October 24, 2013

Avenue T

A talk with a businessman and an art lover

Kartik 9, 1420 Zilhajj 18, 1434 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 210

Business

B1

13

Internal shocks to take toll on economic growth

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

Sport

Shakib strikes back

16 pages with 8-page business tabloid plus 24-page supplement Avenue-T | Price: Tk10

to phone Khaleda, BNP shifts stance on advisers Hasina will not write a letter It says Hasina cannot lead polls-time government; walks out amid criticism n

Kamran Reza Chowdhury and Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

BNP-led opposition MPs joined the last session of parliament yesterday apparently to place their proposal over the election-time government. But following massive disapproval from the treasury bench, they shifted from the stance of picking advisers from 1996 and 2001 caretaker governments.

The BNP, however, reiterated its disapproval to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the chief of the polls-time

BNP proposals

AL reaction

BNP places non-party caretaker formula

BNP's proposal unconstitutional, not executable

Advisers can be chosen outside the proposal, but 'no' to Hasina

Not possible to find 10 advisers from the two caretaker governments Boycotting polls will jeopardise BNP's existence

Caretaker not a permanent solution government. Opposed again by the ruling Awami League MPs, the opposition walked out of parliament.

The opposition yesterday joined the

session after over three months and later several leaders said they might not join the remaining sittings of the current session that will end on November 7.

Former speaker and BNP lawmaker Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar led the opposition legislators to join the House around 6:15pm. He placed the formula, in an informal slot, for formation of a non-partisan caretaker government comprising 10 advisers who had served in the 1996 and 2001 caretaker governments, as disclosed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on October 21.

Sircar said the BNP and the Awami League should propose names of five advisers each and form the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

A man works at his shop at Nazimuddin road in Old Town to prepare signboards and other materials that would be used in upcoming election campaign

Mozena flies to New Delhi for consultations n Sheikh ShahariarZaman US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena yesterday travelled to India as part of his ongoing consultations with Indian officials and US embassy officials based in New Delhi.

“Ambassador Mozena will visit India on Wednesday as part of his ongoing consultations with the US Embassy in New Delhi,” Press & Information Officer at the US Embassy in Dhaka Kelly S McCarthy informed the Dhaka Tribune through email.

“While he [Mozena] is there, he will  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

AL, BNP RALLIES TOMORROW

BGB to be deployed n Tribune Report

The government is likely to deploy Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel in the capital today, as an additional security measure “to ensure safety of the lives and assets of the people” after the two main parties announced plans to hold rallies almost concurrently tomorrwo.

The BGB members will also be deployed across the country to supplement the existing security measures taken by the Police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), a source at the home ministry confirmed the Dhaka Tribune.

Several city and district administra-

tions have also started taking individual measures, including imposing a ban on public rallies and processions until further notice.

“It is already decided that the government can deploy BGB forces any time as additional security measure for the people, if it is needed. If anybody tries to create any violence or any violent situation is found, the government will deploy BGB to tackle them. But when it will be deployed, has not been decided yet,” home ministry’s Additional Secretary Mainuddin Khandokar told the Dhaka Tribune.

Meanwhile, sources claimed the

Dhaka mulls handing over Anup Chetia n Mohosinul Karim With the extradition treaty having come into effect yesterday, government high-ups have started considering repatriation of Anup Chetia, general secretary of the Indian separatist group Ulfa, to the Indian authority.

Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir yesterday told reporters that his ministry was now waiting for the high-ups’ decision

as per a directive of the High Court.

After the decision was made, the ministry would start the procedure to repatriate the top leader of the United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa), he said after a ceremony for signing and handing over the extradition treaty ratification instruments at the ministry.

Senior Secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed of the ministry and Indian High Commissioner  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

INSIDE News

3 The EC will make further changes to the

Nation

electoral code of conduct for the upcoming election if the two major political parties reach a consensus on the the polls-time government.

7 Hilsa netting is set to resume today after the expiration of an 11-day ban imposed by the government, amid claims the move was successful in yielding the desired results.

Law

International

day and use the telephone these days for various purposes in various ways, yet we are not aware if there are legal requirements related to the use of the telephone, which is also regulated by law.

Iran and Syria, members of Saudi Arabia’s ruling family are threatening a rift with the United States that could take the alliance between Washington and the kingdom to its lowest point in years.

5 We have many telephonic conversations every

8 Upset at President Barack Obama’s policies on

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

n Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will call BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to invite her to talks about a polls-time government's structure that will oversee the next general elections.

At a meeting of the 14-party alliance partners, the Awami League chief said her party would not send letters, which would take more time, clarifying her remark from Monday about “communicating” with Khaleda.

“We will not send them any invitation letter for talks. If we send one, mistakes of commas and full stops will be pointed out…We do not have enough time. I would rather phone and invite her to dialogue,” Hasina was quoted by a senior leader of the alliance as saying.

In her introductory speech at the meeting held at Ganabhaban, Hasina also termed Khaleda’s proposal for the polls-time government “impractical,” and alleged that the BNP was “not sincere about any talks.”

Whishing anonymity, the leader of the 14-party alliance told the Dhaka Tribune that at a meeting of the alliance partners Hasina told them that her party was ready to hold talks at any place.

The main opposition BNP sent a formal letter to Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam on Tuesday to initiate talks. The party also placed its proposal on the polls-time government in parliament yesterday.

The meeting of the ruling alliance also decided to participate in the election together and Hasina asked aspiring candidates to start working to that end. An alliance leader said they had extended support to Hasina’s proposal on the structure of the polls-time administration.

Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon recommended that the PM strengthen the Election Commission further and give it the charge of important ministries such as the home ministry during polls.

Sources said Jatiya Samajtantrik

Dal President Hasanul Haque Inu proposed expanding the alliance including pro-liberation political parties.

Hasina criticised the opposition BNP lawmakers for walking out of parliament. “The BNP placed its proposal for forming a polls-time interim government and staged a walkout. We were ready for discussion but they left the House without listening to us. I think they are not sincere about discussion,” the premier said.

“I do not know why the BNP has proposed such a formula. It has proposed bringing five advisers each from the 1996 and 2001 caretaker governments.

But some of them already died, some have expressed their unwillingness to take the responsibility and some are incapable of discharging the duties,” the AL chief said.

We will not send them any invitation letter for talks.

If we send one, mistakes of commas and full stops will be pointed out Hasina once again vowed to continue the democratic process in the country.

She informed the leaders about her meetings with different political parties on her proposal to form an all-party government to oversee the polls.

“After having meetings with the parties, I will write to the president, advising him to take measures to hold the next general elections,” she added.

Earlier, the premier had a meeting with her alliance partner Jatiya Party.

Ruling alliance leaders Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohammad Nasim, Syed Ashraful Islam, Rashed Khan Menon, Anisur Rahman Mallick, Bimol Bishwas, Fazley Hossain Badsha, Hasanul Haque Inu, Mainuddin Khan Badol, Shirin Akter, Dilip Barua, Dr Wazedul Islam Khan, Asit Baron Roy, Nurur Rahman Selim, Enamul Haque, Zakir Hossain were present at the meeting. l

Rana Plaza collapse victims yet to get compensation Hossain Ovi and n Ibrahim Ashif Islam Shaon

SIX MONTHS OF RANA PLAZA DISASTER

Six months after the Rana Plaza collapse, the stakeholders are yet to disburse financial assistance and other benefits to the victims and their families.

The government and the organisations involved in garment business have failed to deliver on their muchtalked-about promise of a compensation package for those affected by the tragedy.

However, the country has seen some determined individuals from different quarters, both at home and abroad, work tirelessly to bring relief to the families of the 1142 garment workers that were killed and more than 2500 injured who were injured.

On August 29 five months and six days after the April 24 tragedy, a

high-powered committee formed on the instruction of the High Court recommended Tk1.951m in compensation for each of the apparel workers who died or went missing in the collapse based on worker’s basic salary, annual inflation, gratuity, pain and sufferings of victims.

The committee also proposed Tk1m each for a victim who lost one limb and Tk1.5m to Tk2m each for a victim who lost two limbs.

According to the committee’s findings, 221 injured were grievously injured  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, October 24, 2013

JS session up to November 7 No sitting after polls schedule announcement The working paper presented at the ister Shafique Ahmed, and lawmakn Kamran Reza Chowdhury ers Rahmat Ali, Suranjit Sengupta, meeting said the House needed to pass The Business Advisory Committee of parliament yesterday decided that the assembly would not meet after the schedules of the 10th parliamentary polls were announced and the current session of parliament would continue up to November 7.

The current session’s tenure had been extended to complete the unfinished task of passing a few laws, Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali told the Dhaka Tribune after a meeting of the committee at the parliament building.

The meeting, however, authorised Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury to extend or curtail the tenure.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the deputy speaker, Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Chief Whip Abdus Shahid, Law Min-

Tofail Ahmed, Md Fazle Rabbi Miah, Rashed Khan Menon and Abdul Matin Khasru attended the meeting of the 16-member committee headed by the speaker.

While discussing the tenure of the session, the committee members pointed out that the Election Commission usually announced the polls schedules 45 days before election day.

Hasina inquired how much time the House would need to complete the unfinished tasks. The chief whip told the meeting that the businesses could be finished by November 7.

In addition to the government bills, the current session will enact two private members’ bills – one on parents’ maintenance and the other on protection of detainees.

JS passes bill to discipline overseas employment n Tribune Desk The Overseas Employment and Migrant Workers Bill 2013 was passed in parliament by voice vote yesterday, paving way for bringing discipline in the country’s manpower export business.

Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Engr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain moved the bill in Parliament.

The new law will replace the existing Immigration Ordinance 1982 for recruiting agencies to check forgery, deception and illegal practice to protect the interests of the overseas jobseekers and migrants.

It provides maximum 10-years imprisonment and at least Tk500,000 in fine for violation of the law in sending workers abroad.

The new law also provides seven years rigorous imprisonment and fine of Tk300,000 for any forgery of demand letter, visa or work permit, as well as for publishing any false advertisement.

The existing law had the provision of maximum one-year imprisonment and highest Tk5,000 fine for all types of violation.

The proposed law will make the activities of the overseas recruiting agencies transparent, ensure their accountability and protect the rights and interests of the migrant workers.

The new law will allow the migrant workers to file cases directly against the recruiting agencies involved in

fraudulence and other irregularities.

The court will have to dispose of the cases filed by migrant workers or overseas job seekers in four months after the charge framing and in case of failure to do so it will have to record a reasonable ground to get two more months for disposal.

Another bill, titled “Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Bangladesh Bill 2013,” was also passed in Parliament by voice vote yesterday to establish a maritime university in the country.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid moved the bill.

In the objective of the bill, it was stated that this university would create maritime experts and provide graduates and postgraduates on shipbuilding, naval architecture, marine safety and security, maritime law and administration, and thus meet the growing demand for maritime experts at the national and international levels.

The Payra Port Authority Bill 2013, piloted by Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan for establishing a port authority for Payra seaport, was placed in parliament and later sent to the respective Parliamentary Standing Committee for further scrutiny, asking the committee to submit its report in three days.

The objective of the bill stated that the country’s economic activities would get a boost with the establishment of a new sea port authority at the Rabonabad Channel in Patuakhali district. l

Rana Plaza collapse victims yet  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

and 150 would require long-term treatment. But the committee is yet to submit the report to the court as it is “fine-tuning” the proposal. After the report is submitted the HC will decide on the persons who will receive compensation.

The committee said that the financial help workers had received so far from the government, individuals and different organisations was not compensation.

Factory owners, building owner, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) or a government organisation responsible for ensuring safety in the factory will pay the compensation.

Reacting to the committee’s suggestion, leaders of the BGMEA, a trade group representing companies that operated in the collapsed building, said compensation of around Tk2m for each Rana Plaza victim was too high, as it would require a total outflow of over Tk3bn.

Meanwhile, the prime minister’s relief fund has so far disbursed Tk200m to 813 workers. 36 workers and their families have received Tk1m to 1.5m each as financial assistance, since they have been considered as crippled in the building collapse, while the rest have received Tk100,000-600,000 each.

A source at the BGMEA said about Tk1.27bn has so far been given to the fund by banks, insurance companies, individuals and garment owners.

Of the donors, Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB), a platform of bank owners, donated Tk800m while BGMEA donated only Tk20m.

A good number of survivors and family members of the deceased have not got anything from the fund. They have received some financial help from individuals and are struggling to survive.

Ashraful Islam, a 30-year-old survivor, was found sitting on a plastic chair

in front of his rented two-room house at Radio Colony, some one and a half kilometres away from the site of the tragedy. He had to spend over four and a half months in two hospitals and five days in a physical rehabilitation centre to get treatment for his left leg and hand that were damaged in the Savar tragedy.

He wished he had died in the tragedy or lost a limb since it would have made him eligible to receive compensation.

While his crippled co-workers have received financial help from various organisations, Asraful has received only Tk80,000 donated by some individuals.

“I was excluded from all compensation lists as I still had all my limbs,” he lamented.

Ashraful has a daughter of around six years old, who had to drop out of school since there was no money to pay her fees. His wife was a garment worker at Ashulia but she had to quit her job to take care of him.

“I can’t walk and my wife can’t go from person to person seeking financial assistance. In future I may be seen begging on streets.”

When contacted, BGMEA Vice-President Shahidullah Azim said, BGMEA cannot fix the compensation amount and direct the factory owners to disburse the amount.

“But every company has to provide insurance cover amounting to about Tk200,000 for each of the workers. And if the owner so desires, pay out some extra amount to the sufferers,” he said.

“Let’s see what the compensation committee comes up with,” the BGMEA official said.

Labour and Employment Secretary Mikail Shipar said the high-powered committee led by General Officer Commanding Savar Cantonment Maj Gen Hasan Shahid Suhrawardy will propose the final compensation package.

“They are working on it and the prime minister herself is supervising.

Hopefully there will be a result soon.” l

15 laws.

Committee member Rahmat Ali told the Dhaka Tribune the meeting had not made it clear whether the current session would be the last one.

“But I think there is no scope to convene another session before the announcement of the polls schedules,” he said.

Before the inauguration of the ongoing session on September 12, the Business Advisory Committee had decided that the session would be the last in the current ninth parliament and continue up to October 24.

Rahsed Khan Menon told the Dhaka Tribune that the treasury bench would welcome the opposition if they came up with any debate on the polls-time administration. l

Six BNP activists held in city n UNB The Rapid Action Battalion yesterday arrested six BNP activists from the city’s High Court area.

Members of Rab 3 made the arrests in front of the main gate of the High Court when the six BNP activists were on their way to appear before the court to seek anticipatory bail in three cases.

The authorities identified them as supporters of the BNP’s International Affairs Secretary and former state minister for education ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon.

The Rab members arrested them at about 11:30am and later handed them over to Shahbagh police station.

The arrested are Awlad Hossain, 29, Mamunur Rashid, 29, Jahangir, 40, Rafiqul Islam, 41, Selim, 35, and Kabir Hossain, 35.

When contacted, Sub-Inspector Maksud of Shahbagh police station said the elite force members had arrested the six BNP men as they were accused in cases filed with Kachua police station in Chandpur. l

Mozena flies to New Delhi  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

also meet civil society, business leaders and representatives of the Government of India where he will discuss the full range of our robust bilateral engagement with Bangladesh,” Kelly said.

Earlier on Tuesday morning, Mozena visited the residence of Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Pankaj Saran and had a meeting.

“We talked about everything just as you would expect and I see him (Pankaj Saran) quite often,” Mozena had said after a meeting with Home Minister Mohiudding Khan Alamgir at his office on Tuesday evening.

“We talked about Indo-Bangladesh cooperation, we talked about increasing trade between the two countries, we talked about how America can play a role to facilitate expanding trade between the two countries,” he said.

In the afternoon, Mozena had lunch with some diplomats of Western countries at a local hotel.

The diplomats were British High Commissioner Robert Gibson, Canadian High Commissioner Heather Cruden and EU ambassador William Hanna. l

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday awards one of the winners of a children’s cultural competition, organised by Jatiya Shishu Kishore Parishad at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, marking the birthday of Sheikh Russell BSS

EC: More changes in code if parties agree on polls-time govt n Mohammad Zakaria The Election Commission will make further changes to the electoral code of conduct for the upcoming election if the two major political parties reach a consensus on the formation of the polls-time government.

“We are working to prepare the draft electoral code of conduct in line with the constitution and hoping that we will be able to finalise the draft within a day or two,” Election Commissioner Md Shah Newaz told reporters at the EC secretariat yesterday.

But if the two political parties can come to a compromise on the mode of interim government, the commission will further change the electoral code of conduct in the interest of people, he said.

Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam and BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir have already talked over the phone and exchanged letters. The EC views it as a positive approach of the two political parties.

The Chief Election Commission-

to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran signed the ratification documents on behalf of the two governments.

Asked if the government was going to extradite Anup Chetia, Home Minister MK Alamgir said: “The issue is now under consideration of the government high-ups…Steps will be taken after the decision comes.”

On the repatriation of a few killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman believed to be hiding in India, he said: “We have requested the Indian authority to repatriate those killers to Bangladesh, if they are in India, and they gave us assurance in this regard.”

Indian Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Bangladesh Home Minister MK Alamgir had signed the landmark treaty on January 28 and the Bangladesh cabinet approved its ratification on October 7.

In his welcome address at yesterday’s ceremony, MK Alamgir said the treaty would open the door to extending cooperation in preventing terrorism as the criminals of the two countries would no more be able to make a sanctuary in any country.

Indian High Commissioner in Dha-

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

ka Pankaj Saran said the treaty would now help the two countries to extend cooperation in tackling security problems and preventing terrorism.

It would also play a vital role to establish peace and safety in the whole South Asia.

Under the treaty, the two countries can request extradition of criminals detained in each other’s jails and will be able to exchange criminals or prisoners convicted for over a year as per each other’s request.

The treaty, however, says anyone having political involvement will not come under it. Also, the countries will have the authority to turn down any request and it is the host country that will finally decide on extradition of a person.

Anup Chetia, the founding general secretary of Ulfa and commander-in-chief of its armed wing, was arrested in the capital’s Adabar on December 21, 1997. His jail term ended on February 25, 2007.

Chetia was sentenced to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment in cases involving illegal entrance and stay in Bangladesh, forging Bangladeshi passports and possessing foreign currency. l

ministry has already decided to deploy BGB as part of the total security plan to tackle any unrest.

BGB personnel, who will patrol with police and Rab forces, will be deployed in Dhaka, Chittagong and other important areas in the country. They will perform the duties until further instructions are given, the ministry source said.

Although the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has slapped a ban on rallies, processions and human chains for an indefinite period in the capital, BNP’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the party “will hold a rally” in front of its Nayapaltan party headquarters on October 25.

The ruling Awami League also plans to place its activists at different places in the capital tomorrow, according to party sources.

Meanwhile, Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) also imposed an indefinite ban on public rallies and processions in the port city from today, on the backdrop of the programme announcements made by the two major parties.

Four platoons of BGB personnel are also being deployed in Chittagong, said police sources.

“CMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam imposed the ban on rallies and processions across the city from 6am, which will continue until further notice,” Banaz Kumar Majumder, additional commissioner (crime and operation) of CMP, said.

The ban was imposed under sections 29, 30, 33 and 34 of Chittagong Metropolitan Ordinance 1978, to avert untoward incident as both Awami League and BNP had announced rallies at Laldighi grounds from October 24 to 27, he said.

BNP city unit President Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury told the Dhaka Tribune that the CMP made the decision after being influenced by the ruling party.

“Administration grabbed our political rights with this ban,” he said, adding that people would not tolerate this type of autocratic attitude from the government.

In Barisal, both Awami League and BNP have also planned rallies at the same place and time for the October 25.

Barisal Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Shamsuddin acknowledged receiving applications from both parties, but said they would not allow any side to arrange programmes in the interests of maintaining law and order. l

asked the senior Awami League leader amid desk thumbing of the treasury bench members and in presence of the prime minister.

Sircar took the floor again and said Tofail should not talk on the proposal as it was meant for the prime minister.

Then MK Anwar said: “The prime minister has addressed the nation [on October 18] for a solution [over the election-time government]. We refrained from making any comment.

The opposition leader has made another proposal for a solution.”

He said the two parties could settle their differences discussing it behind the scene.

“The main issue is: who will be the head. If we can agree on selecting the chief, then I believe, [selecting] the advisers from the proposals or outside the proposal will not matter.”

Mentioning that there were non-party caretaker governments in Greece, Italy and Pakistan, the BNP leader termed the country’s present political impasse a “constitutional crisis.”

Anwar also said the caretaker government system was not a “permanent solution.”

Sheikh Selim took the floor and said: “What sort of proposal is this [when] you will accept everyone, but not the prime minister?”

He said the government had to amend the constitution in line with the High Court verdict that had declared the caretaker government provision and BNP founder Gen Ziaur Rahman’s takeover illegal.

At that time, the opposition lawmakers started shouting and walked out of the House at 7:48pm.

Selim said the BNP’s existence would be in jeopardy if they would refrain from taking part in the next general election.

Then another senior Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta spoke on the issue and criticised Jamiruddin Sircar.

“When a proposal is placed in House, it becomes the property of the House. So, any MP can talk about it,” he said.

He termed the BNP proposal “a trash.”

Suranjit said: “I want to categorically tell the House that there is no constitutional crisis as a government which came to power with huge mandate is in power.” l

er (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad on Tuesday said the ice had begun to melt.

However, the commissioner said the EC would upload the draft electoral code of conduct and send it to the registered political parties for review.

After that it will scrutinise their suggestions before finalising the electoral code, he added.

Shah Newaz said the EC is yet to decide about Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) as it cannot grant a symbol to a party which is similar to that of another.

EC will announce the poll schedule for the next general election and the next parliamentary polls will be held in due course.

When asked about the bomb explosion near the EC secretariat he said: “I heard the sound of bomb explosion at around 6.00am when I was in my house.

Police is investigating the matter.”

The secretariat will take steps to provide security to the commission secretariat and commissioners, he added.

Meanwhile, the full commission will sit at a meeting at 11am today. l

Dhaka mulls handing over Anup Chetia  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

BGB to be deployed

BNP shifts stance on advisers  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

government to oversee the next elections.

Awami League leader Tofail Ahmed took the floor after Sircar and said they would not find 10 advisers from the two interim governments.

After his arguments, BNP Standing Committee member MK Anwar apparently backtracked saying his party would not mind picking up advisers out of Khaleda Zia’s proposal.

But, he said, the BNP-led opposition would in no way accept Hasina as the head of the interim government. Later when another Awami League MP Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim castigated the opposition for not agreeing over Hasina’s leadership, they staged a walk out.

The BNP lawmakers arrived in parliament around 4pm and had a meeting of the parliamentary party. The House started at 4:35pm with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

The MPs joined the House after Maghreb prayer recess.

After the scheduled question-answer session for the minister was over, the BNP legislators entered the assembly. Sircar took the floor around 7pm

on a “point of order” and said he would place the proposal on behalf of the leader of the opposition.

“We hope the prime minister will accept our proposal for the sake of peace, stability and continuation of democratic practices. And she will take effective measures to discuss the matter.”

He said the 15th amendment to the constitution, if not changed, would put the country’s democratic future into uncertainty.

During his speech, both Hasina and Khaleda were absent in parliament.

Tofail followed Sircar. He thanked the opposition for placing the specific proposal in parliament and suggested that the opposition should have place the formula in line with the Rules of Procedure.

“Then we can discuss it and take a decision in his regard,” he said.

Tofail said the opposition leader in her proposal had mentioned that the number of advisers was 20. “Actually, it is 18,” he said. Of them, four former advisers had died, four sick, two declined to serve and one was a current adviser to the BNP. “So, how can we find 10 advisers?”

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, October 24, 2013

3

97% subsidy goes to quick rentals n Asif Showkat Kallol Of the government’s total disbursement for rental power purchase this quarter, 96.82% went to quick rental power for high rates charged to buy electricity.

A circular was issued by the finance division’s budget wing yesterday on disbursements of first quarter (July – September) to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).

The circular states of total subsidy Tk15.09bn for the first quarter of fiscal 2013-14, the government disbursed Tk14.6bn to 17 quick rental power plants and Tk480m to 15 rental plants. It was disbursed as a loan by the budget wing, on condition of repayment within 20 years, with a fiveyear grace period at 3% interest.

A senior official of the finance ministry said it would be financially disastrous for the government if this trend continued, with misuse of quick rental power money.

Finance division sources said the government’s expense for meeting cost of purchasing power from quick and rental plants again reached Tk15bn in three months, increasing pressure on the exchequer.

The power division has decided to extend deals with upstart entrepreneurs of much-talked-about rental power projects on a limited scale. Last

month the prime minister allowed the power division to grant long leases to rental and quick rental power projects for different tenures up to 2020.

The division has already started negotiating with sponsors of rental and quick-rental power projects, he said and added that they would meet some sponsors to negotiate on October 2.

The power division proposed an extension until 2020 as most of the longterm base-load power projects, including a series of coal and gas-fired plants and the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, are expected to commence production of electricity by then. But the official warned the budget deficit may widen if arrangements for rental power continues.

The total budgetary allocation for power sector subsidy in the current fiscal is Tk160bn, but Tk220bn in the last one. The subsidy provided is meant to cover BPDB’s losses from selling power to consumers for lower rates.

To ease the pressure on subsidy, the International Monetary Fund has repeatedly advised hiking power tariffs.

While tariffs have been increased several times for consumers, a gap still exists between cost of production and prices.

The government claims GDP growth rate would have gone down if the country’s power generation did not rely on fuel-run rental and quick rental plants for four years. l

Hundreds of vehicles get stuck in the stream of traffic in the capital’s Banani signal yesterday

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Police arrest Jamaat-Shibir men to foil ‘subversive activities’

Tribunal rejects Yusuf’s bail plea n Udisa Islam

Nizami’s defence tenders ‘unlisted witness’

n Mohammad Jamil Khan

The war crimes tribunal yesterday rejected the bail petition of Jamaat-e-Islami leader AKM Yusuf, and directed the jail authorities to ensure his proper treatment.

In a petition dated October 9, defence counsel Md Saifur Rahman sought Yusuf’s unconditional bail, saying he was 87 and suffering from various old age complications and always needed help for movement.

Prosecutor Syed Haider Ali opposed the petition, saying the case was already underway and the safety and security of prosecution witnesses would be hampered if he had got bail.

The International Crimes Tribunal 1 rejected the bail plea, citing Yusuf’s medical report from the prison that said his heath condition was stable.

Yusuf was indicted on 13 counts of crimes against humanity allegedly committed in 1971.

n Udisa Islam

Ahead of BNP-led 18 party’s announced October 25 rally, law enforcers carried out separate drives across the country yesterday and arrested many leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir, in an effort to foil their “subversive activities.”

Police raided Jamaat’s city unit office at Purana Paltan yesterday and arrested an activist from the spot.

A joint drive by Paltan police station and the Detective Branch arrested Enamul Haque, 24, and recovered two jihadi books from his possession at around 5pm.

Ashrafuzzaman, deputy commissioner of police of Motijheel division, told the Dhaka Tribune the raid was carried out based on information that Jamaat-Shibir activists were planning subversive activities in the capital.

Meanwhile, 16 suspected Jamaat-Shibir activists, including a media correspondent of Diganta Teleivision, were arrested yesterday from the capital’s National Press Club area.

Police made the arrests when the suspects were coming out from a discussion at the press club. The arrestees were later taken to Shahbagh police station.

Abdul Jalil, inspector (investigation) of Shahbagh police station, told the

Dhaka Tribune the arrests were made following information that Jamaat-Shibir activists had attended a programme at the press club in disguise.

Deputy Commissioner of Police of Ramna Division Maruf Hassan said the arrests were made based on information that the suspects were planning to carry out subversive activities.

In a separate drive, police also arrested BNP’s Dhaka city unit Joint Convener Ahsanullah Hasan from his office at the Mirpur-6 area at noon.

Mirpur model police station OC Salauddin Ahmed said Ahsanullah will be shown arrested in several vandalism and arson cases that were filed against him with the station.

Imtiaz Ahmed, deputy commissioner of police of Mirpur division, said Ahsanullah was being interrogated and would be sent to court on Thursday.

According to police sources, law enforcers picked up over 300 opposition leaders and activists since last Sunday, ahead of the October 25 programmes.

However, Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of Detective Branch, denied the claim and said the 49 police stations in the capital arrest around 150 to 300 people daily, and that the numbers did not exceed the average in the last few days.

Monirul added that 26,000 police

personnel were ready to ensure citizens’ safety, with several political parties’ announcements of holding rallies in the capital.

If needed, police will not only make mass arrests on the day, but they would also take any kind of action against any violator, the joint commissioner warned.

The police actions in Dhaka came as police in other districts of the country also carried out drives to arrest several Jamaat-Shibir activists.

In Chittagong, police arrested four Shibir men on Tuesday night from a mess quarter at the city’s Oxygen area.

Bayezid police station OC Sairul Islam said police carried out the raid on a tip-off and held the Shibir men as they were planning to carry out subversive activities in the area.

Some leaflets, jihadi books and organisational receipt books for collecting donations – were seized from their possession. A case has been lodged in this regard, the OC added.

Elsewhere in Satkhira, police yesterday morning arrested 10 Jamaat-Shibir leaders, including Ashashuni upazila Jamaat Secretary Abu Musa Tariquzzaman Tushar and Satkhira town Shibir President Abu Taleb.

In Narsingdi, law enforcers at Shibpur police station also arrested five Shibir activists. l

Indictment hearing in Subhan case

At the same tribunal, the defence started argument on charge framing against Jamaat leader Maulana Abdus Subhan and later sought adjournment as their senior counsel Abdur Razzaq wanted to place his argument on the indictment.

The tribunal accepted their point and adjourned the proceedings until October 31. l

Another explosion in Ctg, two including Jamaat man held n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong At least one Jamaat-e-Islami activist was injured while allegedly making bombs at his home in the Rasulbag residential area at Bakalia in Chittagong early on Wednesday.

Md Nasrullah, 36, managed to flee after the incident but police detained his 42-year-old brother, Asadullah, a local Jamaat activist, along with his wife, Asma-ul Husna, 24. Asadullah dismissed the incident as a blast of a refrigerators compressor.

Police said the explosion occurred around 1:15am on the ground floor of the two-storey building at No. 109 in the ‘A’ block at Rasulbag. Residents of the building began dousing the resulting fire on their own but soon became panicky and called the police.

Md Mohsin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bakalia police station, said Nasrullah had managed to flee before the arrival

of law enforcers but they were able to recover gunpowder, petrol and other bomb-making equipment from the

room.

“It is clear that the escapee had been manufacturing bomb which went off in

the room,” he said.

Moshtak Ahmed, additional deputy commissioner of south zone of Chittagong Metropolitan Police, said efforts were being made to arrest Nasrullah, while his brother and sister-in-law had been detained.

The police official said the bombs were being made for carrying out subversive activities in the port city ahead of October 25. He also said they had sealed the building off in the morning, adding that a case was lodged with Bakalia police station in this regard.

On October 7, a big explosion in the Lalkhan Bazar Madrassa run by Hefazat-e-Islam senior leader Mufti Izharul Islam in the port city injured five students, of which three later succumbed to their injuries.

Police had recovered bomb-making materials from the Madrassa after the incident and arrested Mufti Izhar’s son. l

Lawyers for war crimes accused and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami yesterday tendered their third witness, who was not listed by the defence, saying that he would echo the statements given by the previous witnesses.

This is for the first time a witness is tendered in a war crimes case.

“Tendering a witness” means the witness will be produced only for cross-examination; s/he would not give deposition. Any testimony submitted by a former witness could be considered as the testimony of such a witness for purposes of crossexamination.

The Jamaat chief is facing 16 charges of murders and torture of unarmed people, and complicity to commit genocide and crimes against humanity in Pabna and Dhaka during the war.

The first two witnesses claimed that they had not heard about the involvement of Nizami in crimes during the 1971 Liberation War in Santhia of Pabna.

The defence earlier said they would present lawyer Nazibur Rahman, also son of the alleged war criminal, as the third witness yesterday.

But they placed Abdus Salam Mukul, whose name was not among the five submitted by Nizami’s lawyers earlier.

The defence told the International Crimes Tribunal 1 that Nazibur would testify today as the fourth and last witness in the case.

Neither the tribunal nor the prosecution raised any objection yesterday over producing an unlisted witness.

Earlier on Sunday, defence lawyer Tajul Islam submitted a list of five witnesses – Abdul Hamid (1, 2), Abdul Samad, Mujibur Rahman and S Alam.

But they produced “out of the list” KM Hamidur Rahman on Monday as the first witness. On this matter, the tribunal expressed disappointment over the “fraudulent behaviour.”

The defence later apologised and pleaded to have his name corrected on the list.

On Tuesday, they brought Md Shamsul Alam, another witness who was not on the list, and prayed that the name “S Alam” on the list be changed to “Md Shamsul Alam.”

The Jamaat chief is facing 16 charges of murders and torture of unarmed people, and complicity to commit genocide and crimes against humanity in Pabna and Dhaka during the war.

Mukul, the third defence witness, yesterday identified himself at the tribunal as a freedom fighter of Santhia in Pabna. He took oath in the witness box and told the tribunal his name and identity.

Just after that, senior defence counsel Mizanul Islam submitted that they were tendering the witness.

The defence said the third witness came to say the same thing the previous witnesses had said. So, he did not need to give deposition separately.

Following this, the tribunal asked the prosecution to cross-examine the witness. The prosecution, however, declined to question Mukul. The tribunal then adjourned the proceedings until today when the last defence witness would be placed. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Over 600 doctors selected in 32nd special BCS Ministry gives specific instructions for distributing doctors at different divisions n

Moniruzzaman Uzzal

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has received a gazette notification with the list of a total 605 doctors to be appointed in the health sector, who were selected through the 32nd special BCS under the freedom fighter quota.

Among the doctors, there are 540 doctors with MBBS degrees and 65 with BDS (dental surgeon). The selected doctors have been advised to join work within October 30.

The special BCS recruitment examination was held in 2011 to recruit 1619 officers under the freedom fighter quota at different ministries including the health ministry.

Dr Md Shah Newaz, director (administration) of DGHS, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that the health ministry had given specific instructions for distributing both MBBS and BDS doctors at different divisions.

According to the ministry directives, the DGHS was told to recruit 30

MBBS doctors at Dhaka, 55 at Chittagong, 125 at Rangpur, 100 at Rajshahi, 105 at Barisal, 65 at Sylhet and 60 at Khulna. From the dental surgeons, Dhaka will get five, Chittagong five, Rangpur 17, Rajshahi eight, Barisal 12, Sylhet 10 and Khulna will get eight doctors.

Sources said the selected new recruits had been trying to secure suitable work postings that are nearest to the cities, ever since the gazette notification was published. There are

allegations that most of the doctors were trying to collect recommendations from ministers, secretaries, parliament members, political leaders, and senior doctor leaders – in an attempt to be stationed at Dhaka or other cities.

Seeking anonymity, several senior officials told the Dhaka Tribune that it had become a tradition in the health sector to get recommendations from influential people for securing lucrative work places.

They informed that during the tenure of this government, a total of 1,993 doctors were appointed through general and special BCS. Besides, 4,133 doctors were also given appointment on adhoc basis.

