Australia show India out

Nation celebrates 45th Independence Dayn Tribune Report

The country celebrated its 45th Independ-ence and National Day yesterday with due solemnity and festivity.

On March 26, 1971, father of the nation Bang-abandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh’s independence following the crack-down on unarmed Bangalis on the midnight of March 25 by the Pakistani occupation forces.

After a nine-month bloody War of Liber-ation, the people of the country achieved its cherished independence on December 16, 1971.

The day was a public holiday.President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minis-

ter Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting the people of the country on the oc-casion, the UNB reported.

“The present government has taken up Vision 2021 for materialising the dream into reality. It is my expectation that people from all strata would contribute to building an IT-based happy and prosperous Bangladesh

PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Maldives threatens to cancel visas of NRBs if they protest killing of two compatriotsn Adil Sakhawat

Ignoring a ban from the Maldives govern-ment, Bangladeshi expatriates in the island nation will stage a demonstration in the cap-ital Male today protesting the murders of two Bangladeshis and attack on two others.

The government of the Maldives on the oth-er hand threatened to cancel the visas of the protesters, reported local media.

Around 70,000 Bangladeshis are now liv-ing in the country of 3.5 lakh population, mostly without any valid documents, accord-ing to uno� cial � gures.

The Bangladeshi expatriates living in Mal-dives decided to stage the protest in front of the local Bangladesh High Commission o� ce today after Shaheen Mia, 25, and Bilal, around 25, were killed in Male this week in separate incidents.

Shaheen was stabbed to death in a Male cafe in the morning of March 22 while Bilal was found dead in Alif Alif Atoll Thoddoo Is-land on March 25 night.

An Indian national was also stabbed by miscreants in the same place within a week.

PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

PAGE 6Abducted manrescued from Dhaka

PAGE 4BSF returns four detained Comilla detectives

PAGE 3Jail killing case convict Kismat dies in Canada

PAGE 6Bomb attack on BGB in Chuadanga

PAGE 4RAB will prevent ter-rorism and militancy

WHEN AUSTRALIA STOOD UP FOR BANGLADESH PAGE 7

MALNUTRITION COSTS ECONOMY PAGE 24

TENDER FLOATED FOR FIRST SATELLITE PAGE 3

SECOND EDITION

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015 | Chaitra 13, 1421, Jamadius Sani 6, 1436 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 2, No 351 | www.dhakatribune.com | 24 pages plus 24-page Weekend | Price: Tk10

n Mazhar Uddin from Sydney

Australia set up a grand � nal showdown with trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand after romp-ing to a convincing 95-run win over defend-ing champions India in the second semi-� nal

at Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday. The cohosts will meet this Sunday at Mel-bourne Cricket Ground to decide whether the Aussies seal their � fth World Cup ti-tle or the Kiwis clinch their

maiden crown after six semi-� nal failures.That Australia cantered to their seventh

World Cup � nal appearance was largely down to Steve Smith’s heroics. The busy right-hand-er smashed a brilliant hundred as the Aussies posted an imposing 328/7 from their 50 overs. Later, he was involved in a spectacular run-out as India ended their reply on 233 in 46.5 overs.

Chasing a record target in a World Cup semi-� nal, India started well as Shikhar Dha-wan and Rohit Sharma added 76 runs for the opening wicket. Dhawan, however, was una-ble to convert his knock into a signi� cant score as he departed after making 45 o� 41 balls with the help of half a dozen boundaries and a six.

PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

India's captain MS Dhoni (C) walks o� the pitch as Australian team mates celebrate being run out by Glenn Maxwell during their Cricket World Cup semi-� nal match against India yesterday REUTERS

Students put up a colourful display with � ags at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on the 45th Independence Day yesterday SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Khaleda absent from National Mausoleumn Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia did not go to the National Mausoleum on Independence Day yesterday to pay her respect to the mar-tyrs of the Liberation War.

However, a delegation of BNP leaders led by the party’s Standing Committee members Mah-bubur Rahman and Abdul Moyeen Khan paid tributes at the National Mausoleum in Savar.

Khaleda, who has been holed up in her of-� ce since January 3, did not clarify any reason for her absence at the National Mausoleum.

However, from her Gulshan o� ce, Khale-da on Wednesday night issued a press release saying: “This year, Independence Day is being observed at a time when there is no democra-cy in the country.”

Earlier on February 21, the three-time for-mer prime minister also skipped paying hom-age to the language movement heroes.

The 69-year old Khaleda did not even visit the grave of her husband Ziaur Rahman on January 19 to mark his birth anniversary; neither did she come out of her o� ce following the death of her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko. l

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pay tribute to the Liberation War martyrs at the National Mouseleum in Savar on the 45th Independence Day yesterday BSS

Nation celebrates 45th Independence Daythrough implementing the vision by the gold-en jubilee celebration of our independence,” the president said.

In her message, the prime minister said the independence earned through the sacri� ce of millions of people is the greatest achievement of the nation.

“To make the achievement meaningful, all must know the true history of the Liberation War and retain the spirit the independence. It would have to be spread generation to gener-ation,” she said.

The president and the prime minister also paid tributes to the martyrs of the war by placing wreaths at the National Memorial yes-terday morning, the BSS reported.

They were joined by Jatiya Sangsad Speak-er Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, ministers, advisers, parliament members, chiefs of the three armed services, freedom � ghters, diplo-mats and high civil and military o� cials.

The national � ag was hoisted atop govern-ment and private buildings while the govern-ment and semi-government buildings and oth-er public places were decorated in celebration.

The prime minister also paid tributes to Bangabandhu by placing wreaths at his por-trait in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Mu-seum at Dhanmondi.

Later, she released a commemorative post-

age stamp, a � rst day cover and a data card at her Ganobhaban residence.

Di� erent socio-economic-politcal and aca-demic organisations around the country organ-ised programmes to remember the war martyrs and pay their homage throughout the day.

Several BNP leaders also went to the Na-tional Memorial to pay their tribute to the war martyrs. However, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia did not join her fellow BNP leaders, similar-ly as the National Martyrs Day on February 21.

President hosts reception marking Independence DayPresident Abdul Hamid and his wife Rashi-da Khanom hosted a reception yesterday evening at Bangabhaban on the occasion of the Independence and National Day.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the reception held at the lawn of the president’s House.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Raushon Ershad joined the reception.

Valiant freedom � ghters and family mem-bers of the Birshreshtha gallantry awards at-tended the function, the UNB reported.

The chief justice, cabinet members, dep-uty speaker, advisers to the prime minister, state ministers, supreme court judges, elec-

tion commissioners, cabinet secretary, chiefs of the three armed services, members of parliament, senior political leaders, newspa-per editors, senior civil and military o� cers, academics, diplomats, senior lawyers, busi-ness community leaders, artistes and distin-guished citizens also joined the reception.

The president and the prime minister to-gether exchanged greetings with war-wound-ed freedom � ghters and other guests at the function.

They also enquired about the well-being of the war-wounded freedom � ghters and as-sured them of extending all-out support for their all possible welfare.

No BNP leader was seen at the programme, though its 21 top leaders, including Chairper-son Khaleda Zia, were invited.

Modi, Pranab greet people of BangladeshIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greet-ed Bangladeshis on the eve of the 45th Inde-pendence Day on micro-blogging site Twitter.

The Indian PM wrote: “Independence Day greetings to the people of Bangladesh, a Na-tion that has always been an enduring and important friend for India.”

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee also earlier extended his greetings on the occa-sion. l

Australia show India outFollowing Dhawan’s departure, the men in blue kept losing wickets at regular intervals. MS Dhoni might have been his side’s highest scorer with a-run-a-ball 65 but the way he sur-rendered his wicket to a direct hit from Glenn Maxwell was the common story of the Indian batsmen yesterday.

The most dependable batting line-up in the world marched towards the dressing room one after another as Ajinkya Rahane’s 44 and Rohit Sharma’s 34 proved to be noth-ing but consolation at the end. Star batsman Virat Kohli, meanwhile, continued his poor run of form as he was dismissed for just one.

All-rounder James Faulkner scalped three valuable wickets while fellow left-arm fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc bagged two each.

Australian skipper Michael Clarke earlier won an important toss and had no hesitation opting to take � rst strike on an SCG track that o� ers a lot of runs.

Despite losing David Warner early, Aar-on Finch and Australia’s man of the summer Smith milked the Indian bowlers in a cool and calculated approach, adding 182 runs, only 12 short of the highest second-wicket partner-ship in World Cups registered by Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar and Wajahatullah Wasti against New Zealand in 1999.

Certainly Australia’s future captain, Smith continued his run-spree against the subconti-nent giant. He smashed four gorgeous bounda-ries o� Umesh Yadav in the 10th over to indicate that Warner’s early departure was long forgotten.

The 25-year old blasted two fours and a six o� Mohammad Shami in the � rst over of the batting powerplay to bring up his maiden World Cup hundred.

He was � nally dismissed after hammering 105 o� 93 deliveries, his match-saving knock featuring 11 fours and two sixes.

Australia, however, were unable to build on the good work of Smith and Finch, who was holding one end with his controlled bat-ting. At one stage, the Aussies were cruising at 197/1 but they lost six wickets for 131 runs to give brief hope to the Indian side.

The Aussies were well placed to go past 350 but Yadav and Mohit Sharma, with four and two wickets respectively, ensured India were not out of the game by the end of the � rst innings.

Following Smith’s dismissal, Finch too made his way to the dressing room after scoring 81. From there, a few cameos from Maxwell, Shane Watson, Faulkner and Mitchell Johnson took the home side beyond the 300-run mark. l

Maldives threatens to cancel visas of NRBs if they protest killing of two compatriotsMaldives police are yet to arrest the killers.

The Bangladeshi High Commission o� -cials in Male told the Dhaka Tribune that the high commission authorities told Bangla-deshis living in Male that they would ensure their security there and asked them not to hold any protest.

Meanwhile, the country’s Immigration and Emigration Department have already issued a warning saying that protesting for their rights was against the term of their work permits and it also threatened to cancel visas of pro-testers, reported a local media of Maldives.

In a statement, Controller of Immigration and Emigration Department of the Maldives Mohamed Anwar said: “The department will not hesitate to penalise those who participate in protests.”

He also called on employers to ask migrant workers to respect Maldivian laws.

While contacted, newly joined Bangladeshi High Commissioner in Maldives Rear Admi-ral Kazi Sarwar Hossain said: “I have already talked to Home Minister Umar Naseer, Police Commissioner Hussein Waheed and Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon about the recent murders and requested them to ensure Bang-ladeshi migrants’ safety and security. They also assured me of taking steps in this regard.”

When asked if Bangladeshi expatriates would stage any protest after the Maldivian authorities’ warning to cancel their visas he said: “I am continuously talking to Bangla-deshi expatriates and have already issued cir-cular giving our o� cial numbers to inform us immediately if they face any security threat.

“The Bangladeshis also assured us that they would not stage any protest if the high com-mission takes initiatives to ensure their safety.”

He also said: “The high commission will

take necessary steps to quell the situation through diplomatic channel.”

However, Ahmed Tholal, vice-president of the Human Rights Commission of the Mal-dives, said the ban on migrant workers’ pro-test was unconstitutional, reports Minivan news of Maldives.

“The constitution guarantees every person on Maldivian soil the right to protest. A clause in a migrant worker’s contract cannot over-ride the constitution,” he told Minivan News.

But many expatriates living in Maldives told the Dhaka Tribune over phone that the migrant workers living in the capital Male will protest peacefully in front of the Bangladeshi High Commission today.

A Bangladeshi migrant wishing anonymi-ty said after the murders of two Bangladesh-is and attacks on three others within a week they were feeling insecure there. l

NEWS2DT

NEWS 3D

TFRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

BANGABANDHU SATELLITE

Int’l Tender � oated, anticipated launch in late 2017n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

An international tender for the Bangabandhu 1 satellite has been � oated, with the govern-ment now anticipating to launch the space-craft in late 2017.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regula-tory Commission (BTRC) in a tender dated March 24, but published yesterday, said only satellite companies with at least 15 years of experience can compete for the contract.

According to the advertisement, tender documents will be available until May 24 for $5,000; a pre-bid meeting will be held on April 27; and June 2 will be the last date for submit-ting tender and also the day the submissions will be opened.

The advertisement follows comments on Tuesday by Obaidul Quader, the man in charge of the Post, Telecom and ICT Ministry in parliament, who told the Jatiya Sangsad that the government expects to sign an agree-ment with the main satellite contractor in September this year.

Although the o� cial duration of the Bang-abandhu Satellite Launching Project is July 2014-June 2017, the BTRC is now reportedly planning on launching the spacecraft on De-cember 16, 2017, to mark the country’s Victory Day.

ATM Monirul Alam, commissioner (spec-trum management) of the BTRC, last week told the Dhaka Tribune that they were hope-ful about launching the country’s � rst ever

satellite by its December 2017 goal.According to the published advertisement,

the BTRC will provide the land for ground sta-tions and utilities such as electricity, sewage system, water and internet to support con-tractor development e� orts.

“Tenderers from all countries are eligible, except countries having no diplomatic rela-tions with Bangladesh,” tender documents read.

“In order to participate in the tender, a pro-spective tenderer must be a manufacturer of geosynchronous satellites whose capabilities, track record and compatibility with multiple commercial launch systems meet speci� c mandatory requirements.”

The advertisement mentions that the ten-derer will be “required to propose � nancing 85% of the value of their components that could be � nanced; the terms and conditions of such � nancing and other terms with will be negotiated.”

On September 16 last year, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved Tk2,967 crore for the Bang-abandhu 1 satellite project.

