November 10, 2013

Long Form

5

In search of national unity

Kartik 26, 1420 Muharram 5, 1434 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 227

International

9

Typhoon kills at least 1,200 in Philippines

Sport

14

Career best Steyn, De Kock help SA win series

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Government walks a tightrope to polls

Dialogue, not violence: Analysts say the arrest of the BNP leaders has made the political scenario hazy overnight US, UK n Tribune Desk

n Julfikar Ali Manik The government will remain tough on the opposition to make the journey towards election smooth, unchallenged and non-violent, if the BNP-led 18-party alliance does not shift its position of boycotting and resisting polls under this government, sources close to the administration have said.

Moreover, Friday’s crackdown on the opposition has made the political scenario hazy overnight, especially with the elections ahead, which according to the constitution, must be held before January 24, analysts and politicians in different tiers have observed.

Some district and upazila level BNP leaders yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune over phone that they believed that the latest arrest of their top leaders was to weigh down the confidence of party leaders and activists and keep BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia away from her party colleagues to weaken the movement.

“I think the government wants to make Madam [Khaleda] lonely,” said Azizur Rahman, a leader of Cox’s Bazar  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

INSIDE Business

B3 Most of the non-life listed companies have posted moderate profits in the third quarter of this year despite political uncertainty and slow economic growth.

News

3 The telecom regulator has taken up a costly project to make the internet “safe” – especially in the wake of probable political confrontations – by filtering data at internet gateways and different social media sites, even news websites.

Nation

7 Many of the small and mediumsized mills, factories and household s in Narsingdi’s Madhabdi and Palash areas and also in Araihazar upazila in Narayanganj are allegedly using illegal gas lines with the help of corrupt officials at the state-owned Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company and contractors in the districts.

Op-Ed

11 When, for the first time in 2008, the Awami League came up with their “Charter for Change,” the election manifesto became a favourite topic in the public arena. Though the other major political parties also declared their own manifestos, the “Charter for Change” was much talked about, as many said this manifesto played a role in giving hope to people.

DB police yesterday produced the detained BNP leaders at the court after showing them arrested in two cases

British High Commissioner in Dhaka Robert Gibson on Saturday expressed dissatisfaction over the continued confrontation instead of dialogue between the two major political parties -- ruling Awami League and main opposition BNP -- for holding free, fair and credible elections.

“I’m disappointed that we’ve seen continued confrontational action rather than constructive dialogue between the two main parties that could result in the outcome desired by most ordinary Bangladeshis: free, fair and credible elections in which all parties participate,” the British envoy said in a statement.

In response to a query, the US said the major parties must engage in constructive dialogue now more than ever to find a way forward to free, fair and credible elections as elections quickly approach.

“We call on all parties to eschew violence. Violence of any nature is not part of the democratic process and is not acceptable,” US Embassy Spokesperson Kelly McCarthy told UNB on Saturday.

RAJIB DHAR

5 BNP leaders sent to jail Government crackdown Hearing on remand prayer Thursday a challenge for BNP Sanaul Islam Tipu and n Md Ashif Islam Shaon

A Dhaka court yesterday sent three top BNP leaders, an adviser and a special assistant to the party’s chairperson to jail in two cases filed for “attempting to kill law enforcers and provoking violence”.

The court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Joynob Begum fixed November 14 for hearing on the remand and bail petitions of the BNP leaders. The decision was made as the investigation officers could not place case dockets.

Police earlier in the day produced the five before the court seeking 20-day remand each in two cases filed with Motijheel Police Station.

The leaders – BNP standing com-

mittee members Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Miah and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo and special assistant Shimul Biswas – were shown arrested in the cases yesterday.

After hearing both the prosecution and the defence the judge directed the investigators to submit progress reports and other dockets on the cases before the court.

Meanwhile, pro-BNP lawyers staged demonstrations on the court premises protesting the arrests and demanded their release when they were taken there around 3:50pm in prison van.

The lawyers were also chanting slogans in favour of the opposition-sponsored hartal beginning from today.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla Terming the government desperate to repress the opposition, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has told party men to wage movement in such a way that

Senior leaders, who have gone into hiding to avoid arrest, will methodically enforce the 84hour hartal starting today could shake the government, while also avoiding arrest at the same time.

The opposition chief has also asked the leaders and activists to not be morally down because of the arrest of the five leaders, party insiders have said.

They also said the opposition chief

had already started personally monitoring the ongoing movement and would regularly sit at the party headquarters if needed.

Withdrawing from the streets fearing arrest was not an option for the opposition anymore, Khaleda reportedly said immediately after the arrest of the five leaders on Friday. She asserted that BNP could not retract the movement even if more senior leaders were arrested.

On Friday night, Detective Branch of Police arrested party standing committee members Moudud Ahmad, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Miah; chairperson’s adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo and special assistant Shamsur Rahman

The crackdown on opposition leaders on Friday night – although approved by the government high-ups – was not a political decision. It was a decision of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

A top bureaucrat of the home ministry told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday evening that the arrest of the opposition leaders “was not a political decision.”

“They were arrested based on intelligence reports,” the official said.

Police and intelligence sources said the deployment of additional forces in front of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan residence was also an idea of the DMP, which had convinced the government high-ups that arresting the opposition bigwigs would leave the party unable to continue its movement.

The Detective Branch of police ar-

rested BNP Standing Committee members Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Miah in front of the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel on Friday night.

Later, DB men arrested Khaleda’s Adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo and Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas.

They also raided the houses of several BNP leaders, including Mirza Abbas, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and Abdus Salam.

NHRC chairman slams arrest of opposition leaders n Arif Ahmed

Asked if the DMP had made the arrests and raids at the government’s directive, State Minister for Home Shamsul Huq Tuku said: “It is their [police] duty to arrest those who are involved in bombing and arson attacks. They did that on their own.”

Tuku also said: “The Dhaka Metropolitan Police made the arrests as per its investigation and decision for

National Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman has criticised the government for arresting the opposition leaders without any specific accusation.

He termed the activities of the government a breach of human rights.

“The government can take legal action against those who try to create chaos and kill people, but it is not democratic to arrest them without any specific allegation.”

He was addressing a commemoration ceremony at Dhaka University’s Social Science Auditorium marking the 30th anniversary of the death of Manbendra Narayan Larma.

The national rights body chief was critical of both the ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance and the BNP-led 18-party alliance for creating a political crisis across the country.

He also called upon the chiefs of both sides to behave democratically so that the general people of the country could live safely.

The national committee for the 30th anniversary of Manbendra Narayan Larma’s death organised the programme.

The organisation’s convener Noman Ahmed Khan chaired the programme.

Mizanur expressed disappointment about the recent atrocities committed

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The decision to arrest was DMP’s, not political! n Kailash Sarkar

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, November 10, 2013

‘The arrests show the government is still in control’ Reza Chowdhury and n Kamran Muhammad Zahidul Islam The government’s decision to arrest five top opposition leaders is a signal to the “trouble makers” that anyone obstructing the elections will face imprisonment.

A number of senior leaders of the ruling Awami League have said no matter whoever comes, polls must take place by January 24.

The comments could be indications that the two parties were almost incapable of resolving the political impasse over the restoration of the non-party caretaker government system.

The ruling party leaders also said the arrest of the opposition leaders and cordoning off the residence of opposition chief Khelada Zia and her political aides were aimed at convincing people that the government – even at the end of its tenure –was fully in control of law and order despite the hartals.

The BNP, Jamaat, Jatiya Party or anyone standing in the way of holding the next parliamentary polls in a free, fair and impartial manner would face this sort of consequences Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir has recently hinted that the government might enact a law to realise compensation from those who called the hartals if they led to the death of people and damage of wealth.

“The BNP, Jamaat, Jatiya Party or anyone standing in the way of holding the next [parliamentary] polls in a free, fair and impartial manner would face this sort of consequences [arrest],” Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, an organising secretary of the Awami League, told the Dhaka Tribune.

If anyone challenges the constitution and the laws – according to which elections must take place by January 24 – the government must take action against them, he said. “We must make people understand that there is a gov-

NHRC chairman slams arrest of opposition leaders  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

against the country’s Hindu community in Pabna and Lal-Monirhat. “What was the state busy with when the lives and belongings of the minorities got burnt down?” he asked.

Speaking at the ceremony, Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu stressed the need for the formation of a land commission, a minorities’ commission and an indigenous rights act, to establish and protect the rights of the minorities constitutionally.

Regarding the arrest of BNP leaders, Inu said, police arrested the opposition leaders as they had incited violence and killed many innocent people during their hartals. Jahangirnagar University professor Ainun Nahar, Communist Party of Bangladesh presidium member Shah Alam, Bangladesh Workers Party politburo member Bimal Biswas, and Adivasi Forum General Secretary Sanjeeb Drong also spoke at the occasion. l

ernment in this country.”

Mohammad Nasim, a member of the Awami League Presidium, the highest policymaking body of the party, told the Dhaka Tribune that the BNP was not sure of what it wanted. “The BNP did not want a dialogue.”

“The government is determined to hold the polls in line with the constitution, in free, fair and unbiased ways.

“We hope that the BNP will come to the polls; otherwise they will miss the election train. We are not bothered about who is going to participate. The elections must take place under an administration headed by Sheikh Hasina,” Nasim said.

In a party meeting yesterday, Awami League Joint Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said those giving rise to violence and damaging people’s property would not be spared, no matter how big a leader they were.

“Is bringing those ordering destruction of public and private property under law an offenc? The violence makers must be arrested for the sake of the nation,” Hanif said.

In the same meeting, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, another joint secretary of the party, said the government would be forced to take a tougher stance if the opposition caused violence in the name of hartal.

“For the sake of maintaining law and order, there was no option left [for the government] other than arresting those who had given orders for violence,” he said.

On Friday, police picked up BNP standing committee members Barrister Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Miah, BNP chairperson’s Advisor Abdul Awal Mintoo and Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas from the capital.

Since then, most other top leaders of the party, including acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, have reportedly gone into hiding to escape arrest. Some of the leaders have been kept under de facto house arrest. On April 7 this year, 10 top leaders, including Mirza Fakhrul, were sent to jail for arson attacks on vehicles during hartals. l

Pro-BNP lawyers yesterday brought out a procession in the CMM Court area after arrival of the prison van carrying the arrested top five BNP leaders

NOOR HOSSAIN DAY

Khaleda vows to resist one-sided polls n Tribune Report BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday alleged that the government’s conspiracy has become clear that it was going to banish democracy from the country holding lopsided elections to reintroduce one-party parliamentary system.

“Autocratic force’s such conspiracy should be resisted at any cost,” she said in a statement on the Noor Hossain Day. Khaleda, also the leader of the opposition, said Noor Hossain is the inspiration of the people in the struggle of restoring democracy in the country.

“Following his sacrifice, we have to get ready for maximum sacrifice to build a democratic Bangladesh.”

The former premier asked the people of the country to unite to reinstate democracy in the country. l

5 BNP leaders sent to jail  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

Of the two cases, one was filed on November 5.

In his complaint, ASI AKM Azizul Haque said on the second day of the just-concluded opposition combine called 60-hour hartal the five arrestees along with 60-90 activists blocked a road in front of New Anar Bakery near Kamalapur Bazar.

“When police tried to resist them, the opposition activists blasted three to four crude bombs in a bid to kill policemen. A number of policemen were injured in the incident,” the remand prayer presented by Investigation Officer SI Mizanur Rahman reads.

“There were witnesses and proofs that the arrestees planned the attack,” it said adding that the arrestees should be grilled in remand to unearth the source of explosives used to kill innocent people and police.

It also said the arrestees provoked the government officers not to obey law by declaring the government illegal in different talk-shows and rallies.

In the other remand forwarding SI

Khandakar Zahid Ali alleged that the BNP leaders torched seven cars and blasted several cocktails in front of Motijheel Ideal School and College on September 24 from a procession which also blockaded the road.

The procession was brought out protesting charge pressing against Chhatra Dal President Abdul Kader Bhuiyan Jewel and other leaders for hurling bomb at the information minister’s residence. SI Humayun Kabir Hawlader filed the case on September 24.

On Friday Moudud, MK Anwar and Rafiqul were detained from in front of Hotel Sonargaon in the capital hours after the opposition called 72-hour hartal demanding non-party polls-time government.

Around five hours later, law enforcers detained Abdul Awal Mintoo and Shimul Biswas from outside Khaleda’s Gulshan-2 home around 1:10am.

Yesterday, the opposition political combine extended its 72-hour shutdown slated to begin at 6:00am today by 12 hours protesting the arrest of BNP leaders Friday night. l

7 Dhaka University students injured in city n Tribune Report

At least seven Dhaka University students were injured as police allegedly opened fire on them last night in the capital’s Chankharpul.

Witnesses said some DU Shahidullah Hall students had an altercation with locals when they went to a restaurant for dinner. At one stage, the locals beat up

district unit BNP. “[The government wants] to pressure Madam to keep her away from the movement.”

“By arresting our leaders, the government wants to hold one-sided elections without any interruption,” said Hafizur Rahman, general secretary of Lalmonirhat district unit BNP. Speculations have been ripe in the every sphere of the society about the future political scenario after Friday’s arrests.

On Friday night, police arrested three former ministers and BNP policymakers Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar, Rafiqul ISlam Miah, one of Khaleda Zia’s advisers Abdul Awal Mintoo and her special assistant Shimul Biswas.

Police did not immediately give the reasons behind the arrests. However, when the producing the BNP leaders before a Dhaka court yesterday, police said they had been picked up for their alleged involvement in killing law enforcers and bomb blasts.

Police also alleged that the BNP leaders had termed the government “illegal” which incited officials to not carry out orders.

Whatever the grounds might be,

some political analysts observed that the arrests would fade out the hope of dialogue between the Awami League and BNP and deepen the political crisis.

Ruling Awami League Presidium Member Nuh-ul-Alam Lenin, however, said the arrest would not create any new political crisis.

He said: “We never said we wanted to hold election without BNP. The door for dialogue and solution is still very much open.

“But the BNP said instead of joining, it would resist the polls. In these circumstances, election environment will be hampered if BNP continues its journey along the path of violence.”

The ruling party leader said it was the government’s duty to create a conducive environment for election and ensure safety of people and their properties.

“It cannot be expected that the government would remain silent when they [BNP-led alliance] enforce one hartal after another without any reason and leading to the deterioration of law and order through violence.”

“The government’s goal is to hold the national elections peacefully,” said the ruling party policymaker.

Meanwhile, sources close to the administration have said the government would maintain the hardline until the elections were held.

On the other hand, although some grassroots BNP leaders believed that the arrests “could not shatter the moral strength” of the leaders and activists, they admitted that the arrests could “spread panic among some leaders.”

“I can tell you, under the present circumstances, BNP will not participate in the national elections,” said Khandakar Mahbubuddin Ahmed, Khaleda Zia’s adviser. “Begum Khaleda Zia will not move from her position.”

He also said the main point of disagreement was “who will be the chief” of the polls-time government.

BNP did not want Sheikh Hasina to remain the head of the election-time government.

“I personally believe that the political situation would be more confrontational and complicated after yesterday [Friday],” he said.

However, senior lawyer Rafique-Ul Huq said: “It will be a huge advantage for the Awami League if BNP does not contest the elections because they is exactly what they want.”

a student centring the altercation. Later, President of Shahidullah Hall unit Chhatra League Aminul Islam went to the spot to solve the problem. The agitated locals beat the president too, triggering a huge clash between the two groups.

On information, police went to the spot and tried to bring the situation under control but failed. The law enforcers fired rubber bullets on the agitated

Dialogue, arrest can go on simultaneously: Menon n UNB, Dinajpur

people, leaving seven students injured.

University Proctor Amzad Ali claimed that the police could not fire on the students.

The police officials involved in the firing were later closed. High officials of police told the proctor that necessary actions would be taken against them.

The injured students were given primary treatment at DMCH. l

Dialogue  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

She said there must be political space so all parties can express their views freely and peacefully. “This is an essential element of democracy.”

Events of the past days and hours underscore the urgency of finding a way forward to free, fair and credible elections, said the Spokesperson.

The BNP-led 18-party alliance on Saturday extended its 72-hour nationwide hartal, scheduled to begin at 6 am on Sunday, by 12 hours to 6pm Wednesday in protest against Friday night’s arrest of senior BNP leaders.

On Friday night, five BNP central leaders including Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Miah were arrested from the city’s Karwanbazar area. Houses of a number of other leaders were also raided. l

Workers’ Party of Bangladesh President Rashed Khan Menon on Saturday said dialogue and arrest of opposition leaders can go on simultaneously.

“As the opposition said dialogue and hartal could go on simultaneously then dialogue and arrest can too continue concurrently,” he said.

Menon came up with the remark while addressing a rally organised by Dinajpur unit of Workers’ Party on the local press club premises.

Earlier on Friday night, plainclothes police arrested BNP standing committee members barrister Moudud Ahmed,

MK Anwar and barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah, BNP Chairperson’s adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo and her special assistant Shimul Biswas in the city.

Defending the government’s move, Menon said police arrested the opposition leaders to maintain law and order as the opposition called another spell of hartal. “I think the government has no other option but to go tough on the opposition to control this situation.”

As the government arrested five senior BNP leaders following the hartal call, the 18-party alliance on Saturday extended its 72-hour nationwide hartal by 12 hours to 6pm Wednesday in protest against the government’s move. l

The decision

Government crackdown

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maintaining law and order, keeping criminals under control and ensuring security to the people of the country.”

Meanwhile, a number of top DMP officials claimed that they had been unaware of the decision of crackdown on the opposition. When contacted for comments after the arrest of three BNP leaders, the police officials said they had not been aware of it and would comment after talking to the officials concerned. A few of them said they had learnt about the arrests through the media.

Asked how the top ranking police officials could not have had any knowledge of such decisions, Shamsul Huq Tuku said it was not necessary and important for other officials to be aware of the DMP’s moves. l

Government walks a tightrope to polls  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

RAJIB DHAR

BNP chairperson’s adviser Mahbub thinks that the government may hold the election without BNP but the postelection scenario will not be normal.

“They will have to run the government in an abnormal situation.”

Barrister Rafique said he believed that “the government has made a mistake” by arresting the BNP leaders.

“They [the government] ruined the possibility of a dialogue between two leaders” the veteran lawyer said, adding: “We have seen rivals reach agreements even amid extreme war situations.”

“So a dialogue can be held if the two parties are sincere,” he said. “The government should release the arrested leaders to pave the way for a dialogue.”

Cox’s Bazar BNP leader Azizur said: “It is a test of nerves for the BNP. Madam [Khaleda Zia] has always won this test in the past.”

Sarwar Kamal, vice president of Cox’s Bazar district unit BNP, said they would continue with their movement no matter what the circumstances were. “For carrying on with the movement, just our strength is not always enough. Sometimes we need support from international powers.” l

Shimul Biswas; and raided the houses of a number of other senior leaders including Mirza Abbas, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and Zoynul Abdin Farooque.

Since then, many of the senior leaders have gone into hiding fearing arrest and police harassment. Most of their cell phones were found switched off yesterday while some others did not receive calls.

No senior leader could be seen yesterday at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters, the office of the Dhaka city unit and the chairperson’s Gulshan office.

The Dhaka Tribune managed to contact some of the leaders in hideout yesterday. They said the party would methodically enforce the 84-hour hartal starting today in spite of the fact that they were hiding.

He said the party would stage nonstop blockades after the hartal if needed.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune from hideout, party standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan said the BNP was now left with no choice but to strengthen its movement against the government that apparently wanted to remain in power by hook or by crook.

“The fact remains, however, that BNP, as before, is always willing to resolve the political stalemate through dialogue and discussions which is the only sensible means in a democratic system. It seems, however, that the Awami League believes it can coerce the opposition into a one-sided election as per their wish. History suggests that this has never worked.”

Khan, also a former minister, said the government’s strategy had already backfired. It seemed that the harshest line taken by the government yesterday to mine the hartal had in turn generated severe repercussion not only among the BNP but also in the democracy loving people of Bangladesh.

“Random TV interviews of cross sections of people yesterday have clearly indicated that almost everyone had rejected the government’s ideas to clamp down the opposition unjustly and foil the legitimate movement in favour of

a neutral caretaker government,” the BNP stalwart said.

Seeking anonymity, another senior leader said Khaleda Zia had already collected the cell phone numbers of the district and upazila level leaders to monitor the hartal porogramme around the country and directly give orders to them if necessary.

Party sources said some senior leaders had also been maintaining regular contact with the diplomatic missions to pressure the government by issuing press releases and messages.

BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said: “As per the chairperson’s directive, we have already told the district and upazila level leaders to intensify the movement in the streets.”

Carrying out the party chief’s directives, a standing committee member has reportedly talked to the presidents and general secretaries of the party’s 75 organisational districts to keep their morale up.

Meanwhile, Khaleda Zia has not come out of her Gulshan residence since the five leaders had been arrested on Friday night.

Law enforcers in uniforms and plainclothes could be seen stationed around the former prime minister’s house.

Khaleda Zia’s sister-in-law Kanij Fatema, who took lunch for her, came out of the house around 3:30pm yesterday. Around 4:30pm, Khaleda’s security adviser Ruhul Alam Chowdhury was seen entering the house.

Later at night, a delegation of proBNP teachers led by former Dhaka University pro-VC Prof ASM Yusuf Haider went to meet with Khaleda.

After their meeting, Prof Yusuf told reporters that they had inquired about Khaleda’s wellbeing and talked about the current political situation. He said they wanted to see an election take place with the participation of all political parties and in a free, fair and credible manner.

Delegations of Doctors’ Association of Bangladesh, and pro-BNP journalists and lawyers also went to Khaleda’s residence to meet with her. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Rab members seen on high alert in front of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s house in the morning yesterday (left); Two pedestrians walk past the house after the Rab and additional police were withdrawn later

Mahmud Hossain Opu

execution of war BTRC project to filter social media, Quick crimes verdict demanded news sites for ‘safe’ internet n DU Correspondent

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam The telecom regulator has taken up a costly project to make the internet “safe” – especially in the wake of probable political confrontations – by filtering data at internet gateways and different social media sites, even news websites.

A number of officials at the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) said they were going to launch a massive campaign this month in this regard. The project of filtering sensitive data at the internet gateways had started in April, but it could not be established yet.

The BTRC has already selected seven international firms and requested them to submit their proposals by December 12.

After launching the technical monitoring, the BTRC will be able to filter all data passing through the gateways and sites such as Facebook, Twitter and different blogs. Even news websites could be affected which, many

said, would hamper the free flow of information.

“Social media sites have now become one of the main tools of flourishing democracy in the world, and the government should not intervene in it,” Dr Ananya Raihan, executive director of Dnet, told the Dhaka Tribune last night over phone.

He said discussions on social media could also bring positive impacts on the government’s performance. “The government should not fear people’s voice and gag it.”

BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose, however, said: “As a regulator we need to protect ill-motivated elements from social media sites, blogs etc – we need to prevent contents that can cause disorder in political and social lives of people.”

He said the BTRC was not currently well-equipped to conduct the high-level monitoring.

“It is a very costly and time-consuming project, so it is taking some time. Earlier, we used to monitor and provide safe internet to people by man-

ual regulating,” he told the Dhaka Tribune last week.

“Currently, we can monitor and block everything except Facebook. If anybody uploads offensive materials on Facebook, we can only request the Facebook authority to remove those contents.”

A BTRC official told the Dhaka Tribune that the project would cost at least Tk1.5bn.

The parliamentary standing committee on post and telecommunication also recently came up with an idea of making people use their national ID cards or similar smartcards to log in to their Facebook or other social networking media accounts. Some BTRC officials, however, said it was not possible.

Earlier, the International Telecommunication Union, which operates under the United Nations, proposed a global system that would allow state control over the internet. Democratic countries opposed the idea.

The BTRC intends to use both software- and hardware-based internet

safety solution.

An official said the move was made to prevent online propaganda using religious sentiments, false pictures and news items to trigger unrest in the country.

Online propaganda in the past few months by Jamaat-e-Islami and its student body Islami Chhatra Shibir had successfully instigated countrywide violence, the official said.

The move had stemmed from search engine giant Google’s refusal to take down the trailer of a religiously sensitive film from its website Youtube.

Bangladesh had even asked Google to install a mirror server for Bangladesh nine months ago so that such videos could be filtered out.

The BTRC chairman said they would seek the government’s permission within a very short time to appoint a consultant for the “safe internet” project.

The government has amended the ICT Act 2006 to incorporate a provision of 14 years’ jail term for posting objectionable materials on the internet. l

Teachers, students and prominent personalities of the country demanded an immediate execution of the war crimes verdict and a ban on Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chattra Shibir politics.

The demand came at a rally titled “Teachers-Students Rally” held at Projonmo Chattar adjacent to Shahbagh intersection Saturday afternoon.

Ganajagaran Mancha hosted the rally which was attended by teachers and students from different educational institutions across the country.

The speaker at the rally demanded exemplary punishment to the saboteurs who committed heinous acts and attacked innocent individuals during the shutdown.

In his address, Jagannath University Vice-Chancellor Dr Mizanur Rahman said: “The execution of verdict on war crimes would be held without any delay in our country and none could stop it.”

He also urged students as well as the young generation to uphold the inspiration of Liberation War. “If you want to eliminate evil forc-

es from our country, the execution of war crimes verdict is not enough. We need to nurture the inspiration which will ultimately help us save the country from all communal and anti-liberation forces,” Mizanur added.

Mahmud Ali Chowdhury, secretary general of Bangladesh Polytechnic College Samiti, said: “We want to see our country totally free from communal and fundamentalist forces and for this reason we all expressed our solidarity with Ganajagaran Mancha.”

Imran H Sarkar, convener of Ganajagaran Mancha, urged the government to execute the verdict as early as possible.

It was high time the verdict be executed, added Imran.

The convener also called upon the countrymen to unite to resist Jamaat-Shibir politics so that they could not exist in the county.

Gatak Dalal Nirmul Committee Convener Shahriar Kabir, Jagannath University Prof Nasir Uddin, bloggers Arif Jabotik and Badhon, Chattra Moitree President Bappa Ditta Basu, Jashad Chattra League President Shamsul Islam Sumon, among others, were present on the occasion. l

Frequent hartals rattling exams, class schedules in schools, colleges JSC, JCD examinations rescheduled again respondent yesterday. n Mushfique Wadud The two Bangla papers were origAlthough she had studied well, Sanjida Khatun was not able to answer all the questions for Bangla 2nd paper in the ongoing Junior School Certificate examinations.

“It was 8pm when I reached home on Friday after taking Bangla 1st paper in the afternoon due to traffic jam.

I only got a few hours for last minute revision for Bangla 2nd paper, which was held this morning. I did not even get a chance to look at some topics,” the class-8 student of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College told this cor-

inally scheduled for Monday and Wednesday, but were rescheduled for the weekend because of the 60-hour hartal called by the opposition last week.

Thus, students were forced to sit for the two papers on consecutive days, with only a few hours gap for revision.

Just after finishing yesterday’s exam, Sanjida learned that her next three exams had also been rescheduled due to the fresh calls for hartals this week.

“I fear that I will get bad grades if the

exams continue to be shifted,” she said.

With the opposition calling for spells of non-stop shutdowns this month, the country’s education system has come to a standstill.

Students taking the JSC and its madrassa equivalent JDC examinations, which began on Thursday after a threeday delay, have been the worst hit as the test dates keep shifting.

According to a reworked schedule, today’s JSC exams have been moved to 10am on Thursday, Monday’s will be held at 10am on Saturday, while Tuesday’s have been pushed back to 2pm on November 21.

Taslima Begum, chairman of Dhaka Education Board, told the Dhaka Tribune that they were facing problems in re-fixing exam dates due to repeated hartals.

Meanwhile, guardians of students taking the primary terminal examinations this year were concerned about the timely holding of the tests, scheduled for November 20.

“We are worried about the exams being held on time as new spells of hartals are announced,” said Ridwanul Bari, whose son is an examinee from a school in the capital.

Teachers were also worried about

Government lying about Rampal power plant: Oil-gas committee n Mohammad Atiqur Rahman The government is not paying heed to anyone’s claims about the adverse effects that the Rampal power plant will have, said speakers at a programme organised yesterday by the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports.

The government and people concerned with the project are propagating confusing information and lies at home and abroad regarding the Rampal power plant, alleged Jahangirnagar University teacher Professor Anu Muhammad.

“Agricultural lands and drinking water have been greatly damaged by the Barapukuria coal power plant. And the coal-fired Rampal plant

will destroy the Sundarbans as well,” he said.

He suggested that, even if it was more expensive, power could be bought from India, which is building a 5,000MW solar power plant in Rajasthan.

Dhaka University teacher Dr. Tanjim Udddin Khan said: “Fly ash management is a great challenge for a coal based plant.”

He said the project had been undertaken to suit political purposes.

Engineer Kallol Mostafa said the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of Rampal power plant was insufficient. “Only the Initial Environment Examination (IEE) has been done, which is partial and not enough,” he said. He also alleged that the army had been deployed to the area to intimidate people.

Engineer Muhammad Shahidullah, Prof Anu Mohammad and others are speaking at a programme at Paltan yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Mostafa said the 1,320MW coal-fired Rampal power plant would emit 5,200 metric tonnes of sulfur dioxide per year. The plant will be turned into a 2,640MW power plant in future, he said.

“It will cost Tk2.08bn for Flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) per year while only Tk290m was proposed for the whole maintenance,” he claimed.

“Loading and unloading coal in the Sundarbans is an insane thought,” he added.

Dr. Pinaki Bhattacharya, a teacher of environmental toxicology at the American International University, Bangladesh (AIUB), told the Dhaka Tribune: “It is clear from EIA report of the project that non-professionals were involved in checking the health issues regarding the adverse effects of this project.” l

starting the new academic year on time due to the delays in holding the public examinations.

“If we do not get the results of JSC, JDC and primary terminal examinations, how can we start the admission process for 2014?” said Farhad Hossain, principal of Monipur High School and College.

Many school teachers said they were finding it hard to conduct annual examinations because of frequent hartals.

In the meantime, the Election Commission has also directed schools to complete annual exams by the first week of December, ahead of the next

general elections.

“With the repeated hartals, many of our examinations have been postponed and it will be quite difficult to complete the exams by the first week of December,” said Manju Ara Begum, principal of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College.

Moreover, university students were apprehensive about finishing their semesters or courses on time.

“Our classes are not being held regularly because of hartals, and we fear that we will face a prolonged session jam,” said Aminul Islam, a Dhaka University student. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, November 10, 2013

IMMIGRATION LEGALISATION IN MALAYSIA

Legal status tough for Bangladeshis n Rabiul Islam Bangladesh High Commission officials in Kuala Lumpur said many Bangladeshi migrant workers illegally in Malaysia are unable to get legal status as they do not have police reports which are mandatory for immigration legalisation in the country.

Many migrant labourers earlier failed to obtain their legal status after being cheated by a section of unscrupulous agents and middlemen. Thus, the Malaysian authorities offered a further chance to those foreign workers to apply for legal status between October 21, 2013 and January 21, 2014.

Malaysia’s migration legislation sets three conditions on applicants, one of which is providing a police report lodged between September 1, 2011 and September 10, 2013.

Officials at the high commission said some Bangladeshi migrant workers took advantage of the opportunity, but many of those who did not have the police report failed to validate their status.

Although there is no accurate data as to how many Bangladeshi migrants were cheated, the high commission es-

Enayetullah Khan’s 8th death anniversary today n Tribune Desk The 8th anniversary of the death of Enayetullah Khan, founding editor of the daily New Age and editor-in-chief of the weekly Holiday, will be observed today, reports UNB. He founded the daily New Age as its editor and publisher in June 2003. He was also the editor of the Bangladesh Times between 1975 and 1977. He was awarded the Ekushey Padak for excellence in journalism.

He served as minister of the government of Bangladesh (1977-1978) and as an ambassador to China, North Korea, Cambodia and Myanmar (1984-1989).

He was also an organiser of the Civil Liberties and Legal Aid Committee (1974) that defended the political victims of the Rakkhi Bahini; and Famine Resistance Committeee (1974); the Farakka March Committee led by Moulana Bhasani (1976); and the Committee Against Communalism (1981).

He was also a member of a committee that probed the killings of intellectuals during the 1971 Liberation War and submitted a report to the post-independence government.

Born on May 25, 1939 in Mymensingh, Enayetullah Khan was the third son of the late Justice Abdul Jabbar Khan, a former speaker of the Pakistan National Assembly. l

WEATHER

Dry weather likely n UNB Weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country until 6pm today.

Night and day temperature might remain nearly unchanged over the country, Met Office said.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:15pm today and rises at 6:11am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 32.0 degree Celsius was recorded at Bogra and lowest 15.3 degrees at Srimangal yesterday.

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

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

31.0 29.2 30.0 29.0 30.7 30.2 30.9 31.2

18.5 20.3 17.8 18.3 18.2 18.6 17.9 19.5

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:53am 6:09am 11:42am 3:38pm 5:15pm 6:32pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

timates that around 30,000 migrants were victimised.

“We have requested the Malaysian authorities to lift the condition as many of our workers are unable to legalise their status by producing police reports,” Bangladesh labour counsellor to Malaysia Mantu Kumar Biswas told the Dhaka Tribune over the phone yesterday.

Mantu also said, “The Malaysian government has yet to inform us about the matter.”

After being cheated by the middlemen or agents, the migrants out of fear did not complain to police, and so they did not get police reports, he added.

Around 200 new visas for workers were currently under process and would be issued soon, Mantu said, adding that those who joined work in the plantation sector were doing well.

A migrant worker is earning around Tk25,000 a month, he claimed.

He, however, admitted that a few migrant workers had been suffering some problems, including homesickness.

Under the government-to-government arrangement, over 1,000 labourers have gone to Malaysia, costing them each around Tk30,000. l

A handmade bomb is lying abandoned on a roadside in the city’s Judge Court area yesterday. Shibir activists brought out a procession in the Old Town and hurled several bombs at police as they tried to break up the violent crowd MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

‘Dialogue only solution’ Local hartals denounce arrest n of BNP central leaders Manik Miazee and Ashif Islam Shaon

The leaders of different political parties said the failure of the two major parties to hold talks would linger political crisis and trigger more violence, creating a deadlock in the future.

Many of them, who are allies of ruling Awami League, said talks could be held even after arrests of top opposition leaders for resolving the crisis over pollstime government system.

However, a number of politicians outside the ruling or BNP-led opposition alliances thought the latest action of the government would make situation more complicated.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon last night said the arrests were not a barrier if both the ruling and opposition parties were cordial about holding dialogue.

