Dhaka Mirror

Shah Rukh Khan defends ‘scuffle’ in Mumbai

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:02:07 +0000

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has defended his actions after angry exchanges and scuffles with staff at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Khan said he became angry when security “manhandled” children he was with.
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) said the actor could be banned from the stadium for misbehaving during the Indian Premier League (IPL) match.
MCA officials have filed a police complaint against the actor. He says he plans to report “abusive” staff.
‘Completely unpardonable’
Khan, who is the owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders team, which won Wednesday night’s match against the Mumbai Indians, said he was angry because stadium officials had been “very rude” to him.
“They were extremely aggressive. Some of the things they said I don’t even want to repeat. And yes I got angry,” he told reporters outside his Mumbai residence.
Khan also said that the “manhandling” of the children was “completely unpardonable in my mind”.
The actor said he had not watched the match but gone to the stadium to pick up a group of 30 youngsters and his own children who had watched the match.
Khan said he would lodge a police complaint against the abusive stadium officials.
Earlier, the MCA president Vilasrao Deshmukh said attempts by staff to pacify Khan had been unsuccessful.
“There is a proposal before MCA to ban the actor from entering the stadium. We will go by whatever the majority decision is,” he said.
MCA vice-president Ratnakar Shetty said the association members were “very angry over the incident”.
He said he had not been present, but MCA officials had told him that it was “an unpleasant incident”.
“Foul language was used,” he said.
Meanwhile, IPL Chairman Rajiv Shukla has asked for a report on the matter.
“I will take the version of the MCA, Shah Rukh Khan and the police before talking about the issue,” he said.
Khan is one of Bollywood’s biggest stars. He has appeared in more than 70 films, anchored television shows and done innumerable advertisements.

-With bbc.co.uk input

Goodbye, middlemen

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:41:06 +0000

Dhaka, KL agree on state handling of workers’ job in Malaysia
Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur have agreed on state arrangements for recruitment of Bangladeshi workers by Malaysia eliminating middlemen from the process to reduce the cost of sending workers and end their perennial abuses.
“Malaysia is very concerned about human trafficking. It wants to improve this situation,” Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain told journalists yesterday on his return from a four-day visit to Malaysia.
The minister was briefing the media at his office about his talks with the Malaysian authorities. He led a four-member delegation.
In Putrajaya, the delegation held meetings with Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein and Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri S Subramaniam.
The visit took place at a time when Malaysia is set to recruit workers from Bangladesh after completing regularisation of irregular foreign workers under its amnesty programme that began in August last year.
Around four lakh Bangladeshi workers are now in Malaysia, which froze recruitment from Bangladesh in early 2009 following numerous cases of exploitation of workers in 2007 and 2008. Many were jobless and stranded while many others suffered much more and returned home empty-handed.
Mosharraf said Kuala Lumpur now wants a fully transparent recruitment process. “The Malaysian home minister clearly said it is the brokers both in Bangladesh and Malaysia who are creating problems. They are embarrassed at it.”
At the meetings, Mosharraf pointed out the abusive practices of the recruiting agencies and brokers. He mentioned that Bangladesh has online database of overseas jobseekers, and the Malaysian authorities could allow direct recruitment of these registered jobseekers by their employers.
“Those registering first would be recruited first. Thus, the middlemen could be eliminated,” he said.
Bangladesh Overseas Employment Services Limited (BOESL) and the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) will conduct the recruitment process. Presently, Bangladesh sends workers to South Korea under government arrangements.
The minister said a Malaysian delegation will visit Bangladesh within a week or two to see the systems it has. Later, the Malaysian cabinet will scrutinise and finalise the recruitment process.
Recruitment from Bangladesh could start in two months or more, but it is sure that Malaysia would go for it. Under state arrangements, the cost of sending workers to Malaysia would not be more than Tk 50,000 each.
However, if any employer bears the air fare, the cost would be limited to Tk 30,000-35,000. In 2007-08, the cost was around Tk 2 lakh per head although the government-fixed rate was Tk 84,000.
Asked how he would handle the recruiting agencies who could create pressure on the government to allow them to send workers, he said “I will not backtrack. I am firm this time.”
He, however, said once the recruitment process is streamlined and workers can go at a low cost, private sector will take over.
“The government does not want to do business, but at the same time it cannot sit idle if the private agencies and brokers create troubles for the workers,” Mosharraf said.

