November 11, 2013

Business

‘Food prices rose because of supply disruptions, which caused demand to exceed supply. I expect food prices might continue to rise because of continued strikes’

5.02%

Urban areas

Kartik 27, 1420 Muharram 6, 1434 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 228

October

Somrat/GT/DT/Infograph

5.28%

4.84%

September

6.44%

5.02%

Urban areas Rural areas

5.59%

9.11%

9.64%

Non-food inflation

5.94%

7.86%

7.93%

8.38%

7.43%

Food inflation Rural areas

5.94%

9

Food inflation soars due to supply disruption

International

Philippine typhoon deaths cross 10,000

Entertainment

12

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

Classical dancers dazzle audience with mesmeric recitals

16 pages with 8-page business tabloid | Price: Tk10

Grassroots BNP wait for calls from Dhaka

‘Khaleda might be arrested if needed’ Karim and n Mohosinul Kailash Sarkar

received 20 of them – a move to select candidates for the upcoming 10th general election.

Mrinal Kanti Das, member secretary of the nomination paper sale committee, said the party earned Tk169.5m on the first day from the sale of nomination papers, each costing Tk25,000.

As of yesterday, Dhaka division stands first with the highest sale of 215

Three ministers have dropped a hint about taking tough action against Khaleda Zia saying that the government might even go so far as to arrest her, if needed.

When asked about the rumour of Khaleda’s house arrest, the Environment and Forests Minister Hasan Mahmud, after a meeting in his office with acting US ambassador to Dhaka John Danilowcz, said: “If Khaleda Zia is under house arrest how she can hold meeting with her party leaders. But the government may consider it, if needed, to ensure public safety.”

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu urged the opposition to join the dialogue at a discussion at the press club yesterday. He, however, on Saturday told reporters at Dhaka University that the government might arrest Khaleda.

“The five opposition leaders were arrested as they instigated violence during the shutdowns. They can’t avoid the liability. We have invited the opposition to unconditional talks,” he said.

State Minister for Law Qamrul Islam yesterday warned the opposition saying: “Opposition leader Khaleda Zia may also be arrested like other senior BNP leaders if the opposition-sponsored shutdowns descend into anarchy.”

“The opposition has become a threat to lives and properties of people.

Khaleda Zia and other top BNP leaders,

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

They are frustrated by central leaders’ ‘inaction,’ but still keep morale high Biswas—were louder in their home kar Ali Manik and n Julfi towns than in Dhaka on Saturday, the Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The grassroots of the BNP have been left without any instructions on carrying forward the movement and organisational activities in the crucial time as sudden crackdown on the party top brass has pushed the central leadership in trauma.

The role of central leaders, particularly those in Dhaka city unit, after Friday’s arrest of three standing committee members and raid at houses of several others frustrated and angered the leaders at the district and upazila levels.

They, however, have still kept the morale high, saying the rank-andfile members of the main opposition are ready to march toward Dhaka for tougher street movements to compel the government to meet their demand.

Protests against the arrest of three central leaders—Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Miah—along with party chief’s adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo and personal aide Shimul

New law curtails ACC’s authority n Kamran Reza Chowdhury All efforts of politicians, diplomats and civil society members went in vain as parliament yesterday passed amendment to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004 incorporating a controversial provision curtailing the commission’s authority to file cases against the public servants.

The Anti-Corruption Commission Bill 2013 that the House passed by voice vote in absence of main opposition  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

day before the 84-hour countrywide shutdown began.

Extension of the three-day hartal by 12 hours was the only response came after the Friday night’s crackdown, which left Ruhul Kabir Rizvi almost the lone spokesperson for the party during the toughest ever time for the party.

The Dhaka Tribune correspondents talked with a number of district and Upazilla level BNP leaders to know about their plans and activities to cope up with the latest crisis following the Friday’s crackdown.

“We are observing the situation in Dhaka,” said Azizur Rahman, Cox’s Bazar district BNP leader. “The movement is more vigorous at the grassroots level than in Dhaka,” he claimed.

“The movement has to be waged in Dhaka. But the leaders there are failing to do so.”

Aziz, who is also president of the district’s Shechchhasebak Dal, BNP’s wing of volunteers, said they did not  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Jamaat-e-Islami, using children as human shield, brought out a procession during hartal in Meherpur yesterday

Awami League in full election mood n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

Amidst hartal enforced by the BNP-led opposition alliance, the Awami League activists thronged the party office in the capital yesterday with enthusiasm as the ruling party started selling nomination papers for the next general election.

The aspirants with their supporters chanting slogans started gathering

Siddikur clinches Indian Open n Raihan Mahmood Bangladeshi golfing legend Siddikur Rahman rewrote the history by winning the title of the Hero Honda Indian Open, his second Asian Tour title, at the Delhi Golf Club yesterday.

The 29-year-old, who led the event from day one, played a three-over 75 in his total of 14-under 274. Indian Anirban Lahiri and SSP Chowrasia finished one shot behind with an even-par 72 to finish with a total of 13-under 275.

DETAILS ON PAGE 13

DHAKA TRIBUNE

there in the morning when AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam formally announced the beginning of the elec-

P2 PROSECUTORS IN RACE tioneering process at the party’s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue in a festive mood.

The party sold 678 nomination forms on the first day yesterday and

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, November 11, 2013

BNP leaders break hartal to meet party chief n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia skips the prime minister’s invitation or cancels important schedules like meeting with the Indian president during hartals called by the party or its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami. Even she does not drive from her residence to office, both in the city’s Gulshan area, on a hartal day.

But a group of pro-BNP lawyers and other party leaders came to see her riding personal vehicles yesterday, the first day of 84-hour hartal, when pickets were trying to force all modes of transports away from roads in Dhaka and elsewhere.

Learning the fact from her security adviser after the visitors left her Gulshan residence, Khaleda expressed her grievances and asked her security staff not to allow anyone inside, a personal aide of Khaleda told the Dhaka Tribune last night.

Visitors included pro-BNP lawyers and party leaders Joynal Abedin, Sanaullah Miah, Khorshed Mia Alam, Kaiser Kamal and Golam Mostafa.

Witnesses said chairperson’s adviser Osman Farruk also came to the party chief’s residence riding a luxurious car,

but angry Khaleda refused to see him.

Opposition women MPs, who brought out a procession on the Jatiya Sangsad premises yesterday, were seen arriving there on cars, witnesses said.

Earlier, Khaleda discussed the latest political situation with the team of lawyers in an hour-long meeting.

After the informal meeting, Khandakar Mahbub Hossain, adviser to the BNP chairperson, said Khaleda Zia was rigid on her stance of holding elections under a non-partisan government.

“She (Khaleda Zia) blamed the government for the prevailing political stalemate. BNP will not backtrack on the movement,” he said quoting Khaleda. He also said they discussed the legal aspects to get the arrested BNP leaders released.

After a meeting with the party chief, her adviser Shahjahan Omar said, “Madam [Khaleda] has instructed the party leaders and workers to enforce hartal more stringently.”

Meanwhile, prompted by reports published in a section of media that water line to Khaleda’s residence was snapped, a team of Dhaka Wasa visited the house and reportedly found the pipeline okay. l

Rajshahi transport strike from Thursday n Our Correspondent, Bogra Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation has called a 72-hour transport strike in 16 districts of country’s northern region from Thursday The organisation announced the programme protesting the arrest of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Special Assistant Shimul Biswas, Bogra Motor Sramik Union President Abdul Latif said. l

Awami League  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

Awami League General Secretary Sayed Ashraful Islam collect the nomination form for Gopalganj 3 constituency on behalf of party president, Sheikh Hasina, yesterday at the capital’s Awami League office in Bangabandhu Avenue DHAKA TRIBUNE

AL selling tickets for one-sided polls: BNP

War crimes prosecutors gear up for election race

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

n Udisa Islam

Main opposition BNP has alleged that the ruling party selling nomination papers is a projection of the government’s conspiracy to hold one-sided polls.

The party also alleged that the government had adopted an “evil strategy” to isolate Khaleda Zia from her party colleagues by confining her.

“The Awami League has started selling nomination forms. It is evident that they are walking towards their conspiracy of holding elections unilaterally.

They do not want a dialogue and compromise for resolving the crisis,” Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, joint secretary general of BNP, told reporters at briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters yesterday.

Generally, such press briefings remain packed with party leaders and activists. But yesterday, there was no one else at the briefing apart from the party’s executive committee member Belal Ahmed and some of other staffs of the Nayapaltan office. Even the assistants and office secretaries were nowhere to be seen around.

Rizvi claimed that on the first day of the 84-hour nationwide hartal, more than 700 people were arrested, around 1,800 injured and cases filed against more than 8,000 opposition leaders and activists.

Rejecting the government’s claim that law enforcers were deployed in front of BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s house for security reasons, Rizvi said: “We think that in the name of security, the government has taken the strategy to confine the leader of the opposition. It is a repressive act.”

Quoting newspapers, Rizvi alleged that the water supply to the opposition chief’s Gulshan residence had been cut off and no one had been allowed to take in food for her. “The people of the country are concerned about these incidents.”

“We think the government has chosen such a repressive path to weaken the BNP chairperson mentally. We strongly condemned such a move.”

At the briefing, Rizvi also told journalists that oxygen carrying vehicles would remain out of the hartal purview. l

New law curtails ACC’s authority  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

BNP, also forces the criminal courts to seek permission from the government before taking criminal charges into cognizance against judges, magistrates and public servants.

Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman M Bodiuzzaman yesterday said he did not have clear idea about the provisions of the bill.

When asked about a provision yesterday, he replied: “I am unaware of the provisions that were passed at the parliament and will not comment until I get a copy of the bill.”

The original the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004, passed by the then BNP government, authorised the graft busters to try criminal charges.

Begum Matia Chowdhury, the minister in-charge of the cabinet division in parliamentary affairs, on February

28, 2011, initiated the Anti-Corruption Commission Bill 2013 proposing that the ACC and the criminal courts must seek government sanction for disposal of corruption charges against public servants in line with section 197 of the code of criminal procedure.

The then ACC chairman Golam Rahman told a press conference that the passage of the law would turn the commission into a “toothless tiger.”

The parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry, which scrutinised the legislative proposal, opposed the government move to curtail the ACC’s authority.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith also sent a letter to the parliamentary standing committee opposing the amendment proposal.

A team of diplomats from the European countries met senior government

nomination forms. As part of the party tradition, Syed Ashraf bought a form for Awami League President Sheikh Hasina for Gopalganj 3 constituency. Some top leaders of the party also bought nomination forms.

They are Syed Ashraful Islam, Deputy Leader of the Parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Home Minister Dr Mahiuddin Khan Alamgir, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen, former information minister Abul Kalam Azad, State Minister for Housing Abdul Mannan, State Minister for Youth and Sports Ahad Ali Sarker and lawmaker Asaduzzaman Noor.

The sale of nomination papers kicked off amid slogans by party activists who cheered the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, AL Chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and respective candidates.

Ashraf, after the inauguration of the sale, said people would cast their votes without facing any obstacle, and if anybody tried to create anarchy, that would not be good for democracy.

The top leader of the ruling party also expected that like AL all other political parties would start selling nomination forms for the next general election.

AL presidium member Matia Chowdhury, advocate Sahara Khatun, joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, organising secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, BM Mozammel Huq, labour affairs secretary Habibur Rahman Siraj and Dhaka City AL general secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya were present on the occasion. l

Four prosecutors from International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), as well as the chief coordinator of the ICT’s investigation agency, have bought nomination papers from ruling Awami League, in a bid to take part in the upcoming national elections.

They confirmed that they bought their nomination papers yesterday.

All of them went to buy the nomination papers from Awami League’s central office yesterday, accompanied by their supporters and some local leaders. Earlier in the day, they also sought blessings from their colleagues and media personnel.

The four prosecutors are Sultan Mahmud from Satiyatpur-2 (Noria-Shakhipur), Nurjahan Begum from Chandpur, Mokhlesur Rahman Badal from Kishorganj-2 (Pakundia-Kotiadi), while Syed Saidul Haqueis seeking a party ticket for Chunarughaat.

The prosecutors were reportedly engaged in intense lobbying for securing Awami League nominations to contest

in the upcoming polls from their local constituencies.

After buying his nomination papers after 3pm, Sultan Mahmud told the Dhaka Tribune:“Let’s see, what happens. I am hopefulin achieving my goal. I am serving Awami League since my youth. Now it is time to give something to the nation.”

Prosecutor Syed Saidul Haque said: “The people from my constituency are very much happy as I took the nomination paper today [Sunday].”

To woo voters and draw supportfrom the grassroots-level, all of them have started communicating with their constituents, holding meetings with local leaders and planning for election campaign. Some of them have also openedgroups on social networking site Facebook to campaign withthe young generation.

Abdul Hannan Khan, chief coordinator of investigation agency,said: “I think I have every potential to get nomination and I am encouraged by my popularity in my constituency. So, I am optimistic of getting nomination from Netrakona-5.”

Mokhlesur Rahman Badal was seeking candidacy for the Kishoreganj-2 seatwhere Prof Dr Abdul Mannan, member of Central Advisory Council of Awami League, was the incumbent lawmaker.

About his nomination possibilities, Badal said Dr Mannan was a good candidate,but he was above 80 years old and it would be tough for him to visit all 20 unions for election campaign.

“So I am hopeful about nomination and doing my job in my election area,” he added.

Meanwhile ICT Prosecutors Mohammad Ali, AKM Saiful Islam and Abul Kalam were alsoreported to be interested in buying nomination papers from Awami League. However, AKM Saiful Islam was out of country, while the others were reportedly not ready yet.

All of the ICT prosecutors were hopeful of getting nominations from Awami League, because they considered themselves to have carried out their respective roles, as well as being involved with the party’s politics for a long time. l

officials and Suranjit Sengupta, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on law ministry, to lobby against the amendment proposal.

In the face of criticism, the government caved in.

In September, the parliamentary watchdog finalised recommendations dropping the controversial section that would force the ACC to seek government permission.

On Sunday, Awami League lawmaker Obaidul Muktadir proposed re-inserting the provision that would curtail the ACC’s authority. The House then accepted the proposal.

Another Awami League MP Nurul Islam Sujon and Jatiya Party MP Mujibul Haque brought seven amendment proposals. The government accepted six of them.

Sujon in his proposal, which was

accepted, said the investigation officer must complete probe within 120 days of receiving notice. The officer could seek 60 more days, if necessary.

In case he failed to complete the investigation by 180 days, the government would assign another officer, forcing him to finish the investigation in 90 days.

The proposal also says the commission can charge the investigation officer with inefficiency if deemed.

According to another proposal that the government accepted, the ACC can ask for report from any of the government wings for the sake of investigation and seek expert opinion on the issue. In case of rejection, the ACC can initiate the investigation on its own.

In that case, the government, with the application of the commission,

would take actions against the errant government departments.

The government also accepted Mujibul Haque’s proposal for extending the tenure of the ACC chairman and the commissioners by one year from the existing four years.

Haque said the ACC did not produce the witness in the corruption cases.

Referring to the cases against his party chief HM Ershad, Haque said: “If a former president had had to move around courts for 18 years, what could be the condition of the commoners?”

Deputy Speaker Col (retd) Shawkat Ali, who was chairing the House session, said: “All are equal in the eyes of law.”

Matia Chowdhury said the bill was aimed at containing corruption, which stood in the way of the country’s development. l

too, will have to suffer the same fate if this trend continues,” he said at a discussion held at the National Press Club.

Many people were killed, scores of others were injured and a large number of vehicles were damaged during the two previous 60-hour hartals by the opposition.

The additional police forces were deployed in front of the opposition leader Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan house after arresting five senior leaders of the BNP on Friday night.

But BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press conference in the afternoon alleged that in the name of additional security, the BNP chief had been left into insecurities.

However, Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir yesterday told reporters at the ministry: “BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is not under house arrest. The government only strengthened security measures for ensuring her safety.”

Meanwhile, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) authorities have withdrawn all the additional security forces from in front of the residence of Khaleda and her political office in the capital’s Gulshan yesterday, on the third day of the deployment.

“Withdrawal of additional security forces started since the morning as per the directives of the higher authorities,” said Khandaker Lutfiul Kabir, deputy commissioner at Gulshan Division of the DMP. l

television channels, and we interpret those using our political farsightedness,” said Amjad Hossain, Meherpur district BNP president and lawmaker.

He also complained that there was no direct instruction from any of the top leaders so far about the movement.

Some leaders in the grassroots think they might not be able to do anything if the government holds national elections without BNP. Some of them believe the latest arrest is a move to break the confidence of party leaders.

Against this backdrop, Khaleda has appealed all leaders and activists not to be morally down because of the arrests, party insiders said.

Despite frustrations, some leaders were trying to boost the morale of party activists and colleagues, they claimed.

Luxmipur district BNP leader ABM Ashrafuddin Nizan, also a lawmaker from Luxmipur-4 constituency thought that the central and Dhaka leaders of the party could not wage

movement in the capital as law enforcers took a hard line.

“So party’s grassroots leaders have to be more active than those in Dhaka,” he felt.

“How long will the law enforcers be able to protect Dhaka? The capital has already become isolated from the rest of the country due to opposition’s movement,” the lawmaker claimed.

“The government’s plan to hold national election under their own arrangement will not come true,” said Thakurgaon BNP General Secretary Taimur Rahman.

Shamsuzzoha Khan, president of Naogaon BNP, said the ongoing movement would not bring any result for them until they could show strong demonstration in the capital. “Central leaders should take to the street immediately.”

Khaleda Zia repeatedly asked the party leaders to take to the street to mount pressure on the government but

her call remained almost unheard by party hierarchy.

However, a number of top BNP leaders expressed their resentment at the “unplanned and immature” polls-time interim government proposal and poor handling of the prime minister’s invitation, which, they said, caused the party’s failure to intensify the ongoing movement.

Many also noticed low turnout of party leaders and activists in Thursday’s rally at Suhrawardy Udyan. Only a few hundred BNP leaders and activists showed up there, while BNP chairperson chose to address the rally through a video conference from her Gulshan residence, few kilometers away from the venue.

But the grassroots still keep their hopes alive.

“At some point the Dhaka will be the centre point of our movement and we will realise our demand,” said Meherpur district BNP leader Amjad. l

Khaleda  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Grassroots BNP wait for calls from Dhaka  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

get any special directive yet from the central or senior leaders in Dhaka in this crisis situation.

Friday night’s arrests and raids have scared most front ranking leaders of the central and city units into hiding to avoid arrest. Calls to their cellphones are hardly answered.

Law-enforcers in plainclothes encircled the Gulshan residence and office of party Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Heavily guarded headquarters of the party at Nayapaltan is rarely visited by any leader of the party or its front bodies.

No BNP leaders tried to meet Khaleda at her home since the arrest of Mintoo and Shimul immediately after they came out of Khaleda’s house in Gulshan Friday night.

Some sources, however, said that Khaleda remained in touch with some senior leaders over phone as she usually doesn’t go out of her residence during opposition alliance’s hartal.

After the arrest of the senior leaders, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia asked party’s other top leaders to work for waging movement evading arrest, according to top level sources.

But some BNP activists and leaders outside Dhaka expressed their frustration over the inaction of leaders in the capital from top to ward level. Many of them said party policymakers might not come to the street to wage movement and get arrested, but they should not distance themselves from party leaders who were waiting for their calls.

Even on the first day of the 84-hour hartal, Dhaka city leaders and Thana and ward level leaders did not show up in the street.

“We are frustrated over the performance of senior leaders in Dhaka,” Mesbahuddin Farhad, Barisal district BNP president and also a lawmaker from Barisal-4 constituency, said, “The poor performance of Dhaka city BNP in the street frustrated us greatly.”

The lax organisational performance also irked the party chief. In Thursday’s standing committee meeting, Khaleda expressed her disappointment over the poor performance of Dhaka city unit BNP. She then told the meeting: “You the senior leaders do not take to the street.

You confine yourself to your house. Ok, if you stay indoors; I will take to the street and, if needed, will be arrested.

I will wage action alone with the activists.”

Khaleda particularly slammed senior leaders for not being present on streets during shutdowns.

“We are doing tough hartals in Barisal,” said Farhad, Barisal district BNP president. “But movement should be intensified in the capital,” he said adding he was yet to get any direction from central leaders.

“We are getting information about the latest political situation and the party stances through newspapers and

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Monday, November 11, 2013

ELECTORAL CODE OF CONDUCT

Political parties give a damn about it n Mohammad Zakaria

The registered political parties had so far given no opinions over the draft electoral code of conduct uploaded on the Election Commission website, EC officials said yesterday.

More than one election commissioners at the commission meeting yesterday expressed frustration as the political parties had not come up with ideas to improve its suggestions, meeting sources said.

Besides, election analysts think that the commission should not have drafted the electoral code of conduct without holding discussions with the major political parties.

On November 3, the EC uploaded the draft electoral code of conduct for seven

days seeking suggestions and opinions from the political parties, civil society and general people.

Deputy Secretary of the section concerned of the EC Abdul Odud said only an election observer organisation and some citizens had given their opinions.

“We did not get any suggestions and opinions from the political parties and civil society members,” he said.

EC sources said most of the opinions they received criticised the draft electoral code of conduct.

The opinions said the commission should have held discussions with the political parties prior to drafting the electoral code of conduct.

The opinions also slated the EC for preparing the code of conduct in a haste.

However, most of them think that

it will not be possible to ensure a level-playing field through this electoral code of conduct if political parties cannot reach a consensus.

A number of EC officials yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that officials of the commission had expressed concern over the acceptability of the draft electoral code of conduct.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad yesterday said the commission got recommendations and opinions through email, internet and hard copy. “Now we will scrutinise them.”

Former election commission M Sakhawat Hussain said political parties are the main stakeholders of EC. “The EC should have held dialogue with the political parties before preparing the draft. l

ACC once again made toothless: Analysts

Dipu Moni to discuss Land Boundary Agreement with Indian counterpart n Syed Samiul Basher Anik n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman The Anti-Corruption Commission has Foreign Minister Dipu Moni is scheduled to meet her Indian counterpart Salman Khurshid today at the sideline of Asia Europe Meeting to discuss bilateral issues and political situation in Bangladesh.

The minister left Dhaka for New Delhi yesterday to attend the two-day ASEM ministerial that will begin today.

“Political issues along with Land Boundary Agreement, Teesta agreement, border killings will be discussed in the meeting,” said an official of the Foreign Ministry. India assured Bangladesh that the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) between Bangladesh and India would be placed in the upcoming winter session of Rajyshaba and Dhaka would press for it again to move forward the relationship between the countries, he said.

Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid failed to place the constitution amendment bill to pave the way for ratification of LBA during the last two Rajyashaba sessions. Bangladesh ratified LBA in 1974 and signed in the same year.

Dhaka would push for concluding Teesta agreement and stop border killings as these were very thorny issues in Bangladesh, the official said.

Dipu Moni would leave New Delhi for Colombo tomorrow to attend a meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government. l

claimed that it is “unaware” of a provision incorporated in a bill passed in parliament although analysts believe that the provision will make the commission “toothless.”

On February 28 last year, a bill was placed in parliament with a number of amendments to the ACC Act 2004 which included the controversial provision Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman M Bodiuzzaman yesterday said he did not have clear idea about the provisions of the recently passed Anti-Corruption Commission Bill 2013. He refused to make any comment on any particular section before getting a copy of the bill.

Parliament yesterday passed the bill keeping a provision for the ACC to take approval from the government before filing corruption cases against judges, magistrates and government officials.

Anti-graft campaigners have said the provision will curtail the graft buster’s independence instead of strengthening it.

Yusuf was the founder of Razakar: Witness n Udisa Islam A prosecution witness yesterday told the International Crimes Tribunal that AKM Yusuf was the chairman of Jamaat-e-Islami and the founder of Razakar in 1971.

Seventy-six-year old freedom fighter Yusuf Ali Sikder, the fourth prosecution witness against Jamaat leader AKM Yusuf in the war crimes cases, also described the death of his co-fighters during the Liberation War and claimed that all of them were killed upon orders by the war crime suspect.

Later, a junior defence lawyer began cross examining the witness as the senior counsel was not present at the tribunal because of hartal. The cross examination remained unfinished and the tribunal set tomorrow for further proceedings.

Witness Yusuf said after March 7, he had started planning to take part in the Liberation War by forming a resistance committee. On March 26, he, along with some other freedom fighters, joined with nine sub sector commander Ziauddin Ahmed at Sundarban area.

“Then we formed a group called Alpha and I was made its commander.”

After March 26, some Razakars came to Soronkhola and set up two

camps. One of the camps was at a police station and the other was at the house of Nasir Mia, a businessman of Rayendabazar.

“On July 6, we attacked Rayenda bazaar. But somehow they got information about before the attack. At three in the morning, we heard the sound of a launch and came to know that Maolana Yusuf was coming with some razakars.

“Suddenly they opened fire on us.

We also fired back. When we ran out of bullets, we decided to retreat. But the razakars captured some of our co-fighters including Captain Anwer, Azmat Ali Munsi and Ismail. The razakar’s took them to Mowlana Yusuf and tortured them. After torturing them throughout the night, Yusuf ordered for their shooting,” the prosecution witness continued.

On May 8, the prosecution of the International Crimes Tribunal 2 charged AKM Yusuf with the murder of eight people and the mass killing of 700 others, looting 300 houses and 400 shops, and forcing 200 Hindus to convert to Islam.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader AKM Yusuf was indicted on 13 war crimes charges, including killing, genocide and arson, religious conversion and deportation of people. l

Former adviser to the caretaker government Akbar Ali Khan said the government had curtailed the independence of the commission by approving such a provision.

“The government must initiate a provision for ‘reconsideration’ if differences of opinion arise between the ACC and the government. However, by incorporating the controversial provision, the government has kept the power in its hands and thus, it [ACC] will not properly work in combating corruption,” he said.

On February 28 last year, a bill was placed in parliament with a number of amendments to the ACC Act 2004 which included the controversial provision.

Later last year, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed told media that the graft busting agency would not need the government’s consent to file corruption cases against government officials.

Former ACC chairman Ghulam Rahman said he would not give any opinion until he received a copy of the bill.

He, however, said if the passed bill contained any such provision, it would work to compromise with corruption and surely curb the ACC’s independence.

“If the law contains such a provision, my struggle for making the ACC a real tiger from a toothless one will be rendered useless,” Ghulam said. l

Stacks of transparent ballot boxes piled on the Election Commission premises have been brought ahead of the national elections. The photo was taken yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Shibir men kill BCL leader in Chittagong n Tushar Hayat, Chittagong

A Bangladesh Chhatra League leader was hacked to death allegedly by members of Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir in Lohagara upazila under the district last

night.

The deceased, Mahabubur Rahman Bappi, was president of the Bara Awlia Degree College unit of the ruling party’s student wing.

Mohammed Shahajahan, officer-incharge of the Lohagara police station,

told Dhaka Tribune that a group of Shibir men launched an attack on some BCL men who were gossiping at Amirabad area at about 11:45pm.

The OC also said the attackers slaughtered Bappi and left the spot injuring several other BCL activists. l

JS session to extend AL LEADER KILLING AT MOTIJHEEL till November 18 Jubo League men sued n Kamran Reza Chowdhury The First Information Report (FIR) n Mohammad Jamil Khan said the victim had conflicts with the The last session of the Jatiya Sangsad is set to be stretched for a few more days as the government yesterday tabled three more bills in parliament.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury adjourned the session until November 18.

Textile and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui tabled the Bangladesh Handloom Board Bill 2013, which went to the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry for a seven-day scrutiny.

Law Minister Shafique Ahmed tabled the Legal Aid Assistance (amendment) Bill 2013 and the House set five days for the parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry for further scrutiny and report.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid tabled the Jessore Science and Technology University (amendment) Bill 2013 that went to the parliamentary standing committee on the education ministry for three days. Parliament secretariat sources said two more bills were waiting for passage. l

The wife of slain Awami League leader Khairul Alam Mollah filed a case with Motijheel police station yesterday, 54 hours after the leader was stabbed to death by some miscreants in the city’s Motijheel area.

Shefali Alam named seven people as accused in the murder case, including Jubo League and Awami League leaders.

According to the case details, the accused of the case were Jubo League’s 75 number ward unit Vice-President Tayeb Ali, General Secretary of Sayedabad Roads Transport Workers Union and Awami League leader Ali Akbar Babul and their supporters Jafor Sentu, Sumon and Naimur Rahman Durjay.

The case also accused five to six unidentified people, informed DM Farman Ali, officer-in-charge of Motijheel police station. Police have already began investigation in this regard, he added.

accused and often received extortion demands and death threats.

On the day of the killing, a meeting was held to solve the disputes between the two sides, but the talks reportedly failed to settle the matter and Khairul was killed soon after leaving the meeting.

On Thursday, some miscreants stabbed to death Khairul Alam Mollah, organising secretary of Awami League’s Jatrabari unit and general secretary of Sayedabad Bus Terminal Owners Association.

Asked about the delay in filing the case, the victim’s wife Shefali Alam told the Dhaka Tribune that the case was filed after completing Khairul’s burial process and consulting with the relatives.

Sub-Inspector Jahirul Islam Munna, investigation officer of the case, said some clues have been found and expressed hopes that the mystery will be solved soon. l

WAR CRIMES TRIAL

Eighteen charges pressed against Kaiser n Udisa Islam The prosecution has submitted formal charges against Syed Mohammad Kaiser, former state minister of Ershad’s regime, for his alleged involvement in the crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War. A total of 18 charges have been brought against Kaiser including killing, extermination, enslavement, deportation, abduction, confinement, torture, looting, arson and assisting in rape.

Kaiser was arrested on May 16, a day after the tribunal had ordered his arrest. He was later granted conditional bail considering his age and health, and allowed to live in his son’s house.

On Sunday, prosecutor Zead al Malum with three other prosecutors including Tureen Afroz and Tapas K

CHARGES AGAINST KAISER Charge 1

Murder, attack, loot, arson

Islampur

Charge 2, 7, 12 and 13

Loot and arson

Madhabpur Bazar, Nasirnagar, Habiganj sadar and Katiara

Charge 3 and 4

Murder, Loot and arson

Krisnanagar and Madhabpur Bazar

Charge 5 and 6

Confinement torture murder

Sayestaganj

Charge 8

Assisting to rape

Chunarughaat

Charge 9

Murder

Madhabpur

Charge 10, 15, 16, 17, 18

Abduction confinement, murder

Borobohula, Chunaryghat, Madhabpur

Baul submitted the formal charges at the International Crimes Tribunal’s registrar’s office. He has been accused of crimes committed mostly in Brahmanbaria and Habiganj.

In charge number 18, the prosecution alleged that Kaiser was involved in killing of 118 people from 21 villages

of Brahmanbaria and Habiganj on November 15 in 1971. Names of all dead and wounded people have been mentioned in the formal charge.

According to the probe report, Kaiser was a leader of Convention Muslim League and local Peace Committee and also a razakar commander during the

One more day lost in hartal as Nizami’s lawyers seek time again n Udisa Islam The defence counsel for Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami has not appeared before tribunal as they did in any hartal day before.

Whenever a case date coincides with a hartal called by BNP or its allies, defence counsels choose to send their juniors with an adjournment petition claiming that they cannot be present due to personal difficulties and lack of security.

Frequent submissions of such petitions prompted the international crimes tribunal 1 to pass an order last week, saying that if defence wants, tribunal will give them security.

But defence was not ready to accept the offer and they told on the third day of the last 60-hour Hartal that they are not feeling safe with the police too.

Sunday was fixed for submitting closing

arguments by the defence for the second day.

But junior defence counsels appeared with a similar adjournment petition while their seniors were absent. They appealed for a week’s adjournment.

Prosecutor Mohammad Ali vehemently opposed the petition and said the defence plea was nothing but an attempt to waste time.

After hearing both the sides, International Crimes Tribunal 1 adjourned the hearing for one day and set today for defence’s closing argument.

Prosecutor Abul Kalam Azad submitted: “If they (defence) fail to be present on Monday then please close the defence argument and we can start the next proceedings of trial.”

The tribunal did not make any comment on that and left the court room.

Nizami was indicted on May 28 last year on 16 counts of crimes against humanity including murder, rape, arson and inciting violence. l

war. He also formed “Kaiser Bahini” to collaborate with the Pakistani occupation army and committed various crimes against humanity.

Kaiser fled to London after Bangladesh gained independence in 1971 and returned in 1975. In 1979, he took part in the national elections as an independent candidate and was elected as a lawmaker. He then joined the BNP. During the regime of military dictator HM Ershad, Kaiser joined the Jatiya Party and became the state minister for agriculture. Investigation agency submitted their report to prosecution on September 22, which gave the basis for the formal charge.

The agency named 81 witnesses.

Investigator Monwara Begum probed the war crimes from March 28, 2012 to September 21 this year. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, November 11, 2013

Tougher law on brick production passed n Abu Bakar Siddique The parliament yesterday passed a new bill on brick manufacturing introducing tougher regulations, including a provision for trial of offences under the penal code. Previously, offences were tried under the environment court.

The new law – Brick Making and Brick field Establishment (Control) Act 2013 – was tabled as a bill in parliament on October 27.

It prohibits establishment of brickfields in residential, protected, commercial and agricultural areas, and also in forests, sanctuaries, wetlands and Ecological Critical Areas (ECAs).

Any establishment in the prohibited areas would be treated as a “criminal offense,” the law says, with varying degrees of punishment for the offenders to be determined by the nature of the area(s) involved.

For setting up a brickfield in residential, protected or commercial locations, the maximum punishment would be five years in prison or Tk5m in fines, or both. For setting up a brickfield in forests – private or public – sanctuaries and wetlands, the punishment

would be one year’s imprisonment or Tk100,000 in fines.

Currently, there are more than 6356 brickfields in the country.

The existing law – Brick Burning (control) Act 1989 – had been amended two times, in 1992 and 2001, before it was finally replaced by the new law.

Like its predecessor, the new law also criminalises use of wood as fuel and imposed control on the use of coal.

The 1989 law was scrapped with the passing of the new law.

According to the new law, anyone found guilty of using low-quality coal containing low sulphur would have to pay a maximum fine of Tk50,000.

However, the standard of coal wasn’t clearly defined in the law.

The brick-making industry is one of the fastest-growing in Bangladesh earning a yearly revenue of around Tk8.66bn. It is also one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emission, estimated to produce 6m tonnes of CO2 annually.

