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Rohingya Muslims, a photo essay

2011-04-10T03:47:00.000-07:00

Without a homeland, without a hope
By Tony Cliff
Southeast Asia, Apr 9, 2011

COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh - Mahamuda Khatur remembers the fateful day three years ago. At dawn her husband had left their Kutupalong refugee camp in southern Bangladesh for the forest to fetch firewood he would sell to other refugees or local people. He never returned.

Mahamuda was told that he had drowned in a river, a claim she has never independently verified. That left her as a 27-year-old widow with two children. Now, suffering from tuberculosis for eight months, Mahamuda is too weak to work and cannot feed herself or her children.

The pallor of her face and the thinness of her arms show the unmistakable signs of severe malnutrition. Now, she has to rely on other refugees' generosity to survive. "But there is not much that the people here can do for us," she says. "Everybody is in the same situation."

Mahamuda is an ethnic Rohingya, a Sunni Muslim community that has fled persecution in its native Myanmar for neighboring Bangladesh and other countries. Throughout this region, on a narrow strip of beach, sparse forest or sandy land squeezed between the Bay of Bengal and the Myanmar border, Rohingya exiles can be seen carrying heavy bags of salt, bundles of firewood, stacks of bricks, baskets of fish, blocks of ice.

Above all, they carry the weight of being one of the largest stateless populations on the planet. Out of an estimated 1.5 to 2 million population, only the 48,800 Rohingya registered as refugees with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Bangladesh and Malaysia have legal status. The one million or so Rohingya living in Myanmar's western Arakan State are not recognized as citizens and the 500,000 to one million others who have chosen exile in other countries are mostly considered illegal migrants.

The Rohingya were not always a pariah in Myanmar, previously known as Burma. Although they have been a constant victim of a chauvinist Buddhist regime animated by anti-Muslim and anti-Indian sentiment dating back to the British colonial occupation, the Rohingya had citizen status in Myanmar until 1982. That year, then dictator Ne Win promulgated a citizenship law that stripped them of their nationality. It was the epilogue of one of the darkest chapters in the country's recent history, the Naga Min Operation ("Operation Dragon King") launched in 1978 in the west Arakan State.

In the name of a crackdown on "illegal migrants", the army killed, raped and arrested scores of people, mostly Rohingya. Villages were burned and looted. Mosques and other religious sites were particularly targeted. That operation forced some 200,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. Most of them were repatriated by the end of 1979. In 1991-1992, fleeing the junta's widespread use of forced labor, summary executions, torture and rape, another wave of 250,000 Rohingya left the country. Currently the regime continues repressive practices, although on a lesser scale.

During a discrete visit in a large Rohingya village in Arakan State last year, in the relative safety of an old mosque, an elder detailed the numerous restrictions imposed by Myanmar authorities on the local population. "Even though we have been living here for many generations, we need a special authorization for almost everything: to move out of our area, send our children to the university, marry them, run a business. And, as everyone else in the state, we are constantly submitted to forced labor, arbitrary arrest, land confiscation and other abuses by the authorities."

Rohingya also complain of being targeted by the Rakhine, the predominant Buddhist group in Myanmar's Arakan State. It's a bitter irony considering that the Rakhine themselves are subject to the junta's systematic oppression against ethnic minorities. Violent incidents such as attacks on mosques by Buddhist radicals and retaliation by Rohingya are regularly reported. To justify their stance, both communities have traded endless arguments often founded on biased or reconstructed historical facts.

Xenophobia, fueled by extremists from both sides but also by the ruling junta, which has masterfully used divide and rule tactics to maintain its control, has submerged any hope of a dispassionate debate. Still, arguments forwarded by the Rakhine community, such as the "fear that the Rohingya occupy our land because of their high birth rate and rapidly increasing population", as a Rakhine journalist exiled in Bangladesh put it, have some basis and will eventually need to be properly addressed.

The dramatic situation of Rohingya exiles in Bangladesh, a country more accessible than Myanmar to outside observers, has become the show case for the minority's stateless plight. Some 29,000 Rohingya live as refugees in Kutupalong and Nayapara camps, south of Cox's Bazar, a booming beach resort in Bangladesh. These camps are under the UNHCR's supervision and benefit from the presence of a few international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). With properly built houses, schools, playgrounds and a sewage system, they look like any other adequately administered refugee camps in the world.

But the largest facility, Kutupalong, has a twin brother with a much less amiable face. "Kutupalong makeshift", as it's commonly known, is literally stuck to "Kutupalong registered". Thousands of adobe huts covered with plastic sheets, branches and dried leaves cluster together over a succession of bare hills, sheltering a population of 20,000, according to the latest count by a NGO active in the area.

Here, there is not a single trace of shade. Nor are there latrines or a proper sewage system. Only a few pumps installed by the French NGO Solidarites International provide for basic water needs. In the summer season, the heat inside the huts is sweltering. During the monsoon season, water often dissolves the huts' walls and transforms steep alleys into muddy torrents. In any season, day and night, disease-carrying insects are ubiquitous.

"We don't have enough mosquito nets," laments Karim, the community leader of one of the six blocks dividing the camp. "Many diseases are endemic here, malaria, diarrhea and tuberculosis. And now we have to face an epidemic of chicken pox and measles."

Almost like an indecent exhibit, mothers show the faces of their infants and children marked with chicken pox pustules. More worrisome is the 30% rate of acute malnutrition reported in the camp by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO). Only the NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Holland, in a clinic set out of the camp along the main road, and the French Action Contre la Faim (ACF), has the right to provide medical treatment to the "Kutupalong makeshift" population.

A few kilometers to the south, Leda, the other non-official camp with a population of 13,700, offers a relatively less desperate face. Rattan-built houses are properly aligned along paved alleys, here and there emblazoned with flowers and greenery. Yet restrictions imposed by Bangladesh authorities in the makeshift camps are drastic. Food distribution and education are sharply curtailed. Still, if these rules were strictly enforced then "Kutupalong makeshift" and Leda would have turned into full-blown death camps.

Despite the appalling conditions, refugees manage to bypass these interdictions and organize their survival. In Kutupalong, for instance, as a substitute to a proper schooling establishment, community leaders with the help of outside sympathizers have set up a network of 30 classes inside huts with locally trained teachers.

The restriction on wandering outside the makeshift camps is perhaps the least observed of the restraints. "Many refugees leave them for a few days or a week to work in brick or dried fish factories, salt pans, as rickshaw drivers," says Karim, the Kutupalong community leader. "They usually work for 100 taka a day [about US$1.4], which is not enough to feed a family so often both parents have to work." Continued>>>

Pak army launched genocide

2011-03-24T16:55:00.000-07:00

Friday, March 25, 2011
Syed Badrul Ahsan [The Daily Star]

"the Pakistan army, were let loose. Operation Searchlight had been unleashed. The murder of a nation was underway."

Even sleeping children were not spared on the horrific night of March 25, 1971, when the Pakistani army attacked the Bangalees.Photo: File Photo

Dr Kamal Hossain spent the whole of March 25, 1971 waiting for the call which General Peerzada had promised he would make. He as well as the other leading figures of the Awami League knew that time was running out, that unless a proclamation came from President Yahya Khan chaos would descend on East Bengal and indeed on Pakistan as a whole. Of course, the junta thought otherwise. Throughout the day, senior military commanders helicoptered throughout the province to make sure the plans for a military strike against the democratic movement were in place.

General Yahya Khan told General Tikka Khan that the army should be ready to hit the Bengalis that very night. Tikka passed on the message to his formation commanders all over the province. As dusk fell, President Yahya Khan, in the strictest secrecy, boarded a Pakistan International Airlines plane for the long journey back to Rawalpindi. It was not long before Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would know of his departure. Even so, he continued to believe that the negotiations would lead to some positive results. Kamal Hossain recalls that as he bade goodbye to Mujib at around 10 pm on March 25, the Awami League chief asked him if he had received any phone call from the regime. Hossain replied in the negative.

