inexplicable delays in carrying out executions were grounds for reducing their original punishments. The court ruled that mental illness was also grounds for commuting sentences of death row convicts, a ruling hailed by rights activists. The court on Friday directed the hospital where Bhullar is being treated to file a report on his condition to determine if he was suffering from schizophrenia after spending two decades on death row. l
Indian paramilitary forces keep watch during protests against a military court verdict in downtown Srinagar achieved since the military court handling the case was outside of civilian jurisdiction and scrutiny. Kashmir, a picturesque Himalayan region, is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both. About a dozen rebel groups have been fighting Indian forces since 1989
AFP
for Kashmirs independence or for its merger with Pakistan. The fighting has left tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, dead. l
Missing women loom over Indias art fair n AFP, New Delhi
Large black figures cast in steel loomed over the India Art Fair as it opened on Friday with the display of the eerie silhouettes seeking to highlight the countrys millions of missing women. The outdoor installation called M.I.S.S.I.N.G. by artist Leena Kejriwal is a visual response to alarming research showing a gaping gender gap in India, which has led to severe imbalances in some parts of the country. Caused by sex-selective abortion, infanticide and the death of girls through neglect, the issue is part of a national debate about womens rights sparked by fresh scrutiny of sexual violence. The three outsized sculptures are meant to be like sharp, black holes cut out of the sky. Holes into which millions of girls disap-
pear from the face of this earth, according to Kejriwals description of the project. Indias 2011 census data showed that just 914 girls are born nationwide per 1,000 boys much behind the global benchmark of 952 reflecting a cultural preference for male heirs. The India Art fair has been phenomenally successful since its first edition in 2008 and now draws leading local and international galleries and artists, as well as hundreds of thousands of members of the public. This year organisers signalled their intent to tackle some of the issues thrown up by the sweeping changes underway in the worlds biggest democracy, wrought by economic development and globalisation. Another public photo display challenges a recent Supreme Court decision which has recriminalised gay sex by reinstating a 1860 colonial law that outlaws carnal intercourse against the order of nature. We are in a state of flux, in a state of change and the art is responding to that, Art Fair founder Neha Kirpal told AFP. There is a degree of freshness and energy, a degree of revolt and rebellion sometimes. The art reflects the mood and energy of the country, she added. The Indian market is still far off its peaks of 2008 when the global financial crisis led to a sharp fall in prices, leaving many investors who had rushed into the young art scene badly burned. The market for top-end pieces by established modern artists remains strong as demonstrated by a recent record Christies auction in Mumbai but prices for the rest are still depressed, experts say. In 2010, the United Nations Development Programme said that Asia was missing about 96 million women the vast majority in China and India who died from discriminatory healthcare and neglect or who were never born at all. l
Zalmai Rassoul
A smooth-talking former foreign minister who was a close aide to Ahmad Shah Massoud, the legendary commander of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance militia. Abdullah Abdullah was a member of Burhanuddin Rabbanis government before the austere Taliban era, and made a name for himself abroad for his fluent English and courtly manner. A qualified eye surgeon, he was born in Kabul to an ethnic Pashtun father from Kandahar and a Tajik mother. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, he was appointed foreign minister during the transitional government and served under Hamid Karzai until he was sacked in 2006. He came second in the 2009 election with around 30% of the vote, triggering a run-off against Karzai. He then pulled out amid allegations that Karzai supporters were involved in massive vote fraud. Abdullah is married with three daughters and a son.
Ashraf Ghani
Qayum Karzai
President Hamid Karzais elder brother moved to the US after being born in
A puckish academic and internationally-known intellectual, 64-year-old Ghani took a degree in anthropology from the American University in Beirut. He also met his future wife Rula in Lebanon. He earned his Masters and PhD from New Yorks Columbia University, and taught at several universities in the United States during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. He worked with the World Bank for 11 years from 1991 and served in Kabul as special adviser to UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi after the fall of the Taliban in 2001. He was appointed finance minister in Karzais transitional government of 2002-2004 and then became chancellor of Kabul University before heading up the national security transition commission. Ghani, who is known for his quick temper, contested the 2009 election but came fourth with less than three
The softly-spoken foreign minister is one of President Karzais closest loyalists. Aged 70, he was born in Kabul and is a doctor by profession, training at a medical school in Paris. He was a royalist, serving as chief of staff and personal doctor to former king Zahir Shah who lived in exile in Rome for 30 years. In 2002, Rassoul was minister of civil aviation and later was national security adviser to President Karzai from 2003-2010. Rassoul, a bachelor, is fluent in Dari, English, French, Italian and Arabic. He may attract support as a compromise candidate.
