Weekend 21

Deadly collapse: rescue ongoingWorkers were threatened, forced to join wor2,376 rescued, 310 bodies recoveredBiggest tragedy to strike RMG sector: BGMEADay 3: Savar death toll hits 350Doomed factories were rushing to fill orders7 more pulled out alive as rain hits rescue effortThe 8-year-old boy who refusesto eat until his father is rescueSadness hangs thick in the air amid the loss and rubbleRescue interrupted as crowds clash with policSavar death toll crosses 700Rana plaza death toll reaches960 as rescue enters 17th day

US, UK want to assist government in Savar rescue

Rescue operation with heavy equipment startsFamilies in agony as destruction beginsFamilies protest against use of heavy machinery

| vol 2 Issue 1 | FRIDAY, APRIl 25, 2014

6 heRos AnD suRvIvoRs 14 gReen Rmg 20 mAn oF the soIl

Lives Lost

Rana plaza one year later

WEEKEN D TRI BU N E FRI DAY, APRI L 25, 2014

A WeeklY PRoDuctIon oF

DhakaTribune

EditorZafar SobhanMagazines EditorSabrina Fatma AhmadAssistant Magazine EditorRumana HabibWeekend Tribune TeamEsha Aurora Promiti Prova ChowdhuryFaisal Mahmud Shah NahianSyeda Samira SadequeAdil SakhawatJames SavilleFarhana UrmeeArt Direction/PhotographySyed Latif HossainCartoonsSyed Rashad Imam TanmoyPriyoRio ShuvoContributorsQuamrul AbedinJennifer Ashraf KashmiAndrew BirajTausif SanzumGraphicsMohammad Mahbub AlamSabiha Mahmud SumiColour SpecialistShekhar MondalKazi Syras Al MahmoodProductionMasum BillahAdvertisingShahidan KhurshedCirculationWahid MuradWebsitedhakatribune.com/weekendfacebook.com/WeekendTribEmail your letters to:[email protected]

PhotograPhy Looking back

1CoNtENtS

Against a backdrop of heartbreaking Rana Plaza headlines from the Dhaka Tribune, the number 1,136 rings out as a reminder of ultimate cost of the tragedy: in Bangladeshi lives. The photo of the collapsed building that peeks through was taken by Andrew Biraj, whose work we are also featuring this week (pg 9-11).

Graphic ArtSabiha Mahmud Sumi

About the cover

Volume 2 | Issue 1 | April 25, 2014

9

LitEraturE SmaLL wonder15Editor’s noteIn remembranceWith heavy heart, we mark the one year anniversary of Rana Plaza.

We ask “Five questions on Rana Plaza,” (pg 4), meet the “Children of Rana Plaza” who lost parents, and hear the first person stories of “Heroes and survivors,” (pg 6-7). A Bangladeshi photographer gives “A glimpse of Savar in New York” (pg 8). In “Looking Back” (pg 9-11), Andrew Biraj shows us haunting images from those harrowing days.

Also, this Tuesday was Earth Day, and we pay our respects to forces beyond our control in “Mother Nature Strikes Back” (pg 12), to animals in “Cruelty of Man” (pg 13), and to our own advancements in agriculture in “Man of the Soil” (pg 20). We also dare to dream of “Green RMG: A better option (pg 14).”

We also meet “The ten-year-old author” (pg 15) and learn how to protect ourselves from cybercrime in “Heartbleed: The bug explored” (pg 17).

Peace and love.

IN THE NEWS2 this Week

3 Say What?

FEATURES4 rana Plaza anniversary

5 rana Plaza Left behind

6 rana Plaza eyewitness

8 rana Plaza Photo advocacy

9 rana Plaza exhibition

12 top 10 natural disasters

13 Feature animal abuse

14 technology ecofriendly

15 Literature Small wonder

17 technology identity Theft

REGULARS16 Legalese Sacked without reason

18 Stay in

19 go out

Deadly collapse: rescue ongoingWorkers were threatened, forced to join wor2,376 rescued, 310 bodies recoveredBiggest tragedy to strike RMG sector: BGMEADay 3: Savar death toll hits 350Doomed factories were rushing to fill orders7 more pulled out alive as rain hits rescue effortThe 8-year-old boy who refusesto eat until his father is rescueSadness hangs thick in the air amid the loss and rubbleRescue interrupted as crowds clash with policSavar death toll crosses 700Rana plaza death toll reaches960 as rescue enters 17th day

US, UK want to assist government in Savar rescue

Rescue operation with heavy equipment startsFamilies in agony as destruction beginsFamilies protest against use of heavy machinery


2 iN thE NEWS | this week

Syria said on Monday it would hold presidential elections expected to return President Bashar al-Assad to office on June 3, despite a civil war that has killed more than 150,000 people.

Underlining the ongoing violence in the country, mortar fire hit near the parliament building shortly before the election date was announced, killing two people.

Syria’s first presidential election – after constitutional amendments did away with the old referendum system – will be held amid violence that has killed 150,000 people since March 2011, according to one monitoring group.

Parliament speaker Mohammad al-Lahham announced the election date at a special session, saying Syrians living outside the country would

vote May 28 and candidates would be able to register to run from Tuesday until May 1.

In this photo, Free Syrian Army fighters walk in a field of flowers during a reconnaissance mission on the Heesh front, for what they said was an operation to take over a checkpoint belonging to the regime’s forces in the countryside around Idlib.

It remains unclear how Syria’s government will organise an election under the current circumstances, with swathes of the country out of its control and nearly half the population displaced.

Syria’s conflict began with peaceful protests demanding democratic reform but soon escalated into a civil war after the government launched a massive crackdown on dissenters.News and photo: AFP

Syria calls presidential elections for June 3

To the world

Veteran Myanmar pro-democracy campaigner Win Tin diesWin Tin, one of the founders of Myanmar’s pro-democracy opposition and the nation’s longest-serving political prisoner, died Monday at the age of 84 after battling for decades to bring freedom to a nation that suffered under military rule.

The former journalist and veteran campaigner, whose almost two decades in jail failed to dull his commitment to the democratic cause, had suffered worsening ill health in recent weeks. He died in hospital in Yangon early Monday, National League for Democracy party spokesman Nyan Win told AFP.

A towering figure within the

democracy movement, Win Tin formed the NLD with Aung San Suu Kyi in 1988 in the wake of a student-led pro-democracy uprising. He was imprisoned the following year for his political activities.

Myanmar began its emergence from nearly half a century of military rule in 2011, under a quasi-civilian government that has won international plaudits for reforms including the release of hundreds of political prisoners. In the picture, portrait of him is seen at a memorial in Yangon. News: AFP. Photo: Reuters

Pope Francis delivers the Urbi et Orbi (“to the city and the world”) benediction at the end of the Easter Mass in Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Sunday. Pope Francis, in his Easter address before

a huge crowd on Sunday, denounced the “immense wastefulness” in the world while many go hungry, and called for an end to conflicts in Syria, Ukraine and Africa. News: AFP. Photos: Reuters


3

If you have been following the news closely, you’ll know there’s been a strange pattern in the way some things have been appearing – or disappearing. It started with Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, which has become one of the biggest mysteries of the aviation industry.