As soon as twilight descended on Dhaka, the students of Dhaka University as well as citizens in other parts of the city set up an assortment of barricades --- trees, bricks, stones, etc --- to thwart the movements of the army. With a deepening of the evening, reports began increasingly to circulate of the military's readiness to strike at any moment. The strike came between 11 and 11.30 pm. Tanks, armoured cars and truckloads of soldiers of the Pakistan army fanned out in different directions. Soon the police headquarters at Rajarbagh was under attack by the army and so was the Peelkhana headquarters of the East Pakistan Rifles. The soldiers rushed to the Central Shaheed Minar, which they blew up in minutes. At the same time, they destroyed the well-known Kalibari in the centre of the Race Course (today's Suhrawardy Udyan). But it was at Dhaka University where the soldiers' ferocity came into full, macabre display. They went around shooting anyone on sight, broke into academics' homes and shot them dead. Their ire was particularly reserved for Jagannath Hall, where hundreds of students were killed and their bodies dumped into a mass grave in the hall compound. Bulldozers were then used to level the mass grave. On the streets, the soldiers shot anyone in their sights. Pedestrians, sleeping rickshaw pullers and others were killed without mercy.

From his suite at Hotel Intercontinental (today's Sheraton), Zulfikar Ali Bhutto watched the flames engulf Dhaka. The offices of The People, a newspaper whose militant stridency in favour of the Bangalee nationalist movement could not have been missed by the army, was set on fire by the soldiers. All night long, the sounds of rocket and machinegun fire and the sight of tracer fire kept the citizens of Dhaka awake in a state of fear.

It was a night when evil and horror, symbolised by the Pakistan army, were let loose. Operation Searchlight had been unleashed. The murder of a nation was underway.

Bangladesh gift England quarter-final spot

2011-03-19T04:48:00.000-07:00

March 19, 2011
Bangladesh v South Africa, Group B, World Cup 2011, Mirpur
South Africa; 284 for 8, beat Bangladesh; 78 by 206 runs

Reuters – Bangladesh's captain Shakib Al Hasan rests during the ICC Cricket World Cup group B match against ...

Bangladesh were not favourites to win their virtual pre-quarterfinal against the might of South Africa, especially after the visitors breezed away to 284, but it was the meek manner of their abject batting surrender that would have jarred even their most faithful fan.

Eight overs in to the tall chase, and the heart of their batting line-up had been ripped out by Lonwabo Tsotsobe, causing the substantial crowd at the Shere Bangla Stadium to quickly start dwindling. They never recovered from the initial blows, and all they managed was to beat their lowest total of 58 achieved against West Indies earlier in the tournament by 20 runs, before being put out of their misery by Robin Peterson's fourth wicket.

This was after South Africa came out blazing, and the solid base that the openers gave allowed Jacques Kallis and Faf du Plessis to consolidate and accelerate seamlessly, giving their spin-heavy attack a substantial cushion to stifle Bangladesh and bowl them to the top the group. That they did so with 206 runs to spare was a testimony to how the fight completely went out of Bangladesh, and also confirmed England's qualification for the knockouts.

It was not that South Africa's attack, minus Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, caused a lot of alarm. Tsotsobe did get enough bounce off the slow wicket to trouble the batsmen, and also got it to cut in from a very tight line outside off stump. But it was more a case of poor shot selection by the Bangladesh batsmen under the pressure of a big chase in a must-win game in front of a large home crowd. The first four dismissals were demonstrations of the various ways of how not to play on a low and slow wicket.

Tamim Iqbal was too early into the pull off a short Tsotsobe delivery that was way outside off stump, and was caught behind off a healthy under-edge, as South Africa referred successfully after umpire Daryl Harper missed the deflection. Imrul Kayes shouldered arms to a full Tsotsobe delivery that cut back in to shatter the stumps.

Graeme Smith had started with Johan Botha, and his suffocating lines had Junaid Siddique in absolute uncertainty, not sure whether to go back or forward, and he ended up being trapped in front by one that angled straight on. Shahriar Nafees played on, driving in princely fashion from the crease to one that nipped back in slowly.

Bangladesh's chase was only eight overs old, and already their dream had caved in at 21 for 4. Mushfiqur Rahim pottered around for some time before being snapped up one-handed by an alert Smith at slip off Peterson. Before his dismissal, Bangladesh managed seven runs in the bowling Powerplay, the lowest in the tournament, trumping Kenya - who had made nine runs against Sri Lanka.

Amid all the anti-climax, Shakib Al Hasan displayed his class, straight-driving and pulling Tsotsobe, and caressing and slashing the spinners for boundaries. There were loud cheers as Bangladesh passed 58 but Shakib departed soon after as Bangladesh's party rapidly came to a rude end. Peterson cleaned up the tail as Bangladesh lasted all of 28 overs to bring the curtain down on what was ultimately a chaotic campaign.

Bangladesh's struggles stood out against the contrasting approaches of Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith, which had worked perfectly for South Africa at the top as the duo batted their way to a 98-run opening stand.

It was fascinating to see how the openers went about tackling the spinners in their different styles. While Amla allowed the ball to come to him, and played it as late as possible off the back foot, Smith was very eager to push forward and use his feet frequently in an attempt to meet the ball early.

Amla carried on in the nonchalant fashion that has made him the world's most prolific one-day batsman of late. Anything marginally short was quickly dispatched, even against the turn. Smith was uncertain to start with, but Bangladesh helped him settle the nerves with a couple of freebies on leg stump that he happily put away past short fine leg.

It was only after the drinks break that the openers lost their cool and their wickets. JP Duminy followed and at 141 for 3 with 20 overs to go, Bangladesh were in it. But Kallis and du Plessis started milking the singles calmly. Only four boundaries were hit in the next 12 overs but South Africa still scored at five an over. The duo added 82 risk-free runs inside 15 overs as the Bangladesh attack struggled for penetration.

Peterson did not let South Africa miss the seventh batsman they had left out, clattering 22 in nine deliveries as 83 came off the last eight overs. Even though wickets tumbled late, there was enough spunk in Peterson and Botha to lift South Africa to 284.

It turned out to be much more than sufficient for a Bangladesh outfit that finally lost the spark that had made it come back strongly twice in the tournament after crushing losses to West Indies and India, with wins over England, Ireland, and Netherlands.

Mahmudur freed on bail

2011-03-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

Thu, Mar 17th, 2011 1:02 pm BdST

The Daily Star

Mahmudur Rahman, acting editor of daily Amar Desh, was released from prison yesterday, nine months after his arrest.

He was greeted by a number of leaders and activists of the main opposition BNP, along with his friends and family outside the jail of Gazipur district at about 11:30am.

On August 19, last year the Supreme Court (SC) sentenced him to six months' imprisonment and fined him Tk 1 lakh for committing contempt of court.

The SC convicted him for publishing a report on April 21 under the headline "Chamber manei sarkar er pakkhe stay" meaning “Chamber bench means stay order in favour of the government”.

On June 1, 2010 the government cancelled the declaration of the Amar Desh citing that it has no authorised publisher. However, on July 18, the SC in an order cleared the way for publishing the newspaper.

Mahmudur was arrested on June 2, 2010 and on the same day the SC issued a contempt of court rule against him and four others following a petition.

He was accused in around 40 cases on corruption, defamation, fraud and other criminal charges, but he was granted bail in all those.

After stepping out of jail, Mahmudur alleged that the government only harassed him for “writing the truth”.

“The government used all possible means of torture and even tried to kill me during the remand," he said, adding, “I will continue to write for the welfare of the country.”

Columnist Farhad Mazhar, President of Jatiya Ganotantrik Party (Jagpa) Shafiul Alam Pradhan, human rights activist Adilur Rahman and Amar Desh Director Prof Tasnim Alam were among others present during his release.

Cambodia tells foreign men they should be under 50 to marry local women

2011-03-17T04:58:00.000-07:00

Big News Network.com
Wednesday 16th March, 2011

Male foreigners who arrive in Cambodia will have to be under the age of 50 if they want to marry a Cambodian woman.

New rules, cracking down on sham marriages, have stipulated that men will be stopped from marrying local girls if they have reached 50.

Foreigners who earn less than $2,550 per month will also barred from marrying local women.

The Cambodian Foreign Ministry has said restrictions will not apply to weddings taking place overseas, although a spokesman described marriages between old men and young women as "inappropriate."

Rights groups have often cited incidents of Cambodian women marrying foreign men, only to be sent into prostitution or placed into servitude in the home country of the new husband.

Bangla skipper vows to seek entry into WC 2011 knockout phase

2011-03-12T06:09:00.000-08:00

Saturday 12th March, 2011
Big News Network.com (ANI)
[Getty Images]

Bangladesh cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan has vowed to "fight to the end" to secure an entry into the World Cup knockout phase after his team's dramatic two-wicket win over England on Friday.

The home side restricted England to 225 all out and made a good start to their reply, looking comfortable at 155-3 before a collapse saw them lose five wickets for just 14 runs.

