Weekend Tribune Vol 1 Issue 22

Bangladesh goes nuclear6

Work and prosperity 20

anWar hossain27

vol 1 issu e 22

FRIDAYSEPTEMBER 20

2013

W E E K E N D T R I B U N E FRI DAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

1

contents

editor’s note

a Weekly production of

DhakaTribunevolume 1 , issu e 22septemBer 20, 2013

EditorZafar Sobhan

Magazine Editor Faruq Hasan

Weekend Tribune TeamSumaiya ShamsSheikh Mohammed IrfanYusuf BannaFuad M HossainJoseph AllchinPhil Humphreys

Art Direction/PhotographySyed Latif Hossain

CartoonSyed Rashad Imam TanmoyRio Shuvo

ContributorsJoanna BanerjeeBassema KarakiDina SobhanJennifer AshrafSyeda Samira SadequeSyed Zakir Hossain

DesignMohammed Mahbub Alam

ProductionMasum Billah

AdvertisingShahidan Khurshed

CirculationWahid Murad

Web: www.dhakatribune.com

Cover IllustrationTwo sides to the nuclear argument by Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy

Send us your feedback at [email protected]

6 pick of the week Bangladesh goes nuclear

20 what’s the problem? Work and prosperity

2 this week in pictures

4 bottled up

5 whose line is it anyway? It’s not my fault!

10 post-riposte Wedding photography

11 top 10 Local Bangla fiction – Part II

12 6° of connotations A voice from the other side

13 photo story Panam city

17 crime file Murder in Barisal

18 day in the life of A rally activist

21 stranger in a strange land Home sweet home

22 tough love

23 wt | leisure

24 everyday economist Asian financial crisis

25 the way dhaka was Panthapath

26 travelogue Scotland

28 last word

27 obituary Anwar Hossain

is nuclear power a viable alternative for energy-hungry Bangladesh?

The government keeps on giving mixed messages. The incumbent administration has long been an advocate for a nuclear Bangladesh, and work on the country’s first nuclear power plant in Rooppur, Pabna, seemed all set to begin on October 2. But a drastic reduction to the budget allocated to the project makes it seem as if the government might be wavering. Our correspondent Phil Humpreys takes a look behind the numbers and the political grandstanding to answer a few basic questions: do we really need nuclear energy? And at what cost?

Elsewhere, Adil Sakhawat investigates the Saoda murder in Barisal, Joseph Allchin revisits his day spent at a BNP political rally, Sheikh Mohammad Irfan lays out the problems for young people who want to work part-time, and Sumaiya Shams and I duke it out in our weekly Post-Riposte over the validity of hiring a “professional” wedding photographer. With Eid approaching next month, please mail us ideas of what you would want to read in our Eid-special issue! n

the nuclear debate


INTERNATIONAL2

this Week

Demonstrators protesting the death of Ahmet Atakan in Hatay, Turkey, September 11. Atakan, 22,

died Monday night after being hit in the head by a teargas

canister shot by police during a an anti-government protest

AP

An Indonesian man examines a relief depicting the mass killings committed by a Dutch military unit during the Indonesian independence war, at a monument in Makassar, South Sulawesi province, Indonesia, September 12. The Dutch government formally apologised Thursday for the killings more than six decades ago during its former colony Indonesia’s fight for independence AP

Government troops prepare an assault at Muslim rebels who have taken scores of hostages and used them as human shields for the fifth straight day on September 13 at Zamboanga city in southern Philippines. Philippine officials negotiated Friday with Muslim rebels who were holding more than 100 people hostage, as President Benigno Aquino III warned that his government won’t hesitate to use force to end the five-day standoff AP

A rider from Kazkahstan’s team scores by a beheaded goat against Russia during the first Asian Kokpar championship in Astana, September 12. Kokpar, also known as Buzkashi, is a traditional central Asian sport played between two teams of horsemen competing to throw a beheaded goat into a scoring circle Reuters

Pigeons fly by as Mount Sinabung spews volcanic materials following its eruption in Karo, North Sumatra, Indonesia, September 15. Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes after the volcano erupted early Sunday AP/Binsar Bakkara


NATIONAL3

Bangladesh Hindu Bouddho Khristan Oikko Porishod formed a human chain in front of the Central Shaheed Minar on September 12, demanding elimination of barriers in retrieving vested properties, and withdrawal of Debottor Property Act Mahmud Hossain Opu

Right: AL activists clash with Communist Party of

Bangladesh members at Sylhet Court Point Area on

September 14

Dhaka Tribune

Left: Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni welcomes Prince Agha Khan on his arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on September 16

Dhaka Tribune

BGB members alert during the first day of a two-day hartal called by Jamaat from September 18 to 19 Syed Zakir Hossain

Right: Ganajagaran Mancha brings out a victory procession

in the city’s Shahbag on September 18, following the

court verdict sending Quader Molla to the gallows on

September 17

Mahmud Hossain Opu

Members of the fire service and civil defence climb a ladder in an attempt to douse the fire at Sicily Garments in the capital’s Nandipara area in Madartek on September 15 Syed Zakir Hossain

Activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir vandalise a vehicle in Jatrabari’s Demra ahead of Jamaat’s 48-hour

hartal which was announced on September 17, protesting the court verdict against Quader Molla

Mahmud Hossain Opu


Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy/Dhaka Tribune

4 Bottled up

letterof the week

good job!

good argument

mistake police

more variety please

based on a lot of reports published in various national dailies, law enforcement agencies

have been bashed repeatedly. Among these agencies, Rab has been heavily criticised and questioned regarding their operations and activities.

However, after having read last week’s story “A pleasant encounter” by Tamoha Binte Siddiqui, I am led to look at Rab in a slightly different and positive light.

I particularly enjoyed the bits about them freeing the rare birds and also saving the young boys from Kamrangir Char. Keep up the good work and kudos to Tamoha and the Weekend Tribune for bringing us this wonderful piece. n

Max MystelDhaka

fear struck, no more!

LETTERs TO ThE EdITOR

Please send us your letters at [email protected]

I really enjoyed the article on Rab, especially the parts about cyber crime and how they stopped the sale of rare birds. The part about birds really spoke to me in particular, maybe because I’m an animal person. I thought that the article would be a serious one, instead it was light-hearted and quite surprising indeed!

Rommel Cantonment, Dhaka

Your recent take on the series of events going on in Syria was very interesting. I liked the contradiction created by both the articles. Mostly I liked how you guys have highlighted both sides of the coin without being biased towards it. Brilliant piece of writing by Phil and Joseph.

Asha YasminGulshan, Dhaka

While reading about Saiful Ahmed Mithu’s death, I came across a couple of typos and a few missing words. Come on, that shouldn’t happen in investigative journalism! Regardless of those errors, it was a good read. I look forward to reading more on this case. I love crime files!

MansoorFarmgate, Dhaka

You recent article on mobile apps was wonderful. I absolutely loved how it was written. But the main thing that bothered me was that these are apps that are already very popular. I would love to know more about apps that are not widely used, instead of the ones that we already know about.

Syed Tahsin Sylhet


5Whose line is it anyWay?

pass the ball

Rio Shuvo/Dhaka Tribune

“The players lack concentration and professionalism. Many of them didn’t play their best during the games. They have to take lessons from this tournament and build on that.”

Rene Koster, assistant coach

“We the players always try our best and give 100%. It may look different from outside the pitch.”

Atikur Rahman Meshu, defender

“A tough group at the start, they suffered constant injuries, and things got worse with wrong decisions from the referee. Overall, luck was not with us as we couldn’t make it into the semi-finals.”

Zahid Hossain Emily, Striker

“Bangladesh lacked players who are competent enough to cope with real international standards. The players looked like they weren’t up to handling the pressure. They lacked international level temperament. The problem is that they aren’t familiar with the international circuit. They need to play more international matches.”

Kazi Salahuddin, Bangladesh Football Federation president

Lodewijk de Kruif,Bangladesh football coach

Mr Mango

Mamunul Islam,captain of the national

football team

Luck wasn’t on our side. Plus I have to say the refereeing

throughout the whole tournament was bad.

The players were tired and so we

could not perform.

How many excuses do we have left in the team’s bag?


6 BANGLAdEsh GOEs NUCLEARpick of the Week

development at what cost?Phil Humphreys writes about the implications of going nuclear

On the first Wednesday of next month, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is due to lay the foundation stone of the country’s first nuclear power plant at Rooppur. With the contracts signed in Dhaka and the bulldozers moving into position in Pabna, it is too late to ask after the alternatives. Like it or not, Bangladesh should become a member of the nuclear club inside the next 10 years.