According to the rules, each newlyappointed doctor must stay at least two years at a grassroots-level health centre. But in reality, most doctors remain irregular in their duties, going to the health centres only two or three days a week. l

Six CPA officials sued

n Tushar Hayat, Chittagong The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday filed three cases against eight people including six officials of the Chittagong Port Authority, on charges of irregularities in purchasing government goods.

Mohammed Shahidul Alam, deputy assistant director of the ACC in Chittagong, filed the cases with Bandar police station in the afternoon, accusing the eight of committing irregularities in purchasing a turbo charger, exhaust manifold and AVR worth around Tk1.86m through tender manipulation The accused port officials are Deputy Chief of Marine Engineering Department Khorshed Alam, Executive Engineer (marine) Aminul Islam, former accounts officer Sandipan Chowdhury, Assistant Harbour Master (marine) Nur Ahmed, Workshop Manager SM Shahajahan, and Assistant Factory Manager Abdur Razzak.

The other two accused are proprietor of Janata Enterprise Abdullah Al Nahian, and proprietor of Shah Amanat Engineering and Workshop Abdur Rouf Bhuyan. l

Mob beats 2 to death

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong An agitated mob beat two men to death at Raozan in Chittagong yesterday after the pair had shot at a union parishad chairman at Pahartoli in the morning.

People alleged that Md Suman, 28, and Mozammel Haq, 42, were local cadre and activists of BNP. Enamul Haque, officer-in-charge of Raozan police station, said the duo shot UP Chairman Abdul Khalek in front of Panchkhain Boro Pirer Majhar at Bagoan union around 10:30am, over previous political enmity.

Jahirul Islam, sub-inspector of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) police outpost, said the UP chairman was admitted at CMCH. Doctors at the hospital said a bullet had hit chairman’s abdomen, but he was now out of danger. Police said they have been investigating the incident.

The dead bodies were sent to CMCH morgue for post mortem. l

WEATHER

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

Moderately heavy to heavy falls were also likely at places over Khulna, Barisal and Chittagong divisions, Met Office said.Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:25pm today and rises at 6:01am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 31.9 degree Celsius was recorded at Teknaf and lowest 21.2 degrees at Sayedpur 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

28.5 28.5 30.0 30.4 28.8 28.2 31.8 29.0

23.0 24.0 21.4 22.2 23.5 23.0 22.7 25.0

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:45am 5:59am 11:43pm 3:48pm 5:25pm 6:41pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

Milon given anticipatory bail n Nazmus Sakib The High Court yesterday granted anticipatory bail to former state minister for education ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon for two weeks in three cases.

An HC vacation bench of Justice Rezaul Haque and Justice ABM Altaf Hossain passed the order after hearing a plea by the BNP leader.

The three cases lodged against Milon allege he hindered police duty and was involved in vandalism at Kochua of Chandpur during a BNP-called hartal.

Meanwhile, the police arrested five BNP supporters when they went to the high court to take anticipatory bail in vehicle vandalism cases earlier in the day.

The arrestees are Awalad, Kabir, Rafik and Yeasin, all leaders and activists of Kachua upazila. Shirajul Islam, officer-in-charge of Shahabagh police station, told the Dhaka Tribune they made the arrests as they were FIR-enlisted criminals who went into hiding soon after the cases were filed.

Milon and 175 other BNP activists were accused in the cases for hindering police duty and vandalising vehicles during the day-long strike enforced by BNP at Kachua of Chandpur. l

Opportunity knocks for illegal migrant workers in Malaysia

by January 21 n Rabiul Islam

People risk their lives crossing roads at the capital’s Sonargaon intersection every day, as authorities discard their obligations merely by putting up a signboard, warning the pedestrians about the dangers of jaywalking, instead of setting up any foot-over bridge, underpass or even a zebra-crossing. The photo was taken yesterday SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Jamalpur students to receive JU teachers’ strike continues n cooked meals at school JU Correspondent

n Tribune Report More than 6,000 children in Islampur upazila under Jamalpur district will receive cooked meals at school by January 2014 through an initiative jointly launched by the government and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

The new scheme, which will replace the existing practice of providing students with micronutrient-fortified biscuits with freshly-prepared nutritious Khichuri in school feeding programmes, was formally inaugurated in South Chinadoli Government Primary School of the district yesterday.

Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr Afsarul Ameen, State Minister Motahar Hossain, Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Greg Wilcock, and WFP representative Christa Räder attended the inaugural ceremony of the AusAID funded programme.

Students of the upazila will receive the meal each day at lunch time that would be made from locally-procured rice, pulses, fortified oil and homegrown vegetables. Locally grown fruit

will also be added when available.

Greg Wilcock said: “Australia has provided over 40m Australian dollar to global school feeding programmes through the WFP in last four years.”

The school meal programme is also expected to benefit communities by employing local women as cooks and helping to boost the incomes of local vegetable producers.

“School meals cooked from local ingredients not only help students perform better in school and support their parents, but can benefit entire communities,” Christa Räder said while addressing the function.

The initiative is a new addition to the ongoing partnership between the WFP and the Government, under which 2.7 million pre-primary and primary schoolchildren in Bangladesh currently receive micronutrientenriched biscuits.

Distributions of nutritious food at schools have not only improved school enrolment and attendance rates by encouraging children to come to class, but also provided them with much-needed vitamins and minerals that may otherwise be missing in their diet. l

Jahangirnagar University Teachers Association (JUTA) yesterday called for punitive action against the vice chancellor and pro-government student activists for their alleged October 9 attack on teachers.

The teachers’ union also demanded the reinstatement of two hall provosts who were dismissed by VC Anwar Hossain on Tuesday, allegedly for not working with the university administration.

The union also recommended rescheduling the November 2 admission tests for the 2013-14 academic year, saying it would not be possible to hold them on time due to a lack of preparation.

The decisions came from a general meeting of JUTA, held on campus yesterday with about 130 teachers in attendance. The teachers also decided to continue their ongoing strike, demanding the VC’s removal.

They vowed to refrain from all academic and administrative activities until next Wednesday, and threatened to go for a total shutdown from November 1 unless the VC resigns from his post.

Meanwhile, the General Teachers Forum, another platform of teachers that has been leading the anti-VC movement since April, also decided to continue its

12 charged over schoolboy Parag Mondol abduction n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against 12 individuals accused over the November 2012 abduction of sixyear-old schoolboy Parag Mondol.

Judge Sadikul Islam Talukdar of the Women and Children Repression (Prevention) Tribunal 1 read out the charges brought against the accused.

Meanwhile, the tribunal fixed November 24 to begin the trial.

According to the charge sheet, the Heed International School pupil was picked up by a gang of four gunmen on the morning of November 11 last year from Shuvadda Paschimpara in Keraniganj.

The miscreants shot and injured his mother Lipi Rani Mondal, 35, Sister Pinaki Mondal, 11, and their car driver Nazrul Islam, 35, during the incident.

Two days later the kidnappers freed Parag, a resident of Shuvadda Uttar Para in South Keraniganj upazila, after

receiving a Tk5m ransom.

Parag’s grandmother Sabittri Mondol filed a case with Dakkhin Keraniganj police station on the same day, accusing 10 people.

Later, the investigation officer named Mukther Hossain Amir as the mastermind behind the abduction, saying the others kidnapped Parag according to his plan. After the investigation, police arrested 12 people for their alleged involvement with the crime.

The 12 charged accused are Amir Hossain, of aliases Moktar and Lengra Amir; Beauty Akter, wife of Lengra Amir; Md Akash, his nephew; Abul Kashem, his brother-in-law; Md Kala Chand; Mohammad Ali Rifat; Zahidul Islam; Al Amin; Mamun Mia; Md Sakil; Md Sultan and Md Wasim.

Two of the accused, Abul Kashem and Akash, received bail from this tribunal while arrest warrants were issued against two fugitives, namely Mohammad Sultan and Wasim Khan.

On March 23, Inspector at South Ker-

aniganj police station and investigation officer of the case Monirul Islam submitted the charge-sheet to the court.

Later, on March 24, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Nazmul Haque Shyamal transferred the case to the tribunal.

On March 31, the tribunal took the case into cognisance. It received the charge sheet against 12 accused while dropping three others including former Juba League president of Shuvadda union Aminul Haque Jewel alias Jewel Mollah. The other two were Alfas Hossain and Rizvi Ahmed Anik.

Of the accused, Mohammad Ali Rifat, Zahidul Islam, Kala Chand and Al Amin gave confessional statements before the court on November 16, 2012.

The four in their statements said Amir had plotted the abduction.

Police arrested Juba League leader Jewel Mollah from his Keraniganj house on November 22 last year upon a directive of the High Court as he was being remanded on bail by another court. l

boycott of classes and examinations.

VC Anwar Hossain was not immediately available for his comments on the latest developments.

JUTA has urged action against the VC as he allegedly assaulted two teachers who tried to stop him from joining a syndicate meeting on October 9. It also demanded punishment of Chhatra League activists who reportedly joined on attack on teachers that day, injuring five.

The union criticised the recent dismissal of two provosts, Shaymal Kumar Roy of Jahanara Imam Hall and Anwar Khosru Parvez of Al Beruni Hall (main).

Union members claimed the VC sacked the two provosts as they were involved in the movement against the VC. “The VC illegally sacked the two hall provosts who were nominated by the syndicate. He cannot do this without a syndicate meeting,” JUTA president Ajit Kumar Mazumder said.

Meantime, the teachers agreed to conduct admission tests, but demanded changing of the schedule.

“The teachers have agreed to take part in the admission tests under proVice Chancellor (education) MA Matin, but they demanded to change the schedule because it would not be possible to hold the tests on time,” JUTA general secretary Sharif Uddin said. l

The Malaysian authorities again opened up an opportunity for illegal foreign workers to become part of the legal workforce between October 21, 2013 and January 21, 2014.

“A large number of illegal Bangladeshi migrants will be able to relish the chance from the latest offer,” Bangladesh Labour Counsellor to Malaysia Mantu Kumar Biswas told the Dhaka Tribune over phone yesterday.

Officials said during the legalisation programme of 2011 in Malaysia, a large number of foreign workers including 267,803 Bangladeshis registered for legalisation.

Of the registered Bangladeshi migrants, approximately 204,000 attained legal status while 25,000 returned home.

“Falling victim to fraud by agents or middlemen, we assume that 30,000 Bangladeshi migrant workers failed to get their legal status,” Mantu said, adding that Malaysian authorities would provide the exact figure soon.

Officials said employers of the illegal migrants had to submit registration slips, workers’ passports and police reports.

If a migrant worker has no passport, Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia will issue him a passport on the basis of his earlier passport’s photocopy.

Only the foreign registered workers who were cheated by agents, middlemen or employers and had police reports between September 1, 2011 and 10 September 2013 would get the opportunity for legalisation, officials said.

“We will go for publicity in print and electronic media so that our workers may come to know about the opportunity and seize the offer,” Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training Director General Begum Shamsun Nahar told the Dhaka Tribune at her office yesterday. l

10-TRUCK ARMS CASES

23 plead not guilty n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Twenty-three of accused in the sensational 10-truck arms haul cases pleaded not guilty to a Chittagong court yesterday.

The men were produced in front of the Chittagong Metropolitan Special Tribunal No 1. The rest of the accused will be produced today, said court sources.

Babar argued that they had already filed a petition with the High Court seeking change of court as they feared that the defence would not get justice in the tribunal State lawyer, Chittagong Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Kamal Uddin Ahammad asked the accused to submit pleas.

All 23 pleaded not guilty, said court sources.

The total number of accused in the arms and explosives case and smuggling cases are 50 and 52 respectively.

The two cases, known as the 10-truck arms haul cases, were filed with the Karnaphuli police station following the

seizure of around 1,500 wooden boxes containing smuggled weapons on April 2, 2004. The haul included submachine guns, AK-47 assault rifles, submachine carbines, Chinese pistols, rocket shells and launchers, hand grenades and bullets, which were carried by two trawlers to the Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited (CUFL) jetty.

The number of accused who are on bail in both the cases is 29 and 30 respectively, and they were scheduled to appear before the court yesterday.

Those who appeared before the court were accused in both cases.

Meanwhile, defence lawyer of Lutfozzaman Babar, former home minister, moved a petition seeking postponement of his client’s appearance. He argued that they had already filed a petition with the High Court seeking change of court as they feared that the defence would not get justice in the tribunal.

The tribunal, however, rejected the petition, saying that the accused had had enough time earlier to move this petition.

Trial in the cases got underway on November 29, 2011. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Law

5

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Laws related to telephone use The Bangladesh Telecommunication Act, 2001 is the law in this regard

UPCOMING LAW

Protecting Bangladesh’s indigenous products n Abdullah Al Arif The Geographical Indication Act, 2013, which was approved by the cabinet last week, is designed to protect products of Bangladeshi origin, many of which are renowned the world over. The proposed act would ensure the quality of Bangladesh’s traditional products and protect against indiscriminate replication.

What is geographical indication (GI) and how would the law work to protect the intended products?

“Geographical indication” is a fairly new concept introduced by the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) in its TRIPS Agreement. TRIPS, which stands for Trade Related Aspect of Intellectual Property Rights, seeks to provide comprehensive and effective protection of items registered as geographical indication goods by WTO member states, and GI is one of six trade-related intellectual property rights provided under the agreement.

Geographical indications identify any item that originates in a given territory, or in a region or locality within that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic associated with the product can be essentially attributed to its geographical origin. Some examples of GI products from Bangladesh are Comilla’s “roshomalai,” the “kachagolla” from Natore, Porabari’s “chomchom,” the “monda” from Muktagacha and the much-loved “jamdani” sari of Dhaka. There are many other products from Bangladesh that may fall under GI attributes so it might not be possible to provide a complete list of products at the moment.

SAYED LATIF HOSSAIN

n Law Desk We have many telephonic conversations every day and use the telephone these days for various purposes in various ways, yet we are not aware if there are legal requirements related to the use of the telephone, which is alsoregulated by law.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Act, 2001 provides necessary guidelines regarding the use of radio or telecommunication services. It covers areas related to false, obscene, indecent messages, causing annoyance, eavesdropping on conversations, damaging telecommunication or radio apparatus and obstructing telecommunication or radio operation. All are considered as an offence under this act.

The table below shows a comprehensive list of offences related to radio or telecommunication and penalties for such offences Section

Section 66

Section 67

Offences

Penalties

Sending false message by using radio or telecommunication: If any person intentionally sends or causes to be sent any danger-signal, message or call which is false or fraudulent, or, uses, installs, modifies, operates or possesses an apparatus, device or a component under circumstances that give rise to a reasonable presumption that the apparatus, device or component has been, or is being, or was intended to be used in violation of the provision of this act

Imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or a fine not exceeding Tk300,000 or both

Causing interference in radio communication and telecommunication: If any person creates obstruction to or causes interference in radio communication or telecommunication, or interrupts any radio communication or telecommunication or utilises or divulges the interrupted communication without permission of the originator of the communication Mishandling of radio or telecommunication apparatus by employee: (a) If any employee or an operator intentionally transmits, by using a telecommunication apparatus or radio apparatus, a message which is false, or misleading, or is likely to affect the efficiency of a telecommunication service or the security of life or property of a person (b) If any employee or an operator obtains any information relating to the sender or addressee, or the content of, a message sent by telecommunication or radio communication

Section 68

(c) If any employee or an operator discloses any information about the sender or addressee or contents of a message which has come to his knowledge only by using or in connection with the use of a telecommunication apparatus or radio apparatus (d) If any employee or an operator creates obstruction in any part of a telecommunication network which is being used for sending or receiving an information or message or anything else

Imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or a fine not exceeding Tk300,000 or both

For any of the offences mentioned here, imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or a fine not exceeding Tk500,000 or to both

(e) If any employee or an operator obtains any information relating to the sender or addressee or content of the message, unless he is authorised in this behalf by the Commission or by the sender or addressee of such a message Sending obscene, indecent message: If any person uses telecommunication apparatus or radio apparatus to send an obscene, threatening ,or grossly insulting message

Imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding Tk50,000 or both

Section 70

Causing annoyance by telephone calls: If any person repeatedly makes telephone calls to another person in such a manner that the calls cause annoyance or inconvenience to that other person

Fine of Tk25,000 and, in default of payment of fine, imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months

Section 71

Eavesdropping on telephone conversations: If any person intentionally listens to a telephone conversation between two other persons

Imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding Tk50,000 or both

Section 72

Trespass, unlawful stay, causing damage to apparatus, obstruction to operation activity etc: If any person, without permission of the personin-charge, enters an office where telecommunication or radio communication is operated with the help of licensed telecommunication apparatus or radio apparatus, or, internationally causes damage to such apparatus, or removes it, or unlawfully impairs the efficiency of it or renders it unworkable

Imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years or a fine not exceeding Tk700,000 or both

Section 69

If you feel that you have been subjected to any of the offences mentioned above, you can go to the nearest police station and lodge a general diary (GD) providing

LAW HUMOUR

necessary details of the incident and information about the suspected offenders.

In serious situations, you can file a first information re-

port (FIR) with the police station providing the same information. However, lodging an FIR means the formal initiation of a criminal proceeding. l

The GI Act, 2013 would establish a mechanism for registering products of local origin to ensure protection against any fallacious claims by other nations or territories. The law would ensure that products from other countries would also be protected in a similar way if they are identified and recognised as GI products belonging to those countries. In Bangladesh, the law would entail the establishment of a GI wing under the Department of Patents and Trademark, which would be entrusted with the responsibility of protecting products registered under GI. The act entails detailed directions to clarify who may apply to register any product, the application process to register and if there is any opposition to an item being registered, then how that would be processed. It deals with procedures to appeal against any decision of the registrar, cancellation or rectification and how errors should be corrected. Under the proposed act, a product registered under GI would be protected for up to 10 years from the date of registration.

The proposed act also provides for means of dealing with any related offences and penalties for those offences. In case the persons or associations who apply to register a product do not have the rights of ownership over the GI products or if there are attempts to register or misrepresent any items, then persons or associations responsible could be fined up to Tk200,000 or face imprisonment for a maximum of three years or both. l

NOTICE BOARD Send us queries for

Ask Your Advocate and also your articles on any legal issues at: law@dhakatribune.com

Dhaka Tribune

FR Tower, 8/c Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka- 1207 Visit our website at: www.dhakatribune.com Join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune

Court ruling fires British debate on Muslim veils n Reuters Recently a British judge ruled that a Muslim woman could not give evidence at her trial wearing a full-face veil, sparking debate about whether Britain should follow other European countries and ban Islamic veils in schools and public places.

The case comes as the government considers how to better integrate Britain’s 2.7 million Muslims without restricting the right to freedom of religious expression.

The conundrum took on added significance after four British Islamists carried out deadly suicide bombings in London in 2005.

Prime Minister David Cameron has previously said state multiculturalism has failed, but Britain has steered clear of following the examples of France and Belgium, where it is illegal for women to wear full-face veils in public.

But in a significant ruling on Monday, a Muslim woman, who argued that removing her veil in court breached her human rights, was told she could not wear it when giving evidence.

‘Elephant in the courtroom’

Cartoon by Rio Shuvo

The act entails detailed directions to clarify who may apply to register any product, the application process to register and if there is any opposition to an item being registered, then how that would be processed

“The niqab has become the elephant in the courtroom,” said Judge Peter Murphy, who also made the compromise that she could wear her veil at all other times during a trial later this year over accusations she had intimidated a witness in another case.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons and who only started wearing a niqab in May 2012, had argued it was against her beliefs to uncover her face in front of men who were not members of her close family.

SAYED LATIF HOSSAIN

But Murphy said it would “drive a coach and horses through the way in which justice has been administered in the courts of England and Wales for centuries” if jurors could not observe her reactions.

“No tradition or practice, whether religious or otherwise, can claim to occupy such a privileged position that the rule of law, open justice and the adversarial trial process are sac-

rificed to accommodate it,” he said.

“That is not a discrimination against religion. It is a matter of upholding the rule of law in a democratic society.”

Murphy, whose ruling will serve as a precedent, said he hoped parliament or a higher court would provide a definitive verdict “sooner rather than later,” while the woman’s lawyer said it was too early to say whether she would appeal.

There have been growing calls from some British lawmakers for a ban on veils in schools.

Last week, Birmingham Metropolitan College, a higher education institution in central England, said it would ban staff and students wearing veils, but days later reversed the decision after criticism and protests.

Home Office (interior ministry) Minister Jeremy Browne said the government should contemplate a ban to protect some young Muslims who he said might be compelled to wear a veil.

“I think this is a good topic for national debate,” Browne, a Liberal Democrat, told the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

However, women wearing headscarves and veils on the streets of east London, home to a large Muslim community, said the government should not get involved in religious matters.

“It didn’t get in the way of my education at all. People’s mindset needs to change. I don’t see why I should have to change, I can’t accept that,” said student Nasreen Jabber, 19.

Sarah Daniela, 29, a self-employed sales trader and a recent convert to Islam, said it was her choice to wear a veil.

“It’s 2013, we want to go forward, not backwards. To ban it (the niqab) is very stupid, there’s no reason,” said Daniela, who was wearing a headscarf. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Chittagong BCL blocks DhakaChittagong highway

Dawn-to-dusk hartal observed in Tangail

n FM Mizanur Rahaman, Chittagong

The day-long shutdown (hartal) called by the district unit of BNP passed more or less peacefully yesterday.

The strike was enforced to protest the arrest of Sultan Salauddin Tuku, assistant student affairs secretary of BNP, and also former president of Chhatra Dal. However, two activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jubo League were critically injured on the day-long shutdown.

The activists were attacked by hartal supporters during pickets at Suti Kalibari area under Gopalpur upazila around 10am.

The Injured were Joint Convener of Gopalpur Chhatra League Nazrul Islam and Sports Affairs Secretary of Gopalpur Jubo League Jalal Uddin.

Officer-in-Charge of Gopalpur Police Station Md Jasimuddin Sarker said the pickets attacked the victims with sharp weapons. At first they were admitted to Gopalpur Upazila Health Complex where the on-duty doctors referred them to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.

The situation of Suti Kalibari area was brought under control, he added.

The vehicular movements excluding rickshaws remained off the streets during the hartal and all the shops and markets were closed in the town.

Tangail district unit Chhatra League brought out an anti-hartal procession from their office. It paraded the main thoroughfares of the town. l

Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling Awami League, yesterday blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong, protesting a Shibir attack on its two activists.

The agitated BCL activists staged a demonstration at Panthisila area around 8:30am, suspending the vehicular movement for two long hours on the road.

Officer-in-Charge of Sitakunda police station SM Badiuzzaman told the Dhaka Tribune that on information, they rushed to the scene and tried to bring the situation under control.

After getting assurance from the police, the BCL activists withdrew the blockade around 10:45am, the OC added.

Earlier, a group of armed Shibir activists hacked two BCL activists – Yusuf and Firoz Khan – with sharp weapons around 2:15am at Guliyakhali area of the upazila, the police said.

Firoz was critically injured and was sent to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dhaka, while Yusuf received primary treatment from the upazila’s health complex.

A case was lodged in this connection, the OC said, adding that police were conducting drives to arrest the attackers. l

11 get life term in Sylhet n Our Correspondent, Sylhet A Speedy Trial Tribunal in Sylhet yesterday sentenced 11 people to life imprisonment for abducting and killing a microbus driver in 2010.

They were also fined Tk20,000 each, in default they have to suffer one year more in jail.

The convicts were Shahmim Mia, Johur Ali Prokash Kalu, Abdus Shahid, Roman alias Rubel, Azam Khan, Md Salauddin, Mohammad Shahjahan, and another absconding four— Shah Alam Prakash Sumon, Md Alauddin, Soleman Patwari Monti, and Jubair Hossain.

The tribunal released four persons on bail as the allegation against them wasn’t proved.

The case description said microbus driver Mohosin, 30, was kidnapped from Sindur Khan road at Sreemangal upazila on September 27, 2010.

Later, the gang killed the driver and took the microbus. After nine days of the incident, the decomposed body of Mohosin was recovered from Rubber Bagan area.

Sazzadur Rahman, the then subinspector of Sreemangal police station, filed a case against 15 people in this connection. Later, the case was transferred to Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal. l

40 applicants vie for each coveted seat

n CU Correspondent On average, at least forty applicants would be vying for each seat that ensures admission to the University of Chittagong (CU) for the next academic year 2013-2014, said university officials.

“There are 162,348 applicants seeking to take this year’s CU admission tests, who are competing for 4,090 seats available in the university’s 46 departments,” said SM Akbar Hossain, deputy registrar of academics.

The highest number of applicants for any single unit is 28,184, who have applied for the Bachelor of Business Administration’s (BBA) C1 unit, while 1174 applied for C2 unit and 3944 for C3 unit of the department.

The second highest number of applicants is for B1 unit of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities - 27,252 in total – while 4,350 applied under B2 unit, 620 to B3, 519 to B4, 383 for B5, 256 for B6 and 4,923 for B7 unit of the department.

The Science Faculty’s Unit A had 14,421 applicants and for admission to unit E of the Bachelor of Law (LLB) course there were 14,591 applications.

In addition, 28,266 applications were received for unit D of the Faculty of Social Sciences and for unit F of the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science there were 3,097 applicants.

Applicants to unit G of the Institute of Marine Science and Fisheries equalled 3,074, and the Faculty of Biological Science’s unit H received 15,659 applications, while 11,635 applied to unit I of the Faculty of Engineering.

The admission tests for the limited number of coveted seats at the university will commence on November 16. l

n Our Correspondent, Tangail

Two women cultivate vegetables on mud dumped at a brick kiln as cultivable lands are being encroached by the brick traders. The photo was taken from Shymolpur, Savar recently MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Farmgate water pump permanently closed ignoring public concern n Abu Hayat Mahmud Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority has permanently closed the needful water pump of Farmgate in the heart of the capital ignoring public concern.

Sources said the operation of the water pump was shut on December 7, 2012, reasoning out damage to water supply lines.

The Farmgate water pump was installed in 2001.

Primarily, Wasa officials gave the version that local supply line was cut because of installation of underground Telegraph and Telephone cable lines.

Later, officials of MODS Zone 3 visited the water-pumping station, and after quarry, they shut down the operation.

Now, the state-run agency says they have closed the pump permanently.

The closure of water pump has affected hundreds of residents, shop owners and even pedestrians in the area who regularly took potable water from the pump.

Locals also alleged that they repeatedly sent letters to the Wasa authority

and also demonstrated against the closure of the pump, but to no avail.

Asia Khatun, a housewife in Tejturi Bazar, said: “When the Farmgate pump was operational, we collected drinking water from there, free of cost.”

Asia added that now she collected water from Wasa pipeline from one of her neighbour’s house, but the water from there was not as pure as that of Farmgate water pump.

Afjal Miah, a tea stall owner at Farmgate, said, “We are suffering due to closure of the water pump. There was a time when I collected water free of cost for my tea stall, but now I have to spend money on water.”

Afjal hoped that the government agency, Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa), would review its decision and resume the operation of the water pump considering the needs of poor people.

Locals claimed that the pump station had turned into a den of antisocial activities, causing sufferings to city dwellers.

Ashikur Rahman, a private bank official and also resident of East Ra-

jabazar, claimed that gangsters, drug peddlers and drug addicts, assembled at the water pump and commit antisocial activities.

“I also see them at day when I walk home from office in the afternoon,” he said.

“The young thugs also gather under Farmgate passenger shed and also near Ananda and Sando cinema hall,” he added.

On a recent visit to Farmgate, this correspondent found the same picture as described by the locals.

It was also found that there was no security or pump operator at the station.

Contacted, designated Wasa officials told the Dhaka Tribune that they had been instructed by “higher authorities” not to talk about the matter with journalists.

Most Wasa high-ups added that their Managing Director Taksem A Khan was the only spokesperson who could give information to journalists.

However, Wasa Chief Engineer Mohammad Shajahan was not available for talks about the matter.

When Shajahan was called over cellphone, his personal assistant told this correspondent that Sir was busy and he could not talk.

“If you need to know anything from sir, just tell me and try again later,” he added.

Contacted with the personal assistant further, he said: “Sir has said that the pump was closed in June due to crisis of underground water, and moreover at present, the DWasa supplies sufficient water. Therefore, it is not necessary to resume operation of Farmgate water pump.”

“All I said is the chief engineer’s version and you can use it as the quote of the engineer,” he added.

Later, the correspondent repeatedly tried to contact with DWasa Managing Director Taksem A Khan, but he was not available over phone.

It was also alleged that when the media persons tried to meet with Taksem in his office, mostly he avoided them under the pretext of emergency meeting.

Moreover, most telephone lines of DWasa office are out of service. l

4 villagers abducted in Khagrachhari

n Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari At least four villagers were abducted by unidentified criminals at Bajoichhara, a remote village, under Dighinala upazila in Khagrachhari district early yesterday.

All the four abductees –Jatin Chakma, 38, Sharon Kumar Chakma, 60, Mintu Chakma, 40 and Ripon Chakma, 25 – are from the Bajoichhara village.

Talking to this correspondent, a wife of one of the victim’s alleged that a gang of some 15-20 Pahari (ethnic) criminals cordoned their houses around 1am and abducted them under gunpoint.

“We did not go to police as we are trying to rescue them through local negotiation,” she added.

Kishor Chakma of Dighinala upazila unit of United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF) blamed Santu Larma led Parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghity Samity (PCJSS) for the abduction.

On the other hand, PCJSS Assistant Press Secretary Sachib Chakma denied their involvement and alleged that the UPDF criminals abducted the villagers as a part of their dirty game.

Officer-in-Charge of Dighinala police station Shahdat Hossain Titu said he heard about the abduction but he could not take any action as nobody lodged any complaint in this regard. l

Indigenous people ‘worst victims of vote bank politics’ n Tazlina Zamila Khan The government’s reluctance to pass the CHT Land Disputes Resolution Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2013 shows the country’s indigenous people are the worst victims of vote bank politics.

Columnist Syed Abul Maksud made the observation yesterday at a press conference in the city’s Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, where representatives of Nagarik Samaj, a citizen’s platform, raised calls to pass the amendment of the CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act 2001 during the remainder of the current parliament.

The columnist also claimed that the demands of hill people remain unheard as they are not considered a major vote bank for any political party.

Abul Maksud said: “The hill people have equal constitutional rights like Bangalee settlers. Government should be non-biased and give special rights to the indigenous people which they actually deserve.”

He further urged political parties to clarify their plans for the development of the indigenous people in their election manifestos for the next national polls.

Shamsul Huda, executive director of Association for Land Reform and Development, said it was disappointing to see that the government had failed to fulfil its electoral manifesto pledge to amend contradictory provisions of the CHT Land Disputes Resolution Commission Act 2001.

He added: “Bangalee settlers started

residing in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the 1970s for ill political motives. After that, vested groups’ interest has been created in the area. Only those groups want the cancellation of the act.”

However, statistics show that Bangalee settlers were willing to leave the area if the government provided them rehabilitation, Huda said, adding that different donor organisations including the European Union have showed interest in funding the rehabilitation of the settlers.

Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, said: “If the government does not pass the bill during its tenure for the excuse of political unrest, then we will consider that the government has deceived the hill people.”

Indigenous leaders also expressed their concerns, saying a parliamentary standing committee failed to discuss or give its final opinion on the bill at a scheduled meeting on October 3.

Speakers at the conference also said only 10 out of the 13 changes proposed by the CHT affairs ministry and the CHT regional council were incorporated in the amendment bill.

They claimed the exclusion of the words “or occupied” from the amendment would also cause many land disputes to stay unresolved or remain out of the jurisdiction of the Land Commission, as there are huge amounts of forcibly occupied land in CHT. Implementation of the act will put an end to the conflicts between Bangalee settlers and hill people, they added. l

Syed Abul Maksud and other members of Nagorik Shomaj stressed the need for passing the CHT Land Commission (amendment) Act 2013 in the current session of the parliament MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

BSF picks up two Bangladeshis in Lalmonirhat, Jhenidah n UNB Members of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) yesterday picked up two Bangladeshi cattle traders from Lalmonirhat and Jhenidah.

In Lalmonirhat, a Bangladeshi cattle trader was picked by the BSF members from Muglibari border in Burimari land port area of Patgram upazila early yesterday.

The victim Mohammad Sazu Mia, 26, was the son of Abdul Majid of Muglibari village in the upazila.

Quoting local people, the BGB said the BSF troops from Chengrabandh camp caught Sazu while he along with other cattle traders was returning home through sub-pillar two of the main pillar 842 in the early hours.

Confirming the incident, Commanding Officer of Lalmonirhat BGB Battalion 15 Lieutenant Colonel Mahbubur Rahman said they sent a letter to the BSF protesting the incident.

Elsewhere in Jhenidah, the BSF members picked up a cattle trader along the Kushumpur border in Ma-

heshpur upazila. The victim Lal Mia, 35, was the son of Atahar Ali of Pipulbaria village in the upazila.

Commanding Officer of Kushumpur BGB camp Nayek Abdul Quader said the BSF members from Nonaganj camp took Lal Mia away when he tried to enter India through the border about 4:30am.

Meanwhile, a commander-level flag meeting was held following the incident, where the BSF members denied the allegation of abducting the Bangladeshi national. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

7

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Road accidents kill seven

Hilsa netting resumes after 11-day hiatus

n Tribune Report

Officials claim success through ‘massive’ anti-netting drives; cop suspended for negligence in duty gaged in different capacities in hilsa n Anisur Rahman Swapan, Barisal trades. There are fisherpersons, trawl-

Seven people were killed in Tangail and Magura in separate road accidents yesterday.

At least three people were killed and four others injured in a road accident at Chorpara, Mirzapur upazila on Dhaka-Tangail- Bangabandhu Setu highway yesterday at about 11am in Tangail, reports our correspondent.

The deceased were Maynul Haque, 42 No Ward Awami League Secretary of Dhaka city, his wife Shamsun Nahar, 55, and driver Jamil Hossen, 45.

Officer-in-Charge of Gorai Highway police station Md Jobaydhul Alom said the accident took place when a Dhaka-bound Pazero Jeep from North Bengal bumped into a roadside tree after one of its backside wheels got punctured, leaving Mainul dead on the spot.

The injured were rushed to Mirzapur Kumudini hospital where doctors declared Shamsunnahar and jeep driver Jamil dead. Four others were critically injured in the accident.

In Magura, an old man was crushed under the wheels of a microbus at Raigram village in Sadar upazila of the district yesterday morning, reports UNB. The deceased was Abdul Khalek Mia, 80, of the village.

Police said he died on the spot.

On information, police recovered the body.

A case was filed in this connection.

Meanwhile, three people were killed in separate incidents in different areas of Tangail on Tuesday evening.

The deceased were Abdul Barek, 40, of Charvabla village under Kalihati upazila in Tangail district, Sohel Rana, 30, of Shimul area under Sadar upazila of the same district and Rashid Miah, 35, of Dhigal village under Ullapara upazila in Sirajganj district.

Officer-in-Charge of Bangabandhu Bridge Purba police station Hares Ali Miah said a Dhaka-bound Sirajganj express train ran over Barek in Tengar Rail crossing area when he was crossing the railway tracks, leaving him dead on the spot.

In a separate incident, motorcycle rider Rana, was crushed under the wheels of a truck in Charvabla area under Kalihati upazila of the district while he was on his way to home.

In another incident, a bus hit Rashid Miah on the Dhaka-Tangail highway while he was crossing the road, leaving him critically injured. Rashid was rushed to Tangail General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. l

Hilsa netting is set to resume today after the expiration of an 11 day ban imposed by the government, amid claims the move was successful in yielding the desired results.