The BTRC has already paid $5.6m or 20% of the cost to Intersputnik, a satellite company from Russia, as the � rst instal-ment of purchasing an orbital slot on 119.1 East Longitude, the cost of which was fixed at $28m, equivalent to around Tk218.96 crore.

According to a contract signed on January 15 this year with Intersputnik, the BTRC will have to pay 30% of the cost or $8.4m with-in the next 15 months, 25% or $7m within 18 months after that, and the rest within the next eight months.

According to the project documents, BTRC has selected two locations for ground han-dling – Telecom Sta� College in Gazipur and Betbunia Earth Station in Rangamati.

When launched, Bangab-andhu 1 will serve the Saarc countries, Indonesia, and the Philippines, as well as the “Stan” countries – such as Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – if its frequency is properly coordinated.

The telecom regulator is op-timistic that it would take only seven years to reach breakeven in the project. l

Jail killing case convict Kismat dies in Canadan Tribune Report

One of the convicted killers of the four nation-al leaders, Captain (relieved) Kismat Hashem, died of heart attack in Canada early yesterday.

Kismat died at his home in Montreal around 6am, his younger brother Shawkat Hasem Shoku said. He would be buried after a janaza today.

Kismat was sentenced to life in prison for the murders in the early hours of November 3, 1975, at the Dhaka Central Jail.

Tajuddin Ahmed, Bangladesh’s � rst prime minister; Syed Nazrul Islam, the � rst vice-president; and ministers of Mujibnagar government Captain M Mansur Ali and AHM Quamruzzaman were arrested after the as-sassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with his family members on August 15 the same year. They were assas-sinated inside the jail amid coup and coun-ter-coup in the army.

Kismat � ed the country soon after the kill-ings.

Trial in the case began after the Awami League assumed o� ce in 1996. A Dhaka court on October 20, 2004, awarded capital punish-ment to three former army men and life-term jail to 12 others including Kismat.

The Supreme Court upheld the lower court verdict on April 30, 2013. Four of the convicts were executed in Bangabandhu murder case. l

Mahi B Chowdhury collects nomination formn Munir Momtaj

Mahi B Chowdhury, joint secretary general of Bikolpo Dhara Bangladesh, collected nomi-nation paper yesterday to vie for the mayor-al post in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) election.

Sarwar Morshed collected the form on be-half of Mahi from Returning O� cer Shah Alam.

The returning o� cer of the DNCC said: “Though today is March 26, a national holi-day, our o� ce has remained open so that can-didates can collect their nomination papers.”

The DNCC has so far seen 23 mayoral aspir-ants, 665 councilor candidates and 136 con-tenders for the reserved women councilor posts collect nomination forms, said Shah Alam.

“We have issued 23 show-cause notices to those who violated election code of conduct.”

The EC o� ce yesterday issued show-cause notices to mayoral candidate Shamsul Alam Chowdhury, 13 councilor candidates and three reserved women councilor aspirants. l

Thousands throng the National Mausoleum in Savar to pay respect to Liberation War martyrs on the Independence Day MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

The BTRC has already paid $5.6m or 20% of the cost to Intersputnik, a satellite company from Russia, as the � rst instalment of purchasing an orbital slot

NEWS4DTFRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

Chittagong BNP backs Manjur Alam re-election bidn Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

The day after an o� cial BNP press statement dismissed the upcoming city corporation polls as a “mockery of elections,” the party’s Chittagong city leadership announced its mayoral candidate and claimed the BNP cen-tral command had endorsed their choice.

In a seeming about-turn on the issue, BNP Vice-Chairman Abdullah Al Noman yesterday said participating in the three city corporation polls was part of the BNP’s ongoing anti-gov-ernment movement.

“The BNP central command will soon an-nounce mayoral candidates for the three city corporation elections,” he said.

Following a meeting with incumbent Chit-tagong city Mayor M Manjur Alam and BNP city unit President Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Noman said the BNP’s Chit-tagong leadership had recommended that the

party back Manjur’s re-election bid.The incumbent mayor said he would col-

lect nomination papers if the BNP’s central leadership endorses his nomination for the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) mayoral polls scheduled for April 28.

BNP Chittagong city unit Vice-President Abu Su� an con� rmed to the Dhaka Tribune that the BNP central command had endorsed Manjur for the CCC elections, adding that it would be o� cially announced shortly.

Abu Su� an and other leaders of the unit were present at the meeting. But city unit General Secretary Dr Shahadat Hossain, an-other aspirant for the mayoral nomination, did not attend the meeting.

Claiming that the public was eager to give its decision against the government, Noman said the BNP was now more united than at any other time.

“If the election takes place in a free and fair

manner, the BNP-backed candidate will win just like in the previous election,” he added.

Amir Khasru said the BNP would reply to the oppression of the ruling party by getting the mandate of the people at the ballot box.

On Wednesday, BNP-backed Chattagram Unnayan Andolon, an organisation of pro-BNP professionals, announced its support for Manjur’s candidacy.

When asked whether their endorsement was supported by the BNP, Chattagram Un-nayan Andolon Convener Dr Abul Kalam Azad said his organisation was a professional association and that any party could support its views.

According to Election Commission rules, the deadline to submit nomination forms is March 29. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on April 1 and 2.

The deadline to withdraw nominations is April 9. l

BSF returns four detained Comilla detectives n Our Correspondent, Comilla

The Indian Border Security Force has returned four police o� cials of the Detective Branch in Comilla several hours after detaining them.

Of the four, ASI Md Sabuj and Consta-ble Selim were returned around 11:45pm on Wednesday while ASI Md Alamgir and Con-stable Taposh at 12:45am yesterday.

They all were returned through Akhaura border in Brahmanbaria.

Their release followed a discussion among top BGB and BSF o� cials.

O� cer-in-Charge of Comilla district DB police, AKM Manjurul Alam, said the four po-licemen were returned in the presence of BGB 12 battalion Commander Lt Col Md Nazrul Is-lam.

He said Sabuj and Selim had sustained in-juries in the head.

On Wednesday afternoon, the four detec-tives during an operation crossed the Ash-abari border in Comilla and got into a house in Rahimpur village of the Indian district of Sipahijala.

A BSF team detained them from there. l

Education minister says would take 50 years to make up for lossn Our Correspondent, Sylhet

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said the country will need another 50 years to � x the damages caused to the education sector by Khaleda Zia’s thoughtless imposition of blockade and hartals.

“BNP leader Khaleda Zia is trying to de-stroy the lives of students without the un-derstanding the enormity of her actions. The nation will not forgive her,” he said.

The minister made these comments when speaking as chief guest at an event organised by Biyanibazar upazila administration to hon-our Liberation war freedom � ghters and fam-ilies of martyrs.

Nahid added: “The main tool for a nation’s development is education and that is why Sheikh Hasina’s government has placed so much importance on it. By forming a national education policy, distributing free text books and giving scholarships the government has prevented many students from withering away.” l

RAB will prevent terrorism and militancy, says its chief n Tribune Report

Blaming vested quarters for trying to defame the Rapid Action Battalion, its chief yesterday said in the future they would work relentless-ly to prevent militancy and criminal activities.

“RAB has achieved trust and appraisal of the ordinary people because of e� ciently combating terrorism, militancy, robbery, ab-duction... On the other hand, RAB has been working actively to maintain peace in the country,” recently-appointed Director Gener-al Benazir Ahmed said during its 11th anniver-

sary programme in the city. Asked whether the force was facing an im-

age crisis, he said: “There are some groups engaged in � ndings politics in everything to stigmatise the force. It is not our problem.

“Many ordinary people were killed in pet-rol bomb attacks and violent attacks in the last two months [of non-stop blockade and har-tals]. The situation has now improved much...vehicles are operating during the nights too.”

In response to another question, Benazir said: “As RAB is an elite force, it will not be large in size. We do not want to be dependent

on our manpower but on high technological supports so that we can complete a task fast.”

On the eve of its anniversary, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasi-na in separate messages greeted all members of the force and wished their continued success.

Since its inception in 2004, the elite force has been facing numerous allegations of extrajudi-cial killings – mainly in cross� res or gun� ghts, forced disappearance, unlawful detention and torture. The force has also been criticised for giving an identical version for almost every cross� re or shoot-outs.

The National Human Rights Commission and local and international rights bodies on di� erent occasions criticised RAB personnel for excesses, notably in the case of shooting college student Limon Hossain of Jhalakathi.

The force faced massive criticisms in April last year when some of its top o� cials were found involved in the contract killing of seven people in Narayanganj.

Meanwhile, the force in its 11 years in oper-ation has successfully arrested many militant leaders, busted criminal dens, and seized large amount of illegal arms and contraband items. l

Fire service o� cials use � re trucks to � ght a blaze that broke out at the Priangon Shopping Centre in Dhaka yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

NEWS 5D

TFRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

AL factions clash over paying tribute to memorial, six hurt n Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

Six people were injured in a clash between two Awami League factions in Sadullapur ear-ly yesterday.

An altercation between the factions led by upazila Awami League General Secretary Sah-aria Khan Biplob and Gaibandha 3 lawmaker Dr Md Eunus Ali Sarkar over who would pay tributes to a local war memorial � rst triggered the clash, said police.

O� cer-in-Charge of Sadullapur police sta-tion Zia Latiful Islam said the wreath of the lawmaker was damaged during the scu� e.

He said other people coming to pay tributes ran away at random when the clash broke out.

The Gaibandha 3 lawmaker could not be reached over the phone.

But Saharia Khan Biplob claimed Sadul-lapur Chairman Saidur Rahman Munshi, who was recently named in a case � led over an attempt on his (Biplob) life, accompanied lawmaker Eunus to STM Ruhul Alam’s house on Wednesday noon, which angered local ac-tivists.

“Saidur, who is actually a Jamaat-e-Islami leader, was accused in the case but still went to Ruhul’s house to attend an invitation along with the lawmaker, which the activists re-sented. This led to the clash,” he added. l

Independence Day celebrated across the country n Tribune Report

The 45th Independence and National Day was celebrated yesterday across the country amidst much enthusiasm and festive mood.

Our Gaibandha correspondent reports: The day’s programme began through placing wreaths by district administration, police de-partment, district Muktijodha Sangshad, dis-trict AL, BNP, Jatiya party and other political parties, BMA, educational institutions and so-cio-cultural organizations at the monument of the Poura Park of the town at 12.01 am.

The day started with 31 gun salutes at Inde-pendence Square of the town at the time of sun rising and national � ag was hoisted atop all public and private buildings just after sun rise.

Special prayers were o� ered in mosques and temples and improved diets were also served in the hospitals, jail and orphanages marking the day.

In Rajshahi, the day was celebrated in the city and its adjacent areas.

Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), divisional and district administrations besides various political, social and cultural organizations and educational institutions including Ra-jshahi University chalked out elaborate pro-grammes to celebrate the day.

The day’s programmes began with herald-ing of 31 gun salutes at Police Line and placing of � oral wreaths at the altar of the city’s Sha-heed Minars at the zero hours.

Paying rich tribute to the martyrs RCC authority led by Panel Mayor Nurun Nahar Begum and Chief executive O� cer Ajahar Ali placed � oral wreaths at Bhuban Mohan Park

Shaheed Minar. Our Chuadanga correspondent said the

district administration, Muktijodha Sang-shad, Shilpakala Academy, Arindam Sangskr-tik Sangathan celebrated the day with various programmes.

A discussion was held in the district in the evening. Gopalganj correspondent said the pro-gramme began at midnight at the Shaheed Minar by lighting 10,001candles. Bangladesh Udichi Shilpa Goshthi launched the function with the lyric’ Aguner Poroshmoni Chhnowao Prane.”

District administration, police depart-ment, Muktijodha Sangshad, district AL, ed-ucational institutions and socio-cultural or-ganizations celebrated the day.

Khulna correspondent said marking the day, Khulna City Unit Muktijoddha Sangsad and district Unit Muktijoddha Sangsad placed wreaths at Gallamary Memorial in the city at 6.01 am followed by other organizations and individuals.

State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Narayan Chandra Chanda, Mayor of Khulna city Moniruzzaman Mony, vice-chancellors of Khulna University (KU), Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) and Khulna divisional and district administra-tions placed wreaths at Gallamary Memorial followed by social, cultural and political par-ties, including Awami League.

Essay and art competition, poetry recita-tion and quiz competition on Liberation War and a discussion were held in the conference room of the deputy commissioner’s o� ce.

Khulna Press Club and other organizations including educational institutions also cele-

brated the Independence Day amid di� erent programmes.

The day was heralded with a 31-gun salute at 6 am while the national � ag was hoisted atop government, semi-government, and au-tonomous o� ces.

Ships of the Navy and Khulna divisional museum remained open for visitors on the day.

Improve diets were served at orphanages, jail and hospitals while local newspapers pub-lished special issues marking the signi� cance of the day.

Barisal correspondent said a three-day pro-gramme was taken to celebrate the day.

The day was heralded with a 31-gun salute at 6 am while the national � ag was hoisted atop government, semi-government, and au-tonomous o� ces.

Barisal Reporters Unity organized an ex-ceptional programme named ‘Muktijuddher Kotha Bola’ (Tales of Liberation War) by Biva Rani Majumdar. Nurul Alam Farid, M G Kabir Vulu, Mokhlesur Rahman, Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, freedom � ghters Abubakar Sid-dik Sohel spoke on the ocassion. They de-manded capital punishment of all war crimi-nals and ban on Jamaat-Shibir politics.

In Panchagarh, people living in Indian en-claves inside Bangladesh celebrated the day in their respective enclaves hoisting Bangla-deshi National Flag.