Some estimates say about 33% of the fuel used in brick kilns comes from wood fuel – which is strictly prohibited in the law. l

A rickshaw-puller wears a helmet as a safety measure to save himself from the hartal violence in the city’s Nayapaltan area yesterday

Two killed, 200 injured on first day of 84-hour 18-party hartal

CPB, BSD demand action against Tuku

n Tribune Report

n Tribune Report

At least two people were killed and around 200 others were injured on the first day of the BNP-led 18-party alliance’s 84-hour hartal, as pickets clashed with police and exploded several hundred crude bombs in the capital and different districts.

The pickets torched vehicles and several offices of the ruling party, vandalised 100 more vehicles, and uprooted railway tracks in different districts, while law enforcers managed to arrest around 150 pickets.

An employee of University of Science and Technology Chittagong (USTC) was killed in Chittagong in the morning and an expatriate was killed in Feni in the evening.

Several people sustained severe burn injuries in separate arson attacks in Dhaka and elsewhere while many others were injured by bomb attacks and police firing.

In Chittagong, USTC employee Nirmal Sen, 30, was killed when the autorickshaw he was on was forced to overturn by chasing pickets at Katakhali in Hathazari upazila.

Jahirul Islam, in-charge of Chittagong Medical College Hospital police outpost, said Nirmal was killed as the driver lost control of the vehicle after it was chased by the pickets.

Meanwhile, around 50 people, including law enforcers and women, were injured in clashes between police and pickets, who exploded around 50

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 5:14pm today and rises at 6:11am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 32.5 degree Celsius was recorded at Sitakunda and lowest 13.5 degrees at Dinajpur 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

31.5 29.0 29.8 29.2 31.5 31.0 31.8 32.0

19.5 19.3 17.5 17.5 18.5 18.2 18.5 20.5

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:53am 6:10am 11:43am 2:52pm 5:15pm 6:32pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

crude bombs, torched two vehicles and vandalized 15 others.

Police fired several hundred rounds of rubber bullets, tear shells and sound grenades to disperse the clashing pickets and made 21 arrests.

Arefin Jewel, additional deputy commissioner (west) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police, said at least 13 policemen, including Abdul Majid, officer-in-charge of Akbar Shah police station, were among the injured.

Amir Khasru Mahamud Chowdhury, president of the city unit of BNP, claimed 36 of their leaders and activists were injured in police action.

In Feni, an expatriate was killed and three others were injured, after pickets chased the ambulance they were on into a roadside tree in Daganbhuiyan in the evening.

Ilias Hossain, 35, died on the spot at Mukterbari on the Feni-Maizdee road. The injured, including the ambulance driver, have been admitted to Feni Hospital.

Nizam Uddin, OC of Daganbhuiya police station, confirmed the death and the injuries, but said he was not sure whether the vehicle was chased.

In the capital, at least 30 people were injured, including 10 with burn injuries, as several buses were set on fire and around 100 crude bombs were exploded at different places including Mohakhali, Wireless Gate, Modhubagh, Demra, Malibagh Crossing, Mouchak, Lalbagh, Mirpur, and Tejkunipara.

At least 10 people received burn injuries when a human hauler was torched

in front of Jagannath University last night. Anisur Rahman Babu, a cameraman of private satellite TV Channel 24, was injured when pickets hurled crude bombs near Bangla College at Mirpur-1 around 8 am.

In Jamalpur, clashes left more than 20 people injured, including 12 with bullet wounds, in Sharishabari. The clash erupted when local Awami League men brought out an anti-hartal procession and resisted pro-hartal activists from picketing at Shishua Baghmara.

In Meherpur, pickets exploded crude bombs, vandalized trucks and obstructed transport movement by putting wood logs on different roads in the area.

In Barisal, hartal activists set fire to an office of the city unit Chhatra League president Jasimuddin at Sagardi. Three vehicles were also torched, while police arrested 26 opposition men.

In Laxmipur, clashes between pickets and police left around 12 people injured at Chandraganj.

In Comillla, at least 10 people were injured when Jamaat-Shibir activists and police locked into a clash in Chauddagram.

In Natore, pickets uprooted rail tracks at Sreerampur in Lalpur upazila, causing rail communications between Dhaka and the northern districts to remain suspended for over four hours.

At least seen vehicles were damaged in Khulna, seven more in Satkhira, while several other vehicles were vandalised in Gazipur, Rajshahi, Manikganj, Joypurhat, and Chandpur. l

Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) yesterday urged the government to take action against State Minister for Home Shamsul Huq Tuku for patronising the people who attacked Hindu families, and called for launching a judicial investigation into the incident at Pabna’s Santhia.

The parties made the calls in a press briefing at the city’s Mukti Bhaban, held to publish an investigation report on the recent attack on Hindus at Bonogram bazar in Pabna’s Santhia upazila on November 2.

The investigation report said: “Rajib, son of Babul Saha is from a wealthy family. Several times local extortionists collected extortion from Babul Saha.

Before the attack, the extortionists demanded huge amounts of money from him which he could not pay. For these reasons, extortionists spread rumors on ‘Facebook status’ and claimed Rajib Saha had maligned Prophet Mohammad (SM). They led a group of people and distributed photocopies of what they called ‘a Facebook page’.

“On November 2, Chhatra League leaders Kawsar Habib Sweets and Chhatra Shibir leaders Jakir Hossain picked Rajib and confined him at Chhatra Dal leaders Sohal Hassan’s shop.

Later, they attacked Rajib’s father’s shop, house and temple which went on for more than three hours,” the report said.

It also claimed that the state minister visited the area following the incident, but was accompanied by some of the perpetrators of the attack during his visit, causing further panic among the locals.

The investigation report also alleged the law-enforcement agencies of not being active enough to prevent the incident.

BSD Central Committee leader Razekuzzaman Ratan led the investigation team, with members including Ismail Hossain, Naba Kumar Karmakar, Shahidullah Shabuj and Barek Talukdar Karmakar. The investigation team visited the area on November 7.

Meanwhile, Doctors for Health & Environment (DHEN) also protested the attack on Santhia’s Hindu community and called for putting an end to fundamentalism to help democracy flourish.

From a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday, leaders of the organisation urged the government to take effective actions in order to stop repetition of the same reprehensible incident.

Saying that attempts to attack minority communities should be prevented socially, they also demanded punishment of the accused and urged all to be aware of the misuse of religion for erupting mayhem.

Among others, Prof Dr M Abu Sayeed, Dr Quazi Rakibul Islam, Dr Md Azizul Huq, and Advocate Subrata Chowdhury joined the human chain. l

NASHIRUL ISLAM

BDR CARNAGE CASE

Verdict text sent to High Court n Tribune Report The text of the BDR carnage case verdict sentencing 151 former BDR personnel to death was taken to the High Court from the trial court yesterday under police and Rab escort.

An officer of the HC’s death reference section received the document around 4:15pm, confirmed Abdul Karim, assistant bench officer of Dhaka Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court.

He said the court papers included 12 bundles of verdict and order, and 30 other files with over 80,000 pages of dockets.

“The papers included 38,001 pages of case diary, 2,632 pages of court order, 1,858 pages of verdict, 1,120 pages of charges against the accused, 5,255 pages of depositions and cross-examinations of witnesses, 4,048 pages of examination of the accused under Section 342 and so on,” Karim said.

In an unprecedented verdict, a Dhaka court on Tuesday handed down death sentences to 151 ex-BDR personnel and one civilian for killing 57 army officers and 17 civilians during the bloody mutiny in 2009. The court gave life sentences to 161, including former BNP MP Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and Awami League leader Torab Ali, for their involvement in inciting and conspiring. l

Senior BNP leaders go into hiding

Indictment hearing against Adilur, Elan The move is termed as strategy of anti-government movement on November 17 Alamgir were available on the phone, hartal yesterday. n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu n Abu Hayat Mahmud While visiting the residences of with the exceptions of Lt Gen (retd) The Cyber Crime Tribunal in Dhaka yesterday fixed November 17 as next date for indictment hearing against human rights organisation Odhikar’s Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and its Director AKM Nasiruddin Elan.

The court also fixed the same date for Elan’s bail hearing.

Cyber Crime Tribunal Judge KM Shamsul Alam passed the order after hearing the plea.

Adilur Rahman appeared before the tribunal yesterday at 10:30am, but the jail authorities failed to produce Nasiruddin Elan before the court because of the 18-party enforced hartal.

Defence counsel Asaduzzaman also filed two petitions – one for bail and another for providing documents to the defence pleader.

The court decided to pass order on the petition after scrutinising the documents.

Earlier on November 6, AKM Nasiruddin Elan surrendered to the tribunal that issued order that he be sent to jail after rejecting bail prayer.

On October 11, Odhikar’s Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan was freed on bail from the high court division for six months.

On September 4, DB Inspector Ashraful Islam pressed charges against Adilur and Elan after probing the Odhikar’s claim that 61 people died in May 6 crackdown. l

Fearing arrest and police raids, senior leaders of main opposition BNP have gone into hiding, with many of them also switching off their mobile phones.

“If we all get arrested, then how will we carry on our movement? So, hiding is a strategy of the movement,” said Fazlul Haque Milon, organizing secretary (Dhaka division) of the BNP, who has been in hiding since Friday night.

On Friday, just hours after the opposition alliance announced a 72-hour nationwide hartal, BNP Standing Committee members Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Miah were arrested, while BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo and her Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas were also picked up separately.

Later, law enforcers also carried out raids at the homes of a number of senior leaders of the 18-party alliance, prompting other leaders of the alliance to go into hiding.

A huge number of law enforcers had also been deployed in front of the BNP headquarters since Friday night.

Only BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Executive Committee member Billal Hossain were seen at the party’s Nayapaltan central office on the first day of the 84-hour

some BNP senior leaders, it was found that most leaders were not in their houses. However, BNP leaders who were also retired army officials were available both at their homes and over the phone.

The arrest of the opposition leaders has not interrupted the anti-government movement, but it will rather strengthen the movement When this reporter visited the Shahjahanpur residence of BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas, his Personal Secretary Md Anisur Rahman said: “Sir had not been at home for some days.” Anisur also said a large number of police had been patrolling the area since Saturday noon.

Visits to the Gulshan and Gopibag houses of BNP Vice-President Sadeque Hossain Khoka revealed that the leader was not available at either houses.

BNP Member Secretary Abdus Salam and the party’s Human Rights Affairs Secretary Nasir Uddin Ahmed Ashim were also not available at their respective homes.

Meanwhile, none of the senior BNP leaders including the party’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam

Mahbubur Rahman and Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah.

The senior leaders of the 18-party were not staying in their homes because of harassment from the government and law enforcers, Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune.

“Police arrested opposition party’s senior leaders without any allegation, which is not positive for country’s democracy and the people did not accept it easily,” he said.

“The arrest of the opposition leaders has not interrupted the anti-government movement, but it will rather strengthen the movement,” Mahbubur added.

Meanwhile, activist and supporters of BNP have been expressing dissatisfaction at the decision made by the party’s frontline leaders to go into hiding.

Arifuzzaman, an activist of Khilgaon thana BNP told the Dhaka Tribune: “I am very upset because the party’s senior leaders are hiding. If they [senior leaders] go into hiding repeatedly, how will the anti-government movement continue?” he raised doubts.

Seeking anonymity, several activists and ward leaders of the main opposition also expressed similar dissatisfaction to the Dhaka Tribune. l

36th death anniversary of Enamul Hoque today n Tribune Report Today is the 36th death anniversary of Enamul Hoque, noted social worker, teacher and engineer.

He donated his eyes before three years of his death. One of his corneas was used for Shahadat Chowdury, editor of Bengali Weekly (Shaptahik) -2000 and another was used for a man named Ramzan Ali after his death, says a press release.

Enamul Hoque was born at Uluberia Rajkhola in Hawra district of West Bengal on October 1, 1921.

In 1946, he obtained engineering degree and started teaching at the then Ahsanullah Engineering College (now Buet).

He was one of the founding members of Diabetic Association. He was the founding general secretary of Dhanmondi Club (now Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club). l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Education

Learning a new language is possible for all

Getting to know Albania! n Samira Mostafa

n Andrew Weiler A lot of people would love to learn English. It is important to make their experience as positive and as productive GOLDEN as possible, otherRULE wise they will be turned off.

Learning a language is as achievable as learning to bake a cake. The trouble is that most people are given the wrong ingredients and strategies; hence their experience is one of struggle. The success rate for learning a new language is low worldwide.

This state of affairs persists despite the fact that all of us learned our first language! Some learned multiple languages simultaneously!

Most learning methods do not reflect the way we learned our first language.

We get grammar exercises, vocabulary drills, rote memorisation of phrases etc.

None of these bear any relation to practicality. Before long, the learner starts thinking: “I am no good at learning English.”

When people attempt again, the results are not appreciably different, as they tend to replicate what they did before, already believing it is going to be hard, which doesn’t help the learning process.

The trouble is that most learning methods do not reflect the way we learned our first language The diverse ways of learning languages we have do not mean that they are all suited to people who are setting out with self-doubt or with poor skills and strategies.

Teachers need to ensure that they look for ways of teaching that will produce success. As a teacher, I have consistently used as a benchmark that if a student is not learning with what I am doing, the fault lies with me. I know I can change myself and what I do, but changing what other people do will only happen in a positive way if they want to follow me.

Following are a few suggestions to teachers, parents and all people learning a new language:

5

Monday, November 11, 2013

GEO SKETCHING

The Republic of Albania is a country in Southeastern Europe with a population of 2,831,741 people. 70% of the country is mountainous and rugged and often inaccessible from the outside. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, Macedonia to the east, and Greece to the south and southeast. The modern-day territory of Albania was, at various points in history, part of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia, Macedonia, and Moesia Superior.

History

The history of Albania emerges from the prehistoric stage from the 4th century BC. The territory remained under Roman control until the Slavic migrations of the 7th century, and was integrated into the Bulgarian Empire in the 9th century.

Later on it was taken over by the Serbian Empire during the 14th century.

Albania’s independence was recognised by the Conference of London on July 29, 1913, but the drawing of the borders of Albania ignored the demographic realities of the time. The short-lived monarchy (1914–1925) was succeeded by an even shorter-lived first Albanian Republic (1925–1928), to be replaced by another monarchy (1928–1939).

Albania was occupied by Fascist Italy and then by Nazi Germany during World War II. After the liberation of Albania from Nazi occupation, the country became a Communist state, the People’s Republic of Albania (renamed “the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania” in 1976), which was led by Enver Hoxha and the Party of Labour of Albania.

Interesting Facts about Albania

Mother Teresa (Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu) is generally celebrated as the only Albanian to win a Nobel Prize, though born in Skopje in 1910 (now in Macedonia but then in the Ottoman Empire).  The Tirana International airport was named after Mother Teresa in 2001.  Albania, Armenia and Vatican City are the only European countries without a McDonald’s branch.  Albanians nod their head up and down to mean ‘no’, and shake it from side to side for ‘yes’ l 

Ditch practices and materials that you have been using Grammar drills and study seldom produce fluency. Instead try to use simple sentences: speak them and change one element at a time until you can say that sentence spontaneously by looking at different persons, talking about different objects, in different time frames, etc. Personalise and emotionalise what you say, talking about your life, wishes, belongings, friends etc. That way you will be more connected to the language you are using. Don’t try to run before you can walk – stay with the vocabulary that comfortably fits into what you can say.

Translating words has limited value. Instead work towards being able to stay in English, using whatever means you can find to do that.

Rote memorisation is a flawed way of approaching language learning. Instead be active with how you are learning.

Work at improving listening and noticing capacities One way you can do this is by watching movies in the target language – with no subtitles in your mother tongue. Just watch it and focus on what you can understand rather than on what you can’t understand.  look for gestures that might be familiar and tie them together with facial movements and actions  listen for words that get repeated, like fillers (in English some use “um,” but that is not universal, or for greetings or words that express disappointment.  you can extend this kind of work to sounds and melodies as well.

You may already be good at this or maybe not; whatever level you are at you can learn a lot. Only do it as long as you are energised by the activity.

Try altering what you do, the time, the genre and what you look for.

Take on practices leading to confidence building Learn to be on the lookout for practices that bore you or you feel get you nowhere. Maybe try changing the exercise somehow so it doesn’t bore you. If it still does, just dump it.

After working on something for a while, the result should be a growth in confidence. If that isn’t happening, you need to find another exercise.

There is a simple practice that beginners can try that gets you speaking, which is at the heart of learning languages. Learn a simple phrase like “I am picking up my pen.” Rather than learn that sitting down, walk around your house and say the same sentence with different objects, making sure that you pick it up at the right time (not before, not after, but just as you are picking it up).

That way you are speaking, practicing, not mindlessly drilling, learning new vocabulary as you go along. You just need to work at the speed of the utterance and the melody and the stress – all components that will have you sounding like a native.

Change the sentence into the “past” form, involve your partner in the game or even an imaginary friend.

The possibilities are endless, a key being to keep changing what you say, rather than mindlessly repeating the same sentence like a parrot.

The critical factor is to believe that you can learn a language successfully. You have already proved that you can. So it is only a matter of finding what is stopping you and to keep looking for ways that work. l The writer has authored the recently published “Language Learning Unlocked” available at all good bookshops.

Q: I have a sibling who has autism. I am the elder and am currently trying to understand his situation and how to deal with him; I feel it is ASK MS POP my responsibility for the rest of my life. How can I take care of him and maintain my life?

I’m considering going towards a career in medicine. What would you suggest?

MsPop: You seem like a noble sibling with a warm heart. You already sound responsible and probably will do a splendid job in taking care of your sibling. However, if you do choose to study in that line, then there is a chance you might want to explore scopes outside the country. Which will initially take you away from your sibling. Do you really want to be away from him? I am sure you have already done research on the internet to know about autism in detail. Figure out what type or level of autism your sibling has. Consult with doctors.

Q: My parents insist that I teach my younger brother and sister in the evenings, including supervising their homeworks. I have an age gap of 10 years with them. I have a different life style and friends, not to mention my own things to do in my own time. I keep telling my parents to hire a separate tutor for them. But they insist that it is my responsibility to take care of them.

What should I do? I am not a good tutor either.

MsPop: I understand when you are saying that you are not a good tutor. However, your parents may have a hard time to understand that fact. I believe you can set a certain time schedule with your siblings when you can look after them, and also hire someone to do the same. Take care of the financial part of hiring the tutor, so that your responsibility is maintained and your parents are happy. Oversee their work or tutor’s progress once a week. This way you can do what you like with your time.

Students, teachers and parents are encouraged to send in their queries or share their problems at education@dhakatribune.com

ULAB awards research grants n Education Desk

Banglalink Grandmaster 3 engages top 20 teams for day long training n Education Desk The Banglalink Grandmaster season 3 engaged over 8,000 registered students around the country in a single competition to create mobile internet based applications that can change people’s lives. From the original 500 teams, only 20 remain and they will compete for the top place at the finale on November 23.

The participants have undergone rigorous workshops and grooming to prepare for the big day where they will present their ideas to a panel of celebrity judges. On October 23, they underwent a day-long training session conducted by Professor Dr Kaykobad, CSE, BUET, Professor Dr Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, School of Business, North South University, Dr Sarwar Uddin Ahmed, Dean, School of Business, Independent University Bangladesh, Professor Mamun Rashid, Vice Chairman, Financial Excellence Ltd and Professor Dr Md Musa, United International University and also a number of high officials from Banglalink.

The winning team will be chosen at the finale. Banglalink has involved the

end users themselves in the competition: the judging will be done in two phases, one by all the Banglalink fans on facebook through voting on the Banglalink facebook page, and eventually by the jury panel, who will take the public’s decision into account while making final judgment.

The Grandmaster Champion will receive Tk200,000, while second and third place will receive Tk150,000 and Tk100,000 respectively. The three winning teams will also visit China to attend a 12-day-long youth camp, where they will attend further workshops and receive hands-on training from experts at Huawei Technologies Ltd. In addition, the students will visit the manufacturing plants of Huawei during the trip. Feasible projects will be taken into account for execution as applications.

Banglalink’s Head of PR and Communication, Marketing Sharfuddin Ahmed Chowdhury said at the training session: “We believe Grandmaster can motivate students to think of unique ideas and hopefully this kind of thinking will create a mobile application that will help society and change millions of lives.” l

University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) awarded eight research grants to its faculty members at an award ceremony on November 7. Each year, the ULAB Academic Research Committee awards grants to emphasise and encourage university-level research.

Professor M Omar Rahman, Vice Chancellor of Independent University Bangladesh (IUB) was the Chief Guest of the ceremony.

After a rigorous application process, ULAB chose eight deserving projects to fund: “Constructing Local Knowledge and Practices in the Sundarbans,” “Women’s Citizenship in Digital Bangladesh,” “HAMiGram: Holistic Arsenic Mitigation Program (A Holistic Mitigation Approach to Arsenic Contamination Via Sensing, Communication and Collaboration),” “Poor Utilisation of Road Networks & Vari-

able Vehicular Speed: An Empirical and Modeling Study of the Factors to Traffic Congestion,” “Measurement and Analysis of Traffic Noise,” “Underuse of the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2010,” “Review of Bangladesh Monetary Policy-2009 to 2013” and “The impact of the index options introduction on volatility and liquidity; evidence from Asia (India, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan,

Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore).”

The mission of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) is not only to seek to impart relevant and upto-date knowledge to our students, but also be a creator of knowledge. Critical to this desire is the promotion of a research culture, whereby faculty members see research as important to their teaching and career prospects.

ULAB Vice Chancellor Professor Im-

ran Rahman gave a welcome speech and Senior Advisor of Strategic Planning to the ULAB Board of Trustees Professor Brian Shoesmith gave the vote of thanks in the programme. ULAB Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor H M Jahirul Haque, Registrar Lt Col Md Foyzul Islam (Retd) and members of the ULAB Board of Trustees were also present on the occasion, along with ULAB faculties and students. l

Scholastica celebrates United Nations Day

Faculty conversation at BRAC University

n Education Desk

n Education Desk

The Scholastica students, teachers and management personnel celebrated United Nations Day this year on October 24. The students of the middle section made colorful flags of UN member countries and participated in a quiz competition. The students of the senior campus celebrated the day with a flag parade and displayed a dance performance.

UN Day is celebrated annually to bring all nations of the world together for peace and development UN Day message by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki–Moon was read out by a student. Stalls were based on various UN agencies working in Bangladesh and some UN projects were displayed at the STM Hall. The day ended with a debate competition on the topic “This house believes that the United Nations has failed to keep its promises.” l

The Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) is an innovation of BRAC University dedicated to promoting excellence in teaching at all levels and to enhance students’ learning inside and outside the classroom. Its objective is to develop an interactive teaching-learning

process. The goal is to hone a capacity of teachers reflecting, critically analysing, synthesising, and evaluating situations.

To ensure an effective teaching and learning environment at BRAC University, TLC is regularly organising training sessions for faculty members. The latest among these was “A Faculty Con-

versation on Different Teaching Methods.” Twenty one faculty members from different departments attended this conversation.

The conversation started with the teachers sharing the challenges they face in classroom teaching. In groups, the teachers discussed the different teaching methods and techniques they use to work with these challenges, and then they shared their ideas with the entire group. Because of the positive participation, TLC plans to continue with another session on different teaching-learning issues.

The facilitator of this conversation was Ms Beth Trudell, who is an English Language and Faculty Development Consultant. She has a master’s degree in English for TESOL from California State University, East Bay and has worked with both BRAC University and BRAC from 2006-2008 as an English Language Fellow. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, November 11, 2013

Clockwise: Two Rab personnel are in action during a fierce clash between the law enforcers and pro-hartal activists at the AK Khan intersection in Chittagong; Passengers keep waiting for vessels in the capital’s Sadarghat Launch Terminal; Miscreants vandalise and torch the office of Barisal Mahanagar Chhatra League President Jasim Uddin on the first day of the 18-party alliance enforced 84-hour countrywide hartal yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Blasts, arson mark 1st day hartal in metros Hartal supporters hurl a number of handmade bombs in different areas and vandalise vehicles A huge number of police, RAB and 26, driver of the torched auto-rickshaw President Shawkat Hossain Hiron and and banks were poor comparing norn Tribune Report BGB personnel have been deployed sustained burn injuries while trying to Secretary Afzal Hossain marched on mal days.

The first day of the 84-hour non-stop hartal enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance passed off amid stray incidents and tight security measures in divisional cities.

Our Barisal correspondent reports: A peaceful hartal was observed in Barisal yesterday with stray incidents.

The personal office of city unit Chhatra League President Jasimuddin in Sagordi area was blazed by pro-hartal activists early morning.

Jasimuddin claimed that properties worth Tk300,000 had been destroyed in the fire and he would file a case against the perpetrators in this connection.

At least two tempos and a batteryrun auto rickshaw were also torched in the city in the morning. Maruf Hossain,

extinguish the flame and has been admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

Police arrested at least three picketers till the filing of this report from different areas.

Police sources said the number of arrested opposition activists reached to 23 within last 24 hours.

BCC councillor and Jubo Dal leader Syed Akbar Hossain was arrested by Rab in the afternoon. Rab sources said Syed Akbar was a listed terrorist and would be handed over to police after interrogation.

Chhatra League activists organised an anti-hartal motorcycle showdown on city roads.

Anti-hartal picketers led by city AL

the city roads and held rallies in front of their office at Sohel Square.

Number of rickshaws and motorised three-wheelers were less than normal yesterday. Water routes were also relaxed as there were fewer passengers.

Administrative and judicial offices and educational institutions functioned with less attendances.

In Chiitagong, the first day’s hartal was observed peaceful as there was no major incident reported from any part of the city.

Hartal supporters hurled a number of handmade bombs in different areas, damaging a CNG-run three wheelers.

Rickshaws and some CNG-run autorickshaws were seen plying the streets.

Attendances in public, private offices

VC panel polls pending at JU n JU Correspondent

Although four days have passed, Prof Anwar Hossain, vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, is yet to take initiative for holding senate elections for selecting the VC panel, following President Abdul Hamid’s directives.

President Abdul Hamid, also chancellor of the university, asked the agitating teachers on Wednesday to withdraw their anti-VC movement unconditionally for the continuation of academic activities of the university.

The Chancellor also directed VC Prof Anwar Hossain to take immediate steps to hold senate election and select VC panel through the senate in line with the university act.

Teachers had withdrawn all movements on Friday and returned to classrooms from Saturday but the VC was yet to take steps following the chancellor’s instructions, alleged agitating teachers.

Prof Anwar Hossain said he would meet President Abdul Hamid to seek explanation of the directives as he found complexity in his directives re-

Stalker mass beaten in Kaliganj n Our Correspondent, Jhenaidah A stalker was mass beaten by local people in Raghunathpur village under Kaliganj upazila under the district yesterday morning for teasing a schoolgirl.

The mischief maker was Abdul Kader of village Enayetpur under the upazila.

Locals said Kader had been disturbing the schoolgirl on her way to school.

Like other days, Kader harrassed the girl while she was going to school in the morning.

As the girl raised her voice, neighbouring people came in aid and caught him red handed and gave him a good beating.

Later, the stalker was rushed to upazila health complex at Kaliganj.

No case was filed till Sunday afternoon, Kaliganj police said. l

garding the senate poll.

After an emergency syndicate meeting, VC Prof Anwar Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune: “I will obey each and every command of the president for sure but I need to talk to him as confusion has risen over the senate election.”

He said he anticipated that the Chancellor might had asked him to reform the senate before selecting the VC panel, as different representative bodies of the senate had expired.

However, the agitating teachers claimed that the VC was not instructed to reform the senate, rather called for arranging VC panel election through the existing senate as soon as possible.

Prof Amir Hossain, dean of social science faculty, said: “Mentioning JU act section 11 (1), the directives clearly stated to select the VC panel immediately with the current senate. Section 19 would have been mentioned if it was about reformation of the senate.”

“Showing respect to the Chancellor’s instruction, the teachers have withdrawn all movements immediately but unfortunately, Prof Anwar Hossain is yet to take proper initiatives

misinterpreting the directives,” alleged Prof Amir.

The President also instructed the VC to withdraw the writ petition filed against the agitating teachers and to continue all activities of syndicate and other committees, academic council and upcoming admission test of the university, sources said.

Although the activities of syndicate and other committees have resumed, the authorities were yet to withdraw the writ petition against the teachers of the university, said sources.

However, an emergency syndicate meeting was held at the council room of the registrar office yesterday, which was the first syndicate meeting in last seven months.

Earlier a syndicate meeting scheduled for October 9, was cancelled as the VC arranged that meeting allegedly without informing all of the syndicate members.

Expressing regret over the incident, Prof Anwar Hossain said: “I was supposed to inform all syndicate members but I could not do so for the circumstances.” l

Interns of Faridpur Medical College Hospital go on strike n Tribune Desk Interns at Faridpur Medical College Hospital went on an indefinite work abstention yesterday, protesting the alleged assault on one of their fellows.

Sources at the hospital said a local influential along with his men had physically assaulted Dr Fariduddin, an internee, over a trivial matter on Friday.

In protest against the incident, the interns on Saturday gave an ultimatum to the law enforcers to arrest the assaulter by 24 hours, threatening to go on a work abstention.

As police could not arrest the assaulter within the deadline, the interns began their work abstention.

They also brought out a protest procession and held a rally on the college campus in the morning.

The interns on Saturday gave an ultimatum to the law enforcers to arrest the assaulter by 24 hours Dr Prof ABM Shamsul Islam, supervisor of the hospital, said they had informed police about the matter, and hoped that the problem would be solved soon.

Quamruzzaman, additional superintendent of police (ASP) (Sadar circle), said they had been trying to arrest the culprit as soon as possible. l

However, the long distance and inter-district buses stayed off the road.

In Rangpur, the hartal passed off amid stray incidents and tight security measures, reports BSS. Leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations brought out several protest processions in the city.

Besides, the leaders and activists of Jamaat-Shibir brought out processions in different and put up barricade on road, set fire to tiers, attacked and torched several auto rickshaws and motorcycles.

On the other hand, Rangpur district and city units of AL and its front organisations brought out processions in the city and arranged rally protesting the opposition’s hartal.

in Shapla Chattar, Grand Hotel Mour, Jahaz Company Mour, Paira Chattar, Dhap Pakar Matha, Parker Mour, Modern Mour, Central Bus Terminal and other places and check posts have been set up in the city for maintaining law and order.

The common life remained partially affected during the first day’s hartal period though rickshaws, auto-bikes, bicycles and motorcycles plied in the streets. Long route buses, trucks and heavy vehicles have been staying off the roads and highways.

Activities in the government offices, business establishments and financial and educational institutions activities were almost normal and while the common people carried out their daily

Most Gazipur factories back in operation n Our Correspondent, Gazipur All garment factories except two in Gazipur resumed their operation yesterday after a weeklong shutdown, prompted by renewed unrest over the workers’ minimum wages.

No violence was reported in the two factories – Palmal Group and Apex Limited – whose workers haven’t yet joined work and continued demonstration on the streets in support of their demand.

Jakir Hossain, an inspector of Gazipur industrial police, said over five thousand workers of Palmal Group of Baroipara under Kaliakoir upazila had demonstrated outside the factory in the morning. Around the same time, over 17 thousand workers of Apex Limited at the Palli Bidyut area also came out on the streets to demonstrate.

About 10am, workers of both factories tried to vandalise their units but were held back by police who arrived in time to pacify them and bring the situation under control. Both the factories were

declared closed for the rest of the day.

Anwar Hossain, a worker of Standard Group at the Konabari industrial zone, said they had been demonstrating for the past one week with the demand to increase their minimum wage and to compel the factory owners to comply with the government decision on wages.

Initially they had planned to carry on their strike on Sunday too, he added, but restrained themselves after seeing workers of neighbouring factories join their respective workplaces.

Ashraful Islam, another worker of the factory, said they had joined work after hearing of the authorities’ consent to the newly fixed wage structure.

“Plus, the time for salary is knocking on the door, so we thought it wise to come back for the moment.”

Md Mominul Islam, administrative and human resources manager of Quader Compact Spinning Limited, confirmed the report that most of the factories in Konabari, including their own, had resumed production. l

Kuet teachers slate VC for taking charges of Civil Engineering Dept n Tribune Desk Teachers of the Civil Engineering Department of Khulna University of Science and Technology (Kuet) yesterday declared their vice-chancellor ‘persona non-grata’ for taking over as the head of the department from his own.

Announcing the decision, some 22 teachers of the department said they would not comply with any directives of VC Prof Dr M Alamgir.

Sources at the university said authorities rusticated nine students on charges of spreading propaganda against the teachers over central viva voce of the ninth batch students of the

Civil Engineering Department.

The authorities also warned 10 other students asking them to refrain from such types of activity in future.

The oral test was held on April 4 this year. Later, the High Court on May 4 stayed the punishment of five rusticated students for an indefinite period, prompting the civil engineering teachers to refrain from all activities.

The teachers have been on the movement, saying the university authorities did not take proper steps to withdraw the writ petition.

On Thursday, VC Prof Alamgir took over as the head of the department to end the stalemate. l

works including farm activities.

Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali police station Syed Shahabuddin Khalifa said no major untoward incident occurred so far and the law enforcement agencies have been on high alert to maintain law and order.

In Rajshahi, pickets vandalised a covered van in Katakhali Deopara area of the city in the morning. Police arrested a total of 13 BNP and Jamaat supporters from Motihar and Boalia area of the city during the hartal hours, reports UNB. In Sylhet, associate bodies of main opposition BNP held a rally at the city’s Zinda Bazar at about 9 am. Meanwhile, Chhatra Dal activists beat a Shibir activist in front of City Centre around 8:30am for riding a rickshaw in the hartal hours. l

PCJSS observes 30th death anniversary of MN Larma n Our Correspondent, Rangamati Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) yesterday observed the 30th death anniversary of Manabendra Narayan Larma, popularly known as MN Larma, a leader and pioneer of the indigenous people and the founder of the PCJSS. On the occasion, the parbatya samiti paid tribute to MN Larma and the many others who had dedicated their lives with him to establish the rights of Jumma People in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

They also organised a rally chaired by PCJSS Vice-President Ushatan Talukder.

A memorial meeting was also organised by MN Larma Memorial Foundation at the district’s Shilpakala Academy Auditorium around 3:30pm.

The meeting was chaired by Bijoy Keton Chakma, convenor of the foundation, and Jotirindra Bodipriya Larma, president of PCJSS was present as chief guest.