The nationwide restriction – which also included marketing, selling and transportation of hilsa – was imposed to ensure a safe breeding and spawning environment for the fish.

The target was to prevent about 15m mother hilsa from being caught prematurely and about 46,800kg spawns from being destroyed.

Dr AKM Aminul Huq, divisional officer and deputy director of the department of fisheries in Barisal, claimed success on all fronts which, he said, was due to the “massive” antinetting drives launched during the ban period.

He further said 490 mobile courts operated across the six districts of the division during the period and launched about 737 drives.

About 367 cases were lodged, 232 fishermen given prison sentences, Tk805,320 realised in fines, and 3.4m metres of current nets and 8,000kg illegally-netted hilsa seized.

On the other hand, an assistant sub-inspector under the Sharshi police station, Ranjan Das, was suspended yesterday for his alleged negligence in enforcing the ban terms.

AKM Ehsan Ullah, Barisal district

A file photo shows a big Hilsa catch at Maipur in Barguna police superintendent, confirmed the suspension news and said the action was taken following a

complaint lodged by the Coast Guard authorities.

However, hilsa sellers and exporters

Two persons found dead in Kushtia, Moulvibazar n UNB Police recovered the body of a gold trader from Nandiura village in Rajnagar upazila of the district on Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Jhalak Deb, 25, son of Robindra Deb, a resident of the village.

Family sources said Jhalak returned home from his jewellery shop in Badaghat area of Sylhet and was sleeping in his bedroom on Sunday night.

The house inmates found his body

hanging from a jackfruit tree early Tuesday and informed police who later recovered the body and sent it to Moulvibazar Sadar Hospital for an autopsy.

M Ziaur Rahman, sub-inspector of Rajnagar Police Station, confirmed the matter.

Meanwhile, police recovered the throat-slit body of a man from a paddy field at Dharampara in Kumarkhali upazila yesterday morning.

The deceased was identified as Atiar Laskor, 35, son of Motleb Laskor of South Bhabanipur village of the upazila.

Locals spotted the body in the field at about 10.00am and informed police.

Police recovered the body and sent it to Kushtia General Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Ram Prasad Dutta, officer-in-charge of Kumarkhali Police Station, said Atiar had gone out of his house on Tuesday at about 8.00pm and since then remained traceless.

The reason behind the murder could not be known immediately, the OC added.

A case was filed in this connection. l

18 Jamaat-Shibir men held in Satkhira, Bagerhat n UNB, Satkhira

Fisheries department and coastguard members recovered banned current nets yesterday from the Meghna river in Munshiganj. Later the nets were burnt in presence of Deputy Commissioner Saiful Hasan Badol FOCUS BANGLA

‘Disaster response must address needs of vulnerable girls’ n Tribune Desk The rights and needs of adolescent girls, who are generally neglected or vulnerable, should be taken into account in disaster preparedness and response, participants said while launching a global report on the state of the world’s girls in the capital yesterday.

The report, titled “In Double Jeopardy: Adolescent Girls and Disasters”by Plan International, was published worldwide on October 11 to mark International Day of the Girl.

“Women, especially young girls, are affected more by disasters, and to a great extent their vulnerability is linked to the general attitude towards them and the social, cultural and economic situation they live in,” the report says. For adolescent girls, this vulnerability is aggravated because they are

female and young.

Explaining some unique problems girls face during and after disasters, Elena Ahmed, interim country director of Plan International Bangladesh, said: “Adolescent girls may experience sexual abuse and harassment, become pregnant too young, be pulled out of school or forced into marriage. They also have a very small chance of recovering either emotionally, physically or intellectually from the impact of an earthquake, flood or famine that has turned their lives completely upside down”.

Mohammad Abdul Wazed, director general of the Department of Disaster Management,acknowledged the concerns raised about girls being neglected during disasters, and he pledged to address the issue.

The report, based on original research including interviews with

girls, and secondary data, is aimed at humanitarian and development organisations whose “one-size-fits-all” approach has largely failed to address the special needs of adolescent girls in disaster scenarios.

Two presentations by Plan – one on adolescent girls and climate change and another on adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health vulnerabilities during disasters – were screened at the launching ceremony.

Other speakers included Olivier Brouant, head of European Community Humanitarian Office’s Directorate General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection; Karin Rohlin, head of development cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden; and Mohammad Abdul Qayyum, national project director of Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (Phase II). l

Police arrested 10 activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student front Islami Chhatra Shibir from different upazilas of the district early yesterday on charges of killing a BCL leader and creating violence during hartal.

Satkhira district unit Shibir President Abu Taleb and its Student Welfare Affairs Secretary Saiful Islam were among the arrestees.

Police Super Mollah Jahangir Hossain of Satkhira district said they arrested Shibir leader Taleb, son of Abu Bakar of Kolyanpur village of Ashashuni upazila, and Saiful, son of Nazrul Islam of Balunda village under Sharsha upazila of Jessore district, from Puratan Satkhira area of the district town in a case for killing BCL leader Mamun in an attack allegedly by Jamaat-Shibir activists on February 28 this year.

At least 15 Islamic books were recovered from their possession.

On the other hand, police arrested eight other Jamaat-Shibir men –Tariquzzaman, Hasanuzzaman and Mizanur from Ashashuni upazila, Abdul Hamid, Mujibur and Muktar from Shyamnagar upazila, Abdul Hakim from Patkelghata, and Abu Bakar from Koloroa upazila of the district – on charge of creating violence during hartal called by Jamaat.

Police arrested eight leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatra Shibir while holding a secret meeting at Nobboirashi in Morelganj upazila on Tuesday afternoon.

The arrestees were identified as Masudur Rahman, 35, Habibur Rahman, 55, Mahmudur Rahman, 36, Humayun Kabir, 38, Muhibullah Talukdar, 29, Asadur Rahman, 29, Manjur-ul-Rahman, 28, and Salauddin, 18 – They all hail from different villages of the upazila.

A team of police conducted a drive at the village around 4:30pm and arrested the Jamaat-Shibir men while they were holding a clandestine meeting at the house of schoolteacher Rokhsana Begum of the village, said Officer-in-Charge of Morelganj Police Station Azizul Haque. The arrestees were planning to carry out subversive activities, added the OC. l

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

claimed that they had suffered “huge losses” because of the restriction.

“There are thousands of people en-

er-owners, fish processors, net lenders, those involved with ice factories, and so on. We all suffered huge losses,” said Ajit Das Monu, president of Barisal Hilsa Exporters Association and Barisal Fish Wholesalers Association.

Israil Pandit, president of Bangladesh Khudra Matasyajibi Samity, urged the government to pay compensation to low-income fisherpersons who were “affected” during the drives.

In Barisal, the ban was effective across the 7,000sq-km stretch of spawning grounds earmarked by the fisheries department.

Hilsa, despite being a sea fish, lays eggs in rivers and estuaries, and large numbers of the fish are caught as they move to the Padma-Meghna-Jamuna delta for this purpose.

Fisheries officials believe if only 50% of the lain eggs can be saved while in embryo, more than 29m jatka (hilsa fry) can be produced every year. A jatka generally grows 2-2.5cm in length per month and starts a seaward journey after reaching 15-17cm. It moves back to sweet waters after growing to an adult size of 25-28cm.

“There is a year-round restriction against netting jatka—below 23cm in length—throughout the country and saving 10-20% of them would mean about 200,000 more hilsa every year,” said the district fisheries officer Wahiduzzaman. l

Sand extraction from Fatki poses threat to river banks n Our Correspondent, Jhenaidah Sand extraction from the Fatki River in the bordering areas of Jhenaidah and Magura has emerged as a major threat to the banks of the waterway.

Locals from Natopara and Mashakhali villages said sand traders have been using dredgers to extract sand from the riverbed, which is later sold to contractors of different commercial projects.

With the unabated extraction over the past two weeks, banks on both sides of the river have started to erode gradually. The villagers were unsuccessful in their efforts to stop the sand extraction due to the proximity of the traders with the local leaders of the ruling political party, they said.

The Fatki River on its west bank has Magura and Jhenaidah on the east bank, where it merges with the Begabati, and with Bhiara in Khulna.

Villagers from Natopara under Kaliganj upazila in Jhenaidah and Mashakhali under Salikha upazila in Magura claimed that a trader named Shahinur

Rahman has set up powerful dredging machines in the middle of the river and has been extracting four to five truckloads of sand every day for the past two weeks. Each truckload of sand was selling for between Tk1,800 and Tk2,000.

Some villagers from Natopra, requesting anonymity, said major portion of the land on both sides of the river belonged to the villagers. They were expecting the banks to be eroded even further, if the extraction continued.

When contacted, the trader Shahinur Rahman said he has been extracting sand for use in government development works. He also claimed that the extraction would not affect the riverbanks or land belonging to the locals.

“If the sand extraction is stopped, how will the development construction works be completed?” he said.

Salikha Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Nazmum Nahar, said the authorities had stopped some traders from extracting sand from the river a few weeks back. If necessary the administration will take action again against those involved. l

NEWS IN BRIEF ‘Robber’ arrested with pipe gun in Magura

Detective Branch of police arrested an alleged robber along with a pipe gun at Baroikhali village, Magura Sadar upazila on Tuesday. The arrestee was Soleman Raju, 32, a resident of the village. Acting on a tip-off, detectives raided Soleman’s house, arrested him and recovered the pipe-gun from his possession, said Badruzzaman, a member of Magura DB police. Solaiman had been committing robbery and mugging at different places for long and was accused of several cases filed against him with different police stations, Badruzzaman added. – UNB

Four held with Phensidyl, Yaba in Jessore

Police in separate drives arrested four alleged drug peddlers and seized 518 bottles of Indian Phensidyl syrup and 175 pieces of Yaba tablet from their possession in Jessore town on Monday night. The arrestees were Saidur Rahman, Mashiur Rahman, Shafiqul Islam and Rekha Begum. Police sources said following tip-off, Detective Branch of police and Sadar police conducted separates drives in different areas of the town on Monday midnight, arrested the four and seized the illegal drugs from their possession. – UNB

699 bottles of Phensidyl seized in Chapainawabganj Members of Border Guard Bangladesh in a drive seized 699 bottles of Indian Phensidyl syrup from a plum garden in Bholahat upazila early yesterday. Commanding Officer of BGB Battalion 43 Lt Col Abu Zafar Sheikh Bazlul Haque said a team of the border force challenged a group of

smugglers who were carrying some sacks at about 3:30am. Sensing danger, the smugglers fled the scene leaving the sacks behind. Later, the BGB members recovered 699 bottles of the Indian contraband syrup from the sacks. The seized Phensidyl bottles were deposited to the BGB headquarters. – UNB

Youth dies in Sylhet A young man died after falling off a building as he lost his balance while flying a kite in Laladighirpar area of Sylhet city on Tuesday. The victim was Juned Ahmed, 20, of the area. Witnesses said quite absorbed in flying kite, Juned lost his balance and fell from the rooftop of a four-storey building near his house around 3.00pm and sustained critical injuries. He was rushed to Osmani Medical College Hospital where he died at 6pm. – UNB

Unidentified body recovered from Bhairab River Police recovered floating body of an unidentified man from the Bhairab River near CSD food godown at Daulatpur in Khulna city on Monday. The victim’s body bore several marks of injury, his mouth was wrapped up with wires and two sandfilled sacks were tied to his head. Akhter Hossain, officer-in-charge of Daulatpur police station, said being informed by locals, they recovered the decomposed body at noon and sent it to Khulna Medical College Hospital for post mortem examination. The OC said they were yet to confirm the identity of the deceased, adding that the body would be buried at Anjuman-E Mufidul Islam graveyard at Khalishpur after the post-mortem examination. – UNB

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Saudi Arabia warns of shift away from United States over Syria, Iran n Reuters, Doha/Washington Upset at President Barack Obama’s policies on Iran and Syria, members of Saudi Arabia’s ruling family are threatening a rift with the United States that could take the alliance between Washington and the kingdom to its lowest point in years.

Saudi Arabia’s intelligence chief is vowing that the kingdom will make a “major shift” in relations with the United States to protest perceived American inaction over Syria’s civil war as well as recent US overtures to Iran, a source close to Saudi policy said on Tuesday.

Prince Bandar bin Sultan told European diplomats that the United States had failed to act effectively against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, was growing closer to Tehran, and had failed to back Saudi support for Bahrain when it crushed an anti-government revolt in 2011, the source said.

“The shift away from the US is a major one,” the source said. “Saudi doesn’t want to find itself any longer in a situation where it is dependent.”

It was not immediately clear whether the reported statements by Prince Bandar, who was the Saudi ambassa-

Bahrain teen sets off explosives prematurely, dies n AP, Manama, Bahrain Authorities in Bahrain say a teenager has been killed when an explosive device he was carrying detonated prematurely as he attempted to stage an attack in the tense Gulf nation.

Bahrain has expanded crackdowns on so-called “terrorist” cells suspected of bombings targeting security forces and others in the strategic kingdom, home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet.

The Sunni-ruled nation has been locked in nonstop unrest since an uprising by the country’s Shiite majority began in early 2011.

The official Bahrain News Agency said Wednesday that a gun and ammunition were found near the body of the 17-year-old youth about 10 kilometres west of the capital, Manama. He died late Tuesday. l

dor to Washington for 22 years, had the full backing of King Abdullah.

The growing breach between the United States and Saudi Arabia was also on display in Washington, where another senior Saudi prince criticised Obama’s Middle East policies, accusing him of “dithering” on Syria and Israeli-Palestinian peace.

In unusually blunt public remarks, Prince Turki al-Faisal called Obama’s policies in Syria “lamentable” and ridiculed a US-Russian deal to eliminate Assad’s chemical weapons. He suggested it was a ruse to let Obama avoid military action in Syria.

“The current charade of international control over Bashar’s chemical arsenal would be funny if it were not so blatantly perfidious. And designed not only to give Mr. Obama an opportunity to back down (from military strikes), but also to help Assad to butcher his people,” said Prince Turki, a member of the Saudi royal family and former director of Saudi intelligence.

The United States and Saudi Arabia have been allies since the kingdom was declared in 1932, giving Riyadh a powerful military protector and Washington secure oil supplies.

The Saudi criticism came days after the 40th anniversary of the October 1973 Arab oil embargo imposed to punish the West for supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur war.

That was one of the low points in US-Saudi ties, which were also badly shaken by the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Most of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi nationals.

Saudi Arabia gave a clear sign of its displeasure over Obama’s foreign policy last week when it rejected a coveted two-year term on the UN Security Council in a display of anger over the failure of the international community to end the war in Syria and act on other Middle East issues.

Prince Turki indicated that Saudi Arabia will not reverse that decision, which he said was a result of the Security Council’s failure to stop Assad and implement its own decision on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“There is nothing whimsical about the decision to forgo membership of the Security Council. It is based on the ineffectual experience of that body,” he said in a speech to the Washington-based National Council on US-Arab Relations.

‘Friends and allies’

In London, US Secretary of State John Kerry said he discussed Riyadh’s concerns when he met Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal in Paris on Monday.

Kerry said he told the Saudi minister no deal with Iran was better than a bad deal. “I have great confidence that the United States and Saudi Arabia will continue to be the close and important friends and allies that we have been,” Kerry told reporters.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Riyadh had not conveyed to the State Department its intention to reduce its cooperation with the United States. She said the issue was also not raised in the meeting between Kerry and the Saudi minister.

“Not to my knowledge has that message been sent to the State Department by the Saudis,” Harf told a daily briefing. “We talked about some of the challenging issues that we want to confront together.” she said.

Prince Bandar is seen as a foreign policy hawk, especially on Iran. The Sunni Muslim kingdom’s rivalry with Shi’ite Iran, an ally of Syria, has amplified sectarian tensions across the Middle East. l

Syria frees 14 women detainees n AFP, Beirut Syrian authorities have released 14 women detainees as part of a weekend hostage exchange but dozens of others are still being held, a prominent human rights activist said Wednesday.

Nine Lebanese Shiite hostages held

for 17 months by a rebel group in northern Syria were exchanged on Saturday for two Turkish pilots held in Lebanon since August. The release of scores of female detainees held in regime jails formed part of the deal brokered by Turkey, Qatar and Lebanon.

“Fourteen of the women whose

names were on the list” were freed late Tuesday, activist Sema Nassar told AFP. “For their own safety, they will have to leave the country.”

Among them was a cancer patient who had been imprisoned twice before and whose husband has been killed in Syria’s 31-month-old conflict, said Nassar. l

THE WITCHING HOUR

n Reuters, Dubai

A Yemeni father has burned his 15-yearold daughter to death for keeping in touch with her fiancé, police said, sparking further outrage in Yemen, where an eight-year girl died from internal bleeding on her wedding night a month ago.

Police said a 35-year-old man had been arrested after the teenager’s death in a remote village in the central Taiz province.

“The father committed this heinous crime on the pretext that his daughter had been keeping contacts with her fiancé,” the police website said on Tuesday, giving no further details.

Some local news websites reported that the father had caught the girl chatting by telephone with her fiancé. l

n AFP, Damascus Prospects for a Syria peace conference in Geneva next month looked dim Wednesday after key opposition leaders spurned efforts by Western and Arab powers to persuade them to attend.

A meeting in London between the opposition leaders and 11 key countries of the so-called Friends of Syria on Tuesday produced little more than an accord that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should play no future role in government.

But leaders of the National Coalition

– the main opposition umbrella group – insisted they would not take part in a conference in late November if any regime members were there, sticking to their demand that Assad’s departure was essential.

However, a defiant Assad has shown no sign of backing down after a two-anda-half-year civil war that has left more than 115,000 people dead, saying he was ready to run for re-election in 2014.

Assad has systematically refused to recognise the Coalition as a legitimated negotiating partner and has rejected its demand that he step down. l

Israel vows to stop Syria arms transfers n AFP, Jerusalem Israel reiterated Wednesday it would act to prevent any transfer of advanced arms to militants during the conflict in Syria, as a newspaper reported an Israeli airstrike along the Syrian-Lebanese border.

Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon, speaking at the parliamentary foreign and defence committee, said Israel was closely monitoring the situation in Syria and the regime’s moves to dismantle its chemical arms.

n AFP, Tunis

n AFP, Ramadi

Yemeni burns daughter to death for contacting fiancé

Hopes for Syria peace meet fade

“So far the regime is upholding its commitment,” he said in remarks relayed by his office.

“We are following the issue, and continue to maintain our red lines on Syria – not to allow the transfer of advanced Syrian weapons to hostile hands, especially (Lebanon’s Shiite group) Hezbollah,” he said.

Yaalon said Israel would “not allow the passage of chemical weapons, which until now they haven’t even tried to transfer.” l

Hundreds stage Tunis antigovernment protest

Suicide bombers, gunmen kill 28 in Iraq Gunmen and suicide bombers driving explosives-rigged vehicles killed 25 police and three civilians in a series of coordinated attacks in Iraq’s Anbar province overnight, officials and doctors said on Wednesday.

The attacks, which hit the western province between 10 pm (1900 GMT) and midnight Tuesday, also wounded a total of 26 police. Violence in Iraq has reached a level not seen since 2008 and militants, including those linked to Al-Qaeda, frequently target Iraqi security forces and other government employees.

Four of the attacks struck targets in and around the town of Rutba, about 110km from the border with warracked Syria. A suicide bomber detonated a tanker truck loaded with explosives at a police checkpoint east of the town, while militants armed with heavy weapons struck the police station in Rutba itself and another bomber detonated a vehicle at a police checkpoint to its west.

Those attacks killed 18 police and wounded 25, while three civilians died when another suicide bomber blew up a tanker truck on a bridge west of Rutba. l

An opposition fighter patrols through an abandoned building in the Jubaila neighbourhood of Syria’s northeastern city of Deir Ezzor AFP

An aspiring witch performs during an audition to work as the resident witch at the Wookey Hole Caves tourist attraction in Wookey Hole, Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013. Around 50 applicants auditioned for the position Tuesday, each given one minute to perform in front of a panel of judges. The requirements for the job included: Must be able to cackle, must be able to work weekends and school holidays and must not be allergic to cats AP

WORLD WATCH Born in train toilet, Indian baby falls out but survives

A newborn miraculously escaped unhurt after birth when she slipped down the outlet of the toilet of a moving train on to the tracks. Afroza Bibi with her pregnant daughter Rehani Bibi, a resident of Jhumka village in Murshidabad, India, have been reported to be safe now. The incident took place on board Lalgola passenger train near Nadia district’s Palashi railway station at around 6.30pm yesterday, railway officials said. Upon hearing the cries of her daughter, Afroza rushed to the toilet and asked for help from passengers, who then stopped the train and rescued the newborn. Both the mother and child were immediately rushed to Mira Primary Health Centre at the railway station. “The baby and mother are fit and safe now. But it is very miraculous that there was no injury marks on the new born baby’s body,” a doctor attending to them said.

Afghan ‘lovers’ found beheaded

A young couple in conservative southern Afghanistan have been found beheaded, apparently killed for having a love affair outside of marriage, officials said Wednesday. Police investigating the case said they believed the family of the woman, aged around 20, was responsible for the murders in the southern province of Helmand, a lawless hotbed of the Taliban insurgency. The elder brother of the male victim, who was in his 20s, told officers the woman had run away with him recently and was living in their family home. On Monday, 10 men broke into the house near the provincial capital Lashkar Gah and kidnapped the pair, police official Mohammad Ismail Hotak told AFP.

Iraq veteran’s SpongeBob gravestone removed

An Iraq war veteran’s towering SpongeBob SquarePants headstone has been removed from her final resting place because officials at the historic Cincinnati cemetery deemed it inappropriate for their traditional grounds. The headstone of Kimberly Walker, 28, was made in the likeness of her favorite cartoon character and erected at Spring Grove Cemetery on October 10, almost eight months after she was found slain in a Colorado hotel room. Walker’s family wants her headstone returned to her final resting place while the cemetery officials that removed it say that’s the only thing they won’t do, leaving both sides at an apparent impasse that may have to be decided in court.

Iran spares life of hanging survivor

Iran has decided to spare the life of a convicted drug trafficker who survived a hanging, media reports on Wednesday quoted Justice Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi as saying. The reports follow calls from within Iran and appeals from international rights groups against the man found alive in a morgue facing execution for a second time. The convict, identified only as Alireza M, 37, was pronounced dead earlier this month by the attending doctor after hanging for 12 minutes from a noose suspended from a crane at a jail in northeast Iran. But the next day, staff at the mortuary in the city of Bojnourd where his shrouded body was taken discovered he was still breathing.

Media later reported that he had fallen into a coma.

Hundreds of opposition activists protested in central Tunis on Wednesday demanding the resignation of Tunisia’s Islamist-led government, ahead of a national dialogue aimed at ending months of political deadlock.

The protesters gathered on central Habib Bourguiba Avenue, waving Tunisian flags and shouting slogans such as: “The people want the fall of the regime,” “Get out” and “Government of traitors, resign!”

The demonstration took place amid a heavy security presence, with

Saudi women inching closer ever to the wheel n AFP, Dubai Saudi female activists are gearing up to test a long-standing driving ban, with more defiant women already getting behind the wheel as the authorities seem to be taking a more lenient approach.

Under the slogan “women’s driving is a choice,” they have called on social networks for a turn-out on Saturday in a campaign in the world’s only country that bans women from driving.

“October 26 is a day on which women in Saudi Arabia will say they are serious about driving and that this matter must be resolved,” said Manal al-Sharif, who was arrested and held for nine days in May 2011 for posting online a video of herself behind the wheel.

In a protest she led the following month, a number of women were stopped by police and forced to sign a pledge not to drive again.

The 34-year-old computer engineer who now lives in Dubai told AFP women have already begun responding to the call, and “more than 50 videos showing women currently driving” have been posted online during the past two weeks. With the exception of two women who were briefly stopped by police, authorities have so far not intervened to halt any of the female motorists.

This, combined with what seems to be more social acceptance to the new phenomenon is encouraging more women to get behind the wheel along major roads across the kingdom. l

armoured vehicles and anti-riot police deployed along the central Tunis boulevard, which was the epicentre of the January 2011 revolution that ousted former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. A separate pro-government protest called for 0800 GMT by the League for the Protection of the Revolution had failed to materialise by midday.

Wednesday’s demonstration came just hours before the start of a planned national dialogue between the ruling Islamist party Ennahda and the opposition. l

536 cholera cases, 50 deaths in Nigeria

n AP, Kano, Nigeria

Officials say an outbreak of cholera in Nigeria’s northwest Zamfara state has infected 536 people and killed 50 in the past week. Medical director of the state hospital, Dr Labaran Anka, blamed contaminated water in rural areas that have no clean running water. Villagers rely on handmade ponds where animals and people share water.

Anka said more than 420 patients have been treated and discharged since the first victims arrived Friday.

Medical authorities also have reported a cholera outbreak that had killed eight people by Monday in a village of central Plateau state overcrowded with refugees from communal violence. l

New blazes in Australia but worst fears ease n AFP, Mount Victoria Firefighters in Australia battled hot, dry winds and soaring temperatures Wednesday as new blazes were whipped up in a week-long bushfire emergency, but fears of a catastrophe eased.

With the crisis in its seventh day, some 71 fires were raging across an area with a perimeter of 1,600km in New South Wales state and 29 of them were uncontained.

Warnings were again issued for people to be extra-vigilant, although there were no reports of more property being lost. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

9

Thursday, October 24, 2013

China, India sign border defence coorperation agreement n AFP, Beijing China and India signed an agreement Wednesday on border defence cooperation after a stand-off along their disputed frontier in April fuelled fears of conflict between the Asian giants.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, visiting Beijing to seek a breakthrough in the border row that has soured relations for decades, witnessed the signing of the pact alongside Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

The agreement will “help to maintain peace, tranquillity and stability in our border areas,” Li said following the ceremony.

No further details were immediately available, but it was expected to include provisions for better communications between the two armies.

Singh told reporters: “We account for 2.5 billion people on this Earth and when India and China shake hands, the world notices.”

The frontier agreement “will add to the existing instruments to ensure peace, stability and predictability on our borders,” he added.

China and India fought a brief war in 1962 and the border between them has never been properly demarcated, although they have signed accords to maintain peace.

Nonetheless in April India accused Chinese troops of intruding nearly 20 kilometres (12 miles) into Indian-held territory, sparking a standoff that was only resolved three weeks later when troops from both sides eventually pulled back.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, right, talks with India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

AP

Li said the two would hold joint counter-terrorism training in southwest China and “strengthen cooperation to combat terrorism.”

China blames “terrorist” groups for incidents in its far western region of Xinjiang, home to Muslim Uighurs, and has in the past linked clashes to groups trained in neighbouring Pakistan.

Delhi and Beijing signed nine agreements in total on Wednesday, including separate memorandums of understanding to strengthen cooperation on transborder rivers and transport.

China is India’s biggest trading partner, with two-way commerce totalling $67.83bn the last fiscal year, up from $2.1bn in 2001-02.

But India’s trade deficit with its neighbour soared to $40.77bn last year from just $1.08bn in 2001-02, Indian figures show.

Singh called the deficit “unsustainable” after his meeting with Li, who said the two countries “agree to pursue trade and mutual investment in a parallel fashion.”

“China stands ready to work with India to strengthen cooperation on infrastructure, especially railway construction, and to push forward the establishment of a Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridor,” Li said.

The proposed land corridor, dubbed a new “southern silk road,” would pass through Myanmar and Bangladesh to connect the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming with Kolkata, one of India’s largest cities. l

India moves to cancel Italian helicopter deal over graft scandal n AFP, New Delhi India has moved to cancel a contract with Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland for the purchase of helicopters for VIPs following a corruption scandal, a defence ministry source said Wednesday.

“The defence ministry has issued a final show cause notice to AgustaWestland,” the top ministry source told AFP. “They have been given 21 days to respond,” the source said of the “show cause” notice informing the company

of the intended cancellation.

India suspended the 556-million-euro ($753m) deal earlier this year after Italian investigators began looking into allegations that AgustaWestland paid bribes to win the contract.

The Italian boss of AgustaWestland’s parent company Finmeccanica was arrested in February over the case, touching off a firestorm in India where the Congress-led government has been battling a string of graft scandals ahead of elections next year.

India signed the deal in 2010 for

John Kerry meets with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif

AP

Obama, Sharif to meet amid easing tensions n AP, Washington In the rocky relationship between the US and Pakistan, the mere fact that US President Barack Obama and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif are sitting down together at the White House is seen as a sign of progress.

Few breakthroughs are expected on the numerous hot-button issues on their agenda Wednesday, including American drone strikes and Pakistan’s alleged support for the Taliban. But officials in both countries are hoping to scale back tensions that escalated after the 2011 US raid within Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden and last year’s accidental killing of two dozen Pakistani troops in an American airstrike along the Afghan border.

“We want to find ways for our countries to cooperate, even as we have differences on some issues, and we want to make sure that the trajectory of this relationship is a positive one,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

Obama and Sharif talked on the phone earlier this year, but they have never met in person. Sharif, who served two earlier stints as Pakistan’s prime minister, has held face-to-face talks with Secretary of State John Kerry

and was scheduled to meet with other top US officials while in Washington this week.

The prime minister’s visit to the White House comes one day after Amnesty International released a report providing new details about the alleged victims of US drone attacks in Pakistan, one of them a 68-year-old grandmother hit while farming with her grandchildren. In Pakistan, there is widespread belief that American drone strikes kill large numbers of civilians and Sharif is expected to raise the issue with Obama.

The White House responded to the Amnesty report by defending the drone program, with Carney saying US counterterrorism operations “are precise, they are lawful and they are effective.”

Also on the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting will be Obama’s looming decision on whether to keep any American troops in Afghanistan after US combat troops are scheduled to leave at the end of next year. Ahead of the US withdrawal, the US is seeking to push through a peace deal with the Taliban and Afghan government.

Pakistan is seen as key to this process because of its historical connection to the Taliban. l

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers place the coffin of their colleague during a wreath laying ceremony at the BSF headquarters on the outskirts of Jammu REUTERS

‘Indo-Pak border firing among worst in decade’ n AFP, Srinagar India said Wednesday a soldier was killed during heavy cross-border firing with Pakistan, which the army described as among the worst since a ceasefire agreement a decade ago.

India’s paramilitary Border Security Force (BSF), which patrols the internationally recognised border south of the disputed frontier in Kashmir, said one soldier had been killed and six injured in overnight firing.

BSF spokesman Vinod Sharma told AFP that 50 frontier posts were targeted in a further escalation of small arms firing and shelling that has taken place regularly over the last month – despite public pledges to ease tensions there.

Indian army spokesman Nitin Narhar Joshi told AFP the flare-up is among the worst since 2003, while senior army commanders speaking on condition of anonymity said it was the most serious.

“The situation along the LoC is certainly one of the most serious witnessed since the ceasefire,” Joshi said.

“Now it is becoming ever worse with the sanctity of the international border also being severely violated by Pakistan.”

Firing along the disputed Line of Control (LoC) that separates Kashmir into Indian and Pakistani sectors has taken place sporadically ever since 2003.

12 helicopters from AgustaWestland, which beat competition from American and Russian rivals.

The purchase came under scrutiny from Italian investigators probing allegations the Italian group had broken the law by paying bribes to foreign officials. The company denies any wrongdoing.

Indian Defence Minister AK Antony suspended payments to the company and threatened punitive action if any wrongdoing was uncovered. While India has already received three of the

helicopters, Antony halted delivery of the remaining nine.

AgustaWestland said earlier this month that it was seeking arbitration to settle the row over the helicopters, which were intended for use by dignitaries such as the president and prime minister.

Any cancellation of the order is expected severely to hit AgustaWestland, which has a factory in southwest England. The issue was discussed by British Prime Minister David Cameron during his trip to India in February. l

Afghan army gets new academy n AP, Kabul, Afghanistan

Philippines’ Aquino confident of ending Muslim rebellion

The Afghan army will from now on train at a brand new academy modeled after a famous one in Britain and popularly dubbed “Sandhurst on the Sand”

by British troops in Afghanistan.

The facility in Kabul was unveiled on Wednesday and will be inaugurated on Oct 28.

Britain has been leading the effort to open the academy for aspiring Afghan officers.

Cadets will study for 42 weeks and the academy will train up to 1,350 male and 150 female students every year.

The British military, which will be helping train the Afghans, says there were over 10,000 applicants for a slot of 270 students.

The academy will train Afghan military officers who will be part of the country’s fledgling 350,000-strong security forces. l

n AFP, Manila

Two dead, one missing after Malaysia dam water floods river n AFP, Kuala Lampur Water released from a dam caused a river to flood in a Malaysian highland region Wednesday, leaving two foreigners dead with another missing and destroying 80 homes.

Authorities have recovered the bodies of an Indonesian woman and a Bangladeshi man who drowned when the Bertam River in the Cameron Highlands overflowed, said district police chief Zahari Busu.

A 17-year-old Indonesian girl is still missing, while at least 80 squatter homes along the river have been destroyed, he said.

The water had to be released from the dam following heavy rain to prevent it from bursting, he added.

“The floodgates were opened as there was too much water. The river couldn’t take it,” Zahari said.l

Philippine President Benigno Aquino said Wednesday he was confident of ending a decades-old Muslim insurgency before he stepped down in 2016, despite slow progress at peace talks.

The government had hoped to secure a final peace pact with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) this year but negotiations have become bogged down, raising concerns about whether all other steps can be completed before Aquino’s term ends.

Asked at a foreign correspondents’ forum whether he remained confident of completing the peace process by mid2016, Aquino replied: “yes,” and said he preferred delays in the negotiations to a hastily arranged pact with flaws.

“Crafting the correct agreement that is liveable and doable by all (feasible)

will necessarily take time,” Aquino said.

Aquino also insisted the talks were making progress, citing key agreements on sensitive issues this year.

Muslim rebels have been fighting since the 1970s for an autonomous or independent homeland in the southern Philippines, with the conflict having claimed an estimated 150,000 lives.

The MILF is the largest remaining rebel group yet to sign a peace accord.

The peace talks aim to create an autonomous region for the Muslim minority in Mindanao, the southern third of the mainly Catholic nation of 100 million people.

A preliminary accord signed in October last year outlined the broad terms for a peace treaty, but did not focus on the toughest issues such as power sharing in the autonomous region and disarming the 12,000 MILF guerrillas. l

But the recent rise in incidents has caused alarm. The subject was taken up by Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Nawaz Sharif in New York last month when they pledged to improve conditions to build trust.

India’s defence ministry says it has compiled more than 200 ceasefire violations this year, more than all the other violations since 2003.

Both sides accuse the other of “unprovoked” firing which leads to retaliatory strikes.

Sharif is currently in Washington and is set to meet President Barack Obama later Wednesday, after angering India by calling for US involvement to help settle the six-decade dispute over Kashmir.

The BSF’s operations chief in New Delhi, Raju Krishna, repeated longstanding Indian suspicions that cross-border firing is aimed at helping Islamist militants from Pakistan infiltrate into Kashmir.

“We are giving a befitting reply to prevent the infiltration bid,” Krishna told AFP. The Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir is divided and administered separately by India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both.

It has triggered two of their three wars since independence from Britain in 1947.

Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid last week described the military flare-up as a “serious matter.” l

Fresh protests in Cambodia over disputed poll n AFP, Phnom Penh Thousands of Cambodia opposition supporters staged a demonstration Wednesday over disputed elections that extended strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen’s near three-decade rule, under a heavy security presence after bloody clashes last month.