The day was also celebrated in Comilla, Faridpur, Shariatpur, Bhola, Naogaon, Tan-gail, Thakurgaon and Narsingdi in a be� tting manner, with due respect and taking fresh vow to build a happy, prosperous and peace-ful Bangladesh. l

WEATHER

Source: Accuweather/UNB

D H A K ATODAY TOMORROW

SUN SETS 6:11PM SUN RISES 5:57AM

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW37.2ºC 16.8ºC

Rajshahi Srimangal

FRIDAY, MARCH 27

SourceL IslamicFinder.org

F O R E C A S T F O R T O D A YDhaka 34 24Chittagong 32 23Rajshahi 34 22Rangpur 31 21Khulna 34 22Barisal 33 22Sylhet 34 22Cox’s Bazar 32 22

PRAYER TIMESFajr 4:42am

Sunrise 5:57am

Jumma 12:05am

Asr 4:29pm

Magrib 6:11pm

Esha 7:27pm

DRY WEATHER

LIKELY

Students of di� erent schools of Comilla put up a display marking the Independence Day and the National Day at the Comilla Shaheed Dhirendranath Dutta stadium yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

NEWS6DTFRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

Sherpur FFs boycott March 26 function n Our Correspondent, Sherpur

Local freedom � ghters in Nalitabari yesterday left an Independence Day programme after the upazila chairman in his speech described BNP founder Ziaur Rahman as the man who declared the country’s independence.

The upazila administration arranged the programme on Taraganj Pilot High School ground at 10am and upazila Chairman AKM

Mokhlesur Rahman Ripon, also the district BNP’s joint convener, hoisted the national � ag.

He then gave his speech where he also ut-tered the slogan “Bangladesh Zindabad”, caus-ing resentment among Awami League leaders and freedom � ghters who were present there.

Ripon and Upazila Nirbahi O� cer Abu Say-eed Molla instantly apologised for the speech.

Ripon said it was a slip of the tongue and he had o� ered apology. l

Narsingdi weavers have no dream to weave High prices of materials, lack of capital force them to leave ancestral professionn Our Correspondent, Narsingdi

Weavers in Narsingdi are facing hurdles to maintain their families and the handloom industries are on the verge of closure due to high prices of raw materials including yarn, dyes and chemicals.

The gradual decreases of demands of their products and lack of running capital have threatened the profession and livelihood of the people depended on the industry.

Many weavers are going through hardships to maintain their families and trying to leave their ancestral profession because of low in-come.

Narsingdi, a district in the north west of the capital, Dhaka, is one of the main weaving hubs for the industrial weaving production of the country.

The district specially Sadar and Raipura upazila are famous for producing di� erent artistic sarees such as Jamdani, Katan and Bruket. Main producing areas also include Rasulpur, Karimpur, Jitrampur, Algi, Chaw-

la, Hajipur, Satirpara, Bhagdi, Patchdona and Madobdee.

Di� erent lungi, saree, bed sheet, napkin, towel and mosquito nets are also produced here.

According to Bangladesh Bureau Of Sta-tistics (BBS), there were 3,141 factories in the district in 2011. In the factories, there were 12,238 looms. Of those 5,380 were in opera-tion and 6,858 remained non-operational.

Meanwhile, the industry employed a total of 7, 387 people of 2,967 families, the BBS said.

O� cials at the unit o� ce of Bangladesh Handloom Board in Narsingdi, however, said there are 26,693 handlooms in the district. Of those, only 14,845 are in operation.

A total of 7,247 weavers are engaged in the industry in the district, they said.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, many weav-ers said the prices of the cloth production and � nishing charge have increased in proportion to the rise in the prices of yarn, dyes, chemi-cals, dying charge and labour cost.

They are forced to sell their produced goods

by incurring huge losses as the selling cost has not increased proportionally, they said.

“I am doing this job of my ancestors only because I do not have any other alternative. This [weaving] is the only thing what I can do. So, I cannot take any other job,” said Dhon Mia, a weaver of Charsubudhi Madhyapara in Raipura upazila.

Unlike Dhon Mia, many weaver are trying to � nd out di� erent ways of their livelihoods. They are not much nostalgic of their ancestral profession, rather honing di� erent skills.

“We have been defeated to the huge capi-tal and modern technologies. Now, people do not buy our handmade products,” said Bajlu Mia, a weaver of the same village.

“Now I am working as a day-laborer. I do not like the job. But it is the only way of my survival,” he said.

Like Bajlu, many weavers are earning their livelihood by pulling rickshaw van or ped-dling rickshaw and driving auto-rickshaw or other vehicles.

“I have shut all of my looms due huge loss-

es I incurred in the past years. We the weavers are leading an inhumane life,” Hasim Mia, a weaver of the same village.

In 1981, the Handloom Board in Narsingdi had established a training institute at Sahe-protabhab for professional development of the weavers in the area. Many youth used to � nd their jobs after taking training from the institute.

Md AB Siddique, a liaison o� cer at the Handloom Board in Narsingdi, said the hand-loom industry is lagging behind the competi-tion with power looms.

“We are trying to keep sustain the hand-loom industry by providing the weavers with necessary loans,” he said.

“Under a project, we have disbursed more than Tk3.22crore among 2501 weavers since 2000 till date,” he added.

Many weavers, however, told the Dhaka Tribune that the poor people did not get the loan assistance from the handloom board, although it distributed crores of taka among rich weavers in the area. l

Abducted man rescued from Dhakan Our Correspondent, Munshiganj

A man who was abducted on Monday from Munshiganj was rescued from Dhaka on Wednesday night.

Aulad Sheikh, 40, son of late Aslam Sheikh of Singairtek village under Sirajdikhan upazi-la of Munshiganj returned to his village from Korea � ve months ago.

His family members said Aulad shared en-mity with the gang of a local man named Swa-pan over ownership of a piece of land.

On Monday around 7:30pm, Aulad started for home from the Upazila Chairman Mohi-uddin Ahmed’s o� ce located in Sirajdikhan Bazar area, however, he did not return home.

In this connection, Aulad’s nephew Md Billal Hossain � led a general diary with Sira-jdikhan police station the same night.

On Tuesday morning, locals blocked the Dhaka-Sirajdikhan road for two hours pro-testing the abduction of Aulad.

Sirajdikhan police station O� cer-in-Charge Yaardous Hasan said: “Aulad Sheikh was rescued from near a tea stall in Boro-hati area in Demra, Dhaka around 11pm on Wednesday. l

Bomb attack on BGB in Chuadanga n Our Correspondent, Chuadanga

Some unidenti� ed miscreants hurled a crude bomb at a patrolling team of local Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Munshipur bor-dering area in Damurhuda upazila yesterday.

Soon after the blast that took place around 6am, the BGB team recovered three crude bombs from the scene.

Admitting the attack, Chuadanga 6 BGB

Battalion Commander SM Maniruzzaman said a team from BGB’s Munshipur BOP Camp took position near the no 92 border pillar in the morning to detain intruders.

At one stage, some miscreants tried to en-ter Bangladesh territory from India and they threw the bomb targeting the BGB sensing the latter’s presence and � ed the spot promptly.

Later, the BGB members recovered three crude bombs. l

In a bizzare sight, a boat lies inside a boro paddy � eld in Rajshahi’s Poba upazila. The char of Padma River called Maddhyachar is now covered with paddy which was a watery spot just a few days before AZAHAR UDDIN

SPOTLIGHT 7D

TFRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

As part of the traditional celebration of the Independence Day, schoolchildren gathered at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday to form elaborate displays, while they also marched past Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who was in attendance. As part of the programme, BNCC cadres put up an acrobatic display of their skills, mounted policemen paraded on horseback, and indigenous cultural artistes staged a colourful display to make the annual event a vibrant one SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

WORLD8DTFRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

China hits out at Japan over defence spending worriesn AFP

China dismissed Japanese concerns about its defence spending as “ridiculous” yesterday after Tokyo commissioned its biggest-ever helicopter carrier.

Both sides are boosting their military budgets as they grow increasingly wary of each other’s ambitions in the Asia-Paci� c re-gion, facing o� over a maritime territorial dis-pute and how to interpret Japan’s motivations and actions during World War II.

Japan is uneasy about what it sees as Chi-na’s growing assertiveness, including through regular double-digit increases in its defence spending, and on Wednesday commissioned its biggest warship since World War II, the hel-icopter carrier Izumo. l

Coalition, Iraqi planes target IS militants in Tikrit presidential compoundn Reuters, Baghdad

Coalition and Iraqi planes struck a sprawling complex of palaces in the city of Tikrit yester-day where Islamic State militants have been holding out for more than three weeks.

US-led coalition planes launched their � rst air strikes against Islamic State targets in Sadd-am Hussein’s home city on Wednesday, coming o� the sidelines to aid Iraqi forces � ghting along-side Iran-backed Shi’ite militia on the ground.

The decision to provide air support for the Tikrit campaign draws the US into a messy battle that puts the coalition, however reluctantly, on the same side of a � ght as Iranian-backed militia.

“The Iraqi air force with the coalition air force have conducted air strikes targeting the pres-idential palaces that are the headquarters of IS leaders and groups,” Defense Ministry spokes-man Brigadier Tahseen Ibrahim Sadiq said.

“This is the fourth sortie for the Iraqi air force since the early morning.”

More than 20,000 Iraqi troops and allied Shi’ite paramilitary groups known as Hashid Shaabi have been taking part in the o� ensive since early March. l

French prosecutor: Germanwings co-pilot deliberately crashed planen AP, Paris

As a frantic pilot pounded on the cockpit door and passengers screamed in panic, the Ger-manwings co-pilot “intentionally” sent Flight 9525 straight into the side of a mountain in the French Alps, a prosecutor said yesterday.

In a news conference in Paris, Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin laid out the horrifying conclusions reached by French aviation in-vestigators after listening to the last minutes of the Tuesday morning � ight from Barcelona to Duesseldorf. The Airbus A320 began to de-scend from cruising altitude after losing radio contact with ground control and slammed into the remote mountain, killing all 150 peo-ple on board.

It was the co-pilot’s “intention to destroy this plane,” Robin said.

He said the pilot, who has not been iden-ti� ed, left the cockpit, presumably to go to the lavatory, and then was unable to regain access. In the meantime, co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, a 28-year-old German, manually and “intentionally” set the plane on the descent that drove it into the mountain.

Robin said the commander of the plane knocked several times “without response.” He said the door could only be blocked manually.

He said the co-pilot’s responses, initially cour-teous, became “curt” when the captain began the mid-� ight brie� ng on the planned landing.

The information was pulled from the black box cockpit voice recorder, but Robin said the co-pilot did not say a word after the com-manding pilot left the cockpit.

During the � nal minutes of the � ight’s de-scent, pounding could be heard on the cock-pit door as plane alarms sounded but the co-pilot’s breathing was normal throughout the whole time, Robin said.

“It’s obvious this co-pilot took advantage

of the commander’s absence. Could he have known he would leave? It is too early to say,” he said.

He said Lubitz had never been � agged as a terrorist and would not give details on his re-ligion or ethnic background. He said German authorities were taking charge of the investi-gation into Lubitz.

Robin said just before the plane hit the mountain, the sounds of passengers scream-ing could be heard on the audio.

“I think the victims realised just at the last moment, “ he said.

The families of victims were briefed about the shocking conclusions just ahead of the announcement.

“The victims deserve explanations from the prosecutor,” Robin said. “(But) they have

having a hard time believing it.”Robin said the second black box still had

not been found but remains of victims and DNA identi� cation have begun, he said.

In the German town of Montabaur, ac-quaintances told The Associated Press that Lubitz showed no signs of depression when they saw him last fall as he renewed his glider pilot’s license.

“He was happy he had the job with Ger-manwings and he was doing well,” said a member of the glider club, Peter Ruecker, who watched Lubitz learn to � y. “He gave o� a good feeling.”

Lubitz had obtained his glider pilot’s license as a teenager, and was accepted as a Lufthansa pilot trainee after � nishing a tough German col-lege preparatory school, Ruecker said. l

Iran warns of bloodshed as Saudi-led forces bomb Yemenn Al Jazeera

Saudi airstrikes on Shia rebels in Yemen have triggered a furious reaction from regional ri-val Iran, with top o� cials warning that mili-tary action could spill into other countries.

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday said that a co-alition consisting of 10 countries, including members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), had begun airstrikes at 2am local time yesterday, targeting Houthi positions in the capital, Sanaa.

The Houthi-run health ministry in Sanaa said that at least 18 civilians were killed and 24 others were wounded in the Saudi-led at-tacks on the capital.

The bombing of the Houthis, who are said to be backed by Iran, a charge Tehran denies, came after several weeks of warnings that Yemen was descending into civil war.

Saudi Arabia said it had launched the bombing raids to reinstate what it called the legitimate government of President Abd-Rab-bu Mansour Hadi, who has been holed up in the main southern city of Aden since � eeing rebel-controlled Sanaa.

The Houthis and their allies within the armed forces had been closing in on Hadi’s last bastion Aden.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Ja-vad Zarif said the air strikes would lead only to greater loss of life. l

Pakistan says considering Saudi request for troops for Yemenn Reuters

Pakistan is considering a request from Saudi Arabia for troops to send to Yemen, the for-eign o� ce said yesterday.

“We have been contacted by Saudi Arabia,” said spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam in response to a question about whether Pakistan would send troops. “The matter is being examined.”