On the occasion, the parbatya samiti paid tribute to MN Larma and the many others who had dedicated their lives with him to establish the rights of Jumma People in the Chittagong Hill Tracts Ripesh Chakma, vice-president of PCP central unit, Kalpana Chakma, member of PCJSS central unit and Sishir Chakma, teacher and cultural organiser, spoke in the meeting.

In 1983, MN Larma was killed along with his eight comrades in a factional attack.

He was the person who first instructed the movement by unifying the indigenous people of Chittagong Hill Tracts to realise their due identity and rights.

MN Larma was also a member of Gana Parishad when the constitution of Bangladesh was passed unanimously in the House on November 4, 1972 but he never signed the constitution. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Monday, November 11, 2013

Man stabbed to death in Jessore

Eco-friendly Bandhu Chula takes root in Adampur’s kitchens n Tribune Desk

n Our Correspondent, Jessore A man was stabbed to death in Pagladah village under Kotwali police station of the district Saturday night.

The deceased was Asaduzzaman Chunnu, 30, an accused in several cases, including murder, mugging and extortion.

Police and locals said Asaduzzaman Chunnu came under gun and bomb attack while he was coming home around 7:30pm Saturday.

The assailants hurled crude bomb at him and fired gunshot that left him injured first.

Later, the attackers stabbed him indiscriminately and killed him on the spot.

After he was taken to Jessore Medical College Hospital, the attending doctor declared him dead.

Emdadul Haque Sheikh, officer-in-charge, Kotwali police station, said Asaduzzaman was an accused in several cases including murder, mugging and extortion.

The police official also said a previous enmity might lead to the killing.

A case was filed with Jessore Kotwasli Model Thana. l

NEWS IN BRIEF Bus driver held with phensidyl in Benapole

Rab members in a drive arrested a bus driver along with 1171 bottles of phensidyl from Kagozpukur under Benapole in Jessore on Saturday.

The arrestee was Illias Sheikh, son of Rafiqul Islam Sheikh of Bhaberber village. Rab-6 camp sources said acting on a tip-off, the team had conducted a drive in the area at night and halted a Jessore-bound bus. Searching the bus they recovered 1171 bottles of phensidyl from a luggage and arrested the bus driver. – UNB

Bomb hurdled at BNP leader’s house in Jessore

A group of unidentified people hurdled a bomb at the house of a local BNP leader at Benapole in Jessore on Saturday. Emdadul Haque Sheikh, officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station, said unknown people threw a bomb at the residence of Syed Saberul Haque Sabu, general secretary of district BNP, around 10pm, but no casualty was reported. – UNB

Youth strangulated to death in Khulna A youth was strangulated to death at Rupsa upazila in Khulna on Saturday.

The deceased was Kishore Shikdar, 25, son of Rabindra Shikdar of Kachua village in Bagerhat, was an employee of a fish enclosure at Doba village owned by one Maherndranath Majumder. Abdur Rahim, sub-inspector of Rupsa police station, said being informed they recovered the body of Shikdar hanging from the roof around 11am. Police said rivals might have killed the youth and hanged the body. The body was sent to Khulna Medical College Hospital for post mortem examination.– UNB

26 bombs, gunpowder recovered in Rajshahi Members of Rapid Action Battalion recovered 26 handmade bombs and 4.5kg gunpowder at Kasba under Poba upazila in Rajshahi on Saturday. Tippedoff, a team of Rab conducted a drive in the area at about 9:15pm and recovered the bombs and gunpowder from a bag in an abandon condition, said Shafiqul Islam, a commanding officer of Rab-5.

No one was arrested in this connection.

The bombs and gunpowder might have been kept there to carry out sabotage in the area during countrywide hartal enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance, said Shafiqul Islam. – UNB

7

Adampur village of Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha has been brought under 100% Bandhu Chula (Friend Stove) in a bid to reduce fuel consumption and ensure pollution-free environment, reports BSS. Deputy Commissioner (DC) M Jahurul Islam Rohel formally declared Adampur to be 100% Bandhu Chula users’ village at a programme on Saturday by unveiling a plaque in the afternoon as the chief guest.

Earlier, a discussion meeting was also held at the auditorium of Katabari union parishad (UP) complex of the upazila at 4pm on the occasion.

Local office of the programme arranged the function under Bandhu Chula Bazaar Unnayan Uddyog in cooperation with the Department of Environment, Bangladesh Climate Change Trust (BCCT) and GIZ (Germany International Cooperation).

Employees of railway fixing rail track as hartal supporters uprooted the track Ishwardi, disrupting rail communication between Dhaka and northern district for six hoursFOCUS BANGLA

Attack on Hindu community in Lalmonirhat protested n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat

With the slogan “We want to live with our democracy, our independent” the people from Hindu community formed a human chain, protesting attack on Hindu people and their establishments at Shafinagar village of Bawra union at Patgram upazila in Lalmonirhat.

They also demanded arrest of all the culprits who were involved in the attack on Hindu people and their establishments at the village and assurance of their exemplary punishment immediately.

The Hindu women, children possessing with different placards took part in the human chain.

Local elite from Muslim communi-

ty’s people and freedom fighters also took part in the human chain and expressed solidarity with their demand.

Speakers at the human chain said 16 shops, including medicine and grocery, were vandalised and looted by JamaatShibir and BNP men on 27 October, the first day of 60 hours hartal, in Shafinagar area of Patgram upazila.

The opposition men also torched some of the shops, but the Hindu people did not dare to protest it except only watching, they said.

Sunil Chandra Sen, 46, said they did not know what their fault is, but they were the victim of hartal.

“I think we are Hindu and it is our fault,” he said, adding opposition men always think Hindu people cast their

votes to Nouka (boat) that is not true.”

Paritosh Chandra Sen, 43, said the medicine store was his only property, but the shop had been vandalised and all the medicines worth about Tk150,000 have been looted on the day.

“Now I am helpless and I have no capital to re-run my business,” he said.

Protiva Sen, 52, said: “We the Hindu people are not enemy of any political party. Our family members do not involve in any political activities, but why we become victims?”

Schoolboy Krishna Chandra Sen, 12, said: “We want permanent solution of the repression, we want to live freely with our proper rights.”

Abdur Razzak, 65, said, the Muslim and Hindu community people had

been living at the village peacefully for years, but this bond of Muslim-Hindu was facing trouble only for Jamaat-Shibir and BNP’s attack.

“Police should arrest the people involved in the attack as soon as possible,” he said.

Police, however, said, a case was lodged accusing 111 persons for attacking Hindu people and vandalising and torching their establishments.

Police already arrested three of the culprits, police added.

Drives to arrest responsible for the attack is going on, said Sohrab Hossain, officer-in-charge of Patgram police station, adding that police could not arrest the culprits as most of them had gone into hiding soon after the attack. l

The use of Bandhu Chula helped save fuel and reduce carbon and air pollution DC M Jahurul Islam Rohel addressed the function as the chief guest and Director (Planning) of DoE and Project Director Quazi Sarwar Imtiaz Hashmi, Deputy Director of BCCT Abi Abdullah and Project Manager Dr Engineer Khalequzzaman were present on the occasion.

With UNO M Ashrafuzzaman in the chair, the meeting was also addressed, among others, by Rangpur divisional manager of BCBUU Bul Majum Sarker Bulbul, district manager Mohana Akter, entrepreneur Ashraful Islam Nannu, Bandhu Chula user Emili Hemdrom and journalist Sarker M Shahiduzzaman.

In the addresses, the speakers said the use of Bandhu Chula helped save fuel and reduce carbon and air pollution.

A lager number of people from all walks of life including social workers, entrepreneurs, housewives and journalists attended the function. l

Flood-tolerant varieties of paddy propagated in Gaibandha

Village cops demand class four employee’s facilities

n Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat

Agro experts urged farmers to cultivate flood-tolerant paddy in flood prone areas to benefit economically as well as wade the way towards achieving food security in the country on Saturday.

To save the seedlings from floods, agro officials should motivate the farmers to cultivate flood tolerant paddy in low lands that frequently go under floodwater The farmers would not incur loss anymore and gain benefit if they cultivated flood tolerant varieties like BRRIDHAN 51, BRRIDHAN 52 and BINA 11, they observed.

These seedlings are tolerant to wa-

ter. They can survive under water for up to 15 days, noted the experts at a crop cutting function on flood tolerant variety BRRI DHAN 52, organised by Gobindaganj upazila agriculture office at Chalk Singhadanga village under Gaibandha district.

To save the seedlings from floods, agro officials should motivate the farmers to cultivate flood tolerant paddy in low lands that frequently go under floodwater, they noted.

Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Mir Abdur Razzak addressed the function as the chief guest while Vice-President of Gaibandha Press Club Sarker M Shahiduzzaman attended as the special guest.

Razzak said as many as 2,605 hectares of land were brought under flood tolerant paddy farming during the

current Aman season through the initiative of DAE and non-government organisation RDRS Bangladesh.

Besides, over 100 demonstration plots have been set up in the district this season to inspire the farmers to cultivate the varieties in the upcoming seasons to get desired yield, he added.

He emphasised on farming flood tolerant varieties in low lands to get desired production against the high value crops and to attain food security.

He sought cooperation from journalists to disseminate the information to farmers through publishing. That would help them earn profit overcoming the risk of inundation and down pour.

After cutting paddy, the farmers expressed satisfaction over production. 5.04 metric tons of paddies were produced from one hectare of land, they said. l

One held with firearms in Naogaon Narcotics Control Department officials in a drive arrested a man and recovered three foreign made pistols, 12 rounds of bullet and six magazines from Hapania Bazar area under Sadar upazila of the district early yesterday.

The arrested was Hossain Ali, 40, of Saluka village of the upazila. Acting on a tip-off, officials of the department along with the police intercepted a bus in the area and arrested Hossain with the arms and magazines after searching the bus, NCD inspector of Naogaon circle, Saidur Rahman said.

A case was filed with Naogaon Sadar Model police station in this connection. – UNB Pickets blocked Bogra bypass road by felling logs yesterday, the first day of 84-hour hartal

FOCUS BANGLA

Village cops yesterday demanded that the government provide them fourth class employee’s facilities, including introducing rationing system, to make their livelihood smooth.

The cops also submitted a memorandum to the prime minister trough deputy commissioner at noon.

The Deputy Commissioner in Lalmonirhat Habibur Rahman received the memorandum from the village cops at his office.

They also formed a human chain in front the DC office on the same issue.

There are 458 village cops at 45 unions of five upazilas in Lalmnonirhat, said the village cops, adding that most of village cops were living under

poverty as they were mainly depended on their little wage.

They said they worked hard but their wage was not as per their labourr.

“Village cops control law and order situation at villages to give peace to the villagers but there is no security in our life,” said a cop.

The Adviser of the District Village Cops Karmachari Union, also the General Secretary of Sangjukta Sramik Federation, Lalmonirhat district unit Maniruzzaman Manir told the Dhaka Tribune said the present government had declared village cop’s wage scale as fourth scale on July 2 in 2011, but it yet to be implemented.

The government should implement the gazette on village cops’ as early as possible, he demanded. l

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

India’s Congress goes into election warm-up on the backfoot

India PM to miss Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka n AFP, New Delhi Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will skip a Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka amid pressure to boycott the event over alleged war crimes

by Colombo, a top government source said Sunday.

Singh wrote to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse on Sunday informing him of his decision not to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit (CHOGM), the Indian government source said.

Singh has been pressed by Indian

Gottipati, New Delhi, n Sruthi Reuters Trailing in opinion polls and stunned by the rise of opposition leader Narendra Modi, India’s ruling Congress party is limping into a clutch of state elections, underlining the struggle it may face to retain power when the nation votes next year.

Surveys last week showed that Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could win as many as four of the five states going to the polls over the coming month.

Opinion polls are notoriously unreliable in India, however. The Nehru-Gandhi dynasty’s Congress party could still cling to power in the capital, Delhi, and it may wrest control of the eastern state of Chhattisgarh from its rival.

The results of the state polls, due to be declared on December 8, will largely hinge on local leaders and issues, but analysts say a strong showing for the BJP will boost the momentum for Modi in the runup to the national election due by April.

Congress is certainly very nervous because it has seen how the popular mood continues to be against it,” said Amulya Ganguli, a political commentator.

Although a deeply polarising figure, Modi’s star has brightened dramatically, in large part because many voters - particularly the growing ranks of young urban citizens - believe he could set India on a new path after nine years of corruption scandals and policy drift under Congress.

Modi is widely seen as a business-friendly reformer who has attracted investment and bolstered economic growth in Gujarat, the western

Cut-outs of BJP PM Candidate Modi during his Vijay Shankhnad rally in UP state he runs. The prospect that he may become the country’s next prime minister, almost inconceivable a year ago, has helped drive a surge in the Indian stock market.

Goldman Sachs last week upgraded its stance on Indian equities, noting in a report titled “Modi-fying our view” that optimism over the BJP leader’s chances had trumped concerns about economic problems such as high inflation and a fiscal gap. Furious over the report, the Congress party accused the investment bank of interfering in India’s politics.

Row over opinion polls

Congress has also been stung by polls showing it may be hammered in the national election, with one survey showing it may win just 102 of the 543 parliamentary seats at stake, its worst performance ever. The party has urged a ban on opinion polls, arguing that they can be “doctored by vested interests.”

It has also launched a series of at-

AP

tacks on Modi: in an interview with Reuters, a senior cabinet minister compared his rise to the emergence of Nazi Germany’s Third Reich.

Critics have long sought to brand the Hindu nationalist leader a fascist and blame him for anti-Muslim riots in 2002 that killed at least 1,000 people in Gujarat.Surveys have shown that Rahul Gandhi, the young scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family that has dominated Indian politics since independence in 1947, has so far failed to electrify voters.

For all its confidence, the BJP is expected to emerge from next year’s election far short of the parliamentary majority required to rule. Modi could find it tough to win around allies to form a working coalition, Ganguli said.

The local polls kick off on Monday in Chhattisgarh, where the battle is expected to be closely fought. Surveys suggest the BJP will retain power in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, and wrest control of the desert state of Rajasthan from Congress. l

n AFP, London Britain boycotting the Commonwealth summit in Colombo over alleged war crimes would damage the organisation while achieving no positive change in Sri Lanka, Foreign Secretary William Hague said Sunday.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will be putting “serious questions” to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse at the 53-member organisation’s biennial summit.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will skip the three-day summit, which starts next Friday, while Canadian PM Stephen Harper has urged his counterparts to follow him in boycotting the heads of government meeting.

“We do understand that (boycott), but we’re not joining that,” Hague told BBC television.

“If we were to stay away from this

Sri Lanka detains Aussie, NZ lawmakers over rights probe

n

Sri Lankan immigration authorities on Sunday briefly detained an Australian and a New Zealand politician on a fact-finding mission into alleged human rights abuses, officials said.

The move came days before the country hosts a Commonwealth summit.

Immigration officials held Australian Senator Lee Rhiannon and New Zealand MP Jan Logie shortly before they were to hold a press conference about their mission, an opposition Sri Lankan lawmaker said.

“They were accused of breaching visa conditions, but they had ‘special projects visas’ to be in Sri Lanka on a fact-finding mission,” Tamil lawmaker M A Sumanthiran told AFP. An immigration official confirmed the pair were detained briefly at their hotel room for questioning, but declined to give details. l

n AFP, Colombo

AFP, Bangkok

Red shirt supporters react to a speech from stage as they gather in Bangkok

WORLD WATCH New Zealand police criticised in Facebook sex case

New Zealand police are facing mounting criticism for the way they’ve handled an investigation into a group of teenage boys who bragged on Facebook about having sex with girls who were drunk and underage. Calling themselves the Roast Busters, the Auckland teens publicly named some of the girls and continued operating for two years before their Facebook page was taken down last week following a story on local television station TV3. Police at first said they’d not been able to prosecute the teens because none of the girls involved had made formal complaints. But they later backtracked, saying a 13-year-old had given evidence in a 2011 video interview, and that they’d spoken to three other girls over the past two years.

Bahrain jails 2 Shias for life for bombing

A Bahraini court Sunday jailed for life two Shias convicted of blowing up a car outside a Sunni mosque in an attack that caused no casualties, a judicial source said. The criminal court sentenced three others to 15 years in prison for their involvement in the July 17 attack near the royal court in the Sunni-majority Rifaa district south of Manama, the sources added. The explosion caused by the bomb made from two gas cylinders took place outside Sheikh Isa bin Salman mosque.

Saudi MERS death toll reaches 53

Saudi health authorities announced on Sunday a new death caused by MERS, bringing to 53 the number of fatalities

in the kingdom by the coronavirus.The health ministry gave no details on the latest death in the country most affected by the disease that first appeared in the Gulf state in September 2012. The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has so far cost 64 lives worldwide, according to a November 4 update by the World Health Organisation.

Armed men kill six in central Nigeria

Gunmen attacked five farming villages in volatile central Nigeria’s Benue State, killing six people and burning many houses, police said Sunday. State police spokesman Daniel Ezeala told AFP “many houses” were razed during the violence, the latest on mainly ethnic Tiv people, who are predominantly farmers. Local media however said 36 people were killed in the mayhem. Ezeala said police and troops had been deployed to the trouble spot.

Strong earthquake hits eastern Japan, shakes Tokyo

A 5.5-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Japan on Sunday, rocking buildings in Tokyo, seismologists said. The quake struck at 7:37am (2237 GMT Saturday), in Ibaraki prefecture, north of the capital, at a depth of 59 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said. The crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant was shaken by the quake but there were no abnormalities reported, the plant’s operator said. The quake lasted about 30 seconds and was felt by many people in Tokyo. High-speed Shinkansen trains were stopped briefly for a track check, but quickly returned to normal operation.

REUTERS

Tamil groups and several powerful federal ministers to skip the 53-nation meeting to protest the alleged massacre of Tamil civilians by Sri Lankan forces in 2009, at the end of the island’s decades-long civil war.

Singh’s letter does not give the reasons for skipping the event, according to the Press Trust of India.

India’s External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will instead lead the Indian delegation at the event in Colombo from November 15-17.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has urged his counterparts to

follow him in boycotting the CHOGM summit, in protest at alleged war crimes and rights abuses on the island.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will attend the event, but has pledged to push for an international investigation into the allegations of war crimes that Colombo denies.

Cameron’s office also said in a tweet late Saturday that he will put “serious questions” to Rajapakse, after watching a “chilling documentary” about the events of 2009 that shows footage of alleged war crimes by government forces. l

Skipping summit would ‘damage’ Commonwealth: UK’s Hague

Thai ‘Red Shirts’ rally ahead of key amnesty debate Thousands of Thai pro-government “Red Shirts” massed in Bangkok on Sunday in their first show of force since a wave of opposition protests against a controversial political amnesty bill.

Television footage showed a sea of people decked out in red, many bussed in from the country’s hardscrabble northeast, at a noisy rally in a suburban park, with organisers saying they expected to draw tens of thousands of people by its peak late Sunday.

They gathered following several days of protests by various opposition groups against a deeply divisive amnesty bill backed by Yingluck Shinawatra’s government, which has inflamed festering political wounds. Thailand’s Senate was due on Monday to debate the bill. l

Monday, November 11, 2013

meeting in Sri Lanka next week, it would damage the Commonwealth without changing things positively in Sri Lanka,” he said.

Born out of the British empire, the Commonwealth is made up mainly of former British colonies and brings together around a quarter of the world’s countries and a third of its population.

“We need to be there at the Commonwealth meetings,” Hague said.

“We’re discussing there the future of international development, how we’re helping developing countries...We can only do that if we’re there.”

“We are going to say well, Sri Lanka is in the spotlight so let’s make full use of it being in the spotlight. Rather than sit in London and talk about it, we will be there in Sri Lanka.”

Hague said Cameron would become the first foreign head of government since Sri Lanka’s independence from

Britain in 1948 to go to the island’s mostly Tamil north.

Cameron said earlier Sunday he had watched “No Fire Zone,” commissioned by Britain’s Channel 4 television, which features footage of apparent war crimes shot by both Tamil witnesses and government soldiers.

“No Fire Zone is one of the most chilling documentaries I’ve watched,” he said. “It brings home the brutal end to the civil war and the immense suffering of thousands of innocent civilians.”

“Many of the images are truly shocking,” he said, repeating his call for an independent investigation. “I will raise my concerns when I see President Rajapakse next week in Colombo.

“And I will tell him that if Sri Lanka doesn’t deliver an independent investigation, the world will need to ensure an international investigation is carried out instead.” l

Iran’s Rouhani says uranium enrichment ‘red line’ n AP, Tehran, Iran Iranian officials said Sunday the country made progress with world powers during “serious” talks over Tehran’s nuclear program, but insisted the nation cannot be pushed to give up uranium enrichment as negotiations move into tougher ground over ways to ease Western concerns that Iran could one day develop atomic weapons.

The remarks on enrichment repeat past declarations on the country’s “right” to produce nuclear fuel, which is a key element of the talks over its scope. But President Hassan Rouhani and his top envoys seek to assure hardline critics that Iran will not make sweeping concessions in the negotiations, which ended without agreement in Geneva early Sunday and are scheduled to resume next week.

All sides proclaimed progress, but noted obstacles such as France’s worries over Iran’s enrichment levels and a planned heavy water reactor that produces plutonium byproducts. The West and its allies fear Iran’s uranium enrichment labs could one day produce weapons-grade material. But, in an important shift, the US and others no longer appear to demand a complete halt to enrichment and are concentrating on curbing the highest-level production, currently at 20%. Such material is needed for Iran’s lone research reactor, which makes isotopes for medical treatments, but is only just several steps away from warhead level at more than 90 % enrichment.

Energy-producing reactors use uranium enriched at levels of about 3.5%. Iran insists it does not seek nuclear weapons and says its reactors are only for electricity and medical applications. l

Israel in global push to thwart Iran nuclear deal n AFP, Jerusalem Israel was pulling out all the stops Sunday to prevent what it considers a looming bad deal with Iran over its nuclear programme, before the talks resume on November 20.

The diplomatic offensive was aimed not only at the world powers engaged

Pakistani private schools ban Malala’s book n AP, Islamabad Officials say they have banned teenage education activist Malala Yousafzai’s book from private schools across Pakistan, calling her a tool of the West.

Malala attracted global attention last year when the Taliban shot her in the head northwest Pakistan for criticising the group. She released a memoir in October, “I Am Malala,” that was co-written with British journalist Christina Lamb.

Adeeb Javedani, president of the All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association, said Sunday his group banned Malala’s book from the libraries of its 40,000 affiliated schools. He said Malala was representing the West, not Pakistan.

Malala has become an international hero for opposing the Taliban and standing up for girls’ education. But conspiracy theories have flourished in Pakistan that her shooting was staged to create a hero for the West. l

in negotiations with Tehran, after three days of talks ended early Sunday without a deal, but will also extend to the US Congress with which Israel retains close ties.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he spoke to the US, Russian, French, German and British leaders – five of the six world powers negotiating with Iran – and “told them that

according to the information reaching Israel, the looming agreement is bad and dangerous.”

According to Netanyahu, the mooted deal would remove sanctions on Iran while still enabling the Islamic republic to enrich uranium and advance works on a plutonium reactor.

“I asked them what was the rush? I

suggested they wait, and seriously consider things,” he said at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting.

“I hope they reach a good agreement, and we will do all we can to convince world powers to avoid a bad deal.”

Later on Sunday, Netanyahu was also to address the general assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America. l

PRAYERS AS CELEBRATIONS

An Iranian Shia Muslim woman sits in front a poster depicting religious prayers’ written in Arabic in downtown Tehran on November 9, 2013, during a ceremony marking Ashura, which commemorates the seventh century slaying of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed AFP

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

9

Monday, November 11, 2013

Philippine typhoon deaths cross 10,000

600,000 evacuated as typhoon nears Vietnam: officials

Authorities struggle to even understand the sheer magnitude of the disaster “People are becoming violent. They n AFP, Tacloban are looting business establishments, The death toll from a super typhoon that decimated entire towns in the Philippines could soar well over 10,000, authorities warned Sunday, making it the country’s worst recorded natural disaster.

The horrifying estimates came as rescue workers appeared overwhelmed in their efforts to help countless survivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan, which sent tsunami-like waves and merciless winds rampaging across a huge chunk of the archipelago on Friday.

Hundred of police and soldiers were deployed to contain looters in Tacloban, the devastated provincial capital of Leyte, while the United States announced it had responded to a Philippine government appeal and would send military help.

“Tacloban is totally destroyed.

Some people are losing their minds from hunger or from losing their families,” teacher Andrew Pomeda, 36, said.

the malls... I am afraid that in one week, people will be killing from hunger.”

Authorities were struggling to even understand the sheer magnitude of the disaster, let alone react to it, with the regional police chief for Leyte saying 10,000 people were believed to have died in that province alone.

“We had a meeting last night with the governor and, based on the government’s estimates, initially there are 10,000 casualties (dead),” Chief Superintendent Elmer Soria told reporters in Tacloban.

On the neighbouring island of Samar, a local disaster chief said 300 people were killed in the small town of Basey and 2,000 were missing there and elsewhere on Samar, which was one of the first areas to be hit. Dozens more people were confirmed killed in other flattened towns and cities across a 600km stretch of islands through the central Philippines.l

n AFP, Hanoi

Residents cover their nose from the smell of dead bodies in Tacloban city

Pentagon announces help for Philippines victims n AFP, Washington

A child stands on top a table in Tacloban city, Leyte province, central Philippines

AP

The Pentagon announced Saturday that it was providing the Philippines with naval and aviation resources in the wake of the country’s devastating typhoon.

A statement said that US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel would made helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and surface maritime search and rescue equipment available after a request from the Philippines government.

“Secretary Hagel has directed US Pacific Command to support US government humanitarian relief operations in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan,” it said.

“The initial focus includes surface maritime search and rescue, medium-heavy helicopter lift support, air-

borne maritime search and rescue, fixed wing lift support and logistics enablers,” the statement added.

The United Nations has said it expects the provisional 1,200 death toll from the super typhoon to rise and that it is sending emergency supplies to the stricken nation.

The Pentagon also said it was working with the US Agency for International Development and the American ambassador in Manila, to continue to monitor the effects of the typhoon and was “ready to help our ally recover from the storm.”

The United States held two large military bases near Manila until 1992, when it gave both up amid growing anti-American sentiment and a rental dispute. l

AFP

More than 600,000 people were evacuated as super typhoon Haiyan veered towards Vietnam, authorities said Sunday, after the storm smashed through the Philippines killing thousands and causing widespread devastation.

Residents of the Vietnamese capital Hanoi were braced for heavy rains and flooding, while tens of thousands of people in coastal areas were ordered to take shelter ahead of Haiyan’s expected landfall on Monday morning.

“We have evacuated more than 174,000 households, which is equivalent to more than 600,000 people,” an official report by Vietnam’s flood and storm control department said Sunday.

The storm is now expected to strike on Monday morning after changing course, prompting further mass evacuations of some 52,000 people in northern provinces by the coast. The Red Cross said in a statement Haiyan’s changed path meant the “the disaster area could be enlarged from nine provinces to as many as 15” stretching the country’s resources. l

CHINA 11 November

Path of Typhoon Haiyan

10 Nov 1030 GMT VIETNAM

PHILIPPINES

600 km HKO Egypt sets date for new Political chaos as MaldivesSource: Supreme trial of Brotherhood chief Court suspends run-off vote

n AFP, Cairo

An Egyptian court has set December 9 for the Muslim Brotherhood chief and senior officials of the movement to face trial on new incitement charges, judicial sources said on Sunday.

Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohammed Badie and other leaders of the Islamist grouping including Essam al-Erian and Mohammed al-Beltagui face charges of inciting violence in the Cairo neighbourhood of Bahr al-Aazam that led to deadly clashes in July.

Badie and his two deputies Khairat al-Shater and Rashad Bayoumi in a separate trial already face other charges related to the deaths of protesters who stormed the Brotherhood’s Cairo headquarters on June 30.

In October, the original judges presiding over that case recused themselves, citing “reasons of conscience.”

The court on Sunday also set December 10 for the trial of former Brotherhood chief Mohammed Mahdi Akef who is accused of insulting the judiciary.

The trials are part of a massive crackdown by authorities against the Brotherhood after the military overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July.

Security forces launched a sweeping crackdown on Morsi’s supporters in August, violently dispersing two protest camps in the capital.

More than 1,000 people have been killed since Morsi’s ouster – mainly his supporters – and the authorities have arrested some 2,000 Islamists, including most of the Brotherhood’s leadership.

Morsi himself is on trial over his alleged involvement in the deaths of protesters outside the presidential palace in December 2012.

At his first hearing on November 4, he rejected the court’s legitimacy and demanded that the “military coup” leaders be prosecuted instead.

The army ousted Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected president, on July 3 after millions of people took to the streets to demand his resignation, accusing him of betraying the revolution that brought him to power.l

Maldives opposition accuses court of sabotaging elections

n AFP, Malé

n AFP, Malé Presidential elections in the Maldives were thrown into disarray on Sunday after the Supreme Court suspended a run-off vote, denying former president Mohamed Nasheed the chance to return to power 21 months after he was ousted.

Despite growing international concerns over the Indian Ocean atoll nation’s failure to elect a new president, it is the third time in two months that authorities have stepped in to prevent polls taking place, leaving the nation in political limbo.

Nasheed on Saturday garnered 46.93% of the popular vote but fell short of the 50% needed to win outright in the country best known as a honeymoon destination, with a run-off scheduled for the following day.

The 46-year-old also came out on top on September 7 in elections that were subsequently annulled by the Supreme Court.

And police action prevented a second vote on October 19 following another court order that said procedures

Elections officials count votes after polling for presidential election closed in Male had not been followed, adding to suspicions among foreign governments that the authorities were determined to prevent Nasheed returning to power at any price.

“All relevant state authorities are informed that today’s election cannot take place,” the Supreme Court said in a pre-dawn decision that came just hours

AP

before the re-run was due to begin.

The court order came after Chief Elections Commissioner Fuwad Thowfeek announced he was going ahead with the vote timetable agreed with all the candidates before the first round.

The United States and the Commonwealth had both warned against delaying the run-off vote. l

Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed on Sunday accused the country’s top court of deliberately delaying presidential elections as part of a ploy to block his return to power.

The Supreme Court early Sunday suspended the runoff election hours before it was due to start, halting a presidential vote for the third time in two months and raising fears of a prolonged political crisis in the young democracy.

Nasheed, the country’s first democratically elected leader who was ousted in February 2012 in what he calls a coup, had appeared set to return to office after winning almost 47% of the vote in the first round of voting on Saturday.

Nasheed said the court was again using a “flimsy excuse” to delay the second round, this time until November 16.

“Next week, the Supreme Court will again use some flimsy excuse to delay the election and we will be back to square one,” he told reporters in the capital Male.

“We don’t think there is a conducive environment for elections (in the Maldives).” l

Protesters hurl shoes as Taiwan’s ruling party meets

ABBA mulls possible reunion

UN urges Qatar to improve migrant labour conditions

Hundreds of angry protesters threw shoes at riot police Sunday as Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang party held a congress to call for unity as public discontent grows with the govt.

The demonstrators – some of them jobless after factory shutdowns and others independence activists and supporters of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party – vented their anger at President Ma Ying-jeou, also the Kuomintang chairman.

“Ma Ying-jeou, step down!” the crowd chanted while hurling shoes at riot police behind barricades.

A man was detained by police after climbing over barbed wire outside a gymnasium in the central city of Taichung, where the Kuomintang was meeting.

Pressure on Ma’s administration has mounted after workers lost their jobs following the mass shifting of assembly lines from the island to the Chinese mainland to capitalise on cheap manpower and land prices there. l

n AFP, Frankfurt

n AFP, Doha

The legendary Swedish pop group ABBA is mulling a possible reunion next year, singer Agnetha Faltskog said in a German newspaper interview Sunday.

Next year marks the 40th anniversary of the band’s first hit “Waterloo,” which won them the Eurovision song contest and catapulted them to fame.

ABBA subsequently became one of the world’s best-selling pop bands with a string of number one hits such as “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen” and “Super Trouper.”

“Of course it’s something we’re thinking about,” 63-year-old Faltskog told the weekly Welt am Sonntag.

“There seem to be plans to do something to mark this anniversary in some way. But I can’t say at this point what will come of them,” she said.

Faltskog formed ABBA in 1972 with guitarist and songwriter – and later husband – Bjorn Ulvaeus, as well as Benny Andersson

A top UN official on Sunday urged Qatar to improve conditions for foreign labourers, as the Gulf emirate builds a massive infrastructure for the 2022 football World Cup. “Many migrants face human rights violations in the workplace,” said the UN special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Francois Crepeau, concluding an eight-day visit to Qatar, which has come under fire over the alleged exploitation of workers.

“Some are not paid their wages, or are paid less than agreed,” he said.

“I am also concerned about the level of accidents in construction sites, and hazardous working conditions resulting in injury or death,” he told a press conference.

Qatar has the highest ratio of migrants to citizens in the world. Approximately 88 per cent of the total population are foreign workers, he noted.

n AFP, Taichung

and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

The group’s Eurovision success with “Waterloo” came in Brighton, England, two years later.

The band, whose last album “The Visitors” appeared in 1982, has sold more than 380 million records worldwide, making them one of the most successful pop bands in history. l

Crepeau urged the energy-rich state to introduce measures that would protect workers, including establishing a minimum wage for all employees, including domestic staff.

‘Some are not paid their wages, or are paid less than agreed’ Gulf countries do not enforce a minimum wage for foreign workers, leaving it up to employers.

The UN envoy advised an “effective labour inspection system,” with more inspectors “well trained on human rights standards, and interpreters in the most commonly used languages.”

He also called for the “right of association and to self-organisation for all workers,” in addition to allowing workers to change jobs “without sponsor/ employer consent and (to) abolish the exit fee requirement.”

The sponsor system, by which an employee must be sponsored by an individual or a firm, is applied in most Gulf countries, leaving expats at the mercy of sponsors who could refuse to allow them to leave.

Crepeau recommended that Qatar ratify a number of UN conventions on the protection of migrant workers, civil and political rights, and the convention against torture.

Britain’s Guardian newspaper earlier this year charged that labourers in Qatar were faced with “modern-day slavery” and were paying with their lives.

The country has come under the spotlight of human rights organisations as it embarks on a multi-billion-dollar plan to host the 2022 World Cup. Sepp Blatter, chief of world football’s governing body FIFA, said on Saturday from Doha that the issue of working conditions in Qatar was being addressed. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

Joy for some, tears for others

Words = money = lives November 7

P

oliticians have remarked on the arrests of senior BNP leaders this weekend from the perspective of their ability to bring people into the streets.