But Mohammad Mahmudullah (21) and Shafiul Islam (24) took the score from a perilous 169-8 to 227-8, guiding Bangladesh to a nervy two-wicket victory.

"It means a hell of a lot to the whole country. We all know we're very emotional about cricket. It was a great win for us and hopefully we'll kick on from here. No matter what happens we'll fight to the end," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Shakib, as saying.

A disappointed England captain Andrew Strauss said: "We struggled a little bit with the bat although I thought 225 was a competitive total. We needed to bowl and field well but didn't do that as well as we would have liked. We got ourselves in a great position to win the game but in the end we couldn't take those final two wickets. We're bitterly disappointed and we have to bounce back well against the West Indies." (ANI)

Deadly tsunami slams into Japan, races across Pacific

2011-03-12T05:48:00.000-08:00

Saturday 12th March, 2011
Big News Network.com

The massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake which struck off the coast of Japan on Friday has caused widespread devastation and sent tsunami waves pounding across the Pacific triggering alerts in Hawaii, and as far away as the U.S. and Canadian West Coasts.

Japan woke to a multi-faceted national disaster scenario Saturday with five nuclear plants in states of emergency, entire towns obliterated by an earthquake-spawned tsunami and fires raging in many areas due to the mammoth earthquake.

A 30-foot tsunami slammed into the eastern coast of Japan following one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded, causing destruction and damage of biblical proportions across the country.

Japan has not experienced such a disaster since the mid 20th century when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, killing hundreds of thousands of civilians.

Entire towns have been wiped from the landscape, hundreds of acres of farmland have been destroyed and essential public infastructure has been destroyed or badly damaged.

The images broadcast on national television in Japan show apocalyptic scenes of ocean-going trawlers being pushed miles inland by the tsunami, other vessels being pulled into a swirling whirlpool while other footage showed Sendai Airport being entirely surrounded by relentless muddy water.

The 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck at a depth of just 10 kilometres, even shallower than the 6.7-magnitude earthquake that caused staggering destruction in the Haitian capital, Port-Au-Prince in 2010.

Across half the world, tsunami warnings have been issued. Almost every country with a coast on the Pacific Ocean has signalled a tsunami alert and hundreds of thousands of people living in coastal areas were advised to seek higher ground.

Since the quake struck, Japan, along with nearby countries, has been struck by as many as 50 aftershocks, many reaching or exceeding 6-magnitude, leading Japanese authorities to issue further tsunami warnings.

Houses in Natori were cought as a wall of water up to 10m (33ft) high in some places swept inland.

The scale of destruction is extreme. The tsunami swept several miles inshore, swallowing everything in its path. Horrific images on Japanese television showed the wall of broiling water devouring bridges, roads, farms, houses and vehicles, churning into a broth of deadly debris.

According to initial reports, several hundred have already been confirmed killed. Authorities have announced 200 to 300 bodies were found in the north-eastern coastal city of Sendai, with a further 349 people missing. The death toll for the nation is likely to be much higher given the scale of the disaster.

Some media reports put the number of missing people at 88,000.

A tired and strained looking Naoto Kan, the Prime Minister of Japan, told reporters Saturday that he was travelling north to the disaster areas himself to see the scale of the destruction.

Although Japan has experienced powerful earthquakes in the past, it has never endured an 8.9-magnitude one and experts have agreed the situation is unprecedented for the Japanese government, which remained on high alert throughout Friday night.

A nuclear power plant just 170 kilometres outside the capital, Tokyo, was shutdown in the hours after the quake when its cooling system failed, causing the nuclear core to over-heat.

No radiation leak has been reported, but thousands of residents living near the plant have been ordered to evacuate.

At least four other nuclear reactors, two at a second power plant, have reported problems in the aftermath of the quake, though the Japanese government has not released further details.

The national public transport system, world famous for its efficiency and time-keeping, has been brought to its knees, in Tokyo and wider northern Japan, all train services have been suspended, while major roads and highways have been either destroyed or closed due to damage.

The level of disruption and chaos is immense and although the death toll is likely to reach into the thousands, its relatively low level thus far is a testament to the early warning and emergency rescue services in Japan, which moved quickly to evacuate residents from coastal communities in the hours after the quake.

Thrilled fans take over Dhaka, Ctg

2011-03-11T17:15:00.000-08:00

Sat, Mar 12th, 2011 2:00 am BdST
England 225 all out (49.4 overs)
Bangladesh227 for 8 (49.0 overs)

Bangladesh pull off a shock win in the World Cup, inflicting a second defeat on England that leaves their progress to the quarter-finals in serious doubt. Dhaka, Mar 12 (bdnews24.com)

Ecstatic Bangladesh fans rocked Dhaka and Chittagong with colourful processions and slogan-chants to celebrate the two-wicket victory over England on Friday.

The first procession in Chittagong came out from Jelepara, adjacent to the media box of the local Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

Shouts of "Bangladesh….Bangladesh" rent air, as the people rejoiced the victory with drums and vuvuzelas until past-midnight.

Two of them—Binu Rani Das and Niru Bala Das—told bdnews24.com that they were very happy as Bangladesh won the match in their 'yard'.

Sixty-year-old Suraja Rani Das said she kept banging a puja cymbal at Sri Radha Gobinda temple out of joy for long.

Children filled the city with the sound of vuvuzelas.

Moreover, the law enforcers on duty in the stadium area were also seen celebrating the victory.

In the capital, the people took to the streets after Mahmudullah hit the final shot.

Frenzied fans shouted with joy. The entire city, especially the Dhaka University area, was taken over by the delighted crowds.

Many of them carried fireworks in their pockets, as they 'knew that Bangladesh would win the match'.

"We are with Bangladesh whether it wins or loses," they shouted a few minutes prior to the close of the match.

Dhaka University student Abul Kalam Azad said the victory seemed to him as 'recovery of a lost property'.

Islam catapults Bangladesh to 27-run victory

2011-02-25T07:57:00.000-08:00

IRE vs BAN, 9th Match, Group B, Dhaka
IRE 178-all out (45.0 Ovs)
BAN 205 (49.2 Ovs)

Bangladesh, spearheaded by fast bowler Shafiul Islam, beat Ireland by 27 runs in the World Cup Group B match at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.

Bangladesh have really pulled out the rabbit out of the hat. They started off with the spinners and it paid rich dividends as they sent back the openers cheaply. None of the Irish batsmen got going and the Bangladeshi spinners continued to pile on the pressure. Kevin O Brien and Andre Botha strung together a good partnership, but Naeem Islam and Shafiul Islam broke the partnership and ran through the tail to complete a thrilling 27 run victory for the Tigers. This victory was their first against the Irish in all ICC tournaments and they have kept themselves alive in the competition.

Boyd Rankin, on three, is bamboozled by Shafiul Islam's slower delivery, and is caught at short mid-wicket as Ireland is dismissed for 178.

Bangladesh earlier scored 205 runs. The Bangladesh-team celebrates their 27-run victory.

Islam captured 4/21 in eight overs, the best bowling performance by a Bangladesh-bowler in a World Cup match.

It was a sweet revenge for Bangladesh, who lost by 74 runs to Ireland during the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

43rd over: Shafiul Islam takes his third wicket as he traps Trent Johnston in front for 5 and Ireland slips to 171/9. They need another 35 runs, but Islam's inspired spell has taken Bangldesh within striking distance of a famous come-from-behind victory.

41st over: Shafiul Islam produces a beautiful yorker with reverse swing and Andre Botha is bowled for 22 (36 balls, 3x4) as Ireland slips to 168/8. There is another 38 runs needed for a win, but Bangladesh is holding sway.

39th over: John Mooney tries to play an expansive shot and drags a delivery from the spinner Naeem Islam onto his stumps. He is gone for a duck. Ireland needs another 42 runs for victory with 62 balls left. Andre Botha, on 22, is fast running out of batting partners.

37th over: Kevin O' Brien, on 37, is caught on the square-leg boundary by the substitute, Shurawadi Shuvo, off Safiul Islam as he attempts another big shot. He scored 37, faced 40 balls and muscled three fours and a six. He was involved in a 41-run partnership with Andre Botha, on 12.

Ireland needs another 55 runs to win, and Bangladesh is hunting for four wickets.

33rd over: Kevin O' Brien and Andre Botha slams fourteen runs in an over by the off-spinner Mohammad Ashraful. O' Brien moves to 33 off 29 balls, including two fours in that Ashraful-over. Ireland moves to 140/5.