Does such a prospect provide a reason to celebrate, like the Indians with their space programme? Or does this great technological leap forward give us serious cause for concern, like North Korea and its rockets?

None of the competing suppliers

were acting solely in the interests

of Bangladesh. In contracting RosAtom,

the government has unwittingly

placed the country in Russia’s back

pocket, potentially for the lifetime of the

Rooppur plant

the inconvenient truth

the builders

At a government-organised seminar on nuclear power on May 29, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina conceded the geography of Bangladesh and climate change “have been compelling the country to face frequent climatic events.” Commonly, these include widespread flooding during the June-September monsoon season, tropical cyclones, and earthquakes.

Bangladesh is unique in this respect and the three-pronged threat this

poses to a nuclear reactor cannot be ignored. Three-quarters of the country lies less than 10m above sea level and 80% on a flood plain, and over the last two centuries it has suffered a major storm on average once every three years and seven major tremors of a magnitude of 7.0 or higher (though the most recent of these was in 1950). Extreme high temperatures are also posing problems worldwide for the cooling of nuclear reactors.

If the proper finances are put in place, construction of the 2000MW facility at Rooppur is due to start in earnest in 2016 with connection to the grid expected not earlier than 2021. As recent as 2008, the Bangladesh government was iterating its intention to work with China, who first offered funding. South Korea also showed an interest, but when a formal proposal was tabled by Russia in March 2009, the government’s head was turned. An agreement with the Russian state atomic energy giant, RosAtom, followed in February 2011 and two VVER reactors were ordered for the Bangladesh Atomic Energy

Commission (BAEC).Surely neither China, South Korea,

nor Russia were acting solely in the best interests of Bangladesh, or, as Sheikh Hasina said of Russia on her January 15 visit, as a “true friend.” If the Kremlin really places such a high value on its relations with Bangladesh, then why was Hasina’s meeting with President Vladimir Putin the first high-level visit from Dhaka to Moscow in over 40 years?

Note that, as part of the same delegation, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni announced $1bn of defence purchase deals, reportedly including Russian-built MiG fighter jets, helicopters,

anti-tank missiles and automatic grenade launchers. Little wonder that in outlining its position on the Syrian crisis in a statement released late last month, the Bangladesh foreign ministry said nothing that could offend the Assad regime’s principal ally. Indeed, in choosing to emphasise “the centrality of the United Nations in resolving the Syrian crisis,” Bangladesh has tacitly fallen in behind Russia, which will surely veto any future Security Council resolution calling for a military intervention.

The prime minister appeared acutely aware of the environmental hazards during the May seminar: “We are focusing on these issues and (we will) make sure the foolproof safety of the nuclear power plant,” she said in her introductory speech, “We will never compromise on safety issues.”

Reassuring words, indeed, but how much control will she really have?

phil humphreys is a British former

journalist who worked as a

management adviser to an

NGO in Rangpur, before joining the

Dhaka Tribune as a consultant


7

A brief history of nuclear energy1895 The scientific study of atomic radiation, atomic change and nuclear fission begins when Wilhelm Rontgen accidently discovers X-rays

1905 Albert Einstein, at the age of 26, proposes his Theory of Relativity

1938 Nuclear fission is discovered when Otto Han and Fritz Strassman realise the lighter by-products of neutron bombardment on Uranium also release energy, so proving his Theory of Relativity albeit 33 years after Einstein. Work begins on developing nuclear fission programmes, both for energy and for bombs

August 6, 1945 A Uranium bomb, Little Boy, is dropped on Hiroshima in Japan

August 9, 1945 A Plutonium bomb, Fat Man, is dropped on Nagasaki. Soon after, Japan surrenders, ending World War II

1953 President Eisenhower proposes his “Atoms for Peace” programme, which re-orients significant research effort towards electricity generation and sets the course for civil nuclear energy development in the US

June 1954 The USSR steals America’s thunder as the world’s first nuclear powered electricity generator begins operation at the FEI in Obninsk

April 26, 1986 A catastrophic explosion takes place at the Chernobyl reactor in Ukraine (then still part of USSR); two plant workers die instantly and a further 28 people within a few weeks as a result of acute radiation poisoning

March 11, 2011 Pacific Ocean earthquake triggers a 15-metre tsunami that inundates northeast Japan and disables the power supply and cooling of three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. There are no reported deaths or cases of radiation sickness from the nuclear accident, but over 100,000 people are evacuated

the bankrollers

the middlemen

the managers

On the face of it, however, this looks a good deal for Bangladesh. Russia is financing Tk40bn of the Tk52bn build cost ($515m of $670m) through a hard loan. The World Nuclear Association observes that RosAtom will also manage wastes and decommissioning, including the return of used fuel to Russia “in line with standard Russian practice.”

But, according to Professor Quamrul Haider of the Department of Physics

The issue of finances looks set to dog the Rooppur build and there is the potential - and precedent - for corruption to run either way along the supply chain. Both partner countries have a disreputable track record in the execution of large infrastructure projects.

In June last year, the World Bank withdrew funding for the Padma Bridge, citing corruption concerns and the “unsatisfactory” response of the Awami League government. The $1.2bn committed to the project by the bank would have paid for building the Rooppur nuclear plant twice over.

Bangladesh has not chosen

Russia’s customer, in this instance, will need more than bricks, mortar, and rods of uranium. The prime minister has admitted that Bangladesh will need help to develop local competency in all areas, and she urged home-grown nuclear engineers “to improve their management efficiency and update their knowledge.”

“You will have to take the total responsibility of the Rooppur nuclear power plant one day,” she forewarned.

Bangladesh, however, just does not have the necessary human infrastructure to run a reactor, believes Professor Haider: “Great scientists, geniuses, yes, but you have to get your

and Engineering Physics at Fordham University, New York, the construction of nuclear power plants is frequently beset with spiralling costs and delays, and “the RosAtom numbers simply do not add up.”

He said, the cost for building a 1000MW nuclear facility at Kudankulam in India by the Russians jumped from under $2bn in the original 2002 budget to around $3bn

the purest of bedfellows, either. According to the Bellona Foundation, an international environmental NGO based in Oslo, the Russian nuclear power industry operates in a landscape “beset by corruption.”

“What unites Russia and Bangladesh besides this newly-forged nuclear cooperation is that both countries are found at the very bottom of Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index,” says the foundation, “Experience shows this is just the kind of seedy neighbourhood RosAtom tends to scour as it looks for potential customers to peddle its nuclear power plant projects.”

hands dirty to run a nuclear reactor. You cannot do it from behind a desk. How long will Russia do it (for us)?”

Currently, none of the universities in Bangladesh has a functional department of nuclear engineering.

The webpage of the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Dhaka University offers a three-semester full-time MS course, but it will not be operational until the 2013-2014 session. Of the specialist higher education institutions, BUET announced in June that it would open a Nuclear Engineering Department with Russian assistance, pending the signing of an MoU with the National Research

now, and this is also the latest figure for their construction of a VVER reactor near Monakovo in central Russia. The total bill for the Rooppur plant has been estimated at between $1.5bn and $2bn.

He asks: “Why, then, is the cost of a similar reactor thousands of miles away so small when technical manpower and equipment have to be airlifted or ferried across oceans?”

University in Moscow. But there was no indication of when that might be, or when admissions might begin.

Professor Haider said: “A nuclear power plant in a country without a nuclear engineering degree-granting institution is unthinkable.”.

If the first batch of nuclear engineers graduate from DU in the summer of 2015, they will at most have a year of experience before the RNPP build is due to begin in earnest. Until then and far beyond, Bangladesh will be heavily dependent on Russian skills and expertise.


8 BANGLAdEsh GOEs NUCLEARpick of the Week

The Bangladesh government’s

agreement with RosAtom was signed

two weeks before the Japanese tsunami,

which triggered the Fukushima

meltdown. Would the deal have even gone

through, had the earthquake struck a fortnight earlier? In most countries, this

would have been unthinkable. But in

Bangladesh, how many people even

knew?

the running costs

what if the worst happens?

The TK40bn question now is: are the costs fixed? For if Russia is lending support and processing the waste, what will the ongoing cost of this be to Bangladesh? Is it fixed or indexed for the lifetime of the plant?

Russia has form here. On New Year’s Day in 2009, it cut gas supplies through eastern Europe after Ukraine could not agree on a price that it should pay Gazprom, the former state energy giant which controls around a third of

all global gas reserves. Gazprom said it would pump only enough gas for EU customers further down the pipeline, leading to extreme shortages in the former Soviet bloc. Under the terms of the deal struck to resolve the crisis, Kiev saw the price it paid to Gazprom more than double.