-With The Daily Star input

Commission formed to review activities

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:31:58 +0000

Grameen Bank, Associated Organisations
Commission formed to review activities
The government yesterday formed a four-member commission to review the activities of Grameen Bank and its associated organisations, and make recommendations on how to run the organisations.
The move comes a week after the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s two-day visit to Bangladesh when she said the US government would not endorse any action of the Bangladesh government undermining Grameen Bank’s achievement.
Bank and Financial Institutions Division issued a circular on formation of the commission under The Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1956, and asked the commission to submit a report within three months.
Former secretary Mamunur Rashid will head the commission while barrister Ajmalul Hossain QC and Mosleh Uddin Ahmed FCA are its members. Director General of Planning and Development Academy MA Kamal will act as the member secretary.
The terms of reference of the commission are to identify institutional strengths, weaknesses and constraints of Grameen Bank, as evidenced in the years of its existence since its inception in 1983 till 2010.
The commission will recommend measures for good governance, accountability of the management and transparency in the bank, which together with its founder Prof Muhammad Yunus won Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for “efforts to create economic and social development”.
The terms of reference (TOR) specified five areas for the commission to look into the purposes, legal status and operations of the bank’s associated institutions.
The TOR include the organisations’ legal and financial relations to Grameen Bank; their contribution to Grameen Bank’s objectives and targets; their organisational, management and financial structures; and the succession rules for the ownership and management of these institutions.
Grameen Bank has 54 associated organisations.
The commission will also review the regulatory institutions and mechanism of Grameen Bank and recommend ways to bring it under the purview of state regulatory agencies.

-With The Daily Star input

Momena Choudhury talks on Lal Jomin

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:06:59 +0000

Shunyan Theatre will stage monodrama Lal Jomin at the Experimental Theater hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy today. Today’s performance of the play, written and directed by Mannan Hira and Sudip Chakrabarty, respectively, will be the 38th presentation by the troupe.
The play depicts a touching account of a young girl’s struggle, in the milieu of the war of independence of Bangladesh. Momena Choudhury, the sole performer of the play, shared about Lal Jomin in an interview with New Age.
‘The first staging of the play took place last year on May 19 and we have already performed it 37 times in many districts on Bangladesh, in India and in London. Most interestingly, thirty of the shows we did were by invitation,’ informed Momena.
About the popularity, Momena further informed, ‘The play upholds a very touchy subject matter of the liberation war. I believe the theme of the play appeals to audiences to watch.’
Momena also said that wherever they staged the play, they gained huge response from the audience. ‘I remember a remarkable incident when we staged the play in Sirajgonj. We all cried when a rickshaw puller gifted us his day’s earnings of 75 taka after being fascinated by the play. Moreover, when we staged the play after being invited by Chickenshed Theatre in London, we received huge acclaim, even from the British visitors who couldn’t understand the language, but could perceive the performance,’ claimed Momena.
Momena is really thankful to all the members of Shunyan Theatre for their contributions to make the production popular.
Momena Choudhury began her career in 1987 as an artiste of Bagura youth choir. Later she joined Aranyak Natya Dal in 1990. She has performed in numerous productions including ‘Abong Bidyasagar’ and ‘Moyur Singhasan’. Momena prefers to work in street theatres like ‘Aguner Dalpala’ and ‘Kheikh Siyal’ out of a sense of social responsibility.