30th over: Andre Botha and Kevin O' Brien battle against the spin of Abdur Razzak and reach 117/5 after 30 overs. The spinners are really turning it, and Ireland needs another 89 runs to win it.

28th over: Niall O' Brien tries to muscle a delivery by Shakik Al Hasan over the mid-wicket boundary, but is brilliantly caught by a diving Tamim Iqbal for 38 (52 balls, 3x4) as Ireland slips to 110/5.

Tamim celebrates wildly and the crowd is in raptures. This could be the turning point, although Kevin O' Brien, on thirteen, is looking in good nick. Ireland is chasing the Bangladesh-target of 205.

25th over: Mohammad Ashraful bowls Andrew White through the proverbial gate between bat and pad for 10 and Ireland slips to 92/4. Niall O' Brien is still there on 34, but Ireland is in trouble.

The ball is starting to turn prodigiously, with both the off-spinner Ashraful and Shakib Al Hasan troubling the batsmen.

19th over: Ed Joyce, on 16, tries to turn a delivery from the spinner Mohammad Ashraful to mid-wicket, but gets a leading edge and is caught and bowled for 16. Ireland is reduced to 75/3, with another 131 runs needed for victory.

18th over: Nial O' Brien drives Rubel Hossain through extra-cover for a boundary, one of the shots of the day. He moves to 27, while Ed Joyce is on 16. Ireland moves to 75/2, with another 131 runs needed to win it. Bangladesh scored 205 in 49.2 overs.

15th over:Ed Joyce and Niall O' Brien prefer to play cautiously against the spin of Mohammad Ashraful, carefully nurtuing the ball through the inner rings for singles without playing risky shots. Ireland moves to 62/2 after fifteen overs, with another 144 runs needed for victory. Joyce has ten and O' Brien twenty.

12th over:Niall O' Brien, on 11, and Ed Joyce, on 8, soldier on, as Ireand reaches 50/2 in that over, bowled by Mohammad Ashraful. O' Brien has slammed two early boundaries and looks to take the attack to the spinners of Bangladesh.

10th over: William Porterfield plays too early and hits it straight to Raqibul Hasan at short mid-wicket off Shakib al Hasan. He is gone for 20, and Ireland slips to 36/2. It was Shakib's first delivery of his first spell.

It is a good sign for Bangladesh, as Shakib is a world-class spinner, and he has tasted early success.

6th over: Paul Stirling tries to hit a full delivery by the spinner Abdur Razzaq, and the ball slips through to the wicketkeeper, Mushfiqur Rahim. He reacts like lightnining with Stirling just temporarily out of his ground, and removes the bails. Stirling is gone for 9 and Ireland slips to 23/1. Bangladesh managed 205 in their fifty overs.

3rd over: William Porterfield, with 10, and Paul Stirling, yet to open his account, have steadily guided Ireland to 11/0 after three overs. Earlier, Bangladesh scored 205 runs in their alloted 50 overs.

Bangladesh innings wrap: Ireland, spearheaded by Andre Botha, strangled Bangladesh and reduced them to 205 in their Group B World Cup match at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.

Bangladesh started like a house on fire and was handily placed on 53/0 after 6.2 overs.

But they could not capitalize on their explosive start.

After Imrul Kayes was stumped expertly by Nyall O’ Brien off John Mooney for 12, the complexion of the match changed.

Tamim Iqbal perished shortly afterward when he was caught at point by the captain, William Porterfield for 44 (43 balls, 7x4) as Bangladesh slipped to 68/3.

Mooney, Botha and the slow bowler George Dockrell changed the pace of the innings. Botha and Mooney used clever variations of pace, the off-cutter and discipline to frustrate the Bangladesh batsmen on an extremely slow track.

Iqbal flayed the bowling to all parts of the ground early on, but once Botha took centre stage, he strangled the batsmen.

He finished with 3/32 from nine overs.

Dockrell captured 2/23 in ten overs and removed Mushfiqur Rahim (36, 66 balls, 1x4) and Mohammed Ashraful in similar fashion, caught at short fine leg.

Rahim and Shaqibal Hasan (38, 69 balls, 1x4) featured in a slow 61-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

But the soft dismissal of Rahim off a bad sweep shot in an attempt to hit a boundary off Dockrell, triggered a mini-collapse.

The Bangladesh team suffered a mid-innings wobble and collapsed from 147/4 to 170/8.

The lack of discipline and the inability to use a Plan B once their flair and fearless stroke play did not materialize, was at the heart of their struggle on a slow pitch that seems to suit the Ireland-attack more than the Bangladesh top-order.

Trent Johnston finished the innings off in style and captured 2/40 in 8.2 overs. Naeem Islam slammed a couple of attractive boundaries and reached 29 off 38 balls before he was caught at short fine leg by Dockrell off Johnston.

The Irish fielding was excellent throughout, and they played with passion and determination.

Dockrell is an 18-year old left-arm spinner, but his line was immaculate, and he got bounce and quite some spin against the dangerous top- and middle-order of Bangladesh.

Bangladeshis in Benghazi being evacuated

2011-02-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Labour minister says Bangladeshis are safe, Libyan envoys in Dhaka, India, China quit.

Bangladeshi citizens from restive Libyan city of Benghazi are being evacuated, foreign ministry officials said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Labour and Manpower Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain on the same day confirmed that Bangladeshi workers have been reportedly kept hostage by armed mercenaries.

Saying that the hostages have been kept in a community centre, he, while talking to reporters at his ministry, referred to several unofficial sources to be informing that the hostages are in a safe condition now.

Mosharraf, however, admitted that the government is yet to establish any communication with the workers.

Briefing on the latest situation, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said the government has already taken steps to evacuate the Bangladeshis from Benghazi at the earliest possible time in the wake of the ongoing turmoil in Libya.

She said Bangladeshi citizens from other parts of the country may also be evacuated as well, if necessary.

The government has already contacted international organisations with experience in emergency evacuation, Dr Dipu Moni added.

After evacuating the Bangladeshi nationals, they will be brought back to the country, sources in the foreign ministry told The Daily Star.

US-based rights watchdog Human Rights Watch said at least 233 Libyans had been killed in five days of violence as they agitate for an end to 41-year rule of Muammar Gaddafi.

Meanwhile, Libyan Ambassador in Bangladesh Ahmed AH Elimam on Monday resigned from office and expressed solidarity with his agitating countrymen.

After tendering his resignation, the Libyan envoy also informed Bangladesh foreign ministry in compliance with diplomatic norms the same day.

Foreign ministry officials confirmed the information on Tuesday.

Libyan ambassador to the United States Ali Adjali said he could no longer support Gadhafi.

Meanwhile, The Associated Press reported that Libya's ambassador to India has resigned his post and is calling on the international community to stop the violent government crackdown against protesters in his country.

The news agency quoted Ali al-Essawi to be saying on Tuesday that he resigned because he could not tolerate the violence his government was using against Libyan civilians.

He said: “The authorities are killing peaceful people, which is not acceptable. We have to stop the bloodshed. It's the responsibility of the international community to stop the bloodshed."

Meanwhile, a Libyan diplomat in China, Hussein el-Sadek el-Mesrati, told a media, “I resigned from representing the government of Mussolini and Hitler.”

Libyan embassies in Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, were closed Tuesday, according to non-diplomatic workers who answered the telephones.

Revolutions which deposed the presidents of Tunisia and Egypt have shaken the Arab world and inspired protests across the Middle East and North Africa, threatening the grip of long-entrenched autocratic leaders.

Libyan security forces have killed dozens of protesters across the vast, thinly populated nation stretching from the Mediterranean deep into the Sahara desert, human rights groups and witnesses said, prompting widespread condemnation from world leaders.

Demonstrations spread to Tripoli after several cities in the east -- including Benghazi where the protests had first erupted -- appeared to fall to the opposition, according to residents.

Cracks were beginning to appear among Gaddafi's supporters, with a group of army officers calling on soldiers to "join the people" and two senior fighter pilots defecting to nearby Malta.

The UN Security Council will hold a closed-door meeting on Tuesday to discuss the crisis, diplomats said.

Tripoli, a Mediterranean coastal city, appeared calm in the early hours of Tuesday. "There is heavy rain at the moment, so people are at home," one resident said. "I am in the east of the city and have not heard clashes."