BNP members have complained that the crackdown challenges the party’s ability to organise as leaders are going into hiding, while AL figures have been crowing that the relative lack of reaction to these arrests underlines the opposition’s weakness.

We deplore the myopic attitude to politics being shown by leading politicians.

The two parties need to It is ordinary people who change their mindset pay the price for our political and remember they leaders’ addiction to displays are serving people in a of power and street politics. democratic society No one in the country benefits from their short-sighted reliance on confrontation.

When politicians talk in the belief that such displays of power impress voters, they are severely mistaken. Actions which undermine the political process or which have violent consequences are simply not acceptable.

The public has consistently demonstrated its belief in democracy by voting in large numbers at national elections. It has also consistently shown its willingness to vote overwhelmingly for the two main parties. Yet the two parties still carry on as if their popularity depends on their ability to bring people out on to the streets.

They need to change their mindset and remember they are serving people in a democratic society. They must demonstrate that they are motivated by the national interest and show they are fully accountable to the public. Their power must be earned in fair debate and rewarded or rejected at the ballot box, not in the streets or ill-conceived displays of strength.

Reorienting ourselves in the climate debate

t is well known that Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the adverse effects of climate change. The trajectory of our development demands that we rethink our role in the climate debate and position ourselves as one of the leaders in climate mitigation as well.

While we have one of the lowest per capita emission rates in the world, this will change as the economy shifts towards more industrialisation. Also the country’s acute need for more power is making less climate-friendly but cheaper options such as gas- and We urgently need coal-fueled power plants seem to fully integrate a more attractive than carcarbon mitigation and bon-friendlier options such as reduction strategy renewable energy. into all facets of We urgently need to fully development integrate a carbon mitigation and reduction strategy into all facets of development. By doing so, it will allow us to tap into innovative new regional initiatives – for example, the newly launched emissions trading programme by China – as well as making better use of existing initiatives such as the Carbon Development Mechanism. Greener growth policies can also generate new sources of revenue and forge new beneficial relationships which can boost economic growth.

Just as important, it will strengthen our position in international negotiations by demonstrating moral leadership.

As one of the fastest growing markets for solar energy, Bangladesh has already proved that it is capable of reconciling the needs of development and environmental sustainability.

The government needs to increase efforts to integrate climate mitigation into the long-term sustainable development of the country.

Good article! Let’s not break the codes. It’s too obvious but safe under the present circumstances! X has two political groups, Xa and Xb. Both want to be at the helms of state power.

To achieve this, no amount of loss is too exorbitant to them. First, because the losses are not personal to either Xa or Xb. Secondly, state power generates so much monetary dividend that neither would leave any stone unturned to stick to or go for it.

The solution lies in democratising X to an extent where state power would only mean extreme responsibility with no monetary dividend accruing through it. This calls for building institutions which can rein in the demons in politics, and curtail the power of those who hold high positions in the state.

We have to build an Xc to achieve this. The sooner the better.

WaliulHaqueKhondker

Siyal Hasnat Shamser: The writer is not wrong when he says that the 3rd estate is always going to be commoners dormant until something else riles them.

So to that extent the 5th is not only a tool (which you are right about) but also contains within the group a probable leader for the 3rd & therefore distinct as a group & not merely a tool leading a change. It is a well written article that simplifies the concept for a majority of the readers who do

The trail reeks of unfairness. Eye for an eye is never the option. Shunting them to the noose, is there a difference between us and them?

Death penalty is never a deterrence to crimes.

Adnan Qader Whatever. The mastermind behind this crime has escaped from this trial.

Munim Abdullah

November 6

Nov 3

Shamser In trying to explain to us what the Fifth Estate is, the writer has confused himself and written a muddled article. What he is presenting is a poorly framed freedom of speech and expression argument wrapped in shiny packaging. The fourth estate of the media has been weakened by the state, but also by the media as pointed out in this paper’s “The yellow submarine” op-ed. If there is to be any change, it has to come from the masses waking up or the upper classes finding a different way of doing things. History has taught us that.

The fourth and fifth estates can be tools, not the change itself. Individuals within the third estate can be agents of change using these tools. The socalled power of the fifth estate the writer tries to talk about is either the power of truth if he means the use of the fifth estate, AKA the mass social media at our disposal, or the potential power of the third estate if he means the ability to assemble and protest. Reading the headline made me expect an interesting, well-formulated article. Reading it has left me very disappointed. A missed opportunity.

November 7

BGB DG: Decision on acquitted jawans ‘later’

The ‘Fifth Estate’ not have prior knowledge of the 5th estate, like me. I have now sought out more information on it & glad that I learnt something new today.

In Bangladesh, it will never be the people who will bring change or the upper class, it will be circumstances and a leader who will inspire us out of this mess. That will come from the truth that the people from the 5th will work to give to us.

I read most of your work matthew. Its generally well written, has an emotional tone & real voice behind it. It’s refreshing to see passion in writing and heart as opposed to cold method that oped’s adhere to.

Shamser Siyal Hasnat: Good reply, but it ignores the lessons of history. In the simplest of terms, the fourth estate is the media and the fifth estate is the social media. Where do you think people who operate these and work within these spheres come from? The upper class and the masses, meaning that they are the only ones who can bring change. No-one else can because no-one else exists. Our independence is an example of the point history reinforces. Those are the only two groups who can bring change. Dhaka Tribune produces some very good op-eds. The objective of these need to be more than being simplistic and making a hash of an explanation. Read the one I mentioned in my older post for an example of a good op-ed and the standard that Dhaka Tribune has. Matt may write well but he misses an opportunity here. This is the sort of op-ed that needs to be scrutinized before it goes to print, not be blindly praised afterwards.

This is unfortunate but the reason for mutiny should be resolved to avoid such things in the future.

Seraj Ulhuda Why did intelligence fail to prevent these killings from happening? Who are to blame in the intelligence office and why do we then need intelligence at all?

Babul Sarwar

Egypt: Morsi’s trial adjourned until Jan 8 November 5

It was adjourned because Morsi was brave enough to say in the beginning of the trial “I am Dr Muhammad Mursi and I am the legitimate president of the Republic.” Since his defiance caused uproar in court they had to postpone it.

Ahmed Azwad Imtiaz

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SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Tally (5) 4 Musical group (4) 7 Spinning toy (3) 8 Present (3) 9 Gather for oneself (5) 12 That following (4) 13 Connected (7) 15 Close friend (3) 16 Secret agent (3) 18 Cereal (3) 19 Tear (3) 21 Slims (7) 24 Drug-yielding plant (4) 26 Make into a statute (5) 27 Annoy (3) 28 Contend in rivalry (3) 29 Close up (4) 30 One being entertained (5)

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Moving away from street politics

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Monday, November 11, 2013

DOWN 1 Main actor (4) 2 Pleasing in appearance (6) 3 Gem (4) 4 That which binds (4) 5 Respectful fear (3) 6 Little song (5) 10 Undermine (3) 11 Fixed gaze (5) 14 Omit in pronunciation (5) 17 Abstract (6) 18 Wanders (5) 20 Play on words (3) 21 Stagger (4) 22 Grotto (4) 23 To let stand! (4) 25 Eggs (3)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

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

Code-Cracker

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Monday, November 11, 2013

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Noor Hossain and our precarious democracy

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n Towheed Feroze hey say people forget fast.

Well, there are of course those with memories of elephants, but most do not remember episodes in history; thus, with frayed memories there is an attempt to understand the present. This is indeed disheartening because the present is but a result of the past and there is no way we can deny events gone by because, in the political sphere, they have undeniable influence on current day affairs.

Take Noor Hossain for instance!

Does the name ring a bell? Take a moment to pause. Rewind back to 1987 …

He was the street activist who had democracy slogans plastered on his chest back in 1987, during the anti-autocratic street movements.

Come on, you surely remember that the Ershad of today, whose political support is much sought after by the major parties, overtly or covertly, was the reviled one in the 80’s.

As for the new generation, Noor Hossain was not a well-known political leader who played pivotal roles in making kings or queens; he was not even a shrewd political activist, using his fame to carve out a political future.

Noor was a commoner who took part in a demonstration and during the crackdown was shot dead by the law enforcers. The nation in 1987 was outraged.

Many contend the sacrifice of the man with democracy slogans on his body precipitated the fall of the Ershad regime.

We cannot say if the death of Noor Hossain was the final galvanising force, but the fact remains, in the late 80’s, all parties were united to bring down a person whom they called “the usurper.”

Noor Hossain’s death only made us realise the need to form a front, forgetting all political differences.

November 10 is observed as Noor Hossain Day, and it seems both the two parties have issued separate messages lauding the man’s ultimate sacrifice for democracy, saying that

such a martyr would always be kept high in the nation’s ideals.

Sorry to say this, but at a time when the same two parties are involved in a protracted game of stubbornness, such lofty rhetoric appears vacuous.

Thinking back in retrospect, Noor’s death appears futile.

The autocrat against whom he took the street is very much a vocal side in today’s politics, surviving, even thriving, simply on the forgetful nature of the masses.

We forget too easily; that is why no one remembers that, when the autocratic regime fell in December 1990, the country went into a holiday mood, cheering, exulting and hoping.

As this writer remembers December 6, 1990, field level politicians back then recalled the fall of Noor on the roads, terming it a turning point in the democratic campaign.

Alas! More than 20 years later, democratic ideals appear to be diluted to such a length that, on the one hand, a soldier of democracy is honoured and, on the other, obstinate “anti-democratic” stances are perpetuated.

In the meantime, autocrats are ensconced!

We are not pointing fingers at anyone though we must ask: Who is to blame for the current debilitating deadlock?

This writer does not understand

We can vote, but are our voices really being heard?

More than 20 years later, democratic ideals appear to be diluted to such a length that, on the one hand, a soldier of democracy is honoured and, on the other, obstinate “anti-democratic” stances are perpetuated

the nuances of politics; however, if he remembers correctly, before the scrapping of the caretaker system, no opinion of the masses – the main drivers of a democracy – was taken.

Maybe there is a rationale behind revoking it. As a commoner with little political acumen, I accept that. But,

wasn’t it evident during the time of annulment that, when election time arrives, this would become a major contentious issue?

Whatever the case, the caretaker system is not here anymore; therefore, the best thing to do is to find a system that epitomises the democratic ideals

for which Noor was left dying on the road back in ‘87.

Both parties need to make some concessions. They may not like it but if Noor could give his life for democracy then asking for some reasonable compromises is definitely not too much.

Meanwhile, there are reports that certain outspoken TV talk show speakers have received threats, while in the case of Pias Karim, some unidentified armed youths exploded a bomb in front of his home, when they failed to enter with force.

In a democracy, there will be criticism. Also, in a democracy there is no party, ruling or opposition, which is flawless.

When top democracies in the world

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he predicament of the modern Tibetan is a poignant one: How does one believe in rebirth when the very symbol of that credo – the 14th Dalai Lama – has himself suggested that he may not return to be the 15th Dalai Lama? It is akin to Jesus Christ disowning the dogma of resurrection.

For the past 54 years, ever since his escape from the Chinese forces which invaded his medieval Vatican in 1959, the present Dalai Lama has lived as an aging exile in India. His Holy See lies on the wrong side of the Himalayas, in the foothills above Dharamsala (Kangra district).

The Tibetan community in McLeodganj is not a microcosm of Tibet. It is a compressed facsimile of Tibet’s vast and ancient culture, shrunk to a few minor monasteries, some shrines and one or two high-tech centres

Dharamsala has little to commend it except as a thoroughfare to McLeodganj, a higher hill resort that now doubles as the temporal capital of the Tibetan government in exile and the spiritual seat of the Dalai Lama.

There are two roads that lead from Dharamsala to McLeodganj. One is 9 km long and rises in a comfortable gradient. The shorter one – 2 km. long – ascends steeply up a precipitous mountainside. It is perhaps symbolic of the Buddhist mind that the road most travelled is the arduous one.

The Tibetan community in McLeodganj is not a microcosm of Tibet. It is a compressed facsimile of Tibet’s vast and ancient culture, shrunk to a few minor monasteries, some shrines and one or two high-tech centres dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Tibetan skills. Despite an endeavour to sustain itself, it is dependent upon the largesse of outsiders. In that sense, it is not dissimilar to Israel, an artificially created state surviving on donations.

The Thekchen Choeling, the main temple, is the epicentre of faith in McLeodganj. It is a modern building, constructed in 1969 from offerings made by devotees and pilgrims to earn merit. The Dalai Lama lives close-by but he has become a global-trotting celebrity. His absence is symbolised by an elevated throne from which, when he returns to McLeodganj, he preaches to his adherents.

Sitting at the feet of the empty throne are rows of saffron-clad figures – old and young, male and female – each intoning from elongated printed pages of holy texts. The lay folk are allowed to observe from a distance.

They tell beads on benches or sitting cross-legged, rotate prayer-wheels.

The more active prostrate themselves continuously in a gesture of reverence to the Triple Gem – ie the Buddha, his teachings, and the community. Such pilgrims stand before wooden prayer-mats, then bend, slip their hands into gloves that slide along the polished surface, while the rest of their body follows until it lays full length. On pilgrim routes, this ritual can cover often hundreds of miles.

This group, however, rooted to the same spot looked as if they were using spiritual exercise bikes.

One can circumambulate the hall, rotate prayer wheels along the way, and then go behind the throne to the altar. High on it is a gilt statue of the Buddha Sakyamuni, and against a side wall, facing Tibet, are two others of the Guru Padma Sambhava and the Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion of whom the Dalai Lama is a manifestation. Not many people would notice a wooden replica of the Lahore Museum’s Fasting Buddha.

Despite the spectacular views that it affords across the valley, the Thekchen Choeling is no substitute for the imposing Potala Palace that still dominates Lhasa city and where the Dalai Lama used to spend the winter.

His summer residence – the Norbulinka – has been replicated about 6 km away from Dharamsala. Landscaped with ineffable taste and unlimited yen by the Japanese, everything there – the

are constantly floundering or messing up, the bold, brazen declarations of perfection without flaws, uttered ceaselessly by our “immaculate” politicians, appear shocking.

Whether we have assimilated democracy or not, we have certainly learnt chutzpah!

Criticise and become a target! Noor Hossain stood out in the procession with “Let democracy be free” on his chest – a sort of moving criticism of the then regime. He ended up dead.

Now, those who speak fearlessly also face intimidation. From 1987 to 2013 – 26 years have gone by – how much has democracy evolved? l Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.

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The tired Tibetan n FS Aijazuddin

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

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The gift of jet lag temple, its surrounding gardens, even the dolls in the Losel museum illustrating Tibet’s lost culture and customs – is shrunk to a miniature scale.

Eating lunch at the Norbulinka café forces one to believe in reincarnation. It takes an hour to get a bottle of water, and a bowl of Thupka (a Tibetan specialty of noodles and vegetable soup, topped with a fried egg) takes a lifetime to arrive.

The main monastery of Gyato lies on the way back from Norbulinka.

Funded also by the Japanese, it shares similarities with Bishop Cotton School (Shimla) – a main central building, dormitory blocks, and students from the age of sixw upwards – except that here the uniform is a red monk’s robe.

The head teacher Kelsang Norbu sits beneath a tree, watching the children scamper into their classrooms to wait impatiently for their tardy teachers.

Senior students behave more soberly, and ask politely where one is from: “Lahore.” “Ah, Lahaul, Spiti?”

In McLeodganj, the headquarters of the Tibetan government in exile are opposite the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (Men-Tsee-Khang), where one can buy Tibetan tea to alleviate stress or have one’s horoscope prepared by computer. The backlog of demand by foreigners is daunting; it takes six months to fulfil your order.

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, has made every effort to provide his people with modern skills and to preserve Tibetan culture. Its religion remains personified in him. He has said that he may not reincarnate as the 15th Dalai Lama, and even if he does, it could be as a woman.

That would be an innovation.

Britain has had queens as the head of the Church of England, but never a female Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Roman Catholic Church has only recently begun electing non-Italians as pope, but never a woman. Will Tibetan Buddhism be the first spiritual gender-bender? l

FS Aijazuddin, OBE, is the author of more than a dozen books. This article was first published by Dawn.

n Mohammad N Miraly

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he haze of sleeplessness is like one of those waking dreams driven by the shaman’s potions.

I vacillate between terrible lethargy and terrific clarity. Day and night have lost their meaning, and I have conquered Time.

This is the gift of jet lag: time unencumbered. When your mind is awake while others are unconscious, it’s the ultimate escape from the world.

Time unencumbered is worth more than all the iPad Airs money can buy.

It’s the only gift Santa can’t give you. It’s the only freedom we can aspire to in this post-slavery world.

Though our bodies be free (too free), our minds are shackled by the oppressiveness of our daily schedules.

Our smartphone taskmasters crack the whip of constant answerability in an age of perpetual connectivity.

Now the information is instant.

You can’t pretend you didn’t get the memo. And the worst part – they know we’ve “Read” their messages. (Then comes the woeful slew of these: “Why aren’t you answering meeeee :(:( … I know you read my messagessss.”)

In our fast-paced world, escaping the oppressive strictures on our time is magic worthy of Gandalf himself. The world of jet lag is the liminal space, the hidden realm wherein we are freed of the shackles of mundane time.

That phantom zone between Time and Untime is our answer to Braveheart’s exclamatory appeal – it’s the “Freeeedom!” to explore strange new worlds and to go boldly where no man has gone before.

It’s the excuse to indulge wanderlust, to find strange compatriots in the night like Owen Wilson did in Paris when everyone he knew was sleeping. It’s the time to ruminate over the new 1,000ish-page Man Booker Prize-winner or illuminate the mind with the soul of Rumi.

Or #werk on your bod with today’s WOD. Or Netflix the end of “Breaking Bad.” It’s the chance to air guitar the entire new Arcade Fire or to fervently

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believe you can paint as well as Mira Schendel. Or that you can be the next Puck or Lagasse. It’s the long, numinous night to peregrinate under the moon or meditate silently before the clamour of the dawn.

Most people I know complain about jet lag. But it’s the best time in the world to do all the things we don’t have time to do in our daily lives

Had we but world enough, and time, we’d mine all the rubies of the mind.

We’d saunter through life’s ebb and sway, and conquer every Everest that came our way.

Adventure would be mine, if I only had the time. If my iPhone 5S (yeah it’s gold) didn’t keep pinging and my Newsfeed didn’t keep updating, I’d do all the things I dream of doing when I’m lying on my sofa eating.

There’s so much time we waste, it’s a rare treat to be forced to be awake, and to have the clarity of mind to do something productive. Most people I know complain about jet lag. But it’s the best time in the world to do all the things we don’t have time to do in our daily lives.

It’s free space and time, in a world of multiple distractions and responsibilities, of crushing consumerism and keeping-up-withthe-Kanye’s-itis.

It’s a parallel world of opportunity.

So let’s heed the misquoted but nevertheless immortal words of middle-aged actor Brad Pitt: “Time! – take it, it’s yours!” l Mohammad N Miraly holds a PhD from McGill University in religion, ethics, and public policy.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Classical dancers dazzle audience with mesmeric recitals

Classical dancers captivated audiences at the classical dance festival

n Afrose Jahan Chaity A two-day classical dance festival ended with huge festivity at Chhayanaut on November 9. An array of Indian classical dance forms like; Manipuri, Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Gaudiya and Kathak was featured by both promising and renowned dancers at the event.

Every day of the festival, the beginning of the programmes were marked by lighting prodips (clay oil lamps).

On the first day, the students of Chhayanaut presented a group performance as the opening act that also had elements of the conventional Manipuri styles. They have expressed their devotion to the creator, gurus and the audience through their remarkable performance. The glory of Manipuri dance was revealed in all its beauty, specific values and conventions.

Professional dancers Sonia Rashid and Farhana Ahmed performed a duet while Sweety Das performed a solo Manipuri piece.

The first Bharatnatyam presentation of the festival was by Srishti Cultural

Butterflies of Bangladesh, Inventory Phase 2 on display n Entertainment Desk

SADIA MARIUM

Centre, followed by Amit Chowdhury and Puja Sengupta’s solo performances consecutively. The performances were characteristically patent in techniques, with movement in sync with complicated counter rhythms.

In the pantomime sections, the story was communicated through movement of hands and various body parts were in motion in a fascinating and is the conventional language of communication of the dance genre.

Both the dancers were mind-blowing in delivering even the most negligible mudra.

Eminent Manipuri dancer of Bangladesh, Tamanna Rahman performed Abhisarika on the second day, which was a tale of love. The lovelorn woman showed different moods in the performance. The first part showed her preparation and anticipation of meeting her lover. Then, her anxious wait for his arrival was portrayed in a brilliant manner and finally her anxiety when he did not turn up. Her every act, emotion and movement was so vivid and mesmerising that the audience

was quiet with captivated attention.

Following Tamanna’s enticing presentation, the audience was once again charmed with the performance of the graceful dancer Warda Rihab and Subrata Das, both of whom performed solo numbers titled Tanum and Goshthe Biday Jachon. A group performance titled Mandira Nartan by Nrityam Nrityashilan Kendro, was the last performance of Manipuri style at the festival.

The students of Chhayanaut then performed Ganesh Bondona and Alaripo. Several artistes, colourfully and traditionally dressed, expressed their devotion to the creator and gurus. The last Bharatnatyam performance of the festival was a group performance by Jagoo Art Centre.

Captivating dancer Rachel Priyanka Paris presented a solo performance on the second day of the festival. She took the breath way of a houseful of audience through her graceful perfomance on Gaudiya form. It was a unique combination of history, literature, poetry, drama, music, and rhythm.

Kathak was the last featured style

Monday, November 11, 2013

of the two evenings. On the first evening, a Kathak performance started with Munmun Ahmed’s solo performance and second performance was a group presentation by Munmun Ahmed’s dance school Rewaz Performers School. Tahnina Islam Jhumi, Tabassum Ahmed and Mehraz Haque Tushar performed solo presentations consecutively.

On the last day, Nrityanchal presented a group performance named Protibimbo (mirror), which was nicely organised and choreographed by Shibli Mohammad. Kaniz Fatema’s solo performance Thumri was a straightforward recital.

Masum Hossain performed a recital called Jhaptal. The packed audience greeted the demonstration with rounds of clapping. Then, Snata Shahrin presented Tarana, a solo performance.

The event ended with another performance of Tarana.

The festival was a huge success in terms of houseful audience and the response was tremendous to say the least. l

Butterfly goes places pleasing to it and it pleases wherever it goes. Drik Gallery is now a place where the city dwellers can go to please themselves since the gallery is displaying some fabulous snapshots of various types of butterflies of Bangladesh. An exhibition titled Chobi Dekhe Shekha- Butterflies of Bangladesh Inventory Phase 2 began on November 8.

After covering butterflies of eight districts in Bangladesh in its first phase in 2012, the second installment of Butterflies of Bangladesh Inventory (BBI) has come up with a checklist of butterflies of another eight districts. A group of young photographers worked from June 2012 to May 2013 for digital recording and data collection to cover Gazipur, Narsingdi, Comilla, Manikganj, Kishoreganj, Narayangaj, Panchagarh and Bandarban (only Lama Upazilla).

The team comprised Mirza Shamim Ahasan Habib, M Shahtabul Islam, Avra Bhattacharjee, Kazi Farhed Iqbal, M Monowar Mahmud Jewel, Sikder Nizamul Haque, Saifuddin Saif and Maruful Alam Chowdhury.

M Monwar Hossain, a professor of Department of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University, had worked with the

Miss Venezuela wins Miss Universe 2013 n Entertainment Desk

Band Poraho perform at the launching ceremony of Dugdugi, an online music streaming and legal music downloading site in Bangladesh, at the Russian Cultural Centre in Dhanmondi on November 8. A huge crowd gathered at the programme that also featured performances of an array of popular bands such as Arbovirus, Karnival, Crematic X, Minerva, The Manager, Zagforth, Crusader and Downfall Extinction

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, Dhaka

team to validate the species.

In the exhibition, each photograph includes a brief description of the species including common names, scientific names, wingspans, colours, habits, host plants and geographically recorded locations.

BBI is working with the goal to prepare a full checklist of butterflies that exist in the country.

Butterflies are important pollinators and also good indicators of the ecological quality of a habitat. Some butterflies are vital for economically important plants and are also an important component of the food chain.

According to the group, in order to show their importance and raise conservation awareness of this creature, the group devoted itself, voluntarily, in the field of environmental sustainability.

The exhibition will run till November 14 and remain open from 3 to 8pm every day.

Bangladesh Representative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Ishtiak Uddin Ahmed inaugurated the exhibition as the Chief Guest. Chief Financial Officer of the sponsor organisation, HSBC Bangladesh, Stephen John Ball was also present at the occasion as the special guest. l

ON TV MOVIE 7:30pmHBO

Happy Feet Two

An evening of extravagant entertainment marked the crowning of Gabriela Isler from Venezuela as Miss Universe 2013 at Crocus City Hall in Moscow, Russia. Patricia Yurena Rodriguez from Spain finished as the first runner-up, while Constanza Baez from Ecuador was the second runner up. Manasi Moghe from India made it to the top 10 of Miss Universe 2013.

Gabriela Isler, who stands 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in), competed as Miss Guarico, one of 24 finalists in her country’s national beauty pageant Miss Venezuela 2012, held on August 30, 2012 in Caracas. She won the Miss Elegance Award and became the ninth Miss Venezuela winner from Guarico, gaining the right to represent her country in Miss Universe 2013.

Narrowed down from top 16, the top 10 comprised India, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Ecuador, Ukraine, USA, Brazil, Great Britain, Philippines and Spain. The 16 semi finalists included Costa Rica, Ukraine, China, Ecuador, Great Britain, Indonesia, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Spain, USA, Nicaragua, Switzerland, India, Brazil and Philippines. Top 5 finalists included Ecuador, Brazil, Spain, Philippines and Venezuela.

The evening took off with a grand performance by International recording artist Emin, in between which the girls from 86 countries, including Manasi Moghe from India, were introduced. Miss Universe is the oldest International beauty pageant and an eminent panel of jury made the selection process tougher for the contestants. l

9:30pm WB

Sherlock Holmes

NEWS 10:00pm Maasranga Tv

Prime Time Maasranga News

10:45pm Rtv

Raater Shongbad

COMEDY 10:30pm Comedy Central Awkward

8:30pm Star World The Simpsons

MISC 12:30pm AXN

So You Think You Can Dance

11:30pm MTV Webbed

Tom Cruise compares Shahid Kapoor starts shooting career as actor to soldier for Haider in Kashmir n Entertainment Desk

To Tom Cruise, being away from his daughter while shooting a big-budget action movie “feels like” serving in Afghanistan.

The Top Gun actor was responding to a lawyer’s question comparing the extended time away from Suri while filming a movie to a soldier’s tour in Afghanistan, according to legal papers obtained by the Daily News.

In the deposition, the Mission: Impossible star also compared his Hollywood hamming to Olympic training.

“There is difficult physical stamina and preparation,” he whined. “Sometimes I’ve spent months, a year, and sometimes two years preparing for a single film.

“A sprinter for the Olympics, they only have to run two races a day,” he continued. “When I’m shooting, I could potentially have to run 30, 40 races a day, day after day.”

Cruise also listed off blockbusters such as Rock of Ages, Jack Reacher, Oblivion and the upcoming Edge of Tomorrow as physically and mentally taxing films for which he busted

his behind.

Cruise’s lawyer said the analogies were being taken out of context.

“The assertions that Tom Cruise likened making a movie to being at war in Afghanistan is a gross distortion of the record,” lawyer Bert Fields said in a statement.

“What Tom said, laughingly, was that sometimes ‘that’s what it feels like.’”

Fields continued that a video of the deposition shows Cruise and his lawyers were laughing at his answer.

When Cruise was later asked if the situations were comparable, he said, “Oh, come on.”

“Tom is a staunch supporter of our troops and would never say that making a movie was even remotely comparable to fighting in Afghanistan,” Fields added.

Also during the September 9 sitdown, Cruise was grilled on whether he or his lawyers accused Bauer Media, which publishes the two celeb magazines, of being pro-Nazi and anti-Semitic.

Cruise said he “didn’t authorize” his attorneys to make those allegations. l

n Entertainment Desk Actor Shahid Kapoor began shooting for Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider in the scenic Dal Lake here. The 32-year-old actor, who is teaming up with Bhardwaj again after Kaminey, is starring opposite newbie actress Shraddha Kapoor in the film adaption of Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet.

A fairly large crowd had gathered near the shooting location as Shahid and Shraddha shot a few sequences for the movie inside the lake.

Over the past few years, Bollywood has returned to Kashmir as the situation started improving in the valley. Late filmmaker Yash Chopra shot large parts of his last movie Jab Tak Hai Jaan, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif, here.

However, the portrayal of Kashmir and its people in some of the movies has left the locals including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah angry. Omar expressed his resentment over Ranbir Kapoor-Deepika Padukone starrer Yeh Jawani Hai Dewani, which was partly shot in Kashmir, for presenting the locales of the valley as that of neighbouring Himachal Pradesh.

But Bhardwaj has assured Omar that Haider is about the people of Kashmir. The director, referring to meeting with Omar, said he told the Chief Minister that “every character is Kashmiri in my film. It is the story of the people of Kashmir--both in period and present.” l

Did you know?

Newcastle’s Tim Krul made 14 saves against Tottenham yesterday, the most by any Premier League keeper in a single game since 2006/07

Sport

Monday, November 11, 2013

14 Nadal downs 14 Milan held by Federer to bottom club Chievo, reach final Roma draw

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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15 Second game of world chess duel ends in draw

Siddikur wins Indian Open

The golfer overcomes nerves to clinch his second Asian Tour title around the turn opened the door for his n Asian Tour rivals to get close to him.

Bangladesh ace golfer Siddikur Rahman claimed a nerve-wracking one-stroke victory over local hopes SSP Chowrasia and Anirban Lahiri at the 50th Hero Indian Open on Sunday for his second career title on the Asian Tour.

Leading by four overnight, the tenacious Siddikur made life difficult for himself with a wobbly final round of threeover-par 75 at the Delhi Golf Club which allowed the chasing pack to breathe down his neck and apply the pressure.

Chowrasia, who has won twice previously at the fabled Delhi venue, agonisingly missed a five-foot birdie chance on the 72nd hole to force a play-off as Siddikur ended a three-year winless run following his career breakthrough at the 2010 Brunei Open.

Lahiri, who closed with a 70, shared second place with Chowrasia in the US$1.25 million tournament as he also rued a missed birdie chance on the last hole to force extra time in front of a large gallery, who were hoping to celebrate an Indian champion in the golden edition of the Hero Indian Open.

Siddikur, who led the Hero Indian Open from the opening round after what he termed as “playing the best golf of my life”, started strongly with birdies on the second and fifth holes but four bogeys over a six-hole stretch

He steadied the ship with birdies on 13 and 14 but a calamitous triple bogey seven on 15 and another bogey on 16 ensured a dramatic and nervy finish.

But on the par three 17th, Sididikur nailed what would be the most important birdie of his tournament from 15 feet to regain a one-shot advantage as his rivals eventually missed opportunities to force a play-off.

Siddikur, who earned US$225,000 said: “I am so happy. After I won in Brunei, I struggled to win a tournament. It was a long day for me but it’s been the best golf of my life this week. Honestly, I didn’t put pressure on myself but I had some bad shots for bogeys but I had a good feeling that I would win this tournament. The putt on 17 was certainly the winning putt.”

“I had a four-shot lead but on this golf course, I knew that Anirban (Lahiri) and S.S.P. Chowrasia will not play it safe. They could have shot a low score.

In that case, I didn’t play safe and continued playing aggressively.

“After winning Brunei in (2010) I was really hungry to win more tournaments but it didn’t happen. However, I still remained confident and I told myself that a big victory is coming my way. That big victory happened today,” smiled Siddikur. l

BOA finalises list for training camp n Shishir Hoque

Mohammedan clinch hat-trick chess title

Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) has finalised the list of 26 athletes across five disciplines for the projected 10-month isolated training camp ahead of the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games in 2014 along with the Asian Youth Games.

The BOA is also likely to settle with six coaches and one camp commander for the long-term camp, which is likely to start at the end of November and will be held at Cantonment. The BOA secretary general Syed Shahed Reza, however, is yet to submit the written recommendation to the president, chief of army staff general Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan.

Along with eight shooters, there are seven players from archery, four from swimming, three from boxing, and three from taekwondo in the training program.

The notable inclusion in the list is veteran shooter Sharmin Akhter Ratna who was earlier doubtful. Another shooter Rabbi Hasan Munna, who won gold medal in the Bangladesh Games in the 10m air rifle, was excluded from the list due to his recent performance.

Meanwhile, the estimated budget for the 10-month long camp is Tk20m. Every athlete will receive daily allowance, transport, kits and monthly salary of Tk12,000.l

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Raihan Mahmood

The two foreign Grandmasters of Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club Ltd, who propelled the club to its hattrick title of the premier division chess league, termed Bangladesh chess has the potential to go ahead.

Tajikistan GM Amonatov Farrukh and Russian GM Sergey Volkov along with local GM’s Niaz Murshed and Ziaur Rahman registered the hat-trick by clinching the Rupahali Sarees Premier Division Chess with 16 points from nine games. In the last round yesterday the treble winners beat Gopalganj Chess Club.

Mohammedan all but assured the title in the very first game of the league when they defeated Bangladesh Navy by 3.5-.05 points and the win made all the difference. Navy finished second with 14 points.

Amonatov, the lone GM of Tajikistan who has a rating of 2616, said the level of competition was not very high as not many strong teams were there, but he was surprised to see the potential. “This is my first appearance in Dhaka and I did not have good idea about Bangladesh chess, after playing

LEADERBOARD 274 275 276

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Siddikur (Ban) 66-66-67-75 Lahiri (Ind) 71-67-67-70, Chowrasia (Ind) 69-68-66-72 Baek (Kor) 69-69-70-68, Chiragh (Ind) 69-70-69-68, Que (Phi) 6968-67-72, Rashid (Ind) 69-70-65-72 Park (Aus) 68-73-65-71

the league I am surprised to see that there are many talented players,” said Farrukh.

The Tajik GM said Bangladesh Navy team was their main challenger and the Bangladesh Navy GM’s Reefat bin Sattar, Abdullah al Rakib and Enamul Haque Razib are good players. “They are good players and as far I saw, their style of playing is also good, even little Fahad Rahman showed a lot of potential, I hope Bangladesh progress in the chess arena,” he added.