-With New Age input

Chanchal Chowdhury A household name

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:21:29 +0000

Chanchal Chowdhury first caught public attention with his appearance in a Grameen Phone TV commercial. He then used his theatre experience to build a career in TV
dramas as well. His performance in the movie “Monpura” cemented his position as an all-rounder actor. A subsequent appearance in the film “’Moner Manush” and numerous
TV dramas later, he is now a household name.
The actor talked to The Daily Star about the serial “Haar Kipta” and his other acting assignments:
Tell us about “Haar Kipta”.
Chanchal: The serial is scripted by Brindabon Das and directed by Salahuddin Lavlu. We have been shooting this serial for over a year now. I play the role of Bohor –
a very funny character. My personal opinion on the serial is that after a long time, I found the combo of a brilliant story and an interesting character.
Where did you shoot for “Haar Kipta”?
Chanchal: In Pubail, Gazipur.
You are a frequent face in Salahuddin Lavlu’s works. Why is that?
Chanchal: First of all, I am a theatre actor, so is Salahuddin Lavlu. The director prefers to work with Brindabon Das who also comes from a theatre background. Maybe
this is the reason why Salahuddin Lavlu can bring out the best from an actor. This may be a reason also why I prefer working with him. And from my experience with him,
I can say that we hold similar opinions on many things. Now, I work in almost every project of his.
What are you working on now?
Chanchal: Several serials. Rtv is airing the serial “Oloshpur”; Boishakhi TV is airing “Pathorer Kanna”; Channel i is telecasting “Lonka Kando”; while I’m also working
on a new serial called “Protishodh”. Meanwhile, the airing of “Shobuj Nokkhotro” also finished recently. I also plan on working on a new serial by Syed Shakil, which
has been written by Brindabon Das.
Why do you usually choose dramas set in rural areas?
Chanchal: The directors can answer this better. It is they who cast me in the roles. But I’m more comfortable in rural roles, as I grew up in a village.
Any update on the movie you’re doing?
Chanchal: I’m working in Mostafa Sarwar Farooki’s “Television”. The shooting has already been completed; now editing is on. I play the role of a village youth.
Many of your contemporaries are now into direction. How tough do you think direction is?
Chanchal: I congratulate my contemporaries who have taken up direction. I believe that the task of direction is the hardest of all. But that doesn’t mean acting is
just a walk in the park.
Are you also busy with theatre?
Chanchal: I belong to the theatre. I work with Aranyak Natya Dal and have been active on the stage for over 15years. No matter how busy I am with TV serials and films,
I will always keep on working on the stage.
Do you get any break from your busy schedule?
Chanchal: Not really. In the days when I get some time off, I prefer to stay at home, and give my child some time. On some occasions, I also choose to strike up adda with my close ones.

-With The Daily Star input

Shah Rukh Khan faces Mumbai stadium ban over ‘brawl’

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:09:26 +0000

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan may be banned from entering Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium after reports that he was involved in a brawl with the staff.
Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Vilasrao Deshmukh said the actor misbehaved with the staff during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match.
Reports said the scuffle took place after Khan was stopped from entering the stadium on Wednesday night.
The MCA officials said they had lodged a police complaint against the actor.
Khan is the owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders team, which won Wednesday night’s match against the Mumbai Indians. He has not yet commented on the incident.
“There is a proposal before MCA to ban the actor from entering the stadium. We will go by whatever the majority decision is,” Mr Deshmukh told reporters on Thursday.
He said the staff’s attempts to pacify Khan had been unsuccessful.
MCA vice-president Ratnakar Shetty said the association members were “very angry over the incident”.
He said he was not present during the incident, but MCA officials had told him that it was “an unpleasant incident”.
“Foul language was used,” he said.
IPL Chairman Rajiv Shukla said he had asked for a report on the matter.
“I will take the version of the MCA, Shah Rukh Khan and the police before talking about the issue,” he said.
Khan is one of Bollywood’s biggest stars. He has appeared in more than 70 films, anchored television shows and done innumerable advertisements.