Could Bangladesh suffer a similar fate? Relations between Dhaka and Moscow are stable enough now, but what if Bangladesh foreign policy

It would be churlish to suggest that a nuclear power plant will be constructed in Pabna with the same scant regard for building regulations and safety as an eight-storey factory complex in Savar. But there are obvious concerns; everything is deemed safe until it breaks. With a nuclear power plant, the stakes could not be any higher.

The prime minister said: “I requested Mr Vladimir Putin to provide us the safest and the latest reactors. He assured me in this regard.”

Not necessarily so, according to Professor Haider: “VVER1000 reactors are old and unsafe. They operate mostly in CIS countries (of the former USSR).” Other scientists have also questioned the Russian reactors, including their capacity to continue functioning if cooling systems fail, and the hazards of hydrogen explosions.

It is too soon to hit the nuclear panic button, says Professor James Smith of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at University of Portsmouth in

the UK. In the 60 years that the world has been generating nuclear energy, there have been only two serious “Level 7” accidents: at Chernobyl in the Ukraine in 1986, and at Fukushima in Japan in 2011.

“Chernobyl was an explosion in the reactor core which spread reactor fuel around the site, and the resulting fire spread it through the air,” Professor Smith told the Weekend Tribune, “Fukushima, on the other hand, was a meltdown and explosion of hydrogen gas which built up. Nobody got a high dose of radiation.”

The prime minister has said emergency preparedness for any accidents is “imperative to nuclear power production.” But in a country with such a high population density, is there a viable plan to contain the damage and the exposure, and to evacuate millions of people to a safer area?

“With Chernobyl,” Professor Smith says, “It was the economic consequences of relocating so many

people. There was a significant mental health impact due to a lack of information and more cases of depression as people worried more about the effects of radiation, rather than suffering those effects.”

Radiation is not just confined to nuclear power plants. “Natural radiation is everywhere,” Professor Smith explains, “Everybody gets a dose. Radon gas is the most important. It comes from uranium found in the bedrock of the earth.”

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the global yearly average dose of radon is 1.3 millisieverts (mSv), but Professor Smith says in high radon gas areas - such as the American Midwest or Cornwall in southwest UK - the levels can be many times larger: “Only 2-3 millisieverts a year in theory gives us a 1 in 10,000 chance of getting cancer. But people who smoke are at a greater risk than that.”

diverges from that of Russia on a key issue or two? RosAtom might suddenly seek to renegotiate terms or, worse, renege on the deal and refuse to return the waste.

Dhaka Tribune


9

In July 2010, searing summer heat in north Alabama forced the Browns Ferry plant to run at only half of its regular power for eight weeks. With river water so warm, the world’s largest nuclear plant on opening in 1974 could not draw in enough water to cool the facility’s three reactors. Though there was never a risk of an explosion, leak or meltdown, the discharge of hotter than normal coolant water posed a serious ecological threat. The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) will be entirely dependent on the Padma River for its cooling water, and similarly susceptible to extreme heat

Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR)This is the most common type, with over 230 in use for power generation and several hundred more employed for naval propulsion. The design of PWRs originated as a submarine power plant. PWRs use ordinary water as both coolant and moderator. The design is distinguished by having a primary cooling circuit that flows through the core of the reactor under very high pressure, and a secondary circuit in which steam is generated to drive the turbine. In Russia these are known as VVER types - water-moderated and cooled.

public knowledge deficitThe government convened the ambitiously-titled May seminar Nuclear Power: A Chance of Successful Economic and Socio-political Development to try to plug the information gap. Even then, Nazarov Anatoly of the Public Council of RosAtom conceded that in Bangladesh, “A lot is left to be done in explaining strategies for setting up a plant.” RosAtom’s Communication Director Sergey Novokov said also that people fear nuclear plants: “not having (had) experience of the facilities.”

Belatedly, the corporation is establishing a Nuclear Industry Information Centre in Dhaka which the prime minister hopes will “create an opportunity for our people to be acquainted with the different aspects of nuclear power,” though she could

say only that she hoped RosAtom “will be able to start the activities of the centre soon.”

For Professor Haider, this is too little, too late.

“The entire process of building the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is shrouded in a veil of secrecy,” he says, “There has been no discourse in public fora where the citizens were given a chance to express their concerns or support for the project. It is surprising that members of the civil society did not engage the government in an informed debate on the wisdom of building a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.”

From next Wednesday and for the next fifty years, that wisdom will be tested like never before.

pabna power plant

A PWR has fuel assemblies of 200-300 rods each, arranged vertically in the core, and a large reactor would have about 150-250 fuel assemblies with 80-100 tonnes of Uranium.

Water in the reactor core reaches about 325C, hence it must be kept under about 150 times atmospheric pressure to prevent it boiling. Pressure is maintained by steam in a pressuriser (see diagram). In the primary cooling circuit the water is also the moderator, and if any of it turned to steam, the fission reaction would slow down. This negative feedback effect is one of the safety features of the type. The secondary shutdown system involves adding Boron to the primary circuit.

The secondary circuit is under less pressure and the water here boils in the heat exchangers, which are thus steam generators. The steam drives the turbine to produce electricity and is then condensed and returned to the heat exchangers in contact with the primary circuit.

Source: World Nuclear Association


10 post-riposte WEddING PhOTOGRAPhy

do we need professionals?

i’m not sure exactly when wedding photography became a full-fledged profession. Was it around the time when

wedding planning became more convoluted than retrieving a file from government office? Or maybe around the time when every Abdul, Kuddus and Jamal started owning a DSLR camera? Or perhaps when Facebook and Twitter became a platform for every pouting adolescent or an Amin Jewellers-clad aunty? Whatever the reason, a new breed of camera-swinging, irrationally confident, entitlement-seeking drones have started to call themselves as “professional” wedding photographers, and we are supposed to take them seriously.

Weddings have always been photographed, and photographed well, without ever needing a “professional” to capture your personal history. Almost always, we used to assign that role to a family member or a friend with a knack for photography. Delegating such an important assignment to someone close further cemented the relationship and created a sense of bonding based on a very intimate and shared moment. The wedding photographer became integral to the wedding itself.

As soon as you start creating an artificial position to be outsourced to someone whose only connection to the wedding is a cheque book, you start dehumanising the wedding itself. I understand hiring a cook for your wedding, a wedding planner maybe, even a florist. But why would you delegate a mercenary to create memories for probably the most important moment in your life? Makes no sense. n

why not? Sumaiya Shamsif we can ask for professionals in

every other job, why does asking for one to take photos at a wedding

seem excessive? Granted, asking a family member or a friend to take photos would be more intimate, given the fact that they know the bride/groom personally. However, by doing so, they are put in a delicate situation: take good photos, or suffer the newly-weds’ wrath. In trying to get every moment captured, the “honoured” family member/friend cannot even enjoy the programmes properly. It’s one thing to ask someone who has some clue about photography, but to give the job to a rookie just to save money (because, honestly, why else would you not hire a professional?) is just asking for disaster.

Professionals are called professionals for a reason – they know their job, and they do it properly. When you can get an expert to cover one of the most important events of your life, why let any Tom, Dick or Harry do it? n

waste of resources Faruq Hasan

Cartoons: Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy/Dhaka Tribune


11top 10 LOCAL BANGLA FICTION PART II

keep reading!In issue 18, August 22, we rated the top Bangladeshi fiction of all time. Because of sheer popularity, we decided to complete the list. Here, according to an online poll, is the next 10 in the rankings, compiled by Yusuf Banna

‘Kando nadi Kando’ by Syed WaliullahSyed Waliullah is one of the pioneers of modern Bangla literature, who adopted a multi-dimensional narrative for writing fiction that was previously only seen in “western” literature. This is perhaps his best known work. It beautifully merges verisimilitude with fiction: encompassing the very real lives of simple, small-town folk within an overarching story-line struggle of the town lawyer, thus effectively bringing the reader emotionally close to the story. n

11

14‘PuShPa briKSha ebong bihanga Puran’ by ahmed SofaThe protagonist wakes up one day to discover that he has a telepathic connection with the “insignificant” lives of the weeds, insects and birds that have made his roof their home. Their responsibilities and duties, hitherto considered non-existent, provides us with an excellent political allegory.

13‘Jibon amar bon’ by mahmudul haqHaq portrays the surreal times faced by most Bangladeshis during the Liberation War. As we experience the sufferings of the protagonist during such a difficult time, we also see, up close, the birth pangs of a nation.

12‘Janani’ by ShaWKat oSmanThis novel beautifully portrays the trials and tribulations of motherhood. The protagonist is constantly conflicted within herself, juggling attempts to conform to social diktats against single mothers, while trying to do what is best for her child.

