October 10, 2013

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Alim to die in prison

The ex-BNP minister found guilty in 9 out of 17 war crime charges levelled kar Ali Manik and n Julfi Muktasree Chakma Sathi Kanchira Mohan, a 90-year-old from Koroi Kadipur village in Joypurhat, was not spared when war criminal Abdul Alim masterminded the killing of 370 Hindus there during the 1971 Liberation War. But 42 years after the atrocities, the same Alim– now in his 80s – escaped death sentence because of “old age,” "illness," and “physical disability” as the International Crimes Tribunal 2 yesterday sentenced him to imprisonment until death.

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Alim was 41 when he committed horrendous crimes against humanity and genocide in Joypurhat as a leader of Peace Committee and razakar forces.

The former BNP minister was convicted on four charges that include the killing of Kanchira Mohan, who was slaughtered by Alim’s accomplices on April 26, 1971. Another villager Awshini Kumar Debnath was buried alive during the massacre of 370 Hindus in Koroi Kadipur.

“Alim ... acted as an atrocious and

potential leader of Joypurhat Peace Committee to the actual accomplishment of the crimes proved and he was visibly associated with the [Pakistan] army which is a fair indicative of his high level of culpability,” said the tribunal in the verdict.

The judgement said: “Being confined within the fences until the remaining part of life may let the convict to sense what extreme deliberate criminal acts he committed directing the unarmed civilians, by taking culpable stand against the birth of Bangladesh.”

Imprisonment for remainder of the natural life refers to shutting the “outside world” out and bringing focus into the world within the fences or walls, said the verdict with an unprecedented sentence in the history of the country’s judiciary.

A former Convention Muslim League leader, Alim “never opted to articulate remorse in any manner, either during or before the trial” for his crimes.

He planned these atrocities with the Pakistani Army and accompanied them in the killing spots along with other local members of the Peace Committee and razakar – auxiliaryforces of the Pakistani occupation force that killed  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

A political orphan

Disability: His saving grace

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

kar Ali Manik and n Julfi Nazmus Sakib

The BNP has not spent a single word for war criminal Abdul Alim since his arrest on war crimes charges to his verdict yesterday although Alim had served the party for nearly 30 years before he was expelled.

Throughout the trial hardly anyone from the BNP stood by Alim, whom slain president and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman had chosen as a minister for his cabinet in 1978.

“Alim does not belong of the BNP. So, we will not make any comment on him,” said Mozahar Ali Prodhan, convener of Joypurhat district unit of the party.

“We expelled Alim and his son from Joypurhat district unit on August 4, 2007. After the verdict, we contacted

JU to ask for police deployment n JU Correspondent

Mufti Izhar’s son placed on 10-day remand

The Jahangirnagar University authorities yesterday decided to request the authorities concerned for deployment of additional police on the campus to maintain law and order.

A five-member probe committee was also formed to investigate the alleged attacks on students and employees earlier in the day.

The decisions were made at a syndicate meeting held at the residence of Pro Vice-Chancellor Afsar Ahmed from 7:30pm until midnight.

General Teachers’ Forum, backed by ousted VC Shariff Enamul Kabir and pro-BNP teachers, rejected the decisions since six teachers’ representatives, who are agitating under the

Another injured of madrasa blast dies nic Institute who sustained injuries n Tushar Hayat, Chittagong during the blast, Mohammed Iqbal, a

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

NOTICE Dear readers, due to unavoidable circumstances we could not publish our Law page today. We regret any inconvenience caused.

Dhaka Tribune

Mufti Harun Izhar, son of Hefazat-e-Islam Nayeb-e-Ameer Mufti Izharul Islam Chowdhury, was arrested yesterday in connection with two cases filed following Monday’s grenade explosion at his father’s madrasa and was later placed on 10 days’ remand.

In the meantime, a murder case was filed yesterday against seven individuals, including the father and the son, as the blast has so far claimed two lives.

Mainul Islam Bhuyan, officer-incharge at the Khulshi police station, said Sub-Inspector Golam Newaj, filed the case under section 302, 326 and 34 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The other accused in the case were Mohammed Ishaque, a teacher of the madrasa, Mohammed Junayed, an associate of Harun, Nurun Nabi, a diploma engineer from Chittagong Polytech-

computer operator at the madrasa, and Habibur Rahman, a student of the madrasa.

Abdur Rouf, assistant commissioner of Panchlaish zone of Chittagong Metropolitan Police, told reporters that they had held Harun at about 3:30pm from the residence of a person named Jalal E Chowdhury in Ichhapur area of Hathazari upazila.

He said they had also arrested one of Harun’s associates, Junayed, during the three and a half hours drive.

Meanwhile, another person named Zubair Ahmed, 25, who was injured in the explosion, died early yesterday at Chittagong Medical College Hospital, said Sub-Inspector Zahirul Islam, in-charge of the police outpost at the hospital.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

the central office, and they asked us not to make any comment as Alim is not even our primary member,” he told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, joint secretary general of the BNP, said the party reaction to yesterday’s verdict would come after a discussion among the senior leaders of the party.

Asked for comments on Alim’s sentence, BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas told reporters after a programme that all verdicts of the tribunal were questionable. He, however, said it was his personal opinion.

The International Crimes Tribunal yesterday sentenced Alim, who has a long career in politics with the BNP and with the Muslim League before that, to imprisonment until death as nine  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

Old age, ill health and physical disability have become blessing for war criminal Abdul Alim as the International Crimes Tribunal 2 yesterday spared him from the gallows on these grounds. It has created mixed reaction among the justice seekers and their lawyers.

Alim has faced trial for the offenses he had committed 42 years ago but he got an advantage for his age and weak physical condition. He got bail after his arrest on medical grounds.

“The dreadful and systematic planned crimes committed by a high ranking and well educated perpetrator [Alim] do not allow for a sentence other than capital punishment, we do not disagree,” said the three-member

tribunal in its judgement.

But the tribunal, at the same time, set a precedent in the history of judiciary of the country by awarding Alim “imprisonment until death.”

Taking lenient view about the sentence, the verdict said: “No physically and mentally unfit person should face the gallows.”

The tribunal mentioned that Alim, now 83, needed wheel chair to move and was suffering from old age complications.

The verdict reads: “We need to pen our view emphatically that any mitigating circumstance must not in any way diminish the gravity of the offence...It mitigates punishment, not the crime.”

But there is an example of executing a physically disabled person in the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, October 10, 2013

last, Alim finds ‘comfort’ A Muslim League leader, At n Alim later joined BNP Udisa Islam

n Muktasree Chakma Sathi War crimes convict Abdul Alim, 83, was a Muslim League leader who became a state minister during Gen Ziaur Rahman’s regime.

A lawyer, Alim completed his LLB and master’s respectively in 1951 and 1953 from Dhaka University.

Alim was born on November 1, 1930 in Panduq, Hooghli, now in the Indian state of West Bengal. He completed his degree from Kolkata and later, his family migrated to the then East-Pakistan sometime in 1950-51 to settle in Joypurhat.

In 1958, he joined the Muslim League; by 1962 he became its divisional organising secretary and also served as the vice-chairman of Bogra district council. When the Convention Muslim League a faction supporting Ayub Khan’s military government was formed, he joined the party.

In 1971, during the Liberation War, Alim was an influential leader in Joypurhat who formed a Peace Committee and a razakar training camp, helping the Pakistani occupation army to commit atrocities against the Bangalee population.

According to a Daily Sangram report, the Jamaat-e-Islami’s publicity vehicle,

on October 31, 1971, Alim was an uncontested winner in the by-election for the then Provincial Council.

Though imprisoned in 1974, he was released the next year. In 1975 and again in 1977, he was elected as Joypurhat’s municipality chairman, and in 1985 and 1990 he was the chairman of sadar upazila.

In 1978, even before formally joining the BNP, he was made state minister and was a cabinet member during the military regime of Gen Ziaur Rahman. He was elected as a member of parliament in 1979, 1996 and 2001.

In 2008, he did not take part in the elections as he was not given a party ticket, after he reportedly joined the BNP’s “reformist” faction the previous year; when he made derogatory comments about party chief Khaleda Zia he was expelled by BNP’s Joypurhat unit in August that year.

In prosecution documents and the judgement delivered against Alim yesterday, it was acknowledged that he was known for controlling the local “peace committees” in Joypurhat.

The judgement said: The Pakistan government and the military formed Peace Committee as an associate organisation just like the other auxiliary forces such as razakars, al-Badar and

al-Shams. These teams were formed “essentially to act as a team with the Pakistani occupation army in identifying and eliminating all those who were perceived to be pro-liberation, individuals belonging to minority religious groups especially the Hindus, political groups belonging to Awami League and Bangalee intellectuals and unarmed civilian population of Bangladesh.”

According to the prosecution, during the war, Alim established an army camp, Peace Committee office and training centre for razakars. To provide accommodation for one Maj Afzal from Pakistan, Alim occupied the “godighar” (trading office) of a prominent Marwari jute trader Shaonlal Bajla, who was forced to abandon all his possessions and leave for India.

According to a defence petition, in January 1974 Alim was arrested on an emergency order under the Security Act but released in August, the next year. While one defence witness said Alim had been in hiding during the Liberation War, the third and last defence witness, his son Sazzad bin Alim said his father participated in the Language Movement and claimed in his deposition that his father did not form Peace Committees and was not involved with razakar forces in 1971. l

JS can meet after Oct 24: AL MPs

AL not happy, but accepts verdict n Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee

n Kamran Reza Chowdhury

Awami League has accepted the war crimes tribunal's verdict against former minister Abdul Alim for his crimes against humanity, but viewed that the verdict was not expected by the people.

AL Joint General Secretary Mahabub-UlAlam Hanif yesterday made the comments.

The former BNP leader yesterday was sentenced imprisonment unto death for crimes against humanity in 1971.

“The verdict could not fulfil peoples’ desire as they expected capital punishment of Alim, but the Awami League has accepted the verdict respecting the court,” Hanif said. l

Senior Awami League MPs yesterday told parliament that the current session of the Jatiya Sangsad should continue after October 24 as BNP chief Khaleda Zia had been issuing threats to create "anarchy" after the date.

“The way the threat is being issued, I personally think parliament session should go on after October 24,” Tofail Ahmed said in an unscheduled discussion.

He, however, said parliament would not sit after the Election Commission

announced schedules for the next general elections.

The Business Advisory Committee on September 12 observed that the current session would end on October 24. The prime minister also said the current session would be the last one.

Tofail said: “Parliament can sit on October 26, 27, 28 and onwards. There is no bar to holding the sittings after October 24.”

Senior party leaders Suranjit Sengupta and Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury followed Tofail. l

JU to ask for police deployment  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

banner against the VC, were not invited in the meeting.

In the afternoon, the forum announced three demands: resignation of VC Prof Anwar Hossain, action against two pro-VCs for provoking Chhatra League activists to attack the agitating teachers, and resignation of the proctor as the ruling party-backed students assaulted the teachers in front of him.

Meanwhile, the forum suspended their strike until October 22 when JU Teachers’ Association (Juta) will resume their strike from the same day against the VC. Witnesses said the agitating teachers intercepted the VC, two pro-VCs and other syndicate members from joining the scheduled syndicate meeting at the administrative building around 3pm.

As the VC would not stop and pushed away two teachers to enter the building, they locked the entrances.

They started demonstration demanding action against the VC for assaulting the two teachers and a scuffle took place between the two groups of teachers.

Some 25 leaders and activists were witnessing the incident from the road in front of the building. Around 3:30pm, they advanced to free the building’s entrance. But they left when the agitating teachers asked them to.

But after few minutes led by JU unit President Mahmudur Rahman Jony, vice-presidents Ruhul Amin and Md Kaykobad, and Joint Secretary Russel Ahmed they entered the premises and asked the teachers to leave the place.

Jony then asked his followers to bring iron rods with which they would up the teachers. The VC, two pro-VCs and the proctor were present at the scene.

The Chhatra League men then vandalised some chairs kept there by the agitating teachers while a few of them even hurled the chairs towards the teachers. At that time, the forum teachers chased the Chhatra League activists.

Prof Anwar denied the allegation of assaulting teachers. He rather alleged that the teachers pushed him down to the ground. He, however, admitted to have pushed the agitating teachers aside with hands to make his way to the administrative office.

General Secretary of the forum Prof Kamrul Ahsan at a press conference at the same place blamed the VC for assaulting two of their teachers and demanded action against the pro-VCs and the proctor. They also submitted the demands in written to the registrar.

Prof Md Hanif Ali, a pro-Awami League teacher, is the convener of the forum.

War crimes convict Abdul Alim was present in the dock when International Crimes Tribunal 2 judges were pronouncing their judgement against him yesterday, but he claimed the whole session he could not hear anything as the speaker was in low volume.

Restless, the 83-year-old would periodically ask his son Sazzad Bin Alim about what the judges had said. When tribunal Chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan pronounced that Alim would be imprisoned “for the remaining part of life,” he again enquired to his son.

Sazzad told him: “It is a life term.

Do not worry.” And finally, Alim found enough comfort to smile after around two hours of anxiety.

On previous verdict days, the tribunal room has been full of people. But it was different yesterday. When the three-member panel was reading the verdict, most of the attendees had a seat. Only three counsels were present on the defence side, while the other side had its full complement of 22 prosecutors.

In its verdict, the tribunal said: “Accused Md Abdul Alim never opted to articulate remorse in any manner, ei-

ther during or before the trial, for his acts forming part of attack that resulted commission of horrendous atrocities constituting the offence of crimes against humanity and genocide during 1971.”

Then Sazzad, who had appeared as a defence witness in support of his father, wrote on a writing pad “...though life term.” Most of the time, he noted some points from the verdict and explained to his father while trying to relax him, saying, “It was known to us, please do not get excited.”

Through to the end of the verdict pronouncement, Alim did not say anything. When the judges were leaving the courtroom, the old man, who was wearing a white lungi and half-sleeve qurta, murmured: “Assalamualaikum.”

Alim was brought into the courtroom at about 10:40am, around 10 minutes before the judges. His two sons, Sazzad and Khalid Bin Alim, took seats separately at the last two benches of the defence side, not far from the dock. Khalid was seen reciting Qur’an silently, and he did not once try to talk to his father in courtroom.

Alim was in the dock for the first time, as he was on bail after his arrest.

Around 12 noon, turning to the

'Constitutional rights not violated' n Muktasree Chakma Sathi The war crimes tribunal did not violate the constitution by trying Abdul Alim for war crimes, even though he was made accused under the Collaborators Order 1972, as the character of offences were not same.

Article 35(2) states that no person shall be prosecuted and punished for the same offence more than once. This is why Alim was not allowed to have the “shield of constitutional rights,” the tribunal said.

“We are in unmistaken disposition that the accused cannot have the shield of the principle of double jeopardy as enshrined in article 35(2) of the constitution...it will be incorrect to interpret that double jeopardy does occur even if a person is said to have been prosecuted further for the ‘same offence’ if it is found that he was mere prosecuted and in the end not tried and punished,” said the

tribunal 2 led by Justice Obaidul Hassan.

None of the defence documents proved that the trial against Alim under the 1972 order was prosecuted until its last step, the judgement said.

The defence counsels referred to this article during placing their closing arguments and said Alim could not be tried for the same offence under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.

There is no scope to characterise the offences underlying in the Collaborators Order 1972 to be the ‘same offences’ as specified in the Act of 1973 In response to the defence arguments, the tribunal observed that the offences mentioned in the 1972 order and those mentioned in the ICT Act were not the same.

“The Act of 1973 was enacted to prosecute and try the ‘crimes against humanity,’ ‘genocide’ and other ‘system crimes’...

Disability: His saving grace Later around 5pm, the Chhatra League activists of Kamaluddin Hall, Maulana Bhasani Hall, Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall and Shaheed Rafique-Jabbar Hall took control of the teachers’ shed in front of the VC’s residence.

As the forum teachers went there in a procession, they found the Chhatra League men sitting on their chairs.

They did not leave the chairs upon requests.

Chhatra League’s Press and Publicity Secretary Mamun Khan then assaulted teachers, when other activists followed him.

Meanwhile, two assistant proctors Shikdar Md Zulkar Nain and Md Enamul Haque – known to be backed by the ousted VC – decided to resign following yesterday’s incident. They claimed that the administration had not assisted them taming the Chhatra League men.

Earlier on Tuesday, the forum teachers met with the education secretary and assured him of suspending the strike following an internal discussion.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on October 3 threatened that the government would take legal actions against the agitating teachers if they did not call off their protests. “The teachers are not behaving responsibly.

We cannot let the university be destroyed before our eyes,” he told the parliament. l

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country – Col Abu Taher, a sector commander of the Liberation War and who was awarded gallantry award Bir Uttam for his valour contribution to the country’s independence. His left leg was blown off from above the knee in a battle in 1971.

Col Taher was hanged following a death sentence awarded in 1976 by an illegal martial law tribunal during Gen Ziaur Rahman regime. Col Taher was executed on July 21, 1976.

The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, under which the war crimes cases are tried, says: “Upon conviction of an accused person, the tribunal shall award sentence of death or such other punishment proportionate to the gravity of the crime as appears to the tribunal to be just and proper.”

But the tribunal exempted him from the death penalty while the ICT Act says nothing about considering age, health or disability while giving punishment.

To explain, the tribunal said it was authorised to award any sentence, instead of capital punishment, if it “considers appropriate.”

The tribunal also said though Alim was found guilty for his “calculated brutal activities” resulted in the death of hundreds of civilians, “but the letters of law cannot be unkind in awarding sentence, ignoring his perceptible

physical impairment.”

Prosecutor Tureen Afroz told the Dhaka Tribune that the tribunal law did not permit the consideration of old age and physical disability.

Despite that, Jamaat-e-Islami’s former ameer and symbol of war criminals Ghulam Azam was awarded 90 years’ imprisonment by another tribunal considering his age and health which also sparked adverse reaction among the justice seekers.

The government has already appealed with the Supreme Court seeking death penalty for Azam. Tureen said they would place this argument during the appeals hearing.

Shahriar Kabir, a leading campaigner for the trial of war criminals, said Alim had not spared any person in 1971 considering their age and health. “Then why this 83 year old was excused by the tribunal?”

He also blamed the prosecution for not questioning the “physical disability” of the former BNP minister during the trial, even though Alim had tried to escape before his arrest on March 27, 2011.

Also executive president of Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, Shahriar Kabir expressed doubt about the convict’s illness and urged the government to form a medical board to find out the reality. l

Alim to die in prison  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

three million Bangalees and raped more than 250,000 women during the nine-month-long war.

Alim committed the crimes in Joypurhat, participating in person or abetting the Pakistani army in collaboration with the anti-liberation and antagonistic political organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami, Muslim League, Convention Muslim League, Nezam-e-Islami and groups of pro-Pakistan people.

Alim also mentored local razakars who worked as his accomplices in crimes that include killing, looting, arson and destroying property of those who wanted an independent Bangladesh.

Politician Alim was a lawyer. He was elected a lawmaker from Joypurhat three times.

The tribunal in its verdict said the “highly educated local elite” like Alim “could have contributed to uphold the human dignity instead of being involved with the horrendous atrocities

journalists, Alim asked: “Can you hear [what the judges are saying]? I cannot.”

That time, he seemed tense. Sazzad showed him his writing pad, saying, “I am writing everything.”

After the verdict, Sazzad claimed that his father had been awarded imprisonment until death based on false charges. “Everyone from Joypurhat knows my father very well.”

At that time, freedom fighter Shahidul Haq, known as “Mama,” said in passing: “This is the last part of drama.

Do not believe them.”

Alim’s sons were not bothered by the comment.

Arunava Chakrabarty, deputy registrar of the tribunal, said they were concerned about security of the tribunal.

A Special Branch inspector was thrust out of the courtroom for carrying a mobile phone illegally and taking photos of journalists inside the court.

Like the other verdict days, the tribunal chairman before pronouncing the verdict told the newsmen to behave responsibly during the delivery of sentence. However, just after the end of final part of the verdict, the television reporters ran out of the court room, creating a loud noise on its wooden floor. l

There is no scope to characterise the offences underlying in the Collaborators Order 1972 to be the ‘same offences’ as specified in the Act of 1973,” the tribunal said.

The judgement also said this was the first case in which a person accused face trail “remaining on bail” and added the trial was carried on “without violating the common law double jeopardy prohibition.”

Legal principle of “double jeopardy” mainly protects one from the jeopardy of punishment by the state twice for the “same offence.”

Alim, now aged 83, was arrested on March 27, 2011 and was enjoying bail throughout the trial process that began on July 5 last year.

He was granted bail since he was confined to a wheelchair and required assistance of two persons to move about.

The tribunal rejected the bail on September 22 when the case was kept for verdict. l

Mufti Izhar’s son  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

Zabuair from Chunarughat of Habiganj was among the four injured who had been receiving treatment at the hospital.

The police had produced Harun Izhar before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Sayed Masfiqul Islam with a prayer for seven days’ remand in each case, but the court granted a five-day remand each.

The same court also placed Harun’s associate Junayed on a one-day remand and five others detained from the madrasa on three-day remand for interrogation.

Harun was previously arrested in November 2010 along with two associates for allegedly having links with militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba and planning to launch an attack on the US embassy in Dhaka.

Mufti Izhar, principal of the madrasa, was also arrested in December 2010 for his alleged involvement with banned militant outfit Huji.

A massive explosion rocked the madrasa at about 11am on Monday, leaving at least five persons critically injured. The police later recovered four hand grenades and huge materials for making grenades from a dormitory room. They also seized 18 bottles of picric acid, raiding Izhar’s residence, and arrested five persons, including four teachers of the madrasa.

Two cases were filed, accusing 12 persons, including Mufti Izhar and Harun, in connection with the blast and recovery of picric acid. l

A political orphan by collaborating with the Pakistani occupation army.

“But he deliberately and consciously opted to be with the perpetrators, facilitating the commission of crimes by them and in this way he perceptibly acted against human civilisation.”

Chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan and members Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Shahinur Islam of the tribunal pronounced the summary of 191-page verdict relatively in a less-crowded courtroom, as Alim now belongs to no party. Only his two sons, their friends and a lawyer were present in the courtroom.

Alim had joined the BNP and became a state minister in Gen Ziaur Rahman’s cabinet. He was expelled from the BNP in August 2007 after reportedly campaigning in favour of the “reformist” faction of the party against its chief Khaleda Zia. The tribunal took 110 minutes to pronounce the summary of the verdict

when each of the judges read out one part of it.

Alim has been found guilty of crimes which were no isolated incidents, but “parts of ‘systematic’ and ‘planned’‘attack’ intended to the accomplishment of offence of crimes against humanity and ‘genocide’.”

The prosecution brought 28 charges against Alim and the tribunal indicted him for 17. The prosecution could prove nine of the charges “beyond reasonable doubt.”

The tribunal sentencedAlim to “imprisonment for remaining part of life” and said the sentence “shall be served in full, until his natural death for the crimes” mentioned in four separate charges of massacre, killing, looting and destroying property of civilians in Joypurhat.

The tribunal sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment for four other charges and 10 years for one. But all these sentences would be merged with

the sentence of jail until death, said the tribunal.

Alim was sitting on a wheelchair in the dock, wearing white lungi and kurta and brown leather sandals. His sons were sitting on the benches in front of the dock.

They naturally were aggrieved over the judgement. One of the sons, Khalid Bin Alim, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are dissatisfied and aggrieved by the verdict. We will appeal against it.”

In his immediate reaction, defence counsel Ahsanul Haq, who never faced media until yesterday, said they would challenge the sentence at the Appellate Division. Hedeclined to make further comments.

Justice seekers and the prosecution gave mixed reactions– as they expected death sentence, many were not satisfied.

Legal professional Shahdin Malik told the Dhaka Tribune: “This is an unprecedented sentence in the history of

the country’s judiciary.

“But there is a provision of giving this type of sentence in American law and there are similar instances in the judgements of some other countries.”

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said: “We will decide what to do only after receiving the copy of the full verdict. We will analyse the verdict and if there is any ground to appeal, we will obviously do so.”

Freedom fighter Shahidul Huq, better known as Mama, expressed discontent and termed it “a wheelchair verdict” as it was given considering the convict’s age and physical condition.

Shahriar Kabir, executive president of Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, said Alim had actually got the life sentence, but considering his physical condition it would not be executed.

“As the tribunal mentioned that Alim committed genocide, the truth won at that moment.” He, however, expressed doubt over Alim’s disability. l

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

charges against him were proved. The tribunal observed that the ailing octogenarian deserved capital punishment but considering his age and ailments was handed down the jail term.

The BNP had remained silent about all the six verdicts that convicted leaders of its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami, but it came up with a statement after its leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury had been sentenced to death, saying he was “denied” justice.

Alim joined the BNP in 1979 and was elected an MP and then a cabinet minister of Ziaur Rahman’s government.

He was elected lawmaker from Joypurhat two more occasions - in 1996 and 2001 from the BNP. Alim was one of the reformists during the rule of the army-backed caretaker government. He made derogatory comments on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on several occasions. He was expelled from the party in 2007. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, October 10, 2013

3

Khokon Razakar indicted n Udisa Islam The war crimes tribunal yesterday framed 11 specific charges against Faridpur BNP leader Zahid Hossain alias Khokon Razakar for genocide, murder of Hindus and conversion of religion during the 1971 Liberation War. The crimes were committed at Nagarkanda of Faridpur. Now fugitive, Khokon is the sitting mayor of Nagarkanda municipality and vicechairman of upazila BNP unit, but investigators claim he is now in Sweden.

The three-member International Crimes Tribunal 1 headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir yesterday set November 3 for opening statements and placing the prosecution’s witness.

At the same time, the tribunal asked the state defence counsel to submit a witness list and other documents.

The tribunal took the charges into cognisance on July 18 and ordered the start of the trial of Khokon in absentia.

Earlier the tribunal appointed Abdus Sukur Khan as state defence counsel for the accused.

In the indictment order, the tribunal described the places, times and descriptions of crimes allegedly committed by Khokon Razakar. Of the 11 charges, five were framed in connection with his alleged involvement in the killing of unarmed civilians, two about genocide and four other charges were related to abduction, confinement, torture and deportation.

As per the prosecution’s submission, Khokon was an Ansar member. After

Charge 1 Charge 2 Charge 3 Charge 4 Charge 5 Charge 6 Charge 7 Charge 8 Charge 9 Charge 10 Charge 11

April 27, 1971 Between April 28 and May 6 Between May 6 and May 16 May 27 May 13 May 13 May 31 May 21 May 31 June 1 Between July 1 and July 17

Abduction, confinement, torture Genocide and other inhuman act Deportation, confinement and persecution Confinement, deportation, rape Abduction, confinement, torture Murder Murder Murder Murder Genocide and Murder Deportation, other inhuman act

killing his elder brother Zafar Razakar on May 29, 1971, he took over leadership of the gang, and with the aid of the Pakistan army, and allegedly carried out vicious retaliatory attacks on Shaheednagar Kodalia, Ishwardi, Chadhaat, Purapara, Ashfardi, Baghhat and other nearby unions. The gang killed innocent, unarmed people, plundered gold jewellery and cash, and forcibly took women to the Pakistani army camps, says the prosecution. They went on rampage in every union of Nagarkanda upazila, except Dofa, which was the home of his in-laws.

Khokon went into hiding soon after independence, but he regained his position in society after 1975. His name is found in the list of anti-liberation forces, Peace Committee members and razakars prepared by the police super of Faridpur.

Investigator Satya Ranjan Roy submitted the report from the probe on May 29, 2012, six weeks after it began on April 15. He took statements of 78 people, 50 of whom have been

included in the witness list.

Hearing in Azhar case adjourned

Yesterday was fixed for a defence hearing on charge framing in the war crimes case against Jamaat-eIslami leader ATM Azharul Islam. But upon a defence petition, the tribunal adjourned the session until today.

Defence counsel Shishir Monir pleaded for adjournment as their senior counsel Abdur Razzaq was not present due to his “sudden illness.”

Subhan’s hearing on Oct 23

After the prosecution ended their charge framing hearing against Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Abdus Subhan, the tribunal set October 23 for the defence to place their submission.

On September 15, prosecution submitted nine formal charges against the Jamaat leader for the crimes against humanity he had allegedly committed in Pabna during the 1971 Liberation War. l

Abolish death penalty: EU n Tribune Report The European Union (EU) has urged Bangladesh to take action to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty.

Nine ambassadors of EU member countries issued a statement to mark European Day against the Death Penalty and World Day against the Death Penalty on Thursday.

“The European Union reaffirms its

absolute opposition to the use of the death penalty,” the statement said.

Referring to the UN General Assembly Resolution 65/206, it said: “All members of the UN including Bangladesh will take the actions which the resolution calls for, and thereby contribute more to the development of fundamental rights and human dignity in the world,” it said.

The resolution adopted in 2010 is on moratorium on the use of the death

Government cannot give directives for free, fair polls: PM n Kamran Reza Chowdhury Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday told parliament that the government had no scope to give directives for holding the next general elections.

Replying to a question, she assured that her government would provide necessary number of law enforcers to maintain law and order at polling stations as suggested by the Election Commission. “The Election Commission Secretariat is the responsible body to hold local polls such as city corporation elections and the national elections. There is no scope for the government to give directives for holding such polls in a free and unbiased way,” she said in reply to a question from Awami League MP Golam Dastagir Gazi.

Hasina said the government had extended all-out support to the Election Commission to hold the local and national polls. “The government is pledge-bound to provide such supports in future.”

She said her government had already allocated adequate funds for holding all previous polls, guaranteeing its economic autonomy and 5,778 polls had taken place during the tenure of the present government.

Hasina said the voters’ roll for the upcoming polls had been updated and additional 40,000 transparent ballot boxes, adequate quantity of indelible ink and electoral articles had been readied. l

HC upholds controversial DMCH recruitments n Moniruzzaman Uzzal

The High Court on Tuesday upheld the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) authority’s decision to recruit 354 fourth-class employees in the hospital, dismissing a health ministry directive to cancel the highly-controversial appointments.

The ministry earlier repealed the recruitment of 354 staffers against 171 vacancies, after a probe committee found evidence of corruption in the recruitment process.

The bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice ABM Altaf Hossain came up with the order following eight separate writ petitions against the ministry decision filed by some of the recruited employees.

The hospital’s Director Brigadier General Mostafizur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that necessary steps would be taken after receiving the copy of the court verdict.

The director said the verdict would help reduce the acute shortage of fourth-class employees in the hospital and allow better healthcare service.

Abdul Khaleq, president of Class-IV Employees’ Union at DMCH, said 286 employees recruited in 2009 had filed eight separate petitions in the court against the health ministry decision to cancel their recruitment.

Earlier, a probe committee, headed by health ministry’s Joint Secretary KBM Omar Faruq, found evidence of the recruitment scam and held the then DMCH director Brigadier General Bajle Quader and former DMCH deputy director Md Foyjullah responsible. l

penalty.

Signatories of the statement are Swedish Ambassador Anneli Lindahl Kenny, Italian Ambassador Giorgio Guglielmino, Spanish Ambassador Luis Tejada Chacon, British High Commissioner Robert Gibson, French Ambassador Michel Trinquier, Dutch Ambassador Gerben Sjoerd de Jong, German Ambassador Albrecht Conze, Danish Ambassador Hanne Fugl Eskjaer and EU Ambassador William Hanna. l

Members of Ganajagaran Mancha bring out a procession at Shabagh yesterday protesting the verdict that awarded war criminal Abdul Alim to life term DHAKA TRIBUNE

Adilur’s bail upheld n Nazmus Sakib The Appellate Division yesterday upheld the High Court’s order granting a six-month bail to Odhikar Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan in a case accusing him of distorting facts regarding the police raid on Hefazat’s May 5 rally.

Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, the chamber judge, yesterday rejected the petition of the government which sought a stay order over the human rights activist’s bail.

A High Court bench of Justice Borhanuddin and Justice KM Kamrul Kader on Tuesday gave Adilur bail in response to a petition filed on September 19.

Mohammad Asaduzzaman, lawyer of Adilur, said: “My client is in Kashimpur jail at the moment and the jail authorities will take measures after receiving the court order.”

On September 25, Dhaka Cyber Crime Tribunal Judge KM Shamsul Alam refused to grant him bail in the same case.

Human rights group Odhikar claimed in a report published last June that 61 people were killed, and many more injured during the combined force drive at Motijheel Shapla Chattar in the early hours of May 6, which was launched to drive Hefazat-e-Islam activists away from the capital. l

Ganajagaran Mancha unhappy over Alim verdict n DU Correspondent Activists of the Ganajagaran Mancha have expressed their dissatisfaction on the tribunal verdict that sentenced imprisonment until death to former BNP minister Abdul Alim for his involvement in crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. Protesting the verdict, a procession was brought out from Shahbag at around 1pm, while a torch procession was also brought out later in the evening.

Imran H Sarkar, convenor of the Mancha said: “Ganajagaran Mancha and the nation hoped for the highest punish-

ment for Abdul Alim; but we, as well as the nation, were dissatisfied after hearing the verdict.” Imran also urged the government to appeal with the Supreme Court against the verdict and to demand the highest punishment.