However, the country’s democratic system would face a critical situation if no talk was held to solve the ongoing crisis over deciding the polls-time government system, Menon warned.

ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader, secretary general of Ershad-led Jatiya Party which shares the power with Awami League, said talks could be held under any situation. “But there will be no solution without dialogue. We hope, talks will be held soon.”

Executive President of Gono Forum Advocate Subrata Chowdhury said the whole country was waiting for the dia-

logue and there were signs that something positive was going to happen. In this transitional period, arrest of opposition top leaders would make the whole situation more complex, he added.

“I think this is a suicidal decision for the government,” Subrata opined.

Echoing Subrata, Ganasanghati Andolan Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki said torture and harassment would not generate any solution.

“A party could be in power through torture and arrest, but once the culture is established, it will hamper the state on a permanent basis”, he said.

However, former adviser to a caretaker government Dr Akbar Ali Khan said door of negotiation has already been closed by the arrests. The prospect of holding talks would be hampered badly with this act by the government, Dr Akbar said.

“There prevailed crisis in recent past and also in present. This arrest is a symptom that the clashes will be intensified in future. This is a political war which should be stopped as early as possible,” he said.

Bikalpadhara Bangladesh President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and Liberal Democratic Party led by Oli Ahmed criticised the government’s crackdown on the BNP leaders.

Arresting opposition leaders would put the government’s invitation extended to the opposition to question, they said. They also demanded the immediate release of the opposition leaders. l

Stray incidents reported during shutdowns in some upazials of 5 districts

n Tribune Desk Stray incidents of violence marked the hartals enforced separately by local units of BNP in parts of Pabna, Bhola, Feni, Noakhali and Comilla districts, hometowns of central leaders and party chief’s aides who were arrested on Friday in the capital.

At least 80 vehicles were vandalized and 30 crude bombs were exploded In Pabna and Feni during the hartal hours.

No major violence was reported from Homna and Titas upazilas, MK Anwar’s home constituency in Comilla, says a UNB report.

Hartal in Pabna was called protesting the arrest of Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, special assistant of the BNP chairperson.

At least 30 people were injured in a clash between hartal supporters and police in Abdul Hamid Sarak area in town at noon. Activists of Chhatra Dal brought out separate processions in bus terminal and Muzahid Club areas during the shutdown.

Besides, the hartal supporters vandalised 20 vehicles in different palaces.

Detective Branch (DB) of police

Hefazat shifts November 15 rally in Dhaka, Tariqat programme still on n Manik Miazee Radical Islamist group Hefazat-eIslam has decided to shift its planned November 15 Shapla Chattar rally to November 23, after taking into consideration the observance of Ashura and Tablig Jamaat programmes in the capital on November 15.

Hefazat’s Press Secretary Monir Ahmed made the disclosure to the Dhaka Tribune yesterday, adding that the decision was announced at a programme at Chittagong’s Hathazari on Friday.

However, Bangladesh Tariqat Federation yesterday reiterated its decision to hold a rally at the capital’s Shapla Chattar on November 15.

The party will hold the rally to protest the conspiracy of turning the country into a Taliban state and to resist Jamaat-Shibir, party Chairman Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari announced at a joint programme with the party’s presidium and working committee members.

He said the country was now divided in two factions over democracy – one led by opposition leaders who were sheltering Jamaat and Hefazat, while on the other hand, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led the other team who were working towards a democratic country.

Najibul Bashar Maijbhandari, president of Bangladesh Tariqat Federation, along with other members of the party yesterday at a programme in the city RAJIB DHAR He requested the prime minister to take initiatives to hold the elections under an all-party interim government system formed with the parties that were registered with the Election Commission.

Maizbhandari also blamed JamaatHefazat, saying they were conspiring to make the country like the Talibanruled Afghanistan. He also claimed that if the government failed to resist Jamaat-Hefazat, the Tariqat Federation itself will run a movement against the government.

Earlier on November 2, Hefazat declared holding a rally on November 15 at the Shapla Chattar to press home its 13-point demands, call for the release of its leaders and activists detained over the May 5-6 mayhem, and demand the cancellation of the Qawmi Madrasa Education Authority Bill 2013.

On the following day, the Tariqat Federation declared holding a rally at the same venue on the same day, and sought permission from Dhaka Metropolitan Police in this regard. l

picked up three BNP top leaders-Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah--from the city’s Karwan Bazar area soon after they came out of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel around 8:15pm.

Meanwhile, some Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League activists vandalised and set fire to district BNP office at Dilalpur in the town.

In Bhola, a daylong hartal, called by local unit BNP protesting the arrest of BNP standing committee members Barrister Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Miah, was observed almost peacefully on Friday.

Hartal supporters brought out separate processions in Gazipur Road, Ghuigarhat and Kheyaghat areas in the morning.

As police obstructed them a chase and counter-chase took place between the hartal supporters and police. Prohartal activists vandalised 3/4 autorickshaws at Kheyaghat.

Police arrested two people from the spot in this connection.

In Feni, a daylong hartal in Dagonbhuiyan upazila of the district protesting the arrest of Abdul Awal Mintoo, an

adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, was observed without any major incidence of violence early Saturday.

Pickets put up barricade on the FeniNoakhali Road by placing logs around 8:30 am.Besides, hartal supporters damaged 50 vehicles and exploded 30 crude bombs around 8:30 am.

In Noakhali, a daylong hartal was observed peacefully in Companyganj and Kabirhat upazilas on Saturday protesting the arrest of BNP standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed.

In Comilla, a daylong shutdown, called by local unit BNP, was observed peacefully in Homna and Titas upazilas protesting the detention of MK Anwar.

Aslam Shikdar, officer-in-charge of Homna Police Station, said the prohartal activists put up barricade at an intersection in the upazila headquarters by burning tyres.

When police tried to disperse them, they hurled brick chips targeting police, leaving a constable named Mozaffar Ahmed injured.

Police brought the situation under control by firing 25 rounds of bullet and lobbying 10 teargas shells. l

Separate pay scale for government banks unlikely n Asif Showkat kallol Faced with strong opposition from bankers, the government is unlikely to implement a separate pay scale for the Bangladesh Bank and the state-owned commercial banks (SOCBs) and financial institutions at the end of its tenure.

A few days ago the committee of secretaries placed recommendations before the finance minister about a separate pay structure for the government bankers.

The committee recommended a Tk2,000 hike, introducing income tax and cancellation of bonuses. It also proposed 11 pay grades instead of the existing 19.

A government official said the gap the between reality and what the staffs of the central bank and the other SOCBs had been demanding came to the forefront after the committee placed it recommendations.

Dr Aslam Alam, secretary of the Bank and Financial Institution Division of the finance ministry, told the Dhaka Tribune that implementing the proposed pay structure would not be easy because some problems had to be resolved first.

One of these problems is that at present the employees of the Bangladesh Bank get their salaries in line with the national pay scale. The central bank would have to come out of the national scale for being brought under the separate pay scale.

The government bankers have also opposed the fact that they would have to pay income taxes from their own incomes under the proposed separate pay scale. According to existing arrangements, the employees of the government banks do not need to pay income tax.

However, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said last week that the government would simultaneously implement the national pay scale for government employees and the separate structure for the government banks within November 15.

Initially, state-owned Sonali, Agrani and Janata were supposed to be brought under the new pay structure as corporate banks.

Now Rupali Bank, which is a stateowned commercial bank and also a public limited company, has been added to the list. At present it is under the finance ministry and most of its board members are appointed by the finance division of the ministry.

Although the committee recommended a Tk2,000 hike in the basic pay for all the employees of the central bank and the SOCBs, the finance minister had hinted in the past that they would get a much bigger raise.

At present, the four government commercial banks have 90,000 employees, while the central bank employs about 6,000. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

5

Sunday, November 10, 2013

In search of national unity unconditional authority in their smaller jurisdictions).

Incidentally this is also why any person holding such a quasi-monarchical role feels extremely disinclined to believe in the concept of stepping down from power, in the wake of so trivial a matter as a general election!

That is why it is so vitally important to break the dynamic of this slide into authoritarian government. We cannot any longer afford the luxury of business as usual. In the face of a developing political crisis, allied to a potential breakdown in healthy governance, we must as a nation first recognise that we are well and truly facing a potential “emergency.”

welfare of the people in mind and not for narrow political advantage. Only if they see that these decisions are being made with the general interest in mind will the people who may be aggrieved by such decisions accept them.

In short it is being proposed that for a period of 10 years or so the normal political process of jockeying for special-interest advantage be suspended.

Instead, the National Government will be tasked with bringing about a single united effort to tackle the really severe planning and execution problems that are currently looming, and to do so with the urgency, dedication and honesty required to deal with a “national emergency.”

The paradigm shift

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

T

n Salahdin Imam here are times in the life of a nation when it faces an abyss, a situation of such grave danger that its very existence as a viable entity is at stake. At such times the collective consciousness of the whole polity is forced to realise that a supreme effort is required. For example, when wars break out, the government and people of a country are obliged to declare a state of emergency in order to harness all their energies to cope with the severe stresses brought about by international conflict.

blameless is the general public which has put its faith in each succeeding government and has been betrayed each time.

The tragedy is that this looming disaster is such a contrast to the bright future that could be ours, building on what has already been achieved in many fields of activity. If we are today not totally ruined it is only because of the heroic efforts of ordinary people in all spheres of life. The rural agricultural sector continues to function as the engine of the economy because of the dogged and determined work put in by farmers, growers and the associated service sector.

The major problem is systemic not personal – any politician who achieves power under this system will behave in exactly the same way, as we have seen in our recent history

All that we really need of government is that it play a facilitating role, but this is precisely what is lacking, whether in basic infrastructure or in the structures of society

Allied to such a declaration of emergency, the usual response at the political level is to create a National Government. This was the case during the Second World War when the UK created a national cabinet in which the two major parties, Conservatives and Labour, served equally. The point to note is that these two political parties, which were otherwise bitterly opposed in peacetime, felt that it was necessary to work together in the face of the greater external danger represented by Nazi Germany.

Regrettably Bangladesh now seems to be facing just such an existential crisis. Last year’s looting with impunity of the nationalised banking sector, far from being “no big deal” as our Finance Minister would have it, actually represents a breakdown of core principles on such a scale that the entire banking industry has been shaken to its roots.

This was of course only the latest of a series of other developments which have left us with major institutions, such as the stock exchange, the universities, the police services, the civil administration, the parliament, the justice system, the Election Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission, which have been hollowed out and generally not fit for purpose any more.

Despite misgivings There is no point ascribing blame for this huge failure as it is shared by all.

We can see that this is the culmination of a historical process of over 50 years of systematic erosion of the structures of good governance. All the political parties, and the military when it ruled, have contributed to this downhill slide and, as with all downhill slides, the worsening momentum has increased as time has gone on. As a result we are now on the very brink, about to go over the edge. The only entity which is

The massive NGO operation has touched every inch of the country, except perhaps the urban centres, in helping to alleviate the stresses of the weaker sections of the populace.

The entrepreneurs of the country have achieved miracles of organised corporate growth both in the export as well as domestic industrial and service sectors, though not without some severe distortions when it comes to the exploitation of the pricing of consumer commodities.

We need hardly fail to commend the expatriate Bangladeshis whose backbreaking work in foreign countries enables them to send the remittances on which our Balance of Payments depends so heavily.

And all this has been attained, as the catchphrase has it, not “because of government but despite it!” All that we really need of government is that it play a facilitating role, but this is precisely what is lacking, whether in basic infrastructure (power, transportation, health services) or in the structures of society (law and order, corruption, justice).

What’s really going wrong?

However, it is not the case that the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) is incompetent – running a country as complex and varied as Bangladesh is a constant challenge and the civil administration’s ability to pull this off day in day out without severe breakdowns is in itself an achievement of sorts, for which we should be appreciative.

The problem lies in the lack of planning – to foresee future situations and devise solutions in a pro-active manner while taking an integrated view of the whole system. This failure of governance is not the responsibility of the civil administration alone. Rather the blame for it can be laid squarely on the political administration of the country.

It is the political administration that should be on the high ground, determining and directing the overall strategy of the country’s development. It should be the driving force which aims to satisfy its constituents – the voting public as a whole – by providing it with the peaceful and orderly environment within which to achieve general and particular prosperity.

Instead we have the spectacle of the political administration not only doing nothing to solve the problems of basic infrastructure but also undermining the underpinnings of a healthy society by actually fostering evils such as corruption and biased policing. Not only is the planning function of government totally neglected by our political masters but even the ordinary administration of the country is also hampered by unwarranted interference.

We see that this is the crux of the issue. The root cause of Bangladesh’s problem is our dysfunctional political system. From which it follows that any solution must address the political dimension first and foremost!

The major problem is systemic not personal – any politician who achieves power under this system will behave in exactly the same way, as we have seen in our recent history. Unlike the political systems in force in most other countries, the main structural distortion in Bangladesh is that all power is concentrated in a single House, the Jatiyo Sangsad.

There is no other countervailing source of power, such as an Upper House, to monitor or check the activities of the Lower House. Whichever political party wins power in the Jatiyo Sangsad acquires a free hand to do whatever it likes during its term in office.

What then is the correct response to such a severe crisis? It would seem that, as in many historical occasions in the world, the best response is to set up a National Government. Firstly, this would obviate the need for a military takeover, which is not considered a desirable outcome in modern times.

Secondly, and more important, it would provide a forum within which the energies of the nation as a whole could be merged into an united effort to eliminate the distortions of recent times and to take a positive approach to the revitalisation of the economy and the structures of good governance.

In effect the currently warring political parties of Bangladesh would be required to set aside their differences for a while and instead take up a joint position in which they share objectives, namely those of the development of the country in peace and harmony.

The primary function of political parties in a healthy system is to mediate socio-economic conflicts in such a way that they do not get out of hand and bring down the polity as a whole.

In Bangladesh however this function is totally neglected.

“On the contrary the political parties seem to be themselves the source of conflict!” And not just any conflict but one in which each major party aims to physically and conceptually destroy the other.

It seems as if the two main parties do not consider each other to be legitimate organisations, and so cannot abide power passing to one or the other. This can only happen when two such parties do not share any common positions whatsoever.

If such extreme polarisation continues and the political parties are seen to be not the means to finding solutions but to be themselves the problem, the general public will surely conclude that we do not need a political class at all!

This is especially the case when all that the political parties seem to be good for is to enrich themselves and their cronies by manipulating the power of the state to serve their private interests, instead of those of the general public.

This could be considered another important reason to set up a National Government. Namely to reverse the polarisation and instead to force the political parties to find some common ground while submerging all their differences for a temporary period of, say, 10 years.

The need of the hour is for the parties to unite around some core

It is to be hoped that the collective wisdom of the people will respond to the need for a fresh approach to save Bangladesh from what may otherwise prove to be an irreversible spiral into disaster

As a direct result of this monopoly of power the prime minister of Bangladesh (whoever it may be) cannot help but act, in practice, like an elected dictator, and this, in turn, inevitably morphs into a monarchical system, and not just any monarch, but an absolute monarch.

In fact this system is even worse and more prone to tyranny and oppression because, having been elected, the PM has an aura of additional legitimacy which was denied to the Kings and Queens of the past!

A monarchical system, in theory, is one in which a single person, or family, claims “ownership” of the entire resources of a country and all its ceremonial trappings as well as demanding the unconditional obedience of all its people, (and it spawns many courtier-types who claim to exercise similar

principles, those that promote the national interest. The objective behind these core principles can be expressed simply: to enable all the forces in society to pull together in such a way as to bring about the economic development of the nation as a whole.

Whether in the construction of major infrastructure projects or in bringing about economic and social discipline the political parties must, for some moderately long period of time, understand that their sole role is to deliver an enabling framework within which the energies of the common man and woman can be applied productively.

When matters of genuine choice emerge, such as the decision of whether to go for open-pit coal mining or not, the National Government must address the issues with the greatest

It seems as if the two main parties do not consider each other to be legitimate organisations, and so cannot abide power passing to one or the other

Just as, for example, this happened in the UK during the Second World War, the political parties of Bangladesh must today be big enough to drop their sectarian attitudes and instead find ways to work together towards a common goal, namely, that of generating economic and social renewal on the one hand while taking all measures to avert a general breakdown in financial and administrative discipline on the other.

Focus on the future This period of political hiatus must be used to create a platform, a shared base, on which to build a powerful future for the nation. And the prospects are truly glittering. Given a decent system of good governance the people of Bangladesh could achieve miracles of development and mutual prosperity.

All observers are united in sensing the enormous potential that lies waiting to be unleashed in this country.

And at some point, which will also become naturally evident, the normal political process could be resumed.

To continue the example mentioned above, the Second World War had not even formally ended when the UK’s National Government was dispensed with. As everyone knows, the spectacular outcome was that the Conservative leader of the victorious war effort (Churchill) was voted out of office and a Labour Prime Minister (Attlee) took over!

So in Bangladesh too, when the time comes, the political parties will certainly regain their respective roles of governance and opposition; but this time hopefully with greater respect and tolerance for each other and for constitutional principles, due to their having had the experience of working together over a decade or so.

This article is not addressing the issue of how we actually get to a National Government but only why it is badly needed. Nor are the details being discussed of how such a government will itself have to be regulated so that it is subject to checks and balances and does not have a completely free hand.

It is to be hoped that the collective wisdom of the people will respond to the need for a fresh approach to save Bangladesh from what may otherwise prove to be an irreversible spiral into disaster. Interestingly, the current Honorable prime minister’s thinking in proposing an all-party interim government would seem to be broadly aligned with this kind of an approach, in which the national perspective is raised above narrow political interests and bickering.

It is the writer’s honest belief that there is enough latent good will among all sections of society to ensure that the whole political class will voluntarily agree that there is no alternative but to accept some sacrifice of its current unlimited one-sided power, in the interests of the nation as a whole.

This article is written in a spirit of dispassionate analysis without any desire to blame any particular grouping but only to promote the national welfare. If there has been any failure it has been a collective failure and we must all pull together to redeem it. l Salahdin Imam is a Harvard-educated political scientist.

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Bangladesh Bank honours 150 Rana Plaza volunteers n BSS The Bangladesh Bank yesterday accorded reception to 150 volunteers who helped rescue the victims of Rana Plaza building collapse in Savar on April 24 this year.

The central bank organised the reception at its training academy in Mirpur where the volunteers were rewarded with honorary certificates and a check of Tk5,000 each.

Addressing the programme, BB Governor Dr Atiur Rahman urged the banks and financial institutions to offer jobs to the unemployed volunteers.

The governor said the volunteers deserved proper reward as they had set an example of humanity by participating in the rescue operation at Rana Plaza.

General Officer Commanding of Bangladesh Army’s Ninth Infantry Division Major General Chowdhury Hasan Suhrawardy, Bir Bikram, attended the programme as special guest. The rescue operation at Rana Plaza was carried out under his supervision.

Praising the volunteers, he said the people, who rushed to Rana Plaza to participate in the rescue operations, included students, day labourers, rickshaw-pullers and vegetable vendors, adding that the volunteers and the family members of the Rana Plaza victims should be given more social and financial supports. l

BCL men beat up a Shibir activist at RU n RU Correspondent

Hartal pickets vandalise a car in Sylhet city’s Amborkhana area after a Swechchhasebak Dal procession yesterday

BANGLAR CHOKH

Long tailback on Dhaka-Ctg highway

Teenage boy shot dead by robbers

Police blame blockades by the 18-party activists at several points

n UNB

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

A teenage boy was shot dead by armed robbers at Madanganj in Narayanganj early yesterday. The deceased was identified as Jamal, 15.

Akhtar Hossain, officer-in-charge of Bandar Police Station, said a gang of robbers went to the area by a boat for committing robbery around 4am. Sensing presence of the robbers, local people chased them, he added.

At one stage, the robbers opened fire on the local people, leaving Jamal dead on the spot and injuring five others, and fled the scene, the OC said. Later, police recovered the body and sent it to a local hospital morgue for autopsy. l

The 18-party alliance activists put blockade on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong at several phases, causing long tailback on both sides of the highway since early hours yesterday.

Due to the tailback, the commuters of different routes to and from the city suffered much, said police and local sources.

Protesting the arrest of five BNP leaders on Friday night in Dhaka, the opposition activists went on rampage on the highway at 15-20 points in Sitakunda from 10pm on Friday, leaving vehicular movement suspended on the highway.

Police and protesters locked into clashes at sadar upazila, Kumira, Sultana Mondir, Kadamrasul, Bara Awlia, Fakirhat, Bypass, Barabkunda and some other places while the protesters were on rampage.

Protesting the arrest of five BNP leaders on Friday night in Dhaka, the opposition activists went on rampage on the highway at 15-20 points in Sitakunda from 10pm on Friday The protesters set fire on seven vehicles on the highway and vandalised more than a hundred, locals said.

Sub-Inspector Shah Alam of Sitakunda police station told the Dhaka Tribune that police had brought the situation under control, while two policemen were injured in the clashes.

Because of the incident, a long tailback occurred on about 30kms of the highway, said Syed Zakir Hossain, officerin-charge of Baro Awlia police outpost.

Abdul Latif, a commuter, said he started his journey from Feni to the port city with his private car around 5pm on Friday and he arrived at the city yesterday around 11am.

Sazzad Hossain, a job-seeker, coming from Dhaka to the port city, said he got on the bus around 9:30pm on Friday and he managed to come in the city

yesterday afternoon. He had to change vehicles for several times as many vehicles changed their directions to avert the tailback, he added.

Meanwhile, some inter-district buses postponed all their schedules for yesterday due to the tailback and rampage on the highway.

Mohammad Milon, counter incharge of Sohag inter-district Bus service in the city’s Dampara counter, told the Dhaka Tribune that a total of 30 buses were trapped on the highway due to the tailback so they were compelled to put off their yesterday’s schedule.

OC SM Badiujjaman of Sitakunda police station said the highway was made clear around 5pm yesterday. l

SBMCH Forensic Department facing acute manpower crisis n Our Correspondent, Barisal

Rafiur Rabbi, convener of Santrash Nirmul Twoki Mancha, speaks at a programme at the National Press Club yesterday

Responsive media role needed to control child marriage n Tribune Desk Speakers at a workshop in Rajshahi yesterday said more responsive role of mass-media, including community radio, had become an urgent need to control child marriage as it lead to various violence and repression against women.

Terming the child marriage a gross violation of human rights they said there was no alternative to checking it substantially.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication, in association with Centre for Communication and Development (CCD) and Association for Community Development (ACD), organised the workshop titled Role of Media Practitioners to Stopping Child Marriage at a city hotel, reports BSS. Despite multifarious interventions by the government and non-government organisations concerned, the child marriage was taking place frequently, and the mass-media should come forward positively, they added.

They viewed the country’s mass media, both print and electronics, has been playing a vital role towards mitigating regional and national level problems through objective reporting. So, why not the issue of child marriage and its consequences would be brought under media coverage adequately for its permanent solution, they posed questions.

Pro Vice-Chancellor of Rajshahi University Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan addressed the inaugural session as the chief guest with CCD Chief Executive Golam Mourtoza in the chair.

The speakers also said early marriage and early pregnancy in particular had been posing a serious threat to the family planning activities, especially in the rural areas. They also stated that utmost importance should be given to address the menace of child or early marriage. Otherwise, the family planning activities would go in vain and violence against women could not be reduced to a greater extent, they observed. l

RAJIB DHAR

The Forensic Department of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital in Barisal has been facing an acute manpower crisis- in last four years autopsies on a total of 1,157 bodies and medical examinations of 966 female assault victims have been done by a single expert at the hospital.

At present, six out of eight posts in the department are vacant. The vacant posts are for the head of the department, two associate professors, one lecturer, one male and one female medical officer. The authorities concerned acknowledged that the staff shortage is hampering the institution’s ability to provide educational activities, accurate medical tests of female victims and autopsies.

Only one person, Dr Akhtaruzzaman Talukdar, assistant professor and acting head of forensic medicine, has been running both the academic and postmortem sectors, as well as the forensic examinations at the SBMCH. Although one part-time lecturer or medical officer works there occasion-

ally, the majority of time Dr Akhtaruzzaman performs all the duties alone.

Sources said 278 autopsies were preformed from January to November 4 of this year at the SBMCH, while in 2012 there were 312, 300 in 2011 and 267 in 2010.

There were 206 forensic and medical tests performed on female victims at SBMCH up until November 4, 2013, while in 2012 there were 307, in 2011 there were 235, and in 2010 there were 218, Dr. Akhtaruzzaman, acting head of the forensic section of SBMC said.

Dr Akhtaruzzaman, who joined the forensic department on November 2, said he had been physically sick since May 23, 2011 and was deprived of due promotion for his service.

“I am now performing eight duties, including teaching the students, autopsies of the dead bodies and examining the female victims of oppression,” he said.

Dr Ferdous Alam Shibir, director of the hospital, and Dr Shahidul Alam, principal of the college, acknowledged the facts and said the higher authorities were informed about the situation. l

Leaders and activists of the Rajshahi University (RU) unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling Awami League, yesterday beat up an activist of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-eIslami, and handed him over to police.

The Shibir activist, Matiur Rahman, a fourth year student of the History Department, was a resident of the university’s Syeed Amir Ali hall.

Witnesses said around 12pm, a group of BCL leaders and activists, led by its RU unit organizing secretary Faisal Ahmed Runu and former joint secretary Sudipto Salam, apprehended Matiur while he was passing by the Tukitaki Chattar of the campus, suspecting him of being a Shibir activist.

Later, the BCL men handed him over to the law enforcers after beating him in front of the police.

RU unit BCL President Mizanur Rahman Rana said the BCL handed Motiur over to the police as he had been working as an informer for Shibir.

Motihar police station Officer-inCharge Abdul Mozid told the Dhaka Tribune that Matiur was under police custody and the next step would be taken after the completion of the primary investigation. l

Korean speech contest held in city n Tribune Desk Korean Speech Contest and Korean Cultural Festival organised by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) was held at the Bangladesh National Museum auditorium and the premises of Central Public Library respectively yesterday.

Korean Speech Contest, mainly conducted by Koica volunteers aims to promote Korean Language competency and strengthening the friendly cooperative relationship between Korea and Bangladesh, reports UNB. Korean Ambassador in Dhaka Lee Yun-young and DU VC Prof Arefin Siddique attended the programme, among others. During the contest, there were 10 teams of contestants out of which three of the teams presented their performances such as dancing, choirs and Korean martial art ‘Taekwondo’.

The programme was wrapped up by the ceremony of awarding prizes for the winners of the contest as well as for the Photo Contest winners to commemorate the 20th anniversary of dispatching Koica volunteers to Bangladesh. l

Three of a family killed in Comilla road accident n UNB, Comilla At least five people including three of a family were killed and 10 others injured in a road accident near Tipra bazar in Cantonment area yesterday.

The dead were Roksana, her sister Farzana and Farzana’s husband Arif Hossain of Gandra village of Muradnagar upazila, Nazrul of Rangpur and an unidentified woman.

Maynamati Highway police station Officer-in-Charge Mashiur Rahman said a Chittagong-bound covered van from Dhaka hit a CNG-run auto-rickshaw, a motorbike and a number of rickshaws and finally overturned when its driver lost control leaving five people dead on the spot around 5:30pm.

Police recovered the bodies and removed the covered van. The injured were admitted to different hospitals. l

Malnutrition stunts the growth of most children in Bangladesh: Unicef n Tazlina Zamila Khan Bangladesh is the one of the countries hit hardest by malnutrition, leaving the majority of children with stunted growth, confirmed Md Mohsin Ali, a nutrition specialist with Unicef.

He said: “Undernutrition is a major problem in kids from both poor and wealthy families. Around 25% of kids from wealthy families and 50% of children from poor families suffer from this.”

The observations were made at a knowledge-sharing workshop, titled Connecting Media with Child Nutrition and IYCF, held at the capital’s Ruposi Bangla hotel yesterday.

The programme was organised by the Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) in partnership with Alive & Thrive and fhi360.

Dr KaosarAfsana, director of health at the nutrition and population pro-

gramme at Brac, said: “In Bangladesh, around 2.3million children remain underdeveloped due to malnutrition.

“Complementary feeding alongside breastfeeding after the first six months of a child’s birth is very important for reducing the stunting rates,” she said.

Dr SM Mustafizur Rahman, director general of health services at the ministry of health and family welfare, said: “Food security does not ensure the nutrition security of a child as we have a bad habit of eating junk food.”

Maternal nutrition is also important for ensuring the good nutrition status of an infant as well as safeguarding women’s health, he said.

Speakers said, although the media is an effective communication tool to reach policymakers, there is a lack of coverage on child nutrition in the media. People do not have any access to information on Infant and Young Chil-

dren Feeding (IYCF), and child nutrition so a huge number of people do not understand the issue, they said.

Belal Uddin, technical specialist (advocacy) at Alive and Thrive, said: “IYCF has been a major contributing sector in the country to increase children’s nutrition.

“It means to empower mothers to initiate breastfeeding within an hour of birth, breastfeed exclusively for the first six months and continue breastfeeding for two years or more, together with nutritionally adequate, safe, age-appropriate, responsive complementary feeding starting at six months.”

He said: “IYCF is not a priority issue in the newsrooms across the country.It is only covered when an event related to the issue takes place. The media should come forward and put an emphasis on the issue to create a better impact on the society.”

Meanwhile, Farid Hossain, former bureau chief of Associated Press in Bangladesh, said: “A major portion of the media lacks the courage to break the conventional methods of news treatment and give nutrition related news maximum coverage.”

Back in 2010, MRDI started training programmes with 25 journalists to provide them with tips and tools to develop in-depth reports on IYCF, child nutrition and encourage broader media coverage on the issue.

Later, these journalists were invited to participate in a three-month fellowship programme, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Among others, Moniruzzaman Uzzal, special correspondent at the Dhaka Tribune, Hasibur Rahman, executive director of MRDI, Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, editor-in-chief and CEO of Boishaki TV, Andy Rigsby of GMMB, spoke at the programme. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

7

Sunday, November 10, 2013

26,600 feet of illegal gas lines found in Narsingdi zone Mills, factories, households involved in the illegal practice Local residents accused dishonest n Our Correspondent, Narsingdi billing supervisors, billing readers, acMany of the small and medium-sized mills, factories and household s in Narsingdi’s Madhabdi and Palash areas and also in Araihazar upazila in Narayanganj are allegedly using illegal gas lines with the help of corrupt officials at the state-owned Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company and contractors in the districts.

Earlier last week, Sheikh Abu Raihan, deputy general manager (DGM) of Titas Gas in Narsingdi, admitted that a section of corrupt Titas Gas officials and contractors were benefitting from the illegal trade, while the government was losing a huge amount of money every month.

The comments came after local residents from Madhabdi, Palash and Araihazar submitted a written complaint to the Titas Gas DGM, alleging that a number of mills, factories and households are using illegal gas lines.

On November 4, a meeting was held at the conference room of Narsingdi Deputy Commissioner Obaidul Azam’s office to discuss the necessary actions required to tackle the illegal practice.

District-level officers, union parishad chairmen, police officials, the upazila nirbahi officer and journalists were also present at the event.

At the meeting, Titas Gas DGM Raihan said 16 illegal gas supply lines, stretching a total 26,600 feet, had been identified in the area, while the illegal lines connected different households, mills and factories that had been active in the illegal practice for a long time.

counts officers, linemen and contractors of being involved in the supply of illegal gas lines.

The linemen, billing readers and supervisors allegedly visited the illegal gas users at the beginning of each month to collect huge amounts of money.

Some mills and factory owners were also reportedly tampering with the gas meters, exploiting the two types of switches, red and green, used by every duplicate line user.

The use of the green switch meant the used gas units would be counted by the meter, while turning on the red switch caused the gas supply to bypass the meter and go directly to the factory.

These unscrupulous methods are causing the government to lose a massive amount of money every month, while corrupt officials make significant financial gains.

Deputy Commissioner Obaidul Azam said a mobile court magistrate would carry out drives in the areas, disconnect illegal gas lines, and take necessary actions against illegal gas line users.

Titas Gas DGM Raihan said the drive targeting illegal users will be carried out soon, while an investigation team will also be formed to identify the people who were involved in the supply of illegal gas lines.

Actions had not been taken against the perpetrators yet as most of the illegal users were ruling party-backed men, the DGM also admitted. l

Farmer killed by dacoits n Our Correspondent, Meherpur

A farmer was killed yesterday in a bomb attack carried out by a group of dacoits in Hijuli village, Meherpur sadar upazila.

A local man, Tikka Mian, 35, son of Noor Mohammad, died in the attack while another local man named Hasmatullah, was injured. Around 12 armed dacoits broke into expatriate Ruhul Amin’s house in the village around 2am, according to police and villagers.

Keeping the family members hostage at gunpoint, they looted cash and

valuables from the house. After hearing the screams of the family members, villagers came to their rescue.

As the villagers approached the house, the robbers fled with the stolen goods and hurled two bombs at the villagers, severely injuring Tikka Mian and Hasmatullah.

Both the injured parties were admitted to Meherpur General Hospital where Tikka died around 3am.

Hasmatullah was later shifted to Rajshahi Medical Collage Hospital as his condition deteriorated. l

A scene from a boat race held in the River Rupsha in Khulna yesterday

Youth jailed for fraudulence n UNB A mobile court in Jessore on Friday sentenced a young man to seven days’ jail for selling fake question papers for the primary school teachers’ recruitment test.

The convict was Sohel Rana, son of Enamul Haque of Ramkrishnapur village the Chowgachha upazila of the district.

Executive Magistrate Abdus Salam said police detained Rana from in front of MM College in the district town around 9:30am.

He was in possession of a large number of fake question papers for the examination to recruit primary school teachers.

Rana sold each copy of the question paper for Tk30,000.

Later, the magistrate handed down the verdict against him. l

RAKUB ensures farmer-friendly banking services n Tribune Desk Management of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) has asked its zonal managers to speed up the activities of deposit mobilisation along with loan disbursement and recovery for bolstering the bank’s economic foundation.

They made the call while addressing a daylong performance evaluation meeting of all 18 zones of the bank held at its training institute in Rajshahi on Friday, reports BSS. They also urged them to expedite the farmer-level lending activities for boosting agricultural production to meet up the national food demand.

The speakers laid stress on bringing all the existing potential sectors and sub-sectors of agriculture and its pro-

Massive wheat cultivation n BSS, Panchagarh

A ferry with vehicles and passengers got stranded yesterday in the middle of the river on Barisal-Pirojpur route

FOCUS BANGLA

FOCUS BANGLA

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has decided to cultivate wheat on 5,000 hectares of land in five upazilas of the district with a production target of 15,000 tonnes.