Saudi Arabia and Gulf region allies launched military operations including air strikes in Yemen yesterday, Saudi o� cials said, to counter Iran-allied forces besieging the southern city of Aden, where the US-sup-ported Yemeni president had taken refuge. l

Tunisia: 23 arrested in connection with deadly museum attackn AP, Tunis

Tunisia police have arrested 23 people so far from the group behind the attack on the mu-seum that killed 21, but Moroccan and Alge-rian suspects are still at large, said the coun-try’s top security o� cial yesterday.

Interior Minister Najem Gharsalli told jour-nalists that the arrests included a woman and the group was connected to the al-Qai-da-linked Oqba Ibn Nafaa brigade.

The March 18 attack at the national mu-seum in which 20 tourists were killed was claimed by al-Qaida rival, the Islamic State group, but members of the Oqba Ibn Nafaa brigade, which has been � ghting Tunisian security forces for the past few years, have claimed allegiance to both extremist groups.

At least 80% of the group behind the attack has been detained, added Gharsalli, but two Moroccans and an Algerian were still being

sought, along with Tunisian Maher Ben GaiedThe gunmen that attacked the museum

carried belts � lled with powerful semtex ex-plosive which would have been “catastroph-ic” if used, he added.

Two members of the group had fought with extremists in Syria, while three others, including the museum attackers, had been to Libya, said Gharsalli.

Revelations that the attackers had connec-tions to Libya has thrown into stark relief the security threat to Tunisians from its chaotic neighbor where a lack of central authority has allowed the rise of extremists allied to the Is-lamic State group.

Gharsalli detailed a well-organised oper-ation that was planning further attacks and said the group was divided into a planning commission, a reconnaissance and support department, the operations people and the get-away crew. l

A photo released March 25 by the French Interior Ministry shows search operations at the crash site of an Airbus A320, near Seyne-les-Alpes REUTERS

LONG FORM 9D

TFRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

n Ifti Rashid

On March 26, Bangladesh celebrated its forty-fourth Independence Day. As Bengalis pay homage to our Founding Father, Liberation War

heroes, and the freedom � ghters on this day, it is also a time for us to o� er homage to the world leaders who stood by our side during our independence movement and the early years of our nationhood.

Amongst the world leaders who cham-pioned our cause for liberation, Australian Labour Party (ALP) Leader, leader of the op-position, and Prime Minister Edward Gough Whitlam’s name stands tall in our history.

Whitlam, the twelfth ALP Leader and 21st Australian PM, is widely recognised as a far-sighted reformer who was well ahead of his time in ushering Australia into an era of international engagement and multicultural-ism. He believed in Australia adopting a mor-al and principled position in foreign policy matters, even if it was at the risk of attracting the ire of big powers.

This was evident when Whitlam played a leading role in building a bi-partisan con-sensus about Bangladesh as the leader of the opposition in the Australian Federal Parlia-ment in 1971. He had also raised the plight of our humanitarian su� erings at the hands of the Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators at that time.

Australia was eventually the � rst Western country and fourth in the world to o� cially recognise Bangladesh on January 31, 1972. In a speech delivered in June 1973 after being elected as PM, Whitlam recollected the bi-partisan and popular support for Bangla-desh: “The previous government’s prompt recognition of Bangladesh was warmly sup-ported by the whole of Australian people.”

Moreover, Whitlam served an invalua-ble role in lobbying with the international community for Bangladesh to be recognised by the Commonwealth and other countries. On January 20, 1972, the Sydney Morning Herald reported in a news item headlined “Whitlam Talks on Bangladesh: Recognition Urged” that leader of the opposition Whitlam will call for Bangladesh to be recognised by the Commonwealth during his meeting with British PM Edward Heath in London.

Whitlam ranked Bangladesh as one of his most important topics of discussion in London. According to him: “Since Australia is one of the nearest Commonwealth countries to Bangladesh, it should be giving some lead-ership to other Commonwealth nations over recognition.”

As PM, Whitlam continued to hold a strong interest in Bangladesh and South Asia, while supporting all countries in the region to improve relations with each other. He welcomed the Indo-Bangladesh Joint Decla-ration by India and Bangladesh in 1973 as a “positive initiative.” Similarly, he called for friendly relations between India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan after the Simla Agreement in 1973. He also supported Bangladesh’s entry into the General Agreement on Tari� s and Trade (GATT) during this period.

Whitlam maintained his support for Bang-ladesh during our early years and his time in government. Given the importance he at-tached to Australia’s international relations,

Whitlam simultaneously held the portfolio of foreign minister for most of his term. He ex-tended a helping hand to Bangladesh’s prime minister, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in rebuilding the infrastructure of war-ravaged Bangladesh.

In February 1973, Whitlam announced that Australia would provide 190 Land Rover jeeps worth $750,000 to Bangladesh as part of the Australian Aid Program. He also an-nounced additional food aid to Bangladesh in June 1973, bringing the total value to almost a million dollars in that � nancial year.

Under Whitlam, Australia also supported the growth of our national airways -- Biman Bangladesh Airlines -- during those early years. In June 1973, Australia provided two Fokker F27 200-seat passenger aircrafts worth $950,000 allowing Biman to expand its domes-tic and regional routes. In fact, Bangladesh named one of the airplanes “City of Canberra” as a testament to the friendship between both countries under Whitlam and Bangabandhu.

During the Commonwealth Heads of Gov-ernment meeting in August 1973 in Canada, Whitlam’s e� orts paid o� , and Bangladesh was formally welcomed to the organisation. Whitlam met Bangabandhu during this meet-ing, developing a friendship between both countries and leaders that was later followed by an Australian state visit to Bangladesh in January 1975.

Whitlam was accompanied by a high-pow-ered delegation comprising of the Special Minister of State, Secretary of the Depart-ment of Minerals and Energy, Secretary of the Department of Overseas Trade, and other senior government o� cials during the state visit on the invitation of Bangabandhu. This was the � rst (and last, so far) trip by an Aus-tralian prime minister to Bangladesh.

During his o� cial talks, Whitlam told Bangabandhu, “Australia is willing to do as much as we can for his country,” and reiterated that “the great sympathy which

the Australian government and people felt for the people of Bangladesh.” Whitlam also announced increased Australian aid to Bang-ladesh, in particular for developing a dairy cattle industry, the establishment of a bakery and expansion of broadcasting facilities. He also recommended international arrange-ments under which developed countries may use a portion of their petrodollars to � nance wheat purchase on credit for Bangladesh.

In standing by Bangladesh during its liber-ation and early years, Whitlam and Australia de� ed the geopolitical polarisation of that era. In a press conference held in November 1973, he did not hesitate to publicly state that he disagreed with China’s erstwhile position on Bangladesh. No doubt Whitlam showed extraordinary political will, courage, and conviction to support Bangladesh. He had also shown the same foresight and boldness in granting independence to Papua New Guinea, opposing apartheid in South Africa, establishing diplomatic ties with China, and strengthening relationships with Asia. Many of his policies may have appeared to be un-orthodox back then, but time has proven his decisions to be farsighted and correct.

Former Australian ambassador Richard Woolcott recently quoted Whitlam in his inimitable manner learning about Bangla-desh, Guinea-Bissau and Grenada joining the United Nations and quipping: “Have you seen this, comrade? They are creating these coun-tries faster than I can visit them.” Whitlam was a visionary statesman who believed in a greater role and broader engagement, princi-pled standing, and a compassionate position of Australia in the international community.

This was the foundation of his relationship with Bangladesh. Whitlam, with Bangaband-hu, laid the stone for close bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Australia, that en-compasses trade, development, environment, security, education, culture, and sports collab-oration today. For instance, Bangladesh signed

its � rst bilateral counter-terrorism memoran-dum-of-understanding (MOU) with Australia in 2008. In cricket, Australia also signed an MOU with the Bangladesh Cricket Board in 2000 for young players to train in Australia.

Whitlam’s legacy is of course his vision of an inclusive, diverse, and multicultural Aus-tralia has that has paved the way for many Bangladeshi-Australians to make Australia their home. The 2011 Census recorded 27,808 people from Bangladesh living in Australia. This � gure does not include � rst and second generation Australians of Bangladeshi origin, that would add up to a total � gure of over 50,000 across Australia.

Australian-Bangladeshis comprise a grow-ing diaspora community group of mostly highly-skilled professional migrants contrib-uting to various � elds, including education, science, technology, agriculture, business, etc, today.

Whitlam transformed Australia and its foreign policy positions for the long-run. On the forty-fourth Independence Day of Bangladesh, we remember the contributions of labour leader, leader of the opposition, and prime minister Whitlam for his unwavering commitment to our people and country dur-ing our liberation and early years.

Whitlam passed away at the age of 98 in October 2014. Bangladesh lost a great friend who stood in a challenging yet glorious time of our history. May his eternal soul rest in peace. l

Ifti Rashid is a political and security analyst. He is an Endeavour Scholar and PhD Candidate at the National Centre for South Asian Studies, Monash University. He is also Director of the Institute of Con� ict, Law and Development Studies in Bangladesh. An earlier version of this article was presented in a seminar in conjunction with the launch of the Bangladesh Friends of Labour on March 13, 2015. He can be reached at ifti.rashid@live.com.

When Australia stood up for Bangladesh

This is not the � rst time that Australia has done Bangladesh a good turn AFP

EDITORIAL10DT

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

We welcome the arrest by RAB of nine people smugglers on Monday.More � rm action of this sort is needed if authorities are to prevent the

inhumane exploitation and tra� cking of would-be migrant workers by organised criminals.

It is tragic that the smugglers who were arranging to take people to Malaysia via Teknaf, include, among their number, people who had themselves been victims of human tra� ckers in the past.

Although people are sometimes tricked by con-men, it is also the case that many people volunteer to be smuggled in search of employ-ment. This is a telling indication of the extent and strength of the push-pull economic factors which lead people to often risk their lives on hazardous journeys with very little prospect of legal employment at the other end.

The only way to eliminate this activity is for authorities to improve inter-governmental co-operation to properly facilitate the legal recruitment and transport of Bangladeshi citizens seeking work overseas.

As a country whose economy relies heavily on the $14bn in annual remittances sent in by our estimated 8 million expatriate workers, the government has to do much more to ensure adequate services and proper representation for all our workers abroad.

It is highly concerning that delays in the issuing of machine readable passports are presently putting at risk the future employment status of hundreds of thou-sands of our migrant workers in countries such as Saudi Arabia.

We must do better as a nation to uphold the rights of our expatriate workers.

Our migrant workers need more help

The government has to do much more to ensure adequate services and proper representation for all our workers abroad

We welcome the support shown by RMG industry leaders and the gov-ernment for work on making the textile industry more competitive by improving its environmental sustainability.

Experience shows reducing negative environmental impacts can go hand in hand with improving e� ciency and reducing costs to improve competitiveness.

A seminar by the IFC and PRI heard how adopting environment-friendly tech-nology had helped one factory cut its use of water for cleaning by more than two thirds down from 180litres to 50litres of water per kilogram fabric.

Similar bene� ts for the environment can be seen in factories which have enhanced their energy management systems and improved e� ciency to both cut their long-term energy costs and carbon-dioxide emissions.

For larger factories, � gures suggest that most improvements required to reduce water and energy consumption by up to 25%, can be recouped within 15 months.

The outlook is made less rosy, however, by the poor enforcement of existing environmental standards. Less than a third of washing-dying and � nishing � rms are currently served by proper e� uent treatment plants.

Disincentives which stop smaller � rms and entrepreneurs from incorporating environmental compliance into their systems, must be overcome as a matter of priority.

Greater use needs to be made of � scal incentives to encourage entrepreneurs to adopt low-cost cleaner production practices and cut their energy and water consumption rates.

With demand for greener products increasing globally, encouraging sustain-ability in RMG production is not just important for the environment but is a way of improving competitiveness and quality which can help further our economic growth.

Encourage entrepreneurs to adopt low-cost cleaner production practices and cut their energy and water consumption rates

Support sustainability for RMG growth

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Cremation of a nationMarch 5

Barely Legal AlienI like the cheekiness on display here.

vhsScary, and very very true.

sundarVery amateurish article. DT should be a bit more selective in publishing op-ed articles.

Abellard the Greek-Loversundar: I’m pretty sure this article was sub-jected to a rigorous selection process before being approved. In any way, where you see an amateurish article, I see a very sarcastic and simple article re� ecting the mindset of the average citizen a� ected by the current political climate.

Raihan Hadisundar: Thank you for reading the article. Obviously, I have failed to see the “amateur-ish” side of it but in my defense, please know that I perceive and execute on behalf of the general public, thus the emotions may seem a little raw and so will the language. And for your information, DT does review every article with great care and is a very socially responsible publisher. Have a great day!

All the king’s horsesMarch 6

sundarI don’t think the solution is intractable. Let me propose some solutions: 1) An openly declared war between the two parties where one of them wins, 2) a third force, more powerful and mightier than both the parties (you know who they are) can come forward and drive them out lock, stock, and barrel, 3) God may directly intervene with an e� ective solution best known to him, 4) Mahfujullah, the wise man of the east, along with the most erudite intellectual Bangladesh has ever produced in Mr Asif Nazrul, can be given the responsibility of governance on a trial basis for a fortnight, and I strongly believe that they, with their Atlantic depth of knowledge and political sagacity, can come forward with a tenable solution.

Karl HungusThe truth is a bitter pill to swallow, but swal-low it we must. There is no circumventing the pea-soup thick atmosphere of fear and intimidation that both the AL and BNP are equally responsible in creating for now, but until a realistic way out has been charted, are we just supposed to accept being the casualties?