Maruf Rasul, another activist of Ganajagaran Mancha, said the verdict did not “fulfil the demand of the masses” as nine charges against Abdul Alim, including genocide, were proved.

Bangladesh Chhatra Moitri President Bappa Ditta Boshu said: “He who killed 585 innocent lives during the Liberation War, would get this tiny punishment, is very disappointing.” l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Khaleda off to Singapore

Couple hurt in city gas explosion

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia left for Singapore last night for medical checkup.

Senior party leaders saw her off at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport as she left Dhaka by a Singapore Airlines flight at 11:00pm, Syrul Kabir Khan, an official of BNP chairperson’s press wing told the Dhaka Tribune.

The leader of the opposition is expected to return home on October 13.

This is Khaleda’s third visit to Singapore since February this year.

Acting secretary general of the party Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and standing committee members Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas and Rafiqul Islam Miah were among the party’s central leaders who were present during her departure.

She is accompanied by her press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel, personal secretary Saleh Uddin and sisterin-law Kaniz Fatema. l

A couple sustained severe burn injuries following an explosion from gas leakage in their house at Uttar Dania in Jatrabari area Tuesday night.

The injured were Monir Hossain, 25 and his wife Nazma, 18. Police said a fire broke at the ground floor of a fivestory building of the area following an explosion around 11 pm, leaving Monir and Nurjahan injured, reports UNB. The explosion is suspected to be caused by accumulated gas due to gas leakage in their house. The injured couple was rushed to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. l

n Tribune Report

n Tribune Desk

Jamaat activist held in Chittagong n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

Swiss embassy moves to new office n Tribune Desk The Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh has recently moved to its new premises in Gulshan-2, Dhaka and to celebrate the occasion, the embassy held a function yesterday at the new premises, said a media release.

Swiss citizens living in Bangladesh and partners from the government, business and development sectors attended the ceremony.

In the 1970s, Switzerland supported Bangladesh by providing humanitarian aid. From the early 1980s, relations were progressively strengthened with the introduction of a broad programme of development cooperation.

Chargé d’ affaires a.i. of the Swiss Embassy, Caroline Trautweiler has underscored the remarkable evolution of the diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Bangladesh over the last four decades, according to a UNB report.

From a modest beginning, the relations have expanded into various avenues, especially business and development cooperation, and noted that with the Swiss embassy and the Swiss cooperation office moving under one roof, the embassy is a more integrated unit now.

Following the impressive socioeconomic development of this country in the last two decades, the economic and trade relations between Bangladesh and Switzerland are gaining more prominence.

Last year, the trade volume between Switzerland and Bangladesh stood at approximately US$ 400 million, having increased more than 50% from 2010. The annual Swiss development assistance to Bangladesh amounts to around CHF 30 million. l

WEATHER

Temperature unlikely to change n UNB Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at a few places over Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions until 6pm today.

Moderately heavy falls were also likely at places over the country, Met Office said.

Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:37pm today and rises at 5:54am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 33.4 degree Celsius was recorded at Rajshahi and lowest 21.0 degrees at Srimangal yesterday.

Highest and lowest temperatures recorded in some major cities yesterday were: City

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

32.4 30.4 33.4 31.8 27.5 28.5 31.9 33.0

24.4 23.6 22.5 23.2 24.0 24.2 22.6 24.7

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:38am 5:52am 11:46pm 3:29pm 5:38pm 6:53pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

Newly married Nazma, who was burnt along with her husband Monir, is undergoing treatment at the burn unit of the DMCH. The photo was taken yesterday

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Police detained an activist of Jamaate-Islami from a hilly area of Satkania upazila, Chittagong yesterday.

Abu Taher, 38, was accused in 13 cases including one murder, said police sources. Abdul Latif, officer-in-charge of Satkania police station, said they nabbed Taher with a rifle and 12 rounds of cartridges from a remote hilly area around 12pm after conducting a drive from 7am to 12pm following a tip-off.

Taher concealed himself in the area, the OC added. l

Poor infrastructure limits power sector success n Aminur Rahman Rasel Infrastructure and power lines are in such a state of disrepair that it mars the present government’s success in achieving increased power generation, as frequent electricity outages continue unabated across the country.

According to the Power Division electricity generation has increased by 104.25% and distribution lines were extended by 9% between 2009 and 2013 since 2009. Though electricity generation more than doubled, consumers have not reaped benefits with no visible improvements in terms of distribution and supply in these four years.

“Enough steps have not been taken to improve the distribution system to cope with the increase in power generation,” said Syed Abdul Mayeed, former chairman of the Power Development

Board (PDB).

He said that in fact, transformers are overloaded and damaged as they are unable to handle excess electricity generated; leaving people across the country without electricity.

The former chairman said the entire distribution system must be upgraded; more substations need to be built, old transformers replaced with new ones, but the government isn’t paying much attention to these matters.

There are five distribution companies under the Power Division, with 690, 257 transformers in total. During a coordination meeting in August, a document submitted said 135, 287of the transformers are overloaded.

The companies - Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd, Dhaka Electric Supply Company Ltd, Rural Electrification Board, West Zone Power

Distribution Company Ltd and Power Development Board - supply through 2,85,101km of lines. Though 24,722km of new power lines for improved distributions were installed, little was done to replace the existing ones, which are in disrepair.

Seeking anonymity, an official of the Power Division said about 20% of the power supply lines are dilapidated and exposed to the elements leading to increased risks of accidents, which could result in the network’s collapse at any moment.

In 2009, when the Awami League took office, power generation capacity was at 4,942megwatts (mw), which rose to 8,949mw in July this year, said Mohammad Hossain, director general of Power Cell, and added that: “Countrywide electricity generation was 3,268MW at the beginning of 2009,

which reached 6,675MW in July this year.”

Across the country, electricity coverage reaches 95.6 million people, 60% of the population, through conventional and renewable energy sources.

Desco officials said several hundred kilometres of their 3,500km supply lines are in at risk. New substations were set up but not in sufficient numbers because of scarcity of land in the capital.

DPDC and Desco supply Dhaka, including Tongi and Narayanganj, REB covers rural areas through 70 Palli Bidyut Shomitis (PBS) and WZPDCL supplies electricity to 21 districts including Barisal and Khulna in the south-west. PDB supplies electricity to both rural and urban areas except Dhaka, Barisal and Khulna metropolitan areas.

An official said the DPDC failed to

provide new connections where there is increased demand because they do not have enough substations, though six new substations have improved the situation.

An REB official said 63 of the 70 PBS are running at a loss. New power connections were not given due to overloaded transformers, but there are fund constraints.

Most of WZPDCL’s 9,000km supply lines are in a sorry state, while 10% of PDB’s 40,000 km distribution lines are also in a bad shape.

Power Secretary Manowar Islam told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have taken initiatives to build parallel lines to cope with the soaring demand for electricity, but it might take some time to repair the lines.” He added that: “Decisions have been taken to replace the overloaded transformers in phases.” l

Islamist parties, Hefazat demand fair Mufti Wakkas placed on probe into Ctg madrasa blast two-day remand n Manik Miazee

Leaders from several Islamist parties and Hefazat-e-Islam have demanded that the government should form a “free and fair” probe committee to investigate the recent explosion in Jamiatul Uloom Al-Islamia madrasa at Chittagong’s Lalkhan Bazar.

On Monday, at least five people were critically injured when a massive explosion rocked the Jamiatul Uloom Al-Islamia, a Qawmi madrasa run by Hefazat’s Senior Nayeb-e-Ameer Mufti Izharul Islam. Two of the injured later died.

The police recovered three homemade grenades and a large quantity of grenade-making materials from the site Monday afternoon, and arrested nine people including three teachers of the madrasa. Four of the arrestees were detained while undergoing treatment at hospitals, and among them, two succumbed to their

injuries in the last two days.

Regarding the issue, Jamaat-e-Islami central working committee member Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher called for a “free and fair” inquiry committee, and said statements and counter-statements from both the government and madrasa authorities were creating confusion.

Hefazat’s adviser and the Islami Oikya Jote’s (IOJ) chairman Abdul Latif Nezami claimed that the government was well aware of what happened on the day. He also said: “Formation of impartial inquiry committee is a must to find out the facts on what happened at the Madrassa on the day.”

Hefazat’s Dhaka unit Press Secretary Ahlullah Wasel claimed that the incident at the madrasa was a conspiracy to destroy the Qawmi madrasa education system.

“Since the Qawmi madrasa teachers and students are delivering anti-gov-

ernment statements on ‘Qawmi Madrasa Education Policy’, the government is playing a game to stop anti-government movements,” he further said.

Earlier on April 13, Bangladesh Qawmi Madrasa Education Commission submitted the Qawmi Madrasa Education Policy 2012 to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her government’s consideration.

Meanwhile, Hefazat Dhaka unit Joint Convener and IOJ Secretary General Mufti Fayez Ullah said the government created the “drama” for seeing an end to the anti-government movements and for wanting to pass the Qawmi Madrasa Education Policy during the current parliamentary session.

Claiming that Mufti Izhar was considered a “great threat” for the government, Fayez Ullah said: “If the incident was really a grenade explosion, it was definitely done following government orders.” l

n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday placed Hefazat-e-Islam Nayeb-e-Ameer - Mufti Wakkas on a two-day police remand, in a case regarding vandalism in the capital on May 5.

Magistrate SM Ashiqur Rahman of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka passed the order when Inspector Md Mahbubur Rahman from the Paltan police station, the investigation officer (IO) of the case, produced Wakkas before the court with a 10-day remand plea.

The IO mentioned in the remand prayer that the accused needed to be interrogated further to unveil more important clues regarding the incidents of May 5.

On the other hand, defence counsel Jaynul Abedin Mezbah moved a bail pe-

Rural savings bank on the cards PM says ‘One House One Farm’ project will lead rural people out of poverty

n Tribune Desk Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced that a Palli Sanchay Bank will be established in the country so that rural people could utilise their savings for a better life and change their fate.

“We’ll set up a Palli Sanchay Bank (Rural Savings Bank) for the rural poor so that they could utilise their savings although we’ll have to convince the Banking Division of the Ministry of Finance to this end,” Hasina said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a function marking the inauguration of Digital Banking and award distribution at national level of the ‘One House One Farm’ project held yesterday at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, says a UNB report.

Hasina said the way the ‘One House One Farm’ project has been showing a new path in poverty alleviation,

the same way Palli Sanchay Bank will help rural people to build their fortune themselves and shield them from high interest charged by different microfinance institutions.

“What we’ve seen earlier that a poor person took microcredit from an institution, but he or she couldn’t repay the interest….they again had to borrow from another organisation. As a result, they became overburdened with credit and their interests,” she added.

Hasina went on saying, “We want to free the country from this situation ….so we’re talking about small savings, not microcredit so that the rural people could stand on their own feet.”

She directed the authorities to implement the ‘One House One Farm’ project properly and more carefully to make it a success.

The prime minister said the previous Awami League government (1996-

2001) had introduced the ‘One House One Farm’ Project aimed at alleviating poverty, but the successive BNP-Jamaat alliance government stopped it as they did in case of other pro-poor programmes community clinics.

She also said her government, if voted to power again, would set up plots up to upazila and union level for planned rural housing.

The prime minister said the people of Bangladesh have set an example in the world in the use of technology in their lives. Over 0.9 million rural families have already been brought under online banking system, while Tk 170 crore were transacted, she added.

Earlier, the Prime Minister opened the digital banking for the rural poor.

She was also apprised of the activities of the online banking. She talked to the beneficiaries and gave different directives to them.

Sheikh Hasina visited different schemes being implemented under the ‘One House One Farm Project’.

She also distributed National Awards among 19 people in 12 categories for their outstanding contribution to the ‘One House One Farm Project’ introduced by the Awami League government during its previous tenure.

The Ecnec has already approved a proposal to expand the activities of the ‘One House One Farm’ project to over 40,527 villages of all unions of the country for which Tk 3,162 crore will be spent.

LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development & Cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanak, and acting Secretary of Rural Development and Cooperatives Division MA Kader Sarkar spoke on the occasion. Director of the project Prashanta Kumar Roy delivered the welcome address. l

tition for the accused, with the petition saying that the name of Wakkas was not included in the First Information Report (FIR).

The magistrate heard submissions from both the prosecution and the defence, before granting the remand and rejecting the bail petition.

On September 2, a Detective Branch team arrested Mufti Wakkas after raiding a madrasa at Chowdhury Para of Malibagh in the capital.

On September 9, he was placed on 15 days remand in five cases filed for vandalism, arson and obstruction of police from discharging their duties.

Mufti Wakkas, a former state minister during Ershad’s regime, is also the secretary of Jamiat-e-Ulama Islam, which is part of BNP-led 18-party alliance member Islami Oikkya Jote. l

Crude bombs recovered at Fakirapool building n Kailash Sarkar Several unexploded crude bombs and bomb-making materials were recovered from a house in Fakirapool last night, following explosions that reportedly left several people injured.

The house was being used as a den of Shibir activists and the explosion took place on the third floor of the building at around 8:30pm during bomb-making process, said Md Ashrafuzzaman, deputy police commissioner of Motijheel division.

However, no injured person was found at the scene following the incident. Police suspect that bombs were being made at the site to carry out subversive activities.

Locals said one Jamal Hossain, hailing from Sandwip, had rented the third floor of the Fakirapool house where he resided with several others.

Jamal and the owner of the building have gone into hiding following the incident, police sources said. l

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Thursday, October 10, 2013

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Thursday, October 10, 2013

Cattle market on Azampur Primary School premises pose nuisance DNCC arranges makeshift cattle market every year neglecting concern of students, teachers and locals also after Eid ul-Azha because of the n Abu Hayat Mahmud stink of animal wastes,” she said.

The cattle market on Azampur Primary School premises of Dhaka North City Corporation poses a real nuisance for hundreds of students and teachers of at least 15 educational and religious institutions, plus residents of the city’s Uttara Model Town.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) arranges the cattle market for Eid ul-Azha every year in the Azampur primary school playground and its adjoining areas of Section 6 in Uttara Residential Model Town of the capital.

Teachers of the elementary school alleged that the city corporation set the cattle market every year on the school compound without the school authority’s permission and even violating the High Court order.

Sultan Ahmed, former head teacher of the school told the Dhaka Tribune that the city corporation had been arranging the cattle market on the school premises over the past 20 years.

“We have tried a lot to stop setting up the cattle market on the school compound, but to no avail,” he said.

Schoolteachers Ayesha Begum, Nurul Amin and other assistant teachers echoed the same as Sultan.

Ayesha said, “When the cattle market starts, students and their guardians and above all we feel panic while entering the school.”

“For this reason many students stop coming to school during this time, and

“We have requested the city corporation authorities to stop or set up the cattle market elsewhere, but they did not consider our requests,” she added.

Former headmaster of the elementary school informed this correspondent that some green activists filed a writ with the High Court a few years ago.

Teachers of the elementary school alleged that the city corporation set the cattle market every year on the school compound without the school authority’s permission and even violating the High Court order.

Contacted, environmental group – Paribesh Bachao Andolan – Chairman Abu Naser Khan said: “We filed a writ with the High Court against the cattle market on the Azampur primary school premises in Uttara and the HC ordered the city corporation to stop setting up the market in the school ground.”

A visit to the cattle market yesterday found that not only students and but also teachers along with residents of section 6 in Uttara Model Town suffer because of the cattle market.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) stopped plying of vehicles across major roads of Azampur, causing unbearable traffic jam across the Uttara Model

The cattle market has been set up at the playground and its adjoining area at Section-6 in Uttara Residential Model Town, causing nuisance for students, teachers and local residents NASHIRUL ISLAM

Town.

The two city corporations, Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation, set up 20 makeshift cattle markets including the one in Gabtali for the forthcoming Eid ul-Azha this year.

DNCC Chief Estate Officer Md Fasiullah told the Dhaka Tribune, “We will

Bahaddarhat Flyover opens to traffic on Saturday n

Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

The much-awaited Bahaddarhat Flyover will be opened to traffic on October 12. Concerned authorities are expecting the flyover to reduce traffic congestion in the area significantly. However, experts and locals are doubtful about its benefits.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the 1.39km long flyover, stretching from Chittagong city’s Shulakbahar area to Ek Kilometre area, said Chief Engineer Nasir Uddin Mahamud Chowdhury of Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) to Dhaka Tribune.

Visiting the flyover yesterday, this correspondent found that the construction of the flyover was almost complete. Workers were busy finishing uncompleted tasks.

The flyover project was undertaken by the CDA with its own funds as a gateway for south Chittagong. The government approved the project on December 30, 2009. The prime minister

RMCH needs renovation n Tribune Desk The Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) needs massive renovation and repairing works for improving its healthcare services providing to its indoor and outdoor patients.

Built in 1958, but no major renovation and maintenance works have been done for the 530-bed hospital since then. Moreover, more than 1300 indoor patients are receiving treatment in the hospital besides huge other outdoor patients at present, reports UNB. The observations were made at the meeting of the 26-member RMCH Management Development Committee held with its Chairman and Mayor of Rajshahi Mosaddeque Hossain Bulbul in the chair at the hospital conference in the city yesterday. Speaking on the occasion, Mayor Bulbul has called for quick launching of the newly constructed building of the hospital for enhancing its extent of service delivery.

He called for expediting the process for elevating the 530-bed hospital into 1200-bed as the common people especially the poor are dependent on the hospital for their emergency health problems. l

laid the foundation stone of the project on January, 2010 and the construction work began in December that year.

The construction was supposed to be finished by February this year but work stopped for around seven months following a girder collapse in November last year that killed 14 people.

Mir Akhter-Parisha-Joint Venture (JV) was constructing the flyover at that point, but it was handed over to Bangladesh Army after the tragedy.

Project Director Brigadier General Shams Khan told the Dhaka Tribune that the flyover would be fit for traffic before October 12, while some other minor works would be completed by December.

The entire project is going to cost the CDA about Tk1.45bn.

CDA Chairman Abdus Salam told the Dhaka Tribune that the flyover would ease communication between south Chittagong and the port city.

Besides, traffic jam in the area would be reduced, he said.

Suvash Barua, the vice president

of Forum for Planned Chittagong, also a former master planner for the CDA, told the Dhaka Tribune that the flyover would shift the traffic jam from Bahaddarhat to Ek Kilometre-Shah Amanat Bridge and other adjoining roads as those roads have only two lanes.

Local people would not be benefited by the flyover, he said.

Md Yunus, president of Bahaddarhat Traders Welfare Society, also echoed Suvash.

Jannatul Ferdous, a student of Government Haji Mohammad Mohsin College, said, “We (locals) will not be using the flyover, so if the road under the flyover and adjoining roads are not widened, our sufferings will remain the same.”

When asked about these concerns, the CDA chairman said Roads and Highway Department (RHD) had already gotten an approval to expand Ek Kilometre - Shah Amanat Bridge from two-lane to four-lane and the construction work was scheduled to start after the rainy season. l

take steps against the person who gave permission to the cattle traders to put cattle in the cattle markets before October 11. We have already discussed the matter with DMP, and our mobile court will take immediate action against such illegal practice.”

In reply to a query as to why cattle market was set up on Azampur primary

school premises, Fasiullah said: “We will pay money to the school committee if they want.”

“If the school authorities have any objection against the cattle market in the school ground, they can write letter to us, and we will shift the market elsewhere from the next year,” he added.

Answering the question about the

Hearing on Limon’s case against Rab deferred again n Our Correspondent, Barisal The hearing of a revision petition lodged by Henoara Begum, the mother of Limon Hossain, challenging the dismissal of a case against six Rab personnel accused of maiming her son, deferred for the fourth time yesterday.

Jhalakathi Public Prosecutor Golam Rasul Mannan yesterday submitted a time petition claiming the state was not yet prepared for the hearing.

District and Sessions judge Shahidullah Baqaul accepted the prayer and fixed November 27 as the next date for hearing.

Henoara Begum protested the time petition, calling it “harassment” by the prosecutors. She said she would continue her fight for justice against the six Rab personnel, who attempted to murder her son, but instead failed and ended up severely maiming him.

On March 23, 2011, Limon was shot in the leg and arrested by Rab personnel in an “encounter.” Limon, then a college student, had to undergo an amputation afterwards.

Rab slapped two cases on Limon in the same year. On the other hand, police on August 14, 2012 secretly filed the final report of the case lodged by Henoara claiming they had found no evidence and witnesses against the responsible Rab personnel.

Henoara filed a no confidence motion against the police report on August 30, 2012. Jhalakathi senior judicial magistrate on February 13 this year rejected the no confidence motion.

Prayer of revision against the rejection was lodged with Jhalakathi District and Sessions Judge’s Court on March 13.

The home ministry gave the order to withdraw the charges against only Limon in both cases filed by Rab and ordered the withdrawal of charges in the arms case, which was accepted by the Jhalakathi trial court on July 30.

The hearing for withdrawal of charges in the other case for obstructing official duty, attempted murder and injuring Rab personnel was deferred for the third time on September 8 and fixed on October 21. l

writ, the chief estate officer said he knew nothing about that, and they also did not get any letter from the HC. Shahdat Hossain of Uttara police station (east) said: “We are somewhat lax in coming down hard on the cattle traders putting the sacrificial animals in the markets before October 11 because Eid comes once a year.” l

Chittagong port harbour master suspended n Tribune Report The Chittagong Port Authority suspended its Harbour Master Captain Faridul Alam on charges of putting the port at risk by allowing an inoperative vessel to berth at the jetty.

Sayad Farhad Uddin Ahmed, secretary to the CPA, said the order was issued on Tuesday afternoon. He also added that Dock Master Captain Zahirul Islam would be discharged from his additional duties of harbour master until further instruction.

Port sources said the harbour master allowed an inoperative vessel to berth at the jetty on September 25 defying the objection of pilots, who bring large vessels to the jetties from the outer anchorage. Concerned officials added that the vessel had been stuck on a shoal at the entry point of the port.

Sources also said the CPA chairman, who was on a foreign tour during the incident, had directed the harbour master before leaving the country to take cautionary measures before allowing the vessel to enter the port. l

Dhaka University marks ‘Sustainable alternative needed the 32nd anniversary of before child labour eliminated’ n Qazi Motahar Tazlina Zamila Khan

n DU Correspondent Commemorating the 32nd death anniversary of National Professor Qazi Motahar Hossain, the Dhaka University vice-chancellor yesterday said Motahar not only worked for the development of science and technology, but also for human interest, women rights and a non-communal Bangladesh.

Institute of Statistical Research and Training of Dhaka University yesterday organised a commemorative speech, scholarship and award giving ceremony to mark the day.

DU VC AAMS Arefin Siddique addressed the programme as special guest, while Sanzida Khatun, president of the Qazi Motahar Hossain Foundation, presided over the programme.

The programme was arranged in joint collaboration with the foundation and Dhaka University Statistics Department at the TSC (Teacher Student Centre) in the morning.

At the beginning of the programme,

former dean of DU Arts Faculty and UGC member DKM Mohoshin read out a memorandum titled “Qazi Motahar Hossain Manosh.”

“The nation cannot forget the contributions of Qazi Motahar Mossain in the sector of science, technology, education and research,” the VC said in his speech, and urged the youths to uphold the Motahar inspiration in their lives.

Meanwhile, students of the Statistics Department, who achieved brilliant success, were rewarded at the occasion.

Qazi Motahar Hossain joined Dhaka University in 1921 as a demonstrator of Physics. In 1948, his efforts ensured the establishment of the Statistics MA. In 1964, he founded the Institute of Statistical Research and Training, and retired in 1961.

Qazi Motahar wrote several books, including Nazrul Kabyo Porichiti (1955) and Nirbachito Probondho (1976). He was awarded the Bangla Academy Shahitya Purashkar in 1966 and the Independence Day Award in 1979. l

The elimination of child labour cannot be justified without providing a financially sustainable alternative to the children and their families, said speakers at a discussion yesterday.

They urged companies to refer any child working in the supply chain to a school, calling universal education “an investment for future economic and social development of the country.”

The observations were made at a programme titled “Youth Convention 2013 to contribute to National CSR policy for children”, organised at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital by the labour ministry and the international NGO, Save the Children.

Michael McGrath, Save the Children country director, said: “A huge proportion of children are involved in the workforce. It is the ethical and moral responsibility of the private sector to be involved in CSR [corporate social responsibility]. They should provide training to ensure a better working environment for children.”

Referring to National Child Labor

Elimination Policy 2010 and Bangladesh Labor (amendment) Act 2013, he said: “The laws of Bangladesh for child labor are very strong. Private sectors should obey the laws.”

A recent study by Save the Children on 24 companies found that only four had a CSR policy, while nearly half (46%) said implementation of CSR would help create trained workers and increase their business opportunities.

Philippe Jacques, head of cooperation for the European Union delegation to Bangladesh, said: “Implementation of existing laws of Bangladesh is a big challenge. If CSR policy is formed, it will work as a guideline for stakeholders, especially in the private sector.”

A recent study by Save the Children on 24 companies found that only four had a CSR policy, while nearly half (46%) said implementation of CSR would help create trained workers and increase their business opportunities.

The study also found that over 90%

of the factories were unsure whether their local suppliers employed child labourers.

Recently, the labour ministry and Save the Children signed a letter of agreement to formulate a national CSR policy for children.

Shahida Begum, a programme director at Save the Children, said the event was organised to promote CSR towards children and youth development, and to create social awareness of their right to education.

Labour Secretary Mikail Shiper said: “We have identified 38 categories of work as risky for children aged between 14 and 18. Government will approve the CSR policy as soon as possible for the better future of children.”

In 2009, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed concerns that many children in Bangladesh continued to work in five high risk sectors: welding, auto-workshops, road transport, battery recharging and tobacco factories.

The country currently has 7.5 million children engaged in over 300 types of jobs. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Country’s first private agriculture university starts journey

Two held over liquor, one freed after ‘bribe’ n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat The Narcotics department of Lalmonirhat arrested three people for possessing Indian wine in sadar upazila on Tuesday, but then allegedly took a bribe to free the prime accused.

The three arrestees were local doctor Aynal Haque, 48, and his two associates Ruhul Amin Babu, 42, and Shafiqul Islam, 18, all of Durakuti Karnopur village in sadar upazila, Lalmonirhat.

Locals said a team of narcotics department officials led by Inspector Anowarul Habib raided the Durakuti area on Tuesday night and found the trio with five bottles of Indian wine as they were returning from the Mogholhat border by motorcycle.

The officials seized the bottles and the motorcycle, and arrested all three before later freeing Aynal.

The family of Ruhul and Shafiqul claimed Aynal was spared detention as officials “got a handsome bribe from him.”

Inspector Anowarul said: “We have freed the village doctor as we got political pressure and threat from local leaders.

“The two others were sent to jail because they did not have that kind of recommendations.”

They informed the matter to the higher authorities, he added. l

7

Thursday, October 10, 2013

n Tribune Desk

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurates Exim Bank Agriculture University through a function at her official residence Ganobhaban yesterday morning PID

Exim Bank Agriculture University, the country’s first private agriculture university in Chapainawabganj, started its journey yesterday creating new scopes for the students interested in higher education on agriculture.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the university through a function at her official residence Ganobhaban in the morning, reports UNB. Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister said her government has put emphasis on research to increase food production. “There’s no alternative to boosting food production as its demand is surging day by day due to the country’s growing population,” she was quoted as saying by her Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad.

Hasina said her government has set up a number of agri-universities in the country to attract students to agriculture education.

She thanked the authorities concerned for setting up Exim Bank Agriculture University in northern Chapainawabganj district.

Chairman of the Exim Bank Agriculture University and Chairman of Exim Bank Md Nazrul Islam Mazumder delivered the welcome address.

Hasina said her previous government from 1996 to 2001 had given importance to research. But, its continuity got disrupted after assumption of office by the BNP-Jamaat alliance government, she said.

“Availability of winter vegetables in monsoon is the result of our research,” she claimed.

The prime minister said the present government after assuming office has made its best efforts to boost food production. “We’ve innovated flood, drought and salinity-tolerant rice varieties,“ she said.

Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, University Grants Commission Chairman Dr AK Azad Chowdhury, FBCCI President Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed, Managing Director of Exim Bank Dr Mohammad Haidar Ali Mia and Vice Chancellor of the university Dr Md Abdul Mannan Akand were present on the occasion. l

Gambling stops Durga Puja celebrations in Bogra

Call for expanding cultivation of short duration paddy to ensure food security

n Tribune Desk

n Tribune Desk

Durga Puja celebrations at Datta Bari in Bogra town are not becoming possible this year as an influential quarter has arranged gambling at the site where the Hindus had been celebrating the festival for the last two decades.

A local Juba League leader having clout of the influential quarter has set up a parking lot at the traditional Durga Puja mandap site for the motorcycles of those who come here to attend gambling.

The incident has created a sharp resentment among the local Hindu community members.

It is learnt that local Ekata Sangha had been arranging Durga Puja celebrations in the open place of Zila Mahila Krira Sangshta close to Dattabari Loknath Mandir (temple) for the last 20 years.

But this year they could not make any arrangements for the most important religious festival of the Hindus here for the space shortage created by the gambling spot.

Sources said local Juba League leaders and workers obtaining permission from the High Court have been conducting gambling at the south side of Dattabari Loknath Mandir for the last two months.

For the illegal occupation of the place for motorcycle parking it has not become possible for the local Durga Puja Udjapan Committee to set up the puja idols there.

The Hindu devotees here requested Ekramul Huq Mithu, an organiser of the gambling, to shift the motorcycle parking spot elsewhere, but in vain.

Mithu rather asked them to seek solution about this from district Jubo League president Manjurul Alam Mohan.

But when they brought the matter to Mohan’s notice, he categorically said there would be no puja arrangement at the place this year.

Bogra District Puja Celebration Committee president Amrit Lal Saha said with permission from Mahila Krira Sangstha, Ekata Sangha had been arranging puja festival at Dattabari for the last 20 years, but they could not arrange the same there this year for the motorcycle parking of the gamblers.

Ekramul Huq Mithu, however, said they set up the motorbike parking spot at the Mahila Krira Sangstha’s place, not at the puja site.

Besides, none of the Hindu community people met him regarding the matter.

“But even at their request, it would not have been possible to remove the parking lot,” he added. l

Agriculture experts have called for expanded cultivation of short duration BINA dhan7 to increase rice output and ensure food security during the seasonal lean period They were addressing a workshop organised by Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) and Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) at BADC Training Centre in Thakurgaon yesterday.

Director (Administration) of BINA from Mymensingh Dr Azgar Ali Sarker said early harvest of dhan7, developed by BINA with a short life span of 110 to 115 days, paves the way for cultivation of early winter crops to make agriculture more profitable for farmers.

“Farming of BINA dhan7 has already become popular after its repeated

Several sued for vandalising houses in Narsingdi n Our Correspondent, Narsingdi Shibpur police on Tuesday finally recorded a case against the people who last week allegedly vandalised a house at Kharia village in the district and injured several people.

Local sources said there had been a long-lasting dispute between Shamsuzzaman Rikabdar and widow Shahnaj Begum over the ownership of a piece of land, but after the matter turned ugly, police were initially reluctant to file a case.

On October 4, Shamsuzzaman along with around 15 supporters went to Shahnaj’s house and vandalised it, ransacking furniture and looting cash and gold ornaments.

They also attacked female workers and a daughter of the plaintiff who had tried to resist them.

On October 4, Shamsuzzaman along with around 15 supporters went to Shahnaj’s house and vandalised it, ransacking furniture and looting cash and gold ornaments Hearing screams, neighbours rushed to the spot and took the injured to Shibpur upazila health complex, where two remained in critical conditions and were still undergoing treatment yesterday.

After the incident, Shahnaj and her relatives went to Shibpur police station to file a case against the attackers, but police did not record any case at that time. Moreover, police then advised the widow to settle the matter through arbitration.

Later, she went to Superintendent of Police Khankdaker Muhid Uddin and informed him about the matter.

The SP directed the concerned police station to file a case against the attackers and take necessary steps against them. l

bumper production during the seasonal lean period in Rangpur region since 2007,” said Dr Sarker, adding that farmers are generally getting 49 maunds (40 kgd) of BINA dhan7 paddy yield per hectare on average.

“This fine variety rice is longer in size and very much tasty,” he said.

Dr Sarker – who attended the ‘Expanded cultivation of short duration BINA dhan7’ workshop as chief guest - said cultivation of the paddy has been playing vital role in eradicating abject poverty through creating huge jobs for farm labourers and poor people as its harvest continues during the lean periods of Aswin and Kartik months which reduce jobless crisis in the rural area.

“Early completion of harvest of BINA dhan7 within October also paves the way for cultivation of early winter crops like vegetables, potato, mustard, wheat etc in the same land to

bring more profits to the farmers,” he said.

Other speakers included Principal Scientific Officer of BINA from Mymensingh Dr Abul Kalam Azad, and agriculture experts Nazrul Islam and Abul Kalam Azad. Deputy Director of Thakurgaon DAE Belayet Hossain in the chair.