2o‘Shey raate Purnima Chhilo’ by Shahidul ZahirThis novel is probably the best exponent of post-modern Bangladeshi fiction, calling in to question colonialism, power and politics.

19‘Khoabnama’ by aKhtaruZZman eliaSOne of the milestones of modern Bangla literature, ‘Khoabnama’ first introduces realism in the context of rural Bangladesh and everyday village life with its blend of power, politics and superstition.

18‘agunPaKhi’ by haSan aZiZul haqThe story is set in a remote village of West Bengal and is narrated by a country housewife. It chronicles a family’s ups and downs during the time of the India-Pakistan partition.

17‘PoKa maKorer ghar baShati’ by Selina hoSSainThis is probably the best known work by the author, where she questions reality and asks the readers to consider whether what they see is real or not.

16‘maa’ by aniSul hoqueMaa centres on a mother’s struggles during the Liberation War. When Shafia’s son Azad is caught by the Pakistani Army, he is tortured and brutally murdered, and his body is never found, Shafia fights poverty and the system.

15‘onKar’ by ahmed SofaIn this 24-page novella, Sofa developed a unique style of writing through the narration of the story of a mute girl desperate to speak and communicate. It is a clear analogy to the political turmoil surrounding the country leading up to the Liberation War, and a reminder of how important the freedom of speech is for all of us.

yusuf banna is a staff writer at Weekend Tribune. He would be happier if he could be a poet. He also dreams of being a painter and is envious of those who are artistically gifted

the top 101

‘Pather Panchali,’ by Bibhutibhushan

Bandopadhyay

2‘Modhanno,’ by

Humayun Ahmed

3‘Bishad Shindhu,’ by Mir

Mosharraf Hossain

4‘Josna O Jononir Golpo,’

by Humayn Ahmed

5‘Nandito Narake,’ by

Humayun Ahmed

6‘Hazar Bochor Dhorey,’

by Jahir Raihan

7‘Surjo Dighol Bari,’ by

Abu Ishaq

8‘Shankhaneel Karagar,’

by Humayun Ahmed

9‘Shongshoptok,’ by Shahidullah Kaiser

10 ‘Kritadaser Hasi,’ by

Shawkat Osman


picture this. Try, it’s not too hard. Long stretches of sandy beach: empty, glistening, stifled and

unruly at best. You wiggle your toes, every nanometre of your body shouts out for a sight and sound that says “fun.” Then, at the end of this desolation, like a drink on a dry day, you slowly adjust your eyes to the sight of some very bright lights, prick your ears up to loud, alive sounds that flow into your senses and grow bigger and better. You finally think you’ve spotted fun. So you pick up the pace and cover the rest of the distance. Then WHAM!

You have landed yourself in a suitably happening party. Very important development, I say, considering you have just dealt with hours of desolation and distance, and this is now practically the only chance of finding a spot tonight. “Good job,” you say to yourself, “first step over.”

As you step into the crowd, you feel a uniform pressure spreading throughout your body. Warmth, people, stamps – you feel it all, but mostly pleasure. You are shuffled and reshuffled from place to place by a wave of people you find yourself swimming against and with. Eventually you give in and feel one with the thud in your heart and float. Swimming is unnecessary when you can float, wouldn’t you agree? You would also agree if I now said out loud: “Heaven!”

At this point, after all the struggle and the lack of resolve, you start off in the right place, or at least it looks like the best so far. People here talk and scream and jostle and feel alive. You feel alive, because you feel challenged. This challenge starts with a drink.

Start with acknowledging the fact

that the bartender dude has hardly even noticed you still, and it’s already been a good, what, 10 minutes? And it doesn’t help if you send your cute girlfriend to do the job either. “Nonsense!” you definitely say. Only for that moment, though, for the joy of acting spoilt, for the joy of being able to demand. But if you’re worth anything this planet has ever given to you, or the stupid fire spots you call stars on a perfectly velvety royal blue, then you’ll stop right there, at your first benign “nonsense.” If you’re even beginning to be smart, you’d rather thank your pyjamas and all other essentials for being a part of this madness. You’d be grateful for this swarm that shows itself to be more than a stir, something positively more promising than the “adventure-proof” confines of your rented villa. Oh well, more promising only if you have other things in mind outside the confines of your villa.

halfway through the party, you know you’ve managed a crazy deal,

lots of bubbles and energy, air thick with expectations and rewards going in a blissful, secure loop. You have a bartender who’s taking long because he has so many glasses to fill and from the looks of it, enough alcohol to do so. You can see a large number of people who’re still making their way in. One look around you and you nod to your already soaring consciousness and silently say, “This is how it rolls.”

Don’t kill me if I say now, that I think you, I and more than a billion like us are in fact jostling right through this sweet, sweet struggle of a party. n

12 6o of connotations JOANNA BANERJEE

a voice fromthe other sideA night of celebration in the East

Just when all hopes for finding fun has been lost, an opportune moment presents itself. Far off in the distance you distinctly hear in your head: ‘I come bearing fruits, wine, and merrymaking.’

Rather than getting lost in

the crowd, you blend in with it. You pick up the

rhythym, and you dance the

night away

Joanna banerjee is a brooding

advertising sector worker but

sometimes feels like marketing is

best left to shiny, happy people


13photo story PANAm CITy

Place of MysterySyed Zakir Hossain

A PHOTO STORY BY

Panam City was established in the late 19th century as a trading centre during British rule. Hindu cloth merchants built their residential houses with inspiration derived from European sources. After the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, and the Muslim-Hindu riot, Panam City was virtually abandoned.

Today this area is protected under the Archaeology Department of Dhaka University.


14 photo story PANAm CITy


15


photo story PANAm CITy16

syed Zakir hossain is

the chief photographer at

Dhaka Tribune


first police on site“Russell fled from

the scene immediately after killing Saoda. We have conducted several raids at different places, including where he lived at Jordan Road in Barisal, on the night of September 5. Before going into hiding, Russell left behind notes claiming responsibility for killing Saoda, whom he sought to marry.“He also blamed Saoda’s family for instigating the murder by breaking up his relationship with her.”

Shakhawat Hossain, officer in-charge, Barisal Kotwali police station

lead investigator“Three police teams had

been working to detain Russell. One of the teams informed the Chittagong police about his location. After hiding for eight days, they arrested Russell from the city’s Kalshi Dighirpar on September 12. The police has already detained Russell’s friend Bipul Badoi, a student at BU, over the incident.“During the primary interrogation, Russell said Saoda’s family knew about their long-term relationship. They initially agreed on their marriage; however, they later said no to Russell and assaulted him. He said they humiliated his family because of their inferior financial and social status.Russell said he bought a machete from Bazar Road, Barisal on September 4, and had planned to

abduct Saoda using the weapon to threaten her. But the next day, when he went to her dorm, he forced her to get on a rickshaw with him saying they would go to the campus.Both of the detainees have been sent to jail. Russell gave his statement under section 164 of the criminal procedure law.”

Shakhawat Hossain, officer in-charge, Barisal Kotwali police station

victim’s family“It was our fault not to file any case against that murderer when my younger sister complained about him bothering her from time to time. The news about the relationship between Saoda and Russell that was printed on newspapers are complete lies; she lived with me and I never saw any sign of her dating him. We want the murderer to be properly punished according to the law.”

Hafsa, elder sister of Saoda

witness“Saoda was leaving

her dorm on Thursday morning when Russell came and started coercing her into getting on a rickshaw. After a while, we heard Saoda’s screaming and saw Russell hacking Saoda with a machete. After hitting her three or four times, Russell fled the scene. Later, he called us on phone and threatened us not to speak in favour of Saoda, or we would meet the same fate.”

Two of Saoda’s roommates, requesting anonymity

bu authorities“After the incident, an urgent proctorial body meeting was called and the university authority expelled the accused for life from the university.”Tanvir Kaisar, assistant proctor of BU“A few days ago, Saoda and Russell quarrelled in public at the campus. The BU authority was notified about their argument and summoned the two. Saoda complained to us about Russell stalking her after she had broken off their relationship. We warned Russell to leave her alone, but he continued to stalk her. We also advised Saoda to file a general diary with the police, she did not want to, as she said she was grateful to Russell for helping her get enrolled in BU. Saoda was a brilliant student and she wanted to complete her studies; that’s why she did not want to continue their relationship, but Russell did not agree.”

A teacher and a member of proctorial body, requesting anonymity

prime suspect

“Russell had considered committing suicide, but changed his mind. He said he came to justify his actions by deciding that killing Saoda was his revenge.”Shakhawat Hossain, officer in-charge, Barisal Kotwali police station“Our son is brilliant and we are bearing the cost of his education by rearing livestock and farming. Saoda’s parents not only rejected our marriage proposal in July, but they also humiliated and assaulted us because we are poor and from lower status.“If he killed Saoda, he would have killed himself as well, since he loved her so much.”