Volkov also echoed the same tune and said, “I love playing in Bangladesh, and I enjoyed the league, I hope it would be more competitive in the future.”

Abdullah al Rakib also admitted that the defeat against Mohammedan made the journey difficult. “We failed to implement our plans, we hoped to win against Niaz Murshed and Zia and earn a draw against one of the foreign GMs. Reefat was in a good position against one of them, but we could not succeed, however we admit that Mohammedan was superior in strength,” said Rakib.

Rakib opined that if the league was played in game points rather than match points then the level of competition would have been greater.l

Players of Dhaka Mohammedan GM Amonatov Farrukh (Tajikistan), GM Sergey Volkov (Russia), GM Ziaur Rahman, GM Niaz Murshed, IM Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagar and Mahtabuddin Ahmed Robin pose with the Premier Division Chess title yesterday MUMIT M

Siddikur Rahman poses with the trophy after winning the Hero Indian Open 2013 in New Delhi yesterday

BKSP starts with a win at Nehru Hockey

n Raihan Mahmood

BKSP defeated reigning champions Government SR Section School Ladowali, Jalandhar by 4-1 goals in the first match of the Steelbird International 42nd Nehru Junior Hockey at Shivaji Stadium, New Delhi yesterday. Ashraful, Sagar and Emon scored one goal apiece for BKSP, the lone sports training institute of the country, while they also received an own goal. The losers won their previous match against a local school by 7-2 margin. BKSP will play their next match tomorrow against Guruda Hockey Academy at the same venue.l

U-18 divisional cricket postponed n Minhaz Uddin Khan The Young Tigers Under-18 Divisional Cricket Competition which was scheduled to start at 17 venues across the country from November 15, have been temporarily suspended due to the political unrest in the country, informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board Game Development yesterday. The BCB will announce a revised schedule for the competition in due course. l

AP

BCB forms 10-member disciplinary panel n Mazhar Uddin The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) formed the much awaited disciplinary panel during a meeting on Saturday.

The panel will be headed by former Supreme Court judge and former chairman of the Bangladesh Law Commission Md Abdur Rashid.

The other members of the panel are Justice Khademul Islam Chowdhury (Former Judge of Bangladesh Supreme Court), Justice Shiek Rezowan Ali (Former Judge of Bangladesh Supreme Court), SKM Anisur Rahman Khan (Former District and Session Judge), Ajmamul Hossain, QC, Nihad Kabir (Barrister-at-Law), Nirmalendu Goon and former cricketers Shakil Kasem, Fakrul Ahsan, Mahmudul Hasan Saju and Mahboob Hussain Nantoo.

The chairman of the panel is expected to form more than one anticorruption tribunal which will conduct the trials of the nine individuals, including suspended national cricketer Mohammad Ashraful, accused for the their involvement in match fixing in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

It has taken more than two and a

half months for the panel to start the process since the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) charged seven individuals with involvement in match and spot-fixing in the second edition of the BPL and two others for not reporting corruption approaches.

The charging of the nine individuals on August 13 this year unleashed a scandal storm in the country, leading BCB to promise a quick trial and say that there would be stern consequences if anyone was found guilty.

There was also a clause in the board’s anti-corruption code to start the hearing within 40 days of the receipt by the participant of the Notice of Charge, but this deadline expired on September 23.

“The tribunal is now all set and will start their proceedings hopefully by next week,” informed BCB’s acting CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury without giving any explanation when asked about the delay.

It was further learnt that Mosharraf Hossain Rubel, one of the accused who received the provisional suspension along with the other accused, and Robin filed a case with the lower court last month against the suspension. l

BFF to give players’ verdict this week

Bangladesh, MPCA share U-16 series n Minhaz Uddin Khan

n Raihan Mahmood

The fourth and last three-day game between Bangladesh Under-16 and MPCA Under-16 (Madhya Pradesh Cricket Academy) ended in a draw at Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium yesterday. The teams shared the trophy as the first three games of the series also carried the same result.

Batting first, MPCA rode on opener Akarsh Singh’s 68 to post 212. Nayeem Hasan and Shafiul Hayat Ridoy picked three wickets each for the home side.

In reply, Bangladesh made 365-9.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Jakir Ali led the hosts with an unbeaten 102. The youngster hammered 10 fours in his 216-balls knock. Earlier, Pinak Ghosh gave the side a steady start scoring 95.

Ritesh Shakya registered a fivewicket haul to lead the MPCA bowlers in the game while Sagar Sharma bagged three wickets.l

Bangladesh Football Federation’s Player Status Committee is all set to provide the verdict for the players, who have reportedly taken money in advance from two Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) clubs, on Wednesday.

The two clubs who are engaged in the tug of war, reigning champions Sheikh Russell and Dhaka Mohammedan, is reluctant to register their players unless the problem is solved. Defender Mamun Mia, winger Zahid Hossain, midfielder Shakil Ahmed and Nahidul Islam have allegedly taken money from Mohammedan and later changed their mind to join Sheikh Russell.

Another winger Shariful Islam has joined Abahani amid the protest of Mohammedan.

The Players Status Committee was supposed to sit to provide the verdict yesterday, but due to the ongoing strike they have deferred the date of the meeting. “We have collected all the necessary papers and just need to discuss the fine points, we hope to settle the issue in the next meeting,” said Abu Nayeem Shohag, the general secretary of BFF. Meanwhile, the ongoing strike and the national holiday on Friday, on the occasion of holy Ashura, led the speculation of extending the deadline of players’ transfer again. The latest deadline of BPL players’ registration is November 15 and till date only three clubs among the 10 have completed their registration formalities.

However, BFF till yesterday was not in favor of extending the deadline for the fourth time. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Monday, November 11, 2013

Roma draw as Milan held

by Chievo n Reuters AC Milan’s problems continued when they were held to a goalless draw at bottom club Chievo in Serie A on Sunday and leaders AS Roma drew 1-1 at home with lowly Sassuolo who equalised deep into stoppage time.

There was also last-minute drama at Atalanta where Marko Livaja’s goal in the 93rd minute gave the hosts a 2-1 win over Bologna, and Cagliari, where Daniele Conti’s 88th-minute free kick,

RESULTS

Genoa

2-0

Atalanta

2-1

Cagliari

2-1

Chievo Parma

0-0 1-1

Roma

1-1

Portanova 30, Kucka 35 Brivio 73, Livaja 90+3 Conti 43, 88

Lucarelli 64 Longhi 14-og

Verona

Bologna

Bianchi 76

Torino

Immobile 52

Milan Lazio

Balde 50

Sassuolo

Berardi 90+4

his second goal of the game, gave the Sardinians a 2-1 win over Torino.

Milan, missing striker Mario Balotelli through suspension, extended their winless run to six games in all competitions, heaping more pressure on their phlegmatic coach Massimiliano Allegri.

They finished with 10 men after Riccardo Montolivo was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 81st minute while Chievo striker Sergio Pellisier was also dismissed in stoppage time and had to be restrained by officials as he left the field.

Roma, who won their first 10 games, were held to their second successive 1-1 draw. Rudi Garcia’s team went ahead in the 19th minute when Alessandro Longhi turned the ball into his own net as he attempted to clear after his goalkeeper Gianluca Pegolo had brilliantly saved Alessandro Florenzi’s shot.

Roma had further chances but were surprised by a late flourish from the Serie A debutants. There was a warning when goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis denied Antonio Floro Flores before Berardi fired the equaliser with almost the last kick of the game. l

Milan's Brazilian forward Kaka fights for the ball with Verona's Dario Dainelli during their Serie A match in Verona yesterday

Ibra nets hat-trick as PSG cruise n AFP, Paris Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a hat-trick as Paris SaintGermain strengthened their position at the top of the Ligue 1 table with a 3-1 win against Nice at the Parc des Princes on Saturday.

Ibrahimovic gave the defending champions the lead shortly before the interval before adding a penalty early in the second period and then completing his hat-trick after Nemanja Pejcinovic had pulled a goal back for the visitors.

The result, followed by secondplaced Lille’s goalless draw with Guingamp, moved PSG four points clear at the top of the table, with a faltering Monaco side a further point behind.

But if anyone is to prevent PSG from

retaining their title, they will have to end the capital side’s remarkable run of not having lost over 90 minutes in 33 games since the start of March.

Blanc made changes to the team that was held by Anderlecht in the Champions League in midweek, with Thiago Silva wearing the captain’s armband in his first start since suffering a

RESULTS PSG

3-1

Bastia

1-0

Rennes

Guingamp

0-0 0-0 1-1

Lille

Ibrahimovic 39, pen-57, 75 Bruno 8

Lorient Toulouse Sylla 42

Valenciennes Angoua 6

1-1

Nice

Pejcinovic 70

Reims Ajaccio

Lasne 7

Montpellier

Stambouli 90+2

thigh injury at the end of September and Javier Pastore also returning after a spell on the sidelines due to injury and loss of form.

It was the Swede’s eighth Ligue 1 goal of the campaign and his 13th in his last seven matches for the club in all competitions, strengthening his case in the vote for this year’s FIFA Ballon d’Or award.

“If Ibra can be one of the contenders along with (Cristiano) Ronaldo, (Franck) Ribery and (Lionel) Messi, I’d be happy,” admitted Blanc. “He has scored some spectacular goals, but in terms of what Ribery has won you can’t do better.”

Aside from Lille’s stalemate Saturday’s late action produced another 0-0 draw between Lorient and Reims, Bastia beat Rennes 1-0, and Toulouse v Ajaccio and Valenciennes v Montpellier ended 1-1. l

Kenya’s Yego claims Athens classic marathon

AFP

Ronaldo out of this world, says Ancelotti

n AFP, Athens

n AFP, Madrid

Kenya’s Hillary Kipkogei Yego won the 31st Athens classic marathon on Sunday in a time of two hours, 13 minutes and 59 seconds. The 33-year-old Yego was followed across the finish line by three of his countrymen.

In second came Dickson Kimeli who clocked 2:14.40, David Kipkorir Rutoh took third at 2:14.47 and Paul Kibet Kosgei filled fourth at 2:16.58.

“It was the first time that I participated in the Athens classic marathon. I am very happy that I managed to achieve my personal best time. The weather conditions were very good,” Yego said.

The women’s race was won by another Kenyan, 26-year-old Nancy Joan Rotich in a time of 2:41.38. She finished 19th overall. l

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti described Cristiano Ronaldo as an out of this world talent after the Portuguese scored his third hat-trick of the season in Saturday’s 5-1 win over Real Sociedad.

Ronaldo’s treble took his tally to 24 goals in just 17 games this season as Real moved to within three points of La Liga leaders Barcelona with the Catalans not in action until Sunday.

“He has a level from another world.

He scores with an incredible ease and it is difficult to find words for him,” said Ancelotti.

The former Manchester United man then dispatched a penalty past Claudio Bravo for his second of the afternoon before Gareth Bale provided his fifth assist in four games for Sami Khedira to smash

home a fourth before half-time. Ancelotti was delighted with what he saw as arguably the best 45 minutes his side have produced since he took over in July.

“I think that the first-half was perfect. We played very well, with pace, efficiency in front of goal, sometimes we played long, sometimes short, but it all worked well,” said the Italian.

“In the second-half the tempo was slower, but that is normal when you are 4-0 up. We had a few more defensive problems, but overall the defence was also very good.” All three central midfielders played very well today.

They complement each other and helped the team.

“I have said many times that Alonso has the experience and the quality to make us play how we want. It is obvious that he is a very, very important player.”l

Nadal downs Federer to reach final n AFP, London

Paris St Germain's Zlatan Ibrahimovic (R) celebrates with team mate Lucas Moura (L) after scoring against Nice during their French Ligue 1 match at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris on Saturday REUTERS

Dortmund’s Subotic out for six months with knee injury

n Reuters, Paris

Borussia Dortmund’s Serbia defender Neven Subotic will miss the rest of the season after tearing ligaments in his right knee, the Bundesliga club said on Saturday.

He was injured at the end of the first half as he tussled for the ball with VfL Wolfsburg striker Ivica Olic during Dortmund’s 2-1 away defeat.

“He must count on a break of at least six months,” the club said in a statement.

The 24-year-old, who was raised in Germany after his family moved there when he was six, joined Dortmund in 2008 and has won two Bundesliga titles with the club. He played for Serbia at the 2010 World Cup. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back stronger than ever,” Dortmund quoted Subotic as saying. l

Mourinho forgives penitent saviour Hazard n AFP, London Jose Mourinho praised Eden Hazard after the Belgian finished a difficult week by converting a hotly disputed 96thminute penalty that prevented Chelsea from suffering a second successive Premier League defeat.

Hazard was disciplined after missing training this week, but he was restored to the line-up against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday and struck the added-time equaliser that secured a 2-2 draw.

The 22-year-old had taken an unauthorised trip to France last Sunday and was delayed when he lost his passport, but Mourinho insists the matter is now closed.

“I don’t need to accept his apology. I don’t need to think any more about it,” he said.

“It was a big penalty. Penalties are easy to score in training sessions - I score - as they are when you’re winning 3-0 or 4-0. But this was a difficult one and the kid was very calm.”

Mourinho refused to agree with his former colleague and insisted his own side had been the victims of an injustice in the build-up to Stephane Sessegnon’s 68th-minute goal, which put Albion ahead after Shane Long’s header had cancelled out Samuel Eto’o’s opener.

The Chelsea manager thought that Sessegnon had fouled Branislav Ivanovic before scoring and said: “It’s a free-kick, a big free-kick, just in front of the fourth official.

Clarke and Mourinho embraced at the final whistle and the West Brom manager insisted they would not discuss the penalty.l

Rafael Nadal won the latest instalment of his epic rivalry with Roger Federer as the Spaniard swept into the final of the ATP World Tour Finals with a 7-5, 6-3 victory on Sunday.

Nadal was in commanding form in the last four showdown at London’s O2 Arena and his 22nd win in 32 meetings with Federer booked the world number one’s place in Monday’s final against Novak Djokovic or Stanislas Wawrinka.

But there was nothing routine about Nadal’s latest show of force against Federer as it marked the first time he had ever beaten the Swiss great indoors after four defeats, including a loss in the 2010 final of the Tour Finals.

That was the 27-year-old’s only previous appearance in the final of this prestigious season-ending event, but he looks in the mood to finally end his

long wait to lift the trophy after halting Federer’s remarkable run of success in the tournament in just 79 minutes.

Federer, a six-time winner of the event, had reached the last three finals of the Tour Finals, winning twice before losing to Djokovic last year.

But this has been Nadal’s year and the 13-time Grand Slam winner is now just one more victory away from finishing a glorious campaign by adding the last major prize missing from his glittering CV. Despite his struggles against Federer on the fast indoor courts that so suit the 17-time Grand Slam champion, Nadal was seen as favourite in many eyes after a remarkable return to the top of the world rankings after seven months out with knee tendinitis.

Nadal has now reached 14 finals this season, with 10 titles including the French and US Opens.

But, while Nadal has thrived over the last 11 months, Federer has endured arguably the worst season of his career, dropping to seventh in the world, winning just one title and failing to reach a Grand Slam final for the first time since 2002.

Nadal had swept through the group stage with three successive victories, while Federer was pushed to the brink of elimination by Juan Martin del Potro before recovering to beat the Argentine in three sets.

After a tight opening to the first set, Federer had Nadal under pressure in the sixth game, but his failure to push home his advantage proved the decisive moment of the match.

Federer had a break point on three occasions and twice Nadal was able to hit his way out of trouble before the Swiss star missed with a wild and wayward forehand.l

Norwich bounce back to escape bottom three n AFP, Norwich

Norwich City escaped from the Premier League relegation zone by coming from behind to secure a much-needed 3-1 victory over West Ham United at Carrow Road on Saturday.

Thrashed 7-0 by Manchester City last weekend, Norwich looked in danger after Ravel Morrison put West Ham ahead, but they hit back through Gary Hooper, Robert Snodgrass and Leroy Fer in the second half to arrest a sequence of four games without a win.

As well as easing the pressure on manager Chris Hughton, Norwich’s success lifted them out of the bottom three and above West Ham to 15th place, with Stoke City sliding into the relegation places as a consequence.l

Rafael Nadal returns the ball during his men's singles match against Roger Federer in the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London yesterday REUTERS

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Hodgson eager to tackle England penalty jinx

Quick Bytes

Guangzhou’s AFC win a boost for Chinese game, says Lippi

n AFP, London

Marcello Lippi says Guangzhou Evergrande’s AFC Champions League win is a major boost for Chinese football, ending a drought for the nation’s clubs stretching back nearly a quarter of a century.

The World Cup-winning Italian coach, who already has multiple league titles and a UEFA Champions League win on his impressive CV, wrote his name into Chinese football history with the win on away goals after a 1-1 second leg home draw against FC Seoul on Saturday.

Evergrande reached the AFC final in impressive form, smashing eight goals past their semi-final opponents, Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol, after scoring freely throughout the tournament. They drew the first leg of the final 2-2 in Seoul.

“Winning this cup is very important for Chinese football,” said the silver-haired Lippi, now eyeing an unprecedented continental and domestic treble after romping to the league title in his first full season at the helm. “From our side, we grew a lot and we tried to reach this level of being able to compete at international level with other teams.”

–AFP

Kenyan captain Obuya suspended for two matches

Kenyan cricket captain Collins Obuya will miss the two warm-up matches for the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 qualifying tournament after being suspended for assaulting a fellow player, officials reported on Saturday. Obuya, a star of Kenya’s 2003 World Cup semi-final success, was involved in an altercation with team-mate Irfan Karim during a recent tour of Sri Lanka. Karim, an opening batsman was also handed a one-match suspension by the Cricket Kenya disciplinary committee which met on Friday to deliberate on the case. “Both players have been warned that any future misbehaviour will land a stiffer action being taken against them,” the committee said in a statement. Obuya will not play the two warm-ups against Namibia and Hongkong in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and Wednesday. The ICC World Twenty20 qualifying tournament featuring 16 teams including Kenya is scheduled to start on November 15. Only six teams will qualify for the World Twenty20 championships in Bangladesh in March.

–AFP

Nuremberg fuming after latest German goal blunder

Bottom side Nuremberg have added to calls to introduce goal-line technology into the Bundesliga after they were denied a goal, even though the ball had bounced over the line. With his side 2-1 down after 81 minutes at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday, Nuremberg’s Josip Drmic saw his shot hit the crossbar, then bounce behind the line and out into play. To his dismay, the goal was not given by referee Christian Dingert and Nuremberg went on to lose 3-1 and stay bottom of the Bundesliga.

“The ball must be a full diameter behind the line, which it wasn’t,” insisted Dingert, although replays looked like it was.

With Hawkeye goal technology having been introduced in England’s Premier League this season, there are growing calls in Germany for it to be introduced to the Bundesliga as well.

–AFP

Zanetti shows class is permanent on Inter return

Inter Milan’s evergreen Javier Zanetti showed class is permanent after returning from a seven-month injury lay-off as a late substitute in their 2-0 Serie A win over Livorno on Saturday. The 40-year-old’s 10-minute cameo lit up a pedestrian match at the San Siro which, until Yuto Nagatomo struck in stoppage time, looked to have been settled by a 30th-minute howler from Livorno keeper Francesco Bardi, who is on loan from Inter. “I have to thank the immense crowd, the president (Massimo Moratti), all those who stayed close to me from the club doctors to my team mates and everyone who wanted me to come back,” said Zanetti who has been sidelines with an Achilles tendon injury. With the Moratti era drawing to a close after 18 years, with the club president having recently sold a controlling stake to Indonesian businessman Erick Thohir, Zanetti is a timely reminder to the current squad of what it means to be a winner.

–Reuters

Day’s Watch Ten Cricket 5:00PM Pakistan v South Africa 5th ODI

15

Monday, November 11, 2013

Manchester United's Dutch forward Robin van Persie (4L) scores the opening goal during the English Premier League match against Arsenal at Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, northwest England yesterday AFP

England manager Roy Hodgson says he is willing to think outside the box in a bid to end the national team’s record of penalty shoot-out heartache at major international tournaments.

England have been eliminated on penalties at five of the last eight showpiece competitions in which they have competed and former head coach SvenGoran Eriksson admitted in his new autobiography that he regretted not seeking out the services of a mental coach.

The Football Association has moved to address the problem by employing Dave Reddin, who helped the British Olympic team with their psychological preparations for last year’s London Games, and Hodgson says he is looking forward to working with him.

“To suggest that the mental side plays no part, that’s a nonsense. Of course it does,” Hodgson said.

“Whether or not someone who’s a trained psychologist could actually help a player shoot better from a penalty shoot-out or whether his club and his coaches and manager can help him, that’s a discussion. l

United sink Arsenal to kickstart season n AFP, Manchester

Manchester United reinvigorated their Premier League title defence by winning 1-0 at home to leaders Arsenal on Sunday to close to within five points of the early-season pace-setters.

Robin van Persie claimed the game’s only goal in the first half, scoring against his former club for the third match running, to condemn Arsene Wenger’s side to a first league loss since their defeat by Aston Villa on the opening day.

Victory allowed United to climb

to fifth in the table, with defeats for Tottenham Hotspur and local rivals Manchester City earlier in the day enabling them to move above both of their fellow title contenders.

Having seen his side pick up just a point from earlier games against Chelsea, Liverpool and City, United manager David Moyes will hope Sunday’s victory marks the end of an awkward bedding-in period at Old Trafford.

He will also have drawn strong encouragement from the performance of Phil Jones, who began the game in midfield but deputised magnificently at centre-back after Nemanja Vidic had to go off through injury.

RESULTS Sunderland

1-0

Man City

Tottenham

0-1

Newcastle

Man United

1-0

Arsenal

Swansea City

3-3

Bardsley 21

Van Persie 27

Bony 56,86, Dyer 74

Remy 13

Stoke City

Walters 8, Ireland 25, Adam 90+6p

Arsenal remain top going into the international break, two points above Liverpool, but having overseen an impressive win at Borussia Dortmund in mid-week, Wenger is likely to have been concerned by their toothlessness.

Second game of world chess duel ends in draw n

Agencies

World champion Viswanathan Anand continued his title defence, holding off world number one Magnus Carlsen of Norway to a draw in quick time in the second game of the World chess championship on Sunday.

Anand was playing with white pieces and said he was mildy surprised at Carlsen’s opening moves, in the press conference that followed the game.

The opening move of the second game today was a big success for Carlsen and it was a great pull back by the Norwegian after Anand had got an easy draw as black in the first game yesterday.

“I will not talk too much about the opening move. I think the critical point was on move 18 when Vishy could have tried but black seemed to be doing fine,” world number one Carlsen said.

Anand said things might have become risky for him after Carlsen’s opening surprise coming in the form of a Caro Kann defense.

Norway's Magnus Carlsen (R) plays against India's Viswanathan Anand during the FIDE World Chess Championship in the southern Indian city of Chennai on Saturday REUTERS “I had to decide whether to fly blind because it’s clear that he would have been into more details. I decided to go for a slightly solid line, a slightly pru-

dent decision today, essentially after the queen exchange there is nothing much happening,” said the five-time champion Anand.l

Illness deprived Arsenal of the services of centre-back Per Mertesacker, with Thomas Vermaelen deputising, while Mathieu Flamini replaced Tomas Rosicky after overcoming a groin problem.

United made four changes to the team held 0-0 by Real Sociedad in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Jonny Evans, Michael Carrick, Jones and Van Persie coming into the side.

The stakes, and the opposition, made for an untypically raucous atmosphere inside Old Trafford and the home side made a vigorous start.

Earlier, Gus Poyet’s struggling Sunderland jolted the Premier League with an electrifying 1-0 win over

Pietersen knee trouble flares ahead of Ashes n AFP, Sydney England have fresh injury concerns ahead of next week’s Ashes series opener, with star batsman Kevin Pietersen sent for treatment on a sore knee following a scare over wicketkeeper Matt Prior.

Pietersen would have a cortisone injection, coach Andy Flower said, adding that he hoped the pivotal player would feature in England’s final warmup match against an Invitational XI starting in Sydney on Wednesday.

Flower added that he was confident that Pietersen, who put off surgery to play in the series, would be fit for the first Ashes Test in Brisbane starting on November 21.

The 33-year-old has been working overtime in the gym to strengthen his knee, which he damaged on England’s tour of New Zealand earlier this year.

“Kevin has had a slight recurrence of that knee issue, and he’ll be going to Melbourne for a scan and a cortisone injection -- so he won’t be travelling with the rest of the team,” Flower said late Saturday.

NZ-Sri Lanka one-dayer abandoned due to rain n

AFP

Bad weather forced the first one-day international between New Zealand and Sri Lanka to be abandoned in Hambantota on Sunday.

New Zealand were 13-1 from 4.2 overs in reply to Sri Lanka’s 288-9 when heavy rain lashed the southern port city and wiped out the rest of the match.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews hit halfcenturies as Sri Lanka scored 288-9 in the first one-day international against New Zealand in Hambantota on Sunday.

Stand-in captain Kyle Mills, who won the toss and elected to field, gave the tourists a flying start when he trapped opener Dimuth Karunaratne leg-before with the first delivery of the innings.

Dilshan and Sangakkara, however, settled in to pulverise the Black Caps

during a second-wicket partnership of 137.

Sangakkara made 79 off 81 balls with nine boundaries and two sixes, while Dilshan scored 81.

Left-arm spinner Anton Devcich dealt a double blow when he removed Kumar Sangakkara and former captain Mahela Jayawardene in the space of four deliveries to reduce Sri Lanka to 139-3.

But Dilshan put on 58 for the fourth wicket with skipper Angelo Mathews, who smashed nine fours and a six in an unbeaten 74 off 64 balls.

Mills, who was named captain for the tour after regular skipper Brendon McCullum was rested, was New Zealand’s most successful bowler with three for 49.

Mitchell McClenaghan and Devcich claimed two wickets each.

The second of the three one-dayers is also scheduled to be played at the same venue on Tuesday. l

big-spending Manchester City at the Stadium of Light.

On a great afternoon for the creaking giants of north-east football, local rivals Newcastle United won by the same scoreline at Tottenham Hotspur to move into the top half of the league.

The unexpected scorelines came as a welcome bonus for leaders Arsenal as the North Londoners prepared for the big match of the day against champions Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Sunderland, second from bottom with just four points from 10 games before Sunday, chalked up a fourth successive 1-0 home win over City thanks to a 21st-minute goal from Phil Bardsley on the left side of the box. l

“I don’t think it’s going to be a huge issue. He’s had a couple of these injections before, and they’ve been successful.”

Pietersen later tweeted: “I am fine.”

Flower said the effects of the cortisone injection lasted for months and there was no concern about Pietersen’s condition in the England camp.

“I’m working on my legs, hoping they hold up because I’ve had the knee issue so I’ve just got to make sure the rehab continues,” Pietersen told the England and Wales Cricket Board website.

“Because I could break down and I don’t want to break down. I want to play the whole series.”

Pietersen was dismissed for just eight in the rain-ruined match against Australia A in Hobart, which finished on Saturday, after sitting out the tour opener in Perth.

Prior will have scans after suffering a calf strain in the drawn four-day match in Hobart. He is unlikely to play in Sydney but England hope the wicketkeeper-batsman will be able to take the gloves in Brisbane.l

Johnson must play in Ashes: McGrath n AFP, Sydney

Former West Indian cricketer Brian Lara poses with the wax statue of Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar at Eden Gardens in Kolkata yesterday AP

Test great Glenn McGrath says enigmatic paceman Mitchell Johnson must play in the Test series against England, believing he can be a big part in Australia recapturing the Ashes.

The erratic left-armer, who has been taunted by England’s notoriously raucous Barmy Army fans in the past, is in line to share the new ball with Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle in the Ashes opener in Brisbane on November 21.

The 32-year-old was dangerous but expensive in his return first-class match for Western Australia this weekend, taking five wickets for a combined 162 runs, but McGrath said he must be picked.

“He has to play. I think he’ll play a big part in this series,” McGrath said Sunday.

“I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen. He had a few issues, probably a little bit technically but just as much mentally, and he did some work with (Australia pace great) Dennis Lillee and really sorted them out.”l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Monday, November 11, 2013

11 more burnt in mindless arson attacks Photojourno loses eye Sarkar and Mohammad n Kailash Jamil Khan

The on-going 84-hour-long shutdown once again came as a terrible blow to poor people as a minor boy and a driver are passing excruciatingly painful times at the beds of Burn and Plastic Surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The BNP-led 18-party alliance called the countrywide shutdown demanding an election under a non-partisan administration.

Mohammad Roni, a 13-year-old boy received burn injuries in his sleep inside a bus parked in the city’s Diabari Bus Stand.

Roni comes from Doulatpur of Kustia.

He is son of a poor day labourer Mohammad Almash and indisposed Sujan Begum.

He works as a bus helper at Jonosheba Paribahan on the Gabtoli-Satoria route. On Saturday night after a trip from Gazipur he was done for the day’s work around 8.00pm.

As he came back to Mirpur he asked for Tk20 from his bus driver Mohammad Shahin and wanted to go back home to his sick mother as the hartal was to start the next morning of Sunday.

However, driver Shahin asked him to stay back in the city. After dinner from a roadside cheap hotel he went to have a good night sleep inside the bus.

He locked the doors and windows of the bus at Konabari Bus Stand of Diabazari at Mirpur before he went to sleep. He woke up with a start in the early hours of Sunday with flames leaping all around him.

Perplexed, the boy kicked open a bus window and in no time jumped out of it into the street.

With the help of a local he went to a local clinic of the area. Later, he contacted his family members who resided in Savar area.

The on-duty doctors of the clinic transferred him to the Burn and Plastic Surgery unit of the DMCH with 13% burn injury.

Visiting the burn unit at Sunday noon this correspondent found Rony’s grandmother Roksana and father Almash standing at his bedside.

Almash said as Rony’s mother was sick she could not come to the hospital. We sent my son to work as a bus attendant as we do not have sufficient money to get by.

while covering hartal

“I think that is my fault,” he said posing a question: “Why do poor people have to suffer always?”

In another incidence of arson attack, Harun-or-Rashid, 32, a microbus driver of Grameen Rent-a-Car of Mymensing area, was going back to his home after dropping his passengers at Amirabad around 8.30pm.

When he reached near Shalokpara area some pickets hurled bricks that broke his car windshield and landed on his head.

Soon after he stopped the microbus and the pickets in the wink of an eye set fire to his car with petrol and before Harun could manage to come out of it the fire burnt 24% of his body. Later he, with the help of locals, first went to a local clinic and later rushed to the DMCH around 3.30am.

Hailing from Shaporan area of Sylhet he has a 3.5-year-old son and an 11-yearold daughter.

His wife, Farida Begum, rushed to the hospital. Fahmida, her daughter, said if something happened to her father they would have nothing left except for extending hands for alms on streets.

Partha Sharothi Das, an attending doc-

n Mohammad Jamil Khan

Mintu Pal (top), Sumi (bottom left) and microbus driver Harun-ur-Rashid lying in hospital beds with severe burn injuries SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN tor of the DMCH Burn and Plastic Surgery unit told the Dhaka Tribune that they were trying hard to provide the patient with better treatment.

Apart from the two, about 15 other arson attack victims have been admitted to the DMCH with burn injuries during the two spells of 60-hour-long hartals.

The last 60-hour hartal claimed two lives where a minor Monir Hossain died as he came to capital to visit with his fa-

ther while another victim Mostafizur died as he came to the capital to do his office work.

Meanwhile, in two separate incidents last night, at least nine people, including women and children, suffered burn injuries as pickets torched the vehicles they were on near the capital’s Bahadur Shah Park and Dhanmondi.

All the victims were admitted to the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit at Dhaka

Shutdown breaks supply chain, business confidence n Asif Showkat Kallol It seems less likely that the government would be able to business confidence of the businessmen in the wake of the opposition-called 84-hour-long shutdown which disrupts supply chain management.

The decline in supply of essentials to markets would heavily weigh on spending, inflation and economic growth, official sources said.

The finance division in its efforts to maintain a smooth supply of essentials during shutdown took a number of steps including market management and regular market monitoring during shutdown.

A senior official of the Finance Ministry who is also on fiscal coordination council committee said tomorrow’s meeting would discuss supply chain issue.

Deputy Secretary to the Finance Ministry Rehana Parvin on May 3 issued a letter to the Commerce Ministry asking what measures were taken to keep a good supply chain during hartal.

The Commerce Ministry came up with its reply that it had instructed all ministries including Home Ministry and divisions and district commissioners to take needful steps.

But during the long-hour hartal, these directives hardly worked, said an official of the ministry concerned.

According to a UNDP report, because of disruption in supply chain during shutdown the prices of essentials increase by 12%.

As per the Bangladesh Bureau of statistics (BBS), the average inflation fell by 0.10% from 7.03% in October.

In last month, food inflation rose from 0.45% to 8.38% while it was 7.93% in September.

The World Bank, IMF and Asian Development Bank have already expressed their concerns that the impending street agitation in the runup to the national election would take a heavy toll on the economy and its growth.

They estimated that the country’s GDP would remain below 6% in the current fiscal although the Finance Ministry expected the GDP to grow by 6.6% compared to 6.3% in the previous fiscal.

The government has a budgetary target of achieving 7.2% GDP growth in the current fiscal.

Sources in the ministry said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also asked her cabinet members, high officials and different agencies of the government to take cautionary measures following political impasse affecting economic growth.

Shamsul Alam, a member of General Economics Division (GED) told the Dhaka tribune the coordination council

meeting would not be able to build confidence in the businessmen and consumers.

It would only issue directives on how to maintain a good supply chain, he added.

The GED member further said the country’s farmers or producers and consumers were hard hit by the longtime shutdown.

The prices of the essentials decline in the rural areas where those are produced while in the urban areas their prices rise.

Onion Importer Abul Aziz petitioned the Ministry of Home for security to carry 1500 tonnes of onion imported from Myanmar, but the Home and Commerce Ministries did not respond to his prayer.

The market-monitoring team fails to visit the city kitchen market because there is shortage of policemen, said a Commerce Ministry official.

Nirod Barun Saha, president of Rice Dealers’ Association of Naogaon told the Dhaka Tribune, “We have no choice but to observe hartal one day earlier than when it is enforced.”

In general, a total of 1,000 trucks come to Dhaka carrying rice and different types of vegetables, but the number of goods carriers comes down to only 100, he pointed out.