A former Islamist warlord, Abdul Rasoul Sayyaf, aged around 70 is also a religious scholar who sports a long beard and traditional turban. His candidacy has caused alarm among diplomats due to his close links to Saudi Arabia and Islamic extremism. He was named in the 9/11 commission report as the mentor of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. He also ran militant training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan, from where several of the 2002 Bali bombers emerged. l
n AFP, Colombo
A top US envoy on Friday pushed for reconciliation in Sri Lanka which is under intense international pressure to probe rights abuses during the final stages of the islands decades-long separatist war. Nisha Biswal, the assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, held talks with Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris over a range of issues including allegations that government troops killed thousands of Tamil civilians during the final months of the war in 2009, official sources told AFP. Biswal, who arrived in Colombo on Friday, is the second US envoy to travel to Sri Lanka in recent weeks after war crimes investigator Stephen Rapp stirred controversy by visiting a former Sri Lankan battleground earlier this month. The visits come ahead of a UN review of Colombos human rights record. A third US-initiated censure motion against Sri Lanka is set to be discussed at the UN Human Rights Council in March. During her two-day visit, Biswal will travel to Sri Lankas former war zone to meet ethnic minority Tamil leaders, a US embassy spokesman said. She will discuss with Sri Lankan (government) officials on the need to do more to ensure reconciliation and accountability, he said. l
Members of the Chinese community perform a lion dance as they celebrate the Chinese New Year in Kolkata AFP was expected to draw more than 100,000 people. Citizens in North Korea welcomed the new year with beautiful dreams, great ambitions, confidence of future and optimism according to the staterun Korean Central News Agency, adding cheerful laughter is heard from every family. The lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon and through Chinese folklore ascribes 12 animals, one for each year in the rotating cycle. The horse is in the seventh position. In China, the horse is traditionally associated with loyalty and energy, and is considered the second-most popular animal sign of the zodiac, after the dragon. The phrase for at once in Chinese literally means on horseback, and some popular New Year cards this year have featured money, houses or cars on horseback, expressing the senders wish of speedy good fortune for the receiver. l
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DHAKA TRIBUNE
Editorial
LETTER OF THE DAY
Letters to
the Editor
slowdown in funding from Russia has caused the government to consider cutting 62% of the budget for the first phase of the nuclear power plant project in Rooppur, adding to the many concerns that already exist about the project. Building a nuclear power plant under such tight budget constraints poses new doubts about the plants safety and viability. This is on top of questions about the obsolescent nature of the reactor planned for use and the plants location in the middle of a potential earthquake fault line. Furthermore, when 260 acres of land was first allocated for a nuclear power project in 1961, the area was much more sparsely populated than today. The current setback does however provide an ideal opportunity to replace the long delayed nuclear project altogether. We believe the government should move the controversial planned Rampal coal power plant in the Sundarbans to Rooppur. By moving the Rampal project to Rooppur, the government would not only reduce environmental risks to the worlds largest mangrove forest, but the country could start to make use of land that has been set aside for over 50 years. The facilities being built in Pabna can continue to be adapted to encourage high-tech scientific or industrial uses in the area. The need to bring in coal would in addition stimulate better road and rail links. Not only could this move vastly reduce environmental risks for the nation as a whole, but it would also create new jobs and opportunities in a region that would benefit from the development.
This move could vastly reduce environmental risks and create new jobs and opportunities in a region that would benefit from the development
Be Heard
Write to us at: Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Email us at: letters@dhakatribune.com Send us your Op-Ed articles: opinion@dhakatribune.com Visit our website: www.dhakatribune.com Come join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune
January 26 If even 1% of this amount could be invested in our e-commerce sector, we would have been able to go global. Abu Naser
The country cannot afford to miss opportunities to open doors. Searching for new markets needs to be of premium importance
PEANUTS
CROSSWORD
ACROSS 1 Ridiculous sham (5) 4 Church service (4) 7 Top card (3) 8 Lacking discipline (3) 9 Angry (5) 12 Stagger (4) 13 Gnawing animals (7) 15 Period of time (3) 16 Strange (3) 18 Tree (3) 19 Of advanced age (3) 21 Support for railway lines (7) 24 Snare (4) 26 Bird (5) 27 Church seat (3) 28 Slippery fish (3) 29 Was sorry for (4) 30 Full of cheer (5) DOWN 1 Impartial (4) 2 From side to side (6) 3 Peruse print (4) 4 Planet (4) 5 Tool (3) 6 Not hollow (5) 10 Golf mound (3) 11 Register (5) 14 Stories (5) 17 More abstruse (6) 18 Thespian (5) 20 Lair (3) 21 Hurried (4) 22 Jetty (4) 23 Depend on (4) 25 Copy (3)
SUDOKU
YESTERDAYS SOLUTIONS
Crossword
How to solve Sudoku: 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 numberrepeating.
Code-Cracker
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Op-Ed
11
n Abdul Khaleque
BIGSTOCK
s politicians fight over power, the people whom the parties claim to serve are hit the worst. Day labourers, farmers, fishermen, and the extreme poor find it difficult to make ends meet. Those who were just above the lower poverty line find themselves plunged into the depths of poverty, a fall that they may not be able to climb up from in this lifetime. Over the past six months, civil society organisations working with the poorest have had a challenging time providing support to beneficiaries. Livelihoods have come into danger. Outlined here are some of the troubles faced by the extreme poor and NGOs in the South.
vember, hostile people burned down the market. Several shops were damaged, including hers. She was a single mother with three children, one of whom was disabled. She is now passing very bad days. Another beneficiary in Matna village was killed a few days ago. He was a rickshaw-van puller with a wife and three children to support, and the only income earner in the family. Miscreants wanted to kill his brother (who was an Awami League supporter according to local AL men, though his family denied this later).