Renu Begum, Russell’s mother

crime file mURdER IN BARIsAL 17

a crime of passionAdil Sakhawat looks into the death of a Barisal University student

saoda, 18, a first-year accounting student in Barisal University (BU),

was allegedly hacked to death by Russell Matubbar, 20, a second-year management student in the same university at the university campus early morning on September 5. According to the police and the victim’s friends, the attack came after Saoda allegedly broke up with Russell.

september 58am

Saoda gets out of her dormitory to go to the

university

8.10amRussell forces Saoda

to go with him by rickshaw

8.15amRussell attacks Saoda

with a machete

8.20amRussell flees the scene

8.40amSaoda is taken to

Barisal Sher-e- Bangla Medical College with severe injuries in her

head and in other parts of her body

1.30pmSaoda is taken to

Dhaka Medical College and Hospital

2.30pmSaoda is declared dead

by the duty doctor

8pmBU authorities expel Russell from BU in an

urgent meeting

september 6-8Russell hides in Dhaka

september 75pm

Saoda is buried in her hometown

september 9Russell escapes from Dhaka to Chittagong

september 125.30pm

Chittagong police arrests Russell from Chittagong’s Kalshi

Dighirpar area

crime timeline

adil sakhawat reports on crime for Dhaka Tribune. Any information can be sent at [email protected]

profileSaoda was the youngest of two daughters of Abdur Razzak and Shahida Begum. She hailed from Patharghata of Barguna. She completed her SSC from Hatempur Secondary School in Barguna with GPA 5 and HSC from Patharghata College with GPA 4.3.

Dhaka Tribune


18 day in the life of A RALLy ACTIvIsT

let the games beginJoseph Allchin spends a day masquerading as a political activist in a Narshingdi rally

Joseph allchin Is a senior reporter

at Dhaka Tribune. Follow him on twitter:

@J_Allchin

and the band plays on …Narsingdhi was the resurgent BNP’s opener, and despite grey clouds and torrential morning rain, crowds thronged to see their “battling Begum.” Bands and excited crowds crammed onto trucks like cattle, hinting for miles before the rally site, that this would be a congregation of humanity of true deshi scale. However, for the mile upon mile of supporters edging their way along, women were distinctly absent from the excited crowds. Barring, of course, the occasional desperate old lady hoping to purloin a few takas from the boisterous crowds.

The crowds at Narsingdhi were not perturbed by the presence of hundreds of lathi-wielding police officers. The dense euphoric mass surged in a sweaty, excited mob to be driven back by stewards and police. The presence of grandeur, of spectacle and performance, are seemingly as important as the substance of the speeches.

Simmering recriminations have finally turned into full-blown, political theatre as the national election campaign goes into full swing. Carnivals always have themes, and so does this election season - some are fanciful, some real, and some just downright cynical.

Phot

os: C

ourt

esy


19

playing the blame gameNazi hunters or not, more traditional supporters had donned outfits of the symbolic bushel of rice or the farmers that made them. For one die - hard, this meant blacking up his skin, in striking contrast to the pale star of the show.

Bickering Begums naturally find blame for one another. And Zia at Narsigndhi managed to blame the traffic on Hasina as a reason for why she left her fans waiting, forgetting of course the tremendous tailbacks the rally had caused on the Dhaka-Syhlet highway.

Rana Plaza was also blamed on Awami League, and in particular the corruption of one MP named Murad Jang of Savar, allegedly responsible for Bangladesh’s worst industrial disaster on record. Needless to say, this was small fry compared with the Awami MP who claimed the building had fallen because of BNP supporters shaking the building. n

the caretaker conundrumThemes, however, are necessary in all political crusades, and the more negative they are, the merrier the supporters become. For the BNP, the caretaker government is the primary one - the angel on the top of our seasonal tree of political conflict, from under whose skirts could flow any number of tacit themes, either subtly or not.

Caretaker government is the central symbol for painting a picture of a tyrannical government: the suggestion put out there to be devoured and interpreted in any manner that the crowds wished. The issue of Hefezat and religion is a perfect example. For while General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam ‘Alamgir’ claimed on record, “we don’t support Hefezat,” the implications are strong enough. On stage marvelling at the crowds assembled before him was at least one prospective BNP MP from Hefazat, who suggested that he was there, as were the crowds, to, “send lady Hitler to India!”

rally quotes n

if the caretaker or non-party administration is

not restored, people will bloackade all roads and

sit there

n

wait for some more days, we will reveal the new treat in due time. otherwise, they might

steal our idea

n

we will enforce non-stop hartal and blockade

programmes after our ongoing rallies in

divisional cities are over

n

either restore caretaker government, or find an

escape route


20 What’s the proBlem WORK ANd PROsPERITy

proud part-timersSheikh Mohammed Irfan discusses problems part-time workers face in various industries

Part-time work is not

ademeaning, but rather a

blessing in disguise. Sadly,

the ruling notion in

Bangladesh says it’s better to ask your parents for

an allowance at the age of 20 than to work in

a restaurant

“dad, I just got offered a part-time job in a restaurant,” an excited

teenager exclaims. His father, anything but impressed, replies haughtily: “Son, working in a restaurant is demeaning. You have to take such shabby work out of your head and focus on studying to become an engineer.”

approaching a paradigm shiftThis is what most adolescents face when trying to work part-time, and it signifies how backward our society is at times and how we view work compared to modern countries. In most places, every job is considered respectable and a source of income; even if it’s just pocket money, the notion is appreciated. In our culture, however, certain jobs are considered “prestigious,” such as working in a bank or law firm, while others are social stigmas, such as working as a waiter or hawker.

In Bangladesh, a huge population of youth and young adults remain dependent on their families until they get full-time jobs. Part-time jobs have managed to attract the youth and encourage their productivity in a positive manner. Unfortunately, what our society fails to see is how both our youth and the community as a whole benefit from this productivity.

focus on a variety of skillsPart-time jobs are available in multiple sectors and require versatility and good communication skills. According to many part-timers, these jobs have not only given them the opportunity to progress, but have also lifted their self-

esteem. While working, they acquire skills in communication and some even learn or improve on English as a second language – a globally essential skill. Most importantly, these employees are earning wages considered healthy by Bangladeshi standards and, in doing so, are growing into independent, hard-working citizens.

a true melting potNo matter the sector, part-time employees are hired from different backgrounds. The key thing most employees have in common, though, is that their families come to recognise the benefits of working part-time. It goes without saying that, besides adding value to the students’ CVs, the experience comes in handy for those trying to study or work abroad.

opportunities galoreWhile the social taboo of part-time jobs has not diminished in Bangladesh, opportunities for working part-time are improving. Spanning the last decade, franchise shops and multinational companies have flooded the market. This in turn has created a myriad of opportunities for the youth to involve themselves in part-time work. The food and hospitality sector offers students part-time jobs as waiters or hosts. Many fast food joints in the capital hire part-time employees, mostly students, and provide them an interactive and engaging opportunity to learn from a variety of customers. Telecom companies also hire students who can work part-time in places like call centres to improve their communication skills. Consumer-centric organisations, like

departmental stores, hire part-time employees to provide customer service.

Juggling a variety of rolesThese jobs, however, are not as easy as one may think. The employers have a set of criteria for the kind of people they are willing to recruit, the most basic requirement being the ability to work adequate hours. Since most part-timers tend to be students, employers face difficulties scheduling their work around their class schedules. To make matters worse, the political unrest

completely derails the students’ calendar year, thus resulting in even more confusion for both the students and the employers.

training, training and more trainingMost organisations also arrange training for their part-timers. These sessions are not technical; rather, they concentrate on basic communication skills, teach young people how to be business savvy, and focus on how to give customers what they want. Some employers complain that such skills should be part of the basic higher education programme, but the gap in our education system means that organisations end up footing the bill to provide such training.

more opportunities in the futureAlthough Bangladesh is fixated on a rigid workflow, many opportunities are presenting themselves for part-timers. However, the question still remains: Can we, as a society, embrace modern culture and recognise the benefits of part-time work? Our families and corporations have to work symbiotically to create a truly productive nation. The government, in the meantime, needs to monitor part-timers and recognise them as a workforce. Otherwise, we might end up witnessing a new type of labour exploitation. n

sheikh mohammed irfan is a pragmatist,

spotlighting the persistent problems in

Bangladesh

Photos: Chanchal Kamal


“do you love Bangladesh?” my husband’s seven-year-old cousin asked hopefully.