Bangladesh is closely monitoring the situation in Libya, the foreign minister said, adding that they are in constant contact with Bangladesh mission in Tripoli to take updates

Dhaka 2nd worst city for living

2011-02-22T06:34:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Dhaka has been identified as the second worst city to live for the second consecutive time, according to a survey of Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) affiliated with the UK-based weekly Economist.

Zimbabwe's capital Harare scored the least, making it the worst city to live for the second consecutive year.

The listing was based on 30 factors across five broad categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.

The result of the survey titled “The Liveabililty Ranking and Overview, February 2011” was released on Monday.

Canadian city of Vancouver scored 98 points out of 100 to secure the top position as most liveable city in the world.

Melbourne has been voted as second most liveable city.

The survey factor were rated as accepted, tolerable, uncomfortable, undesirable or intolerable in a system that "allows for direct comparison between locations," according to the report

Fatalities reported in major New Zealand quake

2011-02-22T05:56:00.000-08:00

Big News Network.com
Tuesday 22nd February, 2011

A powerful earthquake has struck the New Zealand city of Christchurch causing massive damage to the already shaken town.

Mass fatalities have been reported from the quake which hit just five kilometres to the north-west of the city, bringing down buildings and buckling roads.

The Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key, has confirmed that 65 deaths have been reported thus far, but this toll is expected to climb.

The highest level of emergency has been declared and the city is being evacuated.

The earthquake brought down a major multi-story hotel and an insurance building.

The ornate facades of many buildings have been destroyed and water mains have burnt in the main part of Christchurch city.

Images broadcast on local and international news stations showed thick smoke rising across some parts of the city as emergency crews battled to put out fires.

Roads have buckled in many areas, making it difficult for emergency services to reach those in need of help.

Christchurch Cathedral has been badly damaged, with parts of its roof and walls tumbling with the force of the quake.

There have been many fatalities according to local officials and television reports have shown people being stretchered from collapsed buildings.

One woman was trapped for some time on the fourth floor of a semi-collapsed hotel.

Australia has reportedly dispatched rescue teams to assist their neighbour, while the Prime Minister of New Zealand is en-route to the city.

Triage centres have been set up in various parts of the city and the local health officials are letting residents know via television and radio where to go for medical treatment.

A call has also gone out for the public to donate blood, which is reportedly in short supply in the city.

Many people have been trapped by fallen buildings and there are fears that the death toll may be very high. The city centre was packed with workers at the time of the quake.

Christchurch was hit by a 7.1-magnitude earthquake in September last year and has been hit by several aftershocks, but none as severe and close to the city as Tuesday's earthquake.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key in September described it as a miracle that no residents of the city were seriously injured in the quake last year.

Tuesday revealed a different story in the devastated city where ambulances and fire fighters have been completely overwhelmed.

Australia has offered to do anything in its power to help New Zealand.

A 40-person search and rescue team has arrived in Christchurch.

Pakistan intelligence says US gunman belonged to CIA

2011-02-22T05:52:00.000-08:00

Big News Network.com
Tuesday 22nd February, 2011

The Pakistani intelligence service has confirmed it believes the American held on murder charges is a member of the CIA.

The American, Raymond Davis, is in custody for killing two men on the streets of Lahore.

While Washington has insisted that Raymond Davis shot two men in self-defence, Pakistan has insisted he was an undercover CIA contractor.

The alleged ties to the CIA are likely to inflame the crisis with the United States which has insisted Davis has diplomatic immunity and should be released immediately.

The government in Pakistan is under huge pressure from the political opposition not to cave in to US demands.

Police in Pakistan said they retrieved a Glock pistol, five magazines, 75 bullets, a GPS navigation system, telescope, 19 credit and ATM cards and infra-red headlights from Davis's car after the shooting incident.

Cleric calls on Libyan soldiers to shoot president

2011-02-22T05:46:00.000-08:00

Big News Network.com
Tuesday 22nd February, 2011

A top cleric has called on Libyan soldiers to open fire on Libya's unpopular Leader Muammar Gaddafi if they see him.

Gaddafi's government has been opening fire on demonstrators with fighter jets with forces loyal to Gaddafi using live rounds.

There have also been reports of the arrival of planeloads of armed foreign mercenaries in the capital, Tripoli.

The Egyptian cleric, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, has said the soldiers should shoot the president if it means freeing the nation of oppression.

Al-Qaradawi, who is widely regarded as the spiritual leader of the Egyptian opposition Muslim Brotherhood, has decreed a fatwa against Gadaffi, who has ruled Libya for over 40 years.

He told al-Jazeera that such killing would "rid Libya of him."

Al-Qaradawi, who also heads the International Union for Muslim Scholars, has only been back in Egypt for the past week after three decades in exile.

Libyan diplomats leave embassies to distance Gadaffi

2011-02-22T05:41:00.000-08:00

Big News Network.com
Tuesday 22nd February, 2011

Al Jazeera has reported that diplomats belonging to Libyan embassies in the US, the United Nations, the Arab League, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Bangladesh have defected from the Gaddafi regime.

Ali Aujali, Ambassador to the United States said:
"I think Gaddafi should step down. There's no other solution. How can I support a government killing our people? What I have seen in front of my eyes is not acceptable at all."

Many of the diplomats have said they will stand with the Libyan protesters and have called for international intervention into what at least one deputy ambassador termed a "genocide".

Ibrahim Dabbashi, Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations referred to Gadaffi as a tyrant, saying he had asserted clearly his level of ignorance and "how much he despises Libya and the Libyan people."

Dabbashi told reporters: "This is in fact a declaration of war against the Libyan people. The regime of Gaddafi has already started the genocide against the Libyan people."

He called on officers and soldiers of the Libyan army to organise themselves and "move towards Tripoli and cut the snake's head."

He urged countries to prevent Gaddafi from fleeing there and called on The Hague-based International Criminal Court to start an immediate inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Gaddafi and his sons.

Israel to crush Palestinian uprising

2011-02-20T05:06:00.000-08:00

Big News Network.com
Sunday 20th February, 2011
Until now the U.S. has been but a sideshow in the in the upheavel sweeping across the Middle East.
A major risk for the U.S. has been whether the anger and frustration that has inspired the protests that have been unleashed in several Mideast and North African nations would spill over to the U.S. So far that has not been the case.

Then on Friday the U.S. went to the United Nations after spending a week trying to get the Palestinian Authority to back down on a resolution it was promoting which described Israel’s settlement activity as illegal. The U.S. government, through its Congress, which many around the world perceive to be controlled by Israel, reportedly even threatened to end funding to the Palestinians if they did not back down on the vote. Other countries were approached by the U.S. to vote against the resolution, or at the very least to abstain. None agreed. All fourteen states voted for the resolution, leaving the U.S. as a lone voice, wondering how it has become so out of touch with the rest of the world, in having to use its power of veto to stifle the international community.

"It did so at a time when winds of change are blowing in the Middle East. A promise of change was heard from America, but instead, it continued with its automatic responses and its blind support of Israel's settlement building," wrote Israeli journalist Gideon Levy in the Israeli daily newspaper, Haaretz. "This is not an America that will be able to change its standing among the peoples of the region. And Israel, an international pariah, once again found itself supported only by America," Levy wrote.

The veto has received little mainstream press but is a major talking point in Arab countries.

Largely sponsored by Arab nations the veto has caused outrage. Governments under pressure from uprisings in neighbouring countries are however not responding to the anger of their populations against the U.S.

Media in Gulf countries such as the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Oman in fact have largely ignored the story of the veto. The same states are providing few details of the uprising in neighbouring state Bahrain, probably fearing the unrest there could become contagious.

The Palestinians themselves however are calling for a “Day of Rage” for next Friday to protest the U.S. veto. Heading the call is Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas, which governs Gaza, has joined with Abbas’s Fatah in denouncing the U.S. veto.

An Arab parliamentarian in Israel’s Knesset (Parliament) Ibrahim Sarsour on Saturday accused U.S. President Barack Obama of betraying the Palestinians and the Arab would, and said “he should go to Hell.”. In a letter to Abbas, Sarsour said Obama had surrenderd to Israel to which he is “blind biased,” and accused Obama of putting undue pressure and making threats to the Palestinian leadership. “After the exposure of lies from the US, we must say frankly to Obama: You no longer scare us and you can go to hell,” Sarsour wrote.

“Obama cannot be trusted. We knew his promises were lies. The time has come to spit in the face of the Americans,” he said.

Sarsour condemned Hosni Mubarak, the former president of Egypt, and Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who he described as “American agents in the Middle East.”