-With bbc.co.uk input

Satyamev Jayate more popular than Aamir

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:07:15 +0000

Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s teleshow Satyamev Jayate, where he deals with sensitive social issues backed by statistics, has surpassed his own popularity, indicates a
survey on online Google searches, reports Hindustantimes.
The first episode of Satyamev Jayate was aired on May 6 on Star Plus. Its concept was kept under wraps till then, but now it has become a winner thanks to issues like
female foeticide and child sex abuse, and the way Aamir conducts the show.
According to Google India, the country’s netizens are searching more for the show as compared to online hits for Aamir Khan.
In a search through Google Insights, a service to find out about trending issues, it has been found that between the keywords Satyamev Jayate and Aamir Khan, the show
is said to have attracted more people over the past seven days.
As per available data, the show’s popularity seems to be capturing Madhya Pradesh the most as it is driving the most number of searches.

-With New Age input

‘Tigers’ camp not needed’

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:15:40 +0000

There is a very slim chance the Tigers’ training camp will get underway as per schedule after the stalemate regarding the resumption of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket Super League ended on Tuesday.
The cricket operations committee earlier decided to start the camp on May 20 with twenty-seven cricketers under the guidance of interim coach Shane Jurgensen but after the settlement of the Premier League scenario there is very little chance that most of the cricketers will be available as at least twenty selected players for the camp are involved with the six Super League clubs.
The Super League will start from May 31.
It was also scheduled that a five-day long camp will be held in Khulna in the first week of June where the players are supposed to play three practice matches, but it is now believed that there is no point in arranging these matches when there is a scope to play quality games in the Premier League.
“We have to rethink our planning because you know the team will leave for Zimbabwe to play a tri-nation T20 tournament on May 13, so after the end of the Premier League we will not get time to arrange any camp,” said Sabbir Khan, cricket operations committee manager.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) already confirmed the tours of Zimbabwe and Trinidad and Tobago (under the banner of BCB XI) where the Tigers will play T20 matches as part of their preparation for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup to be held in Sri Lanka in September. Another proposed tour to Ireland in July is now unlikely to take place as BCB high-ups no longer seem interested.
The main question surrounding the tour was whether Mushfiqur Rahim’s men will travel to Zimbabwe under the guidance of interim coach Jurgensen. The BCB is trying hard to make sure that the Tigers get a new coach before the trip as they were waiting for confirmation from Richard Pybus.
Pybus, who recently visited the country to attain first-hand knowledge about the facilities available here, is yet to intimate his decision. According to sources everything now depends on whether Pybus’s family gives their consent or not.
The BCB is very much hopeful about the appointment of Pybus and they will explore alternate options only if Pybus declines the job.

-With The Daily Star input

Russel’s winning streak on

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:14:13 +0000

Sheikh Russel KC extended their winning streak in the Grameenphone Bangladesh Premier League to four matches by posting a 3-2 win over minnows Rahmatganj MFS at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Midfielder Emon Babu, Cameroonian midfielder Frank Olivier and Senegalese hitman Mouchid Iyane struck one goal apiece for Sheikh Russel to help them post their sixth victory in 12 matches that also took them to third position from having 20 points.
Nigerian striker Nche Franchis and Ghanaian forward Idris Kasirye pulled a goal each back for Rahmatganj MFS but could not avoid their seventh defeat in 12 matches. The Old Dhaka outfit lie at the bottom of the 11-team points table with nine points from 12 matches.
Sheikh Russel, who signed three foreign players in the mid-season transfer window, looked sharp upfront two new Cameroonian and one Senegalese player but the absence of Abbas Inusa made their backline vulnerable and it seemed that Sheikh Russel were going to drop points with the bottom-side Rahmatganj MFS at one stage.
However, Sheikh Russel left the field with full three points, thanks to a brilliant save from substitute goalkeeper Mohammad Al Amin, who came in place of number one Biplab Bhattacharjee after the break.
Sheikh Russel took a ninth-minute lead through Emon Babu who placed a Zahed Parvez cross home while winger Zahed squandered an opportunity from the edge of the six-yard box on 22 minutes.
Sheikh Russel were ruling the early exchanges but Rahmatganj came back strongly as they equalised in the 26th minute.
Left-winger Shirfin Ahmed Rony put the ball inside the area for Idris Kasirye, who made space on his right side to feed unmarked Franchis and the Nigerian striker hammered past goalkeeper Biplob for the equaliser.
But their cerebration lasted only four minutes as Oliver found the back of the Rahmatganj net with a harmless shot that took a slight deflection off defender Ddumba Micheal.
With five minutes left for the breather, Mouchid made it 3-1 for Sheikh Russel as the tall marksman won an aerial tussle with advancing goalkeeper Sujan Chowdhury and headed the ball home.
Rahmatganj again pulled one goal back through Idris who hammered a powerful shot after a left-side cross from Rony fell to him inside the box in the stoppage time of the first half.
After resumption, Sheikh Russel dominated the game but failed to extend the lead as Mouchid and Oliver squandered two chances each before the match was suspended for five minutes for bad light.
Sheikh Russel almost conceded an equaliser in the injury time but goalkeeper Al Amin foiled a powerful effort from Idris while a Conte Bangoura free-kick missed the target narrowly as Sheikh Russel left the pitch with another win.