Prices of rice and vegetable increase by five to fifteen taka during Hartal period, added the dealer. l

Medical College Hospital.

Pickets set fire to a human hauler at around 9pm in front of Bahadur Shah Park, injuring eight people.

A 12-year old child was also hurt when another human hauler was set ablaze at Dhanmondi road number 15.

Of the injured, Montu Paul, 34 and Md Milon, 12, bore 90%-96% burn injuries, while the extent of the wounds was 15%40% for the others. l

A photojournalist has lost his vision while capturing a clash between police and hartal picketers in capital’s Bangshal area on Saturday.

Currently admitted at National Institute of Eye Science and Hospital, Mosharraf Hossain, 26, is a photojournalist of Focus Bangla, an online news, photo and video agency.

Yesterday he told the Dhaka Tribune that on the frightful night he was having tea at Al-Razzak Hotel in the area around 10pm.

Hearing the noise of blasts outside the restaurant, he went out with his camera to click some images.

After clicking the camera once, something hit his right eye and he lost vision in that eye.

He was admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital where the doctors referred to admit him to the National Institute of Eye Science and Hospital.

Dr Golam Mostofa of National Institute of Eye Science and Hospital told the Dhaka Tribune that something hard hit on the surface of his eye directly that made some serious injuries on his cornea and damaged around 90 percent of it.

“Yesterday we conducted an operation to repair it and ran some tests including X-ray,” he said.

“We would be able to comment over his situation after getting the reports of the tests. We are trying our best to recover the eye,” he added.

Prof Dr Din Mohammad Nurul Haque, director of the hospital, said: “A meeting would be held on Monday to review all the test reports and we would decide our next course of treatment analysing the reports. We are trying our level best to provide the best possible treatment to the patient.”

Ataur Rahman, uncle of the victim, told the Dhaka Tribune that Mosharraf got injured and lost his vision while performing duty and it was government’s responsibility to ensure best possible treatment for him so that he

Reshuffle in the army n Tribune Report

The government yesterday made a number of changes in some significant posts of Bangladesh Army, including the president’s military secretary and the brigade commander of 46 Brigade in Dhaka cantonment, according to a military source.

In the latest reshuffle of around a dozen army officials, Maj Gen Abul Hossain, engineering chief at the Army Headquarters, has been appointed as President Abdul Hamid’s military secretary. He will replace Maj Gen Fakhruddin, whose next posting has not yet been finalised, said the source.

The source further informed that 46 Brigade Commander Brig Gen Waker Uz Zaman has been promoted to major general rank and posted as military secretary at the Army Headquarters. Waker will replace Maj Gen Abdur Rahman who was appointed the senior directing staff of National Defence College.

Rapid Action Battalion’s (Rab) Addi-

tional Director General (operation) Col Mujib has been appointed as brigade commander of 46 Brigade and has been promoted from Colonel to Brigadier General.

Director of National Security Intelligence (NSI) Col Sohel, who was on deputation, has been promoted to Brigadier General and appointed as commander of President Guard Regiment (PGR). Sohel will replace Brig Gen Maqsud, whose next posting has not yet been finalised.

Brig Gen Sharfuddin, who was a defence adviser at the Bangladesh High Commission in the UK, has been appointed as brigade commander of 81 Brigade in Savar cantonment. Sharfuddin will replace Brig Gen Sikder who has been appointed as a brigade commander of Ituri Brigade in Congo UN peacekeeping mission.

Sikder will replace incumbent Brigade Commander of Ituri Brigade in Congo Brig Gen Anis. After completion of UN mission Brig Gen Anis has been posted to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) as additional director general of the paramilitary force. l

can get back his vision.

Abdul Kuddus, officer-in-charge of Bangshal police station, said: “We fired around a dozen rubber bullets while some picketers in a procession hit the on-duty police officials with cocktails around 10pm on Saturday at Bangshal area. We do not know if anyone got injured in the procession as we were just trying to maintain the law and order situation of that area.”

Minister of State for LGRD and Cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanok went to visit Mosharrof around 1.30pm yesterday.

He said he would try his level best to help the victim get best possible treatment and get his vision back.

Mosharrof is a resident of 82/2 Bangladuar, Nazirabazar area in the capital and is Son of Nayem Ahmed.

Currently he is undergoing treatment at bed no 37 in the men ward of National Institute of Eye Science and Hospital. l

Demonstrate goodwill for dialogue: Chinese ambassador

n Tribune Report

The Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Li Jun hoped that the ruling Awami League and the main opposition BNP would take concrete efforts to resolve the current political deadlock through dialogue.

“Same as the Bangladesh people, I am deeply worried about the recent development of the political situation. I hope that the two prominent political parties would take concrete efforts to let each other know of their good intentions for dialogue and reestablish the people’s confidence by resolving the differences through it,” the ambassador said in a statement yesterday evening. The ambassador’s statement came at a time when a series of hartals are being observed by the BNP-led 18-party alliance and the government launched a crackdown on the opposition by detaining five BNP leaders, including three top leaders, of the party. l

City schools start selling admission forms n Mushfique Wadud Sale of admission forms of the non-government schools started yesterday, while the government-run schools are yet undecided when to start selling the forms.

Among the known schools in the capital, Viqarunnisa Noon School and College started selling admission forms yesterday, Ideal School and College to start from today, while Motijheel Model High

School and College is scheduled to start from tomorrow.

Deadline for collecting forms of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College is November 14. VNC Principal Manju Ara Begum told the Dhaka Tribune that they got good response on the first day of form sale.

Ideal School and College will continue selling forms till November 18 and the form price is fixed at Tk200.

Motijheel Model High School and Col-

lege will take students in class I-IX, and selling of admission forms will continue till November 30.

Meanwhile, Sajal Kanti Mandal, director (secondary) of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, told the Dhaka Tribune that they would decide today as to when to start the sale of admission forms for government schools.

He said they were facing problems to fix the admission date because of hartals. l

‘Confined trial’ allowed for genetically modified rice, potato n Abu Bakar Siddique The government is reportedly trying to introduce two genetically modified (GM) crop varieties of rice and potato in the country, following the release of four other brinjal varieties which received final approval last month.

Among the varieties, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) has planned to introduce a Vitamin A-enriched rice variety named “golden rice” which recently received approval for confined field trial from the National Bio-safety Committee.

“We received approval from the environment ministry to run the confined trial to develop the rice variety,” said Dr Mohammad Amir Hossain, senior scientific officer of the Plant Breeding Section of BRRI. Efforts will be made to get the final approval to release the variety, after cultivation is carried out for one more season, he added.

The golden rice is widely acclaimed for its reported potential to fight Vitamin A deficiency in expecting mothers and children.

On the other hand, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) has

been developing GM potato varieties by inserting pest and weather resistant gene in two local potato varieties – Cardinal and Diamond.

“We could take two more years to finalise the variety development of the potato as it is yet to mature,” said Dr Rafiqul Islam Mondol, director general of the BARI. He also informed that confined trial for the potato varieties had been allowed. The golden rice and potato varieties will become the latest GM crops in the country following bt brinjal, which was approved by the government of October 30.

The genetically modified crop varieties like golden rice, bt brinjal and potatoes are “transgenic” crops, and need special approval from the bio-safety authorities for conducting field trials.

“The National Bio-safety Committee will consider the approval of releasing the agro-varieties after getting proper application from the developers,” said Muhamamd Solaiman Haider, member secretary of the committee.

The objective for developing GM crop varieties was to improve crop protection mechanism through introducing resistance against plant diseases

caused by insects or viruses or through increased tolerance towards herbicides.

The government released four varieties of GM brinjals named bt Uttara, bt Kajla, bt Noyontara and bt Isd 006 with condition of cultivating the crops on a limited scale. Among the varieties, Uttara would be released in Rajshahi region, Kajla in Barisal, Nayantara in Rangpur and Dhaka regions, and Iswardi Local or Isd in Pabna and Chittagong regions on limited scales as per a production manual following bio-safety guidelines.

The BARI has developed bt Uttara, bt Kajla, bt Noyontara and bt Isd 006

from local varieties by inserting bt gene into them.

Meanwhile, BARI DG Rafiqul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that after getting approval of four brinjal varieties, approvals will also be soon sought for releasing five other brinjal varieties developed with the bt gene. The five more bt brinjal varieties are Pega, Dohazari, Singnath, Islampuri and Khotkhotia.

“The GM crops are not only high-productive and disease-resistant but also save thousands of acres of land, which ultimately helps in conserving biodiversity,” said Rafiqul. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

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Business

B2 Political turmoil

overshadows demand for RMG wage hike

B3 Stocks continue to rally shrugging off political chaos

www.dhakatribune.com/business

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Food inflation soars due to supply disruption Experts fear further rise if strikes continue n Kayes Sohel ‘Food prices rose because of supply disruptions, which caused demand to exceed supply. I expect food prices might continue to rise because of continued strikes’

5.94%

5.02%

Urban areas

Ahsan H Mansur, executive director of Policy Research Institute said series of strikes have affected the country’s food supply, causing food items to become more expensive.

He said food price has increased during the shutdown that caused higher transport cost. “If food costs continue to spike, food

Urban areas

inflation could go up further in coming days.

Such an increase would hit consumer spending and could destabilise inflationary expectations,” he said.

In the rural areas, food inflation in last month rose to 7.86% from 7.43% in the previous month. During the period, the non-food inflation in rural areas was found declining

October

Somrat/GT/DT/Infograph

5.28%

September

6.44%

4.84%

Rural areas

5.59%

5.02%

5.94%

9.64%

Non-food inflation 9.11%

7.86%

7.43%

8.38%

Food inflation Rural areas 7.93%

Rising food prices driven by supply disruptions due to recent series of strikes has pushed up food inflation for the first time in three months.

Food inflation on a point-to-point basis in October rose by 0.45 percentage point to 8.38%, which was 7.93% in September, according to data Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics released yesterday.

Analysts expect the pace of food prices might pick up further in the coming months due to the recent series of strikes enforced by the opposition parties, demanding national election under a caretaker government system.

However, a continuous drop in non-food prices has restricted overall inflation from going up. Non-food inflation saw a fall of 0.92 percentage point to 5.02% during the month from previous month’s 5.94%. This restricted overall inflation to go up as it fell slightly by 0.1 percentage points to 7.03% in October from 7.13% in September.

“Food prices rose because of supply disruptions, which caused demand to exceed supply. I expect food prices might continue to rise because of continued strikes,” said BBS Director General Golam Mostafa Kamal.

However, the overall inflation was slightly down due to falling prices in goods and services in the non-food sector, he said.

The commodity that posted the highest price increase was potato, which surged by 46% in last one month, according to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.

Among other food items that posted price increases during the period were pulses, which posted a growth of almost 10%; onion (local) 9% and rice (medium variety) 7%, it said.

as it was 4.84% from 5.59%.

In the urban areas, the food inflation rate witnessed rising trend during the period as it stood at 9.64%, up from 9.11%.

The non-food inflation rate in urban areas also witnessed a downward trend in October as it stood at 5.28%, down from 6.44% in September. l

WIMAX LICENCE FOR OLLO

Amtob demands review of allocation process, pricing n Muhammad Zahidul Islam The Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (Amtob) yesterday protested the spectrum allocation process and pricing for WiMax licensee Ollo, and demanded an immediate review of recent changes in the BWA (broadband wireless access) guideline.

At a press conference in Dhaka yesterday, the association also called for a thorough consultation with industry stakeholders on spectrum allocation policies and procedure.

On November 4, the government decided

to award a WiMax licence with LTE (long-term evolution) to the Ollo brand for only Tk2.45bn and allocate it the most valuable 20MHz spectrum on 2600 bands.

LTE, a fourth generation telephone and mobile broadband communication standard, will enable Ollo to handle both voice and data services, making it the most influential operator in the country despite spending much less than other operators.

Industry experts claimed that the deal with Ollo would cost the country nearly Tk32bn, as the present market price of 20MHz spectrum was more than Tk34bn.

TIM Nurul Kabir, secretary general of Amtob, said the controversial government decision might disrupt the level-playing field in the telecommunications sector and create discrimination among operators.

“In the 3G spectrum auction, we acquired per megahertz spectrum for Tk1.55bn. But now we find that the government is allocating spectrum for a certain operator for only Tk60m per MHz _ which will incur a huge loss for the country,” Nurul Kabir told journalists.

He said the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) had arranged an auction in 2008 for awarding WiMax licences, but

it did not do so this time.

“As a regulator, BTRC has a duty to protect our interests,” a senior official from a mobile operator said. “BTRC should arrange an open auction as we also want to participate.”

Amtob also noted that 2600 bands were specifically allocated for mobile spectrum from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

However, the association was yet to decide about challenging the government decision in court, Nurul Kabir said in reply to a question from the Dhaka Tribune.  PAGE B3 COLUMN 1

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Political turmoil overshadows demand for RMG wage hike ‘The issue may be resolved on the streets in the end’ n Tribune Business Desk The prolonged political turmoil over the next general election is not only degrading the country’s political climate but also creating a scope for the readymade garment (RMG) owners to dodge the workers’ demand for hiking their minimum wage, observed workers’ leaders.

Though both Awami League and BNP claim to represent the majority of the people, the causes of 4 million garment workers — the rights to earn living wages, safe working environment, and to have the real scope to form basic trade union — have received no attention in the mainstream political agenda, they alleged.

Garment Workers’ Unity Forum President Moshrefa Mishu said the silence and disregard could be heard loud in recent times as neither of the two parties have come forward with any suggestion to resolve the dispute between the unions and the owners over the minimum wages in the sector, reports UNB. The mechanism of a tripartite consensus on the wages among the Labour Ministry, the workers’ representatives and the owners’ representatives through the minimum wages board is also being affected and delayed by the recent political crisis, she added.

Mishi added: “The wages were to be declared by the minimum wages board within three months of the formation, whereas the board placed its recommendations after five months. Moreover, we think the recommen-

BBF and Millward Brown award top brands

n Tribune Business Desk Bangladesh Brand Forum (BBF) in collaboration with Millward Brown Bangladesh (MBB) organised the fifth “Best Brand Award Bangladesh” in Dhaka on Saturday.

The event was arranged to honour the leading brands in Bangladesh in 30 categories based on a countrywide consumer research carried out by Millward Brown Bangladesh, said a press release.

Fair & Lovely was identified as the best overall brand of the year followed by Lux and Nokia. In the local brand category, Radhuni Spice came out as the best.

A special award was given to Dr Mak Yuree for being selected as one of the superhuman of the world by Discovery channel.In addition to the award ceremony, the event also hosted the book launching of Professor Nirmalya Kumar’s new book “Brand Breakout”.

Millward Brown South Asia Region Managing Director Prasun Basu, BBF Chief Advisor Professor Ferhat Anward, Advisor Visual Artist Nazia Andaleeb Preema and Founder Shariful Islam were present at the event. l

dation of Tk5,300 minimum wage is not at all acceptable.”

She mentioned instance when owners’ representatives declined to attend a meeting of the wages board due to hartals. “Actually, they (owners) used the hartal as alibis for delaying the process, with an aim to diffuse the movement for living wages as long as they can.”

‘And we see, the political leaders of both the ruling and the opposition parties are not speaking about the minimum wage. Awami League and BNP have unlimited unity in this regard’

On the other hand, she continued, the workers also had to remain cautious about declaring mass programmes to gear up the movement for Tk8,000 minimum wage, considering the chance of getting at the crossroad of the political conflict.

“Pressing home the demand for the logical minimum wage has been a tough task amid the recent political conflict. Workers have no parties and we always want to ensure that our protests are not guided towards violence and destruction of the industry,”

said Mishu.

“And we see, the political leaders of both the ruling and the opposition parties are not speaking about the minimum wage.

Awami League and BNP have unlimited unity in this regard,” she said, “How can they speak for us? They actually serve the interest of the owners. Everyone knows these parties consist of a good number of RMG owners.”

Socialist Labour Front general secretary Razequzzaman Ratan said the causes of workers, farmers and other oppressed classes have always been dumped beneath the loads of the political doldrums by political parties.

Asked about the RMG owners’ denial of the recommendation by the minimum wages board and to raise the wages, Razequzzaman said, “It’s a trick by the owners as they are taking the chance from the political instability and trying to divert the focus from the demand of Tk8,000 minimum wage.”

About the owners’ threat to shut all the factories down, Razequzzaman said the owners cannot legally lay-off the factories without discussing with the workers.

Both Moshrefa Mishu and Razequzzaman Ratan noted that despite all the misty politics of the ruling class, the RMG workers are resolute to stand firm with their demands and are getting united to forge a strong movement for ensuring a satisfactory minimum wage.

“If the present condition continues, I fear the issue of the minimum wage will be resolved on the streets in the end.” l

Biman launches FFP, duty free sky shop n Tribune Business Desk Biman Bangladesh Airlines has yesterday launched a frequent flyer programme (FFP) named ‘Biman Loyalty Club’ along with a new duty free sky shop to raise the standard of the national flag carrier. Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Faruk Khan were present at the launching ceremony at a city hotel yesterday.

Under the FFP, any passenger can avail a green Biman loyalty card to start earning miles after signing up online on the Biman website

or manually at sales outlets, reports BSS. Biman also launched its new in-flight duty free shop with a collection of wide range world renowned brand products as desire of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Faruk Khan said the current government believes Biman will be able to become a truly international standard carrier soon by taking initiatives such as the procurement of brand new aircrafts including Boeing 777-300. The minister expressed his believe of making Biman a profit making airline by next year. l

Agro-productivity project in progress n Tribune Report The government is implementing a World Bank funded project to improve agricultural productivity and ensure food security for the people of Bangladesh.

The Integrated Agricultural Productivity Project would directly benefit approximately 300,000 small and marginal farmers in agro-ecologically constrained areas, says the World Bank in a statement yesterday.

Among them, about 175,000 would be crop farmers, 60,000 livestock farmers and 60,000 fish farmers.

The project will enhance the productivity of agriculture in the flash-flood and drought-prone northern districts of Rangpur, Kurigram, Nilphamari, and Lalmonirhat; and salt-affected tidal surge areas in the southern districts of Barisal, Patuakhali, Barguna and Jhalokhati.

Two improved wheat varieties and one improved mustard variety from the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, along with two improved rice varieties from the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute have already been released for farmers’ use.

The Integrated Agricultural Productivity Project would directly benefit approximately 300,000 small and marginal farmers in agro-ecologically constrained areas In addition, eight improved production packages for crops and three for aquaculture have also been released.

The Department of Agriculture Extension formed 1,875 Livelihood Field Schools and conducted 7,245 demonstrations on various crops in last fiscal year.

The target for this fiscal year is to form 2,740 LFS groups and conduct 13,000 demos. So far, more than 56,000 farmers have adopted improved crop varieties and practices.

The Department of Fisheries has formed 1,185 groups and distributed fingerlings of Tilapia, Koi and Pangus varieties to 9,375 farmers.

For livestock, 942 groups were formed and more than 927 demos were conducted.

Nearly 20,000 farmers adopted improved breed and husbandry practices whereas 11,600 fish farmers adopted improved aquaculture.

Over 87,000 farmers have received various skills and technical trainings, in crops, livestock, fisheries and from the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute.

The project is funded by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), a multi-donor trust fund.

The World Bank is supervising the project (GAFSP Grant of $46.31) and the remaining of $3.69m is being used for a separate capacity building component supervised by the FAO. The project is being jointly implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Stocks continue to rally shrugging off political chaos n Tribune Report Stocks continued to gain amid volatility for the seven consecutive sessions yesterday with benchmark DSEX index climbing to nearly four-month high, persistently shrugging off ongoing political turmoil.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange extended trading hour till 3pm instead of usual 2:30pm as it began trading half-hour late from the scheduled time due to technical glitches.

After swinging between positive and negative initially, the benchmark index finished 44 points or 1% higher to close at 4,244 – highest since July 17 this year.

However, the blue chip index DS30 fell 17 points or 1.2% to 1,436. The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Categories Index, CSCX, rose 76 points to 8,264.

The key event that would have a significant impact on stock market was hard nature in rally of sector specific stocks where buyers were leading over sellers, said Lanka Bangla Securities in its market analysis.

Till now, the fresh strike in the political arena could not distract investors’ mind on account of positive cue from fundamental side of market, it said.

The rally in the heavyweight banking sector gave a further boost to the benchmark index as the banks outshined the rest with an impressive 4.7% gain.

Amtob demands review of allocation  PAGE B1

Another source said, “As the guideline is not finalised yet, we cannot challenge it. As the big player in the industry, we are seeking a spectrum road map from the regulator.”

Mahmud Hossain, chief corporate affairs officer of Grameenphone, Ashraf H Chowdhury, head of corporate affairs of Airtel, Mahmudur Rahman, executive vice president of Robi, and Zakiul Islam, senior director of regulatory and legal affairs of Banglalink, also answered questions from journalists.

Earlier, BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose said the telecom regulator was planning to formulate a spectrum road map.

Ollo, a co-brand of Bangladesh Internet Exchange Ltd (BIEL) and New Generation Graphics Ltd (NGGL) applied for a WiMax licence in April this year. Both companies are now owned by the Russian company, Multinet.

NGGL already got 20MHz spectrum _ worth more than Tk30bn _ free of cost on 800 bands in 2011.

In 2008, BIEL had participated in an auction for WiMax licencing, but it came in fifth position and withdrew its earnest money.

Legal experts said BIEL was not eligible for a WiMax licence, unless a new auction takes place.

Amtob had previously sent letters to the government and the telecom regulator expressing concerns about BIEL’s licence and spectrum allocation. l

Six banks gained more than 9.0% and consequently featured in the top ten gainers chart. The sector also accounted for 37% of the DSE total turnover that stood at almost Tk5bn, which was more than 5% higher than the previous session.

Telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, engineering and power sectors saw price correction on profit booking.

However, the market breadth remained negative as out of total 284 issues traded, 131 closed green, 140 red and 14 remained unchanged.

United Commercial Bank was the most traded stock of the session with turnover worth over Tk242m changing hands, followed by Meghna Petroleum, Mercantile Bank and One Bank. l

Kazi Food launches ready to cook foods in Dhaka n Tribune Business Desk Kazi Food Industries Ltd, a sister concern of Kazi Farms Ltd, on Friday launched a range of frozen food through the Gulshan branch of Meena Bazar, one of the major superstores in Bangladesh.

The products include spicy chicken nuggets, kid’s chicken nuggets, regular chicken nuggets, chicken strips, chicken meatballs, chicken teasers, chicken burger patties, chicken sausage and chicken cutlet, said a press release yesterday.

Kazi Farms Ltd Director Kazi Zahin

Hasan, Kazi Food Industries Ltd CEO Tanvir Haider Chaudhury, and Gemcon Group COO Shaheen Khan were present at the launching ceremony.

“The customers deserve high quality, delicious and healthy food. We believe in bringing the best of standards when it comes to nutrition and food at Kazi Foods,” Hasan said.

“So, we are bringing international standard halal and hygienic processed foods across the nation. Our ready to cook frozen chicken products are MBM, MSG and Nitrate free with no antibiotic residues.” l

3

Palli Sanchay Bank proposal goes to cabinet today n Asif Showkat kallol The proposal to establish Palli Sanchay Bank is being placed before the cabinet today.

The formation of the bank would be like Grameen Bank in accordance with the draft proposal.

The Banking and Financial Institutions Division of the finance ministry and Bangladesh Bank have already given their consent to the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division proposal, official sources said.

The new bank would emerge from the government’s “One House, One Farm” project.

As per the draft law, the specialised bank would enjoy exemption from value-added and income taxes like Grameen Bank. The bank will be governed under the Banking Companies Act. However, Palli Sanchay Bank’s managing director would be appointed, by the board of directors, with prior permission of Bangladesh Bank.

The bank’s paid-up capital would be Tk2bn, 80% of which will be provided by the government through its “One House, One Farm” project and authorised capital will be Tk10bn.

The government will hold 51% of the bank’s ownership and the remaining 49% would go to the member cooperative societies of the “One House, One Farm” project.

However, the government will not take any dividend against its shares. The board of director of the proposed bank will be 15-member one while eight people to come from the administration and remaining members would come from association members. The tenure of directors will be maximum three years.

The MD will be appointed with prior approval of Bangladesh Bank by the board of directors and the age of the MD will be 65 years, according to the proposal. Assets, officials and staffs of One House, One Farm project will be absorbed in the proposed bank.

Earlier in July, the prime minister asked authorities establish a new specialised bank named Palli Sanchay Bank to avoid the misuse of deposits made by rural poor.

The Ministry of Finance took a decision to establish the bank at a meeting on August 1. l

‘Committee formed to ensure discipline in capital market’ n Tribune Business Desk The government has taken initiative to bring back discipline in the country’s capital market by ensuring better coordination among the market related bodies, said Finance Minister AMA Muhith in parliament yesterday.

He mentioned a committee has already been formed to with the representatives from Bangladesh Bank, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC), Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms, Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) Bangladesh, Micro-credit Regulatory Authority, and Department of Cooperatives, reports UNB. l

Business Nokia: a lesson in how high-tech flyers can fall fast

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

n AFP, Helsinki In just five years Nokia fell from dominating the mobile phone industry to abandoning the handset business, a swift fall from grace with lessons for market leaders.

The story of Nokia, now at the toughest stage of the restructuring cycle, is a particularly salutary business case about the fast-moving, high-risk, high-reward, tech sector for hip consumer goods.

The rapid decline, which is ending with the 5.44bn euro ($7.5bn) sale of the mobile phone division to Microsoft, owed much to Nokia growing too big, too fast and its management getting drunk on their own success, analysts say.

Looking back after years of Apple iPhone dominance, some may have difficulty in recalling that Nokia, in its heyday in 2007 took more than 50% of the world market for early smartphones.

“They had become arrogant at Nokia and as a result they were too slow to react to changes in the world around them,” Petri Rouvinen, a researcher at the economic think tank ETLA, told AFP. The technology of the iPhone upended the mobile handset business. It also highlighted the critical importance in any business, but particularly in the high-tech sector, of getting the timing right.

Not only did the iPhone, with its touch screen, become a hot fashion item worldwide, but also the operating system with paid-for applications invented a new revenue stream for Apple.

When Google’s Android took off in 2009, it became clear that handset manufacturers had lost dominance to the operating systems which generated revenue from applications sold to users.

Commenting on the business lessons, Rouvinen said: “Since 2007 it’s no longer possible to consider telecommunications, consumer electronics and computers as separate sectors. Now there’s just one industry and it’s digital.”

That is where Apple had an all-important lead: it brought the right hardware and software together at just the right time.

“If Apple had shut down its heavily loss-making PC business in 2000, it would never had been able to launch iPod, iTunes, iPad etc,” said Kuittinen.

Nokia’s management was aware that a digital revolution was underway but in a recent book it’s former chief executive Jorma Ollila said the company peaked too soon - investing heavily in smart phone technology before operators were ready to offer services.

Analysts said another lesson is to have the appropriate expertise on the board. They said that Nokia had suffered from a culture of sycophancy towards Ollila - at the helm for 14 years until 2006.

High-tech sector ‘turmoil will continue’ “During times of transition, the board must have real industry experts -- not random executives,” said Tero Kuittinen at Alekstra consultancy. He held that Ollila had been surrounded by “sycophants who had no

A file photo shows a company flag outside the flagship store of Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia in Helsinki.In just half a decade Nokia went from dominating the mobile phone industry to exiting the handset business, a swift fall from grace that holds lessons for other companies AFP

‘During times of transition, the board must have real industry experts – not random executives, said Tero Kuittinen at Alekstra consultancy. He held that Ollila had been surrounded by sycophants who had no competence to address software challenges’ competence to address software challenges.”

Nokia kept developing its Symbian operating system but was slow to introduce touchscreen capability.

In 2010 it made a partnership with Intel to develop a different operating system, but abandoned this after a year and turned to Microsoft’s new mobile Windows platform.

Nokia is just one example of the high stakes in high-tech consumer goods.

Telecommunications equipment manufacturers Ericsson and Motorola suffered a similar fate and sold their handset business-

es after being overtaken by innovation.

Canadian firm BlackBerry is the latest example of a market leader fallen by the wayside.

Sony, which picked up Ericsson’s handset business, has also had difficulty making money out of mobile despite its consumer electronics pedigree.

Companies sometimes need to make tough, radical choices to refocus their business.

Analysts say that the response adopted by Nokia is to develop the profitable mobile network equipment segment with Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN).

“Now Nokia can concentrate on its other business - NSN,” said Rautanen, adding to speculation about what the company might do with the 5.44bn euros from Microsoft.

Credit rating agency Moody’s said recently that Nokia had emerged a winner from the sale, gaining much needed revenue and off-loading a loss-making business.

But the agency added that it will not be easy to reposition the company as a credible actor in an industry with very short product life-spans and rapid changes.

Nokia was already a business case of how to engineer corporate transformation.

The company started as a wood pulp mill, then bought a rubber business making boots and tyres. A cable business led to Nokia venturing into electronics and then telecommunications.

When mobile telecommunications boomed in the early 1990s, Nokia sold the other business to focus on handsets and networks.

Rouvinen said the conditions which led to the downfall of Nokia and others are not likely to change soon.

“The fact that so much happened in only five years does not mean that the next five years will see the same turmoil,” he said.

“But I predict that the turmoil will continue at the same or even at accelerated speed.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

5

Philips: a phoenix with lessons for industrial lame ducks n AFP Back in 1978 in a boardroom near Lake Geneva, a bunch of nervous Philips inventors demonstrated a device that was to revolutionise the entertainment industry for the next three decades.

Called the “Pinkeltje” after a small Dutch gnome in a children’s story, the device performed flawlessly - and so the world’s first Compact Disc (CD) player was born.

Thirty-five years later the Netherlands’ Philips, once one of Europe’s best-known brands for radios and televisions, is ditching the consumer electronics business that used to be its bread and butter, and is thriving.

The Philips story is a business case of how a leading global industrial group, with leading technology, went through several rocky years of restructuring, and found a successful strategy to re-invent itself in time.

Now the company is reaping the rewards of emerging from the restructuring cycle.

In January, Philips announced the sale of its lifestyle entertainment branch, which makes stereos and DVD players, after selling its troubled TV-making arm in 2012.

In February, Philips said it intended to drop the word “Electronics” from its name to indicate its shift in strategy.

Faced with dwindling margins and fierce competition from Asia, the manufacturer born in southern Dutch city Eindhoven is refocusing on high-end health care, space-age lighting and the global explosion of a middle

class interested in healthy living.

This example of transformational strategy is working, analysts say. Profits are strong despite the recent financial and eurozone debt crises, and in a high-stakes roller-coaster climate for high-tech companies which has claimed high-flyers such as Nokia of Finland and BlackBerry of Canada.

Last month, Philips announced that its third-quarter profits jumped almost threefold from the equivalent 2012 figure, to 282m euros ($380m) this year.

‘Of course I’m nostalgic, but technology simply evolves, the whole world is changing. You have to change with it to stay in the competition’ The latest results were even driven by sales of household appliances in the emerging markets from whence came much of the new competition which threatened Philips.

Marc Schauten, assistant finance professor at the Erasmus School of Economics in Rotterdam, said the company is doing well because “they made the shift into areas where they really have a competitive advantage.”

“Combined with the fact that they involve their clients (in development) and the reliability of their products they really have the cutting edge,” he told AFP. At Theodoor Gilissen bank in Amsterdam, senior analyst Tom Muller said: “It was a

tough choice for Philips to exit consumer electronics.”

He added: “This segment was one of its old pillars.” But competition had become “murderous, with all kinds of Asian producers on the market,” he told AFP. Even Asian giants such as Japan’s Sony, Panasonic and Sharp have been undergoing major restructuring to keep up in the low-margin television business.

Over the last two years Philips “has taken decisive steps to move away from lowgrowth, low-value businesses,” the company’s chief executive Frans van Houten said in London in September.

Putting the world of science fiction in surgeon’s hands The company is now focused on three segments: healthcare, lighting and consumer well-being.

Nowhere is the shift in Philips more visible than in its healthcare division, which now accounts for about 43% of investments.

Philips has seen a steady rise in full-year figures for its healthcare solutions, from 6.6bn euros in sales in 2007 to a staggering 9.9bn euros last year.

From innovative operating theatres to remotely-monitored Intensive Care Units, Philips has clinched a series of mega-deals with hospitals around the world to provide medical equipment.

Analysts draw another lesson from the case: Philips is constantly collaborating with smaller innovative companies, such as Isra-

el’s RealView Imaging to develop 3D holographic projections for surgeons.

The system was used for the first time last month, bringing the world of sci-fi films into the reality of saving lives.

Another lesson, in Philip’s case, is to build on positions which have strong potential.

Philips shipped its first lightbulb shortly after being founded in 1891 and the company today pins its hopes on innovative lighting ideas such as light-emitting diode (LED).

As eco-friendly LED technology becomes more popular, lighting everything from hospital operating theatres to headlights on the latest cars, Philips expects to benefit: it owns most of the world’s LED patents, thanks to years of research and development.

Changing to compete The third prong of Philips’ new strategy lies in consumer well-being products, including ingenious kitchen appliances to service humanity’s growing obsession with healthy living.

“We see a world with a growing middle class,” CEO Van Houten said in his London presentation.

Philips has been forced to make tough choices, but people such as Hans Mons, one of the original demonstrators of the “Pinkeltje” in 1978, is philosophical about the decision to drop consumer electronics.

“Of course I’m nostalgic, but technology simply evolves, the whole world is changing.