Soon followed the incident of a South Korean ferry sinking, the Everest deaths, a stabbing in a school in the US, and disappearance of four students at St Martin’s Island. Natural (or man-made) calamities are not rare, but it is both heartbreaking and scary to watch these events unfolding.

MH370With 239 passengers, the flight took off on March 8, before going off the radar.

What followed was exhaustive searches and investigations – with no result. Two weeks after the disappearance, Malaysian authorities concluded “beyond reasonable doubt” that the plane crashed in southern Indian Ocean with no survivors.

The search still continues with international support from many countries including Australia, China, and Japan.

South Korea ferrySouth Korean ferry Sewol sank on Wednesday, April 16, with 476 people on board, of whom 350 were high school students on a holiday trip.

So far, 174 have been rescued, with a death toll crossing 150 and 143 people still unaccounted for.

On Monday, anger flared in South Korea over fresh indications that the evacuation was delayed by panic and indecision, with blames being put on controllers and crew members.

Similar to the aftermath of MH370, relatives of the passengers have been protesting against authorities regarding their inability to address the issue.

Disappearance on St Martin’sOn Monday, April 14, a group of 34 students of Ahsanullah Universityof Science and Technology went into the sea for swimming at St Martin’s Island. Five students were seen being washed away in the Bay.

Later, locals and coast guard members rescued them and took them to Teknaf Hospital, where two of them

in this news | Say What?

were declared dead. Four other students still remain missing.

This has given rise to uproar on social media about lack of safety on one of the biggest tourist destinations in the country.

Stabbing spree in PhiladelphiaA 16-year-old student went on a stabbing spree in the crowded halls of his suburban Pittsburgh high school on Wednesday, April 9. The stabbing incident left 21 students and a security guard wounded. The suspect, Alex Hribal was taken into custody.

No one was killed in the incident.

Death on the EverestThirteen people were killed in an avalanche on Mount Everest on last Friday.

Following this, various expedition leaders and guides have threatened to cancel all climbing just days ahead of what is considered to be the busiest period for climbing season. The expedition operators want the government to pay Rs1m to the families of the deceased. So far, the government has paid Rs40,000 to the families of the dead for funeral expenses.

A disaster-struck month

Photo: AFP


On April 29, 2013, the High Court directed the government to confiscate the land and all the remaining property on it. Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka division Sheikh Yusuf Harun said: “The land has been handed over to the government and they are still deciding what to do with it. There are many options, but one thing being considered is the construction of a new building, the rental income from which could be used to help fund rehabilitation/compensation for the victims.”

In the aftermath of the tragedy, two agreements were drafted to enforce safety standards in the RMG sector. The Accord on Fire and Building Safety In Bangladesh deals with factories supplying European brands, while the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety covers those supplying North America. The majority of factory owners who supply foreign brands have now signed up to one or the other, and have consented to undergo thorough inspections organised by either group.

On the Accord’s website, it says by September 2014, they aim to have conducted inspections at 1500 of the 1700 sites managed by their signatories, and to have published the results. As of December they had completed inspections at the first ten sites, and formed the 38 teams required to carry out the rest.

Meanwhile, the Alliance covers around 700 factories in the country, and has completed inspections at more than 50% of them. It aims to have finished all

its inspections by July 2014.Additionally, the Alliance

has trained more than 400,000 factory managers and workers on critical fire and life safety issues, with the intent to train more than one million by July 2014.

The Rana Plaza Donors Trust Fund has been established to compensate 3,080 victims or families. It is funded by the western brands who were supplied from Rana Plaza. This will require $40m, but so far only $17m has been collected.

Labour Ministry Joint Secretary Khandoker Mostan Hossain announced that each will be compensated with Tk50,000. However, so far only two victims have been compensated in a token gesture just before the anniversary of the disaster.

The British brand Primark has donated $9m to the fund, which will be used specifically to compensate 581 victims who

worked at New Wave Bottoms – its supplier that was based at Rana Plaza. It also pledged a further $1m to the trust fund.

Other companies have contributed lower amounts. Canada’s Loblaw Companies Ltd, which owns the Joe Fresh brand, has contributed $2m to the fund, with another $1m pledged. They have also donated to Save the Children and local charity the Centre for Rehabilitation of the Paralysed.

Walmart and Children’s Place have given $1m and $450,000 respectively.

Currently, 15 retailers including Benetton, Matalan, Adler Modemarkte and Auchan have failed to make any contribution to the trust fund.

Astonishingly, no one has yet been charged with any offence over Rana Plaza. Investigators from the police’s Criminal Investigation Department

(CID) are yet to finalise charge sheets in three out of five cases connected with the disaster. The investigators have repeatedly sought time extensions from the courts. The most recent deadline has been set for May 21.

Bijoy Krishno Kar, senior assistant superintendent of the CID, and the investigating officer, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are investigating three cases filed separately … we have already completed the investigation and are now finalising the charge sheets. I hope we will able to submit it the next month.”

Thirty-nine people are to be charged: 21 in the murder case and 12 in the case filed under the Building Construction Act. Of these, 13 are in custody and eight have secured bail amid procrastination by the investigators. Controversially the building’s owner Sohel Rana was one of those granted bail by the High Court, but the bail order was stayed by the Supreme Court.

five questions on rana plaza

one year on James Saville asks the big questions

What is happening to the site?

What measures have been taken to prevent a repeat?

How are the safety inspections progressing?

What compensation have the victims received?

Who has been held accountable?

A picture taken at Rana Plaza a 100 days after the disaster.

Photo: Rajib Dhar/Dhaka Tribune

raNa PLaza | anniversary4


Six-year-old Ridoy and her elder sister Afsana, 7, still do not know that their mother Rubina Begum was

killed at Rana Plaza last year. “My mother is working in a

garments factory in Dhaka; my grandmother said she will come home after getting her salary, and will bring new dresses for me and my sister,” Ridoy said. “Can you please tell her to come home as early as possible?”

Rubina Begum worked at Phantom Ltd on the fourth floor of Rana Plaza. Her body was never found.

Ridoy and Afsana live with their grandmother Sabijan Begum.

Many children lost mothers or fathers. Some even lost both.

According to a survey conducted by the Village Education Center (VERC) and Save the Children, 700 children are in the same situation as Ridoy and Afsana, having lost a bread-winning parent at Rana Plaza.

The government and several organisations had promised to help these children. The National Children Policy says the state will take responsibility of children after such disasters. Yet many are still growing up without proper care.

In areas of Savar where Rana Plaza workers lived, the ghosts of the missing stalk the streets, and the cries of orphans ring out. On a recent visit, I met 11 children who

had lost parents.Rubina, a baby whose mother

was killed, won’t eat solid food yet but yearns for her mother’s milk. Her grandmother, Rokeya Begum, who now looks after her says: “I do not know what will happen to Rubina because it costs so much to buy milk – I cannot tolerate her suffering.”