The farmers of the district were taking preparation to cultivate wheat on their land after harvesting Aman.

Under the programme, the DAE has supplied wheat seeds, fertilisers among farmers free of cost.

Besides, the department has also imparted training to farmers making them acquainted with the modern methods of wheat cultivation.

The farmers expected bumper production of wheat if the climate and weather remained favourable. l

cessing under qualitative and quantitative financing for making the country’s northwest region economically vibrant.

Managing Director of the bank Mofazzal Hossain chaired the session.

We have no way but to boost up agricultural production for food security and to reduce dependence on import Referring to the importance of good planning and efforts, he gave directives to attain cent percent targets of loan disbursement and recovery, particularly classified loans and deposit collection.

“We have no way but to boost up agricultural production for food security

and to reduce dependence on import,” he said.

Credit programmes of the bank must be need- oriented and emphasis should be given on reaching banking services to the doorstep of the farmers, observed the speakers.

For the sake of sustainable livelihood development of the farmers and for bolstering the agro-based economy, the speakers called for ensuring accountable, transparent and farmer-friendly banking services as a whole.

General Manager (Audit, Accounts and Recovery) Mejbah Uddin Ahmed, General Manager (Administration) Nishit Kumar Shaha, and General Manager (Operation) Ekramul Haque spoke on the occasion, among others. l

4 hurt in Chittagong gunfight n Tribune Desk At least four people, including three policemen, were injured in a gunfight between police and unidentified criminals in Ambagan area under Khulshi in Chittagong early Saturday.

The injured policemen were Masum, sub-inspector of Khulshi Police Station, constables Shafiq and Nizam while the other was Sumon, a prime accused in the cop killing case in the city’s Tiger Pass area, UNB reports.

Abdur Rauf, assistant commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Panchlaish Zone said acting on secret information a team of police conducted a drive in the area there around 4:30am where the gang was staying at night.

Sensing the presence of police, the

members of the gang opened fire on them prompting the law enforcers to fire back triggering a gunfight leaving four people injured.

Of the injured, Sumon, who sustained bullet injury to his leg, was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital while the policemen were admitted to Dampara Police Line Hospital.

An LG, four rounds of bullet and a sharp weapon were recovered from the spot.

Constable Quaiyum, a guard of the residence of the deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, Chittagong Range, was stabbed to death and three others were injured in an attack by some unidentified miscreants at Tiger Pass in the port city on Sunday morning. l

NEWS IN BRIEF Robbery in Faridpur A gang of robbers looted valuables worth Tk800,000 from a house in Noapara village, Alfadanga upazila, Faridpur on Friday. House owner Hasmat said around 15 masked robbers broke into his house during the night, kept the residents hostage at gunpoint and looted 11 tolas of gold ornaments, Tk200,000 in cash and five mobile phones. Gulam Kibria, officer-in-charge of Alfadanga police station, said they were not informed of the incident and legal steps would be taken after receiving a complaint. – UNB

Man gets 3 months for child molestation

A mobile court at Boalmari in Faridpur on Friday sentenced a man to three months’ imprisonment for sexually abusing a

young girl. The convict, Ichhardi Munsi, 40, hails from Kersail village in the upazila.

Sources said Ichhardi took the girl into a garden while she was playing in front of a nearby temple and molested her there on Thursday afternoon. Later, the victim’s father lodged a complaint with the upazila administration. Upazila Nirbahi Officer M Shahiduzzaman, also an executive magistrate, handed down the verdict to Isradi after examining the evidence. – UNB

13 shops gutted in Bogra At least 13 shops were gutted by a fire that broke out in a market in Kahalu upazila, Bogra on Friday. Fire service sources said the fire started around 1:30pm after an electric short circuit in one the shops in the market. The fire soon spread to 12 other adjoining shops. After being alerted, a fire-fighting unit from the

district headquarters rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire after an hour of frantic efforts. The shop owners claimed the losses caused by the fire would amount to around Tk5m. – UNB

‘Terrorist’ stabbed to death in Natore An alleged terrorist was stabbed to death and his cohort injured in an attack a rival group in Bamihal Bazar in Singra upazila, Natore yesterday. The deceased was named as Selim,45, a known terrorist.

Quoting witnesses, police said Selim and Afzal had been at loggerheads for some time over establishing supremacy in the area. In an escalation of the feud, supporters of Afzal attacked Selim and Nazimuddin, stabbing them as they were taking tea at the local Bazar around 8am, leaving Selim dead on the spot and Nazimuddin

injured. Nazimuddin was rushed to a local hospital. Police recovered Selim’s body and sent it to the hospital morgue for an autopsy. – UNB

Old man commits suicide An old man allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with a ceiling of his room at Dhopakhola village in Jessore Sadar upazila on Friday night. The deceased was Abul Hossain, 62. Police, quoting victim’s family, said Abul had been suffering from illness since long. He hung himself with the ceiling of his room around7pm to unwariness of the family members. The family members later found his body hanging from the ceiling.

Police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for post mortem. An unnatural death case was filed in this connection. – UNB

An indigenous couple is collecting snail, a very delicious food item for them, from a stream of a hill while they were going back to their home from Jhum cultivation field. Photo has taken from Alutia in Khagrachhari BANGLAR CHOKH

8 India yet to decide whether PM will make Sri Lanka trip n AFP, New Delhi India has yet to decide whether Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will attend a Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka amid mounting pressure on him to boycott the event, a foreign ministry official said Saturday.

The spokesman’s statement came amid widespread Indian media reports that Singh would skip next week’s meeting in Colombo.

Singh is being pressed by Tamil groups in India and three government ministers not to attend the meeting of the 53-nation bloc to protest against the alleged massacre of Tamil civilians in the last days of Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is due to run from November 15 to November 17.

“We have not yet communicated to the host the outcome of our internal decision-making process,” foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told a news conference in New Delhi.

The pressure on Singh to avoid the meeting comes after Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper urged his counterparts in April to follow him in boycotting CHOGM to protest against alleged Sri Lankan human rights abuses.

Indian Tamil political parties as well as the main opposition party, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, have put pressure on Singh not to attend the meeting.l

Army and militants clash in conflictscarred Mali n AFP, Bamako Insurgents launched an attack on the Malian army in the rebel-hit country’s northeast on Friday, military sources said, in renewed fighting ahead of planned peace talks with the government.

The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), ambushed soldiers as they were on patrol at a market near the border with Niger, several military sources based across the country told AFP. Mali’s defence ministry later issued a statement saying that “a patrol of the Malian armed forces was challenged by armed bandits in Egazargane, a locality located 140 kilometres from Menaka.”

It did not identify the assailants, but said that three of them were killed and four injured. One soldier was also injured, the ministry said.

“A vehicle, two motorbikes, armaments, munitions and communication material were seized” from the attackers, it added.

A source in the north told AFP by telephone earlier that “the MNLA death toll was three, and six were taken prisoner and a vehicle was seized.

“On the Malian army side, one soldier was wounded. Right now everything is back to normal,” added the source. l

Bird flu kills 13th person in Cambodia this year n AP, Phnom Penh Cambodian authorities say a 10-yearold boy has become the country’s 13th person to die of bird flu this year.

Cambodia’s Health Ministry and the World Health Organisation said in a joint statement that the boy died from the H5N1 bird flu virus on Saturday after suffering from fever, cough, a sore throat and breathing difficulty.

Cambodia’s 13 bird flu fatalities and 24 confirmed cases are the country’s highest annual total since the virus surfaced in 2003, and also the highest for any country this year for the H5N1 variant.

The H5N1 virus normally spreads between poultry, but can sometimes spread from poultry to humans.

The statement said that about a month before the boy became sick, about 30 chickens died suddenly in his village and that he helped carry them. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

India fears more militants as US quits Afghanistan n AP, Srinagar India is bracing for more militancy in the battle-scarred region of Kashmir, believing that fighters now focused on resisting US-led troops in Afghanistan will shift toward the Himalayan flashpoint with Pakistan. Some say increased violence recently along India’s heavily militarised border with Pakistan proves that shift is already underway.

As a result, India is increasing use of drones, thermal sensors and foot patrols as it tries to catch out any battle-hardened militants moving through the forested mountains near the frontier. At the same time, Indian troops have increasingly been engaging in skirmishes with Pakistan’s military.

Rebels “are testing us. They’re making their presence felt by launching audacious attacks,” an Indian army commander in Kashmir said on condition of anonymity, in line with army policy.

“They have started recruiting young people into their folds. They are training some of these boys locally.”

US officials and experts acknowledge there are valid concerns, though the US government has not discussed such a risk publicly. The chief of its forces in the Pacific says the US is increasingly discussing terrorist movements with countries in the region.

India has long accused Pakistan of arming and training militants who

fight in Kashmir, a charge Pakistan vehemently denies. Pakistan has consistently said it gives the rebels only moral and diplomatic support.

The two countries regularly blame each other for starting skirmishes, but they agree the violence has escalated to its highest level — killing dozens of troops and civilians on both sides — since a 2003 cease-fire agreement. In August, the countries’ troops engaged in fierce fighting almost daily after India said 20 militants along with Pakistani soldiers crossed the border and killed five Indian soldiers. Pakistan denied that, saying instead that Indian shelling killed two of its civilians.

Some Pakistani analysts believe the country’s army leaders have little interest in rocking the boat now, raising the worrying possibility that the recent violence was sparked by militants who have gone rogue or are operating in cooperation with lower-level officials sympathetic to their cause.

The nuclear-armed countries’ contentious border — including a 740-kilometre disputed and heavily militarised stretch called the Line of Control — has long drawn fire from both sides as each claims the entire territory of Kashmir as its own. Two wars have been fought over those claims. Vast areas pockmarked by watch towers and razor wire keep villagers from travelling freely. l

US firm claims first 3D-printed metal gun n AFP, Los Angeles A Californian engineering company says it has produced the first metal gun made on a 3D printer, releasing a video showing the firearm scoring repeated bullseyes in successful tests.

But Solid Concepts, which describes itself as a world leader of 3D printing services, said making the classic 1911 shotgun did not come cheap, requiring a lot more than a souped-up desktop printer.

“It functions beautifully,” it said of the gun, in a blog accompanying the video clips. “Our resident gun expert has fired 50 successful rounds and hit a few bull’s eyes at over 118 metres.

The gun comprises more than 30 3D-printed components, including stainless steel and other metal parts.

“The whole concept of using a laser sintering process to 3D print a metal gun revolves around proving the reliability, accuracy and usability of 3D metal printing,” said Solid Concepts’ vice president Kent Firestone.

“We’re working to change people’s perspective,” he added from the company’s base in Valencia, 48 kilometres northwest of Los Angeles.

The 3D printer they use does not come cheap. “This isn’t about desktop printers... the industrial printer we used costs more than my college tuition — and I went to a

private university,” said Firestone.

“And the engineers who run our machines are top of the line; they are experts who know what they’re doing and understand 3D printing better than anyone in this business.”

The use of 3D printing technology to manufacture weapons is not new. But making them out of metal is.

Earlier this year computer files allowing someone to make a single-shot Liberator gun were downloaded more than 100,000 times from Defense Distributed, an open-source website dedicated to 3D printable gun components.

The State Department, which oversees US weapons exports, ordered the blueprints to be taken off the Internet in May — but by that point, users had already reposted them widely on various file-sharing sites.

But Solid Concepts said its system is legal, claiming that they are the only 3D printing service provider with a Federal Firearms License.

“Now, if a qualifying customer needs a unique gun part in five days, we can deliver,” the company said said.

“We have the right materials, and the right engineers who know how to best program and maintain these machines, to make 3D printing accurate, powerful and here to stay.” l

Toronto mayor pressured to quit after video rant n AFP, Toronto

A burqa-clad Afghan resident begs on the street as she holds a child in Kabul

Reform advocates are looking to China’s leaders to launch a new era of change by giving entrepreneurs a bigger role in the state-dominated economy and farmers more control over land at a

AFP

Iran nuclear talks stretch into third day as hopes of deal rise n AFP, Geneva Talks between Iran and world powers stretched into a third day on Saturday as top diplomats pressed for a deal on Tehran’s nuclear programme, warning that major obstacles remain.

After cutting short a Middle East tour to attend the talks, US Secretary of State John Kerry struck a note of caution as he joined his British, French and German counterparts who converged on Geneva on Friday.

Hopes were rising for a deal, especially as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was expected to arrive in Geneva on Saturday.

Lavrov’s arrival would bring together the foreign ministers of all but one of the six world powers that have been negotiating for a decade with Iran over its nuclear programme.

Kerry, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU chief diplomat Catherine Ashton, who has represented world powers at the talks, held a long meeting late into the night on Friday.

It broke up around 11:30pm local time (1030 GMT), with Kerry saying afterward only that it had involved “a lot of work.”

THE OTHER KIND: THERAPY CAN COME IN DIFFERENT FORMS

“Over the course of the evening, we continued to make progress as we worked to narrow the gaps. There is more work to do. The meetings will resume tomorrow morning,” a senior State Department official said.

If some sort of agreement is reached, it would be a breakthrough after a decade of negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group comprising the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.

The hoped-for agreement — seen as a first step ahead of further talks on a final deal — could see Tehran freeze its nuclear efforts for as long as six months in exchange for some relief from the sanctions that have battered its economy.

Reports say the proposed deal could see Tehran stop enriching uranium to 20%, which is just a few technical steps from weapons grade, reduce existing stockpiles and agree not to activate its plutonium reactor at Arak.

Global powers would in exchange take limited and “reversible” measures to ease sanctions, such as unfreezing some Iranian funds in foreign accounts. l

The deadliest known outbreak of a measles-like virus in bottlenose dolphins has killed a record number of the animals along the US Atlantic coast since July, officials said Friday.

A total of 753 bottlenose dolphins have washed up from New York to Florida from July 1 until November 3, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. That is more than 10 times the number of dolphins that would typically turn up dead along East Coast beaches, said Teri Rowles, program coordinator of the NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program. The death toll is also higher than the more than 740 strandings in the last major Atlantic morbillivirus outbreak in 1987-1988, and have come in a much shorter time period, leading officials to anticipate this event could get much worse.

Patient Isabelle Stadella hughs Joca, a therapeutically trained dog, during a therapy session at Hospital Infantil Sabara in Sao Paulo October 18, 2013. A therapy dog is a dog trained to provide affection and comfort to patients in hospitals REUTERS

policymaking conference that opened Saturday. The Communist Party has yet to give details of the four-day meeting’s agenda. But the official Xinhua News Agency, which reported the closed-door gathering had begun, said it would consider “major issues concerning compre-

hensively deepening reforms.”

Chinese leaders are under pressure to overhaul a model based on trade and investment that has run out of steam after delivering three decades of rapid growth. Advisers including the World Bank say they need to give entrepre-

neurs who create China’s new jobs and wealth a bigger role in an economy controlled by inefficient state companies.

The weekend gathering of the 205-member Central Committee is its third annual plenum — or full meeting — of the party’s 18th congress. l

Toronto’s embattled Mayor Rob Ford faced mounting pressure Friday to quit, as his lawyer announced he was considering addiction treatment after admitting to smoking crack cocaine and having alcohol problems.

The leader of Canada’s biggest city has been embroiled in scandal since it emerged that a video held by police allegedly shows him using the powerful drug, but his predicament has since been made worse by aired footage.

The 44-year-old denies being an addict but said earlier this week that he had once smoked crack while in a “drunken stupor” — a stunning confession after months of denials, and one that threw his political future into question.

The second video, which has gone viral, shows Ford in an agitated, drunken state, staggering and making foulmouthed death threats.

Treatment is “an option he has to consider and he will be considering,” Ford’s lawyer, Dennis Morris, told public broadcaster CBC on Friday.

Ford’s brother Doug, a Toronto city councillor and arguably his staunchest supporter, has urged the mayor to take a short break to try and regain his health, before returning to resume his political career. “If Rob goes away on a little vacation, a week, two weeks, comes back, loses 50 or 60 pounds, and stays on the straight and narrow... it will be very tough to beat Rob Ford” in the next municipal election in October 2014, he told local radio station AM640. l

UN’s top court to rule in Thai-Cambodia temple spat

n AFP, The Hague

The UN’s top court will on Monday hand down its verdict in a dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over a flashpoint temple that threatens to reignite nationalist tensions.

The Hague-based International Court of Justice is to rule in the bitter border conflict between the two Asian neighbours, over which at least 28 people were killed in clashes in 2011.

Tens of thousands of people were displaced in the fighting over the patch of land around the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, leading Cambodia to ask the ICJ for an interpretation of an original 1962 ruling.

Thailand does not dispute Cambodia’s ownership of the temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, but both sides claim an adjacent 4.6-square-kilometre patch of land.

Leaders of the two countries have appealed for calm ahead of the ruling by 17 international judges but residents on the border have been building bunkers in anticipation of renewed violence.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday he had spoken with his Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra and the two agreed to accept the verdict and to maintain peace along the border. l

WORLD WATCH Dolphin virus outbreak in Atlantic is deadliest ever

Chinese leaders launch meeting amid reform hopes n AP, Beijing

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Four charged with severing pot clinic owner’s penis

Four people are accused of torturing a California marijuana dispensary owner with a blowtorch and cutting off his penis in an attempt to force him to reveal where he had buried piles of cash in the desert.

The defendants mistakenly believed the victim was hiding money and left him for dead on the side of the road, Orange County authorities said in announcing the case Friday.

Oklahoma police arrest prison escapee after 33 years

Oklahoma City police have arrested a man who escaped from a Maryland prison more than 30 years ago after he contacted them to say he was tired of paying off a business partner who threatened to expose him as a fugitive. Anthony Rackley, 62, escaped from a Maryland prison in 1980 after being convicted of robbery. He later took on an alias and earned a living raising funds for the Lions Club community service organisation. “He called initially to report an extortion,” Master Sergeant Gary Knight of the Oklahoma City Police Department told Reuters on Friday, “He called back and said he needed to talk to us about a situation.

Explosion during Paris musical rehearsal injures 14, kills one

Around 14 people were injured on Friday, five of them seriously, in an accidental explosion during rehearsals for a Paris musical, just hours before the show was due to start, police sources and an employee said. Additionally, one employee whose heart had stopped when rescue workers arrived at the scene, died overnight Friday in a Paris hospital. The blast occurred near the stage shortly after 6:00pm, apparently after a pyrotechnic explosion went off for unknown reasons. The injured were mostly technicians who were setting up for the 8:30pm showing of “1789, The Lovers of the Bastille” at the Palais des Sports, which was cancelled as a result of the blast. A wall and part of the ceiling collapsed in the explosion.

No audience members had yet arrived.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

‘Massive Destruction’ as typhoon kills at least 1,200 in Philippines n Reuters, Manila One of the strongest typhoons ever to make landfall devastated the central Philippines, killing more than 1,000 people in one city alone and 200 in another province, the Red Cross estimated on Saturday, as reports of high casualties began to emerge.

A day after Typhoon Haiyan churned through the Philippine archipelago in a straight line from east to west, rescue teams struggled to reach far-flung regions, hampered by washed out roads, many choked with debris and fallen trees.

The death toll is expected to rise sharply from the fast-moving storm, whose circumference eclipsed the whole country and which late on Saturday was heading for Vietnam.

Among the hardest hit was coastal Tacloban in central Leyte province, where preliminary estimates suggest more than 1,000 people were killed, said Gwendolyn Pang, secretary general of the Philippine Red Cross, as water surges rushed through the city.

“An estimated more than 1,000 bodies were seen floating in Tacloban as reported by our Red Cross teams,” she told Reuters. “In Samar, about 200 deaths. Validation is ongoing.” She expected a more exact number to emerge after a more precise counting of bodies on the ground in those regions.

Witnesses said bodies covered in plastic were lying on the streets. Television footage shows cars piled atop each other.

“The last time I saw something of this scale was in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean Tsunami,” said Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, head of the UN Disaster Assessment Coordination Team sent to Tacloban, referring to the 2004 earthquake and tsunami.

The category 5 “super typhoon” weakened to a category 4 on Saturday, though forecasters said it could strengthen again over the South China Sea en route to Vietnam.

Authorities in 15 provinces in Vietnam have started to call back boats and prepare for possible landslides. Nearly 300,000 people were moved to safer areas in two provinces alone — Da Nang and Quang Nam — according to the government’s website.

The Philippines has yet to restore com-

A mother and child volunteer repack rice at the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Manila AFP munications with officials in Tacloban, a city of about 220,000. A government official estimated at least 100 were killed and more than 100 wounded, but conceded the toll would likely rise sharply.

The national disaster agency has yet to confirm the toll but broken power poles, trees, bent tin roofs and splintered houses littered the streets of the city about 580km southeast of Manila.

The airport was nearly destroyed as raging seawaters swept through the city, shattering the glass of the airport tower, levelling the terminal and overturning nearby vehicles.

Local television network ABS-CBN

showed images of looting in one of the city’s biggest malls, with residents carting away everything from appliances to suitcases and grocery items.

Airport manager Efren Nagrama, 47, said water levels rose up to four metres in the airport.

Haiyan was the second category 5 typhoon to hit the Philippines this year after Typhoon Usagi in September. An average of 20 typhoons strike every year, and Haiyan was the 24th so far this year.

Last year, Typhoon Bopha flattened three towns in southern Mindanao, killing 1,100 people and causing damage of more than $1bn. l

US ‘Working Tirelessly’ to restore UNESCO funding: Ambassador n Reuters, Paris The US government is working hard to get Congress to restore its UNESCO funding, Washington’s ambassador to the UN cultural arm said on Saturday, after its voting rights were suspended over failure to pay up.

UNESCO’s granting the Palestinians membership two years ago led to the United States stopping its dues and, on Friday, the organisation suspended US voting rights as well as Israel’s.

Both Israelis and Palestinians have made grim assessments of the lack of progress in peace talks, which the Unit-

13 die as Indonesian army helicopter crashes in jungle

n

AFP, Jakarta

Thirteen people died when an Indonesian army helicopter carrying construction workers to build a military outpost crashed in the jungles of Borneo Saturday and burst into flames, an official said.

The helicopter was carrying eight crew, 13 construction workers and materials when it appeared to suffer engine trouble and fell to earth.

The Russian-made, Mi-17 aircraft was completely burnt out following the accident in a remote part of Malinau district, North Kalimantan province, said military spokesman Iskandar Sitompul.

It was just the latest deadly aircraft accident in the sprawling Indonesian archipelago, which relies heavily on air transport to link its many islands but has one of Asia’s poorest aviation safety records.

Eight of those who died were civilian construction workers, while five others were crew members, who were military personnel, said Sitompul. l

ed States helped revive last July after a three-year gap, and the UNESCO funding furore has not helped.

US Ambassador to UNESCO David Killion told delegates at UNESCO’s biennial general conference in Paris, after the suspension was announced officially, that Washington was “working tirelessly” to restore funding.

Also addressing the conference, UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova voiced regret at the loss of the US voting rights, insisting that Washington had a vital role to play in the organisation.

“This is not only about financ-

ing. This is about values. This is the ‘smart power’ that is in such need today, to lay the foundations for lasting peace and sustainable development,” she said.

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, is responsible for designating World Heritage sites, promoting global education and supporting press freedom, among other tasks.

The withdrawal of US funding — which totalled about $240m, or some 22% of UNESCO’s budget — has plunged it into a funding crisis and forced it to cut programmes. l

Maldives holds make-or-break presidential vote n AFP, Malé Maldives went to the polls on Saturday to elect a president and avert a constitutional crisis after two previous attempts to choose a leader were scuttled.

Opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed, ousted as president nearly two years ago in what he called a coup, is seeking to return to power in the elections and hoping for a first-round victory.

Men and women queued even before voting booths opened in the Indian Ocean nation of 1,192 tiny coral islands sprinkled across the equator, officials said, and results were expected Sunday.

However, a run-off planned for Sunday in the event that no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote may be in doubt, Elections Commission chief Fuwad Thowfeek told reporters in the capital Malé.

The two other candidates, Abdulla Yameen and Qasim Ibrahim, were yet to approve voter lists, a requirement mandated by the Supreme Court for a run-off to take place, he said.

Under the constitution, a new president must be sworn in by Monday, November 11.

The Maldives, whose turquoise seas and white beaches have long been a draw for foreigners, has been the focus of intense diplomatic pressure since judges annulled results of a September 7 vote.

When new polls were scuppered six

Supporters of former Progressive Party Maldives (PPM) presidential candidate Abdulla Yameen sit during a rally in Male AFP weeks later, suspicions grew that authorities were determined to prevent Nasheed from returning to power at any price.

The 46-year-old — a one-time political prisoner and environmental activist — won the first multi-party elections in 2008, ending 30 years of iron-fisted rule by Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

But after clashing with key institutions, including the judiciary and security forces, he was forced to resign in February 2012.

Nasheed is expected to emerge victorious having securing a clear lead over his two challengers in the September 7 vote, even though he fell just short of the absolute majority needed to win in the first round.

British lawmakers to quiz Snowden leaks newspaper editor n Reuters British lawmakers will question the editor of the Guardian newspaper next month over publishing intelligence files from US spy agency contractor Edward Snowden after warnings from security chiefs that the leaks damaged UK national security.

Alan Rusbridger will appear before the House of Commons home affairs select committee, the Guardian said. “Alan has been invited to give evidence to the ... committee and looks forward to appearing next month,” a spokeswoman said.

Disclosures about the activities of Britain’s GCHQ eavesdropping agency and its close cooperation with the US National Security Agency, have embarrassed Prime Minister David Cameron

and angered lawmakers in his ruling Conservative party who say they have compromised national security.

Civil liberties groups say the files have shown the need for more effective controls over intelligence gathering but spy chiefs have been highly critical about their publication.

“They’ve put our operations at risk,” John Sawers, the head of MI6, Britain’s foreign intelligence service, told a parliamentary committee earlier this week.

Last month, Cameron threatened to act to stop newspapers publishing the leaks. Rusbridger, a former Washington editor for the London Daily News, has defended the Guardian’s role, saying it has provoked a debate about the extent of intelligence activities, which lawmakers had failed to do. l

Kwazi Nkrumah speaks while joining protesters rallying outside the US Capitol against the NSA’s recently detailed surveillance programs in Washington, DC. While general public in many countries were infuriated by this revelation, the US and UK government have claimed NSA leaks have ‘hampered’ their security measures AFP

Elderly Sufi in Cyprus preaches love to counter radicalism n AFP, Lefke, Cyprus Nestled at the end of a street in the Cypriot village of Lefke is a house to which an elderly Sufi Muslim sage draws disciples with a message of love to counter the radical face of Islam.

Sufism traces its roots back to the origins of Islam and focuses on the inner, mystical dimension of the faith and a personal relationship with God, especially through meditation.

It is made up of many orders. Among the most prominent are the Naqshbandi, renowned for their austerity and scrupulous observance of sharia, or Islamic law.

Sheikh Nazim, now very frail at the age of 91, leads a group known as the Naqshbandi-Haqqani, which is more flexible in its teachings, and “is one of the best known Sufi masters in the West,” says Thierry Zarcone, a French historian and specialist in Sufism.

“It’s an Islam that is more flexible, with an acceptable vision. At the same time, (Sheikh Nazim) is playing on the danger of radicalism in the US and Europe... by showing that Sufism is a kind of

instrument against radicalism.”

The door is open to all and visitors are invited in to share one of the day’s two meals.

Inside, the shady arched veranda looks out on a courtyard brimming with flowers and fruit trees.

There’s a steady flow of people into the house in the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, from residents to visiting pilgrims and locals who have come to ask for prayers or to seek a favour.

Among them are Germans, Italians, Swiss, Americans, Russians, and of course Turks and Turkish Cypriots, who converge on the tiny mosque to attend prayers followed by a sermon on “true love,” the love of God. Nazim, who is now mostly confined to a wheelchair and has difficulty talking, was not up to an interview, but he still preaches sermons that are later uploaded to the web by the Internet savvy community.

Three years ago, already bent with age and walking with difficulty, he came to the attention of the wider world when the former pope, Benedict XVI, visited Cyprus.

9

Sunday, November 10, 2013

He travelled from Lefke to the Roman Catholic church in the UN-patrolled buffer zone that divides Nicosia.

Benedict was heading into church, but stopped when Sheikh Nazim approached him, and the two shared a few poignant moments in quiet conversation.

“God bless you,” Sheikh Nazim said, before adding: “Pray for me. I am so old,” to which the pope replied with a twinkle in his eye: “I am also old.”

Nazim then embraced the pope, which, to some, might have seemed incongruous, but the message of love, of tolerance is at the centre of Sheikh Nazim’s teachings.

In his book entitled simply “Love,” Sheikh Nazim says that “in every religion, love is the primary force. When you love, you respect.”

Sheikh Nazim’s son, Bahauddine, said: “If you love the human and you love the nature and you love the people and you love the animal, that means you are in the right way.”

Jehan Raqab is an Italian-Egyptian who gave up a good job with the United Nations to join Sheikh Nazim’s community.

“I came here once and felt like I was in

heaven,” she said. “When I see Sheikh Nazim, he feels your heart with his eyes.”

‘Voice of silent majority’ Bahauddine explained that “we have here people who are originally Muslim, others are converts. We do not make any separation.”

“Our most active communities are in Europe, particularly in London,” he says, while also mentioning others in Istanbul, Los Angeles and the US state of Michigan.

One of Sheikh Nazim’s sons-in-law, Sheikh Hisham Kabbani, has actively promoted the order in the United States in 1990.

And, after a terrorist bombing in London in 2005, he spearheaded the creation of a council of Sufis to get out the “voice of the silent majority” to counter that of radical Islam.

As Bahauddine put it: “We have to explain Islam to foreigners, especially these days as there are so many ideas that are violent.”

“If you look back into the history of Islam, what are the rules? You cannot kill women or children or old people or burn a house. There is no excuse for suicide. l

The Supreme Court annulled the September results on grounds voter lists were flawed, even though the outcome was given the all-clear by international observers.

Nasheed’s two challengers — Gayoom’s half brother Yameen and business tycoon Ibrahim — thwarted the rescheduled vote on October 19 by refusing to endorse an updated electoral roll.

Yameen’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) accused unidentified attackers of trying to firebomb his house Friday night, but said the attempt failed because of rain. He said his party supported the elections, but predicted yet more legal challenges after Saturday’s vote. l

Supporters Of China’s disgraced Bo Xilai set up political party n Reuters, Beijing Supporters of China’s disgraced senior politician Bo Xilai, who has been jailed for corruption, have set up a political party, two separate sources said, in a direct challenge to the ruling Communist Party’s de facto ban on new political groups.

The Zhi Xian Party, literally “the constitution is the supreme authority” party, was formed on Nov 6, three days before the opening on Saturday of a key conclave of top Communist Party leaders to discuss much-needed economic reforms, the sources said.

It named Bo as “chairman for life,” Wang Zheng, one of the party’s founders and an associate professor of international trade at the Beijing Institute of Economics and Management, told Reuters by telephone.

A second source, who asked not to be identified but who has direct knowledge of the party’s founding, confirmed the news.

Calls to the Communist Party’s propaganda department seeking comment went unanswered.

The Communist Party has not allowed any opposition parties to be established since it came to power following the 1949 revolution, so history suggests it will not look kindly on this new party, even more so because its titular head is a former member of its top ranks.

The new party announced its establishment by sending letters to the Communist Party, China’s eight other political parties, parliament and the top advisory body to parliament, Wang said, adding that no ceremony was held. l

Eleven dead in Mogadishu hotel car bombing

n AFP, Mogadishu

At least four people including a government official were killed Friday in an Islamist militant car bomb attack outside a top hotel in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, officials said.

Police and security forces immediately sealed off the area after the huge blast outside the Maka al Mukarama hotel, popular with officials and businessmen. A police officer earlier put the toll at 11 dead.

A Somali government official said the evening attack bore all the hallmarks of the Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab.

“Four people were killed and 15 others injured,” said government spokesman Ridwan Haji Abdiwali.

A police official at the scene said there were 11 dead, while a doctor at Mogadishu’s Madina Hospital said 22 people had been admitted for treatment.

The Somali president’s spokesman said one of the country’s top diplomats — Abdulkadir Ali Dhuub, a former acting ambassador to London — was among the dead. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Arrests the wrong way to go

T

he arrest of five senior BNP figures adds a new obstacle to hopes for an end to the deadlock between the two main political parties.

We do not think the timing of these arrests or the manner in which they were undertaken late on Friday evening is conducive to hopes for a constructive dialogue.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni has said that the arrests were justified because of the chaos and violence The arrests can only caused by hartals. Whilst encourage elements we have always been of the on both sides which view that politicians should want to derail talks bear responsibility for between the parties deaths and injuries caused by hartals which they call, this sudden crackdown appears unwise.

It takes place at a critical juncture when people in both parties have been gearing up for an election campaign. The arrest of three top BNP leaders, Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Mia can only encourage elements on both sides which want to derail talks between the parties.

Moreover, it adds to concerns about interference in the machinery of law and order. The government has a duty to preserve the peace and tackle the causes of violence during hartals, but it is vital for rule of law that police actions remain, and are seen as remaining, above politics and not partisan in any way.

For the vast majority of people, the only acceptable outcome to the present political crisis is for the two parties to agree on the timely holding of fair and free elections.

Anything less than this will not be accepted as credible and can only raise the spectre of more hartals which undermine the economy and harm the nation’s stability.

Time for a no-hartal pledge

S

enior government figures have said the government was forced to detain top leaders of the BNP because of the widespread violence that took place during the series of hartals calling for a caretaker government.

If this is truly the case, then the ruling party needs to do more than just point fingers and blame the opposition.

The AL should practice what it preaches by extending anti-hartal statements some members have made in the past and pledging not to call hartals itself, whether it is in government or opposition, Only by making and after the next election. holding to such a clear Only by making and holdpledge can AL expect ing to such a clear pledge the BNP to make an can it expect the BNP to equivalent pledge make an equivalent pledge.

The present destructive cycle of hartals can only be stopped if both sides agree not to rely on them.

The costs incurred by the nation through these destructive activities are incalculable. Not only are lives lost, and people maimed, but our economy suffers as the business sector is pushed to the brink and educational institutions are forced to stay shut.

We must end the harmful climate of fear and uncertainty fostered by the prevailing hartal culture.

To show they care about the country, the parties must cease destructive activities and pledge to refrain from calling hartals in the future. Only by doing this can either of our parties have any claim to the moral high ground.

CROSSWORD

November 6

Who will now take care of his family? Now, is a good time to end the saga of hartals.