Crowds filled a downtown park to hear Sam Rainsy, whose opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) has boycotted parliament over the controversial July polls.

“We ask you to participate in the demonstration to protect our nation and seek justice for voters,” he told supporters, reiterating a claim that his party had won the election. An AFP reporter at the scene said around 10,000 people had packed into the park for the rally, which appeared to be passing off peacefully. l

Malaysian curbs on use of ‘Allah’ hurting moderate Muslim image n Reuters, Kuala Lampur Malaysia’s self-styled image as a global leader of moderate Islam has been undermined by a court ruling that only Muslims can use the word “Allah” to refer to God, with a growing number of Muslim scholars and commentators condemning the decision.

A Malaysian court ruled last week that the word was “not an integral part of the faith in Christianity,” overturning a previous ruling that allowed a Malay-language Roman Catholic newspaper to use the word.

Since then, confusion has reigned over the interpretation of the ruling, with government ministers, lawyers and Muslim authorities giving widely diverging views on its scope. Critics of the decision have said it casts a chill on religious rights in Muslim-majority Malaysia, which has substantial minorities of ethnic Chinese and Indians.

Commentators in some countries that practise Islam more strictly than Malaysia

have condemned the ruling, arguing that the word Allah has been used by different faiths for centuries. Christians in Malaysia’s eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak have used the word for generations, as have Christians in the Middle East.

Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper said in a commentary that the decision was a “sad reflection on how an otherwise modern country, widely seen as a role model for the Muslim world, is succumbing to the current trend of insularity in matters of faith.”

Reza Aslan, a prominent American Muslim theologian, called the ruling a political decision and said it had made Malaysia an international laughing stock.

“It’s an embarrassment, it’s shameful, it’s not worthy of a great country like Malaysia,” he said this week on radio. “(The ruling) just casts this negative light on a country which ... is a model for Muslims around the world, and yet this has made it a laughing stock. We are laughing at you.”

Reza noted that the word Allah literally means “the God” and thus could not be considered a name.

“It’s almost a blasphemous thought to think that God has a name.”

The court’s ruling came as Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak seeks to consolidate his support among majority ethnic Malays, who are Muslim by law, and secure the backing of traditionalists following a divisive national election in May. Facing a strong backlash to the ruling, government ministers have said in recent days that the large population of Christians in Sabah and Sarawak would not be affected by the ruling – an interpretation disputed by most lawyers. They have also said the ruling only applied to one particular newspaper rather than the general use of the word. Adding to the confusion, Malaysia’s tourism minister said this week that east Malaysians could use the word Allah in their home states but not if they were in west Malaysia. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Give a little to gain a lot

K

haleda Zia’s refusal to budge from demands for a non-party caretaker government are as unnecessarily uncompromising as Sheikh Hasina’s insistence that she (Hasina) personally head the multi-party interim one, and both positions are almost intentionally in the way of free, fair and responsible elections.

Such stubbornness is unwarranted in a maturing democracy and does nothing to serve the interests of the nation.

Instead, a solution should be sought that leaves everybody sufficiently satisfied, even if it doesn’t A solution could be a satisfy any one side commulti-party interim pletely. government, which is Such a solution could, headed by a mutually for example, be a mulacceptable but nonti-party interim governpartisan representative ment, which is headed by a mutually acceptable but non-partisan representative. This would give Khaleda the assurance that Hasina can neither dominate, nor attempt to directly influence the proceedings, and it would allow Hasina to stick to her guns about not allowing non-elected people anywhere near the reins of power.

It can be an elegant arrangement that addresses both major parties’ concerns about the integrity of our democratic process, which is and ought to be their greatest concern, while still managing to preserve the essential spirit of cooperation.

A glimmer of hope exists for peaceful co-existence between the AL and opposition parties but this would require both sides to step away from their entrenched positions and give a little, in order for all of us to gain a lot.

October 19

PM holds out olive branch to opposition

It’s a shame that we are in 2013, and still our parties can’t practice the smooth transition of power. We always say our country is moving ahead, but are we moving ahead in terms of political attitude? No we are not. We can’t trust each other. We can only play the blame game.

Shamim Hasan

Ahnaf Saber It doesn’t take a nuclear scientist to figure out we want a fair election under a neutral caretaker government.

All-party government, but who will head it?

Saiful Miah All parties should participate in the prime minister’s offer for an all-party polls-time government. That is, if we want it to work. The PM has proved she wants a free, fair and credible election.

Bhai, koto?

October 19

WaliulHaqueKhondker A simple and honest piece! But religion is not a “do or die” thing.

There are options, say for example, Qurbani itself. It carries plentiful “hasana” (sawab) if one performs Qurbani the right way. And if one is quite not up to it, stay away; no sin would deem to have been committed.

Qurbani is a “farz” for the performing Hajis and for other Muslims it is “sunnate ibraheem.”

Mahmudul Islam Exactly. Being pious and following religious rules for a day and then forgetting all those the next day is purely double standard. The person doing this is cheating himself.

Be Heard Write to us at: Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath

From bad to worse

I

t should be encouraging that out of the many problems that our parliament still has to legislate about, they can find time to single out and propose seemingly innovative ways to curb cyber-crime through the ICT Act. At the end of the day, there is little point in trying to further complicate a situation and find more ways to bolster a draconian law.

If enabling arrest without warrant, simply at the whim of law enforcement, was not enough, now the new proposal is to use national identity cards or any other identity mechanism for logging into Facebook and other social network accounts.

Already faced with negativism from the BTRC chairman, the simple existence of the We would rather idea paints a sorry picture that our lawmakers for our lawmakers. It is emphasised on the more expected that people who pressing national issues are entrusted to be able pass legislation regarding that remain unsolved the protection of citizen instead of trying to rights are aware of the prosecute people who boundaries of law and might object to the the parameters of right government’s point to privacy and freedom of view of expression, and act accordingly.

Our efforts should be directed towards scrapping or dramatically rewriting draconian laws like the ICT Act. No civilised nation should infringe citizen’s rights in this manner.

Regardless of the technological absurdity this “innovative” idea encompasses, we would rather that our lawmakers emphasised on the more pressing national issues that remain unsolved instead of trying to prosecute people who might object to the government’s point of view in their personal social network pages.

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

Under-privileged children rejoice in what they find to play with October 20 In our daily life we constantly experience happiness and unhappiness, but we are still quite ignorant as to what happiness really is. This picture tells us where happiness is. Thanks DT. Jahangir Shah I wish I could have a tension-free relaxed life like them.

Sheikh Jinat Mahmid Many thanks to Dhaka Tribune because you highlight the little stories of positivity so very well. This is how it should be.

Nazmul Huda Pgarh

Sohel Nadeem Rahman Such an all-party interim government should have equal representation from every political party elected into office, and independent MPs without party affiliation. Not an impossible task, considering the sole purpose of such an interim government is to hold free, fair and credible elections and with an independent and duly empowered election commission.

The head of such a government should have her powers curtailed so that the focus remains on that primary purpose. That way it won’t matter who heads the APIG for 90 days.

The APIG would also provide a great opportunity for our perpetually mudslinging political parties to work together for a refreshing and much-awaited change, and hopefully begin to create the foundation for a functional Parliament irrespective of who wins.

The size of the cabinet should be large enough to sustain the most critical functions and public projects of the government. Law and order, public works, public services, foreign affairs and finance.

Babul Sarwar Let’s have a counter proposal, not denial. We want a solution on the talks based on logic. We do not want arrogance and street fights.

Superb Siddikur takes lead in Macau October 29

Congratulations Siddik! Well done!

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Waistband (4) 4 Younger son (5) 9 Success (3) 11 Part of a church (4) 12 Watchful (5) 13 Small, secluded valley (4) 14 Camera part (4) 15 Company of lions (5) 19 Separated (5) 21 Final (4) 25 Single entity (4) 26 Hackneyed (5) 28 Puppet (4) 29 Hair arrangement (3) 30 Go in (5) 31 Camping item (4)

October 19

DOWN 1 Former Iranian leader (4) 2 Afflict (3) 3 Precipitous (5) 5 Fisher (6) 6 Valley (4) 7 Level (4) 8 Stretched tight (5) 10 Undress (5) 16 Disconcert (6) 17 Game of skill (5) 18 Escape artfully (5) 20 Family (5) 22 Soon (4) 23 Fine sediment (4) 24 Transmitted (4) 27 Large cask (3)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

How to solve Sudoku: Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no number repeating.

Code-Cracker

Leaquat Ali

DHAKA TRIBUNE

T

H

I

Op-Ed R

Trying times for BNP

D

The BNP chairperson addresses a rally in Sylhet

N

n Mamun Rashid o matter who says what – having fought a valiant Liberation War and with India next door – Bangladesh needed a strong nationalist force.

Considering the situation around and global realities, their leaders had to take liberal democracy or multi-party democracy, anti-corruption stance, austerity and more importantly market-based economic reforms embedded into their core vision

However, that nationalist force was supposed to be aligned with the spirit of the Liberation War, deeply rooted in the culture and values of the society and people in this part of the world.

For obvious reasons Bangladesh Awami League had the natural advantage to become that nationalist force.

They had a lot of friends among the supporting force and countries in 1971,

No more disparity, ensure equality n Merel Fuchs

T

he mandate of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is to strengthen the role of youth in development through volunteerism, and emphasises the basic belief that youth are agents of change.

UNV Bangladesh aims to work not just for youth, but with youth. Together with three national youth organisations, UNV organised youth consultations on the post-2015 agenda during August and September 2013. The consultations in Jessore and Chittagong enabled young people to share their vision of the future and actively contribute to the global post-2015 debate.

Over 60 young people representing 16 youth organisations or clubs participated, and shared their thoughts in the first two consultations. One of the main areas of discussion was on the issue of “inequality.”

Climate discrimination adds another form of discrimination to existing social inequalities between religions, ethnic groups, location and gender In the discussion on inequality it became clear that the differences in access to information, education, health, clean water and basic rights divide Bangladeshi society and solidify existing inequalities.

There is a need to address the root causes of inequality, which are often systemic, institutionalised and interconnected with other development issues.

It became apparent how important the issue of inequality is for Bangladeshi youth considering the depth of the discussion that took place.

While many different forms of discrimination and inequalities were addressed, there were two areas that were most interesting: climate change and gender.

Youths in Jessore coined the term

“climate discrimination,” describing the unequal effects of global warming in different parts of the world, where countries like Bangladesh face more negative effects than the biggest “contributors” to climate change.

The increased threat of natural disasters due to climate change encouraged the participants to address the issues not only on a local level, but also to discuss global implications and the actions needed to alleviate the pressures of climate change and the unequal distribution of its effects.

Climate discrimination adds another form of discrimination to existing social inequalities between religions, ethnic groups, location and gender. It is not enough to plant trees in Bangladesh to enhance climate resilience. Young participants demanded political commitment from their government as well as global leaders.

In Chittagong, the youth participants emphasised the need to include gender discrimination in the post-2015 agenda.

While gender discrimination mostly affects women, they believed it was also important to take into consideration the transgender and homosexual community, and by not doing so it remains as one of the biggest obstacles for creating a fair and just society in Bangladesh.

The youths examined how at the core of gender inequality were religious misinterpretations and how patriarchal and societal structures benefit those who are already powerful. When combined with poverty and lack of education, established gender division and roles were upheld rather than dismantled.

One young woman emphasised that it is difficult for young women to become active change-makers in society when there are multiple consequences of gender discrimination, such as violence against women, sexual exploitation and established power structures.

When talking about gender equality in the post-2015 context, the youths

E

DHAKA TRIBUNE

natural alleys among the citizenry, cultural activists, economists, teachers, youths and students too.

But they goofed up big time. They goofed up administratively, politically and more importantly economic management was extremely weak with no destination model. Thank God our Liberation War only continued for nine months.

Had it not, there would have been devastating impact and leave as is hardest for the government and institutions to repair, the war-ravaged economy and infrastructures.

The philosophical base of the new government was weak and confusing. The government itself was directionless, politically disconnected, and ill-prepared with very low capacity.

Public administration was not united and didn’t have any shared vision.

Political leadership was very obstinate and to a great extent selfish too.

Indian leadership and their Bangladesh collaborators had a big role played here.

And surprisingly only after three and half years, the opportunity was created for an alternative political platform.

Sadly though, in the name of broader nationalist platform, the an-

believed there was a need to integrate not only quantitative indicators, such as indexing violence against women, but also qualitative societal changes that would require a transformative approach to attitudinal and behavioural change.

Instead of only looking at statistical information, the participants’ vision of the post-2015 agenda clearly includes the dream of creating an equal world for all. Inequality as a result of climate change and gender discrimination are only two priorities of many that Bangladeshi youth have identified as pressing concerns for their generation.

The next development agenda should rise to the challenge of addressing these issues and continue the journey to fulfil the promise of the Millennium Declaration signed 13 years ago. l Merel Fuchs is the Youth Networks Development Officer for UNV Bangladesh.

11

Thursday, October 24, 2013

ti-liberation forces and victims of the political excesses of the Awami League leadership also joined the bandwagon and made it an anti Awami League platform, with “narrow nationalism” and “religious feelings” contributing significantly to form the philosophical base of the new deemed to be broader platform.

Unfortunately enough, the atrocities, corruption, stubbornness and wrong decisions of the then Awami League created the space for this force to emerge and win the hearts of a large section of the citizenry.

Historians would say that then left political forces also indirectly but prominently helped this anti-Awami League platform to emerge.

The historians would also say while the founding man of our Liberation War was brutally killed, there was no “democracy” in the country. The stalwarts of our Liberation War were divided.

The philosophical leader of the “new Bangladesh” Tajuddin Ahmed was not in talking terms with the president of the republic. He was forced to resign almost a year ago.

The formation of one party “Baksal” and excesses committed by then para-military force “Jatiyo Rakkhi Bahini” made many leaders like Syed

Nazrul Islam, Zillur Rahman and others extremely uncomfortable. The country was not going anywhere.

We unfortunately lost many friends in the Western world or failed to make them appreciate our situation and come forward to salvage us from the “deep soup.”

The new force or platform ultimately consolidated into Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP. Considering the situation around and global realities their leaders had to take liberal democracy or multi-party democracy, anti-corruption stance, austerity and more importantly market based economic reforms embedded into their core vision.

Fortunately enough, the platform had many freedom fighters and liberal-minded people, professionals, businessman and entrepreneurs into their fold.

Ironically instead of “nationalism,” anti-Awami League and anti-India philosophy played a pivotal role in keeping them together.

However, their ability to attract leading professionals, few forward-looking politicians and more importantly creating space for the professionals and leaders to leave their mark in the development and change process brought in a lot of success in taking the economy forward.

Private entrepreneurship flourished, so did the formation of “national capital.” Global political and economic environment also helped them to bring in adequate support from the development partners and international community.

Economic successes unfortunately kept them way from the required political reforms within the party.

Party decisions and political graduation process was left with wrong, misguided and corrupt people. The party to a great extent failed to form a broader philosophical base and go beyond the anti-Awami League and anti-India club.

At times, the party was also found sponsoring “religious extremism” for shallow political interest giving a “natural advantage” to rival Awami League to unjustifiably enjoy the loyalty of the “Hindu vote bank.”

Now a historical time has come back for BNP. They have been out of power for almost seven years.

They had enough time to look back and fasten their seatbelt to pass the

Y

E

turbulence. Despite lots of efforts the ruling Awami League failed to marginalise them or break them apart.

The party regained their popularity without Tareque Zia or Lutfuzzaman Babar alike. They now command a large alternative force, which wants the country to move forward settling all past issues like terrorism, militancy and submission to backdated ideas for narrow political gains.

Admiral Montgomery or Nelson or some such, in war history, has taught us: “Retreat is a part of war strategy.”

One would retreat to come back more forcefully and organised. Newspaper reports, opinion poll results or even the recent local government elections are telling us – BNP is making a comeback.

With only 30 odd seats in the parliament, BNP climbed the ladder, despite the ill-planned and abrasive behaviour of the ruling Awami League and its top leadership.

While our people are soft, God-fearing and also to a great extent stuck with 1971 history, they also put a lot of importance on good governance, job creation, similar access to opportunities or privileges and combating corruption.

Ours is a transition economy, our political thought process is also going through a dynamic change process.

Once the few collaborators of the 1971 mass killing have been dealt with, I am confident we will see a “new Bangladesh,” a much more united Bangladesh and nationalist Bangladesh without much stigma of the black days of 1971.

BNP has to realise – it is not only about winning the election, it is working alongside a government, helping a nation to enter new trajectory of growth and leading a young, forward looking and “no nonsense” community to integrate well with the international community and help them find a respectable position in the global market places.

We need a lot of planning, lot of patience, lot of hand-holding and most importantly a lot of space created for the opposition, the citizenry and the global community to play their due role. None of us is as strong as all of us. l Mamun Rashid is a business professor and financial sector entrepreneur.

Youth migration: Moving development forward n Christina Burwell

I

n today’s increasingly globalised and interconnected world in which more people from Bangladesh migrate than ever before in human history, young migrants between 15 and 24 have become powerful agents of change and development.

Young migrants, either alone or accompanied by family members, leave their homes for different reasons.

Some leave in search of jobs, others to flee persecution.

On United Nations Day 2013 in Bangladesh, which has as its theme “Youth,” IOM highlights the importance of engaging, enabling and empowering youth to fulfil their development potential.

Migration continues to be the greatest poverty reduction strategy, presenting both challenges and oppor-

tunities for young people.

“As the number of young people migrating through both regular and irregular channels has risen, safe and regular migration must be promoted to reduce the risks of exploitation and abuse. Sharing information on migration options is essential, because it increases awareness and enables young people to make well-informed decisions,” says IOM Director General William Lacy Swing.

IOM promotes regular migration and positive alternatives among youth by raising awareness of the dangers of irregular migration, while proposing positive alternatives, including education and skills training for employment.

Through schools and universities, IOM contributes to the prevention of human trafficking. In Bangladesh, for example, it has launched a comprehensive information campaign on the varied risks associated with irregular migration and organises job fairs at both national and local level.

nation,” he adds.

IOM therefore encourages young people from Bangladesh and all over the world to explore issues of migration, diversity and social inclusion and to share their voices with a global audience. It is essential that youth are aware of the risks and opportunities of migration, that their voices are heard throughout all parts of society, and that they are empowered to influence their own lives and frame their futures – wherever this may be.

In today’s increasingly globalised and interconnected world, youth represent the most interconnected generation of all. l Christina Burwell is with the International Organisation for Migration.

Social inclusion of migrant youth helps shape positive attitudes among migrants and native youth alike and brings down social barriers of xenophobia

Today marks UN Day, which is focusing on Youth for Development this year

WIKI COMMONS

“Engaging and including youth in migration debates and policy formulation is essential to enhance development. Young migrants need to be given opportunities to participate, to express themselves, to be listened to and to have their needs and interests taken into account,” notes Swing.

“Social inclusion of migrant youth helps shape positive attitudes among migrants and native youth alike and brings down social barriers of xenophobia, marginalisation and discrimi-

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Samina gets emotional at the launching of Cholo Banchi n Shadma Malik

Arefin Shuvo and Aireen in a scene of Bhalobasha Zindabad

Bhalobasha Zindabad release pushed back n Entertainment Desk The director of the movie “Bhalobasha Zindabad,” Debashish Biswas recently announced that the film will be released on November 8. Initially, in an interview, he had announced that the movie would release during Eid-ul-Azha.

The movie is starred by Arefin Shuvo and Aireen in the lead roles and is a production of E R Cinema.

Debashish told the Dhaka Tribune: “I debuted with the film titled ‘Shashurbari Zindabad’ which was also a romantic comedy. Since the title and genre of the two films have similarities, you can say that ‘Bhalobasha Zindabad’ is a sequel to ‘Shashurbari Zindabad.’”

The plot of the story revolves around two youngsters who are deeply in love with each other. But the father of the heroine does not accept the hero

to be in her life. But, finally the hero, with all his charismatic efforts, wins over the father’s heart, and hence the title is “Bhalobasha Zindabad.”

Debashish Biswas also ensured that the audience will be also entertained by a number of action-packed scenes.

Arefin Shuvo, who has already won hearts of millions with his handsome appearance and skillful acting in TV plays and in the film “Jaago,” will be seen romancing with Aireen on the silver screen for the first time. Regarding his experience working in the film, Shuvo said to Dhaka Tribune: “A production gets its ultimate input when the teamwork is good. I must say every single person of the unit of ‘Bhalobasha Zindabad’ gave his or her 100 percent effort and that makes the film really unique. It was a wonderful experience to be a part of the film.” l

Popular singer Samina Chowdhury’s solo album titled “Cholo Banchi” was launched at the Sevenhill Restaurant on October 22. At the programme, the honey-voiced singer remembered her late parents and became very emotional. She said: “My parents are not alive.

I regret they could not see the love and admiration I have been receiving from the audience.”

Chairman of the Gemcon Group, Kazi Shahid Ahmed, unveiled the album as the chief guest of the programme. Expressing his appreciation for the album, he said: “I rarely listen

Saadi: There is a whole lot to say when it comes to this question. It starts off with “Bigger and Better.” That’s what we promised all the attendees last year. So, of course we’ll have our usual cosplay contest on both days, fan art contest, action figure photography, live music featuring Nemesis, Echoes and Naïve, stand-up comedy, short film screenings, display of custom action figures, electro artists performance, comic book launches, animation launches, two music video premieres of Cryptic Fate and Aushtruto, tons of vendors selling toys, comics, memorabilia, and of course the highlight being the entire museum of toys and collectibles. There is actually so much more than what I just mentioned but let’s leave that to be experienced at the event.

How is this event different from the previous one?

Saadi: I repeat: Bigger and Better! Last year we had it at The Bench and real-

Saadi: All of this happened on a whim honestly. I have been a collector of action figures and comic books for over 30 years now. I obviously inherited this gene from my father who is also a collector. Over the years it was just piling up, till I opened my Facebook page “Saadi’s Collectibles” to share my collectibles with likeminded people.

Through this I met some amazing collectors right here in Dhaka. Abu and I quite often laughed and joked about a Comic-Con in Dhaka. That dream finally became a reality in December of 2012. We took a risk, people laughed at us saying only 50 people will show

Solo painting exhibition Castles in the Sky By late Sohrab Khan Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Art Lounge House 60 Road 31, Gulshan 1

Solo Painting Exhibition Tumi (YOU)

By Mostofa Jamil Akbar Shamim Time: 12pm – 8pm Institute of Asian Creatives (IAC) Road 36, House 9, Gulshan 2 Group Photography Exhibition POV_Prime 50’s : Season 1 Time: 3pm – 8pm

9:30pmHBO Astro Boy

DRAMA 5:30pm Zee Tv Qubool Hain

7:30pm Star Plus

Saath Nibhana Saathiya

The Simpsons

NEWS 12:00pm RTV Bulletin

8:00pm BTV News

MISC 12:30pm AXN

So You Think You Can Dance

8:30pm National Geographic Distinguished guests at the launching ceremony of Samina Chowdhury’s latest solo album Cholo Banchi

RAJIB DHAR

Voting opens for first YouTube Music Awards n Entertainment Desk

Putting an end to all the rumours about Kareena Kapoor Khan playing lead opposite Akshay Kumar in the upcoming Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Shabina Khan film “Gabbar,” it was recently revealed that she will only be doing a special song in the film.

The film, which is a Hindi remake of the 2002 Tamil blockbuster “Ramanna,” will have Shraddha Kapoor playing the female lead. Also, the film will be directed by Radhakrishna Jagarlamundi. The film revolves around a group of students lead by a professor who opts for violent means to fight a corrupt system. l

Voting is now open in six different categories for the YouTube Music Awards, and the victors will be awarded during a ceremony co-hosted by Jason Schwartzman and Reggie Watts in New York City on November 3.

The six categories include: Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Response of the Year (awarded to a fan-made video that served as a counterpoint to a professional one) and YouTube Phenomenon (awarded to the trend that led to large swaths of fan videos and responses) and more.

Check out the nominees below, vote over at YouTube, and tune in for the ceremony on November 3.

n Entertainment Desk up, but over two days we had almost 10,000 attendees right here in Dhaka’s very first Comic-Con.

What is the reaction of the Bangladeshi audience?

Saadi and Abu: The Bangladeshi audience has completely taken ownership of our local Dhaka Comic-Con. They absolutely love it and are super proud to boast to others how we have our own Comic-Con. It’s important that the other side of the spectrum is mentioned too. Everybody abroad is sometimes in shock and can’t believe that we have our very own Comic-Con in Bangladesh.

Telefilm “Kobi O Corporate Bhalobasha” airs on Maasranga TV today at 8:30pm. Written by Yousuf Ali Khokon and directed by Taslima Mukta, the telefilm features popular soap stars Anisur Rahman Milon, Mim Bidya Sinha Saha, Ahsan Kabir, Rakhi Tune, PQ Pitar and many more.

Plot of the story revolves around a married couple. Neha and Showmik were deeply in love with each other

when they married. Neha works in a corporate firm and Showmik is a poet.

Before marriage, Neha used to be happy with Showmik and thought that he would become a great poet one day.

Once they married, distance between them started to grow. They wanted different things out of their relationship and as a result things started to become strained between the two.

Suddenly realisation draws upon Neha and she discovers that she still wants to be with Showmik. l

Saadi: As I mentioned above for almost over 30 years.

Abu: I would divide my collecting years into three phases. The 90s was all about collecting He-man, GI Joes, Ninja Turtle figures and Chacha Chowdhury comics. The early 2000s was all about collecting comic books and now, I am into everything related to pop culture. l

Group Exhibition Unity of Souls Time: 10am – 8pm Athena Gallery of Fine Arts A Heights, Cha-72/1/D Progati Shoroni

Video of the Year “Barack Obama vs Mitt Romney” “Heart Attack” “I Got a Boy” “Beauty and a Beat” “Applause” “Same Love” “We Can’t Stop” “Best Song Ever” “Gentleman” “Come & Get It” Artist of the Year Eminem Epic Rap Battles of History Justin Bieber Katy Perry Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Nicki Minaj One Direction PSY Rihanna Taylor Swift Response of the Year “Mirrors” “Gangnam Style” “Radioactive” “Titanium / Pavane” “I Knew You Were Trouble”

How long have you been collecting these comic characters?

Dhaka Art Center (DAC) House-60, Road-7A , Dhanmondi R/A

Taboo

Kareena to do cameo in Akshay Kumar’s Gabbar n Entertainment Desk

YouTube Phenomenon “Diamonds” “Gangnam Style” “Harlem Shake” “I Knew You Were Trouble” “Thrift Shop”

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition

Frankenweenie

8:00pm FX

Syed Abu Yousuf and Saadi Rahman

Dhaka Comic-Con is new to this country. What was the plan behind introducing this series of events?

7:30pm Star Movies

Awkward

Kobi O Corporate Bhalobasha airs today ly didn’t even anticipate the numbers that showed up. This time we have a massive venue with tons of more participants in every single avenue. Lots of new comic book launches, product launches, video launches, and customized products, not to mention quadruple the number of vendors since last year.

MOVIES

11:30am Comedy Central

n Shadma Malik

Tell us about the upcoming Dhaka Comic-Con 2013:

“Amai Bojhe Emon,” “Amonbhabe Bolo Jeno,” “Proshno” and “Keno Eto Durey Achho.” Among them three songs were composed by Naquib Khan. Moreover, Pilu Khan and Kolkata’s musicians Ruponkar, Joy Sarkar, Raghob, Indrojit and Tomal composed the rest of the songs. Along with Samina’s melodious voice, the album also features instruments such as flute, guitar, sitar, violin, tabla and conga.

Celebrated lyricist Zulfiqer Russell spoke at the programme: “The album is my dream project. I have worked several times with Samina in the past. But this is the first time I have written all the lyrics for her entire album.” l

COMEDY

In conversation with the initiators of Dhaka Comic-Con Comicon was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention in 1970 by a group of San Diegans, which included Shel Dorf, Richard Alf, Ken Krueger and Mike Towry. Later, it was called the “San Diego Comic Book Convention.” The event is commonly known as Comic-Con. Originally showcasing comic books, science fiction, fantasy, film and television, and related popular arts, the convention now includes a larger range of pop culture elements, such as horror, animation, anime, manga, toys, collectible card games, video games, webcomics, and fantasy novels.

This mega event for comic lovers was first introduced in Dhaka by Saadi Rahman and Syed Abu Yousuf in December 2012. The series of events are again going to take place on October 2526 at Saad Musa City Center, on Jomaz Road, Kuril, Badda.

Dhaka Tribune caught up with Saadi Rahman and Syed Abu Yousuf to learn about the upcoming event:

to songs other than Rabindra Sangeet.

But this album really enthralled me and I have listened to the album more than 15 times in a very short period.”

Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Shilpi Parishad Vice President Ameenah Ahmed, lyricist, composer and music director Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul, noted poet Mohammad Rafiquzzaman, singer Hasan Abidur Reza Jewel and Chairman of Laser Vision AKM Arifur Rahman and Managing Director Mazharul Islam were present at the launching ceremony.

With the lyrics of Zulfiqer Russell, the album features a total of ten songs including “Accha,” “Cholo Banchi,”

ON TV

Music

Open mic & jam session Time: 7:30pm – 9:30pm Kozmo, Road 11, Banani

Theatre Roktokorobi Nagarik Natya Sampraday

Time: 7pm National Theatre Hall Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Gondar Prachyanat Time: 7pm Experimental Theatre Hall Bangladesh Shilapakala Academy Segunbagicha

YouTube Breakthrough Kendrick Lamar Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Naughty Boy Passenger Rudimental Innovation of the Year Anamanaguchi, “Endless Fantasy” Atoms for Peace, “Ingenue” Bat for Lashes, “Lilies” DeStorm, “See Me Standing” Toro Y Moi, “Say That” l

Did you know?

With a James Forrest penalty against Ajax on Tuesday, Celtic have ended a run of 413 minutes without a goal in the Champions League

Sport

Thursday, October 24, 2013

14 Messi rescues Barca, Torres lifts Chelsea

n Mazhar Uddin

n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Corey Anderson, the New Zealand middle order celebrates his century against Bangladesh at the SBNS yesterday

Youths shout for more Tests n Minhaz Uddin Khan In a bid to pull more crowds in a Test match Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has long been allowing school students inside the stadium for free and it isn’t any different in the ongoing match between the hosts and New Zealand.

The major proportions of the thousands present inside Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium are the young students who are not only supporting the Tigers, but at the same time delivering strong message to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“We are thankful to the BCB for such initiative. This is not the first time that they have done this for us and to be honest this encourages us (students) who are often short of budget to come, watch and support Bangladesh,” said a ninth grader Ahmed Rizvi to the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

However, on Tuesday several dejected students had to turn away from SBNS after their school bags were not allowed into the stadium.

The situation was taken under control by the board through a prompt decision which was to amend the rule and allow the bags.

Rizvi informed that alongside cheering the Tigers he and his group of friends has another intention which is to grab ICC’s attention. ‘We want Bangladesh to play more Tests’ is there message to the ICC, Rizvi said.

“It was from Facebook that we got the idea and decided to start a movement on this issue.

This is really unfortunate that we (Bangladesh) hardly get enough Test games to play,” complained the 14-year-old.

“There are many others here with the same motive, but hardly anyone of us came prepared,” said Rizvi smiling before adding that his friend was on the way to the ground with the message on a placard.

According to the Future Tours Programme, Bangladesh will only play 42 Test matches until the end of 2020, with no tours of India and England. l

Mashrafe returns for ODIs Raihan Mahmood Experienced pacer Mashrafe bin Mortaza is all set to make another international return in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand as Bangladesh Cricket Board included him in the 15-member squad for the first two matches yesterday.

Mashrafe last featured in an ODI in last December against West Indies at Dhaka and had not played in any internationals till then.

He is captaining Mohammedan in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League and took 11 wickets from six matches at an average of 19.45 which helped him earn his place back in the national fold.

SQUAD (First two matches) Mushfiqur Rahim (Capt), Mahmudullah (Vice-capt), Anamul Haque, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Sohag Gazi, Rubel Hossain, Mominul Haque, Naeem Islam, Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Shafiul Islam, Ziaur Rahman, Shamsur Rahman. l

Nasir remains positive n Mazhar Uddin New Zealand took charge of the second Test against Bangladesh after Corey Anderson’s century and four other half-centuries saw the visitors finish day three of the match at 419/8, 137 runs ahead with two first innings wickets still to fall. Facing an uphill task, Bangladesh’s batting all-rounder Nasir Hossain however, remained optimistic about the hosts’ prospects as he spoke to the media at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National stadium yesterday.

“First of all we have to bowl New Zealand out early tomorrow and at the moment they are leading by 137 runs. I hope if we can dismiss them with 170 runs lead and if we can score 300-350 we can save the match and even if we give them more pressure in the last two sessions, we can win the match,” said Nasir.

Acknowledging the pressure, Nasir

13

15 Plan U-15 girls football from Saturday

Kiwis on top as Anderson strikes ton

‘I always wanted to be Cairns when I played in the backyard’ It took just three innings for New Zealand batsman Corey Anderson to land his maiden international hundred which at the end of the day proved very vital for the visitors who are in full control of their second Test in Mirpur.

Anderson’s 116 in his second Test justify his position in the Kiwis line-up and the left-hander who has two firstclass centuries beside his name said, “It is obviously a good feeling to score a hundred faor your country. It took me a lot longer in first-class cricket, but I guess I have learned my trade. To get it this early is a satisfying feeling.”

After a shaky debut in Chittagong, where he scored 1 and 8, the 22-yearold bounced back with a 173-ball knock and his confidence grew as he batted on. “Once you started playing a few shots, the field started moving around.

It felt like we were going on top as the day went on. It’s good to have a position where we have ended up,” said Anderson.

Though Anderson took 30 balls to open his account he informed, “They bowled well, but I wasn’t feeling that I got stuck. It (wicket) felt a little bit sticky. It was still a good one. A few balls that held in the wicket and spat.

We have our work cut out with the ball, we have to stick to our plans.”

The all-rounder is very fond of his fellow countryman and former Kiwi all-rounder Chris Cairns and he said, “Chris Cairns was always my idol as I was growing up.

I based my game around him. I always wanted to be Chris Cairns when I played in the backyard. It was postponed for a long time with my injuries, but now I have started to mature my body. I want to put my hand up and be that all-rounder in the squad. If I can get runs and take wickets where I can, I will be happy.” l

14 Kaka wins Milan praise after precious Barca point

DHAKA TRIBUNE

was confident that Bangladesh could handle it. “There will be pressure at this level and we are always prepared for that and most importantly we have to bat well in the second innings to save the match.”

Looking back at the first innings, the 21-year old reflected, “Obviously we are disappointed and I think we have scored hundred runs less. If we could had made 400 runs in the first innings, it would have been much better for us,” he said, adding that the pitch had been good for batting and admitting that poor shot selection let the Bangladesh batsman down.

New Zealand finished the day strong with BJ Watling and Ish Sodhi both striking fifties as the pair shared an unbroken 84 run partnership. The halfcentury was Sodhi’s first at the Test level. “Partnerships are a part of cricket and we also had a good partnership in the first Test. Obviously we had some

chances but I hope we can dismiss them tomorrow early,” commented Nasir.