In an interview with The Jerusalem Post on Saturday night, Sarsour said all Israelis should be upset with how Obama has handled the Middle East conflict. He said the UN decision was bad for Israel in the long run, because it would mislead Israelis into thinking that there was not a consensus that the settlements violate international law and are an obstacle to peace.

“We had hope in Obama but his unwavering defense of Israel has left him in an unexplainable coma when it comes to the peace process,” he said. “He gave into threats from Jews in Congress and stopped seeking true peace, so we have no choice but to tell him that he is no longer wanted in the Middle East and that he can go to hell.”

Jewish members of the Knesset however were happy about the veto “I welcome his veto and I hope that it will be the start of a new, pro-Israel Obama for the first time since he took office, though I have my doubts,” Likud MK Danny Danon was quoted by The Jerusalem Post as saying.

Scores of protesters meantime demonstrated outside the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv on Saturday night. They carried banners saying “Veto settlements, vote justice,” “Stop US-supported occupaction,” and “UN,US, its time for B.D.S. (boycott, divestment, sanctions against Israel). One of the demonstrators Ronnie Barkan told The Jerusalem Post the protest is part of “a new campaign pointing a finger at the US complicity in Israeli crimes.”

Barkan called the veto “just a continuation of the same policies of the US, which are going against the consensus of world opinion and civil society protests against Israeli actions. The veto clearly shows how utterly complicit the US is in funding and supporting Israeli crimes and shows again that Israeli apartheid is an American-Israeli project.”

Israel meantime has been concerned for some weeks uprisings elsewhere in the region could occur in the West Bank. Israel has not bee a source of the anger inspiring protesters in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya or Bahrain, although to a minor degree some focus has been on U.S. support for regimes in these countries (tacit-support in the case of Libya).

The Israeli military in fact has been building rapid-response forces and idetifying vantage points in the Palestinian territories “that could be used to contain such protests.”

“The IDF’s Central Command assesses that the Palestinians could resort to so-called non-violent resistance, on a scale previously unknown to Israel, in the absence of peace negotiations,” a report published this week in The Jerusalem Post said.

“While there is deemed to be some possibility that such demonstrations will take place in the near future in the spirit of Egypt, Tunisia and Iran, a senior officer said it was more likely that the Palestinian Authority would prevent this from happening until after elections in September.”

“One senior officer said commanders were discussing ways to counter and contain large demonstrations launched simultaneously in different parts of the West Bank,” The Jerusalem Post article said.

“We are preparing different responses for different scenarios to think about what we will do if there are, for example, thirty marches of several thousand people each,” the officer said. “This is something we have yet to encounter.”

The Israeli military, possibly in the light of the attack by Naval commandos on the Turkish-flottila heading to Gaza last year, admits it does not know how it would respond to multiple protests across the territories “and contain the protests which could lead to a high number of casualties.” As a result of this the military says it is mentally preparing its soldiers on how they should respond.

Israel says it has been “keeping a close eye,” on the Palestinians in recent weeks since the events in Egypt “to ensure the violence does not spread to the West Bank.”

The Jerusalem Post report said the IDF was concerned “the PA could allow and even possibly encourage citizens to launch so-called non-violent resistance."

It will be a far cry for the U.S. if it is called to respond to peaceful protests in the Palestinian territories being crushed by the Israeli army, when it has described (albeit belatedly) the manner in which protesters “braved” the Egyptian regime, and how their victory was a triumph for the Egyptian people and the world.

Records Fall As Sehwag And Kohli Pummel Bangladesh

2011-02-19T05:23:00.000-08:00

19 February 2011
Cricketworld.com
Virat Kohli (left) jumps up to celebrate his century in the World Cup's opening game
©REUTERS/Andrew Biraj/Picture Supplied by Action Images

Virender Sehwag broke a host of records and Virat Kohli also scored a century as India opened the Cricket World Cup 2011 in style by hitting Bangladesh for 370 for four.

Sehwag cracked 175 in 140 balls - a new career-best - while Kohli was unbeaten on exactly 100 as India set a new ground record in Mirpur to put fellow co-hosts Bangladesh in big trouble.

India, and Sehwag in particular, dominated from the first ball - literally, as Sehwag dismissed the tournament's first delivery for four - and he continued in the same vein, going on to hit 14 fours and five sixes in an outstanding innings.

He was brutal and no Bangladesh bowler was spared with the spinners coming in for serious treatment being lofted continually down the ground. Following an injury, he proved more dangerous as he simply tried to hit everything out of the ground - often succeeding.

He hardly let the early run out of Sachin Tendulkar (28) affect him - although Tendulkar was probably at fault as he charged off for a single before realising that Shakib Al Hasan had dived and picked up the ball. With both men at Sehwag's end, Mushfiqur Rahim had an easy task to take off the bails.

Gautam Gambhir then batted fluently to make 39 in 39 balls before he missed a straight delivery from Mahmudullah and was bowled, ending a second-wicket partnership of 83 with Sehwag.

Then the real carnage began as Sehwag expanded to show his full array of strokes and Kohli batted beautifully - almost unnoticed in the shadow of Sehwag's brutality - hitting eight fours and two sixes. The pair added 203 for the third wicket.

Sehwag's hopes of emulating his compatriot Tendulkar and scoring a double-century were finally crushed when he was bowled by Shakib, who was by a long way Bangladesh's most successful bowler - returning one for 61 in ten overs.

Kohli faced just 83 balls, scoring his fifth ODI century to remain unbeaten after Yusuf Pathan (8) fell from the last ball of the innings. Sehwag's innings of 175 was the highest World Cup score since 1999 and equalled Kapil Dev in fourth place overall of World Cup high scores while India's total was the fifth-highest in World Cup history.

Bangladesh had won the toss and chosen to bowl first - aiming to restrict India to around 260. Now they must find an extra 111 runs if they are to repeat their victory of 2007, when the two sides met in the Caribbean.

'No tickets', so Khaleda Zia skips World Cup opening

2011-02-18T05:02:00.000-08:00

Big News Network.com (IANS)
Friday 18th February, 2011
Bangladesh opposition leader and former prime minister Khaleda Zia stayed away from the opening ceremony of the Cricket World Cup. Her office said she got 'only an invitation card' and no tickets to attend matches.

She, however, expressed her best wishes for the Bangladesh team Thursday night and welcomed the foreign cricketers and guests.

Her press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan alleged neither the sports ministry nor the Bangladesh Cricket Board 'had invited her properly'.

'They [the authorities] just sent an invitation card to Khaleda Zia's parliament office but none from the ministry or the cricket board contacted us,' he said.

She did not get any ticket for the World Cup matches to be played in Bangladesh, Khan said.

Zia enjoyed the extravaganza on television at her brother's house, where she has been staying since she was evicted from her home in Dhaka Cantonment last year.

Zia's arch political rival, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened the tournament amid a musical extravaganza.

The organisers repeatedly thanked Sheikh Hasina for the support and made several references to her father and the country's founding leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Zia, as widow of another former president Ziaur Rahman, inherits the rival political legacy.

Away from cricket frenzy, she welcomed the game.

'The tournament is being held in Bangladesh. I welcome and greet all the participating teams,' she said during a meeting with leaders of her party's women and volunteer bodies.

'People have a lot of expectations. I hope our team will emerge champion and we will receive them warmly,' said the former prime minister, The Daily Star said.

'Charges against Muhammad Yunus politically motivated'

2011-02-18T04:53:00.000-08:00

Friday 18th February, 2011
Big News Network.com (IANS)
(September 20, 2010 - Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images North America)

Eminent people from across the world have formed 'Friends of Grameen', vowing to protect the micro-credit pioneer and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus from 'politically orchestrated' attacks.

Over 50 charities and public figures, including former World Bank president James Wolfensohn, former chief justice of India J.S. Verma and French-born American actress Yeardley Smith have joined hands to form the voluntary body.

Former Irish president Mary Robinson has also joined the development partners, prominent personalities, and corporations.

Yunus and the Grameen Bank that he founded in mid-1970s 'have fallen victims to a campaign of misinformation', according to a statement of Friends of Grameen.

The statement comes after Finance Minister AMA Muhith called for Yunus to step aside from his position in the bank until the government's three-month-long probe ends.

In December last, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused the Nobel laureate of treating Grameen Bank as his 'personal property' and claimed the group was 'sucking blood from the poor'.