Smiling, I replied: “How could I not love it? This is my new home”. Funnily enough, I have come to see Bangladesh as my home, to the point that I criticise its problems as much as the next Bangladeshi, forgetting the fact that as a “bideshi” my criticism might be taken the wrong way.

The truth is, Bangladesh has one of the most unique, exotic, and colourful societies I’ve ever lived in. What I enjoy the most about it is the tolerance and warm-heartedness of its people. “Amar bashae esho” (Please come to my home) is one of the most commonly used phrases I’ve heard uttered in this country, and the best part is, when people say it, they wholeheartedly mean it.

When you do visit, they will treat you like royalty, offering all of their best, home-made meals and mouthwatering traditional desserts. And by “all,” I mean you can expect at least 10 different dishes to be laid out in front of you. Don’t expect to leave that table until you’ve tasted every one; however, do expect to be served second, third, fourth and sometimes even fifth helpings by your generous hosts. Finally, whether it’s a box of more home-made food or sweets, a bag of fresh fruits or vegetables from

the village, a sari or unstitched salwar kameez, or any other affectionate offering, never expect to leave a Bangladeshi’s home empty-handed.

I’ll never forget the first time I visited my “bua’s” home in the slum. She and her husband had rented a fan just to make me feel comfortable and had made biriani especially in my honour. They literally offered me everything they had while smiling apologetically that they didn’t have more. Their behaviour was so touching that it humbled me and made me wonder what I was doing in return for such caring and compassionate people – people who expected nothing in return for their hospitality and kindness.

While living here, I’ve come to realise that Bangladeshis are humble, yet proud of their heritage. Despite all the challenges they face, it doesn’t take much to put a smile on their faces. Their culture is centred on family and their definition of family extends far beyond blood relations. I can’t even count the number of people here who have unhesitatingly embraced me as part of their families saying “You are my sister,” or “You are my daughter,” and showering me with love. Even complete strangers here call each other “apu” (sister), “bhaiya” (brother), “mama” (uncle), etc. The respect cultivated in this society is

truly admirable.In comparison to other countries

where foreigners are made to feel, well, foreign and are not accepted as part of the society unless they learn the language and culture of the area they visit, Bangladesh is one of the friendliest countries in the world. Instead of looking down on you for not speaking their language, Bangladeshis will attempt to communicate with you in your foreign language and feel ashamed if they are unable to do so. They will do their utmost to make you feel at home and become visibly touched by any compliment you pay them or their country.

All you have to do is say one word in Bangla to them and see their faces light up in admiration of your efforts to connect with their culture. My husband’s aunt unexpectedly grabbed me in her arms and smothered me with kisses when I asked her “Kemon achen?” (How are you?) for the first time. Now, I speak in Bangla with most of my relatives just to enjoy their ecstatic reactions when I do.

Bangladesh is a nation with a lot to be proud of already and with endless opportunities to continue to grow. All it needs is a great leader to guide and channel its people’s sincerity into productivity, while maintaining their identity and boosting their already thriving multicultural society. n

stranger in a strange land BAssEmA KARAKI

home sweet home

bassema karaki is a Lebanese-American married to a Bangladeshi. She shares how strange, crazy, and humorous life in Bangladesh can appear to an outsider looking in

21

A difficult yet pleasant transition into Bangladesh

Take the time to introduce yourself

to Bangladeshis, and watch how they

will welcome you into their homes with open arms,

doing everything in theirpower to please

you

Studying authentic Bangali culture, reading about the profound literature and surreal poetry, admiring the traditional handicrafts, and indulging in the mesmerising music and songs have allowed me to comprehend the nationalistic pride of Bangladeshis when speaking of their country

Rio Shuvo/Dhaka Tribune


22 tough love dINA sOBhAN

1 2

i am the smartest kid in my family, which isn’t really much of an accomplishment

because i come from a very blue-collared family that prides itself on hard work and brawn. the problem is, however, that my academic accomplishments really intimidate my family members to the extent that they try to discourage me from my studies. should i just put up with this or try and fight back somehow?

3 Gee, I wonder if your family is intimidated by your brilliance or merely annoyed by your smug, superiority. Do you insist on sharing stories of your latest scholarly achievements, causing them to drool like country yokels (out of boredom) into their hand-shucked corn? Do you frequently regale them with tidbits of information over breakfast, only to tsk when they fail to care? Are you forever chortling at your own witticisms

and rolling your eyes at their lack of comprehension?

I have a feeling that they are putting up with you and fighting back the urge to pommel your giant noggin with the closest academic tome they can lay their brawny hands on. Why not take less obvious pride in your own achievements and appreciate your roots a little more. Only once they stop hating you can your family appreciate your accomplishments. n

Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy/Dhaka Tribune

i am a stockbroker by profession, and i have to take care of the needs

of clients from all walks of life. recently i have discovered a loophole whereas i can utilise some of the funds from my richer clients for a limited period time for my own benefit, and then pay the money back soon. i am not a dishonest person, and i wouldn’t even think about doing this if i were not sure the funds wouldn’t be missed at all. what do you think of my idea?

I think it’s great, but on two conditions:a. You cannot and must not be

found out.b. You must share your wealth

with me for providing you with this invaluable advice. n

Note: In case of a, please ignore b. In fact, burn any correspondence we may or may not have shared promptly

i have caught my best friend cheating on his girlfriend. i am very good friends with his

girl friend too. i want to tell her about his lying, but there’s a chance she won’t believe me and might accuse me of interfering. at the same time, i want my friend to confess to her himself, but i know he won’t. what should i do?

You should stop being such a chicken little and bust his sneaky cheating butt pronto! However, if you are too timorous to do that, you can devise a ploy by which your best friend’s girlfriend stumbles upon him during one of his trysts and thus saves you the trouble of having to out his philandering posterior.

Find out where he plans to conduct his next secret rendezvous and then introduce a third party who will lure the girlfriend to that location at the right time. You don’t want to be anywhere near the scene of

the crime or risk getting implicated by association. Although when the proverbial poo hits the fan, you will have two very remorseful individuals to lend your pudgy shoulders to.

Whatever you do, do not let the guilt talk you into confessing your crimes. Keep mum, console your BFF and look like a great friend while feeling quite the hero for rescuing his poor unassuming ex from a relationship full of lies and deceit. And don’t let the irony hit you on the way out. n

dina sobhan is a freelance writer

and cautions readers not to take her

“advice” here too seriously!

Please send us your problems at: weekend@

dhakatribune.com


23

across1 Market stall pub argument (6)6 Two businesses accumulate first bean (5)7 Obvious bowling spell to start (5)8 Essential home for use of typists (6)

down2 Lacy hem arrangement changes lead (7)3 Cheesecake ingredient stirs up cat riot (7)4 The law about prosperity (6)5 Irish city under Unit Nations release (6)

across1 Hot and crossed like an Easter symbol (5)5 Fitting middle to chapter (3) 6 Academic returns tools for cloth dying (5)8 Pattern Chris Hoy sits on? (5)10 Nothing against second of Easter eggs (3)11 Magical type team break pastry (5)

down1 Darling look. New ancient city! (7)2 After George Osborne takes his goal (3)3 Talk about bovine (3)4 About the late Jesse Owens, for example (7)7 Climbing plant - your first under four (3)8 Restrict maximum size of headgear (3)9 Leader of ten, or leader of eight? (3)

solution and clues for last week’s crossword

dilbert

peanuts

Wt | leisure


in Dhaka, business people complain about the strength of the taka compared with the US dollar, which

makes their exports more expensive. Travel next door and the situation could not be any different.

The joke in Delhi now is: what is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s favourite part of a cricket match? The coin toss, because it’s the only time he sees the rupee go up. What makes that joke funnier is that India’s currency sank to record lows at the beginning of September to around 69 to the US dollar.

All this was caused by a suggestion in New York. Since the financial crisis in 2007- 08 the US Fed, the nation’s national bank, has been engaged in quantitative easing (QE).

QE entails the Fed buying bonds, which lowers market interest rates, thereby stimulating lending and spending. This has been done alongside ultra low central bank interest rates. The effect is to encourage investment, as saving is not profitable. The result is that investors seek profits in fast growing emerging economies such as India.

Now that the US prospects are looking up, the Fed’s suggestion that QE would end, propagated a herd mentality out of India. This exposed the economy, making it look weaker than previously thought, and saw GDP growth rates tumble to 4.4%, its slowest rate of expansion since 2009. Meanwhile, at the beginning of September, HSBC’s purchasing managers index after measuring manufacture registered a contraction for the first time in four years.