Ishtiaq Hossain

Rampage on Pabna Hindus over Facebook post November 5

WaliulHaqueKhondker Why should such vandalism start with a rumour?

Couldn’t the police verify instantly and send off messages with a mike against such false rumours?

Pabna is very dear to the Bangalis of my generation. The great Suchitra Sen was born and raised here. My apologies to the Hindus of Pabna who suffered at the hands of a bunch of hooligans!

Police, please stand up and arrest the culprits inthe shortest possible time!

S Mazumdar WaliulHaqueKhondker: Sir, I cannot understand how active the Bangladesh administration truly is, if these looters were able to get 2 and half hours to complete their operations, without being caught.

PM lays foundation stone of BRT, metro rail in Gazipur November 1

Am wondering for what reason they have reserved those three years before starting the construction of the metro rail.

ABC Running trains every 20 minutes is very short-sighted. By 2022, the population of Dhaka may reach 1.5x what it is now and there’ll be serious overcrowding in the station platforms and on the trains, even every 10 minutes. The government should plan for rush hour frequency to be increased to at least 1 train every 3-4 minutes. 1 train every 20 minutes is worse than the poor planning of our 2 lane flyovers. With the current design of the 2 lane flyovers in Dhaka, as the number of cars increase in the coming years, they won’t be enough to prevent congestion.

Also, if there’s an accident in one of the lanes, it will hold up traffic and prevent rescue vehicles from getting to the accident spot.

Mir Mir

DOWN 1 Extinct bird (4) 2 Period of time (3) 5 Traffic light (5) 3 Decrees (6) 9 Severe trial (6) 4 Table-shaped hill (4) 10 Past (3) 5 Changed (7) 11 Raised platform (4) 6 Prohibit (3) 12 Dance (5) 7 Incite (3) 14 Ship of the desert (5) 8 Henhouse (5) 16 Region (4) 13 Drink (3) 19 Horse’s father (4) 15 Seaman (7) 21 Beverage (5) 17 Scrape off (6) 18 Makes fast a vessel (5) 24 Frequently (5) 20 Frozen treat (3) 27 Storm (4) 22 Love god (4) 29 Regret (3) 30 Book of the Bible (6) 23 Joke (4) 25 Merriment (3) 31 Show contempt (5) 26 Golf mound (3) 32 Transmitted (4) 28 Weapon (3)

And what kind of person controls the society here that they were so easily convinced of the false rumour? From the pictures released, it seems that most of the looters were very young.

What kind of society do we expect to form in modern Bangladesh, if things are like they used to be in the medieval period? Is this hooliganism a result of the impact of madrasa education? And if not, then what is the main cause of the involvement of such young people in these hateful campaigns against people of other religions? Are the community’s minority families who are being attacked not Bangali?

Have they not lived on that land for hundreds of years? What is the philosophy of these attackers that would lead them to intentionally assault their innocent Hindu neighbours?

The hypocrisy of Aung San Suu Kyi

November 5

Alright!! Free speech is dead!! Death to democracy!! (Please excuse my sarcasm :-p ) Tehzeeb Ahmed Rafin Politicians are usually defamed by political activists or politicians. People are listeners. This rule is made to paralyse the online fingers of anti-government bloggers.

Sajol Ashfaq Ah democracy!

Rubana Islam

It’s not fair!

Siddikur Rahman

Hijackers kill police constable, 3 other constables seriously injured November 4

Police must be better trained, and better armed!

Wali

November 3

Thanks brother. We could not believe our own ears, when such a well-decorated Noble laureate spoke like a racist.

Zaw Win Aung San Suu Kyi is a Burmese first and a humanist second. Hence her priority is first Burmese support and next the Rohingya Muslims’ interest. Let’s not expect anything from her that benefits the Rohingya Muslims and angers the Buddhist Burmese!

Wakho

A letter to our politicians November 4

Political dialogue among the parties can solve the problem of violence. But now the question is how many of us want to solve this truly? There seem to be a number who are not bothered.

Save people’s lives, otherwise history will never forgive you.

Nahid Mollik

Fantastic article. This is a known fact, though.

Someone just had to say it.

Eusha

Fakhrul: BNP ready for caretaker talk anytime November 4

Preconditions can’t make this dialogue fruitful.

P Sarker

Be Heard

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

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

CODE-CRACKER ACROSS

‘Punishment for defaming national leaders online’

Victim of hartal violence dies

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

1 Judge (4)

Sudoku

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Sunday, November 10, 2013

A manifesto that actually matters

How many more hartals? n Hasan Toufiq Imam

B

M Mizanur Rahman is a development researcher, and currently works for an international humanitarian organisation.

ob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the wind” has been described as a protest song. The American musician, singer, and songwriter is famous for his anti-war music and comes to our minds especially now, because of the widespread violence and killing during hartals.

Hartals were first used in the Indian Independence Movement. It is an extensive protest, engaging shutdown of shops, markets, workplaces, and educational institutions. This non-cooperation must be voluntarily observed and is a common weapon for getting demands fulfilled.

Any organisation can call for a strike. It can campaign and motivate people to support the event, but nobody can coerce general people into participating in it. Unfortunately, just that has been happening for the last 23 years.

Staging hartals is a democratic right, no doubt, but the right comes with responsibility. You have to abide by certain rules if you want to enjoy a right. You cannot take people’s lives and torch their assets in the name of democratic right.

You have to take responsibility for the destruction caused. On the other hand, the ruling party can never interrupt the right to protest. The ruling party affiliated student wing has continuously attacked and disposed of the protestors, in some cases while law-enforcing agencies are standing beside them.

An opposition party never accepts this scenario. Rather, it helps the opposition to strike in a defiant manner.

The government not only interrupts the already violent organisations but also muscles the social movements and left-wing organisations who are recognised as non-violent disciplined groups.

Hartals have undoubtedly become a legitimate affair of killing, torching, vandalising. In this year, at least 50 people were killed and more than a hundred injured due to vindictive at-

loved ones whom you interview and come in contact with. You need to process that pain yourself. Take time to consider the significance of this event for you as a person, as well as a journalist. Do not rush for interviews.”

But at the same time a journalist will surely argue that the primary obligation of journalists is to tell compelling stories that reflect the reality of the moment. I think the best is to do both.

We can here recall the story of Biswajit who was brutally killed by a group of Jagannath University Chhatra League activists in the old town. Dur-

ing a hartal at that time, Biswajit was trapped when a pro-hartal procession was chased by the anti-hartal activists.

It was alleged that when the Chhatra League activists left Biswajit in a critical condition, he was not taken to the nearby hospital by the TV reporters and cameramen despite repeated requests by the people there.

Nearly 12 vehicles of different TV stations were there, but Biswajit was taken to Mitford Hospital by a rickshaw-puller. The rickshaw journey was too long for him to survive as the he was profusely bleeding.

Reporters facing such dilemmas

BIGSTOCK

W

n M Mizanur Rahman hen, for the first time in 2008, the Awami League came up with their “Charter for Change,” the election manifesto became a favourite topic in the public arena. Though the other major political parties also declared their own manifestos, the “Charter for Change” was much talked about, as many said this manifesto played a role in giving hope to people.

Interestingly, now, on the eve of the election, BNP is talking about starting a new kind of politics. She noted that if the 18-party alliance was elected, they would come out of vindictive politics, they would not politicise the bureaucracy, and they would rule the country based on consensus.

Political parties will be trying to clarify their positions just before the election and based on that, people will decide who to vote for. Now people really want to know whether the AL really acknowledges the faults and deviations of the manifesto they have made in this tenure and come up with a sincere and progressive manifesto.

People also want a clear cut position from BNP and the 18-party alliance with regards to their indulgence of terrorist groups and the war criminals. Though they have already clarified that they will continue the

war crimes tribunal and ensure a fair trial, people will be more interested to see the position this alliance takes with the terrorists.

Many people are still puzzled.

There is insecurity among common people and degradation of public institutions and services. People will try to find the standpoint of the political parties in their manifestos and I am sure this time at least 15% of the people will decide to vote only based on the manifestos.

parties make promises in their manifestos, but just after the election, they send that to oblivion.

That will not be possible if we can do these three things: Firstly, the manifesto should be written by the key decision-makers of that party. Assistance can be taken when writing it, but someone else should not write the “poem for the king.” People at the top should be closely involved in the formulation of the manifesto, so that they can own that.

This time, people will want these issues clearly reflected in the manifesto. But a question arises since the political parties make promises in their manifestos, but just after the election, they send that to oblivion

I believe that a day will come when this 15% will become 75% when as a nation we become more democratic, educated and conscious. Then, the citizens and the government will have real social contact between them and the elected political party will be accountable to their promises. Those manifestos will clarify the key philosophical positions of parties.

This time, people will want these issues clearly reflected in the manifesto.

But a question arises since the political

Secondly, a national citizens’ forum can be formed. They will annually prepare the progress report on the manifestos of the government and the opposition. This report should be made public so that all of us can see to what extent the political parties are complying.

Thirdly, the media is playing a crucial role now, and can be used in scrutinising, monitoring and evaluating the manifesto in an impartial way. This way, they can be an added pressure on

the political parties so that the parties have to be pro-people.

For the political parties, it is very important to reflect the citizens’ demands in the manifesto, and for this, they need to form a research cell that will interact with different people in society and analyse their demands.

A manifesto is not something to be produced in the laboratory, rather, we need to listen to the voices from every corner of the country.

These days when we are anxious about the current political situation, seeing it polarising society and encouraging intolerance, I believe we still have time to salvage our democracy.

It is frustrating to see that the current political environment is not breeding leaders, which is why our politics has been taken over by the businessmen and bureaucrats.

We have also seen how non-elected advisers become more powerful than elected ministers as a result of the failure of democratic practices.

We need to practice democracy, and for this, it is the politicians who need to take the proactive roles, as they need to formulate their manifestos properly. l

tacks by the pickets. Look at the burnt and dead people, you are responsible.

They belong to neither of the parties. They did not defy or support the hartal. They were just trying to make a living. How will you answer to their kin, to their crying needs?

It is not solely any party, rather, both major parties must bear the liability for mass death and killing. They are responsible for this belligerent trend.

They are responsible for around 3,000 lives lost for the last two decades.

You have to abide by certain rules if you want to enjoy a right. You cannot take people’s lives and torch their assets in the name of democratic right

Nowadays people are utterly fed up with the two major parties and their approach to protests. People might not like the government. They even have an aversion to the opposition’s violent protests.

General strikes cause immense harm to our national wealth, economy, and education. We have to come to a political consensus on how an organisation can protest to its extreme, what are the rules they must maintain, what are the new formats of struggle, who will take the liability of losses, how the government ensures people’s security.

We know there are several countries where there are places to stage demonstrations. The protagonists can attend and show support, and the antagonists can easily carry on with their daily business.

There are many queries, and much anticipation. There is still optimism in our minds. Maybe the answer is blowin’ in the wind. l Hasan Toufiq Imam is a teacher.

The ethics of covering violence n Syed Ishtiaque Reza

E

kram Kabir’s article titled “Ethics of being unethical” which appeared in the Dhaka Tribune on November 8 deserves further opinions from senior newsmen.

When should a journalist covering a disaster or violence go beyond reporting to try to help someone in distress?

Journalists are surely confused in such a situation. Some feel that newspersons should cover the event as news organisations have unforgiving production needs.

These are complex issues at the intersection of professional and personal ethics. One of my teachers in the journalism department of Dhaka University told me that reporters should help those in need if they are the only ones in a position to do so

Deadlines are critical and failures to meet them are costly. But there are also opinions among journalists about their duty to save the life of a person in such a critical condition.

Like other emergency professionals, journalists are also the first responders to any event. Newsmen face unusual challenges in the midst of a crisis.

Journalists face many dilemmas in such situations. They need to understand the factors to be taken

into account when striking a balance between respecting protective measures to shield survivors from the media, and discharging their duties to the public.

Personally, I believe that these are complex issues at the intersection of professional and personal ethics. Long ago, one of my teachers in the journalism department of Dhaka University told me that reporters should help those in need if they are the only ones in a position to do so.

Ekram Kabir in his article referred to a recent incident. It was noticed that a TV reporter, with a boom in hand, was asking questions to a wounded man lying on the ground.

The man had been carrying a bag full of hand bombs which exploded and wounded the carrier. This reporter, like many others, tried to collect an exclusive interview of the wounded person who at that time needed comfort, not questioning.

We have deadline pressures. We certainly have competition with others to put the exclusive first. But we, the journalists, sometimes forget that we have moral obligations to render assistance in a case where someone’s life is on the line or is in profound jeopardy, and no one other than the journalist can help.

Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma, a project of Columbia School of Journalism says: “Despite the fact that we are all on a deadline, you must take the time to breathe, empathise and feel the pain of survivors and

Some objected to the treatment of Reshma by the media

should ask themselves whether his/ her ability to intervene is essential and needed. Dart Centre says journalists should understand their coverage.

They must remember that their coverage affects people — the families of the victims, the survivors and the community.

Dart Centre further says: “Approach people the way you’d want to be approached. Give them the respect and space you’d expect in the same situation.” l Syed Ishtiaque Reza is director of news, Ekattor Television.

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Ananta appears as police officer in Most Welcome 2

Ananta and Borsha perform at a programme celebrating the success of Nisshartha Bhalobasha on November 8

you,” and the hero replies: “You hate me, but I love you.” Again the duo will be seen in a passionate love story in MW-2. Also Ananta takes different disguises in the movie.

At the event, Ananta entered dancing with Borsha with a song of Nisshartho Bhalobasha titled What is Love. Then the couple presented another dance recital synchronised with a spicy song of MW-2, titled Chicken Tandoori. About the song, Ananta said at the event: “The song is so powerful and appealing that any boy will be able to impress a girl by singing it.” The audience burst out with laughter by listening to the actor’s words throughout the event as they do while watching any of his film. But no one could resist his stardom.

n Shadma Malik Dhallywood super star Ananta Jalil will be seen as a police officer in his upcoming action-packed movie Most Welcome 2, claimed to have the biggest budget in the history of Bangladeshi filmdom. The success of Ananta’s latest film Nisshartha Bhalobhasha, which was released in the last Eid-ul-Fitr in above 200 theatres all around the country and is still running in a number of cinemas, was celebrated with a party on November 8 where he showed a trailer of Most Welcome 2 (MW-2) at Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel.

Along with the mega star, his wife and co-actor of most of his films, Borsha, was also present at the event attended by journalists and invited guests.

The programme began with the screening of the trailer MW- 2, an action packed love story featuring Ananta and Borsha in lead roles. For the first time, the fans will see him in police uniform who crosses every obstacle to uphold justice. This time he is back with more action and stunts. In a scene, Borsha says: “I hate

In the beginning of his speech Ananta stated:” I take my words back, as previously I said in an interview with a TV channel that media was not being supportive towards us. But, today, I am grateful to the journalists to grace the event along with my fans.”

About his success of the movie Nisshartho Bhalobasha, Ananta’s take is: “It is highly evident that the movie has been a great success. The movie received high rating in IMDB also.”

Ananta and Borsha honoured the crew of the film by handing over crests. l

Borsha said: “From the very beginning, Khoj-The Search, to Nishartho Bhalobasha, we have always given something new to the audience.

Again, we promise to entertain you with a bunch of new features in MW-2.”

A scene from Three Comrades

Three Comrades airs on ETV tonight n Entertainment Desk Drama series Three Comrades will be aired tonight at 8:20pm on ETV. Written by Shafiqur Rahman Shantanur and directed by Dipu Hajra, the drama Three Comrades is about three friends living in a rented house in Dhaka.

The comedy is about hiccups faced by three young men namely Zia, Helal and Opu in their daily lives. Taxi driver Zia is a big fan of the Dhallywood late actor Manna and follows his style. He is also attracted to the land owner’s daughter and tries to attract her in different hilarious ways. Helal is cooperative to his friends but his main source of income is to blackmail unknown people. At one point, he falls

in a trap while blackmailing someone.

The other guy, Opu is from a small town and studies in a university in the town. He is also a theatre activist. Opu is in love with a member of his theatre troupe who is one year older than him.

The girl gets a chance in a TV series and leaves theatre. The shift creates problem in their relation.

However, the three friends as three comrades try to celebrate life whenever they manage to pass their time together.

The main three characters are played by Hasan Masud, Shahriar Nazim Joy and Adnan Faruk Hillol. The drama also features Noushin, Ahona, Shimana, Shams Shumon and many more in other important roles. l

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition

Kinetic Photography Exhibition Gazi Nafis Ahmed Time: 10am – 8pm EMK Center, H-5, Road- 27(old) Dhanmondi Exotic Jute II Time: 3pm – 8pm Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Dhanmondi Nishobdo Solo Exhibition

By Shabekun Nahar Time: 3pm - 9pm Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Dhanmondi When Silence Eats Sound Group Exhibition Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Art Lounge 60 Gulshan Avenue

Festival

Urban Youth Festival II Time: 11am – 8pm Goethe Institut Bangladesh Road 9 (new), House 10, Dhanmondi R/A

Film

Planes in 3D Riddick Purno dhorgho prem kahini Monsters University in 3D Titanic (3D) Bullet to the Head Udhao Level 8, Bashundhara City, Panthapath A two-day classical dance festival organised by Chhayanaut began on November 8. A huge audience gathered on the inaugural day that featured Kathak, Monipuri and Bharat Natyam forms of classical dance

ON TV MOVIE 4:25pmFox Movies Premium

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

11:00pm Zee Studio 21 Grams

NEWS 5:30pm Independent Tv Purba Pashchim

10:45pm Rtv

Raater Shongbad

COMEDY 2:30pm Comedy Central Up All Night

8:00pm Star World

Welcome To The Family

MISC 2:30pm Vh1 Hit Factory

8:30pm AXN The Voice

George Clooney: I’m not dating Katie, Monika or Amal! n Entertainment Desk George Clooney isn’t the playboy the press is making him out to be. After being romantically linked to Katie Holmes, Monika Jakisic and Amal Alamuddin within a matter of weeks, the Monuments Men actor has decided to set the record straight about his love life.

“Three different stories in three weeks. I should be an athlete,” the Gravity star joked in an interview. “But, no of course, it’s all made up.

I’m Not Dating Katie Holmes, Monika Jakisic or Amal Alamuddin!”

In fact, the 52-year-old actor has apparently been single ever since he broke up with Stacy Keibler in July. Not long after, it was reported that he resumed his relationship with Croatian model Jakisic. Grazia later linked Clooney to Holmes, claiming they hit it off at a mutual friend’s dinner party and went on several dates.

After the Argo producer and Alamuddin were spotted leaving London’s Berners Tavern together, more rumors about Clooney’s potential new conquest emerged. As such, the actor decided to finally address the reports.

“George wants this Monika crap to stop,” his longtime rep, Stan Rosenfield says. “He wants Katie to get a break, and he wants Amal to be able to prosecute cases without being hassled because she had one dinner with George and four others.”

Rosenfield adds, “I even asked George if these [rumors] were true and he said he never comments on his private life, but in the interest of stopping the harassment of all three of these women, he felt he should.” l

SADIA MARIUM

Dedh Ishqiya trailer out n Entertainment Desk Oozing of class and elegance, the trailer of Abhishek Choubey’s Dedh Ishqiya has released on November 8. Naseeruddin Shah romancing Madhuri Dixit on the silver screen. The trailer also features Arshad Warsi and Huma Qureshi.

Madhuri on-screen as Shahi Begum will star in this tale of passion and deceit. Naseer and Arshad reprise their role as Khalujan and Babban respectively, but unlike the first installment related stories where Vidya Balan was the solo heroine, this film has two female leads. Naseer is effortless in his acting. Arshad and Huma have a natural chemistry. The trailer starts with the voiceover of Naseer who goes on to explain the seven stages of love, adding that he is at the final stage of love with Madhuri.

The shooting of Dedh Ishqiya began on 27 February 2013. The Mahmudabad, India palace near Barabanki was spruced up for the shoot. Madhuri Dixit performed mujra to a song titled Apne Karar Mein. Pandit Birju Maharaj

choreographed the dance sequence for Madhuri for the film. In May 2013, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah shot an intimate scene with Madhuri. According to director Abhishek Chaubey 60% shooting of the film has been completed. The film will be releasing worldwide on January 10, 2014. l

Did you know?

Wayne Rooney’s first Premier League goal, his first PL goal for Man Utd and his 100th PL goal all came against Arsenal

Sport

Sunday, November 10, 2013

14 Gunners vie for upper hand in Red Devils rivalry

14 Career best Steyn, De Kock help SA win series

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Guangzhou edge Seoul to claim Champions League

Jamal protest after Brothers’ defeat n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Gazi Tank cricketers leave the field after securing their victory against Victoria during the Dhaka Premier League match at SBNS yesterday

MUMIT M.

Dhaka Premier League side Brothers Union’s celebration of reaching the Super Six phase of the tournament was mulled after Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club placed an objection against their skipper Sohrawardi Shuvo.

Brothers secured a six-wicket win over Jamal yesterday, before however the Dhanmondi based club’s cricket committee chairman Mushfiqur Rahman claimed the game was unfair as Brothers fielded suspended cricketer Sohrawardi in the game.

Sheikh Jamal claimed full points from the game as Brothers had broken the bylaws of the tournament and if they get the points it will allow them to move to the Super Six stage pushing Brothers out.

Brothers have argued on the situation and have said they were not informed of Sohrawardi’s suspension and did not receive any official letter from the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM).

However, CCDM member secretary Rakib Haider Pavel informed a letter

Abahani avoid relegation zone n Minhaz Uddin Khan Picking up their fourth successive win Abahani Limited avoided the relegation zone while Prime Bank Cricket Club, Brothers Union and Gazi Tank also won their respective matches to seal their top six spot in the Dhaka Premier League yesterday.

With only a game left in the league stage, between Prime Doleshwar and Kalabagan Cricket Academy, six sides have confirmed a spot in the Super Six phase of the tournament. Prime Bank, Kalabagan CA and Brothers Union have joined Mohammedan Sporting Club, Prime Doleshwar and Gazi Tank.

Abahani v Kalabagan KC

Abahani successfully chased down 240 runs with six wickets to spare as the Sky Blues beat Kalabagan for their fourth win at BKSP-3.

Winning the toss Kalabagan bat-

ted first and posted 240-8. Naeem Islam remained unbeaten on 86 to lead the Kalabagan innings. The top order batsman hammered four fours and two sixes in his 98-ball innings while Tasamul Haque and opening batsman Nasiruddin Faruque scored 50 and 48

DPL POINTS TABLE Teams

M W L N/R Pts

RR

Gazi Tank

10 7 3

0

14

Mohammedan 10 7 3

0

14 -0.353

Prime Doleshwar 9 6 3

0

12

0.014

Prime Bank

10 6 4

0

12

0.733

Brothers Union 10 5 4

1

11

0.624

0.535

Kalabagan CA

9 5 3

1

11 -0.407

Sk. Jamal

10 5 5

0

10

0.429

Victoria SC

10 4 5

1

9

0.033

Abahani Ltd

-0.216

10 4 6

0

8

Kalabagan KC 10 2 7

1

5

-0.111

Khelaghar SKS 10 1 9

0

2

-1.222

respectively. Al Amin, Nabil Samad and Shahajada Hossain picked up two wickets each.

In reply, Abahani reached the target in 43.5 overs with their foreign recruit Gregory Smith leading them with 89 off 94 balls. The English cricketer smacked nine boundaries and three sixes. However, it was Mosaddek Hossain’s 53 off 44 which nailed the game. Anjum Ahmed picked three wicket conceding 42 runs for Kalabagan.

Prime Bank v Khelaghar

Prime Bank confirmed a berth in the super six defeating Khelaghar by 59 runs at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium.

Winning the toss Prime Bank opted to bat first and made 225-8. Taibur Parvez top scored with 64 runs. Forkan, Hassan Reza and Rajibul Islam bagged two wickets each for Khelaghar.

Later, Khelaghar were restricted to 166 runs in 43.1 overs. Shuvagata

Hom made the highest 51. Ravi Bopara picked three wickets for Prime Bank.

Gazi Tank v Victoria Sporting

Put in to bat first, Gazi Tank posted a decent total of 251-8 in 50 overs with New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram scoring 54 runs off just 21 balls. He smashed four boundaries and five sixes while national discards Imrul Kayes and Rakibul Hasan also chipped in with 47 each.

For Victoria, Sri Lankan recruit Shalika Karunanayake picked up three wickets while Mohammed Sharif took two wickets.

In reply, Victoria never looked comfortable in their chase as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Late order batsman Sharif scored the highest 58 runs and remained not out as Victoria were bundled out for 137 runs in 41 over.

Left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny

picked up four wickets while Ashar Zaidi took three wickets as Gazi Tank registered a comprehensive 114-run victory.

Sheikh Jamal v Brothers Union

Sheikh Jamal skipper Jahurul Islam winning the toss decided to bat, but the decision went horribly wrong as they were bowled out for a paltry 150 runs.

National discard Junaid Siddique made the highest 45 while Tanvir Haider remained not out on 36 runs.

Brothers skipper Sohrawardi Shuvo took three wickets while another leftarm spinner Sanjamul Islam claimed two wickets.

In reply, Brothers cruised to the small target with Nafees Iqbal making 44 and opener Mehrab Hossain Jr contributing 42 runs. Alok Kapali remained unbeaten on 25 runs as they reach the target with six wickets and 14 overs to spare.l

regarding Sohrawardi’s suspension and a fine of Taka 20,000 imposed on him due to inappropriate behavior during their game against Abahani Limited was sent to Brothers on November 7.

An employee of the CCDM office had delivered the letter to the Brothers office, said Pavel. He further asserted that a Brother’s employee named Nazir had received the letter.

The CCDM official also informed that Sheikh Jamal will soon submit a letter to the CCDM objecting Brothers and after that an emergency meeting will be held to solve the issue. According to the bylaws of the DPL, a team will be penalised the points of a game in which the team makes a suspended cricketer play and can also be fined.

Brothers team manager Amin denied of receiving any letter and also that they don’t have any employee named Nazir. He said CCDM have the names of the members of Brothers Union and it was CCDM’s fault of not delivering the letter properly.

Amin also informed that Sohrawardi attended a hearing with the match officials after the game against Abahani and the match officials never termed Sohrawardi guilty. l

BRIEF SCORES

Abahani Ltd v Kalabagan KC

Kalabagan CA 240/8 in 50 over Naeem Islam 86, Tasamul Haque 50 Alamin-2 29/2, Nabil Samad 39/2 Abahani Ltd 244/4 in 43.4 over Gregory Smith 89, Mosaddek Hossain 53 Anjum Ahmed 40/3, Jehan Mubarak 57/1 Abahani Ltd won by 6 wickets

Prime Bank CC v Khelaghar SKS

Prime Bank CC 225/8 in 50 over Taiabur Parvez 64, Saykat Ali 29 Forkan 34/2 Hassan Reza 40/2 Khelaghar SKS 166 all out in 43.1 over Shuvagata Hom 51, Ariful Haque 36 Ravi Bopara 40/3, Taiabur Parvez 8/2 Prime Bank CC won by 59 runs

Victoria SC v Gazi Tank Cricketers

Gazi Tank Cricketers 251/8 in 50 over Jacob Oram 54, Rakibul Hasan 47 Shalika Karunanayake 55/3, Md. Sarif 40/2 Victoria SC 137/10 in 41 over Md. Sarif 58, Shalika Karunanayake 18 Arafat Sunny 13/4, Ashar Zaidi 19/3 Gazi Tank Cricketers won by 114 runs

Sk. Jamal DC v Brothers Union

Sk. Jamal DC 150/8 in 50 over Junaid Siddique 45, Tanvir Haider 36 Sohrawardi Shuvo 29/3, Sanjamul 14/2 Brothers Union 151/4 in 36.1 over Nafees Iqbal 44, Mehrab Hossain Jr. 44 Nahidul Islam 23/2, Elias Sunny 34/1 Brothers Union won by 6 wickets

Superb Siddikur leads by four n Agencies Siddikur Rahman continued to dominate the Hero Indian Open when he shot a flawless third round five-under-par 67 to extend his lead by four shots over local hope SSP Chowrasia on Saturday.

The Bangladeshi hit a sublime chip from the greenside bunker on hole 18 to put himself in prime position to win his second Asian Tour title since 2010 at the US$1.25 million Asian Tour event.

Chowrasia, a two-time Asian Tour winner, closed with two birdies for a 66 while Rashid Khan of India, who grew up at the Delhi Golf Club, and Filipino Angelo Que shot a 65 and 67 respectively to share third on 204 at the venerable Delhi Golf Club.

Siddikur, who has only dropped two shots in 54 holes, said that he is playing his best golf since turning professional in 2007.

LEADERBOARD, DAY 3 199 203 204 205 206

Siddikur (Ban) 66-66-67 Chowrasia (Ind) 69-68-66 Rashid (Ind) 69-70-65, Que (Phi) 69-68-67 Lahiri (Ind) 71-67-67 Park (Aus) 68-73-65, Groom (Aus) 69-67-70

“It has been a great week. This is the best I’ve played in my career. I’m putting and hitting the ball so well. Mentally I’m strong and I’m very focussed,” said the Bangladeshi, who leads with a three-day

Mohammedan inch closer to title n Shishir Hoque

Holders Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited went closer to the Premier Division Chess League title after beating Pritam-Prism Chess Club by 4-0 points in the penultimate round at the federation hall room yesterday.

The reigning champions continued their solo lead at the top of the points table with 14 from 8 rounds. A draw against Gopalganj Chess today would be enough for them to retain the title.

Mohammedan’s Grandmasters Amonatov Farrukh, Sergey Volkov, Ziaur Rahman and Niaz Murshed beat Kazi Md Mahbub Afzal, Mohammed Enayet Hossain, Abdullah Al-Saif and Moham-

mad Shameem respectively. Bangladesh Navy Chess Team and Leonine Chess Club are sharing the 2nd position with 12 points each. Navy beat Sreejan Chess Club by 4-0 points while Leonine Chess beat Gopalganj Chess Club by 2.5-1.5 points. GM Abdulla Al-Rakib, GM Enamul Hossain, FM Sk Nasir Ahmed and FM Aminul Islam of Bangladesh Navy beat Kayes Hasan, Aminul Islam, Ibrahim Hossain and Samiha Sharmin Shimmi of Sreejan Chess.

In the day’s other match, Titas Club beat Faith Chess Club 4-0. IM Abu Sufian Shakil, FM Syed Mahfuzur Rahman, FM Debaraj Chatterjee and Sharif Hossain beat Majedur Rahman, Abu Saleh Ripon, Tofazal Hossain and Masud Rana of Titas.l

total of 17-under-par 199.

“When I won in Brunei, I had to play safe because I wanted to save my Asian Tour card and make some money to survive on the Tour. Now, I’m not playing for money. I’m hungry for achievements so that’s my target.”

The straight-hitting Siddikur, the first Bangladeshi to play and win on the Asian Tour, will continue playing aggressively after trading his safe approach game with more attacking flair.

“I didn’t read the lines properly or my score would have been lower. It is a big advantage for me now. If I can play like how I’ve been playing, then I think I can easily win,” said Siddikur, who started playing golf with a makeshift seven iron head attached to a metal rod. l

Sheikh Jamal DC players pose with the BFF officials after completing their registration process at the BFF House yesterday

COURTESY

Nothing less than trophies will satisfy Sk Jamal n Shishir Hoque With a combination of majority national players and top quality foreign recruits, this year’s big-fish Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club completed their players’ registration process. They submitted their 25 registration forms, 20 local and five foreign players, to the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) at the BFF House yesterday.

With the presence of nine national players from the recently concluded Saff Championship squad, the Dhanmondi based side is eying to win all silverware this season. After finishing as second best to Sheikh Russell in three professional tournaments last season, Sheikh Jamal bolstered their squad by bringing in 15 new players including

Haitian international Sony Norde, who was the architect of Sheikh Russell’s treble winning campaign last season and also arguably the best striker of the league. The deadly striking partnership between Sony and new Haitian signing

SQUAD Goalkeepers Mustaq, Zia, Himel, Riad Defenders Munna, Rayhan, Linkon, Yeasin, Nasir, Didar, Kasto, Zahirul Midfielders Mamun, Raju, Sohel Rana, Shahed, Okemmiri, Alli, Femi, Sk Rana, Mobarak Strikers Rony, Toklis, Sony, Wedson

Wedson will be something the others will be aware of.

Jamal signed the best performers from last season - midfielder Sohel Rana, winger Mobarak Hossain (Mohammedan), strikers Sakhawat Hossain Rony (Abahani), centre-back Kasto and forward Toklis Ahmed (BJMC) apart from the three players from treble winner Sheikh Russell side.

Sheikh Jamal president Manjur Kader said two more foreign players are on their way to join the club. Defender Arwa will come from Nigeria and according to the president the player has already registered for them while they are having talks with striker Daniel, who played in the Poland second division. Femi Orunnimi, who failed to register for the club last season, also joined.

Manjur Kader wants to win every tournament this season and while asked if it would put any extra pressure to the side, Jamal coach Joseph Afusi replied with confidence, “It’s not a pressure. I believe we have the best team in the league and with the players at our disposal, anything less than four trophies will be disappointing.”

The expectation is also high from captain Mamunul Islam and the midfielder feels confident at his new home. “This is a very good team which is better than the last year’s Sheikh Russell side. We have double options at every playing position.

We don’t target treble like I won with Sheikh Russell. The team we have, I want to win every tournament this year,” he said.l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Gunners vie for upper hand in Red Devils rivalry n AFP, London

Manchester United and Arsenal will resume their historic rivalry at Old Trafford on Sunday with the London club holding the whip hand for the first time in several years.

The two teams have enjoyed many memorable tussles during the Premier League era, but it is usually United who have come out on top, and particularly when playing on home turf.

Arsenal have not won at United in seven years and manager Arsene Wenger has enjoyed victory on only four of the 22 occasions that his side have visited the home of the 20-time English champions.

The period between 1997 and 2005 bore witness to several titanic encounters, but although Arsenal claimed three league titles and four FA Cups during that period, they have not lifted any silverware since edging United on penalties in the final of the 2005 FA Cup. Old Trafford has also been the scene of some chastening Arsenal defeats.

They went down 6-1 in February 2001 and were humiliatingly routed 8-2 only two years ago.

Now, though, the winds of change are sweeping through English football and they have borne Arsenal to the top of the table after a start to the season in which they appear to have accu-

whoscored.com

Fixtures Tottenham Sunderland Man United Swansea

v v v v

Newcastle Man City Arsenal Stoke

mulated belief and purpose with each passing week.