Whither is our Kejriwal?March 17

Nazmul KhairHe or she is yet to be born. And how could

someone like him be born here? A place where his probable parents are covered un-

der the net of corruption. Everybody here is partaking in corruption, knowingly or

otherwise, intentionally or unintentionally. Without a big catastrophe, nothing will ever

change here. Allah bless us.

Sayem KhanYup, we need someone like him to save our

nation.

Heal our healthcareMarch 5

Zero-AgendaThe state of Bangladesh’s healthcare

is close to being atrocious. Most of our doctors are some of the smuggest, most

contemptuous people you’ll ever encounter -- and the less said about the state of the

facilities available, the better.

FBI team meets DB o� cialsMarch 5

Dreampie“Female Body Inspector” team meets

“d-bag” o� cials -- I need to grow up.

DT

OPINION 11D

TFRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

n Zeeshan Khan

The right to self-determination is a much coveted thing. People and nations across the world � ght for it,

die for it and even kill for it. At the moment, a number of struggles for self-determination are underway, at various stages of maturity, involving Australian Aboriginals, the Basque, the Kurds, Catalonia, certain groups within Baluchistan, the Uyghur, Tibet and of course the Palestinians.

All of these groups are desperate to estab-lish an independent polity within which they can determine their own destinies -- accord-ing to their own values and priorities. A less palatable example of this are even the people behind Daesh, who are attempting to create a new country in the place of Iraq and Syria, where they can invent their own sort of social, political, and economic systems. And even though many of us would not ever want to live in the House that Daesh Builds, their desire to build one is something that we as Bangladesh-is should be able to relate to perfectly.

A Bengali desire to live according to our own values and determine our own destinies is a lot older than the current state of Bang-ladesh. Its most recent incarnation is only slightly younger than the Indian struggle for independence from British colonial rule, and though Bengali revolutionaries fought for the All-India cause, a di� erentiated Bengali nation-state was also always on the cards.

As late as May 1947, just three months before India and Pakistan became a reality, a secular, undivided, and independent Bengal was tabled and supported by much of the Bengali leadership at the time, Hindu and Muslim alike, including Sarat Chandra Bose, Abul Hashim, Huseyn Suhrawardy, and Kiran Shankar Roy.

In fact, an undivided independent Bengal, including parts of Bihar and Assam, was the majority position, with only a minority voice,

led by Khawaja Nazimuddin, supporting the partitioning of the province and a bifurcated Pakistan.

On May 20, 1947, the following terms were agreed upon by a majority of Bengal’s leader at the time:l Bengal would be a Free State. The Free State of Bengal would decide its relations with the rest of India.l The Constitution of the Free State of Ben-gal would provide for election to the Bengal Legislature on the basis of a joint electorate and adult franchise, with reservation of seats proportionate to the population among Hin-dus and Muslims.l A new interim ministry consisting of an equal number of Muslims and Hindus, but excluding the chief minister would be formed. In this ministry, the chief minister would be a Muslim, and the home minister a Hindu.l Pending the � nal emergence of a legisla-ture and a ministry under the new constitu-tions, Hindus and Muslims would have an equal share in the services, including military and police. The services would be manned by Bengalis.l A Constituent Assembly composed of 30 persons, 16 Muslims and 14 non-Muslims, would be elected by Muslim and non-Mus-lim members of the legislature respectively, excluding Europeans.

But the desire for an independent Bengali state is even older than this, by centuries. In fact, it might even be more convenient to speak of Bengal as an independent polity that has repeatedly been absorbed into expan-sionist regional kingdoms since as early as the Mauryan Empire.

The � rst modern Bengali state may have been Shoshanko’s, followed by the Palas, who came to power through a democratic process, one of the oldest recorded instances of democracy in South Asia.

In the Medieval Age, Bengal repeatedly

broke away from a Delhi-based imperial order, earning it the nickname of Bulgakha-na -- the place of turbulence. Within just four years after Delhi’s takeover of Bengal, Ali Mardan, the governor of the province declared independence and began a protract-ed struggle against the Sultanate of Delhi which lasted for over a hundred years, until the 1300s, when Shamsuddin Iliyas Shah es-tablished his own Sultanate, the Sultanate of Bangala, that stood for 233 years as a distinct cultural and political space.

The desire for independence is often about economics, even Bangladesh’s independence has, at its roots, our economic exploitation within Pakistan, but values play a major part in the process as well, and the right to deter-mine our own a� airs according to our own values is an enormous privilege. It’s been fought hard for by our ancestors, and every day, around the world, people are � ghting for their right to have it too.

But this right comes with responsibilities that behove an independent people - re-sponsibilities like justice, civil liberties, good governance, social welfare and economic well being. For the state of Bangladesh to honour the sacri� ces of the people that made

our independence possible, it has to re� ect their values and values that are central to Bengali culture.

Otherwise, it will not really be able to claim any legitimacy as a Bengali country. It has to, at the very least, re� ect the four pillars upon which the republic was founded -- secularism, nationalism, socialism, and democracy.

We have the opportunity, an opportunity denied to many people, to run a country according to principles and priorities that we have, as a nation and as a culture, deemed essential. These principles are violated by the economic exploitation that has never ceased, by the corruption that erodes our institu-tions, by the denial of justice and civil liber-ties and by the shrunken democratic space -- all of which have become endemic parts of Bengali statehood. They have become so ingrained in fact, that one might look at Bangladesh and think Bengali culture has no moral � bre at all.

I can’t think of a more e� ective way to dishonour everything that we have stood for, and fought for, for over a thousand years. l

Zeeshan Khan is a journalist.

Determining Bangladesh

n Mohammad Zaman

Liberation has its own labour period. Ours was for nine months. Pangs of pain were bountiful and the death and

destruction of lives littered the land. None were immune. But none, perhaps, were pained more than those who lost their loved ones. On the day of our independence, it is be� tting that we remember those who were fallen, and to recount the pain of those who have lost their dearest ones.

So, on this solemn day, I remember Dr Shamsuddin Ahmed, a professor of surgery at Sylhet Medical College (SMC), who, in fact, could have lived by commission of a little timidity. But he chose not to. He was a physician in the truest sense. Now, he lies in peace in the south-east corner of the old SMCH-compound.

When I entered the SMC, he was no longer there. However, his ever-nascent, stalwart presence could be felt in the very air. I lived, for � ve years, in a student’s hostel named after the one and only Dr Shamsuddin

Ahmed.In pre-partition India, he was president of

Assam Muslim Student’s Federation, while in Calcutta Medical College, he was a revered student leader.

As a young doctor, he was the general secre-tary of East Pakistan Medical Association, he was also the founder of Pakistan Ambulance Core, and in 1964, he founded the Jalalabad

Blind Welfare Association.Another accomplishment of his was that

he had helped organise Sylhet Tuberculosis Prevention Association. Don’t be fooled, I am talking of the same individual here: Dr Shamsuddin Ahmed, a man of many great accomplishments.

In March, with start of the non-cooperation movement, most of his fellow physicians possessed a lighter schedule, but Dr Shamsuddin became even busier. Along with his students and nurses, he organised � rst aid squads. “Now is not the time for sloganeering and processions. We should all be ready for extensive bloodletting. Soon, you will have to form emergency medical squads.” This was what he had said to his beloved students.

All sub-divisional towns of Sylhet, including Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, and Habiganj were free during the nascent days of our Liberation War. By April 3, the spontaneous uprising of the Bangali military and paramilitary forces drove the Pakistani military to the small con� nes of Shalutikor

(Airport area). Sylhet town was free, albeit for a few days only. Six days later, on April 9, the rabid Pakistani military had entered the town.

Dr Ahmed was in the hospital -- there was no water and there was no electricity. But there were many su� ering patients under his care. The whole city was in a � ight of terror. He asked his students and junior doctors to leave. “Use your intellect and do the best you can. There is no need to stay and get killed” -- but he himself stayed, for he was a man of conscience, a sel� ess physician, and above all, a sel� ess human being.

He was in the hospital. He was taking care of his patients when the myrmidons of Tikka entered the hospital. We lost a teacher, not only of medicine but also a teacher of human dignity. I wish the nation had remained faith-ful to the sel� ess memory of Dr Shamsuddin, and that of the many martyrs, both sung and unsung. l

Mohammad Zaman is a physician and occasional writer.

Remembering the fallen

I wish the nation had remained faithful to the sel� ess memory of Dr Shamsuddin, and that of the many martyrs, both sung and unsung

How can we honour what Bengali statehood has stood for? RAJIB DHAR

OPINION12DT

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

n Zafar Sobhan

For too long Bangladesh has been a punch-line, short-hand for poverty, misery, and disaster, both natural and man-made. For too long Bangla-

desh has existed in the shadow of our larger neighbours and has been known primarily for its failings and failures and not its achieve-ments and accomplishments.

No more. Dhaka Tribune’s I’m Made in Bangladesh campaign says that enough is enough. We want to tell the world about everything that we have accomplished as a nation and that we stand straight and tall and proud of our Bangladeshi identity.

This emotion is the spirit of the times and we see it everywhere around us. It has nothing to do with political identity and it exists despite the crises and challenges that we are currently going through as a nation. The Bangladeshi people are far more than our feckless political leadership.

Make no mistake: our political and other crises are but temporary speed-bumps on our journey. What is permanent is the knowledge and belief that we can overcome any adversi-ty as a nation and that nothing can divert us from our path to greatness as a country, as we reach for the stars and show the world just what it means to be made in Bangladesh.

We have seen the worst and overcome it. In 1971 we emerged from our Liberation War as a war-torn, devastated, impoverished country, the economy and infrastructure in ruins, millions either dead or displaced, including so many of our best and brightest. More than 80 percent of the population lived below the poverty line and life expectancy

was below 50 years.Since then we have weathered � oods and

famine, coups and counter-coups, assas-sinations, cyclones, industrial disasters -- setbacks that would have brought any other country to its knees. But not us. Not only have we survived through all of these hardships, but we have thrived.

Even as our population has doubled since independence and we remain the most densely populated country in the world, we have become self-su� cient in food produc-tion and found a way to care for our people. Bangladeshis today are the best educated, healthiest, and best nourished that we have ever been in our history.

Primary education rates are approaching 100 percent and, as noted by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, many of our social indicators -- especially when it comes to gender -- are bet-ter than our neighbour India’s. This is what the world renowned professor Hans Rosling famously calls “the Miracle of Bangladesh.”

We now have world-class industries and

our non-pro� t sector is the envy of the world. In Brac and Grameen Bank, we have created two of the most unique, creative, innovative, and e� ective social welfare organisations in the world, and they are merely the tip of the iceberg.

Every day millions of Bangladeshis wake up with the resolve to make this country of

ours a better place for their fellow coun-try-men and women and to create opportu-nity for all.

We now even have a cricket team that is the pride of the nation, � lled with world-class talent, but, equally important, playing together as a team with dedication and commitment.

Everywhere I go in this country I see Bang-ladeshis with a new sense of purpose and a new sense of pride. That is what the I’m Made in Bangladesh campaign is all about: capturing and channeling this sense of na-tional pride and spirit of accomplishment.

We Bangladeshis no longer think of our-selves as citizens of a small country. We are

not small. We are big. We are the eighth larg-est country in the world by population, the 34th largest economy measured by GDP PPP, and second to none when it comes to energy, inventiveness, and dynamism.

This spirit is captured by the I’m Made in Bangladesh spokesmen and women: Salma Khatun, who grew up being told that girls played with dolls and not bats and balls, but who is now the number one T20 all-rounder in the world. Mahfuzur Rahman Tushar, a madrasa student from the streets of Dhaka who is now an international racecar driver. And the Chondrobot team, who have built a robot for NASA.

These young men and women embody the spirit of the nation and there are thousands if not millions more out there just like them, each with his or her own story of success achieved against the odds. This is the story of Bangladesh that we want to tell, that we want to bring to the world.

I’m Made in Bangladesh is a badge of honour and one that we should wear with pride.

Let us take this message to every nook and corner of the country, to every village and every market-place, to every river-bank and sand-bar island, from the mangrove forests to the hills, from the wetlands in the south to the tea plantations in the north.

Let us all stand together as one, farmers and � shermen, garment workers and factory owners, businessmen and beggars, entre-preneurs and artisans, and let the world know, with pride and purpose: I’m Made in Bangladesh. l

Zafar Sobhan is the Editor, Dhaka Tribune.

I’m Made in Bangladesh

These young men and women embody the spirit of the nation and there are thousands if not millions more out there just like them, each with his or her own story of success achieved against the odds

RAJIB DHAR

13D

TFRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015T

-JUN

CT

IONTongue

ticklersPhoto : Bigstock

INSIDE

24Tantalise

Counting the reasons

22Listology

Good to be single

Listology and QuizFRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

T-JUNCTION14DT

n Rad Sharar Bin Kamal

The di� erent views of single folks on rela-tionships are immensely enjoyable to note and di� erentiate. Moreover, like the rest of us, you could be one of them. Take a look!

The fateThey don't go searching for opportunities, but wait for it to come to them. Cause why bother, you know? Eventually fate would bring the right one home, right? While it's � ne to leave it to the gods, this kind of perspective reduces the incentive to go out and explore, while simultaneously making yourself more into a perfect version for your fated lover to fall for you.

The oneThere is someone out there waiting for you; the one - as they like to term him/her. Although, it may slight demoralizing to think that only one, single soul exists out of the seven billion people present. This in no manner stops these fellows from searching their hearts out. However, they tend to be irrationally picky, and forget at times that a soulmate doesn't always necessarily come in a Nutella jar, compromise is necessary.