B
n
Niaz Alam
iman Bangladesh Airlines deserves credit for its marketing nous in adding three scenic tours for plane enthusiasts, after the worlds last passenger flight of a DC-10 on the Dhaka-Kuwait-Birmingham route next month. It is a fitting way to say goodbye to the DC-10, as Biman phases in a more modern fleet. One suspects though, that by confining ticket sales for the farewell trips to aisle and window seats only, Bimans marketing team has missed a trick. Plane spotters dont strike me as the type to want to rush off a plane before it gets to the end of a runway. The old McDonnell Douglas workhorse may not be Concorde, but wouldnt they still be happier to linger on a full aircraft, rather than peer out the window? Either way, the heritage flights at least offer a unique chance to experience a piece of aviation history. They provide more real value than the ticket stubs which obsessive music fans seem to want to collect. I say seem because, as a new memoir by a London concert promoter explains, such markets can easily be manipulated. Simon Parkes, the former owner of the Brixton Academy, a cinema hall turned concert venue, has written candidly about a radio interview he gave in 1994 on the death of Kurt Cobain. He had been phoned by the station because his venue was due to host a series of sold out concerts later that year by the late singers ill fated band, Nirvana. While the interview naturally focused on the tragedy of Cobains suicide, a spur of the moment impulse propelled Parkes into claiming that people from America and Japan are offering us over 100 for Nirvana tickets, as a piece of history. At the time, this was not the case,
but the interview rapidly took on a life of its own, and huge demand sprang up to buy the cancelled concert tickets. Far from being hurt by fans wanting refunds for tickets, the venue ended up having to buy back fewer than a fifth of the 13.50 tickets, which it was immediately able to sell on for 100. In the end, Parkes noted: We ended up turning a profit on four gigs that never happened. A valuable lesson in supply and demand no doubt, but this months revelation of the truth behind the tale still raised eyebrows about opportunistic marketing. Given the popularity of old band reunions with the public however, not to mention the prevalence of never-ending farewell tours in the music industry, the demand for those tickets was almost certainly inevitable.
on the poor, are an old idea in art and satire), the act of sitting on the racist chair understandably raised public ire, regardless of the intentions of the artist and patron. What is telling about this incident is that the power of art criticism was highlighted by Zhukovas statement shortly afterwards that: This photograph, which has been published completely out of context, is of an art work intended specifically as a commentary on gender and racial politics. I utterly abhor racism, and would like to apologise to anyone who has been offended by this image. Her reference to the critical approval which the work received is a powerful reminder of how commentators and kudos can influence demand and drive up prices. While it is easy to look askance at the prices paid for some
Would the world be better off if all the talent and money in advertising was used in other ways?
The market for high end art is another area where hype and perceived critical merit can do as much to raise demand and prices as the intrinsic value, quality, or scarcity of the work/product itself. This had curious consequences recently when Dasha Zhukova, the partner of Roman Abramovich, was photographed sitting on a racially provocative artwork, the image of which went viral on Martin Luther Kings birthday. The work consists of a chair whose back legs are made up of an undressed black woman and not surprisingly, sparked accusations of racism and sexism. While this may conceivably work as a conceptual commentary on gender, race, and power (and images of the rich and powerful sitting, or worse, artworks by the wealthy, perception and psychology play just as big a part in influencing demand by everyday consumers. Hence, the power of advertising and marketing to sometimes create demand for products which people did not know they wanted, is a perennial topic for debate. As a worldwide industry with revenues north of $550bn, advertisings influence on peoples lives is certainly immense enough for there always to be a need to debate its ethics and impact. It is clearly reasonable to be wary of misleading or unethical marketing which undermine the functioning of a free and fair marketplace. But while few would argue against the need for some regulation of advertising to reflect societal consensus on
issues such as say, limiting cigarette marketing, its role in encouraging consumption or influencing culture is far more complex. It is as equally easy to assert that there would be less environmentally harmful consumption in the world if there was less advertising, as it is to argue that it is absolutely essential for capitalism and culture to flourish. After all, the industry pays for most of the worlds media and television, including lest we forget, free at point of use email and internet services. Perhaps the latter is not a real problem though, because however popular paid for advertising-free subscription services such as the BBC prove, the constant need for advertising companies to capture our attention drives an arms race of creativity in the sector. On the other hand, the question has to be asked: Would the world be better off if all the talent and money in advertising was used in other ways? My in-built inclination towards the latter question makes me welcome examples of marketing that succeed without spending lots of cash. And that is why Bimans success in generating publicity by making lemonade out of the lemon of having to retire an old aircraft, has a certain appeal. It may not be enough to justify the government continuing to prop up the state airline, when the flying public has so many other choices available and taxpayer funds would be better spent improving airport hubs and training flight staff and engineers, but the DC-10 heritage flights do at least show some marketing initiative. Whether that is enough for Biman to one day turn a profit is a more doubtful proposition, but at least it gives taxpayers more cause for hope. l Niaz Alam has worked on ethical business issues since 1992 and is a former vice-chair of War on Want.
Field staff have continued with their work, moving about, but always with fear and restrictions. Field visits fell by at least 40% over the past six months. Banks have been unable to deliver cash as per demand. Distribution of income generating goods for sale has been difficult, both to purchase and deliver. Fuel is not available to run transport vehicles. Survey data collection has fallen by at least 20% in comparison to normal situations. Delays in the selection and enrolment of new beneficiary households, especially in the Satkhira district, has left many households without the support they were hoping for.
We hope that the peace we have experienced the past week will prevail
Unable to locate the brother, miscreants stabbed Hafiz to death in his own home instead, in front of his family. His distraught widow is trying to sell the rickshaw to pay for immediate food expenses.