After beating Liverpool 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium last weekend, Arsenal became the first English team to win at Borussia Dortmund in mid-week and they approach Sunday’s game with an eight-point lead over United.

Wenger has characteristically at-

Pique, Busquets out of Barca trip to Betis n AFP, Madrid Barcelona will travel to struggling Real Betis on Sunday evening without Gerard Pique or Sergio Busquets after they were left out of coach Gerardo Martino’s 18-man squad.

Pique has been struggling with a groin strain in recent weeks and was also left out of Vicente del Bosque’s Spain squad for the friendlies against Equatorial Guinea and South Africa later this month to allow him to recover. Busquets will however go on international duty with the world champions and Martino explained that, with that in mind, it was better to hand him a rest and a rare starting opportunity to Alex Song.

“Sergio has played eight consecutive games, two with the national team and six with Barca,” he said.

“The evaluation of Song is always very good. The response he has given in the three or four games he has played has been very positive.”

Victory over AC Milan in midweek continued Barca’s near perfect start to the season as they ensured their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

The Catalans also lead La Liga, hav-

Monaco continue dismal run n AFP, Paris

Monaco lost potential ground on leaders Paris Saint-Germain on Friday and extended their winless streak to three games as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to lower table Evian.

Following their League Cup exit against Reims and a defeat away to Lille last week in Ligue 1, Claudio Ranieri’s expensively assembled side now find themselves two points back of PSG, who have a game in hand.

“We snatched a point,” admitted Ranieri. “Evian deserved more. If they had won 3-1, it would have been normal. We didn’t play as a team.

“We were individuals against a good team. We took too many risks.”

Evian took a shock 20th-minute lead after a long ball forward from Danish ‘keeper Jesper Hansen was flicked into the path of his compatriot Daniel Wass who held off his marker to plant the ball past Croatian ‘keeper Danijel Subasic.

The central eastern club, who were only founded in 2007 after FC Gaillard and CS Thonon merged, came into the match on the back of a three-game winning streak but lost their concentration shortly after seizing the advantage.

Colombian Radamel Falcao poached his ninth goal of the season on 27 minutes to move joint level at the top of Ligue 1 scoring charts with Paris SaintGermain’s Edinson Cavani.

Fellow Colombian James Rodriguez was at the heart of the move as he set up the shot for the former Atletico Madrid marksman to fire past Hansen.l

ing dropped just two points in 12 games, and ahead of a two-week international break Martino doesn’t want any slip ups against a Betis side that currently sit in the relegation zone.l

Barca, Madrid kept apart in Cup draw

n AFP, Madrid Barcelona, Real Madrid and holders Atletico Madrid were all paired with third-tier opposition when the draw was made for the last 32 of Spain’s Copa del Rey on Friday.

Barca will face Cartagena, while Real Madrid will come up against Olimpic of Xativa and Atletico will take on Barcelona-based outfit Sant Andreu.

There will be four ties between topflight sides, including Malaga against Osasuna and Celta Vigo against Athletic Bilbao. Each side’s path through to the latter stages was decided too, and Barcelona cannot meet Madrid until the final, although Atletico could come up against their city rivals in the last four.l

tempted to downplay the expectations surrounding his team, but he says that the trip to Manchester is an opportunity for his players to demonstrate their appetite for a title tilt.

“What is the most important is that we trust our quality and show the resilience and the hunger to achieve what we can achieve,” he said.

“We have made a lot of improvements at the back in our defensive game and we have done well in the last two games, but there is a lot to do.

“We cannot come to the conclusion that we are in a position where we can relax. We have a lot more to achieve.

“We have won nothing at all, we have just won two games, and what is important is what we achieve in the future.”

Sunday’s game will be the first time the sides have met with a manager other than Alex Ferguson in the United dug-out since Ron Atkinson saw his side lose 1-0 at Highbury in August 1986.

Ferguson’s successor David Moyes remains in the spotlight due to United’s underwhelming start to the season, but he can take heart from a run of eight games without defeat in all competitions.

The Scot will hope that Wayne Rooney can once again prove a thorn in Arsenal’s side.

The England striker scored his first league goal against Arsenal with a memorable curling winner for Everton at the age of 16 and also got on the score-sheet in 2004 when United ended the Invincibles’ 49-game unbeaten run.

“Arsenal do crop up quite often,” Rooney said at sponsorship event on Friday.

“It is a bit weird. I am sure they must be sick of the sight of me at times. That first goal for Everton does seem like a long time ago.

“It was obviously a special goal for me, plus they were 32 games unbeaten.

And I will always remember the 2004 game.”l

UNITED V ARSENAL: 5 CLASSIC MATCHES ARSENAL 3 MANCHESTER UNITED 2 (FA Cup final, May 1979) Nicknamed ‘The Five-minute Final’, the climax to the 1978-79 FA Cup burst into life in its final stages on a sultry afternoon at Wembley Stadium. Arsenal were 2-0 up and cruising when Gordon McQueen pulled a goal back for United in the 86th minute. Two minutes later Sammy McIlroy equalised, only for Arsenal to race straight back down the pitch, with Liam Brady crossing from the left for Alan Sunderland to slide home a memorable 89th-minute winner.

MANCHESTER UNITED 0 ARSENAL 1 (First Division, October 1990) The enmity that developed between the teams in the 1990s and 2000s can be traced back to this fiery encounter at Old Trafford. A 21-man brawl sparked by a foul on United’s Denis Irwin by Arsenal left-back Nigel Winterburn saw the visitors deducted two points and the home side one. The game’s only goal, which became something of a sidenote, was scored by Arsenal’s Swedish winger Anders Limpar.

MANCHESTER UNITED 2 ARSENAL 1 (FA Cup semi-final, April 1999) The last ever FA Cup semi-final replay conjured up one of the most memorable games in the competition’s history. On a night of nervejangling drama at Villa Park, Dennis Bergkamp cancelled out David Beckham’s long-range opener and the tie appeared to be tipping in Arsenal’s favour after United captain Roy Keane was sent off.

However, in extra time Patrick Vieira gave the ball away to Ryan Giggs and the Welshman scythed through the Arsenal defence before smashing a shot past David Seaman to score one of the great FA Cup goals and keep United on track for The Treble.

MANCHESTER UNITED 2 ARSENAL 0 (Premier League, Oct 2004) Arsenal’s record-breaking 49-game unbeaten run was brought to an end in dramatic and controversial style. A year on from a tempestuous 0-0 draw in Manchester, United prevailed through a contentious Ruud van Nistelrooy penalty and a late Wayne Rooney strike.

A post-match melee in which United manager Alex Ferguson had a pizza thrown at him saw the game dubbed ‘The Battle of the Buffet’.

MANCHESTER UNITED 8 ARSENAL 2 (Premier League, Oct 2011) United would end the season as runners-up to Manchester City, but they dealt Arsenal their heaviest defeat since 1896 on an extraordinary day at Old Trafford. Wayne Rooney claimed a hat-trick, Ashley Young scored a brace and Danny Welbeck, Nani and Park Ji-sung also scored for United. A shell-shocked Arsenal, who had Carl Jenkinson sent off, replied through Theo Walcott and future United striker Robin van Persie.

'Fergie exit takes pressure off refs'

Blatter insistent on November start for n AFP, London Qatar World Cup Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says that the referee for his side’s game at AFP, Abu Dhabi n Manchester United will feel less presFifa president Sepp Blatter confirmed on Friday that he would favour playing the controversial 2022 Qatar World Cup in November and December.

“We are starting the consultations to bring it to the winter time. It can only be done in November-December, not January-February,” Blatter told reporters in Abu Dhabi, where he will attend this weekend’s under-17 World Cup final between Nigeria and Mexico. Meanwhile, the head of world football said he would also be prepared to listen to Qatar’s response to accusations of abuse of workers.

Qatar has come under fire over the treatment of migrant workers who are employed to build the massive infrastructure needed for the tournament.

“A clock has a ding-dong”, Blatter said. “I have listened to the ding from lots of journalists... and critics, and I am going there (to Qatar) to listen to the dong.”

The prospect of moving the 2022 World Cup from its traditional June and July slot to January-February has angered winter sports federations because of a possible clash with that year’s Winter Olympics.l

sure now that Alex Ferguson is no longer in the opposition dug-out.

Sunday’s Premier League encounter at Old Trafford will mark the first time that the two teams have met with someone other than Ferguson in charge of United since August 1986, following the 71-year-old’s retirement in May. Wenger endured several defeats at Ferguson’s hands and he has suggested that the long-serving Scot’s presence may have put pressure on match officials to favour United.

When asked how Ferguson’s absence would affect matters on Sunday, the Frenchman replied: “That is a question you shouldn’t ask me, but the referees.

“Every year there is a company who makes the table reasoned without the referees’ mistakes, so check that.”

Wenger added, with a smile: “I think the referees were absolutely relaxed and happy to go there.”

He went on: “I expect the referees to make the right decisions. I never have preconceived ideas.

“It is down to the referee to make the

right decisions, to protect the players and to give the free-kicks you deserve.

“There (at Old Trafford) pressure comes as well from the crowd when they go for every ball and put the referee under pressure, and that is a bit more in the north than in the south.

“You know that when you go to Sunderland the crowd plays every ball, when you go to Everton the crowd plays every ball. Then in London, the crowd is a bit more relaxed.”

Arsenal go into the game as the Premier League leaders and could move 11 points clear of United if they defeat the reigning champions.

Back-to-back victories over Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund have strengthened the London club’s selfbelief and Wenger says that his side will go to Manchester intending to dominate the game.

“Yes, we believe we can get a result,” he said. “We go there, like we go everywhere, to control the game and to win the game.

“We still think the best way to win at Old Trafford is to control the game, which means take the ball, keep the ball and have more possession than they do.”

Aaron Ramsey continued his stunning form by scoring the only goal of

Career best Steyn, De Kock help SA win series n AFP, ABU DHABI

Dale Steyn returned his best one-day bowling figures while opener Quinton de Kock hit a maiden hundred as South Africa beat Pakistan by 28 runs in the fourth day-night international in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

Steyn (5-25) derailed Pakistan in the 47th over with the wickets of Umar Akmal (22), captain Misbah-ul Haq (65) and Saeed Ajmal (0) to wreck the opposition from 228-5 to 238 all out in 49.2 overs.

South Africa’s win gave them an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series ahead of the fifth and final match in Sharjah on Monday.

South Africa won the first match by one run in Sharjah and third in Abu Dhabi by 68 runs while Pakistan claimed the second match in Dubai by 66 runs.

With Misbah and Umar at the crease, and with 41 needed in five overs, Pakistan looked set to level the series but Steyn improved on his previous best of 5-50 against India at Nagpur in 2011 to help South Africa snatch an unexpected win, like they did in the first match.

Misbah, along with debutant Sohaib Maqsood (56), put Pakistan in charge but Steyn removed Maqsood in the 37th over to give his team a sniff of the victory.

When Misbah holed out, after hitting four boundaries and a six off 76 balls, Pakistan’s hopes were suddenly dashed.

“I am very happy and proud of the

boys with this series win away from home, especially after a really bad show in Sri Lanka,” said South Africa captain AB de Villiers whose team lost their last series 4-1 in Sri Lanka in July.

“Quinton is a serious talent for the future in South Africa. Nice to have Steyn in the team, he has that killer instinct.”

Misbah said Steyn’s devastating over had changed the game.

“We were in a good position until the last five overs. We had two set batsmen and the equation was 30 balls, 41 runs which was gettable but Steyn’s over put pressure on us,” said Misbah.

Pakistan had raced to 74 without loss in a cautious start before they lost three wickets in the space of 12 runs.

In the 19th over, Ahmed Shehzad was run out for 43 as he failed to reach the striker’s end after Mohammad Hafeez went for a sharp single. He hit five boundaries and a six off 59 balls.

It became 85-2 when leg-spinner Imran Tahir bowled Hafeez (33) and a run later Asad Shafiq miscued a drive and was caught off paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe for just one.

Misbah and Maqsood went on the attack, with the debutant hitting two huge sixes off Tahir.

Maqsood, likened to former Pakistan batting master Inzamam-ul Haq, reached his half-century with a superb flick off paceman Morne Morkel for his fifth boundary. In all he hit six boundaries and two sixes off 54 balls.l

Arsenal’s mid-week win away to Dortmund in the Champions League and United manager David Moyes has revealed that he came close to signing the Welsh midfielder during his time at Everton.

United and Everton both had £5 million ($8 million, 6 million euros) bids for Ramsey accepted by Cardiff City in 2008 and Moyes believed he was coming to Goodison Park, only for the then 17-year-old to elect to join Arsenal.

“I was very close to signing Aaron.

I had him and his family in my house, but Arsenal beat me to it,” Moyes told reporters ahead of the Arsenal game.

“He has played really well. He now sees himself as one of their really important players and has not let them down with the goals he has scored.”

Moyes also claimed that United turned down an opportunity to sign Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid during the close season before the German playmaker moved to Arsenal in a £42.4 million club-record deal.

“We weren’t close to buying him,” said Moyes.

“Something was mooted but we had Shinji Kagawa and Wayne Rooney. It wasn’t something we required at that time and we were looking at different positions.” l

Score Card SOUTH AFRICA

Q de Kock c Misbah b Khan Hashim Amla b Hafeez F du Plessis c Ajmal b Irfan AB. de Villiers c Hafeez b Khan D Miller lbw b Hafeez JP Duminy not out R McLaren not out Extras: (b1, lb9) Total: (five wickets; 50 overs)

112 46 10 30 5 25 28 10 266

Fall of wickets 1-87, 2-129, 3-198, 4-210, 5-214 Bowling Irfan 8-0-51-1, Tanvir 6-0-38-0, Khan 9-0-42-2, Ajmal 10-0-53-0, Afridi 8-038-0, Hafeez 9-0-34-2 PAKISTAN

Ahmed Shehzad run out 43 Mohammad Hafeez b Tahir 33 Sohaib Maqsood c de Villiers b Steyn 56 Asad Shafiq c Morkel b Tsotsobe 1 Misbah-ul-Haq c de Villiers b Steyn 65 Sohail Tanvir c Amla b Steyn 1 Umar Akmal c Morkel b Steyn 22 Shahid Afridi run out 3 Saeed Ajmal b Steyn 0 Mohammad Irfan not out 2 Junaid Khan b McLaren 4 Extras: (lb1, w7) 8 Total: (all out; 49.2 overs) 238 Fall of wickets 1-74, 2-85, 3-86, 4-174, 5-180, 6-228, 7-230, 8-231, 9-232 Bowling Steyn 10-1-25-5, Tsotsobe 10-0-49-1, Morkel 10-0-44-0, McLaren 9.2-0-59-1, Tahir 8-0-51-1, Duminy 2-0-9-0 South African Dale Steyn celebrates after cleaning up Pakistani cricketer Saeed Ajmal (unseen) during their fourth ODI in Abu Dhabi on Friday AFP

South Africa won by 28 runs Series: SA won 5-match series 3-1

Sport

DHAKA TRIBUNE

15

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Guangzhou edge Seoul to claim Champions League n Reuters, Guangzhou

Quick Bytes

Ashwin replaces Shakib at top India’s Ravichandran Ashwin has jumped to the number one position in the ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders by virtue of his stellar show in the recentlyconcluded first Test against the West Indies at Kolkata. His performance helped him to leapfrog Bangladesh’s Shakib al Hasan and Jacques Kallis of South Africa into the number-one spot in the all-rounders’ list. Ashwin has earned 81 ratings points and now leads secondplaced Shakib by 43 ratings points.

Ashwin played a sparkling innings of 124, his second Test century, and also recorded match figures of 40-11-98-5 to help India register an emphatic innings and 51-run victory over West Indies with more than two days to spare.

–Agencies

Bangladesh U-16 take lead Madhya Pradesh Under-16, at the end of the second day of the three-day match against Bangladesh Under-16, were all out for 212 runs before the hosts took a lead of 41 runs at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium yesterday. Overnight batsman Abhinav Singh and Sagar Sharma only added eight more runs on the second day before Abhinav was dismissed by Bangladesh skipper Shafiul Hayat Ridoy on 10. Nayeem Hasan and skipper Shafiul Hayat Ridoy bagged three wickets each for Bangladesh. In reply, the host made a good start as opener Pinak Ghosh scored 95 runs while Arif Hossain smashed 43 runs. However, Bangladesh has Jakir Ali Anik 35 and Kazi Anik Islam 16 at the crease as Bangladesh will start the third and final day of the three day match today on 253-6.

–MU

Fifa referees course ends The five-day long Fifa MA Elite Referees Course, organised by Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), concluded at the BFF House yesterday. A total of 40 referees took part in the course which was conducted by Fifa referees’ instructors Farkhad Abdullaev, Ganesh Maniam and Md M Muhiseen Arif. Secretary General of Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) Syed Shahed Reza distributed the certificates among the referees. BFF vice-president and referees’ committee chairman Badal Roy was also present during the occasion.

–SH

Rani plays draw in fifth round WIM Rani Hamid registered a draw against Divya Grag of India to earn three points after the end of the 5th round of the Women Grandmasters Chess Tournament in Chennai, India yesterday. WFM Zakia Sultana lost to Pratyusha Bodda of India while Mahmuda Hoque Chowdhury Moly drew with Simran Ahmed Masuda.

They both have 2.5 points each. Other representatives from Bangladesh Masuda Begum and Jahanara Haque Runu have two points each.

–SH

England’s tour match ends in draw England’s tour match with Australia A ended in a draw on the final day in Hobart on Saturday. Australia A were 119 for three in reply to England’s declared at 430 for seven when stumps were called in the rain-disrupted match. –AFP

Day’s Watch Ten Cricket 2:45PM Sri Lanka v New Zealand 1st ODI Ten Sports 12:30PM Asian Tour 2013 Hero Indian Open, Day 4 Ten action French Ligue 1 2013/14 10:00PM Marseille v Sochaux 2:00AM St Etienne v Lyon 1:45AM Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Semi-finals Star Sports HD 2 4:00PM MotoGP World C’ship 2013 Valencia, Main Races 12:00AM La Liga 2013/14 Villareal v At Madrid Star Sports 4 English Premier League 6:00PM Tottenham v Newcastle 8:00PM Sunderland v Man City 10:00PM Man Utd v Arsenal 2:00AM La Liga 2013/14 Real Betis v Barcelona

Guangzhou Evergrande coach Marcello Lippi (C) is surrounded by his players after winning their AFC Champions League second leg final against FC Seoul in Guangzhou yesterday

AFP

Last-gasp penalty saves Mourinho’s home run

Nadal tops group, helps Wawrinka into last four n Reuters, London

Rampant Suarez leads Liverpool’s rout of Fulham, Saints crush Hull City pushed Gareth McAuley’s The 22-year-old seemed eager to Results n AFP, London header into the air. atone and was the catalyst for his side’s A fiercely disputed 96th-minute Eden Hazard penalty saw Chelsea snatch a 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion on Saturday to preserve Jose Mourinho’s unbeaten home record in league games.

The Chelsea manager was heading for his first home defeat in 66 matches when Steven Reid was contentiously adjudged to have fouled Ramires and Hazard held his nerve amid angry West Brom protests to roll home an equaliser.

Samuel Eto’o had put the hosts in front, but West Brom hit back through Shane Long and Stephane Sessegnon to take Chelsea to the brink of a second consecutive league defeat following last weekend’s 2-0 loss at Newcastle United.

Despite Hazard’s equaliser, the Europa League champions slipped to fourth place, four points below leaders Arsenal, who could move even further clear if they win at Manchester United on Sunday.

Mourinho had restored Hazard to his starting XI after the Belgian attacking midfielder was dropped for the mid-week win over Schalke following his late return from an authorised trip to France.

opener on the stroke of half-time, with a low shot that was pushed out by West Brom goalkeeper Boaz Myhill, only for Eto’o to poke the rebound home.

Chelsea led for only 16 minutes, however, with Long outjumping John Terry and Frank Lampard to head home an equaliser after Petr Cech had

Aston Villa

2-0

Cardiff

Chelsea

2-2

West Brom

Crystal Palace

Everton

Liverpool

0-0 4-0

Southampton

4-1

Hull

Bacuna 76, Kozak 84 Eto’o 45, Hazard 90-pen

Amorebieta 23-og, Skrtel 26, Suarez 36, 54 Schneiderlin 16, Lambert 30-pen, Lallana 37, Davis 88

Long 61, Sessegnon 68

Fulham

Sagbo 55

Liverpool's Luis Suarez (R) scores past Fulham's goalkeeper Marrten Stekelenburg during their EPL match at Anfield in Liverpool, northern England yesterday REUTERS

Guangzhou Evergrande became the first Chinese winners of the AFC Champions League when they drew 1-1 with FC Seoul in the second leg on Saturday to prevail on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate tie.

Brazilian forward Elkeson opened the scoring for the Chinese champions in the 58th minute to send the majority of the red clad 58,000 capacity crowd at the Tianhe Stadium into raptures.

But FC Seoul were back level four minutes later with their first chance of the game, Dejan Damjanovic firing home to make it a nervy finale but Guangzhou survived to deservedly take the title.

Guangzhou’s victory means they will be Asia’s representative at the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco next month and it also made Italian World Cup winner Marcello Lippi the first coach to win both the European and Asian Champions League titles. His expensively assembled Chinese side were heavily favoured to win the final after claiming a 2-2 draw in the opening leg in Seoul last month and their milestone success will be celebrated throughout the country despite their failure to hit the heights set in previous rounds.

Lippi sprung a surprise with his lineup by selecting midfielder Zhao Xuri ahead of forward Gao Lin but his side could have done with the extra attacker as they dominated the opening half. l

powerful

Things got worse for Chelsea in the 68th minute and Cech bore a sizeable degree of culpability, allowing a tame shot from Sessegnon to squirm beneath him.

Liverpool capitalised on Chelsea’s slip-up by crushing Fulham 4-0 at Anfield to climb to second place, two points below Arsenal.

An own goal from Fernando Amorebieta, a Martin Skrtel header and a Luis Suarez effort put Liverpool 3-0 up inside 36 minutes, with Suarez adding a second goal in the 54th minute to take his tally of league goals to eight.

New England call-up Adam Lallana impressed in front of watching national coach Roy Hodgson as surprise package Southampton climbed to third in the table with a 4-1 win at home to Hull City.

A Leandro Bacuna free-kick and a Libor Kozak header gave Aston Villa 2-0 win at home to Cardiff City to hand Paul Lambert’s side a first win in five league matches.

Kick-off in Everton’s game at Crystal Palace was delayed by 15 minutes due to traffic problems around Selhurst Park ahead of the game.

The game eventually finished 0-0.l

If Stanislas Wawrinka’s life depended on the outcome of one tennis match he would surely want Rafa Nadal fighting his corner, and while the stakes were not as high as life or death on Friday the Swiss player’s fate was in safe hands.

Having beaten David Ferrer 6-7(3) 6-4 6-1 to claim his second Group A victory at the ATP World Tour Finals, Wawrinka knew a Nadal win later against Czech Tomas Berdych would send him through to the semi-finals along with the Spaniard.

Results Wawrinka bt Ferrer Nadal bt Berdych

6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-1 6-4, 1-6, 6-3

Nadal was already guaranteed his place in the last four but any thoughts of the Mallorcan going through the motions and conserving energy were quickly dispatched as the world number one went about his work with his usual intensity.

Berdych pushed the 27-year-old all the way and thundered through the second set in 29 minutes but Nadal pulled out all the stops to earn a 6-4 1-6 6-3 victory, sealing top spot in the group and avoiding a semi-final clash with Novak Djokovic.

“At the end I play for myself, 200 (ranking points),” Nadal said when asked about the implications of his win for Wawrinka. l

Bayern break league Ronaldo hat-trick sinks Sociedad record, Dortmund lose n Reuters, Madrid

n AFP, Berlin

Results

European champions Bayern Munich set a new record for the longest unbeaten run in Bundesliga history with a 3-0 victory at home to Augsburg on Saturday.

Bayern have now gone 37 league matches since their last defeat, at Bayer Leverkusen in October 2012, breaking Hamburg’s previous record of 36 set in January, 1983.

The Champions League holders opened the scoring at Munich’s Allianz Arena when Germany centre-back Jerome Boateng headed home from a corner after just five minutes.

France winger Franck Ribery then smashed home a direct free-kick on 42 minutes before Germany’s Thomas Mueller netted a penalty in the fifth minute of injury time.

More importantly, Bayern extended their lead at the top of the table to four points as second-placed Borussia Dortmund went down 2-1 at VfL Wolfsburg.

It was Dortmund’s second defeat of the week after losing to 1-0 at home to Arsenal in the Champions League.

Third-placed Bayer Leverkusen are level with Dortmund on 28 points after

Bayern Munich J. Boateng 5, Ribery 42, Mueller 90+5-pen

3-0

Augsburg

Schalke 04

3-1

Werder Bremen

Leverkusen

5-3

Hamburg

VfL Wolfsburg

2-1

Dortmund

Hoffenheim

2-3

Hertha Berlin

K-P. Boateng 64, 85, Farfan 90+1 Son 9, 16, 55, Kiessling 72, Castro 89 Rodriguez 56, Olic 69

Salihovic 70-pen, 81

F. Kroos 22

Beister 23, Lasogga 49, 74 Reus 45+2

Ben-Hatira 13, Ramos 53-pen, 84

beating Hamburg 5-3 with South Korea’s star striker Son Heung-Min scoring a hat-trick.

Schalke bounced back from their Champions League defeat at Chelsea as they came from behind to beat Werder Bremen 3-1 with Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng netting two headers.

Hertha Berlin stayed seventh after their 3-2 win at Hoffenheim with Colombia’s Adrian Ramos scoring two goals, including the winning goal when he headed the winner six minutes from time.l

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick and Real Madrid rattled in four goals before halftime in a 5-1 La Liga rout of Real Sociedad at the Bernabeu on Saturday.

The prolific Portugal forward took his tally for the season to an unmatched 16 goals from 13 games in La Liga, adding to his top scorer status in the Champions League where he has eight from four games. Karim Benzema and Sami Khedira added the others as Carlo Ancelotti’s men climbed on to 31 points in third place, two behind city rivals Atletico Madrid, who visit promoted Villarreal on Sunday.

Unbeaten leaders Barcelona have 34 points and visit struggling Real Betis in Sunday’s late game.

Ancelotti appears to have settled on a striking trio of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, a frontline dubbed ‘The BBC’ in the local media, and their devastating pace tore apart the Basque visitors in the first half.

Ronaldo had already struck the crossbar when he notched the opener in the 12th minute. A floated cross from Benzema found him unmarked at the back post, and the Portuguese forward netted from a tight angle.

Ronaldo returned the favour soon after, crossing low for the Frenchman

to sidefoot home the second in the 18th, and then he won a penalty for the third, when Sociedad’s Markel Bergara inadvertently handled the ball as he slid in for a tackle in the area.

The spot kick was converted, as for

Result Real Madrid

5-1

Ronaldo 12, 26-pen, 76, Benzema 18, Khedira 36

Real Sociedad Griezmann 61

the fourth game in a row against Sociedad at the Bernabeu, Ronaldo netted a double, and he then laid on the team’s fourth for Khedira in the 36th minute with a first-time pass.

French winger Antoine Griezmann pulled one back for the visitors with a neat lob in the 61st, but Ronaldo ended any thoughts of another defensive meltdown that has characterised Real’s recent league games, with a fifth. l

Real Madrid's forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring against Real Sociedad during their Spanish league match at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid yesterday AFP

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Sunday, November 10, 2013

Bangladeshi ‘commits suicide’ in Maldives n Tribune Desk

Parents hold press conference against drug addicted son n Our Correspondent, Barisal

A Bangladeshi worker reportedly committed suicide on an island of the Maldives, over 600 kilometers away from its capital Male, Friday night, said an official yesterday.

The victim was identified as Samad, son of Ayub Ali, hailing from Gafargaon, Mymensingh, says a UNB report.

Bringing allegation of atrocities against their son and an assistant sub-inspector of Mathbaria police station, a couple held a press conference at Barisal Reporter’s Unity yesterday.

Parents of three, Nur Hossain and Roshan Ara Begum brought the allegation against their eldest son Ilias Hossain, 31, stating that he got addicted to drugs long ago and since then had been torturing them and damaging and stealing valuables from home.

At least 11 general diaries and a case have been lodged against Ilias with Mathbaria police station, but as he was a driver of a rented police car, law enforcers always favoured him and took no steps to check his violent activities.

Ilias had close liaison with Assistant Sub-Inspector Omar Ali of Mathbaria police station, they claimed.

They alleged that Omar had been harassing them as they refused to marry off their daughter with him who was already married. The duo said they had complained to the superintendent of police on September 29.

They alleged that they did not even get any assurance of protection of life and properties from the law enforcers.

Denying all the allegations, ASI Omar said police had inquired Ilias after filing of the general diaries. However, Ilias got a bail from the higher court in the case filed against him, therefore, they had nothing to do now in this regard. l

We want to get the body and see it first. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely to get the body soon.

Everything is closed here for a couple of days Wahiduzzaman Liton, head of the Chancery, Bangladesh High Commission in the Maldives, said they are in touch with the authorities concerned to get the body back in Male and send it back to the victim’s relatives in Bangladesh.

“Since it’s not a natural death, we want to get the body and see it first.

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely to get the body soon. Everything is closed here for a couple of days as the presidential election is on here,” the official told UNB over phone on Saturday.

He also said there is only one mortuary in Male, and it will require six seats in domestic flights to carry the body to Male. “We’re ready to take the responsibility if the body is brought back to Male.”

According to family sources, Samad went to the Maldives two years ago and working at a house there. l

Jamaat-Shibir activists set a doubledecker BRTC bus on fire after finishing their pro-hartal procession in the city’s Jatrabari area

Violence marks 84-hour countrywide hartal eve n Tribune Report

Noor Hossain Day today n Tribune Desk Shaheed Noor Hossain Day, commemorating the heartrending martyrdom of young man Noor Hossain during the anti-Ershad movement in the late 80s, will be observed today with due solemnity.

On November 10 in 1987, when the movement against the then military autocrat HM Ershad was at its peak, Noor Hossain, a leader of Awami Juba League, was killed in police firing at the capital’s zero point near Gulistan.

The youth was demonstrating with his chest and back painted with slogan ‘Gonotantra Mukti Pak, Swairachar Nipat Jak’ (Let democracy be freed, down with autocracy).

The killing further fuelled the movement, forcing Ershad to step down three years later in 1990.

Awami League, its associate bodies and other political and socio-cultural organisations chalked out elaborate programmes to mark the day.

Awami League will place wreaths at Noor Hossain Square at 7:30am.

In a statement yesterday, Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam urged all to observe the day in a befitting manner. l

At least 15 vehicles were set to fire, around 100 others were vandalised, a score of crude bombs exploded and several people were injured in indiscriminate incidents of violence yesterday, a day before the 84-hour long countrywide hartal enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance from 6am today to 6pm Wednesday.

The opposition alliance on Friday announced a 72-hour hartal, demanding elections under a non-partisan government. Later, it extended the hartal for another 12 hours, protesting the arrest of senior BNP leaders on Friday night.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the joint secretary general of the party, announced the extension at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters last morning.

Rizvi, who was in the office with some of the office staff, demanded immediate release of party leaders and warned of “tougher” moves.

Mosharraf Hossain, a photo journalist of the Focus Bangla, was injured last night when police fired tear shells to disperse pickets who exploded cocktails near the Bangshal intersection.

While talking to the Dhaka Tribune, the victim claimed that he might have received splinter injury in his right eye.

A youth sustained severe burn injuries when miscreants lobbed a Molotov cocktail on him in the capital’s Shahbagh.

Witnesses said Md Mithu, 22, a peon of a private firm, was burned when he was returning home from office around 6pm.

According to police, Fire Service and witnesses, pro-hartal opposition leaders and activists brought out processions at different places in the capital and in different districts.

Miscreants reportedly hurled crude bombs at Brac University teacher Pias Karim’s Dhanmondi residence in the evening. Pias Karim claimed the miscreants also shot the watchman of his residence in the leg.

In the capital, at least 14 vehicles were set to fire in different places. Of them a BRTC double-decker was set to fire at Kutub Khali in Demra, another BRTC double-decker at Titumeer College in Mohakhali, a microbus at Khilgaon, two buses at Gulistan, a bus at Arambagh, a bus at Bongobazar, a bus at Agargaon, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw at Malibagh, a private car on Panthapath Road and two trucks at Sitakundu, Chittagong.

The BNP-led alliance men also brought out processions and clashed with police in Bogra, Chandpur, Comilla and different other districts leaving around 50 people injured. Meanwhile, protesting the arrest of BNP leaders, separate hartals were observed yesterday in Pabna, Bhola, Feni, Noakhali and Comilla amid stray incidents of violence.

In Feni, BNP men observed a daylong hartal protesting the arrest of BNP chairperson’s advisor Abdul Awal Mintoo. They vandalised around 50 vehicles at Dagonbhuya Bazar, Silonia Upazila and Tulatuli Bazar area and exploded at least 30 crude bombs.

In Pabna, a daylong hartal was observed protesting the arrest of Shimul Biswas, special assistant of the BNP chairperson, when at least 30 people were injured in a clash between hartal supporters and police in Abdul Hamid Sarak area in town where the hartal supporters vandalised 20 vehicles in different places.

Moreover, clashes took place during the hartal programmes in Noakhali, Bhola and Comilla. As part of a crackdown, police arrested 14 leaders and activists in Narsinghdi, nine in Jessore and four in Jamalpur. l

Locals killed a crocodile in the river Arial Khan in Madaripur. The reptiles often face such fate with the river water receding

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Police top brass start morale-boosting trips IGP leads teams to Khulna and Barisal to tell police what to do during the transitional period

n Kailash Sarkar Top officials of the police department have initiated visits to its different units across the country to boost the force’s morale, weighed down heavily in the wake of murders of 12 policemen in attacks mainly by Jamaat-Shibir and Hefazat activists over the last eight months.

As part of the move the inspector general of police (IGP) and many other top officials on Friday visited police lines in Khulna and Barisal and several other units to put forward guideline on what to do during the transition period of the government, says a source in police.

A total of 12 policemen were killed and 1583 others sustained injures from February 28 to till date while the number of injured policemen was only 106 in 2012.

The record in the police headquarters says 186 of the policemen sustained serious wounds and at present 39 policemen are undergoing treatment at different hospitals and clinics.

Under this circumstance, a number of field-level policemen expressed concern to this correspondent over their duties to ward off political violence.

However, IGP Hassan Mahmood Khandher on Thursday said: “It is out

of question that police members are scared as this is a trained force.”