The patient They wait, for that speci� c moment that turns their world completely upside down. They settle for nothing mediocre, and want the world when it comes to relationships. Comparisons and complaints are common in their perspectives and opinions, for the movies are close to what they're aiming for. Rare scenarios, but it does happen, and our hopes stay with them.

The explorerLife's way too short to settle for one, and if you're not having fun, what's the point? We agree completely, but these are also the folks who are most afraid of commitment. While they may be � ying high and enjoying life, they may turn blind to the opportunities in their rear view mirror. At times, it may be fruitful to slow down and take a look around, for your potential other may not be going as fast.

The rushTick tock, you're getting old. The panic begins! These unfortunate folks jump into every hope and twinkle of relationships and have trouble hiding their need to be loved, and fast. Relatively easier to satisfy, they savour every moment and are unbelievably understanding. But one may see the problem of trying to make the pieces � t into the puz-zle instead of letting it fall for itself.

The un-lovableThey believe they're overly complicated, fundamentally � awed and will probably live with cats in the near future; and that creates the problem in the issue. The depression stabs themselves � rst before taking out the sniper of hopelessness to shoot out inter-ested parties after. This may occur from discontinued relationships which they took hard on themselves. Take it easy! Maybe the bad karma is saving up for a blast of warm, fuzzy Cupid luck.

The love doctorOh they always have a yes for the no, and will give the perfect advice when it comes to the love problems of other people. But as far as application goes in their own relation-

The multiple singles

Mostly As The rush

Mostly BsThe explorer

Mostly CsThe one

Mostly DsThe fate

What kind of single person are you?1. After a breakup, you... a. Look up the ex list b. Dust yourself o� , and try againc. Take your time, single life is goodd. Don’t really care

2. Which age is your ideal time to get married?a. As early as possibleb. Late 20sc. Early 30sd. I’ll wait for the right person, whenever that happens

3. You see relationships as a... a. A necessityb. An enjoymentc. An eventual needd. A milestone

4. When you go to a party...a. Prepare weeks before to � nd the perfect out� tb. Dress as well as you � nd normalc. Spend a bit of extra time d. Improvise at the last minute, wasn’t really a headache

Quiz

ships, they don't always hit the mark. We all have that single friend, may be you as well, who acts as a mediator between the war of two. The doctor may always be in, but his/

her views may not always be the right one, mind you. Why? It is being compared to ideal situations and may not the full implications of the problems. l

Recipe T-JUNCTION 15D

T

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

A mutton momentBursting with rich � avours of mace, coriander and garam masala, this one’s for the mutton lovers

Originally a concept of baking genius Kevin Wong from Singapore, Chewy Junior has been serving global customers through over 50 outlets in 11 countries and is generally celebrated as a wonder donut among its fans. To meet local demands Chewy Junior is all set to take off its flight for the urban dwellers in Bangladesh. Kevin Wong, managing director of Chewy Junior International, Tanveer A Mishuk, managing director of TASIA Bangladesh and Jobayer Hossain, managing director of Chewy Junior Bangladesh signed an agreement on the franchisee, to bring the donut venture and coffee chain in Bangladesh.

Chewy Donut all set to open stores in Bangladesh

News

• Heat mustard oil in a pressure cooker, until the fumes begin to rise.

• Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.

• Turn on the heat again, and when it warms up, add cloves, black peppercorns, black cardamom, green cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon and mace.

• Fry for 15 seconds.• Add onions and green chillies and

fry for 10 minutes.• Add ginger and garlic and fry till

onions attain that golden brown shade.

• Add mutton and cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes.

• Add 1/2 cup water to the cooker.• Put on the lid of the pressure

cooker and cook till mutton is two-thirds done.

• Let it cool and then remove the lid.• Add curd, red chilli powder,

turmeric powder and coriander powder.

• Cook on low flame till oil separates and the spices are nicely browned.

• Add garam masala powder and fresh coriander.

• Serve hot with luchi or porota. l

• Mutton – 600g (with bones)• Mustard oil – 4tbsp• Cloves – 4-5• Black peppercorns – 5-6• Black cardamom – 3-4• Green cardamom – 3-4• Bay leaf – 2

• Mace (joytree)– 1 piece• Cinnamon – 1 inch piece• Onion – 2 cups (thinly sliced)• Ginger – 1 inch piece (grated)• Garlic – 10-12 cloves (crushed)• Green chilli – 2 (slit into halves)• Salt to taste

• Yoghurt – 1/2 cup• Red chilli powder – 1tsp• Turmeric powder – 1/2tsp• Coriander powder – 2tsp• Garam masala powder – 1tsp• Fresh coriander – 4tbsp (chopped)

n Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

If you’re having the fam bam over for a deshi lunch or dinner, there’s nothing like a delicious mutton bhuna to sop up with some � u� y luchi, and down with an ice-cold shikanjee. Here is a � avourful recipe for your lip-smacking entrée.

Ingredients Method of preparation

PHOTOS: SOHEL RANA RIPON

TantaliseT-JUNCTION16DT

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

n N Anita Amreen

If there’s one thing Bengalis love, it’s their food. And nothing spells “food” as well as a steaming hot bowl of rice. No matter what we eat or where we go, the love of rice shall follow. It’s warm, it’s � lling and it’s our ultimate comfort food. As much as we love rice, what we love more is our ability to just roll up our sleeves, sit back, loosen our collars and plunge our hands into the deep depths of a hot plate of bhaat. Add to that an array of bhortas and you have a meal that not only excites but is also full of promises of spasms and satisfaction. We may be true-blue maache bhaatey Bangali, but we are also secret lovers of bhortas. There is something special, something inherently comforting about bhortas. Essentially just a mashed mesh of vegetables, meat or even � sh, the beauty of bhortas lie in their versatile ability to be turned into a beautiful mess of your favourite � avours – the warm chunk of aloo bhorta, the zest of kalo jeera or the sour-sweetness of tomato bhorta – each of these is spiced and mashed to make a concoction so addictive, you cannot help but feel like you’ve found your way to one of the simpler � oors of heaven. Simple, yet so utterly satisfying.

1) Bhortas feel like homeThe moment you’ve � nished eating a meal that had bhortas, you cannot help but feel like you’ve been softly plopped into the lap of comfort. Bhortas are so simple, so delicious and such a comfort food that it just makes you feel just oh-so-good. Bhortas make us feel like we are in sync with our truest, most basic desires. You can have a plate of biryani or a huge platter of khichuri, but nothing makes you feel as close to home, or as intimately in touch with yourself as bhortas do.

2) Infinite choicesWhen it comes to bhortas there’s no end to what kind you can have. You have the plain yet delicious staples such as aloo, tomato, begun or taki maach and you have the � ery hot combos such as shorisha along with the kick of the shutki. If you’re feeling particularly experimental (which we mostly are), we can throw two of our favourites together to create our very own, unconventional one-of-a-kind bhorta. Think morich and roshun or even begun and tetul. The moment you combine the powers of the simple veggies with the zest of the hot spices you’ve got an exciting, lip smacking bhorta mash ready to leave your tongues rollicking in delight. There’s nothing more exciting than knowing that with bhortas, just about anything is possible. Anything.

3) A whole spectrum of flavoursSitting down to a table laden with bhortas is like taking a joy ride in a whole spectrum of mad � avours. One moment you’re smiling away sated with the comfort of warm aloo bhorta and daal, next you’re sweating out the steam from the heat of moricher bhorta. There’s the spice of chillies, there’s the subtle � avours of kaathaler bichi and there’s the sweet kick of badaamer bhorta. If any meal can gives you a head rush, a bhorta-featured lunch is probably topping that list.

4) A little goes a long wayWhen we are at our hungriest, our primal needs dictate that we hog on as much food, as quickly as possible. Be it rice, daal or a curry – quantity is everything. We want a whole lot of daal, we want a whole lot of curry and we sure as hell want a whole lot of rice. The specialty of bhortas is that there’s so much to taste, so much to experience and so much to love that you want to take it slow - you want to savour every bite and feel every � avour. You may heap your plate with rice, but bhortas taste best when they’re unadulterated by any other curry and tasted as they’re plated – raw and so full of their own � avours, you require no other accompaniment. With bhortas, a little truly goes a long way.

5) Its simplicityBhortas are no fancy, elaborately made delicacies. Think of any vegetable, meat or � sh and mash it with spices and there you have it – your very own special kind of bhorta. They may not pack the richness of biryani or the spice of bhuna gosht, but they are everything you need to complete your need for a feel-good meal. The beauty of bhorta really is in its simplicity. l

“Nune jhaaley chorta, tar naam bhorta”

5 reasons why we love bhortas

PHOTOS: BIGSTOCK

17D

TFRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

CAPTAIN CLARKE SALUTES SUPERB SMITH

SUBCONTINENT FANS GANG UP AGAINST INDIA

BANGLADESH U23 FACE FORMIDABLE SYRIANS

18 19 20

Troubled NZ cricketer Jesse Ryder has been suspended from the � nal round of New Zealand’s domestic

competition after admitting a charge of serious dissent while

playing for Otago against Northern Districts last weekend

BAD BOY

Sport

AUSSIES DESTROY INDIAMARCH 29 AWAITS TRANS-TASMANIAN FINALE

Sport18DT

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

Clarke salutes superb Smith

n AFP, Sydney

Australia captain Michael Clarke praised the “exceptional” Steven Smith after

his side beat defending champions In-dia by 95 runs on Thursday to set a World Cup � nal with New Zealand.

Steven Smith’s 105 and his sec-ond-wicket stand of 182 with

opener Aaron Finch (81) powered Australia to 328 for seven after Clarke won the toss.

India were only brie� y in the hunt and were eventually dis-missed for 233, despite a run-a-ball 65 from captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who produced a match-winning � fty in the � nal against Sri Lanka four years ago. 

“I feel really excited. Smithy was exceptional once again, and I was really proud of the execution of our bowlers,”

said Clarke after a convincing win at the Sydney Cricket

Ground where the impres-sive Mitchell Starc took

two for 28 in

8 . 5

overs and James Faulkner three for 59 in nine.Sunday’s � nal in Melbourne will give Aus-

tralia the chance to avenge their one-wicket loss to New Zealand in a pool-phase thriller at Auckland’s Eden Park last month. 

“Losing to New Zealand really gave us a kick up the backside,” said Clarke. “Mentally I think the guys are ready to walk into the � nal. 

“New Zealand have been playing some great cricket, (captain) Brendon (McCullum) has done a great job.”

Smith added: “We thought 330 was around par, we knew we had to bowl and � eld well and the boys did a great job, so roll on Mel-bourne. It’s nice to contribute to a few wins.

“I hope I have more runs in the bank -- a big hundred would be nice.”

India made a bold start to their chase, with the highest score ever made by a side batting second to win a one-dayer at the SCG the 334 for six made by Australia against England in 2011.

But once opener Shikhar Dhawan holed out for 45 o� Josh Hazlewood, India strug-gled and even Dhoni’s brisk innings came too late to turn the tide.

“Overall Australia played very good crick-et. Over 300 is a very big score to chase, but I thought it was just over par,” said Dhoni.

“Shikhar Dhawan was batting freely, he didn’t need to play the big shot. It was too many for me to chase. 

“Our lower order really needs to work hard on their batting.”

The 33-year-old wicketkeeper-bats-man hinted this may have been his last appearance at the World Cup by saying: “I’m not sure whether it will be my last World Cup.”

But with India having an enjoyed an unbeaten run to the semi-� nals, Clarke

said: “Huge congratulations to MS Dhoni and his team, I think they’ve competed re-

ally well in this World Cup. l

“I can’t begin to tell you what an advantage that is to Australia winning the toss on this dry, rock hard pitch at the SCG !!!! #CWC15.”

- Aussie spin legend Shane Warne. 

“There is More life on Mars than this grassless SCG pitch! minimal lateral movement for bowlers #Runs#AUSvIND#STOPSTART-CRICKET.”

- Former Australia fast bowler Fleming. 

“All set here in Miami..gonna hav to pull an all nighter!!Thank God I don’t play tomm#IND-vAUS#WontGiveItBack.”- India tennis star Sania Mirza

from Miami where she is playing in a tournament. 

“What a 100 under pressure in a World Cup S/F.. @stevesmith49 what a champion player”“Pace again doing damage.. @cricketworldcup@CricketAus@

MitchJohnson398 fantastic to see back and � ring tonight... Keep taking wickets boys.”- Ex-Australian batsman Damien Martyn 

 “Aussie Aussie Aussie.”- Australian footballer Tim Cahill 

“I may ask Snicko to marry me!!!”- Ryan Campbell, batting coach at the Hong Kong national team. “#SteveSmith thanks for making my Bday a good day! Go Aussies!”- Former Australian tennis professional Rennae Stubbs.

 “Well played Aust, in particular @stevesmith49 - you were a delight to watch. hard luck India, @msdhoni you are a great leader and a player.”

- Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal

WHO’S SAYING WHAT

‘Pressure of run-chase was too much’n Reuters, Sydney

The pressure was just too much for India in the end.

They put a spirited defence of their World Cup title but

chasing more than 300 to beat Australia in Thursday’s semi-� nal

was a task even beyond them.Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s

inspiring captain who led his coun-try to an unforgettable World Cup

win four years ago, led his team from the front again.

He top scored for his team with a run-a-ball 65 but it was all in vain as the

Indians collapsed to be all out for 233 in the 47th over, chasing Australia’s daunt-

ing 328 for seven.“They (Australia) played very

good cricket, over 300 is always a di� cult score,” Dhoni said at

the post-match presentation.“I felt it was just over par, they

could have had 350.”India got o� to a good start in the reply at

the Sydney Cricket Ground with the openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan putting on 76 in the � rst 13 overs but when Dhawan fell for 45, the wickets started to tumble.