Attendees included representatives of DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Cooptation (BADC) and different NGOs; seed dealers and traders; and media workers. The workshop was funded by the Climate Change Trust Fund, reports BSS. The speakers said up to 6.5 to 7 tonne of BINA dhan7 per hectare could be produced by ensuring proper agronomical management. Cultivation costs are less than for other Aman variety paddies as it requires little irrigation. l

NEWS IN BRIEF Contraband worth Tk10.27m seized in Jessore Members of Border Guard Bangladesh in a drive seized huge contraband Indian saris and sex stimulating tablets worth Tk10.27m from Putkhali and Jamtala areas of Benapole town on Tuesday night. Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Taef Ul Haque of BGB battalion -23 said being tipped off, a special patrol team of them seized 8,000 pieces of sex stimulating tablets from the Jamtala area, and 447 pieces of Indian saris from Putkhali area by conducting separate drives at night. A case was filed with Benapole Port police station. – UNB

1,250 kg hilsa seized in Benapole Shahnaj Begum standing in front of her house which has been vandalised by some local goon over land dispute

Robber lynched while trying to hijack bridegroom’s car n Our Correspondent, Kishoreganj A robber who tried to mug a bridal party was beaten to death by a mob of agitated villagers in Hossainpur upazila of Kishoreganj early yesterday.

Kamal Uddin, 40-year-old son of Marzat Ali of Charhazipur village, was among a group of 10 to 12 robbers who reportedly tried to mug a bridegroom’s passenger bound car near Moheshkura Alia Madrasa at Hossanpur upazila around 1am.

Villagers rushed to the spot with batons after hearing the screams of the victims. The gang members fled the scene but robber Kamal was caught, and beaten to death.

Mir Musharraf Hossain, officer-in-charge of Hossainpur police

station, said police recovered the body and sent it to Kishoreganj Adhunik Sadar Hospital morgue for post mortem.

Kamal Uddin, 40-year-old son of Marzat Ali of Charhazipur village, was among a group of 10 to 12 robbers who reportedly tried to mug a bridegroom’s passenger bound car near Moheshkura Alia Madrasa at Hossanpur upazila around 1am Kamal was accused in several robbery cases filed with Hossainpur police station and with other stations in Mymensingh, Nandail, Gouripur and Gazipur districts, OC added. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Four sentenced to death for killing in Netrokona n Our Correspondent, Netrokona A Netrakona court yesterday sentenced four people to death for the brutal killing of a man while he was offering his Esha prayer at a mosque.

Abu Talib, 48, Abdur Razzak, 35, Siddik, 45, and Sawpon, 28, of Bichipara village in Sadar upazila, Netrokona, hacked Aheruddin to death over previous enmity on May 25, 2001.

Sahera Begum, wife of Aheruddin, filed a killing case with Netrokona Sadar police station accusing 14 people.

After investigating, police submitted a charge sheet to the court against five people. Additional District and Session Judge Md Abdul Hamid, after examining the witnesses and evidence, found four people guilty and pronounced the verdict. The fifth defendant, Shahabuddin, was found not guilty. l

Border Guard Bangladesh members seized 1,250 kilograms of hilsa from Sadipur border in Benapole early yesterday. Acting on tip-off, a team of BGB conducted a drive along the border in the early hours and seized the hilsa packed in 30 cartons while those were being smuggled out to India through Sadipur, said BGB-26 commanding officer Lt Col Matiur Rahman. However, the smugglers managed to escape sensing the presence of the BGB members. The seized fish were deposited to Benapole customs godown. Later, they sold the seized hilsa at auction. – UNB

Four alleged robbers Held in Manikganj Police arrested four alleged robbers from Talebpur village in Singair upazila of the district on Tuesday. The arrestees were identified as Firoj, 23, Nizam Uddin, 22, Mokter Hossain, 28, and Nur-e-Alam Chayan,25. M Liaqat Ali, officer-in-charge of Singair Police Sation, said a gang of 10-12 robbers entered a house at the village on Monday night by breaking open the doors. The robbers took the house inmates hostage at gunpoint and looted gold ornaments, cash money and mobile phone sets. Following a case filed by

the house owner, police raided different areas, arrested the robbers and recovered Tk16,000 snatched. – UNB

Youth killed by lightning strike in Bagerhat

A young man was killed by lightning strike at Patlekhali village in Sadar upazila on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Hizbullah Sardar, 24, son of Mosharaf Sardar of Noapara village of the upazila.

Victim’s father said Hizbullah was killed as a thunderbolt hit him when he went to a field at a nearby village to bring back cattle in the evening. Critically injured, he was rushed to Bagerhat Sadar Hospital where attending doctors declared him dead. Assistant sub-inspector Md Zaminul Islam of Bagerhat Model police station confirmed the incident. The body was handed over to the deceased’s family. – UNB

Mro National Party leader arrested A leader of Mro National Party (MNP) was arrested from Moddom Para area of Bandarban city yesterday while allegedly holding a secret meeting with a Bandarban Hill Tracts District Parishad member and another Mro leader. Duty officer of Bandarban sadar police station Johra Begum said they arrested Rumding Mro, 30, after receiving a tip-off. “Rumding Mro was arrested in connection with several cases lodged with Lama police station against him,” he said. These are thought to include killing, abduction and other crimes. Ong Pru Mro, the other leader arrested, said Rumding Mro was a local representative. “He along with other members were having a meeting with me on Tuesday night. He was arrested while coming out of my home,” he said. Local sources said Rumding Mro is a ward member of ward six and a first category leader of the Mro National Party. They said his group might have connections with most of the crimes happening in the remote places of the district. – Our Correspondent

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Around 60 dead in clashes in Central African Republic n

Reuters, Bangui

Around 60 people have been killed in sectarian clashes in Central African Republic between local militias and former rebels, witnesses and a local official said on Wednesday.

The mineral-rich but impoverished nation has descended into chaos since mostly Muslim Seleka rebels from the north seized the capital Bangui in March, ousting President Francois Bozize.

The new transitional government’s failure to stem the violence has prompted the UN Security Council to consider intervening to restore order.

Local self-defence militias, known as “anti-balaka” or anti-machetes, attacked a Seleka position in the mining village of Gaga, around 250km northwest of Bangui, on Monday, killing four ex-rebels before attacking Muslim civilians.

The Seleka fighters retaliated against Christian civilians in the village, witnesses said. Seleka gunmen, many of

them from neighbouring Chad and Sudan, have repeatedly been accused of desecrating churches and terrorising Christian communities.

“We’re waiting for reinforcements in order to go there but the different accounts we’ve gathered from survivors coming from Gaga lead us to believe there are over 60 dead,” said Judicael Kama, a gendarme in the nearby town of Yaloke.

Many of those wounded in the violence were taken to Yaloke’s hospital, around 35km from Gaga.

‘Total terror’

“The Seleka fighters went door to door.

It was total terror,” Raymond Kitivo, who was wounded in the attack, told Reuters by telephone from the hospital in Yaloke.

The violence erupted less than a week after at least 14 people were killed in fighting between Muslims and Christians in the isolated eastern town of Bangassou, in further evidence that

the clashes are becoming increasingly sectarian.

UN officials and rights groups say both Seleka and their opponents may have committed war crimes in the past few months.

‘We’re waiting for reinforcements in order to go there but the different accounts we’ve gathered from survivors coming from Gaga lead us to believe there are over 60 dead,’

Last month French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Central African Republic risked becoming a new Somalia if it did not get immediate support.

He is expected to visit Bangui on Sunday to assess the situation.

Security Council diplomats may vote

Science robs French king of his head n AFP, Paris Scientists revealed genetic data Wednesday they said disproved the authenticity of macabre relics attributed to two French kings: a rag dipped in Louis XVI’s blood and Henri IV’s mummified head.

A DNA analysis of three living relatives of the Bourbon kings found no link with genetic traces from the grisly souvenirs, according to a study in the European Journal of Human Genetics.

“It is not the blood of Louis XVI,” co-author Jean-Jacques Cassiman, a Belgian geneticist, told AFP of the handkerchief allegedly dipped in the blood of the king guillotined by revolutionaries in Paris on January 21, 1793, and kept in an ornately-decorated calabash since then.

This also broke the genetic link drawn by other researchers between the bloody rag and a mummified head said to belong to Louis’ 16th century predecessor Henri IV – assassinated at the age of 57 by a Catholic fanatic in 1610.

The revolution in which Louis and queen Marie-Antoinette lost their heads in public executions, also saw mobs ransack the royal chapel at Saint-Denis, north of Paris – hauling ancient monarchs like Henri from their tombs and mutilating the remains which they tossed into pits.

An individual was recorded to have rescued a severed head, long thought to belong to Henri, from the chaos.

The head changed hands several times over the next two centuries, bought and sold at auction or kept in private collections.

In 2010, a team of scientists said

the had found proof that the head was indeed Henri’s – citing physical features that matched 16th century portraits of the king as well as data from radiocarbon dating, 3D scanning and X-rays.

However, the team led by French forensic pathologist Philippe Charlier found no DNA and the findings were contested.

Last year, Charlier and Spanish palaeogeneticist Carles Lalueza-Fox published another study which claimed to have found a DNA link between the head and the bloody handkerchief, which had been kept in a gourd adorned with portraits of revolutionary heroes and the text: “On January 21, Maximilien Bourdaloue dipped his handkerchief in the blood of Louis XVI after his decapitation.”

The dried squash had been in the private hands of an Italian family for more than a century.

Three years ago, analysis of DNA taken from traces found inside the ornate vegetable revealed a likely match for someone of Louis’ description.

But not having the DNA of any kingly relation, researchers could not prove beyond doubt that the blood belonged to Louis – until Charlier and Lalueza-Fox announced last year they had managed to salvage some genetic material from the head and show a genetic link between two men separated by seven generations.

The new study challenges that finding.

Cassiman and his team tested the DNA of three Bourbon descendants of Henri IV’s son Louis XIII, who lived from 1601 to 1643.

The three were Axel of Bourbon-Parma (born in 1968), his cousin Sixte-Henri of Bourbon-Parma (born 1940) and Joao of Orleans-Braganza.

“Sixte-Henri, Axel and Joao have the same Y chromosome,” replicated through the male line from Louis XIII downward, said Cassiman.

This “true” Bourbon variant did not match the DNA found in the two relics.

Charlier responded that drawing up a Bourbon genetic family tree is fraught, given uncertainty about the paternity of several kings.

He said his own study had found 23 “morphological arguments,” both anthropological and historical, “to allow authentication of the head as belonging to Henri IV beyond reasonable doubt” – which had in turn allowed drawing a genetic link with the blood. l

on Thursday on a French-drafted resolution calling on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to submit a report on possible international support for a planned African Union peacekeeping mission known as MISCA. According to the draft, obtained by Reuters, Ban’s report should include “the possible option of a transformation of MISCA into a United Nations peacekeeping operation, subject to appropriate conditions on the ground”.

Former colonial power France, which intervened earlier this year to oust Islamist rebels from another of its former African colonies, Mali, has been reluctant to get directly involved in the crisis. It has urged African nations and the African Union to do their utmost to resolve the crisis among themselves.

But while the African Union plans to deploy the 3,600-strong MISCA mission, incorporating a regional force of 1,100 soldiers already there, it is unlikely to be operational before 2014. l

Leftist leaders and sympathisers marked the 46th anniversary of the death of revolutionary icon Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara in Cuba, where he is buried, and Bolivia, where he was killed in 1967.

Acting president Raul Castro led the main event in Cuba under a giant bronze statue of the guerrilla fighter in the town of Santa Clara, some 300 kilometres east of Havana.

Convalescing Cuban leader Fidel Castro, 81, was absent, but a homage he penned was read in public. The Argentine-born doctor-turned-guerrilla was “a flower torn up prematurely by the stem. I bow my head to pay tribute – with respect and gratitude – to the ex-

ceptional warrior,” Castro wrote.

Guevara’s Argentine widow Aleida March, 71, attended the event, along with his four children Aleida, Camilo, Celia and Ernesto. Guevara had a daughter with his first wife, a Peruvian revolutionary, both of whom are dead.

Loudspeakers also blared an October 3, 1965 recording of Fidel reading a farewell letter that Guevara wrote as he prepared to join the guerrilla war in the Congo.

Guevara’s youngest son, Ernesto, honoured his father by roaring in on a wine-red motorcycle along with 37 members of Cuba’s Harley-Davidson motorcycle club, all dressed in black and wearing chains around their necks. l

n AFP, Johannesburg South African police are investigating Nelson Mandela’s grandson for allegedly pointing a gun at a driver in a road rage spat, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Mandla Mandela, a traditional chief and member of parliament, is accused of pulling his gun on another driver after a near-accident on Sunday in the southeastern town of Mthatha.

“It was during one of these road rage quarrels with one of them accusing the other of nearly bumping into (him),” police spokesman Mzukisi Fatyela told AFP. “Then Mandla went to fetch a fire-

Dutch police are investigating a 48-year-old man who allegedly persuaded hundreds of girls as young as 10 to perform sex acts in front of their webcams and even at his home.

“He allegedly approached almost 300 young girls on the Internet over the last eight years, in chatrooms, with sexual requests,” the public prosecutor said in a statement on Wednesday.

The man, from the town of Cuijk near the German border, allegedly used a plethora of email accounts and screen names to contact the girls.

He allegedly “persuaded the girls to carry out sexual acts on themselves in front of their webcams,” the prosecutor said. Police found over 26,000 films and 144,000 still images as well as numerous chatroom exchanges on the computer of the suspect, identified by Dutch media as Frank R. The suspect is accused of having physical sexual contact with 11 girls, three of them at his home.

It is not thought that the man shared the images on the Internet.

The authorities have so far identified 65 of the girls, aged 10 to 17, living throughout the Netherlands.

Dutch media reported that the parents of a 16-year-old girl had gone to police around nine months ago because she was having a relationship with the suspect. The parents however decided not to press charges of taking a child away from parental authority, a crime under Dutch law. l

arm from his car and pointed it at the other guy,” Fatyela told AFP. The man laid a charge against the 39-year-old, who is Mandela’s oldest grandchild, on Tuesday.

“The charge is that of pointing a firearm. You can’t point a firearm at anyone. It’s a lethal weapon,” said Fatyela.

Mandela has courted controversy in recent months as a bitter family feud played out while his famous grandfather lay in intensive care for a respiratory illness.

In July he was ordered to return the remains of his grandfather’s three deceased children, whose graves he had moved without the family’s permission. l

Chile’s ‘Dalmatian Man’ risks getting evicted n AP, Santiago, Chile

Members of a military band stand under the iron sculpture of Ernesto “Che” Guevara at Revolution Square after an event marking the 46th anniversary of Che’s death AP

After watching the 1996 Disney movie “101 Dalmatians,” Nelson Vergara began fantasising about rescuing and taking care of as many dogs as possible. Today, 42 Dalmatians live in the backyard of his modest home on the outskirts of the Chilean capital.

“It all started because of that film,” said Vergara, 55. “That was computer-generated. But I wanted to do the real thing.”

That has him trouble with the author-

Nobel member says physics decision ‘wrong’ n AFP, Stockholm A member of the Swedish institution that awards the Nobel prize for physics publicly contested this year’s award, saying the honour for two physicists should have included the CERN laboratory which proved their theories.

“I think it’s wrong,” Anders Barany, a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences told AFP, commenting after the decision Tuesday, which was delayed for an hour due to “a lot of discussion”.

“I think those experimental researchers have done incredibly fantastic work and should be rewarded.”

Peter Higgs of Britain and Francois Englert of Belgium won the Nobel Prize for Physics for theoretical work on a particle that explains why the Universe has substance.

The presumed particle, popularly called the Higgs boson, was discovered last year by a mega-scale lab near Geneva operated by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN).

Many had expected CERN to share the Nobel Prize. But the organisation was only mentioned in a brief note accompanying the decision.

The mention “has never been done before. It’s a fine recognition but I don’t think it’s enough,” said Barany.

“It’s too watered-down, too little to be only mentioned in the text like that. I think it’s very clumsy with that kind of text.”

Barany is not a member of the Nobel Committee for Physics which determines the winner, or winners, of the prize.

Other Academy members argued that there was never any real chance that CERN would pick up the coveted prize.

“It was discussed a lot. But we must follow the (Nobel’s) will as I see it.

There is nothing in it about institutions so in that way the decision was dead simple,” said Hans Ryde, professor of physics at Lund University.

The chairman of the prize committee, Lars Brink, defended the decision, saying it was a “theoretical prize”. l

Dutchman accused of abusing 300 girls on Internet n AFP, The Hague

46th anniversary of Che’s Mandela’s grandson accused of pointing gun death marked n AFP, Santa Clara

Thursday, October 10, 2013

ities. His neighbours constantly complain about the foul smell coming from his yard, and municipal officials have threatened to evict him by the end of the month. Vergara says he only wants to set an example and raise consciousness so other Chileans can help in saving the growing number of stray dogs.

Free-roaming dogs number in the millions in Chile, a situation the country’s Humane Society has called alarming. Dog owners rarely spay or neuter their pets and commonly leave them outside when they go to work. l

Mohammed Morsi, center, speaks with Minister of Defense, Lt Gen Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, left, at a military base in Ismailia, Egypt AP

Egypt court announces trial for ex-president n AP, Cairo An Egyptian court has set November 4 as the start date for the trial of ousted President Mohammed Morsi on charges of incitement to murder for the killings of opponents who were rallying outside his palace while he was in office.

The state news agency MENA says the Cairo Appeals Court ruled on Wednesday that Morsi and 14 members of his Muslim Brotherhood group — in-

cluding his top aides — will be tried before a criminal court.

The case dates back to one of the deadliest bouts of violence during Morsi’s year in office. At least 10 people died in December clashes when Islamist groups and Morsi’s supporters attacked protesters camped out outside the presidential palace.

Morsi, ousted in a popularly-backed military coup in July, has been held incommunicado since. l

WORLD WATCH Zheng He may have reached America before Columbus

Author Gavin Menzies published a book “Who Discovered America?” Tuesday, in which he claims the discovery of North America by non-natives is more complex than assumed. He credits Zheng He, a Muslim eunuch, as having led Chinese fleets round the waters under orders from the Emperor. According to Menzies, Columbus used He’s maps to plot his own voyage. The map has been deemed authentic by an appraiser from Christie’s, though there is no way to ensure the map was based on drafts from the 1400s.

However, Menzies says many of the depictions on the map coincide with known landmarks from that period. Not everyone is on board with his theory however; Menzies has also been known to have argued Atlantis to be real.

China sacks official over lavish, three-day wedding

China sacked an official for “extravagant waste” after he spent an estimated 1.6m yuan ($260,000) on a lavish, three-day wedding for his son, state media said on Tuesday, the latest move in a crackdown on profligate lifestyles and graft. Ma Linxiang, a deputy village chief from the Beijing suburb of Qingheying, hosted the estimated 250-table wedding at a convention centre that was part of the main 2008 Beijing Olympics venue during the week-long National Day holiday last week, newspapers reported. A branch of the ruling Communist Party’s anti-graft watchdog fired Ma for waste and discipline violations, adding that while it had not found any abuse of public funds, it was investigating, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

England passenger lands small plane after pilot falls ill

A passenger with no flying experience has safely landed a light airplane at a British airport after the pilot became incapacitated. The plane, carrying two people, issued a mayday call as it approached Humberside Airport in northeast England on Tuesday evening. Flight instructors talked to the passenger from the ground and after several attempts the aircraft landed safely, although with a thump. Some witnesses described the plane bumping on the runway and sparks coming off the front of it. Police said Wednesday the passenger was unhurt but the pilot later died. Their names have not been released.

Attack on Jerusalem graves unnerves Christians

Christian leaders in Israel are up in arms over what they say is a string of relentless attacks on church properties and religious sites — most recently the desecration of a historic Protestant cemetery where vandals toppled stone crosses from graves and bludgeoned them to pieces. The attack in the Protestant Cemetery of Mount Zion, one of Jerusalem’s most important historic graveyards, has struck a particularly sensitive nerve because some of the damaged graves belong to important figures from the 19th and 20th centuries, a key period in Jerusalem’s history.

Police arrested four young Israeli settlers from the West Bank last week, two of them minors, in connection with the cemetery attack, said police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. But Rosenfeld said the four were subsequently released until further questioning. No charges have been filed, and they are not under house arrest, he said.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

China’s Bo Xilai allowed to appeal against life in jail n Reuters, Beijing A court in eastern China on Wednesday allowed ousted former senior politician Bo Xilai to appeal against a guilty verdict on charges of corruption and abuse of power handed out last month which earned him a life sentence.

Bo was a rising star in China’s leadership circles and cultivated a loyal following through his charisma and populist, quasi-Maoist policies, especially among those left out in the cold

by China’s anything-for-growth economic policies.

However, his career was stopped short last year by a murder scandal in which his wife, Gu Kailai, was convicted of poisoning a British businessman, Neil Heywood, who had been a family friend.

In a brief statement posted on its website, the high court in the eastern province of Shandong, where Bo was first tried, said it had allowed him to appeal. It gave no other details, and did not say when the appeal would be heard.

While Bo has the right to appeal, his sentence and the verdict are unlikely to be overturned as the courts are controlled by the ruling Communist Party which long ago pronounced him guilty.

A source with direct knowledge of

Disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai stands trial inside the court in Jinan the case said Bo had appealed “on the day the sentence was announced.”

“At that time he appealed verbally, and later submitted it in writing,” the source told Reuters, asking not to be named because of the political sensitivity of the case.

“He told the court of first instance that he would appeal and that is equivalent to the court receiving (the application). He also paid the appeal fee.

It is not clear when the appeals court

REUTERS

will start the review. It should be rather soon, perhaps this Friday or next week,” the source said.

Bo, 64, who was Communist Party chief of the southwestern metropolis of Chongqing, mounted an unexpectedly fiery defence during his trial, denouncing testimony against him by his wife as the ravings of a mad woman hoping to have her own sentence reduced.

He repeatedly said that he was not guilty of any of the charges. l

British Tibetan monk among three killed in China

Floods in Cambodia kill more than 100 n AP, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

n AFP, Beijing

A Cambodian disaster relief official says at least 104 people have died in recent floods caused by heavy rains and the Mekong River overflowing its banks.

Disaster management committee spokesman Keo Vy said Wednesday that floods in the past several weeks have affected some 1.5 million people in 17 of the country’s 24 provinces.

He warned that more floods still threaten the country.

The Cambodian Red Cross says more than 21,700 families have left their homes due to flooding.

Fatalities and dislocations caused by floods are an annual problem for Cambodia at this time of year. About 250 people were killed in 2011 in the worst flooding in a decade, according to the government. Only 14 people were reported killed by flooding in the relatively dry year of 2012. l

A prominent monk who fled Tibet in 1959 and co-founded the West’s first Tibetan monastery has been killed in China along with two other people, police said, with his brother saying he was “assassinated.”

Akong Tulku Rinpoche was the co-founder of Samye Ling in the rolling hills of southern Scotland, the first and largest Tibetan Buddhist centre in Europe.

In a statement posted on the monastery’s website, his younger brother Lama Yeshe Rinpoche said the abbot, his nephew and another monk had been “assassinated” in Chengdu in southwest China.

Akong’s body had been brought to hospital and a post-mortem would be carried out, his brother said.

Police in Chengdu confirmed that Akong, his nephew and a third man they described as their driver had been killed on Tuesday, but said the deaths resulted from a financial quarrel.

Three Tibetan men visited a house where the trio were staying and stabbed them to death in an argument over money, police said in a statement on their verified social media account.

A police spokesman told AFP Wednesday the three suspects were in custody.

Akong, who was in his early 70s, had taken British nationality and the Foreign Office in London confirmed in a statement the death of a Briton in Chengdu on October 8.

Akong and the other co-founder of the Samye Ling monastery, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, fled Tibet around the time of a failed uprising in 1959, when the Dalai Lama also went into exile.

The institution in Scotland has become known as a pilgrimage site for artists and musicians as well as Buddhist monks during its more than four-decade history.

Despite fleeing China, Akong had maintained a relationship with the authorities in Beijing, meeting government officials who were visiting Britain.

Rights groups say China represses Tibetan religious freedom and culture, but Beijing says it has brought massive investment to the relatively undeveloped region.

Around 120 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in protest at Chinese rule since 2009, and according to overseas campaign groups around 60 people were injured on Sunday when police opened fire on a group of protesters.

A county public security official denied any incident to AFP. l

US says Myanmar reforms ‘incomplete’ Be lenient, Rouhani urges police on hijab issue

n AFP, Bandar Seri Begawan US Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday that Myanmar’s dramatic political reforms were still “incomplete,” a day after the former military-ruled country released dozens more political prisoners.

“I think what is happening in Myanmar is very exciting, but it is incomplete,” Kerry said during a meeting with students in Brunei, where he was later set to meet Myanmar President Thein Sein at a regional summit.

“We have to see that the political transformation continues,” he added.

“Our hope is that the democracy will continue to evolve,” Kerry added.

Myanmar on Tuesday freed around 56 political prisoners, following a vow from Thein Sein to release all “prisoners of conscience” by the end of the year.

Kerry will meet with the former general in Brunei to discuss the “next steps in ongoing political reforms in Myanmar,” a US State Department official said.

He was also set to hold bilateral

n AFP, Tehran

John Kerry talks to Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah while Myanmar’s President Thein Sein stands by, prior to a family photo session at the ASEAN-US Summit REUTERS meetings in Brunei with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, and South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, according to the official.

Thein Sein, who took power in March 2011, has earned international plaudits and the removal of most west-

ern sanctions for reforms that include freeing hundreds of political prisoners detained under the former junta.

Relations between the US and Myanmar – a long-time ally of China – have improved markedly since the end of decades of harsh military rule. l

Iran’s police should keep a lower profile in their enforcement of the rules for women to cover up their bodies, President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday.

His remarks were seen to be keeping a promise of more social freedoms, a cornerstone of the campaign that gave him a surprise victory in the June presidential election.

“If there is a need for a warning on the hijab (head and shoulder veil) issue, the police should be the last to give it,” the moderate president told police academy graduates, Fars news agency reported.

“Our virtuous women should feel safe and relaxed in the presence of the police,” he said.

Rouhani argued that more basic steps should be taken to tackle what the religious establishment sees as contradictions of the dress code.

These could start with preaching in “schools, high schools, universities and mosques.”

The mandatory Islamic dress code observed in Iran requires all women to cover their bodies from head to toe.

Those who do not abide by the rules face arrest or other punishment.

Iran’s police force includes a “morality” unit tasked with checking women in the street to ensure that their clothing does not violate Islamic values.

Rouhani also suggested that some social issues stemmed from the country’s ailing economy, strangled by international sanctions imposed because of Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

“To establish chastity and morality in our society, we have to uproot poverty and unemployment,” he said.

Last month the mid-ranking Shiite cleric urged the police to enforce the law while observing human dignity and avoiding “extreme methods” on the hijab issue.

The soft-spoken president, who has the backing of reformists, moderates and some conservatives, campaigned for more cultural and social freedoms in the Islamic republic. l

Muslim leader charged for bloody Philippine siege n AFP, Manila Fugitive Muslim leader Nur Misuari has been charged with rebellion following deadly attacks by hundreds of his armed followers on a southern Philippine city, the justice minister said Wednesday.

A court in the southern city of Zamboanga has issued an arrest warrant for Misuari and three of his commanders for the siege of the city that began on September 9, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima told reporters.

At least 244 people were killed in the three weeks of fighting that followed, with the government alleging that Misuari masterminded the operation even though he was not physically present.

“I’m convinced that we have sufficient and strong evidence this time around to prosecute successfully Nur Misuari,” de Lima said.

Hundreds of Moro National Liber-

ation Front (MNLF) fighters occupied parts of Zamboanga for three weeks, taking scores of civilian hostages and battling military and police in a bid to disrupt government peace talks with a rival Muslim rebel group.

The MNLF were eventually driven out and their hostages freed but more than 116,000 people were forced to flee their homes and about 10,000 houses were razed.

The violence was the country’s worst since President Benigno Aquino took office in 2010.

Although the government acknowledges Misuari was not among the attackers, it says it has proof he ordered the operation.

His three commanders, Habier Malik, Bas Arki and Assamin Hussin, are accused of leading the attack and are also still at large.

Rebellion carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. l

Pakistani schoolboys look out the window of their classroom at other classmates chanting prayers to commemorate the anniversary of Malala’s shooting by Taliban AP

On shooting anniversary, Malala says doesn’t deserve Nobel yet

n Reuters, Bangkok

n AFP, Mingora

Flooding at an industrial estate east of the Thai capital has forced the closure of two foreign-owned factories producing electronic spare parts, but the estate’s operator said other plants there had no plans to halt operations.

Thailand is the world’s largest producer of hard-disk drives and a big supplier of electronic components and car parts, and devastating floods in 2011 hit some of the world’s biggest manufacturers, delaying shipments and disrupting supply chains.

Taliban mock US over government shutdown

n AFP, Kabul

Taliban militants fighting US troops in Afghanistan taunted Washington Wednesday over the government shutdown, accusing US politicians of “sucking the blood of their own people.” The Islamist militants issued a statement describing how US institutions were “paralysed,” the Statue of Liberty was closed and a fall in tourist numbers had hit shops, restaurants and hotels in the capital.

“The American people should realise that their politicians play with their destinies as well as the destinies of other oppressed nations for the sake of their personal vested interests,” the Taliban said.

The insurgents accused “selfish and empty-minded American leaders” of taking US citizens’ money “earned with great difficulty” and then “lavishly spending the same money in shedding the blood of the innocent and oppressed people.”

“Instead of sucking the blood of their own people... this money should be utilised for the sake of peace,” they added. l

Attack in Afghanistan kills 4 people

n AP, Kabul

A security official says a suicide car bombing has killed four people — two civilians and two policemen — in southern Afghanistan.

Police spokesman for southern Helmand province, Shamem Noorzai, says Wednesday’s attack took place in the Gareshk district.

He says the bomber targeted a police patrol and blew up his car next to a police vehicle in a crowded area of the town of Gareshk.

Noorzai says the explosion also wounded three civilians and a police officer.

Helmand’s provincial spokesman, Omer Zwak, says another attack, this one in Gramsir district, killed two people when the fuel truck they were driving in struck a roadside bomb.

Afghan insurgents are planting an increasing number of bombs across the country in a campaign to retake territory as foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan. l

Six Fukushima workers doused with radioactive water n AFP, Tokyo

Thailand flooding closes 2 factories at industrial park On Wednesday, Thailand’s biggest industrial estate developer, Amata Corporation, said two factories owned by foreign companies at its industrial park in Chonburi, 114km east of Bangkok, had temporarily shut. “The factories notified us that they will suspend operations for two days because some workers are finding it difficult to travel to work,” said Executive Director Wibun Krommadit, but he declined to identify the companies.

The estate was pumping flood water out of the margins of its premises and would be dry within a day’s time, he added. l

9

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Malala Yousafzai, nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, says she has not done enough to deserve the award, as her old school closed Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of her shooting by the Taliban.

The 16-year-old was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban on October 9 last year for speaking out against them.

She has gone on to become a global ambassador for the right of all children to go to school.

Feted by world leaders and celebri-

ties for her courage, she has addressed the UN, this week published an autobiography, and on Friday will learn if she has won the Nobel Peace prize.

But in an interview with Pakistani radio station City89 FM, Malala spoke of her desire to do more to promote education, saying she felt she had not yet earned the Nobel accolade.

“There are many people who deserve the Nobel Peace Prize and I think that I still need to work a lot. In my opinion I have not done that much to win the Nobel Peace Prize,” she said.

In Swat valley, in deeply conserva-

tive northwest Pakistan where women are often expected to stay at home to cook and rear children, officials say only around half of girls go to school – though this is up from 34 percent in 2011.

Malala was taken to Britain for treatment in the wake of the attack and now goes to school in the central city of Birmingham.

On the first anniversary of the shooting that came within a whisker of ending her life, her old school in Mingora, the main town of Swat, was closed to mark the occasion. l

Six workers at Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant were doused with radioactive water from a desalination system Wednesday, the plant’s operator said.

The fluid splashed onto the men when they accidently removed a pipe connected to the system, Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) said.

“The water did not come into contact with their faces so there is a little possibility that the workers ingested” any of the water, a TEPCO spokeswoman said, adding there were five other workers present at the time.

The pipe was reconnected and the leak stopped within an hour of the initial incident, the utility said in a statement.

The system is designed to desalinate contaminated water once it has been treated to reduce its caesium content. It is then stored in tanks on the site.

Wednesday’s incident will do little to improve the commonly-held view that TEPCO is making a mess of cleaning up the world’s worst nuclear accident for a quarter of a century.l

10 DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

Better safety and transparency in the RMG sector

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Severe problems in education

I

n order for the RMG sector to prosper and grow, apparel manufacturers of Bangladesh must clean up their act by increasing transparency and improving their safety conditions.

Bangladesh has had an unfortunate track record regarding safety in the RMG industry. The appalling tragedy of the Rana Plaza factory collapse and a succession of garment factory fires have brought Bangladesh’s safety conditions under scrutiny worldwide.

While some businesses may be eager to cut corners regarding safety in order to reduce overhead costs, bad safety conditions are hurting the very brand of Bangladeshi clothing and will be detrimental to us in the long run.