You have to change with it to stay in the competition,” he said. l

File photo shows a doctor walking past a screen displaying the “Hospital environment cockpit” at the Dutch Royal Philips Electronics Hospital research facility at its Eindhoven-based Research Laboratories

AFP

6

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

DSE Broad Index: 4244.70 ⇑ 1.04%, Turnover: 4984.26 M.Tk ⇑ 5.18%, PE: 12.85 Turnover 5,515.08 MTk . ⇑ 6.41% 10 November 2013 MarketCap. 2,024.17 BTk. ⇑ 0.40% CSE All Share Index: 13042 ⇑ 0.87%, Turnover: 530.82 M Tk. ⇑ 19.33%, PE: 12.66 Combined Turnover Leader

BANK ABBANK | 2.95 | 32.60 | Vol. 1388598 D: 29.90 ⇑ 4.55% | 29.43 | 30.10 / 26.00 C: 29.60 ⇑ 3.86% | 28.90 | 29.90 / 28.00 CITYBANK | 1.15 | 25.97 | Vol. 5300615 D: 23.30 ⇑ 5.43% | 22.67 | 23.60 / 20.00 C: 23.50 ⇑ 6.33% | 22.62 | 23.70 / 21.80 IFIC | 1.10 | 18.34 | Vol. 3282654 D: 36.50 ⇑ 0.83% | 36.80 | 39.00 / 32.60 C: 36.80 ⇑ 1.10% | 36.88 | 37.50 / 35.30 ISLAMIBANK | 3.78 | 27.16 | Vol. 234415 D: 36.60 ⇓ 0.27% | 36.53 | 37.00 / 33.90 C: 36.90 ⇑ 0.54% | 36.56 | 37.00 / 36.30 NBL | 1.05 | 15.76 | Vol. 10576260 D: 13.10 ⇑ 7.38% | 12.70 | 13.30 / 11.20 C: 13.00 ⇑ 6.56% | 12.63 | 13.20 / 12.00 PUBALIBANK | 1.92 | 21.18 | Vol. 625680 D: 32.60 ⇑ 1.88% | 32.31 | 33.00 / 29.90 C: 33.10 ⇑ 3.44% | 32.94 | 33.40 / 30.00 RUPALIBANK | 6.70 | 64.27 | Vol. 163920 D: 71.50 ⇓ 0.56% | 71.59 | 73.70 / 70.00 C: 74.10 ⇑ 2.49% | 72.77 | 75.00 / 70.00 UCBL | 1.90 | 21.72 | Vol. 11408436 D: 25.30 ⇑ 2.02% | 24.70 | 25.50 / 22.40 C: 25.30 ⇑ 1.61% | 24.88 | 25.60 / 23.20 UTTARABANK | 3.42 | 26.97 | Vol. 2034892 D: 36.20 ⇑ 4.02% | 35.30 | 36.50 / 33.00 C: 35.90 ⇑ 2.28% | 35.10 | 36.40 / 33.80 ICBIBANK | -1.60 | -13.03 | Vol. 302700 D: 6.40 ⇑ 6.67% | 6.28 | 6.50 / 6.00 EBL | 3.91 | 28.22 | Vol. 679550 D: 32.40 ⇑ 5.88% | 31.13 | 33.40 / 27.70 C: 30.90 ⇑ 1.64% | 30.55 | 31.20 / 29.00 ALARABANK | 2.03 | 14.91 | Vol. 5926151 D: 18.90 ⇑ 8.62% | 18.38 | 19.00 / 16.00 C: 18.90 ⇑ 8.00% | 18.21 | 19.00 / 17.00 PRIMEBANK | 2.89 | 22.40 | Vol. 830327 D: 25.80 ⇑ 3.20% | 25.44 | 27.50 / 22.90 C: 25.60 ⇑ 2.81% | 25.18 | 25.90 / 24.00 SOUTHEASTB | 1.89 | 22.66 | Vol. 5834252 D: 19.90 ⇑ 4.74% | 19.40 | 20.10 / 17.50 C: 19.90 ⇑ 4.74% | 19.58 | 20.10 / 18.00 DHAKABANK | 1.46 | 18.08 | Vol. 1179819 D: 20.50 ⇑ 3.02% | 20.42 | 21.00 / 18.10 C: 20.60 ⇑ 2.49% | 20.45 | 20.80 / 19.90 NCCBANK | 1.90 | 15.88 | Vol. 5414378 D: 15.00 ⇑ 9.49% | 14.58 | 15.00 / 12.40 C: 15.10 ⇑ 9.42% | 14.39 | 15.10 / 13.50 SIBL | 2.05 | 14.47 | Vol. 5208738 D: 14.00 ⇑ 9.38% | 13.50 | 14.00 / 12.00 C: 14.00 ⇑ 9.38% | 13.48 | 14.00 / 12.70 DUTCHBANGL | 11.57 | 54.27 | Vol. 67500 D: 106.0 ⇑ 4.43% | 104.30 | 108.0 / 101.0 C: 109.0 ⇑ 9.00% | 109.00 | 109.0 / 109.0 MTBL | 1.17 | 17.27 | Vol. 419290 D: 17.70 ⇑ 7.27% | 17.42 | 17.90 / 14.90 C: 17.70 ⇑ 7.27% | 16.95 | 17.80 / 16.00 STANDBANKL | 2.33 | 14.41 | Vol. 4367763 D: 16.40 ⇑ 9.33% | 15.77 | 16.50 / 13.50 C: 16.50 ⇑ 10.00% | 15.74 | 16.50 / 14.60 ONEBANKLTD | 2.35 | 15.34 | Vol. 8341546 D: 17.10 ⇑ 9.62% | 16.47 | 17.10 / 14.50 C: 17.10 ⇑ 9.62% | 16.45 | 17.10 / 15.30 BANKASIA | 1.35 | 20.80 | Vol. 2663852 D: 21.10 ⇑ 6.03% | 20.51 | 21.80 / 18.00 C: 20.90 ⇑ 3.98% | 20.47 | 21.00 / 19.00 MERCANBANK | 2.07 | 16.59 | Vol. 9554346 D: 17.90 ⇑ 7.83% | 17.35 | 18.10 / 15.00 C: 18.10 ⇑ 8.38% | 17.08 | 18.20 / 16.00 EXIMBANK | 1.80 | 14.31 | Vol. 5078129 D: 13.30 ⇑ 9.92% | 12.92 | 13.30 / 10.90 C: 13.50 ⇑ 9.76% | 12.95 | 13.50 / 12.00 JAMUNABANK | 2.47 | 18.56 | Vol. 628687 D: 17.80 ⇑ 5.95% | 17.38 | 18.40 / 15.20 C: 17.60 ⇑ 5.39% | 17.15 | 17.60 / 16.20 BRACBANK | 1.51 | 24.87 | Vol. 2162290 D: 33.90 ⇑ 3.99% | 33.34 | 34.20 / 30.00 C: 34.00 ⇑ 3.66% | 33.46 | 34.00 / 31.10 SHAHJABANK | 2.61 | 14.47 | Vol. 3270283 D: 18.80 ⇑ 8.05% | 18.21 | 19.10 / 16.00 C: 18.80 ⇑ 6.82% | 18.14 | 19.00 / 17.30

TO M. Tk.

% of TTL

Avg. P

UCBL - A

11408436

282.12

5.12

24.73

Meghna Petroleum -A

880201

234.04

4.24

265.90

Mercantile Bank -A

9554346

165.44

3.00

17.32

One Bank -A

8341546

2.49

16.47

National Bank - B

CompanyCode | EPS | BV | Volume Traded (Share) DSE/CSE: ClosePrice ⇓/⇑ Chn % | Avg.Price | Hi / Lo

Vol.

10576260

137.40 134.13

2.43

PREMIERBAN | 1.18 | 13.95 | Vol. 4714913 D: 12.90 ⇑ 8.40% | 12.57 | 13.00 / 10.90 C: 12.90 ⇑ 8.40% | 12.42 | 13.00 / 11.80 TRUSTBANK | 0.50 | 18.00 | Vol. 1870130 D: 21.10 ⇑ 9.33% | 20.38 | 21.20 / 17.50 C: 21.10 ⇑ 8.21% | 20.34 | 21.20 / 18.80 FIRSTSBANK | 1.85 | 13.89 | Vol. 4036410 D: 16.20 ⇑ 8.72% | 15.56 | 16.30 / 13.50 C: 16.30 ⇑ 8.67% | 15.51 | 16.50 / 14.60 NON BANKING F I IDLC | 4.43 | 29.18 | Vol. 216679 D: 61.70 ⇓ 0.48% | 61.80 | 62.70 / 60.00 C: 61.70 ⇓ 0.80% | 61.99 | 62.70 / 61.40 ULC | 1.80 | 14.90 | Vol. 1062094 D: 31.80 ⇑ 1.27% | 31.68 | 32.30 / 30.00 UTTARAFIN | 7.16 | 41.54 | Vol. 247266 D: 82.90 ⇓ 1.07% | 83.09 | 85.00 / 76.00 C: 82.20 ⇓ 1.32% | 82.56 | 83.50 / 81.50 MIDASFIN | 0.16 | 10.21 | Vol. 1000 D: 31.50 ⇑ 6.06% | 32.00 | 31.60 / 31.50 FLEASEINT | 2.34 | 13.93 | Vol. 1951316 D: 33.20 ⇑ 3.11% | 33.24 | 35.00 / 30.00 C: 33.20 ⇑ 3.43% | 33.05 | 34.60 / 31.90 PLFSL | 1.37 | 17.48 | Vol. 2013288 D: 26.10 ⇑ 3.16% | 25.37 | 26.70 / 23.00 C: 25.10 ⇓ 1.18% | 25.05 | 25.60 / 24.50 PRIMEFIN | 0.87 | 17.88 | Vol. 562242 D: 26.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 25.87 | 26.50 / 25.00 C: 25.80 ⇓ 1.15% | 25.85 | 26.30 / 25.00 PREMIERLEA | 0.10 | 11.37 | Vol. 174200 D: 10.40 ⇓ 0.95% | 10.43 | 10.70 / 10.00 C: 10.40 ⇓ 1.89% | 10.33 | 10.50 / 10.20 ISLAMICFIN | 1.03 | 15.48 | Vol. 1501496 D: 17.20 ⇑ 1.78% | 16.97 | 17.50 / 15.30 C: 16.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 16.96 | 17.20 / 16.60 LANKABAFIN | 1.61 | 31.07 | Vol. 708168 D: 57.40 ⇓ 2.21% | 57.45 | 58.90 / 53.00 C: 57.20 ⇓ 2.89% | 57.91 | 60.50 / 56.70 BIFC | 0.15 | 18.58 | Vol. 274327 D: 17.30 ⇓ 1.14% | 17.41 | 17.70 / 17.00 C: 17.20 ⇓ 1.15% | 17.37 | 17.70 / 17.00 IPDC | 1.23 | 19.43 | Vol. 323509 D: 19.70 ⇑ 3.14% | 19.47 | 20.80 / 18.00 C: 19.00 ⇓ 0.52% | 19.01 | 19.40 / 18.60 UNIONCAP | 0.54 | 17.85 | Vol. 37000 D: 28.90 ⇑ 0.35% | 28.89 | 29.00 / 27.80 BDFINANCE | 0.57 | 14.77 | Vol. 203642 D: 19.20 ⇑ 1.59% | 19.25 | 20.00 / 17.20 C: 19.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 19.28 | 19.70 / 18.80 ILFSL | 0.35 | 12.19 | Vol. 1137960 D: 15.80 ⇑ 0.64% | 15.77 | 16.00 / 14.20 C: 15.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.71 | 16.00 / 15.10 PHOENIXFIN | 2.46 | 19.39 | Vol. 1668929 D: 35.40 ⇑ 5.99% | 35.48 | 36.50 / 31.00 C: 35.80 ⇑ 6.55% | 35.81 | 36.70 / 34.00 FASFIN | 0.19 | 13.56 | Vol. 554820 D: 14.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 14.19 | 14.50 / 13.90 C: 14.30 ⇓ 0.69% | 14.20 | 14.40 / 13.90 DBH | 4.47 | 21.27 | Vol. 37191 D: 57.00 ⇓ 1.72% | 57.12 | 57.70 / 53.00 C: 57.40 ⇓ 0.69% | 57.39 | 58.00 / 55.10 NHFIL | 0.57 | 12.70 | Vol. 414725 D: 30.50 ⇓ 1.93% | 30.55 | 31.50 / 30.10 C: 30.00 ⇓ 3.54% | 30.10 | 30.60 / 29.50 BAYLEASING | 0.72 | 25.55 | Vol. 600024 D: 31.80 ⇑ 2.25% | 31.49 | 32.10 / 28.00 C: 31.00 ⇓ 0.64% | 31.27 | 32.00 / 29.20 ICB | 89.23 | 607.74 | Vol. 9315 D: 1451 ⇑ 1.38% | 1450 | 1477 / 1431 GSPFINANCE | 1.63 | 22.23 | Vol. 274960 D: 26.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 26.90 | 27.20 / 24.30 C: 27.00 ⇑ 0.37% | 27.16 | 27.30 / 26.80 FAREASTFIN | 0.68 | 13.64 | Vol. 893000 D: 13.80 ⇓ 1.43% | 13.89 | 14.20 / 13.70 C: 13.80 ⇓ 1.43% | 13.86 | 14.10 / 13.70 INVESTMENT 1STICB | 75.63 | 942.30 | Vol. 50 D: 915.0 ⇑ 1.67% | 915.00 | 915.0 / 915.0 2NDICB | 44.10 | 253.11 | Vol. 2200 D: 237.3 ⇑ 5.00% | 236.82 | 245.0 / 230.0 3RDICB | 26.16 | 235.16 | Vol. 500 D: 186.7 ⇑ 3.15% | 186.00 | 187.9 / 185.0

12.68

DSE Gainer

C%

A%

CP

DSE Loser

C%

A%

CP

EXIM Bank-A

9.92

7.40

13.30

Janata Insur-A

-89.00

-89.06

28.70

6th ICB M F-A

9.87

8.19

50.10

Zahintex Ind.-N

-13.73

-13.92

24.50

Zeal Bangla Sugar-Z

9.72

9.42

7.90

Usmania Glass-A

-12.03

-11.67

115.50

One Bank-A

9.62

7.02

17.10

aamra technologies-A

-8.65

-8.10

28.50

15.00

Delta Spinners-A

-8.58

-7.68

27.70

N C C Bank-A

9.49

9.05

4THICB | 29.24 | 229.24 | Vol. 1100 D: 179.5 ⇑ 2.57% | 180.00 | 185.0 / 175.0 6THICB | 10.99 | 60.14 | Vol. 75900 D: 50.10 ⇑ 9.87% | 49.16 | 50.10 / 46.30 C: 48.50 ⇑ 5.66% | 48.50 | 48.50 / 48.50 8THICB | 12.47 | 70.07 | Vol. 21000 D: 53.20 ⇑ 5.56% | 52.95 | 53.90 / 52.00 AIMS1STMF | 3.02 | 15.70 | Vol. 312500 D: 39.30 ⇓ 0.76% | 39.39 | 39.90 / 38.90 C: 39.20 ⇓ 2.24% | 39.19 | 39.80 / 38.70 ICBISLAMIC | 2.21 | 26.81 | Vol. 55500 D: 17.30 ⇓ 1.14% | 17.41 | 17.60 / 17.20 C: 18.00 ⇓ 13.88% | 18.00 | 18.00 / 18.00 GRAMEEN1 | 6.26 | 33.23 | Vol. 456500 D: 46.50 ⇓ 1.69% | 46.72 | 47.60 / 45.80 C: 46.60 ⇓ 2.51% | 46.78 | 47.80 / 46.40 ICB1STNRB | 4.06 | 35.31 | Vol. 14500 D: 24.30 ⇓ 2.41% | 24.34 | 24.90 / 24.10 ICB2NDNRB | 2.49 | 16.24 | Vol. 192000 D: 9.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 9.91 | 10.10 / 9.80 C: 9.60 ⇓ 2.04% | 9.63 | 9.70 / 9.60 GRAMEENS2 | 2.17 | 16.41 | Vol. 1387150 D: 17.00 ⇓ 1.73% | 17.15 | 17.70 / 16.00 C: 16.90 ⇓ 2.31% | 17.05 | 17.50 / 16.80 1STPRIMFMF | 0.64 | 11.63 | Vol. 1452000 D: 24.00 ⇑ 0.84% | 24.38 | 25.00 / 23.50 C: 24.00 ⇑ 1.27% | 24.40 | 25.00 / 23.50 EBL1STMF | 0.55 | 12.62 | Vol. 709740 D: 7.20 ⇑ 2.86% | 7.22 | 7.30 / 7.00 C: 7.30 ⇑ 4.29% | 7.17 | 7.30 / 6.80 ICBAMCL2ND | 0.60 | 12.12 | Vol. 111000 D: 6.00 ⇑ 1.69% | 6.09 | 6.20 / 6.00 C: 6.20 ⇑ 5.08% | 6.20 | 6.30 / 6.00 ICBEPMF1S1 | 0.52 | 11.32 | Vol. 165500 D: 6.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.58 | 6.60 / 6.40 C: 6.50 ⇓ 1.52% | 6.62 | 6.80 / 6.50 TRUSTB1MF | 0.75 | 11.65 | Vol. 1015925 D: 7.80 ⇑ 1.30% | 7.80 | 7.90 / 7.50 C: 7.80 ⇑ 1.30% | 7.75 | 7.80 / 7.70 PRIME1ICBA | 0.42 | 11.18 | Vol. 209500 D: 5.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.35 | 5.40 / 5.20 C: 5.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.38 | 5.50 / 5.30 DBH1STMF | -1.12 | 10.15 | Vol. 739000 D: 6.00 ⇑ 1.69% | 6.03 | 6.20 / 5.90 C: 6.00 ⇑ 3.45% | 6.00 | 6.10 / 5.70 IFIC1STMF | 0.83 | 11.88 | Vol. 272672 D: 7.00 ⇑ 2.94% | 6.97 | 7.10 / 6.20 C: 7.10 ⇑ 1.43% | 7.01 | 7.10 / 6.30 PF1STMF | 0.51 | 11.11 | Vol. 456500 D: 5.70 ⇑ 1.79% | 5.65 | 5.80 / 5.50 C: 5.60 ⇓ 1.75% | 5.64 | 5.70 / 5.60 ICB3RDNRB | 0.00 | 10.60 | Vol. 547500 D: 5.30 ⇑ 1.92% | 5.29 | 5.40 / 5.20 C: 5.30 ⇑ 1.92% | 5.32 | 5.40 / 5.20 1JANATAMF | 0.78 | 10.68 | Vol. 714500 D: 6.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.27 | 6.50 / 6.20 C: 6.30 ⇑ 5.00% | 6.24 | 6.30 / 6.10 GREENDELMF | -0.82 | 9.72 | Vol. 941500 D: 5.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.53 | 5.60 / 5.40 C: 5.50 ⇑ 1.85% | 5.48 | 5.50 / 5.20 POPULAR1MF | 0.77 | 11.38 | Vol. 2053247 D: 6.20 ⇓ 1.59% | 6.34 | 6.50 / 6.00 C: 6.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.32 | 6.40 / 6.00 IFILISLMF1 | 0.00 | 10.45 | Vol. 740500 D: 5.60 ⇑ 1.82% | 5.61 | 5.70 / 5.50 C: 5.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.55 | 5.60 / 5.40 PHPMF1 | 0.63 | 10.92 | Vol. 4272000 D: 5.90 ⇑ 1.72% | 5.94 | 6.10 / 5.80 C: 5.90 ⇑ 1.72% | 5.92 | 6.00 / 5.70 AIBL1STIMF | -0.07 | 9.25 | Vol. 136000 D: 6.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.80 | 6.90 / 6.70 C: 6.80 ⇓ 2.86% | 6.84 | 7.00 / 6.70 MBL1STMF | -0.16 | 9.08 | Vol. 258000 D: 6.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.40 | 6.50 / 6.30 C: 6.60 ⇑ 4.76% | 6.62 | 6.70 / 6.50 SEBL1STMF | 0.94 | 11.85 | Vol. 624700 D: 8.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.51 | 9.00 / 8.40 C: 8.40 ⇓ 2.33% | 8.48 | 9.30 / 8.30 EBLNRBMF | 1.07 | 10.88 | Vol. 89000 D: 8.20 ⇑ 5.13% | 8.20 | 8.30 / 7.80 RELIANCE1 | 0.95 | 10.33 | Vol. 1231000 D: 9.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 9.21 | 9.40 / 9.00 C: 9.20 ⇑ 2.22% | 9.20 | 9.30 / 9.00

LRGLOBMF1 | 0.47 | 11.18 | Vol. 250500 D: 7.20 ⇓ 5.26% | 7.40 | 7.60 / 7.20 C: 7.70 ⇓ 1.28% | 7.65 | 7.70 / 7.30 ABB1STMF | 0.92 | 10.63 | Vol. 1867500 D: 7.50 ⇑ 5.63% | 7.53 | 7.70 / 7.20 C: 7.50 ⇑ 8.70% | 7.50 | 7.50 / 7.50 NLI1STMF | 1.17 | 12.22 | Vol. 996850 D: 9.40 ⇓ 2.08% | 9.57 | 9.80 / 9.40 C: 9.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 9.75 | 9.90 / 10.00 NCCBLMF1 | 1.16 | 10.48 | Vol. 51000 D: 8.70 ⇑ 1.16% | 8.73 | 8.90 / 8.60 ICBSONALI1 | 0.00 | 10.39 | Vol. 671500 D: 7.00 ⇓ 1.41% | 7.15 | 7.30 / 6.90 C: 7.00 ⇓ 2.78% | 7.02 | 7.10 / 6.90 EXIM1STMF | 0.00 | 10.91 | Vol. 500 D: 7.90 ⇑ 3.95% | 7.90 | 7.90 / 7.90 FBFIF | 1.30 | 10.27 | Vol. 1000 C: 8.00 ⇑ 1.27% | 8.00 | 8.00 / 8.00 ENGINEERING AFTABAUTO | 4.29 | 52.65 | Vol. 274285 D: 99.10 ⇓ 1.00% | 99.50 | 101.5 / 96.00 C: 99.10 ⇓ 2.08% | 99.71 | 99.90 / 100.0 AZIZPIPES | 0.39 | -42.04 | Vol. 17800 D: 17.10 ⇓ 0.58% | 17.08 | 17.50 / 16.80 OLYMPIC | 7.85 | 22.10 | Vol. 150530 D: 200.2 ⇓ 3.75% | 203.00 | 207.0 / 192.0 C: 201.4 ⇓ 3.96% | 202.44 | 204.2 / 200.5 BDLAMPS | -5.31 | 37.07 | Vol. 9850 D: 124.8 ⇓ 2.50% | 125.10 | 126.0 / 124.5 C: 125.5 ⇓ 2.03% | 124.76 | 125.5 / 124.0 ECABLES | 2.04 | 18.87 | Vol. 700 D: 79.10 ⇑ 2.06% | 78.33 | 84.70 / 78.00 C: 75.00 ⇑ 1.35% | 75.00 | 75.00 / 75.00 MONNOSTAF | 5.31 | 44.78 | Vol. 500 D: 260.2 ⇓ 1.33% | 260.00 | 265.0 / 256.5 SINGERBD | 9.99 | 45.74 | Vol. 55725 D: 192.9 ⇓ 1.23% | 193.37 | 196.5 / 185.0 C: 192.7 ⇓ 0.67% | 192.99 | 195.0 / 192.2 ATLASBANG | 11.98 | 207.70 | Vol. 8499 D: 161.1 ⇓ 0.56% | 160.86 | 162.5 / 146.0 BDAUTOCA | -0.43 | 5.68 | Vol. 34850 D: 22.70 ⇓ 6.58% | 23.01 | 24.40 / 22.50 QSMDRYCELL | 1.06 | 52.31 | Vol. 219698 D: 32.30 ⇓ 0.62% | 32.31 | 33.00 / 32.00 C: 32.40 ⇓ 0.61% | 32.33 | 32.50 / 32.10 RENWICKJA | 5.77 | -31.13 | Vol. 4500 D: 137.9 ⇓ 1.71% | 138.89 | 140.4 / 136.5 NTLTUBES | 0.67 | 311.00 | Vol. 154860 D: 70.00 ⇑ 0.29% | 72.20 | 75.00 / 69.80 BDTHAI | 0.43 | 39.35 | Vol. 212405 D: 24.40 ⇓ 1.21% | 24.57 | 25.00 / 24.00 C: 24.50 ⇓ 1.61% | 24.46 | 24.60 / 24.10 ANWARGALV | 0.52 | 8.10 | Vol. 108000 D: 21.00 ⇓ 3.23% | 21.26 | 21.90 / 20.80 C: 20.80 ⇓ 5.02% | 21.07 | 21.50 / 20.70 KAY&QUE | -3.89 | 6.03 | Vol. 15000 D: 15.70 ⇑ 3.97% | 15.73 | 16.50 / 15.30 RANFOUNDRY | 2.84 | 18.62 | Vol. 40500 D: 80.50 ⇓ 1.95% | 81.11 | 83.00 / 80.20 SALAMCRST | 3.31 | 20.00 | Vol. 280550 D: 40.20 ⇓ 1.47% | 40.44 | 41.50 / 36.80 C: 40.30 ⇓ 0.49% | 40.37 | 40.80 / 40.20 GOLDENSON | 3.70 | 28.70 | Vol. 596499 D: 44.90 ⇑ 1.13% | 44.41 | 45.80 / 40.00 C: 44.10 ⇓ 0.23% | 43.95 | 44.20 / 44.10 BSRMSTEEL | 3.06 | 19.53 | Vol. 121130 D: 67.30 ⇓ 3.30% | 67.89 | 69.80 / 63.00 C: 67.70 ⇓ 2.59% | 67.90 | 68.40 / 67.00 NAVANACNG | 4.09 | 27.04 | Vol. 131085 D: 64.40 ⇓ 0.62% | 64.58 | 71.20 / 60.00 C: 63.70 ⇓ 1.55% | 63.77 | 64.00 / 63.50 DESHBANDHU | 0.26 | 10.67 | Vol. 529807 D: 15.70 ⇓ 3.09% | 15.85 | 16.30 / 15.00 C: 15.90 ⇓ 1.85% | 16.00 | 16.20 / 15.90 GPHISPAT | 2.11 | 15.27 | Vol. 235000 D: 45.40 ⇓ 0.87% | 45.54 | 46.00 / 44.50 C: 44.30 ⇓ 2.21% | 44.38 | 45.00 / 44.00 BENGALWTL | 4.16 | 26.24 | Vol. 325000 D: 45.10 ⇓ 2.80% | 45.39 | 46.40 / 44.90 C: 45.00 ⇓ 2.60% | 45.64 | 48.10 / 44.80 BDBUILDING | 1.53 | 14.60 | Vol. 885500 D: 39.00 ⇓ 3.47% | 39.77 | 40.50 / 38.90 C: 39.20 ⇓ 2.24% | 39.48 | 40.10 / 38.80

NPOLYMAR | 2.38 | 32.89 | Vol. 80335 D: 43.20 ⇓ 5.05% | 44.22 | 45.80 / 42.20 C: 44.40 ⇓ 3.06% | 45.17 | 46.00 / 44.00 FOOD & ALLIED APEXFOODS | 2.54 | 90.81 | Vol. 26300 D: 89.00 ⇑ 0.34% | 88.02 | 90.00 / 86.90 C: 87.20 ⇑ 0.46% | 87.25 | 88.00 / 87.00 BANGAS | 7.20 | 50.27 | Vol. 29770 D: 386.3 ⇓ 1.50% | 392.70 | 420.0 / 380.0 C: 383.5 ⇓ 1.94% | 389.80 | 399.0 / 380.2 BATBC | 65.69 | 117.22 | Vol. 300 D: 1617 ⇑ 0.52% | 1617 | 1665 / 1600 GEMINISEA | 10.88 | 9.69 | Vol. 350 D: 168.6 ⇑ 3.56% | 168.57 | 175.0 / 161.0 NTC | 29.88 | 110.05 | Vol. 2450 D: 801.1 ⇑ 0.29% | 800.82 | 805.0 / 795.0 ZEALBANGLA | -28.94 | -221.34 | Vol. 200 D: 7.90 ⇑ 9.72% | 7.90 | 7.90 / 7.90 AMCL(PRAN) | 6.85 | 57.14 | Vol. 45700 D: 181.3 ⇓ 0.28% | 181.77 | 186.7 / 180.9 C: 180.4 ⇑ 0.11% | 180.36 | 181.8 / 178.3 SHYAMPSUG | -45.77 | -396.49 | Vol. 2400 D: 7.60 ⇑ 8.57% | 7.50 | 7.70 / 7.60 FUWANGFOOD | 1.03 | 13.51 | Vol. 317800 D: 22.00 ⇓ 1.35% | 22.16 | 22.40 / 22.00 C: 22.00 ⇓ 2.22% | 22.04 | 22.50 / 21.90 MEGHNAPET | -0.50 | -1.52 | Vol. 4000 D: 6.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.50 | 6.50 / 6.40 MEGCONMILK | -7.48 | -23.70 | Vol. 13500 D: 7.00 ⇓ 1.41% | 7.04 | 7.20 / 7.00 BEACHHATCH | 1.01 | 12.48 | Vol. 755210 D: 18.90 ⇓ 3.57% | 19.11 | 20.00 / 18.90 C: 19.00 ⇓ 3.55% | 19.17 | 20.00 / 18.90 FINEFOODS | 0.05 | 10.63 | Vol. 249000 D: 15.70 ⇓ 3.09% | 15.91 | 16.30 / 15.60 C: 15.70 ⇓ 4.27% | 15.89 | 16.30 / 15.60 RDFOOD | 0.91 | 16.84 | Vol. 704628 D: 21.10 ⇓ 2.76% | 21.34 | 21.60 / 20.00 C: 21.20 ⇓ 1.85% | 21.37 | 21.80 / 21.10 GHAIL | 2.43 | 25.58 | Vol. 504560 D: 35.40 ⇓ 3.80% | 35.89 | 36.70 / 33.50 C: 36.00 ⇓ 2.44% | 36.05 | 36.50 / 35.70 FUEL & POWER LINDEBD | 31.71 | 144.00 | Vol. 7700 D: 618.3 ⇓ 0.99% | 622.86 | 633.9 / 615.2 PADMAOIL | 16.38 | 43.67 | Vol. 275648 D: 298.4 ⇓ 1.00% | 305.99 | 317.0 / 290.0 C: 299.6 ⇓ 0.70% | 306.91 | 320.0 / 298.0 BDWELDING | 0.33 | 16.82 | Vol. 515799 D: 19.10 ⇓ 2.55% | 19.24 | 20.00 / 18.00 C: 19.00 ⇓ 3.06% | 19.20 | 19.50 / 18.90 SUMITPOWER | 3.17 | 19.26 | Vol. 674036 D: 34.30 ⇓ 1.15% | 34.60 | 36.00 / 33.40 C: 34.60 ⇓ 0.57% | 34.56 | 34.80 / 34.20 DESCO | 2.34 | 31.27 | Vol. 314531 D: 62.60 ⇓ 2.19% | 62.95 | 64.80 / 61.50 C: 63.40 ⇓ 2.16% | 64.27 | 70.90 / 59.00 POWERGRID | 2.56 | 48.08 | Vol. 38175 D: 53.70 ⇓ 0.56% | 53.67 | 54.00 / 52.00 C: 53.00 ⇓ 1.85% | 53.00 | 53.00 / 53.00 JAMUNAOIL | 22.78 | 50.24 | Vol. 378034 D: 225.2 ⇓ 0.31% | 228.13 | 232.0 / 219.0 C: 225.9 ⇑ 0.53% | 228.64 | 237.0 / 225.1 MPETROLEUM | 25.61 | 71.11 | Vol. 880201 D: 261.3 ⇓ 1.43% | 265.63 | 274.0 / 242.0 C: 261.8 ⇓ 2.17% | 268.92 | 275.0 / 260.1 TITASGAS | 9.20 | 46.26 | Vol. 472780 D: 74.20 ⇓ 0.54% | 74.07 | 75.50 / 67.20 C: 74.10 ⇓ 0.54% | 74.11 | 75.00 / 74.00 KPCL | 4.73 | 15.86 | Vol. 101263 D: 47.20 ⇓ 1.05% | 47.43 | 48.00 / 43.20 C: 47.30 ⇓ 1.46% | 47.45 | 48.00 / 47.00 BEDL | 1.48 | 19.43 | Vol. 445278 D: 28.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 28.35 | 29.30 / 26.00 C: 28.20 ⇓ 0.70% | 28.29 | 28.70 / 28.10 MJLBD | 2.73 | 30.24 | Vol. 64573 D: 72.00 ⇓ 0.83% | 71.90 | 72.60 / 66.00 C: 71.30 ⇓ 0.28% | 71.47 | 72.00 / 70.10 GBBPOWER | 1.86 | 22.63 | Vol. 704584 D: 26.60 ⇓ 1.48% | 26.75 | 27.30 / 24.50 C: 26.70 ⇓ 1.84% | 26.82 | 27.50 / 26.30 SPPCL | 3.81 | 23.34 | Vol. 1051500 D: 56.60 ⇓ 2.08% | 57.29 | 60.00 / 53.00 C: 56.80 ⇓ 2.24% | 57.51 | 58.90 / 56.50