Idris, the father of another baby whose mother was killed tells me: “Akash’s mother was the only breadwinner as I am unable to work on account of being blind in one eye. My only son is always crying for his mother.”

Rihan Sheikh, a third baby, lost both his mother and father. Nazma Begum, his grandmother, tearfully told me: “Up until now, I have not received any financial

help from either the government or the factory owner.

“When I got back the body of my daughter, the Dhaka district administration gave me Tk20,000 for burial expenses and that was the end of it. My husband is ill and cannot work. My daughter and her husband looked after us. After their death, we have become helpless.

“Some people, including online activists, help me with a small amount of money every month to buy milk for Rihan. But we have to pay rent, eat and buy clothes. We need some extra money, but who will give us that?”

Khadiza, a class eight student, and her brother Mamun, 6, lost

children of Rana PlazaAdil Sakhawat tells the story of the children left behind by the casualties of rana Plaza

According to CPD, of the 700 children affected, only 386 have received long-term

support, with just a further 99 receiving one-off help

their mother Bilkis Akter. Their father, said: “My wife worked as a swing operator in New Web Style on the seventh floor of Rana Plaza. As I did not find my wife’s body, I did not get any compensation.

“My old mother looks after the two children, when I go to work. But what will happen in the absence of my mother?”

According to a monitoring report by the Center for Policy

Dialogue (CPD) of the 700 children affected, only 386 have received long-term support, with just a further 99 receiving one-off help. The report also identified a number of school students who were directly dependent on Rana Plaza victims. According to Savar Upazila Primary Education Office, 48 primary-level students’ guardians died and 53 were injured, while 13 remain missing.

Sneha FoundationThe Sneha Foundation

has been working with young students who lost parents in

Rana Plaza. Following the tragic building collapse; the foundation has so far taken responsibility of 130 children. These children are financed an amount of Tk2,400 a month by individual donors. With that money the children's guardians can pay for their food, allowing them to focus on their studies.

Sneha Foundation founder, Hema Helal, says: “We are monitoring the children, as their present guardians will often not spend the money we give them on the children. We tell the guardians that if the children do not attend school and are not provided with milk and food everyday; the financial assistance will be stopped.”

“About 35% of the children are 1-6 years old, another 35%

are 5-10 years old, 30% are 10-14 years old and a very small number are over 15,” she says.

When asked how long the Sneha Foundation will look after the children, Hema says: “We requested the donors to pay for three years, but it’s completely out of our hands, it depends on the individual sponsors.”

During its second year, Hema wants to turn the Sneha Foundation from a charity into a social enterprise. “We will launch a bag factory, which will be a social business, and for the workers we are going to build a new village in Rajendrapur. If that factory works out, then we will not depend on charity from donors. We can raise these children of Rana Plaza ,with profits from that bag factory, and care for them until they are 18, perhaps even send them to good schools.”

5left behind | raNa PLaza


Heroes and survivors raNa PLaza | eyewitness

on april 24, 2013, bangladesh was rocked by the devastating collapse of rana Plaza. The largest industrial disaster in history left 1,136 dead, and forever changed the lives of everyone it touched. Here are first person accounts of four people who were on the ground in Savar

Dr Papeya Rahman: On call at EMCHFaisal Mahmud

I had a night shift the previous evening. That awful morning, I was about to leave after a long night's duty. I was instructing a

nurse to attend a patient who needed regular medicine on the seventh floor.

Suddenly we heard a deafening boom. It felt as if the whole world was coming to an end. I went downstairs and heard from others that the building nearby, named Rana Plaza, had collapsed.

The emergency room quickly filled up, and we had to start treating the patients in the lobby. The patients were crying, shouting in pain. Many arrived dead. We just tried to keep our heads cool and treat them, but it was a hard job to do.

I left the hospital on April 26,

after providing medical care to the helpless victims of Rana Plaza for more than 70 relentless hours.

I will never forget those times. For a doctor, the sight of injury and death is a day-to-day thing. But seeing hundreds of people is terrifying, even for a doctor.

I remember the eyes of a girl named Rukhsana. She begged me to save her, but I could not. Her eyes still haunt me when I try to sleep at night.

Though it has been a year, it is hard to forget those few days. I still work at Enam Medical College and Hospital (EMCH), and everyday when I pass the Rana Plaza sight, those faces flash in my mind. It is hard to forget such horrible memories.

Tanvir Arafat Dhrubo: Lighting the wayPromiti Prova Chowdhury

On the first day, I was just following the news on TV. We saw the firemen handling the situation.

The next day, I sent some juniors from my university to the scene. They reported that, apart from everything else, the most urgent thing required was light. I am the president of the Science Club at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). We had Tk10,000 in club funds. With this we purchased some cutters and halogen light-bulbs that we used to light up the adjacent buildings and the debris, trying to make the rescue work a little less difficult.

We started collecting funds from our fellow students and bought gloves, masks and machinery. We knew we could get such equipment in Dholaikhal. As we were regular customers of the shops, they sent our purchases directly to the scene.

When I arrived at the scene on the morning of April 26, the first thing that hit me square in the face was the smell of corpses – a smell I was totally unfamiliar with. It took us a while to grasp how the site was being managed, and to ascertain the chain of command.

Our focus was providing technical support as recommended by the fire service officials. There were two teams from BUET working during the turmoil, one at Savar, and one at the campus to raise funds and buy equipment.

I stayed in Savar for 5-6 days. I was observing the situation and co-ordinating deliveries. We kept the equipment in the temporary control room for the police and fire service.

We are now in our final term at BUET, and working on building safety. We feel there is no point cursing the government or the building owners.

It is we, the engineers, who need to research rigorously and come up with low-cost, easy to install technologies and attract building owners. In this way, we can ensure the safe construction of buildings in our country.

Photo: Courtesy

Photo: Courtesy

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Heroes and survivors

Siddik: Under the iron on the 7th floorShah Nahian

As soon I got to work, I was overwhelmed with a bad gut feeling. I didn't want to go in, but the guards beat

us. I still have the scars on my back.Less than 30 minutes after I

started, the building collapsed. I was standing beside a pillar, working on the ironing machine as I did everyday. When the building started to shake, I reacted quickly enough to get under the machine, which ultimately saved my life.

I had been standing next to a friend. I was lucky. My friend, on the other hand, sustained major injuries after the collapse. He was squirming in pain. He asked me for some water, as I usually carried a water bottle, but I did no have one that day.

He died within the next 15 minutes. I wish I could have helped him.

Sometime later, an older woman pulled me out of the rubble and dragged me to a safer corner. She said, crying: “Son, I do not think we

will make it out of here alive. If we somehow manage to, we will work as servants, or beg on the street if we have to. But never again will we work in a garment factory.”

I remember being silent while she spoke as I did not know what to say. I couldn't fathom what was happening around me. I remember punching walls in anger until my hands bled.

I do not remember when or how I was rescued. However, when I regained consciousness, some people who I barely knew forced me to attend a talk show around 11pm on that very night. After everything that happened, I was fearful about entering another high-rise building. But three men dragged me inside the building where the TV station was located. It was like torture.