Bangladesh has Bangladesh has to remain to remain globally globally competitive in the competitive in the sector; otherwise our entire sector; otherwise economy will suffer if foreign our entire economy buyers distance themselves from will suffer if foreign our brand as it takes a beating buyers distance from the world media. themselves from Closely related to safety is our brand the concern for transparency.

Journalists must have access to information about the industry to disclose any wrongdoings or bad practices in the sector. Free access to the media creates accountability and forces factory owners to bring their work conditions up to the required standard.

In the past, foreign journalists had been denied visas to Bangladesh, sending a message to the world that Bangladesh does not do clear and transparent business.

Worker safety and transparency go hand in hand, and the media can play an important role in ensuring both. Grim stories of disaster in the RMG industry have been filling our airwaves recently, but some positive ones will lift our image and propel our economy forward.

October 5 There are 14 government and more than 50 non-government Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) in Bangladesh. TTCs have been preparing teachers of government and non-government secondary schools here.

Creative questions on almost all the subjects have been introduced in the secondary schools from last few years, though Math has started from this year, but TTCs are still following the essay type and short answer type questions. And yet, school teachers have to make creative questions for their own students.

Should creative questions not be practiced at the TTCs? Our honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called on us to vote for her to continue the development of Bangladesh. Should we not ask her what type of development this is?

Mawduda Hasnin Rajshahi

Humanising thyself Your call to the educated class to stop the abuse on household help workers is not going to get anywhere. Don’t you know that it is the educated class who are the perpetrators? So appealing to their good senses is not going to have any positive results. One way those people can be made to believe that their actions will have consequences is if they are caught, which might lessen the abuse.

When an abuser is caught, his/her face should be plastered all over the social media and perhaps fear of getting caught will make them stop. Their faces have to be exposed in the media. This is key.

We don’t know what Aduri’s abuser looks like and most probably she will not be serving a long sentence like others before her. With connections in the right places, such abusers get away from being punished and continue to live in the midst of everyone. Stricter punishment laws should be imposed and such people should be sent to jail for the rest of their lives.

Begging the question

Proactive regulations on interest rate expected

O

ur entrepreneurs pay significantly more than what businesses should ideally be paying in terms of interest payments. Among a few, this is a major sector of expense for our businesses.

The governor has already assured that the rate will go down soon and has cited various reasons to explain this unusually high price. We would rather that the Bangladesh Bank be more proactive and the situation had been taken care of ab initio.

There is regular talk about how our businesses need to maintain their cost leverage, this leverage being a cause against Low interest rates significantly raising the miniwill mean that mum wage of the RMG sector, every single sector and against companies spending of business in our more to maintain compliance country will have a with international standards. significant incentive In this scenario, an interest to grow rate anywhere in the region of 16%-18% is definitely not helping the cause. As a matter of fact, low interest rates will mean that every single sector of business in our country will have a significant incentive to grow.

In simple terms, there are two main reasons why interest rates remain high: The demand for loans far outweighs the supply of loanable capital available or the regulator wants to increase private savings and curbs the amount of loans taken out by hiking the price.

In today’s context, none of the reasons are valid. Reports, in the last six months, have said that investment has slowed down and the forex reserve has been at its highest.

Ideally, there should be no reason why we cannot follow the lead of our neighbours, who shift loans out at as low as 4% and in the process back investments in the best way possible. We should allow similar, if not more, incentives to our industries, and tax havens for priority are also something we should consider.

CROSSWORD

Once upon a time, the govt established vagrant homes, as per the requirement under the Prevention of Begging Act. The inhabitants consisted of adult males and male children. The vagrants and beggars sheltered in the homes were given basic facilities, including educational training, and thereby prepared for rehabilitation in the society. Whatever happened to those homes?

Waliul Haque Khondker

October 4 Faisal Mohammad Hossain With that same money, Bangladesh can produce its own electricity in our own land.

Md Shahnawaz Khan So why isn’t it doing that?

Adnan Ahmed As it is something that takes planning and longterm commitment, can’t expect those over here.

Aduri’s abuser should be charged with attempted murder and that would frighten others who regularly punish and torture the domestic workers.

Appealing to the human side of educated people will not change a thing! People with consciences do not torture other humans. These people are the monsters in a mask, so no point asking them to have compassion, because they are incapable of showing it. Only a strict jail sentence will work in Bangladesh. lila ahmed

The government plans to pass a law forcing children to look after their parents. How about passing a law first obliging parents to provide for their underage kids? why would a child, whose parents forced her or him to do drudgery from an early age, be willing to care for parents who failed them? And it should be a criminal offence to have children one cannot provide for. rutland waters

Be Heard Write to us at: Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Email us at: letters@dhakatribune.com Send us your Op-Ed articles: opinion@dhakatribune.com Visit our website: www.dhakatribune.com Come join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune

Government to prohibit begging in some areas in the capital October 4

Abdullah Saquib An initiative which treads a fine line between social welfare and social acceptance!

Rasel Bin Sattar Khan Great job!

Henry Carmichial You have to create jobs in order to end homelessness.

Fahad Salahuddin Saber Ma-sha-Allah! Hope this just the beginning.

Pritam Michael C That’s a good strategy. You don’t want see beggars everywhere, especially in a capital city.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

CODE-CRACKER DOWN 1 Magnates (6) 2 Above (4) 3 Replenish (5) 4 Tool (3) 5 Separated (5) 6 Precious stone (3) 7 Snake (3) 11 Take by theft (5) 13 Cut off (5) 16 Heavenly body (6) 18 Fish with rod (5) 20 Unspoken (5) 22 Not any (4) 23 Shake tail (3) 24 Everyone (3) 25 Optic (3)

Power import from India begins on Oct 5

Faisal Mohammad Hossain Because there surely might be some politics and corruption.

October 5

October 5

ACROSS 1 Make fast a vessel (4) 4 Long, detailed story (4) 8 Provoke (3) 9 Monkeys (4) 10 Small secluded valley (4) 11 Marsh (5) 12 Remainder (4) 14 Tiny (3) 15 Faucet (3) 17 Mineral spring (3) 19 Fermentation vessel (3) 21 Dash (4) 23 Bet (5) 26 Piece of money (4) 27 Bind together (4) 28 Clamour (3) 29 Merriment (4) 30 Biblical quotation (4)

Thursday, October 10, 2013

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

Sudoku

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Op-Ed

D

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Women moving forward

Thursday, October 10, 2013

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An unstable global economic system that is being ignored n Daniel Alpert

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Village women are seen making handicrafts for a living

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n Mamun Rashid

t was possibly mid-January 2007.

I was on-board an early morning flight to Kolkata from Mumbai.

The plane went into a turbulent zone just after takeoff. There were limited announcements as well as limited in-flight services.

I didn’t remember hearing the captain’s name either. Unfortunately the bumpy weather continued almost for two hours and the cabin crews continuously kept us listening to the “fasten your seatbelt” announcements. I was remembering the almighty God and my family back home.

The weather improved and we could see some sunshine once the plane was nearing Jamshedpur nearer to Kolkata and preparing to descend.

All of a sudden the cabin crew made an announcement, “Ladies and gentlemen, let us congratulate our captain, this being her maiden flight as the captain of the plane.” It was a lady captain.

This time when I went to Delhi during the last week of September, by the time the plane started to move at Dhaka airport, I heard, “Ladies and gentleman, Captain Sooty Sharma and her crew welcomes you on-board the Jet Airways flight.”

I thought this was the improvement I could see within the last six years or so.

Indian women have made tremendous progress in the workplace over the last

few years. Many of them are calling the shots in the business and professional world home and abroad.

On the other hand, we have Indian ladies like Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif and their peers, who are known to be Bombay heartthrobs. My aunt from Comilla once asked me: How do their parents look at them? How do they show up in front of their drivers, cooks and other house assistance or elders, after these dances?

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN five to ten years. No matter who says what, nobody can distract the Bangladeshi women from their forward march. Some people seem to be too bothered about Hefazat or some other religious fundamentalist groups.

I am least bothered and feel pity for them, who are unnecessarily wasting their time talking about Hefazat or their like in other groups or parties becoming successful to take us backward.

There are an increasing number of ladies with not only proper education but fantastic academic background, grooming up and capacity available in the market

I don’t watch many Hindi dances or movies therefore didn’t have any answer. But I possibly have an answer to why India has been identified as the worst place for girls.

Money is forcing everything to fall apart. At times, money is failing to protect our values or overexposing a person.

Bangladesh has seen an increasing number of women joining the workforce over the last 30 years or so. While women’s participation in the labour force was 8% in the 1983-84 period, it has reached almost 36% in 2009-10.

I am confident the situation will significantly improve over the next

Most of the violence against women was committed by derailed youth not believing in the teachings of Islam, political hoodlums, and even teachers. Corruption is equally responsible in failing to take necessary measures against violence on women.

Religion is rather helping our society to not see atrocities going beyond bounds. Most of our people believe a lady could only be a sister, daughter, mother or wife. Economic empowerment of women, media, senior citizens, NGOs even development partners have played a significant role here.

With the emergence of the market economy and the rise of consumerism,

many young girls are allured towards better dresses, better mobile sets, good food in a good hotel, nice gifts etc.

Young girls from lower income families often go for various compromises to enjoy these “not so necessary but good to have” amenities.

Otherwise brilliant, but coming from lower or lower-middle class backgrounds, private university teachers are also seen successful with various undesirable attempts on their young lady students.

For many in Bangladesh, women’s empowerment is a pep talk. You seldom get to see proper or proportionate representation of women in newspapers or TV interviews, senior government or private jobs or as such foreign training or higher education.

But we know for sure, there are an increasing number of ladies with not only proper education but fantastic academic background, grooming up and capacity available in the market. Even in the civil society organisations bosses are not promoting or projecting their lady colleagues unless they have a personal stake or gain in their successes.

It has to change and change has to happen with you and me first. NGOs have been quite successful in putting rural women at the centre. We should also be seen doing the same. l Mamun Rashid is a business professor and financial sector entrepreneur.

n Wednesday, the International Monetary Fund announced yet another reduction in its global growth projections for 2014, with its estimate of US growth also reduced (citing reduced government spending, but not the present US government shutdown – or the heretofore unthinkable notion of the US government defaulting on its obligations).

Despite the seeming urgency of global economic slowdown, when world leaders attended their annual fall confabulation at the United Nations in New York last month, they focused on the diplomacy of physical security (Syria, Iran, etc).

Thus another year has passed in which global economic security issues were on no one’s reported agenda.

Policy-makers continue to fail to appreciate that the most formidable economic challenge today lies in the area outside the borders of any one nation or region – and that multilateral action to address this challenge is arguably more important than efforts at increasingly less-effective internal stimulus.

Present-day economic imbalances – particularly those stemming from the rapid emergence of the post-socialist nations over the past 15 years, with their associated supply of excess labour, productive capacity and global capital, relative to demand – have hamstrung the economies of the advanced nations.

Such economic dislocation can no longer be resolved by any one power, or even by two or three.

Indeed, there is enormous risk today of unilateral or bilateral actions being viewed by players left out of such actions as economically threatening or even hostile, leading to economic countermeasures.

The issue is compounded by the complexity of the relationships among and between developed nations on the one hand and emerging ones on the other.

It is hard to imagine moving beyond a global economy that is just getting by, and therefore at material risk of new and deeper crisis, without a more open dialogue among the Group of 20 (G20) nations and proactive steps toward mutual accommodation.

Yet, since the central banks of the developed world have managed to more-or-less stabilise their economies – however tenuously – discussion of a global grand bargain focused on rebalancing international trade and finance has been all but absent.

Lessons from the US shutdown n Maneeza Hossain

T

he federal government shutdown in the US is making headline news worldwide, and it carries valuable lessons for Bangladesh.

For the legislative power to get to an impasse is part and parcel of a healthy democratic life. It tests the system at its limits, exposes shortcomings and forces compromise. In our case here in Bangladesh however, we carry such a showdown to new levels.

Rival political parties currently dominate the two chambers of the American Congress. The Republicans hold a majority in the lower assembly: the House of Representatives. And within the Republican caucus, the Tea Party is dominant.

Our political system exposes us to the permanent tragedy of a large segment of our population (the opposition) feeling alienated by our political process The Tea Party is a loose association of grassroots political action groups that subscribe to an aggressively conservative vision of government. For Tea Partiers, not only should government be small, but often treated as an evil intruder on the proper functioning of society and the free market.

The Tea Party movement has succeeded in electing a lot of typically young Republican Members of Congress who are both relatively inexperienced in government and responsive to the vision of the Tea Party. They are the ones who were instrumental in the proposed budget passed by the House and that includes reversing Obamacare.

Obamacare is the signature legis-

lation aiming at health reform, albeit coming short of offering universal health coverage, and that constitutes a major “achievement” of President Obama’s first term. By linking a balanced budget to a reversal of Obamacare, the Republican House has effectively declared war on the president.

The senate, while dominated by Democrats, unanimously voted to reject the House proposed budget. Republican senators it seems are more realistic and less ideological than their counterparts in the House.

The impasse of a no-budget situation in the United States has led to a shutdown of government and to a showdown between the president and the House Republican leadership. Signs of a potential compromise are already luring in the horizon: There is a national interest of not letting the nation default on its debts, ruining its economy and discrediting the political class.

It is true that the approval ratings of US politicians are rather dismal. However Americans tend to appreciate the performance of their own elected representatives even when they disparage the entire political class. In its current political crisis, the United States gives us an example of tensions that take the system to the verge of collapse.

However, built into these tensions are the interests of the elected as well as the electorate to reach a compromise. We can safely predict that however long this current standoff takes, it will end in a compromise. So all this news about a stalemate fulfills our need for drama.

Bangladesh has a unicameral parliament. This normally makes the system less prone to the type of standoff that

is paralysing the US. However, in our case, the norm has been a winner-takeall approach to parliamentary life. The party in the majority legislates, the party in the minority boycotts.

The odd situation of a seemingly productive parliamentary life with laws being enacted, while no national consensus and no real debate about the content and tenure of the laws is what we have here in Bangladesh.

We are thus subject to severe swinging from one parliament to the next, of reversing laws and even scrapping constitutional amendments. Bangladesh has a healthy, vibrant and democratically inclined electorate.

However, the main lesson of compromise and avoiding a tyranny of the majority which symbolise a mature democracy, and that the United States will have to work through to overcome its current crisis, seems to be lost on our system. The Bangladeshi system has been one that favours an absolutist majoritarian legislature.

The net result is that while the US is currently suffering a short drama, our political system exposes us to the permanent tragedy of a large segment of our population (the opposition) feeling alienated by our political process.

Bangladesh is ready for a different kind of politics, one in which the majority rules while accounting for the voice and the wishes of the minority.

If our politicians are not able to practice this formula, our civic forces should demand that it be codified in a constitutional text. While the US can afford a few weeks of shutdown, Bangladesh cannot afford a permanent shutoff. l

Maneeza Hossain is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington DC.

11

Policy-makers continue to fail to appreciate that the most formidable economic challenge today lies in the area outside the borders of any one nation or region

This is unfortunate, as it makes it unlikely that the advanced nations will be able to return to their potential growth trajectories for some time to come.

There is, nevertheless, enormous common interest if nations can find the right way to open a dialogue with one another. Both surplus and debtor nations have so far understood that it is to no one’s benefit to attempt to aggressively advance their singular interests at the expense of their trading partners.

We’re all in this together, our interests are intertwined in a flat world, and we’re dealing with more economic interdependence than ever before.

And thus far, at least, we have mostly avoided the “beggar thy neighbour” strategies that went awry in previous slumps, either out of wisdom or good fortune of their ineffectiveness.

That said, we are a long way from a harmonious, cooperative global trading environment.

Three key multilateral issues need to be dealt with in order to achieve global economic stability: The situation in the euro zone will continue to plague the global economy until it either self-stabilises or a solution is found. I do not believe that

it will self-stabilise (despite recent quiescence), so several proactive alternatives should be considered.

A multilateral effort is going to require give-and-take across the board, and the European situation is at a stalemate. Other regions, I believe, would be willing to aid a European solution if it were part and parcel of moving the entire global economy forward. But no outside power is currently interested in assisting because the remedies that have been attempted to date have done little more than kick the can down the road.

On a similar note, regionally, China is at a crossroads in terms of its internal rebalancing from an over-saving and overinvesting nation (with a national savings rate – not to be confused with the personal savings rate – in 2011 equal to a whopping 51% of GDP) to one in which consumption plays a greater role. The same is true, to a lesser extent, of other developing nations.

At the beginning of the financial crisis, in 2007, Warren Buffett was widely quoted as observing, “It’s only when the tide goes out that you learn who’s been swimming naked”

Finally, part of any G20 grand bargain needs to include banking reform. At the beginning of the financial crisis, in 2007, Warren Buffett was widely quoted as observing, “It’s only when the tide goes out that you learn who’s been swimming naked.”

As it turned out, the parade of nude bathers was quite long and included banks, investment banks, insurance companies, government-sponsored enterprises, and, in the case of the European periphery, entire countries.

Some were swept out to sea with the tide, but a sizable number have since obtained swimwear and are walking the boardwalk as though nothing ever happened. The fact is that many financial institutions today look pretty dismal under their cover-ups.

Moreover, there is a substantial difference among regions of the developed world in terms of what constitutes a strong financial institution. Given the enormous interdependence of global financial institutions, having multiple standards means that the entire international financial system is as vulnerable as the weakest of those standards – which in the case of euro zone banks is very weak indeed.

The evidence of the global economy’s growth-stunting tendencies is abundant. For example, in my recent book, The Age of Oversupply: Overcoming the Greatest Challenge to the Global Economy, I refer to the “triple hoarding” of US dollars. First, in the over $3.5tn held in foreign currency reserves. Next, the nearly $2tn in excess domestic liquid assets held by nonfinancial US corporations. And finally, the trillions of dollars of uninvested household wealth.

Similar points can be raised with respect to the world’s secondary reserve currencies, the euro and the yen, but the numbers are of course far smaller.

Repairing all of the problems addressed here comprise an ambitious agenda, to say the least. It will require an overhaul of the global economic and financial system of no lesser scope than that of the 1944 Bretton Woods Agreement, which established a new such order for the post-World War Two era.

Some may argue that the problems are too complex to be resolved and the best we can do is to wait them out. If we were able to do that, policy-makers would be saved from having to make some very tough decisions. But economic, political, and social pressures arising during this age of oversupply are not likely to grant us that luxury. It is long past time to sit down and lay out a new economic playing field that is conducive to more evenly shared growth. l This article has been syndicated from Reuters.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment Rediscovering the magic of Titanic in 3D n Entertainment Desk For the movie lovers of the country, Star Cineplex brings one of the most popular romantic saga “Titanic” in 3D from October 11, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the movie theatre Cineplex. This spectacular epic re-creates the ill-fated maiden voyage of the White Star Line’s $7.5m RMS Titanic and the tragic sea disaster of April 15, 1912.

Made with the combined contributions of two major studios (20th Century-Fox, Paramount) at a cost of more than $200m, Titanic ranked as the most expensive film in Hollywood history at the time of its release.

Writer-director James Cameron employed state-of-the-art digital special effects for this production, realized on a monumental scale and spanning eight decades. Inspired by the 1985 discovery of the Titanic in the North Atlantic, the contemporary storyline involves American treasure-seeker Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton) retrieving artifacts from the submerged ship. Lovett looks for diamonds but finds a drawing of a young woman, nude except for a necklace.

When 102-year-old Rose (Gloria Stuart)

reveals she’s the person in the portrait, she is summoned to the wreckage site to tell her story of the 56-carat diamond necklace and her experiences of 84 years earlier. The scene then shifts to 1912 Southampton where passengers boarding the Titanic include penniless Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and society girl Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), returning to Philadelphia with her wealthy fiancé Cal Hockley (Billy Zane). After the April 10th launch, Rose develops a passionate interest in Jack and Cal’s reaction is vengeful. At midpoint in the film, the Titanic slides against the iceberg and water rushes into the front compartments.

Cal continues to pursue Jack and Rose as the massive liner begins its descent. Cameron launched the project after seeing Robert Ballard’s 1987 National Geographic documentary on the wreckage. Blueprints of the real Titanic were followed during construction at Fox’s custom-built Rosarito, Mexico studio, where a hydraulic system moved an immense model in a 17-million-gallon water tank.

On November 1, 1997, the film had its world premiere at the 10th Tokyo International Film Festival. l

Metal craft display upholds rich heritage of Bangladesh n Afrose Jahan Chaity A gorgeous display of metal crafts by Dhamrai Metal Crafts ended yesterday at the EMK Centre. The exhibition showcased some great creations by the Banik family who are in this business for 200 years and own the largest workshop in Dhamrai area known as the Dhamrai Metal Crafts.

23 pieces of bold metal crafts was displayed at the exhibit, of which, the statue of Nataraja (Hindu God Shiva, the Lord of Dance) caught the attention of people visiting the exhibition.

Another eye catching statue was a miniature of the old Rath of Dhamrai, the detailed work of the piece was truly awe striking. There was Lord Krishna, Durga, Tara, Radha and Krishna, Mahaveera, Sarospati, Parboti, Vishnu and Buddha. Design of the metal crafts, were very gallant, attractive and polished. All of them represented mythological characters.

This 5000 year old tradition survives in 30 villages around Dhamrai and can be traced back to the Pala Dynasty (800-1100 AD), during which time both early Buddhist and Hindu settlements once flourished. This aspect of history is explicitly reflected in each of the metal crafts produced in Dhamrai.

The artisans of the Dhamrai area practice four traditional handmade processes, lost wax method, clay casting, sand casting and hammering. Be-

tween all these, the old wax method is very demanding and is practiced only by a handful of artists.

Sukanta Banik shares the story behind this craft with Dhaka Tribune: “It is one of the oldest traditions of Bangladesh. Previously there were more than 200 workshops, but now there may be 10 workshops still remaining in Dhamrai. We are the fifth generation of my family working on this craft. I use to help my uncle Shakhi Gopal Banik until he passed away and then I took over the business. I have about 22 young craftsmen working with me.”

Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan has lent her name to the cause of stem cell preservation by Life Cell, a biotechnology company.

The whole process of banking a baby’s stem cell has been made a lot cheaper by the company and Aishwarya urges family and friends to gift it to expecting parents.

“Families and friends can come together to make this gift possible in a parent’s life. We traditionally buy so many things for expecting parents,” the 39-year-old said here at the launch of the initiative.

“So family and friends can come together to pursue this possibility in expectant parents lives and make that the

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perfect gift for the child coming into this life,” she added.

Aishwarya revealed that even she and husband Abhishek opted for stem cell banking when their daughter Aaradhya was born.

“I had always banked that thought even before I got married. At that point of time we were contacted by a lot of companies and closer to the date we interacted extensively with Life Cell. Once were convinced we went ahead with the decision to bank with Life Cell,” Aishwarya said.Aishwarya urges expecting parents to look at it as a sensible investment.

“To those who can afford it, we really look at a lot of expenses. A lot of indulgences are so easily spent upon that somehow this thereby seems like a sensible investment,” Aishwarya said. l

Three promising bands 42, 12AM and Headline will perform tonight at Mermaid Café in Gulshan with the aim to give the music lovers a big boost at the beginning of the coming weekend The show titled “The Juke Joint,” will feature the energy of blues, jazz and rock n roll. The bands will improvise on a number of masterpieces by internationally famous musicians. They will perform with a special style of “jam band”— musical groups whose live albums and concerts relate to a unique fan culture that began in the 1960s with The Grateful Dead, and continued in the 1990s with bands like Phish. Jam band encompasses a range of traditions including blues, bluegrass, funk, jazz,

rock, psychedelic and even techno.

The band 12 Ante Meridiem, more commonly known as 12am, covers genres like rock, blues, reggae and pop.

According to the members, the band is committed to maintain supreme quality along with assurance of stylish live acts.

Dynamic band 42 play funk, jazz, blues and pop and also experiment with different genres.The two bands previous exciting performances and huge fan following promise to give another memorable gig tonight.

Headline is a group of young men who have been together for most part of their lives. Every member has a real farfetched dream of achieving something completely unorthodox through music. l

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3 bands to present jazz, blues and rock ‘n’ roll tonight

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Aishwarya lends name to stem cell banking n Entertainment Desk

Sukanta Banik mentioned that most entrepreneurs have given up the business because it seems to have no future. If the government doesn’t come forward, in the next five to 10 years, there will be no metal crafts industry left in Bangladesh. This exhibition is an initiative to save this rich art that is part of the heritage of Bangladesh.

A grant from US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation in 2003 helped Banik and other artisans build an apprenticeship programme and a skills exchange programme. The grant also helped them exhibit their crafts. l

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Yet another laurel for Shunte Ki Pao! n Entertainment Desk Grand Prix Winner in Paris, Kamar Ahmad Simon and Sara Afreen’s feature-length documentary “Shunte Ki Pao!” has won the jury award at Film Southasia (FSA) 2013, according to a press release.

The ninth installment of Film Southasia 2013 took place at QFX Kumari, Kamalpokhari in Kathmandu from October 3-6.

A total of 55 documentaries and non-fiction films from South Asian countries participated in the festival.

In addition to screenings, the festival featured talks and panel discussions on different issues related South Asian films.

The Jury awarded five prizes: Ram Bahadur Trophy for best film to “Algorithms” by Ian McDonald, the QFX

Jury Awards to “Invoking Justice” by Deepa Dhanraj and “Shunte Ki Pao!”

by Kamar Ahmed Simon, the Tareque Masud Award for Best Debut film to “No. 62 Pansodan Street” by Cho Phyone and the UNICEF Nepal Award to “Char… No Man’s Island” by Sourav Sarangi. Additionally, “No Fire Zone” by Callum Macrae received a special jury mention.

“Shunte Ki Pao!” will be also participating in Kosovo’s ‘Pri-FilmFest’ which will begin on October 20.

The depicts the story of people living on the fringe in a small village near Sundarban which is exposed to catastrophic consequences of natural calamities.

The region was severely hit by the cyclone Aila on May 25, 2009. Three years later, people are still struggling with the aftermath of that catastrophe. l

TODAY IN DHAKA Concert

3lectronica Club music performance

By German, Indian and local artistes Organised by Dhaka Electronica Scene Time: 8pm till midnight The German Club, Dhaka Orchestra Discussion and musical show Performances by Swani Zubayeer, Sunil Chandra Das Ali FM Rezwan, Md Moniruzzaman, Dr Sayeem Rana Time: 6:30pm National Theatre Hall, BSA

Theatre

Bangabalar Hatey Theatre (Arambag) Time: 7pm Experimental Theatre Hall, BSA

Exhibition

Shahabuddin 2013 Solo painting exhibition by Shahabuddin Ahmed Time: 10am-7pm Gallery Chitrak Road 7, Dhanmondi Miniature Art Exhibition Time: 12pm – 9pm Monobhumi Art Space 218, Elephant Road, Bata Signal, 1205 Dhaka

Comedy Show

Live Stand-up Comedy Show Naveed’s Comedy Club Time: 8pm to 10pm Nando’s, Level 3, Plot - SE(F), Gulshan South Avenue

Medical records of Monroe to be auctioned n Entertainment Desk A set of medical records which is believed to be Marilyn Monroe’s is going to be auctioned off next month.

The items are expected to be sold between $15,000 and $30,000 at auction which will take place on November 9-10.

The lot, which consists of X-Rays and a set of doctor’s notes, indicates that the iconic actress went under the knife in 1950s. “Nobody really thought about Marilyn Monroe having plastic surgery. It was always speculation - did she or didn’t she? They thought she was such a natural beauty, they didn’t want to believe,” Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien’s Auctions said, as quoted by Reuters.

According to the auctioneers, the items are sold by an unnamed person who received them from Monroe’s doctor Michael Gurdin as gift. At that time, Monroe’s medical files were listed using different aliases.

Monroe visited Dr. Gurdin starting from July 1958 and her complaint was “chin deformity.” She also suffered from Neutropenia when she was in England in 1956, ectopic pregnancy in New York in 1957 and a 1950 cartilage implant in the chin which “had slowly begun to dissolve,” the doctor said.

The “How to Marry a Millionaire” actress experienced swelling and tenderness following a fall in the middle of the night. Six X-Rays which were taken on June 7, 1962, two months before her death, show Monroe’s facial bones, nasal bones and the roof of her mouth. Although a radiologist concluded at that time that there was no injury to her nose, the auction house said on Tuesday, October 8 that recent observation showed “very minute hairline fracture.” l

Did you know?

36 father-son combination have played Int’l Tests. A pair of 4 brothers, 6 pair of three brothers and no less than 66 two brother pairs have graced Test cricket at certain point of time

Sport

Thursday, October 10, 2013

14 Wilshere wants English players only in England team

14 Spain thinking ahead before qualifiers

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Sri Lanka ex-skipper Dilshan ends Test career

BCB election today Legal complicacies still remain n Raihan Mahmood The election for the three director posts in two categories of Bangladesh Cricket Board will be held at the 4th floor of the National Sports Council (NSC) today. The voting process will be starting at 9:00am and will conclude at 4:00pm.

However, the election process is still to overcome some legal complicacies as the Fifth Judges Court of Dhaka issued a show-cause notice to the Chief Election Commissioner of BCB election Abdur Rahman, NSC secretary Shivnath Roy and BCB ad-hoc committee president Nazmul Hasan asking them why the BCB election process will not be ruled unlawful. The trio has also been asked to answer within 24 hours of the issuance of the showcause notice.

Abu Taher of Sonar Bangla Club, Md. Alamgir of Mirpur, Md. Selim of Hillol Juba Sangha and MA Razzaque of North Bengal Football Academy submitted a complain at the court claiming the draft voter’s list of the BCB elections did not maintain the criteria. The point tables of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd division cricket leagues of 2011-12 were followed to form the voters list whereas, as per constitution, the final point

Bangladesh cricketers celebrate the dismissal of New Zealand skipper Brendon MacCullum at the ZACS, Chittagong yesterday

MUMIT M

Honors even after first day Uddin Khan n Minhaz from Chittagong

New Zealand finished day one of the first Test against Bangladesh at 280/5 after Kane Williamson struck a measured century at Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) yesterday.

With the newly laid pitch at the ZACS expected to turn, Bangladesh went into the game with seven batsman and an extra spinner in Abdur Razzak in place of vice-captain Mahmudullah, who has been out of form for some time.

However, the pitch turned out to be flat and the spinners were unable to gain much help from it. Many

speculated that the lifelessness in the wicket was the result of the wicket being covered throughout the incessant rain that plagued the area in the days leading up to the match.

The New Zealand batsmen were faced with a wicket so slow that they found themselves waiting for the ball but it was the looseness of the Bangladesh bowlers, who strayed in direction that allowed the Kiwis the room to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Nonetheless, three wickets in the last hour of the day – courtesy of spinner Shakib Al Hasan and Razzak – meant that it was the Tigers who finished the day with smiles on their faces.

After electing to bat first, New Zealand’s openers Peter Fulton and Hamish Rutherford made a smooth start and put on over 50 for the first

wicket. Rutherford was the more aggressive and used the sweep shot to good effect, while surviving a close LBW appeal and once lofting Sohag Gazi over long-off for six. He was

Brief Score New Zealand 280/5 in 89.5 over end of day 1 Kane Williamson 114, peter Fulton 73, Hamish Rutherford 34 Abdur Razzaq 100/2, Nasir Hossain 5/1, Sohag Gazi 56/1 eventually dismissed for 34 by Gazi trying to repeat the shot, after a 57 run opening stand – the highest for New Zealand against Bangladesh The new man in Williamson however, proceeded to take centre stage. The right hander dominated the

table of the 2012-13 season should be followed. The court accepted the plea and issued a show-cause notice to the concerned persons. Abdur Rahman, the chief election commissioner, said he would be answering the show-cause notice within the deadline.

Meanwhile, former national skipper Naimur Rahman, Monjur Kader and Mirza Zillur Rahman will be fighting for the two slots in Category I. Rafius Shams Paddy and Saiful Alam Swapan will contest for the lone director’s post in Rajshahi, but the focus will be on Category III, which has 43 voters, where two former national captains Gazi Ashraf Hossain and Khaled Mahmud will try to win the lone slot.

The Category 3 consists of the educational boards, armed forces and others.

Enayet Hossain Siraj, Afzalur Rahman Sinha, Ahmed Iqbal Hasan, Mahbubul Anam, Jalal Yunus, Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, Gazi Golam Mortuza, Tanzil Chowdhury, Nazmul Karim, Najib Ahmed and Shaukat Aziz are the directors-elect from the Dhaka clubs that comprises category-2.

Akram Khan, AJM Nasiruddin, Kazi Inam Ahmed, Sheikh Sohel, MA Awal Chowdhury Bhulu, Shafiul Alam Nadel and advocate Anwarul Islam are also elected un-opposed in category-1. l

slow bowlers with cuts and drives as he put on 126 in partnership with Fulton.

The partnership was broken by Nasir Hossain just before tea when a short, wide delivery was cracked by Fulton straight to cover fieldsman Mominul Haque. The opener made 73.