For Bangladesh, the star of the day was Shakib Al Hasan as he claimed five wickets. Sohag Gazi, who took eight wickets in the first Test – including a hattrick and six wickets in the second innings – remained wicket-less, but Nasir was quick to defend the first Test’s manof-the-match., “Every one can’t perform every day. As you know, Shakib bhai did not get many wickets in the first Test but he got five wicket in this test, so I think it’s about the day and you never know, Gazi might take wickets tomorrow.”

Nasir himself took a wicket yesterday with his off spin. Though better known for his batting, Nasir has shown himself to be a valuable bowling option and when asked about the matter, he said, “I never asked for bowling to the captain.

Usually I come to bowl to get a breakthrough and it’s up to the captain whenever he wants me to bowl.” l

MUMIT M

Riding on Corey Anderson’s maiden century, New Zealand finished day three of the second Test against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday at 419/8, 137 runs ahead of the host team.

It was New Zealand’s day as four players struck fifties to go along with Anderson’s heroics, while for Bangladesh, all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan claimed five wickets Play started 20 minutes late due to a wet outfield, but the crowd would have been happy that the day went ahead without rain interruptions – and the match referee added half an hour to the last session to make up for the lost time.

Resuming on 107/3, New Zealand lost Ross Taylor for 53 when he edged Shakib to Nasir Hossain at slip in the sixth over of the day. This brought Anderson to the crease and along with Kane Williamson, he turned the match definitively in the Kiwis favour. In the course of a 140 run partnership, the pair dominated the Bangladesh bowlers while batting sensibly. Williamson was particularly adept at handling the spinners and got down low to make sure he kept the ball on the ground and while the scoreboard was kept moving with singles, the batsmen were not slow to punish anything wide for a boundary. The partnership was eventually broken by left arm spinner Abdur Razzak, who removed Williamson for a well crafted 62.

The 22-year old Anderson however

Shakib strikes back n Mazhar Uddin

Shakib al Hasan took two wickets on day three of the ongoing Test against New Zealand to record his 10th five wicket haul at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. The all-rounder’s 5/97 was instrumental in keeping the Kiwis from running away with the game entirely – though the visitors remain in charge with a 137 run lead and two first innings wickets in hand.

Following a thumb injury, Shakib has been struggling to find his bowling rhythm and in the last Test, was used in the unaccustomed role of back-up bowler. In Mirpur however, the world’s leading all-rounder roared back into form. Following up on the three wickets he claimed on the second day, Shakib got the breakthrough for Bangladesh yesterday when the dangerous Ross Taylor edged a ball to Nasir Hossain at slip to fall for 53 in the day’s sixth over. The all-rounder later had Doug Bracewell caught behind to claim his 10th five wicket haul in Test cricket.

Earlier on day two, Shakib repaid captain Mushifiqur Rahim’s decision to bring him into the attack ahead of fellow left arm spinner Abdur Razzak.

Kiwi opener Hamish Rutherford tried to turn the last ball of Shakib’s first over around the corner but was surprised by the bounce and could only pop the ball up to Mominul Haque at short leg.

It was a typical Shakib wicket and two balls later, he claimed another in Peter Fulton. Thinking the ball from around the wicket would turn, the Kiwi opener shouldered arms to a ball which ended up going straight through with the arm and trapped him LBW. Later in the day, Brendon McCullum was the victim when his pull shot was well caught on the boundary by Rubel Hossain at deep square-leg.

With his haul in the innings, the 26-year old took his tally of wickets in Bangladesh to 70 and moved past Mohammed Rafique’s 66 to become the highest wicket-taker in the country, to add to his status as Bangladesh’s leading overall Test wicket-taker. l

powered on and reached his maiden Test hundred. Facing 173 balls, Anderson scored 116 with 14 fours and two sixes before becoming debutant AlAmin’s first Test wicket.

The wicket seemed to lift the Bangladesh bowlers and Shakib claimed his 10th five-wicket haul when Doug Bracewell nicked a tossed up delivery outside the off stump to Mushfiqur Rahim behind the stumps just before tea.

Soon after the break, Neil Wager fell for 8 to Nasir Hossain, but BJ Watling and Ish Sodhi stood firm for the rest of the day. Both men crossed 50 – Watling finished 59 not out and Sodhi 53 not out – as they shared an unbroken stand of 84 for the ninth wicket, which kept the Kiwis with their noses in front as the match heads into the fourth day today. l

Scorecard Day 3 Bangladesh first innings 282 all out (Tamim Iqbal 95; N. Wagner 5-64) New Zealand first innings (overnight 107-3) P Fulton lbw b Shakib 14 H Rutherford c Mominul b Shakib 13 K Williamson c Tamim b Razzak 62 R Taylor c Nasir b Shakib 53 B McCullum c Rubel b Shakib 11 C Anderson c Gazi b Al-Amin 116 BJ Watling not out 59 D Bracewell c Mushfiqur b Shakib 17 N Wagner c Marshall b Nasir 8 I Sodhi not out 55 Extras (b4, lb4, wb2, nb1) 11 Total (for 8 wickets, 133 overs)

419

FOW: 1-31, 2-32, 3-101, 4-127, 5-267, 6-287, 7-318, 8-335 Bowling: Al-Amim 16-3-58-1, Sohag Gazi 34-8-77-0, Shakib 40-13-97-5, Razzak 19-1-84-1, Rubel 18-1-81-0, Nasir 3-1-7-1. Mominul 3-0-7-0

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Keane hits back at Ferguson over book claims n AFP, London

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane criticised ex-manager Alex Ferguson on Tuesday over revelations in his new autobiography, saying “he doesn’t understand the meaning of the word” loyalty.

In ‘‘My Autobiography’’, which was launched on Tuesday, Ferguson said his relationship with Keane broke down after the Irishman strongly criticised several of his team-mates in an interview with in-house television channel MUTV in October 2005 that was never broadcast.

Ferguson described Keane’s anger in a subsequent argument as “frightening to watch” and said he had “the most savage tongue you can imagine”.

However, Keane said that Ferguson had demonstrated hypocrisy by criticising several of his other former players in the book. “I do remember having conversations with the manager when I was at the club about loyalty and in my opinion, I don’t think he knows the meaning of the word,” Keane said on ITV, for whom he was working as a pundit.

“It doesn’t bother me too much what he has to say about me, but to constantly criticise other players at the club who brought him a lot of success I find very, very strange. But I certainly won’t be losing any sleep over it.”

Keane left United in November 2005 and spent half a season at Celtic before embarking on a five-year spell as a manager with Sunderland and Ipswich Town. Ferguson also criticised former players including David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney and Owen Hargreaves in his new book, and Keane felt his comments were unnecessary. l

Chelsea's Fernando Torres (2L) scores a goal past Schalke 04's goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand during their Champions League match in Gelsenkirchen on Tuesday

REUTERS

Messi rescues Barca, Torres lifts Chelsea Dortmund ruin Wenger’s birthday party at Emirates, Costa helps Atletico beat Austria Vienna n Reuters Lionel Messi marked his first start after injury with a goal in Barcelona’s 1-1 draw at AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday while Fernando Torres got two as Chelsea thumped Schalke and Atletico Madrid’s charge continued.

Robert Lewandowski got the 82ndminute winner as Borussia Dortmund put the brakes on Arsenal’s campaign with a 2-1 win in London that, along with Napoli’s 2-1 victory at Olympique Marseille, put three teams on six points in Group F. There is a clear leader in Group G, where Atletico made it three wins from three with a 3-0 victory at Austria Vienna that left them a point away from the 10

that are usually enough to send teams into the last 16 of Europe’s elite club competition.

With Diego Costa scoring twice, including a stunning solo effort, they went five points clear of second-placed Zenit St Petersburg, who made the most of the sixth-minute sending off of Porto’s Hector Herrera - the competition’s fastest ever dismissal from two yellow cards - to beat their hosts 1-0.

In Group E, Chelsea moved level on six points with Schalke 04 at the top with a 3-0 win in Germany where Torres celebrated his 100th start for the club with the fifth-minute opener and another after 69 minutes before Eden Hazard added a late goal.

The top two are clear of third-placed Basel, who have four points ahead of Steaua Bucharest on one after those two teams shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw in

Romania. Celtic got their first points in Group H after a James Forrest penalty on the stroke of halftime and a deflected shot by Beram Kayal early in the second half helped them to a 2-1 win over Ajax Amsterdam, who got a consolation in added time.

Barca are in charge of that group with seven points, while Milan - who had gone ahead through Robinho’s ninth-minute opener before Messi levelled after 23 minutes - have five points. Celtic are on three points with Ajax bottom on one.

The day’s biggest statement of intent came from 2012 European champions Chelsea, who have now made amends for the home defeat by Basel in their opener with two away victories.

Spaniard Torres, so often uninspired in domestic competition, once again shone on the big stage with two goals and could easily have had a hat-trick

as he smashed a header against the bar from just inside the area.

He, like Messi, had just returned from injury and his lively contribution came at just the right time for his club.

The glamour match at the San Siro where seven-times European champions Milan hosted four-times winners Barcelona fizzled out in the second half after a frantic opening period of pressure from the Italians.

Milan took an early lead through Robinho following a smart exchange with Kaka after nine minutes but with Barca then dominating possession, it was a matter of time before they made it count.

Andres Iniesta found Messi - making his first start after a three-week layoff - in space on the right and the Argentine kept his cool under pressure from Kevin Constant and Riccardo Montolivo to find the bottom right corner to equalise.

Unlike Martino, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger would have been happy with a draw in their match at home to Dortmund because it would have kept them top of Group F. Instead, the section was blown wide open as the Londoners, who lead the Premier League after some stylish performances and had enjoyed back-toback European wins before this match, received a reality check.

The Germans, whose coach Juergen Klopp watched from the stands as he served a touchline ban, took a 16th-minute lead through Henrikh Mkhitaryan before Olivier Giroud equalised for the hosts before the break.

Wenger had spoken of the danger of Dortmund’s Polish players before the game and his fears were proved right when Lewandowski volleyed home eight minutes from time to snatch the points. l

Kaka wins Milan Spurs, Swansea hunt for praise after precious more Euro success Barca point Fixtures n AFP, Paris n AFP, Milan Genk (BEL) v Rapid (AUT) Premier League duo Tot-

Barcelona's Brazilian forward Neymar da Silva Santos Junior (R) fights for the ball with AC Milan's Brazilian forward Kaka during the Champion's League football match at San Siro in Milan on Tuesday AFP

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri heaped praise on Kaka after the Brazilian forward’s impressive display on his return from injury contributed to a spirited 1-1 draw at home to Barcelona on Tuesday.

Injury-hit Milan opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Robinho pounced on a defensive error to hold off Gerard Pique and beat Victor Valdes in the visitors’ goal after a nice one-two with compatriot Kaka.

Lionel Messi levelled in the 23rd minute but despite being a thorn in the side of the Milan defence throughout, the Rossoneri weathered the storm at a packed San Siro to secure a precious share of the spoils.

Having spent the past month looking nervously at his casualty list, Allegri welcomed the result against a Barcelona side that won the title in 2011 and has made it to the past two semifinals.

“I’m happy with our overall performance. Mistakes are part of the game and conceding a goal against Barcelona is always to be expected,” said Allegri.

But he had a special mention for Kaka, who returned from a month-long injury lay-off in a 1-0 league win over Udinese on Saturday to produce a display which Allegri says should serve as an example.

“Kaka tonight showed the champion he is, not just in terms of his technical ability,” added Allegri.

“He played an intelligent game. He was an example for the rest of the side. l

tenham and Swansea put unbeaten records on the line in the third batch of Europa League group action on Today.

Spurs can even qualify for the knockout stages with three games to spare should they see off FC Sheriff in Moldova and the other Group K tie ends in stalemate.

Wins in Russia last time out against Anzhi Makhachkala and Norwegians Tromso have left Andre Villas-Boas’s high-flyers coasting in a competition in which they reached the quarter-finals last season.

Villas-Boas, who lifted the 2011 Europa League trophy with FC Porto, told uefa.com: “This trophy means a lot to Tottenham - last year we embraced the competition in a serious way, and we aim to do so again this season.

“Our objective is to progress.”

Speaking after the Anzhi victory the Portuguese commented: “A win is what we wanted and gives us the opportunity in the next games against Sheriff to ensure qualification.”

Spurs striker Jermain Defoe is on the brink of rewriting club history as one more goal will swell his European catch to 24 and draw the England striker level with club record-holder Martin Chivers.

Swansea made it two out of two to lead Group A with a hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Saint Gallen in south Wales at the start of the month.

On Thursday they are back at the Liberty Stadium playing host to Rus-

Kiev (UKR) v FC Thun (SUI)

Liberec (CZE) v Sevilla (ESP) Freiburg (GER) v Estoril (POR) Lyon (FRA) v Rijeka (CRO) Real Betis ESP) v Guimaraes (POR) Trabzonspor (TUR) v Warsaw (POL) Limassol (CYP) v Lazio (ITA) Anzhi (RUS) v Tromso (NOR) FC Sheriff (MDA) v Tottenham (ENG) Karagandy (KAZ) v Alkmaar (NED) PAOK (GRE) v Maccabi Haifa (ISR) Swansea (ENG) v Krasnodar (RUS) Valencia (ESP) v Saint-Gallen (SUI) Zagreb (CRO) v PSV (NED) Odessa (UKR) v Razgrad (BUL) Elfsborg (SWE) v Esbjerg (DEN) Salzburg (AUT) v Liege (BEL) Wigan (ENG) v R Kazan RUS) Waregem (BEL) v Maribor (SLO) De Ferreira (POR) v D'petrovsk (UKR) Fiorentina (ITA) v argu-Jiu (ROM) Bordeaux (FRA) v APOEL (CYP) Eintracht (GER) v Maccabi (ISR)

sian visitors Kuban Krasnodar, facing a Premier League side for the first time.

Like Tottenham, Swansea, competing in Europe for the first time since the 1991/92 season, are not only unbeaten but they have yet to concede a goal.

Both Spurs and Swansea, who were applauded by the Valencia fans after stunning the Spaniards 3-0 in their opener, are in good heart after stylish wins on the home front at the weekend. l

Results St Bucharest

1-1

Schalke 04

0-3

Arsenal

1-2

Marseille

1-2

FC Porto

0-1

Austria Vienna

0-3

Celtic

2-1

AC Milan

1-1

Leandro Tatu 88

Giroud 41

Ayew 86

Forrest 45-p, Kayal 53 Robinho 9

Basel 1

Diaz 48

Chelsea

Torres 5, 68, Hazard 87

Dortmund

Mkhitaryan 16, Lewandowski 82

Napoli

Callejón 42, Zapata 67

Zenit

Kerzhakov 85

At Madrid

Raul Garcia 8, Diego Costa 20, 53

Ajax

Schone 90+4

Barcelona

Messi 23

Maradona defends obscene gesture at Italian tax agency n AFP, Rome Football legend Diego Maradona defended himself on Tuesday after making an obscene gesture on television against Italy’s tax agency which says he owes the state 39 million euros ($53 million).

“There was a misunderstanding, I did not mean to offend. I only want justice,” Maradona said after his vulgar hand move on Sunday caused outrage – even from Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta.

“It is a really popular gesture but without ill will,” said the Argentine icon, who used to play for Napoli, adding: “I have never run away and I am not looking for a deal... I only want justice.

Letta said earlier: “I did not like it at all. People who pay taxes should be respected and they are honest Italians but a lot of people, like Maradona, do the sod-off gesture.”

Italian tax agents on Friday served Maradona with papers over the 39-million-euro debt that the feisty Argentinian disputes.

Maradona’s tax woes go back to when he played for Napoli between 1984 and 1991. He says he was only thinking of football and got bad advice.

A final ruling in January this year from a court in Naples has now made the sentence against him definitive and his assets could be seized by Italian authorities if he had any in Italy, although he is free to visit the country.

Maradona scored 115 goals in 259 games with Napoli, where he is still adored to this day. With him on the team, Napoli won their only two Italian league titles in 1987 and 1990. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Plan U-15 girls football from Saturday

Quick Bytes

Charged hockey players reply All four accused senior hockey players as well as coach Mahbub Harun submitted replies charges against them to the Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) governing body yesterday, confirmed BHF general secretary Khwaja Rahmatullah.

Umpire Selim Lucky was the first of the six show-caused people – four players and two officials - players to his account of the national team’s debacle in the recently concluded Asia Cup. Selim replied on Tuesday, nine days after receiving the show-cause letter. The BHF general secretary said they the federation had yet to decide what to do next after all of those under investigation – players Russell Mahmud Jimmy, Zahid Hossain, Qumruzzaman Rana, Imran Hasan Pintu, coach Mahbub Harun and umpire Selim Lucky – had replied. “We have received answers from all players and the coach.

We will decide at our next governing committee meeting what our next step will be,” said Rahmatullah yesterday.

– SH

Payment scandal investigation continues Abahani manager Sattyajit Das Rupu, Sheikh Russell manager Habibur Rahman Mannu and official Saleh Zaman Selim appeared before the Players’ Status Committee of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) yesterday, regarding five players who allegedly received payments from more than one club.

The committee, however, has not made any decisions about the players yet and said they will sit again with the documents they have gathered before reaching a conclusion. “We don’t have any physical proof or documents yet about players receiving money and registering for clubs, so it’s not appropriate to take any decision now. The committee will sit again with verified document and then take the final decision,” said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag yesterday. On Tuesday, the five players - Zahid Hossain, Mamun Mia, Nahidul Islam, Shakil Ahmed and Shariful Islam – faced the players’ status committee at which they time they admitted receiving payments from more than one club.

- SH

Postecoglou named new Australia boss

Ange Postecoglou was Wednesday appointed coach of Australia’s national football team following the sacking of German Holger Osieck, and will lead them to the World Cup in Brazil. Football Federation Australia (FFA) handed Postecoglou a fiveyear contract that will also see him steer the Socceroos to the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia and beyond. Osieck was dumped this month following successive 6-0 thrashings in Brazil and France. FFA chief Frank Lowy had made clear he favoured a local despite reported interest from the likes of Dutchman Guus Hiddink and Argentine Marcelo Bielsa. Postecoglou was seen as favourite ahead of fellow A-League coaches Graham Arnold and Tony Popovic.

–AFP

Spurs star Gallas signs for Perth French defender William Gallas on Wednesday joined Perth Glory in Australia’s A-League after being released by English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur. The former Chelsea and Arsenal star said he was looking forward to the challenge, opting for Perth despite reported interest from Manchester City, Crystal Palace and clubs in the Middle East and America. “I look forward to wearing with pride the jersey of Perth Glory for this season,” he said in a statement after agreeing to a one-year deal, subject to a medical. “I hope to help my new team mates and club achieve success in this season and hope to help deliver to the fans of Perth the championship they are looking for.

–AFP

n Raihan Mahmood

Sirajiul Islam Bachchu, the chairman of BFF Women’s Wing speaks at the Plan U-15 Girls Football press conference at the BFF House yesterday COURTESY

The Plan Under-15 Girls Football Championship involving 50 districts will be held at seven venues across the country from Saturday. Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has tagged awareness programs and developing leadership for the girls with the tournament’s procedure. The participating girls will also be attending seminars besides competing in the tournament.

On Saturday the tournament kicksoff with eight teams in Dinajpur, eight teams in Chuadnaga, six teams in Rajshahi followed by the start of the Patuakhali zone with five teams on Sunday. The matches of Faridpur (eight), Lakshmipur (seven) and Habiganj (eight) will kick-off on Monday.

Plan Bangladesh and UNIQLO, a Japanese clothing manufacturer, are the sponsors of the event and will pro-

South Africa ahead after Tahir wrecks Pakistan n AFP, Dubai Leg-spinner Imran Tahir came to haunt the country of his birth, Pakistan, by claiming a maiden five-wicket haul to put South Africa in early control of the must-win second Test on Wednesday.

The 34-year old finished with a career best 5-32 while fit-again paceman Dale Steyn took 3-38 to bundle Pakistan out for 99 all out in 36.4 overs at the Dubai stadium before South Africa finished the day on 128-3.

They lead by 29 runs and enjoyed a good day in their bid to level the twoTest series after losing the first game by seven wickets in Abu Dhabi last week.

Graeme Smith was unbeaten on 67 and nightwatchman Steyn was three not out.

Smith, who looked rusty in Abu Dhabi, hit spinner Saeed Ajmal for two consecutive boundaries to bring up his half-century as well as taking his team past Pakistan’s total.

In the morning session Pakistan’s top-order batsmen were so dismal that

number nine Zulfiqar Babar top-scored with 25 not out and opener Shan Masood made 21. Of the six boundaries in the innings, Babar hit three and Masood one.

This is the 16th time that Pakistan were bowled out for below 100 in a Test innings.

It brought back memories of Pakistan’s same total against then world number one England at the same venue in 2012, although they went on to win the Test in the end.

But a ruthless South Africa, now the world number one Test side, looked in no mood to concede the early advantage as they now look set for a big first innings lead.

Smith and Dean Elgar, replacing Hashim Amla -- who failed to come back after returning home for the birth of his child -- added 54 before Ajmal had Elgar for 23.

Pakistan also removed opener Alviro Petersen for 26 and Jacques Kallis (seven) on a day when Tahir gave Pakistan a dose of their own spin medicine.

Tahir, playing his first Test since No-

Imran Tahir (C) of South Africa jubilates after bowling Pakistan's Captain Misbah Ul-Haq during the first day of the second Test match in Dubai yesterday AFP vember 2011, dismissed opener Shan Masood (21), Misbah-ul Haq (two) and Akmal (nought) off just 11 deliveries to leave Pakistan in tatters at 60-6 by lunch.

Tahir commented: “It’s not that I wanted to show something, I just wanted to do well for the world’s best Test team.”

Born and brought up in Pakistan, Tahir qualified to play for South Africa

in 2011 after marrying a local girl but has since taken time to establish himself in a country not known for spinners.

Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore showed anger over his team’s slump.

“Its frustrating,” said Whatmore.

“Certainly not according to the plans, we knew they will come back hard but we orchestrated our own downfall with poor shot selection.” l

vide Tk10.38m (Tk0.69m per year) for two years to the BFF for the successful completion and in the third year there will be an evaluation of the whole process.

In a press conference held at the BFF House on Wednesday BFF Women’s Wing Chairman Sirajul Islam Bachchu and deputy chairman Mahfuza Akter Kiron presented the meet.

“We want to empower the girls as a complete human being while playing football, they will learn the leadership development and will go through the awareness programs of domestic violence and others, we look forward towards the cooperation from all the sectors,” said Bachchu.

Mahfuza Akter Kiron said there will 30 selected players from each zone who will be attending a one month long basic training and later there will be two teams in each zone. l

2nd Test, Day 1 Pakistan 1st innings Manzoor c du Plessis b Steyn 0 Shan b Tahir 21 Azhar lbw b Morkel 19 Younis c de Villiers b Steyn 10 Misbah lbw b Tahir 2 Asad b Tahir 10 Adnan b Tahir 0 Ajmal run out 0 Babar not out 25 Irfan b Tahir 0 Junaid b Steyn 4 Extras (b5, lb3) 8 Total (all out; 36.4 overs) 99 FOW: 1-0, 2-38 (Ali), 3-52, 4-60, 5-60, 6-60, 7-64, 8-76, 9-76 Bowling: Steyn 13.4-2-38-3, Philander 5-2-9-0, Morkel 5-1-12-1, Tahir 13-3-32-5

South Africa Ist innings Petersen lbw b Babar Smith not out Elgar c Ali b Ajmal Kallis lbw b Ajmal Steyn not out Extras: (b1, w1)

26 67 23 7 3 2

Total: (for three wkts; 49 overs) 128 Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-91, 3-119 Bowling: Irfan 9-0-29-0, Khan 12-2-340, Ajmal 18.4-4-42-2, Babar 7.2-2-7-1, Ali 2-0-15-0

Serena and Azarenka do it differently Army match drawn n AFP, Istanbul Serena Williams and her nearest rival Victoria Azarenka differed in opinion and quality of performance in taking first steps towards a much hoped-for meeting in Sunday’s final at the WTA Championships on Tuesday.

Williams crushed one of the few women to have beaten her in the last 15 months as she began her defence of the title with a speedily impressive win.

The world number one took little more than an hour to win 6-3, 6-1 against Angelique Kerber, the German who beat her in Cincinnati last year but who was now outplayed from the moment she dropped serve in her opening service game.

By contrast Azarenka, appeared uncertain and care-worn, was far from

consistent, and might easily have lost the first set during her 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 survival against Sara Errani, the sixth seeded Italian.

The Belarussian found it hard to force the pace and confirmed the impression of poor health given during her disappointing performances in Beijing and Tokyo. Improvement only came after squeezing through the first set tie-break.

Azarenka was also ambivalent about the surface. “You know I think the court is pretty rough, I would have to say,” she said frankly. “It’s a little bit slow.

“But that’s what we have. I think you know I can’t really find excuses or something,” she then rapidly qualified the remark. “If the surface can be a little bit better because it’s tough on the body, maybe yeah - but I think it’s the last year,” she said, referring to the WTA

Championships moving to Singapore next year.

Williams could hardly have thought more differently. “Well you know me - you cannot ask me these questions. I will say it’s fast when everyone else says it’s slow,” she said with nice irony.

For the court to be of optimum speed it should “maybe to be faster than what it is,” Williams half-agreed with Azarenka. “But I like slow surfaces, so you know, I like grass, so it doesn’t matter for me,” she added, appearing to offer further contradiction by suggesting grass was slow.

Azarenka’s difficulties also derived, she suggested, from having taken a break after a disappointing Asian swing and then returning to action in a tournament where you meet top players from the first match. l

n Shishir Hoque The Bangladesh Army football team drew 1-1 with the Indian Army in the first match between the two sides after the Liberation War at the Army Stadium yesterday.

A number of Shadhin Bangla Football Team members - including Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Kazi Salahuddin, Shadhin Bangla team manager and former BCB vice president Tanveer Mazhar Islam Tanna and skipper Zakaria Pintu – graced the 60 minute match with their presence. Lieutenant General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Haq also attended, along with the Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran.

The home side started brightly

Bradman captains Wisden Test World XI n AFP, London

Day’s Watch Gazi TV 9.30am New Zealand tour of Bangladesh 2nd Test, Day 4 Ten Cricket 12:00PM Pakistan v South Africa 2nd Test Day 2 UEFA Europa League 2013/14 Ten Action 11:00PM Sheriff Tiraspol v Tottenham 1:00AM Wigan Athletic v Rubin Kazan Ten Sports 11:00PM Liberec v Sevilla 1:00AM Swansea v Kuban Krasnodar

15

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus reacts on October 22, 2013 during a WTA Championships tennis match agaisnt Sara Errani of Italy in Istanbul.

AFP

Australia great Don Bradman was named captain Wednesday of an all-time Test World XI to mark the 150th anniversary of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack.

Although Bradman played his last Test in 1948, no batsman before or since has come anywhere near his staggering Test batting average of 99.94. Also included is his compatriot Shane Warne, who during the 1990s established himself as arguably the greatest leg-spinner cricket has known. Given that it is a UK-based publication built around the events of the previous English season, albeit one now encompassing the whole of senior international cricket, it is perhaps unsurprising there are four England players in the side.

WG Grace, the 19th century star who invented the fundamentals of batting, opening great Jack Hobbs, wicketkeeper Alan Knott, a mainstay of England teams of the 1970s and Sydney Barnes, a master of both swing and spin and reckoned by many to have been England’s greatest bowler of all time, make it into the side.

West Indies provide three players in Vivian Richards, widely regarded as the best batsman of his generation, Garfield

Sobers, frequently referred to as the greatest all-rounder cricket has known and Malcolm Marshall, viewed as arguably the best in a long line of top-class Caribbean fast bowlers. l

Wisden World XI 1. Jack Hobbs (England, CY 1909) 61 Tests, 5,410 runs at 56.94 2. WG Grace (England, CY 1896) 22 Tests, 1,098 runs at 32.29 3. Don Bradman (Aus, CY 1931, capt) 52 Tests, 6,996 runs at 99.94) 4. Sachin Tendulkar (India, CY 1997) 198 Tests, 15,837 runs at 53.86 5. Vivian Richards (WI, CY 1977) 121 Tests, 8,540 runs at 50.23 6. Garry Sobers (WI, CY 1964) 93 Tests, 8,032 runs at 57.78, 235 wickets at 34.03 7. Alan Knott (Eng, CY 1970, wkt) 95 Tests, 4,389 runs at 32.75, 250 catches, 19 stumpings 8. Wasim Akram (Pakistan, CY 1993) 104 Tests, 414 wickets at 23.62 9. Shane Warne (Aus, CY 1994) 145 Tests, 708 wickets at 25.41 10. Malcolm Marshall (WI, CY 1983) 81 Tests, 376 wickets at 20.94 11. Sydney Barnes (England, CY 1910) 27 Tests, 189 wickets at 16.43 * CY=Wisden Cricketer of the Year

and in the eight minute, Md Saminul Haque’s strike from just outside the box was saved by the Indian goalkeeper. India had two good chances in the first half. In the 22nd minute, Antony Ramesh’s free kick was knocked away by the Bangladesh goalie and just before half-time, Samtu Subba’s header hit the crossbar.

The deadlock was broken eight minutes into the second half when Md Selon Khan snatched the ball away from an Indian defender, dribbled past the goalie and passed the ball to Md Tareq Aziz, who slotted the ball into the net from 16 yards out.

The lead was however short lived as India equalized four minutes later through Samtu Subba’s powerful strike from the top of the box, and the game remained 1-1 to the end. l

Shakib embarrassed at Dhaka airport n Minhaz Uddin Khan National all-rounder Shakib al Hasan faced the unexpected at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Tuesday.

The world number one Test allrounder complained of being harassed and forced out of the airport by the onduty security officer when he went to see off his wife Ummey Ahmed Shishir who was off bound to India.

It was learnt that the former national skipper has submitted a written complain to the authority on the occurrence.

The witnesses of the happening informed the media that Shakib reached the airport at around 9:30pm to see off his wife. Shakib, after taking permission from the civil aviation office, was at the immigration area when civil aviation DSO (Duty Security Officer) Anoara Begum charged the cricketer of his presence in the restricted area.

Shakib informed Anoara of the permission which he took from the aviation office, but this didn’t satisfy the DSO. Shakib tried to further explain the officer, but instead it only ended in a verbal battle. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Thursday, October 24, 2013

SIX MONTHS OF RANA PLAZA DISASTER

No charge sheet yet

Specialised school planned for victims n Tribune Report

People accused in cases are out on bail Jamil Khan and n Mohammad Sanaul Islam Tipu Six months have passed since the Rana Plaza building collapse, but the investigating agency is yet to present a charge sheet before the court in cases filed in connection with the disaster.

Many of the accused in the cases are enjoying a free life after securing bail from the High Court. Savar municipality engineers Emtemum Hossain and Refayet Ullah; Ward Councilors of Savar municipality Mohammad Ali Khan and Abul Hasan Abul Hasan, who gave shelter to the building’s owner Sohel Rana at Faridpur and Jessore; are all now out on bail.

Rana’s father Abdul Khalek also received bail from the High Court in the case filed under the building construction act. However, both Rana and his father remain behind bars as they were denied bail in the murder case.

Additional Public Prosecutor of Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Anowarul Kabir Babul told the Dhaka Tribune that the cases filed regarding the Rana Plaza disaster were stalled for the submission of an investigation report.

Asked about the delay in charge sheet submission, he said that the investigation officer might be taking more time to probe as it was an important case. He further added that the total number of accused was 21 in the murder case and 12 in the case filed under the building construction act.

According to court sources, the arrestees of the cases are Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana, his father Abdul Khalek, and four owners of garment factories Anisur Rahman, Aminul Islam, Bazlus Samad Adnan and Mahbubur Rahman Tapash. Besides, Savar municipality engineers Emtemum Hossain, Alam Miah and Abdur Razzak; Rana’s associates Mohammad Abdul Mannan, Mohammad Alamgir Hossain, Mohammad Modhu, and Mohammad Rasel Ahmad; ward councilors Mohammad Ali Khan, Md Sarowar Kamal, Anil Das, Shah Alam Mithu and Abul Hasan; and three others were also arrested in the cases.

According to court documents, three of the accused – Anil Das, Shah Alam Mithu and Abul Hasan – who sheltered Rana in Faridpur and Jessore and tried to help him leave the country, gave confessional statements on May 5.

The total collapse of the multi-storied building on 24 April claimed at least 1,131 lives - mostly workers of five garment factories - and left around 2,500 others injured.

Rajuk’s authorised officer Helal Uddin filed a case on April 25 for breaching the building construction act and building code, while the murder case was filed on the same day with the Savar police station. Sub-Inspector Wali Ashraf Khan filed the case, after which the four apparel businessmen were arrested.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is currently investigating the cases.

About the delay in filing the charge sheet, an official of the department, seeking anonymity, said it would take some time as a special branch of the department was working to compile a strong case against the accused.

Bijoy Krishno Kar, senior assistant superintendent of CID and investigation officer of the case, told the Dhaka Tribune that top priority was given to both the cases, to ensure that criminals could not evade justice at the court.

Twenty one of the accused have been arrested, Bijoy said, adding that statements had been collected from over 600 witnesses and victims.

He also expressed hopes of closing the investigation into the cases soon, and of submitting the charge sheet by the end of next month.

The investigation officer of the case said some motives and proofs had been collected, but he refused to disclose further details for investigation purposes.

Besides the two cases, a probe is going on in a separate case filed under the arms act with Dhamrai police station, regarding the recovery of weapons belonging to Rana from his brick field.

Earlier, Dhaka Bar Association announced that they would not stand for any of the accused in the Rana Plaza cases. l

FILE PHOTOS BY NASHIRUL ISLAM

ActionAid calls on companies to give fair deal to victims n Tribune Desk ActionAid called on companies negotiating the compensation package to deliver a fair deal for the Rana Plaza collapse survivors and the families of the deceased.

The aid agency said this in a survey report on the state of compensation and suffering published yesterday.

Six months after the world’s worst garment factories disaster, victims are still awaiting compensation and suffering from debilitating physical and psychological injuries that have prevented the vast majority of them from returning to work, the report said.

ActionAid surveyed 2,297 people - nearly two thirds of the survivors and families of those who died in the eight-storey building collapse on April 24.

The study revealed that 94% of those surveyed reported they had not received any legal benefits from their employers since April, including sick pay or compensation. Of the survivors, 92% had not gone back to work. Of these, 63% said physical injuries such as amputations, paralysis, severe pain in the head, leg and body had stopped them from resuming work.

Family seeks better recognition of Kaykobad’s heroic deeds

Kaykobad’s wife Jarmin Akhter with their daughter Maria and son Tihad MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

n Syeda Samira Sadeque Mohammad Ejajuddin Ahmed Kaykobad, 35, was burnt in a fire ignited inside the rubble of Rana Plaza on April 28 as he was trying to rescue Shahina Akhter, a garment worker who was also burnt to death. Kaykobad remained in hospital for about a week before he succumbed to his injuries in Singapore.

Although he was awarded a Guard of Honour at his funeral, family members worry his story may fade with time.

“We do not want our brother’s deeds to be forgotten,” said Nurun Nahar Yasmin, elder sister of Kaykobad. She along with Kaykobad’s wife Jarmin

Akhter is seeking a bigger recognition to commemorate his bravery.

“He is a hero only in people’s speech...We want something more concrete,” Jarmin told the Dhaka Tribune.