I used to be very talkative and stylish. Nowadays, I feel very quiet and reserved. I hope one day I can put everything behind me once and for all.

Shilpi Begum: Learning to walk againFarhana Urmee

I cannot exactly recall every part of that dreadful day when Rana Plaza collapsed. I am

still undergoing long-term treatment to be able to fully use my prosthetic leg and stand on my own feet. I still have pain in my right thigh and my right foot. I cannot even feel my leg up to the point it was cut off.

I was not rescued until the third day of the collapse. A man died right on top of me. He was hit on his head and his dead body fell on me. I could not move at all. I was stuck under the dead body for three days, and at one point my legs became numb.

It was the most horrible experience possible.

I had a number of surgeries and treatments at many hospitals. I was finally admitted to CRP (the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed) and have been settled here for the last eight months. I can walk now without others’ assistance, with the help of a crutch.

I pass my days with my hope to recover fully and be rehabilitated. However, my nights are still horrible, sleepless and confused with anxiety. I have not yet been able to wipe away the horrible experience from my mind. My restless mind does not let me sleep. With even a tiny noise, particularly if it comes from the roof, I become petrified. My ability to walk worsens during those fearful hours at night.

I get depressed when I think of my future. I was a regular wage-earner in my four member family. I have a seven-year-old daughter and I want her to be educated.

Despite of all this, I feel blessed that I have got a new life. I keep practicing walking, so that one day I can stand on my own feet confidently.

Photo: Saifuddin Ahmed Parvez

7

Photo: Saifuddin Ahmed Parvez


“I realised how important these photographs were,”recalls Ismail Ferdous, a freelance photographer who reached the scene of the collapse by noon on April 24 last year. He stayed until late night, returning everyday afterwards for the twenty days that the search was on.

“The photos needed to somehow reach people on the outside. They had to know of the sufferings and pain of these workers. I was seeing this face to face, but the only way others would be able to see it was through these photos,” he says.

“I did things I had never done before: I walked next to dead bodies, helped crying parents, consoled relatives and children, went and argued with law enforcers about things that weren't going right,”

Ismail was recently featured for “The Cost of Fashion” a short five-minute film for the New York Times regarding his work on the Rana Plaza collapse.

Connecting the dotsIn the aftermath of Rana Plaza, the world watched wide-eyed as people emerged from nooks and crannies of every town, city and household in Bangladesh to assist with rescue efforts, aid work, and rehabilitation. But this ray of hope disappeared soon after the rescue efforts ceased.

Ferdous wanted to do more. He wanted it to reach the people who bought these clothes.

In October, he was in New York for a workshop on photojournalism, and as he walked down the streets of Manhattan, he could not help but draw the connection between the branded products in the shops and the underpaid labour structure back in Bangladesh.

“It struck me that I never got rid of the trauma. The logos reminded me of the ones I'd seen strewn around in the debris back in Savar,” he says.

“I wanted to reach out more to reveal the contrast between the two worlds. People pay $9 for a pair of pants, but are willing to pay more for a bottle of wine or

breakfast. They needed to know.”To get the message across, he

collaborated with Nathan Fitch to co-produce and co-direct the short film “Cost of Fashion” for the New York Times. The two are currently working on a 30-minute film on the same issue.

Crashing Fashion WeekDuring Ferdous' stay in New York, the city was gearing up for Fashion Week, one of the biggest global fashion events. Taking advantage of the opportunity to address thousands in the fashion industry, Ferdous and Fitch worked with some Occupy Wall Street activists to create an awareness campaign.

On February 6, they used a projector to cast photos of the collapse on a wall at Lincoln Centre, one of the Fashion Week locations, to raise awareness among Fashion Week participants. However, they were soon asked to leave by the NYPD.

“We then moved to Children's

Place, one of the brands who had not paid any compensation for the victims of Rana Plaza,” says Ferdous. “We projected there for an hour, and many people walking by were moved and curious about the photos.”

Since they wanted the photos themselves to speak, they did not put any text to explain the context. Instead, they put a phone number where curious individuals could call and enquire.

While the photo projection received a good response, Ferdous says not many people were aware about the Rana Plaza collapse.

“Many were shocked to know about it, or upset they hadn't heard about it. I was moved to hear many draw similarities with 9/11. It's another building collapse and the city was haunted by ‘missing’ posters in the aftermath, as happened in Savar as well” Ismail said.

A glimpse of savarin New York

raNa PLaza | photo advocacy88

rana Plaza collapsed in Savar, but the production line ends in new York. a bangladeshi freelance photographer takes the message all the way across the globe Syeda Samira Sadeque

Meanwhile, in VogueThis month Vogue UK ran a story “How the world has changed since Rana Plaza,” which discusses the aftermath of the disaster and its effects on factories, governments and customers.

The author addresses the celebrities, clothing companies and designers who have raised their voices for a more ethical fashion industry, concluding aptly: “The issue is not whether or not we can continue to enjoy [the fashion industry]; simply that if we want fashion that is beautiful, let it also be kind.”

With so much international attention – both from ethical campaigners and the fashion industry – there is hope for change, for an industry where fashion and ethics can coexist.

Photo: Courtesy


exhibition | raNa PLaza

looking backThe exhibition “bonded Stiches and Struggle” by Andrew Biraj will run apr 24-may 1 in three locations simultaneously: drik gallery, chhobir Haat, and Savar central Hospital. each place showcases a different mix of photos.

Turn Page for photographs

The collection in Savar focuses entirely on victims of Rana Plaza. “I wanted to bring those images back

to their home, to build a bridge to the people most affected by the tragedy,” Biraj told the Weekend Tribune. At the inauguration

on Tuesday, in his speech Biraj appealed to victims to turn their mourning into power, and to work for a better future. Not all injured workers have received compensation, such as many of the survivors present there that suffer from spinal cord injuries.

Survivors also spoke, recalling their harrowing experiences. Jesmi (Phantom Apparels, 5th floor) said: “I am still bearing the pain of that incident My backbone problem always reminds me that I was a Rana Plaza worker.” “We arranged this exhibition after

talking with many survivors of Rana Plaza.” Biraj said. “We want to encourage the garments workers to raise their voices. Making this industry profitable is not a problem but that should not be in exchange for the dead bodies of workers.”

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10 raNa PLaza | exhibition810


11

andrew biraj is a photojournalist for reuters. He has been covering the bangladesh rmg industry for the past four years.

11


toP 10 | natural disasters12

When Mother Nature Strikes BackFor earth day, Tausif Sanzum compiles the worst natural disasters to afflict mankind

1One of the deadliest natural disasters in human history, the first pandemic of the H1N1 influenza virus is said to have infected one third of the world’s population. Massive troop movement during World War I triggered transmission of virus across the globe. Up to 17 million died in India, or about about 5% of its population at the time.

