Have faith in you

Tulip shares her experience to inspire female students

Staff Correspondent

A hall room of Scholastica was abuzz with excitement as students were waiting yesterday to meet Bangladesh-origin British lawmaker Tulip Siddiq, a former student of the school.
More than 200 female students from nine schools gathered there to hear from her.
Then with a big smile on her face, Tulip, granddaughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, walked in. She shared with them her thoughts and advised them on how they should pursue the career of their choice.
The event titled "Inspiring Women", first of its kind in Bangladesh, was hosted by the private school in Dhaka, and supported by Tulip and her husband Christian Percy.
Modelled on a long-running campaign in the UK, the programme brought together some successful women from different sectors to talk to the female students to broaden their horizons and inspire them.
"I knew it from my childhood that I would join politics, become an MP. But you need not do politics.
"Do whatever you like to do. Be focused on your career and study the subject you like," Tulip said.
In the UK, Inspiring Women campaign is part of the broader "Inspiring the Future" service that aims to empower schools to coordinate volunteering opportunities for boys and girls of all ages and backgrounds.
The campaign reaches out to students of different countries and holds discussions with young girls about career, aspirations and choice, Tulip said.
In Bangladesh, the prime minister, Speaker of the parliament, and opposition leader of the House are all women, but Britain has men in all those positions, she said, telling the female students that they too could become one of them in Bangladesh.
"For that you have to have faith in you," said Tulip, a niece of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Female students of Scholastica school at the 'Inspiring Women' programme on the school's Uttara campus yesterday. Scholastica alumnus Tulip Siddiq, a British MP and niece of Bangladesh prime minister, spoke as the chief guest there. PHOTO: STAR

After the brief speech, she attended a press conference accompanied by her husband and Madiha Murshed, managing director of Scholastica.
Asked if she wants to do politics in Bangladesh, she said, “It is not possible to say what will happen in future and whether I'll return. I have become a lawmaker a few months ago and let's see what I'll do.”
Then she added, “If you want to help, you can do that from anywhere in the world. I can help Bangladesh from Britain."
Regarding child marriage in Bangladesh, the British MP said enforcement of relevant laws was necessary to stop it. ”Our country will not develop much unless we educate our girls.”
Asked about her doing politics, Tulip said she had grown up hearing stories of her maternal grandfather, his work and the 1971 Liberation War.
Besides, she heard her mother and aunty talking about welfare of the people of Bangladesh.
"I do politics to help people," she said.
Dubbing her aunty Sheikh Hasina as her role model, she said the Speaker of the parliament and Wasfia Nazreen, the first Bangladeshi to climb seven summits in the world, were also inspiring women for her.
Tulip also shared the challenges she had faced during the elections in the UK in May.
Even some Bangalis in the UK had campaigned that if she won she would speak about the Awami League only, she said.
About the female leadership in Bangladesh, she said it did not matter to her whether a man was ruling the country or a woman.
"What is more important to me is whether the person loves the country, works for the poor and takes the country forward."
She said she envisaged a prosperous Bangladesh in future.
Bangladesh has already been known as an emerging economy, she said, adding, "I want Bangladesh to do better.”

Hafeez, Azhar Ali may face disciplinary action for Amir boycott

Pakistan's Muhammad Hafeez (R) and Azhar Ali run between wickets. Photo: AFP

Cricbuzz

Shaharyar Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, on Friday (December 25) warned players refusing to train alongside Mohammad Amir during an ongoing fitness camp for the national side that they would faced fines and suspensions.
Khan said he was optimistic Mohammed Hafeez and Azhar Ali, the One-Day International captain, would end their boycott of the camp after meeting with the two players on Friday.
Hafeez and Ali refused to train with Amir on Thursday, threatening renewed controversy for a Pakistan side looking to reintegrate Amir, who was jailed in 2011 and hit with a five-year ban for spot-fixing.
"I had a very cordial meeting with the two players for 30 minutes and I told them that they were going against the policy of the PCB," Khan told AFP. "I told them that this could go against them and they could face disciplinary action."
Hafeez had told Waqar Younis, the head coach, that he would not attend any part of the camp in which Amir was participating, and Ali told reporters in Lahore, "Hafeez and I can't accept Amir's presence in the camp." Khan said, however, the matter could be resolved on Saturday.
"Both the players told us that they were not against PCB's policy and after I told them that Amir has completed his ban and a rehabilitation programme, the two players would confirm by Saturday morning whether they would attend the camp," said Khan.

Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Amir looks on as he takes part in a team practice session for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Lahore on December 24, 2015. Photo: AFP

The PCB chief said Amir also apologised to his fellow players on Friday, adding that the bowler "will remain under the microscope whenever he plays, so I am satisfied with the meeting and hope the matter will be resolved."
Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were charged with accepting money in exchange for arranging deliberate no-balls during a Test match at Lord's in England in 2010. The three players and Mazhar Majeed, their agent, were jailed by a British court in 2011. Amir, Butt and Asif were also banned from cricket for five years.
But in September this year the International Cricket Council (ICC) lifted sanctions against the three players. Amir's ban was relaxed in January this year and he was allowed to play domestic matches.
At the time of the ban, Amir was tipped as one of the most talented fast bowlers in the world. Since his return, he has taken 22 wickets in four non first-class games, while his tally of wickets in the qualifying rounds of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy stood at 34. The Pakistan players are training ahead of the national side's upcoming tour of New Zealand, where they will play three ODIs and three Twenty20 International matches.

Djokovic, Federer in race to be first $100m man

Serbia's Novak Djokovic (L) and Switzerland's Roger Federer, pictured on November 22, 2015, are both on the brink of becoming the first men in tennis to hit $100 million in on-court earnings

AFP, Paris

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are poised to become the first $100 million men in tennis in 2016, in a gripping sub-plot to the new Grand Slam season.
No player in the history of the sport has broken through the $100 million on-court earnings barrier but world number one Djokovic and Federer, the number three, should reach the landmark next year.
Djokovic, 28, has just over $94 million in prize money while Federer, six years the Serb's senior, has banked $97.3 million.
With $3.85 million on offer for the winner of January's Australian Open, the season's first major, the veteran Swiss would be the first man to the magical number even if the odds are heavily stacked against a player who won the last of his 17 Grand Slam titles in 2012.
The staggering rewards for the modern player, all boosted by lucrative off-court earnings through sponsorship and endorsements, are a far cry from the heavyweights of the sport who starred in earlier eras.
Rod Laver, the last man to complete the calendar Grand Slam -- something that eluded Djokovic courtesy of a French Open final loss in 2015 -- ended his playing career with $1.5 million, still a huge sum by the standards of the late 1960s.
John McEnroe earned $12.5 million while Federer's hero, Pete Sampras banked $43 million before he retired in 2002.
Djokovic earned a season record $21.5 million in 2015, a year which saw him win three of the four majors -- taking his total to 10 in total.
"My season was the best of my career with many highlights. It inspires me even more to keep on going, and I hope to continue to play at this level in 2016," said Djokovic.

Despite his dominance of the sport, Djokovic still has some catching up to do when it comes to matching Federer's overall personal fortune.
According to Forbes' rich list, Federer was the fifth highest-earning sportsman in 2015 thanks to $58 million in endorsements.
Djokovic was 13th, his on-court wealth boosted by $31 million worth of commercial riches.
But the Serb knows time -- and the form which saw him win 82 matches and suffer just six losses last season -- is on his side.
"I think I have a good chance. I'm 28 and I still don't feel like the end is anytime soon, that definitely excites me and motivates me to keep going."
The staggering wealth in the men's game dwarfs the women's tour.
Serena Williams's on-court earnings stood at just over $74 million after a 2015 season which saw the American also claim three of the the four Grand Slam titles.
Rival Maria Sharapova, the world's richest sportswoman due to her lucrative off-court portfolio, has earned less than half than Williams -- $36.4 million.
Back in the men's game, 14-time major winner Rafael Nadal has banked $75 million on court while current world number two Andy Murray has earned $42.5 million.