“Maybe a road named after him, or a crest. For now we only have the flag from the honour,” said Yasmin.

Kaykobad was at Yasmin’s place when he saw the news on Rana Plaza on TV. He was so overwhelmed by the disaster that he went to Savar the next day and took part in rescue operations for three days before he was caught in fire.

Yasmin, however, still has her doubts regarding the account of her brother’s death.

Rana Plaza victims, who lost their limbs and were disabled, are going to get a specialised school in Savar.

According to a press release of GIZ, an international enterprise owned by the German Federal Government, GIZ, CRP and BGMEA signed a MoU yesterday to establish an orthotics and prosthetics school to support the people with disabilities, especially those affected by the Rana Plaza building collapse.

The three organisations will work together to build the infrastructure of the school and to develop the curriculum for the students.

The school will have a training lab and library facilities, student exchange programme, and consultation programme, said the press release.

German Ambassador Albrecht Conze, GIZ Country Director Olaf Handloegten, CRP Founder Valerie Taylor and BGMEA President Md Atiqul Islam were present at the signing ceremony. l

“It has been six months, but what happened and how it happened remain unclear to me,” said Yasmin in tears.

“How was it possible that of all people my brother met with such accident?”

She said: “If there was another person behind my brother holding onto him, then my brother would not have to die such a torturous death.”

Jarmin said the family has received a generous stipend from the government but since Kaykobad was the only earning member of a family of six members, including the domestic help and extended family members, they are currently in need of a lot more.

“As an engineer, my husband earned around Tk50,000-60,000 and now we have only Tk10,000,” she said.

Although many had given her assurance immediately following her husband’s death, no one has followed up since.

The army has relocated Jarmin and her children in an apartment in Dhaka Cantonment and the children’s school has waived their tuition fees. Their seven-year-old daughter Maria is a student of grade I at Shaheed Anwar School.

Their son Tihad is only four.

Maria said her fondest memory with her father was that of going different places on his motorbike.

According to Jarmin and Yasmin, Kaykobad used to spend a lot of time with the children and often went out of his way to help others.

Interestingly, just a few days before the accident, in an altercation with his elder brother Kaykobad had said he would fight to save lives of others and die a hero.

Staying true to words he spoke possibly in anger, Kaykobad did die a hero – stepping on boundaries other had not touched. Perhaps it is most fitting what Yasmin said while talking about Kaykobad’s operation.

“He was inside. He was where no one would go,” she said. l

Ninety-two percent of survivors reported being deeply traumatised, while over half complained of insomnia and being unable to withstand loud noise.

Some said they were scared to walk into a building or other closed spaces.

Farah Kabir, ActionAid’s country director in Bangladesh, said: “It is indefensible that for six months, multi-million dollar companies have left the victims to fend for themselves.”

She added that while the corpora-

tions held back from compensating the victims, the victims of the Rana Plaza disaster are in urgent need of medical and psychological support, as well as the financial means to feed and care for their families. l

Caught between fear and need Rana Plaza survivor hopes to live ‘like a human’

n Syeda Samira Sadeque When Pintu Kumar Shaha emerged from the rubble of Rana Plaza after three days, his photos took the media by storm. With his head held high and arms stretched, gesturing his victory against death, he immediately became an icon for many who had been devastated by the news of deaths, injuries and amputations.

“When I came out, I felt like I was reborn. I had given up my hopes of living while I was inside. But when I saw the light, I felt that I was born again,” Pintu told the Dhaka Tribune.

But that has changed. Six months have passed since, and except for a month’s salary, Pintu is yet to receive any compensation either from the government or any other organisations.

His right arm and hip still ache, and he has to bear the medicinal expenses himself. He has to pay Tk500-700 for his medical expenses every month.

“I do not feel that positive energy inside me anymore,” he said, sitting in his tin-shed room next to his son Gourango Shaha, 18, who was also a worker at Rana Plaza.

Both are still reeling from the trauma, but have a long way to go as they are caught between the crossroads of fear and need. While the image of working in a garment factory still haunts them, their need to feed themselves leaves no other options.

Gourango, who used to work on the seventh floor of Rana Plaza, was rescued within nine hours of the collapse, and he is unemployed since.

“I tried working at Azim Group during Puja to earn some money,” he said. “But after thirteen days, I left. I was too scared that the building might collapse.”

Meanwhile, Pintu spoke of suffering from insomnia and even being afraid of going to the washroom by himself. He was left surrounded by corpses while he was stuck under the rubble; some had died while talking to him.

However, with the three days under the rubble still fresh in his mind, he has succumbed to his financial needs, and joined Azim Group GK Factory, another garment factory. His wife, sister, and sister-in-law are working in the factory as well.

Although his family had been in the industry, Pintu himself had joined only a few months ago. He is job at Rana Plaza, was his first in the industry and he has been in his current job since last month.

Even with chances of his ‘new beginning’ vanishing in front of his eyes, Pintu said: ‘I hope to live like a human’ “It’s all the same, there isn’t much of a difference here,” he lamented, adding that the work hours are similar and the work atmosphere equally inflexible.

Earlier, Pintu had been in an agricultural business for 25 years before he went bankrupt and was forced to join the RMG industry to earn a living.

“I am living in extreme poverty. If I had the chance, I would go back to my village in Bogra and live there,” he said.

Since he cannot go back to the fields because of his injuries from the collapse, where he was stuck in a sitting posture for three days straight, he has few options left but to rely on donations - or his current job, which is a mere reminder of the haunting tragedy.

Even with chances of his “new beginning” vanishing in front of his eyes, Pintu said: “I hope to live like a human.” l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. 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

B2 IFC agrees to finance $1bn for power projects

B3 RMG leaders worried over political brawl

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Business www.dhakatribune.com/business

Internal shocks to take toll on economic growth World Bank forecasts much lower than expected GDP growth of 5.7% in FY14 while new risks and challenges have gained n Tribune Report prominence, including notably the risks asClose to the estimates of the IMF and ADB, the World Bank has forecast Bangladesh’s economic growth for the current financial year would remain at 5.7% due to the deepening political strife and weakening investment.

It said the pace of economic activity in 2013-14 would be hampered by the ongoing political uncertainty, together with frequent general strikes and associated hostilities, to aggravate the situation further from the longstanding energy crisis and infrastructure deficits.

Early this month, both International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have projected the gross domestic product (GDP) growth to 5.8%, much lower than the government’s estimate of 7.2%.

The growth will continue to remain subdued owing to internal instability and slow policy reforms, said the World Bank in its report titled “Bangladesh Development Update” released at the country office in Dhaka yesterday.

“Bangladesh’s growth outlook depends on internal stability and structural reforms.

Several macro vulnerabilities – prospect of rising inflation due to disruptions in supply chain and wage push factors, decline in exports and remittance growth, fiscal expansion due to increased recurrent expenditures in response to political pressures, and failure of financial intermediation – could impact the economic recovery,” said Johannes Zutt, the World Bank’s country director.

World Bank country director for Bangladesh Johannes Zutt gestures while realsing a report in Dhaka yesterday NASHIRUL ISLAM The real GDP growth in FY14 may slow to 5.7%, reflecting the negative impact of the recent strikes on sentiment towards Bangladesh on the part of foreign investors and a hiatus in policymaking as the parliamentary election approaches, he said.

Traditional risks remain while newer challenges mount: The global economy is

slowly getting back on its feet, albeit with some hesitancy and unevenness, according to the World Bank.

“Overall, the Bangladesh economy is moving into a more volatile phase,” said Zahid Hussain, Lead Economist of the Bank.

“The risks stemming from the impending political transition have grown significantly

sociated with the damaged image of Bangladesh’s major manufacturing success story - the garments industry.”

About continued record-breaking foreign exchange reserve that hit $17bn on Tuesday, he said the reserve level is satisfactory but not excessive. The reserve constitutes almost seven months of import cover, providing an effective cushion against external shocks.

About inflation, the World Bank said production and supply chain disruptions due to intensified political violence in the run-up to elections are a major near-term inflation risk. The NBR’s revenue collection grew 12% in July-August relative to the same period the previous year – well below the 20% target for FY14.

Achieving the revenue growth target will be challenging if economic growth slows further and imports do not recover, it said.

It said the growth in remittance might weaken as manpower exports declined.

The current instability in the Middle East and North Africa may have negative consequences for Bangladeshis living and working in those regions, hampering their ability to earn and remit money home, it said.

The World Bank said fragile corporate governance in the financial sector poses systematic risk. The financial scam exposed the vulnerabilities of the state-owned banks, and the risks they pose to the soundness and stability of the financial system, which are compounded by inherent weakness of the banking sector, it said. l

World Bank: RMG industry at crossroads n Tribune Report The World Bank has said the sunny picture of the apparel industry of Bangladesh has changed as the recent deadly accidents revived concerns over compliance in labor standards and workers safety, throwing Bangladesh’s competitiveness at risk.

“The dynamic readymade garments sector has been a key contributor to Bangladesh’s strong economic performance and to women’s empowerment,” said Johannes Zutt, country director for Bangladesh, at a report launching ceremony in Dhaka yesterday.

“But this industry is now at a critical crossroads, as recent high-fatality factory fires and a building collapse have exposed the hazards workers face and also severely

tarnished the industry’s image,” he said.

He said the most pressing challenges is rebuilding the garment industry’s image and addressing supply bottlenecks.

working condition and the violation of workers’ rights has become more pronounced.”

The most immediate priority for the government is to ensure enforcement of the

‘The dynamic readymade garments sector has been a key contributor to Bangladesh’s strong economic performance and to women’s empowerment’ Bangladesh must act now to articulate and enforce improved standards for building safety and worker health and security so the garments industry could continue to grow and other industries follow the example, he said.

The country director said noncompliance in worker safety is a collective failure of the manufacturers, the buyers, and the government. “Attention to low worker wages, poor

steps suggested by foreign buyers, international agencies and domestic regulatory bodies. European and American buyers’ consortiums have announced separate initiatives to improve compliance over the next five years.

The European Union and Bangladesh agreed to a time bound “Sustainability Compact,” which is broadly consistent with action plan provided by the US. Effective

implementation of planned actions through coordinated efforts is the need of the hour.

The World Bank said the cost of inaction could be high. Removing Bangladesh’s favored access to the United States market under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) program may not hurt Bangladesh’s garment industry unduly, as the benefits to the industry were non-existent, but if the EU were to suspend Bangladesh’s favored access to its markets, Bangladesh could see its total exports fall by as much as 4.1% to 8%, it said.

RMG has been the main driver of Bangladeshi exports in the past two decades. Its shares in total exports increased from 53% in fiscal year 1994-95 to 79.6% in fiscal year 2012-13, reaching a historic high of $21.5bn in exports. l

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

IFC agrees to finance $1bn for power projects n Aminur Rahman Rasel International Finance Corporation (IFC) has agreed to finance $1bn to foster regional power trade, set up LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminal and improve power transmission and generation capacity in Bangladesh.

The Power Division and a delegation of IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, had a meeting yesterday, agreeing on financing the projects, Power Cell Director General Mohammad Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune after the meeting.

The IFC’s Chief Investment Officer (Infrastructure and Natural Resources) Raghuveer Sharma arrived in Dhaka on Sunday on a four-day visit to Bangladesh.

Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury, advisor to the prime minister, power division secretary Monowar Islam, power division additional secretary Mofazzel Hossain, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) member Salim Mahmud, Rural Electrification Board Chairman Moin Uddin, and acting

managing director of Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), Chowdhury Alamgir Hossain were present at the meeting at Bidyut Bhaban in Dhaka.

Tawfiq-E-Elahi visited the World Bank headquarters in Washington in September to explore opportunities of IFC’s supports in developing power and energy sector in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh, a power-hungry country, is keen to import hydro electricity from its neighbours and requested IFC to finance regional trade project to boost regional cooperation, Mohammad Hossain said.

“We would also like to join in joint venture investment in such regional hydro power projects to benefit the people of the whole region. Bangladesh expects that IFC would help develop and finance for such projects,” he added.

There exist hydro power potentials of 150,000 megawatt (MW) in India, 30,000 MW in Bhutan and 83,000 MW in Nepal.

At the meeting, Bangladesh sought IFC

support to set up two LNG terminals, Mohammad Hossain said. The meeting discussed about two approaches on LNG import – one is Floating Storage Re- gasification Unit (FSRU) and the other one is land based re-gasification unit.

IFC would look into FSRU documents processed by the Petrobangla and help make them bankable, he added.

On the land based re-gasification unit, Power Cell would draft an Expression of Interest for inviting participation by private parties and IFC would help draft the EOI in a way that would be acceptable to both parties.

“IFC is interested to make available sub-national financing to PGCB on a corporate finance basis, which will help for the proposed cross-border inter-connectivity projects, as well as for evacuation of power from the proposed mega power projects in Moheskhali and Khulna areas,” said the official.

He said IFC has also agreed to fund power generation projects. l

Teletalk defaults on 3G spectrum fee n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

ADB to fund $12m more for cross-border power supply

After more than one year into 3G launching, the country’s state-owned mobile phone operator Teletalk yesterday deposited Tk105m as broadband licence fee plus Vat to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BRTC).

Of the total amount paid, Tk5m is the value added tax (Vat), said the Teletalk officials.

But the operator didn’t pay fee for 10 Megahertz spectrum on 2100 bands due to “unaffordability.” Yesterday was the deadline for making the deposit. The 3G guideline requires Teletalk to pay Tk16.32bn for 10 Megahertz spectrum and another Tk816m as Vat. AS per the guideline, the operators would need to pay 60% of the spectrum fee along with Vat within 30 working days of auction which ended on October 23. This spectrum price was set in the September 8 auction for the country’s third generation mobile broadband.

“We have paid Tk100m as licence fee plus Tk5m Vat. But spectrum fee is too big for Teletalk. We requested the government to decide on the figure for the state-owned operator,” Md Mujibur Rahman, Managing Director of Teletalk, told the Dhaka Tribune.

He added Teletalk already wrote to the government about the spectrum fee issue.

“If we are allowed, we can pay the fee in instalments. Otherwise the government will have to bear the fee,” said Md Mujibur Rahman.

Telecommunication Secretary and the Teletalk Board Chairman Md Abubakar Siddique said the ministry has already forwarded the letter to the finance ministry which will decide on the spectrum fee issue.

The spectrum fee of over Tk16bn is “unbearable for the Teletalk as the operator’s annual revenue is only around Tk7bn now.” l

n Tribune Report Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide additional $12m as loan to finance a cross-border electricity supply initiative between Bangladesh and India.

With this additional support, the lender came up with a total of $112m for the $199m project called the “SASEC Bangladesh–India Electrical Grid Interconnection Project.”

The fresh funding will meet the shortage of money required for the project.

To this effect, Abul Kalam Azad, Secretary of Economic Relations Division (ERD), and M Teresa Kho, ADB Country Director for Bangladesh, signed a loan agreement on behalf of their respective sides at ERD office yesterday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh jointly inaugurated the project on 5th this month.

The assistance for the Bangladesh-India Electrical Grid Interconnection Project helped build a 27-kilometer 400-kilovolt transmission line between the electrical substations at Baharampur in India and Bheramara in Bangladesh, a 500-megawatt (MW)

high voltage substation at Bheramara, a 230 kV double circuit loop-in loop-out interconnection at Bheramara to link with the transmission network in Bangladesh, and associated infrastructure.

The interconnection facilitates an initial power flow of 500 MW into Bangladesh from the Indian grid, with a provision to expand the power flow to 1,000 MW in the future.

The project is supported by ADB’s concessional Asian Development Fund.

The project is an outcome of the landmark joint communiqué for greater cooperation signed between Bangladesh and India during Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in January 2010.

The project signalled a new era in energy cooperation in South Asia and is likely to herald further power trading agreements, resulting in the more effective use of existing energy resources in the region, said M Teresa Kho. “Connecting the two grids will demonstrate substantial economic benefits that come from enhanced regional cooperation, and help to address energy gaps across the region,” she said. l

Santos, Kris Energy JV awarded offshore block

n Tribune Report A joint venture of Santos and Kris Energy Limited has been awarded the shallow sea block 11 in the Bay of Bengal to explore hydrocarbons under a production sharing contract.

A meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs yesterday approved the proposal by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD).

Santos and Kris Energy had offered to explore the block through conducting 870-line kilometres of mandatory 2D seismic survey, a 300sq-km 3D seismic survey, and drilling one well within the initial period of five years. l

Shah Amanat Airport starts auto refueling of aircrafts n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong An auto-refueling system has been introduced at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong for the first time yesterday to ensure comparatively safe and less time consuming refueling of aircrafts.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Faruk Khan inaugurated the system, apprising that the hydrant auto refueling system would facilitate refueling the aircrafts within a period ten times less than the manual system.

A team of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) visited the airport and approved the newly introduced system two days earlier, the function was told.

The ICAO would now enlist the airport as an international airport, said the minister. l

CPD conference begins tomorrow n Tribune Report Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) is going to host a three-day international conference from tomorrow in Dhaka to discuss about the forthcoming WTO Ministerial Conference.

The 9th WTO Ministerial Conference will be held early December in Bali.

The WTO conference seeks to create a platform to discuss issues of concern and interest to the least developed countries (LDCs) in the context of the current negotiations in Geneva and upcoming negotiations in Bali.

“The Dhaka Conference endeavours to articulate a common stance concerning key deliverables of this package,” said a CP statement.

Sessions of the conference will discuss state of play of current negotiations in Geneva and LDC interests, and possible stance as regards negotiations on trade facilitation, agriculture issues including food security and cotton, duty-free, quota-free market access for the LDCs, and LDC waiver in the services sector.

Discussion will also focus on systemic issues and the way forward, CPD added.

Based on the discussions and suggestions at the event, an outcome document will be prepared articulating the LDC deliverables, according to the statement. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

RMG leaders worried over political brawl n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi The country’s readymade garment exporters expressed their deep concern over the political unrest that is brewing up ahead of parliamentary polls.

Already, the major two parties are calling rallies against each other amid police ban, which suggests the country is going to be sunk into a political brawl.

They fear such situation will immensely hamper the export sector.

When contacted, they made the reaction as BNP had called rally on October 25 in the capital.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police imposed a ban on holding any rally and procession since October 20 until further order.

“Buyers are scared to place orders in

Bangladesh due to political instability before election,” said Harun Ur Rashid, managing director of Sea Moss Knitwear Ltd. He told the Dhaka Tribune that they are also afraid to take orders from the buyers fearing disruption in supply chain.

The apparel makers urged both the parties to sit on negotiation table and settle disagreements over a polls-time government to save the nation and businesses from another wave of street violence.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Atiqul Islam said: “A group of buyers asked me about the upcoming political programmes as they want to come here to bargain to buy RMG products. But I could not provide them with any good news.”

“On behalf of the whole apparel industry,

I request the major parties and the government to reach a consensus,” said Atiqul Islam.

He said such consensus will give a relief to the industry and whole nation from the fear of uncertainty.

BGMEA vice president Shahidullah Azim said buyers can shift their orders to other sourcing countries if they see any politically unstable situation in Bangladesh.

“We have to keep in mind that there are other countries producing RMG products.

If the situation is not stable here, they will divert their supply orders to those sourcing countries,” said Shahidullah Azim.

He added: “To maintain growth in the country’s readymade garment sector, the leaders will have to ensure political instability.” l

Accord to start Stocks rally for second day factory inspection n by end November Tribune Report

n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh would start factory inspection by the end of November this year after finalising the common check list on inspection expected to be complete by mid-November.

Earlier on September 22, the Accord of European Union retailers said they would start apparel factory inspection in Bangladesh from November. “We had discussion on action plan for the inspection,” BGMEA Vice President Reaz Bin Mahmood told the Dhaka Tribune.

The tentative schedule for inspection has been set at a meeting between an Accord team and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

The Accord team including its executive director Sean Ansett, H&M representative Fagerlin Jenny, C&A representative Philip Chamberlin yesterday met BGMEA to discuss the action plan of inspection.

The meeting discussed the issue of Liberty Fashion as the retailer would not cancel sourcing and the final decision of the factory would be taken today at the meeting between the BGMEA and the Accord, Shahidullah Azim, vice president of the trade body said.

Earlier Tesco, a buyer of Liberty fashion, threatened to cancel sourcing from the factory due to its unsafe working condition.

According to their work plan, the Accord would inspect 1,800 factories to improve fire and building safety in the RMG sector of the Bangladesh and they include the factory to their list from which they source garments. Accord, a platform of 101 retailers and apparel brands from the EU, had announced its work plan on May 15 to improve the fire and building safety measures.

The move came following the deadliest collapse of Rana Plaza building, which killed over 1,100 workers. l

Stocks continued to rise for the second consecutive session yesterday, as positive sentiment persisted over the latest political development.

The market opened on upbeat mood and the momentum continued at close as investor poured fresh fund mainly on heavy weight banks and pharmaceuticals.

The benchmark DSEX index rose 69 points or 1.9% to 3,883. The blue chip index DS30 gained 18 points or 1.3% to 1,393.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, closed at 7,598 with a rise of 134 points.

“Expected imminent discussion between two major political parties knocked investors’ sentiment very positively. News in different national dailies centering political issues assisted creation of optimism amid investment community,” said IDLC Investment in its market analysis.

Rising investors’ confidence pushed up turnover by 57% from previous session and registered slightly below Tk3bn-mark.

“Bank, textile and ceramic sectors were on buyers’ radar. Banking stocks continued to shine with turnover value rose by 249.8%,” said Lanka Bangla Securities.

Throughout the session, activity mostly centralised in textile, bank and pharmaceuticals sectors.

After remaining under pressure for long time, banks were leading the major sectors with 4.54% gain. All the 30 banks ended positive with four of them featuring in the top ten gainers chart, driven by Southeast Bank that rallied 8.8%.

Among other well perfuming sectors, pharmaceuticals rose 1.9%, textile 1.48% and fuel and power 1.2%.The worst perfuming sectors were life insurance, food and allied.

Envoy Textile was the most traded stocks with turnover worth over Tk289m changing hands. It was followed by Argon Denims, Square Pharmaceuticals, United Commercial Bank, and Generation Next Fashions Ltd and Padma Oil. “It seems that finally the market is recovered from the holiday effect with significant participation of investors with intend to buy stocks targeting the quarterly declarations that results the index to end up in the green zone,” Zenith Investments Limited.

“The continued demand for some large and mid cap stocks aims a growth in earning at the quarter ends for the companies and a scope to earn profit for the investors.” l

BSEC warns rumour mongers n Tribune Report The securities regulator has warned it would take legal action against those who are engaged in spreading rumours using different means like social media networks, including facebook.

“It has recently been noticed that a section of people had allegedly been spreading rumour through facebook, SMS and other means to influence the market and to confuse the investors,” Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) said in a

statement recently.

“This is against securities rules and a barrier to stabilise the market,” it said. Such news often creates confusion among the people and affects the market, it said.

The commission cautioned investors against gathering information from the social media or any unconfirmed source as it may cause financial losses to the investors.

Earlier, the BSEC had taken legal actions such as criminal cases against some individuals for spreading information through the social media. l

3

MoU signed to train disabled RMG workers n Tribune Report A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed in Dhaka yesterday to provide training to people with disabilities, particularly the victims of Rana Plaza collapse and other readymade garment factory accidents.

Under the MoU, training would be provided to the people with disabilities through a school namely “Orthotics and Prosthetics School”, the first of its kind in Bangladesh to be established.

Marking six months of the Rana Plaza tragedy, the agreement was signed among Promotion of Social and Environmental Standards in the Industry (PSES), a joint project of the governments of Bangladesh and Germany, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaftfür internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Centre for Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP) and Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

As a sustainable response to the recent incidents in the RMG sector, the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) made funds available to support the workers suffering from temporary and permanent injuries, said a statement of the BGMEA. One of the areas through which this fund is being disseminated is rehabilitation and this MoU is the first step towards its implementation, it added.

The areas to be covered under the MoU are: infrastructure development to start the school, a training lab and library facilities, curriculum development, a student exchange programme, making factories accessible for people with disabilities, job placement and consultation.

“In the face of recent incidents, we are faced with many challenges and the time has come to urgently address the hindrances and adopt best practices in the garment sector, through collaborative efforts, to salvage the reputation of RMG industry that affect the lives and livelihoods of 4m workers,” said Albrecht Conze, ambassador of Germany.

“GIZ is committed to support RMG factories of Bangladesh in making their workplace accessible for persons with disabilities. we are not only working with victims involved in accidents in the sector but also family members of victims and unskilled women with disabilities, to be trained on suitable trades,” said Olaf Handloegten, Country Director and signatory for GIZ. “This is a unique initiative of GIZ where the disaster response evolves into capacity building for the long term,” said Dr. Valerie Taylor, Founder of CRP. “I expect construction of this training institute will be completed soon and we will have an expert pool on prosthetics and orthotics for ensuring access for persons with disabilities in factories,” said BGMEA President Atiqul Islam. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Bribery scandal slashes Glaxo SmithKline’s Chinese drug sales n Reuters, London

A combine harvester is used to harvest wheat in a field on the outskirts of Ahmedabad

REUTERS

India set for bumper winter crops in wake of monsoon rains n Reuters, Mumbai India looks set for bumper harvests of winter crops such as wheat, chickpeas and rapeseed in the wake of a strong monsoon that has left the soil moist and topped up reservoirs.

The crops will follow bountiful summer harvests of rice and soybeans due to the rains, with New Delhi looking to boost agricultural growth to cool double-digit food inflation and revive a slowing economy as manufacturing struggles.

With next year’s wheat output seen matching 2013’s strong 92.46 million tonnes, the government - already sitting on piles of rotting grain as its storage overflows - could allow more exports. Greater supply from the world’s second-biggest producer of wheat would be a bearish factor for global prices which climbed to their highest since June this week.

A jump in production of chickpeas and rapeseed should cut expensive imports of pulses and vegetable oils as the government battles to narrow a gaping current account deficit.

“Winter crop prospects are definitely bright as a good monsoon and late, extended rains have left plenty of moisture in the soil, setting the stage for farmers to harvest bumper crops of wheat, pulses and oilseeds,” said Devinder Sharma, an independent food and trade policy analyst.

Farmers in one of the world’s leading producers and consumers of food sow winter crops from October, a month after the June-September monsoon rains ebb, with harvesting starting from March.

They principally plant rice, sugarcane, corn and cotton in the rainy months of June

and July, while wheat, chickpeas and rapeseed are the main winter-planted crops.

Subsidised Food

“A few broad indicators like area, sales of seeds and soil moisture indicate that wheat acreage will be as good as the previous year, implying almost similar production,” said Indu Sharma, chief of the state-run Directorate of Wheat Research in Haryana, a major wheat growing state in northern India.

India, second to China in wheat production, in 2013 recorded its sixth straight year in which output exceeded appetite. Local demand hovers around 76 million tonnes a year.

To cut stocks, the government has exported nearly 4.5 million tonnes of wheat since December 2011 - the first time it allowed exports since a ban in 2007 - and has asked state-run traders to ship out another 2 million tonnes.

The government buys more than a third of India’s total wheat output to supply subsidised food to the poor. It has recently expanded its food welfare programme to feed 70% of its 1.2 billion population.

Purchases by the state-run Food Corporation of India make the government the biggest hoarder of the grain. As a result, open market prices have remained high despite bumper harvests, giving farmers good returns on wheat.

“If we do not see any pest attack, unseasonal rains and higher temperatures in February-March, we see farmers getting good yield on their average (annual) planting of nearly 29 million hectares,” Sharma said.

Brimming

Indian reservoirs are brimming after this

year’s 6% higher than average monsoon rains. That means lower irrigation costs and less use of diesel for pumps, helping the government in its fight to curb fuel use in the world’s fourth-biggest energy consumer.

To cash in on good soil moisture, farmers are also likely to plant more area with the main winter-sown oilseed rapeseed, as well as chickpeas. The latter, known locally as chana, is the most popular edible pulse in India, used in everything from curries to samosa.

“I am putting in 10 acres of land under chana as against 8 acres last year because the weather is conducive and yields are expected to be higher,” said Keshav Prasad Rathi, a farmer-cum-trader from Akola in western Maharashtra, India’s No.2 chickpea growing state.

Farmers and traders said the next chickpea harvest would be near the record levels of 8.8 million tonnes produced in the crop year to June 2013. That is good news for India which has to rely on Canada, Myanmar and Australia for around 2.5-3.5 million tonnes of imports of protein-rich pulses.

If weather conditions do not change abruptly, rapeseed production should exceed the 7.82 million tonnes harvested in the previous year, said a Mumbai-based industry official. Higher output of rapeseed, which has the highest oil content among India’s nine main oilseeds, will help cut imports by the world’s biggest vegetable oil importer.

But any major jump in output would also depress oilseed and cooking oil prices, reducing growers’ returns on the crop. Unlike wheat, the government does not buy oilseeds from farmers and promises to intervene only when prices fall below a support price fixed by the farm ministry. l

GlaxoSmithKline’s drug sales in China tumbled 61% in the third quarter, hit by a bribery scandal that has damaged its ability to market medicines in the country.

Worldwide, GSK’s sales were flat at 6.51bn pounds ($10.6bn), generating core earnings per share (EPS) of 28.9 pence, 10% higher than a year ago.

Analysts, on average, had forecast sales of 6.65bn pounds and core EPS, which excludes certain items, of 27.2p, according to Thomson Reuters.

Britain’s biggest drugmaker reiterated on Wednesday that it expected sales growth for the year to be around 1% in local currency terms, with EPS rising by between 3 and 4%.

GSK’s reputation has been tarnished and its management team in China left in disarray by Chinese police allegations in July that it funneled up to 3bn yuan ($490m) to travel agencies to facilitate bribes to doctors and officials.

Industry insiders and analysts had been expecting that the police probe - one of Beijing’s biggest into a foreign company - would dent sales significantly in the three months to September.

Other multinational drug companies are also being investigated but GSK has suffered the most damage from the scandal and many Chinese doctors have shunned its sales representatives.

GSK’s reputation has been tarnished and its management team in China left in disarray by Chinese police allegations in July that it funneled up to 3bn yuan ($490m) to travel agencies to facilitate bribes to doctors

Swiss rivals Roche and Novartis, by contrast, both saw continued growth in their Chinese drug sales in the third quarter.

Although China accounted for only 3.6% of GSK’s global drug sales last year, the company sees it as an important source of future revenue and has been investing heavily in the country. Before the scandal, GSK’s China sales rose 14% year-on-year in the three months to end-June.

Emerging markets are an important plank of Chief Executive Andrew Witty’s growth strategy as he grapples with slower uptake of GSK’s products in the developed world.

GSK has recently seen some encouraging progress with its pipeline of new drugs - including approvals this year for new treatments for lung disease, cancer and HIV - but austerity pressures in Europe remain a drag on sales and profits. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Chinese tensions hit world shares, dollar tentative n Reuters, London Concerns over tighter Chinese monetary policy hit global shares still high on hopes of extended US stimulus yesterday, when the dollar tentatively steadied at an eight-month low after its latest slide.

European shares saw their biggest falls in two weeks as markets opened when fears of tighter policy in China were amplified by reports that some of its big banks were tripling write-offs on bad loans.

Asian markets saw widespread weakness as a variety of factors ranging from a strengthening yen in Japan and fading rate cut hopes in Australia added to the negativity.

“What has happened this morning is that we have the Chinese rate surge on the policy tightening fears,” said Alvin Tan, a strategist at Societe Generale in London.

“That has basically generated a broad correction in risk assets and in Europe that is continuing.”

Short-term Chinese money rates underscored investors’ concerns that regulators there are poised to tighten liquidity to quell growing inflationary pressures.

The benchmark seven-day repo contract, which had been steadily sliding since October 9, spiked in the morning session, a day after a policy adviser to the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) told Reuters it was weighing tightening measures.

In Europe, A string of earning misses from some of the region’s biggest corporate names

including chip maker STMicroelectronics and brewer Heineken added to the pressure on shares.

Investors were also digesting the first firm details from the European Central Bank on it plans to check the health of euro zone banks over the next year.

ECB Bank Check

The ECB’s new supervision role is the first leg of a three-pronged plan for a banking union in the euro zone and is designed to ensure there are no holes that could leave the bloc vulnerable.

Jan von Gerich, chief developed market strategist for Nordea, said that while if done properly it should help the euro zone, in the short term it could revive questions about its weaker members.

“The most interesting part will be what it says about Italy. Its banks haven’t gone through the same kind of scrutiny as the ones in Spain or those in Greece, Ireland or Portugal ... The smaller countries, too, whether Slovenia will need a bailout for example.”

In the currency market, focus remained on the prospect of Federal Reserve keeping its stimulus programme running at full after soft jobs data on Tuesday stoked concerns the US was losing momentum even before this month’s budget tussle.

Nine of 15 US primary dealers surveyed by Reuters on Tuesday now expect the Fed to begin tapering its $85bn a-month bond-buying programme in March.

The dollar had tumbled almost 1% against its Japanese counterpart to 97.22 yen by 0830 GMT and was near a two year low versus the euro at $1.3760.

In the near-term, the dollar could see further weakness against other major currencies such as the euro and sterling, said Sim Moh Siong, FX strategist for Bank of Singapore, adding that the euro may rise towards levels around $1.39.

“I think there’s certainly a high possibility that dollar weakness might extend a bit further, but I’m not really sure that it changes the medium-term dollar picture,” Sim said.

The Australian dollar was last down 0.6% against its US counterpart in a whipsaw session that saw it jump about a quarter of a US cent after a stronger than expected inflation reading dampened rate cut hopes.

The yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes fell to 2.492%, its lowest since late July, after closing US trade at 2.512%. German Bunds tracked the move as they hit threeweek highs in early trading.

On the commodities front, concerns about a near-term US crude surplus helped push US crude prices down about 0.8% to $97.53 a barrel. Brent crude gave up 0.6% to $109.29 a barrel, supported by a weaker dollar.

Copper slipped from near one-month highs as traders booked profits after the US jobs report reinforced the metal’s weak fundamental outlook, falling 0.8% to $7,272.75.

Gold fell 0.3% to $1,332.39 an ounce, having risen to a four-week high after the payrolls data. l

5

Dollar under pressure in Asia on US jobs report

n AFP, Tokyo The dollar dropped yesterday against the yen in Asia after a weak US jobs report fuelled expectations the Federal Reserve would keep its stimulus programme in place until next year.

The greenback fetched 97.35 yen in Tokyo afternoon trade, down from 98.12 in New York Tuesday afternoon.

The euro slipped to $1.3770 from $1.3780 in New York, after it topped a two-year high of $1.3790 earlier Wednesday. The single currency dipped to 134.11 yen against 135.23 yen.

On Tuesday the Labour Department said the economy added 148,000 jobs last month, well below forecasts for a gain of 180,000, even before a two-week government shutdown this month that may also have affected hiring.

While the data indicates the US recovery is still tentative, analysts said it suggests the Fed will hold off winding down its $85 billion a month bond-buying scheme put in place last year to kickstart growth. The bank has said it will only cut down on its purchases once the world’s largest economy is strong enough.

“The euro has been in demand against the dollar, mainly on the back of lower adjusting Fed monetary policy expectations,” Credit Agricole said.

“The data was perceived to provide more concrete evidence that the Fed will only begin to slow its asset purchases next year, with many now looking for tapering to only begin in March 2014.”

A draw down on the Fed stimulus is seen as positive for the dollar, so any delay in the central bank’s timeline tends to weigh on the unit.