“We started okay but they bowled well. But overall, quite happy with where we were at the start of the tournament,” Dhoni said.

“Shikhar’s dismissal was on the softer side because that was the time when we could have milked the Australian bowling.

“It was not really needed to play a big shot but overall there’s pressure chasing 320 runs and pressure makes you do things you don’t want to.”

Dhoni quit his job as India’s test captain during the series against Australia but said he had no plans of quitting the limited-overs team in the immediate future.

He said he was undecided about playing on to the 2019 World Cup but had his eyes on next year’s Twenty20 World Cup being host-ed by India.l

Sport 19D

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FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

AUS v INDAUSTRALIA R BD Warner c Kohli b Yadav         12 7A Finch c Dhawan b Yadav         81 116 S Smith c R Sharma b Yadav      105 93G Maxwell c Rahane b Ashwin      23 14S Watson c Rahane b M Sharma     28 30M Clarke c R Sharma b M Sharma   10 12J Faulkner b Yadav               21 12B Haddin not out                  7 7M Johnson not out                27 9Extras (b1, lb7, w6)              14Total (7 wkts, 50 overs)         328

Fall of wickets1-15 (Warner), 2-197 (Smith), 3-232 (Max-well), 4-233 (Finch), 5-248 (Clarke), 6-284 (Faulkner), 7-298 (Watson)BowlingShami 10-0-68-0 (2w); Yadav 9-0-72-4 (4w); M Sharma 10-0-75-2; Kohli 1-0-7-0; Jadeja 10-0-56-0; Ashwin 10-0-42-1;INDIA R BR Sharma b Johnson               34 48S Dhawan c Maxwell b Hazlewood   45 41V Kohli c Haddin b Johnson        1 13A Rahane c Haddin b Starc        44 68S Raina c Haddin b Faulkner       7 11MS Dhoni run out (Maxwell)        65 65R Jadeja run out (Smith)         16 17R Ashwin b Faulkner               5 13M Shami not out             1 1M Sharma b Faulkner               0 1U Yadav b Starc                   0 5Extras (lb8, w5, nb2)             15Total (all out, 46.5 overs)      233

Fall of wickets1-76 (Dhawan), 2-78 (Kohli), 3-91 (R Sharma), 4-108 (Raina), 5-178 (Rahane), 6-208 (Jadeja), 7-231 (Dhoni), 8-232 (Ashwin), 9-232 (M Shar-ma), 10-233 (Yadav)BowlingStarc 8.5-0-28-2 (1nb, 2w); Hazlewood 10-1-41-1; Johnson 10-0-50-2 (2w); Faulkner 9-1-59-3 (1nb, 1w); Maxwell 5-0-18-0; Watson 4-0-29-0;Result: Australia won by 95 runsMan of the match: Steven Smith (AUS)

Yousuf Rahman (Babu), former national cricketer, vice captain and � rst centurion writes from New York for Bangladesh fans all across the globe.

TALKING POINTSAUSTRALIA-INDIA

Aussies define quality with emphatic winThe di� erence in the overall quality of the teams has been clearly, although somewhat bitterly for India, exposed in Sydney. For the � rst time in the competition, the Indians faced an opposition that was better prepared than any other. The Indians’ passage to the semis has been through some easy opposi-tion so this team was really not tested.

On a wicket that was two-paced initially, even after the early departure of David Warn-er, the Aussie batting was a perfect example of calm and composure. At one stage a total of 350 plus was on the cards. The batting in the middle and in the death overs, in spite of a hiccup after the batting power play, has been exemplary and the Indian bowling unit had no answer.

The Aussie bowling was far superior to the Indians. It is hard to imagine that this is the same Indian attack that came together so well throughout this tournament and had taken 70 wickets in seven matches prior to this match.

Steve Smith is Mr. CoolHe has been, all summer, and still is the bat-ter that provides the calmness of the Austral-ian batting. With the loss of Warner and with Aaron Finch struggling to � nd form, Smith showed why he is the best in the business. His ability to keep the scoreboard moving with ease compensated for the low strike rate of Finch. It was Smith’s batting that carried Finch throughout the match winning part-nership between the two, which basically set the match up in favour of the Australians.

Virat Kohli misfires, Suresh Raina’s luck runs out and MS Dhoni runs out of optionsThis has been a World Cup that Kohli would not like to be reminded of in the future. In-dia needed him to come big in key moments. Those moments did not come as he fell far short of his team’s expectation. The Aussie pace attack had sized him up and, after a struggling time at the wicket, Mitchell John-

son got him with a quick one. Raina’s success has been largely due to some � elding lapses by the opposition. After a torrid time at the wicket facing up to some aggressive fast bowling, he seemed relieved to edge one to Brad Haddin. Dhoni, who normally � nishes well, ran out of options and ran himself out as the required run rate spiraled out of control.

Johnson finally comes up big with a timely performanceAll along, it has been Mitchell Starc that has been at the forefront of the Australian attack. The other Mitch was having a subpar perfor-mance. Johnson’s explosive batting burst in the penultimate overs set the tone for him. When Johnson bats well, he bowls well too. While Starc was his aggressive reliable self, Johnson was breathing � re and his two key wickets that removed Kohli cheaply and a well set Rohit Sharma, set the Indian batting on the back foot from which it never recovered.

Fans are divided on the result of the matchThe game is followed with extreme passion in India and to see the team exit the World Cup must have broken the hearts of a billion people. One could notice several Indian fans with tears streaming down their cheeks. The Indian team had given them hope and the fans truly believed that India would defend its title.

Deep down, Dhoni knew the shortcomings of this team and, although his bowling unit did come up a balanced unit in the group stage, it was in the same class as some of the other contenders. Much depended on India’s batting and its ability to chase down big totals, which they have done in the past. Unfortunately, India’s Mr. Chase Master Kohli failed.

Similar to India and perhaps a shade more passionate are the Bangladeshi fans. They are for some reason celebrating this Aussie win globally. l

Subcontinent fans gang up against India

It really seemed like defending champions In-dia were playing at their backyard when they faced co-hosts Australia yesterday in the sec-ond semi-� nal at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Almost 70% of the 43,000 capacity crowd present at SCG yesterday were Indian sup-porters. The fact that they outnumbered the Aussie fans was a foregone conclusion, given India’s large community in cities like Sydney and Melbourne. It was no surprise, therefore, when the SCG was reverberating with Indian chants and cheers throughout the entire game.

The home side did receive some support from their legion of fans. However, the most surprising development yesterday happened when the Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Paki-

stani residents down under started cheering for Michael Clarke’s side.

And when Steve Smith and Aaron Finch were going great guns, the Bangladeshi support-ers were having a great time. Wearing the green and gold, they were quite busy waving Australi-an � ags following each boundary and six.

Two such Bangladeshi fans who came to support Australia were Sabbir Ahmed and Humayun Kabir. They were spotted cheering “Aussie, Aussie” loudly outside the stadium. Before the game got underway, they were even riling up thousands of passionate Indian fans who had gathered at the SCG compound.

Sabbir was the more aggressive of the two.“Actually, I used to support India after Bang-

ladesh in any kind of major tournaments. But, this time I am not supporting them. In fact, I wish they do not reach the � nal,” said Sabbir. Seeing the � nal result, Sabbir, who hails from Barisal, will no doubt be over the moon.

“I did not like the body language of the

Indian cricketers as they looked pretty ar-rogant and their supporters were very dis-respectful towards,” said Sabbir, alluding to Bangladesh’s quarter-� nal defeat against the defending champions.

“I was not supposed to watch this game today (yesterday). But, I came to support Aus-tralia only to counter the Indian fans as I knew majority of the crowd in this game will be � lled with the Indian supporters,” he added.

With the hosts enjoying the support of dif-ferent nationalities, it was India who looked helpless on the � eld as Australia racked up 328/7 – their highest total in seven World Cup semi-� nal appearances – from their 50 overs.

India eventually fell 95 runs short of the target and after clinching the emphatic vic-tory, Aussie skipper Clarke did not forget to appreciate the backing of the fans who, even though were outnumbered, still managed to voice their vociferous support for the four-time world champions. l

Mazhar Uddinfrom Sydney

Humayun Kabir (L) and Sabbir Ahmed pose for a photograph prior to the second semi-� nal of the cricket World Cup in Sydney yesterday MAZHAR UDDIN

Sport20DT

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

Bangladesh ready for formidable Syriansn Shishir Hoque

Bangladesh Under-23 football team will kick o� their AFC U-23 Championship Qualifying campaign today when they take on a strong Syrian side in the second match of Group E at Bangabandhu National Stadium. The match will begin at 6pm.

Syria, placed 152nd according to the lat-est Fifa rankings, are the last team from the group to arrive in Dhaka following their 10-day stay in Kuwait. There, the Syrians played six practice matches in total against Indone-sia, Singapore and Kuwait, winning � ve times and drawing once.

Bangladesh on the contrary have been training for two weeks at home but they did not play a single warm-up match abroad. Given the contrasting preparations of the

two teams, Bangladesh’s Dutch head coach Lodewijk de Kruif is well aware of the tough task awaiting them.

“Very tough game against Syria who are one of the favourites in the group along with Uzbekistan. I’m happy that we are going to start so that we know the output of all the

hard works we put in. There is no real target for us,” De Kruif told the media at BFF House yesterday.

“Of course we want to win and qualify. But for now, the most important thing is that my boys will have experience to play in that level and I hope they will play well tomorrow (to-day),” he said.

De Kruif, who will miss the services of one of his best players in Hemanta Vincent Biswas due to injury, informed that the quali� ers will be di� erent and more competitive than the recently concluded Bangabandhu Gold Cup where Bangladesh � nished runners up among six teams.

The 45-year old coach added that they will adopt the counter-attack strategy against Syria.

“We want good defensive organisation. Not attack like crazy people. Find our mo-

ments to see the gap and possibility where we can beat them. Not give away goals,” he said.

Bangladesh skipper Rayhan Hasan on the other hand exuded con� dence despite their lack of preparation.

“Our preparation was good and I hope we can execute on the � eld what our coach taught us in training. He also taught us how to play against strong sides. If we are able to execute our plans, the result will be positive I believe,” said Rayhan yesterday.

In spite of the favourites tag, Syria coach Muhannad al Fakir believes the home side will still pose a strong challenge.

“It is going to be a very di� cult game be-cause Bangladesh are a good team. They try to play fast. They are playing at their stadi-um in front of their people. They know this place,” said Fakir yesterday. l

Bangladesh head coach Lodewijk de Kruif discusses game plan with his charges during their practice session at the Sheikh Jamal DC ground in Dhanmondi yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

India, Uzbekistan play curtain raisern Raihan Mahmood

Top ranked nation in Group E, a superior Uz-bekistan will face a spirited India in the AFC Under-23 Quali� ers curtain raiser in Dhaka today. The encounter that promises to be a battle of physique and tactics will kick-o� on 3pm at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

The Uzbeks, the physically superior team among the two, however, will also have to � ght with the hot and humid conditions existing in Dhaka which they are not accus-tomed with. On the other hand, the rising stars of neighbours India will rely on the tac-tical aspect to restrict their opponent.

Bakhtiar Ashurmatov, the coach of Uzbek-istan, however, tried to play it low. “We don’t regard us as the favourites, we have arrived here seven days before the kick-o� and I hope

that players have adapted to the conditions, we expect very tough challenge from India and we are ready to take the challenge. There are no injury in the team and winning the � rst match is very important,” said Bakhtiar.

His counterpart Savio Medeira, the Indi-an coach is also aware of their opponent’s strength and said, “India will � ght from the very beginning and everybody is aware of the standards of Uzbekistan, regarding the prepa-rations I can say I think we are the least pre-pared team with only 20 days of preparation, however I have the con� dence on my players and I believe they will � ght to play a good brand of football. On a given day everything is possible in football,” he said. Although In-dia will miss the service of their key player Sandesh Jingan who is su� ering from food poisoning. lIndian captain and goalkeeper Amrinder Singh Uzbekistan captain and mid� elder Vladimir Kozak

PREVIOUS INT’L MEETINGS19 Sep 1980Syria v Bangladesh (1-0) Asian Cup

12 Aug 1984Syria v Bangladesh (2-1) International

18 Aug 2007Bangladesh v Syria (0-2) Nehru Cup

Sport 21D

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Channel 9AFC U-23 Quali� ers 3:00PMUzbekistan v India6:00PMBangladesh v SyriaTen Action2:40PM A-League 2014/15Melbourne Victory v CC Mariners 7:30PM I-League 2015Dempo Sports Club v Kalyani Bharat Sony Six1:30AM European Quali� ers 2016Spain v Ukraine

DAY’S WATCH

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

BATTING Leading run-makers

Kumar Sangakkara (SRI)     541Martin Guptill (NZL)        532AB de Villiers (RSA)        482Brendan Taylor (ZIM)        433Shikhar Dhawan (IND)        412Tillakaratne Dilshan (SRI) 395 

Best performancesMartin Guptill (NZL)        237*Chris Gayle (WIS)           215David Warner (AUS)          178AB de Villiers (RSA)        162*Tillakaratne Dilshan (SRI) 161* 

BOWLING Leading wicket-takers

Trent Boult (NZL)            21Mitchell Starc (AUS)         20Umesh Yadav (IND)            18Jerome Taylor (WIS)          17Mohammed Shami (IND)         17Morne Morkel (RSA)           17 

Best performancesTim Southee (NZL)          7/33Mitchell Starc (AUS)       6/28Trent Boult (NZL)          5/27Mitchell Marsh (AUS)       5/33Imran Tahir (RSA)          5/45

Henry the late thrives for NZ n AFP, Melbourne

Matt Henry was celebrating a cousin’s en-gagement when he was summoned to play at the World Cup and the New Zealand fast bowler admitted he is still pinching himself.