There are about 1,200 micro lending organisations in Bangladesh, catering to over 30 million clients who do not have access to formal banking.

Formed Feb 11, Friends of Grameen is a voluntary association that aims to promote micro-credit and social business, especially the micro-credit activities of Grameen Bank and its affiliates.

Robinson, also a former United Nations high commissioner for human rights, chairs the honorary committee while Maria Nowak, president of pioneering French microfinance institution ADIE, heads the executive committee.

Yunus, who shared the Nobel Prize with Grameen Bank in 2006, has been targeted with increasingly aggressive attacks by the government as well as his opponents following a Norwegian documentary, released last December, accusing him and the bank of malpractices.

Grameen Bank denied all the allegations, saying the issue had been amicably settled between the bank and the Norwegian government, one of its main donors, over a decade ago.

'We are deeply concerned by the ongoing attacks against Professor Yunus and Grameen Bank, that are politically orchestrated,' said Robinson in the statement.

She said while some micro-lenders have become lucrative commercial enterprises, Yunus and Grameen Bank follow a sustainable model -- with very transparent and reasonable interest rates -- making the borrowers owners of the bank.

Grameen Bank lends its clients at 20 percent interest, one of the lowest in Bangladesh where the industry average is 20-30 percent, with some charging as high as 45 percent.

'Because of the importance of such a role model, our duty is to protect the integrity of Professor Yunus and the independence of Grameen Bank,' said Robinson.

The Biggest Cricket show In Bangladesh

2011-02-17T03:14:00.000-08:00

Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Daily Star
People pour onto the streets surrounding the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday as they wait impatiently for the opening of the the biggest show of cricket.

Who dares to say cricket is not the No. 1 game in Bangladesh? At least now? No-one. Wait a minute, who dares to raise the question?

The electrifying gush of love for the game, the excitement and the colour in the air connect the souls scattered over about 57,000 square miles. The whole nation has risen to the occasion, the biggest cricket show. The dream has now come true.

What a wait! As if people were holding their breath and are now going to exhale with the raising of the curtain of the gala.

And which is hosting the opening? No less than Bangbandhu National Stadium, a name the Bangladeshis would utter with utmost passion because this was once the soul of Bangladesh’s sports in general, especially of cricket.

“It gave not only Bangladesh, but also Pakistan, their Test debuts, in 1955 and in 2000. It staged successfully the Champions Trophy in 1998-99,” Sidharth Monga writes on ESPNcricinfo.

Situated in the heart of Dhaka, the capital, the BNS has seen long debates on whether it should solely host football or share the time with cricket before finally been reserved for football and athletics. Cricket, what is becoming a passion ingrained in the people of the delta, found Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur as its home.

Little more than a decade after its admission to cricket's top table, Bangladesh is jointly hosting the sport's biggest event with neighbours India and Sri Lanka. The achievement, according to many of the country, is something to become proud of. Yes, the occasion is finally at the doors!

Go out to the streets in any city or even villages, you can simply feel it. Needless to mention about the capital or Chittagong, the port city which is hosting two matches, the whole country has, as if, painted itself in the colour of cricket. The outward décor, the illumination at the stadiums and on the streets fails to accommodate the lion part of people’s feelings you bet.

“This means the world to the people, to put it simply,” Saber Hossain Chowdhury, the ruling party lawmaker who was at the helm of the Bangladesh Cricket Board when Tigers won the ICC Trophy in 1997, told ESPNcricinfo.

“This is the best dream, this event is what every citizen of this country has been waiting for. Cricket brings the country together,” he feels.

The magnificent show is going to begin at 5:50pm local time at the new-look BNS after a 55-minute pre-show that will begin at 4:55pm. Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s prime minister, is expected to inaugurate the gala.

Divided into five parts, the opening ceremony has in the first part beautifully decorated rickshaws, named “Lead”, which will carry 14 skippers of the nations taking part in the tournament. It will be followed by members of their 14 teams joining the march past.

The gala programme kicks off with singer Abrar Tipu entering the stadium on a superbly decorated car and singing a welcome song: "O Prithibi, Ebar eshey Banglake nao chiney” (Hey world, now is the time to know Bangladesh).

This will be followed by the official theme song “De Ghumma Ke” to be sung in four languages. Bollywood's famous team of music directors Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani, Loy have composed the song. The term literally means “Hit It Hard” and it is one word used by all the cricket fanatics for their favorite player and team. The song has Bengali, Hindi and Sinhalese versions.

World renowned Canadian rock star Bryan Adams, India's Sonu Nigam, and Bangladesh’s Sabina Yasmin, Runa Laila and Mumtaz are expected to enthrall the crowd with their mesmerising numbers.

India's celebrated event 'Symphony of Colours' and Sri Lanka's celebrated event 'The Pearl of Indian Ocean' will be performed for 20 minutes.

Then a dance programme directed by Shamim Ara Nipa and Shibly Mohamnmad will be performed for 20 minutes.

A cultural programme depicting the glorious Language Movement, War of Liberation, Bangabandhu's historic March 7 speech, Bangla New Year, cultural dance of Chakma, Rakhine, Marma, Shautal and Garo tribes will be presented by 2,100 school and college students and 350 members of the Armed Forces. This programme is choreographed by famous Indian Santosh Sethji.

Then a 60-foot dais will roll into the stadium with Sabina Yasmin, Runa Laila and Mumtaz singing a song. They will sing for nine minutes in medley style.

The opening function will be rounded off with an eye- catching firework brought in from China

Bangladesh set for World Cup fiesta

2011-02-16T12:55:00.000-08:00

Wed, Feb 16th, 2011 10:45 pm BdST
Dhaka, Feb 16 (bdnews24.com)
The cricket World Cup extravaganza is set to open with all razzmatazz in the Bangladesh capital city of Dhaka on Thursday.

Promising to be a grand gala event, the opening ceremony begins at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here at 5:50pm. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will declare open the biggest cricket event, co-hosted by Bangladesh for the first time.

In the first phase of the five-part ceremony, the captains and the members of the 14 participating teams will stage a march in the stadium.

Singer Ebrar Tipu will arrive in a bedecked car to sing the welcome song, "O Prithibi, Ebar Eshey Banglake Nao Chiney…" (Hey world, come and know Bangladesh).

Recital of the close to six-minute welcome song, written by Zulfiqar Russell, has been composed by Ebrar and his group. Mila and Elita will sing the English version of the song.

The opening ceremony will feature the history of Bangladesh, starting since the 1952 Language Movement until the 1971 Liberation War, depicted through various types of choreography, songs and laser show.

Globally-acclaimed Canadian rock singer Bryan Adams, India's Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahdevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy, and Bangladesh's Sabina Yasmin, Runa Laila and Momtaz will also perform at the event.

Theme song "De Ghumma Ke…" will be recited in four languages. The troika of music directors Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy from Bollywood has composed the song.

Indian artistes will stage a performance, "Symphony of Colours" and Sri Lankan artistes will present "The Pearl of Indian Ocean".

A dance performance under the direction of Shamim Ara Nipa and Shibly Mohammad follows next.

Around 2,100 school and college students and 350 members of the Armed Forces will present a cultural programme depicting the glorious Language Movement, War of Liberation, independent architect Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's historic March 7 speech, Bangla New Year and traditional dance of the indigenous communities.

It has been directed by Indian choreographer Santosh Sethji.

Bryan Adam will render two songs, while Sonu Nigam will sing songs in praise of the participating countries.

After that, a 60-foot dais will roll into the stadium with Sabina Yasmin, Runa Laila and Mamtaz singing a song. They will sing for nine minutes in medley style.

Finally, Shankar Mahdevan will enter the stadium in a decorated car and sing the theme song again.

The opening ceremony will end with Chinese fireworks.

Bangladesh is holding the World Cup tournament in association with India and Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh Name Preliminary World Cup Squad

2011-02-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

16 December 2010
©REUTERS/Athar Hussain (PAKISTAN) Picture Supplied by Action Images
Alok Kapali has been named in Bangladesh's 30-man provisional World Cup squad
2011 World Cup co-hosts Bangladesh have named their 30-man provisional squad for the tournament, including batsmen Alok Kapali and Nazimuddin in the squad.

Kapali, the first man to score a century in the unofficial Indian Cricket League, has not played a One-Day International since 2008, while Nazimuddin also last played in 2008.

Former captain Mohammad Ashraful, who has not featured in recent series wins over New Zealand and Zimbabwe, is also named in the squad, which will be reduced to 15 names by 19th January.