-With The Daily Star input

Endless wait for Sraboni

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:09:47 +0000

It looks like an endless wait for Sraboni Biswas, Bangladesh’s taekwondo queen, who is training day in and day out to realise her Olympics dream, but still facing some kind of uncertainty.
Sraboni is one of the five athletes Bangladesh is looking to send to London to participate in the Olympic Games but while four others have already received their wildcards, the 23-year-old taekwondo player has been kept waiting.
The Bangladesh Olympic Association has repeatedly assured Sraboni that they are trying their heart and soul to confirm her participation, but it hardly eased her tension.
‘I am training really hard for the Olympics since it is the dream event for each and every athlete. But at the moment it’s like a bad dream for me. I am so tensed that sometimes I cannot sleep properly,’ said Sraobni.
‘I could have trained more freely if my participation was confirmed,’ said Sraboni before starting training at the National Sports Council gymnasium on Wednesday.
Sraboni said her family members and relatives were very happy when she was called into the Olympic preparation camp but now sometimes she feels very embarrassed as she is afraid that she might not be able to catch the London-bound flight.
‘I sometimes feel very sad when I think how embarrassing it will be for me if I do not get the wildcard. I have already had a few sleepless nights which is taking a toll on my health,’ said Sraboni who trains five hours a day in two sessions of two and a half hours each.
Sraboni came to the spotlight when she won a gold medal in the 5th Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships in India in 2011 and repeated the feat at the First Mount Everest Championships in Nepal the same year.
It helped her make the list of potential wildcard getters, which the BOA sent to the International Olympic Committee. Officials said among the potential players, the IOC selected gymnast Syque Caesar, swimmer Mahfizur Rahman Sagar, archer Imdadul Haque Milon and shooter Sharmin Akter Ratna.
The IOC is also positive about Sraboni, but her wildcard will be approved only if there is any slot available in her weight category.
‘We sent her name to the IOC as she has got a good profile,’ said Col (retired) Waliullah, the director and chief executive officer of the BOA. ‘Hopefully we will get a result about her by this month.’
BOA officials said they also had sent the name of athlete Mohan Khan, the fastest man of Bangladesh, but his chance of getting a wildcard is very slim as he has a poor timing in 100-metre sprint, in the range of 11 seconds.
If Mohan does not get a wildcard, this will be for the first time Bangladesh will have no representative in track and field event since they have started participating in Olympics with the Los Angeles Games in 1984.
The four confirmed participants are training hard, mostly abroad with shooter Ratna honing her skills in London, gymnast Caesar doing the same in the USA.
Archer Milon will soon fly to Bangkok while the BOA has already recruited an Indian coach to train swimmer Sagar.
As Sraboni is not yet confirmed about her participation in the London Games, there is no special arrangement for her. She is training at the National Sports Council gymnasium under her regular Korean coach Ji Ju-sung, though she has little complaint.
‘My coach is very good and serious. He always says that training is the only solution to my all problems. He asked me not to think too much about the Olympics and said that I have few other platforms to prove myself,’ said Sraboni.

-With New Age input