Death toll: estimates range from 20-100 million people

Spanish influenza, 1918

Jiajing earthquake, 1556This happened in the Shaanxi province of

Northwest China and affected more than 97 counties. People in this part of China used to live in caves made of soft clay which are extremely prone to erosion. When the earthquake caused landslides, most of these houses got destroyed.Death toll: 830,000

4

Bhola Cyclone, 1970November of 1970, a tropical storm started

forming in the Pacific leading to a depression in the Bay of Bengal. The pressure intensified becoming a cyclone. Finally, the cyclone, accompanied by a 6m storm surge and average winds in excess of 225.3 km/hr hit. Death toll: 500,000

5

Indian Ocean Tsunami, 2004An earthquake in the Indian Ocean followed

by a Tsunami which completely destroyed the Indonesian town of Lhoknga and affected many countries like Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, the Maldives and others. Death toll: 220,000

6

Eruption of Mount Tambora, 1815After years of being

dormant, Mount Tambora finally erupted in 1815. In addition to the huge death toll, the gases released during the eruption affected the global weather leading to cold summers known as ‘the year without a summer’ which badly affected agriculture in various parts of the world.Death toll: 90,000

7

2

3

8 European Heat Wave, 2003Europe is historically not used to scorching hot

summers. Therefore, when the heat wave occurred in 2003, most European countries, particularly France, did not know how to cope with it. As a result, many older people who lived on their own perished. Wheat perished in the region and this led to a crop shortage. This was accompanied by many dangerous forest fires. Death toll: 70,000

9 Vargas tragedy, 1999What happened? The coastal area of Vargas has

been prone to mud slides and flooding. However, in 1999, heavy rain fall led to the collection of huge amounts of water which rushed towards the sea. The water collected a lot of mud and debris along the way. The volume of debris, huge boulders and trees increased so much that town after town got buried in it. Death toll: 15,000

DaulatpurSaturia tornado, 1989 This was one of the

deadliest tornadoes in the history of both Bangladesh and the world. Though the death toll might not seem so high, the destruction to property and livelihoods was devastating. Death toll: 1,300

10

After a long drought from 1928 to 1930, central China started experiencing abnormal weather conditions. This was followed by a series of floods, the worst of which were experienced in mid 1931. The conditions were so catastrophic that there were reported cases of cannibalism, infanticide and people selling off their wives and kids.

Death toll: 3 million

Though natural calamities were not the sole reason for this long and deadly famine, it did have a pivotal role to play. Economic mismanagement accompanied with floods and droughts lead to this famine, the aftermath of which North Korea continues to struggle with today.

Death toll: 3 million

North Korean Famine, 1994-1998

Central China floods of 1931


13

Mankind regards itself as the most intelligent of all sentient beings. From humble

beginnings, we have created cell phones, computers, cars, air planes and artistic masterpieces. We have become gods and goddesses in our own realm. We are the strongest, the most powerful of all beings known to exist, and the world is ours for the taking - or is it?

Chinese fur farmsUndercover animal welfare investigators were shocked with what they discovered inside Chinese fur farms. China, the world’s largest exporter of fur, levies no penalties on farmers who abuse the animals. Foxes, mink, rabbits, dogs and cats are left in outdoor wire cages with no shelter from rain, cold and sun.

Female animals are routinely driven so crazy by rough handling and the long periods of confinement that they often kill their babies after delivering litters. Disease and injuries are widespread. Animals suffering from anxiety-induced psychosis chew on their own limbs and throw themselves repeatedly against the cage bars.

Yet, even after such torment, that is the least of their suffering. The animals are yanked out of their cages and then clubbed to death. The more docile animals are simply strung up and skinned alive to save their slaughterers' time and energy.

After being skinned, their worthless bodies are thrown onto a pile, some still breathing

and blinking. One investigator recorded a skinned raccoon dog on the heap of carcasses who had enough strength to lift his bloodied head and stare into the camera.

The investigators found that many captive animals still had collars on, a sign that they were once someone’s beloved companion, stolen to be made into a fur coat. Locals who do not even work on the farms are haunted by screams and cries of the animals that are killed.

After committing such despicable acts of cruelty, the owners of the controversial farms told the Daily Mail that they could not afford to give these animals humane deaths as campaigners demanded, because it’s simply too expensive.

The Dallas Safari Club Even endangered species are not safe. Black Rhinoceroses have been driven to a critically endangered status due to poaching and war. There are only 5,000 of them left in the world. The Dallas Safari Club (DSC), a Texan group for big game hunters, has auctioned off the legal right to hunt and kill a black rhino in Namibia for $350,000 to Corey Knowlton, a Dallas-based “hunting consultant.”

The group claimed the auction was done in the name of conservation, with the money going to support conservation efforts in Namibia. Animal rights organisations have criticised this conservation strategy and argued that the better focus would be ecotourism, raising money from

people willing to pay to see endangered animals up close in the wild.

Jeffrey Flocken, the North American regional director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), criticised the DSC, stating: “All the DSC is accomplishing is kicking up more enthusiasm for hunting in an era when conservationists are struggling to prevent mass extinctions. Instead of helping the conservation cause, as they claim to be doing, the Dallas Safari Club is sending the message that killing endangered animals is not only fun but conscientious as well.”

Ignorance is complicityWhile mankind might be guilty of a lot of things, perhaps our greatest sin is the sin of ignorance. At some point we need

to realise that not responding to such heinous acts of cruelty is not good enough; we are equally responsible for the things we don’t do.

The goal of our existence is not to be the most rich or powerful. Rather, it is to learn to live in harmony with everything around us. The luxury of ignorance has come and gone. The time has come for us to re-learn to respect all life on this planet.

In the words of Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Eating Animals: “If contributing to the suffering of billions of animals that live miserable lives and (quite often) die in horrific ways isn't motivating, what would be? If being the number one contributor to the most serious threat facing the planet (global warming) isn't enough, what is?”

aniMal abuse | FEaturE

Cruelty of manaccording to milan kundera: ‘Humanity's true moral test, its fundamental test, consists of its attitude towards those who are at its mercy – animals’ Shah Nahian


More than 70% of buildings in the ready made garments and textiles

sector are constructed poorly, resulting in 30% extra electricity consumption. A recent report revealed that many buildings require extra cooling because of inappropriate metal roofing that radiates heat. Others need extra electric lights because poor design means there is a lack of natural lighting, which can exacerbate cooling problems.

It was found that the humidity range was above 85% in many factory buildings while the global permissible standard is 60% at most.

The year-long study jointly carried out by the architecture department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), run by the German government, suggested that green retrofitting would help the sector by reducing energy consumption and yielding a higher RMG industrial output.

It would also minimise the negative environmental impact of the existing textile and garment factory buildings.

The study also said most of the existing garments factories in Bangladesh are suffering from high thermal gains from rooms of inappropriate dimensions and that the noise, ventilation and other things affecting the workers’ comfort are not being considered during the construction of factories – which ends up hampering their efficiency.

The study carried out at a number of RMG and textile factories found that 46% of the workers have been suffering from chronic headaches while 27% have been suffering from severe eye pain because of a lack of lighting.

Natural light was found to be preferable to electric light, and workers who work in natural light produced more garments with less defects.