Williamson went on to complete his fourth Test hundred with 12 fours before he was removed by Shakib for 114. The ace all-rounder – who is just coming back from injury - was used sparingly by Mushfiq and bowled just eight overs in the day.

At the tail end of the day Razzak, who was playing his first Test in two years, claimed two wickets to give the Tigers an even share of the day. The left arm spinner removed Ross Taylor for 29 in the 79th over and went on to claim skipper Brendan McCullum (21) with the last ball of the day. l

Nasir feels the momentum Uddin Khan n Minhaz from Chittagong The fall three New Zealand wickets in the last hour of the first day in the Chittagong Test has allowed Bangladesh to seize the initiative, believes star middle order batsman Nasir Hossain, after the newly laid wicket at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) proved to be too placid for the bowlers to make much impact for most of the day.

After winning the toss, New Zealand chose to bat and played patiently on a slow, low track, as the Bangladesh bowlers toiled to little effect on an unresponsive pitch. It was not till the end of the day the Tigers struck and the Kiwis finished the day with 280/5.

“We didn’t start smoothly with the ball but I think we came back in the game after picking up the three wickets in the last hour of the day. I believe we (Bangladesh) still are in the game and in a strong

position,” Nasir told the media yesterday.

When queried if the wicket is behaving the way expected, Nasir said, “We thought that the ball would turn more. It didn’t turn until the last half hour in the evening. Hopefully, it’ll turn a bit more tomorrow morning.”

With the regular bowlers being unthreatening, captain Mushifqur Rahim gambled by throwing the ball to Nasir.

The move proved fruitful as the bowler scalped Peter Fulton with his second ball.

“It was a very bad delivery, to be honest. I thought it would get hammered for a boundary the moment I delivered it but it got me, and the side wicket,” revealed Nasir.

Nasir assessed what might happen on the second day, “They want to score 400 runs and we plan to not allow that, but to be honest, we don’t want to think too much about how many runs they score.

The only thing we have in mind is how quick we can get them all out.” l

Fed Cup kicks off November 3 n Shishir Hoque The 2013-14 season is just 24 days away as the first professional tournament Federation Cup will kick off from November 3 while the top flight football, Bangladesh Premier League, is expected to begin from last week of next month.

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) professional football league committee, presided by league committee chairman and BFF’s senior vice president Abdus Salam Murshedy, was held at the BFF House yesterday where the decisions were made.

The committee also decided to extend the local players’ transfer window for the next season from October 23 to October 31 following the requests from the club officials. The window for the foreign players remained unchanged

which will end on November 15.

“Due to Eid (Eid-Ul-Azha), the club officials requested to differ the date of the deadline day of the inter-clubs local players’ transfers window, that’s why we changed the date,” said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Sohag.

Meanwhile, the committee suggested to the executive committee of BFF to include club representatives in the referees’ committee, informed the top officials after the meeting. Salam Murshedi admitted that some top club officials requested them to include in the referee’s committee for why they decided on principal to recommend it to the executive committee.

“Members of the professional league committee considered that if they are in the referee’s committee then the referees would not be biased to anyone, which make the games more competi-

Under-19 take on Kuwait today n Shishir Hoque Bangladesh Under-19 football team will take on Kuwait in their second group match at the AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers at the Francouse Al-Hareeri Stadium in Iraq today. Earlier, Bangladesh were crushed 0-6 by hosts Iraq on Tuesday.

Bangladesh head coach Rene Koster said that if they continue to play the way they did in Dhaka they would have a good chance against Kuwait. “We evaluated the Iraq match, we talked about it and our players learnt from this match.

And we know that Kuwait is not as

strong as Iraq. Kuwait team is physically strong with some good players too. If we can play like we did in Dhaka or the like we did in the first 15 minutes against Iraq, then we can have a good chance.”

Talking about the match against Iraq, Koster said, “Iraq are a very strong team and yesterday they played like Barcelona. Now we can see that there are lots of differences between Middle East and South East Asia. I hope our players learn from their mistakes and they will repeat them in the next match.

“Lastly, I want to add that from this sort of tournament, we can learn lots of things,” l

tive,” said Salam Murshedi.

The professional league committee after being pressurised by the clubs decided to re-recommend permitting the executive members to enter the field during the match as a official of any clubs, the recommendation which was previously rejected by the executive committee.

However, the Federation Cup matches will be held at the Bangabandhu National Stadium and Birshreshtha Mustafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur as usual where 10 clubs from Bangladesh Premier League along with seven Bangladesh Championship clubs will take part in the season’s first big event.

The committee also informed that BFF will take necessary initiatives for the foreign players of the 2013-14 season to get one-year multiple entry visa. l

Shamim leads bti Int’l Golf n Raihan Mahmood Shamim Khan of India retained his lead at the top of the leader board of the bti International Golf with an 11-under-par at the end of the third day at the Kurmitola Golf Club yesterday. However, Shamim was closely followed by Bangladesh professional golfer Md. Saiyum in second place at 10-under-par. Shakhawat Hossain Sohel, the Bangladesh professional and Md. Nazim, the bti sponsored amateur, were all at nine-under-par. Harendar Gupta played an amazing game of five-underpar for the day. Today is the concluding day and a fierce rivalry is on the cards. l

New Zealand upper order Kane Williamson relishes his 4th Test century at the ZACS, Chittagong yesterday

MUMIT M

Fulton pleased to provide the platform Uddin Khan n Minhaz from Chittagong New Zealand’s opening batsman Peter Fulton was involved in two partnerships that allowed the visitors to take the first day under control of the first Test against Bangladesh at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) yesterday. After a 57-run opening stand, Fulton took Kane Williamson to add 126 runs for the second wicket.

Though Williamson made use of the start by hammering 114 runs, 34-yesrold Fulton lost his concentration just

before the tea break to play a lose shot and get out on 73. The right-handed batsman was pleased with his effort while at the same time he was disappointed for not been able to carry on.

Fulton hailed Williamson as a very good player of spin bowling and that “He made it look pretty easy out there at times.” Fulton also said, “With the heat and humidity, you start to get tired and maybe reign yourself in a little bit. You have to be happy to just be out there in the middle. When the bad ball comes along, he is good enough to put them away.”

Though the wicket has disappointed hosts Bangladesh, Fulton informed that the pitch acted the way they expected and had planned for.

“We have 280 runs, so we would look to get around 350 to 400. That’ll give our bowlers something to bowl at. We did a lot of good work in the first 85 overs. If we would have come in with three wickets down, so it was disappointed to lose those last two wickets. We have capable batsmen to come, if we can get up around that 400 mark, it would get us in a strong position,” said Fulton. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Thursday, October 10, 2013

FA chairman wants change to rules after Torres escape n Reuters, London

Argentina's midfielder Maximiliano Rodriguez volleys the ball during a training session in Ezeiza, Buenos Aires on Tuesday ahead of their Brazil 2014 World Cup South American qualifier match against Peru to be held tomorrow in Buenos Aires AFP

Gago joins Messi and Higuain as Argentina absentees n Reuters, Buenos Aires

Midfielder Fernando Gago was absent on Tuesday from Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella’s revised squad for their last two World Cup qualifiers because of a thigh muscle injury.

Gago, Sabella’s first choice on the right of midfield, tore a right leg muscle during Boca Juniors’ 1-0 win over River Plate in the “superclasico” derby on Sunday, his club said.

Argentina will also be without captain Lionel Messi, striker Gonzalo Higuain and holding midfielder Javier Mascherano, who are all nursing injuries.

Sabella added six players from the domestic first division to his squad including Maxi Rodriguez of champions and league leaders Newell’s Old Boys, the Argentine Football Association said on its website (www.afa.org.ar).

Argentina, who have already qualified for the 2014 finals in Brazil, host Peru at the Monumental on Friday before travelling to Montevideo to meet Uruguay at the Centenario four days later.l

Chelsea’s Fernando Torres should not have escaped punishment for scratching Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen around the face and the FA’s disciplinary rules should be tightened up, chairman Greg Dyke said on Wednesday.

The Spanish striker was caught on camera gouging his fingernails into Belgian defender’s face and neck during the Premier League match between Spurs and Chelsea at White Hart Lane on Sept. 28 but could not be punished retrospectively as the officials had seen part of the incident.

But Dyke, making the keynote speech at the Leaders in Football business conference at Stamford Bridge said the decision “can’t be right” and he would be taking steps to change the rules.

“When the FA’s disciplinary department find themselves in a position that they don’t have the authority to take action for what was an obvious scratch on the face, that just can’t be right,” he said.

“What this means is that despite the rules being changed in the summer to allow action to be taken in incidents not properly seen by the officials, they clearly weren’t changed enough.

No room for error as England seek World Cup spot n Reuters, London England will qualify for the 2014 World Cup finals if they beat Montenegro and Poland in their final two Group H qualifiers and manager Roy Hodgson knows there is no room for error as they seek to secure their place in Brazil.

Both matches are at Wembley and England go into them topping the group by one point from Montenegro, who are Friday’s visitors, and Ukraine, and three clear of Poland, who provide next Tuesday’s opposition.

Hodgson, appointed just before last year’s European Championship, is confident England will complete the task and avoid the doomsday scenario of failing to reach the finals - something that last happened under Graham Taylor 20 years ago.

“My life at the moment is these two games,” Hodgson told reporters this week. “As for the doomsday scenarios put before me, I won’t have to confront them because I believe, and am confident, in that belief that the team will do it.

“Of course I am nervous, any coach worthy of the name is nervous when the whistle goes.

“But I believe we have the players to complete the task. I am certain as I can be that we will achieve our aim.”

England are the only unbeaten team in the group, and will look to preserve that record against Montenegro without left-back Ashley Cole, who will miss the match with a rib injury.

The 32-year-old, who has played 105 times for his country, is likely to be replaced by Everton’s Leighton Baines but has not yet been ruled out of Tuesday’s match against Poland.

Baines will win his 20th cap if,

as expected, he lines up alongside Everton team mate Phil Jagielka with the back four completed by Chelsea’s Gary Cahill and Tottenham’s Kyle Walker.

Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Jack Wilshere are expected to play in midfield with Liverpool’s free-scoring Daniel Sturridge and the Manchester United pair of Danny Welbeck and Wayne Rooney up front.

Rooney, Sturridge and Welbeck all missed the sterile 0-0 draw with Ukraine in Kiev a month ago.

Joe Hart will keep his place in goal despite a recent loss of form.

Montenegro come to Wembley hampered by injuries to four players who are all likely to miss the match including captain Mirko Vucinic.

Goalkeeper Mladen Bozovic, centre-back Marko Basa and midfielder Miodrag Pekovic have all been ruled out while defender Miodrag Dzudovic

is doubtful because he has a back injury as well as an injured hamstring.

Two years ago, in a Euro 2012 qualifier, Dzudovic was the player kicked

by Rooney which led to the England striker’s red card 17 minutes from the end of a 2-2 draw in Podgorica.

That match is one of three the two countries have played against each other and all three have ended allsquare.

Dzudovic believes another draw against England at Wembley and a win in their last match against Moldova could be enough to see Montenegro guaranteed a playoff place.

“But we will go for a win against England because we can’t just roll over and throw away all the good work we have done in the qualifiers so far,” he said.

“With the right attitude and selfbelief we can finish in the top two and reach the playoffs.” l

“When millions of fans watching on television around the world can see an incident like this and the FA does not take action, it is understandably baffling to everyone and has to be addressed.

“As chairman of the FA, I just don’t like being in a position where I can’t explain why no action has been taken in cases which seem pretty obvious.”

Torres escaped punishment for his facial assault on the Belgian but was given a yellow card for a trip on the defender that preceded the altercation and was later sent off after picking up a second yellow for another challenge on Vertonghen.

Dyke told Reuters later: “Frankly, it makes us look old fashioned and out of touch not to act on this kind of thing, and I want to get it changed as soon as it is possible to do so.”

Torres was handed a one-match ban for his dismissal against Spurs but avoided a lengthier sanction when the FA met to review the incident a few days after the match.

The Spanish international will, however, spend a little longer on the sidelines after picking up an injury in Chelsea’s Champions League match at Steaua Bucharest last week.l

Cameroon's Eto’o in retirement u-turn n AFP, Yaoundé

Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o, has reversed his decision to retire from international football, pledging Tuesday to join up with Cameroon for next week’s 2014 World Cup Africa Zone play-off in Tunisia.

Last month the record four-time winner of the African Footballer of the Year award told his Cameroon teammates he was quitting the national team.

His u-turn will be welcome news to the ‘Indomitable Lions’ who face Tunisia in Rades on October 13 followed by the return leg in Yaounde on November 17.

“You can have all the problems in the world but you have to see out your mission,” the 32-year-old told Cameroon state radio.

“And this time it’s to join my teammates in Tunisia and return with a good result.”

He will link up with the national squad in the French Cote d’Azur resort of Nice on Wednesday to prepare for the match.l

Wilshere wants English players only in England team n AFP, London England midfielder Jack Wilshere has insisted only English players should represent the national side.

The Arsenal star’s comments came as it emerged the national governing Football Association had looked into the eligibility of talented Manchester United forward Adnan Januzaj to play for England.

Belgium-born winger Januzaj can play for the country of his birth, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia and Turkey and the 18-year-old could represent England in 2018 on residency grounds if he remains in the country for the next five years.

However, Wilshere said: “The only people who should play for England are English people. If you live in Eng-

land for five years it doesn’t make you English.

“If I went to Spain and lived there for five years I am not going to play for Spain,” he added ahead of England’s key World Cup qualifier against Montenegro at Wembley on Friday.

Januzaj’s youth means he is a far more enticing option than Spanish-

Aussie plan gets mixed response in Asia n AFP, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia welcomed Australia’s plan to expand its domestic A-League into Asia but other potential partners were more guarded on Wednesday.

Singapore said it wanted to hear more details, while an Indonesian official said the country had had no contact with Australia over the proposal.

The comments come after A-League head Damien de Bohun raised the prospect of games staged in Asia -- and involving clubs based around the region -- as early as the 2014-2015 season.

Australia is hosting the region’s big-

gest football tournament, the Asian Cup, involving the continent’s top national teams, in early 2015.

With countries like Singapore and Malaysia having their own domestic leagues, it was not clear how any prospective team would also be able to play in the A-League.

But Hamidin Mohamad Amin, secretary-general of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), was upbeat over the possible tie-up with the 10-team Australian league. However, Indonesian Football Federation secretary-general Joko Driyono said he was not aware of any discussions with the A-league. l

born Mikel Arteta and native Italian goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, both of whom have been linked with playing for England following lengthy stints in the Premier League.

But Wilshere said having foreignborn players in the team risked diluting the essential character of the side.

“We have to remember what we are.

We are English. We tackle hard, are tough on the pitch and are hard to beat.

“We have great characters. You think of Spain and you think technical but you think of England and you think they are brave and they tackle hard. We have to remember that.”

Wilshere hit the headlines last week after being pictured with a cigarette in huis hand following an Arsenal night out.l

Dortmund’s Klopp accepts Uefa ban as injuries mount n AFP, Berlin Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has accepted his UEFA sideline ban for the forthcoming Champions League match at Arsenal as his club’s injury list grows. Klopp has been banned from the sidelines for two Champions League games after ranting at fourth official Venancio Tome during Borussia’s 2-1 defeat at Napoli last month.

“My main motivation is that I don’t want to give the impression that I am trivialising my own misconduct or want to detract from it,” Klopp explained to German newspaper Revier Sport.l

Spain's national team players jog during a training session at Las Rozas Sport City near Madrid on Tuesday, ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifier match against Belarus tomorrow AFP

Spain thinking ahead before qualifiers n Reuters, Madrid With holders Spain poised to secure their berth at next year’s World Cup finals, thoughts are already turning to what might happen after the tournament when coach Vicente del Bosque’s contract is due to expire.

An avuncular character known for his ability to foster harmony in his hugely talented squad, Del Bosque will be 63 by then and whatever happens in Brazil next year he has already earned his place in the pantheon of soccer’s greatest managers.

After taking over from Luis Aragones following Spain’s Euro 2008 victory, he led the Iberian nation to their first World Cup triumph in South Africa in

2010 and a second straight continental title in Poland and Ukraine two years later.

As Spain prepare for their qualifiers against Belarus in Palma de Mallorca on Friday and Georgia in Albacete four days later, Del Bosque’s record is an outstanding 65 wins from 80 matches, with eight draws and seven defeats, only three of which were in competitive games.

One indication of Spain’s success under the former Real Madrid coach is that the three goals Brazil put past them in their 3-0 victory in June’s Confederations Cup final was the same number they conceded in all 13 of their games at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.

The idea is he will oversee the transition to a new generation of players as the likes of Xavi, Iker Casillas, Fernando Torres and David Villa wind down their glittering international careers, the paper said.

“We have not considered any alternative for the post of national team coach,” As quoted RFEF general secretary Jorge Perez as saying.

“Del Bosque will continue with us for as long as he wants and for as many years as he wants,” he added.

Victory against last-placed Belarus on Friday would mean unbeaten Spain need a point against Georgia on Tuesday to be certain of top spot in qualification Group I ahead of France.l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

15

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Murray out of ATP tour finals

Quick Bytes

Artificial turf at Kamalapur

n AFP, London

The National Sports Council (NSC) approved the installation of artificial turf at the Kamalapur Stadium yesterday. At an executive meeting of the ruling body of the country’s sports, it was decided that the NSC would take the necessary steps to see the move implemented. Fifa will provide funds for the artificial turf.

- RM

World Cup will not be staged in Qatar summer: FA chairman Less than a week after FIFA set up a task force to look into when the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar can be held, English FA chairman Greg Dyke said it will never take place in the searing heat of the Middle East summer. Dyke has no jurisdiction on when the World Cup will be held as the FA do not have a seat on FIFA’s executive committee. But he told delegates at the Leaders in Football that “anyone who has ever been to Qatar in the summer knows you cannot hold a football tournament there then. “Even if you have air-conditioned stadiums, what about the fans ? At big tournaments you can queue for an hour to get in. To queue for an hour in Qatar in the summer is very dangerous,” he said.

– Reuters

Milan to sign Valencia defender Rami Embattled AC Milan could welcome Adil Rami to the club after reaching agreement with the French international defender’s Spanish league side Valencia, reports claimed yesterday.

Milan are enduring a horrendous start to the campaign having dropped to 12th at 13 points off the pace of Serie A leaders Roma and seen a number of top players join the casualty list. Defenders Mattia De Sciglio and Ignazio Abate have missed most of the start of the season due to injury. And although the pair are on their way back from the infirmary, La Gazzetta dello Sport said Milan have reached a “verbal agreement” with Valencia that would see out-of-favour Rami join the Rossoneri in January.

– AFP

Fellaini to wear splint for Belgium Belgium midfielder Marouane Fellaini will wear a wrist splint in his country’s final two World Cup qualifiers against Croatia and Wales, his club, Manchester United, revealed on Tuesday. The 25-year-old missed United’s 2-1 win at Sunderland last weekend due to a wrist injury and the Premier League champions subsequently revealed that he would sidelined for “at least a few weeks”. However, despite British media reports that he could be out of action until December, United said he will be able to play in Belgium’s game in Croatia on Friday and next week’s home fixture against Wales. “Marouane Fellaini has trained with Belgium wearing a protective cast on his injured wrist,” read a statement published on the United website. “Although some reports suggest the midfielder faces an operation and a spell on the sidelines, the deadline-day arrival is due to play in a splint against Croatia and Wales in the World Cup qualifiers.”

– AFP

Poyet convinced he can keep Sunderland up Gus Poyet is confident of preserving struggling Sunderland’s Premier League status after he was appointed as the club’s new manager on Tuesday. The 45-yearold Uruguayan has replaced controversial Italian Paolo Di Canio, who was sacked last month by the bottom-of-the-table Black Cats. They have earned just one point from a possible 21 in their first seven matches of the season. “I do believe we can get safe. I need to convince the players, I need to convince everybody to really believe in this and we start today,” Poyet told reporters at his first news conference at the Stadium of Light.

– Reuters

Ince gets five match stadium misconduct ban Blackpool manager Paul Ince will not be able to attend his side’s next five Championship matches after he received a five match stadium misconduct ban from the Football Association (FA) on Tuesday. The 45-year-old former Inter Milan, Manchester United and England midfielder – who was in trouble earlier in the season being fined for remarks made about a referee – admitted to three charges of misconduct arising from the 2-1 win over Bournemouth on September 14. He had also been charged with using abusive and/ or insulting words and threatening words and/or behaviour. Ince was also fined £4,000 ($6,400).

– AFP

Cricket lovers flocked to get tickets for the first Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand at Chittagong yesterday

Tickets in high demand for Test match Uddin Khan n Minhaz from Chittagong After more than two years, international cricket returned to Chittagong as the first Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand started yesterday. It was clear that the long wait had been felt by the locals as fans waited for hours to get a ticket for the first day’s play at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS).

Shorter forms of the game, such as ODIs and Twenty20, are highly popular in Bangladesh and as such, attendance for the first few days of a Test match are often poor. That was not the case at the ZACS yesterday as thousands – mostly students – stood in line for a ticket hours before the stand opened at

10am.

There was an unfortunate incident that that dampened the unexpected enthusiasm of the fans. A temporary platform over the drain in front of the ticket counter collapsed and a number of people on the platform waiting to grab a ticket sustained minor injuries.

The incident interrupted operations for about an hour until the situation was controlled by on-duty police.

“All was fine until the platform broke-off. This lengthened the queue for which now we are letting people directly into the office, forming a group of five to six. Another half hour or so and we expect the pressure to ease off,” a police officer told the Dhaka Tribune soon after the mishap.

Smith fails but South Africa gain practice n AFP, Sharjah South African captain Graeme Smith failed on the opening day of the threeday practice match against Pakistan’s second string here on Tuesday but four other batsmen hit half-centuries.

Smith, 32, managed just two before he was trapped leg-before by paceman Ehsan Adil in the seventh over after Pakistan ‘A’ won the toss and decided to field at Sharjah cricket stadium.

At close, South Africa reached 332-5 in the match where the first innings will be restricted to 100-overs per side.

Smith, who returned to competitive cricket after a gap of 21 weeks this month, was in need of gaining some momentum before the first of two Tests against Pakistan starting in Abu Dhabi from Monday.

But Smith’s failure was the only miss as Jack Kallis (70), AB de Villiers (58) Alviro Petersen (58), Hashim Amla (50) and Jean-Paul Duminy (49 not out) all gained useful batting practice in hot and

humid conditions. Faf de Plessis was unbeaten on 25. Amla and Petersen retired after completing their half-centuries to allow the rest to gain some practice.

Amla admitted South Africa did achieve the task.

Brief Score South Africa 332-5 in 90 overs (J. Kallis 70, AB de Villiers 58, A. Petersen 58, Hashim Amla 50, JP Duminy 49 not out) “It was very good practice for our team. All the boys are excited as we hadn’t played Test cricket for a long time. It has given us a great opportunity to reflect on what has happened and what we want to achieve,” said Amla, who hoped Smith will regain form.

Pakistani selectors will now watch how their second string batsmen cope against a formidable South African pace attack on Wednesday as they look to fill three remaining places for the two-Test series.l

There were also complaints from the fans. Sohel, a student of a Chittagong based government school, said that the queue was hardly moving and that a black market for buying tickets had emerged.

“I have been standing in line for more than 45 minutes but there has hardly been any movement. Many are being able to buy tickets but it’s surprising that they are selling them in black,” informed Sohel.

The last international games to be held at the ZACS was in 2011, when Pakistan clashed with the Tigers in a Test and ODI. Since then, the pitch has be re-laid and the drainage system improved as the ground is scheduled to host matches in next year’s ICC Twenty20 World Cup. l

MUMIT M

Andy Murray has withdrawn from next month’s ATP World Tour Finals in London as he continues his recovery from back surgery.

World number three Murray had an operation last month and yesterday saw the two-time Major winner confirm what had long been suspected when he announced he wouldn’t be fit to play in the showpiece event.

“I’m really disappointed not to be playing this year, I love playing in front of my home crowd, it’s a great atmosphere,” Murray told atpworldtour.com.

“All the players look forward to competing in London and I’ll be doing my best to qualify again for the tournament next year.”

The 26-year-old Scot started struggling with the back problem during the 2012 clay-court season and it recurred at around the same time this year, forcing him to miss the French Open.

But his absence from Roland Garros helped him compete at Wimbledon where he became the first British man in 77 years to win the men’s singles title. l

Dilshan ends Test career n AFP, Colombo

Sri Lanka’s former skipper and opening batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan is to retire from Test cricket but will remain available for shorter versions of the game, the country’s cricket board said yesterday.

Dilshan, who will be 37 on Monday, is due to hold a make a formal announcement at a press conference on Thursday, Sri Lanka Cricket spokesman Rajith Fernando told AFP. “He is retiring from Test cricket but will be available to play in one-day matches,” Fernando said.

The aggressive right-hander began his Test career in November 1999 playing against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo and the last of his 87 appearances came against Bangladesh at Colombo in March.

He scored 5,492 Test runs, including 16 centuries, with a batting average of

40.98. He is the sixth highest Test run scorer in Sri Lanka’s history.

He also took 39 wickets with his offspin at an average of 43.87.

Dilshan has been a key factor in Sri Lanka’s rise to the top of the rankings in Twenty20 cricket, smashing an unbeaten 74 off 51 balls in his last match -- a six-wicket win over South Africa at Hambantota in August. l

Djokovic romps to Shanghai win despite injury scare n AFP, Shanghai Defending champion Novak Djokovic shrugged off a injury scare to win his Shanghai Masters opener on yesterday, keeping alive the prospect of a mouthwatering quarter-final with Roger Federer, who also progressed.

Top seed Djokovic cantered through the first set against Spain’s Marcel Granollers for the loss of only two games. But early in the second he pulled up in obvious discomfort and called for the ATP trainer, who applied heavy taping to his right foot and ankle.

Despite the medical treatment, the 26-year-old did not look inconvenienced as he returned to the court to seal a 6-2, 6-0 victory, hitting a total of 26 winners.

The Serb, newly dethroned from the number one ranking by Rafael Nadal, played down the incident afterwards.

“It was just an awkward movement.

I was in an off-balance position. I was

running and I made a quick movement that caused a sharp pain at that instant moment,” he said.

“But after the match we determined that it’s nothing serious, so it’s all fine.”

Federer, who has slipped to seventh in the world rankings and faces a battle to qualify for next month’s World Tour Finals in London, won 6-4, 6-3 against Italian Andreas Seppi, after a testing start.

The Swiss great, playing his first match since a disappointing US Open, lost his serve early but broke back immediately against the world number 22, repeating the feat to take the opening set. A single break in the second was enough to seal the match.

Earlier, German world number 23 Philipp Kohlschreiber rattled a feverish Del Potro, striking 50 winners and 22 aces in a brave display of attacking tennis that had the Argentine searching for answers before he dug deep to win 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).

Kohlschreiber won the opening set but sixth seed Del Potro, fresh from winning his third title of the year at the Japan Open, levelled the second set courtesy of a single break and kept his nerve to win a third set tie-break.

Del Potro, 25, said afterwards that he felt feverish, admitting he was lucky his opponent made errors at key moments in the tie-break.

Fourth seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic beat Spain’s Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, and seventh seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga eased past Spain’s Pablo Andujar 6-3, 6-2.

Veteran Tommy Haas put out fellow German Daniel Brands but America’s top player John Isner lost in straight sets to Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq.

There were also wins for seeded players Stanislas Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori.

Spain’s Tommy Robredo retired from his match against Italy’s Fabio Fognini with a wrist injury when trailing by a set. l

Vettel eyes ‘incredible’ fourth season win n AFP, Yokohama Sebastian Vettel said yesterday that winning his fourth world title in a row would be “incredible”, ahead what could be the championship decider in Japan this weekend.

The Red Bull driver stands on the verge of true Formula One greatness. A victory at Suzuka would elevate him to the stature of Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher as only the third four-in-a-row champion.

“It is an incredible position to be in,” the soft-spoken German told a fan event at Nissan Motor Headquarters in Yokohama, south of Tokyo.

“Our car seems to work well. So we have a reason to believe we will have a good weekend,” the 26-year-old said.

Vettel has won the last four races – and eight out of 14 this season – to

put one hand on his fourth successive world title, which he can claim at Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.

But his dominance has not been welcomed by everyone. Vettel has been booed repeatedly on the podium by disgruntled spectators who want to see a nail-biting competition.

However, anyone hoping he might fall at this weekend’s hurdle has history against them -- Vettel has won three of the past four Japan Grand Prix.

“To be honest, I am looking forward to Suzuka. From the driver’s point of view, it is one of the best, if not the best track in the world,” he said.

Vettel added he was focused on the race at hand, not busy counting his past victories.

“I think you have other things in your head. You obviously are busy driving the car. You are looking after the tyres. Alway focused on the moment,” he said. l

Novak Djokovic of Serbia strikes a forehand to Marcel Granollers of Spain during their men's singles match in the Shanghai Masters in Shanghai yesterday AFP

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Hoaxers target politicos with fake Dhaka Tribune email n Tribune Report

RMG FACTORY FIRE

Victims tried to douse flames Islam Shaon and n Ashif Mohammad Jamil Khan The six workers and one official of Aswad Composite Mills Limited, who lost their lives in Tuesday’s devastating fire, could not get away from the burning factory building in time because they were trying to fight the flames.

Several surviving workers said they had enough time to leave the building by the eight spacious staircases after the fire broke out and most of them did so, except some brave ones.

Among them seven could not come out in the end from the second floor of the two-storey building.

Aswad Composite Mills is a sister concern of Palmal Group at Beraiderchala in Sreepur, Gazipur.

An official, who witnessed the incident, told the Dhaka Tribune that the factory’s Assistant General Manager Rasheduzzaman Mandol was in a meeting with Director Emdad Khan and other high officials in the afternoon in the conference room.

“I was standing in front of a row of workstations. Suddenly around 5:45pm someone from the knitting section shouted that he had seen sparks from a chimney of a Standard Machine.

The machine was on the ground floor but its chimney came out on the second floor,” the official said.

Hearing the noise, the AGM and other officials rushed to the spot.

“We pulled out two hose pipes, took out a couple of fire extinguishers, but the flames seemed to be going beyond control every moment,” he said.

“The fire spread to the adjacent rooms. We asked the women to run and men to help. But the fumes made it impossible to see anything within a few minutes. The fumes were toxic and intolerable. It choked our breath,” he said.

The official last saw Naimur Rah-

man, assistant fitter-man to hold an end of a hose pipe before fume covered the area. The AGM was standing near a staircase.

“God saved me. With my cell phone’s torch light I grabbed a staircase railing.

I don’t know how I came out,” he said.

Fire Service and Civil Defence officials also described a similar situation.

“Fire fighting equipment were available in the factory but workers could not use them. Besides, the chemicals used in the factory were not flammable, but they created a lot of smoke,” said Deputy Assistant Director Akhteruzzaman.

Workers said on the first floor there were 91 Standard Machines, which check fabric quality. But during the incident 60 of them were running. There were 170 workers on that floor in seven rows including six women.

The knitting and dyeing sections were on the second floor and the compacting section was on the ground floor.

This floor was not damaged in the fire.

According to a couple of workers the factory produced fabric for some famous clothing brands like Wall Mart, Zixy, H&M, George, Just Jeans, Primark, Terranova, All Worth, Brass Pro, Benetto and Zara.

Meanwhile, the local administration yesterday ascertained the names of seven victims — AGM Rasheduzzaman Mandol, Senior Operator Khalilur Rahman, 26, Assistant Fitter-man Naimur Rahman, Operators of knitting section Md Rubel Miah,23, Bulbul Islam, 29, Minhazur Huq, 23, and Lazu Miah Razu, 21. Police said nine people were killed in the incident.

Yesterday a number of workers had reported some of their co-workers missing.

Gazipur Additional District Magistrate Mohammed Mohsin was entrusted with the responsibility to head a seven-member probe team to look into the incident yesterday. l

Fire fighters make hectic effort to douse the fire of Aswad Composite Mills of Palmal Group at Gazipur yesterday

RAJIB DHAR

Families left without support Jamil Khan and n Mohammad Ashif Islam Shaon

They sacrificed their lives to save dozens of colleagues from a devastating fire at their work place, but left behind families with no one to support them.

The seven workers who died at the devastating fire that broke out at the Aswad Composite Mills on Tuesday night, managed to save the lives of at least 170 fellow workers at the factory in Shreepur, Gazipur.

According to relatives, they were the only earning members of their families, and their sudden deaths have left elderly parents and younger siblings desperate, with little hope for the future.

Victim Mohammad Khalilur Rahman, 26, was a senior machine operator at factory. As the eldest son of the family, he was the sole provider for his elderly parents and schoolgoing younger brother, said his cousin, Ashraful, who

came to Gazipur to take Khalilur’s body home to Rangpur.

Ashraful said his cousin was supposed to return home next Tuesday, with money and clothes for Eid. Another victim, Bulbul Islam, 21, an operator at the knitting section, had also been the sole provider for his widowed mother and two younger sisters, said his cousin, Kamruzzaman.

Bulbul’s mother became senseless at her home in Dinajpur on hearing the news of his death, Kamruzzaman said.