Beneficiary level
Rickshaw-van pullers have suffered a loss in earnings of at least 50% (based on analysis of NGO monthly report and staff visits). Small and micro traders, trading products such as groceries, readymade clothes (second hand), hawkers, tea stall wallahs, and other petty traders have not been able to run their businesses properly, resulting in income reductions of at least 40%.
Senior staff have continued with field visits, but in a state of fear and psychological stress. Satkhira staff cannot visit all seven project areas operating in Satkhira district. The use of local transport, like vans and buses, has stopped due to hartals. Banks are unable to deliver cash as per project demands. The process for khas land distribution to beneficiaries has been delayed, as the government staff cannot visit the field for khas land verification and validation. Nutrition training could not take place.
Let us learn a lesson from the past six months: Violence is not the answer
Those selling handmade food items have not been able to open their shops on the street sides, and suffered the greatest loss in income, on average over 60%. Fish and crab traders also faced great problems transporting products to upazila markets. Those who sell daily labour were unable to go outside to work, especially outside upazilas. Tragedies have occurred from which families are unlikely to ever recover. One beneficiary in Mathurapur village received support to build a small cosmetics shop at Harinagar Bazaar near Munshiganj Union. In No-
It has been difficult to arrange interview boards for the hiring of people to fill three vacant positions. Interviews were cancelled due to hartals. New procurement delays have been common, as most goods vendors shut their shops down during hartals. The reality of our situation is that life must go on, but let us learn a lesson from the past six months: Violence is not the answer. We hope that the peace we have experienced the past week will prevail, and that those who love the people of this country will act with kindness and compassion, to re-establish a smoothly functioning economy and harmonious life between different communities of varied beliefs. With new hope, we look forward to quick action to eradicate extreme poverty and pro-poor economic policies that prevent the erosion of hard-earned livelihoods. l Abdul Khaleque is a Project Coordinator at Uttaran.
n FS Aijazuddin
here is hardly a family in Pakistan, middle-class or above, that does not have a relative in Canada, or a juvenile working in its kitchen at home. As one migrant put it, he does not mind having to vacuum his home in Toronto, but he would look askance at equating himself with a servant by clearing the meal table in Lahore. Here, we live our own version of the British sitcomDownton Abbey,in which the landed gentry lived in comfort above while their menial staff slaved in the pantry below.In that series, when the young daughter of the aristocrat lapses by marrying their driver, it is the driver who moves up the social ladder into the big house, not the other way round. A serial shown on television channels had a parallel story line with a difference. A middle-class Pakistani father discovers his daughter is interested in some boy of whom he disapproves. Irate, he forces her to marry their young servant, and when that marriage collapses (the servant becomes more interested in his masters wealth than his daughter), the father makes her marry her juvenile underage cousin. Millions of families throughout
Pakistan must have watched that serial and empathised with the trauma of the young girl. Not one of them is likely to remember the names of the teenaged housemaids assaulted or beaten to death by their educated employers. If anything of them remains, it will be as nameless statistics in a thin file, buried in the cemetery known as police records. In Pakistan, the good die young; poor housemaids die even younger.
He would look askance at equating himself with a servant by clearing the meal table in Lahore
Whoever chooses to write a social history of Pakistan will find it difficult to pinpoint the exact moment our hearts stopped beating for our fellow citizens. Was it in the 1950s when the anti-Ahmadi riots stained the Mall at Lahore red? Was it when we chose after the 1971 war to ignore the sufferings of
the thousands of Prisoners of War (POWs) and the Civilians in Protective Custody (CUPCs)? Was it when in 2007, we watched the streets of Rawalpindi being hosed down, diluting a fallen leaders blood as it trickled down the drain? Or was it when we saw bodybags being delivered to hospitals throughout the country as if they were daily medical supplies? Of course, there never is any one single trauma, no unique Pearl Harbour, that causes a nation to galvanise into a unified remonstrance. Reaction to tragedy is a slow process. It takes time. Meanwhile, crises, like the relentless drip of water on a prisoners forehead, gradually numb a peoples consciousness into an inert, unresisting acceptance. Pakistan can be described as a country whose leadership over the years has institutionalised callousness and indifference to a level where it is indistinguishable from public policy. The states ownership towards its citizens has been privatised. It no longer has a stake in them. Were Doomsday to occurtomorrow, were Pakistan to implode suddenly, it would solve all its myriad problems. It would certainly satisfy many an armchair Cassandra. Countries with a population of over 180 million humans however do not disappear into a Black
Hole of non-existence. They continue to exist because, like Mount Everest, they are there. The more mundane reason is that international creditors cannot bring themselves to unplug the life-support system that sustains such bedridden economies. The truth is, nations survive because ultimately the will of the people is more resilient than the willful errancy of its leadership. In India, as in other developing countries, class barriers have been eroded by the tsunami of widespread education. In Pakistan, class barriers have themselves become the barriers to the wider dissemination of education. And again, while India has demonstrated that mass education produces a vibrant middle class, Pakistan has inverted that maxim and made the middle class responsible for its own education. Anyone in government concerned with education would be hard-pressed to provide a clear vision of the contours of Pakistanis in 2030. Will they be open-minded citizens capable of integrating in a modern world? Will they continue to remain stratified in the present class distinctions? Or will they migrate and clear tables in Toronto? There are some who would maintain that the churning of a troubled childhood produces geniuses. Take
Charles Dickens and Charlie Chaplin. Both of them spent their precious childhood doing menial labour. Dr Abdus Salam (our sole Nobel Laureate) came from a backwater: Maghiana in Jhang District.