Uncapped glovemen Saghir Hossain and Mithun Ali have been included in the squad as back-up wicket-keepers to Mushfiqur Rahim.

The tournament gets underway on 19th January when Bangladesh meet India in Dhaka.

Bangladesh preliminary World Cup squad: Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Ashraful, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Raqibul Hasan, Alok Kapali, Nazimuddin, Shamsur Rahman, Shuvagoto Horn, Jahurul Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim, Saghir Hossain, Mithun Ali, Nasir Hossain, Naeem Islam, Suhrawadi Shuvo, Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Nazmul Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Syed Rasel, Shahadat Hossain, Mahbubul Alam, Dollar Mahmud, Enamul Haque junior

Mortaza Misses Out As Bangladesh Name Squad

2011-02-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

19 January 2011
©Action Images / Ed Sykes
Injury-hit fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza (left) has not been named in Bangladesh's World Cup squad
Fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza has missed out on a place in Bangladesh's World Cup squad following the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) deicision to leave him out of their 15-man squad.

Bangladesh, who co-host the tournament alongside India and Sri Lanka, open their campaign against India on 19th February in Dhaka.

Mortaza has struggled with injuries and has been replaced as full-time captain by all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan. The left-hander will lead the side as Bangladesh bid to build on their performance in 2007, where they beat India and South Africa in reaching the Super Eight stage of the competition.

As expected, Bangladesh have loaded their squad with spinners - Shakib, Abdur Razzak, Mahmudullah, Naeem Islam and Suhrawadi Shuvo all providing slow-bowling options along with the leg-spin of batsman Mohammad Ashraful.

They also play England, Ireland, Netherlands, South Africa and the West Indies in Group B of the competition.

Bangladesh World Cup squad: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Abdur Razzak, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Roqibul Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Shahriar Nafees, Suhrawadi Shuvo, Tamim Iqbal

Cricket World Cup 2011 Preview - Bangladesh

2011-02-16T08:53:00.000-08:00

Bangladeshi village boys walk past a mustard field to participate in a local cricket match at Sigair disrict, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India are co-hosting the 2011 Cricket World Cup with fans expectations high in the South Asian region
Cricket World® TV

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Live Streaming & Highlights

Watch Cricket World Cup 2011 Highlights

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World Cup History - Bangladesh
15 February 2011
1999 World Cup
Bangladesh made their first appearance in the World Cup. Though they did not make it to the Super Six stage, they shocked Pakistan by 62 runs at Northampton in the group stage.

2003 World Cup
Bangladesh had a wretched campaign in South Africa as they finished at the bottom of the Pool B table without a single win.

2007 World Cup
Bangladesh was in Group B alongside Sri Lanka, India and Bermuda. They defeated a strong Indian side by five wickets in the opening match and then eased into the Super Eights at the expense of India. However, barring the win against South Africa by 67 runs, they failed to click ending on the losing side in the other Super Eight games.

CricketNews

Bangladesh gift England quarter-final spot
March 19, 2011
Bangladesh v South Africa, Group B, World Cup 2011, Mirpur
South Africa; 284 for 8, beat Bangladesh; 78 by 206 runs
Reuters – Bangladesh's captain Shakib Al Hasan rests during the ICC Cricket World Cup group B match against ...
Bangladesh were not favourites to win their virtual pre-quarterfinal against the might of South Africa, especially after the visitors breezed away to 284, but it was the meek manner of their abject batting surrender that would have jarred even their most faithful fan. More>>

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Bangla skipper vows to seek entry into WC 2011 knockout phase

Saturday 12th March, 2011

Big News Network.com (ANI)

Bangladesh cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan has vowed to "fight to the end" to secure an entry into the World Cup knockout phase after his team's dramatic two-wicket win over England on Friday.

The home side restricted England to 225 all out and made a good start to their reply, looking comfortable at 155-3 before a collapse saw them lose five wickets for just 14 runs.

But Mohammad Mahmudullah (21) and Shafiul Islam (24) took the score from a perilous 169-8 to 227-8, guiding Bangladesh to a nervy two-wicket victory. More>>

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Thrilled fans take over Dhaka, Ctg

Sat, Mar 12th, 2011 2:00 am BdST

Dhaka, Mar 12 (bdnews24.com) — Ecstatic Bangladesh fans rocked Dhaka and Chittagong with colourful processions and slogan-chants to celebrate the two-wicket victory over England on Friday.

The first procession in Chittagong came out from Jelepara, adjacent to the media box of the local Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

Shouts of "Bangladesh….Bangladesh" rent air, as the people rejoiced the victory with drums and vuvuzelas until past-midnight. More>>

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Islam catapults Bangladesh to 27-run victory

IRE vs BAN, 9th Match, Group B, Dhaka

IRE 178-all out (45.0 Ovs)

BAN 205 (49.2 Ovs)

Bangladesh, spearheaded by fast bowler Shafiul Islam, beat Ireland by 27 runs in the World Cup Group B match at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.

Bangladesh have really pulled out the rabbit out of the hat. They started off with the spinners and it paid rich dividends as they sent back the openers cheaply. More>>

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Records Fall As Sehwag And Kohli Pummel Bangladesh
19 February 2011

Cricketworld.com

Virat Kohli (left) jumps up to celebrate his century in the World Cup's opening game

Virender Sehwag broke a host of records and Virat Kohli also scored a century as India opened the Cricket World Cup 2011 in style by hitting Bangladesh for 370 for four.

Sehwag cracked 175 in 140 balls - a new career-best - while Kohli was unbeaten on exactly 100 as India set a new ground record in Mirpur to put fellow co-hosts Bangladesh in big trouble. Read More>>

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'No tickets', so Khaleda Zia skips World Cup opening
Big News Network.com (IANS)
Friday 18th February, 2011
Bangladesh opposition leader and former prime minister Khaleda Zia stayed away from the opening ceremony of the Cricket World Cup. Her office said she got 'only an invitation card' and no tickets to attend matches.
She, however, expressed her best wishes for the Bangladesh team Thursday night and welcomed the foreign cricketers and guests. Read More>>

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The Biggest Cricket show In Bangladesh
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Daily Star
People pour onto the streets surrounding the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday as they wait impatiently for the opening of the the biggest show of cricket.
Who dares to say cricket is not the No. 1 game in Bangladesh? At least now? No-one. Wait a minute, who dares to raise the question? Read More>>

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Bangladesh set for World Cup fiesta
Wed, Feb 16th, 2011 10:45 pm BdST
Dhaka, Feb 16 (bdnews24.com)
The cricket World Cup extravaganza is set to open with all razzmatazz in the Bangladesh capital city of Dhaka on Thursday.
Promising to be a grand gala event, the opening ceremony begins at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here at 5:50pm. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will declare open the biggest cricket event, co-hosted by Bangladesh for the first time. Read More>>

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Bangladesh Name Preliminary World Cup Squad
16 December 2010
Alok Kapali has been named in Bangladesh's 30-man provisional World Cup squad
©REUTERS/Athar Hussain (PAKISTAN) Picture Supplied by Action Images
2011 World Cup co-hosts Bangladesh have named their 30-man provisional squad for the tournament, including batsmen Alok Kapali and Nazimuddin in the squad. Read More>>

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Mortaza Misses Out As Bangladesh Name Squad
19 January 2011
Injury-hit fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza (left) has not been named in Bangladesh's World Cup squad
©Action Images / Ed Sykes
Fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza has missed out on a place in Bangladesh's World Cup squad following the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) deicision to leave him out of their 15-man squad. Read More>>

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Jordanians say queen guilty of corruption

2011-02-15T04:11:00.000-08:00

Big News Network.com
Monday 14th February, 2011

In a letter published this week by 36 Jordanian tribal leaders, King Abdullah's wife has been accused her of serving her own interests by stealing money from treasury.

Tribal leaders, representing nearly 40% of the population, sent the letter to warn of an uprising similar to that in Egypt.

"Sooner or later," it said, "Jordan will be a destination for a similar uprising like the ones in Tunisia and Egypt because of oppression of freedom and robbing from public funds."

In the letter, Queen Rania was accused of corruption and theft as well as "manipulating in order to promote her public image against the Jordanian people's will."

The letter asked for the king to return lands and farms given to Queen Rania's family.

It also said Jordan had been suffering from the growing influence of "corrupt businessmen who surround the decision makers, affect political decisions and ignore national interests."

Such a letter criticising the royal family can mean a three year jail sentence in Jordan.

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