US intel warns of expansion of terror groups in Bangladesh

Italian citizen Cesare Tavella (right) and Japanese national Kunio Hoshi (left) were slain in Dhaka and Rangpur respectively on September 28 and October 3 last year.

AP, Washington

The US intelligence chief has said efforts by Bangladesh's prime minister to undermine the political opposition will probably provide openings for transnational terrorist groups to expand their presence in the South Asian country.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper questioned yesterday Bangladesh's public insistence that the killings of foreigners were the work of the BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami and are intended to discredit the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In written testimony to a Senate hearing on worldwide threats, Clapper noted the claims of responsibility from the Islamic State group for 11 high profile attacks on foreigners and religious minorities, and claims from the Ansarullah Bangla Team and al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) for killing at least 11 progressive writers and bloggers in Bangladesh since 2013.
Bangladesh is a Muslim country with traditions of secularism and tolerance but it has become increasingly troubled by extremist violence.
The government has denied that the Islamic State group has a presence in the country, and has accused domestic Islamist groups and political opponents for the violence.
Bangladesh has been in political ferment since the run-up to January 2014 elections that were boycotted by opposition parties in the BNP-led political alliance, and over war crimes prosecutions brought against Jamaat leaders over alleged involvement in atrocities during Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence.

ICC Under-19 World Cup, Semi-final

U19 Tigers upbeat for semi-final

Bangladesh players celebrate the fall of a wicket during the ICC U19 CWC in 2016. File Photo: STAR

Shaquib Tayeem Ahmed

Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka lost the semi-final match, by a huge margin to India, and had no reason to be upbeat during the post-match media briefing. He had no idea what would happen when he spoke about Bangladesh in response to a question, and he was totally taken aback…a wave of cheer and applause crashed down on him when he said Bangladesh had a good chance to pip India to the cup.
Bangladesh U19 team will face West Indies on February 11, Thursday at Mirpur stadium for a place in the final against the tournament favourites India. They have reasons to be in good spirits, and the fact that the team is peaking at the business end of this World Cup may not bode well for their opponents.
When Stuart Law, technical director of Bangladesh U19 team spoke to the media after practice today, he reciprocated the positive mindset of the young cricketers, and how they were looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“The boys are up for the fight. They have played West Indies before, and they know what to do to get the job done on Thursday” Stuart Law said to the reporters. He was particularly pleased with the matured chase under pressure during the quarter-final match.
Bangladesh were in a spot of bother against Nepal chasing 212, when they lost their fourth wicket in the 29th over. Thankfully, Zakir Hasan and captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz stood their ground, and steered their team home under pressure with the maturity and calmness of seasoned pros.
The run-rate climbed to seven after the 40th over, but never did the Bangladesh batters lose their cool, played wild slogs across the line, or tried to do anything fancy out of frustration. They knew exactly when to attack, and timed the chase like clockwork…something even the senior Tigers should be proud of.

Bangladeshi batters take a run during the ICC U19 CWC 2016. File Photo: STAR

Having failed to fire in the last match, Bangladesh leading run-scorer in this tournament, Nazmul Hossain Shanto focused on the positives against Nepal, and worked hard on the weaknesses ahead of the crucial clash against the West Indies team.
“West Indies have some good fast bowlers, but we have played some of them before and seen tapes, so we are not worried about their quicks” said Shanto. However, he was wary of the failures at the top of the order, and expected to make amends in the next match. Shanto has scored 208 runs in four matches with 113 not out as his personal best.
The Bangladeshi batsman was confident going into the semi-final considering West Indies, the team they white-washed only a month ago. On the other hand, the current West Indies have some new faces, and can definitely offer some nasty surprises with the hard, new ball if the pitch is conducive. Chemar Holder, Shamar Springer and Alzarri Joseph were sharp off the deck, and constantly hurried the Pakistani batters in their quarter-final match, even when the ball had lost its sheen and hardness.
Holder and Springer regularly clocked over 140 km per hour, and got steep bounce from a good length with their high-arm action. They used the short-ball intelligently, and could bowl at the body with pace to deny any width. If the overhead conditions and the pitch are in bowlers’ favour, West Indies would probably bowl first to exploit the situation. In such a scenario Bangladesh top-order will be find it more difficult than facing spin or military medium bowlers.
Bangladesh have more boxes ticked in the bowling department, with Saifuddin leading the pack with nine wickets in four matches. The spinners have done well so far, and non-subcontinental teams have found it tough to get on top of them when the pitch offers a hint of turn. They kept things tight during the middle overs, and managed to strike at crucial moments in most of the matches.
Saleh Ahmed Shawon has eight while skipper Mehedi has seven wickets to show for their efforts. Bangladesh’s bowling is probably their stronger side, but they will need the batters to give them a decent total against West Indies on Feb 11, Thursday.

Justice Manik submits judgments

Former Supreme Court Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik today submitted 65 judgments and orders he has written after his retirement as an Appellate Division judge along with their files to the apex court.

“The office of Justice Md Imman Ali, a judge of the Appellate Division bench where I was a member, has received 65 judgements and orders and their files from me,” Justice Manik told The Daily Star.

He said he would submit the remaining judgments and orders along with their files later on.

Justice Manik said now Justice Imman Ali will examine the judgments and orders and then he will send them to Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, who is the presiding judge of the bench, for scrutiny.

“Then Justice Wahhab Miah will send the judgments and orders to me for my signature. Once I sign, Justice Imman Ali and then Justice Wahhab Miah will sign the judgments and orders for their release.”

Justice Manik said he has completed writing all the judgments and orders of total 85 cases and there is no case pending with him.

Earlier in the day, he told reporters that he would not return the files of the cases belonging to him to the SC’s registrar general’s office, as Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha has hoped for doing so.

While talking to reporters near the Mazar Gate out of the SC premises Justice Manik said that he would not carry out the “illegal order” of the chief justice about returning the files of the cases.

On Sunday, SC registrar general’s office in a press release said, “The honourable chief justice of Bangladesh hopes that former Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury will return all the files of cases of unsettled judgments pending with him to the Supreme Court’s registrar general’s office immediately without making any statement to the media about the judgments and orders, so that justice seekers do not suffer further.”

Earlier on Sunday, Justice Manik told reporters at the SC premises that in a letter he informed the CJ that he had finished writing all the judgments and orders, but Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah refused to accept those “on instructions” of the CJ.

The SC registrar general’s office in its press release said Justice Manik held a press conference on the SC premises during court hours, which is unprecedented.

Yesterday, Sabbir Foyez, additional registrar of the High Court Division of the SC, said the SC administration has prohibited holding any programme like press conference, meeting and procession at the SC premises much ago and they will ensure the restriction strictly from now on.