What experts saySajal Chowdhury, one of the research architects from the BUET-GIZ project, said factory building’s performance was barely being checked before construction.

“Building performance modeling, a mandatory requirement in many countries across the world for constructing factory buildings, is still considered an optional design phase in Bangladesh,” he said.

He said such modeling was essential to make the most of natural resources like wind and daylight.

“Our study found that with efficient design, it is possible to achieve far better output with less energy consumption.”

Dr Khondaker Shabbir Ahmed, a professor of architecture at BUET, told me that most of the existing RMG and textile factory buildings were running on fossil fuels.

“This is of particular concern [internationally] as buildings have been reported to account for 44% of total energy consumption.”

“Energy conservation in building design is very effective at mitigating the impact of global warming by way of reducing carbon emissions from building operation … Under these circumstances, green retrofitting of the existing factory building could be a perfect solution.”

What industry people sayShafiul Islam Mohiuddin, former president of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said green retrofitting would initially cost the entrepreneurs a lot of money, but in the long-run it would be profitable.

“Incidents of garment buildings catching fire, and causing loss of life and property, occur every year. A certified green factory building will not only ensure better ventilation, fire safety and air quality but also easier maintenance and use of non-fire prone equipment.”

The improvementsSome of the renowned ready-made garment manufacturers in the country have already introduced green factories to reduce harmful emissions and improve energy efficiency by recycling byproducts and conducting proper waste management.

Classic Fashion Concepts has taken on the the project of setting up a green garments factory.

Shahidullah Azim, its managing director, said in order to be “certified green,” a factory must have all the elements used in the factory tested by the US-based Green Building Concept (GBC) organisation.

Viyellatex Group, another RMG company, has constructed a new factory with specially designed buildings that have proper ventilation and wide floor spaces.

Atiul Ehsan, one of the senior officials of the company, said the initial cost of the installation was high but it paid off in other ways, like by reducing the company’s electricity bill.

“Employees’ satisfaction comes first. When you have a better working environment, you get better output,” said Ehsan.

green RMG:A better optionFaisal Mahmud looks at green retrofitting of factories to improve energy-efficiency in the RMG sector

Illustration: GIZ

14 tEChNoLogy | eco-friendly


15sMall wonder | LitEraturE

Where do you get your story ideas? My imagination. Before writing down anything on paper, first I make the draft in my mind. As all my thoughts were revolving around ghosts, monsters and horror, I named the book “The Castle of Doom,” a castle of monsters. The protagonist is a genie. While writing the book the idea of a genie fascinated me. Castle of Doom is the ultimate result of everything I imagined.

Aren't you scared of ghosts and monsters any more? When I was younger I was scared of ghosts and used to have nightmares. But now I am not scared of them, rather I keep

thinking about ghosts with many hands and legs, unlike human beings. I love thinking about them as I find material for stories. I love to scare people around me and love watching horror films. Yes, sometimes I do get scared thinking about what will happen next – I stay curious and thrilled.

How do you design the characters for your stories?I read a lot of books and many of them contain various characters. Though I take inspiration from them, I make characters for my stories in my own imagination. I think about the monsters having one head and ten eyes or three legs. I try to draw them as well, and then I write about them. I

get help from my older sister in naming the monsters.

What kinds of books do you read?I read horror stories a lot. I like other entertaining books as well. I love to read detective stories but once I get into them I just can't stop until I finish!

Do you play outdoor games? Not that much, except badminton – which I love to play with my sister.

What else do you do during your free time?I read, write. I watch TV or play around. Sometimes I look after my younger sister and love playing with her; she is only one-year-old. I also love drawing cartoons.

What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a famous writer. I want to continue writing, particularly rhymes.

What do your friends say about your book? When I got my book published, I took it to my school. My best friend wanted to read the book. She just grabbed it from me and kept reading it during period breaks, she finished the whole book within the lunch-hour. She told me that the book was really scary! She also said, she was already waiting for the next edition of Castle of Doom to come out.

What do your parents say about your writing? They find it very surprising. When I write new things, they get interested in what I've written.

How did you get into the habit of writing? My sister sent my dad a rhyme when he was abroad. Then I felt the urge to compose a rhyme myself, so I did. Now you can tell me a word and I can instantly come up with a word that rhymes with it. That's how it goes.

Is there anything that prevents you from writing?I can say that when I have an idea in mind and I start writing but some other idea pops into my head, I deviate from the previous one and start the new one. In this way I get involved in two streams at a time. But the problem occurs when I realise that I have to go back to the first one and finish it.

What do you love about writing? Writing is fun for me. I first jot down my ideas in my diary, and I also draw different pictures like clouds and apples. My diary is like a secret world of mine.

the ten-year-old

authorTen-year-old Sarina Hossain finished writing her first book“The Castle of doom” at the age of eight, The book was published in London this February. Farhana Urmee talks to the wunderkind

Phot

o: F

arha

na U

rmee


16 LEgaLESE | with Jennifer ashraf kashMi

QA

I have had a permanent post at a private company for two years. I scored well in my annual evaluation, but recently I found my salary was not disbursed into my account. When I called the

office they asked me to go over and receive my letter of termination. They have not given me any warning or discussed anything with me. Does the company have the right to this to an employee?

Sacked without cause

Jennifer Ashraf Kashmi is a barrister and solicitor of England and Wales. She is currently Senior Partner at Legacy Legal Corporate.

Got a

problem?

Write to Jennifer at weekend@

dhakatribune.com

Dear Reader,Oh me, oh my – this seems like a disastrous mess. We’re living in a country where the work life balance is practically non-existent. The MNCs recognise their massive bargaining power and manipulate the employees into putting in much more overtime than their jobs initially specified. Office workers almost never manage to crawl out of their office before 7:30 in the evening, sometimes even 8 or 9 in the evening. Add to this our “brilliant” and “wonderful” transport system (pun-fully intended) and the cat-and-mouse race becomes a mouse-and-mouse crawl for employees heading back home. Wonderful, isn’t it?

The last thing any of us need is the additional aggravation of constantly worrying about job security – constantly living in a nightmarish world where no job stability and security exists. Unfortunately, your dilemma is not unusual and many of us are facing it every day. Now, let’s look at your situation specifically and see what legal remedies may be available to you. The currently legal framework in Bangladesh in the arena of Employment law is practically non-existent. The only supporting legal framework is the existence of the Bangladesh Labour Act (BLA) 2006, but this concentrates more on the rights of “workers” as opposed to “employees” in the office or administrative roles.

The Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 defines a “worker” as “any person including an apprentice employed in any establishment or industry, either directly or through a contractor, to do any skilled, unskilled, manual, technical, trade promotional or clerical work for hire or reward, whether the terms of employment be expressed or implied, but does not include a person employed mainly in a managerial or administrative capacity.” I’m hoping you have identified the problem – the definition of “worker” specifically excludes anyone employed in a managerial or administrative capacity. And this, my friend, is

where the problem arises. The recent Labour Law

Amendment in 2013, following the disastrous Rana Plaza incident, addressed a lot of issues which were in need of reform and also added a few new provisions. Unfortunately, the definition of “worker” still remains the same. The downside of this is that employee rights are not very well protected as almost all the labour law provisions protect the rights only of the workers. There are provisions which relate to wages, salary, notice periods and reviews–all targeted specifically to the rights of workers. I know you must be frustrated and, honestly speaking, the feeling is mutual. I have dealt with a lot of friends, colleagues and even clients who were in the same pickle as you are currently.