Whoever chooses to write a social history of Pakistan will find it difficult to pinpoint the exact moment our hearts stopped beating for our fellow citizens
Dr Salams birthday January 29 should be celebrated as our equivalent of Martin Luther King Day in the United States. King lived and died championing emancipation, Salam lived and died advocating education. Salam, Dickens, and Chaplin are names those juvenile maidservants would never have recognised. But then, they could barely write their own. l FS Aijazuddin, OBE, is the author of more than a dozen books. This article was first published in Dawn.
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Entertainment
50 YEARS OF CHHAYANAUT
Chhayanauts two-day celebrations marking its 50th anniversary began yesterday with an array of programmes at the institutes auditorium
ON TV
MOVIE
7:14pm HBO Romeo Must Die 9:30pm Star Movies
DRAMA
8:00pm Sony Aadalat 9:30pm Star World
Bunheads
COMEDY
1:30pm Comedy Central Outsourced 10:30pm Star World
Two And A Half Men
MISC
1:30pm Discovery Man Woman Wild 7:30pm AXN The Millionaire Matchmaker
TODAY IN DHAKA
Film
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Thor: The Dark World, Pacific Rim in 3D, The Conjuring, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Escape Plan Time: 10am 10pm Star Cineplex, Level 8 Bashundhara City
n Entertainment Desk
To promote and protect the legacy of Bangladeshi films, an interesting documentary titled Shorup Shondhan is in the making by Mohammad Shazzad Hossain and Arafatul Kabir Rizve. The documentary focuses on the history of film in Bangladesh, the rich cultural heritage, evolution of language and the social change process. The documentary is well underway with the shooting of eight of its songs already completed last Wednesday. The songs Raifel Jokhon Camera, Obiram Srome R Foshole, Koto Gunijon Cinema Banalo, Kotha Theke Jay and three more are written and composed by Arafatul Kabir and Bhagirath Malo. The music directors of Shorup Shondhan are Didarul Karim and Robins Chowdhury, while Bhagirath Malo lends his voice in all of the songs. Directors of the documentary are very hopeful about the project as they are considering the well researched documentary to be a reference for aspiring filmmakers and researchers. l
Exhibition
Gravity-Free World By Artist A Rahman Time: 12pm 8pm Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts House 42, Road 16 (New) / 27 (old) Dhanmondi Life and Struggle of Padma By Sumon Yusuf Time: 3pm 9pm La Galerie, Alliance Francaise de Dhaka Paying a tribute to legendary actor of Bangla cinema, Suchitra Sen, musical programme was held on January 30 at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Celebrated singers of the country rendered popular songs from the films of Suchitra Sen. A houseful of audience attended the programme
Sport
n Mazhar Uddin
Usually, the day after a Test match ends, the players rest, but after suffering a crushing defeat to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh coach Shane Jurgensen had his boys in the field practicing yesterday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Jurgensen said that this was the worst his side had performed since the Australian took over and added that the players had been distracted by ICC issues. I am very disappointed after the first Test. The cricket we have played in the last match is no way near to our standard. I have sat with the cricketers yesterday (Thursday) and discussed our mistakes but we have no much time left before the next Test, so we have to move on quickly, he said. Shane Jurgensen added that poor performance was linked with the recent issue of the ICCs draft proposal, as it served to distract the players, I think there was also a little distraction before the game that probably didnt help either with the ICC, but at the same time there are no excuses. We are representing Bangladesh in international cricket and we just couldnt quite come through and play well in this game. The Tigers were terrible in every department of the game and the Australian said that since he took charge, this was the poorest the team had been. Probably we are played out
DHAKA TRIBUNE
13
0 4 3
DAYS TO GO
14 Young delights in
Mata impact
Bangladesh head coach Shane Jurgensen discusses a point with the players during a practice session at the SBNS yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Rajshahi v Sylhet
Dhaka v Rangpur
MUMIT M
Resuming with 357 on the board, Dhaka lost Shuvagata for 165 and Rakibul for 154, before wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan made 109 to take them to 616/7 declared, at the Shahid Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi. In reply, Rangpur finished the second day at 151/2, with opener Salauddin Pappu 78 not out.
Sylhet, who bowled out Rajshahi for 217 runs on the first day and started the second day at 95 for no loss, were bundled out for 244 courtesy of left arm spinner Saqlain Saji, who claimed six wickets and another left arm spinner Taijul Islam, who took the other four. Opening batsman Sayem Alam top scored with 83. Rajshahi also struggled in their second innings and were cut down to 100/6 at sumps at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah.
Imran made 61 at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium. Fazle Rabbi and Golam Kabir took three wickets each for Barisal. In reply, Barisal lose three wickets in reaching 78 and they are still 279 runs behind.