Police force became the target of attacks when Jamaat-e-Islami unleashed a mindless violence after its top leaders were arrested in connection with their involvement in the war crimes during the Liberation War in 1971.

The violence escalated following the verdicts by the international crime tribunals.

Five policemen were killed in Gaibandha and Chittagong and scores of others injured on February 28 soon after the ICT delivered a verdict against Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Delwar Hossain Saiyeedi.

Several other police personnel were killed and many others injured in clashes between law enforcers and Hefajat-e-Islam activists on May 5 and 6.

Besides, police stations, offices and vehicles were set on fire and their firearms were also looted during the attacks.

According to the human rights body Ain O Shalish Kendra, a total of 320 people were killed and 13075 others injured in the last nine months from January to September while 533 reported incidents of violence erupted in the country during the same period.

Another human rights body Odhikar in a report said 27 people were killed

and 3433 others injured alone in October.

Among them, at least 15 people were killed and around 100 others injured in arson attacks.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune IGP Hassan Mahmood Khandker said the visits of two police lines were aimed at talking to the field-level members directly.

“It is my holy duty to console any police member when he or she comes under attacks or falls victim to violence during his or her duty,” the IGP said adding: “To encourage police members and inspirer them in their duties are the part of my responsibility.”

According to police sources, during the visits the IGP held meetings at Barisal and Khulna police lines where he talked to the police and Rab personnel in the regions.

During the visits, the IGP was accompanied, among others, by Rab Director General Mokhlesur Rahman, KMP Commissioner Shafiqur Rahman, BMP Commissioner Md Shamsuddin, Khulna Range DIG SM Moniruzzaman and Barisal Range DIG Abdur Rahim.

Visits to different police units will continue to go on. Earlier in October the IGP held a meeting at the headquarters of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police to this end, said the source. l

BANGLAR CHOKH

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B2 Summit Meghnaghat

Power to supply 220MW electricity late this month

B3 Stocks start fresh week

amid heightened political tension

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2013

Business www.dhakatribune.com/business

Insurance companies see moderate profits in Q3 Political uncertainty, slow economic growth hit earnings n Jebun Nesa Alo Most of the non-life listed companies have posted moderate profits in the third quarter of this year despite political uncertainty and slow economic growth.

But the combined profit after taxes of the companies declined 16% to Tk695m from the same period a year ago, according to the unaudited financial statements.

Out of 34 listed non-life insurance companies, profits of 20 increased, 13 dropped and one suffered losses during the July-September period of this year.

In the first nine months of this year, the combined profits after taxes of companies stood at Tk2.5bn, a rise of 10% from Tk2.3bn of the same period a year back.

INSURANCE INDUSTRY AGRANINS ASIAINS ASIAPACINS BGIC CENTRALINS CITYGENINS CONTININS DHAKAINS EASTERNINS EASTLAND FEDERALINS GLOBALINS GREENDELT ISLAMIINS JANATAINS KARNAPHULI MERCINS NITOLINS NORTHRNINS PARAMOUNT PEOPLESINS PHENIXINS PRAGATIINS PRIMEINSUR PROVATIINS PURABIGEN PIONEERINS RELIANCINS REPUBLIC RUPALIINS

Jan-Sept 2012 27.68 58.77 96.86 76.23 59.54 74.69 53.59 82.55 70.08 112.06 39.73 24.39 131.7 16.16 20.01 48.04 52.2 41.32 59.51 18.58 71.67 114.34 92.29 49.12 30.5 8.57 170.23 160.84 43.25 89.96

“The fall of import of capital machinery and industrial raw material affected the income of the insurance companies,” said economist Mamun Rashid. A drop in sales of motorised vehicles also dented the insurance business, he said.

“Natural disaster like flood, cyclone is under the coverage of insurance. But over the last three years, Bangladesh did not see natural disaster.

As a result, people are reluctant to pay higher premium against the natural disaster insurance,” he added.

Bangladesh Insurance Association President Sheikh Kabir Hossain said: “Insurers’ profits were battered by the slow economic growth and political uncertainty.”

Five top insurers that made highest prof-

Jan-Sept 2013 30.62 52.32 84.5 94.59 77.44 69.4 55.17 68.19 84.14 132.82 62.14 27.35 127.15 26.62 17.53 40.69 48.3 44.62 65.28 22.69 76.26 115.39 166.43 59.86 35.34 17.21 182.94 178.74 50.79 101.24

⇑ ⇓ ⇓ ⇑ ⇑ ⇓ ⇑ ⇓ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇓ ⇑ ⇓ ⇓ ⇓ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑

its are Pragati, Reliance, Phenix, Eastland and Rupali.

The companies that made lower profits are Agrani, Asia, Asia Pacific, BGIC, Continental, Eastern, Mercantile, Nitol, Peoples, Phoenix, Provati, Sonar Bangla and Takaful.

Green Delta Insurance suffered losses of Tk43m in the third quarter of 2013, which was Tk69.67m in the same period a year ago.

“Lower profit of the insurance sector is temporary. Everything will be ok after cooling down the current situation,” said Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority Chairman Shefaq Ahmed.

The central bank figures showed the import of capital machinery in September fell to $147m from $190.78m in July. l

Q3 2012 14.58 28.02 29.78 18.75 21.41 13.78 15.87 17.14 21 13.85 13.7 18.73 69.67 4.57 2.39 10.83 14.2 15.69 16.21 7.9 23.66 77.72 11.96 18.47 12.73 4.4 44.3 51.22 3.07 27.22

Q3 2013 9.14 ⇓ 16.32 ⇓ 24.83 ⇓ 20.06 ⇑ 28.56 ⇑ 19.88 ⇑ 10.49 ⇓ 22.53 ⇑ 17.09 ⇓ 32.17 ⇑ 22.19 ⇑ 20.62 ⇑ -43 ⇓ 7.2 ⇑ 4.58 ⇑ 16.56 ⇑ 13.9 ⇓ 15.58 ⇓ 17.88 ⇑ 9.03 ⇑ 23.4 ⇓ 44.42 ⇓ 55.23 ⇑ 23.09 ⇑ 11.26 ⇓ 10.18 ⇑ 55.38 ⇑ 51.82 ⇑ 10.31 ⇑ 30.34 ⇑ Figures in million Taka

Bibiyana may add 300 mmcfd gas by next year n Tribune Business Desk The country is likely to get 300 million cubic feet of new gas per day (mmcfd) from Chevron’s ongoing expansion project at Bibiyana field.

Sources at the energy sector said the USbased international oil company’s $500m expansion work is nearing its target and expected to be completed by the end of 2014, raising the prospect of getting gas, reports UNB. According to the sources, over 60% of the expansion has been completed so far.

Officials believe that the bulk new gas will play a major role in resolving the country’s nagging energy crisis for which many industries and power sector are suffering a lot.

Last year, Chevron announced the Bibiyana expansion plan — the processing plant adding two new trains with capacity of 150 mmcfd each and setting up of enhanced gasto-liquids recovery unit and drilling of four new development wells.

In addition to the four new wells under the expansion project, Chevron is also engaged in drilling another seven new development wells. Of the seven wells, six have been completed and one is currently underway.

However, the benefit of Chevron’s new gas delivery will largely depend on timely completion of Bibiyana-Dhanua pipeline, now being implemented by the state-owned Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL). Talking about the gas pipeline project as the largest one in the subcontinent, Petrobangla Chairman Dr Hussain Monsur showed hope of completing the construction work by next year.

According to Petrobangla’s website, Bibiyana is the largest gas-producing field currently producing 850 mmcf gas per day among the country’s total 22 gas fields.

The expansion programme, considered as the largest foreign investment project in the country’s energy history, is expected to increase Bibiyana’s production by 35%.

This will also boost production of 4,000 barrels of liquid fuel (condensate) worth about $175MM a year at the current import prices.

Petrobangla had initially requested Chevron to supply 600 mmcfd new gas from the field but the IOC agreed to provide half of its request 300 mmcfd gas. Mentioning the project as most significant, Geoff Strong said that this will add 300 mmcfd to the national gas supply. “I can’t tell you how proud I’m to be associated with a project that will not only make a significant impact in the nation’s energy sector, but will also help drive the growth of a thriving economy”.

Strong said Bibiyana will play a crucial role in Bangladesh’s energy security for many years to come. “This flagship project will provide more affordable energy that will not only increase Chevron’s business in Bangladesh, but will also help drive economic growth. So, this project is a big win for everyone involved.” l

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2013

Summit Meghnaghat Power to supply 220MW electricity late this month n Asif Showkat Kallol Summit Group, the country’s largest energy company, would start supplying 220MW of costly electricity to the national grid from its dual-fuel combined cycle Meghnaghat Power Company at the end of this month.

The initial production from the 335MW plant would come from diesel and the remaining 115MW is expected to come in July next with the completion of the combined cycle turbine, a group of reporters was told during a visit to the project site at Narsingdi yesterday.

The new supply in November would be almost one-fifth of the current supply shortage of electricity in the country.

Economic Relations Division organised the visit, apprising of the progress made on US$300m project, funded by DEG (Germany), FMO (Netherland), SCB (London) and IDCOL (Bangladesh), and letter of credit opening banks are Trust Bank, Brac Bank, Bank Asia and The City Bank Limited.

“We will able to supply electricity from the single-cycle plant by the end of November,” Summit Group Chairman Muhammed Aziz Khan told the visiting reporters.

He expected the government to ensure gas supply to the plant instead of inefficient ones to facilitate supplying low cost electricity to the grid. “We’ll be supplying from the power plant at a time when Dhaka city is facing a sudden deficit.”

The cost of electricity from the plant will now be above Tk11 per unit as it would run on diesel until the plant gets gas supply, officials visiting the site said.

The price is much higher than the average power generation cost of Tk6.28 per unit. The price would, however, come down to Tk2.03 per unit as soon as the gas supply starts.

Bangladesh Power Development Board Member (Company Affairs) Engr Tamal Chakraborty said the BPDB will have to provide a subsidy of Tk7.50 per unit for the generation of electricity from the plant till it uses diesel as the input. l

Oil prices rose Friday after a stronger-than-expected US jobs growth report and as investors kept an eye on talks for a deal on Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery in December delivery, finished the session at $94.60 a barrel, an increase of 40 cents from Thursday’s close.

In London trade, the European benchmark, Brent North Sea crude for December, jumped $1.66 to settle at $105.12 a barrel.

The US Labour Department’s highly anticipated October jobs report showed the world’s largest economy added a surprising 204,000 jobs, more than double the average analyst estimate, despite a 16-day partial federal government shutdown.

“The US employment report for October was stronger than expected, triggering a supportive rally in the S&P 500, but also a stronger dollar that tended to limit gains” in oil prices, said Tim Evans of Citi Futures. l

Citycell distributes ‘Eid Moments’ prizes

n Tribune Business Desk

A view of Summit Meghnaghat Power construction site at Narsingdi

Brac Bank launches IT company n Tribune Business Desk Brac Bank Limited has launched its 5th subsidiary, Brac IT Services Limited (biTS) at a function in Dhaka on Thursday. The IT venture of Brac and Brac Bank is formed to provide technology solutions to financial and other sectors in the country.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman formally launched the company in presence of biTS Chairperson Muhammad A (Rumee) Ali, managing director and CEO of Brac bank Syed Mahbubur Rahman and biTS CEO Nawed Iqbal, said a press release. “biTS will help companies increase connectivity and productivity. All Brac Bank subsidiaries always bring in innovative services and biTS will also maintain the tradi-

Oil prices rise on upbeat US jobs report, Iran concerns n AFP, New York

tion of excellence. We aim to become number 1 IT brand in Bangladesh and take our services beyond border,” said the biTS chairperson.

Brac Bank MD and CEO Syed Mahbubur Rahman said: “Local companies will now get world class IT services from a Bangladeshi IT firm at competitive cost. It will save a lot of foreign currency presently paid to foreign firms.”

Major services of biTS include enterprise network management, ADC systems management, data center monitoring services, cloud services, back office solution deployment, system integration, consultancy services, school management solutions, HR management system and fixed assets management system. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Citycell organised a prize giving ceremony of the online contest “Eid Moments” at its head office in Dhaka on Thursday.

Ziad Khandakar received a laptop as the first prize, the second prize, a Tab with Zoom Ultra connection, was given to Snigdha Rashid and the third prize winner Shakil Shahriar Rony received Samsung F309 handset, said a press release.

Prizes were distributed among the winners by Taslim Ahmed, Head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations of Citycell. l

Citibank holds workshop on internet banking

n Tribune Business Desk Citibank NA Bangladesh recently organised a daylong workshop for corporate clients on its internet banking platform, CitiDirect BESM. Bank’s Treasury and Trade Solutions department aimed to familiarise clients with the features and functions of the platform and its mobile solutions.

Citi Country Officer Bangladesh Rashed Maqsood inaugurated the session, attended by 57 officials from 25 institutional clients, said a press release. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2013

Stocks start fresh week amid heightened political tension n Tribune Report The stock market begins fresh week today with the ongoing political tension taking a new dimension amid police crackdown on opposition BNP. Despite the political uncertainty before Friday’s arrests of top BNP leaders, the market stayed bullish for the second consecutive week ended Thursday. Stocks shrugged off the political tension over the national election till then.

The gain was steeper in the past week as the benchmark DSEX index crossed 4,200-mark for the first time in three and a half months, pulled up by mainly banking stocks that dominated the trading over the last two weeks on their earnings prospects.

The benchmark index jumped 233 points or 5.9% to close at 4,200. The blue chip index DS30 surged 45 points or 3% to 1,453.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, gained sharply 325 points or 4% to 8,087.

The total turnover at DSE stood at Tk19.8bn in the past week, which was 13% higher than the previous week.

The daily turnover averaged Tk4bn compared to Tk3.5bn last week, indicating that the market remained upbeat throughout the week.

Banks outshined all the major sectors in the past week. The heavy weight sector posted an impressive almost 10% gain with five banks featuring in the top gainers of past week.

The other major sectors, including telecommunications, financial institutions,

The dollar scored solid gains against the euro after a surprisingly strong jobs growth report stirred expectations the Federal Reserve could begin to reduce its huge monetary stimulus soon.

The euro fell to $1.3368 around 2200 GMT, down from $1.3414 at the same time Thursday.

The dollar jumped to 99.04 yen from 98.02 yen. The euro also was stronger against the Japanese currency, rising to 132.40 yen from 131.50 yen.

“Investors bought dollars aggressively on the back of the payrolls report,” said Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management.

The Labour Department said the US economy added 204,000 jobs in October, double what analysts forecast, and revisions to the previous two months added another 60,000 jobs.

The upbeat jobs growth, despite a 16-day partial federal government shutdown, suggested the world’s largest economy could be in better shape than previously believed, and could encourage the Federal Reserve to decide to reduce its asset-purchase program,

US finance chief to raise China currency on Asia trip n AFP, Washington

power and pharmaceuticals also closed positive.

“Investors are not considering nationwide strikes and political clashes to be daunting factors any more. Value hunters probably felt that political factors are already discounted in the market and it is time to accumulate stocks at cheap prices,” said Lanka Bangla Securities in its weekly market analysis.

It said the market rallied riding on the back of mammoth banking sector movement.

“Investors are probably feeling optimistic about banking sector seeing their third quarter (July-September, 2013) reported figures.”

Investors are also probably feeling that earning of banking sector has bottomed out

and the provisioning requirements for most of the banks are met according to the regulatory requirement, it said.

IDLC Investment said although the week started with uncertainty in political frontier, the bourse performed well riding on positive news regarding increase in net foreign investment, rather calmness in political arena, and recognition of lucrative price opportunities in the banking sector.

Gainers strongly outpaced losers as out of 294 issues traded during the week, 220 advanced, 65 declined and nine remained unchanged on the DSE. United Commercial Bank was most traded stocks worth Tk737m changing hands, followed by Generation Next Fashion, Grameenphone, Envoy Textile and IFIC Bank. l

Dollar muscles higher on strong US jobs report n AFP, New York

3

or quantitative easing (QE), by the end of the year.

“Markets are taking the news as a sign that the Federal Reserve will begin to taper QE3 sooner than later - perhaps December given labour conditions bucking expectations,” said Christopher Vecchio, a currency analyst at DailyFX. For Lien, the jobs report extended a string of positive economic surprises that could give Fed policymakers the confidence to reduce stimulus before March.

“The bottom line is that if the government shutdown did not happen, the unemployment rate could be at 7% and with the anticipated snapback in government jobs

in November, labour market conditions are strong enough for December tapering to be a serious option for the Fed,” she said.

The euro’s sharp fall against the greenback came amid mixed eurozone data and the downgrade of France’s credit by ratings firm S&P to AA from AA+.

Adding to the pressure was the European Central Bank’s interest rate cut Thursday, taking its key rate to a new all-time low of 0.25% after holding it unchanged at 0.5% since May. The pound fell to $1.6019 from $1.6075 Thursday, while the dollar also rose against the Swiss currency, to 0.9216 franc from 0.9159 franc. l

US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will raise concerns about China’s trade policies and seek headway on an Asian trade pact during a visit next week.

Lew will start a trip Tuesday to Japan then visit three other countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations - Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam - before talks Friday in Beijing, the Treasury Department said Friday.

“In China, he will discuss progress on the reform agenda and efforts to level the playing field for US workers and business,” a Treasury Department statement said.

Lew will also speak with China about enforcement of sanctions on Iran and North Korea over their disputed nuclear programs, it said.

The Treasury Department last week charged that China’s yuan currency remains undervalued, which gives the manufacturing superpower a trade advantage.

The pact would bring together the economies of Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam

But the Treasury stopped short of branding China a currency manipulator, a designation that could trigger sanctions.

President Barack Obama’s administration has preferred quiet diplomacy with China and the yuan has gradually been rising, largely in response to inflationary concerns.

But in recent months, the Obama administration has been vocal in pressing China to crack down on theft of intellectual property, which a report this year said was costing US industry billions of dollars a year.

The United States has generally supported an aggressive push by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to boost the world’s third-largest economy, although US lawmakers have also voiced concern about the depreciation of the yen.

Abe has brushed aside concerns by Japanese farmers to enter talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a US-driven effort to create a vast free-trade zone.

The pact would bring together the economies of Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam.

The countries, which account for more than one-third of the global economy, have called for an agreement by the end of the year but several officials have admitted publicly that the goal is unrealistic. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Career

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2013

Empowering entrepreneurship through networking n Samira Zuberi Himika I met the whole world at Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Malaysia Back in 2009, US President Barack Obama initiated the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) with a view to empower entrepreneurs by uniting them on a global platform.

Addressing the summit he said that part of the progress made by GES over the last four years includes but is not restricted to “empowering a new of generation of entrepreneurs, including women, with new skills, training and access to capital.” This year the event took place in Kuala Lumpur.

When I was nominated to participate in GES from Bangladesh, I was quite surprised.

I realised people of our country were very hopeful about it. I was chosen because I represent an average Bangladeshi entrepreneur.

Projects of my company, Team Engine Ltd, address the problems of Bangladesh as a whole, not just the capital.

I expected nothing out of my tour to Malaysia to attend Global Entrepreneurship Summit and Global Startup Youth but it became one of the most memorable and joyful moments of my life. I met the whole world at Kuala Lumpur in less than a week.

In his speech, Najib Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, said: “Greater opportunities for our entrepreneurs will not only drive national progress but also help us address the great global problems of our age: poverty, sustainability and development.”

US Secretary of state John Kerry encouraged young entrepreneurs by saying: “Bend a bamboo; start when it’s still a shoot. Every step towards progress starts with young people.”

Such words of inspiration from global leaders boosted and reaffirmed my motivation to bring positive changes within my own country through entrepreneurship. A young generation of promising individuals is trying from their own sector, and a big part of Team Engine is to talk about these positive things.

We try to work with the missing billions who are neither poor nor well off.

The theme of GES this year was “Empowering and Connecting Entrepreneurs.” Selected youth entrepreneurial minds, young leading entrepreneurs and policy makers from around the world were united at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) and its side events - Global Startup Youth (GSY) and Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST).

Bangladesh boldly stepped in to the global entrepreneurship ecosystem showcasing its innovative approaches, activities and future plans through entrepreneurship. There were a few others from Bangladesh who I found at the airport or at the event.

As a mentor for development and social issues at GSY, I met and worked with more than 500 delegates aged 18-25 years from more than 123 countries. During GES and GSY, I met Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, Secretary-General of Treasury, Ministry of Finance Malaysia, Penny Pritzker, US Secretary of Commerce, Rich Barton, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Zillow, Inc among many others.

I told stories of Bangladesh; not the usual negatives like disaster, flood and political tur-

moil but a story of how Bangladesh has ensured feeding its own people with its own production, how the country has ensured GDP growth when the whole world was affected by financial meltdown and why this country is in the top list of “Happiest Country” in the world. In my eyes this is Bangladesh – a country with deep roots of culture, traditions and freedom and through its wings it is moving forward against any odd or difficulty.

There were none who was not astonished to know about “National Entrepreneurship Summit,” which was celebrated by more than 32,000 entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. They wanted to learn and know how Team Engine, a private company could pull off such a nationwide campaign for entrepreneurs and SMEs with its very limited resources. No other country could tell this kind of success story in the global platform. I was thrilled to realise that it happened because it is “Bangladesh” – a country of unlimited potential and magic.

I have met so many bright minds from around the world; they aren’t just young women from around the world; they are youth leaders and change makers of their communities and hundreds like them are

fine examples of innovative agents of change.

GES 2013, during October 11 and 12 saw more than 4,700 delegates from 123 countries attending the two-day summit with a total of 105 speakers from 26 countries delivering presentations and holding discussions. During the closing ceremony of GES, Morocco was announced as the next GES host in 2014.

At Global Startup Youth during October 8 to 10, around 500 participants gathered into a large room for 3 days, divided into 54 teams. Each team was briefed to come up with an app idea, judged on the criteria of “Functionality”, “Originality” and “Story” in one of four categories: Health, Education, Environment and Women’s Empowerment.

Each category had a winner, judged by mentors and speakers at the event, and the four category winners pitched at a session in the GES itself with the final winning team getting a week’s trip to Silicon Valley to meet people who can help them bring their ideas to life.

I had the opportunity to mentor a few teams for GSY from around the world. I took this wonderful opportunity to convey my ideology of entrepreneurship to these aspiring new leaders. Whenever I had the opportunity, during social gatherings or touring around, I tried to show them how important it was to emphasise on the good rather than the evil. Being entrepreneurs our challenge is to focus on the positive things to bring social change within our own communities.

Through GES, I had the opportunity to meet and connect with influential people from around the world. One important lesson that I took from this experience is that each nation is flawed in its own way but it is on us to rise above the weakness to define ourselves better. Entrepreneurship has the solution to the world’s biggest problems and we should use it wisely to bring prosperity to the world; what is a better place to start than our own home? l Samira Zuberi Himika is the founder of team engine.

She is an entrepreneur, development sector & communications specialist, campaigner and a vocalist.

Using empathy at work n Career Desk You’ve climbed to great success because of your hardworking attitude and technical knowledge, but your ascent has plateaued and you are no longer moving YOUR CUP forward. Sometimes, despite OF TEA being the best at what you do, “people” skills hold you back.

Inculcating an empathic approach is the most substantial effort you can make toward developing your “people” skills. When you make a real attempt at understanding others, they will try to understand you – and this is how you can start to build a great work environment of cooperation and teamwork.

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes. It is recognising emotions in others and being able to relate to it through an understanding of that person’s perspective and reality. To be empathic is to

be able to think beyond yourself and to understand where others are coming from.

There is no crash course to empathy.

However, you may learn to use empathy effectively at work by following a few simple suggestions.

Hold your view: No matter how strongly you believe in your viewpoint, try to see things from the other person’s point of view. When you do this, more often than not, you will find that people aren’t just being contradictory for the sake of contradicting you, they are not being stubborn or unreasonable.

They are simply reacting to a situation with the knowledge that they have at hand.

Acknowledge others’ views: Once you see where a person is coming from, acknowledge it. Acknowledging something does not mean agreeing to it, or admitting you were wrong.

Rather, it facilitates the discussion when the other party knows that you understand their

situation completely. It shows that you accept there are other opinions, and that people have their reasons to hold on to these opinions.

Quick tips: Pay attention Listen Respond positively Be open-minded React Listen: Listening is the most vital tool to being empathic. You must listen in a variety of ways, first to hear what is being said and the tone being used, then to observe the speaker’s body language and what they are conveying, and finally to feel what is being said and how deeply the speaker believes in it.

Look inward: Examine your attitude. Do you always have to be right? Do you have to get

your way? Do you have to win every time? At work, the priority is to find a solution, which is often prolonged because of people’s need to get their way. If you find that such is true of you, learn to let go of things and not take everything personally. Your job is to find the best solution, which won’t always be coming from you.

Ask for suggestions: The simplest way to understand another person and their view is to ask for their suggestion on an issue.

People love talking about themselves and sharing their opinions. Instead of trying to figure them out on your own, simply ask them to explain to you why they believe what they do.

Use these skills while networking with others and it will make you appear more thoughtful and amicable – you are no longer egotistical or selfish because you’ve increased your interest in what others think, feel and experience. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Career

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2013

From an employer’s perspective n Faria Samreen Nizam Currently, the Bangladesh HR scenario is such that when we employers post a job, irrelevant of how large or small our organisation is, we are receiving over thousands, or at the least hundreds of resume applications to our job posting.

At first glance, my team and I were ecstatic. We were brimming with excitement at the potential of recruiting five star candidates to take our start-up operations to the next level!

However, little did we know, out of the thousands of applicants that had applied we had no choice but to filter out roughly 80% of the applicants.

Seekers are now applying to countless jobs in hopes that at least one of the employers will call them in From a job seeker’s perspective you may start to wonder why that is so. Is the company so strict about grades or is it that screening is tough in general? The answer oddly enough on both accounts is a big no! The problem is more entrenched. Half the seekers who had applied either did not read the job requirements properly or they missed mentioning crucial information on their resumes.

Another half of this 80% did not even have the skills the job posting required in the first place, yet they still believed it was a good idea to apply. We started wondering, why were seekers brush firing their resumes in this manner? There must be more to this than meets the eye.

Once we put some more thought into it, the answers became apparent. The reason why job seekers are applying to as many

job postings as they can find, irrelevant of whether or not their skill set or education matches the requirements of the employers, is due to the fact that there is a major disconnect between the seekers and the employers.

In a day and age where social media integration and technology is at its peak, the job boards in Bangladesh are still very dated in comparison. For the most part, seekers do not receive instant feedback from a majority of the employers. Many employers follow best practices and do conform to letting the seekers know if they’ve made the cut or vice versa. But the reality is, to many seekers it is just a black hole application process.

Thus, seekers are now applying to countless jobs in hopes that at least one of the employers will call them in. On the flip side, what are the adverse affects of the black hole application process?  The employers end up receiving an array of resumes that do not fit the basic necessary skills required for the job position/role. This in turn becomes a time consuming effort and sometimes even a fruitless endeavor on the employers’ part.  An increased number of candidates pouring in for interviews end up not knowing what position they are being interviewed for at the organisation. This is because they have applied to so many job postings that they cannot really recall if the position was, for instance, for an executive or manager? In the sales department or marketing? Moreover, the job posting had already expired on the online job site hence there was no way for them to make sure.

What could be the solution? 

A job board that fosters an engaged community, where seekers can receive

Friendless: I just started working at a research firm and everybody else here have been around for years and are extremely close. I’ve tried very hard to become a part of the team for a week now, but I get the feeling they dislike me because one of their friends was replaced by ASK MENTOR me. They all have their inside jokes I don’t understand, they hangout after work where I’m not invited, and have lunch together without calling me. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but how can I get them to welcome me more openly into the team? It has been a week already.

Mentor: This is tricky for sure. Work friends are necessary. You are trying to break into a group, which is not easy or even possible. You need to target one person. The one who is vulnerable and needs help at work. Volunteer to give him or her a hand, that will create a bond. Slowly that person will introduce you to the group. It will take time for sure.

LoneNonSmoker: I’ve always found smoking disgusting, but I keep my opinion to myself since everybody makes their own choices in life. However, sometimes during meetings or discussions, my colleagues and even my supervisor lights up a cigarette, and I find it extremely uncomfortable being so close. I am possibly the only non-smoker at work and I am not sure if it’d be right of me to ask them to not smoke during meetings. I don’t want to be an object of ridicule or laughter. What should I do?

Mentor: Well,I have the same problem genuinely, as I have asthma and I can’t stand cigarette smoke. I can lend it to you as an excuse, no one will smoke in front of an asthmatic. Usually, people respect someone who doesn’t smoke.

Lighting up indoor is surely a terrible thing.

Email us at career@dhakatribune.com for your opinions, feedback and career-related queries.

instant feedback from employers each time their resumes are viewed or shortlisted as favorites.  A standardised form where amongst other things seekers must mention their skills, level of education, experience, salary expectation and language proficiency.  Enough statistics being provided to seekers which guides them to apply for jobs that match their skill-set best. This particular portion would eradicate the fact that candidates apply to jobs they aren’t really suited for.

And the subsequent results?

Increased Job Satisfaction Motivated Employees  Increased Efficiency  Fewer Turnovers  

In conclusion, the next time you apply for a job, take into consideration your five mandatory must-mentions and whether or not the job you are applying for is truly the sort of position you want. We employers know that employees content with their job always perform better. And so, on that note - good hunting! l The writer is the Head of Marketing & Sales for loosemonkies.com

5

Bangladesh’s first intelligent job site attains global fame at the Web Summit’13 Loosemonkies.com, Bangladesh’s first intelligent job portal, recently participated at the World Web Summit where it attained international recognition as one of the world’s hardest working startups. Loosemonkies has been placed in the third position out of over 700 global participating companies. The ranks are based on votes each participant attains and with over 4,000 votes, Loosemonkies has attained global acknowledgement for its innovative recruitment solutions.

CEO of Loosemonkies.com Nadimur Rahman said: “This is the first time any organisation let alone online job board which is driven by Bangladeshi tech support, has reached such great heights at the Web Summit. This is a proud moment for our team. We believe this platform is a step forward towards branding the country’s talents and developing the HR industry for our community.

“We have received great response from many different types of organization who have shown great interest in our HR platform and believe that Loosemonkies has the potential to change the HR industry. Loosemonkies strives to foster an engaged community between job seekers and employers, through instant feedback and its other innovative features such as the chat functionality.”

The Web Summit is an international event where the top CEO’s of the world’s most revolutionary companies, CTO’s, HR Managers and Sales Managers attend to experience the change and development in terms of technology around the globe. The summit also acknowledges the most ground-breaking start up innovations in different categories. Global leaders in business startup and web/mobile applications attended the Summit as speakers. l

Banking lingo Follow this career expert on Twitter to stay on the edge of your career Stacy Donovan Zapar @StacyZapar Stacy Donovan Zapar is a 15year recruiting veteran for Fortune 500 tech companies and CEO of Tenfold Social Training, a B2B Social Recruiting training company for talent acquisition and staffing teams around the world. She is also the Most Connected Woman on LinkedIn with more than 40,000 1st-level connections, making her the #5 most connected person out of 259 million users worldwide. She is a monthly contributor to LinkedIn’s Talent Blog and served as Technical Editor for Wiley’s LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day. Stacy speaks regularly at HR / Recruiting conferences globally, including #truLondon, LinkedIn Talent Connect, Sourcing Summit Australia and SourceCon. She is #6 on Huffington Post’s Top 100 Most Social HR Experts on Twitter and #7 on ERE.net’s 50 People Most Retweeted by Recruiters on Twitter. l

n Career Desk Current account (noun) – Bank account from which money may be drawn at any time; checking account.

Deposit account (noun) – Bank account on which interBIZ est is paid; savings account.

VOCAB Overdraft (noun) – Deficit in a bank account caused by withdrawing more money than is paid in.

Standing order (noun) – An instruction to a bank to make regular payments.

Fill in (verb) – To add written information to a document to make it complete.

Bank charges (noun) – Money paid to a bank for the bank’s services.

Debit (noun) – A sum deducted from a bank account, as for a cheque.

Paying-in slip (noun) – Small document recording money that you pay in to a bank account.

Statement (noun) – A record of transactions in a bank account.

Withdraw (verb) – To take money out of a bank account.