The 23-year-old was called into the squad when Adam Milne was forced to withdraw with a heel injury and he was pitched straight into Tuesday’s dramatic semi-� nal win over South Africa.  

“It’s pretty hard to believe, you’ve got to pinch yourself,” said Henry as he prepared to play in front of 90,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Sunday’s � nal.

“It’s an unbelievable opportunity to have. It’s unfortunate for Adam, it’s not the situa-tion you want to be in but it’s the nature of the beast.”

Henry, who had been playing � rst class cricket with Canterbury in front of a handful of fans last week, vowed not to be overawed by the challenge in Sunday’s � nal where the Black Caps will face either defending champi-ons India or co-hosts Australia.

“To go from a Plunkett Shield game with not too many people being about, to every-one screaming your name at Eden Park (the Auckland venue for Tuesday’s semi-� nal) was a bit of a contrast,” said Henry, who has never played at the MCG. “It felt like 90,000 at Eden Park. We’ve got plenty of Kiwis here,

I’m sure it won’t be an issue.“It’s about focussing on your processes.

You’re playing cricket. Nothing changes.”Henry praised the in� uence of skipper

Brendon McCullum both on and o� the � eld.“As Brendon keeps reiterating, this is the

best time of our lives, it’s not to be daunted and to be scared of,” he said.

“It’s a time to enjoy, embrace and soak up.

We’re all excited, it’s great to be here with such a great bunch of people.”

Henry said he wasn’t planning to watch Australia play India in Thursday’s others semi-� nal, preferring instead to tour Mel-bourne’s stores with his girlfriend.

“I’ve got a bit of shopping to do,” he said. “We’ll all be doing our things, but we’ll sit down together at one point.” l

Spain, England look to fresh faces in Euro bids n AFP, Paris

A rejuvenated Spain recommence their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign at home to Ukraine in Seville on Friday, while the prospect of see-ing Harry Kane make his debut is the main at-traction as England face Lithuania.

In their � rst outing since a 1-0 friendly loss to Germany in November, reigning European champions Spain put their record of never having lost at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium on the line as they face Ukraine in qualifying Group C.

Vicente del Bosque’s side are second in the group after four games, three points behind Slovakia, who beat Spain in October.

Del Bosque is overseeing a period of transition following last year’s World Cup disaster and his latest squad features the likes of Athletic Bilbao defender Mikel San Jose, Sevilla winger Vitolo and Malaga forward Juanmi, who replaces the injured Diego Costa.

“Being called up is already a success. But I want to make my debut,” said winger Vitolo, a native of Gran Canaria who is proving a big hit with Sevilla this season. 

“The Sanchez Pizjuan is my home and it would be great to make my debut there, in front of my fans.”

With the top two in each group qualifying automatically for next year’s � nals in France,

Spain and Ukraine are level on nine points in Group C, three points behind leaders Slova-kia, who host Luxembourg.

Meanwhile, England are chasing a � fth win from � ve matches in Group E when they entertain Lithuania at Wembley.

It may not be the kind of � xture that would usually whip up great excitement among the masses, but a crowd of 90,000 is expected to see Tottenham Hotspur hotshot Harry Kane potentially make his England bow.

“It’s fantastic, what he has done,” England manager Roy Hodgson said of 21-year-old Kane, who has scored 29 goals this season and could feature in the absence due to injury of Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge.l

Former football stars reunited at the arti� cial turf of BFF to play an exhibition match on the occasion of the Independence Day yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Germany draw hints Socceroos rise: Troisi n AFP, Kaiserslautern

Australia’s James Troisi said the Socceroos’ 2-2 draw with Germany showed just how far the Asian champions have come in 12 months.Only a Lukas Podolski equaliser nine minutes from time in Kaiserslautern spared the world cham-pions’ blushes on Wednesday night in Germany.

Australia had taken a 2-1 lead thanks to Troisi’s � rst-half header and a free-kick from captain Mile Jedinak which cancelled out Marco Reus’s early goal for Germany. An inex-perienced Australian side came close to pro-ducing another upset as the hosts’ post-World Cup hangover continued.l

DOWNTIME22DT

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

DILBERT

How to solve: Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no number repeating.

CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS

CODE-CRACKER

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a di� erent letter of the alphabet. For example, today 22 represents T so � ll T every time the � gure 22 appears.You have one letter in the control grid to start you o� . Enter it in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters go in the missing squares.Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.As you get the letters, � ll in the other squares with the same number in the main grid, and the control grid. Check o� the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

CROSSWORD

ACROSS1 Honey drink (4)4 Utters wildly (5)8 Ripe (6)9 Tightly drawn (4)11 Breed of dog (5)12 Tribe (4)14 Observe (3)15 Slip by (6)19 Landed property (6)21 Cover (3)22 Small secluded valley (4)24 Imply (5)27 Direction (4)29 Accustoms (6)30 Saloon car (5)31 Part of a castle (4)

DOWN1 Floor covering (3)2 Talisman (6)3 Facts given (4)4 Apply friction to (3)5 Fragrance (5)6 Provoke (3)7 Long e� usion (6)10 Top airmen (4)13 Fish trap (3)14 Set (6)16 Limb (3)17 Delight (6)18 Transgressions (4)20 Sports enclosure (5)23 Welsh national emblem (4)25 Rope-splicing pin (3)26 Cricket score (3)28 Faucet (3)

SUDOKU

SHOWTIME 23D

TFRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

WHAT TO WATCH TELEVISION

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS BHBO 6:46pmWhen the crew of the Enterprise is called back home they � nd an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the � eet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.Cast: Chris Pine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Simon Pegg

QUEEN A+Sony Max 9:25pmRani is a 24-year-old Punjabi girl living in Delhi. After breaking o� an engagement with her � ance, Vijay, she goes on her planned honeymoon trip to begin a journey of self discovery.Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Rajkummar Rao, Lisa Haydon

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER B-Star Movies 2:00pmSteve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and battles a new threat from old history the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier.Cast: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson

Ranveer Singh @RanveerO� cial And the cover.. with the Legend @sachin_rt Himself .... Pretty neat !

Filmfare@� lmfareThe elite club of winners dazzle on our blockbuster #CirocFilmfareGlamourAnd-StyleAwards cover. RT if you like it.

CELEBS ON SOCIALHorijupia to hit cinema today

n Showtime Desk

Horijupia, an alternative historical drama, is all set to hit cinemas today. Mostly featuring non-Dhallywood actors, the � lm depicts the genocide and brutal oppression of innocent people during the 1971 War of Liberation.

Written and directed by Golam Mostafa Shimul, the story of the historical drama revolves around an archeologist working to dig up evidence of an apparent genocide of an ancient time. As the Liberation War proceeds, his expedition get halted and though he � nally succeeds in � nd us the evidence he was looking for, his life is

jeopardised by the occupying troops. The title word “horijupia” is derived from

the ancient language used in the Harappan civilization to mean a place where human sacri� ces were made. Coincidentally, the protagonist has faced the fate which is highly conjugated to signi� cation of the word.

The � lm stars Khairul Alam Sobuj, Mahmudul Islam Mithu, Kazi Raju, Bithi Rani Sarkar and Na� za Chowdhury Nafa, among others. Produced by Faridur Reza Sagor, the � lm is going to open in at least 20 cinemas throughout the country including the major multiplexs in the capital. l

April 3, 2015DETECTIVE BYOMKESH BAKSHY!A Yash Raj release, Sushant Singh Rajput stars as India’s � rst true-blue detective in a proper thriller, written by Bengali bestselling writer Saradindu Bandyopadhyay.

April 10, 2015EK PAHELI LEELA

In her � rst lead role, Sunny Leone takes a shot at a di� erent avatar.

April 10, 2015DHARAM SANKAT MEINComedic veterans Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal and Annu Kapoor star in this o� -beat drama.

April 17, 2015MR. XEmraan Hashmi takes the audience for a thrilling ride in 3D.

NEW RELEASES

Next month’s forecast in Bollywood movies

BACK PAGE24DT

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015

I’M MADE IN BANGLADESH PAGE 12

HORIJUPIA TO HIT CINEMA TODAY PAGE 23

AUSSIES DESTROY INDIA PAGE 17

Malnutrition substantially costs economyA national micronutrient survey found that only 20% infants receive minimum acceptable dietn Kayes Sohel

Rice with potato is almost an everyday menu of Abdul Mazid who works as a farmer, with more than 70% of his daily income on an average being spent on buying food for his � ve-member family.

The 37-year-old father of three children needs Tk200 to feed his family every day.

“At best small � sh is sometimes added to our menu,” Mazid said, standing near his shabby house on a small piece of land in Char-gobindapur village under Pabna district.

But there was hardly any work in 10 days out of a month, forcing his family to keep half-fed or even unfed.

“Days pass without foods some days,” said Mazid with choking voice. The days are more painful once he falls ill.

He is the father of three children – a 12-year-old daughter, 11-year-old son and an-other 7-year-old son, all physically and men-tally retarded – a problem caused due to mal-nourishment.

During the � rst 1,000 days of life – from con-ception to age two – children need enough ener-gy and nutrients to ful� ll their growth potential.

If not, both their bones and muscles grow slowly, leaving them paranormally short for their age, which is known as stunting. Poor nutrition in these early years not only a� ects physical growth but also the development of the brain.

Story of Mazid is not an isolated case in Bangladesh, home of around 6.3 million stunt-ed children as of 2010, according to Unicef.

Globally, malnutrition is responsible for 45% of all child deaths and leaves 161 million children stunted in 2013, the joint survey of UNICEF, WHO and World Bank found.

“Causes of malnutrition are multifaceted,” said Dr Md Munirul Islam, a scientist with the Centre for Nutrition and Food Security at the International Centre for Diarrohoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b).

He said usually lack of food security and awareness, and rising in� ation are behind the malnutrition problem in Bangladesh.

Undernutrition puts children at greater risk of dying from common infections and in-creases the frequency and severity of such in-fections. It is irreversible, once it is occurred.

Malnutrition has far-reaching human, so-cial and economic consequences that last for generations.

Malnutrition costs Bangladesh more than Tk7,000 crore ($1bn) in economic productiv-ity each year, according to a joint survey of Bangladesh government and United States Agency for International Development (US-AID) and Bangladesh Government in 2012.

If Mazid’s three children are not stunted and start work at their 21s and work until 50, they can add to the economy to $2,311 each or over Tk1,84,000 as per the cost-bene� t analysis.

If an e� ective intervention with providing

su� cient quality foods, it costs around $97 or Tk776 per child with much of the expense coming from the provision of forti� ed supple-mentary foods, according to the � ndings of the world’s leading experts on nutrition and economics Professor Susan Horton at the Uni-versity of Waterloo and Professor John Hoddi-nott at Cornell.

On average, implementing the e� ective di-rect nutrition interventions raises incomes by 11.3%, the � ndings said.

If a Bangladeshi child is born in 2015, ben-e� ting from e� ective intervention during con-ception and infancy and joining the work force at age 21, over his lifetime, he will earn the av-erage per capita income of a Bangladeshi.

If this person works until they are 50 years old and uses a conservative 5% rate, switch-ing this child from stunted to not stunted in-creases the present value of their lifetime by more than Tk1,84,000.

These income calculations are for di� erent numbers of working years and di� erent dis-count rates.

If individuals work together, the present

value of these monetary bene� ts gets larger. If these incomes gain, the bene� t-cost ratio becomes smaller if individuals work until they are 60 with a 3% discount rate, every taka spent on direct nutrition interventions generates Tk77 in bene� ts.

“And there are other bene� ts of reductions in stunting. Nutrition interventions would re-duce deaths by children under � ve by 15%.”

Like Mazid’s children, around 7 million children su� er from stunting in Bangladesh and are vulnerable to dying at any given time due to malnutrition, said the icddr,b scientist Munirul Islam.

“Any health related manifestation that has a 15% of prevalence rates needs immediate in-tervention in line with international practices.”

Over the last decade, Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in � ghting malnutrition. In 1997, the stunting rate was 58%, which de-clined to 41% in 2011, according to the Bangla-desh Demographic Health Survey, 2011.

The number of stunting cases among chil-dren below � ve years of age also came down to 35% from 45% in 2010, according to Food

Security and Nutritional Surveillance Project. National Micronutrient Survey 2011-12 says

only 20% of young children aged between 6 and 23 months receive the minimum accept-able diet.

Rice dominates and its low nutrient densi-ty likely contributes to the high rates of zinc de� ciency.

According to undernutrition map unveiled in December last year, children under � ve su� ered most from hunger in Sylhet division where 51.3% of children su� ered from stunt-ing and 39.5% were underweight.

Stunting rates are the highest in Bandarban district of Chittagong division, a hilly area, fol-lowed by Cox’s Bazar district in the coastal belt of Chittagong division and Sunamganj district of Sylhet division which largely consists of haor (wetland) areas, the maps showed.

As many as 55 districts are above the World Health Organisation critical threshold level for underweight which is 30%. At the upazila level, 300 out of 544 upazilas have a stunting rate above 40% while 440 upazilas have an underweight rate above 30%. l

Like many others, the family of Abdul Majid has to su� er the consequences of poverty day-in day-out. The children along with their parents su� er from malnutrition, even when most of their earnings are spent on food. The photo was taken recently in Chargobindapur village of Pabna DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial O� ce: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207. Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com