Hiroyuki Fukunaga, CEO at Investrust, said: “Following the release of weaker-than-expected US nonfarm payrolls data, the dollar had held up well in the morning session. But players eventually gave up trying to defend the 98 yen level.”

The dollar was mostly lower against other Asia-Pacific currencies.

It fell to 43.07 Philippine pesos from 43.21 pesos on Tuesday, to 61.53 Indian rupees from 61.78 rupees, and to 31.09 Thai baht from 31.14 baht.

The dollar was also down to 1,056.90 South Korean won from 1,060.95 won, to Sg$1.2392, from Sg$1.2415 and Tw$29.39, from Tw$29.40, while it gained to 10,818 Indonesian rupiah from 10,796 rupiah. l

India to inject $2.27bn in state-run banks

n Reuters, New Delhi

Pedestrians look at a stock quotation board displaying various stock prices outside a brokerage in Tokyo

REUTERS

The Indian government will inject a budgeted 140bn rupees by end-March 2014 in 20 state-run banks, the finance ministry said in a statement yesterday, to keep them well capitalised.

Of this, State Bank of India will get 20bn rupees, while IDBI and Central Bank of India will get 18bn rupees each.

The government will inject 10bn rupees in the fiscal year that ends in March in Bank of India, the statement added. l

6

Share

DHAKA TRIBUNE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

DSE Broad Index: 3883.86 ⇑ 1.81%, Turnover: 2964.36 M.Tk ⇑ 56.99%, PE: 12.15 Turnover 3,205.83 MTk . ⇑ 55.99% October 23, 2013 MarketCap. 1,875.37 BTk. ⇑ 1.41% CSE All Share Index: 12010 ⇑ 1.69%, Turnover: 241.46 M Tk. ⇑ 44.77%, PE: 11.98 Combined Turnover Leader

C%

A%

CP

C%

A%

CP

13.11

13.95

286.40

Zeal Bangla Sugar-Z

-6.67

-6.67

8.40

Modern Dyeing-B

9.87

10.94

84.60

Anwar Galvanizing-B

-6.44

2.03

24.70

Legacy Footwear -A

9.76

9.77

37.10

Bengal Windsor-N

-5.96

-4.11

42.60

19.04

Hakkani P& Paper-B

9.09

8.77

30.00

Beach Hatchery-A

-5.29

-1.36

21.50

23.21

Southeast Bank-A

8.78

7.99

16.10

PrimeFin. 1st MF-A

-5.00

-2.15

19.00

5004590

213.32

6.65

59.87

954315

170.96

5.33

179.15

7521572 3589200

143.18 83.32

9.26

DSE Gainer Rahim Textile-A

Avg. P

3562820

UCBL - A

296.81

% of TTL

Envoy Textiles Ltd-N

Generation Next Fashions-A

BANK ABBANK | 2.95 | 32.60 | Vol. 294376 D: 24.10 ⇑ 4.78% | 23.70 | 24.40 / 20.70 C: 23.90 ⇑ 4.82% | 23.41 | 24.00 / 23.00 CITYBANK | 1.15 | 25.97 | Vol. 1172113 D: 17.30 ⇑ 6.79% | 16.91 | 17.50 / 15.00 C: 17.30 ⇑ 8.81% | 16.70 | 17.40 / 16.10 IFIC | 1.10 | 18.34 | Vol. 968418 D: 21.90 ⇑ 6.31% | 21.36 | 22.20 / 18.60 C: 22.00 ⇑ 7.84% | 21.12 | 22.30 / 20.20 ISLAMIBANK | 3.78 | 27.16 | Vol. 262641 D: 35.10 ⇑ 4.46% | 34.97 | 35.40 / 32.90 C: 34.80 ⇑ 2.35% | 34.91 | 35.00 / 34.10 NBL | 1.05 | 15.76 | Vol. 3070636 D: 10.80 ⇑ 3.85% | 10.67 | 10.90 / 9.40 C: 10.80 ⇑ 3.85% | 10.64 | 10.90 / 10.30 PUBALIBANK | 1.92 | 21.18 | Vol. 197714 D: 31.00 ⇑ 0.32% | 31.01 | 31.20 / 28.00 C: 31.40 ⇑ 1.62% | 30.94 | 31.40 / 30.80 RUPALIBANK | 6.70 | 64.27 | Vol. 38414 D: 60.80 ⇑ 5.74% | 59.10 | 61.90 / 57.00 C: 60.00 ⇑ 1.69% | 59.60 | 60.00 / 56.00 UCBL | 1.90 | 21.72 | Vol. 7521572 D: 19.50 ⇑ 8.33% | 19.04 | 19.70 / 16.50 C: 19.30 ⇑ 6.63% | 18.97 | 19.70 / 18.00 UTTARABANK | 3.42 | 26.97 | Vol. 378419 D: 26.30 ⇑ 3.14% | 25.99 | 26.50 / 23.00 C: 26.60 ⇑ 3.91% | 25.86 | 26.70 / 25.00 ICBIBANK | -1.60 | -13.03 | Vol. 76000 D: 5.70 ⇑ 3.64% | 5.76 | 5.80 / 5.60 EBL | 3.91 | 28.22 | Vol. 178275 D: 26.80 ⇑ 2.29% | 26.78 | 27.10 / 24.00 C: 26.50 ⇑ 2.32% | 26.49 | 26.50 / 26.00 ALARABANK | 2.03 | 14.91 | Vol. 297873 D: 14.80 ⇑ 4.96% | 14.60 | 15.00 / 12.80 C: 14.80 ⇑ 5.71% | 14.50 | 14.80 / 13.90 PRIMEBANK | 2.89 | 22.40 | Vol. 358316 D: 20.30 ⇑ 8.56% | 19.94 | 20.40 / 17.00 C: 20.20 ⇑ 8.02% | 19.50 | 20.20 / 19.00 SOUTHEASTB | 1.89 | 22.66 | Vol. 2673772 D: 16.10 ⇑ 8.78% | 15.94 | 16.20 / 13.90 C: 16.10 ⇑ 9.52% | 15.76 | 16.10 / 15.00 DHAKABANK | 1.46 | 18.08 | Vol. 388281 D: 18.60 ⇑ 3.91% | 18.42 | 18.70 / 17.90 C: 18.20 ⇑ 2.25% | 18.23 | 18.80 / 18.00 NCCBANK | 1.90 | 15.88 | Vol. 912474 D: 11.30 ⇑ 4.63% | 11.12 | 11.50 / 9.90 C: 11.30 ⇑ 4.63% | 11.16 | 11.40 / 10.80 SIBL | 2.05 | 14.47 | Vol. 611791 D: 11.20 ⇑ 3.70% | 11.11 | 11.40 / 9.90 C: 11.40 ⇑ 3.64% | 11.28 | 11.40 / 11.00 DUTCHBANGL | 11.57 | 54.27 | Vol. 13830 D: 93.20 ⇑ 1.75% | 93.22 | 94.90 / 89.00 C: 92.20 ⇑ 0.77% | 92.43 | 93.90 / 90.50 MTBL | 1.17 | 17.27 | Vol. 77769 D: 15.40 ⇑ 4.05% | 15.23 | 15.70 / 13.50 C: 15.00 ⇑ 2.74% | 15.00 | 15.00 / 15.00 STANDBANKL | 2.33 | 14.41 | Vol. 1291520 D: 13.90 ⇑ 6.92% | 13.56 | 14.10 / 12.00 C: 13.70 ⇑ 7.03% | 13.49 | 13.90 / 13.00 ONEBANKLTD | 2.35 | 15.34 | Vol. 1685003 D: 14.90 ⇑ 4.93% | 14.65 | 15.00 / 13.00 C: 14.80 ⇑ 4.23% | 14.62 | 15.00 / 13.00 BANKASIA | 1.35 | 20.80 | Vol. 322413 D: 18.60 ⇑ 2.20% | 18.23 | 18.80 / 16.50 C: 18.50 ⇑ 1.09% | 18.48 | 18.50 / 18.40 MERCANBANK | 2.07 | 16.59 | Vol. 1378375 D: 12.00 ⇑ 3.45% | 11.81 | 12.30 / 10.50 C: 11.90 ⇑ 2.59% | 11.97 | 12.10 / 11.80 EXIMBANK | 1.80 | 14.31 | Vol. 1347855 D: 11.20 ⇑ 4.67% | 11.04 | 11.50 / 9.70 C: 11.20 ⇑ 2.75% | 11.03 | 11.30 / 10.50 JAMUNABANK | 2.47 | 18.56 | Vol. 74160 D: 13.60 ⇑ 3.03% | 13.49 | 14.00 / 12.00 C: 13.40 ⇑ 2.29% | 13.41 | 13.60 / 13.30 BRACBANK | 1.51 | 24.87 | Vol. 330881 D: 29.80 ⇑ 6.05% | 29.49 | 30.00 / 25.50 C: 29.50 ⇑ 6.12% | 29.21 | 29.50 / 28.50 SHAHJABANK | 2.61 | 14.47 | Vol. 248960 D: 14.60 ⇑ 4.29% | 14.46 | 14.90 / 12.90 C: 14.80 ⇑ 4.23% | 14.42 | 15.00 / 14.20

TO M. Tk.

Argon Denims Limited-A Square Pharma -A

CompanyCode | EPS | BV | Volume Traded (Share) DSE/CSE: ClosePrice ⇓/⇑ Chn % | Avg.Price | Hi / Lo

Vol.

4.47 2.60

PREMIERBAN | 1.18 | 13.95 | Vol. 804746 D: 9.30 ⇑ 3.33% | 9.24 | 9.60 / 8.50 C: 9.40 ⇑ 3.30% | 9.32 | 9.50 / 9.10 TRUSTBANK | 0.50 | 18.00 | Vol. 273699 D: 18.70 ⇑ 5.06% | 18.46 | 19.20 / 17.00 C: 18.90 ⇑ 6.78% | 18.89 | 19.00 / 18.70 FIRSTSBANK | 1.85 | 13.89 | Vol. 466387 D: 11.70 ⇑ 5.41% | 11.55 | 12.00 / 10.00 C: 11.80 ⇑ 6.31% | 11.55 | 12.00 / 10.00 NON BANKING F I IDLC | 4.43 | 29.18 | Vol. 107422 D: 55.00 ⇓ 0.18% | 55.02 | 55.70 / 52.00 C: 55.70 ⇑ 0.36% | 55.60 | 56.20 / 55.00 ULC | 1.80 | 14.90 | Vol. 103935 D: 26.30 ⇑ 1.54% | 26.35 | 26.50 / 25.00 UTTARAFIN | 7.16 | 41.54 | Vol. 35027 D: 71.70 ⇑ 0.99% | 71.39 | 72.00 / 68.00 C: 72.50 ⇑ 0.14% | 72.24 | 73.00 / 71.50 MIDASFIN | 0.16 | 10.21 | Vol. 1600 D: 31.50 ⇓ 1.56% | 31.08 | 31.50 / 29.00 C: 28.80 ⇓ 9.72% | 28.80 | 28.80 / 28.80 FLEASEINT | 2.34 | 13.93 | Vol. 108720 D: 23.40 ⇑ 0.43% | 23.46 | 23.80 / 22.50 C: 23.40 ⇑ 1.30% | 23.40 | 23.50 / 23.30 PLFSL | 1.37 | 17.48 | Vol. 337611 D: 20.90 ⇑ 0.97% | 20.88 | 22.00 / 19.00 C: 20.90 ⇑ 0.97% | 20.92 | 21.10 / 20.60 PRIMEFIN | 0.87 | 17.88 | Vol. 297200 D: 21.50 ⇑ 0.94% | 21.32 | 21.80 / 21.00 C: 21.60 ⇑ 0.47% | 21.59 | 21.80 / 21.40 PREMIERLEA | 0.10 | 11.37 | Vol. 235425 D: 10.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 10.15 | 10.30 / 9.40 C: 10.10 ⇓ 0.98% | 10.17 | 10.30 / 10.10 ISLAMICFIN | 1.03 | 15.48 | Vol. 152632 D: 15.30 ⇑ 2.68% | 15.28 | 16.30 / 14.00 C: 15.40 ⇑ 1.99% | 15.29 | 15.50 / 15.20 LANKABAFIN | 1.61 | 31.07 | Vol. 208567 D: 52.50 ⇓ 0.19% | 52.74 | 53.60 / 48.00 C: 52.80 ⇓ 0.38% | 52.79 | 53.10 / 52.60 BIFC | 0.15 | 18.58 | Vol. 74666 D: 15.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.15 | 16.00 / 14.50 C: 14.90 ⇓ 0.67% | 14.89 | 15.10 / 14.80 IPDC | 1.23 | 19.43 | Vol. 62768 D: 18.10 ⇓ 2.16% | 18.29 | 18.60 / 17.50 C: 17.80 ⇑ 1.14% | 17.94 | 18.30 / 17.70 UNIONCAP | 0.54 | 17.85 | Vol. 5291 D: 28.20 ⇑ 2.17% | 27.68 | 28.40 / 25.00 C: 27.50 ⇑ 0.73% | 27.50 | 27.50 / 27.40 BDFINANCE | 0.57 | 14.77 | Vol. 241190 D: 20.20 ⇑ 1.00% | 20.11 | 22.00 / 19.80 C: 19.90 ⇓ 0.50% | 19.81 | 20.00 / 19.30 ILFSL | 0.35 | 12.19 | Vol. 341150 D: 13.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.47 | 13.70 / 13.00 C: 13.70 ⇑ 0.74% | 13.56 | 14.00 / 13.20 PHOENIXFIN | 2.46 | 19.39 | Vol. 238681 D: 29.00 ⇑ 1.05% | 29.25 | 29.50 / 26.50 C: 29.00 ⇑ 3.57% | 29.00 | 29.00 / 29.00 FASFIN | 0.19 | 13.56 | Vol. 228470 D: 13.60 ⇓ 0.73% | 13.68 | 14.00 / 13.00 C: 13.60 ⇓ 1.45% | 13.83 | 14.10 / 13.60 DBH | 4.47 | 21.27 | Vol. 27150 D: 52.60 ⇑ 1.54% | 52.42 | 52.90 / 49.50 C: 51.20 ⇓ 1.54% | 51.20 | 51.20 / 51.20 NHFIL | 0.57 | 12.70 | Vol. 132050 D: 28.10 ⇓ 2.09% | 28.36 | 29.00 / 26.00 C: 28.50 ⇓ 1.04% | 28.50 | 28.50 / 28.50 BAYLEASING | 0.72 | 25.55 | Vol. 249600 D: 27.70 ⇑ 2.59% | 27.54 | 28.10 / 26.00 C: 27.50 ⇑ 2.61% | 27.43 | 27.80 / 26.40 ICB | 89.23 | 607.74 | Vol. 10162 D: 1440 ⇑ 0.03% | 1437 | 1448 / 1385 C: 1460 ⇑ 0.69% | 1460 | 1460 / 1460 GSPFINANCE | 1.63 | 22.23 | Vol. 42895 D: 24.30 ⇑ 3.40% | 24.19 | 24.50 / 23.10 C: 23.70 ⇓ 0.84% | 23.76 | 24.00 / 23.60 FAREASTFIN | 0.68 | 13.64 | Vol. 732500 D: 15.10 ⇓ 0.66% | 15.26 | 15.50 / 15.10 C: 15.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.32 | 15.50 / 15.10 INVESTMENT 1STICB | 75.63 | 942.30 | Vol. 600 D: 899.0 ⇑ 2.15% | 898.33 | 899.9 / 898.0

59.31

3RDICB | 26.16 | 235.16 | Vol. 100 D: 180.0 ⇑ 0.45% | 180.00 | 180.0 / 180.0 6THICB | 10.99 | 60.14 | Vol. 4500 D: 44.40 ⇑ 0.45% | 44.44 | 45.00 / 44.10 8THICB | 12.47 | 70.07 | Vol. 2000 D: 48.90 ⇑ 0.20% | 49.00 | 49.00 / 48.60 1STBSRS | 14.43 | 161.88 | Vol. 190030 D: 81.30 ⇓ 1.93% | 81.93 | 83.00 / 75.00 AIMS1STMF | 3.02 | 15.70 | Vol. 141250 D: 36.30 ⇑ 1.11% | 36.29 | 36.70 / 35.90 C: 36.10 ⇑ 1.12% | 35.99 | 36.10 / 35.90 ICBISLAMIC | 2.21 | 26.81 | Vol. 26000 D: 16.50 ⇓ 1.20% | 16.54 | 16.70 / 16.40 GRAMEEN1 | 6.26 | 33.23 | Vol. 163500 D: 41.30 ⇓ 0.24% | 41.52 | 42.30 / 41.00 C: 41.40 ⇑ 0.73% | 41.44 | 41.60 / 41.30 ICB1STNRB | 4.06 | 35.31 | Vol. 6000 D: 21.60 ⇓ 1.37% | 21.67 | 21.70 / 21.60 ICB2NDNRB | 2.49 | 16.24 | Vol. 74500 D: 8.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.72 | 8.80 / 8.70 GRAMEENS2 | 2.17 | 16.41 | Vol. 290850 D: 15.20 ⇓ 0.65% | 15.28 | 15.60 / 14.00 C: 15.30 ⇑ 0.66% | 15.22 | 15.40 / 15.00 1STPRIMFMF | 0.64 | 11.63 | Vol. 698000 D: 19.00 ⇓ 5.00% | 19.55 | 20.50 / 19.00 C: 19.50 ⇓ 2.50% | 19.46 | 19.70 / 19.10 EBL1STMF | 0.55 | 12.62 | Vol. 232672 D: 6.40 ⇓ 1.54% | 6.49 | 6.90 / 6.40 C: 6.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.57 | 6.60 / 6.00 ICBAMCL2ND | 0.60 | 12.12 | Vol. 49000 D: 5.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.71 | 5.80 / 5.70 C: 5.50 ⇓ 3.51% | 5.50 | 5.50 / 5.50 ICBEPMF1S1 | 0.52 | 11.32 | Vol. 114500 D: 5.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.89 | 5.90 / 5.80 TRUSTB1MF | 0.75 | 11.65 | Vol. 337260 D: 7.20 ⇑ 1.41% | 7.20 | 7.30 / 6.80 C: 7.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.27 | 7.40 / 7.20 PRIME1ICBA | 0.42 | 11.18 | Vol. 38500 D: 5.00 ⇓ 1.96% | 5.05 | 5.10 / 5.00 C: 5.20 ⇑ 1.96% | 5.20 | 5.20 / 5.10 DBH1STMF | -1.12 | 10.15 | Vol. 350000 D: 5.20 ⇓ 1.89% | 5.30 | 5.40 / 5.20 C: 5.30 ⇑ 1.92% | 5.30 | 5.40 / 5.20 IFIC1STMF | 0.83 | 11.88 | Vol. 590000 D: 6.20 ⇑ 1.64% | 6.20 | 6.30 / 6.10 C: 6.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.20 | 6.20 / 6.20 PF1STMF | 0.51 | 11.11 | Vol. 186500 D: 5.10 ⇓ 1.92% | 5.17 | 5.20 / 5.10 C: 5.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.20 | 5.20 / 5.20 ICB3RDNRB | 0.00 | 10.60 | Vol. 257500 D: 4.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 4.90 | 5.00 / 4.90 C: 5.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 4.99 | 5.00 / 4.90 1JANATAMF | 0.78 | 10.68 | Vol. 327000 D: 5.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.61 | 5.70 / 5.60 C: 5.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.60 | 5.60 / 5.60 GREENDELMF | -0.82 | 9.72 | Vol. 263500 D: 5.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.02 | 5.10 / 5.00 C: 5.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.10 | 5.10 / 5.10 POPULAR1MF | 0.77 | 11.38 | Vol. 776396 D: 5.50 ⇓ 1.79% | 5.58 | 6.10 / 5.10 C: 5.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.60 | 5.70 / 5.60 IFILISLMF1 | 0.00 | 10.45 | Vol. 314500 D: 5.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.23 | 5.30 / 5.10 C: 5.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.19 | 5.20 / 5.10 PHPMF1 | 0.63 | 10.92 | Vol. 647000 D: 5.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.12 | 5.20 / 5.00 C: 5.20 ⇑ 1.96% | 5.11 | 5.20 / 5.10 AIBL1STIMF | -0.07 | 9.25 | Vol. 164500 D: 6.20 ⇓ 1.59% | 6.30 | 6.30 / 6.20 C: 6.50 ⇑ 6.56% | 6.50 | 6.50 / 6.50 MBL1STMF | -0.16 | 9.08 | Vol. 39000 D: 6.00 ⇓ 1.64% | 6.09 | 6.10 / 6.00 C: 6.20 ⇑ 3.33% | 6.18 | 6.30 / 6.10 SEBL1STMF | 0.94 | 11.85 | Vol. 388500 D: 7.70 ⇓ 1.28% | 7.78 | 7.90 / 7.70 C: 7.70 ⇓ 1.28% | 7.75 | 7.80 / 7.70 EBLNRBMF | 1.07 | 10.88 | Vol. 3000 D: 7.60 ⇑ 2.70% | 7.67 | 7.70 / 7.50 RELIANCE1 | 0.95 | 10.33 | Vol. 352000 D: 7.70 ⇓ 1.28% | 7.75 | 7.90 / 7.70 C: 7.70 ⇓ 1.28% | 7.79 | 7.90 / 7.70 LRGLOBMF1 | 0.50 | 10.82 | Vol. 166500 D: 7.20 ⇓ 2.70% | 7.30 | 7.40 / 7.20 C: 7.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.90 | 7.90 / 7.90 ABB1STMF | 0.92 | 10.63 | Vol. 67832 D: 6.60 ⇓ 1.49% | 6.64 | 7.00 / 6.60

DSE Loser

NLI1STMF | 1.17 | 12.22 | Vol. 718350 D: 8.40 ⇓ 3.45% | 8.58 | 8.90 / 8.40 C: 8.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.53 | 8.60 / 8.50 NCCBLMF1 | 1.16 | 10.48 | Vol. 32000 D: 8.40 ⇓ 1.18% | 8.50 | 8.50 / 8.40 ICBSONALI1 | 0.00 | 10.39 | Vol. 431000 D: 6.40 ⇓ 1.54% | 6.37 | 6.50 / 6.30 C: 6.40 ⇓ 1.54% | 6.41 | 6.50 / 6.40 EXIM1STMF | 0.00 | 10.91 | Vol. 2500 D: 7.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.40 | 7.40 / 7.40 ENGINEERING AFTABAUTO | 4.29 | 52.65 | Vol. 226907 D: 99.60 ⇓ 0.70% | 100.37 | 102.8 / 94.00 C: 99.40 ⇓ 1.58% | 100.59 | 99.90 / 100.0 AZIZPIPES | 0.39 | -42.04 | Vol. 12300 D: 19.10 ⇑ 0.53% | 19.32 | 20.40 / 18.90 C: 20.10 ⇑ 3.08% | 19.48 | 20.20 / 19.00 OLYMPIC | 5.94 | 14.91 | Vol. 112500 D: 200.4 ⇑ 4.16% | 200.47 | 203.6 / 196.0 C: 201.0 ⇑ 7.20% | 200.39 | 204.3 / 196.0 BDLAMPS | -5.31 | 37.07 | Vol. 10300 D: 135.1 ⇓ 3.57% | 136.79 | 142.0 / 134.1 C: 136.0 ⇓ 4.02% | 135.80 | 139.0 / 133.0 ECABLES | 2.04 | 18.87 | Vol. 600 D: 70.40 ⇓ 1.68% | 70.00 | 70.50 / 70.40 C: 73.40 ⇑ 9.88% | 73.40 | 73.40 / 73.40 MONNOSTAF | 5.31 | 44.78 | Vol. 800 D: 309.8 ⇑ 3.54% | 310.00 | 320.0 / 300.0 SINGERBD | 9.99 | 45.74 | Vol. 32272 D: 189.7 ⇑ 0.16% | 190.92 | 195.5 / 172.0 C: 189.0 ⇑ 1.07% | 190.16 | 191.5 / 188.4 ATLASBANG | 11.98 | 207.70 | Vol. 8150 D: 161.1 ⇑ 1.07% | 162.70 | 166.0 / 160.0 BDAUTOCA | 0.25 | 6.23 | Vol. 77750 D: 38.70 ⇑ 5.45% | 39.81 | 40.30 / 37.50 QSMDRYCELL | 1.06 | 52.31 | Vol. 85370 D: 29.40 ⇑ 1.03% | 29.84 | 30.60 / 28.00 C: 29.10 ⇑ 3.19% | 29.08 | 30.50 / 25.50 RENWICKJA | 5.62 | -90.00 | Vol. 6800 D: 135.5 ⇓ 2.45% | 138.53 | 142.9 / 133.0 NTLTUBES | -2.52 | 312.10 | Vol. 19700 D: 67.50 ⇓ 0.44% | 68.53 | 70.50 / 67.20 BDTHAI | 0.43 | 39.35 | Vol. 177205 D: 26.80 ⇓ 4.29% | 27.47 | 28.60 / 26.70 C: 27.60 ⇓ 1.78% | 27.59 | 27.60 / 27.50 ANWARGALV | 0.51 | 8.08 | Vol. 141500 D: 24.70 ⇓ 6.44% | 26.66 | 28.70 / 24.50 C: 25.10 ⇓ 5.64% | 26.74 | 28.70 / 24.70 KAY&QUE | -3.89 | 6.03 | Vol. 8100 D: 15.60 ⇓ 0.64% | 15.73 | 15.80 / 15.30 C: 15.40 ⇑ 1.32% | 15.40 | 15.40 / 15.40 RANFOUNDRY | 2.84 | 18.62 | Vol. 40000 D: 91.30 ⇑ 2.82% | 91.47 | 93.90 / 90.10 C: 90.30 ⇑ 8.01% | 90.28 | 91.00 / 89.00 SALAMCRST | 3.31 | 20.00 | Vol. 98600 D: 37.30 ⇓ 0.27% | 37.72 | 38.40 / 34.00 C: 38.30 ⇓ 0.78% | 37.90 | 38.70 / 37.60 GOLDENSON | 3.70 | 28.70 | Vol. 144476 D: 41.70 ⇑ 0.72% | 41.68 | 42.20 / 40.00 C: 41.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 41.63 | 42.50 / 41.20 BSRMSTEEL | 3.06 | 19.53 | Vol. 152390 D: 63.70 ⇑ 0.79% | 63.91 | 64.60 / 58.00 C: 63.10 ⇓ 0.94% | 63.44 | 63.50 / 63.00 NAVANACNG | 4.09 | 27.04 | Vol. 70261 D: 61.50 ⇓ 0.49% | 61.70 | 63.00 / 56.00 C: 61.30 ⇓ 0.49% | 61.49 | 62.50 / 61.20 DESHBANDHU | 0.26 | 10.67 | Vol. 368775 D: 16.70 ⇓ 1.76% | 16.88 | 17.40 / 15.80 C: 16.60 ⇓ 2.35% | 16.85 | 17.50 / 16.50 GPHISPAT | 2.11 | 15.27 | Vol. 62400 D: 40.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 40.65 | 41.30 / 37.00 C: 40.60 ⇑ 0.74% | 40.57 | 41.50 / 39.20 BENGALWTL | 2.42 | 20.72 | Vol. 309600 D: 42.60 ⇓ 5.96% | 43.60 | 44.90 / 42.30 C: 42.60 ⇓ 5.54% | 44.90 | 47.90 / 42.50 BDBUILDING | 1.02 | 12.40 | Vol. 1444500 D: 41.10 ⇓ 4.86% | 41.84 | 43.80 / 40.90 C: 41.00 ⇓ 4.87% | 41.72 | 44.20 / 40.70 NPOLYMAR | 2.01 | 324.37 | Vol. 81000 D: 50.90 ⇓ 1.93% | 52.37 | 54.40 / 50.10 C: 50.80 ⇓ 3.42% | 50.99 | 53.70 / 50.00 FOOD & ALLIED APEXFOODS | 2.54 | 90.81 | Vol. 33600 D: 92.00 ⇓ 3.36% | 92.92 | 96.00 / 91.60 C: 93.00 ⇓ 2.11% | 93.00 | 97.00 / 92.60

BANGAS | 7.20 | 50.27 | Vol. 42000 D: 400.3 ⇓ 2.15% | 411.79 | 427.0 / 375.0 C: 393.6 ⇓ 3.41% | 408.72 | 423.0 / 385.5 BATBC | 65.69 | 117.22 | Vol. 650 D: 1519 ⇓ 0.52% | 1518 | 1540 / 1465 GEMINISEA | 10.88 | 9.69 | Vol. 1650 D: 188.9 ⇑ 7.45% | 189.09 | 191.0 / 185.0 NTC | 29.88 | 110.05 | Vol. 50 D: 820.0 ⇑ 1.23% | 820.00 | 820.0 / 820.0 ZEALBANGLA | -28.94 | -221.34 | Vol. 500 D: 8.40 ⇓ 6.67% | 8.40 | 8.40 / 8.40 AMCL(PRAN) | 6.53 | 53.37 | Vol. 57330 D: 226.1 ⇓ 1.05% | 234.78 | 244.0 / 210.0 C: 238.6 ⇑ 4.19% | 238.63 | 244.9 / 228.0 SHYAMPSUG | -45.77 | -396.49 | Vol. 100 D: 7.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.10 | 7.10 / 7.10 FUWANGFOOD | 1.26 | 12.37 | Vol. 473555 D: 22.10 ⇓ 2.64% | 22.41 | 24.00 / 21.00 C: 21.90 ⇓ 5.60% | 22.01 | 23.30 / 21.70 MEGHNAPET | -0.58 | -1.02 | Vol. 4500 D: 7.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.60 | 7.60 / 7.60 MEGCONMILK | -6.68 | -16.22 | Vol. 37500 D: 7.90 ⇑ 6.76% | 8.03 | 8.10 / 7.90 BEACHHATCH | 1.01 | 12.48 | Vol. 938213 D: 21.50 ⇓ 5.29% | 22.54 | 23.60 / 21.30 C: 21.60 ⇓ 5.26% | 22.58 | 23.50 / 21.30 FINEFOODS | 0.05 | 10.63 | Vol. 673510 D: 18.20 ⇓ 4.71% | 19.56 | 20.90 / 18.00 C: 18.40 ⇓ 3.16% | 20.09 | 20.90 / 18.00 RDFOOD | 0.91 | 16.84 | Vol. 502873 D: 21.20 ⇓ 1.40% | 21.55 | 22.20 / 20.00 C: 21.50 ⇓ 0.46% | 21.56 | 22.00 / 21.10 GHAIL | 1.01 | 22.08 | Vol. 331740 D: 43.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 43.53 | 44.20 / 39.00 C: 43.20 ⇓ 0.92% | 43.34 | 44.00 / 43.00 FUEL & POWER LINDEBD | 31.71 | 144.00 | Vol. 10000 D: 624.5 ⇑ 2.90% | 628.00 | 644.8 / 611.2 PADMAOIL | 16.38 | 43.67 | Vol. 266057 D: 302.3 ⇑ 5.55% | 301.14 | 305.8 / 285.0 C: 302.4 ⇑ 5.73% | 301.27 | 306.9 / 294.0 EASTRNLUB | 6.32 | 68.68 | Vol. 1350 D: 316.8 ⇓ 3.83% | 317.04 | 317.4 / 316.0 BDWELDING | 0.33 | 16.82 | Vol. 343583 D: 20.90 ⇓ 2.34% | 21.36 | 22.90 / 20.70 C: 20.90 ⇓ 2.79% | 21.20 | 22.00 / 20.90 SUMITPOWER | 3.17 | 19.26 | Vol. 158834 D: 30.70 ⇑ 1.66% | 30.63 | 31.00 / 27.20 C: 31.00 ⇑ 2.31% | 30.71 | 31.10 / 30.50 DESCO | 2.80 | 35.25 | Vol. 82000 D: 68.80 ⇓ 2.27% | 69.72 | 70.80 / 68.60 C: 69.50 ⇑ 0.14% | 69.46 | 71.90 / 65.30 POWERGRID | 2.56 | 48.08 | Vol. 23869 D: 52.70 ⇑ 2.13% | 52.56 | 53.50 / 50.00 JAMUNAOIL | 22.78 | 50.24 | Vol. 116831 D: 228.0 ⇑ 1.74% | 227.77 | 229.8 / 222.0 C: 226.5 ⇑ 1.71% | 227.12 | 229.7 / 225.1 MPETROLEUM | 16.98 | 40.41 | Vol. 141569 D: 258.3 ⇑ 1.77% | 258.46 | 259.9 / 247.0 C: 258.0 ⇑ 1.57% | 258.80 | 260.0 / 245.0 TITASGAS | 9.20 | 46.26 | Vol. 953395 D: 77.10 ⇓ 0.90% | 77.59 | 78.80 / 73.00 C: 77.40 ⇓ 1.90% | 77.63 | 80.00 / 76.50 KPCL | 4.73 | 15.86 | Vol. 199098 D: 45.40 ⇑ 1.34% | 45.50 | 46.10 / 41.00 C: 45.60 ⇑ 1.33% | 45.40 | 45.80 / 45.00 BEDL | 1.48 | 19.43 | Vol. 352732 D: 25.40 ⇑ 1.20% | 25.47 | 25.90 / 24.00 C: 25.10 ⇑ 0.40% | 25.29 | 25.90 / 25.00 MJLBD | 2.73 | 30.24 | Vol. 30897 D: 69.20 ⇓ 0.14% | 69.17 | 70.00 / 64.00 C: 68.60 ⇓ 1.15% | 68.19 | 69.00 / 68.40 GBBPOWER | 1.86 | 22.63 | Vol. 239388 D: 24.90 ⇑ 0.40% | 25.08 | 25.40 / 22.50 C: 25.00 ⇓ 0.40% | 25.13 | 25.40 / 24.90 SPPCL | 3.81 | 23.34 | Vol. 321780 D: 48.10 ⇑ 1.69% | 48.42 | 49.50 / 42.60 C: 48.50 ⇑ 1.68% | 48.59 | 49.40 / 47.00 JUTE JUTESPINN | 2.06 | 17.42 | Vol. 6050 D: 111.7 ⇓ 0.18% | 114.21 | 118.0 / 109.1 NORTHERN | -13.80 | -6.19 | Vol. 400 D: 30.60 ⇓ 3.16% | 30.00 | 31.60 / 29.60 SONALIANSH | 5.54 | 218.80 | Vol. 13100 D: 137.4 ⇓ 1.01% | 138.32 | 141.5 / 136.4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Share