As lawyers, the best course of action we recommend is instigating a suit at the Labour Court. The judicial system is becoming increasingly sympathetic to the plight of employees, therefore enabling a few successful claims in this regard.

However, the best thing at this stage is the development and implementation of a new piece of legislation which will provide a solid framework – the new piece of legislation can be aptly named Employment Act 2014 (or something to that effect). All developed countries have it – therefore the absence of it in Bangladesh speaks volumes, and is a concern which needs to be seriously rectified. Just some food for thought.

In conclusion, I suggest speaking to your HR Manager first and foremost, perhaps sending a letter addressed formally to him/her, so that you can voice your concerns in writing and ensure that you have a paper trail/record. Point out your performance evaluation and discrepancies in your salary disbursement. Hopefully, this should remedy the issue. And if you still find your organisation maintaining a stubborn stance, then you know it’s time to take legal action. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you all the best!

Cartoon: Rio Shuvo


17identity theft | tEChNoLogy

There is a reason why they call this new bug “Heartbleed.” The implicit damage that this

can do to your digital life will leave you with heart palpitations. If you haven’t heard already, Heartbleed is, in layman’s terms, a security breach on the SSL encryption on websites. If you have ever looked at the link on your Gmail or Facebook sign in page you’ll see a green code that says “https” with a lock icon. It’s used by almost every website out there to encrypt your password and other sensitive data.

What is it? The problem is that this bug has the ability to fish through that encryption and grab a hold of your passwords, credit card information and more. To understand what it is exactly, we need to understand what it attacks. The bug affects the OpenSSL code which was developed in the 90s to help protect user information on the internet. Because it is a free software, there has been very few alternatives developed because it is reliable and cost effective.

According the website www.heartbleed.com, which was setup to help us understand the issue, they say: “The Heartbleed Bug is a serious vulnerability in the popular OpenSSL cryptographic software library. This weakness allows stealing the information protected, under normal conditions, by the SSL/TLS encryption used to secure the internet. SSL/TLS provides communications security and privacy over the internet for applications such as web, email, instant messaging (IM) and some virtual private networks (VPNs),”

“The Heartbleed bug allows anyone on the Internet to read the memory of the systems protected by the vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software. It compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. This allows attackers to eavesdrop

on communications, steal data directly from the services and users, and to impersonate services and users.”

It was independently discovered by a Google employee Neel Mehta and a Finnish cyber security firm Codenomicon, where an engineer there coined the term Heartbleed and set up the namesake website to explain it to the public. The reason why this bug is called Heartbleed is because when one computer sends a payload of information to another, it sends it with what is known as a “heartbeat” extension. The other computer must then respond with the exact same length of payload of information. This malicious bug basically exploits the OpenSSL code by sending a small heartbeat request capable of extracting back information from the server about the last string of data that passed through it, thereby obtaining the encryption key.

Scary stuff indeed!

Why is it important? “Heartbleed” has been called the biggest cyber-security breach to date. We are slowly beginning to see the amount of damage that it can do. Within days of its discovery a 19-year-old Canadian man Stephen Arthuro Solis-Reyes was arrested in London, Ontario, Canada for exploiting the bug and hacking 900 social security numbers off a government website. We are slowly going to see more large scale hacks because of this.

The reason why the OpenSSL has become vulnerable is because it is open source software. Developers from around the world contribute to it, but it’s not really a paid job. The entire team on the open source consists of 11 people, all of whom are volunteers except the lead developer Stephen Henson, who is a full time employee.

What this means is that other than just one person whose job is to look over a security code used by every major website and corporation in the world, the rest of the team are there on their own

time. There are other developers who also volunteer their services from time to time. Nevertheless, it means that our entire internet security is overlooked by a single individual and his entire programme budget is based on donations that amount to less than $1m a year.

It seems inconceivable that until the Heatbleed bug was discovered we had no idea how OpenSSL worked or who worked behind it, as it is such an integral part of our lives. These days everything is online. Starting from our banking details to our private messages, our identity has now taken the form of packets of data that fly between servers at lightning speed.

Shouldn’t we have at least invested a little more in its security? Rather than assuming that it was safe? Or worse, that it would be taken care of? Why haven’t large companies tried to invest a little more into the technology that is making their businesses possible? It seems they don’t want to give away a part of the profit margin unless they are obligated to do so.

Although a lot of websites and companies are now rolling out patches and security updates for their software, there is very little that you can do in the meantime.

How to protect yourselfThe first rule of thumb when it comes to your online security is not using the same password for more than one website. The importance of this cannot be stressed enough. Just don’t do it. Use a password manager and keep a log of what password you are using for what, and keep changing all of them every six months.

Use the two step verification option whenever possible, Gmail, Facebook and Yahoo already have this option available. Once you sign in with your password, these sites will send you a text message with a code to verify that it is actually you trying to access the site. Only after you punch it in will you be allowed to access.

You can check your

vulnerability by going on to www.heartbleed.com and checking your browser for any security breaches.

Heartbleed: The bug explored Esha Aurora tells you all you need to know about the recent cyber-security breach

List of affected sitesif you have an account with any of these websites, change your password immediately

• Facebook• Instagram• Linkedin• Pinterest• Tumblr• Twitter• Wikipedia • Wikimedia• Google• Yahoo!• Gmail• YahooMail• Etsy• GoDaddy• Flickr• Minecraft• Netflix• SoundCloud• Youtube

• American Funds

• Venmo• Box• Dropbox• Github• IFTTT• OkCupid• Wordpress• Wunderlist • Dashlane• PastPass• Reddit• Something

Awful• Mumsnet• Amazon Web

Services


18

Hogwarts for Muggles Shah Nahian

Stay iN

Ever wondered what your life would have been like if you too woke up one day to receive an acceptance letter

from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?

If you’re a fan of the Harry Potter books or the movies, you have probably imagined what house the

Sorting Hat would put you in, what spell you would have mastered first, or what your student life might have been like in the magical world.

Now thanks to a group of diehard Harry Potter fans, you can find answers to these your questions. Log on to www.HogwartsIsHere.com.

The website lets you enroll at Hogwarts, collect your textbooks, and begin taking 9 week courses online. You can progress through all seven years of schooling, and even be assigned a professor, be given homework and take quizzes.

You can also socialise with other students by joining a virtual house

dormitory, and chat with them in the common room. Or browse and contribute to the library, collect chocolate frog cards, and earn galleons and house points.

So if you’re tired of being a Muggle, enroll at Hogwarts. Your entire experience and education is absolutely free.