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

7

November 10, 2013 Sectotal Index: BANK: 40,043.21 ⇑ 4.65% NBFI: 21,252.28 ⇓ 0.76% INVS: 4,881.11 ⇑ 0.53% ENGG: 5,712.96 ⇓ 2.26% FOOD: 9,273.85 ⇓ 0.71% F&P: 9,972.54 ⇓ 0.74% TEXT: 3,146.12 ⇓ 1.13% PHAR: 16,940.23 ⇓ 1.07% PAPR: 924.63 ⇓ 0.53% SERV: 2,804.77 ⇓ 1.42% LEAT: 5,104.27 ⇓ 0.43% CERA: 491.30 ⇓ 0.54% CMNT: 4,278.69 ⇓ 1.80% INFO: 6,664.90 ⇓ 0.54% GINS: 9,483.04 ⇑ 1.41% LINS: 116,385.23 ⇑ 1.62% TELC: 1,300.65 ⇓ 2.41% MISC: 6,061.26 ⇓ 1.05% JUTE NORTHERN | -9.98 | -18.22 | Vol. 600 D: 26.20 ⇑ 9.17% | 26.67 | 26.40 / 26.00 SONALIANSH | 5.54 | 218.80 | Vol. 11900 D: 126.5 ⇓ 1.48% | 126.55 | 132.0 / 126.0 TEXTILE AL-HAJTEX | 2.22 | 16.53 | Vol. 136913 D: 84.60 ⇓ 0.94% | 85.00 | 92.00 / 80.00 RAHIMTEXT | 5.81 | 70.85 | Vol. 4001 D: 295.6 ⇑ 1.69% | 294.18 | 309.9 / 280.0 SAIHAMTEX | 2.75 | 29.50 | Vol. 421100 D: 28.40 ⇓ 1.73% | 28.60 | 29.00 / 28.40 C: 28.70 ⇓ 0.69% | 28.58 | 28.80 / 28.50 MODERNDYE | 0.91 | 10.37 | Vol. 450 D: 73.20 ⇓ 3.94% | 73.33 | 75.00 / 71.50 DSHGARME | 0.88 | 12.12 | Vol. 33000 D: 52.20 ⇑ 0.38% | 53.27 | 56.00 / 50.30 DULAMIACOT | -1.90 | -29.70 | Vol. 12500 D: 7.70 ⇑ 1.32% | 7.76 | 7.80 / 7.60 TALLUSPIN | 2.01 | 18.59 | Vol. 643311 D: 39.70 ⇓ 3.17% | 40.10 | 42.00 / 38.00 C: 39.60 ⇓ 1.98% | 39.65 | 40.20 / 39.50 APEXSPINN | 2.01 | 49.32 | Vol. 8400 D: 64.20 ⇓ 0.62% | 64.17 | 65.20 / 63.50 MITHUNKNIT | 3.33 | 23.82 | Vol. 87200 D: 73.30 ⇓ 1.21% | 73.93 | 75.00 / 73.20 C: 72.30 ⇓ 2.17% | 72.79 | 78.20 / 72.00 DELTASPINN | 3.06 | 26.84 | Vol. 794800 D: 27.70 ⇓ 8.58% | 27.87 | 29.50 / 27.00 C: 27.70 ⇓ 8.28% | 28.34 | 30.00 / 27.40 SONARGAON | 0.27 | 34.50 | Vol. 196334 D: 15.50 ⇓ 1.90% | 15.66 | 16.10 / 14.40 C: 15.30 ⇓ 3.16% | 15.43 | 15.70 / 15.10 PRIMETEX | 1.21 | 59.34 | Vol. 334000 D: 24.10 ⇓ 2.03% | 24.35 | 25.00 / 24.10 C: 23.80 ⇓ 2.86% | 24.27 | 26.10 / 23.50 ALLTEX | -1.26 | 8.10 | Vol. 181600 D: 7.20 ⇑ 1.41% | 7.20 | 7.30 / 6.50 C: 7.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.12 | 7.30 / 7.00 HRTEX | 2.08 | 14.92 | Vol. 179960 D: 33.40 ⇓ 3.47% | 33.88 | 35.20 / 32.00 C: 32.80 ⇓ 1.50% | 33.27 | 33.50 / 32.80 CMCKAMAL | 1.37 | 19.31 | Vol. 1456028 D: 28.70 ⇓ 2.05% | 28.90 | 30.50 / 27.00 SAFKOSPINN | 0.95 | 21.78 | Vol. 296100 D: 22.40 ⇓ 1.75% | 22.74 | 23.40 / 20.60 C: 22.60 ⇓ 1.31% | 22.88 | 23.70 / 22.40 SQUARETEXT | 4.32 | 31.82 | Vol. 75882 D: 91.10 ⇑ 0.22% | 91.10 | 91.60 / 83.00 C: 90.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 90.99 | 91.00 / 90.10 METROSPIN | 0.62 | 19.48 | Vol. 559445 D: 17.90 ⇓ 2.72% | 18.10 | 19.50 / 16.90 C: 18.10 ⇓ 2.69% | 18.24 | 19.00 / 18.00 MAKSONSPIN | 0.16 | 20.55 | Vol. 1462603 D: 15.50 ⇓ 1.90% | 15.67 | 16.50 / 14.50 C: 15.60 ⇓ 1.89% | 15.68 | 15.90 / 15.50 DACCADYE | 1.21 | 31.13 | Vol. 372649 D: 26.10 ⇓ 4.40% | 26.34 | 27.00 / 26.10 C: 26.40 ⇓ 1.12% | 26.40 | 26.60 / 26.30 RNSPIN | 2.80 | 16.58 | Vol. 2569878 D: 31.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 31.06 | 31.70 / 28.00 C: 30.90 ⇓ 0.64% | 31.19 | 31.70 / 30.80 BXSYNTH | 0.93 | 25.42 | Vol. 593748 D: 15.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.68 | 16.10 / 15.20 C: 15.60 ⇓ 1.27% | 15.81 | 16.10 / 15.50 MALEKSPIN | 2.81 | 43.48 | Vol. 920950 D: 27.30 ⇓ 1.44% | 27.35 | 28.00 / 25.00 C: 27.00 ⇓ 2.88% | 27.41 | 28.10 / 27.00 ZAHINTEX | 1.20 | 31.07 | Vol. 452900 D: 24.50 ⇓ 13.73% | 24.74 | 25.10 / 24.00 C: 24.70 ⇓ 13.03% | 24.87 | 25.50 / 23.00 SAIHAMCOT | 1.92 | 23.62 | Vol. 867750 D: 23.10 ⇓ 1.28% | 23.18 | 23.70 / 23.00 C: 23.20 ⇓ 1.28% | 23.16 | 24.00 / 23.00 GENNEXT | 1.68 | 15.15 | Vol. 3702050 D: 24.80 ⇓ 1.59% | 25.03 | 26.80 / 23.00 C: 24.80 ⇓ 1.59% | 25.02 | 25.40 / 24.70 ENVOYTEX | 3.26 | 39.26 | Vol. 673920 D: 57.40 ⇑ 0.35% | 57.49 | 58.80 / 52.00 C: 57.20 ⇓ 0.52% | 57.26 | 57.90 / 57.00 ARGONDENIM | 1.89 | 38.86 | Vol. 765810 D: 68.40 ⇑ 1.63% | 68.21 | 69.00 / 61.00 C: 67.70 ⇑ 0.89% | 67.57 | 68.40 / 67.10 FAMILYTEX | 3.72 | 14.68 | Vol. 331000 D: 43.60 ⇑ 1.87% | 43.35 | 44.00 / 42.70 C: 43.40 ⇑ 1.64% | 43.47 | 43.90 / 42.70

AAMRATECH | 1.33 | 19.91 | Vol. 797450 D: 28.50 ⇓ 8.65% | 28.82 | 29.80 / 28.30 C: 28.60 ⇓ 8.63% | 28.78 | 29.20 / 27.80

PHARMACEUTICAL & CHEMICAL AMBEEPHA | 3.94 | 26.15 | Vol. 4301 D: 242.5 ⇓ 1.70% | 244.56 | 247.0 / 240.3 C: 244.2 ⇓ 1.57% | 245.26 | 250.0 / 242.2 BXPHARMA | 3.77 | 52.55 | Vol. 395875 D: 44.90 ⇓ 0.22% | 45.05 | 45.80 / 41.00 C: 45.00 ⇑ 0.45% | 45.21 | 45.80 / 44.90 GLAXOSMITH | 20.25 | 123.32 | Vol. 1200 D: 935.5 ⇑ 0.72% | 935.83 | 938.0 / 930.0 ACI | -5.82 | 126.42 | Vol. 10396 D: 163.3 ⇑ 0.00% | 163.26 | 166.0 / 155.0 C: 160.6 ⇓ 1.23% | 162.42 | 165.5 / 160.0 RENATA | 33.57 | 138.83 | Vol. 11574 D: 708.3 ⇓ 1.14% | 710.21 | 726.0 / 670.0 RECKITTBEN | 27.16 | 78.89 | Vol. 50 D: 724.1 ⇓ 1.28% | 724.10 | 724.1 / 724.1 PHARMAID | 5.06 | 26.30 | Vol. 19400 D: 161.5 ⇓ 0.80% | 162.16 | 165.9 / 160.2 KOHINOOR | 9.52 | 10.49 | Vol. 1500 D: 433.3 ⇑ 0.18% | 433.33 | 459.0 / 420.0 IBNSINA | 3.44 | 34.02 | Vol. 73880 D: 94.80 ⇓ 1.96% | 95.49 | 98.50 / 94.00 C: 93.90 ⇓ 2.19% | 95.07 | 96.10 / 93.60 LIBRAINFU | 4.21 | 1567.59 | Vol. 1200 D: 389.6 ⇑ 0.93% | 390.00 | 395.0 / 386.0 ORIONINFU | 8.72 | 1.73 | Vol. 123000 D: 40.00 ⇓ 2.20% | 40.22 | 41.30 / 39.90 C: 40.00 ⇓ 4.76% | 40.03 | 40.20 / 40.00 SQURPHARMA | 6.93 | 37.18 | Vol. 270684 D: 179.9 ⇓ 1.91% | 180.65 | 190.0 / 167.0 C: 180.2 ⇓ 1.58% | 180.92 | 182.5 / 179.8 IMAMBUTTON | -1.51 | 4.16 | Vol. 22000 D: 7.20 ⇑ 1.41% | 7.24 | 7.30 / 7.20 C: 7.10 ⇓ 1.39% | 7.14 | 7.20 / 7.10 KEYACOSMET | 1.55 | 21.54 | Vol. 1243600 D: 24.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 24.01 | 24.40 / 23.50 C: 23.90 ⇓ 1.65% | 23.98 | 24.30 / 23.80 BERGERPBL | 32.46 | 100.20 | Vol. 1550 D: 804.2 ⇓ 1.40% | 804.52 | 832.0 / 796.0 ACIFORMULA | 3.33 | 38.08 | Vol. 35600 D: 72.90 ⇓ 0.27% | 72.67 | 74.00 / 72.00 C: 72.50 ⇓ 1.76% | 72.55 | 73.00 / 72.20 MARICO | 27.53 | 62.47 | Vol. 4150 D: 737.2 ⇓ 2.80% | 742.28 | 755.0 / 733.0 C: 730.0 ⇓ 5.93% | 739.38 | 745.0 / 730.0 BEACONPHAR | 0.04 | 12.01 | Vol. 564600 D: 11.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 11.51 | 11.60 / 11.40 C: 11.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 11.41 | 11.50 / 11.30 ACTIVEFINE | 3.23 | 13.89 | Vol. 719398 D: 83.10 ⇑ 0.97% | 82.77 | 87.90 / 75.00 C: 83.80 ⇑ 1.70% | 82.92 | 85.20 / 80.00 SALVOCHEM | 0.68 | 10.57 | Vol. 357578 D: 19.00 ⇓ 1.04% | 19.12 | 19.70 / 18.00 C: 19.10 ⇓ 1.04% | 19.13 | 19.50 / 19.00 GHCL | 2.14 | 57.31 | Vol. 277250 D: 50.90 ⇓ 4.14% | 51.19 | 53.70 / 50.20 C: 50.40 ⇓ 5.44% | 50.93 | 53.60 / 50.20 ORIONPHARM | 5.02 | 68.68 | Vol. 896660 D: 53.70 ⇑ 0.75% | 54.08 | 54.90 / 49.00 C: 54.30 ⇑ 0.93% | 54.48 | 55.00 / 53.50 JMISMDL | 1.12 | 12.83 | Vol. 165500 D: 168.8 ⇓ 6.07% | 173.03 | 180.0 / 167.0 C: 168.1 ⇓ 6.71% | 171.50 | 176.0 / 166.0 CENTRALPHL | 1.62 | 12.24 | Vol. 412500 D: 27.00 ⇓ 2.53% | 27.47 | 27.90 / 26.90 C: 27.30 ⇓ 1.44% | 27.49 | 27.80 / 27.10 PAPER & PACKAGING HAKKANIPUL | 0.51 | 31.01 | Vol. 28500 D: 24.60 ⇓ 2.38% | 24.69 | 25.00 / 24.40 C: 24.80 ⇓ 0.40% | 24.86 | 25.00 / 24.70

SERVICE SAMORITA | 3.24 | 74.65 | Vol. 50094 D: 105.5 ⇓ 1.86% | 105.71 | 108.3 / 100.0 SAPORTL | 1.23 | 38.39 | Vol. 159713 D: 26.50 ⇓ 1.85% | 26.70 | 27.00 / 25.00 C: 26.60 ⇓ 1.85% | 26.73 | 28.00 / 26.60 EHL | 3.16 | 20.74 | Vol. 232617 D: 52.00 ⇓ 2.07% | 52.27 | 53.30 / 48.00 C: 52.40 ⇓ 1.50% | 52.47 | 53.50 / 52.30 LEATHER APEXTANRY | 6.57 | 69.38 | Vol. 107500 D: 101.9 ⇓ 2.49% | 102.73 | 104.3 / 101.1 C: 101.7 ⇓ 2.77% | 102.24 | 104.0 / 100.1 BATASHOE | 49.12 | 135.53 | Vol. 5700 D: 689.1 ⇓ 2.20% | 695.09 | 717.0 / 686.0 APEXADELFT | 23.01 | 203.26 | Vol. 61200 D: 373.8 ⇓ 3.68% | 378.27 | 389.0 / 368.0 SAMATALETH | 0.22 | 12.93 | Vol. 5500 D: 13.00 ⇑ 2.36% | 13.09 | 13.40 / 13.00 LEGACYFOOT | 0.63 | 17.19 | Vol. 329038 D: 30.10 ⇓ 4.44% | 30.66 | 31.80 / 28.40 C: 30.30 ⇓ 3.50% | 30.92 | 32.00 / 30.10 CERAMIC MONNOCERA | 0.35 | 95.30 | Vol. 27050 D: 28.80 ⇓ 4.00% | 29.02 | 29.70 / 28.80 C: 29.00 ⇓ 3.33% | 29.00 | 29.00 / 29.00 STANCERAM | 1.12 | 15.49 | Vol. 34000 D: 41.70 ⇓ 3.47% | 42.06 | 43.20 / 41.00 C: 40.70 ⇑ 5.71% | 40.40 | 40.70 / 39.80 FUWANGCER | 0.72 | 13.97 | Vol. 304250 D: 18.00 ⇓ 1.10% | 18.04 | 18.30 / 17.90 C: 18.10 ⇓ 1.09% | 18.07 | 18.20 / 18.00 SPCERAMICS | 0.62 | 30.92 | Vol. 576099 D: 16.20 ⇓ 0.61% | 16.38 | 16.80 / 15.10 C: 16.20 ⇓ 0.61% | 16.18 | 16.70 / 14.70 RAKCERAMIC | 1.98 | 16.76 | Vol. 192984 D: 52.00 ⇑ 0.97% | 52.19 | 54.00 / 46.50 C: 51.60 ⇓ 0.39% | 52.73 | 56.90 / 46.90 CEMENT HEIDELBCEM | 22.85 | 111.50 | Vol. 68300 D: 386.6 ⇓ 3.33% | 391.39 | 404.0 / 385.0 C: 386.3 ⇓ 2.96% | 391.12 | 394.0 / 386.2 CONFIDCEM | 6.23 | 90.76 | Vol. 137141 D: 121.1 ⇓ 2.26% | 121.76 | 124.0 / 120.5 C: 120.9 ⇓ 2.50% | 121.98 | 123.6 / 120.5 MEGHNACEM | 6.28 | 33.81 | Vol. 61300 D: 121.4 ⇓ 1.22% | 122.32 | 123.9 / 121.0 C: 122.1 ⇓ 2.24% | 122.09 | 123.0 / 122.0 ARAMITCEM | 3.03 | 14.65 | Vol. 50500 D: 67.80 ⇓ 3.69% | 68.55 | 70.00 / 67.50 LAFSURCEML | 1.60 | 7.22 | Vol. 609000 D: 31.30 ⇓ 1.57% | 31.39 | 31.90 / 31.20 C: 31.40 ⇓ 1.57% | 31.49 | 31.80 / 31.40 IT IINDUSTRIES ISNLTD | 0.28 | 17.31 | Vol. 163020 D: 15.70 ⇑ 0.64% | 15.74 | 16.00 / 15.60 C: 15.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.77 | 16.90 / 15.50 BDCOM | 1.54 | 15.85 | Vol. 413227 D: 27.70 ⇑ 1.47% | 27.81 | 28.90 / 24.60 C: 28.00 ⇑ 1.82% | 27.73 | 28.00 / 28.00 INTECH | 0.94 | 10.08 | Vol. 195673 D: 14.70 ⇓ 0.68% | 14.74 | 15.00 / 13.80 C: 14.70 ⇓ 2.00% | 14.70 | 15.00 / 14.50 AGNISYSL | 1.06 | 16.39 | Vol. 270227 D: 21.10 ⇓ 1.40% | 21.19 | 21.80 / 21.00 C: 20.80 ⇓ 2.80% | 20.99 | 22.00 / 20.60 DAFODILCOM | 0.85 | 10.99 | Vol. 441204 D: 13.00 ⇓ 0.76% | 13.10 | 13.90 / 12.00 C: 13.10 ⇓ 0.76% | 13.16 | 13.40 / 13.10

GENERAL INSURANCE BGIC | 1.65 | 20.33 | Vol. 107568 D: 30.90 ⇑ 0.65% | 31.00 | 31.50 / 29.00 C: 30.70 ⇓ 0.32% | 30.86 | 31.10 / 30.30 GREENDELT | 4.05 | 64.44 | Vol. 28073 D: 81.30 ⇓ 1.93% | 82.51 | 83.90 / 75.00 C: 84.40 ⇑ 4.84% | 84.40 | 84.40 / 84.40 UNITEDINS | 2.47 | 21.04 | Vol. 4400 D: 45.80 ⇑ 0.66% | 45.91 | 46.70 / 45.00 PEOPLESINS | 2.05 | 20.72 | Vol. 514775 D: 37.70 ⇑ 3.01% | 37.70 | 38.50 / 33.20 C: 37.90 ⇑ 4.41% | 37.89 | 38.20 / 36.60 EASTERNINS | 2.22 | 35.88 | Vol. 40800 D: 39.80 ⇓ 2.21% | 39.98 | 41.00 / 39.50 JANATAINS | 0.78 | 17.07 | Vol. 525834 D: 28.70 ⇓ 89.00% | 28.47 | 28.70 / 26.00 C: 28.10 ⇓ 89.12% | 28.11 | 28.30 / 28.00 PHENIXINS | 2.70 | 20.96 | Vol. 122235 D: 44.60 ⇑ 3.48% | 44.56 | 45.50 / 39.90 C: 44.80 ⇑ 3.46% | 44.79 | 45.00 / 43.90 EASTLAND | 4.06 | 23.29 | Vol. 221240 D: 49.80 ⇑ 1.63% | 49.95 | 51.00 / 48.50 C: 49.00 ⇑ 0.62% | 49.00 | 49.00 / 49.00 CENTRALINS | 1.54 | 19.04 | Vol. 127920 D: 31.80 ⇑ 2.91% | 31.46 | 32.00 / 29.00 KARNAPHULI | 1.56 | 19.42 | Vol. 186200 D: 24.70 ⇑ 1.65% | 24.62 | 24.90 / 23.50 RUPALIINS | 2.76 | 23.38 | Vol. 612697 D: 35.60 ⇑ 3.79% | 35.36 | 35.80 / 34.00 C: 35.70 ⇑ 4.39% | 35.56 | 36.30 / 34.00 FEDERALINS | 1.10 | 10.98 | Vol. 642098 D: 26.00 ⇑ 2.36% | 25.84 | 26.50 / 24.00 C: 26.40 ⇑ 3.13% | 25.92 | 26.40 / 25.20 RELIANCINS | 3.93 | 61.52 | Vol. 9000 D: 71.80 ⇓ 2.71% | 71.89 | 73.00 / 71.00 PURABIGEN | 1.05 | 18.71 | Vol. 554026 D: 24.70 ⇓ 1.20% | 25.19 | 26.00 / 23.00 PRAGATIINS | 2.01 | 50.30 | Vol. 24607 D: 59.50 ⇑ 0.34% | 59.88 | 61.70 / 59.00 PRIMEINSUR | 2.14 | 14.14 | Vol. 120030 D: 34.30 ⇑ 1.48% | 34.32 | 35.00 / 32.00 PIONEERINS | 3.11 | 23.84 | Vol. 43000 D: 69.40 ⇓ 0.57% | 69.72 | 70.20 / 69.00 MERCINS | 1.53 | 14.50 | Vol. 196100 D: 29.00 ⇓ 2.03% | 29.55 | 30.40 / 26.70 C: 29.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 29.50 | 29.50 / 29.50 AGRANINS | 1.73 | 14.39 | Vol. 69800 D: 27.70 ⇓ 2.46% | 27.95 | 28.70 / 26.00 GLOBALINS | 1.09 | 11.78 | Vol. 91677 D: 30.00 ⇑ 0.33% | 30.12 | 30.60 / 27.00 NITOLINS | 2.59 | 15.41 | Vol. 8858 D: 36.50 ⇑ 0.83% | 36.43 | 36.80 / 35.50 ASIAPACINS | 1.84 | 13.76 | Vol. 69500 D: 31.80 ⇓ 0.63% | 32.03 | 32.70 / 31.70 C: 31.80 ⇑ 2.25% | 31.80 | 31.80 / 31.80 SONARBAINS | 1.68 | 13.38 | Vol. 102824 D: 25.80 ⇑ 0.78% | 25.79 | 26.40 / 23.50 C: 26.10 ⇑ 2.35% | 26.13 | 26.90 / 25.00 PARAMOUNT | 1.26 | 13.19 | Vol. 147334 D: 25.10 ⇓ 0.40% | 25.53 | 26.20 / 24.90 C: 25.90 ⇑ 1.97% | 25.10 | 25.90 / 23.10 CITYGENINS | 1.65 | 14.26 | Vol. 131717 D: 30.20 ⇓ 0.66% | 30.61 | 31.00 / 28.00 C: 30.60 ⇓ 0.65% | 30.69 | 30.90 / 30.50 CONTININS | 1.41 | 15.68 | Vol. 445227 D: 32.30 ⇑ 1.89% | 32.48 | 33.10 / 28.60 C: 32.40 ⇑ 1.57% | 32.44 | 33.10 / 32.00 TAKAFULINS | 2.19 | 15.17 | Vol. 358200 D: 42.30 ⇓ 1.40% | 43.11 | 44.00 / 40.00 C: 42.60 ⇑ 0.47% | 43.29 | 43.80 / 42.60 STANDARINS | 2.58 | 13.99 | Vol. 5804 D: 40.60 ⇓ 1.22% | 40.66 | 41.50 / 39.00 NORTHRNINS | 1.77 | 11.15 | Vol. 43280 D: 43.10 ⇓ 1.37% | 43.60 | 44.00 / 42.00 REPUBLIC | 2.14 | 12.42 | Vol. 423075 D: 44.50 ⇓ 1.98% | 45.10 | 46.20 / 44.40 C: 45.00 ⇓ 1.96% | 45.09 | 45.50 / 44.70 ASIAINS | 1.56 | 17.34 | Vol. 110436 D: 28.40 ⇑ 1.79% | 28.58 | 30.00 / 27.00 C: 28.90 ⇑ 2.85% | 28.57 | 29.00 / 28.00 ISLAMIINS | 1.29 | 11.96 | Vol. 75963 D: 34.80 ⇓ 0.29% | 34.80 | 35.70 / 31.50 C: 31.50 ⇓ 4.83% | 31.50 | 31.50 / 31.50

PROVATIINS | 1.90 | 14.30 | Vol. 53434 D: 30.20 ⇓ 0.98% | 30.35 | 31.30 / 28.00 C: 30.00 ⇓ 1.64% | 29.46 | 30.00 / 28.00 DHAKAINS | 2.84 | 18.02 | Vol. 215875 D: 41.90 ⇑ 2.44% | 42.05 | 42.60 / 37.00 C: 42.60 ⇑ 3.15% | 42.61 | 44.00 / 42.00 LIFE INSURANCE NATLIFEINS | 12.34 | 80.99 | Vol. 27723 D: 270.6 ⇑ 6.12% | 267.90 | 277.0 / 245.0 DELTALIFE | 38.53 | 189.40 | Vol. 42375 D: 373.1 ⇑ 8.74% | 373.08 | 373.1 / 372.0 SANDHANINS | 2.39 | 28.22 | Vol. 113610 D: 73.60 ⇓ 0.54% | 74.00 | 75.10 / 72.00 C: 74.00 ⇓ 0.27% | 74.15 | 75.20 / 73.50 POPULARLIF | 3.70 | 715.41 | Vol. 279511 D: 229.1 ⇑ 8.73% | 225.95 | 229.1 / 209.0 C: 187.7 ⇑ 9.96% | 187.70 | 187.7 / 187.7 FAREASTLIF | 9.21 | 60.79 | Vol. 80483 D: 98.80 ⇑ 2.28% | 97.63 | 99.40 / 87.00 C: 97.70 ⇑ 0.51% | 97.51 | 97.80 / 97.00 MEGHNALIFE | 10.82 | 48.87 | Vol. 153770 D: 112.0 ⇑ 3.32% | 110.12 | 113.5 / 104.6 C: 109.8 ⇑ 0.73% | 108.36 | 109.9 / 103.0 PROGRESLIF | 2.30 | 31.45 | Vol. 2150 D: 106.8 ⇓ 6.40% | 106.86 | 107.1 / 105.0 PRAGATILIF | 0.60 | 30.15 | Vol. 46700 D: 123.9 ⇓ 3.43% | 126.68 | 129.3 / 120.0 PRIMELIFE | 5.51 | 27.10 | Vol. 43800 D: 94.70 ⇑ 0.53% | 94.53 | 95.40 / 93.50 C: 97.00 ⇑ 6.48% | 97.00 | 97.00 / 97.00 RUPALILIFE | 3.75 | 31.25 | Vol. 133000 D: 101.3 ⇑ 1.30% | 101.80 | 103.9 / 99.30 C: 99.80 ⇑ 4.72% | 99.80 | 98.60 / 101.0 PADMALIFE | 1.63 | 25.76 | Vol. 73240 D: 59.00 ⇑ 1.03% | 58.75 | 60.00 / 54.00 C: 59.10 ⇑ 1.90% | 59.00 | 59.20 / 56.00 SUNLIFEINS | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 181075 D: 58.70 ⇓ 2.00% | 58.68 | 61.50 / 54.00 C: 58.30 ⇑ 0.87% | 58.28 | 58.50 / 58.00 TELECOM GP | 12.96 | 26.26 | Vol. 421000 D: 196.8 ⇓ 2.77% | 198.03 | 202.4 / 196.0 C: 196.5 ⇓ 2.87% | 199.38 | 204.7 / 196.0 BSCCL | 5.82 | 26.38 | Vol. 270727 D: 165.1 ⇓ 0.48% | 165.83 | 182.4 / 149.5 C: 165.1 ⇓ 0.72% | 165.95 | 169.5 / 164.7 TRAVEL & LEISURE UNITEDAIR | 1.10 | 12.87 | Vol. 4117028 D: 15.80 ⇓ 0.63% | 15.91 | 16.10 / 15.00 C: 15.90 ⇓ 1.24% | 15.96 | 16.20 / 15.80 UNIQUEHRL | 4.02 | 86.29 | Vol. 533570 D: 75.90 ⇓ 1.30% | 76.32 | 77.90 / 75.00 C: 76.00 ⇓ 1.68% | 76.31 | 77.20 / 75.80 MISCELLANEOUS ARAMIT | 16.07 | 99.93 | Vol. 30600 D: 315.0 ⇑ 0.35% | 316.63 | 329.0 / 310.0 BSC | 1.77 | 565.82 | Vol. 56880 D: 411.3 ⇓ 1.20% | 413.88 | 419.8 / 410.3 C: 412.5 ⇓ 1.37% | 416.28 | 421.8 / 411.0 GQBALLPEN | 6.55 | 250.45 | Vol. 45200 D: 137.1 ⇓ 1.58% | 137.69 | 139.9 / 136.0 C: 136.0 ⇓ 3.55% | 137.36 | 140.0 / 135.5 USMANIAGL | 3.45 | 27.20 | Vol. 85450 D: 115.5 ⇓ 12.03% | 116.84 | 123.0 / 114.0 C: 115.2 ⇓ 11.79% | 119.56 | 125.0 / 115.0 SAVAREFR | 0.14 | 10.57 | Vol. 100 D: 53.10 ⇓ 4.84% | 53.10 | 53.10 / 53.10 BEXIMCO | 3.24 | 86.74 | Vol. 4093083 D: 31.90 ⇓ 1.54% | 32.34 | 35.00 / 29.20 C: 31.90 ⇓ 1.54% | 32.30 | 33.50 / 31.10 SINOBANGLA | 1.75 | 21.01 | Vol. 224000 D: 20.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 20.64 | 20.90 / 20.50 C: 20.50 ⇓ 0.49% | 20.29 | 20.80 / 20.10 MIRACLEIND | 0.10 | 15.13 | Vol. 171857 D: 13.50 ⇓ 2.88% | 13.70 | 15.00 / 13.40 C: 13.70 ⇓ 0.72% | 13.84 | 15.00 / 12.50 HIGHSPEED | -14.01 | -236.91 | Vol. 0 C: 0.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 0.00 | 0.00 / 0.00 BOND IBBLPBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 45 D: 957.5 ⇓ 0.49% | 955.56 | 961.3 / 951.0 ACIZCBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 10 D: 879.0 ⇓ 0.28% | 833.33 | 879.5 / 879.0 C: 820.0 ⇓ 6.82% | 820.00 | 820.0 / 820.0

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Putin’s failure damning Russia to low growth trap n AFP, Moscow Russia’s failure to significantly change its energy-dependent economic model under President Vladimir Putin is consigning the country to potentially decades of low growth and eroding its status as a top emerging economy.

The Russian economy ministry on Thursday dramatically confirmed what was obvious to many, by downgrading its estimate of Russia’s average growth to 2030 to a paltry 2.5%, a far cry from over seven percent rates in the early Putin years.

“The pace of Russia’s economic growth will fall behind the global average in the forecast period,” admitted Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev.

This year even Russia’s official forecast puts 2013 growth at just 1.8%. But most worrying for the Kremlin is that the weakness cannot just be blamed on external factors but stems from domestic shortcomings.

‘One of the biggest underperformers’ The Russian economy faces a daunting list of troubles - a declining population, the re-emergence of the United States as a rival energy superpower due to shale gas, and the government’s colossal spending on defence that stretches the budget.

These factors are compounded by Russia’s failure to stimulate private enterprise, reform the judicial system, improve labour productivity and turn the Russian economy into more than a lumbering energy producer.

Russia’s weakness this year alone can be linked to this failure, which has damaged the investment climate, economists say.

The revisions by the economy ministry were the “clearest signal yet that Moscow believes that economic weakness over the past year has been structural rather than cyclical in nature,” said Neil Shearing, Chief Emerging Markets Economist at Capital Economics.

“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.”

‘Five percent’ annual growth if reform

The forecasts by his own ministry made Putin’s aim of Russia becoming one of the world’s top five economies by 2020 look almost laughable and also undermined its credibility as a member of the BRICS groups of supposedly fast-growing emerging markets.

An October survey of 21 top economists by Russia’s Higher School of Economics (HSE) showed not only a low consensus forecast of 1.6% growth this year, but also growth expectations of three percent or less for every year up to 2022.

“Three percent growth, which would have seen unjustifiably low until recently now seems almost unreachable,” said Sergei Smirnov, deputy director of the HSE’s Development Institute.

He said that forecasts of “a decade of lean years” would mean growth of 29% in the decade from 2013-2022, making a mockery of the government’s ambition to double GDP in 10 years.

Russia’s central bank, which has long kept a hawkish eye on inflation, on Friday warned

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow about Russia’s growth prospects after keeping key interest rates unchanged at 5.5%.

“Due to weak investment activity and the slow recovery of external demand, the Central Bank expects low Russian economic growth rates to remain in the medium-term perspective,” it said.

The International Monetary Fund warned Russia in October that unless more was done to address reform, growth in the medium term would be no more than 3.5% due to Russia’s weak investment climate.

But it said that Russia could achieve medium-term growth of 5% with reform. “Under a reform scenario, Russia’s medium-term growth could rise considerably,” it said.

Post-Soviet spare capacity used up Putin built his popularity on giving many Russians a new prosperity after the torrid 1990s. According to the IMF, this meant that since 2000 Russia has increased its per capita income from 33 to 51% of the OECD average.

AFP

But Russia was helped in the period up to the 2008-2009 global financial crisis by two one-off factors -- unusually high oil prices and the using up of the spare capacity created by the dismantling of the inefficient Soviet economy.

But this capacity has now been used up, with no slack.

The IMF forecasts growth of just 1.5% in 2013 with a pick-up to three percent in 2014.

Troublingly for the Kremlin, the IMF says the economy is working at close to full capacity with inflation and employment high.

“The activation of spare capacity and rising oil prices that drove a decade of average annual growth in excess of five percent are not replicable,” the IMF said in a report.

With Putin set to stay in the Kremlin until at least 2018 - and maybe even 2024 if he seeks another mandate - the Russian authorities will want to ensure a maximum of economic stability to prevent handing a new cause to the still-nascent protest movement. l

China builds expectations of reforms at key meeting n AFP, Beijing Chinese state media yesterday raised expectations for major reforms at a Communist Party meeting which is setting the course for the world’s second largest economy over the next decade.

Leaders on Saturday began a four-day meeting, known as the Third Plenum, to chart the country’s future as it faces a series of challenges ranging from environmental degradation to a widening income gap.

In a front-page editorial, party mouthpiece the People’s Daily praised past economic reforms for bringing prosperity to the world’s most populous country and called for more.

“China needs to deepen reform ... opening up on all fronts in order to forge ahead,” it said, but added the country faced an “uphill road” as it seeks to address new challenges.

Analysts say China remains committed to economic reform, launched more than three decades ago in the communist country, but the pace slowed under the previous leadership of President Hu Jintao.

The new leaders, President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, have in recent days raised expectations for economic reform.

But few details have emerged from the secretive meeting which ends Tuesday.

The economy expanded an annual 7.7% for all of 2012, the worst performance since 1999.

Although economic growth rebounded to 7.8% year-on-year in the third quarter of this year, officials say China must adjust to slower development to carry out structural changes.

“In a society with rapid transformation and accumulating contradictions... every step we take towards the peak is a perilous climb that bears risk and even crisis,” the People’s Daily said.

Although economic changes are on the agenda for the party meeting, officials and state media say, Western-style political reforms have been ruled out.

But in a rare challenge to the ruling Communist Party, supporters of jailed politician Bo Xilai have established a new political party, one of the founders said Sunday.

Scholar Wang Zheng said the party was set up on Wednesday to support the former high-ranking official who was given a life sentence for corruption in September.

Bo, the former Communist Party chief of the city of Chongqing and a member of the elite politburo, won admirers among the socalled “New Left” for a revival of “red” culture, harking back to the days of leader Mao Zedong.

Chinese authorities view organisations set up without express authorisation as illegal and have cracked down on similar groups in the past.

Analysts have played down the prospect of firm measures emerging from the party meeting, since such gatherings tend to unveil general principles rather than concrete policies.

“Expectations that detailed new policies will be unveiled at the upcoming Third Plenum are likely to be disappointed,” research firm Capital Economics said in a recent report. l