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

7

October 23, 2013 Sectotal Index: BANK: 32,986.09 ⇑ 4.26% NBFI: 18,861.85 ⇑ 0.14% INVS: 4,560.04 ⇑ 0.31% ENGG: 5,599.73 ⇑ 1.30% FOOD: 9,680.73 ⇓ 0.67% F&P: 9,759.13 ⇑ 0.87% TEXT: 3,062.70 ⇑ 0.77% PHAR: 16,819.41 ⇑ 1.62% PAPR: 999.21 ⇓ 1.12% SERV: 2,790.63 ⇓ 0.54% LEAT: 4,920.14 ⇑ 0.48% CERA: 479.96 ⇑ 2.53% CMNT: 4,314.38 ⇑ 0.99% INFO: 7,071.66 ⇓ 0.56% GINS: 8,960.66 ⇓ 0.93% LINS: 103,377.80 ⇓ 0.54% TELC: 1,268.90 ⇑ 0.05% MISC: 5,781.88 ⇑ 0.31% TEXTILE AL-HAJTEX | 1.35 | 15.64 | Vol. 63686 D: 87.30 ⇓ 3.00% | 89.56 | 93.00 / 82.00 RAHIMTEXT | 0.51 | 73.88 | Vol. 3900 D: 286.4 ⇑ 13.11% | 288.46 | 298.9 / 282.0 SAIHAMTEX | 2.75 | 29.50 | Vol. 442100 D: 29.50 ⇑ 0.34% | 29.82 | 30.50 / 29.00 C: 29.80 ⇑ 1.71% | 29.65 | 30.20 / 29.10 MODERNDYE | 0.91 | 10.37 | Vol. 9550 D: 84.60 ⇑ 9.87% | 84.71 | 84.70 / 84.60 DSHGARME | 0.72 | 12.00 | Vol. 72500 D: 65.40 ⇑ 0.93% | 69.35 | 71.10 / 63.80 DULAMIACOT | -8.46 | -27.78 | Vol. 300 D: 8.70 ⇑ 1.16% | 10.00 | 8.80 / 8.70 TALLUSPIN | 2.56 | 12.06 | Vol. 565100 D: 38.10 ⇓ 4.51% | 39.47 | 41.50 / 37.90 C: 38.20 ⇓ 4.02% | 41.29 | 43.40 / 38.00 APEXSPINN | 2.01 | 49.32 | Vol. 5600 D: 68.20 ⇓ 1.16% | 68.21 | 71.00 / 67.10 MITHUNKNIT | 4.54 | 30.39 | Vol. 84600 D: 82.50 ⇓ 0.36% | 83.77 | 86.00 / 81.80 C: 82.00 ⇓ 0.97% | 83.18 | 85.00 / 80.20 DELTASPINN | 3.06 | 18.12 | Vol. 212600 D: 30.90 ⇓ 0.64% | 31.36 | 32.00 / 30.80 C: 30.90 ⇓ 0.64% | 31.35 | 31.90 / 30.70 SONARGAON | 0.27 | 34.50 | Vol. 193075 D: 17.70 ⇓ 4.32% | 18.44 | 19.20 / 17.60 C: 19.00 ⇑ 0.53% | 18.97 | 19.40 / 18.50 PRIMETEX | 1.01 | 63.54 | Vol. 119000 D: 25.90 ⇓ 1.52% | 26.46 | 27.20 / 25.60 C: 25.50 ⇓ 2.67% | 26.28 | 27.00 / 25.10 ALLTEX | -0.11 | 23.81 | Vol. 139700 D: 7.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.99 | 8.20 / 7.50 C: 8.00 ⇓ 2.44% | 8.00 | 8.00 / 8.00 ANLIMAYARN | 1.19 | 11.01 | Vol. 46000 D: 33.70 ⇓ 4.80% | 34.59 | 35.50 / 33.20 C: 35.80 ⇓ 0.28% | 35.78 | 36.50 / 34.10 HRTEX | 2.08 | 14.92 | Vol. 219500 D: 36.90 ⇑ 1.10% | 37.72 | 38.80 / 36.60 C: 36.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 36.94 | 37.20 / 36.80 CMCKAMAL | 1.37 | 19.31 | Vol. 1033577 D: 30.70 ⇓ 0.97% | 31.64 | 32.70 / 28.60 SAFKOSPINN | 0.95 | 21.78 | Vol. 539177 D: 23.40 ⇑ 1.74% | 23.78 | 24.50 / 22.00 C: 24.00 ⇑ 3.90% | 23.62 | 24.20 / 23.00 SQUARETEXT | 4.32 | 31.82 | Vol. 57409 D: 90.20 ⇑ 0.67% | 90.55 | 91.10 / 87.00 C: 91.00 ⇑ 2.13% | 91.23 | 91.50 / 90.00 METROSPIN | -1.00 | 19.59 | Vol. 395047 D: 16.10 ⇓ 1.23% | 16.48 | 17.30 / 15.40 C: 16.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 16.65 | 17.00 / 16.00 MAKSONSPIN | 0.16 | 20.55 | Vol. 1661901 D: 15.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.89 | 16.40 / 14.30 C: 15.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.83 | 16.20 / 15.30 DACCADYE | 1.21 | 31.13 | Vol. 267540 D: 26.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 27.09 | 27.50 / 24.90 C: 26.70 ⇓ 0.37% | 26.87 | 27.90 / 26.50 RNSPIN | 2.80 | 16.58 | Vol. 1830747 D: 28.30 ⇑ 2.91% | 28.45 | 29.10 / 25.50 C: 28.10 ⇑ 2.18% | 28.29 | 29.00 / 27.40 BXSYNTH | 0.93 | 25.42 | Vol. 277010 D: 15.30 ⇑ 1.32% | 15.63 | 16.10 / 14.80 C: 15.50 ⇑ 1.31% | 15.69 | 16.20 / 15.30 MALEKSPIN | -1.44 | 46.87 | Vol. 830290 D: 24.20 ⇑ 4.76% | 24.44 | 25.00 / 21.90 C: 24.10 ⇑ 4.33% | 23.97 | 24.60 / 23.30 ZAHINTEX | 1.91 | 35.25 | Vol. 164500 D: 29.50 ⇑ 1.72% | 30.14 | 30.90 / 29.40 C: 29.50 ⇑ 1.72% | 30.04 | 30.60 / 29.40 SAIHAMCOT | 1.92 | 23.62 | Vol. 681500 D: 23.20 ⇓ 0.85% | 23.51 | 24.10 / 23.00 C: 23.10 ⇓ 0.86% | 23.35 | 24.10 / 23.00 GENNEXT | 1.68 | 15.15 | Vol. 3589200 D: 22.80 ⇑ 3.17% | 23.21 | 23.90 / 20.00 C: 22.90 ⇑ 2.69% | 23.22 | 23.90 / 22.30 ENVOYTEX | 3.26 | 39.26 | Vol. 5004590 D: 58.80 ⇑ 3.52% | 59.30 | 61.10 / 52.00 C: 59.00 ⇑ 3.69% | 59.43 | 61.00 / 57.30 ARGONDENIM | 1.89 | 38.86 | Vol. 3562820 D: 59.40 ⇓ 4.65% | 59.87 | 63.50 / 56.10 C: 59.10 ⇓ 4.68% | 60.09 | 62.50 / 58.30 FAMILYTEX | 3.72 | 14.68 | Vol. 297000 D: 38.10 ⇑ 0.53% | 38.20 | 39.70 / 37.80 C: 38.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 38.29 | 38.90 / 37.80

AGNISYSL | 1.07 | 25.52 | Vol. 120000 D: 22.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 22.25 | 22.60 / 21.90 C: 22.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 22.00 | 22.20 / 21.80 DAFODILCOM | 1.12 | 11.14 | Vol. 292500 D: 17.10 ⇓ 2.29% | 17.31 | 18.00 / 17.00 C: 17.10 ⇓ 1.72% | 17.32 | 17.90 / 17.00 AAMRATECH | 1.46 | 21.90 | Vol. 328250 D: 30.50 ⇓ 1.29% | 30.84 | 31.40 / 30.20 C: 30.40 ⇓ 0.98% | 30.69 | 31.30 / 30.30

PHARMACEUTICAL & CHEMICAL AMBEEPHA | 3.94 | 26.15 | Vol. 6250 D: 259.2 ⇑ 4.43% | 255.17 | 262.0 / 252.5 C: 257.3 ⇑ 1.86% | 257.94 | 259.8 / 255.0 BXPHARMA | 3.77 | 52.55 | Vol. 230237 D: 40.40 ⇑ 1.00% | 40.81 | 41.50 / 36.00 C: 41.00 ⇑ 1.74% | 41.03 | 42.00 / 40.80 GLAXOSMITH | 20.25 | 123.32 | Vol. 50 D: 931.2 ⇑ 3.65% | 931.20 | 931.2 / 931.2 ACI | -5.82 | 126.42 | Vol. 9798 D: 159.5 ⇑ 1.53% | 160.67 | 163.5 / 150.0 C: 159.0 ⇑ 2.25% | 158.17 | 159.0 / 154.0 RENATA | 33.57 | 138.83 | Vol. 2421 D: 708.6 ⇑ 0.81% | 710.04 | 750.0 / 695.0 RECKITTBEN | 27.16 | 78.89 | Vol. 100 D: 720.0 ⇓ 0.85% | 720.00 | 720.0 / 720.0 PHARMAID | 5.06 | 26.30 | Vol. 23500 D: 168.9 ⇑ 0.00% | 170.98 | 176.1 / 166.6 KOHINOOR | 9.52 | 10.49 | Vol. 4000 D: 420.6 ⇑ 4.37% | 420.50 | 438.0 / 395.0 IBNSINA | 3.44 | 34.02 | Vol. 75600 D: 102.1 ⇓ 0.87% | 104.38 | 107.4 / 101.0 C: 101.0 ⇓ 1.27% | 103.26 | 98.60 / 101.0 LIBRAINFU | 4.64 | 1565.37 | Vol. 3600 D: 428.2 ⇑ 8.51% | 428.33 | 429.1 / 425.0 ORIONINFU | 8.72 | 1.73 | Vol. 108000 D: 40.90 ⇓ 2.15% | 41.31 | 42.80 / 40.80 C: 40.70 ⇓ 2.63% | 41.14 | 41.30 / 40.60 SQURPHARMA | 6.93 | 37.18 | Vol. 954315 D: 179.8 ⇑ 2.51% | 179.22 | 188.0 / 170.0 C: 178.4 ⇑ 2.12% | 177.98 | 179.9 / 174.5 IMAMBUTTON | -1.68 | 5.67 | Vol. 22000 D: 8.90 ⇑ 3.49% | 8.93 | 9.20 / 8.70 C: 8.90 ⇑ 1.14% | 9.28 | 9.50 / 8.80 KEYACOSMET | 1.55 | 21.54 | Vol. 334100 D: 23.10 ⇓ 0.43% | 23.35 | 23.60 / 21.00 C: 23.30 ⇑ 0.43% | 23.21 | 23.50 / 23.00 BERGERPBL | 32.46 | 100.20 | Vol. 400 D: 814.7 ⇑ 1.57% | 815.00 | 820.0 / 803.0 ACIFORMULA | 3.33 | 38.08 | Vol. 19200 D: 76.90 ⇑ 0.52% | 77.39 | 79.00 / 76.30 C: 77.00 ⇑ 6.94% | 77.79 | 78.00 / 77.00 MARICO | 27.53 | 62.47 | Vol. 7650 D: 785.2 ⇑ 2.24% | 788.29 | 799.0 / 775.0 C: 790.0 ⇑ 2.60% | 790.00 | 790.0 / 790.0 BEACONPHAR | 0.33 | 11.97 | Vol. 183550 D: 13.70 ⇑ 0.74% | 13.73 | 14.00 / 13.10 C: 13.80 ⇑ 0.73% | 13.79 | 13.90 / 13.70 ACTIVEFINE | 3.23 | 13.89 | Vol. 546578 D: 92.10 ⇑ 2.22% | 92.19 | 93.70 / 84.00 C: 92.30 ⇑ 3.01% | 91.59 | 92.40 / 90.50 SALVOCHEM | 0.68 | 10.57 | Vol. 364631 D: 19.50 ⇓ 2.99% | 19.94 | 20.90 / 19.00 C: 19.80 ⇓ 1.49% | 20.14 | 20.80 / 19.20 GHCL | 2.14 | 57.31 | Vol. 444250 D: 51.50 ⇑ 4.67% | 51.80 | 53.20 / 49.90 C: 51.10 ⇑ 3.65% | 51.48 | 53.00 / 50.00 ORIONPHARM | 5.02 | 68.68 | Vol. 862540 D: 54.30 ⇓ 0.18% | 54.24 | 58.00 / 50.00 C: 54.40 ⇓ 1.45% | 54.67 | 55.20 / 54.00 JMISMDL | 1.12 | 12.83 | Vol. 191500 D: 214.3 ⇓ 2.15% | 224.35 | 235.9 / 211.0 C: 215.3 ⇓ 1.78% | 223.22 | 229.5 / 211.1 CENTRALPHL | 1.62 | 12.24 | Vol. 590000 D: 32.40 ⇑ 0.31% | 32.44 | 33.00 / 32.00 C: 32.00 ⇓ 0.93% | 32.20 | 32.70 / 31.90 PAPER & PACKAGING HAKKANIPUL | 0.64 | 11.02 | Vol. 75000 D: 30.00 ⇑ 9.09% | 30.02 | 30.20 / 28.30 C: 29.10 ⇑ 4.68% | 29.83 | 30.50 / 28.10

SERVICE SAMORITA | 2.31 | 17.25 | Vol. 27544 D: 99.70 ⇑ 3.10% | 101.57 | 105.0 / 95.00 C: 89.00 ⇓ 8.25% | 89.00 | 89.00 / 89.00 SAPORTL | 1.23 | 38.39 | Vol. 940973 D: 28.10 ⇑ 4.46% | 28.47 | 29.20 / 25.00 C: 27.70 ⇑ 2.59% | 28.62 | 29.30 / 27.30 EHL | 2.87 | 18.48 | Vol. 191797 D: 51.60 ⇓ 2.27% | 52.24 | 53.90 / 50.00 C: 52.00 ⇓ 1.33% | 52.59 | 54.00 / 51.50 LEATHER APEXTANRY | 6.57 | 69.38 | Vol. 46300 D: 112.9 ⇓ 0.27% | 113.90 | 117.5 / 112.8 C: 113.5 ⇑ 1.34% | 113.99 | 114.5 / 112.0 BATASHOE | 49.12 | 135.53 | Vol. 5900 D: 675.1 ⇑ 0.04% | 674.58 | 680.1 / 668.0 APEXADELFT | 23.01 | 203.26 | Vol. 56200 D: 369.2 ⇓ 0.83% | 374.41 | 388.0 / 358.1 SAMATALETH | -0.07 | 12.08 | Vol. 1000 D: 12.30 ⇑ 6.03% | 12.00 | 12.70 / 12.00 LEGACYFOOT | 0.63 | 17.19 | Vol. 450450 D: 37.10 ⇑ 9.76% | 36.95 | 37.10 / 30.50 C: 37.20 ⇑ 9.73% | 37.04 | 37.20 / 34.90 CERAMIC MONNOCERA | 0.71 | 96.33 | Vol. 81000 D: 33.90 ⇓ 2.02% | 35.26 | 36.60 / 33.90 C: 34.90 ⇑ 5.76% | 35.31 | 36.30 / 34.60 STANCERAM | 1.07 | 15.97 | Vol. 19020 D: 39.20 ⇑ 2.08% | 39.21 | 40.00 / 37.00 FUWANGCER | 0.72 | 13.97 | Vol. 345265 D: 18.20 ⇑ 2.25% | 18.54 | 19.10 / 17.00 C: 18.50 ⇑ 2.78% | 18.71 | 19.00 / 18.20 SPCERAMICS | 0.62 | 30.92 | Vol. 266381 D: 15.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.74 | 16.20 / 14.00 C: 15.70 ⇑ 1.29% | 15.92 | 16.20 / 15.60 RAKCERAMIC | 1.98 | 16.76 | Vol. 301718 D: 49.40 ⇑ 2.92% | 49.70 | 50.50 / 44.00 C: 49.50 ⇑ 2.70% | 49.38 | 50.00 / 49.10 CEMENT HEIDELBCEM | 22.85 | 111.50 | Vol. 50500 D: 367.0 ⇑ 1.77% | 369.58 | 373.9 / 365.0 C: 371.0 ⇑ 4.51% | 371.00 | 373.0 / 366.0 CONFIDCEM | 6.23 | 90.76 | Vol. 102922 D: 117.4 ⇓ 0.34% | 118.17 | 120.0 / 110.0 C: 116.9 ⇑ 0.17% | 117.48 | 119.5 / 116.6 MEGHNACEM | 6.28 | 33.81 | Vol. 78000 D: 125.3 ⇑ 0.48% | 125.59 | 127.8 / 124.2 C: 126.3 ⇓ 0.39% | 126.25 | 126.5 / 125.0 ARAMITCEM | 3.03 | 14.65 | Vol. 70470 D: 72.40 ⇑ 0.42% | 73.05 | 74.00 / 70.00 LAFSURCEML | 1.60 | 7.22 | Vol. 300000 D: 33.00 ⇓ 0.30% | 33.05 | 33.30 / 33.00 C: 33.00 ⇓ 0.60% | 33.01 | 33.20 / 32.90 MICEMENT | 4.14 | 40.00 | Vol. 142215 D: 92.60 ⇑ 0.87% | 92.34 | 93.00 / 85.00 C: 92.20 ⇑ 0.55% | 92.07 | 92.40 / 91.50 PREMIERCEM | 3.59 | 22.92 | Vol. 352800 D: 103.2 ⇑ 1.98% | 103.26 | 107.0 / 101.8 C: 104.0 ⇑ 1.76% | 103.95 | 106.1 / 102.0 IT IINDUSTRIES ISNLTD | 0.28 | 17.31 | Vol. 421488 D: 19.40 ⇑ 5.43% | 19.82 | 20.20 / 17.50 C: 19.50 ⇑ 4.28% | 19.74 | 20.30 / 19.00 BDCOM | 1.00 | 14.91 | Vol. 347588 D: 26.70 ⇓ 2.20% | 26.84 | 27.50 / 26.50 C: 27.50 ⇑ 0.36% | 27.54 | 27.90 / 26.60 INTECH | 0.94 | 10.08 | Vol. 296415 D: 16.40 ⇓ 2.96% | 17.03 | 17.80 / 16.00 C: 16.50 ⇓ 3.51% | 16.98 | 17.90 / 16.20

GENERAL INSURANCE BGIC | 1.65 | 20.33 | Vol. 19421 D: 28.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 28.59 | 28.90 / 25.80 C: 28.10 ⇓ 0.71% | 28.47 | 29.60 / 28.10 GREENDELT | 4.05 | 64.44 | Vol. 38027 D: 91.60 ⇓ 1.08% | 93.03 | 97.00 / 90.00 C: 91.10 ⇓ 3.09% | 92.03 | 92.50 / 91.10 UNITEDINS | 2.47 | 21.04 | Vol. 500 D: 42.40 ⇑ 0.71% | 42.00 | 42.50 / 42.40 PEOPLESINS | 2.05 | 20.72 | Vol. 179338 D: 30.80 ⇑ 1.32% | 30.99 | 31.40 / 28.00 C: 30.40 ⇑ 3.05% | 30.52 | 31.10 / 30.40 EASTERNINS | 2.22 | 35.88 | Vol. 33392 D: 38.20 ⇓ 1.80% | 38.09 | 39.00 / 38.00 C: 37.50 ⇓ 1.32% | 38.35 | 39.90 / 37.50 JANATAINS | 7.84 | 170.69 | Vol. 7830 D: 241.0 ⇓ 1.73% | 242.63 | 251.5 / 240.0 C: 237.3 ⇓ 1.33% | 237.33 | 240.0 / 236.0 PHENIXINS | 2.70 | 20.96 | Vol. 9400 D: 40.10 ⇑ 2.04% | 40.21 | 40.90 / 39.80 EASTLAND | 4.06 | 23.29 | Vol. 59600 D: 46.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 46.42 | 46.90 / 46.00 C: 47.00 ⇓ 0.42% | 47.00 | 47.00 / 47.00 CENTRALINS | 1.54 | 19.04 | Vol. 9436 D: 28.50 ⇓ 1.72% | 28.61 | 29.00 / 28.00 KARNAPHULI | 1.56 | 19.42 | Vol. 108920 D: 22.50 ⇓ 0.44% | 22.68 | 22.90 / 22.00 RUPALIINS | 2.76 | 23.38 | Vol. 61312 D: 31.10 ⇓ 0.64% | 31.15 | 31.60 / 29.00 C: 30.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 31.00 | 30.60 / 30.60 FEDERALINS | 1.10 | 10.98 | Vol. 114272 D: 22.50 ⇑ 0.45% | 22.51 | 22.70 / 21.50 C: 22.40 ⇑ 0.45% | 22.46 | 22.60 / 22.30 RELIANCINS | 3.93 | 61.52 | Vol. 52500 D: 68.60 ⇑ 2.39% | 68.65 | 69.80 / 68.60 PURABIGEN | 1.05 | 18.71 | Vol. 118800 D: 21.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 21.37 | 21.70 / 20.00 PRAGATIINS | 2.01 | 50.30 | Vol. 12540 D: 53.10 ⇑ 0.38% | 53.32 | 53.90 / 50.00 C: 50.40 ⇓ 1.75% | 50.45 | 50.60 / 50.30 PRIMEINSUR | 2.14 | 14.14 | Vol. 39063 D: 31.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 31.28 | 32.50 / 30.20 C: 31.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 30.60 | 31.00 / 29.00 PIONEERINS | 3.11 | 23.84 | Vol. 35000 D: 67.10 ⇑ 3.23% | 66.21 | 67.80 / 64.90 C: 65.00 ⇓ 3.70% | 65.00 | 65.00 / 65.00 MERCINS | 1.53 | 14.50 | Vol. 22900 D: 29.00 ⇓ 2.03% | 29.21 | 30.70 / 28.00 C: 29.00 ⇑ 1.05% | 29.00 | 29.00 / 29.00 AGRANINS | 1.73 | 14.39 | Vol. 75830 D: 27.50 ⇑ 1.10% | 27.34 | 28.20 / 27.00 GLOBALINS | 1.09 | 11.78 | Vol. 36500 D: 28.30 ⇓ 0.70% | 28.22 | 28.90 / 28.00 NITOLINS | 2.59 | 15.41 | Vol. 20500 D: 35.10 ⇓ 1.40% | 35.07 | 35.40 / 34.70 ASIAPACINS | 1.84 | 13.76 | Vol. 29500 D: 28.70 ⇓ 1.71% | 28.51 | 29.10 / 28.00 C: 29.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 29.00 | 29.00 / 29.00 SONARBAINS | 1.68 | 13.38 | Vol. 73193 D: 24.00 ⇓ 2.04% | 24.14 | 25.00 / 23.00 C: 24.70 ⇓ 1.20% | 24.40 | 24.70 / 24.00 PARAMOUNT | 1.26 | 13.19 | Vol. 46000 D: 23.70 ⇓ 2.47% | 23.98 | 24.60 / 23.50 CITYGENINS | 1.65 | 14.26 | Vol. 34870 D: 27.20 ⇓ 0.37% | 27.25 | 27.50 / 25.00 C: 27.30 ⇓ 5.21% | 27.24 | 27.30 / 26.00 CONTININS | 1.41 | 15.68 | Vol. 283548 D: 30.60 ⇑ 1.32% | 30.18 | 31.00 / 29.50 C: 29.90 ⇓ 1.64% | 29.92 | 30.10 / 29.60 TAKAFULINS | 2.19 | 15.17 | Vol. 150561 D: 48.70 ⇑ 5.41% | 48.10 | 50.00 / 43.00 C: 48.00 ⇑ 4.80% | 47.67 | 48.00 / 42.00 STANDARINS | 2.58 | 13.99 | Vol. 2189 D: 39.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 39.18 | 39.20 / 39.00 NORTHRNINS | 1.77 | 11.15 | Vol. 8103 D: 44.00 ⇓ 1.35% | 44.10 | 45.80 / 42.00 C: 43.30 ⇓ 9.79% | 43.30 | 43.30 / 43.30 REPUBLIC | 2.14 | 12.42 | Vol. 293136 D: 40.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 40.20 | 41.00 / 39.90 C: 40.10 ⇓ 0.25% | 40.06 | 40.20 / 40.00

ASIAINS | 1.56 | 17.34 | Vol. 46448 D: 26.70 ⇓ 0.74% | 26.78 | 27.10 / 26.00 C: 27.70 ⇑ 2.59% | 27.35 | 27.80 / 26.70 ISLAMIINS | 1.29 | 11.96 | Vol. 34608 D: 33.10 ⇓ 0.30% | 33.13 | 33.50 / 31.80 PROVATIINS | 1.90 | 14.30 | Vol. 9000 D: 28.50 ⇑ 1.06% | 28.56 | 29.00 / 28.20 DHAKAINS | 2.84 | 18.02 | Vol. 46875 D: 39.30 ⇓ 0.25% | 39.21 | 39.80 / 37.60 C: 39.00 ⇑ 2.63% | 39.02 | 39.10 / 39.00 LIFE INSURANCE NATLIFEINS | 12.34 | 80.99 | Vol. 3730 D: 238.4 ⇓ 0.33% | 238.08 | 240.0 / 235.0 DELTALIFE | 38.53 | 189.40 | Vol. 10600 D: 4589 ⇓ 3.93% | 4623 | 4777 / 4589 C: 4700 ⇓ 3.09% | 4700 | 4700 / 4700 SANDHANINS | 2.39 | 28.22 | Vol. 23365 D: 65.80 ⇓ 0.30% | 65.93 | 66.60 / 63.00 C: 67.20 ⇓ 0.59% | 66.21 | 67.80 / 65.50 POPULARLIF | 3.70 | 715.41 | Vol. 3000 D: 159.9 ⇓ 1.72% | 160.00 | 161.0 / 158.1 FAREASTLIF | 9.21 | 60.79 | Vol. 514706 D: 90.20 ⇑ 2.85% | 88.13 | 91.00 / 82.00 C: 90.00 ⇑ 1.47% | 90.00 | 90.00 / 90.00 MEGHNALIFE | 10.82 | 48.87 | Vol. 20100 D: 95.90 ⇓ 1.13% | 96.26 | 97.30 / 95.70 C: 95.60 ⇑ 0.10% | 95.63 | 96.90 / 95.00 PROGRESLIF | 2.30 | 31.45 | Vol. 3212 D: 95.40 ⇓ 0.52% | 95.25 | 95.60 / 94.00 PRAGATILIF | 0.60 | 30.15 | Vol. 19075 D: 106.5 ⇓ 1.39% | 107.25 | 111.7 / 105.0 PRIMELIFE | 5.51 | 27.10 | Vol. 5483 D: 91.50 ⇓ 2.35% | 91.74 | 95.00 / 90.00 RUPALILIFE | 3.75 | 31.25 | Vol. 56500 D: 93.70 ⇑ 1.19% | 93.68 | 94.70 / 92.90 PADMALIFE | 1.63 | 25.76 | Vol. 42940 D: 56.20 ⇓ 0.71% | 56.60 | 58.00 / 51.00 C: 56.50 ⇓ 1.05% | 56.54 | 57.00 / 56.10 SUNLIFEINS | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 96100 D: 54.30 ⇓ 1.27% | 54.94 | 56.00 / 53.00 C: 54.10 ⇓ 0.18% | 54.77 | 55.70 / 54.10 TELECOM GP | 12.96 | 26.26 | Vol. 330193 D: 183.2 ⇑ 0.99% | 184.08 | 186.0 / 170.0 C: 183.0 ⇑ 0.72% | 183.83 | 185.8 / 182.8 BSCCL | 5.82 | 26.38 | Vol. 262070 D: 188.1 ⇓ 1.36% | 190.63 | 193.7 / 180.0 C: 187.2 ⇓ 1.84% | 190.01 | 194.5 / 186.1 TRAVEL & LEISURE UNITEDAIR | 1.10 | 12.87 | Vol. 1836778 D: 15.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.37 | 15.50 / 14.00 C: 15.30 ⇓ 0.65% | 15.37 | 15.60 / 15.20 UNIQUEHRL | 4.02 | 86.29 | Vol. 238870 D: 79.90 ⇓ 0.62% | 80.38 | 81.50 / 73.00 C: 80.10 ⇓ 0.50% | 80.38 | 81.30 / 79.60 MISCELLANEOUS ARAMIT | 16.07 | 99.93 | Vol. 12550 D: 278.6 ⇓ 2.72% | 281.48 | 295.0 / 277.0 C: 281.0 ⇓ 15.11% | 274.14 | 282.0 / 268.0 BSC | 1.77 | 565.82 | Vol. 46290 D: 446.3 ⇓ 0.94% | 452.11 | 462.0 / 444.0 C: 447.3 ⇓ 0.93% | 453.15 | 462.0 / 446.5 GQBALLPEN | 6.55 | 250.45 | Vol. 27700 D: 143.7 ⇓ 2.24% | 146.39 | 149.5 / 143.1 C: 142.2 ⇓ 1.80% | 143.44 | 147.0 / 142.0 USMANIAGL | 0.50 | 26.03 | Vol. 52536 D: 130.1 ⇓ 1.59% | 131.05 | 135.7 / 125.0 C: 128.5 ⇓ 3.02% | 130.71 | 138.0 / 125.1 SAVAREFR | 0.23 | 12.32 | Vol. 50 D: 66.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 66.00 | 66.00 / 66.00 BEXIMCO | 3.24 | 86.74 | Vol. 1450717 D: 26.90 ⇑ 1.51% | 27.11 | 27.80 / 24.00 C: 27.20 ⇑ 1.49% | 27.34 | 27.90 / 27.00 SINOBANGLA | 1.75 | 21.01 | Vol. 166500 D: 21.10 ⇓ 1.86% | 21.49 | 22.20 / 20.90 C: 20.90 ⇓ 1.42% | 21.79 | 22.20 / 20.90 MIRACLEIND | 0.14 | 14.90 | Vol. 205283 D: 15.40 ⇓ 3.75% | 15.87 | 16.60 / 15.00 C: 15.30 ⇓ 5.56% | 15.53 | 16.40 / 15.10 BOND IBBLPBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 4070 D: 955.0 ⇓ 0.08% | 954.79 | 955.3 / 954.0 ACIZCBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 82 D: 880.0 ⇑ 0.57% | 881.58 | 880.5 / 880.0 C: 880.0 ⇑ 2.33% | 880.00 | 880.0 / 880.0

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Apple unveils iPad Air, new Macs for holidays Customers to enjoy free upgrades for life on its OS and business software

n Reuters, San Francisco Apple Inc on Tuesday offered free upgrades for life on its operating system (OS) and business software, and unveiled thinner iPads and faster Mac computers ahead of a competitive holiday shopping season.

The debut of the one-pound iPad Air and MacBook Pro with sharper ‘retina’ display repeats a pattern of recent launches with improvements in existing lines rather than totally new products, and Apple shares fell 0.3% for the day.

Apple said upgrades to its Mac operating system and iWork software suite, which compete with Microsoft Corp’s Excel, Word and other applications, will now be offered for all MacBooks and Mac computers.

That brings Apple’s model of free system software upgrades on phones and tablets to the computer market, where Apple is still the underdog to Microsoft’s Windows.

Apple may be trying to safeguard its grip on mobile software as Microsoft revs up its Windows-powered Surface Pro, which runs applications, such as Word or Excel, that are the standard for business customers, analysts said.

“We are turning the industry on its ear, but this is not why we’re doing it,” Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook told media and technology executives at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Centre. “We want our customers to have our latest software.”

The market is awash in inexpensive tablets running Google Inc’s Android software, but the company may be focused on fending off a threat from the high end.

“In the tablet PC market, they do think Microsoft is a bigger threat than Android,” said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi. “The iPad Air will compete with Surface Pro, not some rinky-dink Android tablet.”

Gartner estimates that Apple’s share of the global tablet market will slip to 47.2% in 2014, with Android-based tablets just overtaking Apple’s this year. The IT research outfit expects Microsoft tablets to grab 3.4% of the market this year, double the 1.7% forecast for 2013.

Pressure

Microsoft gets 65% of its Windows revenue, which totaled $19.2bn last fiscal year, from PC manufacturers which put the system on

Apple Inc CEO Tim Cook speaks about the new iPad Air and the iPad mini with Retnia display during an Apple event in San Francisco its machines, and 35% from other sources, chiefly people and businesses buying its software separately to install themselves.

The latest version of Windows, when bought separately to install on an old computer, starts at $120 for a home version and goes up to $200 for the full ‘Pro’ version. The latest Windows 8.1 upgrade was free for customers running Windows 8.

Apple’s product launches on Tuesday were evolutionary, with the new iPads equipped with faster processors and better screens.

Cook, at an industry conference in May, had hinted at “several more game changers” from Apple which could include wearable computers, but had not given a time frame.

“As always with Apple, expectations on systematic breakthrough hardware innovations are irrational,” said Forrester analyst Thomas Husson said. “Apple is good at inventing new products and at maximizing profitability of its product range over time

through software innovations and clever marketing.”

Apple’s new iPad Air - its full-size tablet - is about 20% thinner than the previous generation of tablets, weighs one pound and starts at $499. It will go on sale on November 1.

The iPad mini now has a “retina” high-resolution screen and starts at $399, compared with $329 for the previous mini model. The two new tablets would face stiff competition, with Microsoft, Nokia and Amazon.com Inc all plugging rival devices in coming months.

Apple also showed off a new Mac Pro, a premium and high-powered cylindrical desktop computer that will be assembled in United States. It had shown the computer at a previously event.

For the first, Apple will launch the new iPads simultaneously in the United States and China, its biggest market, which is also a key growth region.

Apple, which jumpstarted the tablet com-

REUTERS

puting market in 2010 with the first iPad, has already come under increasing pressure from cheaper devices ranging from Amazon’s Kindle Fire to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd’s Note. But while Apple is ceding market share to rivals, its superior library of apps and content should safeguard its lead for years to come, analysts say.

Longer term however, investors hope to see real device innovation from a company that has not unveiled a new breakthrough product in years.

Cook on Tuesday dismissed the competition as directionless.

“Our competition is different: they’re confused,” he said. “Now they’re trying to make PCs into tablets and tablets into PCs. Who knows what they’ll do next?”

“We have a very clear direction and a very ambitious goal. We still believe deeply in this category and we’re not slowing down on our innovation.” l

EMC cuts full-year forecast due to US government shutdown n Reuters EMC Corp, the world’s largest data storage equipment maker, cut its full-year forecast because of the two-week US government shutdown, sending its shares down 4%.

EMC, which reported lower-than-expected quarterly results, said the shutdown caused it to miss its revenue estimate by about $120m, which it did not expect to recover.

“Orders from the US federal government that were expected to close in the last weeks of the

quarter did not,” Chief Operating Officer David Goulden said on a conference call.

Revenue from the US government usually accounts for about 10-15% of EMC’s total revenue in the third quarter, compared with about 5% in the rest of the year, FBR Capital Markets analyst Daniel Ives said.

Chief Executive Joe Tucci said that about 70% of EMC’s revenue from the government is based on short-term orders that are completed and billed within the quarter.

This means that revenue foregone in the

quarter cannot be made up later.

EMC cut its full-year profit forecast to $1.80 per share from $1.85 and its revenue forecast to $23.25bn from $23.5bn.

Analysts expected a profit of $1.86 per share on revenue of $23.44bn, according to Thomson Reuters.

EMC said its forecast also took into account corporate cutbacks in IT budgets as well as uncertainty about government spending.

Research firm Gartner Inc cut its 2013 global IT spending growth forecast in July, to 2% from 4%.

EMC unit VMware Inc reported a higher-than-expected profit on Monday but said it expected government-related revenue to be flat in the current quarter.

EMC’s chief rival, NetApp Inc, has also forecast lackluster results for the current quarter, blaming the slowdown in government spending.

Analysts said EMC would benefit from new products and strong licensing growth at VMware.

EMC and VMware have teamed up in a new venture, Pivotal Inc in a bid to profit from demand for data analytics software. l