Khulna v Barisal
Riding on three half centuries, hosts Khulna, who scored 252/6 on the first day, were all out for 357. National cricketer Ziaur Rahman was the highest scorer with 77 not out while Tushar
At Bogras Shaheed Chandu Stadium, Metro, who were restricted to 221 in the first innings,bowled Chittagong out for 195 to take a 26 run lead. Nafees Iqbal was the star for Chittagong with 97. Fast bowler Shohid took five wickets for Dhaka, while Asif Ahmed provided able support with three. In their second innings, Metro lost three wickets before the stumps as they accumulated 77 runs, with Mehrab Hossain and Bishwanath Halder at the crease. l
University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) and North South University (NSU) cruised into the semi-finals of the ULAB Fair Play Cup Cricket by winning their Super Eight matches at the ULAB playground, Ramchandrapur, Mohammadpur yesterday. In the first game of the Super Eights, ULAB beat BRAC University by 10 wickets and later, NSU overpowered East West University (EWU) by six wickets. Opting to field first, ULAB bundled BRACU for 64. Man-of-the-match Mursalin bin Mortaza was the chief wrecker and returned figures of 3/12. In reply, ULAB raced to the target in just 4.5 overs, with Hasan Zaman striking 40 off 12 balls. By contrast, North South University were made to work hard to edge past East West University. Winning the toss, EWU elected to bat first and put 121/6 on the board. Rifats 28 runs off 17 balls was the notable score. NSU chased down the score, reaching 123/4 in 18.4 overs. Rakin Ahmed of NSU scored 61 of 43 balls and was named man-of-the-match. Independent University Bangladesh will face State University Bangladesh at 9:30am and Manarat International University will face Northern University Bangladesh at 1:30pm in todays matches. l ULABs Mursalin bin Mortaza receives his man of the match award against BRAC University at the ULAB playground, Ramchandrapur yesterday COURTESY
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DHAKA TRIBUNE
Sport
Racing Santander forfeit Cup tie over unpaid wages n AFP, Madrid
The players of third-tier Spanish side Racing Santander refused to play in their Copa del Rey quarter-final, second leg against Real Sociedad on Thursday in a dispute with the clubs president Angel Lavin over unpaid wages. Despite an amazing cup run that has included victories over La Liga sides Sevilla and Almeria, the players havent been paid since September. The squad warned on Monday that they would refuse to play the match if Lavin and the rest of his board didnt resign. Both sides took to the field of play and kicked off as normal. However, after Sociedad had kept possession for 40 seconds without any challenge from the Racing players, referee Gil Manzano called the game off when Santander captain Mario Fernandez informed him his side would take no further part. Sociedad were leading 3-1 from the first leg last week and are expected to be awarded a 3-0 win on the night to progress to the last four where they will meet Barcelona. l
Referee whistles the end of the game few minutes after it started as players of third-tier Spanish side Racing Santander refused to play in their Copa del Rey quarterfinal, second leg against Real Sociedad in a dispute with the club's president Angel Lavin over unpaid wages, at El Sardinero stadium in Santander on Thursday AFP
FIXTURES
Cardiff Everton Fulham Hull Newcastle Stoke West Ham v v v v v v v Norwich Aston Villa Southampton Tottenham Sunderland Man United Swansea
FIXTURES
Barcelona Levante Getafe Malaga v v v v Valencia Rayo Vallecano Valladolid Sevilla
Former Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita has arrived on a short-term deal for Valencia until the end of the season but will not be involved against his old club after not being included in coach Juan Antonio Pizzis squad. l
last spot in manager David Moyess strongest side, said: You have to be on the ball. You have to put in big performances every week. We have a big squad and we can rotate the team. When you are playing well, get-
ting goals and assists, you are there in the managers thoughts, added the 28-year-old, who scored Uniteds second goal against Cardiff following Dutch striker van Persies sixth-minute opener at Old Trafford on Tuesday. We have competition for places and that keeps you on your toes. You want to keep playing well and training well, because that is the only way to keep yourself in the team, Young explained. Robin is a goalscorer. You put him in the box and he will score, and he has done that again. There will be a lot of talk about Juans arrival and the fact that we have broken the transfer record for him, but he looks like he has been here for years. It was his first game but he has gelled straight away with the way we play. He is going to add something spe-
cial to the squad. Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew is facing a major post-season rebuilding process after admitting defeat in his attempts to sign France international Clement Grenier in the January transfer window. The latest Tyne-Wear derby has been almost an afterthought, with both clubs experiencing hectic spells in the final week of the window. Nevertheless, with Newcastle eighth in the top flight and Sunderland in 17th place, two points above the relegation zone, there is more than just local pride to play for at St James Park this weekend. But the hosts will be without 11-goal top scorer Loic Remy after they failed with an appeal to get the Frenchmans red card received in the midweek goalless draw against Norwich overturned. l
SUMMER TRANSFERS
Chelsea sign teenage Frenchman Zouma
Premier League giants Chelsea announced on Friday that they have signed 19-year-old French centre-back Kurt Zouma from Ligue 1 side Saint-Etienne on a five-and-a-half-year contract. The powerful French Under-21 international, who made his first-team debut at the age of 16, will be loaned back to SaintEtienne until the end of the season.
Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha has been loaned to Cardiff City until the end of the season, the Welsh clubs manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, announced on Friday. Zaha, 21, signed for United from Crystal Palace in a deal worth 15 million ($24.5 million, 18 million euros) a year ago before being loaned back to the London club.
Fulham have signed the German international midfielder Lewis Holtby on loan from Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the season, the club confirmed on Friday. Holtby, 23, who played three times for Germany, joined Tottenham from Schalke 04 in the January transfer window a year ago but has been unable to establish a regular place in the first-team.
Argentina international striker Ignacio Scocco became Sunderlands fourth arrival of the January transfer window when he signed a two-and-a-half year contract with the Premier League club on Thursday. Announcing the deal on their website, the club did not disclose the fee they paid Brazilian club Internacional for the 28-year-old.