“Now there is no one left behind to support the family or arrange the marriages of his sisters,” Kamruzzaman said in a sad voice.

Five other victims, who worked in the knitting section, were identified as Rasheduzzaman Mondol, 33, Naimur Rahman, 26, Rubel Mia, 23, Minhazul Haque, 23, and Raju Mia. Meanwhile, the managing director of the factory, Nafis Shikder, yester-

day declared that each victim’s family would receive Tk500,000 as compensation and the company would stand beside them.

During a visit to a local health facility where the dead bodies were kept, Nafis said the victims were not only promising workers, but also brave as they risked their lives to save their colleagues and factory property. He also offered jobs to unemployed but qualified family members of the victims.

After the fire incident, the mostly charred bodies of the victims were taken to the Upazila Health Complex at Sheerpur. The bodies were handed over to relatives for burial yesterday after verification by local law-enforcers and administrative officials.

“The bodies were handed over after proper identification by the relatives and verification from local officials,” Aziz Hayder Bhuyan, upazila nirbahi official of Sheerpur, told the Dhaka Tribune. l

It has recently been noticed that fake emails have been sent to different political people using the name of the Dhaka Tribune and one of its reporters, seeking their interviews.

According to an email, Kayes Sohel, Junior Auditor of Dhaka Tribune, said the media was launching a new magazine.

The claim made by the sender is totally false, as the newspaper is not launching any magazine and it does not have any such position.

Although the Dhaka Tribune has a reporter with the same name, he was not assigned to do such interviews and neither has he sent any of these emails.

On October 8, the fictitious sender had emailed Saima Wazed Hossain, daughter of the prime minister, seeking an appointment for an interview.

The email, mentioning the sender’s name as Kayes Sohel, sought to interview them about the next election and mentioned that the paper was doing a survey on possible election outcome.

The email reads: “I am Kayes Sohel, Junior Auditor of Dhaka Tribune. There is a new magazine release by our media centre in which we are going to give points on the winning leader parties of Bangladesh in which we request you to give us an interview about which party will have the courage to win as per our questionnaire. As Research done by our marketing team we came to know about some members who should give us a proper feedback about the winning party and political leader. It would be our immense pleasure if you would like to give us a chance to have an interview-session with you.”

On October 9, the sender sent a similar email to Sushanta Das Gupta, but the email ID or domain used by the sender is not used by the Dhaka Tribune. The file attached with the email contains virus, which was confirmed by the newspaper after it checked the mail.

So, the newspaper has no relation with such fabricated and false emails. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed at Romask Limited, 184, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1215. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com

Business

B2 Bangladesh improves in ICT index

B3 Price hike helps boost frozen food exports

www.dhakatribune.com/business

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

Energy crisis takes toll on manufacturing output ‘Political uncertainty is a new addition to factors slowing down the manufacturing growth’ n Kayes Sohel For more than four years, a Tk1bn project of TRZ Garments Industry is waiting for gas connection to take off. The project on 300,000 square feet space in Gazipur area has the capacity to employ over 6,000 people.

“When the waiting will end … I don’t know,” said managing director Harun-urRashid, who applied for gas connection in May, 2009.

To add to his woes, the application and related documents for gas connection was lost by the government officials. “They asked me to submit fresh application. But I did not … finally it was found in the piles of files two months back.”

Presently, a part of the project is being run by diesel, inflating the production cost by 8-10 times. “I am counting losses of Tk180m every year,” said Rashid.

Like TRZ Garments Industry, many other manufacturing units of the country like Giant Textile and Milestone Garments failed to go for production years after years for gas crisis.

According to Petrobangla, the country produces around 2,300 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd) against demand for around 3,000mmcfd.

The country’s manufacturing sector relies heavily on gas as a reliable, effective and affordable source of energy. “If governments do nothing to address it, the consequence will be dire. Many manufacturing companies will have no choice but to dramatically cut production. It would then affect the economic growth,” said Rashid.

His story has well reflected in the manufacturing sector growth. Contribution of the manufacturing industry to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted for the first time in three years in the last financial year, as output of mainly small scale industries witnessed a sharp decline.

Acute energy shortages, higher interest rate, increased cost of production, sluggish investment and drop in capital machinery import are taking their toll on the manufacturing sector, analysts say.

The country’s manufacturing growth, according to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), to GDP at constant price was provisionally estimated at 9.34% in fiscal year 2012-13, down from 9.37% a year ago.

The manufacturing growth was 9.45% in 2010-11 and 6.5% in 2009-10.

Capital machinery import dropped in FY13 Textile

Leather

Jute

16%

Pharmaceuticals

21% 31%

58% ‘True, there’s a rise in textile exports. But look at the industry potential. Energy problems and spiking cost of doing business are not letting us take advantage of our potential’ The data underscored that the large, medium and small scale manufacturing had under-performed, dampening the annual target of economic growth of 7% in the last fiscal year.

The contribution of large and medium scale industries to GDP accounted for 10.32% in FY13, which was 10.52% in the previous fiscal year. The contribution of small scale industries to GDP remained almost static during the period.

It says performance of glass and glass product, carpet and rugs, petroleum refinery, industrial chemicals, leather products, transport equipments, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, wood products, ceramic, cement and electronic goods also showed slow growth.

Small scale manufacturing industries like rice milling, dairy products, knitwear, leather products, footwear, embroidery, wooden furniture and non-metallic mineral products show downward growth in the first six months of the last fiscal year.

“The slowdown in the industrial output was inevitable because of the cut in

industrial productivity due to power and gas shortage,” said Jahangir Alamin, president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association.

He said: “True, there’s a rise in textile exports. But look at the industry potential.

Energy problems and spiking cost of doing business are not letting us take advantage of our potential.”

Over the last four years, many units remained inactive because of gas crisis and some units are running by using diesel-run generator, leading to make higher cost of doing business, he said.

Textile machinery import fell nearly 16% to $349.8m in FY13 compared to the previous fiscal year. During the period, import of capital machinery for leather industry dropped sharply over 58% to $4m, jute industry 31% to $23m, pharmaceuticals 21% to $362m, Bangladesh Bank data shows.

Energy shortages are affecting smaller manufacturer more than the large-scale ones having capacity to go for fuel oil based energy though expensive. “A number of small units have already closed down because they did not have and could not arrange alternative power supply due to financial shortcomings,” said a SME

Foundation official.

Mizanur Rahman, managing director of Ratanpur Spinners Ltd, said there were no new investment and expansion of the existing plants over the last four years. According to his view the economic slowdown in Europe, appreciation of taka against the US dollar and Syria turmoil hurt their business.

Motiur Rahman, managing director of Uttara Motors, said looming political chaos and adverse policy on car business hit sales of automobiles. Capital machinery imports required for automobiles and other vehicles dropped by more than 60% in the last fiscal year.

Center for Policy Dialogue executive director Mustafizur Rahman said, in general, the manufacturing sector is facing energy crisis and under developed infrastructure for long, thwarting the opportunity of faster economic growth.

Higher cost of credit, though rate of interest started coming down in the recent days but still in higher level, has caused fresh investment in industrial manufacturing to dry up in the last financial year, deepening supply side constraints, he said.

“Political uncertainty is a new addition to slow down the manufacturing growth.”

Zaid Bakht, research director of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, said: “There has been no significant private investment in the industrial sector in the last year to increase productivity as it was evident in declining import of capital machinery.” Most medium to large scale manufacturers somehow managed to absorb hike in energy price, but small industry are finding it difficult to cope with the power cuts and gas shortage, he added. l

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

Bangladesh improves in ICT index n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Bangladesh’s position in the ICT Development Index (IDI) has been upgraded by four steps, showed a report prepared by the International Telecommunication Union for the year 2012.

The measurement ranked Bangladesh 135th among 157 in list of “most dynamic countries” in the world.

The position in the previous year was 139th in the list of same number of countries.

ITU published the report this week, which however placed Bangladesh behind three South Asian countries- Sri Lanka (107th), India (121st) and Pakistan (129th).

Even the neighboring Myanmar that has just started walking in the ICT sector is also ahead of Bangladesh being placed at 134th.

Out of 10, Bangladesh score has improved to 1.73 in the 2012 report from the previous year’s 1.62.

“No doubt we are moving forward, but at the same time we also need to understand that we are far more behind compared to our neighboring countries,” Mustafa Jabbar, president of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) told the Dhaka Tribune.

He said: “We need to go faster to reach their levels.”

However, this ICT sector entrepreneur is hopeful of a bright future of Bangladesh in the industry.

Like Bangladesh, Australia, Oman and Zimbabwe have also made four steps progress in the most dynamic countries list.

“According to the report we have done well. But we are doing much better right now,” said TIM Nurul Kabir, secretary general of Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (Amtob).

No doubt we are moving forward, but at the same time we also need to understand that we are far more behind compared to our neighboring countries The report says 1.42m people of the Bangladesh have been brought under ICT facility, which is only less than 1% of the country’s total population.

“Our market is booming and lots of young people are adopting ICT facility but the government needs to do more on improving the infrastructure and bureaucratic system,” said Shameem Ahsan, president of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS).

South Korea continues to top the list, followed by Sweden, while other Nordic countries- Iceland, Denmark, Finland and Norwayfollow closely.

The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg and Hong Kong (China) also rank

Positions in ICT Development Index of Regional Countries Sri Lanka India Pakistan Myanmar Bangladesh

2012 107 121 129 134 135

2011 107 120 128 132 139

Jamuna Bank opens branch in Faridpur

n Tribune Business Desk

Source: International Telecommunication Union on the top ten.

The ITU publishes IDI report annually since 2009, featuring two benchmarking tools to measure the information society: the ICT Development Index (IDI) and the ICT Price Basket (IPB).

The IDI measures the level of ICT development in the world’s 157 economies and compares progress made during the previous year.

The ICT Price Basket (IPB) combines the consumer prices for the fixed and mobile telephone and internet broadband services for 161 economies into one measure and compares these across countries, and over time. l

Airtel launches 3G service in Chittagong n Tribune Report Mobile phone operator Airtel has started its 3G service on a trial basis in the port city of Chittagong yesterday.

City Mayor M Monzur Alam inaugurated the service through a video call at Airtel customer care office in Agrabad with a young university student of Chittagong.

Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mahbubul Alam and Daily Azadi Editor Abdul Malek attended the function as special guests.

Airtel executives said the services would be made available for customers of Chittagong on trial basis in and around Agrabad commercial area, CEPZ, Patenga Beach, airport, Dewan Bazar, New Market, Chittagong Railway Station and Jamal Khan before Eid-ul-Azha.

It would also be made available on trial basis in parts of Dhaka and Sylhet before Eid-ul-Azha.

By January 2014, all seven divisional headquarters and Comilla will come under the services. Airtel is committed to cover the rest of the country as per the license guideline.

On the occasion, Mayor Monzur Alam said the position of Bangladesh in the techworld will be stronger through this service.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bangladesh Airtel Chris Tobit said they are very excited to bring 3G services to their valued customers in Chittagong.

“We believe that Airtel will be able to play significant role in bringing the existing gaps in the fields of communication and

Jamuna Bank Limited (JBL) opened a new branch at Chaukbazar, Central Road in Faridpur. JBL chairman Kanutosh Majumder recently inaugurated the bank’s 86th branch, said a press release.

Jamuna Bank Foundation chairman Nur Mohammed and JBL sponsor Tasmin Mahmud were also present at the function with managing director Shafiqul Alam in the chair. l

Radiant Alliance to install 18kwp solar system at Cityscape

n Tribune Business Desk

Radiant Alliance Limited, a subsidiary of East Coast Group, is going to install an 18kwp solar power system in the Cityscape Tower in Dhaka.

This is the first commercial green building in Bangladesh that is pursuing an LEED platinum certification, the highest green certificate awarded by the US Green Building Council, said a press release.

Radiant managing director Tanjil Chowdhury, CEO Avijit Barua and Cityscape managing director Nahid Sarwar were present at an agreement signing in this regard in the city recently. l

Regent Airways launches Dhaka-Bangkok flights

n Tribune Business Desk

Airtel launches 3G service on trial basis in Chittagong yesterday knowledge.” On September 8, Airtel bought 5MHz spectrum during the 3G auction. It would help operators provide their users different services including high speed

FAHIM

wireless internet, TV output and video conference. In 2010, Airtel 2G services had covered 25% of the areas, but now Airtel 2G coverage would be over 80%. l

Regent Airways yesterday launched flights to its second international destination Bangkok, Thailand.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Faruk Khan was present at the function, said a press release. The airline will operate four flights every week in the route.

Civil Aviation Authority chairman Mahmud Hussain, Regent Airways’ managing director Mashruf Habib, CEO Abdul Momen and other high officials were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, the airline has been successfully operating flights on Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur route since July 15. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

Price hike helps boost frozen food exports n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Frozen food exports registered substantial rise by about 48% to US$191m in the first quarter of the current fiscal year as compared to the same period last year due to increase in shrimp prices in the global market.

In the same period last fiscal year, the earning was $129.5m.

According to Export Promotion Bureau, frozen foods exports recorded 9% fall to $544m in 2012-13 fiscal year as fish production fell due to disease in prawn.

There is a negative attitude in exporting fish including hilsha, which brought down the frozen fish exports Of the Q1 exports, Bangladesh earned $174m by exporting shrimp, registering 52% rise compared to $114m of the same period last year while frozen fish export recorded 15% decline to $7.27m compared to $8.5m of the previous quarter.

“The production was low against demands, which pushed up the prices of shrimps in the global market,” said Md Amin Ullah, President of Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association (BFFEA). “It brought benefit for us.”

He said the farmers are mostly benefited by the price hike and they are encouraged to go for more production.

“There is a negative attitude in exporting fish including hilsha, which brought down

Oil prices down as US shutdown drags on

n AFP, Singapore Oil prices edged lower in Asian trade yesterday with little progress made in ending the bitter US government shutdown that has sparked fears of a chaotic debt default, analysts said.

New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate for delivery in November, was down three cents at $103.46 in afternoon trade while Brent North Sea crude for November eased 11 cents to $110.05.

“There has been little change in the focus on the oil front as the US budget stand-off continues to put pressure on prices,” Desmond Chua, market analyst at CMC Markets in Singapore, told AFP. With the partial US government shutdown entering its ninth day, President Barack Obama said Tuesday he would not give in to demands from Republicans to make cuts to his healthcare law before they agree to a new budget and raise the country’s borrowing limit.

However, he did say he would accept a short-term deal to lift the debt ceiling and reopen the government - a move that would effectively postpone the crisis for a number of weeks. l

Frozen food items earning trend FY13 Q1 earnings

n Tribune Report

FY14 Q1 earnings $174.1m

$114.3m

$8.5m

$7.7m

$7.3m

Frozen Fish

Shrimp

the frozen fish exports,” Amin told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Bangladesh’s fish production is around 350,000 tonnes, but exports only 6,000 tonnes, he said urging the government to lift ban on export.

Imposing additional duties by the US government on shrimp imports from five competitor countries, including India and Vietnam, helped increase exports from Bangladesh, he said.

The US Commerce Department increased the duty to 54.5% duty from 4.52% on shrimp imports from India, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Ecuador as their governments provide huge subsidies for the farmers.

Export earnings rose significantly in

$10m

Others

the first quarter of the current fiscal year as prices of shrimp increased to a range between $8.5 and $9 per pound from $5 of the previous year, said Khan Habibur Rahman, deputy managing director of Lockpur Group of industries.

The demand for black tiger shrimps rose in the global market, pushing the prices up as production of Vannamei shrimp in Vietnam, China, Indonesia and Malaysia declined due to virus, he added.

The export value enhanced but the volume did not rise as the production of shrimp still low, said Rahman, adding that the country’s shrimp sector needs introduction of latest technology to improve production. l

Jute sector gets Tk1bn refinance scheme n Tribune Report Bangladesh Bank has announced a refinance scheme of Tk1bn for the country’s jute sector.

The fund will be released within the current year in which the loans will be provided at a single-digit interest rate, said Bangladesh Bank’s deputy governor SK Sur Chowdhury.

He was addressing a press conference at the central bank headquarters in Dhaka yesterday.

The deputy governor said Bangladesh Bank has decided to launch the refinance scheme for the country’s reviving jute sector in response to a request from the three ministries including finance, jute and agriculture.

A committee headed by SK Sur Chowdhury has already been formed to administer the scheme. It will also set interest rate and other issues of the scheme.

The committee members include repre-

Stocks end higher to break 4-day losses

sentatives from the three ministries. The member secretary is the executive director of the Bangladesh Bank governor secretariat SM Moniruzzaman.

A committee headed by SK Sur Chowdhury has already been formed to administer the scheme.

It will also set interest rate and other issues of the scheme The central bank will provide the refinance fund at the bank rate while the banks will disburse the loans and charge service fee.

The committee will fix the maximum range of service charge for the banks.

Bangladesh Bank will make agreements with those banks who are interested to take the fund.

The country’s jute sector now suffers funding crunch as high interest rates discourage the jute traders to borrow money from banks. l

Stocks closed higher amid volatility yesterday, breaking losses of fourth straight sessions, as some investors took position on lower prices with an expectation to gain after 11-day holiday beginning today.

The benchmark DSEX index rose 29 points or 0.8% to 3,821, recovering from 20-week low. The blue chip index DS30 was up 11 points or 0.8% to 1,384.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, closed at 7,464 with a rise of 42 points.

“Natural buy pressures backed by post-Eid expectations put the bourse in green zone after four straight negative sessions,” said IDLC Investment in its daily market analysis.

Continuous price decline in last few sessions lured some of the witty participants for positioning in fundamentally strong scrips, it said.

It said meticulousness in trading prevailed as market showed mixed trend of profit taking and re-positioning throughout the session.

Most of the general investors were observing market sentiment rather than active trade, which kept participation low. The turnover amounted to Tk2.2bn, a fall of 14.8% over the previous session.

Non-banking financial institution was the only sector that lost 1.2% among the major sectors. The other big sectors – power, banks, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications – performed well after several sessions.

Lanka Bangla Securities said rising from oversold territory, the market explored its winning streak, mostly spurred by availability of stocks at lucrative price.

It said the country’s export earnings continued to be a blessing for the economy. In the first three months of this fiscal year, export earnings saw a robust 21.24% rise over the same period of previous fiscal year.

Majority of issues closed positive as out of 280 issues traded, 193 advanced, 61 declined and 26 remained unchanged.

Zenith Investment said the market observed some buying pressure, as some investors tried to capitalise on some stocks in the hope for future growth after the festivals, coupling with decrease in investors cashing out tendency before holidays.

It said investors also kept in mind that since the market was in a downward trend for a long time, the chances of moving away from the support zone are now imminent. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

Indian IT outsourcers want a bigger byte out of Europe n Reuters, Bangalore India’s IT outsourcers, long bit players in continental Europe, are looking to win over more people like Hans-Petter Aanby.

Aanby is chief information officer of Scandinavian Airlines System, which recently awarded Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) a five-year contract worth over $160m as part of its effort to halve information technology costs and reduce local IT staff by 70% by 2015.

Big Indian IT companies, heavily reliant on the U.S. market and eager to diversify, have intensified efforts to crack continental Europe in the past three years through acquisitions, setting up operations on the ground and hiring locally.

The push into Europe comes as Indian IT vendors face uncertainty in the United States, where more restrictive rules that could drive up the costs of sending workers there on short-term visas are being debated as part of an immigration law overhaul.

The rise in revenue from Europe is likely to be reflected when earnings season for the sector kicks-off on Friday with no. 2 player Infosys Ltd’s results.

NelsonHall, an outsourcing advisory firm, expects the four top Indian vendors and US rival Cognizant Technology Solutions - which has three-quarters of its staff in India - to see overall business in Europe grow about 16 percent this year. It expects 12% growth in the United States.

Europe accounts for roughly one-third of revenue for India’s $108bn IT services industry, although Britain has long made up the bulk of that share. In continental Europe, Indian IT firms are making their deepest inroads in northern European countries where English is widely spoken.

However, language barriers and tight labour rules mean Europe is yet to surpass even Britain as a revenue source for Indian IT firms, which are expected to rely on acquisitions to build up their offerings in big markets such as France and Germany. India is also not yet compliant with a European data privacy directive, which limits some of the work that can be moved to the country.

“Europe has been a very conservative mar-

Employees are seen at their workstations on the floor of an outsourcing centre in Bangalore, in this file picture taken ket compared with the U.S.,” said Sharat Kumar, head of delivery for Europe at No. 5 Indian player Tech Mahindra, whose European clients include food giant Nestle SA and aerospace firm EADS. “The customers are conservative in starting the initiative, but once they do, these are the customers that don’t just go back and forth or drop it, so what we’ve seen is that there is a lot more stability in the European customer,” he said.

For European companies, many of them battered by a prolonged economic slowdown, Indian IT firms offer cost advantages to using local vendors or doing the work in-house.

Global rivals such as IBM and Capgemini also have big operations in India that can take advantage of lower costs. Indian vendors are also taking on increasingly complex work.

“To a certain extent, the skills shortage in continental Europe is driving the growth for offshore openness,” said Katharina Grimme, a principal consultant with outsourcing advisory Pierre Audoin Consultants (PAC) in Cologne, Germany.

Local Challenges

Indian IT’s progress in Europe comes at the expense of local vendors, which according to NelsonHall are seeing flat sales.

In 2009, India’s TCS ranked just 21st in IT services revenue from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, but rose to 11th at the end of 2012, according to PAC. Indian rivals Wipro WIPR.N and Infosys ranked 18 and 23, respectively, in 2012, after not cracking the top 25 in 2009.

To address labour issues and speed growth in Europe, Indian companies have been acquiring local firms. To win client trust, they hire locally for senior client-facing roles, but most of the grunt work can be done from India.

Jef Loos, head of sourcing research at Whitelane Research in Brussels, said Indian vendors moving into Germany, France, Spain and Italy will use acquisitions given language barriers, a “limited” outsourcing culture, and stronger unions.

Works councils are “very” influential in markets such as Germany and France, said Tech Mahindra’s Sharat Kumar, which is re-

REUTERS

flected in the makeup of project staff. In Germany, for example, relationship management staff tend to include Germans.

“We’ll have enough mix to give them the comfort and at the same time to take care of the critical activity that we need to do onsite,” he said. Indian IT firms are also hamstrung because India does not yet have EU “data adequacy” status.

That requires, among other things, that India has a single point of contact, such as a privacy commissioner, that upholds individuals’ right to privacy, according to Kamlesh Bajaj, chief executive of the Data Security Council of India, which is backed by the Indian IT industry’s main lobby group.

While the impact of the EU requirement is impossible to measure, Bajaj said a March survey of Indian IT vendors by the Data Security Council found that the industry could have earned an additional $7bn in annual revenue with the increased outsourcing to India that the “data adequacy” status would have facilitated. India is in the process of creating a privacy law. l

Dollar up in Asia on US Fed chief nomination n AFP, Tokyo

The dollar climbed against the yen yesterday as investors cheered news that US President Barack Obama was poised to nominate the dovish Janet Yellen as the next head of the Federal Reserve.

In Tokyo afternoon trading, the greenback rose to 97.35 yen, from 96.86 yen on Tuesday in New York, where fears over the US government shutdown and a possible debt default hung over markets.

The euro weakened to $1.3564 from $1.3572, while rising to 132.07 yen from

131.47 yen.

“Among the major leads in the market today ... a strong one is the Yellen decision,” said Toshihiko Sakai, senior dealer at Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking.

“As a reaction to that, in the belief that the Fed will have a dovish chair, stocks picked up while there was an unwinding of short dollar/yen positions.”

Yellen is a supporter of the Fed’s $85bn a-month bond-buying scheme and is considered unlikely to wind it down too soon.

However, while a continuation of the loose monetary policy would be expected to press

the dollar lower, dealers took the news as a positive, boosting riskier assets.

“The Fed is also scheduled to release minutes for its September meeting (later in the day), with investors scrambling for clues on when Fed tapering will finally begin,” Credit Agricole said.

The dollar has been sliding against the yen and euro over the past week owing to uncertainty caused by the budget stand-off in Washington that economists warn could lead to a catastrophic debt default.

Deputy Bank of Japan governor Hiroshi Nakaso warned on Wednesday that failure

to solve the crisis could have “significant adverse effects” on the global economy.

That echoed warnings on Tuesday from the International Monetary Fund, which said a default “will be felt right away, leading to potential major disruption in financial markets both in the US and abroad”.

The Fund, in its new World Economic Outlook, projected the world’s biggest economy would grow 1.6% this year and accelerate to 2.6% in 2014, down 0.1 and 0.2 percentage points respectively from its previous forecast. The dollar advanced most against other Asia-Pacific currencies. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

5

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

World fears US default, Obama warns n AFP, Washington President Barack Obama Tuesday warned world leaders were nervous Republicans would “blow up” the US economy, and vowed not to budge on his demand for the debt ceiling to be lifted without conditions.

But House Speaker John Boehner insisted there would be no “unconditional surrender” from Republicans and said Congress would only allow more US borrowing if Obama agrees to cut spending.

There was one glimmer of hope for progress in the bitter showdown that has closed the US government and sparked fears that Washington could default on its debts if the debt ceiling is not raised by October 17.

Obama said that if necessary he would accept a short-term deal to raise borrowing and reopen the government - a move that would effectively postpone the crisis for a number of weeks.

But the president was adamant that he would not compromise on his refusal to cede ideological concessions to Republicans in return for receiving more authority to borrow money to finance US obligations.

“What you haven’t seen before, I think, from the vantage point of a lot of world leaders, is the notion that one party in Congress might blow the whole thing up if they don’t get their way,” Obama said, in a White House press conference designed to hike pressure on Republicans.

“They’ve never seen that before. And that does make them nervous.”

Obama spoke a day after China, which is sitting on a vast pile of US Treasury bonds, warned that the time was running out for the United States to prove its creditworthiness and the credibility of the world’s reserve currency.

Stocks dipped for another day Tuesday,

with investors increasingly concerned that the government will not get its act together in time.

Obama said Congress had two basic jobs - passing a budget and “making sure that America’s paying its bills.”

He warned that lawmakers did not get to demand a ransom, and reiterated his position that he would only negotiate with Republicans once the debt ceiling was raised and the government, now shuttered for a week, is opened.

“We can’t make extortion routine as part of our democracy. Democracy doesn’t function this way,” he said.

Boehner appeared on television soon after Obama’s press conference to dig further into his own position.

“The long and short of it is there is going to be a negotiation here,” Boehner said.

“We can’t raise the debt ceiling without doing something about what’s driving us to borrow more money and to live beyond our means.”

“What the president said today was if there’s unconditional surrender by Republicans, he will sit down and talk to us,” he said.

“That’s not the way our government works.”

Obama, who spoke to Boehner earlier by phone, argues that raising the debt ceiling is vital to America’s most valuable asset, its creditworthiness, which should not be prey to political uncertainty.

Boehner counters that presidents have always bargained with lawmakers over raising the debt ceiling, and is unwilling to give up an area of prime political leverage.

If the $16.7tn debt ceiling is not raised by October 17, the United States will be unable to borrow more money and will begin defaulting on its obligations, in a scenario that could tip the economy back into recession

Who owns the US debt?

Estimated holdings given in US Treasury reports Federal Reserve and government accounts:

Total public debt:

6.7 trillion

^Approximate figures based on two treasury reports

$16.7 trillion China 1,277 billion**

Including:

Pension funds 686.7 billion*

State and local government 474.5

* March 2013

Other US investors

4.4 trillion^

Commercial banks 341.4

Japan 1,135

**July 2013 Savings bonds 181.7

Foreign and international held:

Caribbean banking centres 287.7

5.6 trillion

Mutual funds 946.4

Insurance companies 263.3

Others 2,376.3

Oil exporters 257.7 Brazil 256.4

Sources: US Treasury: Estimated Ownership of Securities Mar 2013 / Major Foreign Holders July 2013

and trigger global chaos.

The president said that a default would be, in the words of economists he quoted, “insane, catastrophic, chaos.”

But he also sought to assure investors, US bond holders and others that the US remained good for its debts, even as he acknowledged “a cloud” over America’s economic credibility because of the shutdown.

“Obviously my message to the world is the United States always has paid its bills and it will do so again,” Obama said.

Asked what the government would do if the debt ceiling were not increased on time and the government would have to decide which bills not to pay, Obama said the issue was still being reviewed.

“No option is good in that scenario,” he said. “We are exploring all contingencies.”

Obama did signal some flexibility, saying he was open to negotiating with Republicans on budget issues - even if lawmakers extended borrowing and reopened the government only on a short-term basis.

“If they can’t do it for a long time, do it for the period of time in which these negotiations are taking place,” he said.

Republicans proposed a bipartisan committee to discuss how to get out of the budget impasse and the debt ceiling row.

But Obama dismissed the move as a ruse to discuss spending cuts that only Republicans want, and vowed to veto such a solution in the unlikely event it reaches his desk. l

US ban on some Samsung products to go into effect n Reuters, Washington Some older Samsung Electronics Co smartphones and tablets could be taken off store shelves in the United States after the US Trade Representative opted not to reverse a ban ordered because the devices infringe Apple Inc patents.

The decision is the latest step in a patent battle across several countries as Apple and Samsung vie for market share in the lucrative mobile industry. Samsung and Apple are the No 1 and No 2 smartphone makers globally, respectively.

Neither the US International Trade Commission (ITC), which made the patent ruling, nor the US Customs and Border Protection, which would enforce the ban, has spelled out which of Samsung’s many devices will be affected.

Despite the ban, AT&T expected to continue selling Samsung products. “This decision will not affect our ability to provide the latest Samsung devices,” said Marty Richter, a spokesman for AT&T. The ITC said on August 9 that some smartphone and tablet models made by

South Korea’s Samsung infringed on Apple patents, and banned their importation or sale.

We are disappointed by the US Trade Representative’s decision to allow the exclusion order issued by the US International Trade Commission. It will serve only to reduce competition and limit choice for the American consumer

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman had 60 days to overturn the ban, as he did in a recent case where Apple was found to have infringed on a Samsung patent, but decided not to.

“After carefully weighing policy considerations, including the impact on consumers and competition, advice from agencies, and information from interested parties, I have decided to allow the commission’s determination,” Froman said in a statement.

A Samsung spokesperson said: “We are disappointed by the US Trade Representative’s decision to allow the exclusion order issued by the US International Trade Commission. It will serve only to reduce competition and limit choice for the American consumer.”

Apple filed a complaint in mid-2011, accusing Samsung of infringing its patents in making a wide range of smartphones and tablets.

The ITC ruled that the Samsung devices infringed on portions of two Apple patents on digital mobile devices, related to the detection of headphone jacks and the operation of touchscreens.

Samsung has said its newer models incorporate features that work around disputed technology, and that those changes have been approved by the ITC. When the ITC issues exclusion orders, they generally do not have model numbers of devices but are broadly written, said Jamie Underwood, an ITC patent expert with the law firm Alston & Bird, LLP. Both companies have likely been lobbying aggressively, with Apple pushing for a larger

number of Samsung models to be banned and Samsung arguing for fewer, she said.

“It is common to have differences over what is covered by an exclusion order,” she said.

Implementation of the ban could also be hampered by the federal government shutdown, now in its eighth day, although most customs and border protection personnel remain on the job.

In August, the USTR overturned a proposed ban on some older-model Apple iPhones and iPads which had been found to infringe Samsung patents. Patents involved were standard essential patents, while the patents covered by Tuesday’s decision were not.

Standard essential patents are central to the products at issue and are supposed to be licensed broadly and inexpensively.

U.S. antitrust authorities have argued that infringing on them should trigger requirements for license payments but not import or sales bans.