Cambridge University’s Ha Joon Chang notes: “QE may have had acted like an electric shock to someone who just had a cardiac arrest. But

subsequently its boosting effects have been largely through the creation of unsustainable asset bubbles.” In India, QE created a bubble that is now being burst.

This has been seen before, during the recession of the early 90s that caused ultra low interest rates in the US. As the recession eased, monetary policy in the US tightened, leading to a bursting of bubbles in the “Asian Tigers,” which had sucked up a lot of the liquidity. This was also prompted by the US pushing economies to move more freely, which, according to Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, “more than anything else led to the Asian financial crisis. Few policies or actions have greater culpability for that Asian crisis and the global financial crisis of 2008.”

Thailand and Indonesia were fully integrated “darlings” of the Western economic policies and both suffered catastrophic economic effects of the Asian financial crisis. Here, money came in when borrowing was cheap and invested to make a quick buck. When monetary policy tightened, sharp out flows of dollars devastated what had previously been known as “Asian Tiger” economies. In Indonesia, the local currency, the ruppiah, went from around 2,600 to the dollar at the start of 1997 to around 11,000 by the beginning of 1998.

Bangladesh’s currency is not convertible and despite far smaller

GDP per capita here, it compared very well with India’s. Moreover, a raft of economic and social indicators suggests that Bangladesh’s unintentional orientation may have saved it.

On the other hand, Bangladesh’s foreign direct investment (FDI) is small, thus the vast majority of foreign exchange earnings come from exports from factories and remittances. As a result, Bangladesh’s economy is driven by the “low - skilled” masses, as opposed to foreign capital, such as selling Big Macs or services to the rich minority of Indians.

The difference, however, is an economy which is run by and for the financial sector as opposed to one (Bangladesh) that “has to” work beyond it. While India’s manufacturing sector is shrinking, Bangladesh’s is increasing, with exports rising in garments by some 26% year-on-year in July. This was despite distinct challenges posed by the political situation. India’s economic strengths have never been manufacturing, but rather education-intensive fields that employ small numbers of the educated middle class.

Reflecting this, the proportion of Indian pre-school aged children with vitamin A deficiency stands at around 62% compared with Bangladesh’s 22%. Bangladesh’s development may not appear as glamorous, but like China’s, it provides jobs for mothers who feed

their children, as opposed to only jobs for those who are nourished anyway.

India’s answer has come in the form of Raghuram Rajan, formerly of Chicago University. His answer has been to increase the capacity of the financial sector, which caused the problem in the first place, where every recession is met by further lowering of interest rates or QE, which lead to asset bubbles, which eventually burst.

Ha Joon Chang explains: “Recovery based on a ‘rebalancing’ of the economy would have required policies that hurt the financial sector. The financial system would have to be re-engineered to channel more money into long-term investments that raise productivity. There would have to be greater public investment in the training of scientists and engineers.”

Thus, Bangladesh would be wise to heed these lessons - controlling the economy to enhance industrial output and encouraging. The continued growth of manufacturing should be prioritised over short-term profits that can be gained from the financial sector. n

24 everyday economist AsIAN FINANCIAL CRIsIs

the coin-toss gambleJoseph Allchin looks at why Bangladesh has avoided the Indian economy’s recent lacklustre performance. What did we do right?

Joseph allchin Is a senior reporter

at Dhaka Tribune. Follow him on twitter:

@J_Allchin

Race to head the Fed: This week’s news that Larry Summers was out of the running to take over the Federal Reserve caused a surge on global markets. Summers is believed to be keen to ‘taper’ quantative easing and low interest rates, thereby encouraging saving over investment. This would have meant a slowdown in investment globally

Quantative easing is when a central bank buys up bonds, which lowers market interest

rates, thereby stimulating lending and spending. This has been done alongside ultra

low central bank interest rates as a policy to stimulate stagnant western economies.

This encourages investment, as saving is not profitable. The result is that investors seek

profits, in fast-growing emerging economies such as India

10.0

7.5

5.0

2.5

2003

Bangladesh

Source: World Bank

India Pakistan

20072005 2009 20112004 20082006 2010 2012

gdp growth (annual%)


25PANThAPAThthe Way dhaka Was

Panthapath 1994-95

Photo: Hasan Saifuddin Chandan/MAP

Syed Latif Hossain

Panthapath used to be the road that linked Green Road to Farmgate, and nothing else. Till about a decade ago, you could safely traverse the long road and never face a traffic jam. Bashundhara City, of course, changed all that. But now, we also have a motley crew of furniture stores, traders and restaurants and big restaurants setting up businesses there. Now, it’s not a question of whether you will be stuck in traffic in Pathapath; it’s a question of how long you will be stuck.Jesmine Mila, housewife, Kathalbagan resident

Today


edinburgh castleProminently located right in the centre of the city, the Edinburgh Castle was no trouble to find. From the moment we stepped on the stone pathway leading into the castle grounds, the feel of history was overwhelming. Every time my hands touched the stone walls, I had to keep reminding myself about the times these walls have endured and how it’s a miracle they are still standing strong and sturdy.

There are several “fact frames” within the castle interiors, providing historical titbits to the visitors. The dungeons were definitely the most interesting aspect for me; they were chilly and damp – conveying the perfect combination of mystery and mysticism.

the cityLater in the day, we walked down the historic Royal Mile, towards the City Centre, passing through rustic alleyways with cosy local shops displaying Scottish ware in their windows. A trip inside revealed original

cashmere and traditional tweed treasures – gloves, skirts, scarves, hats. We walked downhill, enjoying the view, until we finally reached the famous Prince’s Street. Lined with department stores, it is literally a shopper’s haven. Strolling into one of the side alleys we discovered more delights and cobbled stone streets, even what we termed a “mini Chinatown” as it was layered with lanterns all through.

the royal botanical gardensStepping inside the gates of the Botanical Gardens was like stepping into a new world. It was like entering a green haven – the sort one gets to see in movies, with an unreal touch. We dropped our rucksacks on the grass and ran around like children for a few minutes – it was invigorating. No sounds reached us; it was a serene and calm sanctuary. The best parts about the Gardens were the Glasshouses, simply an adventure we did not expect. Bursting with colourful flora and fauna, nothing prepared us for the raw exotic beauty we encountered. It

was definitely time and money well spent.

mercat ghost toursOur last attraction of the day was a tour organised by Mercat Ghost Tours. We opted for their “Hidden and Haunted” package, which promised thrills and chills. On the way up the hill to our destination, we met a group of people who looked like they had walked straight out of a Harry Potter movie. Amid the odd mix of tourists, the real eye-catcher was the group of instructors: all dressed in black gowns with hoods, all carrying broomsticks, very reminiscent of Quidditch. The tour was intriguing, though we were a tad disappointed to not have encountered any spirits or out-of-the-ordinary occurrences. However, this only assured us that it was the “real deal”: they did not mislead us by

ghostly theatrics or special effects. The tour guides kept us well-entertained and gasping with tales of Edinburgh’s bloody history. The cherry on the pie was the concluding part of the tour, whereby we were taken beneath the city to explore the secret underground tunnels and passageways that were spookier than we imagined. After the tour was over, we were all taken to the souvenir shop, where the group also had the opportunity to take pictures with the guides.

adieu At the end of our Ghost tour, we barely had enough time to hail a taxi and rush to the coach station. It was a successful trip; we never imagined we would be able to pack such a variety of activities in just a day. Life is short, so why not live a little, eh? n

26

enchanting edinburghJennifer Ashraf recounts her visit to the Scottish capital

travelogue sCOTLANd

Jennifer ashraf is a freelance

contributor who likes to travel a lot

Scottish people are unbelievably

friendly and helpful. The staff at our

hotel helped us with the

tour packages. The Ghost Tour instructors and

organisers went out of their

way to make us comfortable

if Scotland truly is the encompassing wonderland where nature, history, and modern

technology merge together into a complimentary coexistence, then Edinburgh is the jewel in its crown. So when a weekend opportunity to visit presented itself, I couldn’t resist and set off immediately.

My husband and I arrived at Edinburgh City Centre at 2am and hailed a taxi to our hotel – Travelodge, Learmonth. There were brochures and information packs in the lobby of all the attractions in Edinburg. The next day, we woke up bright and early, enjoyed the buffet breakfast and were ready to head out by 10:30am. Our hotel receptionist handed us a map and advised us about the bus routes which we should be taking and the all-day bus passes we should purchase, saving us both time and money.