Ivory Coast international midfielder Abdul Razak returned to the Premier League when he signed a short-term loan contract with strugglers West Ham United on Thursday. West Ham, who battled to a 0 0 draw at Chelsea on Wednesday, are still in the relegation zone. Razak, 21, began his career with Manchester City before moving to Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala last year.
A combination photo shows the two sides of the Fifa 2014 World Cup commemorative gold coin during its launch ceremony in Brasilia on Wednesday. Made in gold, silver and cupronickel, the coins were launched on Thursday REUTERS
Southampton striker Dani Osvaldo moved closer to signing for Juventus on Friday as the Serie A champions announced the player was undergoing a medical in Turin. Osvaldo, who quit Roma last summer to sign for Southampton in a four-year deal worth a reported 12.8 million ($21.2 million) is expected to sign for the Serie A champions on loan until the end of the season.
n AFP, Paris
Frank Ribery and Karim Benzema were Thursday acquitted of charges of having sex with an under-age prostitute that have been hanging over the two France stars for four years. The decision by a Paris court ends legal proceedings that had threatened to end in prison terms that could have prevented one or both of them from playing in this years World Cup in Brazil. Riberys brother-in-law was also cleared of the charges against him in what had become known as the Zahia affair after the former prostitute involved, Zahia Dehar. The judge however convicted five other men linked to Ribery and Benzema of pimping. l
FIXTURES
Schalke 04 Leverkusen Hoffenheim Mainz Augsburg Hanover 96 v v v v v v VfL Wolfsburg VfB Stuttgart Hamburg Freiburg Bremen Gladbach
There are a lot of teams battling for Champions League spots so this will remain a tight race for a long time, said Schalke sports director Horst Heldt. We now have two home games and one against a direct competitor (VfL
Wolfsburg) and we need to pick up where we left off against Hamburg. With appearances such as the one against Hamburg, Schalke are also eager to quickly extend Huntelaars deal past 2015. The Ruhr Valley club, who face Real Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16 next month, will also have captain Benedikt Hoewedes back in the squad after he missed last weeks Bundesliga resumption following the winter break with a stomach virus. Wolfsburg will be a tough opponent, having boosted their frontline with Belgian forward Kevin De Bruyne from Chelsea but are going to Schalke on the back of a surprise defeat to Hanover 96 last week. Second-placed Bayer Leverkusen entertain Stuttgart while Borussia Dortmund, four points back in third, travel to bottomplaced Eintracht Braunschweig. l
AC Milan on Thursday completed the signing of attacking midfielder Adel Taarabt on loan from English Premier League side Fulham. Taarabt is currently owned by QPR, who loaned the Moroccan international to Fulham for the current season. The 24-year-old signed a deal that will see him remain on loan, with an option to join permanently, at the Serie A giants until the summer.
Napoli have signed Brazilian international Henrique from Palmeiras for an undisclosed fee, the Serie A club announced. The 27-year-old centre back, who has played four times for Brazil, has signed a contract that will keep him at Napoli until June 2017. Napoli are third in Serie A, six points behind secondplaced AS Roma and 12 behind league leaders Juventus.
Brazilian Hernanes edged closer to completing a move from Lazio to Inter on Friday, a day after an emotional exit from the Roman club marked by tears and gifting his football boots to waiting fans. The 28-year-old midfielder, who did not train with Lazio on Friday morning, is expeced to be confirmed as an Inter player later in the day.
Champions League runners-up Borussia Dortmund have signed Serbian midfielder Milos Jojic from Partizan Belgrade on the last day of the transfer window as they look to plug the gap of injured Jakub Blaszczykowski. The 21-year-old Jojic signed a four-year deal becoming Dortmunds only transfer in the winter after the club had initially ruled out buying any players.