SudokuUse the numbers 1-9 to complete each of the 3x3 square grids such that each horizontal and vertical line also contains all of the digits from 1-9

Last week’s sudoku solutions


with the aim to focus on transparency in the production chain in the garments industry, Uk-based Fashion revolution is organising “Meet Your Maker” in dhaka. Today is the second day of this two-day event.

Eminent figures in the fashion industry, such as ruby ghuznavi, bibi russell

and Santona momtaz will be speaking.

The event, spreading on social media as #insideout, encourages everyone to wear their clothes inside out to reveal who made their clothes, and upload a photo on their Facebook, Twitter or instagram with #insideout.

19

#InsideOut

go out

Weekly Planner

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APRIL2014

Send us your events to [email protected]

do misspellings make you cringe? Grab a brush and fix it.

one degree initiative is organising Shuddho Likhi, an event to correct the spelling (in both bangla and english) on billboards, signboards and posters. The ongoing year long project started on February 21 this year. This month they are focusing on dhanmondi and

malibagh. everyone is welcome to work for this cause.

Volunteers are grouped into two teams. Team dhanmondi is based out of: House 67/c, road 9/a, dhanmondi. Team Malibagh is at: Officers’ club, bailey road. For any queries, contact the team leaders at 01675465541 and 01720536183.

WHEN april 25 at 9am

Grammar policeWHERE dhanmondi and malibagh

WHEN april 25 at 4-7:30pm

WHERE institute of asian creatives, House 9, road 36, gulshan 2

ApRIL 25

ART | LAST SUMMERWHEN 12pm-8pmWHERE bengal art Lounge, gulshan avenueWHAT Blooming flowers artist Iffat Ara Dewan does her artwork in pastel colours and acrylic on canvas. This is the 11th solo exhibition of the prominent Tagore singer, who is also a painter.

ART | 1134: LIvES NoT NUMbERSWHEN 3pm-8pmWHERE Pathshala South asian media academy, Panthapath, dhakaWHAT marking one year since the rana Plaza collapse, this group exhibition includes forms like photography, installations, performance art, film, theater and music.

MUSIc | bAASHI SHoNDHAWHEN 7pmWHERE Jatiya natyashala, bangladesh Shilpakala academyWHAT Ustad captain Azizul Islam will play the flute. organised by the Pothikrit Foundation.

THEATRE | KARMA coFFEEWHEN 7pmWHERE international School dhaka, bashundharaWHAT a comedy about dating and marriage in dhaka, by Shazia omar. Tickets are available at iSd, Hakasa, red Shift, Panini and crepe au Lait.

ApRIL 26

voLUNTEER FoR INTELLEcTUAL pRopERTYWHEN 9am-5pmWHERE dhaka University WHAT day long boot camp arranged to raise awareness about intellectual property issues and to observe world intellectual Property day.

MUSIc | RAbINDRANATH oNYA ALoY WHEN 7pm-8:35pmWHERE chhayanaut Songit bhaban, dhanmondi WHAT Tagore songs, recitations of his poetry, and interpretations of his work will be discussed at this programme organised by ohornish.

TALK | pHILoSopHY AND coMMITMENT: FoR A pHILoSopHY AcTIoNWHEN 5pmWHERE ULab auditorium, University of Liberal arts, Shatmasjid road, dhanmondiWHAT bernard-Henri Levy, eminent French intellectual, is in town to launch the bangla translation of his book about the Liberation war “Les indes rouge.”

ApRIL 27

FILM | SUNDAY GERMAN+bANGLA MovIE NIGHT WHEN 6-8:30pmWHERE goethe institute, House 10, road 9, dhanmondiWHAT Healers of the Hill, a bangla documentary directed by Al-Haseeb Nomanee, is paired with School Trip/ KLASSENFART, a German film directed by Henner Winckler.


20 iNtErviEW | shykh seraJ

Your show started in 1980, What keeps driving you?My responsibility. In 1974, we witnessed a famine. So I thought it was important to address hunger. The media should be used as an educational tool to address the basic rights of people, among which food comes first.

In the 80s, there was only one

TV channel, and people were very eager to be entertained by magazine shows and dramas. In that context, for an urban youth like me, doing an agriculture programme was a challenge indeed. My coworkers and friends used to laugh that I was doing a programme for “chasha bhosha.”

But I was certain that this

programme would one day make a mark. That was the original motivation, and that is what motivates me still.

What was the state of the industry back then?In the 1960s, food security was a far-fetched dream. People would queue in front of a house that was cooking rice just to get the starch from the discarded water. Norman Borlaug, an American agronomist, came up with the breeding technology that doubled the production of rice grains. Different countries over the world adopted the technique for their respective staple grains. In this zone, the artificial breeding first started in Comilla in the 60s.

Back then, agriculture was dependent on nature. Popularising this new technique was challenging because people in the villages thought using irrigation went against the will of Allah. They would wait for rain rather than digging the soil for water.

How has agriculture evolved in Bangladesh?I have to say that despite its problems, and having such a huge population within this small land area, Bangladesh is a country that has gained food security. We have unrest over politics but we do not have riots over grains. It is an inspiring success story for the world.

But the high yielding varieties invented 50 years ago have degenerated. We need replacements and we need fertilisers. Previously, water emerged from the ground with one strike. Now, in the northern regions, there is no water even 250ft below the ground.

Are there any green solutions to these issues?There are several new irrigation systems and alternatives to pest control. The Alternative Wetting and Drying (AWD) system where a funnel is placed in the middle of the field that can ensure water gets to the whole field. “Alor

Faad” is a pest control technique that uses a container with salt water and the scent of a female insect, attracting the male insects to go inside and get caught in the salt water.

Why are these not becoming popular? Why are we still spending money on fertilisers and pesticides? Because they have a huge market. The local agent is linked with the manufacturer, based in Sweden perhaps. It is a huge business.

What are the affects of climate change on our agriculture industry?During SIDR and AILA, seawater leached into the land in Khulna, Kaliganj, Barguna, Satkhira. We have long been hearing that ocean water would encroach on the southern parts of our country, and Bangladesh will be submerged under the Bay of Bengal. The sea level has risen at an alarming rate.

Anticipating such natural calamities, five years ago salt water tolerant varieties of rice were developed through research. They have just started being used.

Back in 2008, Dr Rafiq worked at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines to develop saline water tolerant varieties for this region. But today global warming has reached such an extent that these are no longer useful .

The northern region has become so dry that the drought tolerant high yielding varieties developed 10 years ago are not able to survive, even with constant irrigation.

In the middle parts of our country, Aman paddy used to grow during monsoon, but that is now jeopardised. They still need rainwater, but can only survive in it for 15 days. But 10 years ago it could not be predicted that the rate of rainfall would increase to this extent. The earth is changing so quickly!

Shykh Seraj is currently the head of news at Channel I.

Man of the soilShykh Seraj rose to fame through the TV series mati o manush (man and Soil), an investigative documentary series on agricultural practices. For earth day, he shares his views on the evolution of food security in bangladesh with Promiti Prova Chowdhury

Photo: Quamrul AbedinShykh Seraj, veteran development journalist

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