Photos: Courtesy


27oBituary ANWAR hOssAIN

the nawab departedYusuf Banna writes about a prominent Bangladeshi actor yusuf banna is a staff

writer at Weekend Tribune. He would be happier if he could be a poet. He also dreams of being a painter and is envious of those who are artistically gifted

At a glancen Anwar Hossain was born in Jamalpur on Dec 6, 1931n Passed his matriculation from Jamalpur Zila HIgh School in 1951n Received the National Film Award for best actor in the film ‘Lathiyal’ in 1975n Won National Film award as supporting actor, in 1978. for ‘Golapi Ekhon Train-e’n Won the National Film Award for the third time for another unique performance in ‘Dayi Ke’ in 1987n Also won the BACHSAS award for the same film in the same yearn Died on September 18, 2013

the reign of the “Crownless Emperor” of Bangladeshi film legend has finally come to an

end. “Nawab” Anwar Hossain breathed his last on Friday, September 13, after five decades on the silver screen.

The 82-year-old was suffering from Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. He was bed-ridden for the last couple of years and eventually lost his voice in the final five months of his life. Admitted to Square Hospital on August 18 with a suspected gall stone, his physical condition was found to be unfit for surgery.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited Anwar Hossain the day before he died.

“The country has lost a unique actor, cultural activist and patriot. His death is a great loss for the nation,” she said, while handing over a cheque for Tk1m to his family. Nasima Anwar, his wife, had said preparations were ongoing to move him to a better medical facility in Bangkok or Singapore within three days, but the curtains came down on his life before they could move him.

The three-time National Film Award-winner left behind his wife, four sons, and a daughter.

Anwar Hossain was an institution in himself. Born in Sarulia in Jamalpur on December 6, 1931, his passion for acting led him to Dhaka and in 1957 he started out on radio, performing in a play called “Nawfel O Hatem” by Poet Forrukh Ahmed.

Hossain made his cinematic debut in 1958, playing a villain in “Tomar Amar,” and five years later he starred as a hero in “Salauddin’s Surja Snyan.”

His breakthrough came in 1965 when he took the lead role in

“Rupban,” but it was his performance in the title role of Nawab Siraj ud-daulah two years later which would define his career. The film was released both in Bangla and Urdu and had cross-cultural appeal. Afterwards, people started calling him Nawab.

Anwar Hossain raised the bar of the quality of Bangladeshi acting and set an example for future actors to follow.

Silver screen actor Alamgir said: “The use of facial expressions, pitching of dialogues, pronunciation and gestural attributes have served the purpose of an acting syllabus or guideline for others.”

In the early years of the film industry in a newly-independent Bangladesh, Anwar Hossain competed against the monopoly of Urdu and Hindi cinema and established himself as an activist and protagonist.

Beside Golam Mustafa, he was the only performer who completely dedicated every bit of his talent to acting only. “Nayokraz” Razzaq said: “Our beloved Anu Bhai was a fighter and we were his soldiers.”

Anwar Hossain appeared in over 500 films and reached an unmatched magnitude witihin the Bangladeshi film industry. He was the first in the industry to have won the Ekushe Padak (in 1985), and he had also scooped a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 for his contribution to cinema.

When he was awarded by Channel i in 2009 he came on stage in a wheelchair. Holding the microphone, the octogenarian actor said his only compunction in later life was that he was unable to act in cinema due to his physical condition.

His only priority was to act, his only

passion and dream was to perform in front of the camera, and his only happiness was in portraying characters in the script. For his whole life, Anwar Hossain followed this passion with no materialistic need whatsoever. n

anwar hossain: filmographypre-independence era• ‘rupban’

• ‘etotuku asha’

• ‘shat bhai chompa’

• ‘neel akash-er niche’

• ‘ka-kha-ga-gha-uma’

• ‘ghurnijhor’

• ‘sharlipi’

• ‘kancher deyal’

• ‘bondhon’

• ‘Jibon theke neya’

• ‘nawab sirajodowla’

post-independence era• ‘Joy bangla’

• ‘nijere haraye khuji’

• ‘lalon fokir’

• ‘orunodoyer ognishakkhi’

• ‘alo tumi aleya’

• ‘golapi ekhon train-e’

• ‘devdas’

• ‘rajlokkhi srikanto’

• ‘dayi ke’

• ‘rongbaj’

• ‘dhire bohe meghna’

• ‘rupali shaikate’

• ‘noyon moni’

• ‘nagor dola’

• ‘surya sangram’

urdu films• ‘nachghar’

• ‘bahana’

• ‘ujala


28 last Word

it started off with a light punch, or a tap on the back of your head. You laughed it off. You thought: “We’re

buddies, whatever. Doesn’t matter.” Yet somehow, it was significant enough on some level that you can trace back to it now.

The next time, it was some argument between the two of you. You felt he was a bit harsh, but didn’t think much of it. He squeezed your cheeks tightly as he tried to emphasise his point, only to laugh afterwards and make light of it. You ended up laughing too. You ended up forgetting the “harsh” bit.

Then, it was the two of you in bed. You were role-playing so you thought it was all a part of the game. After a point, you didn’t want to continue, but he went ahead anyway. You silently obliged.

One day, you realised it wasn’t random dates marked on the calendar; it wasn’t light or humorous anymore. It was every now and then.

It was harsh words behind closed doors and raised hands. Hands that, thankfully, stopped halfway.

But sometimes didn’t. Eventually, your relationship ended.

You had thought throughout that it was normal. That the problem was not the relationship – it was you.

Until you heard stories of how similar it was with the next girlfriend. How much worse it was with the one after that. And you began tracing it all back to that very first friendly punch.

Suddenly, you realised the entirety

of your relationship was a collage of incidents: of punches, jolts and filthy curse words. Suddenly, you learned how to tell what really “counts” as abuse.

It is often difficult to realise what abuse is while living with it, since it shares blurry boundaries with jokes and other friendly and/or intimate gestures. Moreover, it can be difficult to identify because victims often live in denial about the fact that their partner has this whole other side. In “Rape at Home,” an article on a French Consulate employee in India who allegedly raped his three-year-old daughter, the mother tells the journalist how she ignored the starkest signs of abuse as she continued to live in a “fog of denial.” She said of her husband: “Somehow, he didn’t fit my image of an abusive husband. He used to always say he was so sorry and otherwise he was wonderful.”

Except, that is abuse. They never “seem” abusive, until they are. Until little taps and punches from here and there begin adding up, and it’s everyday and it’s painful, and as you soon see, it’s unbearable. By then, you are so deep in the abuse system that you cannot crawl back out.

Abuse is a tricky issue, and a very sensitive one to discuss in our society. It often starts slowly, blends in with our daily routine, permeates our system, and becomes a silent shadow inside our own home. And it is most difficult to deal with because often we learn to recognise it only after it has grown too big for us to ignore.

We don’t realise that something – a practice, a habit – is being bred and is feeding off our silence. In order to understand and escape abuse, we must learn to tell the difference between abuse and a fun gesture, moreover we must know where the boundary lies. Sometimes, it may be tricky to identify the line, but in that case, place yourself outside the situation and try to see if you would count it as abuse if you

saw another couple interacting in this manner.

When I was in school, I used to read articles about violence against women, dowry violence and sexual

harassment, wondering what good could come out of these clichéd writings. I always thought the system would continue regardless and the ones who needed to be reached would probably just glance over these writings in their tenacious effort to remain in a state of denial.

But as I write this now, I do have hope, because I believe that for someone to realise they are living in a system of abuse, they need to be constantly reminded of it, it needs to be constantly pointed out to them. I hope this piece might be another reminder, another weight on the reader’s conscious, perhaps the tipping point that will eventually let them break out of their system of abuse. This piece is in hopes that you, sitting there, dreading the next time you have to convince yourself all over again that your partner “didn’t mean it,” will realise, will rise and will come out of the confines of abuse. Come out to a world that is waiting to listen to you.

Disclaimer: The use of male abusers in the story is purely fictional. The author acknowledges that the abuser in many cases can be female and this piece is written for anyone subjected to relationship abuses despite their gender or sexual orientation. n

Accepting reality will set you free

defining abuse

syEdA sAmIRA sAdEQUE

You can only go so far with denial. The first step towards freedom from

abusive relationships is accepting that you are being abused. Don’t ignore

the telltale signs; don’t cover for your partner. You won’t be helping anyone

Abuse comes in all shapes and forms, and so does the abuser. Sometimes, it is difficult to imagine that someone you trust and respect may be capable of such despicable actions. Perhaps the best way to deal with situations like this is to keep an open mind, consider all possibilities

syeda samira sadeque is the

human version of a turtle – small,

(mostly) confused and slow, not quite

bothered about winning the race. She

loves cakes, coffee, different kinds of socks and ranting about everything that’s wrong with

the world

Weekend Tribune Vol 1 Issue 22

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Transcript of Weekend Tribune Vol 1 Issue 22