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Sport
15
SCORECARD
New Zealand M. Guptill c Shami b Aaron J. Ryder c Rahane b Kumar K. Williamson c Rahane b Aaron R. Taylor c Dhawan b Shami B. McCullum c Sharma b Kohli J. Neesham not out L. Ronchi not out Extras (b1, w5, lb6) Total (5 wickets: 50 overs) 16 17 88 102 23 34 11 12 303
QUICK BYTES
Usha Krira Chakra registered their fifth consecutive victory to continue their 100% winning record in the Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League by beating Sonali Bank 4 2 at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium yesterday. Penalty corner specialist Mamunur Rahman Chayan netted twice for the victors, once in the 6th minute and the other from a penalty corner in the 22nd minute. Krishna Kumar Das and Rimon Kumar Ghosh added one each in the 45th and 46th minutes respectively. Ekanul Kabeer Turzo scored two for Sonali Bank in the 31st and 52nd minutes both goals coming from penalty corners. SH
Bowling Shami 10 3 61 1 (2w), Kumar 8 0 48 1 (2w), Aaron 10 0 60 2 (1w), Ashwin 6 037 0, Jadeja 9 0 54 0, Kohli 7 0 36 1 India R. Sharma c Taylor b Mills 4 S. Dhawan c N.McCullum b Henry 9 V. Kohli c Y Husband b McCullum 82 A. Rahane lbw Henry 2 A.Rayudu c Williamson b Henry 20 M. Dhoni c Williamson b Neesham 47 R. Ashwin b Williamson 7 R. Jadeja c Guptill b Mills 5 B.Kumar c Ronchi b Henry 20 M. Shami not out 14 V. Aaron b Neesham 0 Extras (lb1, w4, nb1) 6 Total (all out: 49.4) 216 Bowling Mills 10 1 35 2, McClenaghan 10 0 450, Henry 10 1 38 4, Neesham 5.4 045 1, N.McCullum 10 1 33 1, Williamson 4 0 19 2 New Zealand win by 82 runs New Zealand win 4 0
New Zealand players celebrate winning the ODI series after the fifth and final match against India in Wellington at Westpac Stadium yesterday
AFP
took the chance after a nervous juggle. That brought the in-form partnership of Williamson and Taylor together and they immediately lifted the glacial run rate, scoring more boundaries in their first three overs at the crease than New Zealand managed in the previous 12. They brought up their third century partnership of the series in 108 balls, with Williamson reaching his fifth consecutive 50 in the 30th over. Taylor notched his own half century a few balls later as the pressure India had painstakingly built early in the innings dissipated. Williamson departed on 88 when he sliced a Varun Aaron delivery to Rahane at point and was replaced by Brendon McCullum, who provided a useful 23 off 18 balls before he was caught at cover trying to drive Kohli. Taylor brought up his 10th ODI century after 105 balls with a boundary hit through mid-wicket, but was out next ball attempting to belt Shami over the boundary. Jimmy Neesham contributed an unbeaten 34 off 19 balls to take New Zealand past 300, a mark that Indias batsmen reached only once in the series. l
DAYS WATCH
Sony Six NBA 2013 14 7:00AM Brooklyn v Oklahoma City 9:30AM LA Lakers v Charlotte Rugby Six Nation 2014 8:30PM Wales v Italy 11:00PM France v England Ten Golf 3:00PM Omega Dubai Classic Day 3 Star Sports HD1 3:30PM & 8:30PM Hockey India League Star Sports 4 English Premier League 6:45PM Cardiff City v Norwich City 9:00PM Stoke City v Man United Star Sports HD2 La Liga 9:00PM Barcelona v Valencia 11:00PM Levante v Rayo Vallecano 1:00AM Getafe v Real Valladolid 3:00AM Malaga v Sevilla Ten Action 6:10PM Sky Bet Championship QPR v Burnley French Ligue 1 9:30PM FC Lorient v AS Monaco 1:00AM Evan Thonon v AC Ajaccio
SCORECARD
England A. Hales c Starc b Hazlewood 16 M. Lumb c Coulter-Nile b Hazlewood 18 L. Wright c Hodge b Starc 0 J. Root run out (Maxwell/White) 18 E. Morgan run out (Hodge) 6 J. Buttler lbw b Coulter-Nile 22 R. Bopara c Maxwell b Muirhead 6 T. Bresnan b Hazlewood 18 S. Broad not out 18 J. Tredwell b Hazlewood 0 Extras (lb4, w4) 8 Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 130 Fall of wickets 1 24 (Lumb), 2 30 (Wright), 3 42 (Hales), 4 55 (Morgan), 5 63 (Root), 6 87 (Bopara), 7 96 (Buttler), 8 130 (Bresnan), 9 130 (Tredwell) Bowling Hodge 1 0 10 0, Coulter-Nile 4 0 29 1, Starc 4 0 19 1, Hazlewood 4 0 30 4 (2w), Maxwell 1 0 7 0, Muirhead 4 017 1 (2w), White 2 0 14 0 Australia C. White not out 57 A. Finch lbw b Bresnan 10 G. Maxwell c Bresnan b Tredwell 2 G. Bailey not out 60 Extras (lb1, w1) 2 Total (2 wickets; 14.5 overs) 131 Fall of wickets 1 48 (Finch), 2 53 (Maxwell) Bowling Broad 3 0 29 0, Dernbach 3 0 42 0, Bresnan 3 0 11 1 (1w), Tredwell 3.5 036 1, Bopara 2 0 12 0 Australia won by 8 wickets Australia lead series 2 0
Switzerland's Roger Federer returns the ball to Serbia's Ilija Bozoljac during the Davis Cup first round tennis match between Serbia and Switzerland in Novi Sad yesterday AFP
Australia's Cameron White (R) and George Bailey celebrate victory over England during the second T20 international cricket match in Melbourne yesterday AFP
6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-3 in just over three hours and was followed by Golubev who overcame David Goffin 7-6 (11/9), 3-6, 4-6, 6-2, 12-10 in a four hour 38-minute thriller. Im really pleased to win the first point for my team, Kukushkin said. The match was much tougher than one can imagine looking at the scoreline. Hosts France went 1-0 up on clay in Mouilleron-le-Captif with Richard Gasquet seeing off Australian teenager Nick Kyrgios 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, 6-2. Gasquet held off the 18-year-old Kyrgios in straight sets in just over two hours. I knew that the first set was really important. I had to win it, said Gasquet. Once I did I gained in confidence. If he (Kyrgios) had won the first set it would have been a different match. Hes (Kyrgios) a player with a big serve who already has a lot of talent. I was favourite today but hes still young I think he has a huge future. l
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DHAKA TRIBUNE
Back Page
Hundreds of school children express their joy by displaying their prized books at Ramna Batamul in the capital yesterday. Biswa Sahitya Kendra distributed books among school children with a view to create an enlightened generation NASHIRUL ISLAM
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