Calls to Customs seeking comment were not immediately returned. Apple declined to comment for this story. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

DSE Broad Index: 3821.57 ⇑ 0.77%, Turnover: 2258.41 M.Tk ⇓ 14.82%, PE: 11.99 Turnover 2,507.90 MTk. ⇓ 14.88% October 9, 2013 MarketCap. 1,845.29 BTk. ⇑ 0.53% CSE All Share Index: 11823 ⇑ 0.52%, Turnover: 249.49 M Tk. ⇓ 15.48%, PE: 11.86 Combined Turnover Leader

CompanyCode | EPS | BV | Volume Traded (Share) DSE/CSE: ClosePrice ⇓/⇑ Chn % | Avg.Price | Hi / Lo

BANK ABBANK | 2.95 | 32.60 | Vol. 155105 D: 22.50 ⇑ 1.35% | 22.61 | 23.20 / 20.00 C: 22.80 ⇑ 2.70% | 22.73 | 22.80 / 21.90 CITYBANK | 1.15 | 25.97 | Vol. 634403 D: 15.60 ⇑ 2.63% | 15.48 | 16.00 / 13.70 C: 15.50 ⇑ 1.31% | 15.40 | 16.00 / 14.00 IFIC | 1.10 | 18.34 | Vol. 293864 D: 19.90 ⇑ 1.53% | 19.85 | 20.00 / 17.70 C: 20.00 ⇑ 2.56% | 19.91 | 20.00 / 18.00 ISLAMIBANK | 3.78 | 27.16 | Vol. 915707 D: 35.60 ⇑ 0.85% | 35.32 | 35.70 / 33.00 C: 35.60 ⇑ 1.71% | 35.37 | 35.70 / 35.10 NBL | 1.05 | 15.76 | Vol. 1512000 D: 10.00 ⇑ 1.01% | 10.01 | 10.10 / 9.00 C: 10.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 10.00 | 10.10 / 9.90 PUBALIBANK | 1.92 | 21.18 | Vol. 436195 D: 30.90 ⇓ 0.64% | 30.93 | 31.30 / 28.00 C: 30.20 ⇓ 2.27% | 30.34 | 31.00 / 29.50 RUPALIBANK | 6.70 | 64.27 | Vol. 100527 D: 58.80 ⇑ 0.51% | 58.70 | 60.90 / 58.00 C: 57.50 ⇓ 1.03% | 55.90 | 57.50 / 53.00 UCBL | 1.90 | 21.72 | Vol. 1319384 D: 17.60 ⇑ 1.15% | 17.59 | 18.40 / 16.00 C: 17.70 ⇑ 1.72% | 17.52 | 17.80 / 17.20 UTTARABANK | 3.42 | 26.97 | Vol. 102270 D: 25.20 ⇑ 1.20% | 25.09 | 25.30 / 22.50 C: 25.20 ⇑ 1.61% | 24.97 | 25.30 / 24.80 ICBIBANK | -1.60 | -13.03 | Vol. 123500 D: 5.70 ⇑ 1.79% | 5.72 | 5.90 / 5.70 EBL | 3.91 | 28.22 | Vol. 467410 D: 26.10 ⇑ 0.38% | 26.19 | 26.50 / 24.00 C: 26.10 ⇑ 0.38% | 26.06 | 26.90 / 26.00 ALARABANK | 2.03 | 14.91 | Vol. 473805 D: 13.60 ⇑ 0.74% | 13.55 | 14.00 / 12.50 C: 13.70 ⇑ 0.74% | 13.66 | 13.70 / 13.60 PRIMEBANK | 2.89 | 22.40 | Vol. 155920 D: 17.00 ⇑ 0.59% | 17.12 | 17.50 / 15.80 C: 17.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.10 | 17.10 / 17.10 SOUTHEASTB | 1.89 | 22.66 | Vol. 1319457 D: 13.70 ⇓ 0.72% | 13.62 | 14.50 / 12.90 C: 13.70 ⇓ 0.72% | 13.69 | 13.90 / 13.20 DHAKABANK | 1.46 | 18.08 | Vol. 288581 D: 17.40 ⇑ 1.16% | 17.33 | 17.50 / 17.00 C: 17.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.20 | 17.00 / 17.00 NCCBANK | 1.90 | 15.88 | Vol. 224945 D: 10.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 10.58 | 10.70 / 9.50 C: 10.60 ⇑ 0.95% | 10.57 | 10.70 / 9.50 SIBL | 2.05 | 14.47 | Vol. 786949 D: 10.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 10.81 | 10.90 / 9.80 C: 11.00 ⇑ 0.92% | 10.98 | 11.10 / 10.50 DUTCHBANGL | 11.57 | 54.27 | Vol. 6500 D: 89.30 ⇑ 2.53% | 89.27 | 90.00 / 88.70 C: 88.00 ⇓ 2.44% | 88.00 | 88.00 / 88.00 MTBL | 1.17 | 17.27 | Vol. 44214 D: 14.00 ⇓ 1.41% | 13.98 | 14.50 / 13.00 STANDBANKL | 2.33 | 14.41 | Vol. 173423 D: 12.50 ⇑ 0.81% | 12.47 | 12.80 / 12.00 C: 12.50 ⇑ 0.81% | 12.34 | 12.50 / 12.00 ONEBANKLTD | 2.35 | 15.34 | Vol. 504086 D: 14.00 ⇑ 0.72% | 14.03 | 14.50 / 12.90 C: 14.10 ⇑ 0.71% | 13.98 | 14.20 / 13.80 BANKASIA | 1.35 | 20.80 | Vol. 430172 D: 18.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 18.35 | 18.50 / 16.60 C: 18.30 ⇓ 3.68% | 17.80 | 18.30 / 17.30 MERCANBANK | 2.07 | 16.59 | Vol. 768004 D: 11.40 ⇑ 0.88% | 11.58 | 12.00 / 10.20 C: 11.40 ⇑ 1.79% | 11.40 | 11.50 / 11.00 EXIMBANK | 1.80 | 14.31 | Vol. 365517 D: 10.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 10.40 | 11.00 / 9.30 C: 10.30 ⇓ 0.96% | 10.34 | 10.50 / 10.30 JAMUNABANK | 2.47 | 18.56 | Vol. 12957 D: 12.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 12.62 | 13.00 / 11.50 C: 12.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 12.67 | 12.70 / 12.60 BRACBANK | 1.51 | 24.87 | Vol. 161565 D: 27.00 ⇑ 0.75% | 26.94 | 28.00 / 24.20 C: 26.90 ⇓ 1.82% | 26.93 | 27.00 / 26.90 SHAHJABANK | 2.61 | 14.47 | Vol. 63244 D: 13.60 ⇑ 0.74% | 13.53 | 13.90 / 12.20 C: 13.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.67 | 13.80 / 13.50

Vol.

TO M. Tk.

Argon Denims Limited-A

2316700

Square Pharma -A

554000

96.98

117.76

Envoy Textiles Ltd-N

1529360

84.68

BD Building Systems -N

1585500

79.87

Delta Life Insu. -Z

14930

77.27

% of TTL

Avg. P

4.70

50.83

3.87

175.06

3.38

55.37

3.18

50.38

3.08

5,175.55

PREMIERBAN | 1.18 | 13.95 | Vol. 227078 D: 8.90 ⇑ 1.14% | 8.86 | 9.50 / 8.00 C: 8.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.88 | 9.00 / 8.80 TRUSTBANK | 0.50 | 18.00 | Vol. 31300 D: 16.70 ⇑ 1.21% | 16.67 | 17.00 / 15.00 C: 16.20 ⇓ 0.61% | 15.93 | 16.20 / 15.00 FIRSTSBANK | 1.85 | 13.89 | Vol. 155446 D: 11.00 ⇑ 0.92% | 10.94 | 11.10 / 9.90 C: 10.90 ⇑ 1.87% | 10.85 | 11.00 / 10.70 NON BANKING F I IDLC | 4.43 | 29.18 | Vol. 59360 D: 55.70 ⇑ 0.36% | 55.72 | 56.40 / 55.20 C: 56.00 ⇑ 1.27% | 56.61 | 59.90 / 54.50 ULC | 1.80 | 14.90 | Vol. 182800 D: 25.10 ⇑ 1.21% | 24.92 | 25.50 / 24.80 UTTARAFIN | 7.16 | 41.54 | Vol. 32627 D: 71.60 ⇑ 0.14% | 71.61 | 72.00 / 70.00 C: 72.30 ⇑ 2.26% | 71.90 | 72.50 / 71.00 FLEASEINT | 2.34 | 13.93 | Vol. 95663 D: 23.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 23.43 | 23.90 / 22.00 C: 23.50 ⇓ 1.26% | 23.53 | 23.50 / 23.40 PLFSL | 1.37 | 17.48 | Vol. 214684 D: 21.10 ⇑ 0.96% | 21.08 | 22.00 / 19.00 C: 21.10 ⇑ 1.44% | 21.30 | 21.50 / 20.60 PRIMEFIN | 0.87 | 17.88 | Vol. 112256 D: 21.90 ⇑ 0.46% | 21.70 | 22.10 / 19.70 C: 21.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 21.85 | 22.00 / 21.60 PREMIERLEA | 0.10 | 11.37 | Vol. 117500 D: 10.10 ⇓ 1.94% | 10.14 | 10.40 / 10.10 C: 10.30 ⇑ 1.98% | 10.30 | 10.30 / 10.30 ISLAMICFIN | 1.03 | 15.48 | Vol. 126289 D: 15.20 ⇑ 0.66% | 15.23 | 16.00 / 15.00 C: 15.50 ⇑ 2.65% | 15.48 | 15.50 / 15.40 LANKABAFIN | 1.61 | 31.07 | Vol. 160359 D: 53.00 ⇓ 0.38% | 52.71 | 54.10 / 50.00 C: 53.70 ⇑ 0.19% | 53.46 | 54.60 / 51.90 BIFC | 0.15 | 18.58 | Vol. 57341 D: 15.70 ⇑ 1.95% | 15.73 | 16.20 / 15.20 C: 15.90 ⇑ 3.25% | 15.76 | 16.10 / 15.00 IPDC | 1.23 | 19.43 | Vol. 78000 D: 17.60 ⇑ 0.57% | 17.64 | 18.10 / 17.50 UNIONCAP | 0.54 | 17.85 | Vol. 35327 D: 28.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 28.79 | 29.10 / 26.00 BDFINANCE | 0.57 | 14.77 | Vol. 91783 D: 20.00 ⇑ 1.52% | 19.81 | 20.20 / 17.80 C: 19.90 ⇑ 1.02% | 19.86 | 20.00 / 19.60 ILFSL | 0.35 | 12.19 | Vol. 256314 D: 13.70 ⇑ 1.48% | 13.64 | 13.90 / 12.20 C: 13.80 ⇑ 0.73% | 13.76 | 13.90 / 13.50 PHOENIXFIN | 2.46 | 19.39 | Vol. 63968 D: 27.20 ⇑ 0.37% | 27.22 | 27.50 / 24.50 FASFIN | 0.19 | 13.56 | Vol. 182120 D: 13.90 ⇑ 1.46% | 13.95 | 14.20 / 13.50 C: 13.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.87 | 14.00 / 13.50 DBH | 4.47 | 21.27 | Vol. 63788 D: 51.90 ⇑ 0.19% | 51.97 | 52.50 / 47.00 NHFIL | 0.57 | 12.70 | Vol. 137000 D: 29.10 ⇑ 0.34% | 29.15 | 29.60 / 29.00 C: 29.00 ⇑ 0.35% | 29.00 | 29.00 / 29.00 BAYLEASING | 0.72 | 25.55 | Vol. 82840 D: 25.00 ⇑ 0.81% | 25.06 | 25.40 / 22.50 C: 25.00 ⇑ 1.63% | 25.07 | 25.50 / 25.00 ICB | 89.23 | 607.74 | Vol. 17100 D: 1454 ⇓ 2.94% | 1447 | 1497 / 1406 C: 1550 ⇓ 6.06% | 1550 | 1550 / 1550 GSPFINANCE | 1.63 | 22.23 | Vol. 32882 D: 24.00 ⇑ 3.00% | 23.97 | 24.30 / 21.00 C: 23.50 ⇓ 1.67% | 23.81 | 24.50 / 23.40 FAREASTFIN | 0.68 | 13.64 | Vol. 626000 D: 15.90 ⇑ 0.63% | 15.97 | 16.30 / 15.70 C: 15.90 ⇑ 0.63% | 15.97 | 16.20 / 15.70 INVESTMENT 6THICB | 10.99 | 60.14 | Vol. 12000 D: 44.80 ⇑ 0.90% | 44.87 | 46.00 / 43.90 C: 44.10 ⇓ 0.23% | 44.10 | 44.10 / 44.10 8THICB | 12.47 | 70.07 | Vol. 5000 D: 49.10 ⇑ 1.03% | 49.20 | 49.50 / 48.30 1STBSRS | 14.43 | 161.88 | Vol. 76000 D: 83.60 ⇑ 0.48% | 83.46 | 85.00 / 82.20 C: 79.10 ⇑ 0.25% | 79.03 | 79.10 / 79.00

DSE Loser

DSE Gainer

C%

A%

CP

MeghnaCement-A

9.87

4.63

136.90

9.17

10.11

52.40

8.47

8.05

64.00

Usmania Glass-A

6.72

1.91

136.50

Apex Spinning-A

6.51

4.56

70.40

Global Heavy Chemicals-N Savar Refractories-Z

AIMS1STMF | 3.02 | 15.70 | Vol. 395000 D: 35.60 ⇓ 0.28% | 35.85 | 36.60 / 35.30 C: 35.70 ⇓ 0.83% | 35.81 | 36.20 / 35.10 ICBISLAMIC | 2.21 | 26.81 | Vol. 12500 D: 17.10 ⇑ 2.40% | 17.12 | 17.80 / 16.50 GRAMEEN1 | 6.26 | 33.23 | Vol. 156500 D: 42.90 ⇑ 0.23% | 42.88 | 43.50 / 42.10 C: 42.50 ⇓ 4.49% | 42.49 | 42.70 / 42.30 ICB1STNRB | 4.06 | 35.31 | Vol. 16000 D: 21.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 21.63 | 21.70 / 21.60 ICB2NDNRB | 2.49 | 16.24 | Vol. 244000 D: 9.00 ⇑ 3.45% | 8.83 | 9.10 / 8.70 C: 9.10 ⇑ 2.25% | 9.08 | 9.10 / 9.00 GRAMEENS2 | 2.17 | 16.41 | Vol. 441000 D: 15.60 ⇑ 0.65% | 15.59 | 15.80 / 15.40 C: 15.80 ⇑ 1.94% | 15.71 | 15.90 / 15.40 1STPRIMFMF | 0.64 | 11.63 | Vol. 489500 D: 20.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 20.59 | 21.30 / 20.20 C: 20.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 20.46 | 21.00 / 20.20 EBL1STMF | 0.55 | 12.62 | Vol. 128090 D: 6.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.68 | 6.80 / 6.00 C: 6.70 ⇑ 1.52% | 6.76 | 6.80 / 6.70 ICBAMCL2ND | 0.60 | 12.12 | Vol. 225500 D: 5.60 ⇑ 1.82% | 5.60 | 5.70 / 5.30 ICBEPMF1S1 | 0.52 | 11.32 | Vol. 160000 D: 5.80 ⇑ 3.57% | 5.82 | 6.00 / 5.70 C: 5.80 ⇑ 1.75% | 5.58 | 5.80 / 5.50 TRUSTB1MF | 0.75 | 11.65 | Vol. 402148 D: 7.40 ⇑ 1.37% | 7.43 | 7.60 / 6.80 C: 7.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.40 | 7.50 / 7.30 PRIME1ICBA | 0.42 | 11.18 | Vol. 25000 D: 5.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.10 | 5.20 / 5.00 C: 5.00 ⇓ 1.96% | 5.00 | 5.00 / 5.00 DBH1STMF | -1.12 | 10.15 | Vol. 166500 D: 5.20 ⇓ 3.70% | 5.30 | 5.50 / 5.20 C: 5.30 ⇓ 1.85% | 5.33 | 5.40 / 5.30 IFIC1STMF | 0.83 | 11.88 | Vol. 251576 D: 6.30 ⇑ 3.28% | 6.27 | 6.40 / 6.00 C: 6.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.25 | 6.30 / 6.20 PF1STMF | 0.51 | 11.11 | Vol. 114500 D: 5.30 ⇑ 3.92% | 5.22 | 5.40 / 5.10 C: 5.30 ⇑ 3.92% | 5.30 | 5.30 / 5.30 ICB3RDNRB | 0.00 | 10.60 | Vol. 204000 D: 4.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 4.96 | 5.00 / 4.90 C: 5.00 ⇑ 2.04% | 4.94 | 5.00 / 4.90 1JANATAMF | 0.78 | 10.68 | Vol. 400000 D: 5.50 ⇓ 3.51% | 5.60 | 5.70 / 5.50 C: 5.80 ⇑ 3.57% | 5.79 | 5.80 / 5.60 GREENDELMF | -0.82 | 9.72 | Vol. 162500 D: 5.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.01 | 5.10 / 5.00 C: 5.10 ⇑ 2.00% | 5.02 | 5.10 / 4.90 POPULAR1MF | 0.77 | 11.38 | Vol. 311816 D: 5.70 ⇑ 1.79% | 5.71 | 5.80 / 5.10 C: 5.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.70 | 5.70 / 5.70 IFILISLMF1 | 0.00 | 10.45 | Vol. 190500 D: 5.10 ⇓ 1.92% | 5.20 | 5.20 / 5.10 C: 5.20 ⇑ 1.96% | 5.13 | 5.20 / 5.00 PHPMF1 | 0.63 | 10.92 | Vol. 359000 D: 5.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.23 | 5.30 / 5.10 C: 5.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.22 | 5.40 / 5.20 AIBL1STIMF | -0.07 | 9.25 | Vol. 34000 D: 6.40 ⇑ 1.59% | 6.41 | 6.50 / 6.30 C: 6.30 ⇑ 1.61% | 6.06 | 6.30 / 5.80 MBL1STMF | -0.16 | 9.08 | Vol. 121500 D: 6.10 ⇑ 1.67% | 6.16 | 6.20 / 6.10 C: 6.40 ⇓ 5.88% | 6.40 | 6.40 / 6.40 SEBL1STMF | 0.94 | 11.85 | Vol. 335750 D: 7.70 ⇓ 1.28% | 7.86 | 8.10 / 7.70 C: 7.80 ⇑ 1.30% | 7.76 | 7.80 / 7.70 RELIANCE1 | 0.95 | 10.33 | Vol. 366650 D: 7.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.01 | 8.20 / 7.80 C: 8.00 ⇓ 3.61% | 8.00 | 8.00 / 8.00 LRGLOBMF1 | 0.50 | 10.82 | Vol. 6511000 D: 7.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.00 | 8.10 / 7.80 C: 8.20 ⇑ 1.23% | 8.20 | 8.20 / 8.20 ABB1STMF | 0.92 | 10.63 | Vol. 16500 D: 6.60 ⇓ 1.49% | 6.67 | 6.80 / 6.60 NLI1STMF | 1.17 | 12.22 | Vol. 527750 D: 8.60 ⇑ 3.61% | 8.58 | 8.80 / 8.20 C: 8.70 ⇑ 4.82% | 8.61 | 8.70 / 8.40

NCCBL Mutual Fund-1-A Legacy Footwear -A Shampur Sugar-Z JMI Syringes MDL-A Hakkani P& Paper-B

C%

A%

CP

-9.78

-9.58

8.30

-7.59

-8.20

34.10

-6.17

-7.52

7.60

-6.13

-9.49

223.50

-6.12

-7.14

27.60

NCCBLMF1 | 1.16 | 10.48 | Vol. 43000 D: 8.30 ⇓ 9.78% | 8.40 | 9.30 / 8.30 ICBSONALI1 | 0.00 | 10.39 | Vol. 401500 D: 6.70 ⇑ 4.69% | 6.70 | 7.00 / 6.30 C: 6.60 ⇑ 3.13% | 6.63 | 6.90 / 6.40 ENGINEERING AFTABAUTO | 4.29 | 52.65 | Vol. 236387 D: 101.9 ⇑ 0.99% | 101.39 | 104.0 / 98.60 C: 101.9 ⇑ 0.69% | 101.77 | 99.90 / 100.0 AZIZPIPES | 0.39 | -42.04 | Vol. 6300 D: 20.40 ⇓ 2.86% | 20.48 | 22.00 / 20.20 OLYMPIC | 5.94 | 14.91 | Vol. 107547 D: 196.6 ⇑ 2.18% | 193.85 | 199.0 / 178.0 C: 197.4 ⇑ 3.89% | 197.10 | 207.0 / 192.0 BDLAMPS | -5.31 | 37.07 | Vol. 13440 D: 140.3 ⇑ 1.52% | 141.36 | 147.7 / 127.8 C: 139.5 ⇑ 1.09% | 139.00 | 141.0 / 137.0 ECABLES | 2.04 | 18.87 | Vol. 20100 D: 78.20 ⇑ 4.41% | 77.42 | 79.00 / 75.00 C: 72.00 ⇑ 9.92% | 72.00 | 72.00 / 72.00 MONNOSTAF | 5.31 | 44.78 | Vol. 700 D: 330.7 ⇑ 4.19% | 331.43 | 338.0 / 328.0 SINGERBD | 9.99 | 45.74 | Vol. 61850 D: 187.6 ⇑ 1.02% | 186.99 | 191.9 / 180.0 C: 189.6 ⇑ 2.99% | 188.29 | 192.9 / 182.0 ATLASBANG | 11.98 | 207.70 | Vol. 8517 D: 161.8 ⇑ 1.38% | 162.50 | 164.0 / 144.0 BDAUTOCA | 0.25 | 6.23 | Vol. 38050 D: 37.40 ⇓ 2.60% | 37.11 | 40.50 / 34.90 RENWICKJA | 5.62 | -90.00 | Vol. 9700 D: 137.6 ⇑ 2.92% | 138.14 | 144.9 / 127.1 NTLTUBES | -2.52 | 312.10 | Vol. 29956 D: 69.10 ⇑ 0.14% | 69.54 | 71.10 / 65.00 BDTHAI | 0.43 | 39.35 | Vol. 188814 D: 27.10 ⇑ 0.37% | 27.05 | 27.90 / 24.90 C: 26.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 27.22 | 27.60 / 26.80 ANWARGALV | 0.51 | 8.08 | Vol. 67500 D: 26.30 ⇑ 2.33% | 25.76 | 26.90 / 24.50 C: 25.90 ⇑ 0.78% | 25.73 | 26.50 / 24.70 KAY&QUE | -3.89 | 6.03 | Vol. 6000 D: 15.60 ⇓ 3.11% | 15.67 | 16.20 / 14.60 RANFOUNDRY | 2.84 | 18.62 | Vol. 30000 D: 88.20 ⇑ 2.56% | 86.30 | 92.00 / 81.50 C: 85.00 ⇓ 1.39% | 88.27 | 91.00 / 84.00 SALAMCRST | 3.31 | 20.00 | Vol. 77520 D: 37.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 38.04 | 38.50 / 36.00 C: 38.40 ⇑ 1.59% | 38.28 | 39.00 / 37.50 GOLDENSON | 3.70 | 28.70 | Vol. 238630 D: 40.70 ⇑ 3.83% | 40.41 | 41.40 / 35.60 BSRMSTEEL | 3.06 | 19.53 | Vol. 92530 D: 61.40 ⇑ 0.66% | 61.52 | 62.40 / 59.80 C: 61.50 ⇑ 0.82% | 61.55 | 61.90 / 61.20 NAVANACNG | 4.09 | 27.04 | Vol. 111261 D: 60.70 ⇓ 0.65% | 60.95 | 62.00 / 55.00 C: 61.00 ⇓ 0.49% | 61.21 | 62.00 / 60.50 DESHBANDHU | 0.26 | 10.67 | Vol. 399431 D: 16.60 ⇑ 0.61% | 16.74 | 18.00 / 15.00 C: 17.00 ⇑ 2.41% | 16.85 | 17.30 / 16.40 GPHISPAT | 2.11 | 15.27 | Vol. 36600 D: 40.90 ⇑ 2.51% | 40.90 | 41.50 / 39.50 C: 40.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 40.00 | 40.00 / 40.00 BENGALWTL | 2.42 | 20.72 | Vol. 290000 D: 45.30 ⇑ 4.14% | 45.26 | 46.00 / 43.90 C: 45.70 ⇑ 6.03% | 45.24 | 46.00 / 43.90 BDBUILDING | 1.02 | 12.40 | Vol. 1585500 D: 47.90 ⇑ 1.48% | 50.44 | 53.80 / 47.20 C: 47.50 ⇑ 1.50% | 50.07 | 53.00 / 47.10 NPOLYMAR | 2.01 | 324.37 | Vol. 37964 D: 53.40 ⇑ 2.30% | 53.02 | 54.40 / 50.40 C: 51.10 ⇓ 0.20% | 51.12 | 54.00 / 50.00 FOOD & ALLIED APEXFOODS | 2.54 | 90.81 | Vol. 25050 D: 90.00 ⇑ 2.86% | 90.19 | 93.40 / 86.70 C: 88.40 ⇑ 5.11% | 89.62 | 92.50 / 87.30 BANGAS | 7.20 | 50.27 | Vol. 42520 D: 416.7 ⇓ 0.48% | 414.57 | 435.0 / 395.2 C: 419.5 ⇓ 0.26% | 419.64 | 430.0 / 397.5 BATBC | 65.69 | 117.22 | Vol. 4421 D: 1526 ⇓ 0.71% | 1522 | 1550 / 1450 GEMINISEA | 10.88 | 9.69 | Vol. 300 D: 185.8 ⇑ 0.22% | 186.67 | 188.0 / 183.6 NTC | 29.88 | 110.05 | Vol. 300 D: 802.6 ⇑ 1.15% | 803.33 | 810.0 / 795.0

AMCL(PRAN) | 6.53 | 53.37 | Vol. 36101 D: 228.4 ⇑ 0.40% | 229.44 | 235.9 / 208.0 C: 228.1 ⇑ 0.48% | 229.77 | 234.0 / 226.0 SHYAMPSUG | -36.87 | -355.85 | Vol. 1200 D: 7.60 ⇓ 6.17% | 7.50 | 7.70 / 7.60 FUWANGFOOD | 1.26 | 12.37 | Vol. 180436 D: 23.80 ⇑ 0.42% | 23.88 | 24.30 / 22.20 C: 24.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 23.90 | 24.30 / 23.70 MEGHNAPET | -0.58 | -1.02 | Vol. 44500 D: 7.90 ⇑ 1.28% | 7.93 | 8.10 / 7.20 MEGCONMILK | -6.68 | -16.22 | Vol. 4500 D: 7.40 ⇑ 2.78% | 7.33 | 7.80 / 6.70 BEACHHATCH | 1.01 | 12.48 | Vol. 504010 D: 22.80 ⇓ 0.44% | 23.34 | 24.10 / 21.00 C: 23.00 ⇑ 1.32% | 23.87 | 24.70 / 22.90 FINEFOODS | -0.11 | 10.58 | Vol. 351000 D: 24.70 ⇓ 1.98% | 25.01 | 26.50 / 23.90 C: 24.80 ⇓ 2.36% | 24.86 | 26.30 / 23.90 RDFOOD | 0.91 | 16.84 | Vol. 619428 D: 21.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 21.54 | 22.20 / 20.00 C: 21.70 ⇑ 1.40% | 21.69 | 22.20 / 21.00 GHAIL | 1.01 | 22.08 | Vol. 421680 D: 43.80 ⇑ 2.82% | 43.64 | 44.90 / 38.50 C: 43.70 ⇑ 2.10% | 43.43 | 44.40 / 43.00 FUEL & POWER LINDEBD | 31.71 | 144.00 | Vol. 2450 D: 615.9 ⇓ 0.10% | 613.06 | 620.0 / 610.0 PADMAOIL | 16.38 | 43.67 | Vol. 142220 D: 288.8 ⇑ 0.91% | 286.51 | 294.9 / 270.0 C: 288.0 ⇑ 0.70% | 286.07 | 294.9 / 280.0 EASTRNLUB | 6.32 | 68.68 | Vol. 1450 D: 310.3 ⇑ 3.61% | 310.34 | 314.0 / 301.1 BDWELDING | 0.33 | 16.82 | Vol. 265600 D: 21.30 ⇑ 0.47% | 21.36 | 22.10 / 20.00 C: 21.10 ⇑ 0.96% | 21.26 | 22.70 / 20.40 SUMITPOWER | 3.17 | 19.26 | Vol. 146501 D: 30.90 ⇑ 0.98% | 30.81 | 31.40 / 29.00 C: 31.00 ⇑ 0.32% | 30.95 | 31.40 / 30.10 DESCO | 2.80 | 35.25 | Vol. 92708 D: 70.70 ⇑ 1.29% | 69.83 | 71.80 / 68.00 C: 70.50 ⇑ 0.86% | 70.45 | 70.50 / 70.40 POWERGRID | 2.56 | 48.08 | Vol. 27177 D: 53.60 ⇑ 0.56% | 53.60 | 54.00 / 50.00 C: 53.00 ⇓ 1.85% | 53.00 | 53.00 / 53.00 JAMUNAOIL | 22.78 | 50.24 | Vol. 164876 D: 220.5 ⇑ 2.46% | 219.83 | 225.8 / 205.0 C: 219.5 ⇑ 2.38% | 220.30 | 224.0 / 215.0 MPETROLEUM | 16.98 | 40.41 | Vol. 125428 D: 249.5 ⇑ 1.96% | 250.91 | 257.9 / 224.0 C: 252.5 ⇑ 2.98% | 253.00 | 257.9 / 248.9 TITASGAS | 9.01 | 36.56 | Vol. 318584 D: 80.50 ⇑ 2.16% | 79.73 | 81.80 / 71.00 C: 79.40 ⇑ 1.66% | 79.38 | 79.50 / 79.30 KPCL | 4.73 | 15.86 | Vol. 253367 D: 44.20 ⇑ 1.84% | 44.46 | 44.80 / 40.00 C: 44.50 ⇑ 3.25% | 44.51 | 45.00 / 43.80 BEDL | 1.48 | 19.43 | Vol. 309530 D: 25.70 ⇓ 0.39% | 26.03 | 26.60 / 23.50 C: 25.90 ⇑ 0.39% | 26.17 | 26.20 / 25.70 MJLBD | 2.73 | 30.24 | Vol. 31602 D: 69.90 ⇑ 0.87% | 69.59 | 70.30 / 64.00 C: 69.10 ⇑ 0.88% | 68.81 | 69.70 / 68.40 GBBPOWER | 1.86 | 22.63 | Vol. 205728 D: 25.00 ⇑ 1.63% | 25.05 | 25.40 / 22.20 C: 25.00 ⇑ 0.81% | 24.74 | 25.30 / 24.00 SPPCL | 3.81 | 23.34 | Vol. 346270 D: 48.20 ⇑ 0.84% | 48.44 | 49.50 / 44.00 C: 48.40 ⇑ 0.62% | 48.39 | 49.40 / 47.20 JUTE JUTESPINN | 2.06 | 17.42 | Vol. 5200 D: 111.3 ⇑ 2.20% | 109.23 | 114.0 / 100.1 SONALIANSH | 5.54 | 218.80 | Vol. 8750 D: 135.3 ⇓ 0.66% | 136.46 | 139.9 / 131.7 TEXTILE AL-HAJTEX | 1.35 | 15.64 | Vol. 42900 D: 83.50 ⇓ 0.12% | 82.35 | 87.00 / 79.20

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

7

October 09, 2013 Sectotal Index: BANK: 31,002.43 ⇑ 0.18% NBFI: 18,933.65 ⇑ 0.75% INVS: 4,608.01 ⇑ 0.28% ENGG: 5,558.08 ⇑ 1.75% FOOD: 9,787.65 ⇑ 0.36% F&P: 9,779.26 ⇑ 1.22% TEXT: 3,040.16 ⇑ 0.86% PHAR: 16,728.92 ⇑ 0.62% PAPR: 1,013.93 ⇓ 2.09% SERV: 2,812.23 ⇑ 1.57% LEAT: 4,932.16 ⇓ 3.52% CERA: 485.44 ⇑ 1.14% CMNT: 4,277.94 ⇑ 1.18% INFO: 7,107.05 ⇑ 0.12% GINS: 9,163.93 ⇓ 0.02% LINS: 108,192.04 ⇓ 0.82% TELC: 1,274.74 ⇑ 0.49% MISC: 5,871.44 ⇓ 0.45%

PHARMACEUTICAL & CHEMICAL AMBEEPHA | 3.94 | 26.15 | Vol. 4000 D: 252.2 ⇑ 1.45% | 252.11 | 258.0 / 241.5 C: 247.8 ⇓ 0.80% | 247.78 | 262.0 / 236.0