6

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2013

DSE Broad Index: 4200.81 ⇑ 5.87%, Turnover: 19803.00 M.Tk ⇑ 13.40%, PE: 12.84 Turnover: 21,681.69 MTk. ⇑ 13.40% Weekly MarketCap. 2,016.07 BTk. ⇑ 4.91% CSE All Share Index: 12930 ⇑ 5.59%, Turnover: 1894.11 M Tk. ⇑ 13.42%, PE: 12.65 Combined Turnover Leader UCBL - A G Next Fashions-A Square Pharma -A Grameenphone-A Envoy Textiles Ltd-N

CompanyCode | EPS | BV | Volume Traded (Share) DSE/CSE: ClosePrice ⇓/⇑ Chn % | Avg.Price | Hi / Lo

BANK ABBANK | 2.95 | 32.60 | Vol. 4278017 D: 28.60 ⇑ 13.94% | 28.36 | 30.00 / 22.90 C: 28.50 ⇑ 12.65% | 28.17 | 28.70 / 24.00 CITYBANK | 1.15 | 25.97 | Vol. 15946658 D: 22.10 ⇑ 18.82% | 21.51 | 22.40 / 17.00 C: 22.10 ⇑ 19.46% | 21.67 | 22.40 / 17.90 IFIC | 1.10 | 18.34 | Vol. 15259911 D: 36.20 ⇑ 36.60% | 35.09 | 36.60 / 24.00 C: 36.40 ⇑ 37.88% | 35.05 | 36.50 / 26.00 ISLAMIBANK | 3.78 | 27.16 | Vol. 770637 D: 36.70 ⇓ 0.54% | 36.49 | 38.00 / 33.00 C: 36.70 ⇑ 0.27% | 36.59 | 37.10 / 35.00 NBL | 1.05 | 15.76 | Vol. 23907483 D: 12.20 ⇑ 8.93% | 12.17 | 13.00 / 10.00 C: 12.20 ⇑ 6.09% | 12.18 | 12.40 / 10.70 PUBALIBANK | 1.92 | 21.18 | Vol. 1541071 D: 32.00 ⇑ 2.89% | 31.72 | 32.30 / 28.00 C: 32.00 ⇑ 3.56% | 31.94 | 33.00 / 30.60 RUPALIBANK | 6.70 | 64.27 | Vol. 489196 D: 71.90 ⇑ 11.65% | 71.80 | 75.70 / 60.00 C: 72.30 ⇑ 19.90% | 72.13 | 74.10 / 60.30 UCBL | 1.90 | 21.72 | Vol. 35832661 D: 24.80 ⇑ 13.24% | 24.19 | 25.00 / 19.50 C: 24.90 ⇑ 13.70% | 24.38 | 25.00 / 20.00 UTTARABANK | 3.42 | 26.97 | Vol. 6995116 D: 34.80 ⇑ 24.29% | 34.05 | 35.10 / 25.20 C: 35.10 ⇑ 25.81% | 34.35 | 35.50 / 25.20 ICBIBANK | -1.60 | -13.03 | Vol. 1230500 D: 6.00 ⇑ 1.69% | 6.05 | 6.20 / 5.70 EBL | 3.91 | 28.22 | Vol. 1535185 D: 30.60 ⇑ 15.91% | 29.85 | 30.90 / 24.00 C: 30.40 ⇑ 15.59% | 29.29 | 30.60 / 26.00 ALARABANK | 2.03 | 14.91 | Vol. 8014563 D: 17.40 ⇑ 12.99% | 17.24 | 18.00 / 14.00 C: 17.50 ⇑ 12.18% | 17.36 | 17.70 / 15.00 PRIMEBANK | 2.89 | 22.40 | Vol. 2594106 D: 25.00 ⇑ 8.23% | 25.03 | 25.90 / 21.00 C: 24.90 ⇑ 8.26% | 24.87 | 25.60 / 21.60 SOUTHEASTB | 1.89 | 22.66 | Vol. 9061762 D: 19.00 ⇑ 12.43% | 18.66 | 19.20 / 14.70 C: 19.00 ⇑ 13.10% | 18.75 | 19.40 / 16.40 DHAKABANK | 1.46 | 18.08 | Vol. 1463166 D: 19.90 ⇑ 5.85% | 19.73 | 20.00 / 17.00 C: 20.10 ⇑ 7.49% | 19.90 | 20.40 / 17.70 NCCBANK | 1.90 | 15.88 | Vol. 8330155 D: 13.70 ⇑ 12.30% | 13.37 | 13.90 / 11.00 C: 13.80 ⇑ 13.11% | 13.41 | 14.00 / 11.60 SIBL | 2.05 | 14.47 | Vol. 6672122 D: 12.80 ⇑ 9.40% | 12.63 | 13.20 / 10.50 C: 12.80 ⇑ 8.47% | 12.70 | 12.90 / 11.50 DUTCHBANGL | 11.57 | 54.27 | Vol. 179650 D: 101.5 ⇑ 8.09% | 101.19 | 104.0 / 89.00 C: 100.0 ⇑ 8.70% | 100.00 | 100.0 / 88.00 MTBL | 1.17 | 17.27 | Vol. 527884 D: 16.50 ⇑ 5.10% | 16.44 | 17.00 / 13.50 C: 16.50 ⇑ 7.84% | 16.40 | 16.80 / 15.40 STANDBANKL | 2.33 | 14.41 | Vol. 6878250 D: 15.00 ⇑ 16.28% | 14.75 | 15.50 / 11.80 C: 15.00 ⇑ 14.50% | 14.68 | 15.10 / 12.70 ONEBANKLTD | 2.35 | 15.34 | Vol. 13650983 D: 15.60 ⇑ 9.86% | 15.39 | 16.00 / 12.50 C: 15.60 ⇑ 7.59% | 15.42 | 15.70 / 13.70 BANKASIA | 1.35 | 20.80 | Vol. 1719336 D: 19.90 ⇑ 6.99% | 19.77 | 20.30 / 16.80 C: 20.10 ⇑ 6.35% | 20.19 | 21.40 / 18.20 MERCANBANK | 2.07 | 16.59 | Vol. 17744847 D: 16.60 ⇑ 22.96% | 16.18 | 16.90 / 12.00 C: 16.70 ⇑ 24.63% | 16.20 | 16.90 / 13.00 EXIMBANK | 1.80 | 14.31 | Vol. 6845871 D: 12.10 ⇑ 6.14% | 12.03 | 12.80 / 10.30 C: 12.30 ⇑ 6.03% | 12.12 | 12.50 / 10.80 JAMUNABANK | 2.47 | 18.56 | Vol. 1636832 D: 16.80 ⇑ 10.53% | 16.47 | 17.00 / 13.70 C: 16.70 ⇑ 9.15% | 16.47 | 17.00 / 14.00 BRACBANK | 1.51 | 24.87 | Vol. 3136114 D: 32.60 ⇑ 9.03% | 32.30 | 32.90 / 27.00 C: 32.80 ⇑ 11.19% | 32.20 | 32.90 / 29.10 SHAHJABANK | 2.61 | 14.47 | Vol. 5111627 D: 17.40 ⇑ 12.26% | 17.33 | 18.00 / 14.00 C: 17.60 ⇑ 12.82% | 17.27 | 17.70 / 15.50

Vol.

TO M. Tk.

% of TTL

Avg. P

35832661

845.10

3.90

23.58

26386420

679.55

3.13

25.75

3484739

629.45

2.90

180.63

3133690 9495730

624.40 572.31

2.88 2.64

PREMIERBAN | 1.18 | 13.95 | Vol. 10852249 D: 11.90 ⇑ 3.48% | 11.87 | 12.30 / 10.20 C: 11.90 ⇑ 3.48% | 11.86 | 12.10 / 10.50 TRUSTBANK | 0.50 | 18.00 | Vol. 1500494 D: 19.30 ⇑ 10.29% | 19.01 | 19.50 / 15.80 C: 19.50 ⇑ 10.17% | 18.98 | 19.50 / 17.00 FIRSTSBANK | 1.85 | 13.89 | Vol. 7166723 D: 14.90 ⇑ 20.16% | 14.63 | 15.10 / 11.00 C: 15.00 ⇑ 20.97% | 14.69 | 15.10 / 11.50 NON BANKING F I IDLC | 4.43 | 29.18 | Vol. 1153811 D: 62.00 ⇑ 9.54% | 61.45 | 62.80 / 54.00 C: 62.20 ⇑ 9.12% | 61.24 | 62.50 / 57.00 ULC | 1.80 | 14.90 | Vol. 2565040 D: 31.40 ⇑ 16.73% | 30.72 | 31.80 / 25.00 UTTARAFIN | 7.16 | 41.54 | Vol. 1038701 D: 83.80 ⇑ 13.55% | 82.74 | 84.30 / 70.00 C: 83.30 ⇑ 14.74% | 82.54 | 84.00 / 70.00 MIDASFIN | 0.16 | 10.21 | Vol. 16571 D: 29.70 ⇓ 1.33% | 29.71 | 32.00 / 28.00 FLEASEINT | 2.34 | 13.93 | Vol. 10086484 D: 32.20 ⇑ 26.27% | 31.51 | 32.20 / 23.00 C: 32.10 ⇑ 29.44% | 31.27 | 32.10 / 24.00 PLFSL | 1.37 | 17.48 | Vol. 6902654 D: 25.30 ⇑ 17.67% | 24.74 | 25.50 / 19.50 C: 25.40 ⇑ 18.14% | 24.90 | 25.60 / 21.30 PRIMEFIN | 0.87 | 17.88 | Vol. 2763145 D: 26.00 ⇑ 12.55% | 25.75 | 26.20 / 22.00 C: 26.10 ⇑ 13.48% | 25.78 | 26.30 / 22.50 PREMIERLEA | 0.10 | 11.37 | Vol. 773535 D: 10.50 ⇑ 5.00% | 10.32 | 10.60 / 9.10 C: 10.60 ⇑ 6.00% | 10.43 | 10.80 / 9.90 ISLAMICFIN | 1.03 | 15.48 | Vol. 3548423 D: 16.90 ⇑ 9.03% | 16.80 | 17.10 / 13.80 C: 16.90 ⇑ 9.03% | 16.89 | 17.50 / 15.30 LANKABAFIN | 1.61 | 31.07 | Vol. 4721092 D: 58.70 ⇑ 8.10% | 58.60 | 60.00 / 48.30 C: 58.90 ⇑ 7.68% | 58.64 | 59.50 / 52.90 BIFC | 0.15 | 18.58 | Vol. 1352142 D: 17.50 ⇑ 7.36% | 17.56 | 17.90 / 15.10 C: 17.40 ⇑ 7.41% | 17.58 | 18.00 / 16.00 IPDC | 1.23 | 19.43 | Vol. 891605 D: 19.10 ⇑ 11.70% | 18.92 | 19.30 / 17.00 C: 19.10 ⇑ 12.35% | 18.84 | 19.20 / 16.50 UNIONCAP | 0.54 | 17.85 | Vol. 223986 D: 28.80 ⇑ 6.27% | 28.40 | 29.00 / 25.00 C: 28.10 ⇑ 4.07% | 28.00 | 29.00 / 26.00 BDFINANCE | 0.57 | 14.77 | Vol. 1156529 D: 18.90 ⇑ 5.59% | 18.75 | 19.10 / 16.70 C: 19.10 ⇑ 6.70% | 18.93 | 19.30 / 17.20 ILFSL | 0.35 | 12.19 | Vol. 4218545 D: 15.70 ⇑ 7.53% | 15.44 | 16.00 / 13.50 C: 15.50 ⇑ 4.73% | 15.40 | 16.00 / 14.10 PHOENIXFIN | 2.46 | 19.39 | Vol. 2497368 D: 33.40 ⇑ 19.29% | 32.67 | 33.50 / 26.00 C: 33.60 ⇑ 20.43% | 33.08 | 33.60 / 27.60 FASFIN | 0.19 | 13.56 | Vol. 2381391 D: 14.30 ⇑ 5.93% | 14.22 | 14.60 / 12.40 C: 14.40 ⇑ 5.88% | 14.22 | 14.50 / 13.40 DBH | 4.47 | 21.27 | Vol. 286476 D: 58.00 ⇑ 9.43% | 57.83 | 58.90 / 48.00 C: 57.80 ⇑ 13.11% | 57.83 | 58.00 / 52.00 NHFIL | 0.57 | 12.70 | Vol. 1405691 D: 31.10 ⇑ 5.07% | 30.74 | 31.40 / 27.00 C: 31.10 ⇑ 5.07% | 30.90 | 31.60 / 28.80 BAYLEASING | 0.72 | 25.55 | Vol. 1973278 D: 31.10 ⇑ 13.50% | 30.42 | 31.40 / 25.00 C: 31.20 ⇑ 14.71% | 30.64 | 31.20 / 24.50 ICB | 89.23 | 607.74 | Vol. 52616 D: 1431 ⇓ 3.73% | 1436 | 1560 / 1415 C: 1455 ⇓ 2.12% | 1455 | 1455 / 1455 GSPFINANCE | 1.63 | 22.23 | Vol. 603554 D: 26.90 ⇑ 11.62% | 26.49 | 27.20 / 21.60 C: 26.90 ⇑ 12.08% | 26.69 | 27.00 / 23.50 FAREASTFIN | 0.68 | 13.64 | Vol. 3664000 D: 14.00 ⇑ 2.94% | 14.04 | 14.40 / 13.50 C: 14.00 ⇑ 1.45% | 14.02 | 14.50 / 13.50 INVESTMENT 2NDICB | 44.10 | 253.11 | Vol. 1100 D: 226.0 ⇑ 5.12% | 226.00 | 226.0 / 210.0 3RDICB | 26.16 | 235.16 | Vol. 2400 D: 181.0 ⇑ 3.25% | 181.00 | 182.0 / 179.8 4THICB | 29.24 | 229.24 | Vol. 1700 D: 175.0 ⇑ 2.94% | 175.00 | 175.0 / 170.0

199.25 60.27

C%

A%

CP

Delta Life Insu.-Z

DSE Gainer

51.95

51.86

343.10

IFIC Bank-A

36.60

31.08

36.20

First Lease-A

26.27 24.45

32.20

Popular Life Insu.-A

24.97

Uttara Bank-A

22.54

24.29 20.32

5THICB | 23.45 | 188.92 | Vol. 16200 D: 140.3 ⇓ 3.64% | 140.00 | 145.6 / 130.2 6THICB | 10.99 | 60.14 | Vol. 48100 D: 45.60 ⇑ 0.22% | 45.44 | 46.30 / 44.50 C: 45.90 ⇑ 0.44% | 45.90 | 45.90 / 42.00 7THICB | 13.53 | 98.60 | Vol. 5500 D: 78.00 ⇑ 7.00% | 78.00 | 78.00 / 74.10 8THICB | 12.47 | 70.07 | Vol. 12000 D: 50.40 ⇑ 0.40% | 50.33 | 51.40 / 49.60 AIMS1STMF | 3.02 | 15.70 | Vol. 1510750 D: 39.60 ⇑ 5.60% | 39.60 | 40.00 / 36.80 C: 40.10 ⇑ 7.51% | 39.80 | 40.50 / 36.20 ICBISLAMIC | 2.21 | 26.81 | Vol. 217000 D: 17.50 ⇑ 7.36% | 17.24 | 17.70 / 16.10 GRAMEEN1 | 6.26 | 33.23 | Vol. 1923000 D: 47.30 ⇑ 10.00% | 47.31 | 47.90 / 42.10 C: 47.80 ⇑ 10.90% | 47.52 | 47.90 / 42.90 PF1STMF | 0.51 | 11.11 | Vol. 1416500 D: 5.60 ⇑ 5.66% | 5.58 | 5.80 / 5.20 C: 5.70 ⇑ 7.55% | 5.62 | 5.70 / 5.30 ICB3RDNRB | 0.00 | 10.60 | Vol. 1707000 D: 5.20 ⇑ 4.00% | 5.21 | 5.30 / 4.90 C: 5.20 ⇑ 6.12% | 5.20 | 5.30 / 5.00 1JANATAMF | 0.78 | 10.68 | Vol. 2372500 D: 6.20 ⇑ 8.77% | 6.16 | 6.30 / 5.70 C: 6.00 ⇑ 1.69% | 6.06 | 6.20 / 5.60 GREENDELMF | -0.82 | 9.72 | Vol. 1774000 D: 5.50 ⇑ 5.77% | 5.45 | 5.60 / 5.10 C: 5.40 ⇑ 3.85% | 5.39 | 5.50 / 5.00 POPULAR1MF | 0.77 | 11.38 | Vol. 5192691 D: 6.30 ⇑ 10.53% | 6.24 | 6.40 / 5.30 C: 6.30 ⇑ 8.62% | 6.23 | 6.40 / 5.50 IFILISLMF1 | 0.00 | 10.45 | Vol. 1209000 D: 5.50 ⇑ 5.77% | 5.50 | 5.60 / 5.20 C: 5.50 ⇑ 7.84% | 5.49 | 5.50 / 5.10 PHPMF1 | 0.63 | 10.92 | Vol. 6577500 D: 5.80 ⇑ 11.54% | 5.71 | 5.90 / 5.20 C: 5.80 ⇑ 9.43% | 5.71 | 5.90 / 5.20 AIBL1STIMF | -0.07 | 9.25 | Vol. 209000 D: 6.70 ⇑ 4.69% | 6.80 | 7.00 / 6.40 C: 7.00 ⇑ 7.69% | 7.00 | 7.00 / 6.40 MBL1STMF | -0.16 | 9.08 | Vol. 710000 D: 6.40 ⇑ 3.23% | 6.46 | 6.50 / 6.10 C: 6.30 ⇓ 1.56% | 6.30 | 6.40 / 6.30 SEBL1STMF | 0.94 | 11.85 | Vol. 3246850 D: 8.50 ⇑ 6.25% | 8.49 | 8.60 / 7.80 C: 8.60 ⇑ 8.86% | 8.53 | 8.80 / 7.80 EBLNRBMF | 1.07 | 10.88 | Vol. 98500 D: 7.80 ⇑ 4.00% | 7.80 | 8.00 / 7.30 RELIANCE1 | 0.95 | 10.33 | Vol. 4383150 D: 9.20 ⇑ 9.52% | 9.08 | 9.30 / 8.00 C: 9.00 ⇑ 8.43% | 8.99 | 9.20 / 8.00 LRGLOBMF1 | 0.50 | 10.82 | Vol. 1373500 D: 7.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.66 | 7.80 / 7.30 C: 7.80 ⇑ 5.41% | 7.47 | 7.80 / 7.10 ABB1STMF | 0.92 | 10.63 | Vol. 12127190 D: 7.10 ⇑ 5.97% | 7.09 | 7.20 / 6.70 C: 6.90 ⇑ 4.55% | 6.90 | 7.00 / 6.80 NLI1STMF | 1.17 | 12.22 | Vol. 4227500 D: 9.60 ⇑ 5.49% | 9.67 | 9.80 / 8.50 C: 9.50 ⇑ 2.15% | 9.75 | 9.90 / 8.40 FBFIF | 1.30 | 10.27 | Vol. 11000 D: 8.90 ⇓ 2.20% | 9.00 | 9.20 / 8.30 NCCBLMF1 | 1.16 | 10.48 | Vol. 217500 D: 8.60 ⇑ 4.88% | 8.59 | 8.80 / 8.00 ICBSONALI1 | 0.00 | 10.39 | Vol. 1967000 D: 7.10 ⇑ 7.58% | 7.03 | 7.20 / 6.60 C: 7.20 ⇑ 9.09% | 7.11 | 7.20 / 6.50 EXIM1STMF | 0.00 | 10.91 | Vol. 26500 D: 7.60 ⇑ 4.11% | 7.67 | 7.90 / 7.40 C: 7.50 ⇑ 8.70% | 7.50 | 7.50 / 7.50 ENGINEERING AFTABAUTO | 4.29 | 52.65 | Vol. 1842329 D: 100.1 ⇑ 2.67% | 100.23 | 108.0 / 88.00 C: 101.2 ⇑ 3.58% | 100.99 | 105.0 / 97.00 AZIZPIPES | 0.39 | -42.04 | Vol. 59650 D: 17.20 ⇓ 1.15% | 17.21 | 18.00 / 16.60 C: 17.40 ⇑ 2.35% | 17.49 | 17.60 / 16.30 OLYMPIC | 7.85 | 22.10 | Vol. 1257185 D: 208.0 ⇑ 1.12% | 208.39 | 215.0 / 195.0 C: 209.7 ⇑ 1.55% | 209.82 | 225.0 / 200.0 BDLAMPS | -5.31 | 37.07 | Vol. 47700 D: 128.0 ⇑ 3.98% | 128.14 | 135.6 / 123.0 C: 128.1 ⇑ 3.31% | 128.35 | 138.4 / 127.2

DSE Loser Daffodil Computers-A BD. Autocars -B

C%

A%

CP

-20.61

-20.65

13.10

-20.59

-19.04

24.30

-15.29

-15.75

7.20

210.70

Zeal Bangla Sugar-Z Active Fine Chem.-A

-11.88

-9.38

82.30

34.80

Jute Spinners-A

-10.24

-10.18

64.00

ECABLES | 2.04 | 18.87 | Vol. 69600 D: 77.50 ⇓ 3.13% | 77.62 | 83.90 / 77.00 C: 74.00 ⇑ 0.54% | 74.00 | 80.90 / 74.00 MONNOSTAF | 5.31 | 44.78 | Vol. 9300 D: 263.7 ⇓ 2.98% | 263.33 | 290.0 / 258.2 SINGERBD | 9.99 | 45.74 | Vol. 303685 D: 195.3 ⇑ 4.44% | 194.18 | 204.8 / 182.0 C: 194.0 ⇑ 2.65% | 194.21 | 206.0 / 189.9 ATLASBANG | 11.98 | 207.70 | Vol. 44100 D: 162.0 ⇑ 1.95% | 162.74 | 170.0 / 146.0 BDAUTOCA | -0.43 | 5.68 | Vol. 292250 D: 24.30 ⇓ 20.59% | 25.00 | 27.80 / 23.00 QSMDRYCELL | 1.06 | 52.31 | Vol. 976210 D: 32.50 ⇑ 1.56% | 32.58 | 35.00 / 31.00 C: 32.60 ⇑ 1.88% | 32.58 | 34.50 / 32.00 RENWICKJA | 5.77 | -31.13 | Vol. 66300 D: 140.3 ⇑ 3.24% | 140.68 | 157.8 / 135.0 NTLTUBES | 0.67 | 311.00 | Vol. 344684 D: 69.80 ⇑ 9.06% | 70.27 | 75.90 / 60.00 BDTHAI | 0.43 | 39.35 | Vol. 952710 D: 24.70 ⇑ 1.23% | 24.71 | 25.80 / 23.00 C: 24.90 ⇑ 2.89% | 24.85 | 26.00 / 24.30 ANWARGALV | 0.52 | 8.10 | Vol. 462500 D: 21.70 ⇓ 3.56% | 22.06 | 25.00 / 21.50 C: 21.90 ⇓ 1.79% | 21.97 | 24.90 / 21.70 KAY&QUE | -3.89 | 6.03 | Vol. 36000 D: 15.10 ⇑ 3.42% | 15.25 | 15.50 / 14.10 C: 14.70 ⇓ 3.29% | 14.70 | 14.70 / 14.50 RANFOUNDRY | 2.84 | 18.62 | Vol. 178000 D: 82.10 ⇑ 1.48% | 82.47 | 89.90 / 80.20 C: 80.20 ⇑ 0.25% | 80.15 | 89.00 / 80.10 SALAMCRST | 3.31 | 20.00 | Vol. 1602320 D: 40.80 ⇑ 4.62% | 40.70 | 41.80 / 38.50 C: 40.50 ⇑ 1.76% | 40.61 | 42.00 / 38.60 BSRMSTEEL | 3.06 | 19.53 | Vol. 1179448 D: 69.60 ⇑ 5.94% | 68.74 | 70.00 / 59.20 C: 69.50 ⇑ 5.62% | 68.96 | 70.00 / 64.00 NAVANACNG | 4.09 | 27.04 | Vol. 698202 D: 64.80 ⇑ 3.68% | 65.15 | 66.00 / 57.00 C: 64.70 ⇑ 4.19% | 64.63 | 66.00 / 61.50 DESHBANDHU | 0.26 | 10.67 | Vol. 1340503 D: 16.20 ⇑ 1.25% | 16.22 | 16.80 / 15.00 C: 16.20 ⇑ 1.25% | 16.22 | 17.00 / 16.00 GPHISPAT | 2.11 | 15.27 | Vol. 1824400 D: 45.80 ⇑ 12.81% | 45.65 | 47.80 / 40.00 C: 45.30 ⇑ 12.13% | 45.48 | 48.00 / 40.30 BENGALWTL | 4.16 | 26.24 | Vol. 2138000 D: 46.40 ⇓ 0.22% | 46.81 | 47.60 / 45.30 C: 46.20 ⇑ 0.65% | 46.54 | 47.90 / 45.00 BDBUILDING | 1.53 | 14.60 | Vol. 4634500 D: 40.40 ⇓ 0.49% | 40.56 | 43.30 / 39.30 C: 40.10 ⇓ 0.50% | 40.37 | 43.00 / 39.30 NPOLYMAR | 2.38 | 32.89 | Vol. 346127 D: 45.50 ⇓ 7.14% | 45.70 | 53.00 / 45.00 C: 45.80 ⇓ 2.55% | 45.93 | 52.90 / 45.00 FOOD & ALLIED APEXFOODS | 2.54 | 90.81 | Vol. 133100 D: 88.70 ⇑ 0.34% | 88.89 | 95.00 / 87.20 C: 86.80 ⇑ 2.12% | 86.62 | 93.00 / 84.50 BANGAS | 7.20 | 50.27 | Vol. 192841 D: 392.2 ⇑ 6.66% | 389.79 | 414.0 / 370.0 C: 391.1 ⇑ 6.33% | 391.10 | 413.9 / 379.0 BATBC | 65.69 | 117.22 | Vol. 32975 D: 1609 ⇑ 2.26% | 1608 | 1650 / 1560 C: 1531 ⇓ 2.59% | 1531 | 1600 / 1531 GEMINISEA | 10.88 | 9.69 | Vol. 1950 D: 162.8 ⇓ 5.79% | 163.00 | 178.0 / 161.0 NTC | 29.88 | 110.05 | Vol. 5050 D: 798.8 ⇑ 2.15% | 797.72 | 800.0 / 770.0 ZEALBANGLA | -28.94 | -221.34 | Vol. 2800 D: 7.20 ⇓ 15.29% | 7.22 | 7.80 / 7.20 AMCL(PRAN) | 6.85 | 57.14 | Vol. 237720 D: 181.8 ⇓ 1.46% | 183.88 | 210.0 / 180.0 C: 180.2 ⇓ 0.55% | 181.87 | 213.0 / 180.1 SHYAMPSUG | -45.77 | -396.49 | Vol. 1800 D: 7.00 ⇓ 2.78% | 7.00 | 7.00 / 7.00 FUWANGFOOD | 1.03 | 13.51 | Vol. 1481841 D: 22.30 ⇑ 1.83% | 22.37 | 23.10 / 19.90 C: 22.50 ⇑ 2.27% | 22.29 | 23.00 / 22.00 MEGHNAPET | -0.50 | -1.52 | Vol. 50000 D: 6.40 ⇑ 10.34% | 6.40 | 6.70 / 5.80 MEGCONMILK | -7.48 | -23.70 | Vol. 87500 D: 7.10 ⇓ 1.39% | 7.15 | 7.20 / 6.90

BEACHHATCH | 1.01 | 12.48 | Vol. 2731276 D: 19.60 ⇓ 4.85% | 19.65 | 21.10 / 18.00 C: 19.70 ⇓ 4.37% | 19.77 | 21.20 / 19.00 FINEFOODS | 0.05 | 10.63 | Vol. 1086756 D: 16.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 16.43 | 17.60 / 15.60 C: 16.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 16.56 | 17.70 / 16.30 RDFOOD | 0.91 | 16.84 | Vol. 3329174 D: 21.70 ⇑ 1.40% | 21.63 | 22.70 / 19.20 C: 21.60 ⇑ 0.93% | 21.65 | 22.90 / 21.00 GHAIL | 2.43 | 25.58 | Vol. 4012820 D: 36.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 36.99 | 40.20 / 33.20 C: 36.90 ⇓ 0.27% | 37.05 | 40.40 / 33.70 FUEL & POWER LINDEBD | 31.71 | 144.00 | Vol. 64950 D: 624.5 ⇓ 0.14% | 628.84 | 664.9 / 621.9 PADMAOIL | 16.38 | 43.67 | Vol. 1590734 D: 301.4 ⇑ 7.45% | 300.54 | 331.6 / 280.0 C: 301.7 ⇑ 7.56% | 300.28 | 331.2 / 285.0 EASTRNLUB | 6.32 | 68.68 | Vol. 2900 D: 325.2 ⇑ 1.78% | 325.33 | 332.0 / 315.0 BDWELDING | 0.33 | 16.82 | Vol. 1437238 D: 19.60 ⇓ 0.51% | 19.61 | 20.50 / 18.00 C: 19.60 ⇑ 0.51% | 19.62 | 20.40 / 19.40 SUMITPOWER | 3.17 | 19.26 | Vol. 2896658 D: 34.70 ⇑ 6.44% | 34.54 | 34.90 / 29.70 C: 34.80 ⇑ 6.75% | 34.59 | 35.00 / 31.10 DESCO | 2.34 | 31.27 | Vol. 1004704 D: 64.00 ⇓ 8.96% | 64.02 | 76.90 / 60.00 C: 64.80 ⇓ 8.09% | 64.78 | 75.00 / 63.10 POWERGRID | 2.56 | 48.08 | Vol. 124485 D: 54.00 ⇑ 3.25% | 54.02 | 54.70 / 50.00 C: 54.00 ⇑ 5.26% | 54.00 | 54.00 / 53.00 JAMUNAOIL | 22.78 | 50.24 | Vol. 1193351 D: 225.9 ⇑ 2.45% | 225.57 | 238.5 / 212.0 C: 224.7 ⇑ 1.26% | 225.32 | 239.3 / 221.0 MPETROLEUM | 16.98 | 40.41 | Vol. 1580027 D: 265.1 ⇑ 5.07% | 264.16 | 278.9 / 231.0 C: 267.6 ⇑ 5.69% | 266.55 | 278.6 / 256.4 TITASGAS | 9.20 | 46.26 | Vol. 4470587 D: 74.60 ⇓ 5.09% | 74.86 | 81.00 / 70.00 C: 74.50 ⇓ 5.10% | 74.68 | 80.80 / 72.00 KPCL | 4.73 | 15.86 | Vol. 755130 D: 47.70 ⇑ 1.49% | 47.23 | 48.00 / 42.50 C: 48.00 ⇑ 3.23% | 47.67 | 48.40 / 46.00 BEDL | 1.48 | 19.43 | Vol. 4250573 D: 28.40 ⇑ 2.90% | 28.43 | 29.90 / 25.00 C: 28.40 ⇑ 2.90% | 28.37 | 30.00 / 27.50 MJLBD | 2.73 | 30.24 | Vol. 295180 D: 72.60 ⇑ 4.01% | 72.10 | 73.40 / 63.00 C: 71.50 ⇑ 3.32% | 70.98 | 72.70 / 64.00 GBBPOWER | 1.86 | 22.63 | Vol. 4318748 D: 27.00 ⇑ 4.65% | 26.98 | 28.00 / 23.50 C: 27.20 ⇑ 5.43% | 27.06 | 27.40 / 24.30 SPPCL | 3.81 | 23.34 | Vol. 6237420 D: 57.80 ⇑ 3.03% | 57.73 | 61.90 / 50.50 C: 58.10 ⇑ 3.57% | 57.85 | 62.00 / 52.20 JUTE JUTESPINN | -48.14 | -39.89 | Vol. 62300 D: 64.00 ⇓ 10.24% | 64.57 | 71.40 / 61.70 NORTHERN | -9.98 | -18.22 | Vol. 1600 D: 24.00 ⇑ 1.69% | 24.00 | 25.90 / 24.00 SONALIANSH | 5.54 | 218.80 | Vol. 35950 D: 128.4 ⇑ 3.13% | 127.74 | 136.0 / 124.0 TEXTILE AL-HAJTEX | 2.22 | 16.53 | Vol. 340791 D: 85.40 ⇓ 1.39% | 87.74 | 95.90 / 82.00 STYLECRAFT | 20.00 | 287.30 | Vol. 500 D: 1290 ⇑ 4.54% | 1290 | 1290 / 1190 RAHIMTEXT | 5.81 | 70.85 | Vol. 18950 D: 290.7 ⇓ 9.30% | 290.63 | 351.8 / 289.0 SAIHAMTEX | 2.75 | 29.50 | Vol. 2499700 D: 28.90 ⇑ 1.40% | 28.98 | 30.20 / 28.30 C: 28.90 ⇑ 1.05% | 28.80 | 30.20 / 28.60 MODERNDYE | 0.91 | 10.37 | Vol. 7600 D: 76.20 ⇑ 2.28% | 76.00 | 84.20 / 73.70 DSHGARME | 0.88 | 12.12 | Vol. 198100 D: 52.00 ⇑ 9.70% | 52.79 | 62.00 / 46.20 DULAMIACOT | -1.90 | -29.70 | Vol. 37100 D: 7.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.69 | 8.00 / 7.50 TALLUSPIN | 2.01 | 18.59 | Vol. 5209539 D: 41.00 ⇑ 10.51% | 40.39 | 42.90 / 33.60 C: 40.40 ⇑ 9.49% | 40.23 | 42.70 / 38.40