Meghna Cement Limited Three Months Graph 100 90

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BXPHARMA | 3.77 | 52.55 | Vol. 354051 D: 41.30 ⇑ 0.49% | 41.47 | 41.70 / 37.00 C: 41.20 ⇓ 0.24% | 41.86 | 42.30 / 41.00 GLAXOSMITH | 20.25 | 123.32 | Vol. 100 D: 904.0 ⇓ 0.07% | 904.00 | 904.0 / 904.0 ACI | -5.82 | 126.42 | Vol. 7331 D: 158.6 ⇑ 0.76% | 157.89 | 160.0 / 149.1 C: 156.0 ⇑ 0.00% | 141.00 | 156.0 / 156.0 RENATA | 33.57 | 138.83 | Vol. 5400 D: 714.8 ⇑ 2.29% | 704.44 | 717.9 / 690.0 RECKITTBEN | 27.16 | 78.89 | Vol. 200 D: 726.2 ⇓ 0.68% | 725.00 | 730.0 / 715.0 PHARMAID | 5.06 | 26.30 | Vol. 25150 D: 170.1 ⇑ 2.29% | 167.12 | 173.8 / 159.0 IBNSINA | 3.44 | 34.02 | Vol. 81020 D: 101.5 ⇑ 1.50% | 101.64 | 103.9 / 97.00 C: 101.1 ⇑ 1.92% | 100.61 | 97.10 / 100.0 LIBRAINFU | 4.64 | 1565.37 | Vol. 2200 D: 393.1 ⇓ 5.62% | 393.18 | 425.0 / 383.0 ORIONINFU | 8.72 | 1.73 | Vol. 89200 D: 42.60 ⇑ 0.24% | 42.76 | 44.00 / 41.70 C: 42.30 ⇓ 1.17% | 42.56 | 44.00 / 41.00 SQURPHARMA | 6.93 | 37.18 | Vol. 554000 D: 174.5 ⇓ 0.11% | 175.11 | 185.0 / 158.0 C: 174.7 ⇑ 0.63% | 174.26 | 175.0 / 172.8 IMAMBUTTON | -1.68 | 5.67 | Vol. 3000 D: 9.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 9.33 | 9.30 / 9.00 KEYACOSMET | 1.55 | 21.54 | Vol. 377294 D: 23.70 ⇑ 0.42% | 23.81 | 25.00 / 22.00 C: 23.60 ⇑ 0.43% | 23.63 | 23.90 / 21.20 BERGERPBL | 32.46 | 100.20 | Vol. 1250 D: 821.2 ⇑ 0.76% | 820.83 | 822.0 / 810.0 C: 828.2 ⇑ 7.49% | 828.20 | 828.2 / 828.2 ACIFORMULA | 3.33 | 38.08 | Vol. 29550 D: 75.50 ⇑ 0.13% | 75.66 | 76.50 / 75.40 C: 74.60 ⇓ 0.80% | 74.62 | 75.00 / 74.20 MARICO | 27.53 | 62.47 | Vol. 3650 D: 728.6 ⇓ 2.07% | 733.15 | 759.9 / 720.0 BEACONPHAR | 0.33 | 11.97 | Vol. 179000 D: 14.20 ⇑ 0.71% | 14.12 | 14.30 / 13.90 C: 14.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 14.09 | 14.30 / 14.00 ACTIVEFINE | 3.23 | 13.89 | Vol. 509912 D: 92.10 ⇑ 3.25% | 91.29 | 92.70 / 80.30 C: 91.40 ⇑ 3.39% | 91.11 | 92.00 / 89.50 SALVOCHEM | 0.68 | 10.57 | Vol. 356909 D: 20.70 ⇑ 3.50% | 20.45 | 20.90 / 18.00 C: 20.40 ⇑ 2.00% | 21.33 | 21.90 / 20.00 GHCL | 2.14 | 57.31 | Vol. 944250 D: 52.40 ⇑ 9.17% | 52.16 | 52.80 / 49.00 C: 52.00 ⇑ 9.94% | 51.85 | 52.00 / 50.50 ORIONPHARM | 5.02 | 68.68 | Vol. 302350 D: 61.50 ⇑ 0.16% | 61.67 | 62.40 / 55.30 C: 61.40 ⇑ 0.49% | 61.61 | 62.40 / 61.10 JMISMDL | 1.12 | 12.83 | Vol. 280500 D: 223.5 ⇓ 6.13% | 226.28 | 245.0 / 219.3 C: 226.5 ⇓ 3.74% | 231.27 | 244.0 / 225.0 CENTRALPHL | 0.61 | 10.99 | Vol. 315500 D: 31.20 ⇑ 2.30% | 31.01 | 31.50 / 30.50 C: 30.70 ⇑ 1.66% | 30.61 | 32.30 / 29.50 PAPER & PACKAGING HAKKANIPUL | 0.64 | 11.02 | Vol. 12000 D: 27.60 ⇓ 6.12% | 27.71 | 28.90 / 27.30 C: 28.10 ⇓ 4.42% | 28.57 | 30.50 / 26.90 SERVICE SAMORITA | 2.31 | 17.25 | Vol. 10000 D: 100.1 ⇓ 2.34% | 100.10 | 104.0 / 97.60 SAPORTL | 1.23 | 38.39 | Vol. 95759 D: 25.30 ⇑ 2.85% | 25.01 | 26.00 / 22.70 C: 25.10 ⇑ 2.45% | 24.99 | 25.20 / 24.80

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10 14 11 15 16 17 18 21 22 23 24 25 28 29 30 31

RAHIMTEXT | 0.51 | 73.88 | Vol. 150 D: 261.6 ⇑ 3.81% | 260.00 | 265.0 / 260.0 SAIHAMTEX | 2.75 | 29.50 | Vol. 456500 D: 30.50 ⇓ 0.97% | 30.64 | 31.30 / 30.40 C: 30.50 ⇓ 0.33% | 30.49 | 31.00 / 29.80 MODERNDYE | 0.91 | 10.37 | Vol. 2950 D: 93.00 ⇓ 3.53% | 92.88 | 94.00 / 91.30 DSHGARME | 0.72 | 12.00 | Vol. 31000 D: 67.70 ⇓ 1.31% | 68.16 | 73.50 / 65.50 DULAMIACOT | -8.46 | -27.78 | Vol. 2700 D: 8.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.89 | 9.20 / 8.20 TALLUSPIN | 2.56 | 12.06 | Vol. 766520 D: 40.70 ⇑ 2.52% | 40.64 | 41.70 / 37.90 C: 40.40 ⇑ 1.76% | 40.56 | 41.40 / 39.00 APEXSPINN | 2.01 | 49.32 | Vol. 5000 D: 70.40 ⇑ 6.51% | 70.00 | 72.00 / 61.70 MITHUNKNIT | 4.54 | 30.39 | Vol. 112236 D: 88.60 ⇑ 4.36% | 85.16 | 93.00 / 77.40 C: 87.00 ⇑ 3.94% | 87.48 | 91.60 / 77.00 DELTASPINN | 3.06 | 18.12 | Vol. 239000 D: 31.20 ⇓ 1.27% | 31.20 | 31.90 / 30.60 C: 31.40 ⇓ 0.32% | 31.35 | 32.00 / 31.00 SONARGAON | 0.27 | 34.50 | Vol. 169970 D: 17.80 ⇑ 1.71% | 17.53 | 18.00 / 16.50 C: 17.90 ⇑ 3.47% | 17.45 | 18.30 / 16.00 PRIMETEX | 1.01 | 63.54 | Vol. 190500 D: 26.60 ⇓ 0.75% | 26.72 | 27.30 / 26.30 C: 26.70 ⇓ 0.37% | 26.96 | 27.00 / 26.70 ALLTEX | -0.11 | 23.81 | Vol. 31500 D: 8.60 ⇑ 4.88% | 8.60 | 8.80 / 8.40 C: 8.50 ⇓ 1.16% | 8.52 | 8.70 / 8.40 ANLIMAYARN | 1.19 | 11.01 | Vol. 49500 D: 35.40 ⇓ 0.56% | 35.39 | 36.40 / 34.70 C: 37.50 ⇑ 7.14% | 37.52 | 38.30 / 34.00 HRTEX | 2.08 | 14.92 | Vol. 245200 D: 36.70 ⇓ 2.91% | 37.11 | 39.80 / 36.20 C: 35.40 ⇓ 7.57% | 35.35 | 35.40 / 35.30 CMCKAMAL | 1.37 | 19.31 | Vol. 1464213 D: 32.60 ⇓ 1.21% | 32.86 | 33.80 / 30.00 SAFKOSPINN | 0.95 | 21.78 | Vol. 141922 D: 23.40 ⇓ 1.27% | 23.69 | 24.70 / 22.50 C: 23.60 ⇓ 4.84% | 23.77 | 24.00 / 23.10 SQUARETEXT | 4.32 | 31.82 | Vol. 96142 D: 90.00 ⇑ 1.47% | 89.74 | 95.00 / 80.00 C: 90.40 ⇑ 3.55% | 90.44 | 91.80 / 82.00 METROSPIN | -1.00 | 19.59 | Vol. 176500 D: 16.80 ⇑ 1.20% | 16.75 | 17.20 / 16.40 C: 16.70 ⇑ 0.60% | 16.70 | 17.10 / 16.20 MAKSONSPIN | 0.16 | 20.55 | Vol. 718178 D: 15.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.40 | 15.80 / 15.00 C: 15.50 ⇑ 0.65% | 15.50 | 15.80 / 15.20 DACCADYE | 1.21 | 31.13 | Vol. 201419 D: 26.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 26.25 | 26.90 / 24.00 C: 26.50 ⇑ 1.53% | 26.52 | 26.70 / 26.40 RNSPIN | 2.80 | 16.58 | Vol. 704413 D: 28.10 ⇑ 0.36% | 28.07 | 28.40 / 26.00 C: 28.10 ⇑ 0.36% | 28.05 | 28.40 / 27.50 BXSYNTH | 0.93 | 25.42 | Vol. 175425 D: 15.50 ⇑ 1.97% | 15.47 | 15.90 / 14.80 C: 15.50 ⇑ 2.65% | 15.34 | 15.70 / 15.00 MALEKSPIN | -1.44 | 46.87 | Vol. 438190 D: 23.90 ⇑ 1.27% | 23.95 | 24.40 / 21.50 C: 24.20 ⇑ 0.83% | 24.16 | 24.60 / 23.70 ZAHINTEX | 1.91 | 35.25 | Vol. 165500 D: 29.70 ⇑ 0.34% | 29.87 | 30.50 / 29.00 C: 29.80 ⇑ 1.02% | 29.66 | 30.00 / 29.50 SAIHAMCOT | 1.92 | 23.62 | Vol. 476500 D: 23.40 ⇑ 0.43% | 23.58 | 24.00 / 23.20 C: 23.50 ⇓ 0.84% | 23.70 | 24.00 / 23.40 GENNEXT | 1.68 | 15.15 | Vol. 1326300 D: 22.50 ⇑ 2.27% | 22.45 | 22.80 / 20.00 C: 22.40 ⇑ 1.82% | 22.41 | 22.70 / 21.90 ENVOYTEX | 3.26 | 39.26 | Vol. 1529360 D: 54.90 ⇓ 1.61% | 55.36 | 59.00 / 51.00 C: 55.00 ⇓ 1.79% | 55.61 | 56.10 / 54.80 ARGONDENIM | 1.89 | 38.86 | Vol. 2316700 D: 52.50 ⇑ 1.35% | 50.83 | 53.10 / 46.70 C: 52.20 ⇑ 0.97% | 50.89 | 53.00 / 48.60 FAMILYTEX | 3.72 | 14.68 | Vol. 829500 D: 37.10 ⇓ 1.85% | 37.12 | 38.10 / 36.50 C: 37.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 37.02 | 37.90 / 36.20

EHL | 2.87 | 18.48 | Vol. 209908 D: 53.40 ⇑ 2.89% | 53.26 | 54.50 / 52.00 C: 53.50 ⇑ 2.49% | 53.67 | 54.40 / 52.60 LEATHER APEXTANRY | 6.57 | 69.38 | Vol. 569400 D: 113.2 ⇑ 0.18% | 113.70 | 117.0 / 113.0 C: 113.1 ⇑ 0.44% | 114.01 | 115.0 / 113.1 BATASHOE | 49.12 | 135.53 | Vol. 1100 D: 687.5 ⇑ 0.45% | 687.78 | 708.0 / 672.2 C: 660.1 ⇓ 7.26% | 660.05 | 660.1 / 660.0 APEXADELFT | 23.01 | 203.26 | Vol. 23600 D: 365.5 ⇑ 0.88% | 366.99 | 372.7 / 360.0 SAMATALETH | -0.07 | 12.08 | Vol. 3000 D: 11.80 ⇑ 0.85% | 12.00 | 11.90 / 11.80 C: 12.30 ⇓ 9.56% | 12.30 | 12.30 / 12.30 LEGACYFOOT | 0.63 | 17.19 | Vol. 399670 D: 34.10 ⇓ 7.59% | 35.28 | 36.90 / 33.30 C: 33.90 ⇓ 8.13% | 34.99 | 36.80 / 33.50 CERAMIC MONNOCERA | 0.71 | 96.33 | Vol. 46460 D: 35.00 ⇑ 2.04% | 34.90 | 35.70 / 33.90 C: 35.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 38.00 | 35.00 / 35.00 STANCERAM | 1.07 | 15.97 | Vol. 5000 D: 37.80 ⇑ 1.89% | 37.80 | 39.00 / 37.20 FUWANGCER | 1.43 | 13.25 | Vol. 268935 D: 18.80 ⇑ 0.53% | 18.76 | 19.10 / 17.00 C: 18.80 ⇑ 1.08% | 18.80 | 19.10 / 18.60 SPCERAMICS | 0.62 | 30.92 | Vol. 194654 D: 15.60 ⇓ 0.64% | 15.73 | 16.10 / 14.20 C: 15.80 ⇑ 0.64% | 15.71 | 15.90 / 15.50 RAKCERAMIC | 1.98 | 16.76 | Vol. 644953 D: 49.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 49.08 | 53.50 / 44.50 C: 49.80 ⇑ 1.43% | 49.82 | 50.60 / 49.00 CEMENT HEIDELBCEM | 22.85 | 111.50 | Vol. 48550 D: 358.3 ⇑ 3.98% | 355.21 | 364.0 / 341.0 C: 353.3 ⇑ 2.64% | 358.17 | 359.0 / 353.3 CONFIDCEM | 6.23 | 90.76 | Vol. 79113 D: 116.1 ⇑ 2.20% | 116.79 | 120.0 / 113.5 C: 117.2 ⇑ 3.26% | 116.89 | 119.5 / 113.0 MEGHNACEM | 6.28 | 33.81 | Vol. 377100 D: 136.9 ⇑ 9.87% | 133.69 | 137.0 / 123.0 C: 135.0 ⇑ 3.85% | 134.00 | 135.0 / 133.0 ARAMITCEM | 3.03 | 14.65 | Vol. 25410 D: 71.10 ⇑ 4.71% | 70.21 | 72.80 / 67.90 LAFSURCEML | 1.60 | 7.22 | Vol. 862000 D: 33.30 ⇑ 0.60% | 33.18 | 33.50 / 33.00 C: 33.20 ⇓ 0.60% | 33.19 | 33.50 / 33.00 MICEMENT | 4.14 | 40.00 | Vol. 185562 D: 93.50 ⇑ 1.52% | 92.67 | 94.60 / 84.00 C: 91.90 ⇑ 0.88% | 91.45 | 92.90 / 90.20 PREMIERCEM | 3.59 | 22.92 | Vol. 115800 D: 101.6 ⇑ 1.70% | 100.16 | 103.5 / 97.10 C: 101.8 ⇑ 2.62% | 100.41 | 99.00 / 100.0 IT IINDUSTRIES ISNLTD | 0.28 | 17.31 | Vol. 84550 D: 18.50 ⇑ 3.35% | 18.17 | 19.00 / 16.90 C: 18.30 ⇑ 2.23% | 17.98 | 18.60 / 17.20 BDCOM | 1.00 | 14.91 | Vol. 187234 D: 26.20 ⇓ 2.60% | 26.79 | 28.00 / 24.30 C: 26.20 ⇓ 1.87% | 27.12 | 28.10 / 25.70 INTECH | 0.94 | 10.08 | Vol. 272452 D: 15.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 16.05 | 16.60 / 14.50 C: 15.80 ⇓ 1.25% | 15.94 | 16.40 / 15.30 AGNISYSL | 1.07 | 25.52 | Vol. 304175 D: 22.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 22.16 | 22.50 / 20.00 C: 22.60 ⇑ 0.89% | 22.39 | 22.70 / 22.00

DAFODILCOM | 1.12 | 11.14 | Vol. 262000 D: 17.20 ⇑ 0.58% | 17.34 | 17.90 / 16.80 C: 17.20 ⇓ 0.58% | 17.27 | 17.70 / 16.90 AAMRATECH | 1.46 | 21.90 | Vol. 282700 D: 32.10 ⇑ 1.58% | 31.94 | 32.90 / 28.50 C: 32.00 ⇑ 1.27% | 31.85 | 32.90 / 31.00 GENERAL INSURANCE BGIC | 1.65 | 20.33 | Vol. 77652 D: 28.60 ⇑ 2.51% | 27.97 | 28.80 / 26.00 C: 28.20 ⇑ 1.08% | 28.20 | 28.20 / 28.20 GREENDELT | 4.05 | 64.44 | Vol. 17344 D: 93.50 ⇓ 0.43% | 94.32 | 96.80 / 85.00 C: 95.00 ⇑ 5.56% | 95.00 | 95.00 / 95.00 UNITEDINS | 2.47 | 21.04 | Vol. 600 D: 44.60 ⇑ 2.76% | 45.00 | 44.80 / 43.70 PEOPLESINS | 2.05 | 20.72 | Vol. 187100 D: 31.70 ⇓ 3.94% | 32.09 | 33.00 / 31.20 C: 31.30 ⇓ 6.29% | 33.21 | 33.80 / 31.30 EASTERNINS | 2.22 | 35.88 | Vol. 43090 D: 38.50 ⇑ 0.52% | 40.87 | 41.80 / 37.00 C: 37.70 ⇓ 0.79% | 37.53 | 37.70 / 37.10 JANATAINS | 7.84 | 170.69 | Vol. 9248 D: 258.5 ⇑ 0.88% | 255.70 | 265.0 / 251.0 C: 256.0 ⇑ 0.79% | 255.98 | 256.3 / 255.0 PHENIXINS | 2.70 | 20.96 | Vol. 5088 D: 40.10 ⇑ 0.25% | 40.09 | 40.60 / 38.00 EASTLAND | 4.06 | 23.29 | Vol. 40791 D: 46.60 ⇑ 2.19% | 46.36 | 47.20 / 42.10 CENTRALINS | 1.54 | 19.04 | Vol. 68368 D: 29.20 ⇑ 0.34% | 29.21 | 32.00 / 29.10 KARNAPHULI | 1.56 | 19.42 | Vol. 128028 D: 23.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 23.49 | 23.70 / 22.00 RUPALIINS | 2.76 | 23.38 | Vol. 93380 D: 31.30 ⇑ 0.64% | 31.38 | 32.10 / 31.00 C: 31.30 ⇓ 0.95% | 31.50 | 32.00 / 31.00 FEDERALINS | 1.10 | 10.98 | Vol. 146885 D: 22.80 ⇑ 0.44% | 22.95 | 23.50 / 21.50 C: 22.60 ⇓ 0.88% | 22.63 | 23.50 / 22.30 PURABIGEN | 1.05 | 18.71 | Vol. 148300 D: 21.80 ⇓ 0.91% | 21.83 | 22.20 / 20.10 PRAGATIINS | 2.01 | 50.30 | Vol. 11400 D: 55.00 ⇑ 1.10% | 55.04 | 55.10 / 54.70 C: 48.00 ⇓ 3.42% | 48.00 | 48.00 / 48.00 PRIMEINSUR | 2.14 | 14.14 | Vol. 26000 D: 30.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 30.62 | 31.80 / 30.10 PIONEERINS | 3.11 | 23.84 | Vol. 47000 D: 65.80 ⇑ 0.30% | 66.36 | 67.60 / 65.20 MERCINS | 1.53 | 14.50 | Vol. 92272 D: 29.20 ⇑ 0.34% | 29.26 | 30.00 / 26.20 C: 30.00 ⇑ 6.01% | 29.00 | 30.00 / 28.00 AGRANINS | 1.73 | 14.39 | Vol. 47798 D: 28.40 ⇑ 0.71% | 28.31 | 29.00 / 26.00 GLOBALINS | 1.09 | 11.78 | Vol. 20238 D: 29.10 ⇑ 0.34% | 29.19 | 30.40 / 28.00 NITOLINS | 2.59 | 15.41 | Vol. 4500 D: 33.90 ⇓ 0.88% | 34.00 | 34.10 / 33.70 ASIAPACINS | 1.84 | 13.76 | Vol. 54500 D: 30.20 ⇑ 2.37% | 29.82 | 30.60 / 28.40 SONARBAINS | 1.68 | 13.38 | Vol. 159500 D: 25.10 ⇑ 0.40% | 25.09 | 25.50 / 24.70 C: 24.20 ⇓ 3.20% | 24.20 | 24.20 / 24.20 PARAMOUNT | 1.26 | 13.19 | Vol. 48000 D: 23.80 ⇑ 3.03% | 23.54 | 24.10 / 23.00 CITYGENINS | 1.65 | 14.26 | Vol. 125809 D: 28.10 ⇑ 1.81% | 27.92 | 28.30 / 27.30 C: 28.80 ⇑ 4.35% | 28.79 | 28.90 / 28.50 CONTININS | 1.41 | 15.68 | Vol. 280148 D: 31.20 ⇑ 0.97% | 31.27 | 32.30 / 28.00 C: 30.90 ⇓ 4.92% | 32.88 | 34.00 / 30.60 TAKAFULINS | 2.19 | 15.17 | Vol. 112750 D: 45.30 ⇑ 3.90% | 45.16 | 47.80 / 40.00 C: 44.80 ⇑ 2.52% | 44.38 | 46.00 / 44.00 STANDARINS | 2.58 | 13.99 | Vol. 5683 D: 38.70 ⇓ 3.01% | 38.71 | 40.20 / 37.00 NORTHRNINS | 1.77 | 11.15 | Vol. 53512 D: 44.40 ⇑ 0.45% | 44.51 | 45.80 / 43.20 C: 40.40 ⇓ 8.60% | 40.44 | 42.00 / 40.40 REPUBLIC | 2.14 | 12.42 | Vol. 44823 D: 42.70 ⇑ 0.23% | 42.98 | 43.80 / 42.00 C: 42.00 ⇓ 5.41% | 42.00 | 42.00 / 42.00 ASIAINS | 1.56 | 17.34 | Vol. 84126 D: 27.90 ⇑ 2.20% | 27.53 | 28.30 / 25.00 C: 27.20 ⇓ 0.73% | 27.03 | 27.20 / 26.70 ISLAMIINS | 1.29 | 11.96 | Vol. 49120 D: 31.70 ⇑ 2.59% | 31.71 | 33.90 / 29.00

PROVATIINS | 1.90 | 14.30 | Vol. 75272 D: 28.80 ⇑ 0.70% | 28.82 | 29.30 / 26.00 DHAKAINS | 2.84 | 18.02 | Vol. 36500 D: 39.10 ⇓ 0.26% | 38.86 | 39.50 / 38.10 C: 38.10 ⇓ 1.55% | 38.38 | 39.00 / 38.00 LIFE INSURANCE NATLIFEINS | 12.34 | 80.99 | Vol. 2450 D: 246.6 ⇓ 0.04% | 246.53 | 248.0 / 245.0 DELTALIFE | 38.53 | 189.40 | Vol. 14930 D: 5466 ⇑ 3.53% | 5174 | 5478 / 5082 C: 5326 ⇓ 2.43% | 5326 | 5470 / 5254 SANDHANINS | 2.39 | 28.22 | Vol. 32017 D: 68.60 ⇓ 1.01% | 68.98 | 70.00 / 65.00 C: 69.10 ⇓ 3.89% | 70.69 | 71.80 / 69.00 POPULARLIF | 3.70 | 715.41 | Vol. 8500 D: 172.1 ⇓ 1.49% | 172.12 | 173.4 / 171.9 FAREASTLIF | 9.21 | 60.79 | Vol. 18725 D: 92.30 ⇑ 0.11% | 92.06 | 92.50 / 88.00 C: 92.00 ⇑ 1.43% | 92.00 | 92.00 / 92.00 MEGHNALIFE | 10.82 | 48.87 | Vol. 23140 D: 99.90 ⇓ 0.10% | 99.60 | 100.1 / 95.00 PROGRESLIF | 2.30 | 31.45 | Vol. 15878 D: 104.8 ⇓ 1.41% | 104.60 | 106.9 / 100.0 PRAGATILIF | 0.60 | 30.15 | Vol. 40680 D: 112.2 ⇓ 1.49% | 112.32 | 116.0 / 105.0 PRIMELIFE | 5.51 | 27.10 | Vol. 5495 D: 94.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 93.99 | 95.00 / 90.00 C: 91.50 ⇓ 4.98% | 91.50 | 91.50 / 91.50 RUPALILIFE | 3.75 | 31.25 | Vol. 29000 D: 100.1 ⇑ 1.01% | 100.24 | 101.5 / 99.20 PADMALIFE | 1.63 | 25.76 | Vol. 30460 D: 60.10 ⇓ 1.31% | 60.28 | 66.00 / 57.50 C: 60.80 ⇑ 0.50% | 61.43 | 60.80 / 60.80 SUNLIFEINS | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 223200 D: 55.20 ⇑ 1.85% | 55.57 | 56.30 / 49.00 C: 55.20 ⇑ 0.91% | 55.18 | 56.00 / 52.70 TELECOM GP | 12.96 | 26.26 | Vol. 280526 D: 179.2 ⇑ 0.22% | 178.94 | 181.5 / 170.0 C: 180.4 ⇑ 1.01% | 180.00 | 181.5 / 177.0 BSCCL | 5.82 | 26.38 | Vol. 303450 D: 198.8 ⇓ 0.75% | 200.12 | 204.5 / 195.0 C: 198.4 ⇓ 0.90% | 199.57 | 205.0 / 196.5 TRAVEL & LEISURE UNITEDAIR | 1.10 | 12.87 | Vol. 2310373 D: 15.30 ⇑ 2.00% | 15.24 | 15.50 / 13.70 C: 15.40 ⇑ 1.99% | 15.31 | 15.50 / 15.00 UNIQUEHRL | 4.02 | 86.29 | Vol. 285505 D: 82.20 ⇑ 0.74% | 82.05 | 82.90 / 73.50 C: 82.20 ⇑ 0.37% | 82.10 | 83.00 / 80.80 MISCELLANEOUS ARAMIT | 16.07 | 99.93 | Vol. 16000 D: 287.3 ⇓ 1.47% | 287.75 | 298.0 / 280.0 BSC | 1.77 | 565.82 | Vol. 61060 D: 486.0 ⇑ 0.15% | 487.07 | 498.0 / 475.0 C: 487.0 ⇓ 0.10% | 488.67 | 503.0 / 473.0 GQBALLPEN | 6.55 | 250.45 | Vol. 48590 D: 145.2 ⇓ 0.07% | 145.27 | 147.0 / 130.8 C: 142.5 ⇓ 0.70% | 142.16 | 145.9 / 140.2 USMANIAGL | 0.50 | 26.03 | Vol. 70300 D: 136.5 ⇑ 6.72% | 134.46 | 140.6 / 128.0 C: 135.2 ⇑ 4.32% | 135.20 | 140.0 / 128.0 SAVAREFR | 0.23 | 12.32 | Vol. 50 D: 64.00 ⇑ 8.47% | 64.00 | 64.00 / 64.00 BEXIMCO | 3.24 | 86.74 | Vol. 1165304 D: 27.10 ⇓ 0.73% | 27.17 | 28.20 / 24.60 C: 27.30 ⇓ 1.09% | 27.38 | 28.00 / 27.00 SINOBANGLA | 1.75 | 21.01 | Vol. 155000 D: 21.90 ⇓ 1.35% | 22.07 | 22.50 / 21.70 C: 22.00 ⇓ 1.35% | 22.28 | 22.40 / 21.50 MIRACLEIND | 0.14 | 14.90 | Vol. 193000 D: 15.40 ⇓ 1.28% | 15.55 | 16.10 / 15.40 C: 15.20 ⇓ 1.30% | 15.35 | 16.00 / 15.00 BOND IBBLPBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 60 D: 957.8 ⇑ 0.37% | 955.56 | 958.8 / 957.3 C: 960.0 ⇑ 2.02% | 960.00 | 960.0 / 960.0 ACIZCBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 42 D: 870.0 ⇑ 0.00% | 875.00 | 871.0 / 870.0 C: 860.0 ⇓ 0.29% | 860.00 | 860.0 / 860.0 BRACSCBOND | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 10 D: 1025 ⇓ 3.76% | 1000 | 1050 / 1001

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

Focus on great ideas and products

Fredrik Haren, an author and speaker on business creativity, founder of interesting.org, shares his theories of creativity with Murshidul Hasan What should companies do to cultivate creativity and innovativeness for being fresh in their marketing campaigns?

Companies can do a lot. As a leader, you have to use the right words while talking about brands. “What can we do to help our people become more creative?” – that should be the mind-set of all.

The most important thing a leader can do is be creative themselves, rather than asking people to be creative or teaching them to be creative. If you work for someone who does things differently you will feel empowered to do things differently, whereas if you work for someone who is very conservative and doesn’t change, there will be a disconnect.

Then you are likely to do as your manager does, not as he asks you to.

It’s surprising that many leaders talk about innovation and ask everyone else to be innovative but they don’t do the same.

That’s why leaders, who do things differently, are famous as such Richard Branson, and Tony Fernandez.

What is needed to stay ahead in developing new marketing ideas?

You should focus on great ideas, customer solutions, or customer experiences rather than marketing ideas. It’s all getting intertwined. I feel that the biggest mistake companies make is to think that they can have marketing ideas.

I interviewed the owner of Evernote, a company that creates software for keeping ideas. Previously, he had started companies with 50% of budget allocated for product development and 50% for admins, marketing and sales. Recently, he started a new company, with 95% of resources, and energy allotted for building a great product and 5% for

Can you please tell us about your book, “The Idea Book”?

Fredrik Haren speaking at Commward 2013 marketing and sales. He said that the world has changed, and if there is a great product people will talk about it. They will write, share, and blog about it. A company should focus all resources and energy in making an amazing product.

If consumers don’t talk about your product, you should not put more money on marketing, rather you should allocate money on making a better product. If people don’t talk about your product, it is due to your product not being good enough to talk about.

I do the same myself. I don’t promote my speeches or myself. I focus on making good speeches. Then, the word spreads. More than 95% bookings come because someone has heard me speaking.

How do you spot a great idea from a good one?

The definition of “interesting” is “unusual or exciting in a way that keeps your attention.”

It’s very important to have the second part because you can do something very shocking.

I can put a topless woman and everyone will notice it, but it’s not creative. It’s just attention-grabbing. But if something is unusual or exciting in a way that keeps my attention, that’s when I say “That’s interesting!”

If you say “that’s interesting” around an idea, that’s a good sign. This is why my company is called Interesting, to remind us of “That’s a good idea.”

“The Idea Book” is not a single product. It’s a book and a notebook. You can read it as a normal book. Also, you can read it as a management book or a self-help book.

In many bookstores, it’s both in the management section and the self-help section.

Although they usually put a book in one or the other, “The Idea Book” is in both sections. It is also a training book so companies buy it as a training tool.

It’s a gift that creative individuals give to other creative individuals and say “You are such a creative person, you should read this book.” Furthermore, it’s a notebook and people buy it as one.

As I am selling six different products, the market is bigger. I focused on the human need which is being creative, and the need for love only exceeds the feeling for being creative.

The emotion that we all feel when we have a really good idea is the highest we ever feel.

We are so happy and positive that we would go through fire to make it happen. So, if I have a tool that will make people have more such feeling, that’s what I focus on doing.

How has your experience been in participating in COMMWARD?

I have been speaking at many different branding conferences including Cannes, the largest in the world. The quality here has been very good. It was a wonderful conference and well-organised.

Although, I spoke at the biggest branding conference in Jakarta, but this conference was better organised, with better attendees, and better speakers. The Indonesian conference was good, but this has also been great in all respect. l

US giant Walmart and India’s Bharti end joint venture n AFP, Mumbai Walmart and Indian firm Bharti announced yesterday they were ending their partnership, with the US giant partly blaming India’s new rules on foreign investment for the split.

The companies said they would “independently own and operate separate business formats”, ending a partnership aimed at building Walmart’s presence in India’s potentially lucrative retail sector. The world’s biggest retailer has operated since 2007 in India as a wholesaler via its partnership with Bharti, but it is unable to sell directly to consumers.

Walmart has said it wants to operate supermarkets in India after New Delhi moved last year to open up the retail sector to foreign companies, to try to boost the sharply slowing economy.

But the group has been frustrated by the government’s new conditions for foreign direct investment (FDI), an internal bribery probe and the faltering relationship with Bharti, owner of India’s top mobile phone firm.

Walmart told AFP in an email the decision to split with Bharti was based on “external and internal

factors, including the new FDI policy”.

“Under the requirements contained in the new FDI policy Walmart could not invest in multi-brand retail through the existing Bharti Retail business,” a Walmart India spokesperson added in the email, without elaborating. Walmart must now find another local partner to own 49% of the business if it plans to push ahead with operating supermarkets under the government’s rules.

A year ago, New Delhi allowed foreign supermarkets to establish 51% joint ventures in the country as part of a drive to seek outside investment, but so far none has applied. Analysts said the split showed the government must do more to streamline FDI rules to attract overseas companies and spur economic growth, which has slackened to a decade-low. “This could further caution international firms looking to enter India,” said Saloni Nangia, president of consultancy firm Technopak of Walmart’s announcement.

“From a destination perspective, foreign firms want to be in India. But from a policy and doing-business perspective, it is different. The government needs to do more to facilitate this,”

A customer shops at a Best Price Modern Wholesale store, a joint venture of Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Bharti Enterprises, at Zirakpur in the northern Indian state of Punjab REUTERS she said. Opposition lawmakers in the past have expressed concern over Walmart’s entry, saying it will hurt local “mom and pop” stores. With the Bharti venture ending, Walmart is not expected to rush into making fresh India investments, said Sonam Udasi, head of research with IDBI capital.

“Walmart will study the on-the-ground situation, particularly future government policies in retail,” he told AFP. Walmart said in July it was unable to meet the government’s requirements - stipulating that 30% of its products must come from local small-scale industries - for it to open retail stores. l