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2013

7

NOV 03-07, 2013 Sectotal Index: BANK: 38,262.25 ⇑ 12.50% NBFI: 21,414.81 ⇑ 11.07% INVS: 4,855.55 ⇑ 5.01% ENGG: 5,845.29 ⇑ 1.73% FOOD: 9,339.82 ⇓ 0.56% F&P: 10,046.97 ⇓ 1.15% TEXT: 3,181.95 ⇓ 2.27% PHAR: 17,122.89 ⇑ 1.28% PAPR: 929.54 ⇓ 1.50% SERV: 2,845.15 ⇑ 2.26% LEAT: 5,126.20 ⇑ 1.69% CERA: 493.97 ⇑ 2.43% CMNT: 4,356.97 ⇓ 0.64% INFO: 6,701.18 ⇓ 0.36% GINS: 9,351.19 ⇑ 4.19% LINS: 114,530.82 ⇑ 10.02% TELC: 1,332.71 ⇑ 0.61% MISC: 6,125.86 ⇑ 3.24% APEXSPINN | 2.01 | 49.32 | Vol. 27000 D: 64.60 ⇑ 0.16% | 64.67 | 67.90 / 63.90 C: 67.00 ⇑ 1.52% | 67.00 | 67.00 / 67.00 MITHUNKNIT | 3.33 | 23.82 | Vol. 406934 D: 74.20 ⇑ 0.13% | 74.69 | 80.50 / 72.00 C: 73.90 ⇑ 1.93% | 74.41 | 80.80 / 73.80 DELTASPINN | 3.06 | 18.12 | Vol. 1674100 D: 30.30 ⇓ 0.66% | 30.19 | 32.50 / 29.50 C: 30.20 ⇓ 1.63% | 30.26 | 32.70 / 29.80 SONARGAON | 0.27 | 34.50 | Vol. 860116 D: 15.80 ⇓ 6.51% | 15.91 | 17.00 / 15.10 C: 15.80 ⇓ 5.95% | 15.88 | 16.60 / 15.50 PRIMETEX | 1.21 | 59.34 | Vol. 1526000 D: 24.60 ⇓ 5.75% | 24.63 | 26.20 / 24.10 C: 24.50 ⇓ 4.30% | 24.50 | 26.40 / 24.20 ALLTEX | -1.26 | 8.10 | Vol. 572000 D: 7.10 ⇓ 2.74% | 7.17 | 7.40 / 7.10 C: 7.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.23 | 7.90 / 7.10 ANLIMAYARN | 1.36 | 11.99 | Vol. 442020 D: 31.50 ⇑ 3.62% | 30.78 | 33.90 / 30.00 C: 30.70 ⇓ 8.36% | 30.70 | 32.00 / 29.50 HRTEX | 2.08 | 14.92 | Vol. 742587 D: 34.60 ⇓ 1.14% | 34.47 | 37.00 / 34.10 C: 33.30 ⇓ 6.20% | 33.30 | 35.90 / 32.00 CMCKAMAL | 1.37 | 19.31 | Vol. 6433783 D: 29.30 ⇓ 3.62% | 29.27 | 32.00 / 27.50 SAFKOSPINN | 0.95 | 21.78 | Vol. 1840043 D: 22.80 ⇓ 0.44% | 23.05 | 25.50 / 20.70 C: 22.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 23.12 | 25.20 / 22.80 SQUARETEXT | 4.32 | 31.82 | Vol. 706559 D: 90.90 ⇑ 1.91% | 90.40 | 91.60 / 83.50 C: 90.10 ⇑ 1.35% | 90.14 | 91.50 / 88.00 METROSPIN | 0.62 | 19.48 | Vol. 2578862 D: 18.40 ⇓ 2.13% | 18.38 | 19.30 / 17.00 C: 18.60 ⇑ 0.54% | 18.47 | 19.20 / 18.00 MAKSONSPIN | 0.16 | 20.55 | Vol. 7567698 D: 15.80 ⇓ 1.86% | 15.73 | 16.60 / 14.20 C: 15.90 ⇓ 1.24% | 15.77 | 16.70 / 15.00 DACCADYE | 1.21 | 31.13 | Vol. 2176448 D: 27.30 ⇓ 2.50% | 27.13 | 28.00 / 24.50 C: 26.70 ⇓ 4.64% | 26.77 | 28.00 / 26.30 RNSPIN | 2.80 | 16.58 | Vol. 13504696 D: 31.00 ⇑ 5.80% | 30.79 | 32.00 / 28.00 C: 31.10 ⇑ 5.78% | 30.84 | 32.00 / 30.20 BXSYNTH | 0.93 | 25.42 | Vol. 2453491 D: 15.60 ⇑ 3.31% | 15.64 | 16.50 / 14.50 C: 15.80 ⇑ 3.27% | 15.80 | 16.70 / 15.00 MALEKSPIN | 2.81 | 43.48 | Vol. 11367800 D: 27.70 ⇓ 6.10% | 27.72 | 29.90 / 25.00 C: 27.80 ⇓ 6.08% | 27.76 | 30.00 / 27.30 ZAHINTEX | 1.38 | 35.73 | Vol. 1932650 D: 28.40 ⇑ 0.35% | 28.74 | 30.00 / 27.00 C: 28.40 ⇓ 1.05% | 28.61 | 30.00 / 28.20 SAIHAMCOT | 1.92 | 23.62 | Vol. 2948750 D: 23.40 ⇓ 2.50% | 23.48 | 24.50 / 23.30 C: 23.50 ⇓ 2.89% | 23.50 | 24.60 / 23.30 GENNEXT | 1.68 | 15.15 | Vol. 26386420 D: 25.20 ⇓ 1.18% | 25.06 | 26.90 / 22.50 C: 25.20 ⇓ 1.56% | 25.10 | 27.00 / 23.00 ENVOYTEX | 3.26 | 39.26 | Vol. 9495730 D: 57.20 ⇓ 2.72% | 57.72 | 63.00 / 53.00 C: 57.50 ⇓ 2.21% | 57.90 | 63.80 / 52.30 ARGONDENIM | 1.89 | 38.86 | Vol. 6343620 D: 67.30 ⇓ 2.75% | 66.97 | 71.10 / 59.50 C: 67.10 ⇓ 1.90% | 66.15 | 70.00 / 59.40 FAMILYTEX | 3.72 | 14.68 | Vol. 2475000 D: 42.80 ⇑ 3.63% | 42.63 | 45.10 / 41.10 C: 42.70 ⇑ 5.69% | 42.56 | 44.40 / 41.50 PHARMACEUTICAL & CHEMICAL AMBEEPHA | 3.94 | 26.15 | Vol. 31292 D: 246.7 ⇓ 1.08% | 248.03 | 274.5 / 245.0 C: 248.1 ⇑ 0.45% | 248.11 | 262.5 / 237.0 BXPHARMA | 3.77 | 52.55 | Vol. 1149094 D: 45.00 ⇑ 3.45% | 45.04 | 49.00 / 39.00 C: 44.80 ⇑ 3.46% | 44.79 | 45.90 / 42.00 GLAXOSMITH | 20.25 | 123.32 | Vol. 2500 D: 928.8 ⇓ 2.71% | 929.09 | 979.9 / 917.9 ACI | -5.82 | 126.42 | Vol. 45610 D: 163.3 ⇑ 3.09% | 163.48 | 170.0 / 148.0 C: 162.6 ⇑ 4.70% | 163.12 | 170.7 / 155.3 RENATA | 33.57 | 138.83 | Vol. 26090 D: 716.5 ⇑ 0.42% | 715.87 | 736.5 / 710.0 RECKITTBEN | 27.16 | 78.89 | Vol. 1550 D: 733.5 ⇓ 8.06% | 730.00 | 770.0 / 731.0 PHARMAID | 5.06 | 26.30 | Vol. 116450 D: 162.8 ⇑ 3.89% | 163.79 | 173.9 / 152.7

KOHINOOR | 9.52 | 10.49 | Vol. 6245 D: 432.5 ⇑ 15.58% | 432.50 | 445.0 / 360.0 IBNSINA | 3.44 | 34.02 | Vol. 296714 D: 96.70 ⇑ 1.58% | 96.93 | 103.0 / 92.00 C: 96.00 ⇑ 1.59% | 96.05 | 106.0 / 95.70 LIBRAINFU | 4.21 | 1567.59 | Vol. 5400 D: 386.0 ⇓ 6.76% | 386.00 | 420.0 / 386.0 ORIONINFU | 8.72 | 1.73 | Vol. 524600 D: 40.90 ⇓ 1.92% | 41.03 | 42.70 / 40.50 C: 42.00 ⇓ 1.18% | 40.63 | 42.50 / 39.00 SQURPHARMA | 6.93 | 37.18 | Vol. 3484739 D: 183.4 ⇑ 1.95% | 182.44 | 196.9 / 163.0 C: 183.1 ⇑ 2.23% | 181.99 | 183.8 / 175.0 IMAMBUTTON | -1.51 | 4.16 | Vol. 157500 D: 7.10 ⇓ 2.74% | 7.20 | 7.70 / 7.10 C: 7.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.27 | 8.20 / 7.20 KEYACOSMET | 1.55 | 21.54 | Vol. 4585133 D: 24.10 ⇓ 0.82% | 24.13 | 25.00 / 21.50 C: 24.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 24.19 | 24.90 / 24.00 BERGERPBL | 32.46 | 100.20 | Vol. 10600 D: 815.6 ⇑ 2.89% | 819.38 | 843.0 / 786.0 C: 860.0 ⇑ 11.67% | 860.00 | 860.0 / 800.0 ACIFORMULA | 3.33 | 38.08 | Vol. 122890 D: 73.10 ⇑ 1.53% | 72.82 | 73.90 / 70.00 C: 73.80 ⇑ 3.65% | 73.38 | 74.90 / 70.50 MARICO | 27.53 | 62.47 | Vol. 42450 D: 758.4 ⇓ 4.16% | 754.00 | 795.7 / 750.0 C: 776.0 ⇓ 2.14% | 776.03 | 777.0 / 775.0 BEACONPHAR | 0.04 | 12.01 | Vol. 2132025 D: 11.50 ⇑ 2.68% | 11.50 | 11.80 / 11.20 C: 11.40 ⇑ 0.88% | 11.45 | 11.60 / 11.00 ACTIVEFINE | 3.23 | 13.89 | Vol. 3801658 D: 82.30 ⇓ 11.88% | 84.47 | 93.60 / 80.00 C: 82.40 ⇓ 11.59% | 84.63 | 93.80 / 82.00 SALVOCHEM | 0.68 | 10.57 | Vol. 1591683 D: 19.20 ⇑ 1.05% | 19.25 | 20.00 / 17.50 C: 19.30 ⇑ 1.05% | 19.33 | 19.80 / 18.00 GHCL | 2.14 | 57.31 | Vol. 2519000 D: 53.10 ⇑ 11.55% | 53.37 | 54.10 / 47.50 C: 53.30 ⇑ 11.04% | 53.41 | 54.00 / 47.90 ORIONPHARM | 5.02 | 68.68 | Vol. 3937550 D: 53.30 ⇓ 4.99% | 53.36 | 56.00 / 49.00 C: 53.80 ⇓ 4.44% | 53.82 | 56.00 / 49.20 JMISMDL | 1.12 | 12.83 | Vol. 697500 D: 179.7 ⇑ 0.00% | 181.85 | 209.7 / 179.0 C: 180.2 ⇑ 0.17% | 181.66 | 204.0 / 176.0 CENTRALPHL | 1.62 | 12.24 | Vol. 1720000 D: 27.70 ⇓ 1.42% | 27.84 | 28.80 / 27.50 C: 27.70 ⇓ 1.07% | 27.82 | 28.70 / 27.60

APEXADELFT | 23.01 | 203.26 | Vol. 334800 D: 388.1 ⇑ 1.12% | 389.15 | 409.9 / 377.0 C: 394.0 ⇑ 10.27% | 390.67 | 400.0 / 382.0 SAMATALETH | 0.22 | 12.93 | Vol. 16000 D: 12.70 ⇓ 1.55% | 12.77 | 13.60 / 12.00 C: 12.10 ⇓ 0.82% | 12.03 | 12.10 / 11.00 LEGACYFOOT | 0.63 | 17.19 | Vol. 1531197 D: 31.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 32.02 | 35.70 / 29.90 C: 31.40 ⇓ 0.95% | 31.72 | 35.50 / 31.00

PAPER & PACKAGING HAKKANIPUL | 0.51 | 31.01 | Vol. 134500 D: 25.20 ⇑ 0.80% | 25.21 | 29.80 / 24.10 C: 24.90 ⇓ 0.40% | 25.16 | 29.50 / 24.60

IT IINDUSTRIES ISNLTD | 0.28 | 17.31 | Vol. 576314 D: 15.60 ⇓ 1.27% | 15.63 | 17.20 / 15.00 C: 15.60 ⇓ 1.89% | 15.60 | 17.00 / 15.40 BDCOM | 1.54 | 15.85 | Vol. 2631801 D: 27.30 ⇑ 15.19% | 27.20 | 28.50 / 22.00 C: 27.50 ⇑ 18.03% | 27.61 | 28.50 / 24.10 INTECH | 0.94 | 10.08 | Vol. 876854 D: 14.80 ⇑ 0.68% | 14.89 | 15.60 / 13.50 C: 15.00 ⇑ 0.67% | 15.00 | 15.60 / 14.70 AGNISYSL | 1.06 | 16.39 | Vol. 1612242 D: 21.40 ⇑ 0.94% | 21.34 | 22.80 / 20.00 C: 21.40 ⇓ 0.47% | 21.32 | 22.70 / 20.90 DAFODILCOM | 0.85 | 10.99 | Vol. 4722774 D: 13.10 ⇓ 20.61% | 13.18 | 16.30 / 12.00 C: 13.20 ⇓ 20.48% | 13.25 | 15.50 / 12.90 AAMRATECH | 1.46 | 21.90 | Vol. 2427250 D: 31.20 ⇓ 1.58% | 31.36 | 34.00 / 28.60 C: 31.30 ⇓ 1.57% | 31.38 | 33.80 / 31.00

SERVICE SAMORITA | 3.24 | 74.65 | Vol. 252000 D: 107.5 ⇑ 24.28% | 110.93 | 119.0 / 89.00 C: 104.6 ⇑ 10.45% | 104.60 | 106.1 / 94.10 SAPORTL | 1.23 | 38.39 | Vol. 1045157 D: 27.00 ⇑ 3.85% | 26.75 | 27.50 / 24.80 C: 27.10 ⇑ 3.44% | 26.87 | 27.30 / 25.00 EHL | 3.16 | 20.74 | Vol. 1793139 D: 53.10 ⇑ 6.63% | 53.15 | 55.50 / 45.50 C: 53.20 ⇑ 6.61% | 53.04 | 55.00 / 50.00 LEATHER APEXTANRY | 6.57 | 69.38 | Vol. 376500 D: 104.5 ⇓ 3.06% | 105.15 | 112.8 / 104.1 C: 104.6 ⇓ 1.32% | 104.75 | 112.9 / 104.5 BATASHOE | 49.12 | 135.53 | Vol. 22792 D: 704.6 ⇑ 0.37% | 705.65 | 739.0 / 700.0 C: 710.1 ⇑ 4.43% | 722.04 | 730.0 / 710.1

CERAMIC MONNOCERA | 0.35 | 95.30 | Vol. 237500 D: 30.00 ⇓ 8.54% | 30.28 | 32.20 / 29.90 C: 30.00 ⇓ 7.12% | 30.03 | 32.30 / 29.00 STANCERAM | 1.12 | 15.49 | Vol. 154500 D: 43.20 ⇑ 17.07% | 42.92 | 43.80 / 37.50 C: 38.50 ⇑ 1.32% | 38.50 | 41.50 / 38.50 FUWANGCER | 0.72 | 13.97 | Vol. 1469970 D: 18.20 ⇑ 1.68% | 18.20 | 18.70 / 16.50 C: 18.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 18.30 | 18.80 / 18.00 SPCERAMICS | 0.62 | 30.92 | Vol. 1805604 D: 16.30 ⇑ 4.49% | 16.29 | 17.00 / 14.20 C: 16.30 ⇑ 3.82% | 16.28 | 17.00 / 15.60 RAKCERAMIC | 1.98 | 16.76 | Vol. 631685 D: 51.50 ⇑ 3.62% | 51.23 | 52.20 / 44.80 C: 51.80 ⇑ 3.60% | 51.35 | 53.90 / 49.30 CEMENT HEIDELBCEM | 22.85 | 111.50 | Vol. 1025410 D: 399.9 ⇑ 8.29% | 405.53 | 420.0 / 369.5 C: 398.1 ⇑ 8.18% | 399.81 | 414.0 / 370.1 CONFIDCEM | 6.23 | 90.76 | Vol. 846607 D: 123.9 ⇓ 0.96% | 124.71 | 131.9 / 120.0 C: 124.0 ⇓ 0.88% | 124.36 | 131.5 / 123.1 MEGHNACEM | 6.28 | 33.81 | Vol. 465400 D: 122.9 ⇑ 1.07% | 123.17 | 139.0 / 118.0 C: 124.9 ⇓ 1.81% | 122.76 | 134.9 / 119.0 ARAMITCEM | 3.03 | 14.65 | Vol. 333210 D: 70.40 ⇑ 6.18% | 70.40 | 73.90 / 64.00 C: 72.60 ⇑ 3.86% | 72.58 | 74.00 / 67.10 LAFSURCEML | 1.60 | 7.22 | Vol. 3451000 D: 31.80 ⇑ 2.91% | 31.82 | 32.00 / 30.90 C: 31.90 ⇑ 2.90% | 31.83 | 32.00 / 31.00 MICEMENT | 4.48 | 37.67 | Vol. 1648852 D: 91.50 ⇑ 2.01% | 90.97 | 99.00 / 83.00 C: 91.00 ⇑ 0.89% | 90.99 | 94.70 / 82.10 PREMIERCEM | 5.00 | 32.60 | Vol. 1329400 D: 102.5 ⇓ 0.49% | 103.33 | 115.0 / 101.6 C: 102.1 ⇑ 0.99% | 103.63 | 115.0 / 102.0

GENERAL INSURANCE BGIC | 1.65 | 20.33 | Vol. 431385 D: 30.70 ⇑ 4.42% | 30.79 | 31.00 / 27.00 C: 30.80 ⇑ 4.76% | 30.39 | 30.90 / 26.80

GREENDELT | 4.05 | 64.44 | Vol. 175937 D: 82.90 ⇑ 6.83% | 82.05 | 83.80 / 70.00 C: 80.50 ⇑ 4.95% | 80.50 | 80.50 / 79.00 UNITEDINS | 2.47 | 21.04 | Vol. 55378 D: 45.50 ⇑ 5.08% | 44.76 | 46.00 / 40.00 PEOPLESINS | 2.05 | 20.72 | Vol. 1643342 D: 36.60 ⇑ 9.58% | 35.73 | 37.30 / 30.00 C: 36.30 ⇑ 8.68% | 35.89 | 36.50 / 32.30 EASTERNINS | 2.22 | 35.88 | Vol. 110298 D: 40.70 ⇑ 4.09% | 40.18 | 41.90 / 35.00 C: 40.50 ⇑ 1.00% | 40.93 | 41.10 / 37.10 JANATAINS | 7.84 | 170.69 | Vol. 64075 D: 261.0 ⇑ 6.86% | 260.27 | 272.8 / 240.0 C: 258.3 ⇑ 5.97% | 258.14 | 262.0 / 245.0 PHENIXINS | 2.70 | 20.96 | Vol. 277395 D: 43.10 ⇑ 6.42% | 43.28 | 43.60 / 37.00 C: 43.30 ⇑ 5.61% | 43.33 | 43.50 / 40.40 EASTLAND | 4.06 | 23.29 | Vol. 588070 D: 49.00 ⇑ 1.66% | 48.95 | 52.00 / 43.10 C: 48.70 ⇑ 0.83% | 48.73 | 49.70 / 47.90 CENTRALINS | 1.54 | 19.04 | Vol. 146952 D: 30.90 ⇑ 7.29% | 30.79 | 31.00 / 27.50 C: 30.00 ⇑ 7.14% | 30.00 | 30.00 / 29.50 KARNAPHULI | 1.56 | 19.42 | Vol. 478220 D: 24.30 ⇑ 3.40% | 24.02 | 24.50 / 21.50 RUPALIINS | 2.76 | 23.38 | Vol. 780516 D: 34.30 ⇑ 4.89% | 33.93 | 34.50 / 30.00 C: 34.20 ⇑ 6.21% | 33.75 | 34.40 / 32.00 FEDERALINS | 1.10 | 10.98 | Vol. 1866599 D: 25.40 ⇑ 6.72% | 25.22 | 25.70 / 22.00 C: 25.60 ⇑ 6.67% | 25.12 | 25.70 / 24.00 RELIANCINS | 3.93 | 61.52 | Vol. 12000 D: 73.80 ⇑ 5.58% | 73.80 | 73.80 / 68.00 C: 73.00 ⇓ 10.98% | 73.00 | 73.00 / 73.00 PURABIGEN | 1.05 | 18.71 | Vol. 2244859 D: 25.00 ⇑ 14.16% | 24.69 | 25.50 / 21.00 PRAGATIINS | 2.01 | 50.30 | Vol. 331048 D: 59.30 ⇑ 1.37% | 59.33 | 63.30 / 54.20 C: 58.70 ⇑ 6.15% | 60.33 | 61.00 / 57.00 PRIMEINSUR | 2.14 | 14.14 | Vol. 254376 D: 33.80 ⇑ 4.00% | 33.14 | 34.00 / 29.80 C: 31.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 28.00 | 31.00 / 31.00 PIONEERINS | 3.11 | 23.84 | Vol. 188783 D: 69.80 ⇑ 2.50% | 69.43 | 70.40 / 65.60 MERCINS | 1.53 | 14.50 | Vol. 516774 D: 29.60 ⇑ 6.09% | 29.19 | 30.50 / 25.20 C: 29.50 ⇑ 5.36% | 29.50 | 29.50 / 28.10 AGRANINS | 1.73 | 14.39 | Vol. 313947 D: 28.40 ⇑ 7.17% | 28.12 | 29.00 / 25.00 GLOBALINS | 1.09 | 11.78 | Vol. 304650 D: 29.90 ⇑ 6.41% | 29.78 | 30.20 / 27.00 NITOLINS | 2.59 | 15.41 | Vol. 66869 D: 36.20 ⇑ 3.43% | 36.00 | 36.70 / 31.50 C: 36.00 ⇑ 1.41% | 36.00 | 36.00 / 36.00 ASIAPACINS | 1.84 | 13.76 | Vol. 399500 D: 32.00 ⇑ 11.50% | 31.88 | 32.90 / 28.40 C: 31.10 ⇑ 4.71% | 31.07 | 31.50 / 29.60 SONARBAINS | 1.68 | 13.38 | Vol. 594141 D: 25.60 ⇑ 7.11% | 25.59 | 26.00 / 22.50 C: 25.50 ⇑ 6.25% | 25.81 | 26.00 / 24.00 PARAMOUNT | 1.26 | 13.19 | Vol. 422106 D: 25.20 ⇑ 6.78% | 25.24 | 25.60 / 22.00 C: 25.40 ⇑ 5.39% | 25.40 | 25.50 / 24.00 CITYGENINS | 1.65 | 14.26 | Vol. 748729 D: 30.40 ⇑ 4.83% | 30.36 | 30.90 / 27.00 C: 30.80 ⇑ 6.21% | 30.40 | 30.90 / 28.00 CONTININS | 1.41 | 15.68 | Vol. 1067150 D: 31.70 ⇑ 6.02% | 31.62 | 31.90 / 29.00 C: 31.90 ⇑ 5.98% | 31.69 | 31.90 / 29.80 TAKAFULINS | 2.19 | 15.17 | Vol. 1696683 D: 42.90 ⇓ 4.03% | 42.91 | 47.00 / 40.00 C: 42.40 ⇓ 0.47% | 42.81 | 43.60 / 41.70 STANDARINS | 2.58 | 13.99 | Vol. 100355 D: 41.10 ⇑ 4.58% | 40.87 | 41.90 / 37.00 C: 42.50 ⇑ 8.97% | 42.50 | 42.50 / 42.50 NORTHRNINS | 1.77 | 11.15 | Vol. 324842 D: 43.70 ⇑ 0.69% | 43.53 | 44.80 / 40.00 C: 43.50 ⇑ 2.35% | 43.42 | 45.60 / 42.50 REPUBLIC | 2.14 | 12.42 | Vol. 2303412 D: 45.40 ⇑ 3.89% | 45.20 | 47.70 / 40.00 C: 45.90 ⇑ 5.03% | 45.53 | 47.90 / 43.50 ASIAINS | 1.56 | 17.34 | Vol. 284514 D: 27.90 ⇑ 2.20% | 27.89 | 28.20 / 25.70 C: 28.10 ⇑ 3.31% | 28.02 | 29.80 / 25.00 ISLAMIINS | 1.29 | 11.96 | Vol. 210421 D: 34.90 ⇑ 8.05% | 34.85 | 36.30 / 30.00 C: 33.10 ⇑ 3.44% | 33.07 | 35.00 / 30.20

PROVATIINS | 1.90 | 14.30 | Vol. 296433 D: 30.50 ⇑ 7.77% | 30.43 | 30.90 / 26.00 C: 30.50 ⇑ 9.71% | 29.41 | 30.50 / 26.10 DHAKAINS | 2.84 | 18.02 | Vol. 407500 D: 40.90 ⇑ 4.60% | 40.88 | 41.50 / 37.00 C: 41.30 ⇑ 7.27% | 41.17 | 41.70 / 38.20 LIFE INSURANCE NATLIFEINS | 12.34 | 80.99 | Vol. 127429 D: 255.0 ⇑ 5.94% | 256.92 | 264.5 / 235.0 C: 248.0 ⇑ 3.33% | 247.06 | 250.0 / 242.0 DELTALIFE | 38.53 | 189.40 | Vol. 223230 D: 343.1 ⇑ 51.95% | 342.90 | 343.1 / 245.5 SANDHANINS | 2.39 | 28.22 | Vol. 291658 D: 74.00 ⇑ 8.50% | 72.48 | 74.90 / 62.00 C: 74.20 ⇑ 12.25% | 73.23 | 74.20 / 66.00 POPULARLIF | 3.70 | 715.41 | Vol. 668789 D: 210.7 ⇑ 24.97% | 206.53 | 212.0 / 158.0 FAREASTLIF | 9.21 | 60.79 | Vol. 361599 D: 96.60 ⇑ 4.66% | 97.09 | 100.0 / 83.20 C: 97.20 ⇑ 6.23% | 96.48 | 98.90 / 85.00 PRAGATILIF | 0.60 | 30.15 | Vol. 252248 D: 128.3 ⇑ 11.66% | 128.06 | 134.0 / 109.0 C: 122.0 ⇓ 2.40% | 122.00 | 122.0 / 122.0 PRIMELIFE | 5.51 | 27.10 | Vol. 117574 D: 94.20 ⇑ 1.95% | 93.50 | 95.00 / 85.00 C: 91.10 ⇓ 2.04% | 91.09 | 93.00 / 91.00 RUPALILIFE | 3.75 | 31.25 | Vol. 339343 D: 100.0 ⇑ 2.35% | 101.08 | 103.5 / 89.00 C: 95.30 ⇑ 2.47% | 95.25 | 95.30 / 86.00 PADMALIFE | 1.63 | 25.76 | Vol. 306500 D: 58.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 58.11 | 60.00 / 51.70 C: 58.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 57.63 | 59.00 / 52.70 SUNLIFEINS | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 949000 D: 59.90 ⇑ 7.35% | 59.26 | 61.70 / 49.10 C: 57.80 ⇑ 4.52% | 58.23 | 59.40 / 53.20 TELECOM GP | 12.96 | 26.26 | Vol. 3133690 D: 202.4 ⇑ 5.42% | 202.06 | 204.7 / 190.0 C: 202.3 ⇑ 5.64% | 201.43 | 204.0 / 190.0 BSCCL | 5.82 | 26.38 | Vol. 1762168 D: 165.9 ⇓ 2.75% | 166.21 | 190.0 / 150.0 C: 166.3 ⇓ 2.18% | 166.67 | 176.9 / 165.0 TRAVEL & LEISURE UNITEDAIR | 1.10 | 12.87 | Vol. 19138539 D: 15.90 ⇓ 0.63% | 15.99 | 16.70 / 14.50 C: 16.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 16.03 | 17.00 / 15.00 UNIQUEHRL | 4.02 | 86.29 | Vol. 1669155 D: 76.90 ⇑ 0.79% | 76.96 | 85.90 / 69.00 C: 77.30 ⇑ 0.52% | 77.36 | 79.10 / 75.70 MISCELLANEOUS ARAMIT | 16.07 | 99.93 | Vol. 158850 D: 313.9 ⇑ 18.81% | 306.81 | 319.0 / 256.1 C: 305.9 ⇑ 17.34% | 305.86 | 310.0 / 275.0 BSC | 1.77 | 565.82 | Vol. 323835 D: 416.3 ⇑ 1.34% | 417.02 | 445.0 / 412.0 C: 418.3 ⇑ 1.46% | 418.55 | 445.0 / 412.0 GQBALLPEN | 6.55 | 250.45 | Vol. 177997 D: 139.3 ⇑ 1.60% | 139.56 | 145.0 / 136.0 C: 141.0 ⇑ 3.45% | 140.17 | 142.9 / 138.2 USMANIAGL | 3.80 | 29.92 | Vol. 400218 D: 131.3 ⇑ 11.08% | 132.28 | 144.0 / 115.0 C: 130.6 ⇑ 9.56% | 130.23 | 141.9 / 119.0 SAVAREFR | 0.14 | 10.57 | Vol. 3050 D: 55.80 ⇑ 11.38% | 55.29 | 60.00 / 55.00 BEXIMCO | 3.24 | 86.74 | Vol. 14890983 D: 32.40 ⇑ 11.34% | 32.30 | 33.60 / 26.00 C: 32.40 ⇑ 10.20% | 32.18 | 33.00 / 27.70 SINOBANGLA | 1.75 | 21.01 | Vol. 685000 D: 20.70 ⇑ 2.48% | 20.89 | 21.30 / 19.80 C: 20.60 ⇑ 3.00% | 20.61 | 21.00 / 19.80 MIRACLEIND | 0.10 | 15.13 | Vol. 603407 D: 13.90 ⇓ 1.42% | 13.95 | 14.90 / 13.90 C: 13.80 ⇓ 2.13% | 13.89 | 15.00 / 13.00 BOND IBBLPBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 835 D: 962.3 ⇑ 0.18% | 950.00 | 970.0 / 954.3 C: 951.0 ⇑ 0.58% | 951.00 | 952.0 / 951.0 ACIZCBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 74 D: 881.5 ⇑ 0.00% | 881.50 | 882.0 / 875.5 C: 880.0 ⇑ 1.03% | 880.00 | 890.0 / 875.0 BRACSCBOND | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 45 D: 1030 ⇑ 0.00% | 1030 | 1030 / 990.0 C: 1115 ⇑ 6.19% | 1115 | 1115 / 1115

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2013

US shutdown cost $2bn in lost government output n AFP, Washington The 16-day US government shutdown cost 6.6 million in lost workdays for furloughed federal workers, amounting to $2bn in lost productivity, the White House said yesterday in a report.

The Office of Management and Budget survey charted the deep and wide impact of the shutdown across the economy, ranging from delays in approving home loans, missed food safety inspections and a delayed fishing season in the Alaskan crab grounds.

The report was published as the White House steps up warnings that fourth quarter economic growth will be hard hit by the shutdown, caused when Congress failed to agree on a government operating budget by October 1.

It also came before the release of the latest monthly employment report by the Labour Department on Friday, which could show a slowdown in job creation due to the government closure and uncertainty over a near debt default caused by a political meltdown between Republican lawmakers and the White House.

“Federal government employees were furloughed for a combined total of 6.6 million days, more than during any previous Federal government shutdown,” the report said.

Since employees were paid after the government went back to work in mid- October after a compromise was worked out between the White House and Republicans in Congress, the government was forced to pay its workforce for work that was never performed.

“We estimate that the total cost of pay for furloughed Federal employees during the

A US Park Ranger carries signs to post on trailheads in the Santa Monica mountains, Agoura Hills, California REUTERS period of the shutdown is roughly $2bn,” the report said.

The shutdown was the second longest since 1980 and the most significant on record, measured in terms of employee furlough days, the report said.

The survey reiterated previous estimates by the White House and outside experts that the shutdown could reduce fourth quarter GDP by 0.2-0.6 percentage points and may have meant that 120,000 fewer private-sector jobs were created during the first two weeks of October.

Among the many results of the shutdown, Alaskan crab fisherman lost thousands of dollars a day as their season could not open on time as government officials were not able to set quota sizes.

US National Parks which were closed during the shutdown lost $500m in lost visitor spending, the report said.

And the report said the shutdown forced the NASA space agency and the National Institutes of Health to furlough four out of five Nobel Prize wining researchers employed by the government.

The White House, grasping for any good news during a grim political run, meanwhile seized on new government figures showing a surprise spurt of economic growth.

Jason Furman, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, said the 2.8% annualized pace of GDP growth in the third quarter showed the recovery was gathering pace.

But he warned that the government shutdown saga would hit future growth - and implicitly blamed Republicans.

“During the third quarter, the economy grew at its fastest pace in a year, an indication that the recovery was continuing to gain traction in the months before the government shutdown,” Furman wrote in a White House blog post.

“We now have an opportunity to build on this progress by increasing certainty for businesses and investing in jobs and growth, while avoiding the types of self-inflicted wounds that restrained the economy in the early part of the fourth quarter.”

Official fourth quarter growth figures will not be available until early next year.

The figures published by the Commerce Department Thursday surprised analysts who had banked on a 1.9% figure.

They offered a rare moment of optimism for a White House battered by controversies over the botched launch of the new Obamacare health insurance law and a National Security Agency spying row fuelled by leaks by fugitive US contractor Edward Snowden.

President Barack Obama will be likely to address the growth spurt, and blame Republicans for holding the US economy hostage, when he travels to New Orleans on Friday to give a speech on the economy. l

Russia warns of 16 more bleak years for economy n AFP, Moscow Russia’s economy ministry issued a dire outlook yesterday forecasting 16 years of negligible growth and global underperformance because of the Kremlin’s failure to pursue reforms when oil prices were high.

Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev’s announcement came only two weeks after Russia reported a disappointing 1.2% third-quarter growth figure.

the annual rate through 2030 reach 2.5%.

The economy ministry this spring had expected annual growth in the period to reach more than four percent.

Ulyukayev also warned that Russia will now have a tough time fulfilling the massive spending promises that Putin made when he assumed his third term in the Kremlin in May 2012.

“The pace of Russia’s economic growth will fall behind the global average in the fore-

It attributed the strong performance during Putin’s previous stay in the Kremlin to one-off factors such higher oil prices and productivity improvements spurred by initial post-Soviet reforms That outcome means the economy will have a tough time expanding beyond two percent in 2013 - about half the rate of the United States.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had hoped to see five percent growth this year and reshuffled his economic team in the summer when that goal slipped out of reach.

Ulyukayev cautioned that “the average rise in gross domestic product will range between 2.5 and 3% until 2025.”

He said this will be followed by “a certain drop-off in the last five years” that will see

cast period,” Ulyukayev observed.

The dramatic economic downgrade underscores the problem Putin’s appointees have had both identifying and resolving Russia’s most damaging economic problems.

Moscow’s Vedomosti daily summed up the grim mood by lamenting that “Russia is preparing for 10 lean years.”

Russia enjoyed a boom during Putin’s first two terms as president between 2000 and 2008 thanks to soaring prices for the country’s energy and commodity exports.

Annual growth then averaged at more

than seven percent and Putin had promised a quick return to those rates following a 7.9% contraction in the 2008-2009 global economic crisis.

But analysts blame Russia for then failing to make investments in the non- energy sector needed for it to attain sustainability and become inured to global oil price swingings.

Ulyukayev conceded the same point by stressing that “the factors behind sharp economic growth in the pre-2008 crisis years have been exhausted.”

‘Domestic factors’ pose risk of crisis

Russia has also suffered from persistent capital outflows and low rates of investment linked to the business community’s refusal to trust the independence of the courts.

Ulyukayev said he expected capital investments in the period to fall to 4.3% from the 4.7% envisioned at the start of the year.

Some in Putin team had spent recent months blaming this year’s poor performance for the slow pace of economic recovery in the European Union - Russia’s largest trading partner.

But Vedomosti pointed out that Ulyukayev’s report “made almost no change to its assessment of external conditions. The revision is associated with domestic factors.”

A poll of 21 economists released by

Moscow’s Higher School of Economics on Wednesday also showed expectations of below 3% annual growth for the next nine years.

“Three percent growth, which just recently seemed incredibly low, now looks almost unreachable,” the Higher School of Economics report said.

“Most experts have a negative view of the government’s excessive economic intervention, the quality of state and other regulation, lack of competition and excessive military spending,” said the review.

It added that 68% of the economists polled said that Russia could soon face “an economic crisis linked not to a drop in the price of oil, but exclusively to domestic factors.”

The Capital Economics consultancy in London said that Ulyukayev’s comments meant that “Russia’s government accepts weaker growth is here to stay.”

It attributed the strong performance during Putin’s previous stay in the Kremlin to one-off factors such higher oil prices and productivity improvements spurred by initial post-Soviet reforms.

“The upshot is that without a major shift in policy we suspect that Russia will go from being one of the world’s fastest growing economies to one of its biggest underperformers,” Capital Economic said in a research note. l